Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 21475, for Thomas Piety, Pennsylvania
Page 1

SERVICE   Penn.
Indian War 1791
Piety, Thomas
Mary
NUMBER  R.21475
Page 2

1717 
Indiana 
Thos Piety 
Soldier 
Captain Grays company under Genl St Clair’s of the Indian War 1791 &c  
Ratio of disability, 
Date of discharge, 
Time of closing the testimony, 
Inscribed on the Roll of Indiana at four Dollars per month, to commence on the 13 January 1834  
Certificate of Pension issued the 17 of January 1834 and sent to Hon. John Ewing H. Reps -   
Arrears to 4th of March 1832   $8.53   
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4 Sept   24 
32.53
Act of the 25 April 1808 – 
Inscribed on roll on the 17 Jany 1836 @ $4 per mo. Notif: sent Hon John Ewing in the 20th same month 
see letter to Hon. L. Cass Feb. 28, 1834- 
see letter to same 27 March 1834
Page 3

1834
70
1762
State of Indiana 
Knox County } SS 
Personally appeared before the undersigned an associate Judge of Knox County State of Indiana Thomas Piety long and personally Known as a citizen of said County and State who on being duly sworn deposeth and saith That during the Revolutionary war and long after peace had been concluded with England, he served as a volunteer and as a drafted militia man in different expedition against the Indians from Fort Pitt now Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, afterwards from Kentucky that he cannot precisely state his age is now approaching Seventy years he well knows by events in his memory that he has a distinct recollection of his various services as a volunteer, and as a drafted militia man under Col J Hardin, Col Wilkinson and Col Scott at different times from Kentucky against hostile Indians in the then North West Territory, that he served in Capt Prestly Grays Company of Drafted men collected near the falls of Ohio then attached to Virginia and with said Company under the command of Col Oldham joined the army of Genl St Clair near Fort Hamilton, that in the engagement with the Indians near Fort Recovery called St Clairs defeat, he the said Piety while in the line of his duty was severely wounded by a musket or rifle shot and disabled in the thigh and hip joint as stated in the accompanying Certificate of two physicians and the affidavits of the Ensign of the Company Thomas Spencer and John Parker a Sergeant of the same which are hereunto annexed that he served for the time he was drafted untill wounded as aforesaid that his mode of life since leaving the service has been that of a farmer. that he resided
Page 4

2
in the State of Kentucky in the County of Breckenridge that for the last nineteen years he has resided in the County of Knox in the State of Indiana where he now resides of the taking of this testimony, and the reason why he did not make an earlier application is, that he was entirely ignorant of his being entitled to a pension untill so informed by the Hon Jno Ewing now a Representative in Congress from this district, he further deposes and swears that he is not on the Pension Roll of any State, that he never received a written discharge on any occasion and invariably served out the terms and time of the troops to which he belonged that he now craves a pittance of renumeration for the disability he suffered for the wound in the service of his country as aforesaid to support the short remnant of his remaining life 
Thomas Piety
Sworn & subscribed before  me one of the Associate Judges of Knox County this 1st day of January 1834  
Jno Moore    
State of Indiana 
Knox County} Ss    Personally appeared before  the undersigned one of the Associate Judges of said County John Parker an old Citizen and resident in said county and State who being duly sworn, doth on his oath say. That he was a sergeant in Capt Grays Company of drafted men, from Nelson Co Kentucky in the expedition against the indians under Gen St Clair in the year 1791 and that Thomas Piety was a member of said
Page 5

Company that he served on the time for which he was drafted untill wounded badly that he well remembers seeing said Piety laying or sitting wounded during the engagement and while yet on the battle ground that he the said Parker being himself wounded in the same battle was afterwards placed in the same bed with said Piety, and that they frequently examined the wound of each other.   that said Piety formerly resided in Breckenridge County Kentucky and for a number of year since has resided in Knox County Indiana is by proffession a Farmer that he still resides in Knox County Indiana that he has seen him many time since they were in service together and that he has always esteemed him a brave soldier and an honest citizen 
John Parker
Sworn subscribed before me one of the Associate Judges of Knox County  State of Indiana this 1st day of January 1834
Jno Moore
State of Indiana 
Kox County} ss Before the undersigned one of the Associate Judges of Knox County, State of Indiana personally appeared Thomas Spencer a resident citizen of Lawrence County State of Illinois who on being duly sworn doth on his oath make the following statement of facts in relation to Thomas Piety an applicant for a pension in consideration of a wound received in the service of the United
Page 6

4  
States as a militia man from Kentucky in the Army commanded by Genl St Clair in the year 1791 
That he the aforesaid Thomas Spencer is acquainted with the said Thomas Piety since the year 1777 at which period they both resided in the vicinity of Fort Pitt now Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, that he said Thence removed to Jefferson County Kentucky in the year 1780 and said Piety also removed to the neighborhood of the Falls of Ohio in said County State in a few years afterwards, where their former acquaintance and intimacy was revived; that a draft of Militia was made in said County in the year 1790 for men to go on an expedition against hostile Indians up the Wabash River under Major Hamtramick in which expedition said Piety served as a Sergeant in Capt Halls company, and the said Spencer served as a private in said Company, the expedition returned to the Falls after burning the Indian town near the mouth of the Vermillion, and the Militia was there discharged. That he the said Spencer served in different expeditions sent from Kentucky in 1790 and in 1791 and those under the command of Col Hardin Col Wilkinson & Col Scott always had the said Thomas Piety along with them. that he the said Spencer was in 1791 elected an Ensign in Cap Prestly Gray’s company of drafted men, which joined General St Clair’s army with said Thomas Piety serving as a private and the company was attached to the command of Colonel Oldham on joining the main army near Fort Hamilton Ohio. that said Piety
And
Page 7

this Deponent again became mess mates untill the defeat of our army near Fort Recovery known as St Clairs defeat in which our company suffered greatly. That said Thomas the my was severely wounded in the thigh or groin, and when all were retreating in confusion, he the said Spencer discovered said Piety to be utterly unable to travel, and a horseman being at hand, he said Spencer said hold of the bridle and placed said Piety behind the rider in which manner the wounded man was brought off the field and conveyed to Fort Washington from whence said Spencer and Piety proceeded by water to the Falls of Ohio, That said Piety served for more than the whole term for which he was drafted. that said city resided in Breckenridge County Kentucky and since that person has resided in Knox County State of Indiana and is by proffession a Farmer - that he said Spencer always knew of said Piety to be a good soldier and a good citizen   
Thomas Spencer
Sworn and subscribed before me one of the Associate Judges son Thomas Spencer said County State of Indiana, this day of January 1834 
Jno Moore
Page 8

6 
State of Indiana 
Knox County 
Personally appeared before the undersigned one of the Associate Judges of Knox County State of Indiana Major Wm Bruce Post Master at Bruceville in the County & State aforesaid who on being duly sworn made oath that he is well and intimately acquainted with Thomas Piety who is an applicant for a pension. That he first knew him while residing on the Monongahela near Pittsburgh a Fifty years since their acquaintance was received in Nelson County Kentucky in the year 1786 or 1787 where he knew said Piety a number of years; that he the said it was a soldier under Col Scott of Wilkinson and also under Gen St Clair in different expeditions and is fully satisfied said Piety served faithfully  as a brave soldier untill badly wounded of Fort Recovery in the engagement Known as St. Clairs defeat by a wound in the of thigh, that said Piety formerly resided  in Breckenridge County Kentucky and for the last Nineteen years has resided in Knox County Indiana where he still resides, that the is by profession a farmer and is a man of truth and probity 
Wm Bruce
Sworn & subscribed this 1st day of January 1834 before the undersigned one of the late Judges of Knox County State of Indiana 
Jno Moore
Page 9

Knox County State of Indiana 
January 1st 1834 
We hereby certify from satisfactory evidence That Thomas Piety late a private in the Company of Capt Prestly Gray in a Regiment of Kentucky Militia commanded by Col Oldham in the year 1791 is rendered in incapable of performing the duties of a soldier by reason of wounds or other injuries inflicted while he was actually in the service aforesaid and in the line of his duty as a soldier viz at St Clairs Defeat 
By satisfactory evidence and accurate examination it appears that on the 4th day of November in the year 1791 being engaged as a private at or near a place called Fort Recovery in the North West Territory (then so called) he received a wound from a rifle shot in his thigh, which has disabled him at least one half the wound disables his hip joint having destroyed the power of the muscle of the Recantor &c and he is thereby not only incapacitated for military duty but in the opinion of the undersigned is more than half disabled from obtaining his subsistence from manual labor 
E. McNamee Physician Surgeon 
Obed Macy Physician & Surgeon
Page 10

8   
State of Indiana 
Knox County } SS  
I John Moore an assoc Judge for the County of Knox and State of Indiana by lawful authority duly commissioned and sworn do Certify that I am acquainted with John Parker and Thomas Spencer whose depositions have this day been taken before me and that in my opinion they are worthy and honest men and entitled to credibility and belief I also certify that the physicians who have sign the Certificate preceding this are reputable in their profession is Doctor McNamee & Macey 
Given under my hand seal this 1 day of January 1834 
Jno Moore [seal]
State of Indiana 
Knox County } SS  
I Alexander Scott Clerk of the Knox Circuit Court do hereby Certify that the Hon John Moore before whom the depositions of Thomas Piety, John Parker, Thomas Spencer & Wm. Bruce was taken was at the time of taking the same ever since has been and now is an associate Judge of Knox County State of Indian duly commissioned and qualified as such and that to all his acts as such due faith and credence should be given and that the signatures attached to the foregoing depositions are his genuine
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of our said Court 1834 this 1st day of Jany 1834  
A D Scott  Clerk
By Wm McCaid  Dty
Page 11

11253
Mary Piety
Widow of Thos 
Ind. 
Act 7 July 1838
Rejected
82814
Page 12

Declaration
State of Indiana 
County of Knox }SS 
On this 12th day of August 1844, personally appeared in open court, before James Thorne Esq. Judge of Probate Court in and for said County, now in session, Mrs Mary Piety relict of Thomas Piety, deceased and long a resident of said County, now aged sixty nine years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by act of Congress passed in 1838, 1843, and 1844, granting and continuing pensions to certain widows: that she is the widow of Thomas Piety who was granted a pension by the United States under the act of Congress passed in 1832,
Invalid 1808
on account of service and a wound received in Sinclairs (St. Clair) defeat, as his declaration and evidence on file in the proper department of the government, will shew more at large. That her maiden name was Mary (usually called Polly) Duncan, a daughter of James Duncan who in her youth removed from the State of Maryland to the County of Nelson State of Kentucky, where she was married in her fathers house to Thomas Piety aforesaid by the Rev Joshua Carman, a creditable Baptist Preacher on the seventh day of August one thousand seven hundred and nine (1792) that her late husband said Thomas Piety, died the fifth day of May 1835, and that she has not intermarried but remains a widow, and still resides in Knox County
Mary Piety her mark
 Sworn to and subscribed in open Court on the day and year above mark written, before 
James Thorne PJ KC  
I further certify the above affiant is personally known to me for many years and that she is the relict of Thomas Piety who was a pensioner of the U. States. Given under my hand this 12th Augt 1844 
James Thorne P J KC
Page 13

State of Indiana 
County of Knox } SS 
On this 12th day of August 1844 personally appeared in open court, before James Thorne Esq the Judge of said Court William Bruce a creditable citizen of said County of Knox and made oath in due form of law, that according to his fathers record he is now sixty eight years of age, was born near Fort Pitt, state of Pennsylvania, and removed with his father when a youth to Nelson County Kentucky, that he well remembers when sixteen years of age, in the year 1792 he attended the marriage ceremony of the late Thomas Piety and Mary (usually called Polly) Duncan, at her fathers house, on the farm next adjoining this affiants fathers farm, and said County of Neilson, and that Mr. Carman, then a reputable Baptist preacher officiated: That he was well and as an old neighbour, intimately acquainted with the said Thomas Piety, and Mary his wife, and from their marriage to this moment he knows that the said Thomas Received a pension during some years before his death from the U. States, and that his widow the said Mary, whose declaration is annexed, remains unmarried- 
Wm Bruce
Sworn to and subscribed, in open court, on the day and year above written.
James Thorne
PJKC
Page 14

State Indiana 
Knox County} SS 
I William R McCord Clerk of the Knox Probate Court do hereby certify that James Thorne Esquire before whom the foregoing affidavit was made is the acting Judge of said Court duly qualified and Commissioned that said affidavit was made in open Court, and that said Court is a Court of Record 
In testimony whereof I have her unto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of said Court at Vincennes this 12th day of August AD 1844 
W. R. McCord Clk
Page 15

F.W. 
Rev. War Section. 
1834
20
1864
January 24, 1913
Mrs. Bessie C. Haskins, 
317 North 7th Street. 
Vincennes, Ind. 
Madam:  
In response to your letter dated the 18" and received the 20” instant, you are advised that in the pension claim, R. 21,475, it is stated that Thomas Piety served during the Revolutionary War, but no details of said service appear in the claim. It is stated that in 1780, he removed from the vicinity of Fort Pitt Pennsylvania, to Jefferson County, Kentucky, and served at various times in 1790 and 1791, as Sergeant and Private under Captains McFall and Presley Gray, Colonels J. Hardin, Wilkinson, Scott and Oldham; was wounded by musket shot in the thigh at the battle called "St. Clair's Defeat”.  
He was allowed pension for said wounds on an application filed January 1, 1834, while about seventy years old and a resident of Knox County, Indiana. 
Soldier married in Nelson County, Kentucky, August 7, 1792, Mary, daughter of James Duncan, and died May 17, 1835. In 1844, she was sixty-nine years of age and a resident of Knox County, Indiana.
Very respectfully, 
J. L. Davenport 
Commissioner.
Page 16

Mary Piety
1 Ind.
Rejected
Let to Hon J. Ewing Nov 1 1844
Let to Lane Dec 12, 1844
July 7, 1838
Page 17

Vincennes, Ind. 1 / 18, 1913 
Bureau of Pensions, 
Washington, D.C. 
Dear Sir:- 
Kindly give me the military history of Thomas Piety, a native of Pennsylvania and a soldier of the Revolutionary war?  
Thanking you for this information 
I am Yours truly, 
Mrs. Bessie C Haskins 
317 N. 7th. St. 
Vincennes, Ind.
Page 18

1913, Jan 24, Hist to Mrs Bessie C. Haskins FW
Soldier Ent 47,644
N. W. Indian 1791
21475 
21475
Mary Piety
Rejected
Widow of Thomas
Capt. Gray - Genl St. Clair
N. W. Indian War 1790 - 5
Page 19

Act 25 April 1808
$4 per month, commending on 1 Jan 1824
Free
. L. Edwards Esq
Comr. of Pensions
War Department
Page 20

Rev War Sec.
Page 21

OFFICE OF 
County Superintendent of Schools 
EDGAR N. HASKINS 
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT  
Vincennes Ind.  Jany 27, 1913 
The Commissioner of Pensions, 
Washington D.C. 
Dear Sir:-  
Kindly give me any information that you can concerning the service of Thomas Piety, of Pennsylvania, in Revolutionary War. 
Thanking you in advance for any information you may give, I am
Yours truly 
Mrs. Edgar N. Hoskins, 
317 N. 7th. St. 
Vincennes, Ind
Page 22

House Reps 15 May ‘34 
Sir:
The inclosed application on behalf of Thomas Piety has been transmitted to me, and I lose no time in submitting it: upwards of eighteen months have elapsed since I forwarded the first paper, shewing the claim of this worthy old soldier – 
Respy Yr ob Svt 
Jno Ewing 
J. L. Edwards 
Comm of Pensions 
Mr. Edward has not yet advised me if his search obtained the papers left Young Coale on behalf of Fredk Mahl nor in relation to Moores heirs