Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 2072, Joseph Bitting, Continental Penn.

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Continental Penn.
Bittner, Joseph
2072
CONTENTS

5549
Pennsylvania
Joseph Bitting
of in the State of Pennsylvania who was a Private in the Co. F commanded by Captain Bitting of the Regt commanded by Col. Matlock in the Line line for 11 mo Pm — $36.66 2 " Fugitive 10. — 46.66
Death not shown on A.B.
Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of 46 Dollars 66 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 12 th day of Feb 1833 and sent to H on L. Dwan Home Rep.
Arrears to 4th of Feb. 1832 — $69.99 Semi-ann. allowance ending 11 Mar 1833 23 33
$93.32
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Vincent Luce Clerk, Book D Vol. 4 Page 48

State of Pennsylvania } p. Union County } 3
on this twenty fourth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty two, personally appeared in Open Court before the Honorable the Court of Common Pleas of Union County aforesaid Joseph Bittling, a resident of White Deer Township in the County of Union in the said State of Pennsylvania aged who was born, as appears by his father's family Bible, the 19 th of May 1758, in Germantown in Philadelphia County, and now aged seventy four 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 in 1776 in the Regiment of which Timothy Matlack was Colonel, Daniel Clynmer Lieut. Colonel, Captain Lewis Bittling's company, we marched from Philadelphia to Trenton, Princeton, Brunswick and Amboy, where we remained a considerable time, and were quartered on the opposite side of a swamp from Col. Miles' Regiment, we were then removed to Perth Amboy, where we could hear the cannon & see the smoke of the battle on Long Island. We staid there till after the expiration of our three months - & were then discharged - In the same year 1776 he volunteered under Captain Matthias Gensel of Germantown, Lieut. W. Mire, and marched to Morristown, where we joined the main army where we acted as Quarters Guard through the winter, & in the Spring of 1777 we were discharged

He was in service this time something better than three months, owing to the severity of the weather, which prevented us from travelling home. He frequently saw General Washington this winter but does not remember the other officers. Deponent was at this time apprentice to Christopher Green a Hatter who removed in the spring of 1777 to Schuylkill Farm & Deponent went with him. On news of an Indian raid on the mountains near there, Deponent volunteered in Captain Aldenbrook's Company, Col: Samuel Green-ammolt. Regiment were called out in 1778, and stood guard over a magazine of military stores belonging to the United States for a few weeks, and were then dismissed with orders to be ready to march at a moment's warning - after the British left Philadelphia his master returned to Germantown & Deponent with him. In August or September as he believes 1778 Deponent enlisted into the regular army under Count Pulaski, The Colonel was a foreigner, & Deponent cannot remember or presume his name, & Captain Redskin's Company; The Captain was said in the Company to have been formerly in the British service, The first Lieutenant was by the name of Stake from Lancaster. Deponent was in the service about two months at this time and his master came with his indentures, & he was discharged - after he was free, he returned to his father at Philadelphia. Some time after, there was a cell, and Deponent volunteered under Col. William Will, who was one Sheriff in Philadelphia Major Porche, & Captain Humphreys in

which company he was orderly Sergeant. We marched to Trenton & lay there a couple of months, were discharged and sent home. Deponent says that in all he was in service of the United States one year at least during the war of the revolution. Deponent says he had a discharge from Captain Bed-kin by order of General Pulaski, but the same has been lost or destroyed, & cannot now be found, and he has no documentary evidence. I does not know of any person, whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service. Deponent has resided in this County about forty five years. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State
Joseph Bittling
Sworn to & subscribed The day & year aforesaid
Joseph Melvill Broth
We J. G. Heine a clergyman residing in the township of Buffalo Union County, and Christopher Seebold residing in New Berlin Union County
hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Joseph Bittling, who both subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy four 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 to & subscribed The day & year aforesaid
Joseph Melvill Broth
J. George Heine Christopher Seebold

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 J. George Hein is a Clergyman who has subscribed the preceding Certificate and is resident in East Buffalo Township, Union County and that Christopher Seebold who has signed the same is a resident of New Berlin, Union County and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Joseph Attille, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Union County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Joseph Bittling for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this twentyfourth day of September one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
Joseph Attille. Protho
Joseph Bittling 17509

The said applicant Joseph Bittling cannot by reason of the loss of memory state precisely how long he served; it was around his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words
Pennsylvania } Personally appeared before Union County } me the undersigned a
Justice of the Peace in & for said County Joseph Bittling an applicant for pension who made his declaration the 24 th of September 1852, who being duly sworn deposes 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 That in his first term mentioned in his declaration he served not less, than three months as a volunteer That in his second term mentioned in his declaration mentioned he served not less than four months as a volunteer That in the third term under Capt. Aldenbrook, he served not less than six months & then was detailed from his company to drive a field piece to Philadelphia with a brigade of wagons, & in this service before he was discharged he served not less than one month That at the time he volunteered under Col. Will, as stated in his declaration he served not less than two months as orderly sergeant of his company That at the time he enlisted as stated in his declaration he served not less than two months before he

was discharged as an enlisted soldier in the regular army, & that by reason of loss of memory he cannot state the times and durations of each term with greater certainty than he has done in his declaration and in this affidavit, and that he served in all not less than eleven months as a volunteer and enlisted soldier in the regular army as before particularly stated, and that more than one month of the time he served as a orderly sergeant in all one year and one month for which time he is entitled to a pension.  Joseph Pottenger  Sworn & subscribed before me Feb'y 5. 1833  J. H. Linn J.P.
State of Pennsylvania Union County S.S.
I Joseph Stitwell Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County Do Certify that J. H. Linn Esq. before whom the foregoing Depositions were taken and sworn to, was at the taking of the said Depositions and still is an acting justice of the Peace in and for the said County of Union, duly authorized and commissioned and that full faith and credit are due and ought to be given to his official acts —  In Testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the said Court at New Berlin the 5th day of February A.D. 1833  Joseph Stitwell Protho

Joseph Pitting
16. Jan. 1833
Obj. 5-
Wm. L. Dewant Admitted
11 mo. Priv. 36.66 2 " Supt. 10.00 $46.66
1-202
E

BRIEF in the case of  Joseph Bitting  of Union Co. in the State of Pennsylvania  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Com. Pleas  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 74 years  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 " 3 " Private Gen. Washington Capt. Bitting, Col. Mattock   " " 3 " " " Guard,   1778 Aug. or Sept. a few weeks, enlisted in the regular army 2 " " Aldenbrook, Col. Greenawalt, Count Pulaski   after 2 Sergeant Capt. Humphreys, Col. Mill. Vol.  
 5. In what battles was he engaged?  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service?  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? Correct 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
D. Brown
Examining Clerk.

October 9, 1939.
Louis Barcroft Runk Lt. Colonel, Inact. Res. U.S.A. 17 West Upsal Street Mt. Airy, Philadelphia.
BA-J/ILL Joseph Bitting S. 2072
Dear Sir:
The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, S. 2072, based upon service of Joseph Bitting in the Revolutionary War.
Joseph Bitting was born May 19, 1758, in Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; the names of his parents were not designated.
He entered service in 1776, as private in Captain Lewis Bitting's company, Colonel Timothy Matlack's Pennsylvania regiment, marched from Philadelphia to Trenton, Princeton, Brunswick and to Amboy, was stationed in that vicinity at the time of the battle of Long Island and was discharged after service of three months; no relationship between Joseph Bitting and Captain Lewis Bitting was stated. Joseph Bitting volunteered that same year in Germantown, Pennsylvania and served three months as private in Captain Gentsall's Pennsylvania company, during which he was stationed a part of the time at Morristown. About the spring of 1777, Joseph Bitting became an apprentice to Christopher Green, a hatter, and moved with him from Germantown to Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Joseph was called out and served several weeks in 1778 as private in Captain Aldenbrook's company, Colonel Breenawalt's Pennsylvania Regiment, engaged in guarding a magazine. He returned shortly afterwards with said Green, his master to Germantown. He enlisted there in August or September 1778, and served two months as private in Captain Bedkin's company under Count Pulaski. At the end of his apprenticeship, Joseph Bitting returned to his father in Philadelphia. Afterwards, he enlisted there and served two months as orderly sergeant in Captain William Humphrey's company, Colonel Will's Pennsylvania regiment, stationed at Trenton. He returned home after that.
Joseph Bitting was allowed pension on his application executed

September 24, 1832, at which time he resided in White Deer Township, Union County, Pennsylvania . The soldier had resided in that county about forty-five years.
Joseph Bitting made no reference to wife or children.
In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name of person paid and, possibly, the date of death of this pensioner, you should apply to The Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, this city, and furnish the following data:
Joseph Bitting Certificate #5549 Issued February 12, 1833 Rate $46.66 per annum Commenced March 4, 1831 Act of June 7, 1832 Pennsylvania Agency.
Very truly yours,
A. D. HILLER, Executive Assistant to the Administrator.

1906. Feb. 1. Mrs Harriette E. Boyd list. 1939. Oct. 10 - Hild? to Louis B. Runk, JLL.
New Year
2072
INVALID.
File No. 2072
Joseph Bittner Sargt. Rev War
Act: June 7. 1882
Index:—Vol. A. , Page 31.
[Arrangement of 1870.]

October 9, 1939.
Louis Barcroft Runk, Lt. Colonel Inact. Res. U.S.A. 17 West Upsal Street Mt. Airy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
BA-J/MMHF/ILL Joseph Bitting S. 2072 Am
Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Captain Lewis Bitting of Pennsylvania.
Revolutionary War data furnished by the Veterans Administration are obtained from claims for pension and bounty land which have been made to the United States based upon service in that war. There is no such claim on file based upon service in the Revolutionary War of a Lewis Bitting.
A claim for pension has been found, however, based upon service in that war of a Joseph Bitting who served under Captain Lewis Bitting. His record is furnished you herewith, as it may contain some information, perhaps in regard to locations, etc., which may aid you.
Very truly yours,
A. D. HILLER, Executive Assistant to the Administrator.

LOUIS BARCROFT RUNK 17 WEST UPSAL STREET MT. AIRY, PHILADELPHIA
May 5, 1939
Veterans' Administration, Washington, D. C.
Gentlemen:
Please advise whether you have any records showing the payment of United States Pension to Capt. Lewis Bitting, of Pennsylvania, for services during the Revolutionary War. I am trying to qualify for the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of The Revolution a son-in-law of mine who is descended from Capt. Lewis Bitting. I find in the Pennsylvania Archives proof of his attending an officers' conference at Lancaster, Pa. July 4, 1776, but do not find satisfactory proof of any actual subsequent services. The Pennsylvania Archives which I have searched are scantily indexed, and one Series - the second - has no index at all. I wrote to the office of the Adjutant General but they could find nothing. They suggested (1) the State Librarian at Harrisburg, (to whom I also wrote, and whose reply just received does not give me just the proof I need) and (2) your office, stating that you had the custody of the United States Pension records; so if you can oblige me by searching and letting me know what they show, I will appreciate it and shall pay any fees involved.
Yours very truly,
A handwritten signature in cursive, appearing to read "L. B. Runk".
L. B. Runk Lt. Col. Inact. Res. U.S.A.
LBR:F
To me on Oct. 9 - LBR.

DIVISION OF POPULATION
Department of Commerce and Labor BUREAU OF THE CENSUS Washington
Mr. C. M. Bryant, Chief Old War and Navy Div. Pension Office.
Dear Sir:
One of my friends who wishes to join the society of the Daughters of the American Revolution has written asking me if I can get any information for her concerning her great grandfather, who was Joseph Bitting of Pennsylvania. He was in the Revolutionary War and at one time received a pension. Anything you can give me that will be of assistance to her, I shall be very glad to have, and shall be very grateful to you for it.
Very truly yours,
Harriette E. Boyd
1527 S St., N.W., Washington, D.C. Jan. 31, 1906.
from Card