Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 383, Mathias Bailey, Penn.
Page 1

Service Penn.
Bailey, Mathias Number R383
Indian War 1791 & 1795.
Page 2

[illegible]
State of Kentucky
Bracken County}S.S.
On this 8th day of December 1838 personally appeared before Joseph Schoolfield, one of the Justices of the Court for the County aforesaid (being a Court of record with a seal, authorized to administer a oath P.) Mathias Bailey, a resident of said County aged about eighty two 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 act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
That in the year 1775 he landed at Philadelphia in the State of Pennsylvania, the 'one' of the British provinces in North America, and in the year 1777 enlisted as a private in the service of the State of Pennsylvania for three years, (the particular date of his enlistment he does not recollect) in Eastern Pennsylvania, under Capt. Lindsey, (who afterwards in consequences of not being promoted went over to the British. He cannot remember the number of the Regiment, but thinks it was under the Command of Col. Mercer and that Major Hoop commanded one of the Battalions.  He is not positive with respect to the officers who commanded the Regiment at that time, having been under the  commit of several while under this enlistment, to wit Genl. Wayne, Genl.  Maxwell, Col.
 Hand afterwards Genl .Hand, Maj. Hoops, Col. Mirsh., Col. Diment Capt. Lindsey, Doyle and Keltory and others, there is a confusion in his recollection with respect to officers at particular dates, but believes at this time Col. Mercer and Maj. Hoops commanded him that Genl. Maxwell was the Brigadier Genl. and Armstrong the Maj. Genl. shortly after his enlistment the corps to which he was attached joined the main body under Genl. Washington in New Jersey at Morristown and that fall was in the battle of Brandywine-in this action Genl. LaFayette was wounded and Genl. Boyne was very near being killed by some of our own troops who mistook him for a British Officer in

*He was perhaps transferred to Genl. Marc Weller command some time after his enlistment or he knows Maxwell was not of the Pennsylvania here, but he can't remember
Page 3

2.
disguise. That winter the troops wintered at Valley Forge. He was not in the battle of Germantown being with a detachment from the main Army.  The British wintered in Philadelphia and in the Spring evacuated Philadelphia and crossed the Delaware and was followed by Genl. Washington's army with which he the declarant was. He was in the battle of Monmouth and that winter quartered at Middlebrook in New Jersey.  He cannot recollect, particularly, what took place in 1794 nor does his recollection serve him under whose command he was immediately, but he was with the Army-he recollects Genl. Wayne's storming Stoney point, about this time but he was not present-about this time he was with some troop lent to the South, but cannot say who the officer in command was, while in the South he was under the command of the Baron D'Kalb and Genl Morgan,  a part of the time, but as to dates and officers commanding at specific dates he cannot state with certainty.  He was in the battle of Camden, in which action the Baron DeKalb fell.  He was not in the battle of the [illegible] but was in the army when under Genl Green it retreated through North Carolina and was afterwards in the battle of Eutaw Springs and was finally discharged  in 1783 at York in Pennsylvania.  He does not know the officers name who signed his discharge, not having seen  it once it was given except once shortly after for when he enlisted and came to the West it was left behind. That he afterwards enlisted with Capt William Lewis at Hopetown in Maryland and marched to the West with Genl. St. Clair, in whose memorable defeat he was, in which defeat he was wounded in the leg, the ball was never extracted and the wound never healed, which occasioned him to lose his leg some years after, the wound for many years did not injure him much, not prevent him from labour, for after he was discharged, he again enlisted at Lexington Kentucky with Capt. Lewis and marched with Genl Wayne and was in the battle at the Rapids of Maumee with the Indians and British in 1794, and shortly after received the discharge of which the following is a copy. vz.
*but was with Genl [illegible] this expedition of wit the Indians at [illegible]
Page 4

3
These are to certify that the bearer hereof Matthias Bailey hath faithfully served as a private soldier in Capt William Lewis' Company of the 3d Sub-legion for the space of three years the term for which he engaged his enlistment expiring on the 20th day of August 1795. He hath delivered up his arm and accoutrements without deficiency, and is hereby permitted to apply at Headquarters for an honorable discharge. He hath received pay up to the 1st day of January 1795, and public clothing as follows, as appears by the Company books.  Given at Greenville August 1795. 3 Hats, 3 Coats. 3 vests. 13 shirts. 7 linen & 6 woolen pantaloons. 11 pair of shoes, 1 pair of shoe buckles, 6 pair of socks, 3 stocks and clasps, 7 blankets. 1 Knapsack. 1 Canteen.
John Postumber Lt.3d
U.S.S. L.
Paid in full to 1st January 1795.
Paid to 1st June 1795.
[illegible] paid 3 S.B.
Paid in full

Saml. Vance payt. 3d.5.L.
"by his Excellency Anthony Wayne Esqr. Maj. Genl and commander in chief of the Legion of the United States
These are to certify that the bearer hereof Mathias Bailey a private soldier in the 3d sub Legion has served in the above said Legion and in Capt William Lewis's company for the space of three years and is for the reasons below mentioned dis-charged from the said Legion he having received his pay up to the 1st day of January 1795. and clothing of all sorts; and [illegible] other just demand, from the time of his enlistment is said Legion to this day of his discharge, os appears by the following receipt.  He is dis-charged, having faithfully and honorably performed the term of service for which he was enlisted.  And to prevent any ill use that
Page 5

4
may be made of his discharge, by its falling into the hands of any other person whatsoever, here follows a description of the above said Mathias Bailey.
He is age thirty/the date illegible being worn out years, five feet eight inches high, fair complexion dark hair (shorn off for three or four inches) of August 1795.   Anty Wayne ( initials)
I Mathias Bailey do acknowledge to have received all the pay up to the 1st day of January 1795. and cloathing of all sorts and all other just 
[illegible] from the day of my enlistment in said Legion to this day of my discharge
"Mathias Bailey
Witness present
Saml Vance Lt
Paymt 35 L."

What for sometime after he was discharged he resided in Cincinnati and since then for about forty years, has resided in Augusta in Brachen County a the county. that he is well known to the Honorable John Chambers, Capt William Buchner, W, John Schoolfield, and Joseph Schoolfield Esq. as well as every citizen of Augusta, and to them he confidently appeals for his character as an honest Man and a man of integrity.  That there is no person now living within his knowledge by whom he can prove  his services, during the Revolutionary War, having been in the Country but a short time before he enlisted, he made but few acquaintances, and was almost constantly in the army after until he came to the West; nor has he any documentary evidence by which to prove his service.
Being interrogated or the regulations of the war office requires he states in  answer.
To the 1st Int. He was born in Ireland, and he believes in the year 1756.
To the 2d? He has no record of his age
Page 6

5
--
To the 3d.  He was living in Easton Pennsylvania.  The residence is answered in the boby of his declaration.
To the 4th.  His enlistments have all been voluntary. It is vaguely impressed on his mind that after the first enlistment expired in 1780, that he enlisted again, but how it was he does not recollect he does not think he ever received any discharge until he was finally discharged after the war, or his first enlistment may have been "for three years or during the war ,but his memory does not serve-he recollects well the year he enlisted, the place and with whom, that he served until after the war[illegible] discharged in 1782 at Lancaster, he recollects also the engagements he was in and many incidents connected with those engagements.  His enlistments were always on his own account.
To the 5th.  He has stated the names of several officers with and under whom he served, also the general circumstances of the service in which he was engaged.  He will also state that he knew Col. Butler*
To the 6th  He never received any discharge except as before stated.  The discharge for his services given  at Yorktown he gave to a woman by the name of Kate McNight to keep and has never seen or heard of the discharge or her since . He came to the western country.  The discharge given by Genl. Wayne he only presents to share that he is no deserter; for had he not been honorably discharged from his former enlistments the Old Genl. would have known it.
To the 7th He has answered and given several names, to whom he has been known for thirty or forty years-they are respectfully  asked to say.  He further states that from deficit of memory  [illegible]
* Col Bonner (he was killed) Col. Rop, all of the Pennsylvania line also Col. Cadwallader he was under his command at one time
Page 7

6
--
sergeant upon old age, he cannot be positive what the name of the Col was who commanded the Regiment when he enlisted, but thinks it was Col. Mercer, it may have been Col Hand-He hereby releases and relinquishes every claim  and nation 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.
Sworn to and subscribed the date above.
Mathias Bailey x his mark

I John Payne residing in the Town of Augusta, County aforesaid do hereby certify, that I have been well acquainted with Mathias Bayly, who has, in my presence, subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration, for the last thirty years in the Town and County aforesaid, that from his appearance I believe him to be of the age stated by him in his declaration to wit eighty two years, that (underlined) ever since I have known him he has been reputed and believed in said neighborhoods, to have been a Soldier of the Revolution, and that I concur in that opinion.  What he was for many years while he could work, my gardener, and I have very frequently, before the last war and since, heard him "fight his battles o'er again" and speaks of the Battles of Brandywine Monmouth, Camden and Eutow Springs particularly, as having been present and participated in them, and described them in a manner, and with an animation which carried conviction to my mind that he must have been present, for uninformed as he ever has been generally, and uneducated as he is I am satisfied his knowledge of those transactions was never obtained by  [illegible].  He has ever since I have known him has the air and manner of a well trained, well disciplined, "Old soldier" and never passed a gentleman without giving the soldier salute.  He has ever born the character of being a man of strict veracity, and I would from
Page 8

March 23, 1930.
XXXXXXXXXXX
BA-J/CC
Mathias Bailey
R.583

Mrs. A.W, Johnson
216 Market Street
Lexington, Kentucky.

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Mathias Bailey of Pennsylvania, pension No. 383.
The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in pension claim R.383, based upon service of Mathias Bailey in the Revolutionary War.
Mathias Bailey was born in Ireland about 1756, names of his parents not stated.  He came to his country and landed in Philadelphia in the year 1775.
On December 8, 1838, while a resident of Augusta, Bracken County, Kentucky, where he had resided for forty years, Mathias  Bailey applied for pension on account of his service in the Revolutionary War.  He stated that while a resident of Easton, Pennsylvania he enlisted in 1777, served as private in Captains Lindsey's Doyle's and Kittary's companies, Colonels Mercer's, Hand's and Stewart's regiments and was discharged sometime in 1783, that he was in the battles of Brandywine, Monmouth, Camden and Eutaw Springs.  He stated further that he enlisted in Hagerstown, Maryland in Captain William Lewis' company under General St. Clair, was present at St. Clair's defeat where he was wounded in the leg, which many years after caused the loss of that leg; after his service under General St. Clair he enlisted in Lexington, Kentucky, served in Captain William Lewis' company under General Wayne, was in the battle of "Maumee" Rapids.  He received an honorable discharge from both these  services, from the last of which he was discharged at Greenville on August 20, 1795.  At the time of his discharge in 1795 he was described as five feet eight inches high, fair complexioned, dark hair.  He stated that after the
Page 9

Revolutionary War he resided in Cincinnati untile he went to Bracken County, Kentucky.
His claim for pension for service in the Revolutionary War was not allowed as he failed to furnish proof of his service as required by the pension law.
There are no family data shown.
Very truly yours

A.D. Hiller
Executive Assistant to the Administrator.
Page 10

34,672
Mathias Bailey
Kentucky


Hon Jno Chambers
HR
Page 11

7.
My knowledge of him implicit believe, not only his oath but his word.  His leg was amputated I think about 17 or 18 years ago.  I have for some years had his discharge above copied in my possession and from its appearance have no hesitation in believing it to be an authentic document and the present applicant, Mattias Bailey, I have know, when he answered the description therein given
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
John Payne

I John Schoolfield residing the in Town of Augusta and county aforesaid do certify that I have been well acquainted with Matthias Bailey who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration for upwards of thirty years, that I believe him to be about what he states himself to be, eighty two years of age, that he is and ever has been since I knew him, generally believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, this belief I think is universal, indeed I never heard it doubted; and that I concur in that opinion, I do further certify that said Bailey has [illegible] been considered a man of strict integrity and truth, and for one of his station, high honorable feelings.
Sworn to and subscribed the date above John Schoolfield

And I the said Joseph Schoolfield do hereby declare my opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War department, that the above named applicant, was a revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states, and I believe it further from my personal knowledge of said Bailey, whom I have known in the Town of Augusta aforesaid, for about thirty years, and I concur
Page 12

8
_
With the above mentioned where Payne and John Schoolfield, in their statements, and that it is generally believed in the neighborhood where the said applicant resides, that he was a revolutionary soldier, and has always has been so considered, and that he always was considered a man of truth and veracity.  I am also of opinion that he is about the age he states himself to be.  I do further certify that John Payne and John Schoolfield who have signed and sworn to the foregoing certificates, and residents of Augusta, Bracken county, and credible persons that their statements are entitled to  credit.  And I do further certify that the said applicant, from, his age  amputated leg and thigh, and great debility is unable to attend the courts held for the county.
Given under my hand the date above. 
J. Schoolfield.

State of Kentucky
Brachen Couty Sct.
I John Payne Clerk of the Court for the county aforesaid do hereby certify that Joseph Schoolfield Esq. before whom the regoing declaration and certificates were made subscribed and sworn to and who has affixed his signature to the foregoing certificate was at the date of said Declaration and certificates an  acting Justice of the peace and member of the Court for said County duly commissioned and sworn, and that his signature above is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto it my hand and affixed my seal of office this 12th day of December 1838
John Payne
Page 13


Mathias Bailey
Kentucky-
Suspended
(all crossed out: See let 31st Dec. 1838 Hon. John Chambers.)
383

Act  7 June 1832
Page 14

State of Kentucky
Brachen County Sct.
This day personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid Peter Maines a minister of the Gospel residing in the County aforesaid and being sworn  deporth and saith that he has been acquainted with Mathias Bailey, who he understands has made application for a pension, for about thirty five or forty years in the County of Brachen and State of Kentucky, that serving the whole of that time he has been generally, indeed 
universally, (so far as I have heard it spoken of)  considered a soldier of the Revolution, he has very frequently heard the said Bailey speak of his revolutionary services and the battles he has been in, and I concur in the opinion that the said Bailey was a Soldier of the revolution as stated by him.  I believe also that his age is about eighty two years, and having heard a copy of his declaration sworn to the 8th of Dec. 1838 read, I believe the statements therein made-to be true, the said Bailey ever since I have known him has been considered a man of truth and veracity.
Sworn to and subscribed this 14th day of December 1838.
Peter Maines

And I do certify that I have known the said Peter Maines for many years that he resides in the County of Brachen and that I have always known and considered him as a  minister of the Gospel, that he is a credible person and his statement written to credit. Given under my hand this 14th day of December 1838
J Schoolfield J.P.

Brachen County Sct.
I John Payne Clerk of the Court for the County aforesaid do hereby Certify that Joseph Schoolfield Esquire before whome the foregoing certificate appears to
Page 15


have been subscribed and sworn to was at the date of the same an acting Justice of said county and a member of the  Court forsaid County duly commissioned and sworn, and that the signature to the foregoing certificate purporting to be his is genuine.
In testimony where of I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of Office this 14th day of December 1838.
John Payne
Page 16

____ Ex'r             INVALID.

[shaded] IFO 383[?] [/shaded]

[lined through] Acts of July 14, 1862 and march 3, 1873. [/lined through]

[stamped] REJECTED [/stamped]

Mathias Bailey

P.O. _____
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____ , 18
Discharged: _____ , 18

The printed list of 1852 shows reasons for suspension

Application filed: _____ , 18

Alleges: "no proof of service - not on any rolls"

Re-enlisted: _____

Attorney: _____
 
P.O. _____

[left margin] 1939 - Mar. 23 - Hist to Mrs. A. W. Johnson. cc [/left margin]
Page 17

(stamp RECEIVED FEB 13 1939)
Lexington, Kentucky
February 10, 1939

Pension Department
Washington, D.C.

Revolutionary War.

Gentleman:
Please give me a copy of the following.
Pension of Matthias or Mathias Bailey #383 Pennsylvania. Post Office where pension was applied for and reveived was Brooksville, Kentucky.
Please furnish me with all the details possible of this pension such as wife's name. children's name, place of birth, service in above mentioned war etc., if shown on record.
Thanking you in advance for any and all information that you might be able to supply me with, I am
Sincerely,
Mrs. A.W. Johnson
216 Market St.
Lexington, Ky.
Page 18


House of Representatives 27th Dec 1838

Sir

I send you enclosed the application of Matthias Bailey for a pension. In his declaration he refers to me, and I state that I have known him for near forty years all which time he has sustained the character of a very honest, truthful man.  I also know Genl John Payne and John Schoolfield Esq who testify the character of Bailey and know them to be gentlemen of intelligence and high standing.
Respectfully your Obt Servd
John Chambers (underlined)
J.L. Edward Esq Court of Pensions
Department of War
Page 19

Hon. Jno Chambers
31 Dec 1838
OC.
Page 20

War Dept, Pen. Office
Dec. 31, 1838

Sir,
The papers in the case of Mathias Bailey have been examined and filed with suspended cases.  The records in this office of those who belonged to the Pennsylvania troops afford no proof of his service.  He should, therefore, prove the same as required in note [illegible] in the enclosed printed sheet.  He should also state under oath his reasons for not making an earlier application for a pension.

Hon. John Chambers,
H.R.

entered

[There is also a line of small illegible words that are written upside down.]