Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4846, Valentine Hefner, Penn.
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Penn,  Hefner, Valentine. R. 4846
            Heffner,
Born in Germany
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34, 166 
Valentine Hefner 
Pennsylvania 
Valentine Hefners 
Pension Papers 
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Revolutionary Service 
For Ten Months 
Aged Seventy Eight years. 
Address J. B. [illegible] Esq Huntington Penn
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Declaration 
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 1832 
State of Pennsylvania. } LS
Huntingdon County.     }   On this 14th day of August 1837. personally appeared before the Court of Common Pleas of said County Valentine Hefner a resident of Walker township in the County of Huntingdon and State of Pennsylvania aged Seventy eight 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 provision made by 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. That he entered the service of the United States in the Summer of the year 1777. That he was drafted out to serve in the militia of the County of Franklin in the State of Pennsylvania and that he was drafted in the year 1777 on the first of June of the said year. that he was drafted out for the period of six months in the County of Franklin S. that this applicant served said six months under Capt Daniel Claffsaddler who was a Captain of a militia Company of the Franklin County malitia legally embodied and called unto serves by the Convergent Authorities that this applicant says the name of the Lieutenant was one Adam Smith and that he served in a Regiment of Franklin County militia commanded by Col. Johnson and the name of the Major of the said Regiment was Major Allison. That this applicant joined a company of militia of the Franklin County militia Pa. near Hagerstown Md. where there was a corps of the militia assembling for the purpose of marching to the neighborhood of Philadelphia Pa. on the Delaware River. That this applicant understood that the British army were marching towards the 
City of Phila. with a design as was supposed to capture it and the militia were called out to go down and defend to that this applicant was marched down to and stationed on and along the said river and was attached with other corps of militia to a considerable body of militia soldiers under the command of General Arnold on the west side of the Delaware River above Philadelphia. That this applicant was afterwards with the company to which he belonged trans-ferred and attached to a body of the Pennsylvania militia under the command of General Armstrong and marched on towards the Brandy Wind River. That the British compelled the Americans to retreat back towards the city of Philadelphia That this applicant was with a corps of militia troops, posted near the Schuylkill River with his Capt. and companions under General Armstrong to stop the passage of the enemy over the Schuykill River towards the City of Philadelphia. that this applicant during his said ten of six months was stationed for a part of the time on the Ridge Road. That the advance of the party to which he was attached, and
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who were also posted on and along the Ridge Road had a Skirmish with the enemy that this Ridge Road was not far from Germantown and led into Germantown that this applicant after the battle of Germantown and Brandywine was marched to Perkiomy Creek where this applicant was permitted to wash this clothes and to take a little rest and refreshment so greatly needed in causequence of [illegible] of duties That this applicant often heard the report of the morning and evening gun of the British, after they had taken the City of Phila. That this applicant was afterwards marched to a creek called Shippack Creek about eighteen miles from Philadelphia. From Skippack Creek this applicant was marched to a place called White Marsh where there was rendesvoused a great part of the army under the commander in Chief Gent. George Washington that this applicant was stationed on and along the road to White Marsh This applicant was told that the Country people were carrying provisions to the Butish army and this applicant was stationed on and along the road as one of the guard with the militia under General Armstrong near white Marsh to guard and Watch the diffrent roads  and passed to Philadelphia and to prevent all communication with the enemy. That this six months was served under Capt. Daniel Clappsaddler aforesaid during the month of June, July, August September, October and November 1777. That at the expiration of this said town of six months he was verbally discharged from the service by his commanding officer and went home to Chambersburg Franklin County Pa And this applicant further says that he was once more in the service of this Country on another tour of militia service under Capt. Heiser and the Lieutenants name was Diller and the Major of  the Regiment was Allison and served in a Regiment of Col. Johnson as a sure militiaman under the aforesaid officers during the fall of the year 1778. That this applicant joined a company of militia under Capt Heiser in Franklin of County Pennsylvania in the month of September and served until the first of December 1778 as a drafted militiaman the whole period of three months that this applicant served said three months as a private soldier under the above mentioned officers of the Franklin County militia in the State of Pennsylvania That this applicant was marched from Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania under the command of Capt Heiser to Huntingdon in the County of Huntingdon Pa. and from Huntingdon he was marched to a place or Garrison called Lytles Fort in Huntingdon County Penna. where this applicant was stationed
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for a part of his said tour. and from Lytter Fort this applicant was ordered and marched on to another Garrison or Fort called Rolers Fort in the County of Huntingdon Pa. where this applicant was stationed as a guard. There was an alarming report that the Indians and the tories were on the Western frontiers of Pennsylvania and New York and were murdering and scalping the inhabitants there.that they were carrying on the work of death and destruction to the West of these Garrisons which were not a great distance apart, and this applicant was stationed at and about these forts, viz. [illegible] and [illegible] Fort, that this applicant served out his tour of three months at Lylles for and at [illegible] Fort aforesaid. That this applicant served the said three months of September, October and November 1778 and was during this tour of duty at various intervals at those Garrison during the fall of 1776 and served as a guard at the Garrison aforesaid for the full term of three months above mentioned and at the expiration of this three months tour of duty this applicant was verbally discharged from the service by his Capt above mentioned under what he served as above stated- And this applicant says further that he was drafted out for a third tour of duty in the summer of the year 1779. This was for a tour of two months, and joined a company of militia under the command of Capt. Cadwallader and Lient Henry Loyd of the Franklin County Militia Penna, in a Regiment of the Franklin County militia under the command of Col. Allison. That this declarant was ordered by his commanding officer to have his Kapsack blanket and accoutrements ready and continue to hold himself ready for marching against the enemy at the shortest notice to the westward where it was expected the indians and tories would again reven their sh-eling barbarities which they had done the far previous at Wyoming and other Western settlements. That this applicant did accordingly and in due obedience to the orders of his commanding officer hold himself ready to march at the shortest notice whenever called on to go against the enemy. This was a service as a minate man for two months is the month of July and August in the year 1779. After this applicant had rendezvoused with his drafted companions at Chambersburg Pa. under the said Capt Cadwallader and Lieut Henry Loyd and had remained there during the month of July 1779 doing camp duty and awaiting orders
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o march against the enemy. this applicant was permitted by his Capt to return home and there to remain under the aforesaid requisitions and subject to the orders before specified. This applicant was not afterwards however called upon to march against the enemy or take the field or Garrison during the remaining month of his draft for the month of August 1779. That this applicant served the said periods above named as a private soldier and served in all his revolutionary services a period of ten months of actual service, in the field and garrison (and one other month as a drafted minute man or militiaman) and this applicant further says that he does not now know positively whether there is any living ┃ witness or any documentary evidence that can be cited by which he can prove the above services or any part thereof and that he was not at any time engaged in any civil pursuit but was entirely and wholly devoted to the army as above mentioned. 
                       Interrogatories 
First Where and in what year were you born.
Answer I was born in Germany in the year 1758 and was emigrated to the United States ┃ during my infancy. 
Second Have you any record of your age and if so where is it 
Answer I have no record of my age when I became twenty one years of age my father told me I was free and know my age from that fact. Third where were you living when called into the service where have you lived since the Revolutionary war and where do you now live Answer when I was called into the service & lived in the vicinity of Chambersburg in the County of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania and since the Revolutionary war I lived in Franklin County Penna. and in Huntingdon County Penna. where I have lived for fifty years past. 
Fourth How were you called into the service, were you drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom 
Answer I was drafted and served for the periods as I have above stated 
Fifth State the names of the Regular officers who were with the troops where you served, such Continental Regiments as you can recollect and the general ┃ circumstances of your service 
Answer General George Washington, General Armstrong, General Smallwood General, Green, General Firman, Col. Stuart Col Hist, were some
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of the officer that served with the troops where I served during the major part of the first tour of service on the Delaware and the various stations about Philadelphia, Germantown H. and Col. Johnson, Major Allison, Capt. Cadwallader, Gun Loyd, Capt Daniel Clappsaddler, Lieut Adam Smith were the militia officers who served with me. I was drafted out to serve as a drafted militiaman in the Franklin County militia Pa. and was marched down to the neighborhood of Philadelphia on the Delaware in the year 1777 in the summer and fall of said year to aid and assist in prev enting its captive by the British and served on the Delaware in the Camp and field as a private soldier and also about Germantown on a load called the Ridge Road, at Perkiomy Creek, on the west of the --- Schuylkill also, and served at a place called Skippack Creek and at and about Whitemarsh, and on and about the west side of the Schuylkill river and served at various intervals being stationed at and about these places above mentioned. And I also served as a drafted militiaman in the Western part of Pennsylvania at Titler and Rolers Forts in Huntingdon County Penna, when I was at different intervals stationed as a guard in the fall of the year 1778. and I was held in readiness, as a drafted militiaman in the sum mer of the year 1779, for two months viz. July and August of said year the first month viz July was served at Chambersburg and the other month of August in being held in readiness to serve as above stated 
Sixth Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it. 
Answer I never did but was at the expiration of each period of my service verbally discharged from the service. 
Did you ever receive a Commission and if so by whom was it signed and what has become of it 
Answer I never did but served the periods above mentioned as a private soldier making a revolutionary service of ten months as above Stated 
Seventh State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for truth and veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the part revolution. 
Anwser I will state the Reverend Christian Winebrenner Pastor of the
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German Lutheran Church, Isaac Vandevender Esquire, James Moore, Henry Ford John Harriman said Simon Fox, Adam Hager Thomas Loyd, Jacob Groove John Hoover and Valentine Hoover Sworn and subscribed in open Court of Record the day and year aforesaid- 
Hall in then if we 
State of Pennsylvania, Huntingdon County ss: I John Geissenger aged seventy six years being duly sworn depose and say that I am personally acquainted with Valentine Hegner the applicant for a pension. That during the year 1777 I resided in the State of Pennsylvania and that I was myself in the revolutionary army in the Pennsylvania militia and that during said time? became acquainted with several officers and soldier of the Revolution that I served in the Pennsylvania Militia under the command of General Armstrong, General Arnold. Col Patton and other field officer, at the time the said Valentin Hefner served during the summer and all of the fall of that I was know the said Valentine Hefner was in the service as a militiaman and that he was a portion of his service under the above officers as General Armstrong and Arnold Col Johnson also this deponent believes was the col who commanded a Regiment of Franklin County militia to which regiment the said Valentin - Here- belonged, that the above services were rendered in the Campaign of at the time the battle was fought at Brandywine and Germantown. That I was my sell in the service of the United States at the same time and was stationed at nearly all the different station where the said Valentine Heinerwas serving but in consequence of old age and bodily infirmity and the consequent loss of memory I am unable to state the length of time he was in the service but from the best of my personal knowledge and ┃ recollection do not hesitate to say he has served in the Army of the United States as much as six months during the campaign of 1777. above mentioned as a private soldier in the militia
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 of the State of Pennsylvania. 
Sworn to and subscribed this      John Gesinge
10th day of July 1837 
William Moore P.n 
I do hereby certify that John Geissenger who has subscribed and sworn to the above certificate and deposition is a credible person and that his statements are entitled to credit. Given under my hand this 11th day of July 1837 William Moore 
Relinquishment 
Valentine Hefner the applicant for a pension do hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and I declare my name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State. Sworn and subscribed in open Court the day and year aforesaid 
State of Pennsylvania Huntingdon County SS: 
We Christian Winebrenner a Clergyman residing in the County of Huntingdon and State of Pennsylvania and Valentine Hoover residing in the County and State aforesaid hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Valentine Hefner who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy Eight 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. Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid - David Snare vision is an Valentine Haver 
I do hereby certify that the Revsend Christian Winbrenner and Valuation Hoover who have subscribed and sworn to the above certificate are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit. Given under my hand the day and year aforesaid     David Share 
I do further certify that the Reverend Christian Winebrenner and Valentine Hoover did both at me and the same time as above subscribe and were duly sworn to the above traditionary certificate before me a magistrate in and for the County of Huntingdon and State of Pennsylvania- 
David Snare