Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 7363, for John Morecraft, Pennsylvania
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[Form Number] 8-1776

Service                           Number
Penn.  Morecraft, John  R7363

Contents (nothing written on Contents lines)
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State of Illinois
Clark County   I on the fourth
day of September A.D. 1837 personally
appeared in open court before the 
County Commissioners Court of 
Clark County in the state aforesaid
now sitting  John Morecraft a resident
of the County of Clark aforesaid
aged Seventy Five years on the 
22d day of September A.D. 1837
who being first duly sworn according
to Law doth on his oath make this
following Declaration in order to obtain
the benefit of the act of Congrefs (Congress)
pafsed {passed) June 7, 1832-that he entered
the service of the United States under
the following named officers and
served as herein after stated-
that he first entered the service 
of the United States for a period
of two months under Captain
Jacob Vanmetree in the militia
of Pennsylvania but whether 
I was drafted or volunteered I
can not now recollect.  I think
however I was drafted-I entered
service at the forks of Nauhegary[?}
rre[?} in an [illegible] to the mouth of
Cheat river in said state and staid
there and thereabouts to guard
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the frontiers till the expiration of my time when I returned home. In the expedition I think are Col's name was David Cook. I entered the same service for a second tour of two months at the same place under Capt or Lieutenant Peyton Cook. We went then up to Segards Station so called where we remained til my two months expired and then I returned home. 
I entered service at the same place for a third tour of two months under Lieutenant Candy. At this term of service we went to a place called Hannahstown or Hannastown and I was there at said town when the same was burnt by the Indians and when my time was out for this town instead of returning home I again immediately entered the same service for another tour of two months. In the tour I think a man named Hocknagle or Haughnagle was our Colonel and a Mr. Bryson our Captian. I will here state that in my first tour I was a substitute for one David Allen.
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The Court then propounded to the
applicant the following interrogatories
to which the following answers were
made by him.
Quest. 1.  Where and in what year
were you born?
Answer 1.  I was born in Smithfield township
Bucks County Pennsylvania in the year
1762. 
Quest. 2.  Have you any record of your age and if so where is it-
Answer 2d.  I have no record of my age- I
am satsified of my age from family statements 
Quest. 3d.  Where were you living when called
to service where have you lived since
the Revolutionary War & where do you
now live
Answer 3d-I was living at place called the County Forks of York on Spanish[?]-I do not know  what 
Pennsylvania County it was in when called to service-
Quest 4th.  How were you called into service
Were you drafted or did you volunteer or
were you a substitute and if a substitute
and if a substitute [repeated in the text] for whom
Answer 4th.  I cannot say precisely how I was
called into service but my imprefsion is 
that we were drafted at every tour
unless it was when I served two tours
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in the same summer when it is likely I volunteered for the second town but at this period of time I cannot say with certainty, nor can I say in what town it was that I served  I think I was in

5th.  State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the troops where you served; such militia and continental regiment as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.

Answer 5.  I have already stated the general circumstances of my service so far as I can recollect then. We were in no engagements, were employed as pies against the Indians in a frontier country. Consequently nothing happened the relation of which be of any service -  I knew several officers but whether they were Regular or Militia officers I cannot say.  I knew Col. Hocknogle, Col. David Cook, Capt. Vanmeter, Lieut. Peyton Cook and Capt. Brysan and Capt. Stewart.

Quest. 6.  Did you ever receive a discharge from the Service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it?

Answer 6.  I did receive discharge at the expiration of my several terms of service
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But thinking then of but little use often such a lapse of time there have been lost. 

7th.  State the names of Persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.

Answer 7.  Stephen Dolson, Samuel Handy and John Handy

I had forgotten to state in the first town when I entered for two months under Capt. Vanmetree that we, his command were discharged and sent home before our time was out., I now reside in Clark County Illinois.  

I know of no  witness  by whom I can prove my services - and I do hereby relinquish any claims whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and I declare that my name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State .

Sworn to and subscribed in open court on the day and year last aforesaid
John Morecraft

Darius Phillips, Clerk
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I, Stephen Dolson of Clark County Illinois do certify that I have been personally acquainted with the within named applicant John Morecraft for more than fifty one years past.   When I first became acquainted with him he must have been at least twenty three years of age.  I first new him in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. We lived neighbors to each other in that county about five years and it was universally believed and understood in that neighborhood that the said John Morecraft was a soldier of the Revolution.  I heard hm often at our first acquaintance speak of his service.  I have known him in the county of Mark for about eight years he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resided to have been a soldier of the Revolution and must fully concur in that opinion, he is considered a man of truth and veracity

Subscribed and sworn to
in open court the day and 
year aforesaid                                               Stephen Dolson



Darius Phillips, Clerk
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Outer wrapper for legal documents, folded in thirds.

Middle section, right edge:  V34.220
John Morecraft
Illinois


Bottom third:

State of Illinois
Clerk of Courts

I Darius Phillips, Clerk of the County Commissioners Court of Clark County aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of John Morecraft for a pension.  In testimony whereof I have hereunto seal my hand and the seal of said court at Marshall this fifth day of September 1837

Sealed and Signed Darius Phillips, Clerk
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I Thomas Layton aged about 75 years of Clark County Illinois do certify that I moved to Troya county in N York in the yar 1790 that about a year after that time John Morecraft came to reside in the same county.  That said Morecraft appeared then to be about twenty one or two years old. I did not know him in Pennsylvania.

Thomas Layton

Subscribed and Sworn to
before me this 2nd day
of January 1838
W. Manly


State of Illinois - Clark County:

I Darius Phillips Clerk of the County Commissioners Court of said county do certify that W. Manly is a Justice of the Peace for the said county and that his signature above written is genuine

Witness my hand and official Seal this 2nd day of January A.D. 1838
Darius Phillips, Clk
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Envelope

Top left side:
Marshall Ill
22 March

Addressed to Hon. J. L. Edwards
Com of Pensions
Washington City, D. C.

Above the address is written "free"


Written on top of the address is:
Mar 31
John Morecraft
addendum
Wm. Allison
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Marshall Ill 22nd March 1838

Sir.  I send you and affidavit in support of the claim of John Morecraft at his request.

Respectfully

U. Manly

U. Manly

Hon. J. L. Edwards
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V
John Morecraft
Illinois
Rejected
Suspended-----this is crossed out

See letter 16 Feb 1857 U. Manly

do. 18 May 1838

7363
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Acts of July 14, 1862 and March 8, 1873  (this whole line is crossed out)

7363    Next to that is a stamp REJECTED

John Morecraft
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Envelope

Upper Left Corner:  Darwin Ill
10th Sept

Addressed to Hon. J. L. Edwards
                       Com. of Pensions
                       Washington City, DC


Upper right corner is written "Free"


Written on the left side of the envelope
JUS
Act1832
Mr. Moorecraft