Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3106, Hugh Eliott Duff, Penn.
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Service - Penn.
Duff, Hugh Eliott
Number - R 3106
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34.545

Hugh Duff

Tennessee(?)
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State of Tennessee, Grainger County
Circuit Court
May 1838

Be it remembered that on this seventeenth day of May in the year of our Lord one-thousand eight-hundred and thirty-eight, personally appeared in open court Hugh Duff, who being first duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God to speak the truth, upon his oath foresaid doth make the following the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832, for the benefit of the surviving officers and soldiers of the Revolution. 

He states that is now about seventy-seven years of age, that he was a citizen of what is now the United States at the breaking out of the Revolutionary War, that in March as well as he recollects of the year 1776 he entered the service of the United States in the Militia of the State of Pennsylvania as a substitute for another man and as a private that he entered the service under Captain Cooke and he thinks the 5th Regiment as well as he can recollect being there very young, to wit, about fifteen years of age and was stationed at Princeton on the Delaware River. 

His term of service in the militia was nine months and served under Colonel Evans and Colonel Rivers, and during this service he was not in any battle. He served the said term of nine months and was regularly discharged. At the time he first entered the service he was a citizen of Pennsylvania and immediately upon his discharge from the first term of service he enlisted in the Continental Army under Captain Healy in the fifteenth Regiment.
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... commanded by Colonel Proctor of the artillery. He joined the Continental Army at Princeton and under General Lee, his term of elistment was for three years or during the war. From Princeton he was marched to Philadelphia, and was afterwards stationed at Red Hawk and at Mud Island and was in the battle at each place, and from these posts was marched to Long Island and joined the army under the immediate command of General Washington and he was in the battle of Long Island and retreated with the Army to New York. 

He was afterwards at the Battle of Monmouth and from there to Staten Island. He was with the Army at Valley Forge. He was also at the Battle of Brandywine and at the Battle of Trenton. He was at the Battle of Stony Point and the Battle of White Plains. He was afterwards taking the prisoners at Paulus Hook. He was afterwards at the siege of York and taking of Cornwallis, and served until regularly discharged from the service.

After the siege of York he was marched to Philadelphia and was there discharged by the same Captain ____, with whom he entered the service. He left his discharge in Philadelphia the same year and has never seen it since. He states that in some of the battles he was enumerated (crossed off). He was detached from the artillery and placed in the infantry - that he served the entire time stated from his first entering the service until the time stated when he was discharged and he served as a private the whole time. He does not now know of a living witness by whom he can prove his service though if he were not too old and feeble he perhaps might find some...
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... one in the North or East by whom he could prove his service. But he hopes his name may be found upon the rolls of the Army. 

During his service he knew and can recollect Generals Washington, Lafayette, Putnam, Wayne, St. Clair, and Baron Steuben. He states he lived after the War in Philadelphia until the year 1790 when he went to New York and from there to Edenton in North Carolina, and from there to New Jersey, and from there again to Philadelphia, and from there to Richmond, and from Richmond to East Tennessee where he now resides in Grainger County.

He states that his reason for not applying sooner for a pension is that he spoke to a gentleman in Roane County to get his pension for him being himself, ignorant was to proceed, but he did not apply and he then moved to Grainger County, and being very old and infirm and a stranger he did not know where to get assistance, nor how to travel about much in order to procure any one to do the business for him. 

He further states that this is his first application for a pension and he hereby relinquishes all claim to a pension except the present - and he states that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. 

His Mark (X), Hugh Duff

State of Tennessee, Grainger County
I, William E. Cocke, Clerk of the Circuit Court for said County do certify that the foregoing declaration of Hugh Duff was sworn to and subscribed in open court, in order to his obtaining the benefit of the act of Congress, passed 7th June 1832.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and public seal of Office, at Office in Rutledge in said County this 13th day of May A.D. 1838.

William E. Cocke
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State of Tennessee, Grainger County

Be it known that before me, an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County, James Duff aged about forty-three years, who being duly cautioned and thus sworn in due form of law, states that he and his brother, Hugh A. Duff, and his sisters Elizabeth G. Duff and Mary A. Duff, all of whom are of lawful age, are the surviving heirs at law and children of Hugh E. Duff, who was a Revolutionary Soldier of the Pennsylvania line, having first however served in he militia of the state of Pennsylvania, having entered the service in the year 1776, as a substitute under Captain Cook and was stationed at Princeton on the Delaware for nine months, and being discharged, he thereupon enlisted in the Continental Army under Captain Henry ____ of Colonel Proctor's 15th Regiment for three years during War, and after serving faithfully till the siege at Yorktown, Virginia, he was honorably discharged. 

And the wife of said Hugh E. Duff, who is the mother of said heirs at law, named Nancy G. Duff, was married to said Hugh E. Duff in Petersburg, Virginia, a few years, say three or four, after the close of the Revolutionary War; that said Hugh E. Duff died in the month of February 1842, and his said wife died in the month of December 1846; that they were residents of said County of Grainger next before and at the time of their death; that...
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... on the 18th day of May 1838, said Hugh E. Duff filed in the proper department at Washington City, his original declaration for a pension on account of his services in said War, and on the 30th Oct. 1838, he made a supplemental declaration but up to the time of his death he had not received a pension, nor did his said wife receive a pension in her lifetime. 

To said forgoing named declarations of said Hugh E. Duff and all other papers pertaining thereto, now on file in the proper office in Washington City, reference is hereby made of said declarations and papers, and are made a part of this declaration, which is made by the said James Duff for himself and in behalf of his said brother and sisters.

And furthermore, the said James Duff for himself and his said brother and sisters all of whom reside in said County of Grainger, do by those presens constitute, appoint and fully empower and authorize, irrevocably and with powers of substitution F.E. Hassler, of Washington City, D.C., as my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name and stead, to examine into, to prosecute, to demand, and to receive from the United States Government, and state officers my agents in all and in any manner of claim for increase or ____ of pension, or pension or land, or both, or all, that may be due me as one of the heirs of said Hugh E. Duff who died leaving the same _______,...
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... us in right of law I may be entitled. And, I do further make a similar and like power of attorney on behalf of my said brother and sisters. And I do hereby revoke and make of no further affect all powers of attorney heretofore made to any other person or persons for the purposes aforesaid. 

In witness whereof, the said James Duff, has on this the 16th day of May, 1853, hereto signed his name and affixed his seal.

James Duff (X) his mark

Witnesses:
W.L. Lathim
O.W. Huddleston

Signed, sealed, acknowledged, and sworn to before me; and I further certify that said James Duff, Hugh A. Duff, Elizabeth G. Duff, and Mary A. Duff, have always been by the community known as the children of said Hugh E. and Nancy G. Duff, who are dead.

Dated on this 16th day of May, 1853 (Eighteen-hundred and fifty-three)
A.P. Green

State of Tennessee, County of Grainger

I hereby certify that A.P. Green, Esq. before whom the foregoing affidavits and acknowledgment were made, and who has hereunto subscribed his name was at the time of doing a justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid, duly commissioned and sworn, and that his signature above written...
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is genuine.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office of County Court clerk in and for said county, at office in Raleigh, the 11th day of May, [illegible] 1853

James C. Clark clerk of the County Court

[the following is written vertically]

Revolutionary

[illegible]

of

[illegible]

Hugh E. Duff

Penn [crossed out]

Tennessee

[illegible]

1832
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Act of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
[struck through]

3106

P.O. Hugh Duff
Service:
Enlisted:________,18  .
Discharged:______, 18  .
Application filed: _______, 18  .
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P. O.
Recognized.
Contr.
Cert. of Dis.
Searched for ___, 18  .

[Stamped REJECTED]
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Hugh Duff
Tennessee
-
Suspended
-
per let 13 July
1838 W. R. Evans
do. 19th March
1839
F. E. Hassler Dec 16 1853
Not in rolls of Boston
Artilly
exd(?) - April 18/53
non(?)
Act June 1832
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Hugh Duff not on roll
of Proctor's rep't at State Dept
at [strikethrough] on the 3d July 1779.
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3106

Dec 13 - 53
Hugh Duff
Ten sus(?) }r

Cali

H
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Washington, DC
Dec 12, 1833

Hon. L.P. Waldo
Commr. of Pensions

Sir:
I would respectfully ask the attention of the Pension Office to the claim of the heirs of
Hugh E. Duff, Tennessee Suspended list of 1832,
filed by myself on the 9 June last, and would
ask what objections, if any, exist against the
allowance of this claim

I have the honor to be
Very Respectfully
Your f f Svt
F.E. Hassler
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[Stamp]
TAZEWELL Te.
Mar 9

Mat(?) Mar 18
Tenn

J. L. Edwards, Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City

Free
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Tazewell, Ten. March 9th 1839-
Sir,
I wish very much to know the result of the application of Hugh E. Duff, for a pension
under the law of June 2nd 1832. Will you be so
good as to inform me, if his application has been
noted upon
Very Respectfully
your obt Servt
Walter R. Evans
J.L. Edwards, Esq.
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[Stamp]
TAZEWELL Te
May 2

May 31

Original Pension Claim

Tenn:
Hugh Duff
Act 1832

Edwards, Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City

FREE
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Rutledge Tennessee, May 18th 1838.
J.L. Edwards, Esq.
You will please to froward any communication with regard to my pension claim of whatever nature it may be to Walter R. Evans, Tazewell
Tennessee, who is authorized by me to attend to the same, and by so doing you will confer a favour upon 

Sir
your obt. servt.
Hugh Duff
[signed with the mark of X]
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State of Tennessee
Hawkins County

On this 26th day of November AD 1838 personally appeared before
me Willington Brewer a Justice of the peace in and for said County and State aforesaid John Rains who being first duly sworn on the holy evangelist of Almighty God to speak the truth in the matter of Hugh Elliott Duff for a pension as a soldier of the revolution under the law of the United States passed June 7th 1832 deposeth and sayeth that that he is aged 
Seventy seven years and that he has been acquainted with Hugh Elliot Duff or Hugh Duff,
the Declarant since the year 1777 that in
that year he himself was in Capt John Holiday's 
Company of Cavalry under or in Col. Morgan redgiment of the Continental line of Virginia
and was marched on to Maryland Pennsylvania
and New jersey; and part of my time was served in New York; I will now detail the
particulars as near as I can recollect then of my service and my acquaintance with Hugh Duff and his services in the artilery & Col Procters redgiment and the Company of Captain Hendley during the war of the revolution. I fell in with Hugh Elliott Duff at the battle of Brandywine where in the loss of our cannons there, and regaining them again he got wounded in his ancle, and I served with him through the several engagements in the middle states that followed that battle for the rise of four years and on untill Christmas after the taking of Cornwallace at York at that to me we was in
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Philadelphia he went with many others was desc.
Question 1} are you satisfied that the declarant Hugh Eliott Duff did serve in person Pennsylvania and New York as he has stated
Answer} I am satisfied for I was with him as before stated from the fall of 1777 until Christmas [illegible] 
Question 2} Do you know whether he served his time out according to his enlistment and do you know whether he got a lawful discharge.
Answer} I know not about his getting his discharge but I never heard any complaint for he stayed with us and [illegible] and made shoes some time after his time was out.
Question 3} Mr. Rains you [crossed out] now see Mr. Hugh Eliott Duff present are you sure he is the very identical man that was then called Hugh Duff or Duff Duseng  several Campaigns heretofore stated.
Answer} I am sure he is the same man I have not seen him for many years until this morning. I know him to be identical Hugh Dudd and further this department saith not sworn and subscribed to the day and year first about written
John Rains [his mark] and I Melington Brewer a justice of the peace for said county and states as
aforesaid do certify that the forgoing 
deposition of John Rains was taken down in my presence according to the laws of this state and the acts and resolves of Congress and sworn and subscribed to in my presence and I do further certify that the affiant  John Rains
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[illegible]
is a credible person and in my opinion full faith and credit is due to his statements on oath given under my hand and seal this day and year first above written.
Milenton Brewer
Justice of the peace for Hawkins County

State of Tennessee
Hawkins County} I John Blevins Clerk of the County Court of Hawkins County do certify that Milenton Brewer, whose name appears to the forgoing Deposition of John Rains, is, and was at the time of the signing the same an acting Justice of the Peace in and for Scion County, duly commissioned and sworn, and that his signature appears in his own proper h
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my public seal of Office, at Office in Rogersville, this 15th day of December 1838.
John Blevins Clerk
By Jas. M. Hord. [illegible]
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State of Tennessee
Claiborne County
Amended declaration of Hugh E. Duff, for the purpose of obtaining a pension, under the
Act of Congress, passed June 7th 1832, as a
soldier of the Revolution.

On this 30th day of October A.D. 1838

Personally appeared before me, Benjamin
Sewell, a Justice of the Peace for said County in said State, Hugh E. Duff, who being first duly
sworn upon the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God to speak the truth, deposeth and saith, that, he heretofore, employed Genl. John [illegible] to make an application for him to the War Department, for a pension, and Genl [illegible], put it into the hands of his son, who, the deponent states, made the application as he believes, but for some causes, unknown to the deponent, failed in getting it. The said Hugh E. Duff further states that this circumstance escaped his recollection when
the original application was made, through the
agency of W. R. Evans, of which this is intended as an amendment. He states that he is informed and believes that in said Declaration his name is written Hugh Duff, when it should have been Hugh Elliot Duff,
and that the mistake was made, by his said agent having but a very limited acquaintance with him, and the deponent being some what deaf did not detect the error when the Declaration was read to him. He further states that he has, ever since the Act of June 7th 1832, been
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anxious to procure a pension for his services in
the Revolutionary war, but owing to his ignorance of the proper course to be pursued, and the failure of his former agents to give him the necessary information he has been delayed from time to time, and his living at some distance from those who ever engaged in endeavouring to get his pension, prevented him from proceeding speedily, and since this application through W.R. Evans, he has been delayed from amending his Declaration, on account of the sickness of his agent, since the middle of last summer until the present time; and also the circumstance of the Deponent living in Grainger County, and his agent in Tazewell, Claiborne County. These are his reasons, together with those stated in the original Declaration, why he has not been earlier in this application. He states that he has not yet been successful in procuring witnesses to prove his services, though he thinks that he may in a short time be able to do so, through his agent.
Hugh E. Duff
his mark X

the foregoing statement sworn
and subscribed to before me this
31st day of October 1838.
Benjamin Sewell 
JP Claiborne Cty Tenn.
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State of Tennessee
Claiborne County
On this eighth day of January
A.D. 1839, personally appeared before me, Benjamin Sewell, a Justice of the Peace in & for said County in said State, Walter R. Evans, who being duly sworn according to law, deposeth and saith, as follows, viz.
That he drew the Declaration of Hugh E. Duff which was sent to the Commissioner of Pensions in the present year 1838, and that his acquaintance with Mr. Duff was very limited, and that hearing him called Hugh Duff, wrote his name in that manner in sd Declaration - That Mr. Duff is very old and infirm, and it is with difficulty that said Duff can be made to hear, upon account of deafness and that he believes that owing to this cause Mr. Duff did not detect & correct the error-
Walter R. Evans

Sworn to & subscribed
before me, the day &
date above written -
Benjamin Sewell
Justice of the Peace for Claiborne County

State of Tennessee
Claiborne County  
I, William Neil, Clerk of the County Court of
said County, do certify that Benjamin Sewell, whose name appears to the above affidavits, is and was at the times of signing the same an acting Justice of the Peace for sd County, duly commissioned & Sworn, and that his signature appears in his own proper handwriting
and that full faith & credit should be given to his acts as such.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my
hand and affixed my public seal of Office, at
office in Tazewell, this 8th day of January 1839
William Neil Clerk
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[whole document struck through with an X]

State of Tennessee
Claiborne County

I, William Neil, Clerk of the County Court of Claiborne Court, in the State aforesaid, do hereby certify that Benjamin Sewell, whose name
appears to the within affidavit of Hugh E. Duff and W. R. Evans is and was at the time of signing the same, an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County and State, duly commissioned and sworn according to the land of said State, and that his Signature is in his own proper handwriting-
In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and seal
of Office at Office
in Tazewell, January 8th 1839
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State of Tennessee
Claiborne County
On this fifteenth day of November A.D. 1838, personally appeared before me, George Hamblin a Justice of the Peace in & for sd County in said State Whorton Nunn. Who being first duly sworn upon the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, to speak the truth the whole truth & nothing but the truth, in the matter of this application of Hugh Elliot Duff for a pension as a Revolutionary Soldier, under the law of the U. States passed June 7th 1832, deposeth and saith as follows
viz. he states that he entered the service himself about the last day of the 1776 or the first of the year 1777 under Capt Casey in Col Woods Redgiment and under Genl Mulenburg at Winchester in Virginia and was marched the latter part of winter on to New Jersey & Pennsylvania in September at the battle of Brandywine in 1777. I there become acquainted with this very Hugh Eliott Duff we used to call him Duff; he attended to the cannonading there and the cannon was spiked when they fell into the hands of of the brittish;
from this place the Brittish went into Phyladelphia and the troops under Washington was marched against the Brittish at Germantown was in October and we was repulsed there again with the loss of a great many men; we then moved on to a creek about fifteen miles above Phyladelphia but before the battle of Brandywine we was sent to assist Genl Gates and Arnold against Burgone and defeated the Brittish at Bennington we was then under General Stark we was marched back again to Gen Gates in October of this year Burgoin was
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defeated
in the most of these engagements Hugh Duff was with us he continued in the artilery [artillery]; we la[illegible, laid?] in to winter quarters at Valley Forge; and the Brittish [British] in Philadelphia and I know this very man Hugh Duff was there for him shows sometimes how we suffered; I know he was with us in winter quarter for we had not shoes blankets and not much to eat we was at Monmouth together this battle took place in the summer; for I know several men died by drinking cold water and we laid on the battle ground the Brittish [British] run away in the night; in 1779 we was again together at stony point under genl Wayne and majr Lee or Genl Lee; I do not now recollect which but I know that we took the place with the bayonets; I was ordered in a detachment under Genl Schuller to the six nations of Indians; I was taken sick and left on the road and returned to the main army and Hugh Duff continued in service until the first of the year 1780 I know for my time was then out I staid [stayed] some longer but worked at manor work by the dock(?) and in the spring I returned home to Winchester in Virginia I then left Hugh Duff in the service he was still in the artilery [artillery] which was about three y[illegible, years?] I was with him during this part of the war; and a little more or less; my memory being frail and body weak I have tried to tell it as it all took place, these may be errors as I cannot read and from memory alone and that frail; but I know
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he is the same man and must have been about the length of time I have said I am now about eighty seven years old 
Question first } do you know the redgment [regiment] or company he was in if so state
Answer I think Col Procters Redgt and Captain Hendley was the Captain we was often together in the first year of service
Question 2 } are you sure he is the same Hugh Duff or Hugh Eleott Duff that served under Capt Henry Hendley and Procters Redgment [Regiment] and do you know he served his time out
Answer I know him to be the same man and know he served more than three years in the artilery [artillery] further this deponant [deponent] sayeth not sworn to and subscribed to this day and year first written
his mark 
X
Whoston Nunn
And I George Hamblen one of the justices of the peace for the said County of Claiborne & State aforesaid do certify that the foregoing Deposition was taken down in my presence according to the laws of this state and the act and resolves of Congress Sworn and subscribe to and I do further certify that Whorton Nunn the forgoing affiant is respectable in his neighborhood and in my opinion is entitled to full credit on oath given under my hand and seal this day and year first above written
George Hamblen
justice of the peace for Claiborne County
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State of Tennessee
Claiborne County }
I William Neil, Clark of the County Court of said County, do hereby certify that George T Hamblin, whose name appears to the within and foregoing Deposition of Whorton Nunn, is and was at the time of signing the same, an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County and State, duly Commissioned and sworn, and that his signature appears in his own proper hand writing -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and public seal of Office, at Office in Tazewell this 8th day of January 1839 -
William Neil Clerk

Deposition of Whorton Nunn in report of Hugh E Duff.
Claim Revolution for a pention [pension]
Clks fee 50
Recd. on file
Wm Neil Clk
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Tazewell, January 8th 1838
Sir:
I now send you the proof in the case of Hugh E. Duff, for a pension - they would have been prepared and sent on sooner, but for my having been sick since last summer - They are now frowarded [forwarded] at the earliest date it was possible for me to do -
Please to Communicate the result of his application to rec at Tazewell, Tennessee.
yours Respectfully
Walter R. Evans

J. S. Edwards, Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City