Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 3824, Thomas Townsley, Penn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Penn.
Townley, Thomas
S. 3824
CONTENTS
Carded

Ohio 7131.
Thomas Townskey
of Greene Co in the State of Ohio. who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Nicholas of the Regt. commanded by Col. Watts. in the Penn. ma. tun for 6 mo. from '76
Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio at the rate of 20 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 5 day of March 1833 and sent to James Galloway Dr. Penna Co.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $ 40.00 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Septm 1833 10.00
$ 50.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk, Book E Vol. 8 Page 26

Thos. Townley Ohio.
from 1776 private 6 months. $20.
Jas. Gallaway Jr. Rema O.

BRIEF in the case of Thomas Townsley of Greene County in the State of Ohio (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 77.  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     In 1776 Decr. . . . 2 . . . . . . Vol Gen. Col. Watts.   1778 Apr. . . . 2 . . . . . . Militia Capt. Nicholas.   1784 Apr. . . . 2 . . . . . . do. Capt. M c Nelson.  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None.  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Cumberland Co. Pa.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? No. 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
W. L. Williams Examining Clerk.

10624. Declaration of Thomas Townsley

State of Ohio } Greene County }
On this 15 th day of September in the Year 1832 personally appeared in open Court, before the undersigned authority, a Notary Public in and for the State of Ohio the court of Common Pleas now sitting Thomas Townshy a resident of Xenia Township, in the county of Greene and State of Ohio, aged seventy seven 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 th 1832.
That he entered the United States service under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. In the Month of December 1776 he turned out as a volunteer to relieve or aid Gen l Washington at the time of his retreat before the British army through the Jerseys, a short time previous to the capture of the Hessians at Trenton, and served a tour of two months in Col d Watts Regiment, in the company commanded by Cap t Thomas Clark, of which company Joseph Steyer was first Lieutenant, and Anthony Logan 2 d Lieutenant; the name of the Ensign he does not now recollect. At the time he entered the service as aforesaid he was a resident of Sheermans valley, Cumberland County, State of Pennsylvania. He was not in any battle during the tour, but was on several Scouts, on the last of which he was taken sick, and continued sick until the company was discharged, being put on board a shallop at Trenton, and hauled in a wagon from Philadelphia to Harris's ferry, in company with another of the same company, who died on the way. On the march outward of the company, we passed through Lancaster, Philadelphia and Trenton to Princeton, where the company were mostly stationed, during the tour.
That while the American Army were at Valley Forge, in the Month of April 1778, he was drafted & served for another tour of duty of two months service, and attended on the day of rendezvous near where he then lived in Sheermans valley as above stated, and received orders to march within a few days, and on the day before those drafted were to march, his wagon and team were pressed into the service of the United States

and he was ordered to accompany and take charge of his team as driver or wagoner, which he did, and was attached to Capt. M c Cabe's Brigade of wagons, under whose command he continued with his team during the whole tour, until he was duly discharged.
And also that afterwards, he thinks in the month of April 1781 he was again drafted into the service of the United States, and served another tour of two months under Capt. John Nelson, but does not recollect the names of the Subaltern officers; during which tour he was on an expedition up the Susquehanna river, above Sunbury, against the Indians, and performed Garrison duty in a fort, the name of which he thinks was Boggs's fort.  has forgotten , situate some several  few miles above the forks of the 2nd river, during the greater part of the time. During the time of his several tours of duty, the militia among whom he served were never attached to the Regular soldiers, nor did he become personally acquainted with any of the Regular officers; Since the revolution he has resided in Kentucky & at his present residence that he has no documentary evidence of his services, and does not know of any person now living, whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his services. 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 any State.
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Sworn to & subscribed in Open Court Sept 15 th 1832 J. L. Brown Clerk
Thomas Townsley
We James M c Gay, John Stevenson, and James Galloway jr. residing in Greene County State of Ohio, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Townsley who subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, having known him upwards of thirty two years, and resided in the same neighbourhood during the whole of that time; that we believe him to be seventy seven years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Attest J. L. Brown Clerk
James M c Gay John Stevenson James Galloway jr.

James Adams a Clergyman residing in Xenia Township Greene County and State of Ohio hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Thomas Townsley, who has sworn to and subscribed the foregoing declaration, and believe him to be 77 years of age: that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that I concur in that opinion
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Attest J. Grover Clerk
James Adams.
as above stated;
truth, veracity, and belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution.
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 James Adams who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the township of Xenia in the county of Greene and State of Ohio, and in the presence of that James McCoy, John Stevenson and James Galloway jr who have signed a certificate above, are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I James L. Grover, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County and State aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Thomas Townsley for a pension.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 15 th day of September
1832.
J. Grover Clerk

Reckless
3824
INVALID.
File No. 3824
Thomas Lowndes
Pa. Pa. No.
Act: June 7, '32
Index:—Vol. 11 , Page 376
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Arch. 7/94 Mil. Mus. to Henry B. Swarbrick, Middle Dist. Pen. Off.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Thomas Townsley which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes. II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes. III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes. V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? Yes. VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes. VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes. VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes. IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes. X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? Yes.

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? Yes.
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? Yes.
XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to 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? Yes.
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? Yes.
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."

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 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 place or 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 officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
☞ 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 officer, should accompany the papers.