Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 2776, for Robert Mc Cumsey, Pennsylvania
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SERVICE   Penn.
McCumsey, Robert
NUMBER   S.2776
Carded
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Ohio 13.014            
Rob’t McCumsey of Mercer Co  in the State of Ohio who was a Private in the Compy commanded by Captain Collier of the Regt. commanded by Genl Whiteley in the Penn’a line for 12 mos. 
$ 40  
Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio at the rate of 40. Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.                 
Certificate of Pension issued the 6 day of May 33 and sent to Crane and Schenck. Dayton Ohio   
Arrears to the 4th of Mar. ’33  80.00 
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. 1833  20.00 
 $100.00            
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832}
Recorded by Wm. R. Palmer  Clerk
Book E Vol. 8   Page 16
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No 17931   13.014
Robert McCumsey   
Rob’t McCumsey
McCumsey
Ad. [admitted] for 1 year from 1778
Crane & Schenk
Dayton Ohio
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BRIEF in the case of Robert Crumsie  County of Mercer in the State of Ohio   
(Act 7th June, 1832.)             
Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Open Court                
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?           
3. How old is he? 76 years                 
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
Period.   1775  Duration of Service.   2 months  Rank  Private  Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.  Whitley Gen’l
Period.  Fall  1775  Duration of Service. 2 months Rank  Private Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.  Captain Collier
Period.  Summer 1776    Duration of Service.  2 months  Rank  Private Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.  Capt Alexander
Period.  1777   Duration of Service.  2 months  Rank  Private Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Capt Smith
Period.  Fall 1777  Duration of Service. 2 months  Rank Private  Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.  Capt Skyler
Period.   July 1778    Duration of Service.  2 months  Rank  Private  Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.  Capt Haymaker
5. In what battles was he engaged?  None
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Harrisburg Pennsylvania 
7.  Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary   
8.   Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?          
The proper are not attached as req’d  
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above Richard Cutts     
Examining Clerk.
1778
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17931
Robert McCumpsie
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State of Ohio   
Mercer County } Ss    
On this second day of November eighteen hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Mercer County aforesaid now sitting Robert McCumpsie a resident of the said County aged Seventy Six years on the Seventh day of May last who first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in of or to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832                     
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served herein stated That he was born in Lancaster County Pennsylvania, and his age as before stated as appears by an entry on the family bible formerly belonging to his father, and now as he believes in the possession of his sister Margaret McCumpsie near Hagarstown Maryland, if she be yet living that in the third year of independence according to his recollection, he this deponent entered as substitute for one Joseph Fulton, in a Militia company commanded by Captain James Michael Whitley he joined the company
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at Strasburgh in Lancaster Co Penn’a & marched to Lancaster in the said county where they were quartered remained two months untill the expiration of the tour of Duty & were there discharged. In the fall of the same year he again volunteered for a two months tour of duty in a company commanded by Capt. William Skyler, he joined the Company at a place in Lancaster Co called the Gap tavern, the company were quartered a while at Wilmington, from thence went to Newport about forty miles from Philadelphia, were discharged between Newport & Christiana bridge at the expiration of the tour of duty. In the ensuing year about the last of July he again volunteered for a two months tour of duty in a company commanded by Capt John Haymaker, he joined the company near the Gap tavern in Lancaster Co marched to the Schuylkill at the floating bridge near Philadelphia, from thence to Brandywine where the company was quartered untill the expiration of the term & he was there discharged. In these several tours of duty he received regular discharge from his commanding officers, but declaring them of no
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consequence, never took any care of them and they have long since been lost or destroyed he has no documentary evidence, and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure to testify to his service - He lived in Franklin County Pensylvania untill four years past, when he removed to the State of Ohio in Mercer County where he still resides.   
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension roll of the agency of any State      
Robert McCumsey 
Sworn Subscribed the day & year aforesaid in open court}
James Watson Riley  Clk
We John Armstrong & Richard R Barrington residing in the County of Mercer as hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Robert McCumpsie who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be Seventy Six years of age, that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we
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concur in that opinion           
John Armstrong           
Rich’d Barrington
Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid in open Court
J W Riley clk                    
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 John Armstrong &  Richard R Barrington who have signed the preceding certificate are residents in the County of Mercer and are credible persons, that their statement is entitled to credit. The Court further certify that it appears to them that there is no Clergyman living in the vicinity of the applicant                 
I James Watson Riley Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Mercer County a do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Robert McCumpsie for a pension     In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand affixed the Seal of the said Court this second
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Day of November eighteen hundred & thirty two }
James Watson Riley clerk
17931
Robert McCumpsie
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2776
Rev War     
INVALID   
File No. 2776
Robert McCumsey
Privt   Rev War
Act:  June 7, 1832
Index: - Vol A. Page 243
[Arrangement of 1870]
1932 July 16 Mrs. Orville D. Dailey ref to the Gen Account Office See Edw Otis S.32425
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Dayton, Ohio, Nov. 8. 1832    
To Hon. Lewis Cass             
Sir   
We have the honor to forward to the War Department the application of Robert McCumpsie & John Lattimore for pension under the Law of Congress of June 7, 1832. The several results of their application may be communicated to 
Yours very respectfully         
Crane & Schenck
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Robert Cramsie
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2           
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service?   No    
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtain ing it? yes                      
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? Yes               
XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?  Yes  
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? Yes     
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?                 
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? no                
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And. if not, which of them is not so answered?  -- 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 
*QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For months , and --- days, I served as a- For -- months days, I served as a ; and for such service I claim a pension.
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3    
It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served
and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the name of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department
prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
+QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers that
Written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the
certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must
under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public of
office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the
certifying officer, should accompany the papers.