Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 4,848, for John Slonecker, Pennsylvania
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE
PENN.

Slonecker, John

NUMBER
S.4,848

carded
Page 2

392

Pennsylvania
John Slonecker
of Cumberland Co in the State of Pennsylvania who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Udree of the regt. commanded by Baltzer, in the  Pennsylvania line for six months.  

Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of 20 Dollars --Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.  

Certificate of Pension issued the 29 day of August, 1832 and del.d to Maj.  G. W. Hook  
Present.
   
Arrears to 4th of March 1832.         $20.--
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep:   10.--
                                                         $30.--
{Revolutionary Claim,}
{   Act June 7, 1832    }

Recorded by Wm S. Allison Clerk
Book D. Vol. 6.  Page 94.
Page 3

[Left Page]

1917Apr.7.Dist.to Mrs.W.E.Stewart. [illegible]

[Right Page]

4848
 [RevWar]

INVALID.

File No. 4848
John Slonecker
[illegible] Rev War

Act:  June 7" 1832

Index:--Vol. M, Page 344

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 4

[Round Postal Stamp]

PENSION  
     D
   APR
U    6    S
    1917
  OFFICE
Page 5

Jefferson,  Ia.
Apr 4th 1917

Commissioner of Pensions

Dear Sir

Can you give me the Rev. Record of John Schlonecker, who received 100 acres of land in Lycoming Co., which county was taken from Northumberland.  [Probably Pa. written in]

This record is found in Pennsylvania Archives - 3rd, Ser. V. 25, P. 401.

[written faintly with line going up to Northumberland]  no claims for bounty lands from U.S. found in files  [illegible] Pa. book prior to 1800, of U.S. Lands.  aw Apr. 7. 1917

Sincerely yours:
Mrs. W. E. Stewart
Box 351  Jefferson  Iowa
Page 6

6 mo.
$20 per ann.

Penn. Rolls
Act  7 June 1832

Major J. H. Hook
Aug. 28. 1832
Page 7

State of Pennsylvania
Cumberland County, SS

On this sixteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open court before the Honorable John Reed Esq President and his Associates Judges of the Court of Common Pleas at a Court now holding in the Borough of Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland.  John Slonecker, aged eighty years last February 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 the Seventh of June A.D. 1832, as following -- I was born within about two miles of Reading, in the County of Berks and state aforesaid in the month of February 1752 according to the best of my knowledge + information  - and resided there until the year 1791 excepting during the times I was out in service.  I removed to Cumberland County about the year 1791 where I have resided ever since - on my first coming to the County I lived in an old cabin in the country - where the Record of my age, my discharges and all my other papers were lost or mislaid.  I have never since discovered any of them - Several years after I moved to Carlisle where I ever since resided and still do reside --  In 1776 at the time the British were coming to New York a call was made for persons to volunteer in defending our Country against any attack of the Enemy.  There was no militia Law passed at the time.  Sometime after harvest in August of the same year a company of volunteers was formed near Reading, the only officer I recollect was a Captain Paul Groscup  + Lieutenant Zimmerman. I volunteered myself as a Private in the company and immediately joined it finding my own Rifle + other necessaries for the occasion.  We marched immediately and joined a Regiment or Battalion at Kutstown among the officers there I recollect a Captain Daniel Udree - we marched from there to Allentown, from there to Bethlehem, thence to Easton and then we crossed the River Delaware for the State of New York, we then marched through the country + towns which I cannot now recollect, until we arrived at P. Amboy where we remained until we were discharged having served on Regular time. The only superior officers I now recollect were a Colonel  Baltsen Gehr or Gare, + a Major Lindemuth - During this campain there were several skirmishes between some of our troops and the Enemy. One of our boats was captured. During a considerable part of a day considerable cannonading took place between the Americans + the British - I myself was not engaged - our company not being called for. At the time New York was taken by the British - where we lay, we distinctly felt the shock of the cannonading that took place at the time-- We were all discharged after being in service from the time we left home about three months - our company nearly all returned home the same route we went.--The captain settled with me after my return home for my  monthly pay - I received pay for the three months.  I received no pay whatever during the campain - my discharge I lost as before stated.  In about the month of October, year 1777 I was regularly drafted as a Militia Man, in the Sixth Class - as a Private - a Captain Voy or Foy was our Captain - the other officers I cannot remember.  Our 

over
Page 8

Company and marched to Reading and then joined the Battalion. I do not recollect the General or field officers commanding when we left Reading. We marched from there through Potsgrove to within about fifteen miles of Philadelphia. The English were at this time in, and had possession of Philadelphia. We were encamped at or near a place called then Flowertown. General Washington commanded the whole army - and lay to the left of us with the army not more than  half a mile distant from our camp. I was discharged from this campaign about the latter part of December 1777 when our time of service expired. We were discharged at our encampment near Flowertown. I received a Discharge from my captain  which was also lost as before stated - I never received any pay while I remained in Service or camp - The captain settled with me for three months pay after my return home - that being the times I was out from when I left home or joined the Battalion until I was discharged.  I arrived at home on New Years day of 1778 and there remained as before stated until I removed to the country.  -
    About the beginning of December 1777 a General Irvine was taken prisoner by the Enemy in an Engagement not from Flourtown aforesaid is Chestnut Hill.  At the time he was taken the flashes and firing were seen and distinctly heard while we were in camp.  no lay under Arms for several days and nights, expecting every moment to be called out or attacked.  Part of our Division with the other, part of the army were drafted out on this occasion and were engaged in the Engagement or skirmish when said General Irvine was taken and in the neighborhood where Washington lay.  I was next [illegible] to that taken out on duty from our company.  I also recollect of a General Potter, who was frequently engaged in battles or skirmishes in defending the Country from plundering parties and preventing [illegible] going into the Enemy.  
    I was called out again in the same 6th class of Militia - the time of the year and the Captain I cannot recollect.  I was married about a year before this - my wife was at the time confined to Bed.  In consequence of her sickness I did not and could not think of marching this time.  I could not get any person to take charge of my family - neither was I able to procure a Substitute.  I was compelled to pay three hundred dollars which was assessed on me as a fine for not going.  The reason why I have so imperfect a knowledge of the officers during all these campaigns and of the places &c. is that I hardly understood any English, being of German Descent.  I as well as others from the same neighborhood had to have the commands explained to us in German.  At that time scarcely any English was spoken in the country from where I was.  I can now scarce understand or speak a word of English.  
    I have no Documentary Evidence to prove my different terms of Service, nor do I know of any person living who can testify to them.
Page 9

The Certificate hereto annexed containg the names of persons among others whom I could name, to whom I am known and who certifies
my character, and to the credit my statements deserve.

I hereby relinquish every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity, except to the present, and declare that my name is not nor never was on the pension Roll of the agency of any state whatsoever.

Sworn to and Subscribed the 16th day
of August AD 1832 as aforesaid
in open Court.  [Signature John Xhis mark Slonecker]
Test John Main
For John Harper Prothy of the Court of Common Pleas of Cumb.d County Penn.

State of Pennsylvania, Cumberland County  SS
Mr. John V. Ebaugh, a clergyman residing in the Borough of Carlisle and David Hendel residing in the same place, county + state aforesaid do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Slonecker who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing Declaration; that we believe him to be Eighty years of age, that he is reputed and believed  in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a {word blacked/crossed out] Soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.  
Sworn to and subscribed the 11th day of August A.D. 1832 in open Court 
[Signature John H. Ebaugh]
[Signature Jacob Hendel]
Test John Main
For John Harper Prothy of the Ct. of Common Pleas of Cumb.d Co. Penn.
And the Said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter + after putting the interrogatory prescribed by the War Department (answers to which are embodied in the Declaration of the said John Slonecker) that he was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states.  And the Court further certify that it appears to them that John H. Ebaugh who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the Borough of Carlisle, and that Jacob Hendel who has also signed the same is a resident of the same place, and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.  This 16 [illegible] 1832. 

John Reed Present Judge
Wm. Line
[illegible] Graham
Page 10

State of Pennsylvania
Cumberland County  SS
I John Harper, Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of the said County of Cumberland do hereby certify that the foregoing containg the original proceedings of the Court in the matter of the application of John Slonecker for a pension 
Witness my hand and the Seal of the Court at Carlisle the sixteenth day of August one thousand eight hundred  and thirty two.

[illegible] Prothy of the Court of Common Pleas of Cumb.d County, Penn.a
Page 11

REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION.
3-525
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C. , ........, 19....

   In reply to your request of [blank] received [blank] for a statement of the military history of  John Slonecker a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.  

DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.
Aug. 1776
Oct. 1777

LENGTH OF SERVICE.
3 months
3 months

RANK.
Private
Private

OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
Captain.
Paul Groscup
Voy or Foy
Colonel.
Baltren Gehr or Gare

STATE
Pa.

Battles engaged in, [no skirmishes]
Residence of soldier at enlistment,  [Berks Co. Pa]
Date of application for pension, [Aug 16, 1832
this claim was allowed.]
Residence at date of application, [Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pa.]
Age at date of application, [born in Feb 1752 two miles from Reading in Berks Co., Pa.]
Remarks:    [Soldier was married during the Rev date and name of wife was not stated.  There is 
no further date as to his finding out {illegible} 

The above noted is the only John Slonecker (under any spelling of that name) found on the Rev. War records  of this Bureau.

Respectfully, 

Commissioner

Office note.  The above soldier was only in Militia so he would not have had title + U.S. Bounty Land under any act before 1832 - Mar 3. 

6-2856
Page 12

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Form VAN-51
12-5-41
 
Division of Veterans' Administration Archives

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*

NAME  Sloojr. Joseph      GRADE     Private
LINE     Maryland  
WARRANT NUMBER 11689   ACREAGE 100
ISSUED October 6, 1794 to Henry Purdy, assignee
__________
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates.  Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800.  Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.