Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4358, Paul Grosscup, Penn.
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE
Penn.
Grosscup, Paul
Sybilla
NUMBER
R.4358

CONTENTS
[rest of page blank]
Page 2

State of Pennsylvania}
Berks County             } SS

On this fifteenth day of June one thousand
eight hundred and thirty nine personally appeared before the Hon
John Banks Esquire, President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the said County of Berks, Sybilla Grosscup, a resident of District Township, Berks County and State of Pennsylvania aged eighty seven years and upwards 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 the act of Congress passed July 4th, 1836, and the act explanatory of said act passed March 3,1837: That she was married to Paul Grosscup who was a soldier of the Revolution, that the said Paul Grosscup was drafted in the service of the United States, and served at least four tours of two months each in the Pennsylvania Militia during the Revolutionary War, in at least one of which he served as Captain in the Regiment of Colonel Balzar Geche [?] when he marched to Amboy. That he was engaged in the battles of Germantown and Brandywine, that she can not recollect at what time his said services were performed, that at the time of his said services the said Pal Grosscup resided in Maxatawny Township in the said County of Berks, that she has  no documentary evidence in support of her claim. 
She further declares that she was married to the said Paul Grosscup on the thirteenth day of October One Thousand seven hundred and seventy two previous to his said services, that her husband the said Paul Grosscup died on the fourteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and twelve; and that she was a widow on the 4th July, 1836, and still remains a widow, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed

her x mark
Sybilla Grosscup

Sworn to and subscribed on the day
and year above written before me
[signature is barely legible]
Page 3

State of Pennsylvania}
Berks County             }Ss

I John Banks Esquire President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Berks and State of Pennsylvania do hereby certify that Sybilla Grosscup, the declarant aforenamed is prevented from appearing in open court by reason of bodily infirmity. Witness my hand this fifteenth day of June one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine.
[signed]  John Banks

State of Pennsylvania}
Berks County             } ss

On the seventeenth day of June one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine, personally appeared before Jas Donagan Esquire one of the Justices of the Peace, in and for said County Benjamin Hermany of the Borough of Maxatawny in said County whom I hereby certify to be a credible witness and whose statement is entitled to credit, who being duly sworn according to Law deposeth and saith that he is well acquainted with Sybilla Grosscup widow of Paul Grosscup the declarant and to consider the truth of his statement, that he was well acquainted with the said Paul Grosscup who was a captain of militia during the Revolutionary War that the said Paul Grosscup served several tours in the militia during said war in one of which the deponents brother Jacob Hermany served under his command at Amboy that this deponent firmly believes the said Paul Grosscup served at least four or five tours of two months and in the militia aforesaid as drafted militia man. That the deponent in server of four but can not recollect under whom nor at what time his said services took place that the said Paul Grosscup was married at the time his said service took place to Sybilla his widow who had not married since his death which took place in 1812 - that the said Paul Grosscup lived in the same Township, where deponent lived when his said services took place, to wit in Maxatawny Township in said County. 

Sworn and subscribed the day and year above written before me.

[signed] Benjamin Hermany
[signed] Jas Donagan
Page 4

State of Pennsylvania}
Berks County             }SS

On the seventeenth day of June One thousand eight hundred and thirty nine, personally appeared before Jas Donagan Esqr one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the said County Jacob Eper of
the Borough of Kutztown in the said County whom I hereby certify to be a credible witness, and whose statement is entitled to credit
who being duly sworn according to Law deposeth and saith that he
is well acquainted with Sybilla Grosscup the declarant aforementioned
and widow of Paul Grosscup, and believes her declaration to be substantially correct, that he was well acquainted with Paul Grosscup
aforesaid, and served one tour of two months in his company at Amboy that the said Paul Grosscup was at that time Captain that to the best of this deponents knowledge and belief he served at least four tours of two months each during the Revolutionary War, but is not able to say where, that the said Paul Grosscup resided in Maxatawny Township at the time of his service, that he the said Paul Grosscup was married to the said Sybilla at the time of his said services and that she still continues
unmarried since his death, which took place in 1812. that the said Paul Grosscup served as drafted militia man and the deponent believes was in the Battles of Germantown and Brandywine.
that to the best of this deponents knowledge and belief the said Paul Grosscup served at least four tours of two months each
during the war of the Revolution, that your deponent is _ years of age, and further saith not.
Jacob Eper
Sworn and Subscribed the day and
year above mentioned before
Jas Donagan
Page 5

State of Pennsylvania }
     Berks County. } Ss
On the twenty fifth day of July A.D. 1839 personally appeared before Peter Nagel—- one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the said County, James Donagan of the Borough of Kutztown in the said County whom I hereby Certify to be a credible witness and whose statement is entitled to credit who being duly Sworn according to Law, deposeth and saith that he is well acquainted with Sybilla Grosscup, and likewise with the hand writing of her late husband Paul Grosscup deceased, and that the following is a true extract from the Family Register contained in a German Bible in the hand writing of the said Paul Grosscup. “I Paul Grosscup was married by Parson Schlatter of Pennsylvania to Sybilla Rothermel of Berks County the 13th (thirteenth) day of October 1772 One thousand seven hundred and seventy two” and further saith not.
      Jas. Donagan
Sworn to and Subscribed the day
and year aforesaid before me
     Peter Nagle J.P. 
[Written sideways over the above at the lower left side] 4549
Sybilla Grosscup
of Paul
Pennsylvania

[continuing at the bottom]
Berks County Ss.
I Benjamin Tyson Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Berks do hereby certify that John Banks Esqr whose signature is annexed to the foregoing declaration and certificate, is President Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and that the signature annexed is his genuine Signature, and further I do hereby certify that Jas. Donagan and Peter Nagle Esquire who have signed the foregoing affidavits are acting Justices of the Peace duly commissioned in and for the said County, that full faith and credence is to be given to all their public acts in said capacity and further that the signature annexed to the said affidavit are the their genuine signatures
     In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set the seal of the said Court this twenty fifth day of July A.D. 1839
     Benjamin Tyson
Page 6

State of Pennsylvania }
     Berks County } Ss.
    Be it known that before me Peter Nagel a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid, Personally appeared James Donagan, and made Oath in due form of Law, that he took the annexed from the Register of a German Bible in the possession of Sybilla Grosscup widow of Paul Grosscup deceased and in the presence of Benjamin Tyson Esquire whose affidavit is hereto annexed, that the same is in the hand writing of the said Paul Grosscup with which the deponent is well acquainted that the following is a correct translation of the three lines enclosed in [ ] brackets to wit
     [“Further in the year (one thousand seven hundred and Seventy two) 1772 on the (thirteenth) 13 day of October, I entered into the holy bonds of matrimony with Sybilla Rothermel unmarried daughter of the late Christian Rothermel and his wife Magdalena”] that there is another Statement, on an opposite page in the same Book or Bible, upon an opposite page, in the back of an engraving wherein it is mentioned, in the hand writing of the said Paul Grosscup, that the said Paul Grosscup was married to Sybilla Rothermel by Parson Schlatter of Germantown, Philadelphia County but that the said Sybilla Grosscup is unwilling to have the picture taken away or defaced.
     Jas. Donagan
Sworn to and subscribed this
15th day of August A.D. 1839
before
     Peter Nagle, J.P.
Page 7

State of Pennsylvania }
     Berks County } Ss.
     Be it known that before me Jas. Donagan a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County aforesaid, personally appeared Benjamin Hermany whom I hereby Certify to be a credible witness and whose statement is entitled to credit; and made oath in due form of Law, that he was well acquainted with Paul Grosscup who served in the Revolutionary War, that at the time of his said service he lived within one mile of the said Paul Grosscup in Maxatawny Township, Berks County, and was frequently at his the said Paul Grosscup’s house during the time he was absent on his several tours of duty, that the deponent firmly believes that the said Paul Grosscup served five tours, of two months each, in the Pennsylvania Militia, in one of which he was a Captain in the Regiment of Balzer Gaehr, that he is certain that he served at least four tours, that he cannot say of his own knowledge under or with whom he served except as before stated when his brother Jacob Harmony served under him, but he believes that he served in the Company of Captain Egner at Germantown in 1777, that deponent was at that time a youth of eight or nine years of age, but has a perfect and distinct recollection that he the said Paul Grosscup served at least four tours of two months each
     Benjamin Hermany

Sworn to and Subscribed the 12th
day of August A.D. 1839
before me.
     Jas. Donagan
Page 8

State of Pennsylvania
Berks County            ⎬Ss

Be it known that before me Peter Nagle a
Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid personally appeared Benjamin Tyson and made oath in due form of Law, that he was
present and witnessed that the above named James Donagan took the annexed leaf from the Register of a German Bible in the possession
of Sybilla Grosscup Widow of Paul Grosscup deceased, and that he firmly believes the same to be in the hand writing of the said Paul Groscup.
Benjamin Tyson
---
Sworn to and Subscribed this
15th day of August A.D. 1834
before me
Peter Hager J.P.
---
State of Pennsylvania}
Berks County} Ss
I Benjamin Tyson Prothonotary of the Court
of Common Pleas of Berks County do certify that James Donagan and Peter Nagle Esquires before whom the foregoing affidavits were taken and subscribed and sworn to, an acting Justices of the Peace in and for Berks County, duly authorized and Commissioned, and that full faith and credit are due and of right ought to be given to all his official acts whereof the  foregoing is one and that the signatures thereto---annexed are their genuine signature. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at Reading the fifteenth day of August one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine
Benjamin Tyson Prothy
__________________________________
Page 9

Rev. War Section.
March 22, 1880.

Mrs. Mary Grosscup Sampsell,
400 Claremont Ave.
Ashland, Ohio,
Madam:
In reply to your letter of the eighteenth instant, addressed in the Hon. John Barton Payne, Secretary of the Interior and forwarded by him to this Bureau for a reply, you are advised that the papers in the pension claim, R. File No. 4,353, show that Sybilla Grosscup applied for pension, June 15, 1839, while living in District Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, aged eighty-seven years.
She stated that her husband Paul Grosscup resided in Maxetawny Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, when he was drafted and served during the Revolution at least four tours of two
months each in the militia of Pennsylvania, in at least one of which he was a Captain in Colonel Balzar Geehr's Regiment, and that he was at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown.
Soldier married on October 13, 1772, Miss Sybilla Rothermel of Berks County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Christian and Magdalena Rothermel. He died March 14, 1812. The date and
Page 10

place of his birth are not stated and there is no further data on file as to his family.
The widow's claim was not allowed for the reason that she failed to furnish satisfactory proof of her husband's services not giving the dates of his enlistment, discharge, and appointment as captain, as required by the pension laws.
Very respectfully,

Commissioner.
Page 11

1911 Mch. 9. History to
Hon. John H. Rothermel &
1919 Dec. 12. History to
Senator Atlee Pomerene. an
---- 
1920 Mar. 22, History
Mary G. Sampsell an
----

REJECTED
4358
P.O. Sybilla Grosscup
Service. _________

Enlisted: _______________, 18
Discharged: ____________, 18

Application filed: _________, 18
Alleges: The printed list of 1852
gives cause of suspension as
[Illegible]: Suspended for proof
and specification "

Attorney: _____________
P. O. _____________
________Recognized.   _________Contract.
_________Cert. of Dis.     Searched for _______18
Page 12

[stamped] 
(illegible) Tonal
Mar 8 1911
US Bureau of Pensions

[stamped] 
Record Division
Mar 8 1911
Page 13

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES U.S.
Washington, D Mch 1911

Respectfully referred to
Commision of Pensions
for answer.
Kindly return
Enclosed letter with
your answer
Thanking you for
present and part
Courtesies I am
---
Very respectfully,
John W. Rothermel

9 -- 28      M.C., 13 District
Pa
Page 14

[letterhead]
[upper left]
Atlee Pomerene, Ohio
Chairman
Arthur P Black, Clerk
[center]
United States Senate, 
Committee on Corporations
Organized in the District of Columbia.

[typewritten letter]
December 10, 1919.

Dear Mr. Commissioner;
I enclose herewith a letter from Mrs. Howard Swartz, #400 Claremont Avenue, Ashland, Ohio, memorandum from a letter written by Judge Peter Stinger Grosscup, and copy of letter from the Adjutant General of the Army, all of which relate to one Paul Grosscup, the great-great grandfather of Mrs. Swartz, who is supposed to have been a Captain in the Revolutionary War. I shall very much appreciate it if you will direct that any information your files may contain relative to said Paul Grosscup be given me, also please direct that the three enclosures be returned for my files.
Sincerely yours,
[signed] Atlee Pomerene

Hon. G.M. Saitzgaber, 
Commissioner of Pensions, 
Washington, D.C.

AP/CB

[stamped] U.S. Pension Office
Dec 11 1919

[handwritten note "3 papers returned to Senator will reply of Dec. 12. 1919"]
Page 15

December 12, 1919.

Hon. Atlee Pomerene,
United States Senate.

My dear Senator:
In reply to your letter of the tenth instant, and the enclosed letter of Mrs. H. Swartz of 400 Claremont Ave, Ashland, Ohio, I have the honor to advise you, that the papers in the pension claim, R. File No. 4,353, show that Sybilla Grosscup applied for pension, June 15, 1839, while living in District Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, aged eighty-seven years.
She stated that her husband Paul Grosscup resided in Maxetawny Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, when he was drafted and served during the Revolution at least four hours of two months each, in the militia of Pennsylvania, in at least one of which he was a Captain in Colonel Balzar Geehr's Regiment, and that he was at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown.
Soldier married on October 13, 1772, Miss Sybilla Rothermel of Berks County, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Christian and Magdalena Rothermel. He died March 14, 1812. The date and place of his birth are not stated and there is no further data on file as to his family.
Page 16

The widow's claim was not allowed for the reason that she failed to furnish satisfactory proof of her husband's services, not giving the dates of his enlistment, discharge and appointment as captain, as required by the pension laws.

Very respectfully, 

[signed] E.C. Tieman
Acting Commissioner.

[handwritten note - "Office note - This widow's claim cannot be found on the printed archives of state of Pa Rcd Dec 12. 1919."]
Page 17

Hon. John H. Rothermel,
House of Representatives,
My dear Mr. Rothermel:
In response to your communication dated the 7th and received the 8th instant, requesting information for Mr. Preston C. Smith,
of 1143 North Eleventh Street, Reading, Pennsylvania. I have the honor to advise you that the papers in claim R. File No. 4,358, Rev. War, show that Sybilla Grosscup applied for pension June 18, 1839, while a resident of District Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, and eighty-seven years of age. She stated that her husband Paul Grosscup resided in Maxetawny Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, when he was drafted, and served during the Rev [Handwritten insert]
at least four tours of two months each in the Pennsylvania militia, in at least one of which he was a Captain in Colonel Balzar Goehr's regiment, and was in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown.
Soldier was married by Parson Schlatter of Germantown, on October 13, 1772, to Miss Sybilla Rothermel of Berks County, Pennsylvania, daughter of Christian Rothermel and his wife Magdalena.
[Illegible handwriting inserted]
The soldier's age is not stated; he died March 14, 1812, but his widow's claim was never allowed for the reason that she failed to furnish satisfactory proof of her husband's services, not giving the date of his
enlistment, discharge, and appointment as Captain, as required by the pension laws.
Page 18

commission as documentary evidence.

There is no further data. The family record which was filed in the was taken from the bureau by the Hon. G. M. Keim, House of Representatives, on August 19, 1841.
Very respectfully,

Commissioner.

The Hon. G. M. Keim's receipt for the family record taken by him, is not among the papers in this claim
Mch. 9. 1811 F.S.C.
{Everything Above Struck Thru & Note Added]

Omit all these parts
Page 19

[uncertain two words, possibly a name, is handwritten upper left]
March 19, 1920
Dear Mrs. Sampsell:
Secretary Payne has received your
recent letter, and in accordance with
his directions I in bringing it to the
attention of Mr. Saltsgaber, Commissioner off Pensions, with the request that he
give you any information that may be
found in the records of his Bureau concerning the matter about which you inquire.
Very truly yours,
Jno. Harvey
Assistant to the Secretary.
Mrs. Mary Grosscup Sampsell
400 Claremont Avenue,
Ashland, Ohio.
Cours Saltzgaber
Mr. Roberts says to send reply direct to Mrs. Sampsell
AWJ Mar. 22, 1920
[stamped] 
OFFICE [illegible]
THE COMMISSIONER
MAR 22 1920 
U. S. BUREAU OF PENSIONS
Page 20

Mar 19 1920 [stamped]
To
Hon John Barton Payne
Secy of the Interior
Washington-D.C.
My dear Judge Payne
In your busy life and in the length
of time, elapsed, you will not remember a
dinner Judge [illegible] Grosscup once gave
at the Lexington Hotel In Chicago, but I
Page 21

to me and I was just out of school- made an
impression, Ive never forgotten
and when recently - on my
return to Ashland, where 
we were all born & raised I found my sister working on records &c
- and having some difficulty owing to
records being badly kept- to
find our way into the Daughters
of the American Rev.
Having on hand an old letter
from Judge Grosscup
saying- (while in Bowers, Berks Co. Pa in Nov. 1909) -
One man brought in to me
on Sat night, a certificate
from the Interior Dept issued
to his grandfather (great?) on
an application for a Revolutionary
War pension, showing that 
Paul Grosscup was the
Captain of his company that
Page 22

was then only a girl and Ive now forgotten
what a wonderful time I had- with
you as my dinner partner and as I
remember Mr Otto Gresham on the
other side.
Your charm of manner and your
being so extremely nice
Page 23

regard to our ancestor Paul Grosscups services
during the Revolutionary War.
I would not bother you with this but Ohio
Senator Pomeriene [Pomerene] Ohio we were not successful in getting the required information 
- and yet there must be some according to
this certificate issued
Page 24

went into the Continental Army in 1776-
participating later in the Battle of Brandywine. A few hours after reading this I saw you had been made Scy of the Interior.  I am writing to you, asking you to give this into the hands of someone who will know how to find
out all there is in
Page 25

by the Interior Department
I appreciate there are very
busy days - but my memory is very clear as
to your Graciousness
and I am, perhaps, taking
advantage of it.
Thanking you,
more than I can tell.
I am
Very sincerely yours
Mary Grosscup Sampsell
March Eighteenth
Address
Mrs. Mary Grosscup Sampell
400 Claremont Ave
Ashland Ohio
Page 26

[stamp]
U S. PENSION OFFICE.
F
NOV
26
1919
Page 27

Ashland Ohio
November 24 - 1919.
The Pension Dep't.
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sirs: Will you kindly write me whether 
Capt. Paul Grosscup, of
of Berks Co.,
Pa. who was a Captain
in the Revolutionary War, received a
pension?
He was in the Pennsylvania
Militia, constituting the Army
of General Washington.
TL
Letters [illegible] no answer required
She was informed thru Senator Pomereae on Dec 12 1919
Page 28

Judge Peter S. Grosscup has written me that he has seen a certificate issued to a private soldier by the administration of Pres. Monroe, showing that the solder was in "Captain Paul Grosscup's Company".  Any information or data concerning Capt. Paul Grosscup will be very much appreciated and I shall be very glad to pay any expenses incurred.  Kindly let me know at your earliest convenience and oblige.
Very Truly Yours
Ella Grosscup Swarty
P.S. I want these proofs in order to join the 
D.A.R.
Mrs. Howard Swarty 
400 Claremont Ave.
Ashland, Ohio
Page 29

Sybilla Grosscup
Paul
Pennsylvania
Suspended
let 29 July 1839
Hon. G.M. Keim
do. 19 Augt 1839
do 6 Nov. 1840 -
all in the claim
4358
Act 4 July 1836
Page 30

The family record in the case of Sybilla Grosscup was taken from the Pension Office by the Hon, G.M. Keim H.R. on the 19th August 1841.
[illegible] Is his receipt on file..?
Page 31

Nov. 6, 1840.
Page 32

Penna Office
Nov 6, 1840
Sir,
In reply to your letter respecting the claim of Mrs. Sybilla Grosscup, widow of Paul Grosscup dec, I have the honor to state that the papers are upon our files.  I find that the claim was examined on the 19th of August 1839 and a report of that day made to you.  As I may not have been [illegible]  I enclose herewith a copy of the afore mentioned response
I have the honor,
OG
July 4, 1836 (?)
4549
for Geo M. Keim
Reading Pa
Page 33

378
War Dept. Pen Office
Augt 19. 1839
Sir,
The amended affidavit
of Benjamin Hermany in the
case of Mrs. Sybilla Grosscup
widow of Paul Grosscup desd
his heer &c with the original
family record filed with her other
papers. His testimony is still
insufficient to authorize the admission
of the claim. It is indispensably necessary
that the witnesses should be able
to testify positively to the period
at which each tour was performed the
place or places, under what offices and
the duration of each tour. The witness
was only eight or nine years old, and
cannot therefore be able to give such
testimony as is required by the regulations. Although two months was the
term for which the militia were called out
yet in many case they did
Page 34

not serve more than half the time by they were discharged.
Hon G.M. Keim
19 Aug 1839
Hon. George M. Kerr
Reading Pa
4549
[illegible] 4 July '36
Page 35

478
War Dept. Pen Office
July 29 1839
Sir,
The papers in the case
of Mrs. Sybilla Grosscup widow
of Paul Grosscup, decd have
been examined and filed with
suspended cases. It is alleged that
her husband served a tour as a
Captain of Pennsylvania Militia in
1776, and three other towns as a
private. The testimony of witnesses is
exhibited who swear positively to the
tour as a captain, and that one of
them served said tour under him.
It will also appear that Jacob Hermony
who was a pensioner and whose widow
has applied for a pension also served 
in the same tour under her husband.
But the other alleged tours are doubtful.
The witnesses do not appear to have any
positive knowledge of said tours, and
are unable to state at what time
they were performed at what places
Page 36

and under what officers. In order to
obtain a pension each tour should be
fully and particularly specified by witness
from personal knowledge. If there
be a commission or any documents or
record proof of the service as a
commissioned officer, it should be exhibited.
The original family record shall also
be exhibited. The sheet containing it
should be taken from Mr. Books in
the presence of some respectable person who should make an affidavit of the fact, which should be attached to it and the official character and signature of the magistrate certified by the proper officer under his seal of office, before
transmitting it to this office
The claim of Mrs. Christina
Hermany, widow of Jacob Hermany
[illegible] has been admitted. Her pension
certificate will be issued in a day or
two and sent to you.
George M. Kern
July 29th, '39
Georder M. Kern
Reading, Pa
4549 [illegible] July 16
the other case to be [illegible] certified
Page 37

Dear Sir,
Enclosed are additional documents relating to the claim of Sybilla Grosscup, Which I trust may be conclusive.
Rrespectfully
Geo M. Keim
Reading Aug 16,1839
Page 38

Geo M Keim
Aug. 19
James L. Edwards Esq.
Com of Pensions
Washington DC
Page 39

Dear Sir,
Allow me to forward my applications for pension for
Christina Hermany
Sybilla Grosscup
When you have leisure to examine them be pleased to let me hear from you.
Respectfully,
Geo W. Keim
Reading Pa. July 27, 1839
Page 40

Nov 9 1842
In at Pa
Syb Grosscup
G M Keim
Inc
JL Edwards Esq
Com of Pensions
Washington DC
[stamp illegible town name]
Page 41

Some time ago the widow of Paul Grosscups papers or claim for pension
was left to your address, since
which I have received no answer, a leaf was sent out of his bible and the family appears anxious
to have it back if possible. Please
let me hear from relative hereto.
The the name is spelled Grosscup - 
The widows name is Sebilla
Your obs ser
G. [illegible}
Nov 5, 1840
[illegible]