Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1,041, Christopher Boston, Penn.
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SERVICE   Penn.
* Boston, Christopher
NUMBER  R. 1,041
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V  
Christopher Boston
Pennsylvania
Rejected
See letter 25 Oct 1837 
N. B. Wright
did not serve six months
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I Elias Dodson Clergyman residing in the township of Huntingdon, Luzerne County & State of Penna, hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Christopher Boston who has Sworn & Subscribed to the above declaration, that I believe him to be eighty six years of age & that he is reputed & believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that I concur in that opinion. 
Elias Dodson 
Sworn and subscribed the in open court this 29th day of Sept. 1837 
John Smith Prothonotary 
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 we believe applicant was a revolutionary Soldier & served as he States. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Elias Dodson who has signed the preceeding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the township of Huntingdon and County aforesaid and State of Pennsylvania and that Zebulon H. Stephens and William Koons who has also signed the same are residents in Huntingdon township & County & State of Pennsylvania and are credible persons & that their statements are entitled to credit. 
I John Smith Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne county & State of Pennsylvania hereby certify that the foregoing contains the genuine proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Christopher Boston for a pension 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 30th  day September 1837 John Smith Prothonotary
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N. B. Wright Wilkerson
V. 34,221 Christopher Boston 
Pennsylvania
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832 – 
State of Pennsylvania
Luzerne County SS}
On this sixteenth day of August one thousand Eight hundred & thirty seven personally appeared in open Court before the Honorable the Judges of the Court of Common pleas now sitting in and for the County of Luzerne, Christopher Boston a resident of said County aged Eighty two years and upwards who 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 was born in the County of Northampton, State of Penn’a on the 5th day of Oct. 1754. That he has no record of his age save an entry in the Church record of said County now he believes lost - that when he was about twelve years of age he removed with his father to the County of Philadelphia - That in the month of August 1777 he was drafted in Philadelphia in the Penn’a Militia for a period of three months in Captain Fortners Company, 1st Lieutenant Engles, or Ingles - Ensign Jacob Krider - That he marched immediately to Chester, thence to the Brandywine. that he then encamped at the Brandywine Mills till the day the Battle of Brandywine commenced.  He then joined the main army under the commander in chief and was in the battle of Brandywine. That the regiment to which he was attached in said battle -  the commanding officer of which he
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he does not now recollect became very nearly surrounded by the enemy, and thru the [unreadable] bravery of General Lacy they were rescued - there in the middle of the battle he rode up to the regiment in which he has engaged & gave them directions to follow him, that they did so and many had time to escape being entirely Surrounded. That after the battle of Brandywine he marched to Chestnut hill a short distance from Germantown where he remained till the time of the battle of Germantown in which action he was also engaged - after this battle he remained till the expiration of his term of three months and was discharged - his discharge he has since lost, thinking it of no value - He remained in and about Chestnut hill till the British evacuated Phil’a during the following summer when he returned home – 
That in the month of September 1781 he was again drafted at Phil’a in what was called the 3d Class of Militia for a period of three months in Captain Burkhart’s Company - the names of the other of the other officers of his company he cannot now recollect - he marched from Phila to Trenton or rather went up in a Shallup on the Delaware - he joined a brigade at Trenton. - the commanding officers name he does not now recollect.  The object of this movement was to get to New York. - the brigade to which he was attached, remained near two months at Trenton after hearing of the Capture
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of Cornwallis he returned to Philadelphia and after his term of service of expired he was discharged which discharge he has since lost. That he knows of no person now living who could testify to his service in the revolutionary army but as to testimonial of his Character, and his reputation of having been a soldier  he would refer this Court to Zebulon H. Stephens, William Koons & Elias Dodson of Huntindon in said County men with whom he is well acquainted and that he has no documentary evidence of any kind whatsoever – 
He hereby relinquishes every claim whiten 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- 
Christopher Boston his mark
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid and in open Court this 16 day of August 1837
Jno Smith
 We Zebulon H. Stephens, and William Koons residing in the township of Huntingdon hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the above named Christopher Boston, who has subscibed and Sworn to the above declaration and have been acquainted with him for twenty years & more, that we believe him to be Eighty two years of age & more that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood when he resides to have been a solder of the revolution & that we concur in that opinion 
Zebulon H Stevens
Wm Koons
Sworn and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid Jno Smith Prot
said battle – the commanding officer
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I Elias Dodson Clergyman residing in the township of Huntingdon, Luzerne County & State of Penna, hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Christopher Boston who has Sworn & Subscribed to the above declaration, that I believe him to be eighty six years of age & that he is reputed & believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that I concur in that opinion. 
Elias Dodson 
Sworn and subscribed the in open court this 29th day of Sept. 1837 
John Smith Prothonotary 
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 we believe applicant was a revolutionary Soldier & served as he States. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Elias Dodson who has signed the preceeding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the township of Huntingdon and County aforesaid and State of Pennsylvania and that Zebulon H. Stephens and William Koons who has also signed the same are residents in Huntingdon township & County & State of Pennsylvania and are credible persons & that their statements are entitled to credit. 
I John Smith Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Luzerne county & State of Pennsylvania hereby certify that the foregoing contains the genuine proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Christopher Boston for a pension 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 30th  day September 1837 John Smith Prothonotary
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Ex'r.  INVALID
REJECTED
1041
Christopher Boston
The printed list of 1852 shows reason for rejection
"He did not serve six months."
1832  Pa.
1936 Nov 11 Hist to Mrs. W. F. Ball  AWF
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1814 – 8th St. 
Nevada, Iowa 
Oct. 13, 1936 
RECEIVED OCT 15 1936 MAIL SUB-DIV VETS ADM READER # 38
War Dept 
Adj. Gen 
Washington D. C. 
Dear Sir 
I am desirous of obtaining the necessary information that will enable me to become a member the Daughter's of the American Revolution. 
I understand that my grandfather John A. Boston's grandfather Boston served in the Revolution in 1775 and my Grandmother Boston's side, (she was a Harvey) there were two and these made a good record. 
I think the Bostons were from Pennsylvania they later went to Illinois & finally migrated to Iowa & died in David City Neb. 
I thank to you for any information that you might be able to fwd me either on the 
only Pa. line
Boston or Harvey lineage.  
Sincerely yours
Mary Boston Ball 
(Mrs. W. F. Ball)
1814 -8th St 
Nevada Iowa
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November 11, 1936 
Christopher Boston 
R. 1041 
BA - J/AWF OWN
Mrs. W. F. Ball 
1814 8th Street 
Nevada, Iowa 
Dear Madam: 
Reference is made to your letter in which you request information relative to soldiers of the Revolutionary War with surnames Boston and Harvey. You state that the soldiers with surname Boston in whom you are interested were from Pennsylvania. 
The Revolutionary War record of Christopher Boston of Pennsylvania is furnished herein. This is the record of the only soldier with surname Boston, found on file in the Revolutionary War records of this office who served from Pennsylvania. 
In order to identify the record of a soldier with surname Harvey, who served in the Revolutionary War , his full name is essential, with as much as possible of the following data in regard to him: approximate dates of birth and death and place of residence at enlistment and after service.   
Christopher Boston -- R. 1041 
The data which follow were obtained from pension claim, R.1041, based upon the service of Christopher Boston in the Revolutionary War. 
Christopher Boston was born October 5, 1754 in Northampton County, Pennsylvania; names of his parents were not given. When about twelve years of age, he moved with his father to Philadelphia County,
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Pennsylvania. 
Christopher Boston applied for pension, August 16, 1837, then a resident of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania , and stated that he enlisted in Philadelphia , sometime in August, 1777, served three months in Captain Fortner's company, and was in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, that he enlisted some time in September, 1781 and served about three months in Captain Burkhart's company. 
His claim was not allowed as he failed to furnish proof of six months' service, which was the shortest length of service for which a pension was allowed, under the Act of 1832, the Act under which he applied. 
The papers in this claim contain no reference to wife or children. 
Very truly yours A. D. HILLER 
Executive Assistant to the Administrator