Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 3898, for Andrew Shuster, Pennsylvania
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{Top Left Column} Penn
{Middle Column} Shuster, Andrew
{Right Column} S3898
                          carded
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3865
Pennsylvania
Andrew Shuster
of Philadelphia Co in the State of Pennsylvania who was a Private in the {indiscernible} commanded by Captain Townsend of the {} commanded by Matlock in the Pennsylvania line for 


Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of 26 dollars 66 cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.

Certificate of Pension if owed the 4th day of June 1833 and sent to Hon. H. Horn

Arrears to 4th of September 1832  $39.99
Semi anl. allowance ending 4th June 1833 $13.66

                                                                    $53.65

{Revolutionary Claim, }
{June 7, 1832}
Recorded by Vincel Luce Clerk, 
Book D Vol. 6 Page 94
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No. 6897
Pennsylvania

Admitted
8 months
Private
$26.66

Hon. H. Horn
Nos of Rep's
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Brief in the case of Andrew Shuster of Philadelphia in the state of Pennsylvania 
(Act 7th June, 1832)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court
2.If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 76
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Petition of And'w Shuster of Phildel'a





Honn   5.  Rev.  Perry
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6897
Declaration Affidavits and proceeding in the District Court for the City & County of Philadelphia in the case of Andrew Shuster an old soldier
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State of Pennsylvania,
County of Philadelphia} ss.

On this Third - day of September 1832 personally appeared in open court before the judges of the District Court of the City & County of Philada now sitting, Andrew Shuster, a resident of the City of Philadelphia, & state of Pennsylvania, aged 76 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 7, 1832.

He marched, as a volunteer, in July 1776, from Germantown in Philadelphia county, in a rifle company commanded by Capt. Townsend, & joined Col. Timothy Matlack's regiment at Amboy, where he continued in service about ten weeks. Col. Clymer was lieutenant colonel of Lawrence Harper & George Miller majors of the regiment. General Rober Lean was brigadier. Gen. Mercer was the only continental offer of rank he recollects to have seen at Amboy. Col. Miles marched from thence to Long Island with two regiments of riflemen; whither Col. Atlee afterwards proceeded with a regiment of musketry. They were twelve months men.

On the 10th of Dec. 1776, he marched in the same company & regiment from Germantown, & served during the sever winter campaign in which the battle of Trenton & Princeton took place. He was attached to Gen. Cadwalader's brigades. In this campaign he also served about ten weeks.

On the 10th of August 1777 he marched from Germantown in the volunteer company commanded by Capt. Kensil, to the state of Delaware, & formed part
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of the American army at the battle of Brandywine. He was absent from home on the occasion nearly the same length of time. Kensil's Company [crossed out] belonged to Col. John Moore's regiment, & was attached to Gen. Potter 's brigade. He was also attached to Kensil's company at the battle of Germantown.

In Dec.1778, he was drafted in the militia & served in the company of Capt. Summers of Germantown, on guard duty, for about two months after the British had left the city of Philadelphia. After this he entered the letter  of Marque Hibernia, which did much injury to the British commerce, & was engaged about two hours & a half with an English cutter.

In addition to his own oath, he offers this affidavit of John Gooodman, Esquire, a highly respectable magistrats of Philadelphia county, who was a near neighbour of his father during the revolutionary war; and the affidavit of Adam Warner, since deceased, who served with him in all his campaigns. He also submits the certificate of Capt. Norris Stanley, a highly respectable citizen of Philadelphia, to sustain the truth of his statement relative to his service on board of the Hibernia.

These documents, with others which have been lost, & cannot now be replaced, in consequence of the decease of their authors, were presented, some year ago, to the legislature of Pennsylvania, which, after mature examination, on several occasions voted him a gratuity, & at the last session, granted him a pension of forty dollars a year during his life.

The petitioner was born in Germantown, in the County of Philadelphia, on the 29th of June 1756.
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The only record of his birth, of which he has any knowledge, is contained in the family bible, now in his possession. He lived in Germantown until the year 1795, since which time has constantly resided in the Norther Liberties, Philadelphia county, & in the city of Philadelphia. He never received any written discharge from the army, but was mustered & dismissed, as he supposed, in the usual manner.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, & declares that his name is not the pension roll of the agency of any State.

Sworn to, & subscribed this day & year aforesaid in open court
F.W Hindman Pro P.   Andrew Shuster

W. H Bibighaus - a clergyman residing in the Northern Liberties of the County of Philadelphia and John Dennis; Esquire - residing in the City of Philada hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Andrew Shuster, who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration; that [we] believe him to be seventy-one years of age; that he is reported & believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, & that we concur in that opinion.

Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
Sworn and subscribed in open Court Sep 3d 1832
H. W Hindman Pro Prothy  
H. Bibighaus
Jabris Dennis
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And the said Court do herby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, & served as he states. And the court further certifies, that it appears to them, that H. Bibighaus, who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman resident in the County of Philada & that John Dennis Esqr. who has also signed the same, is a resident in the City of Philada and is a credible person, & that their statement is entitled to credit.

I, John Lisle Prothonotary of the District Court for the City & County of Philadelphia do hereby certify that the forgoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Andrew Shuster for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have herewith set my hand and seal of [office, crossed out] the Said Court at the City of Philadelphia aforesaid this Eleventh day of September Anno domini One thousand and eight hundred and thirty two
John Lisle P.D.C
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[the first part of document is crossed out]
Harrisburg, Feb. 5th 1896.

Dear Sir,
I have this moment received yours of the 3d inst in relation to the case of Andrew Shuster, and hasten to transmit to you a copy of the paper referred to The Committee on Pensions, if I understand the chairman correctly, would have been satisfied with your certificate, but they were afraid that by so doing a principle now firmly settled could have been in danger of being overturned. With your affirmation, I [illegible] & I am not without hope, that [illegible]
with much respect, I am, dear Sir, your obedt Servt
Peter Hay

John Goodman, Esquire
Philada.

Having been well acquainted with Mr Andrew Shuster from an early period of my life, the following facts, in relation to himself & brothers, are fresh in my memory: Andrew Shuster is a native of Germantown, in the 
County of Philadelphia. His & my father's family were near neighbors, & both well disposed towards the Revolution. Peter Shuster, Andrews oldest brother, at an early period of the revolution, joined Capt. George Miller's Company of Riflemen, which company was afterwards commanded by Capt. Noah Townsend; and when the first battalion, commanded by Col. D[?] was raised under a [illegible] of congress, he enlisted a Capt. Dorsey's compy of that battalion & lost his life in the expedition against Quebec. Paul Shuster, the next oldest brother, also joined the same rifle company, & performed one or more tours of duty in the same, during which it was supposed he contracted a disease which brought on a consumption, of which he finally died. Charles, a third brother, also joined the same company, and a tour of duty in the winter of 1776, during which he contracted a disease, then known by the name of Camp fever, of which he died shortly after his return from camp. Andrew Shuster was a member of the same compy, & went out under Capt. Townsend, the first campaign at Amboy, in the battalion commanded by Col. Matlack, & the winter following he was out under the same capt. at Trenton & Princeton; and after this, he again performed a tour of duty in the militia under Col. Moore and as far as my memory serves me, in Capt. Gemill's compy. The battles at Brandywine & Germantown were fought during this campaign. After the British had left the city of Philada he went to sea, but how long
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...ved in the service & cannot recollect. As to his uniform support of the cause of his country in "the times that try men's souls" numbers (??)  in existence can witness, and among them is Peter Fraley Esq who also was a member of Capt. Townsend's Company.

                                     //s//
                              John Goodman
                           Phildaelphia Dec 7, 1824

John Goodman of the county of Philadelphia being affirmed according to law before me Peter Chatman one of the Aldermen of the city of Philadelphia doth declare & say that the facts stated in the preceding copy of a statement sometime past given by him to Andrew Shuster, are, to the best of his recollection substantially correct.
 affirmed & subscribed                   //s//
before me Feb. 8, 1825             John Goodman
               //s//
           Peter Chatham                   
                         Clerk

    And now September 3rd 1832 personally appeared in open district court fo the city and county of Philadelphia the above named John Goodman, Esquire, who being duly sworn according to law deposed and says that the facts contained in the written in foregoing statement are just and true and that he subscribed the above affidavit at the time is (??) date.

                                       //s//
                           F.W. Hindman
                           Pro. Prothonotary
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The subscribers are well acquainted with Andrew Shuster, the above named petitioner, they believe, that he is in necessitous circumstances, & deserving of the bounty of Congress.

Philad'a May 19th 1832.

(Below are all SIGNATURES)

J.B. Sewall
Benj. J. Bonsalle
Thom. Thompson
Danl' Thomas
Thomas Maquire
T.M. Willet
Jos. Fordman
Thomas Pioney
Peter Hay
Henry R. Freeman
H'ry Duncan
John Brewster
J.P. Smith
(??)
(??)
Philip Pelly
Jacob Sonennberg
Charles H. Kerk
Alexander Cook
John Dermis
Michael Fish
(??)
Aaron Friets
J. Humes
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3898
INVALID.
Rev War
File No. 3898
Andrew Shuster
Pri. Pa. line

Act: June 7, '32
Index: - Vo. A, Page 337
[Arrangement of 1870]
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To the 

(Mail stamp)
MAIL 
  11 
 SEP


Mail
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Hon. David Cadd  [?]
Sir
Enclosed you will recieve the proceedings of our Court relative to the claim of Andrew Shuster, an old soldier for a pension under the recent act of Congress.

W. Shuster resides in my neighborhood, and at his request I have gratuitously attended to the preparation of his papers in Court, and of forwarding them to your Department.

The old man is very needy and an Early attention to his care will sub[illegible] the carriage of humanity.
Communication from you will find him by  addressing - yours truly

Jno. H. Campbell
W 91 N: 6th Philadelphiaa
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Wm. Bender
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Philad County SS
And now personally came before me one of the justices of the Peace for said county, Adam Warner of the Township of the Northern Liberties (?) aged Sixty Eight year, who being duly sworn. Saith that he has been well acquainted with Captain Andrew Shuster for upwards of 60 years, that he performed four campaigns with him during the Revolutionary War. The first in the summer of 1776 at Amboy(?) in Captain (Townsends?) company of Rifflemen.  Colonel T. Matlock (was in the Battle of Trenton and Princeton), the 2nd was in the winter following, in the same company and officers and marched as a volunteer from Germantown - the 3rd (?) of duty was in 1777 in Captain Kensell company under (strickout) Colonel Moore at the Battle of Brandywine he also served with him in 1778 campaign in Captain Jacob Summers compnay of Germantown, during all which campaigns he served faithfully, and bore the hardship and sufferings of those trying times ? spent and ? and a zealous supporter of that Great and Glorious Cause - that has been on friendly intercourse with him until the present time and has remained a uniform Advocate of those ? he contributed in his youthful days to establish that he's now old and poor, but maintains the character of an Honest man. The noblest Work of God "Colonel Moore inter? before ?"
Sworn and Subscribed before me this 14 day of Dec 18??

John Thompson
Justice of Peace

Adam Warner
Inn Street between Wine and Callow Hill St
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John Thompson the Justice of the Peace within named appeared personally in Open Court and being duly Sworn says that the within affidavit ? taken ? by the within ? Adam Warner, before him on the day and time within mentioned.
Sworn and Subscribed in open Court Sep 8th 1832.  F W Hindman
John Thompson
(another name at bottom???)
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I do hereby certify that Andrew Shuster was on board the Brig Hibernia of Philad. Commanded by Capt John August in the month of August 1780 or thereabouts that he was engaged during the above period in the contest(?) between the Brig Hibernia and a British cutter, that he behaved, and conducted himself as a ? and a patriot should ?
? Decr 5 1825     Norris Stanley

And now September 3, 1832 Periodically appears in open District Court for the city and county of Philadelphia, the above named Norris Stanley, who being duly sworn according to law,
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(Addressed envelope)


(Mail Stamp)

MAIL                           72/2
  10
  DEC
                                  
Peter Hay Esq.

           Harrisburg

                     Pa.