Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 3666, for John Percel, New Jersey
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SERVICE NUMBER
New Jersey Percel, John S. 3666
carded
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4856
Pittsburgh Agency
John Percel
of --- in the State of Pennsylvania
who was a Pri & Sergt in the Compy. commanded
by Captain Luce of the Reg commanded
by Col Seeley in the New Jersey
line for Sergeant 12 mo 11 days at $61.90
1 " Private 3.33
$65.23
Inscribed on the Roll of Pittsburgh Agency
at the rate of 65 Dollars 23 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 29th day of January
1833 and Sent to Hon'le. T. M. T.
M. K[illegible] Hose Reps
Arrears to 4th of Sept. 18432 $97.84
Semi=anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 1833 32.61
$130.45
{Revolutionary Claim,}
{Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by Vi[illegible] Luce Clerk,
Book D VOl. 2 Page 181
for [illegible] See letterr
A. [Illegible] Aceson 20 Sep
1836.
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18933
Declaration of
John Percel
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Declaration In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.
Pensylvania Washington County Ss
On this 12th day of November 1832 personally appeared in Open Court, before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County & State aforesaid, John Percel a resident of Morris township, County & State aforesaid aged eighty two 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 States, under the following named officers & servd as herein stated. that in the month of April, in the year 1776, i resided in Morris Co N Jersey, & at that time, I was drafted under Capt Joseph Luce & marched to the upper end of the County, to disband a body of tories who were committing great depradation. we brought them to conditions & returned home aftere an absence of some days. In the month of May following, in Bucks Valley, I was ordered by John Jacob Hersh, who I think was acting under Col Biddle to commence work in the Valley, to prepare a large number of entrenching shovels for the Army. There was a very great & pressing call for these instruments at that time & I was oblige to continue my labours on the Sabbath day. In this employment I was steadily engaged for the full term of five months. At this time I was told that I should receive soldiers pay. I received a small portion of money, but for a great portion I was never compensated. In the month of April 1888, I was drafted under Capt Cook & Lieutenant Samuel Day, & marched from Morris Co to Elizabeth town N. Jersey. We remained there one month in [illegible] the lines on the water side. The enemy at this time were in New York & would frequently com over & commit great depredation upon persons & property. I returned home
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after the expiration of our monthly tour & in the month of June following, I was drafted under Capt Artemus Day, & again marched to Elizabeth town & was employed one month in guarding the lines. In August & October in the same year, I served monthly tours at Elizabeth town & our object & employment was to guard the lines, prevent depradation & check the enchroachments of the enemy. The name of the captain in these two last tours I am not able from my extreme age, & impaired memory, to recollect or state. In April or May in the following year 1777 I was drafted under Capt Luce, I think, & served two monthly tours, one in April or May, & the other in July at Elizabeth town, in guarding the lines. In September in this year, I was again ordered by Col Biddle, through his agent Vincent Benham, to commence smith work in Man heim township, Morris County N Jersey. I was engaged for the term of seven months, in manufacturing horse shoes & nails, & performed various other kinds of work. In this same year, I was employed better than two weeks in guarding prisoners at Morris town, N. Jersey. During the foregoing monthly tour, I always acted as first sergeant in the Companies in which I served. In the Spring of 1779, I was again drafted under Capt Moses Munson & marched to Elizabeth Town, for the purpose of guarding the lines. In the summer of this same year, I served two more monthly tours at the same place Elizabeth town & was employed in the same way, watching the enemy & guarding the lines. In the first tour we met at Elizabeth town. Col Christopher Sealy, & in the second Col Bennnah Hathaway. At the different times, these officers had command of the troops at Elizabeth town. In the Spring of 1780, I was again drafted & served one monthly tour at Elizabeth town, & in a short time afterwards, served another monthly tour, at the same place. the name of the Captain I cannot now recollect. the first one
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was with Capt M Munson. The field officers were I think Col Luce or Col Hord. Between the foregoing monthly tours, I was frequently called out by alarms & was out some times two weeks, ten days & one week & was occasionally so employed for a period of three or four years. I also served one monthly tour at the Red Bank below Philedelphia, under Lieutenant Jeremiah [Illegible], or Major John Stark, & returned home in the month of December but the year I am not able to state. I was born in the year 1750, as my parents always informed me, & in the County of Essex in the State of New Jersey. I have no record of my age. as before stated when I entered the service, I lived in Morris Co New Jersey, & came to the County of Washington Pa. about the year of 1767 or 1766 & have lived here ever since. In my monthly tours, I was always drafted. I met some of the Regular officers, & Regiments during my service, but their names I cannot now remember. I never received a written discharge & when I served as Sergeant, I was appointed by the Company & received five shillings per month, more than the other soldiers. I have no documentary evidence of my services & I know of no witness except Benjm Rickey, who can testity to my services at the Red Bank. I am well known by the Revd Isaac Pettit, Stephen Simpson, William Lindley Edqr & Jacob Hathaway & Doct Henry Blatchley who can testify to my character for veracity & who believe that I was a soldier of the revolution.
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.
John Percel
Sworn & Subscribed the day
& year aforesaid in Open Court.
Thomas Officer Pro
We Isaac Pettit a Clergyman & William Lindley a Justice of the Peace, both residing in Morris township, Washington County aforesaid, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with
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John Percel, of Morris township, in the County & State aforesaid, who has subscribed & sworn to the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be about eighty two years of age; that he is reputed & believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution & that we concur in that opinion. 
Isaac Pettit
Sworn & Subscribed the Wm Lindley
day & year aforesaid in Open Court.
Thos. Officer Pro
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 Isaac Pettit of Morris township, who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman, & that William Lindley who has also signed the same, is a Justice of the Peace in the same township & is a credible person, & that their statement is entitled to credit.
I Thomas Officer Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in & 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 John Percel, for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set
my hand & seal of office, this 12th day of November, 183[illegible].
Thomas Officer, Prothy
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No. 18933
John Percel
Susp. 6 Dec. '32
Obj. 5.
Hon'ble T. M. T. McRennan
House of Rep's.
Susp 14 Dec. '32
Hom. T. M. T. McRennan
Ho. of Rep's.
[Illegible] 155
12 mo. 14 [illegible] Serg't. 61.90
1 mon Private 3.33
$65.23
E 135
E
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BRIEF in the case of John Percel
of Washington County in the State of Pennsylvania
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court of 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? 82 years
4. State his service, as direct in the form annexed.
Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Years, Months, Days. As a Gen.
In 1776 April a few days Private Capt. Luce
      " May 5 [months] making Shovels for the army by order of Col Biddle
1777 April 1 [month] [The word Private is crossed out.] Capt. Cook, Lt. Day
   " June 1 [month] 1 Sergt. " Day
   " Aug. 1 [month] "
   " Oct 1 [month] " " names of officers forgotten
1778 Apl or May 1 [month] " Capt. Luce
   " July 1 [month] " "
   " Sept 7 [months] making horse shoes & nails for the Army, order of Col. Biddle
1778 14 [days] guarding prisoners
2 monthly tours Col. Seeley
1781 1 [month]
   " 1 [month]
--- 1 [month] 
5. In what battles was he engaged? 
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Morris Co N.J.
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Living witness, & traditionary evidence
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Witness' certif. not attached
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
D. Brown
Examining Clerk.
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State of Pennsylvania}
Washington County} Ss
Personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for said county, John Percel a resident of Morris township in the county aforesaid and a pensioner of the United States, and an applicant for an increase of Pension, who being duly Sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, depose and make the following amended declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of congress passed June 7th 1832. That at the time I made my original declaration, I omitted putting down three tours of Military Service performed by me in the year 1781; The fact of my having performed them and not altogether forgotten by me at the time, but I was unable to recollect or bring to my remembrance how or where I had performed them, hence, I concluded to omit them. During the Summer of 1781, a portion of the Militia of New jersey were continually out on duty; especially, from tat section of the State in which I resided, and the circumstances in relation to my Services in 1781, are now brought to my recollection. I belonged to and was Sergeant in Captain Moses Munson's Cmpany of Col. Benona Hathaways Regiment of Militia of Morris county New Jersey. In the Month of May 1781, I was drafted and performed a tour of one month service as Sergeant under Captain Munson, being marched to and stationed at Elizabethtown, under the Command of Col Seely; genl. Wines however, had the command of the Military encampment at Elizabeth town. In the month of July i was again drafted and Served one Month as Sergeant, being stationed at Elizabeth town, and to the best of my recollection I performed this tour under the Command of Lieutenant Lindley, and in the Month of September 1781, I was drafted and performed my third and lat tour of one Month as Sergeant under my Captain Munson, being marched to and Stationed at Elizabethtown, until my term of one Month had expired when I was discharged, I got no written discharge for any of the tours of duty thus performed.
Having as I have herein Stated neglected in my former application to charge these three months Service I now claim an increase of Pension for three months Service as Sergeant of Militia, in the army of the United States during the Revolutionary war
Sworn to and Subscribed this 2nd day} his
of September 1836 before me Luther Day Esqr} John [Illegible] Parcel
mark
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State of Pennsylvania}
Washington County} Ss
Personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for said County Stephen Simpson, who being duly Sworn, according to law doth, on his oath, depose and say, that he is and has been for Sixty five years and upwards well acquainted with John Parcel who has sworn to and subscribed the foregoing declaration. I know him to have been a Soldier in the Army of the United States during the War of the Revolution. I was also well acquainted with Captain Munson, Col. Seely and General Wines, I have some knowledge also of Col. Hathaway, when he was a Major. I had no personal knowledge myself that the said John Parcel actually performed the three tours of Militia Service in 1781, for which he now claims an increase of Pension, not being called out or Serving with him at the time to my knowledge, but this I did know, that the Militia were called out during the Summer of 1781, as detailed by him in the within Statement, and that from Common report at the time and from my knowledge of John Percel and of the Circumstances of the times I had no doubt then as I have now but what the Said John Purcel did perform the three tours of Militia Service in the year 1781 as detailed by him in the within declaration, and that Such was the Common report and belief in the neighbourhood where he resided at the time the Service was performed.
Stephen Simpson
Sworn to and Subscribed}
before me this 2nd day of}
September 1836}
Luther Day Esqr}
I do hereby Certify that Stephen Simpson who has Sworn to and Subscribed the above Statement is a resident of Morris township Green County Pennsylvania, well known to me to be a Man of veracity whoes statement is entitled to credit, he is moreover a reputed Soldier of the Revolution and is a United States Pensioner
Given under my hand this 2nd day of September 1836
Luther Day
Justice of the Peace
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The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Washington County Ss. I George Weir Acheson Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas, for said County, do hereby certify that Luther Day Esquire, before whom the foregoing proceedings were had, was at the time a justice of the peace, in and for said county duly Commissioned, and that full faith and credit is and ought to be given to all his official acts. and that the signature purporting to be his I believe to be genuine
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court, at Washington, the 9th day of September A. Domini 1836.
Geo. Weir Acheson Prothy.
Cert 25 cts paid
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Pensylvania Washington County
In the Court of Common Pleas of said County, Personally appeared in Open Cout, Benjamin rickey of Amwell township, in the County & State aforesaid, who being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath say, that he is well acquainted with John Percel of Morris township in the County aforesaid, & that he well remembers of serving in the same company, under Lieutenant Jeremiah Slack, as a private with the said John Percel, & served with him one monthly tour of duty, at the Red Banks, below Philadelphia. That the regiment of militia was commanded by Major John [Illegible] this was in the month of October, in the year 1777. That the said John Percel, is a man of good character, & has supported a fair reputation in the community where he resides.
Sworn & Subscribed in
Open Court this 12th day of Ben[illegible] Ricky
November 1732
Thomas Officer Pro.
And the said Court, do hereby declare, that the abovenamed deponent Benjn Rickey, is a resident of Amwell township in said County, that he is a person of good moral character, & that his statement is entitled to full credit & belief.
In testimony whereof I Thomas Officer Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Washington aforesaid have hereunto set my hand & seal of office the day & year aforesaid.
Thomas Officer Pro
James Blaine Esqr. before whom the within affidavit of John Percell is taken is an acting Justice of the peace in & for the County of Washington Penna
[Illegible] S. [Illegible] 
July 26, 1833
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[Written vertically]
Deposition of Benjn
Rickey for John
Percel
[Written horitzontally]
Pennsylvania}
Washington County Ss} Personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in & for the County aforesaid John Percell who being duly sworn according to law, doth say, that by reason of old age and infirmity & the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his reccollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, & in the following grades. For a period of at least twelve months, and two weeks I served as first Sergeant in the various companies, & for one month at the very lowest, I served as a Private, & for such service I claim a pension. For twelve months I served as an Artificer & was told by the Agent, I should claim soldiers pay. If had not been so employed, I would have been drafted & compelled to go out in the service on the line. I would greatly have preferred to have gone out in the service, than compelled to labour as I did as an Artificer. John Parcel
Sworn & Subscribed before
me January 2[illegible], 1833 James Blaine
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Pennsylvania}
Washington County Ss} 
[The following is crossed out.]
Personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in & for the County aforesaid John Percell who being duly sworn according to law, doth say, that by reason of old age and infirmity & the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his reccollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, & in the following grades. For a period of at least twelve months, and two weeks I served as first Sergeant in the various companies, & for one month at the very lowest, I served as a Private, & for such service I claim a pension. For twelve months I served as an Artificer & was told by the Agent, I should claim soldiers pay. If had not been so employed, I would have been drafted & compelled to go out in the service on the line. I would greatly have preferred to have gone out in the service, than compelled to labour as I did as an Artificer. John Parcel
Sworn & Subscribed before
me January 2[illegible], 1833 James Blaine
[These words are not crossed out.]
The above was drawn up in as
mistake 
T. W
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REV WAR
3666.
INVALID.
File No. 3666
John Percel
Sergt Rev War
Act: June 7, 1832
Index:--Vol. A, Page 291
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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The papers in the case of John Percel do not present a fair aspect, but I am perfectly satisfied of the old man's honesty and of the honesty of his claim
The manner in which No obliteration occurred is this as I am informed - after I returned the papers the old man went to town to have the defects supplied - the gentleman who had drawn up his papers was absent and another gentleman, a member of our bar who was unacquainted with the facts, drew the additional statement which is erased - He asked the old man how long he acted as sergeant - the replied three years meaning that he held the office that length of time but not that he was in the service during the whole of it - The gentleman who drew the statement misunderstood him & put it down as it appears in the affidavit - The moment I saw the papers I deleted the error and returned them - They are now corrected and as exhibited [illegible] that there is no intention of concealment - as I said before I am perfectly satisfied of the old mans honesty & hope the certificate will issue -
Th. [Illegible] S W Herman
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Washington, Penna, September 9th, 1836
Sir
I enclose you an amended declaration of John Parcel, together with his Certificate, for an increase of Pension for three months Service, which he alleges were omitted in his original declaration. Mr. Parcel is a very Conscientious and I believe a very honest man, of his having performed the Service I have no doubt.
Very Respectfully
Your Obt. Srvt.
David Acheson
J. L. Edwards Esquire
Commissioner of Pensions