SARAH S. STAFFORD - Claim for payment for services of her father James Bayard Stafford, an officer in the Navy of the Revolution

Washington: Government Printing Office. Very Good. 1860. First Edition. Removed Document. 3 pages; Removed document, clean, unmarked, complete. OCLC 1065576853 In 1848, Lieut. Stafford's daughter began her appeals to Congress for compensation for her father’s service in the Revolutionary War. This is just a decade after Paul Jones' niece did the same, without success, to collect unpaid debts owed to him. Mrs. Stafford, however, after many attempts, was successful with this appeal and received $8,000 in compensation. A curious side track reveals that in 1784, Lieut. James Bayard Stafford was reportedly presented with the 12 star flag of Paul Jones by the Secretary of State of Philadelphia along with a broad sword and musket reportedly captured from the Serapis. Stafford was given the flag because he had been aboard the Bonhomme Richard during the battle ten years earlier. Family legend claims the Bonhomme flag was shot from the masthead and fell into the sea, but Lieut. Stafford jumped into the sea and retrieved Paul Jones' flag. Stafford reportedly found his way onto the Bonhomme when his ship, The Kitty, was captured by a British ship in English waters. The Kitty was captained by Philip Stafford, uncle to James Stafford who was also aboard. Jones, according to the story, then took the British ship as a prize and freed the crew of the Kitty who joined the Bonhomme crew just 10 days before the battle with the Serapis. The flag story was not presented in any official reports. .