Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 23957, for William Stevenson, Pennsylvania
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Service:  Penn

Stevenson, William

S.23957
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No  11052
Pennsylvania
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William Stevenson

of Franklin County in the state of Pennsylvania who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Messer of the Reg't commanded by Col Crawford in the Penn Militia for 6 months.

Private $20.00
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Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of 20 Dollars per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831
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Certificate of Pension issued the 17th of March 1833 an sent to Hon T H Crawford, Chambersburgh PA
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Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 - $40.00
Semianl allowance ending 4 Sept 1833 - $10.00
$50.00

Revolutionary Claim Act, June 7 1832

Recorded by D Brown, Clerk
Book E, Vol 5, Page 52
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Revolution  23947

INVALID

File No 23957

William Stevenson

Pri - Rev War

Act: June 7, 32

Index:  Vol 2, Page 393

[Arrangement of 1870]
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Hon Hartley Crawford

James L Edwards Esqr
Comm'r of Pensions
Washington City DC
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Chambersburgh 15 March 1833

Sir,
I have been called on by Mr. William Stevenson , an applicant for a pension, to know what has been done in his case. his papers were forwarded to you in November last; some defects were pointed out, and they were sent by me to this place to be perfected. They were attended to at a Court held here in January last, and returned to your office. Mr. Stevenson is 86 years old and a decision on his case is very desirable and greatly desired by him.

Will you do me the favor to act upon it, and if favorably to forward me the certificate of pension or if issues to write me immediately

Very respectfully
Hartley Crawford
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17467
Declaration of 
Wm. Stevenson 
for a pension under the act of 1832- 
Adm 6 mos 
$20. 
Hon T. H. Crawford 
Chambersburgh 
Penna
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State Pennsylvania 
Franklin County 
On this day of September A D one Thousand Eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared before me Alexander Thomson President Judge of the Court Common Pleas of the Sixteenth Judicial District of Pennsylvania [unreadable] a resident of the Borough of Chambersburg  County of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania aged Eighty six years being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.   
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.   He was drafted in the Militia some time in the month of July 1776 in Lacock Township Lancaster County land of Pennsylvania where he then resided – under the following named officers viz: Colonel James Crawford Major George Stewart Captain James Messer Lieut  Andrew Moreland Ensign James Watson;  that he was marched with the rest of the troops to Philadelphia thence by water to Trenton passing through Princeton Brunswick Elizabeth Town Newark and Amboy - That he entered New York at Paulus Hook the day after the battle at Long Island where he assisted in cannonading the British shipping and securing the retreat of a portion of the troops of  Long Island that he continued there some time in September following when the British took New York and he was discharged -  That he returned to East Township, County of Lancaster where he was shortly afterwards drafted in the militia under George Stewart who was then Colonel Capt William Cranford Lieut George Davis Ensign Jacob Hinkle that he was marched directly to New Jersey Continued Several weeks in Trenton some time in Princeton and  marched in such directions as the situation and news of the enemy seemed to demand until his time of service (which was better than two months as in the first draft) expired that he then came to Chambersburg where he remained a short time until the Beaford Volunteers were killed by the Indians when he was again drafted to March against them, that he with the rest of the troops rendezvoused in the neighborhood of Mercersburg in said County of Franklin – at Dr. King’s church - under Col Chas Johnston
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Captain John McConnell Lieut David Fields Ensign John Jeffries - The detachment consisted of Riflemen, and marched first to Huntingdon in Pennsylvania - thence to Said town at the foot of the Allegheny Mountain where they were stationed for the remainder of the term for the protection of the inhabitants who had fled for safety to block houses and the [unreadable] forts – this latter term of service continued [unreadable] some what longer than two months - The Declarant further states that of the foregoing & facts he has no documentary evidence; and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service - That he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State – 
To the following questions propounded to him by said Judge he answers as follows viz: 
1. Where and in what year were you born?  Ans. I was born in Ireland April 1st 1746
2. Have you any record of your age and if you have where is it?  Ans. I have no record of my age. 
3. Where have you lived since the revolutionary war and where you now live?  
 Ans. In Lancaster County Penna and Chambersburg at present in Chambersburg 
4. State the names of some of the regular officers or militia regiments where you served –
Ans. My memory does not enable me to State any farther particulars than appears in the foregoing declaration.
5. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service -  if so by whom was it given and what has become of it?  
Ans . I never received a written discharge but was discharged verbally 
6.  How did you enter the service? 
Ans As stated in my declaration I was drafted and bore no commission.  
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood as to your character for veracity and their belief of your service as a soldier of the Revolution.
Ans. Major Robert Allison and Rev. David Denny 
William Stevenson his mark
Sworn and subscribed before me in open Court this 28th of September AD 1832.- 
John Flanagan Prothy
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We David Denny a Clergyman and Robert Allison both residing in the Borough of Chambersburg County of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Stevenson who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration; that we believe him to be Eighty six years of age - that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion 
David Denny
Robt Allison
Sworn and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court Sept 28 1832 
John Flanagan Prothy
And the said Alexander Thomson President Judge as aforesaid doth hereto declare his opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories proscribed by the War Department that the foregoing signed applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states; and further certifies that it appears to him that Rev David Denny who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the Borough of Chambersburg aforesaid and that Major Robert Allison who has also signed the same is a resident of the same place and is a credible person and that the Statement is entitled to credit 
A Thomson 
Pennsylvania Franklin County Ss
I John Flanagan Prothonotary of the Court of Common pleas of the County of Franklin in Sixteenth Judicial district of Pennsylvania do hereby certify that Alexander Thomson who signed the foregoing certificate and before whom the preceeding Declaration was made was at the date of the same and now is President Judge of said Court duly commissioned and sworn by lawful authority, and that the signature annexed to said certificate his genuine Signature.  In testimony I have hereto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of said Court at Chambersburg this twenty fourth day of September one thousand Eight hundred and thirty two 
John Flanagan Prothy
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Pennsylvania 
Franklin County ss  
Personally appeared in open Court being a Court of Common Pleas in for said County  William Stevenson the Declarant within named who on his solemn oath duly administered doth say that he continued in the service of the United States when he entered upon the first term in July 1776 as stated in the within declaration for a period exceeding Two months although he is unable from failure of memory to specify the exact day of the commencement of said term or of his discharge from the service - That he is able to make this statement by [unreadable] circumstances the most [unreadable] of which is the anxiety of many of the men who were married on account of their being detained in the service more than two months  - 
William Stevenson his mark
Sworn and Subscribed in open court Jany 19th 1833 
John Flanagan Prothy
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Jan 21
Penna
returned
J. L. Edwards
War Department
Pension Office
Washington City
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J L Edwards Esq 
Sir
I return you the Declaration of Wm Stenson for a pension under the last act of Congress - corrected according to the requirement of the office as stated in given note to T H Crawford M. C.
Yours &C
T. F. Denny
Chambersburg
 Jany 19 1833 -