History of VA in 100 Objects
Object 7: Portrait of Revolutionary War Veteran Joseph Winter
More than 15,000 Revolutionary War Veterans qualified for a pension. Veteran Joseph Winter was one of the unlucky few who did not. Winter lived in a settlement near Bethlehem, Pennsylvania before the war, where he supported his family as a weaver. As he grew older, his vision deteriorated and he could no longer perform the work required by his chosen trade. With no pension, Winter became homeless.