Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 22233, Peter Eveland, New Jersey
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(3-1776)
SERVICE |  | NUMBER
New Jersey | Eveland, Peter | S.22233
CONTENTS
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Pennsylvania 22.634
Peter Eveland of Columbia in the State of Penn'a who was a P'te. & Serg't. in the Co. commanded by Captain Mellick of the Reg't. commanded by Col. Thompson in the New Jersey line for one year.
11 mos. Private 36.66
1 ditto Sergeant 5.
[total] 41.66
Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of 41 Dollars 66. Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 23d day of Nov. 1833 and sent to C. G. Ricketts PM Orangeville Pen'a
Arrears to the 4th of Sep 1833.  104.15
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 34  20.83
[total]  $124.98
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by Wm R. Palmer Clerk, Book E. Vol. ["8" crossed out] 5 Page 17
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State of Pennsylvania Columbia County } SSet
On the Seventeenth day of October A D one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared before Leon Rupert esquire one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of [word crossed out] Columbia County Pennsylvania, Peter Eveland a resident of Mount Pleasant township Columbia County aged about Eighty one 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 provisions made by the Act of Congress passed the Seventh of June 1832.
That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named officers and Served as herein stated
I first entered the Service as a Volunteer in a Company Commanded by Captain Andrew Mellick, as a duty Sergeant in Mansfield township Sussex County N Jersey in the month of April (the day I cannot recollect) 1776. We were marched to Millstone, a number of Continental Troops lay there at the time. Col. Mark Thompson Commanded the Troops we were marched to Princeston from there to Woodbri[d]ge, Jersey in the Service this time one month. I received no written discharge.
In the month of May 1776 the day of the month I cannot recollect I was drafted in a Company of militia Commanded by Captain John Pepinger in Mansfield township Sussex County, N. J. We were marched to Woodbri[d]ge to White house near the Raritan River, the army lay at the White house, we had a Skirmish with the Enemy near Van Ness' mill Col. Thompson commanded  I was wounded in the Leg with a Ball.  Some weeks after this I was in another Skirmish at New Brunswick and received a wound in the back. We were then marched to Mil[l]stone where I was discharged in October of the same year the day I cannot recollect I Served under Captain Pepinger five months.
In the month of ["October" crossed out] November 1776, I again marched in a Company of Volunteers Commanded by Captain John Petty from Millstone  We were marched to New Brunswick while there [illegible]
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a Skirmish with the Enemy Col. Mark Thompson & Major Fleet were in Command of our division  we marched to Elizabeth town, Amboy Princeton and Perth Amboy While at the Cotter place we were placed on guard during the engagement at Staten Island from thence we marched to Elizabeth town and New Brunswick w[h]ere we were discharged in the month of May in the year 1777  I was out as a volunteer under Captain Petty six months I received no written discharge
I served under several other Captains but I am unable to recollect their names or the periods of my Services from age and Consequent loss of Memory & claim a Compensation only for the Services as above stated I cannot state with precision the days of entering & being discharged from the Services but I have no hesitation in declaring that I Served under Captain Meallick as a volunteer one month, Captain Pepinger drafted militia four months, Captain Petty volunteer six months
Making in the whole one year.  I was born at Sussex County New Jersey in the year 1752 I have a record of my age at my dwelling place Mount pleasant township. When I entered the Service I was a Resident of Mansfield township Sussex County New Jersey. I removed from there shortly after the war to Mount pleasant township where I now reside.  I first entered the Service as a Volunteer then in the militia & again in a volunteer company.
I never received a written discharge.  I have no documentary evidence of my service, nor do I know of any person whose testimony I can procure other than the Deposition herewith sent
General Nathaniel Herd, Col. Mark Thompson Major John Fleet were officers in the service.
I am known to Isaac Kline esquire member of the Penn'a Legislature of Fishing Creek township John Hoffman of Bloom township Joseph Crawford Howard M Henry of Mount pleasant township Columbia County. I hereby relinquish any claim whatever to a pension except the present
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and I declare that my name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any state  [signed with an "X"] Peter Eveland his mark
Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid [illegible] [signed] Leonard Rupert
We Edward McHenry & Isaac Musgrove both of Mount pleasant township Columbia County do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Peter Eveland who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be Eighty one years of age, that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution, & we concur in that opinion  & we further Certify that there is no Clergyman residing in the vicinity of the said Peter Eveland
Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid [signed] Leonard Rupert } [judges' signatures] Edward McHenry  Isaac W. Musgrove
I Leonard Rupert one of the Judges of the Court of Common pleas of Columbia County do hereby declare my opinion after the Investigation of the matter and after putting the Interrogatories prescribed by the War department, that the said applicant served as he states And I further certify that the said applicant from great age & bodily infirmity is unable to appear in open Court, and it appears to me that there is no Clergyman residing in the vicinity of the said applicant and I further Certify that Edward McHenry & Isaac Musgrove esquire who have Signed the preceeding Certificate are residents of Mount pleasant township Columbia County, that they are Credible persons & that their statement is entitled to Credit.  [signed] Leonard Rupert
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State of Pennsylvania Columbia County ss }
I Jacob Eyerly Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Columbia aforesaid do certify that Leonard Rupert Esq'r before whom the foregoing proceedings & affadavits were taken was and still is an acting Associate Judge of the Court of Comon Pleas in and for the County of Columbia aforesaid duly commissioned as such & to all whose Official acts as such due faith & credit is and ought to be given as well in Courts of Justice as elsewhere & that the signature of Leonard Rupert as within written is the proper hand writing of the said Leonard Rupert Esquire  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of the said Court at Danville the twenty third day of October AD Eighteen hundred and thirty three  [signed] Jacob Eyerly Proth'y
[seal affixed to the right, illegible]
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pa recd
[along the left side] pa Oct 28
Orangeville Pa Oct 25  Free
Hon J. L. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions City Washington D C
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Orangeville  Oct 24th 1833
Hon. J. L. Edwards
Sir  inclosed is the application of Peter Eveland for a Pension. You will please to inclose his certificate, or any other papers relative to the case to me.  I am Very Respectfully your obedient servant [signed] C. G. Ricketts PM at orangeville Col. Co. Penn'a.
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Adm 1 year one mo thereof as Serg
11 - 36.66
[plus] 1 - 5.
[total] 41.66
[times] 2
[total] 83.32
[plus] 20.83
[total] 104.15
C. G. Ricketts P. M. Orangeville Penn'a.
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WAR DEPARTMENT, Pension Office,
Sir:  The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7th, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned.  The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form.  On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed.  The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done.  These points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: } ).  You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by compl[y]ing with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A Statement, shewing the Service of [blank]
[table headings] Period when the service was rendered. | Duration of the claimant's service. [subdivided into 3 columns] Years. | Months. | Days. | Rank of the claimant. | Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served. | Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service. | Proof by which the declaration is supported.
[table is blank]
I am, respectfully, Your obedient servant, JAMES L. EDWARDS, Commissioner of Pensions.
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2
REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c., Teamsters, Boatmen, &c.  Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1.  The Regular Troops.
2.  The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3.  Persons employed in the Naval Service.
4.  Indian Spies.
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, muc[s]icians or privates, will, in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides.  And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.
DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of [blank] County of [blank] } ss.
On this [blank] day of [blank] personally appeared (a) before [blank] A. B. a resident (b) of [blank] in the county of [blank] and State, Territory or District of [blank] aged (c) [blank] 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 provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832.  That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d) [blank], with [blank] and served in the [blank] (e) regiment of the [blank] line, under the following named officers:
(Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. [hand icon with finger pointing to the right] This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.)
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of [blank]
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.   A. B.
(And then will follow the certificate of the Court.)
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I [blank] of the Court of [blank] do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of [blank] for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this [blank] day of [blank] &c.
If, on examination of the proper record, the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz: 
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the [blank] and C. D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with [blank], who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be [blank] years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the days and year aforesaid.
(And then will follow the certificate of the Court.)
And the said Court do hereby declare their 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 the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that A. B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the [blank] and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the [blank] and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, [blank] Clerk of the Court of [blank] do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of [blank] for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this [blank] day of [blank] &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power.  This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration, (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his
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3
alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service: were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?
5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.
6. To a Soldier. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it? To an Officer. Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons - one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify to the character and standing of other persons giving such certificates.
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party, And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the inquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.
[footnotes]
(a) The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
(b) The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
(c) The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
(d) The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
(e) Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, with precision, the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the Department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service; but, according to the best of his recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades:-- For [blank} year [blank] months, and [blank] days, I served as a [blank]. For [blank] months and [blank] days, I served as a [blank]; and for such service I claim a pension."
It is important, in all cases, to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months ["three or four months" in italics], is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours, the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must, in every case, be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
(f) The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
(g) The opinion of the Court is always required.
(h) The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
(i) The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no public seal of office, the certificate of a Member of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be stitched thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
Proof of Service.
(j) In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses who are required to set forth in the affidavits the time of the claimant's entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
[hand icon with finger pointing to the right] The notes from (a) to (i) are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in note (j) applies to continental troops only.
(k) This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
(l) If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
(m) The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.
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Revolution
22233
INVALID.
File No. 22,233
Peter Eveland Sergt Rev War
Act: June 7th 32
Index:--Vol. 2, Page 127
(Arrangement of 1870.)
[checkmark]
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["Peter Eveland" crossed out]
[illegible text crossed out]
["3 years as Private $[amount illegible]" crossed out]
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Columbia County [illegible]
Personally appeared before the subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County Jacob Winters aged 77 years who being duly sworn according to law, declares that he saw Peter Eveland at Millstone New Jersey in the Militia service of the United States in the year 1776, that he again saw said Peter Eveland at Elizabethtown New Jersey in the service of the United States in the year 1778 Shortly after the Battle of Monmouth, and the deponant further sayeth not.  [signed] Jacob Winters
Sworn & subscribed Sept 15th 1832 [signed] Jno Hoffman Jr
I do certify that the above named Jacob Winters does reside in Mount Pleasant township in the county of Columbia, and that he is entitled to credit as it respect truth & veracity  Given under my hand the 15th day of Dec'm 1832  [signed] Jno Hoffman Jr JP
State of Pennsylvania Columbia County ss
I Jacob Eyerly Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Columbia aforesaid do certify that John Hoffman Jr Esq'r before whom the above affadavit was taken was and still is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Columbia aforesaid duly commissioned as such and to all whose Official acts as such due faith & credit is and ought to be given as well in Court of Justice as elsewhere and that the signature of John Hoffman Jr as above written is the proper hand writing of the said John Hoffman Jr Esquire. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of the said Court at Danville the eighteenth Day of December AD Eighteen hundred and thirty two [signed] Jacob Eyerly Proth'y
[illegible seal affixed to the left]
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State of New Jersey Warren County } ss
Be it Remembered that on the 23rd day of December 1831 personally appeared before me Garret Lacey one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common pleas of the County of Warren Peter Petty of the said county of Warren aforesaid who being duly sworn according to Law [two words crossed out] on his oath did depose and say that he was well acquainted with Peter Eveland that he [k]new the said Peter Eveland to serve as a solder in the revolutionary war that the said Peter Eveland served as a volunteer in the year 1778 in the revolutionary war as orderly Sergeant under Captain Andrew Melick that he [k]New that at the time the said Peter Eveland volunteered to serve in the revolutionary under the said Captain Andrew Melick he the said Peter Eveland resided in the Township of Mansfield County of Sussex now Warren in the State of New Jersey where he [k]new the said Peter Eveland has resided for a considerable number of years, that he [k]new the said Peter Eveland served in the said war under a number of Captains and in particular under Captain John Petty, was at New Brunswick when the British army took possession of it and a number of other circumstances he could relate to[o] tedious to relate and further saith not  [signed] Peter Petty
Sworn at Mansfield in the county aforesaid before me the said [signed] Garret Lacey
State of New Jersey Warren County ss
I Phineas B Kennedy Clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas of said County do hereby certify that Garret Lacey Esq'r was at the time and now is a Judge of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas of said County duly commissioned and sworn into office as such, and to whose official acts full faith and credit is due and further certify that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of the said Lacey and I am satisfied that the signature above purporting to be his is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court at Belvedere this fourth day of October A. D. 1832  [signed] P Kennedy Clk
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The officer who takes the deposition must certify that the witness is a credible person & his statement is entitled to belief & mention his place of residence
Warren County sst
I Garret Lacey one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common pleas of said County do hereby certify that Peter Petty who has sworn to and signed the within deposition is a creditable person and worthy of belief and that the said Peter Petty is a resident of Mansfield Township Warren County New Jersey
Witness my hand and seal the 14th day of [illegible] AD1833 [signed] Garret Lacey