Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 8425, Jacob Erb, Penn.
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(3 - 1776 )
SERVICE
Penn
Erb, Jacob
CONTENTS
NUMBER S. 8425
carded
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Pennsylvania 31,613
Jacob Erb
of Montgomery Co in the State of Penn.
who was a Private in the company commanded
by Captain Brooks
of the Regt commanded by Col. Reed
in the Penn. Mil. line for 7 months
Inscribed on the Roll of Philadelphia
at the rate of 23 Dollars 33 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 3 day of April
1839 and sent to Jacob Fry, Jr. 
Trappe Montg. Co. Penn.
Arrears to the 4th of March '39        186.64
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep "   11.66
                                                        $198.30
Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by D. Brown Clerk
Book E. 2  Vol. 5 Page 18
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Dead
Letter to Pen Agt. 19 Aug 1842.
Same person 27. Decr 1842.
Paid at the Treasury under the Act
of the [?] April 1838 from 4 Mar
to 5 Nov. 1841. Agt Notified 24th
Feby 18[?]3
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To the honourable the Senate & house of Repsentatives of the United States of America assembled-
The Petition of Jacob Erb of the County
of Montgomery, in the State of Pennsylvania. Respectfully sheweth. That he is now seventy seven years of age. That he entered the service of his country (the United States) during the Revolutionary War, in the year 1777 in Captain Brooks Company of Militia for two months. That he marched from his residence in the said County of Montgomery, then Philadelphia, to the City of Philadelphia, from thence
to Mud Island and Wilmington & to Brandywine and was there during the battle of Brandywine That according to the best of his recollection his Colonel was Jacob Reed, and was under the command of General Porter, and engaged principally in Scouting parties until the expiration of the said two months
That he again entered the service in the month
of December in the same year under the command of Captain Andrew Reed, Colonel Frederick Andres, for another term of two months; that his company was stationed at Whitemarsh during the whole of said term and then discharged-
That about the month September 1778, he enlisted for three months in Captain Gibson's Company at North Wales, that he marched from thence to Philadelphia, and was there stationed with others to guard the Powder Wagons, and accompanied the said Wagons as guard up the Delaware River and through New Jersey, and accross [sic] to the North river, at New Windsor, that he continued in said service, to the expiration of said three months
when he was discharged; That for the last time of service, he had a written discharge which he kept for
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For many years; but which he has finally lost
that he is now poor and destitute and stands
much in need of the assistance of the Government He therefore Respectfully prays the assistance of his government, for the said several times
Service, amounting together to seven months
four months of which was in the service of the
Militia and three months as an enlisted Soldier
Jacob Erb
Montgomery County ss
Be it know That on the 25th day
of December AD 1837 before the
Subscriber a justice of the Peace in and for the
County of Montgomery, in the State of Pennsylvania Personally came the above named Jacob Erb, and
made oath, that the facts stated in his above
petition are here to the best of his knowledge and belief.

Sworn & subscribed the 25th day of December AD 1837
John D. Apple
Personally came before the subscriber a justice of the peace in and for the County of Montgomery, Henry Erb of the said County
who upon oath says, "that he and Jacob Erb, the above named petitioner, entered into the service of the United States some time in
the year 1777, in Captain Brooks Company of Militia, under whom (Capt Brooks) they marched to Philadelphia thence
to Mud Island, & Willmington, & to Brandywine, and after the expiral of two months, they were both honourably
discharged together, and that the said affiant and the [?]
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Said Petitioner again entered the service, he believes same
time in the month of December 1777, when they again
served together for the term of two months, encamped at
whitemarsh during the whole time, after the expiration
of the said two months they were again honourably discharged,
That they again entered into the service in the year 1778, 
for a term of three months, under the command of Captain
Gibson there encamped at North Wales, in said County
that they, the Said affirmant and the said Petitioner, (Jacob 
Erb) marched with the said Company to Philadelphia, where
they were stationed to guard the Powder Wagons, in which
employment, they marched up the Delaware River & through
New Jersey, to North River and to New Windsor, that after
the expiration of the said term of three months, they were
together, honourably discharged.  The said Petitioner having
during the whole three terms conducted himself in a
Soldier like manner.

[signature] Henry [his + mark] Erb

Sworn & subscribed before me
the 25th day of December
AD 1837 
[signature] John D Apple
Montgomery County ss

Personally came before the subscriber a justice of the peace
etc. Christian Wannamacher, who upon his oath, saith that
during the revolutionary war he lived a near neighbor to
the above named Petitioner, Jacob Erb, and that he knows [of crossed out] 
from his own knowledge, that the said Petitioner, was three
several times out in service during said War - that he
firmly believes the facts set forth in the above petition [illegible word crossed out] be true.

Sworn and Subscribed before me
the 25th Day of December
AD. 1837
John D. Apple
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I Do hereby certify that the within named Henry Erb
and Christian Wannamacher, are persons of credibility
and good standing in society, & that I believe their
depositions within are entitled to full credit,
[signature] John D Apple J.P.

State of Pennsylvania }
Montgomery County } SS.

I, John Bean, Prothonotary
of the Court of the Court of Common Pleas
in and for the County of Montgomery
State of Pennsylvania, Do hereby certify
that John D Apple, Esqr. before whom
the within affidavits and acknowledgments 
were made and taken
was at the time of taking the same
And still is an acting Justice of the Peace, in and
for the said County, duly Commissioned and
empowered to administer oaths &c - And that I believe
his signature to be genuine.  In testimony
whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed
the seal of said Court the 30th - day of
December AD 1837.
[signature] J. W. Evans Pro.noty [prothonotary]
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HR 455
25th CONGRESS, 2d Session.  [Rep. No. 458.]  Ho. of Reps.

JACOB ERB.
[To accompany bill H. R. No. 455.]
JANUARY 25, 1838.
Ho. OF REPS.

Mr. FRY, from the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions, made the
following

 REPORT:

The Committee on Revolutionary Pensions, to whom was referred the
petition of Jacob Erb, of Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, beg
leave to report:

 That the petitioner alleges to have entered the service of the United States in the year 1777, in Captain Brooks's company of militia, under
Colonel Reed and General Porter, and served two months, principally in
scouting parties from Philadelphia to Mud island, Wilmington, and Brandywine; 
was there at the battle of Brandywine; that he again entered
the service of the United States, in the same capacity, under Captain
Jacob Reed and Colonel Andres, in December of the same year, for another 
term of two months, during the whole of which he was stationed
at Whitemarsh; that, about the month of September, 1778, he enlisted
for three months in Captain Gibson's company, at North Wales, marched
to Philadelphia, there stationed, with others, to guard the powder
wagons, and accompanied them up the Delaware, through New Jersey,
across the North river, at New Windsor, and was discharged at the expiration
of said term; for which terms of service, amounting to seven
months, he asks a pension.
Henry Erb testifies that he entered the service with his brother, the
petitioner, at each of the above periods, and served with him during the
whole time of each period.
Christian Wannemacher testifies that, during the revolutionary war,
he lived a near neighbor to the said Jacob Erb, and knows that he was
out three several terms in the service of the United States at the time
set forth.
The committee report a bill.
_____________________
Thomas Allen, print.
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from the peculiar
circumstances of this
case as set forth by the
Testimony of [illegible] Fry
the regulation respecting 
the manner in [illegible] 
the testimony of the
applicant shall be
taken is hereby delayed
J.R.P.
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War Department,
Pension Office,
March 1, 1839.

Sir,
I have the honor to return
herewith the papers in the case of Jacob Erb,
and to inform you that I am not authorized
to dispense with any rule of evidence laid down
for my guidance in executing the act of June,
7th, 1832.  It is not therefore in my power to
admit the claim of Mr. Erb.  The rules require
that the claimant shall go before a Court of
record, and make his declaration, and answer certain 
questions; and if prevented from going to
Court by bodily infirmity, he is required to make 
his declaration before some Judge of a Court
of record.  The Hon. Mr. Fry in the enclosed
letter, states that the claimant is utterly unable
to be taken to Court, a distance perhaps of 25
miles, and more than that from any Judge. 
It would seem, therefore, that unless some Judge
can be found to go to the dwelling of the claimant 
and administer the oath to him, and obtain
his answers to the questions prescribed by the De - [on the next page of the letter: partment]
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[on the previous page of the letter: De -]
partment [department] nothing further can be done in the
case.  I can suggest no mode of proceeding by
which the difficulty can be obviated, without a departure
from the established regulations.

I have the honor to be
Very respectfully,
Your obt. servt. [obedient servant] 
[signature] J. L. Edwards

Hon. J. R. Poinsett,
Secretary of War.
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Jacob Erb
Private
7 Mo.
Act June 7, 1832
$23.33 per ann

Penna Roll
-
Send cert. to
Hon. Jacob Fry Jr
Trap [Trappe],
Montgomery Co.
Penn.
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[in very small print:] GIDEON, PRINTER

TREASURY DEPARTMENT
SECOND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE,
January 6th 1843.

Sir: 
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An Act
directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, 
and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United 
States," and the 3d section of the Act of August 23, 1842, extending
the time within which pensioners may receive their pensions from the pension agents, the Executor of Jacob Erb, decd., 
a Pensioner on the Roll of the Philadelphia
Agency, at the rate of Twenty three Dollars
and 33 Cents per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832,
has been paid at this Department, from the
4th of March, to the 5th Nov. 1841.

Respectfully, yours,
[signature] Albion K. Parris
Comptroller.

To the COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS,
Present.
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Philada [Philadelphia] Bank
J L Edward Esq  December 22. 1842

Sir
I herewith transmit for
Examination the papers of Jacob Erb, Exec. of Jacob
Erb decd., whose pension Certificate has been lost. 
Will you please advise me whether the Balance
due him can be paid on these papers upon
his Executing a receipt for the same.

Repectfuy [Respectfully]
[signature] Saml F. Smith
Pension [illegible] 
[signature] Chas. W. Bacon
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Jacob Erb
Application of Jacob
Erb, of Pa. for a
Pension

Jany 15 1838
Refd to the Committee
on Revolutionary Pensions

Jany 25, 1838
Bill No. 455
F B [illegible initial] 

Hon. M. H. Sibley
[illegible] 163 [word crossed out] 
Rev. Pens [word crossed out]
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[On the left half of the page:]
[in the left margin, written sideways: Rev War]

8425
INVALID.
[in the right margin, illegible letters, written sideways]

File No. 8425
Jacob Erb
Priv Penn. [illegible] Rev.

Act: June 7th /32.
Index: -- Vol. [illegible], Page 115
[Arrangement of 1870.]

[on the right half of the page, only ar is visible]
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[illegible character] 38  3  Fey [February] 27
Feb 27, 1839
Pension Office.
Report, recd [received] Mch 2d [March 2nd] 

See [illegible]

Jacob Erb
Pa
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House of Reps
Feb. 25, 1839

The Hon Sec of War

Dear Sir,

     During the last sess(ion) of Congress, I submitted the enclosed application of Jacob Erb for a pension to the Com. of Pensions.  The Commiss. returned the papers stating, according to my recollection, that if the declaration and testimony was taken in court, agreeably to the regulations of the Dept. a pension would be granted - I then submitted the application to Congress the (??) in the House (reported) a bill without hesitation. In the Senate it was laid on the table (??) I had any (??) of its being up in this Session of Congress.  I called with the Congress(man) in (??) again (because if the petitioner doesn't soon get his pension he will not live to get it all) who adhered to his former objection.  I feel compelled from a sense of duty to an old soldier to take the case before the Sec. of War, the petitioner is poor and so infirmed and debilitated as not to able to travel, he has served as a undertaker in the township in which he lives since the
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revolution about 30 years and is quite old.  The witnesses are both so infirmed and feeble as not to be able to get from home and one of them has kept his Bed for many years.  The petitioner's case was resubmitted to me in the fall of 1837 and I was called upon to visit him.  I did ^it at a distance perhaps of 20 miles and found the petitioner and his witnesses utterly unable to be taken to court a distance perhaps of 25 miles, and more than that from ^any Judge; On my way there I met with an intelligent old gentleman who had served in the Rev. War ^[and took him along] with a view to get his assistance in examining the justification to a claim for pension from the petitioner.  I heard the petitioner, and I heard the testimony and found myself entirely convinced that the service was performed and I state now that from my personal examination I have not any earthly doubt of this fact, I further repeat that neither the petitioner [illegible] the witnesses can be taken to court on account of debility and bodily infirmity and I do hope that the Sec. will be willing to relieve his case from any technicality as to (??) when as to the fact there can
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be no doubt, and allow him the small pittance
of about $23, annually, which he claims
Your Friend
[signature] J. Fry. Sr.

[signature] John W Poinsett