Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3770, John Freas, New Jersey
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE
New Jersey

Freas, John

NUMBER
R.3770

------------------------------
CONTENTS
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
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Application of John Freas a Revolutionary
soldier, for a pension, under Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832

State of Pennsylvania }
County of Columbia }   s.c.t.
On this sixth day of May A.D. 1844 personally appeared in the town of Berwick Columbia Co. before me George Mack one of the Judges of the several courts of Record of said County, John Freas a resident of said County aged eighty two years; (said applicant being unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity) who being 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 7th A.D. 1832.

The said John Freas of Briar creek township, County of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, Hereby sheweth That he entered the service of the United States as a Militiaman of the State of New Jersey under the following named officers
and served as herein stated. The captain of the Company in which applicant served was named Lanning - the Lieutenant Derick Auter and the Sergeant Peter Wolf. On account of the great infirmity and failing memory of your claimant, he is unable after the lapse of sixty four years to call to mind the names of any other officers. Your applicant does not remember the day of the month when he entered the service, but he is certain that it was early in the Autumn of seventeen hundred and seventy nine shortly after corn-husking. At the time of entering the service he resided in Sussex County State of New Jersey, and went out as a substitute.  
And this was applicants first engagement

[part of next page shows at bottom:  'in the
the service - The troops among whom he was']
Page 3

in the service - The troops among whom he as first enrolled marched come sixty or seventy miles from his place of residence to Elizabethtown where they lay, but were not engaged in any battle, or battles.  Applicant entered the service of the United States a second time, by being draughted, but cannot state the time, or the names of the officers under whom he served.  He knows that he marched with the troops under this engagement across the Blue Mountain to the North-western corner of the State of New Jersey, and halted at Major Westbrook's ouse in the upper end of Minnissing township of the State aforesaid.  Said applicant was a tahird time called out by being draughted on account of an alarm caused by the approach of the Indians.  He marched under this third engagement, as under the second, towards the Northwestern section of the State of New Jersey across the Blue Mountains but he was not engaged in any battle.  It is impossible for your claimant to state the period of his service.  Certain he is that three several times he was enrolled in the service of the United States. And from first to last, his service he thinks must be full a year, and perhaps more than a year-  our Claimant cannot nme any Regular officers whom he knew during the several periods of his service.  And he has given all the particulars at his command which would be useful in the investigation of his claim.  He once had a written discharge given to him at Elizabethtown by Lieutenant Derick Auter, but after the lapse of sixty three years, he has no documentary evidence to produce in his favour, and he knows of no person, whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service-

And He the said John Freas hereby relinquished every claim whatever to a pension or annuity; except the present, and declared that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency
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or annuity, except the present and declared that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State-
John Freas

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Geo. Mack

We Charles Kalbfus a clergyman. residing in Briarcreek township, County of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania And Jesse Bowman residing in the same, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Freas, who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration; that we believe him to be eighty two years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Chas. Kalbfus
Jesse Bowman

Sworn and Subscribed before me. Geo. Mack

And I the said George Mack one of the Judges of the courts of Record of Columbia County and State of Pennsylvania after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, do hereby declare my opinion, that the above named applicant, John Freas, was a Revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.  And I further certify that i know that Charles Kalbfus who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in Columbia Co.  And that Jesse Bowman who has also signed the same is a resident in the neighbourhood of John Freas, and is a credible person.

And that their statemente is entitled to credit-
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signed the same is a resident of the neighborhood of John Freas and is a creditable person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
In testimony hereof I hereunto set my hand [illegible] this 6th day of May 1844
His Mark

State of Pennsylvania
Columbia County
I Jacob Eyerly Prothonotary of the Court of Common Please in and for the County of Columbia Columbia aforesaid do certify that George Mack Esquire before whom the forgoing proceedings were taken is an acting judge of the bench of Common Pleas of said County and that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my [illegible] and affixed the seal of said Court at Danville the fourteenth day of May Eighteen hundred and forty four
Jacob Eyerly Proth
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Interrogatories prescribed by the War Department,  And the answers of John Freas, the within named applicant, thereto -

1st  Where and in what year were you born?
Ans.  I was born on the first day of January 1762.

2nd. Have you any Record of your age, and if so, where is it?
Ans. - I have no record of my age.

3rd. Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the Revolutionary War, and where do you live now?
Ans. - I lived in the State of New Jersey - Shortly after the war I moved into Northampton county - where I resided nine or ten years.  I then moved to Columbia County Penna. and have been living here ever since.

4th. How were you called into service; were you draughted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute; and if a substitute, for whom?
Ans. - I was hired as a substitute in my first engagement - I was next drafted - I was a substitute for William Dills.
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5th  State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the troops where you served; such continental and militia regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service?
Ans. - I do not know the name of any of the Regular officers - the general circumstances are as they are stated within.

6th - Did you ever receive a discharge from thet service; and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it?
Ans. - I received a discharge the first time I was in the service, but I have lost it.
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7th. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighbourhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution?
Ans. - John Hoffman Marmaduke Pearce Clergyman Saml. Millard Dr. H.B. Wilson.
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['Acts of July 14, 1862 and March 3, 1873' crossed out]

3770          AW
P.O. ______________________
John Freas
Service: _________________

Enlisted: __________________, 18
REJECTED
Discharged: _______________, 18

Application filed: ______________, 18

Alleges: _______________________
______________________________
Re-enlisted: ___________________
______________________________

Attorney: _______________________
P.O. ____________________________
________________________________
___ Recognized.  __________ Contract.
[cut off]
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35688
John Freas
Act June 7, 1832
Pennsylvania
------------------
See letter to Hon. B. A.
Bidlack H.R. June 6
1844
let. to J.C. Rhodes 14. Oct. 1844
    "    Hon B.A. Bidlack Oct 15 44
    "     Same Dec 31. 1844
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May 17 1844
[stamp:] [illegible]ANVILLE Pa. MAY 15

Pa.
John Freas
7 June 1832

J.L. Edwards
Pension Office
War Department
Washington City
D.C.
Page 12

Hon. J.L Edwards

Sir

Please address Jos. C. Rhodes, or John Freas, Berwick Pa.- Mention Order the Commissioner of Pensions may make on this application, please [illegible].

J.C. Rhodes Agent
for J. Freas
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Receipts for Cash paid [blank] years' interest on Notes given by the Commissioners of the several Counties for Militia Services.

[table follows with 7 columns; column headings as follows:]
(1) No. of Voucher
(2) No. of Certif
(3) Date.
(4) SIGNED BY.
(5) PAYABLE TO.
(6) Amount
(7) 1 y's int.

[text beneath column headings as follows:]
(1) Indent
(2) 765
(3) May 4, 1784
(4) Joseph Gaston
(5) John Frees
(6) L 0.14.2
(7) [blank]
[end of table]

STATE OF NEW JERSEY:
I, CHARLES G. McCHESNEY, Secretary of State of the State of New Jersey, do hereby certify, that the foregoing is a true abstract from a Book, headed as above, as taken from, and compared with the original, now remaining in my office.--And I do further certify, that Joseph Gaston was, by an Act, passed by the Legislature of this State, December 20, 1783, entitled "An Act to procure an estimate of the sums due to the Militia and Troops who have been raised for the defence of the frontiers of the State, and to provide for the settlement of the same," appointed a Commissioner for the County of Sussex for the purpose of settling and adjusting the pay rolls of the Militia and Troops of this State, as aforesaid, and also for signing and delivering out to each and every person a note for the payment of what may be justly due.
[seal affixed at left]

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office, at Trenton, in said State, this twenty eighth day of June A.D. one thousand eight hundred and forty-four.

Charles G. McChesney
Secretary of State.
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July 12 1844

[stamp:] BERWICK Pa. JUN 9

NJ
Add. proof
John Freas

['18 3/4' crossed out]

Hon. J.L. Edwards
Pension Office
Washington City
D.C.
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[stamp:]. BERWICK Pa. [illegible]

Berwick Pa July 9th 1844.

Sir

According to your direction I applied to the Secretary of the State of New Jersey for evidence to make good the claim of John Frees to a Pension.  There can now be no doubt of his services--as to the time of his services and the length thereof, it is impossible to obtain any proof other than his own oath now before you.

He swears positively to one year though he is satisfied he served longer.  Be pleased to let me know what disposal will now be made of the application.-

I have the honour to be
 &c. Your obt. servant
Jos. C. Rhodes

Hon. J.L. Edwards
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[stamp:]. TRENTON N.J. JUN 13

18 3/4


Jos. C. Rhodes Esqr.
Berwick
Pa.
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Office of Secy. of State
Trenton June 18, 1844.

Sir

Your communication of the 11th Inst. is before me the name of John Freas appears on the margins for the County of Sussex - for a balance of pay for a very small sum L0 S14. d2.  We have no muster rolls of service in Sussex County on file.

To ensure attention to future communications the Postage on all letters must be paid.  This office is one of perquisite and not sales, the charges for searches seal & certificate is from $1 to $1.50 in the County of Sussex there is abundant evidence still to be obtained from living witnesses.

Your obt. servt.
Charles G. McChesney

Jos. C. Rhodes Esqr.
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H. Reps

The Com - Pensions will please inform me whether anything can be done in this case.

Respectfully
B.A. Bidlack

Dec 23/44
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[stamp:]. BERWICK Pa. DEC 20


FREE


Hon. B. A. Bidlack
House of Representatives
Washington City
D.C.
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Berwick Columbia Co. Pa.
Dec 20th 1844

Dear Sir,

At the urgent solicitation of John Freas a 
revolutionary Soldier, and an applicant for a pension under the act of 1832,. I write to you to make some effort in his behalf.  His pension has been denied on the ground that the evidence of his service was insufficient to sustain his pretensions. There is no doubt that he is as
richly entitled to a pension as any other private soldier living, and I think he has complied with all the requisitions prescribed by the War Department. He has served at least one year in the Militia of N. Jersey, and the circumstances 
of his residence in Pennsylvania now prevent his obtaining as satisfactory evidence to support his claims as he might do if nearer the scenes of his service.  Hon. J. L. Edwards requested him to apply to Secy. of State of N. Jersey for further testimony.  I did so and procured evidence which it appears to me, the
honourable commissioner has not properly apprehended.  The inclosed letter sent previously to the forwarding of the certificate now in the pension office shows that the s14. 2d is only a balance of pay, and does not mean the entire pay of his whole service. The wants of the old man are so great, and his claim appears to be so just that I am induced to make 
this further request of you, hoping that your effort will be successful.

Very Respectfully
Jos. C. Rhodes

Hon. B. A. Bidlack
Washington

P.S.  Will you be so kind as to send me a document occasionally-
- R -