Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 6219, for John Thompson, Pennsylvania
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Penn.          Thompson, John                S. 6219
                                                                   carded
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Service Penn
Thompson, John
S 6219
carded
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No Number
No of (illegible) 13.169
John Thompson
Adams County
Ohio
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(3-1776).                Number

        Service
Penn              
 Thompson, John   S.6219

                                                        carded
contents
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REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," " militia," and 
"volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store keepers, &c., Teamsters, Boatmen, &c.
Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
  1. The Regular Troops
  2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
  3. Persons employed in the Naval Service.
  4. Indian Spies
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will, in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides.  And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record. 

Declaration,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of County of }ss
On this ---day of ---personally appeared(a) before
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alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be [ex]expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute?
And if a substitute, for whom?
5. 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 services.
6. To a Soldier, Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it?
6. To an Officer, Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.

The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.

The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons--one of whom should be
the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion.
If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify to the character and standing of other persons giving such certificates.

The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject. 

Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform,
and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.

Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.

No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.

[a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.

[b]The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.

[c]The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.

[d]The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.

[e]Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, with precision, the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the Department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the
of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service; but, according to the best of his recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For---year----months, and days, I served as a ____; For ____months and _____days, I served as a _____and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important, in all cases, to determine with precision the period for which to terms with the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law
directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months, is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that they served two years in the milita, &c. without specifying the tours, the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration in
highly objectionable. It must, in every case, be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.

[f]The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g]The opinion of the Court is always required.
[h]The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[i]The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no public seal of office, the certificate of a Member of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the
papers.

Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
Proof of Service.
[j]In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimant's entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses,
and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.

*the notes from [a] to [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule is note [j] applies to continental troops only. 
[k]This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[l]If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact. 
[m]The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.
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State of Ohio
County of Adams
On this 5 day of April personally appeared in open Court before the Honorable the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting, John Thompson a resident of the State of Ohio in the County of Adams and Township of Monroe aged 79 years and 8 months 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 7 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated or entered the service under Col. James Moore Lieut. Col Joseph Parks, Maj John Hannams and Maj. John Culberson Capt. Robt. Elton Lieut James Thompson (his father)  Ensign James Bole in the month of June 1776. He was drafted for
Eight weeks in East Callen Township Chester County Pa. From thence he marched to Philadelphia and was then about ten days in the Barracks waiting for the remainder of the Battalion. From thence the army went in
shallops to Trenton N.Y. and remained there about two days and from there Perth Amboy N.J. He was there from about the middle of July during which time the British were encamped on Staten Island and occasionally canonaded us. 
After the expiration the Eight weeks he volunteered at Perth Amboy for six months
in the Lufing camp under Col. ____ Montgomery (who took sick and did not march with the army Lieut Col Thos. Bull who commanded. Maj. John Bartholomew 
Capt. James M Cler Lieut John Smith, Ensign
____ Dinwiddie He entered in the month of August 1776 as a volunteer. from Perth Amboy, he marched to
Elizabethtown Point N.J. and was then 2 or 3 days and from them to Fort Lee which he assisted in
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building. After he had been there about two months he was called to go as a guard with some wagons which were pressed to carry provisions to Kings Ferry and he remained there ten to twelve days. 
He was then ordered to Fort Washington but was prevented from going by a British Ship which anchored opposite the ferry after one boat load of troops had crossed the
river. A day or two after the Battle of Fort Washington (which took place on the other side of the river) the
British marched up the north river and crossed over to the side that the American troops were on. The army was then marched up to meet the British and was drawn up before them but was soon after ordered to retreat and crossed the Hackensack Bridge marched towards Trenton and came to the ferry two miles below Trenton. 
He was there on a fatigue party thirty six hours in putting the baggage across the river and was taken sick at that place and few days before the Battle of Trenton and carried to Philadelphia to the hospital and remained there weeks (or thereabouts) and from thence he was marched back to Trenton and discharged.

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 and that he has no documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service. 

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year
aforesaid
John Thompson


John Vandyke a clergyman residing in the County of Adams & residing in the same
hereby certify that we as well acquainted with
John Thompson who has subscribed and sworn
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to the above declaration that we believe him to be 79 8 months 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.

Rev Jacob Caudyke 
Job Diming

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department that the abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states.  And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that John P. Caundyke Thompson [crossed out] who has signed the preceding certificate in a clergyman resident in the county of Adams and that Job Diming who has also signed the same is a resident in the county of Adams and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit. 
I Joseph Darlinton clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of John Thompson for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 5th day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand and eight hundred and thirty three.
Joseph Darlinton Clk A.G.
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Questions by the Court
1. where and in what year were you born? Ans. I was born on the 17th of July 1753 in East-Callen Tshp Ches. Co.
2. Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? Ans. I have none.
3. Where were you living when called into service, where have you lived since the revolutionary war and where do you now live? Ans. In East Callen Township Chester Co Pa. - since the war - three years Redston Twp Monongehala Co Pa - four years in Mason Co Ky and since then in Adams Co [?] Twp.
4. How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute? and if a substitute for whom? Ans. I was drafted for eight weeks and served six months as a volunteer.
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6219
INVALID

File No.  6219
John Thompson
Print  Rev War

Act: June 7" 1832
Index:-Vol M,    Page 372

(Arrangement of 1870)