Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 35,895, Thomas Downey, Penn.
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[notecard]
[upper left]
SERVICE
Penn
[center]
Downey, Thomas
[upper right]
NUMBER
S.35895.
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Died Sept. 15, 1823 (A B)

From Ohio to Kentucky
4,365

Thomas Downey
Capt Nelson Private
Pennsylvania line 76 - 1 year
In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War.

Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 16 of May 1818

Certificate of Pension issued the 12th of Nov 1818 and sent Thomas Barr Esq 
Pickaway Cty Ohio

Arrears to 4th of Sep 1818   3 16/30  6/30
                                                                 29.18
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4th Mar 1819  48.00 
                                                                $77.18

{Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March, 1818}

Transfer on Schedule & Court May 30 1823 and sent to Henry Asbury Pickaway Cty - 
 Lexington, Ky
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Thomas Downey private
D'chg'd first Reg't Pensylvania (sic) line 16th May 1818

Admitted

{printed at an angle on opposite edge of paper} 
May 1818 Thomas Barr
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State of Ohio
Pickaway County Ss
This day Personally came before me Thomas Barr, one of the associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County Thomas Downey a resident of the aforesaid County of Pickaway, and for Two years personally known to me, who being duly Sworn Deposeth and Saith, that he enlisted into the Service of the United States on the tenth day of February 1776  for the term of one year, in Captain John Nelsons Rifle Company Belonging to the fourth regiment of the Pennsylvania Line, Commanded by Colonel John Dekoss and marched into Lower Canada, then returned Back to Ticonderoga and the Company that he belonged to being the youngest, their time was not expired with the rest of the regiment, The regiment marched off and left them to serve out the remainder of Their time which expired the tenth day of February 1777 and at that day the commanding officer requested them to stay ten days Longer they complied with his request, and then marched to the City of Philadelphia. and there got his Discharge from the above Capt John Nelson, Between the twelth and Seventeenth of March 1777 Which is Either Lost or destroyed, this Deponent Saith further that he was Born in Fredrick County State of Maryland in the year 1754 he has lost the Sight of one of his Eyes, and he further Saith that he has no real nor personal property except his Cloathing nor no Certain Place of Residence, and he further Saith that from his Reduced Circumstance in Life, he needs the assistance of his Country for Support.
[signed] Thos Downey

Sworn to and Subscribed before me this 16th day of May 1818
[signed] Thomas Barr
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State of Ohio
Pickaway County
Personally appeared before me the Subscribed one of the assiate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County afforesaid Thomas Emerson, a resident of the Said County, and known as a respectable Citizen, and being duly sworn, deposeth and Saith that he was well acquainted with the afforementioned Thomas Downey, before he enlisted in the Army of the United States, and after he returned home and that he has good reason to believe, that he served on year as a regular soldier in the Revolutionary War, and knows him to be the Same Thomas Downey, that Served as in this his affidavit herein States.
[signed] Thomas Emberson x his mark

Sworn to and Subscribed before me htis 14th day of May 1818
[signed] Thomas Barr
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State of Ohio Pickaway County ss
 I certify that the within named Thomas Downey is now and for two years past, been a resident of Pickaway County state of Ohio, and during a considerable part of that time I have known him personally. That he is a man of truth and varacity and that from my knowledge of his character as well as from other proof, I am fully satisfied and convinced that he said Downey served in the Revolutionary war, during the space of time and in the matter as is in this his affidavit expressed. Given under my hand and seal this 16 day of May 1818.
 Thomas Barr Associate Judge of the County aforesaid 

State of Ohio Pickaway County ss
I Andrew Huston Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for said County do hereby certify that the above named Thomas Barr is an associate judge of said Court duly commissioned and qualified as such. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said court at Circleville this 19th day of May 1818. Andrew Huston Clk
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4th Judicial District of Kentucky
Henry County Sct

On this 5th day of September 1822 personally appeared in open Court being a Court of record for the 4th Judicial District of Kentucky for the Circuit of Henry Thomas Downey aged sixty nine years resident of Henry County, of said District, who being first duly Sworn according to law doth on his Oath declare that he Served in the Revolutionary War as follows to wit.  He enlisted 10th February 1776 as a Soldier in the Company Commanded by Capt. John Nelson of the 1 Regiment of the Pennsylvania line - Commanded by Col John Dehorre, and that he continued to serve in said Corps or in the Service of the United States until the 20th Feb'y 1777.  When he was discharged at Philadelphia by Capt Nelson the 12th and 17 March 1777 and that he is in reduced Circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his government for Support and that he was placed in the pension list and under the law passed 18th March 1818.  By Certificate sent to Chilicothe Ohio bearing date twelfth Nov'r 1819 where he drew three different times, the amount allowed by Law which Certificate of allowance is numbered 4365.
And I do solemn Swear that I was a Resident Citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift, Sale, or on any Manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it or to bring myself within the provisions of the Act of Congress entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval Service of the United States in the Revolutionary War passed on the 18th day of March 1818" and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities, Contracts or debts, due to me
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nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule annexed and by subscribed
One pen knife 25 cts
He is common labourer day profession and has neither wife or children
Thomas Downy
Sworn to and declared on at open court on this 5th day of September 1822 before me Henry Davidge current judge of the 4th judicial district in the state of Kentucky
Henry Davidge
Judge
State of Kentucky
Couy Pricnt court clerks office 
April 21 1823
I Rowland Thomas clerk of said circuit court in the state afod and county of Henry do certify that Henry Davvidge for which the foregoing Declaration and schedule were sworn was at the time thereof and now is judge of and 4" Judicial District in hte County afd Henry aforesaid duly commissioned & that afsaid and has full faith and credit is due and ought to be given to all his acts as such and should has same [illegible] taken from the records of my
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Circuit court of Henry hereto this 21 day of April 1833 & in the 31 year of this commonwealth
Row Thomas
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Kty - 544
Thomas Downy

Schedule

on Ohio pension list

Henry Asbury
Lexington Kty.
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Rev. and 1812 Wars Section

MMHF/HMM
                                                 March 12, 1930.
Mr. H. M. Steely
208 First National Bank Building
Danville
Illinois.

Dear Sir:
I advise you that Revolutionary War records of this bureau do not show that claim for pension was ever made on account of the services of Captain John Downey who was killed in battle in 1778.

The records show that one John Downey, S. 1195, was born October 3, 1755 in Frederick County, Maryland; that he was a resident of Bedford County, Pennsylvania, at enlistment in the Revolution; in 1790 he moved to Kentucky and lived in Jefferson County which was later Henry County, where he was still living in 1833.

There is no reference to wife of children.

It is noted that in the Revolutionary War pension claim of one Thomas Downey, S. 35895, it appears that he was born in 1754 in Frederick County, Maryland, served in the Pennsylvania troops in 1818, was living in Pickaway County, Ohio, and in 1822 was living in Henry County, Kentucky, and at that time had neither wife nor children.

One Thomas Emberson (signed by mark) of Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1818 stated in behalf to the soldier, that he was well acquainted with him (Thomas Downey) before he enlisted in the United States service and after he returned home (which residence is not shown).

No relationship between these two men is shown.
Very truly yours,

EARL D. CHURCH
Commissioner.
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Circleville O  Free
May 22d
Secretary at War
Washington City
Admitted

One Case
Judge Barr Ohio 
Recd
1st June 1810
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STEELY & STEELY 
LAWYERS
FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING
DANVILLE, ILL
HM STEELY
HM STEELY JR
NOTARY
Danville, Ill., February 12, 1930

Commissioner of Pensions
Washington DC
Dear Sir
I understand a pension was granted to Sarah Downey, widow of Captain John Downey, who was killed at the battle of Crooked Billet, May 1, 1778.  The information I have is that the Captain left him surviving his widow and five children, and I want to find if the pension papers show that he had a daughter, Mary Downey, and especially if they show that she was married to Thomas Emerson.  She was my great-grandmother, and married Thomas Emerson, November 12, 1779, but I have been unable to find who her father and mother were.
I wrote the Genealogist of the Pennsylvania State Library, Miss Jessica Ferguson, and I enclose you herewith a copy of the letter I wrote to her.  I this morning received a letter from her suggesting that I write your department, and I could probably get the information I want.  The enclosed letter will give you about all the information I have, and it appears from the references given in that letter, that several persons by the name of Downey were soldiers in the War of the Revolution, but as said above, I do not know who her father and mother were, and an Eastern descendant of the family wrote me that she had heard that Mary Downey, was a daughter of Captain John Downey.  Thanking you in advance for any help you can give me in this matter, and enclosing a stamped addressed envelope, and assuring you that whatever the charge may be for looking it up, I will remit you at once if you will enclose me bill, I am, 
Very truly yours,
HM Steely
[stamped PENSION
X 
FEB
U 14
1930
OFFICE]
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Danville, Ill February 4, 1930
Miss Jessica C Ferguson
Genealogist Pa State Library
Harrisburg, Pa
Dear Miss Ferguson
You have in the past helped me out in many matters of genealogy, and Revolutionary service; and now I am going to write you on my own behalf.  One of my great-grandmothers, was Mary Downey, who married Thomas Emerson on November 12, 1779, in Washington County, Maryland, at the residence of James Downey, the ceremony being performed by the Reverend George Young, and I had supposed that she was a daughter of James Downey until recently, but I now think that James Downey was either an Uncle or a brother of Mary Downey.  The farm lay part in Pennsylvania and part in Washington County, Maryland, but the residence was on the Maryland side of the line.
I recently got a copy of the Will of this James Downey, which was made August 6, 1783, and admitted to Probate at Hagerstown, Maryland, February 26, 1784, and from this Will it seems that the daughter of James Downey was still Mary Downey at the time the Will was made, and in the sale of the personal estate in 1784, the record shows that as Mary Downey she bought a number of articles at the sale.  From this I am satisfied that this daughter of James Downey was not my great grandmother, and is not the Mary Downey who married Thomas Emerson at the residence of James Downey on November 12, 1779.
In writing some of the relatives since learning this, and in the data they give me, they tell me that my great grandmother, Mary Downey, was the daughter of Captain John Downey, who served in the War of the Revolution from the state of Pennsylvania, as shown by Heitman's Historical Register, published in 1914, page 203, this record showing if he is the right John Downey, that he was killed at Crooked Billet, May 1, 1778, but in a History of Western Maryland, of the Counties of Frederick, Montgomery, Carroll, Washington, Allegheny, and Garrett, by J Thomas Scharf, Volume II, Philadelphia, Louis H Everts, 1882, it is stated that John Downey was born August 20, 1753, died September 26, 1825, and was a soldier in the War of the Revolution, and married Rubany Stockdale (Vol 1, Frederick County page 609), and that he was the son of William Downey of Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania, Scotch-Irish, and a Presbyterian, But the notes I have do not state where he died, and I do not know where to look for further information on this line.  This William Downey might have been a soldier also. 
[stamp
PENSION
FEB
U 14
1930
OFFICE]
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Which John Downey was the father of Mary Downey?  She died, I think in 1822, and was 62 years of age at the time of her death, which would make her born in 1760, and her husband, Thomas Emerson, died in 1826, and was 71 years old, which would make him born in 1755.
In the Seventeenth Report of the DAR to the Smithsonian Institute of Washington, SC is printed a list of payments shown in Pierce's Register of payments he has made, as Pay-Master General, to soldiers, and officers of the war of the Revolution, and among them is shown payments to John Downey, Ed Downey, Patrick Downey, James Downey, and Ezekiel Downey.
Do your records show the parentage of Mary Downey?  And was she the daughter of John Downey and Rubany Stockdale, his wife?  Whatever you find, give it to me, with the charge of your department and I will at once remit.  If she was a daughter of John Downey, a Revolutionary Soldier, enclose with it certificate of his service and add to your charges.  Thanking you in advance, I am,
Very truly yours,
HM Steely
[STAMPED
PENSION
X
FEB
U 14 S
1930
OFFICE]
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1930 Mch 12 HM Steely adv rel is this soldiers res and affid of Thos Emherson MMHF

35895
INVALID
Revy
File No 35895
Thomas Downey
Pri Rev War
Act:  18 March 18
Index: Vol 2, Page 112
[Arrangement of 1870]