Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 4013, for Benjamin Stilling, Maryland
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Service
MD

Name
Stilling, Benjamin

Number
S.4013

carded
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4013
Rev War
INVALID

File No 4013
Benjamin Stilling
Prvt Rev War

Act June 7th 1832

Index Vol A Page 357
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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5227
Pennsylvania
of blank County in the state of Pennsylvania who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Williamson of the Regiment commanded by Col. Wilkinson in the Penn. line for 19 mo. Private $63.33

Md Line Records OK Mar 19th

Inscribed on the roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of 63 Dollars and 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 5 day of Feby 1833 and sent to Hon. T.M.T. McKernan House Reps

Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832 $94.99
Semi-anl allowance ending 4 Mar 1833 - $31.66
$126.65

{Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by Vinal Luce - Clerk
Bood D Vol 4 Page 74
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Declaration of
Benjamin Stilling

Admitted
Private
19 mo
$63.33

63.33
31.66
99.99
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832

Pennsylvania Washington County

On the 23rd day of January 1833 personally appeared in open court before the Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Washington & state aforesaid, Benjamin Stillings resident of Peters Township in the county & state aforesaid aged seventy-three years who being first 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 entered the service of the United Staes under the following named officers and served as herein stated.

In the month of March in the year 1776 I think I volunteered with some others under Capt. Charles Williamson & Lieutenant John Spicknall or Spiggenall & marched from the lower part of Calvert County Maryland to Annapolis in the same state. We remained there with a number of other companies (among which was one of the regular U.S. Army the name of whose captain I do not recollect) for three months guarding the fort & garrison. During this time, the enemy were on board of their vessels in the bay & most generally in sight of the fort. The small craft frequently came near the town & occasionally discharged their revivals. There was no filed officers here during our stay & we were all under the command of our respective captains. At the expiration of three months, our company under the command of Capt. Williamson took up the line of march & proceeded lower down the bay to a place called Plumb Point. At the garrison in this place we found a number of other companies with which we joined in guarding the garrison & afterward in building a fort. The only field officer with us was Col. Joseph Wilkison of Calvert County Maryland. This officer lived in the neighborhood of Plumb Point was frequently at home but was with us two or three times every week & would inspect us in our exercises & supervised the building of the fort. During our state here the enemy
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were in sight of us almost every day on board of their vessels but did not attempt an attack upon us. After remaining here for the term of six months in guarding, exercising & building the fort, our company were discharged by Capt. Williamson & we returned to our homes to the best of my recollection in the month of December 1776. In the following spring, my father Newman Stilling was drafted by Capt. Thomas Clarin or Clarein or Clerin for the term of nine months. At this time my father was very weak & consumpted & totally unable to endure the fatigues of the service. I then went in his place as a substitute under the above-named captain & Lieutenant Daniel Kent of Calvert County Maryland. We set out with the intention of marching to Norfolk Virginia for which place the company were drafted as it was expected that Norfolk would be attacked by the enemy. When within about twenty miles of this place, our course was changed & we proceeded to the mouth of James River where it was expected the enemy would land. When we came to the fort, we found some few militia companies under the command of their respective Captains but there were no field officers there during our stay except Col. Wilkinson who came one or twice. The British vessels were in sight of the fort when we arrived & would occasionally appear. During the greater part of our stay, we remained here during the whole nine months in guarding, exercises & rationing the fort & were then discharged by our Captain & returned to our homes. After this I was frequently called out under Capt. Williamson to guard along the bay & prevent the enemy from landing and committing depreciation. In this service we were out four or five weeks at a time & sometimes longer. My service in this way could not have been less than three months as I was very often called out. The precise time I am not able to state. There no documentary testimony nor do I know of anyone now alive who can testify to my services. I was born in Calvert Co, MD in the year 1759. I have no record of my age at this time when I entered the service. I live in the same county in which I was born & have lived in Washington Co
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Pennsylvania for about seventeen years having moved here from Winchester Virginia. I volunteered & was a substitute for my father. I never met with any of the regular officers, nor did I ever serve with any of the continental or militia regiments. I received two written discharges one from Capt. Williamson & the other from Capt. Clarin...both of which have been lost for some years. I am well known by William Doak of [illegible] township, Samuel Hughes, John Vankirk & others who can testify to my character for veracity & who believe I was a soldier of the revolution. I formerly lived in that Township in this county for eight or nine years & have lately went to Peters township. I do hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. 

Thomas Officer - Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid in open court.

Benjamin Stillings 
His X Mark

We William Douk & Henry Watson residing in [illegible] township W. Co, Pa hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Benjamin Stilling of Peters Township & formerly of Shabane  township in the county aforesaid who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy-three years of age; that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution & that we concur in that opinion.

Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court.

Thomass Officer - Pro.

William Doke
Henry Waston

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above-named applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that William Doak & Henry Watson who have signed the
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preceding certificate are residents of Shabane township, Washington County that they are credible persons & that their statement is entitled to credit.

I Thomas Officer Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for the county aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Benjamin Stilling for a pension.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 23 day of January 1833.

Thomas Officer - Prothy

The applicant in the above case has not furnished the certificate of a clergyman - he has I understand belonged to no church and the gentlemen who testify in his behalf are men of the strictest veracity

Jany 1833

Th M T McKennon

Believing that it will be better for the applicant to throw off part of his service than have the papers sent back I am writing to accept of an allowance for one month of occasional services mentioned and the foregoing declaration.

Th M T McKennon
Feb 12 1833