Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18405, Christopher Ford, Penn.

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Service Penn.
Ford, Christopher
Number S. 18405

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13421
Ohio Pittsburgh
Christopher Ford
of Ashtabula in the State of Ohio
who was a private & {above] artificer in the c. commanded by Captain Thompson of the Regt. command by Col. Ross in the Penna. line for a term of 6 months of wk as an artificer
$39.33/100

Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio Pittsburgh at the rate of 39 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issue the 20 day of July 1833 and sent to J R Geddings, Jefferson  Ct. Ohio

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 78.66
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept '33 - 19.66
$98.32

Revolutionary Claim,
Act Jun 6, 1832

Recorded Wm. P. Palmer - Clerk
Book # Vol. 8 Page 111

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C. Ford Affidavit

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Christopher Ford;
Application for a Pention [sic]

15010

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State of Ohio
SS
Ashtabula County

On this 24th day of September AD 1832 personally appeared in open court before _______ the court of Common Pleas now sitting, Christopher Ford a resident of Salem in the county of Ashtabula and state of Ohio, aged 70 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 he enlisted in the year AD 1781 to the best of his recollection at the Borough of Lancaster in the County of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania into a Company of Artificers commanded by Captain Anthony Thompson, for the period of six months, that to the best of his recollection said Company was attached to this Pennsylvania State troops, that he enlisted as aforesaid in the month of May of the year [illegible] aforesaid, and continued in the service in said company which was stationed at Lancaster aforesaid, and was employed as a Black Smith until the period of his enlistment expired, which was in the latter part of October of the same year, when he was discharged, that he resided at the time of his enlistment as aforesaid at Lancaster aforesaid.  That said company was not removed during the period of his enlistment from Lancaster aforesaid, that to the best of his recollection General Ross was the superintendent and Chief of Contractors of said Company.

That while he resided at a place near Conestoga the name of which he does not recollect, in the County of Lancaster aforesaid while he was enlisted in a company commanded by John Sluter which to the best of recollection was in the year AD 1782 he was drafted in the Pennsylvania Militia in a company of which the captain's name has escaped his recollection.  That soon after he was drafted as aforesaid he marched with said company to the City of Philadelphia where said company quartered until they were dismissed, which was to the best of his recollection about one month from the time when he was drafted as aforesaid.  That he knows of no surviving witness, nor has he any documentary evidence of either of the above mentioned terms of his service.  That he knows of no clergyman whom e can conveniently [illegible] to attend the said court to certify to his character.  

[Signature]
Hanamiah Brooks

A. Ralston Chase a resident in my neighborhood & can testify as to my character  their belief of my service as a soldier of the Revolutionary War [most of the rest of the paragraph illegible] 

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; or (if any) only on that of the agency of the state of ________

Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.  Christopher Ford

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Sword to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
L. Moffett Circuit Judge

We, Hananiah Brooks, residing in the town of Salem and A. Roylston Chase residing in same place hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Christopher Ford who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 70 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.

Sworn and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Hananiah Brooks
A. Ralston Chase

Lemuel Moffitt circuit judge

and the said court do hereby declare their 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 the court further certifies that it appears to them that Hananiah Brooks who has signed the preceding certificate, is a resident in the town of Salem, and that A. Ralston Chase who has also signed the same is a resident in the same place and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I, Sam Henry, clerk of the Court of Common Pleas do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Christopher Ford for a pension.

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 26th day of September A.D. 1832

[Signature and Seal]
Sam. Hendry Clerk

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The State of Ohio
Ashtabula County JP

This day that is to say on the 14th day of May A.D. 1833 personally appeared Christopher Ford who made the above declaration of his service as an artificer in the Revolution before the Court of Common Pleas within & for said County & being sworn in aforesaid Court deposeth & saith that there is no Clergymen in the township where he resides who is acquainted with his character or belief of his service.  There being only one Clergyman in said township who has but recently come into said township, that he lives more than twenty five miles from the County seat of said county & that it would be highly inconvenient for him to obtain the certificate of a clergyman, that he was born in the town of Germantown in the State of Pennsylvania in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & sixty two, that he has no record of his age.  That he is acquainted with Hananiah Brooks, A. Ralston Chase & George Morton who reside in his neighborhood & who can testify as to his character for truth & veracity & also to the belief of his service as an artificer of the Revolution.
[Signature]
Christopher Ford

The State of Ohio
Ashtabula County Ct

I Sam Henry Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said county do hereby certify that the foregoing containing the suppli-mental proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the Application of Christopher Ford.  In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court at Jefferson the 14th day of May A.D. 1833.

Sam Hendry Clerk C. [illegible]

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13.421
No. 15010

Christopher Ford
Ashtabula County
Ohio

Adm 7 months 6 mos thereof as artificer

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BRIEF in the case of Christopher Ford
of Ashtabula County in the State of Ohio
(Act 7th June, 1832)

1.  Was the declaration made before a Court of a Judge?  a Court

2.  If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disable by bodily infirmity?

3.  How old is he?  70

4.  State his service as directed in the form annexed.

Period
Enlisted in 1781
Drafted 1782

Duration of Services
6 months enlisted
1 month drafted

Rank
As a private

Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served
Capt Thompson
Gen'l Ross

5.  In what battles was he engaged?  None

6 Where did he reside when he entered the service?  Lancaster C. Pa

7.  Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?  Traditionary evidence

8.  Are the papers defective as to form or authentication?  and if so, in what respect?  The certificate of the certifying officer is attached to the sheet of paper which con-tains the affidavit by a piece of tape the ends of which &

I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

[Signature]
Dyer Castor, Examining Clerk

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P
18405
INVALID.
File No. 18405
Christopher Ford
Priv Rev War
Act: June 7, 32
Index:-Vol. 1, Page 442

[Arrangement of 1870]

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Christopher Ford

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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Christopher Ford, which require further proof or explanation. 

[The questions on the remainder of the form have been left blank.]

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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and other respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? 

No. 

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? 

XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? 

XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, he has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
       If he has produced direct proof as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? 
      Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?

XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?

XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? 

No

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 

1. 2. 

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: 
'Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For ________ year ________ months, and _________ days, I served as a __________. For __________ months and _______ days, I served as a ____________; and for such service I claim a pension.

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3

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase "about three or four months" is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that they served two years in the militia, &c, without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit. 

QUERE XIV. Proof of Service
   In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office. 

QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
  In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying office, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate. 

{Pointing Hand} IN every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying offier, should accompany the papers.