Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 5013, Stephen Hill, Penn.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE 
Penn.

Hill, Stephen

NUMBER
R. 5013

CONTENTS
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34.168
Stephen Hill
Ohio
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The State of Ohio     }
Delaware County SS}  On the Seventeenth day of January
in the year Eighteen hundred and thirty seven
personally appeared before me, one of the judges of the Court
of Common Pleas of the said County of Delaware
Stephen Hill of Concord Township in the said county
aged eighty two years, who being first duly sworn
according to law, doth on his oath make
the following declaration for the purpose of obtaining
the benefits of the provisions made by the
act of Congress passed  June 7, 1832.
I Stephen Hill on my said oath say that I
entered into the service of the United States & served
therein under the following named officers and in 
the following manner to wit:
I was born in Frederick County  Virginia near
the Shenandoah River. I have no record
of my age, but according to the information
received of my parents. I was born on the eighth day
of March 1753 and am now eighty two years
old according to the best information I have received.
When I was young, about fifteen years of age. I was removed
with my father from Virginia to a place within 25
miles of Fort Pitt in Westmoreland County Pennsa. [Pennsylvania]
now Pittsburgh. I resided there at the commencement 
of the revolution. About the commencement of the
revolutionary war (I cannot say what year it was)
but I believe it was the year 1776 in February or
March at a place called the Glades on the 
Monongahela river near where my father resided I 
volunteered to serve as a minute man & served
as such under Captain Van Meter Lieutenant
John Reed under the command of Col. Cook.
We were classed into three classes I belonged to
the second class.  Our classes of Minuit [Minute] men were
called out to serve each one month at a time.
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alternately. In April after I volunteered I was called
out into active service. We mustered at the
Glades and marched under the command of Capt.
Van Meter over to the Connemaugh [Conemaugh] river where we
were stationed and built a fort called Fort Wallace
The [illegible] was then under the command of Capt.
Morton, & I think there were about three companies
of men stationed there at the time, all Pennsylvania
Militia. I served my month's tour & was discharged
& returned home. After remaining at home about
one month I was called out on another tour. I served
the first year at least three or four tours of 
one month each. I was also called out several
times the first year upon alarms for a few days each
time. I was then called out by tours & served at Ft.
Wallace four or five different summers. I can
not on account of my old age recollect the particulars
of each tour; but during the war of the 
Revolution I served in the manner above stated.
First in the Company of Capt. Van Meter, then
Capt. James Starrett, Col. Cook, Col. Benjamin
Davis & Col. James Smith.
During one of the years of the revolutionary war,
I cannot recollect the particular year, whether it was
the first second third or fourth year, I was called out to
serve a campaign against the indians. I served
this tour under Capt. Van Meter & Col. James
Smith. I marched with my company from the
Glades to Ft. Pitt where we joined our regiment
under Col. Smith. We then marched under his
command up the Allegany river, being about
500 men under Col. Smith’s command. We then
marched up French creek & Sugar creek in pursuit
of Indians. I was out during this campaign six
or eight weeks. On one of my tours on the way to
Ft. Wallace we heard of an alarm caused by an
attack of the indians upon a settlement on what
was then called nine mile run. The express for
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help came to us at Hannah’s Town. We then marched
all night to nine mile run. When we arrived there, we found
that the indians had killed our packers
burned down the house of a man by the name of
Lane & killed one of his children. I was out
on a number of expeditions against the Indians
but can not now recollect all the particulars.
I was out in actual service more or less every
year or summer during the Revolutionary war.
I never received any written discharge from this
service; I have no documentary evidence of 
my service and know of no person by whom
I can – prove the same.
       In consequence of old age and the consequent
loss of memory I cannot recollect the precise
length of my service, but according to the
best of my recollection & belief I served as
a private soldier in the war of the revolution
in the manner above stated between the years
1776 and 1780 at least eighteen months no part
of which time was spent in any civil employment,
and for which I now claim a pension.
I can refer to the following named persons, who
reside in my neighbourhood, as persons who
can testify to my character and as to their
belief of my services as a soldier of the 
revolution, to wit: Rev. Chandler Rogers, George
Freshwater, Joel Marsh Esqr. Capt. William Smart
John Oller, Christopher Freshwater, Capt. James
Hooker, Abraham Eversol and John Cutler.
       I resided in the State of Pennsylvania until
about the year 1812 — when I removed
to Delaware County where I now reside.
I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to
a pension or annuity except the present and
declare that my name is not on the pension
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roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn & subscribed to: the day and year above
written.         			    his
			Stephen   X  Hill
				   mark

We Chandler Rogers a clergyman residing in 
the Township of Perry — in the County of Franklin
Ohio and Christopher Freshwater residing in the
Township of Concord in the said County of Delaware
hereby certify that we are well acquainted with
Stephen Hill who has sworn & subscribed to the
above declaration, that we believe him to be
eighty two years of age, that he is reputed and
believed in the neighbourhood where he resides
to have been a soldier of the revolution, and
that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn & subscribed to}
before me.		    }
E. Griswold    	 	    }   Chandler Rogers
Associate Judge.  	    }	Christopher Freshwater
And I Ezra Griswold, one of the Judges
of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of
Delaware do certify that the foregoing declaration
of Stephen Hill and Certificate of Chandler Rogers
and Christopher Freshwater were by them severally
duly subscribed and sworn to, before me on the day
As above written; and I further certify that
the said Stephen Hill cannot from bodily infirmity
attend the said Court of Common Pleas for the purpose
 of making his declaration, and that the above declaration
was made before me at his [illegible] in
Concord Township in the said County. And I do
hereby declare my opinion after investigation
of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories
prescribed by the war department, that the above 
applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he 
states. And I further certify that it appears that
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Chandler Rogers who signed the preceding certificate
is a clergyman resident in the said Township of 
Perry, Franklin Co. and that Christopher Freshwater
who has also signed the same is a resident of the 
said Township of Concord and is a creditable
person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
And I am fully of the opinion that the said applicant
is fully entitled to a pension, under the said act of 
Congress.
     The alteration in the declaration from Eight to Eighteen months
was made before signing by said Stephen Hill’s
request. The error having acquired in copying or writing
out the Declaration.
     I am also desire to state, as true fact is, that application 
was made to me on behalf of said Stephen Hill
about two years since to attend at his residence for
the purpose of obtaining his declaration, but the distance
at which he resides from me & other circumstances made
it inconvenient to go till the 17th of last January
which I believe is a primary reason why this application has not
been sooner made. The witnesses also residing at
points, distant from each other, their statements were
generally taken to suit their convenience as to time.

Given under my hand officially this 25th 
day of July 1837.         E. Griswold, County Judge
			  of Delaware Court Pleas.
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State of Ohio Delaware County ss

I Thomas Reynolds, Clerk of the Court of Common
Pleas in and for said County hereby certify
that Ezra Griswold Esq. before whom the foregoing
declaration and affidavits appear to have been
made, was at the date thereof an associate Judge
of said Court, duly commissioned and qualified
and that his signature thereunto I believe 
to be genuine. 
		In testimony whereof, I have
		hereunto set my hand & affixed
		the seal of said Court at Delaware
		This 26th day of July A. D. 1837.
		Thomas Reynolds, Clerk [signature]
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1887 June 15 1887 David Hill that
children or heirs not entitled to claim the
pension of Revy Soldier after his death
when he neglected to establish his claim.
					Prior
REJECTED

5013

P. O.
Stephen Hill
Service:
Enlisted:____________________, 18__.
Discharged: ________________, 18__.
Application filed: ___________, 18__.
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P. 0.
______Recognized.  ______  Contract. 
Cert. of Dis.  Searched for _______, 18__.
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OFFICE OF 
UNION HOTEL
DAVID HILL & SON, PROP’S.
SPECIAL ATTENTION GIVEN TO COMMERCIAL MEN
LIVERY AND FEED STABLE IN CONNECTION
GOOD SAMPLE ROOMS.

Dunbar, Neb.   June 1, 188

[Circle Stamp:]
PENSION 
US
OFFICE
JUNE 16, 1887

Honorable K.
[illegible]

will you please —------ inform me 
if Pension due the  soldiers
of the War of 1776
—
if it is Collectable by Legal 
Heirs Or Whether it is [illegible] Na’l
-lly Grandfather
 of the Pensioner
—- heirs of soldiers [illeg.]
to collect the total for 25.00 Dollars

[Stamped upside down:]
JUN 5 1887
RECEIVED

Will you Please Inform
Me   	Wafflige [?]
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[Illegible]  My granfather [grandfather]
Was Wounded During said 
War [illeg.] are prepared 
to give full chain of
Evidence Even by prudusing [producing]
The Old gun by whitch [which]
He Defended this Country.
Please [illegible] of these
[illegible]  David Hill
Oto [Otoe] Co. Neb. Dunbar
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In answer to your enquiry of the 1st — relative to a pension supposed
to be due on account of the Services of your Grandfather Stephen Hill in the
war of the Revy you are advised that whenever a Revy Soldier or his widow
Survived the passage of a pension law under which they would have been entitled, either neglected
in their lifetime to establish their title to the pension, there is no law existing
which will give to their children or other heirs the right to claim the same after
their decease.
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Stephen Hill
Ohio

Rejected [crossed out]
See let 2nd Sept. 1837
T. W. Powell
Suspended
See let T. W. Powell
5 March 1839
Hon. B. Stanton Feb 16/58.
5013
Act 7 Jun 1832
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Senate Chamber
27 Feb 1839

Sir

Please see the enclosed.
You will oblige me  by a 
examination of this 
claim.
When you shall 
have acted on the subject
be so good as to communicate
the result to Mr. T. W. Powell
of Delaware, Ohio.

Most Respct.
your obt. servt.
W. Allen

The Commissioner of Pensions }
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Washington
Feby. 8, 1858
Hon. G. W. Whiting
Com. of Pensions

Sir
The Heirs 
of Stephen Hill inform 
me that about the 
year 1835. or 1836. said Hill
made an application
for a Pension under the
law granting provisions
to soldiers of the 
Revolutionary War.
	At the time of his
application he resided
in Delaware Co. Ohio
	At the time the service
was rendered he resided
in Westmoreland Co.
Pennsylvania.
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They think Col Cook 
was commander of his Regiment.
The [They] have no information
as to the fate of his
application, and wish 
to know whether it was
allowed or not, and,
if so, to whom the certificate
was issued, and whether 
any part of it was ever 
paid. Please advise 
me on this subject
at your earliest 
convenience.

Very Respectfully
Yours
B. Stanton
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War Department
		Pension Office
		September 2, 1837

Sir
The declaration of Stephen Hill
has been examined the claims for alleged
services which contested principally in 
watching against the hostile attacks of the Indians
in the early settlement of the western frontier
It was indisputably necessary in many
instances for the safety of the inhabitants of that
the able bodied men of every age should arm
themselves in self defence against the hostile
attacks of the savages of the wilderness. It
is well known that for this purpose block houses
were erected and that the people were obliged
to resort to them for protection. This [illegible]
of predatory warfare, however, was never
considered of such a character as to place
the persons engaged in it on the footing of
soldiers drafted or enlisted for the general
defence of the country; and such persons therefore
are not provided for by the pension laws.
The applicant for such service can of course
have
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no lawful claim to application. The claim has
accordingly been rejected and the papers filed.
Jan. [illegible]
Respectfullly, 
Mo. [illegible]
J. L. Edwards

T. W. Powell Esq.
Delaware, Ohio
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Delaware Feby. 22d 1839

Sir,

       Some considerable time since a 
revolutionary soldier of this county of the name 
of Stephen Hill applied for a pension under
the act of Congress June 7, 1832; and I am
particularly requested by his son, to write to you
on the subject, saying that he has some slight 
acquaintance with you at some political meeting
where he had the pleasure of seeing you.
	
I make this remark as an excuse for writing
to you without any other acquaintance.
	
Upon the application of Stephen Hill for a 
pension to the Pension office, the Commissioner
of Pensions informs him by letter date Sept. of 1837
That his declaration has been examined & That the
service had been rendered against the hostile attacks 
of the Indians, &c as you will see by the enclosed
letter. The letter then concludes that such services
rendered in the western County against the Indians
“was a demonstration of predatory warfare” not intended
to be remunerated by the bounty of Congress.
	
The declaration shows that the service was rendered
in the Militia regularly enrolled & in the usual 
way in the western country. The western people
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during the revolution formed a barrier between 
the eastern people of the Country, and the indian
enemy, the most inveterate enemy of the Country then
had to contend with. If these services of the 
western people had not been rendered, then
the Indians as allies of Great Britain would
have made their attacks upon the eastern
cities. And yet this service is Called in 
the letter a “predatory warfare.” This is not
very kind to the defenders of the western country.

	To my certain knowledge, pensions have
been allowed to persons who rendered just such
service as that of old Mr. Hill.
	
It is requested in particular that before
you leave Washington you would examine 
the declaration on file in this case, and get
his pension allowed if possible.
	
We know of no further [illegible] testimony. 
We can get further traditionary evidence, such
as Hill has always been received as a Revolutionary
Soldier. That the persons under whom the 
alleged service was rendered were reputed officers
of the Pennsylvania Militia.
	
I am very confident that Hill’s case is
as meritorious as any that has been allowed in 
this County. Please do what you can for him.
	Very respectfully your
	humble servant.
		T. W. Powell

Honl. William Allen