Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3558, John Adam Ferst, New Jersey
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of
the act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832.

State of Pennsylvania
Lancaster County Ss.

On  this 17th day of June A.D. 1834.
personally appeared in open Court before Walter  Franklin
Esquire, & president of the Courts of Common Pleas, of the
Second Judicial District-- of Pennsylvania, consisting
of the Counties of York and Lancaster, and Justice of the
courts of [illegible] and Terminen & General [illegible] Delivery
and Quarter Sessions of the Peace in the said District and
Samuel Dale and John Lightner Esquire,  Associate
Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County
of Lancaster and Adjutant Justices of the Courts of Even
and Terminen and General Gail Deliver and Quarter
Sessions of the Peace in and for the said County of
Lancaster(none sitting) John Adam Ferst, of Raphosylvania
aged 73 years and upwards, who being
duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make
the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit
of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
That he was born in Brickhausen, in the province of
Germany, in the month of September 1760-- that he was
forced into the German Service, and taken, together with 4
hundred [illegible] to America., anchored at New
York--from thence taken in small boats up the East
River, near a place then called the "Mills" where he
landed; and was quartered, he thinks, in Fort "Independence"
within sight of Fort Washington,-- after remaining there
a few days we attacked the fort Washington & took it--
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thence we marched on to the city of New York-- thence
across the North River on to Amboy, where we remained
in the barracks one night-- thence on to Elizabethtown, where
I remained two nights.  I remained with the British forces
10 or 14 days when I deserted & came over to the  Americans
I joined them at Morristown, where I swore allegiance
to the United States, and enlisted in her service
for 3 years-- my Captain was Alexander Donner or
Turner-- Major William Smith-- this was in the fall
of the year,-- I think November 1776 or 1777-- In
the spring of said year a soldier by the name 
of Godlich Mauth or Modth who drove a magazine
waggon, died; whereupon I was ordered  by my Captain
Alexander Donner or Turner, to take his place to
drive said waggon-- from Morristown we went on
to Kings [illegible] where we crossed & went to Long Island
where we remained about 3 months-- about this time
several waggoners were sent on to a place caller "New
Millford" in the State of Connecticut where munitions of
war were stored and arms repaired -- I drove one waggon
after being loaded with muskets,  powder &c we again
returned back to Long Island where we remained
some time-- thence on again to "Kings furce" on the
North river, where we crossed and went into the Jersies--
thence on or near Princeton-- thence on to Brandywine
where a battle was fought-- I was distant from
the scene of action[crossed out]  one or two miles--
the Americans retreated-- from Brandywine
we went on to a creek called Banadh Yomen between
Reading and Philadelphia where we remained a few days
at this time a battle was expected to take place 
at Germantown-- from Banack Yomen we went
into Beck's County;  near Lefons Tavern where we remained
for 2 or 3 weeks-- thence on to Bethlehem where we
remained 3 or 4 weeks-- thence on to "Red Fort" in
company with waggons, loaded with munitions of
war--after unloading we again returned to Bethlehem--
thence on to "Valley Forge" where we were quartered 
for the winter-- In the Spring we left Valley
Forge and went into the Jersies-- thence on to King's
furce (or fence)
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where we crossed over to Long island, where
we remained a considerable time-- thence on again to
Millforce Connecticut-- thence, backwards and forwards
thence into the Jersies, where we left our waggons.---
Some of our horses were taken on to Milloch,  then
in the County of Lancaster where I remained during the
winter--- In the Spring I again repaired to head
Quarters, either-- at Middle  brook or  [illegible]--some
time this Summer the Battle of Monmouth was fought.
I was 1/2 mile in the rear of the Artillery with ammunition--
after the battle we went on to Sussex Court house
where I remained a short time, took sick, and was
discharged about five weeks before the expiration
of my enlistment--  I received it by the hands of
Manor Alexander Donner, or Turner--my discharge
has been lost.-------------

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion that
the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier
and Served as he states.
[several faded and illegible signatures]

I Christian Sackman Prothonatary of the Court of
Common pleas of Lancaster County do hereby certify, that the
foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Ada Ferst
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and the seal of said Court at Lancaster this the tenth
day of June AD 1834
(signature of Christ Sachman)
[illegible]