Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 23851, for Henry Potsgrove, Pennsylvania
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(3-1776)
SERVICE  NUMBER
Penn.  Potsgrove, Herny  S.23851
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6283
Pennsylvania
Henry Potsgrove
of the State of Penn who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Hahn of the Reg. commanded by Col Potter in the Penn. Line for Private $20.00
________
Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of 20 Dollars [blank] Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
_________
Certificate of Pension issued the 27 day of Feb. 1833 and sent to Hon. J.K. House Reps.
__________
Arrears to the 4th of Feb. 1832  $30.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 11 March March 1833  10.00
$40.00

{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by Vinal Luce Clerk,
Book D Vol. 6 Page 76
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Application of Henry Potsgrove an old soldier for a pension for six months service
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Declaration of Henry Potsgrove an old soldier in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress June 7, 1832.

State of Pennsylvania }
& Montgomery County }

On the twenty second day of November in the year of our Lord one Thousand Eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court of the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County & State of Pennsylvania aged seventy seven 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 7, 1832.
That he enlisted the service of the United States under the following named officers & served as herein stated.
That when he entered the armies of the United States, he resided where he now does in New Hanover Township Montgomery County and State of Pennsylvania. He first entered the service of Captain Peter Lower in the Spring of the year 1776, as he believes, and marched to Philadelphia, thence by water to New London where he landed thence to Princeton, thence to Brunswick thence to Amboy, where he remained until he was discharged, he has the time in the service two months. The first time he was drafted as a militia man, Thomas Potts was the Colonel, Frederick Antes was lieutenant Colonel and Frederick Wuss was the [illegible]
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he does not recollect the names of any of the regular regiments officers. The General who commanded the militia was General Potter.
The second time he was a draftee militia man under Captain Philip Halm and resided in the same place, he marched to the north were in the State of New York from there he assisted to guard some prisoners, as far as Philadelphia where he was again discharged, this time he went two months. He does not recollects who was his colonel but believes Potter was the General, he here all militia at the time.
The third time he was drafted under Captain Michael Dotterer, Frederick Antes was our Colonel and Jacob Bishop was the major at that time he had only one Colonel. This was in the year 1777. When the British lay in the city of Philadelphia, he marched east then in September or October of the year from near Hanover Township where he resided to Whitemarsh in Philadelphia County where he encamped and remained there two months when his time of service expired and he was discharged. I do not recollect the names of the general but think his name was Armstrong. Christian Spiett is the only person who I know is now living who could testify for me and he has with me only this last time. He was in the service in whole six months. That he never had any written discharge, nor has he any documentary evidence of his service. That he resides in New Hanover Township where he was born
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and has always resided.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on any Pension Roll of the agency of any State.
[Signed] Henry  Potsgrove
Sworn to and subscribed in open court the day and year aforesaid.
[Signed] J. Fry Jr. Prot [Prothonotary]

We Conrad Miller a Clergyman residing near Hanover Township in the County of Montgomery & State of Pennsylvania and George Richards a Justice of the Peace residing in same place that we are well acquainted with Henry Potsgrove who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy seven years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolutionary war and that we concur in that opinion.
[Signed] Con Miller
[Signed] Geo Richards
Sworn and subscribed in open court the day and year aforesaid.
[Signed] J. Fry Jr. Prot.
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On the twenty second day of November personally appeared in open court ?? Christian Spiett resident New Hanover Township who being duly sworn according to Law doth depose on his oath and say that he well acquainted with the within named Henry Potsgrove. That he was in the service of the United States with hime one month in the 1777. That the deponent believe that the said Potsgrove served the whole two months for which he was drafted, that the deponent further served one month and then the deponent released him and served one month. That they then served under Captain Richard Dotterer at Whitemarsh when the company was when the deponent joined it. Frederick Antes was the Colonel.
Sworn and subscribed in open court the day & year aforesaid.
[Signed] J. Fry Jr. Prot.
[illegible]

I Jacob Fry Jr. Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County and State of Pennsylvania do certify that the above named Christian Spiett has sworn and examined before me if open court as a witness in the case. And I do further certify that the above named Christian Spiett is a person of credibility upon whom veracity full faith and ?? is to be put. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this fifteenth day of Feb A.D. one thousand and eight hundred and thirty three.
[Signed] J. Fry Jr. Prot.
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Questions propounded to the said Henry Potsgrove in open court by the Court.

Quest. 1. When and in what year were you born?
Ans. I was born in New Hanover Township in the County and State aforesaid on 4th May 1756

Quest. 2 Have you any records of your age and where is it.
Ans. I have no records of my age.

Quest. 3 Where were you living when you were called into and where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where to [sic] live now.
Ans. I was living when I was called out where I was born and have always lived to wit in New Hanover Township, County & State aforesaid.

Quest. 4 How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute and for whom
Ans. I was always a drafted militia man
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Quest. 5 State the names of any of the regular officers that you know who were with the troops you served such continental, militia regiments as you recollect & the general circumstances of your service.
Ans. He recollects the names of some of the regiments which [illegible] and only recollects the names of Genl. Potter, besides his own officers. He served at Amboy and also in the State of New York. and also at Whitemarsh near to Philadelphia.

Quest. 6 Have you any written discharge and where is it and by whom was is it issued and by whom was signed.
Ans. I never had any written discharge
[Signed] Henry Potsgrove

Sworn to & subscribed in open court the day & year aforesaid.
[Signed] J. Fry Jr. Prot.
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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 certifies, that it appears to them that Conrad Miller who has signed the preceeding certificate is a Clergyman, resident in the township of New Hanover Montgomery County, and that George Richards who has also signed the same is a resident in the County aforesaid, and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
[Signed] John Fox Pres. [Presiding] Judge
Hiram McNeill one of the associates for Montgomery County
Richd B. Jones associate Judge
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I Jacob Fry Jr. & Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania held at Norristown in said County do hereby certify that John Fox, Hiram McNeil, and Richard B. Jones Esquire who have subscribed the witness certificate are the Judges of said Court and do further certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings in said Court in the matter of the application of Henry Potsgrove for a pension.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office the twenty second day of November in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and thirty two.
.
[Signed] J. Fry Jr. Prot.

[The following is text that was very faint on the image. It is not clear if it was on the original document or was on an underlying document and could be seen through this document.]

and the certificate in the case of Thomas [illegible] Norristown Pennsylvania Montgomery County Penn [illegible]
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Revolution
23851
INVALID.
File No. 23,851
Henry Potsgrove
Pri. Rev. War
_____
Act: June 7 32
Index: - Vol. 2, Page 325
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Pottstown, Montgomery County Penn.
J.L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
Sir:
Enclosed are two Powers of Attornies [sic], from pensioners, to wit: George Leeder, with the Prothonotary's seal & certificate, also Henry Potsgrove, the latter without the Prothonotary seal & certificate because the Prothonotary says it is defective, as now required, but could not say where wrong: these are exactly the forms which heretofore were paid. Will you please alter them to such a form, that they may have others drawn by them if necessary & return them. I am, Sir,
respectfully
Y. Ob. Srv [Your Obedient Servant]
[Signed] Geo Richards
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Henry Potsgrove
[illegible]
Pennsylvania
from 1776 [illegible] 6 months. 
$20.

Hon J. K. Maun
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Henry Potsgrove which require further proof or explanations.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? [blank]

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes

V. *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what mount of pension he is entitled to? Yes

VI.  Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity wit the regulations:  Yes

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832?  Yes

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?  Yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?  Yes

X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal?  Yes
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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?  Yes

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?  [blank]

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? [blank]

XIV. [single dagger printer's mark] If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? No, see Quere 14
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper office under his seal of office?  Open Court

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?  Yes in one case

XVI. [Double dagger printer's mark] Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No, see quere 16

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? Yes

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EXPLANATORY NOTES.

*QUERE V. In a case where the applicant, 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 [blank] year [blank] months and [blank] days, I served as a [blank]. For [blank] year [blank] months and [blank] days, I served as a [blank]; and for such service I claim a pension.

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily?  And, if not, which of them is not so answered?  Yes
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It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the 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 services. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.

[single dagger printer's mark]QUERE XIV Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants [sic] 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.

[double dagger printer's mark]QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not 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 end of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.