Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 2683, for Peter Kester, Pennsylvania
Page 1

(3 - 1776 )
SERVICE
Penn

Kester, Peter

NUMBER
S. 2683

carded
CONTENTS
Page 2

4295
Pennsylvania
Peter Kester
of in the State of Pennsylvania
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain Nice of the Regt. commanded
by Col Hannor in the Penn
line for Private 3 years  $80.00

Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania
at the rate of 80 Dollars Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 17th day of January
1833 and sent to Hon L Dewart
House Reps

Arrears to 4th Sept 1832  $120.00
Semi=anl. allowance ending 4 March 1833  40.00
$160.00
Revolutionary Claim
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by Vinal Luce Clerk,
Book D Vol. 6 Page 65

W. N. Kriston July 3/58
Same July 26 1858

July 23, 1833
Page 3

No. 12652
Peter Kester

Admitted
3 years
80.

Hon. L. Dewart
Page 4

BRIEF in the case of Peter Kester
of Union Co. in the State of Pennsylvania
(Act 7th June, 1832)
1. Was the declaration made before a court or a Judge? Com. Pleas
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 70 years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.
In 1778 June 28
Duration of Service.
Years, Months, Days.
3 " "
Rank.
As a Private
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Gen. 16 Pa. Regt.
Capt. Nice, Col. Harmer, enlisted
5. In what battles was he engaged? Stoney Point, Green Spring
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Berk Co, Pa.
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Documentary & traditionary
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and of so, in what respect? Correct
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
D. Brown Examining Clerk.
Page 5

Pennsylvania
Union County ss
On this twenty fourth day of September in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred & thirty two personally appeared in open court
before the judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of
Union, now sitting. Peter Kester a resident of Centre Township, in
the County of Union and State of Pennsylvania aged Seventy
years
who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his solemn oath make
the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of
Congress passed June 7th 1832-
That he entered the service of the United States under the following
named officers and served as herein stated
on the 28th of June 1778 I entered the service as an enlisted Soldier
in
Brown a recruiting officer at Womelsdorftown Berks
County Pennsylvania, under whom I marched to Philadelphia
and from there to White Plains, where I joined Capt Nice's company of the 6th of Pennsylvania Regiment commanded
by Col Harmer we marched to a number of places which
I cannot recollect being then only about seventeen years
of age. when the army went into Winter Quarters
I was sick and obtained a furloe [furlough] and went home.
After I got well I again joined the army and in the
spring of 1779 we stormed & took stony point Fort, then
in possession of the British, (this Fort was on the North
River about six miles below West Point), General
Anthony Wayne was our commander-- we remained
some time, then left it & marched different places
had no other engagements and returned to our Winter
Quarters at Morristown. In the Spring of 1780 we
left our winter quarters and marched deferent places
no engagements in which I was concerned, we lay,
principally at West Point, and returned to our
winter quarters at Morristown, during the winter
I obtained a Furloe [furlough] and went home, and in the
spring of 1781 joined the Regiment at Lebanon then
commanded by Col Humpton - we marched to Lancaster, thence to Little York-- thence to Frederick Town
in Maryland, thence into Virginia, the names of
the places I cannot recollect, we had one engagement 
with the British at Green Spring, our army was
Page 6

commanded by Genl Wayne in the beginning of the
battle we had to retreat, but being reinforced we
formed, and after a seven engagement we routed the
British killed and wounded a number, and lost
several of our men killed and taken prisoners. In
a few days after this I would have been entitled
to my discharge, but consented to go as one of the
Guard of Col Humpton
Baggage Waggon to Lancaster
when I obtained my discharge on the 1st of August
1781 signed by Col Humpton a part of which is hereto
annexed, the other part has been lost, and cannot
now be found, the discharge was for three years
service. I have no person who can prove my
actual service, but presume my name will be
found among the names of the enlisted soldiers of
the 6th Penna Regment on the Rolls in
the War Department at Washington-
1 I was born on the 13 March 1762, in Lancaster.
2. I have no record of my age, it was in my Fathers Bible
which my brother got, his house was burned, and
the Bible with many other articles was consumed
3 I was living in Berks County Penna. when I entered the
service. since the revolutionary war I removed to
Lebanon Dauphin County, where I resided about
two years, then to Berks County where I remained
about six years, and from then I removed
about forty years ago to where I now live in
Center Township in then Northumberland
now Union County-
I never received any other discharge then the one
mentioned in my declaration signed by Colon Humpton
part of which is hereto annexed-
George Aurand Esq, Christopher Lebold, Frederick Store and
many other respectable citizens of my neighborhood
can testify as to my character for veracity and their
belief of my services as a soldier of the revolution
I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity
except the present, and declare that my name
is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State
Sworn & Subscribed in open
Court this 24 Sept 1832
Peter Kester
Joseph Stilwell Proth
---
Page 7

Beaver Springs
July 20. 1858
Dear Sir
Your favor of the 3d Inst is
at hand, and contents noted.
You stated that a man named Peter
Kester, of Pennsylvania, was a pensioner
of the United States, under act of June 7
1832, But that it could not be decited [decided]
whether it was the one I enquired after
unless I would give his place of residence
when he died &c
Peter Kester resided near New Berlin
(commonly called Longstown, at that time)
Union County Pa. He died July 27
1833
After you have ascertained whether the
Widdow is entitled to a warrent, you will
please let me know what I have to do
to obtain it for the said widdow, and
also whether the Back pay of Pension
money can yet be obtained
Yours Respectfully
W. N. Keister
Page 8

REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION.
3-525
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C. , __, 19__
S.F. 2683
In reply to your request of __, received __
for a statement of the military history of Peter Kester
a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired
information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension
on file in this Bureau.
DATES OF
ENLISTMENT OR
APPOINTMENT.
June 28 1778

LENGTH OF
SERVICE.
Aug. 1, 1781

RANK.
Pvt.

OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.
Nice
COLONEL.
Harmer
Richard Humpton

STATE.
6 Pa.

Battles engaged in, Stony Point, Green Spring
Residence of soldier at enlistment, enlisted at Womelsdorftown Berks Co Pa 
Date of application for pension, Sep 20, 1832 [illegible]
Residence at date of application, Center Twp. Union Co. Penn.
Age at date of application, b. March 13, 1762 in Lancaster
d. July 25 1833  from A.B.
Remarks:
In 1858 his widow was still alive but her name and [illegible, not?]
[illegible, linked?] and there is no other data on file as to his family.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.
3-285C
Page 9

Peter Kester
S. F. 2683
A mutilated dischage [discharge]
certificate found in
the claim of Paul Kester, 
signed by Richd
Humpton, Colonel 6th
Pa. Regt. and dated
Augt 1, 1781 has been
removed from this
claim and locked up
in the Record Division
for safe keeping
S.C.A
Aug. 6, 1910
Page 10

mutilated
Peter Hester
S. 2683
Penn.
,
Page 11

1st Aug 1871
the bearer holds in
Pa. Reg. having
fully the term
He is
scharged from
Regt.
Richd. Humpton
Colonel 6th Pan. Reg
Page 12

Beaver Springs May 31st 1858
Henry Frysinger Esq
Sir
I desire you to
examine the names of the American soldiers
who have drawn pension, out of the Pension
office for serving their country either as
officers or privates, between 1785 and 1820
whether you can find the name of Peter
Kester, and if so when he has drawn
any money, and if you should not find
his name there you will please examine
the rolls of the soldiers or officers, as his
widow is still alive, and desires to have
the land Warrent she may be entitled to have
If you can not attend to this yourself
you will please hand this to the proper
officers who will attend to it and please
let me know as soon as posable, how
things stand
Yours in haste
W. N. Keister
Direct to Beaver Springs
Snyder Co. Pa
Page 13

Washington City, June 3, 1858
Geo. C. Whiting, Esq
Commr of Pensions
Sir: In accordance with the
request of the writer [crossed out - of the within], I respectfully
refer the enclosed letter to your office.
Yours &c.
H. Frysinger
Page 14

S. F. 2683
Peter Kester
Penn.
Peter Kester
S. F. 2683
Penn.
Page 15

Rev War
2683
INVALID.
File No. 2683
Peter Kester
Privt Rev War
Act: June 7 1832
Index:-Vol. A, Page 201
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Aug 7. 1905 Hist. to John E. Hunt
Chicago Ill - letter of inquiry
in I. 2688 Jacob Kester
1918 Dec. 6 Hist. to Thos. H. S. Schorley
Letter in W. 1941 Michael Seckler.
Page 16

Declaration of
Peter Kester
12.682
Page 17

We Michael Walter, a clergyman residing in Union, Township Union County
and Nicholas Bous - residing in Centre Township in the same
County, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Peter Kister [Kester] 
who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him
to be Seventy 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
Mchael Walter
Nicolas Bous
Sworn & subscribed in open
Court the 24th September 1832
Joseph Stilwell Proth

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of
the matter and after putting the questions prescribed by the War Department,
that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier, and served
as he states. And the Court further certify that it appears to them that
Michael Walter who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman
resident in Union Township Union County and that Nicholas Bous
who has also signed the same is a resident in the same county and
is a creditable person and that their statement is entitled to credit
Hugh Wilson
Adam Leight

I Joseph Stilwell Prothonatory of the Court of Common Pleas of Union
County, do certify that the foregoing contains
the original proceedings of the said court in
the matter of the application of Peter Kester
for a Pension
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal
of the said Court this 24th day of September 1832
Joseph Stilwell Prot