Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 2375, Francis Bedle, Penn. Va.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Penn. Va.
Bedle Francis.
S 2375
CONTENTS

7737.
Shada Mill. Feb 17 " 1858
Ohio. —
Francis Beadle
of Warren Co. in the State of Ohio. who was a 1st Sergt. in the 2nd Regt. commanded by Captain Cross. — of the 1st Regt. commanded by Col. Evans in the Penn. Mil. line for Seven Months.
Private 1st. M o 33. 33. Sergeant 6. — 30. $ 33. 33
Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio. at the rate of 33. Dollars 33. Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 26 th day of Mar. 1833 and sent to. Nathan Karpis Lebanon O.
Arrears to the 4th of Mar. 1833. 66.66 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept. 1833. 16.66 $ 83. 32
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Wm. H. Palmer Clerk, Book E. Vol. 8, Page Two.

State of Ohio Warren County ss:
On this thir  th day of Nov 1832 personally appeared before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, now sitting in the County of Warren aforesaid Fran- cis Bedle, resident of the said County in the 74 th year of his age, who being duly affirmed, according to Law, doth on this solemn Affirmation, make the following declaration, to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7 th 1832:
That he was born November 13 th 1758 in county, state of New Jersey; that in the Fall of 1775 he was removed, in his father's fam- ily, into Washington County, Pennsylvania; that in the summer of 1777 he served, for one month, as a Substitute for Nathan Hathaway, in a Company of Rangers, in the service of the United States, under Capt. Grayercraft in a Company called out to protect our Frontiers & stationed at Jackson's Fort; that he served out his month with Capt. Grayercraft but obtained no written discharge; that in 1778 he was one of four Mili- tia Sergeants in the County of Washington upon whom a draught for 4 months was made for one to go into the service, & this Appli- cant volunteered & released the other three; that he joined Capt. Cross's Company which crossed the Ohio river, & took up their ren- devous on the banks of said river, below Big Beaver creek, where they built a Fort, known afterwards, by the name of Fort McIntosh, that Genl. McIntosh was Commander in General, & Evans was Col. of the Regiment to which Capt. Cross's Company belonged; that Col. Crawford, Brigade Major Daniel Light & Capt. Crow this Company were also there; that Samuel Swingley was Lieu- tenant & Adjutant in Capt. Cross's Company, in which James Wilkie as Ensign also served; Col. Belar was also there & held his rank in the Field; that in the Fall of 1778 part of the Garrison, including this Applicant, was marched on to the Tuscarawas, which river they crossed & built Fort Lawrence; that the Indians met us there & held a Treaty; that some time in the Winter of that year

year This Applicant & the rest of the men were at that place discharged & had, upon an of m rs Int ch half allowance, to make the best of their way home by the That afterwards, to wit, in the summer of 1779 & whilst his residence was still in Washington County, Penn- sylvania, this Applicant was called out, & as Sergeant in Capt. Enoch's Company of Rangers, proceeded to Jarrett's Fort on Big Whitely Creek; that his Company was stationed there for the purpose of protecting the Frontiers from hostile incursions; that he remained there on duty until his month's service, for which he had entered, was out, when he returned home & remained at & about home until 1782; that on or about 20 May of 1782 he again volunteered for another Campaign in the service of the United States and proceeded to the Rendezvous at the Mingo Bot- tom on the Ohio river, in then western Territory, where the Company was formed & the Officers chosen, of whom Joseph Baine stood as Capt. William Bennett Lieutenant & Ensign under Colonel Crawford who commanded the Regiment; that Col. Williamson & Major Brinton were also there, acting as Field Officers; that the whole body of Troops then & there collected amounted to about 480 men who were marched to the plains of Sandusky where the Indi- ans met us & a severe engagement ensued in the beginning of June 1782; that after the Battle our forces had to retreat back to the Mingo Bottom, pursued by the Indians, who killed, wounded & took prisoners many of our men; that during the retreat Col. Crawford was taken by the Indians & Major Harrison & Capt. Enoch were killed; that at the Mingo Bottom the remnant of the Army dispersed & this Appli- cant returned home to Washington County. This last mentioned Campaign lasted somewhat more than one month. — The whole time of service in his several campaigns he thinks was about seven months. — This Applicant continued to reside in Washing

ton County until 1788, thence removed to Mason County Kentucky & remained there till the Spring of 1789. In May 1789 he removed to Columbia County in the state of Ohio, & resided there till the Spring of 1790, then re- moved to Gwalt's Station on the Little Miami resided there that Summer & in the Fall removed to the Round Bottom on the said Little Miami resided there till 1792, on the 14 July 1792 was ta- ken prisoner by the Indians & conducted to Detroit was sold & was purchased by Col. England an English Officer who humanely gave him his liberty & a free pass to Niagara, thence he returned home to the Round Bottom in Hamilton County Ohio - Thence he removed into Warren County , where he has resided ever since. He has no record or evidence of his age but he believes he is now in his seventy fourth year; that he has no discharge or other documentary evidence of his service, nor does he know of any person now living by whom he can prove his service - He further states that there is no clergyman near to him or to whom he is known, but that he is well known to Judge Francis Dunlap, Ichabod Collins and Wyley J. Pison by whom he can prove his character for respectability & that they believe he performed service in the Revolutionary War; and he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State
Francis Bedle
Sworn and subscribed in open court the day and year aforesaid J. H. Wells clk
1834 125 6/15

Francis Dunlap & Wyllys Pierson We the undersigned  Francis Dunlap and Wyllys Pierson in the County of Warren and State of Ohio, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Francis Beidle who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be 70 upward of seventy years of age as he has stated in his declaration; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion Given that he is a man of veracity Sworn and Subscribed the day & year aforesaid
J. K. Wilds Clk
Francis Dunlap Wyllys Pierson
Francis Beidle
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 soldier of the Revolution and served as he states - And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Francis Dunlap & Wyllys Pierson who have signed the preceding certificate, reside in the neighborhood of said applicant and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit &c -
The State of Ohio Warren County } ss. I Jonathan K Wilds clerk of the court of Common Pleas within and for the county & State aforesaid do hereby certify the foregoing contains the original proceeding of said court in the matter of the application of Francis Beidle for a pension -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of the court aforesaid at Lebanon this 8 th of Oct AD - 1832 -
J. K. Wilds Clk

Cincinnati, January 18th, 1858.
Dear Sir:-
My father, Francis Bedle, was a Soldier in the Indian War of 1782 - was in "Crawford's Defeat," and received the grant of a pension as a wounded or disabled soldier, having been wounded and disabled while in service of the United States. Shortly after he received his pension, or having it allowed, he joined the "Shakers;" and while being himself unwilling to receive further allowances, he expressed the wish that his children should. I am the widowed daughter of Francis Bedle; and I have respectfully to ask what were the last payments to him - He died about 1837. - I will be thankful to receive instructions what proof will be necessary to draw

the Pension which he neglected to apply for in draw during his lifetime.
Please address reply to me, to the care of Peter Zimm, Seltice P.O., Hamilton County, Ohio.
Very Respectfully Yours,
Rhoda Mills

15091
Francis Bedle Warren co. Ohio
Adm 7 Mo From 1777-
Serf - 6 Mo 30
Overdue 1 - 3 33
33,35
Nathan Sharp Lebanon Ohio

BRIEF in the case of  Francis Bedle  of Warren co. 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? 74  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. As a Gen.     Substitute In 1777 1 Private Capt. Graycroft   Volunteer 1778 4 Sergeant Capt. Poff, Col. Evans   do 1779 1 do. Capt. Enoch, Col. Crawford   do 1782 1 Capt. Wm Bennett, Col. Belar Capt Joseph Bainu  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Plains of Sandusky  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Washington county, Pennsylvania  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditional  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Perfect 
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. B. Bradford. Examining Clerk.

Rev Mar
23 1/2
INVALID.
File No. 2375- Rev
Francis Bedle
Capt. Pa. Mil.
Act: June 7, '32
Index:—Vol. 8 , Page 26
[Arrangement of 1870.]

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Francis Bedle of Warren county, Ohio 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? Two credible citizens — No clergyman XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No 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? all answered
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.