Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1671, Samuel Caple, Md.
Page 1

Service
MD

Name
Caple, Samuel

Number R.1671
Page 2

State of Maryland
Carroll County

On this third day of April in the year eighteen hundred and forty-five before me the subscriber one of the justices of the Orphans Court of Carroll County in the state of Maryland, personally appeared Samuel Caple a resident of the state and county aforesaid aged about ninety-two years old this month who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration that he is in his ninety-third year that he was draughted (drafted) into the service of the United States of America as a soldier in the month of blank and the year blank and served therein for several terms that the commanding officer of the regiment in which he served was Colonel Gist and the company in which he served was commanded by Captain Stephen Gill of Baltimore County in the state aforesaid and that he was stationed for some time at Baltimore and that a certain Charles Robinson a resident of the City of Baltimore in said state is acquainted with the fact of his having served  in the said regiment and company as he has stated and that the best evidence of his having been drafted into the service aforesaid, in the record evidence hereto annexed taken from the records as the City of Annapolis the capital of the state foresaid, he further states that at the time he was drafted as aforesaid he was a resident of Baltimore County in the state aforesaid. Further he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension
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or annuity, except the present one for which
he is now an applicant and to which he
is honestly and bona fide entitled according to
the service in which he was engaged and
by virtue of the acts of Congress in such case
made and provided; and declares that his
name is not on the pension roll of the Agency
of any State or territory. That he is now too old
and infirm to leave his house for any distance
and appear in any open Court which is distant
from his place of residence and
therefore he makes this declaration before
Justice Mordecai G Glockey one of the
Justices of the Orphans Court of Carroll County it
being a Court of record
Sworn to and Subscribed
the day and year aforesaid
Saml Caple His Mark
Mordecai G. Cockey
mark
State of Maryland, Carroll County, To wit:
I John Baumgartner Register of Wills for Carroll County,
aforesaid, do hereby certify, that Mordecai G Cockey, Esq.
whose name is subscribed to the aforegoing paper
writing, is one of the associate Justices of the Orphans
Court for Carroll County, aforesaid, duly commissioned,
qualified and sworn; and, that the signature of the
said Mordecai G Cockey, Esq, to the same, is his genuine signature.
In Testimony whereof, I hereto subscribe my
name, and affix the seal of office, this
sixteenth day of June Eighteen hundred & forty
five. Test John Baumgartner Register
of Wills for Carroll County Maryland
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I Jacob Holmes,
a Clergyman residing
in Carroll County in the State of Maryland, do hereby certify that we are
well acquainted with Samuel Caple who has
subscrib[ed] and sworn to the above declaration that We believe him to be in his ninety third years of
age; that he is reputed and beleaved in the neighbourhood
where he resides to have been a soldier
of the Revolution, and that I concur in that
opinion
Sworn and subscribed to
Jacob Holmes
On the day and year aforesaid
Mordecai G. Cockey
Interrogatories to be propounded to Samuel Caple
the applicant herein before named
First Interrogatory. Where and in what year
were you born?
Answer. Born on 12th May 1752 Old Still
In the County of Anne Arundel State of Maryland
Second interrogatory. Have you any record
of your age, if so produce it?
Page 5

Answer It is set down in a family bible and the bible produced
Third interrogatory where were you living when
you were draughted into service, where have
We lived since the Revolutionary war and
where do you now live?
Answer. In Baltimore County State of Maryland until the
formation of Carroll County which is composed of Baltimore
and Frederick Counties I have never lived anywhere twenty miles from the place of my birth
Fourth Interrogatory, How were you called
into service, were you draughted, did you
volunteer or were you a substitute, and if in
substitute for whom
Answer I was draughted and I think by Capt Stephen
Gill
Fifth interrogatory, State the names of some of
the Regular officers who were with the troops, where you served, such Continental, and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstance of your service
Page 6

Answer to the 5th Interrogatory. I was under the command of General Gest and in the Company of Capt Stephen Gill
I was twice in Camp do not recollect how long. I think I
remember a Colonel Cockey
Sixth interrogatory. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it
Answer Don't recollect of ever having a writen disch[arge] but the day previous to the discharge received orders to hold
himself in readiness to go to the Eastern shore for battle which order he was prepared to obay [sic] but was discharged without going
and thinks it was Gen. Gest who gave the discharge
Seventh interrogatory state the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighbourhood
and who can testify as to your character for veracity
and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution
Answer  George Jacobs Zebediah Parrish Adam Shiply
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And I the said Mordecai G. Cockey one of the
Justices of the Orphans Court aforesaid being
Court of record of the State aforesaid do declare my opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served
as he states. And I do further certify that is
appears to me that Jacob Holmes
who has signed the preceeding certificate is a clergyman, resident of Carroll County aforesaid and that his statement is entitled to the fullest credit
And I further certify that in opinion the above
mentioned Samuel Caple the applicant is too
old and infirm to attend in open Court (which
is distant from his place of residence, to the
execution of these papers, but in point of
mind and memory fully able so to do
Mordecai G. Cockey
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7671
REJECTED

Samuel Caple

List of suspended claims printed in 1852 shows cause of suspension as follows: "For further proof and specification"
Page 9

No 37200
Samuel Caple Mod.
Let to Geo H. Brice
March 20th 1846
Let to Geo H Brice
May 20th 1846
Let to J. Jho. Buchanan
Decr 10th 1846
1671
Act
7th June 1832
Page 10

Jas M Buchanan
Dec 10, '46
Page 11

Pension Office
Dec 10, 1846

Sir

The additional paper filed by you in the case of Samuel Caple does not remove the objection to the admission of the claim, suggested in my letter of the 20th May last too G.H. Brice Esq. Mr. Caple is expected to state specifically his tours of service the names of the officers under whom he served, etc. and to contain his specifications by the record at Annapolis or by the testimony of those who served with him. Until this is done, the claim cannot be allowed.

James M Buchanan, Esq
Baltimore, MD
Page 12

Geo A Brice
May 20, 1846
Page 13

437
Pen Off
May 20, '46

Sir

The addl evidence in the case of Saml Caple & his supplemental statement have been examined & filed.

The records show that Col. Gist was a militia officer and consequently could only have rendered the short terms of service which were limited to the respective occasion of emergency that called them into , hence the specification of each tour has been required by the regulations & is indispensable to the adjustment of a pro rata pension understandingly - as he is unable to afford that specification in compliance with the rules & is unsupported by other evidence, his claim cannot be allowed.

Geo H Brice Esq.
Baltimore MD
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449
Sir
Pen[sion] off[ice]
.

March 20 46
The claim of Samuel Caple has been examined & his
papers filed ~This claim is now asserted for the first time after the means of proof by [?]
have been suffered to pass off
without assigning any satisfactory
reason. This would argue that
he has but lately entertained the idea
that he was entitled to a
pension & that is strengthened by
the fact that the language
employed is so general & indefinite
in describing his service that it is
doubtful whether he intend to swear 
had rendered a service which would ent-
itle him to a pension The
rules require that claimants shall
give a full narrative of each
term of service particularly in
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bracing the circumstances under which they

were called out-- their rendezvous
encampment Marcher Battles & names of
officers probable member of the Corps
embodied then quartered subsisted & paid his detailed statement should be made by claimant before any decision can be made
upon his case. If W. [Breisary ?] records
afford any evidence that
there was a Col. Gist of the militia
of Baltimore County, it would tend
to strengthen the
claim
March 20, 46
Geo H Brice Esq
Baltimore
Md.
Page 16

May 13 46
D
Recd of
Mr Caples
To the Hon ble

D L Edwards
Commission of Pensions
Washington City

B 5
Page 17

Balt May 12th 1846
Dear Sir

Would it be asking too much
on behalf of Mr Caples. An applicant for a
pension, to ask for an early decision in
case & a favorable one also. He is very
old, but yet susceptible of enjoyment
& it would gratify him to know that he
was remunerated by his government
Frequent enquiries are made of me about
his case & I am unable to furnish any
information
I am Sir,
My Respects
Teo. H Brice
Page 18

Balti April 8th 1846
Col Edwards
Dear Sir
Soon after the receipt of
your favour of the 20th Oct I determined to
have a personal interview (for the first time)
with Mr Caples whose application for o
pension I had the pleasure to present to 
you sometime since & the result of it was
the paper which I now enclose to you as
his affidavit.  I also enclose the certificate
of Mr. Brewer which you was kind enough
to intimate would be of service to him.
I found Mr Caples who lives about twenty
two miles from Baltimore in Carroll County,
a very aged & infirm man - his age as I
learn from a personal inspection of the
family record, to be about ninety four years
and himself to be a very respectable
& conscientious man, & could State no thing
further than is contained in his affidavit,
which together with the certificate of
M Brewer I sincerely hope may prove
of service to him
I am Sir
Very Respectfully 
Geo H Brice
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Feb 4, 1846

Rev W.
Samuel Caple

Free
J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
D.C.

(stamp)
(illegible)
Page 20

Balti Feb Feb 3d 1846
Dear Sir
fully aware a I am of the
Great pressure of public services upon your
Office at this particular time, yet my duty to
Samuel Caple an applicant for a pension 
from the United States for revolutionary Services
performed, obliges me with the kindest 
Considerations towards yourself, to ask for 
information in regard to it - extremely Satisfied
myself of the rightness of his claim. I can
well enter into his feelings of pride as the
thought of being rewarded for those services
and he begs me, as his days on earth are
fast drawing to a close, to urge upon
your office the decision in his favour.
He was not it is true in either of the
great struggles for our freedom, but he 
was  ready & willing to engage in them, as
he hopes, satisfactorily proven.
May I ask Sir your early consideration
of his case.
I am Sir
Very Respectfully
Geo H Brice
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March 6, 1846,
Recd
Samul Caple
B 
Cls to Loo L
16 MAY 46

(STAMP)
(Illegible)

J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
D.C.
Page 22

Honble J. L.  Edwards
About three weeks
Since I had the honor to address a letter
with reference to claim of Saml
Capel which I had presented to you
in person about a month or six weeks
(illegible) to that time, & to either of which
communication have I recd a reply.
My relation to the claim, authorizes the
friends of Mr Caple frequently to call
on me for information & up to the present
time I have not been able to furnish
any.  Will you be kind enough my
dear sir to give me some information if
in your power, about the case that
I may satisfy them that at least, it
is progressing of settlement.
I am Sir
With as respect
(illegible) Geo H Brice
Baltimore
March 3d 1846
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anyweel Jan 8 - 46
Be
Saml Caple
June 7, 1832

To
J.L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Page 24

Dear Sir Washington Jany 7th 1846
I have the pleasure to enclose the
Application of Saml Caple of Carroll
County for a pension, for services performed
in the revolutionary War &
hope this may prove to be perfect &
the Claim allowed to him.
In the declaration of Caple it is stated
that the least evidence of his having 
been drafted unto the service, is the
record appended to his application.
The absence of this record is accounted
for, by the letter annexed of Mr Brewer
of Annapolis who has the custody of
the militia rolls -- that they an imperfect, 
The declaration was written
or signed in April upon information
furnished to me the son in law of Caple
& I have no doubt they both thought
that the name of Caple has duly recorded
in Annapolis.  This however
turns out not to have been the fact
& is now too late to alter the declaration. 
I hope however this apparent
inconsistency, is unimportant.
There is another mistake which cannot
be of any importance I should suppose
it is that at the time of the affidavit
Page 25

of Charles Robinson was written he
had removed from the City to the County
of Baltimore, in the declaration of
Caple is stated that he was a resident
of the City.  I take the liberty of explaining
these things in order that there may be
no misunderstanding upon the subject.
If it should be necessary will you please
communicate with me upon this subject.
I am Sir Very  Respectfully
Geo H Brice
Page 26

Dec. 2. 1846
Adal ter case
Saml Caples
MD Surh 32
Clo to Commis 1 Dec 46

(stamp)
(illegible

PAID
Dr Crump
Pension Office
Washington City
Page 27

Dear Sir Baltimore Nov 30th 1846
Enclosed I send you an
additional affidavit in the case of
the application of Samuel Caples
for a pension: It seems to me now
that there can be no doubt of the
sufficiency of the proof, and I therefore
conclude, that the pension will
granted. Will you be pleased
to confer with Col Edwards upon
the subject and let me hear from
you at your earliest convenience. 
with qreat regards
and respect
your friend
James M Buchanan
Page 28

State of Maryland
Baltimore County Scr
Be it remembered that on the ninth
day of November 1846 before me the Subscriber
a Justice of the peace of the State aforesaid
in and for the County aforesaid personally
appeared Charles Robinson of said County
and made oath of the Holy Evangel of
Almighty God that he is personally acquainted 
with Samuel Caples formerly of the
County aforesaid but now a resident of
Carroll County, in the State aforesaid, on
whose behalf he has heretofore testified 
as an applicant for a pension for services
rendered in the War of the Revolution
and the said Caples was a soldier
in said War and served therein for
a period of not less than eight months
and he thinks for more than a year
from the time of the enlistment of the
said Caples to the time of his discharge
that he knew him at the time of his
entering the said army & has known
him ever since and that he was a soldier
of good deportment at the time and has
been a man of exemplary character.
Sworn to before me
Edwd Rider
Page 29

State of Maryland
Baltimore County
I hereby certify that Edward Rider
Selectman before whom the of foregoing affidavit
was made and who has thereto signed his name was
at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace of the State of Maryland
in and for the County aforesaid, duly commissioned and sworn.
In Testimony Whereof I hereto subscribe my
name and affix the seal of Baltimore
County Court on this 10th day of November
1846.
A.W. Bradford of
Balti County Court
Page 30

Land Office
Annapolis 24th March, 1846.
I hereby certify, That by a record of the Revolution
remaining in this office, endorsed "Militia officers in
the State of Maryland, 1778 & 1779. That the name 
of Thomas Gist appears upon said record, as a Colonel
in the Upper Battalion of Select Militia of Baltimore 
County, and that the date of his appointment is
blank upon said record.
George G. Brewer
Regr Land off. Md.
Page 31

Land Office, Annapolis
24th March, 1846.
Dear Sir yours of the 21st Inst was received, I send
you enclosed a certificate of Col Gist, having served in
the Militia of Baltimore County, but the records are
very imperfect and do not shew, the date of his
commission and when he left the service.
(In haste)
Yours respectfully
G. G. Brewer

Geo. A. Brice, Esq
Page 32

4.50
2.00
1.50
_____
9.00
12.00
1.75
1.00
.25
.75
.75
1.00
_____
26.60
10.00
1.50

12.00
1.75
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State of Maryland
Peace County to wit
Be it remembered that on this twenty fifth
day of March in the year eighteen hundred
and forty six before me the Subscriber a Justice
of the peace of the State of Mary land in and 
for Carroll County personally appeared Samuel 
Caple of the State and County aforesaid
and made oath according to law, that he
is about ninety years old and served, (as he
has before stated in his declaration, which
he is informed has been presented to the
Commissioner of pensions as the City of
Washington) in the revolutionary army and
in a regiment commanded by Col Gist, that &
Stephen Hill was his Captain 
that this fact has always been fresh in his
recollection, and that he has always been
informed because of such service he was
entitled to some (illegible) from his country
in whose service he was, but his circumstances 
have heretofore been of such or
Character as to enable him to live, without
assistance either from his neighbours or his
Country, and that his application at this
time for assistance from his country is made 
because of his property having been taken
from him to pay for obligations he had
entered into for his sons & others and that 
he is at this time & was at the time of 
making his declaration aforesaid a
poor & helpless man. that he believes
that he has stated in his said declaration 
all that he could state from memory
that he was called into the service of his
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Country and was stationed in Baltimore &
(illegible) encamped - that although they none
ordered to march to meet the enemy yet
they did not do so, that although he was
together with his regiment prepared for
action, yet my were not engaged in one.
Neither can he say how the troops were
subsisted on paired, --  but he makes a
repetition of his former oath, that he
was a soldier & bore arms in the revolutionary
War of America, & continued in
the same until he together with the entire regiment were permitted to return
to their homes in Baltimore County or elsewhere where he
at that time resided, and that he is
unable to furnish any further information
that he had no learning, can neither 
read or write, otherwise perhaps he might
have kept some memorandum of his
said service at the time it was so rendered.
Sworn before Chas Stevenson
Justice of the peace

State of Maryland Carroll County Set
hereby certify that Charles Stevenson, Gentleman
before whom the above affidavit was made and who
hath thereto subscribed his name was at the time of so
doing a Justice of the peace of the State of Maryland
in and for Carroll County duly commissioned & sworn.
In testimony Whereof I hereunto
subscribe my name and affix the
seal of Carroll County Court this
25th day of April 1846
Jacob Shower
Page 35

State of Maryland
Carrol County
Be it remembered that on this third
day of September in the year of Our Lord
thousand eight hundred and forty five
before me the subscriber a Justice of the
peace of the State of Maryland in and
for the County aforesaid, personally appeared
Zebediah Parrish and Adam Shipley of
the County aforesaid, who made oath on the
Holy Evangely of Almighty God that they
are Neighbours of and personally acquainted
with Samuel Caples, that he is a man
of unexceptionable character, and held in
high esteem by his neighbours, that he is
now very old and infirm though of sound
mind, that he has always been reputed
in his neighbourhood to have been a soldier
of the revolution in America, that
from conversations they have had with
him some thirty years ago and always since
they understood from him he was a soldier
in the revolutionary War. And from
their knowledge of him they have no
doubt of the fact.
Chas Stevenson
Page 36

State of Maryland Carroll County Set
I hereby certify that Charles Stevenson Gentleman
before whom the within affidavits were read and
who hath thereto subscribed his name was at that
time of so doing a Justice of the Peace of the State of
Maryland and for said County duly
Commissioned & sworn.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto
subscribed my name and affixed the
seal of Carroll County Court this 
22nd day of September 1843
Jacob Shower
Page 37

Baltimony, County
State of Maryland
Be it remembered that on this Tenth
day of December in the year of Our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty five
before me the Subscriber a Justice of the
Peace of the State of Mary land in and
for the County of Baltimore Personally appeared
Charles Robinson of the County
aforesaid and made oath on the Holy
Evangely of Almighty God that he is personally
acquainted with Samuel Caple
of the said State and County Court and has
been for a great number of years, and
that he knows of his own knowledge
as the said Samuel Caple Served as a
soldier in the War of the American
Revolution, that the said Samuel Caple
as stationed at Baltimore and was in
regiment commanded by Colonel
Gist and to a company commanded by
Captain Stephen Gill, that he frequently
Saw the said Caple Whilst in the said
service and understood at that time
and several times since them from persons 
who are now dead, that the said Caple
Page 38

was a good soldier and demeaned him
self well as such and since then
has always born the character of an
honest and upright man, and has
no hesitation in saying that he as much
deserves a pension from the United States
government as any other man who ever
applied for, or received one, that the
said Caple is now very old he should
mark about eighty four or ninety years
old, and his memory good tho much
reduced in health himself. and from
his knowledge of said Caple Sir is satisfied
that he would not make any statement which
was not true.
Sworn before   Jno Sumwalt
State of Maryland Baltimore County Set I hereby certify that
John Sumwalt Gentleman before whom the above affidavit was
made and who has thereto signed his name was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace of the State
aforesaid in and for Baltimore County duly commissioned
as such.
In Testimony Whereof thereto set my
hand and affix the seal of Baltimore
County Court this 3d day of January
1846.
A W Bradford Clk
Page 39

37,200
Samuel Caple
Md
Act of June '32
Page 40

Land Office, Annapolis, 26th June, 1845
Dear Sir,
Yours of the 25th Inst, I have just received and
hasten to reply to it, By the Army Ledger's of the Revolution 
in this office, it appears that Captain Stephen Gill
commanded a Company, in the gunpowder upper Battalion of select
Militia in Baltimore County, but there is no master or
pay roll of his company to be found, and I am unable to 
ascertain whether Saml Caple served in his company or not.
The records of the Militia troops that served in the
Revolution are very imperfect, and there are but few 
muster or pay rolls of any of the Militia companies to be found.
Samuel Caple, belonged to the Continental line and was an
enlisted Soldier, he could not therefore be the same person
now applying for a pension, because, Capt Stephen Gill, the
officer under whom he alleges to have served, did not belong
he the Regular Army, but the select Militia of Baltimore
County.-- I was under the impression when I last wrote, that
John Caple, was supposed to have served in the Regular Army,
which induced me to think, that Chapple and Caple was
one and the same person.
Very respectfully Yrs Sir,
G. G. Brewer

Geo. A. Brice, Esqr
P.S.  If there is charge of any cost, we do not charge old soldiers anything.
G. G. B.