Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 6177, for John Sutton, Pennsylvania
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SERVICE   Penn.
Sutton, John
NUMBER   S. 6177
carded
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Reported 
Paid at the Treasury under the Act of 6 April 1838 from 4 March 1843 to 4 Sep 1843 
Agt notified 25 April 1845 – 
Letter to Hon S. Cameron Senate U.S. 27. April 48 
32,035 
Pennsylvania 
John Sutton 
of York Co. in the State of Penn’a who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Peterman of the regt commanded by Col. Bull in the Penn line for 
Inscribed on the Roll of Philadelphia at the rate of 20 Dollars - Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831 
Certificate of Pension issued the 1st day of April 1843 and sent to James E Buchanan, Esqr York, Penn 
Arrears to the 4th of March 1843   240.00
Semiannl. allowance ending 4 Sep 1843   10.00 
$250.00 
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by D. Brown Clerk, 
Book E 2. Vol. 5   Page 57
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State of Pennsylvania 
York County } SS  
On this 17th day of May AD 1842 personally appeared before me George Dave one of the Judges of the court of Common pleas of York County Pennsylvania John Sutton Senr a Resident of Fairview Township in the County and State aforesaid aged eighty seven years who being duly sworn on his oath state doth make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed on the 7th day of June 1832.   That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officer and served as herein stated. That he entered the service of the United States for the first time in the year 1776 but from a loss of memory consequent upon his extreme old age does not unto the day or month in which he entered the service but  believes it was about the beginning of that in January, and left it Eight months after when his time of service had expired, that the Company in which he entered was a company of militia draughted and called out by the state of Pennsylvania commanded by Captain Peterman and attached to a Regiment command by Colonel Bull that he does not remember the number of the Regiment, but will recollect that sometime after they were ordered out they marched up the Delaware River and halted on the Lehigh River when they remained writing orders and drilling that they were ordered back to the neighbourhood of Philadelphia the vicinity of which having him the place where they were called into service, and where he was discharged at the end of eight months That about the beginning of the one month of May or the middle of April 1777 he again entered the service as a militia were in a company of Commanded by Captain Francis for a term of six months and left it after the expiration of said period that the Company to which he belonged
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was attached to the 1st & 2d Battallion under Major McGaw and belonged with them to the 8th Regiment of Pennsylvania militia as near as he can recollect, under Colonel Potter who afterwards at the Battle of Brandywine went by the name of General Potter that in this period of service he stationed in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia until the army of General Washington resided at that City and marched a the Delaware river to meet the English who had encamped on Brandywine river. That he was engaged in the Battle of Brandywine which took place on the 11th day of September 1777 and that the officers under whom he served on that day were Captain Francis Major McGaw, and Colonel Potter and he will remembers that General Maxwell or that day was one of the Superior officers of the army that he remained in the service, constantly under arms until this period of his service had expired.    
That late in the fall of 1777  in November he thinks he was called into service for a third term and was discharged after serving a period of four months, that in this period of his service, the Company to which he belonged was again commanded by Captain Peterman and attached to the Regiment commanded by Col Bull, that sometime after he entered the Company to which he belonged with there were ordered towards the north from the County of Philadelphia for the duty as he was informed of guarding Prisoners taken during the invasion of New York by Burgoyne who it was said would in part be holden in that direction, and that when they reached the Lehigh River they learned that the Prisoners had been ordered off towards New England and had he marched in that direction that after they had remained encamped upon the Lehigh a same time, they returned towards Valley Forge and were discharged while Gen Washington with the American Army was encamped at that place, that in this and this Brandywine tour he served at least ten months, four months in the former and six months in the latter.
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That in 1778 he again entered the service for a time of six months about the month of May as near as he can recollect in a company of militia commanded by Captain Arnold which he thinks belonged to the 2d Regiment of Penn a militia commanded by Colonel Bull, that in this his fourth term of service they marched down the Delaware River for the purpose of guarding it, and were stationed for a while at Old Chester and for a while at the town of Wilmington in Delaware that he does not remember the time he spent at each, but when the term of service was drawing to a close they were marched back to the neighborhood of Philadelphia having at each of his same our joined the army in Philadelphia County his place of Residence here they were discharged after a period of service of six months. That in the above four tours of service he continued in the army two years at least, and during the whole war or nearly the whole war he was in the employ and service of Government in some capacity.  That at one time he was engaged in hauling stores and munitions of war which had been gathered at Snow Hill in Maryland to Philadelphia, and at one time was engaged in hauling stores and munitions such as powder, salt, &c from Philadelphia to Lancaster and other places. That he has no documentary evidence by which is at services can be proved and that from the fact of his leaving the County in which he had his home during the Revolutionary war he knows of no one living whose testimony he could procure to substantiate the above facts or who has any personal knowledge of his services. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the
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present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state, or only on that of the agency of the State of Pennsylvania at Harrisburg where he received an annuity of $40.00. by a law of the Pennsylvania Legislation, but that he received no pension from the General Government whatever. That when called into the service of the United States as a militia man he lived in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania and since, he has lived in Montgomery, Berks and York Counties and now lives in the latter County of the state aforesaid, that he was born in Philadelphia County aforesaid.  That he was born in the year 1754 that he will be 88 years of age on the 3d of June 1842.  And has his age entered in his family bible.  That he was draughted  as a Militia Man in the Pennsylvania Service, that Generals Maxwell, Green & Wayne was regular officers when he served.  That he has no recollection of receiving a discharge from any person, and that Col John Rankin, the Reverend Fredrick Miller and William Laird are persons in his neighborhood who can testify to his character for veracity and who believes he was a soldier of the Revolution as above stated.  
John Sutton his mark
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me 
Geo Dare
We  John Rankin, Frederick Miller, William Laird Residents of the township of Fairview in the County of York Do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Sutton Senr who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that he believe him to be eighty seven years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolutionary war and that we concur in that opinion 
John Rankin
Rev. Frederick Miller
William Laird
Sworn and subscribed the day and as aforesaid before me 
Geo Dare
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I George Dare one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of York County in the State of Pennsylvania hereby declare my opinion after investigating the matter and putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department that the above named applicant John Sutton and who subscribed his mark in my presence to the above declaration and who was sworn to the same by me was a soldier of the Revolutionary war as he states and served as set forth in the accompanying declaration and statement before named and I do further certify that it appears that the Reverend Fredrick Miller who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in Fairview township York County Pennsylvania and that John Rankin and William Laird are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit. And I do further certify that the above named applicant John Sutton Senr was and still is totally unable to appear in court by reason of bodily infirmity and that the declaration before named was the sworn to before me, and this examination made at the house where the applicant resides for that reason, and I do further certify that it is my belief that the above statement of the applicant and the accompanying answers are true, and that the above the named witnesses, being located and residing in the same neighborhood with the applicant carry every opportunity to cultivate an acquaintance with him, and become known to him [unreadable]
Certified by me this 7th day of May 1842 – 
Geo Dare
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John Sutton Senr whose name is subscribed to the accompanying declaration as an applicant for the Benefit of the pension laws did on his oath before me, George Dare one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County Pennsylvania make the following answers to the interrogatories required to be put by the war Department on the 7th day of May AD 1842. 
I was born in the year 1754 in Philadelphia County Pennsylvania 
I will he 88 years of age on the 3d day of June next 1842.  It is recorded in my family bible.    
When called into service I was living in Philadelphia County Pennsylvania - have since the war lived in Burk & Montgomery counties and now live in York County Pennsylvania.   
When entering the service I was draughted as a militia man 
Generals Maxwell, Green, Wayne, and Washington the were regular officers where I served the 8th and 2d regiment of Pennsylvania Militia.  I remember and that the general circumstances of my service was pretty much in this way. In 1777 I marched from Philadelphia to the neighborhood of Wilmington in Delaware in the army commanded by Gen Washington as a militia man in the Pennsylvania service and was engaged in
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the battle of Brandywine which was the most important service of my life as a soldier. I performed a tour of duty up the Delaware River in 1776 as far as the Lehigh River and after laying the some time returned to Philadelphia County and left the army after my term of service had expired.  In 1778. I performed a tour of duty along the Delaware River & down the bay to it and was stationed at Old Chester, & at Wilmington in Delaware a while, and was discharged in Philadelphia after the tour was ended.  This was my fourth tour.  
In 1777. I entered the army late in the fall and marched up the Delaware a second time as far as Lehigh to guard prisoners as our officers informed us to guard prisoners taken during Burgoynes invasion of New York, but as the prisoners were taken off towards New England after laying there awhile be when to Philadelphia County and were discharged while Gen Washington was encamped at Valley Forge.  This was my third tour.  
I dont know that I we got a discharge from any body.  I don’t remember.    
I can mention Col John Rankin, William Laird and the Reverend Fredrick Miller a clergyman who can testify to my character for veracity and who believe I was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, they live in my neighborhood.   
Taken before me on the day and year aforesaid.  
Geo Dare
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Pennsylvania 
York County }Ss. 
I William Elgenfritz, Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of said County, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original Examination & proceedings in the matter of the application of John Sutton Senr for pension, and that George Dare, Esquire, whose name is subscribed to the accompanying declaration, & Statement and answer and by the said examination was made and conducted was at the time of doing the same and still is one of the Judges of the said Court duly commissioned and qualified, and that the signatures purporting to be his, are genuine 
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court, at York, this 12th day of May, A.D. 1842 
W. Elgenfritz Prot
35,337 
John Sutton
Pennsylvania
Admitted 6 months 
Priv.
$20 per an.
James E. Buchanan
York Pa.
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Extract from the 
“Muster Roll of Captain Jacob Peterman's company, of the  
“4th Batt’n Philad’a County militia Regiment of foot, in the 
“service of the United States, Commanded by Col. William 
"Dean. Philadelphia December 22 1778.”
“Commissioned  Jacob Peterman, 
Captain Isaac McGlathery, Second Lieut 
Benj Ramsey, Ensign 
“No   1  Private Martin Terringer Enlisted Dec’r 11th
“No   2  Private John Sutton  Enlisted Dec’r 11th
“22d December, 1778, mustered then Jacob Peterman 
“as specied in the above roll 
Lewis Nichola [unreadable] & Com
“In Testimony that the above is a true extract from the original musterroll of Captain Jacob Peterman's company remaining on file in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth,   I have hereunto set my hand & seal of said office this 23d May 1842. 
Edw. W. Hutter Deputy Secty of the Commth
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In Spring and entered the Service again as stated in my Declaration for 1777
Frederick Auller
James E. Buchanan Esquire
York Pa
[unreadable] Hon George Dare
Col Rankin in letter
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Lewisburg  May 7 1842
James Buchanan
Dear Sir  I have fully  Complyed with your request in meeting Judge Dare at old Wm Suttons. You are in error, as his residence it in Fairview in place of Newberry.  This I wish you to correct in your own hand writing in the declaration of Wm Sutton.  I have elicited on my last visit what I think somthing which may be added in his declaration.  This is his Statement after the Expiration of my Tour in 1776 I again entered the service for three months to guard medicine furnished by Drs Shippen and Rush of the City Philadelphia and it was transported on Wagon to a place called Clack River in the State of New Jersey -  Capt Arnold was our officers,  I was taken out of the Company to drive a team after I had served one have [half] of my time and in crossing the Delaware at Trenton the flat sank and I was near losing my own life and my turn nothing saved me but  being a Good Swimmer this was towards Spring I was out all winter and was discharged in Philadelphia
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in the Spring and entered the service again as stated in my Declaration for 1777
Frederick Auller is a regular Minister of the Gospel and licenced to preach and is a man of the highest respectability 
I am in too much of a hurry to write much 
Respectfully Your friend 
John Rankin
Write soon
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Dec 12 1844
Mr. Evans
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TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 
SECOND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE. 
December 9th 1844 
Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An Act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States,” and the third section of the Act of August 23, 1842, extending the time within which pensioners may receive their pensions from the pension agents, John Sutton - a Pensioner on the Roll of the Philadelphia Agency, at the rate of twenty Dollars per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832 has been paid at this Department, from the 4th of March 1843 to the 4th Sept. 1843 
Respectfully, yours, 
Albion K. Parris
Comptroller.
To the COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS, 
Present.
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John Sutton 
Pennsylvania 
Suspended 
See let 18 May 1842 to W. R. Morris 
to W. R. Morris 18 July 1842  
let to same 13 July ‘42
to same 27 July ‘42
to same 19 Aug ‘42
let 6 Sep ’42 Hon  J. C. Spencer, Sec of War
Act 7 June 1832
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Revy War 
6177 
INVALID. 
File No. 6177  
John Sutton 
Priv Rev War  
Act: June 7th ‘32 
Index:- Vol. M, Page 364 
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Mar 13 ‘43
Sutton
Pa
FREE
Hon J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D. C.
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York Penna  June 11, 143 
Sir
Old Mr Sutton is anxious to be instructed as to the Course he shall pursue to draw the Pension allowed him some time since. The length of service which he performed has been admitted by the Department to the extent of Six months as a militia man.  
I shall feel thankful to the department for direction how he shall proceed.
Very respectfully 
J. E Buchanan
J. L. Edwards
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York Aug 12. 1842. 
Sir 
Enclosed with this you will find the affidavit of John Sutton setting forth the cause for his long defunct application for the benefit of the Pension laws which I hope will prove satisfactory to the department.   This affidavit had been made in presence of the last letter I had from the Dept concerning a suggestion of [unreadable].
Very respt. &c
Wm R Morris 
J. L. Edwards Esq
Com of Pensions
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Senate Jan 17. 1838 
Dr Sir.
I send you an order for the pension of John Sutton, a Rev soldier and will thank you to give it an early attention 
Very respectfully 
Simon Cameron 
C. L. Edwards E 
Comr Pensions
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York, June 24 1842
Pennsylvania
Sir
Some weeks back I received from you a letter informing me that the pension application of John Sutton had been filed among suspended cases, and requiring documentary proof of six months service before a pension could be allowed -  since then there has been considerable effort made to to discover if there such proof could be obtained and all the Evidence of that character, which has been asked for by the department, that the old Gentleman has been able to collect, is an authenticated Copy of a muster roll of a company of Militia of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania to which he swears he was attached on file in the office of Secretary of State. The Copy truly shows the Enlistment but does not specify the time, for which he had enlisted the as a matter of course it is prima facia evidence of service for such a period of time as the Militia  Companies were in the habit of enlisting generally.   
This authenticated copy will doubtless place the fact of service by end all controversy, it is evidence of his enlistment in the service of the United States and of his having served in a Military Capacity at least for some time;  it must materially strengthen the belief that he was a revolutionary soldier, and if the muster rolls had all been carefully preserved, and filed in might have had still further testimony of his since. this misfortune however should not be allowed
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to prejudice a meritorious claim, when to support it he gives such proof as the department asks for, as far as he can command it. 
The Department for its own protection has laid down certain rules very properly, I have no doubt -  in your reply it is stated "the fact of the applicant never having before applied for a pension, and also having been employed as a waggoner at different intervals of time, and having been employed so much longer at each time than the Militia were required to serve raises a string presumption against the legality of the claim”. 
The enclosed copy will secure the Dep in a great measure against imposition, and such documentary proof should relieve the applicant from any unfavourable presumption sin for his long defered application, I think it proves that the claim is not a false one - before such proof then the presumpsion should give way, and altho the muster roll does not apply to the exact time, when the applicant has declared his services to have been performed, yet two terms of his service, you will observe by reference to his declaration were performed under the same Captain mentioned in the muster roll, from the state and County and in the same description of soldier besides he states in his declaration, that he served nearly the whole war in some capacity, this muster all would be consistent with that part of his declaration of his having rendered additional military service to that declared on.
The Department thinks that the length of his tours of
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of service being unusual,  form a presumption against the validity of the claim - the old Gentleman persists that they were that long to the best of his recollection. That in addition to those he served several other tours the particulars of which he cannot remember, and therefore they were not inserted - he thinks he was out under Capt Peterman five or six times and the enclosed letter to to the Buchanan who took an active part in the arrangement of the old Gentleman's papers contains an additional a statement of an additional tour of service, that will speak for itself. but as the papers had been made up, it was not inserted - it was made by the applicant himself to John Rankin Esq. a gentleman whom the Hon James Gerry the representatives in Congress from this County will certify to be a person of the highest integrity, and honor. I would have his declaration amended so as to include this time but service, but as the old Gentleman is poor, and cannot encounter the necessary expense, and as the Judge lives a considerable distance off and the applicant in an obscure part of the county, it would be an exceeding troublesome undertaking to do so. This statement admits that he was taken out of his company to drive teams he must have done so at the command of his officers, this same not prejudice his claim, but rather increase its merit.  If he accommodated himself to other employment, his services were doubly valuable, he entered as a soldier, and if his officers saw proper to make a teamster of him at one time, he should be treated according to his original contract. The dep makes his employment as a waggoner an objective
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to the validity of his claim. This service as such were not rendered during his military engagements nor does his declaration to state it sets forth that “during the war or nearly the whole war he was employed in some capacity either as a militia man or as a waggoner”  -his services as a Carter were not mingled with his services as a soldier.  
The great length of the war gave him time for both.
If the Dep should persist in claiming the additional Documentary proof the applicant must dispose of relief. If herewith they should be pleased to relax the rule and admit the testimony as sufficient 
J. G. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City D. C. 
The services of one who [unreadable] them by his oath and furnishes other indisputable testimony of their truth will be rewarded.
Very truly & respectfully your obt Servant 
W. R. Morris
June 29 1842
Pa
John Sutton
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York Penna July 25 / 42 
J. L. Edwards Esq
Sir
Enclosed you will find additional record or Documentary proof in the case of John Sutton application for a pension.  This extract will be conclusive evidence of his Revolutionary service. The amt of pay to which he was entitled from the State of Pennsylvania is a ballance of $120, which could only have become due from at least 12 months service as a soldier.   The department having required six months service to be proved by such evidence as the Enclosed 
very respectfully Yours in 
 Wm R Morris
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State of Pennsylvania 
York County} 
[seal]
Personally appeared before me John Rankin an acting Justice of the Peace in and for Newberry Township County aforesaid John Sutton an applicant for the benefit of the act passed the 7th June 1832, for the relief of Revolutionary Soldiers and upon his solemn oath saith that within the 
7
last last few years he has experienced several heavy losses from business connections with different individuals which have rendered him poor and quite destitute that for the last eight months he has been closely confined to his bed from sickness and has exhausted all his means and has only been induced to make the application aforesaid from the considerations mentioned - that he deferred making an application for a pension for the reason that he was enabled to live without the assistance of Government but since the occurence of the circumstances above mentioned he finds himself reduced to the necessity of asking assistance from his country for his revolutionary services 
John Sutton his mark
Sworn & subscribed before me this Sixth day of August 1842 
John Rankin J.P
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Pennsylvania 
York County, SS. 
I William Elgenfritz, Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of said County Certify that John Rankin, Esquire, before whom the within Affidavit was made, is, and at the time of signing the same, was, and acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly Commissioned & qualified, and that the within signature purporting to be his, is genuine 
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the Seal of said Court Aug 12 1842 
Wm Elginfritz prothy
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York Penna July 12th / 42 
Sir
You, in reply to my last containing additional testimony in the case of John Sutton’s application for a pension stating that he should make an additional declaration and State his services as not having made an earlier application has been received.  
Will you please inform me if it is necessary that the whole declaration should be made over or  whether a kind of supplemental declaration containing several other  tours of service would be sufficient with the causes which prevented his making an earlier application and whether it is request that to his supplimental statement  should the certificate of the Minister and neighbors sworn to and authenticated as given in the presence of a Judge.   
I shall be [unreadable] for an early reply – If it shall be necessary to make an entire new declaration  the department [unreadable] that the one already filed should be returned.  
[unreadable]   
Wm R. Morris
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York May 12th 1842 
Sir,
Enclosed on the papers supporting the application of John Sutton for a pension.   If there should be any informality or want of proper authentication, discovered, that could not be overlooked by the Department, please return the papers at once, that the defect my be corrected. I shall feel obliged to the Department for pointing out any defect that may be noticed 
Very respectfully &c 
William R. Morris
 J L Edwards 
Commissioner of Pensions,
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May 13 1842
Pa
John Sutton
J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City D. C.
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4th Regiment
[unreadable] names as hereunto subscribed and acknowledged to have received of Lieut Thomas B. Bowen and Captain Ephraim Beatty Agents for the late Pennsylvania line the several Sums affront to our names [unreadable] in certificates dated July 1 1784 accruing interest at six percent from January the first 1782 Signed by John Weire Commissioner and described as below being for the balance of a Settlement between the United States and us [unreadable] pay to January the first 1780.  
Date of Issue  1783 Aug 10   No of Certificate 75.895  Letter H  Name  John Sutton   Sum  Dollars  120  60   Signed  John Sutton
Date of Issue   No of Certificate  96  Letter  I  Name  John Sowell   Sum   Dollars  5  50   Signed  
Date of Issue   No of Certificate  97  Letter  C  Name  James Williams  Sum  Dollars  12  215   Signed   
Auditor Generals Office of Pennsyl’a Harrisburg Mar 27th 1840 
I certify that the foregoing is a correct copy of the original Payroll Book A. Page 129 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office 
Wm Packer 
Auditor General