Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 11,318, Thomas Wells, Penn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Penn
Wells, Thomas
RE 11.318
CONTENTS

34255 Thomas Wells Va
Declaration Of Thomas Wells Of Tyler Co. Va.
Report to the Hon. John J. Allen Of the Virginia Genl Atchison & James Morgan Agents
Hon. J. J. Allen

State of Virginia } ss Tyler County } ss
On this 8 th day of January 1834 Personally appeared before me William Bonds a Justice of the Peace in & for Tyler County & State of Virginia Thomas Wells An Old & Respectable Citizen of Tyler County of Tyler Aged 83 years October last - Past 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 of 4 th June 1833 that he entered the Service of the United States Under the following named Officers & Services As herein stated that at Fort Jackson State of Pa and two miles Creek a branch of Monongahela River in the year 1776 he thinks about 4 th day of April that he volunteered his Service as an Indian Spy Under Capt Lyne Pigman Lieutenant - Charles Stewart Ensign Richard S. Searan Col McFarland Declarant states being Commandant at Fort Jackson aforesaid Major Searan not remembered affiant says that shortly after he had volunteered that he received from his said Capt Lyne Pigman a warrant or Commission which warrant or Commission was also signed by Col -

Mr. Garland & Campbell are declarants see the Regulations required him to perform all the Duties of a duly Sergeant of Capt. Pigney Company of Mason's Spies in the Service of the United States & that in obedience to the order of his said Capt. Pigney he was detailed with 8 or 10 of his fellow Spies & was engaged during the Summer of '67 in spying & defending the surrounding by regular tours of duty the Country & places herein after named to wit from Fort Jackson aforesaid he traversed Spied the Country to Near Station & Muddy Creek thence to Shingles Forts on the waters of Monongahela River thence to Redstand all forts thence down Monongahela River to the Mouth of Muddy Creek thence to Lantana Fort on Davis Creek thence to Jenkins Fort thence to Jackson Fort aforesaid from said Fort by the Wilderness Route to Fort Wheeling on the Ohio River thence up the Ohio to Fort Pitt thence up the Monon- -gahela River to the Mouth of Ten Mile Creek thence to Fort Jackson from whence appointed originally started & he further says that the Spies packed their provision and their baggage from Station to Station & that they frequently suffered from hunger & fatigue & he further says that he Spied on all the above named

Route the summer of 76 once until about the 1st of December 76 when Capt Pymans Company of Spies took up winter quarters at Fort Jackson as our spies affirm says that he after had since from April till December 76 an Indian Spy on orderly Sergeants in the Service of the For United States & that he remained at said fort during the winter But did not spy any more till March 1777 When he again commenced his regular spying business under his former officers & that he acted in the same capacity of orderly Sergeant in his said Capt Pymans Company & that he in company with others to wit Lieutenants Scott & his detachment of Capt Pymans Spies marched from Jackson fort aforesaid about 7 days of March aforesaid 1777 Down the Monongahela River to Fort Pitt Where officers say they remained a few weeks from thence to Fort Wheeling by way of the Ohio River & he further states that he spies & arrested to defend the frontiers of the above Great West & that he was along the Ohio as low down said River as the mouth of Fishing Creek & up the Ohio to Fort Wheeling again he now then in July 1777 & from said Fort up

Big Wheeling Creek & across the country to the water of ten miles & State of Pa to fort - Jackson Again the routes before named which were of great distances & required great bodily fatigue & exertion to perform used then that affiant was engaged in spying & defending in the year 77 - a year long to be remembered in consequence of the great efforts made by Indians to cut off western Pennsylvania & Virginia the celebrated Siege of Forts Wheeling took place happened in Sept of 77 - with many other murders & atrocious savages cruelties & cruelties here to - mentioned the fortune of war did favor affiant in any engagement with the savages the nature of his service being that of an almost continued march from post to post he was remarkably of that honor as affiant states that he was discharged by Capt Lyre Pymann at Fort Jackson on ten mile Creek & State of Pa he thinks on or about 1 st day of December 1877 after having been from 1 st day of March 1877 till 1 st day of December 77 - an Indian spy - in the capacity of orderly sergeant to Capt Lyre Pymann's Company - affiant remained at fort Jackson & # in the neighborhood till April 1878 when he again volunteered his service in defense of the Garrison -

three years that he was ordered by Col. W. H. H. H. H. with a file of Spies under his Command to hunt out & bring in all such men as refused to perform their regular tours of duty & such persons as were prone to desert the cause of their Country. In these times of danger & in obedience to said orders he caught & brought in to Fort Jackson a man named P. P. P. a man named H. H. H. who deserted from Fort Jackson upon said & he further adds that Col. W. H. H. H. H. told him if they refused to come to the place to a billet of wood & deliver them an a H. H. H. bring in the deserters at all hazards. He says he served during the years 79- 1780- 81- 82- & 83 except the winter months from 1776- till 79- as heretofore stated he is confident that he served throughout the war of the Revolution against the Indians & he further says that he was last discharged by his said Capt. J. J. J. P. J. means he now thinks am or about Oct 1783 after having served throughout the war of the Revolution an Indian Spy an enemy. Sergeant & he further states when a very old man & despite from military duty & during the latter years that he substituted to go to Norfolk Va in the place of Capt. W. H. H. H. H. who was captured in the Battle of W. H. H. H. H. Tyler County & that he was on his way to Norfolk when the news arrived that he has no documentary evidence of his service having lost his Sergeant's Warrant & his Discharge many years ago he does not know

any person that he can prove them by he is too old & infirm to attend Court he hardly relinquishes every wharton to a pension or annuity. Except the present & he declares his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state
Sworn to & subscribed the Day & year last aforesaid Thomas X Wells
to the several interrogatories subscribed mark by the war department = must be pronounced to the applicant he answers as follows 1- I was born in the year 1751 as I always heard & believed in Conogocheague Valley & State of Maryland
2- I have no record of my age
3- When I entered the service I lived in the State of Pa I have since in Pa & Va where I now live in Tyler County
4- I served as a volunteer an Indian spy an orderly sergeant
5- I knew Col McFarland & Capt Munn & Pignun I have forgotten the N o of Regt I have stated all my service to the best of my recollection of past events
6- I have lost all my discharges & papers long ago
7- I am known to John W Allen a clergyman & others who can testify as to my character for sanctity & then & the neighborhood belief of services in the war of the revolution
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Thomas X Wells
W- John W Allen a clergyman mark H Williams A.C. Teacher John Adams & Lydia Adams do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Wells who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 83 years of age at this last post that he is reputed & belie- ved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been an Indian spy & orderly sergeant in the war of the

and an Indian Spy his services was accepted - he was again placed under his former officer - Stationed at fort Lachesun & along the Monongahalia River as low down as fort Pitt - & along down the Ohio River to fort Wheeling & from there by way of his former route - to fort Lachesun afterwards there, to Redstone & etc fort Owens & Cannon's Station & so many - Points on the Monongahalia River it is impossible for old soldiers being very old & childish to give a minute narrative of marches & fighting Occasionally he says that he continued to act as orderly sergeant of Capt Pigeon's Company & he further states that the important events - that he remembers of happening in 78 were - the Establishing of a fort at the mouth of Big Bear Gap - General McIntosh which proved to be a great Barrier to the Inroads of the Indians but few measures were committed in 78 on the frontier of Pa or Real affairs - so, that he now thinks about way of November 78. he was discharged by his said Capt Pigeon he thinks at - Owens fort or Station & State of Pa - after having served from April 1778 till November 78 - officer states that he was then despatched by Col McFarland over the Mountains to Hagerstown & Fred -

= 1776 = State of Maryland In part of Ammunitions for the Garrison at Fort Jackson - Sack for the Sustenance of the Inhabitants has about the Garrison after he returned in the Spring of 79 he thinks March of that year Declarants again volunteered under his former officers at Fort Jackson appointed & sworn in the same capacity of orderly - Sergeant as before stated & Spied & assisted to defend the Western Borders of Pa & Va - as before named together with many other Youth that he has forgotten & that he Spied During the Spring Summer & Autumn - months of every year from 1776 - till 1783 throughout the whole Revolutionary struggle & that all his services which were rendered within the period of the Revolution he served under Capt. Dyer Pignum & acted in the capacity of orderly Sergeant in his said Capt. Pignum Company - & further that all his services were performed on the frontiers of Pa & Va to wit the river Monongahalia Youghogany Alleghany & Ohio & their tributaries There are the forts & stations situated thereon & he further says that the portion of war here passed him to in his power to participate in an = engagement with the Enemy - although he was continually in the midst of alarm & - Dwyer's affidavit recollects that in the year 77 or 1780 he is not certain which of

Resolution and that we concur in that Opinion
Sworn to and subscribed
The day and year aforesaid
John W. Allen, Clergyman
H. Hallam
A. B. Fuller
John Owens
Levi Grelaud
And I the said Justice of the peace do hereby declare my opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting of the Interrogatories prescribed by the war department that the above named Applicant was an orderly Sergeant and Mexican Spy in the war of the Revolution and that he served as he states and I the said Justice further certify that appears to me that John W Allen, Clergyman and Henry Hallam Alexander B Fuller and

John Owens and Jesse Ireland are Resident Citizens of Tyler County & State of Virginia and are Creditable Persons and that their Statement is entitled to Credit And I the said Justice further certify that the above named Applicant from bodily infirmity is unable to have to the Court house of the said County of Tyler from which he lies twelve miles and I the said Justice further certify that the foregoing containing the original proceedings of myself in the matter of the application of Thomas Wells for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal this 8 day of January A D 1834
Wm Bond Justice Peace
State of Virginia Tyler County ss.
I David Hickman, Clerk of the County Court of Tyler, certify that William Bond before whom the foregoing declaration was made now is & was at the time of taking & subscribing

to the same an acting justice of the Peace in & for the county of Tyler aforesaid, as stated by him, and that the foregoing signature, purporting to be his is genuine. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my seal of Office, and subscribed my name this 25 th day of April 1834
David Hickman Clerk Tyler County Court

Rev. & 1812 Wars Section.
September 4, 1924.
Mrs. O. E. Holloway, Knightstown, IND.
Madam:
I have to advise you that from the papers in Revolutionary War pension claim, R.11318 , it appears that Thomas Wells was born in October 1751 in Conococheague Valley, Maryland.
He applied for pension January 8, 1834, while a resident of Tyler County, Virginia, and alleged that while residing in Pennsylvania (place not stated), he enlisted at Fort Jackson on Ten Mile Creek, Pennsylvania, April 1, 1776, served as an Orderly Sergeant in Captain Jesse Pigman's Company of Indian Spies under Colonel McFarland in the Pennsylvania Troops during the spring, summer and fall of each year until October 1783. His claim for pension was not allowed as he failed to furnish proof of service as required by the pension laws.
There is no data on file as to his family.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.
Note:
Sol states that he vol. in the "late war" but as he did not actually serve I did not mention it.
U.M.

1924, Sept. 4 - Hist. to Mrs. O.E. Holloway. u m
Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
11.318
P. O. Thomas Wells
Service: _____
REJECTED
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

Tho' Wells N.B.
11318

Knights town, Henry Co.
Dear Sir
Will you please tell me if any one of the following Rev. Soldiers who served out of Washington Co Pa, by the name of Walls , received a pension? -
Benjamin, Gussy, Gustavus, Isaac, John, Joseph, Peter, Robert, Thomas & William?
The same please under the name of Crooks .
Henry Richard, Robert & Thomas who also served out of Washington Co. Pa Did any of these receive pension?
Very truly,
Mrs. O. E. Holloway
Aug 6 th '24