Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 671, William Beard, Md. Penn.
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
Md.
Penn.

Beard, William

NUMBER
R. 671

======
CONTENTS
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33150
William Beard
Ohio

671

[On right side]
[illegible] Beards [illegible]
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State of Ohio Belmont County fs.
On this 15th day of June AD 1835 personally appeared in open court before the court of common pleas now sitting William Beard a resident of said Belmont County and State of Ohio aged seventy two years on the 10th day of Oct. last past, 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 7 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. This Declarant was the servant boy of one Micheal Ashford Dowden, as he understood he was bound to him when he was about six months old. The said Micheal went to the army at York, as an adjutant, he, the said Dowden had an Irish servant by the name of Martin Ward for a waiting man but he, as this Declarant understood ran away from him the said Dowden. The said Dowed then sent after him this declarant, and he this declarant, about the last of harvest in the year (he thinks) of 1777 in obedience to the said Dowden orders went to Frederick Town Baraks with a sergeant by the name of Woods. From thence he went to Little York and there he entered into the service of a waiting boy for the said Micheal Ashford Dowden. When this Declarant had been in the service about six months, he had learned to play the drum under Robert Gough, drum Major, Dowden then entered this Declarant on the Roll as a drummer and he was sent under a security officer (name not recollected) to Carlish, there he was under Capt Didon, he staid then about 2 or 3 months recruiting. From thence he was sent to Redding, was there about 1 - one month. From thence he was sent to old Lancaster, there he this Declarant was under Capt Solomon Simpson for about six months. From thence he was sent to Valley Forge was there one or two months. From thence was sent to Little York on a recruiting expedition under Capt Bazalese  Roberts. From thence, under William Nickles, a recruiting Sergt, he went to Frederick Town Baracks. From thence, under the same man, went to Baltimore and then they staid sometime recruiting. From tence under the same man, to Elk Ridge landing on the Patapsco river.  From thence to Bladensburgh. From thence to George Town. From thence under James Moor Lieut. to Frederick Town Baracks, as we pafsed Montgomery Court-house the Lieut. told me, as then was a great many men about, to beat up for recruits, a boy by the name of Window, who was in custody of the sheriff (as this Declarant understood) on a charge of having begotten an illegitimate child broke away from the sheriff and ran and clapted his hands on the drum this declarant was beating. The sheriff came and was for taking him away, but the Lieut. claimed him, and Window then enlisted and remained with us untill the war ended, we brought upwards of 26 new recruits to Frederick Town Baracks and they were put under Genl. Williams, from thence I was sent to Little York. From thence I and an officer, dont recollect his name (but thinks it was Lieut Joseph Crampton) was sent to Harris' Ferry on the Susquehanna river. There we got 5 or 6 recruits. From thence I was sent to Snow hill
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to the army about the first of March and about the middle of March this declarant was in the battle of Snow Hill; there was a small skiff of snow on the ground at the time, after the second fire, the smoke blew amongst the British troops, the Americans gave a shout as though the very element had busted and rushed in amongst the British and they surrendered we took a good number of prisoners, this declarant was sent as a guard of the prisoners to Frederick Town, from thence he this declarant was sent back to the army and un Gen Dan'l Heister was marched to a small village below Philadelphia, he this declarant was und Gen Heister a long time, from Delaware River we marched to old Lancaster, from thence to Little York from thence to Frederick Town and whilst there orders came for us to go to Nolen's Ferry on the Potomac River. There we took charge of a great number of prisoners that had been taken at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, and we took the said prisoners back to Frederick Town Barracks. This declarant remained there about three months thereafter and he was discharged (he thinks) in the month of March after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, this declarant positively declares that he served in the army of the revolution five years and almost seven months, that he was not engaged in any civil pursuit during the said term, that a great part of said tour he was along with recruiting officers enlisting soldiers. This declarant further states that he did not enlist in a formal manner but he was generally considered as an enlisted soldier. He further states that his master Michea Ashford Dowden was elected Colonel before the close of the war, he also states that Col. Dowden gave him this declarant a warrant for 100 acres of land but whether the said warrant was procured i the name of him this he cannot now recollect. He further states that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service in the revolution and that he has not documentary evidence of said service.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.

William Beard

Sworn to and subscribed in open court the day and year first above written.

John C Tallman, Clerk of Belmont Comm Pleas Court
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The following are the answer of the applicant to question propounded by the Court in pursuance of the instructions of the Pension Office.

I - I was born on Bells Island below Conners ferry on the Potomac on the 10th day of Oct 1762.
II - I have a record of my age set down in my bible
III - I was living with Michael A Dowden 5 miles from the mouth of the Monocacy river in Montgomery County Maryland. I left that place in the year 1797 and sent to Louden Co Va. I left that in the fall of 1827 and sent to Belmont County state of Ohio where I now live.
IV - I entered the service as the servant boy of Col. Micael Ashford Dowden, and I was considered as an enlisted soldier during the time of my service.
V - Gen Washington, Heister, Dan'l Morgan, Otho Williams - Colonels Francis Deacon, Joseph Higdon, I served under each of those officers and Col Norris, Bazaleel Hays and Michael A Dowden - Captains Simpson, Samuel Dixon, Elias Hardin, Thomas Sprague & Clamentia Swearingen, the general circumstances of my service are as before related.
VI - I never did receive a written discharge; I was discharged verbally.
VII - Stephen Greg, John Fred, Hugh Rodgers, Ezra Ellis, William George, Rev'd McGowen & Rev'd William See. I cannot procure the attendance of the preachers at the court on account of their distance from the county seat.

William Beard

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first above written in open court.

John C Tallman, Clerk of Belmont Comm Plea Court

We James E Newell residing in the county of Belmont and state of Ohio and John Beard residing in the same county hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Beard who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration' that we believe him to be seventy-two years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resided to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion.

Jas E Newell
John Beard

Sworn to and subscribed in open court the day and year first above written.

John C Tallman Clerk of Belmont Comm Plea Court.

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 and served as he states. And the court further certify that it appears to them that James E Newell and John Beard who has signed the proceeding certificate are credible persons and that their statements are entitled to credit and that they reside in the county of Belmont and Harrison County Ohio.
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I John C Tallman Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said county of Belmont do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of William Beard for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal office this xx day of June AD 1835.

John C Tallman - Clerk

SEAL

33150
Williams Beard
Ohio
671
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INVALID - 6

Rejected

William Beard
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FREE

CADIZ OHIO - Mail stamp Jul 21

J.L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City, 
D.C.

Ohio July 25
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(2)

J.L. Edwards Esqr

Sir, return your answers in this case to Cadiz, Harrison County Ohio.

Most respectfully yours

Josiah Scott
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J.L. Edwards
Comm of Pensions
Washington 
D.C.

Hon B S Cowen
H.R.

Jan 4, 1842
Beard
Ohio
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(3)

Hall of H. Reps Jany 3, 1842

J.L. Edwards
Comm of Pensions

Sir

Some years ago application was made at your office for one Beard of Belmont County Ohio for a pension for revolutionary services - his application was unsuccessful.

He wishes an application to Congress for relief - If consistent please forward to me the papers on file in the case of his application. If this cannot be done plese give me his first name which is not remembered by me.

I am very respectfully
Your Obt Servant

B.L. Cowen
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Jan 13, 1842
Wm Beard
Ohio 1832
Sv wanted?

Hon. J. Fornance
H.R.

J.L. Edwards
Comm of Pensions
Present
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January 11th, 1842

To J.L. Edwards Esq
Comm of Pensions

Dear Sir

A resolution has been referred to the committee on Rev Pensions, to inquire into the merits of the claim of Wm Beard to a pension.

His evidence we are informed is to be found in the War Department.

Will you do me the favor to furnish me with such evidence as may be in the said department, or under your control.

Regards of the Committee

With Great Respect

Yours 
J Fornance

Wm Beard is from Belmont County Ohio