Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 6,146, for Richard Steel, Pennsylvania
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE
Penn.

Steel, Richard

NUMBER
S. 6146
carded

CONTENTS
Page 2

(left side)
30541
Pennsylvania
Richard Steel of Mercer Co in the State of Penna. who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Reed of the Rgt commanded by Col. Morrous in the Pennsylvania line for 6 months

Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of 20 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 5 day of April 1866 and sent to Hon Jno Banks House of Representatives

Arrears to the 4th of March 1836 $100.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept 1836 10.00
$110.00

Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.

Recorded by D. D. Addison Clerk
Book E2 Vol. 5 Page 57

(right side)
Let Hon J. W Howe, 
April 17/52
Page 3

R Steel 27??2
Richard Steel
Pennsylvania
allowed for six
Hon. Jno. Banks
H R

Revolutionary Claim
Lower Cass
Secretary of War
City of Washington

[lined through]
Jno Fisher
New Castle 
Penn
Page 4

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832

State of Pennsylvania
County of Mercer

On this 28th day of June 1833 personally appeared in open court before John Bream Esq., president, (illegible) Wm. Amberson associate judge of the court of Mercer County now sitting, Richard Steel, a resident of Cold Spring Township in the county of Mercer and state of Pennsylvania, aged seventy-six 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 act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.  That in Feb. or March in 1776 he was drafted in the militia in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, under Captain Reed, Lieut. Duncan, ensign not recollected.  We marched through Lancaster, then to Newtown north of Philadelphia, from there toward Easton, from place to place, until he was discharged by the Col. of the regiment.  Col. Morrow commanded the regiment he continued in the service at that time no less than three months; and then returned home in June.  


Again in October or November 1776 he volunteered his service and was elected ensign and commissioned by the governor of Pennsylvania in Lancaster County.  Capt. James Colier commanded the company and Reed was our lieutenant, Duncan 2nd lieutenant.  There were two companies of volunteers.  Capt. Cochran commanded the other company.  We met at Middletown, marched to Lancaster, then to Bucks County, then through New Jersey and on to Rhode Island and lay a short time at the Forte, then went to Long Island where we had a (illegible) skirmish with a party of the enemy and losses of about 70 or 80 men killed and wounded.  We then marched through Jersey, crossed the Delaware River below Philadelphia to the Valley Forge and he was at the Paoli the night of the massacre.  We then went to the Schuylkill River and lay there some time, and was dismissed not far from Philadelphia the next spring, being not less than five months in actual service at that time, an ensign regularly elected and commissioned.  Gen. Wayne commanded the regulars with whom we were a part of the time.  

Again, he was drafted in the militia in Lancaster County, Penn. in May or June 1792 and served in the company commanded by Capt. Samuel Cochran as private.  We marched through Carlisle, Shippensburg, Chamberstown and to the Potomac River in order to join Washington's army in Virginia. When we got account that Cornwallis had surrendered we then had orders to return and were verbally discharged and returned home being in actual service less than one month and twenty-six days, marking five months an ensign and four months and twenty-six days a private for which he claims pension.
Page 5

Says he knows of no person living convenient that can prove his service.  Thinks there are some yet living near Harrisburg, Penna. that could prove for him but he is not certain he'd be able to go after them, nor has he means to carry him, nor has he any documentary evidence to testify for him, he had an ensign commission but it with many other papers were lost or destroyed.  

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state whatever nor ever was.

Question:  Where and in what year were you born?
Answer:  He was born in (illegible), Lancaster County on the 19th day of April 1758.  He has no record but took it from the records of his birth in this father's Bible.  He was living in Lancaster County, Penna. when called into service each time.  He lived three years after the war where he was born then moved to Northumberland County, Tennessee until 1792 when he moved to the Genesee(?) where he lived twenty-five years and has been seven years in Mercer County where he now lives.  

He was first drafted into the service, then volunteered, then was drafted the third time, always served for himself.

He served five months as ensign and four months and 26 days a private, for which he claims a pension.
Signed:  Richard Steel

Sworn and subscribed in open court this 28th day of June 1833
Signed:  John Sheck(?), Prothy.

Mercer County
On this 24th day of June 1833 personally appeared in open court Samuel B. McCune and John McClone, residents of Cold Spring Township in Mercer County who being duly sworn according law did depose and say that they have been acquainted with Richard Steel  this applicant for pension for thirteen years (illegible) that we believe him to be the age he states himself to be (76 years), that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood  to have been a soldier in the Revolution as he has stated in his declaration, and that we respectfully concur in that opinion and we also state that his character for truth and veracity is good. 
Signed:  S McCune(?), John McClone (?)

Sworn and subscribed the 28th day of June 1833
Signed: John Sheck(?) Prothy

Mercer County
On this 28th day of June 1833 personally appeared in open court David Steel, a resident of the Borough of (illegible) in Mercer County Penna.; and son of Richard Steel who has sworn to and subscribed the above declaration, who being duly sworn according to law doth depose and say that he lived with his father until he was 21 year of age, part of the time in the state of New York and knows that he was exempted from militia duty because  he had his commission as an ensign during the Revolution and says he has often seen his father's ensign commission.
Signed:  David Steele

Sworn and subscribed in open court
Signed:  John Sheck(?),  Prothy.
Page 6


Mercer County fs

On this 28th day of June 1833 Personally appeared
in open Court the Revd Samuel Tait & siding in Mercer
County who being duly sworn according to law, did depose and
say that he has known Richard Steel who has subscribed to
and sworn to the foregoing declaration, for a number of years
and has never heard anything against his character as a man
of truth and veracity.
Saml Tait
Sworn and subscribed in open
Court the day and year above written.
John Peck, Prothy

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation
of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories presented
by the war department, that the above mentioned applicant was a
revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further
certifies that it appears to them that Samuel Tait who haz signed
the preceeding certificate, is a Clergyman resident in Mercer
County, and that S. B. McCune and John McCune and David Steel
who have signed the foregoing certificates are residents in the
County of Mercer, and creditable persons, and that their statement is
entitled to credit.
By the Court
John Keck, Prothy

State of Pennsylvania
Mercer County fs
Steel Claims Pension
97 in

Private
I John Keck, Prothonotary of the Court
of Common Pleas of the County of Mercer
do certify that the foregoing contains the
original proceedings of the said Court in
the matter of the application of Richard
Steel for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have here unto
set my hand and affixed the seal of
said Court at Mercer the twenty fifth
day of July Eighteen hundred and
thirty three
John Keck, Prothy

Please make return to
Alexd Brown
in Mercer - Mercer County
Pennsylvania

R Steel Claims Pension
US Ensign 5 Month
Private 4 Do(ditto) & 26 days
Page 7

In reply to your request for a statement of military history
of Richard Steel - S 6146 - , a soldier of the Revolutionary War,
you will find below the desired information as contained in his 
application for pension on file in this Bureau.
Only Richard Steel found on the Rev Pen records of this Bureau -

[columns in table}
- DATES OF
ENLISTMENT OR
APPOINTMENT.
- LENGTH OF
SERVICE.
- RANK
- OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED
CAPT  /  COLONEL
- STATE

Lancaster Pa, Feby to March 76, 3 months, Pvt, Capt Reed, Col Morrow, Pa

Oct to Nov 76, 5 months, Ensign, Capt James Collier

Soldier stated he was at Paoli the night of the massacre -
Paoli the right of the measure -

Battles engaged in, none mentioned
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Lancaster, Pa. Always lived in Pa
Date of application for pension, June 28 1833 [  ? ]
Residence at date of application, Cool Spring Twp, Mercer Co. Pa.
Remarks:  B Apl 17, 1758  Paxton, Lancaster, Co, Pa
Date of death not shown, widow Rebecca mentioned in 1852
For date of last payment of pension apply to the auditor for the
Interior Dept., Treasury Dept., citing following date: "Certif  30541
issued Apl 5, 1836, under Act June 7, 1832 at Pennsylvania agency."
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.

 + Paoli Sept 77
 @ [ ? ] Yorktown Sur 81
Page 8

Rev War
6146
INVALID.

File No.  6146
Richard Steel
Pri. Rev. War
-
Act: June 7, 1832
Index: -- Vol. M, Page 357

1906 Dec 25 History to Jennie D.
Rhodes
M.B.H.
Page 9

letterhead of:
DENSMORE HOTEL
KANSAS CITY,  MO.


Mr V. W. Warner
Dear Sir
I wish to know if the
name of Richard Steel appear in
your books as having served in
the Revolutionary War. He moved
from Mercersberg Penn. to the [ wslim ]
counties of Virginia (now Kentucky)
in 1780 and is said to have
been among those who helped
maintain the [    ] of
defense during the Revolutionary
War -  and I wish to have
proof of this and will thank
you kindly for reply
(Mrs) Jennie S. Rhodes
Densmore Hotel
Kansas City
Mo

Stamped Dec 22 1906, COMMISSIONER
Page 10


Washington
April 15th 1836
Com. of Pensions

Hon James e Heath

Sir,

Mrs, Rebecca Steel 
(Steel) of Mercer Co. Penn
writes me that her husband
was a pensioner for services
rendered in the Revolutionary 
War that his name was
Richard Steel, that the new
money after his death in 1836-7
she knows nothing of the Regiment 
or company to which
he belonged, nor of the name
of his officer -- [  ]   you give
me the history of Richard Steel as a
pensioner, the object is
to get the widow a pension
of bylawh she is entitled to one.
Yours Truly
[ unclear ]
Page 11

Pa Mar 22

Mar 22d
J. G. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City

Hn Jn Banks 
HN
Page 12


L. C. Edwards Esq

I send you the enclosed papers
you  will in by the letter of A Brown that
he will accept a pension as a private -- If
you [  ] attend to this was to give me an
answer by yer day next I should be glad &
I am after that time most probably be 
absent.

Yours 
Jn Banks
March 22 - 1836
Page 13

Through Desk

O. W. AND N. DIVISION.
Department of Interior
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
Dec. 22, 1906

Searched by:  Gill
Original No.:
Certificate No.:
Claimant:
Soldier: Richard Steel
Service: Rev. War
Remarks:
no claim except
Inv File 6146
Page 14


Free J W Howe

Hon. James E. Heath
Com of Pension
Washington
DC

April 16 / 12
May Kirby
Page 15

Mercer March 16th 1836

Mr Banks
I find that Richd Steel cannot get proof of his
serving as a Lieut. -- you will therefore, get him on the
list as a private of the Comissioner of Pension is sattisfies that
for nine months and 26 days -- amt about 33 dollars per
annum, when I was over the mountains where he entered
the service.   he had gave me 5 or 6 names whom he
said could prove for him if hiring but they were all
dead   I have mad a great dale of search for him, a
he is entirely unable to look after proof himself-- I think he
cannot lasts six months enless he can get such relief, as
he does not expect-- You will discover this application
was with the officer, and sent back for more proof, so
that it is among the suspended cases-- I think when
he is willing to accept of Pension as a Private, it should
be granted - it will be a small me, and he is realy very
need -- yours in great haste the mail is about
to close-
A. Brown

you will see Mr Edward himself
on this subject
Page 16

J.L. Edwards Esq

From what you state in your letter I
think it better to accept a pension for Richard Steel
for six months service [  ] therefore request that
a certificate accordingly may be sent to me --
his

Yours F -
Jn Banks
House of Reps

March 29. 1836

Hon John Banks