Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 22,229, Henry Ellis, Md.

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[Form] (3-1776)
Service
Md. Ellis, Henry Number S. 22.229
Born in Ireland
Contents
[The remainder of the form is blank]

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18.917
Pittsburgh Agency
Henry Ellis of Fayette Co. in the State of Pa. who was a Pr. in the company commanded by Captain Wells of the Regiment commanded by Col. _________ in the Maryland Militiamen
9 Mo Private $30
Inscribed on the Roll of Pittsburgh Agency and the rate of 30 Dollars per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 30th Day of October 1833 and Sent to Andrew Stewart, Uniontown, Pa.
Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1833 - $75.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 1834 [$] 15
[total] $90.00
{Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832}
Recorded by John T. Sprague Clerk,
Book E. Vol. 5 Page 75

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Pennsylvania
Fayette County sp.
On the fourth day of September one thousand Eight hundred and thirty three personally in the open court before the judges of the court of common pleas of Fayette County now sitting Henry Ellis aged Eighty one years who being duly sworn according to law did on his oath make the primary declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of 7th June 1832
That he entered the service under the following named officers as herein stated. viz
He first entered the Service of the United States at Baltimore in the State of Maryland in July 1776 as a volunteer under Capt. George Wells about two months which he served out in the fort at that place.
After this tour ended, Captain Wells and his company volunteered again and went back & resumed their [illegible] ground and defend the city against the enemy who was expected to attack this place. In 1778 there was some vessel building at Baltimore for the United States and it was necessary to guard the shipping against the approach of the enemy for this purpose it was necessary to have a company of men stationed on the alert for that purpose which had to be  raised by volunteers as it was uncertain how long their services might be required. His former Captain George Bell undertook to raise the company for that purpose & best up for volunteers. he volunteered among others. The company was reformed and went to their Station at the yard where the vessels were building & continued sometimes on military duty when occasion required and sometimes at work as ordered by their officers in the yard in aiding & assisting in building the vessels being mostly mechanics of one kind or other. This deponent was a black smith and was employed occasionally in working for the Government under direction

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of his officers when they were not on other duty. My continued stay to guard the shipping & the city of Baltimore against the enemy for fourteen months, making in all eighteen months service the three last months of the fourteen months service was rendered under a new engagement after the expiration of eleven months they were discharged & some time after this they depart & some others of the old & some new ones reengaged & lived three months more - his two first engagements at the fort was for two months each which he served & his two last engagements were the one eleven & the other three months making as above mentioned eighteen months for which he claims a pension. He has no discharge or other documentary evidence nor does he know of any [illegible] whose testimony he can provide to from his services.
He hereby relinquishes all claim to any pension whatsoever except the present and declares that his name is not in the pension roll of the agency of any state.
In answer to the interrogatories required to be put before the War Department he answers as follows
1. That he was born in the county of Antrim in the north of Ireland in the year 1751 he does not know the day of the month.
2. That he has no record of his age.
3. That he resided in Baltimore when he entered the service from there he removed to Hartford Co. Maryland when he resided till he removed to the county (Fayette PA) about 24 years ago.
4. He entered the service as a volunteer.
5. That his captain was George Wells and Lieutenant John Steele & Ensign George Wells Jr. son of Capt. Geo. Wells. That they served as a company detached from any other troops.
6. He has no written discharge. That he could not provide the attendance of a clergyman at court but
7. That he can prove his character & his reputation as a revolutionary soldier by his neighbors Seafety Patterson & Shaderick Fuller
[signed] Henry Ellis X his mark
Sworn & prescribed in open court 4th Sept 1833
Richd Beeson [illegible]

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Mr. Saefety Patterson and Shaderick Fuller neighbors of Henry Ellis the foregoing named applicant for a pension resident in Fayette County Pennsylvania do hereby certify that in an will [illegible] with Henry Ellis who has signed sworn to the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be eighty one years of age that he has been reported & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the revolution & that we concur in that opinion, and further that he is very infirm and poor & stands in need of assistance from his country for support which we believe he justly claims & merits.
Sworn & subscribed in open court 4 Sept 1833 
Richd Beeson Protty Seafetey W Patterson Shaderick Fuller

And the Court here by concurs their opinion after the investigation of the matter and the putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department that Henry Ellis was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. 
And the court so further certify that it appears to them that Seafety Patterson and Shaderick Fuller who have [illegible] the above certificate are both residents of Fayette County and are reputable persons. And that their statement is suitable to credit.
Fayette County Pennsylvania} I Richard Beeson Protty of the court of common pleas in & for said county do certify that the foregoing concurs the original proceeding of the said applicant in the matter of the application of Henry Ellis for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of the same court this 4th day of Sept 1883
Richd Beeson Pro

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Henry Ellis
27.101

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Fayette County p
Pennsylvania }
Personally appeared before me a Justice of the peace in & for said county Henry Ellis who being duly sworn deposeth and sayeth that by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory he cannot swear pertaining to the precise length of his service but to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below in the following [illegible]. That in the latter part of July or first of August 1776 a draft of militia was made at Baltimore Maryland that when the draft was about being made George Wells the captain of his company proposed to volunteer instead of standing a draft and accordingly the captain with most of the company volunteered for a term of two months which they served out in & near Baltimore at the fort about a mile below Fells Point. After this time expired the enemy being expected to make an attack they volunteer ? he among the others for two other terms of two months each which he served out at Baltimore and in the Fort making six months as a volunteer militia man. That he rendered no further military duty until August 1778 when the Government was building some vessels in the Harbor at Baltimore which it was necessary to guard against the public enemy. A volunteer company was required for this service which his former captain Geo Bell undertook to raise. he volunteer ? under his old captain Bell and they continued organized and active

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in guarding the shipping (through [illegible]? as [illegible] occasionally in assisting as mechanicals in building the vessels for about 11 months it is not in his power to show under what authority they were called but he presumes it was under the authority of the United States but of proof [underlined] from him that "this company was called out by [underlined] competent authority" is indispensable he must abandon this part of his claim. That some time after this time say about four months in September or October he volunteered for a tour of three months under Capt. George Wells which he served in the fort for the next part near Baltimore. This was militia duty which was performed in lieu of drafted militia. The foregoing is all the regular tour he served in the revolutionary war making twenty months. Two months more than stated in his declaration two months being omitted by the pensioner or forgotten by the time this deponent  but as before mentioned is proof that the company raised by Captain George Wells to guard the shipping way called not by "competent authority" is required of the deponent he must abandon his claim to this fourteen of his service which will reduce his claim to nine months of militia service. Under these commitments he submits his claim to the Honorable Secretary of War to say whether  he shall have a pension for the whole period of 20 months or only for the nine months militia service. He is certainly poor, infirm, & old and anything would be a great relief to him in his present destitute and dependent circumstances living as he does upon the charity of others. His is conscious of having a just claim

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for the whole period but will cheerfully acquiesce
in any decision that may be needed in conformity with the rules & regulations of the Department. 
Sworn & subscribed before me this 16th day of October 1833.
John Oliphant

[signed] Henry Ellis his mark X

I hereby certify that John Oliphant before whom the above [illegible] was made is a Justice of the Peace in & for Fayette County Penn & that the above is his signature signed thereto in my presence. [illegible] my hand this 16th day of October 1833.
[signed] Andw Stewart
[illegible]

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War Department
Pension Office
October 1, 1833
Sir:
The papers in the case of Henry Ellis have been examined and are herewith sent to you. a
The statement of his tow last terms of service is not satisfactory. The nature of the service is not fully shown. There should be evidence that the corps was called into service by competent authority; that it continued for the length of time stated: and that he was employed under a civil contract.
A pension certificate for Thomas Dalrymple is herewith enclosed.
Briefs accompany the papers of William Cottons, Abraham Gollentine, Daniel Styvers, and Thomas Jobine showing their defects. 
I have the honor to be,
Very Respectfully, 
Your Obedient Servant.
JL Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Hon. A. Stewart
Uniontown
Pa.

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22229
INVALID
[written vertically to the left of INVALID] Revolution
[written vertically to the right of INVALID] ary
File No. 22,229
Henry Ellis
[illegible] Rev War
Act: June 7" 32"
Index: - Vol. 2, Page 123
[Arrangement of 1870.]

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[round postmark in upper left] Uniontown Pa Oct 17
[written upside-down] Admitted J Monthy
[written where stamp goes in upper right] Free A. Stewart m.l.
[addressed to] J. L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
[written vertically on left margin] Pa net
[written on an angle below and left of address] Sax

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Union Town Oct. 1833
JL Edwards Esq
Dear Sir
I return herewith the papers of Henry Ellis with the required explanations as to the [underlined] fact that the volunteer company raised by Capt Geo Wells to guard the Shipping at Baltimore in 1778 being called into the service by [underlined] "competent authority" he can furnish no evidence on the [illegible]; & submits this part of his claim to [illegible] decision as under the circumstances you think proper to make. he is miserably poor, old & infirm and dependent on charity for support. he cannot live long & unless his case is soon disbursed of it will be too late to do [underlined] him any good
Very respectfully
yr mo obt [illegible]
Andw. Stewart