Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 4874, for Solomon Sparks, Pennsylvania
Page 1

(3-1776) 
SERVICE |  NUMBER
Penn Sparks, Solomon | S. 4874
Carded
CONTENTS
Page 2

4857
Pennsylvania
Solomon Sparks
of - in the State of Pennsylvania
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain Boyd - of the
commanded
by in the Pennsylvania
line for 15 mo - 
$50. _
Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania
at the rate of 50 Dollars - 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 W Bard
House Reps
Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1832 - $75.00
Semi=anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 1833 - 25. 00
$100.00
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by Vinal Luce Clerk,
Book D
Vol. 6 Page 94

Died Apr 8, 1838
Rec [illegible] B
Page 3

Declaration of Solomon Sparks 1893
$50 per annum
Hon. Mr Bard HR
Page 4

State of Pennsylvania
Bedford County
On this 29th day of August in
the year of our
Lord one thousand
Eight Hundred
thousand
thirty two personally
appeared in open Court before the Honorable
Alexander Thompson & his associates
Judges of the Court of Common Pleas
of Bedford County now holder of August
Seven 1832 Solomon Sparks a resident
of Providence Township Bedford County
and State of Pennsylvania aged seventy
four & upwards who being [illegible] 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 1802. That he
enlisted in Bedford County with Ensign
Hugh [illegible] of Captain John Boyds company
of Troops raised by the State of Pennsylvania
in the year as [illegible] believes of 1782, That
Deponent enlisted sometime in the month of April
of said year. That said company remained
within the County of Bedford aforesaid then
a frontier County, the [illegible] part of said year
& were stationed & in said County to act against the
Indians then the allies of Great Britain. That
his said service was the year after said Boyd
was defeated near Frankstown - That said
company
was joining any Regiment during
the time of his said service which was about
Eighteen months when Deponent was discharged
in Bedford aforesaid. That his said
discharge is now lost
That he further relinquish
as every claim whatever to a pension or an
annuity except the present & he further declares
that his name is not on the pension roll
Page 5

of any agency in any State
answers questions put by the Court
1832-
I was Born in Frederick County Maryland in
1758, & have a record of my age - at ^his home.
I was living in Bedford County when called into service
I lived two years in Maryland after I was discharged &
ever since in Bedford County. I was enlisted-- I had a
discharge from either Means or Johnson, but does not now know
where it is - since had a commission
Sworn to & subscribed the day &
year aforesaid
Job Mann Prothonotary
Solomon Sparks
Bedford County
W William Caldwell
a minister & preacher of the Gospel
in Providence Township Bedford
County & Charles Ashcom Esquire
both residing in said Township of [illegible]
do verily certify that we are well
acquainted with Solomon Sparks who
has subscribed & sworn to the above, declaration,
that we believe him to be seventy
four years
age & upwards. 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
Sworn & Subscribed
this day & year
aforesaid
In open Court
Job Mann Prothonotary
William Caldwell
Charles Ashcom
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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 William
Caldwell who has signed the preceeding certificate
a Clergyman resident in the township of Providence in the
County of Bedford and State of Pennsylvania, and that Charles
Ashcom Esquire who has also signed the same is a resident in the same
township and County and is a credible person, and that
their statement is entitled to Credit
I Job Mann Prothonotary (a Clerk) of the Court of Common Pleas
of the County of Bedford in the State of Pennsylvania do hereby
certify that the foregoing contains the Original proceedings of the
said Court in the matter of the application of Solomon Sparks
for a pension.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and seal of Office at Bedford the
29th day of August in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
Job Mann Prothonotary

State of Pennsylvania
Bedford County
Personally appeared before me the
undersigned a Justice of the Peace in & for said County
Soloman Sparks who being duly sworn according to law
saith that by reason of old age & the consequent loss
of memory he cannot state with more precision than
he has done, the period of the war when he served
and that his term of served was not less than fifteen
months to which length of time he can swear positively.
that he held no commission, that he has
not any documentary evidence of his services. that
he does not know any person who can tell any thing of them
Sworn to & subscribed
this 6th day of December
AD 1832 Before me
J. Bonnett
Solomon Sparks
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State of Pennsylvania
Bedford County - 
I Job Mann Prothonotary of
the Court of Common Pleas in and for the said County of Bedford
do certify that Jacob Bennett Esquire before whom the foregoing deposition
of Solomon Sparks appears to have been taken and whose name
is thereto subscribed was at the time thereof and now is a Justice
of the Peace in and for the said County of Bedford duly
Commissioned and qualified by legal authority and acting
as such and that the signature thereto is genuine of J. Bennett
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and affixed the seal of said
Court at Bedford the 10th Decr 1832
Job Mann Prothy
Page 8

1938. Oct. 7. hist to Mr.
C. C. Weaverling M. C. S.

4874
Rev War
INVALID.
File No. 4874
Soloman Sparks
Privt Rev War
---
Act: June 7" 1832.
Index: - Vol. M, Page 355
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 9

October 7, 1938
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mr. C. C. Weaverling
1326 Euclid Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.

BA-J/MCS
Solomon Sparks, S.4874

Dear Sir:

Reference is made to your request for information relative to
Solomon Sparks and Henry Leader or Leider, soldiers of the Revolution
and of the War of 1812.
The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in the
pension claim, S.4874, based on the Revolutionary War service of Solomon
Sparks.
He was born in 1758 in Frederick County, Maryland. The names of
his parents were not given.
While living in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, Solomon Sparks
enlisted in April, 1782, and served fifteen or eighteen months as private
in Captain John Boyd's Pennsylvania company and was engaged in protecting
the frontier against the Indians.
He was allowed pension on his application executed August 29, 1832,
at which time he was living in Providence Township, Bedford County, Pennsylvania
. He stated that for two years after his service in the Revolution
he lived in Maryland and after that he lived in Bedford County,
Solomon Sparks died April 8, 1838.
The papers in this claim give no data relative to the family of
Solomon Sparks nor to his having served in the War of 1812 and there is
no claim for pension on file based on the service in the War of 1812 of
a Solomon Sparks.
Page 10

The records of this office fail to show claims for pension on
file on account of either the Revolution of the War of 1812 service
of a Henry Leader, searched under all spellings of the surname.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
Page 11

Oct. 3 1938.
Mr A. D. Hiller
Executor Asst. to the Administrator.
Veterans Administration
Dear Sir
Wash., D.C.
Dear Sir:
Will you kindly furnish me any information in your
files on:
Name: [underlined] Solomon Sparks, Bedford County, Penna., son
of Joseph Sparks and wife (name not known)
Revolutionary War: [underlined] Penna. Archives 2nd Series Vol. XI
page 743 "Solomon Sparks - private Capt. Boyd's Rangers,
Bedford County, Year 1779."
War of 1812: [underlined] Solomon Sparks, Bedford County, Penna.
Penna. Archives 2nd Series, Vol. 12, page 460.
Muster Roll: Nov. 24, 1812
"Capt. Solomon Sparks - Rifle Company "
I believe the above records are for the same soldier,
and I would appreciate information as to his age, date of
service and parentage, if known. He was head of a family
in 1810 and if he applied for a pension from either service
(if the same man) his wife's name may also be known.
He was the father of Delilah Sparks, who married
Uriah Hughes, the parents of Bartley Hughes, my grandfather.
"History of Bedford County" published by Waterman, Watkins,
1884."
I am very anxious to make the identification of
this soldier complete, and will appreciate any detailed
data you may be able to furnish.
Thanking you, I am
Very respectfully,
["C. C. Weaverling" signed in black ink]
C. C. WEAVERLING
1326 Euclid Street, N. W.
Washington, D.C.

[stamp in mirror image reading "RECEIVED OCT 4 1938"]
Page 12

Oct. 3, 1938.
Mr. A. D. Hiller.
Executive Asst.
to the Administrator.
Veterans Administration.
Wash., D.C.
Dear Sir:
Will you kindly furnish me any information in your file on the name
of:
Henry Leader [underlined] - in Penna.,
Revolutionary War: [underlined] References Pa. Archives 2nd Series,
Vol. 13, Page 128.
1. Private: Henry Leader
County, organization and service not stated.
References: from Archives - Harrisburg, Penna.
Capt. Andrew Ream - 3 Battalion, Lancaster Co. Militia
2.
Private: Henry Leader, 2nd Class 2nd Company
1781, 1782 and 1783.
Capt. Anthony Selin's Company in Von Ottendorf's
Corps, Continental Line, April 15, 1777 until June 11, 1780
3. Sergeant Henry Leider - County not stated.
War of 1812. [underlined]
Henry Leader, Private 56th Regt.
County- organization and service not stated.
["other Records;" handwritten in margin in black ink]
4. Census Records 1790 to 1870 shows a family-head
named Henry Leader in Bedford County, Penna.
5. O. C. Record - Bedford, Pa. 1923
Henry Leader died March 9, 1823, leaving a widow
Catharine and 8 children, one named David, my
great grandfather.
6. Treasury Draft - Bedford County, dated Aug. 17, 1842
Payable to Major [underlined] Henry Leader
(This may denote service War of 1812).
7. Lancaster Co. Pa., Cocalico twp. record of "Will of
Henry Leader dated Jan. 17, 1788, leaving estate to
wife Maria Salome -; also mentions eldest son,
George Leader - age not given; names no other children.
8.
Henry Leader - Bedford County, Pa. wife Catharine
(family name unknown) 8 children, one named David Leader,
Born about 1808; Died 1846-'47 - married Catharine
Acason - Born 1813, died 4-10-1900, parents of
Susan Leader - Born 1-12-1840, Died 9-6-1896,
married Bartley Hughes.
These are my grandparents.
I am very anxious to identify this Henry Leader of
Revolution and War of 1812, who I am convinced is my ancestor.
I will appreciate any detailed data you may be able to furnish.
Thanking you, I am
Very respectfully
["C.C. Weaverling" signed over "respectfully']
C. C. WEAVERLING
Other
Records
1326 Euclid Street
Washington, D. C.

[stamp in black ink in left margin mirror image reads "RECEIVED" OCT 4 1938"]