Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 724, Nathaniel Bell, Penn.

SERVICE
Penn
Bell, Nathaniel
NUMBER
R 724
CONTENTS
✓

State of Indiana Johnson County ss. On this 13 th day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty three personally appeared in open court Nathanial Bell a resident of said County aged eighty six 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 thinks in the year eighteen hundred and forty eight he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer for three months under Captain William H. Hossod and in the Regiment commanded by Col. Cannon who he thinks at that time was the commander at Fort Pitt That the Captain's Company to which he was attached was ordered to Fishing Creek near the Ohio River a distance of about sixty

1. miles, at which place they built a fort - That he was subsequently in Fort Wheeling when the attack was made on it by the Indians. That after the expiration of his term of duty as aforesaid he was with others discharged by Capt. Hance - That the next service performed by him was as a spy against the Indians in the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty - that he and three other persons of whom his brother Benjamin was one were engaged by Col. Crook of Washington County Pennsylvania, where the declarant first entered the service, to serve as spies for the period of six months. That they faithfully served out their said term of engagement and were discharged. That they spent these six months in spying out and watching the movements of the Indians and towns and finding

Information thereof to the different Stations and Settlements in the region by Country - That said Col. Woods found them in Ammunition and the different posts supplied them with provision when wanted. That is the Attack on Fort Wheeling the same was under the Command of a Capt. Gregg -
That in the year 1781 he volunteered for two months under Capt. James Archibald in this expedition he was a Sergeant - That they marched in this expedition to the waters of the Monongahela where they erected a Fort or block house for the purpose of Stationing troops to protect the Settlements - That while under Capt. Archie he was in Col. Morgan's Regiment. That he served eleven months as aforesaid in the State of Pennsylvania as a soldier and a spy -

That many years ago he was known to the proper application before a court of Record in Johnson County, Indiana where he now resides and says that to the war office by a Mr. Kinnard  Howard who he understands was killed at Cincinnati Ohio by the bursting of a Steam Boat Boiler. Mr. Kinnard  Howard was the member of Congress from the District in Indiana in which this declarant then and now resides. He has often made efforts since to find the said papers but supposes that his declaration and the proof which accompanied it has been lost in the manner of war and which is the reason for his making the application and so late a period that he was born in the County of Berkeley in the State of Virginia in the year Seventeen hundred and fifty Seven (1757) -

That he knows of no record of his services nor any person by whom he can prove his services except that he can prove a portion of them by his brother Benjamin Bell who now lives in Clay County Ind.
That when he entered the service of the United States he lived in Washington County Pennsylvania. He resided several years in Ohio and now resides in the County of Johnson and State of Indiana and has lived there for the last 22 years —
That he has no record of his age his age was recorded in his father's family Bible was destroyed together with the house of this declarant about thirty years ago by fire. He does not recall the names of any Regiments of his or Regiments stationed in the neighborhood.

Where he landed and thinks none such was stationed there - That he did leave his charge from his office of his service and that they have long understood lost or destroyed -
That he can state the names of Charles McDunnell and James Tetra
who can testify to their acts for him and their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution that 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
Subscribed and sworn to in open court the day and year aforesaid
J. Thomas Bell
David Allen Clerk

November 18, 1937
Nathaniel Bell R. 724 BA-J/AWF Car
The Quartermaster General Memorial Branch War Department Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your request for information in regard to Nathaniel Bell, soldier of the Revolution from Pennsylvania, pension number R. 724.
The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in pension claim, R. 724, based upon the service of Nathaniel Bell in the Revolutionary War.
Nathaniel Bell was born in the year 1757 in Berkeley County, Virginia. The names of his parents were not given.
ms. A. 1. 1. 1 While a resident of Washington County, Pennsylvania, Nathaniel Bell volunteered in 1778, and served three in Captain William Harrod's company, Colonel Cannon's Pennsylvania regiment, and assisted in building a fort on Fishing Creek near the Ohio River, and was in Fort Wheeling, when it was attacked by the Indians. He was engaged by Colonel Crooks to watch the Indians, and was a sergeant under Captain James Archie and Colonel Morgan ranging and scouting, and assisted in erecting a fort on the frontiers.
Nathaniel Bell lived, after the Revolution, in Ohio for several years, when he moved to Indiana. He applied for pension November 13, 1843, at which time he was living in Johnson County, Indiana, where he had

lived about twenty-three years.
The claim for pension was not allowed, as he did not serve six months in an embodied military organization.
Benjamin Bell, brother of the soldier, Nathaniel Bell, was living in 1843 in Clay County, Indiana, then eighty-one years of age.
The papers on file in this claim contain no further reference to family.
The application for headstone for Nathaniel Bell is returned herewith. There was no correspondence enclosed.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator

1936 - Jan. 7 - list to Mrs. Ina E. Snorter and 1937 Nov. 18 - list to memorial Bn.
(3-223.)
No. 724
, Ex'r.
RECEIVED
OLD WAR INVALID.
Nathaniel Bell Inda  Rev. war
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18__
Discharged: _____, 18__
Application filed: _____, 18__
The printed list of 185-2 shows reasons for rejection - Alleges: _____
"Not under military authority or organization" Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
Recognized. _____ Contract.

Nathaniel Bell 34871
Indiana
Left Am. A. V. White May 20th '44
to K. R. Sylvester Oct 1. '44
(Recd Itv. in clm. of Benjamin Bell, R. 718) mks.
Ad June 7. 1832.

724

State of Indiana Johnson County ss. I David Allen
Clerk of the Probate Court in and for the County aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing is the original proceedings of said Court at the October Term thereof 1843 in the matter of the application of Nathaniel Bell for a Pension
On testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed the official Seal of said Court at Franklin in said County. And I subscribed my name the 13 th day of November  October one thousand eight hundred and forty three David Allen Clerk

We Charles M. Brinnet a clergyman residing in the County of Johnson and State of Indiana and James Titus residing in the same County do certify that we are well acquainted with Nathaniel Bale who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration; that he believes him to be Eighty Six years of age and that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that we fully concur in that opinion Subscribed and } Charles M. Brinnet Sworn to in open court } James Titus
David Allen Clerk
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation

of the whole matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the war department that the above named Applicant Nathaniel Bell was a Soldier of the Revolution and served in the states and that caused us for the Certify that it appears to them that Charles M Brummett who has signed the foregoing Certificate is a Clergyman resident in the County of Johnson and State of Indiana and that James Titus who has also signed the same is a resident of the same County and that their Certificate is entitled to credit
John Smiley Probate Judge in + for said County

Sir
Pen OH May 30 44
I have the honor to inform you that the claim of Nathaniel Bell renewed by new papers written by Mr. Manly without any allusion to his former papers, has been examined again & disallowed - His service with his brother & two others under Col. Morgan or Col. Snooks of the Pa. militia as runners or spies as he terms it affords no ground for a pension - If he had been detailed as a militia man his tour could not exceed two months by law & the officers named could have no authority to exceed it - The length of the employment & the character of the duties show that he was not performing militia duty - and there was no other military corps in that part of Pa. engaged by law for such a term - It was the vigilance of frontier settlers - not military service in an organized corps in actual service -
The alleged militia service is less than 6 mos even if it were allow.

- according to his own estimate -
Hon. A. S. White May 20, 1844
Hon. M. L. Day Hon. J. L. Noble Hon. A. S. White Senate

Senate Chamber Wash. May 23. 1844
Sir:
On the 25 th of January last I transmitted to your office the application & papers of Nathaniel Bell of Ind a for a pension
If I have rec d your answer I have forgotten or mislaid it - and being called on by Mr. P's Atty for information, I will thank you to apprize me what has been done in the premises
Respectfully yrs ob serv
A. S. White
J. L. Edwards Esq Comm r of Pensions
A. S. White

State of Indiana Clay County ss. Be it Remembered That on this twentieth day of October one Thousand eight hundred and forty three before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, personally appeared Benjamin Bell a Resident of said County, Who being first duly sworn according to law. Doth upon his oath say That he is eighty one years of age, That he is a Brother to Nathaniel Bell of Johnson County Indiana. That said Nathaniel served in Washington County in the State of Pennsylvania and under the authority of the laws of that state and in a Military capacity in the service of the United States, for the term of six months against the Indians in the year seventeen hundred and eighty as a Spy. That he knows his said Brother served as aforesaid because he himself served the whole time six months with him. That they were called upon by Col. Brooks of Washington County. And they in Company with two others four in all volunteered for said space of time which he the said Nathaniel faithfully served out. That about the year seventeen hundred and seventy eight said Nathaniel volunteered for a term of three months under Capt McLean Harrod and in the Regiment commanded Col Cannon Commanding at Fort Pitt That this Informant was not with said Nathaniel in this term but saw him start on the March to fishing creek near the Ohio River and saw him when he returned and knows That said Nathaniel was gone from home

said three months and has no doubt but he served the said three months under Capt Harrod with whom the deponent was well acquainted. This deponent has understood that said Nathaniel served for others and different terms of duty some as a private and some as a sergeant but he has no personal knowledge of any service except that just related. That in the time they spent as spies, they were furnished with provisions and ammunition by Col Brooks. That they were actively engaged (he and his said brother) during said six months in spy- ing around the various posts and settle- ment and protecting the frontiers against the invasions of the Indians. That this deponent after the termination of the Revolution was a Captain and Major in the said County of Washington — subscribed and sworn to before me this 18 th day of October 1843 Benjamin Bell
John Osborn J.P.
I Certify That Benjamin Bell who has this day subscribed and sworn to the foregoing Deposition before me is a man of undoubted veracity and credibility and that his statements are entitled to credence Given under my hand. This 18 th day of October A.D. 1843
John Osborn J.P.

State of Indiana Clay County } S. L. Charles & Mowatt Clerk of the Circuit Court in and for the said County do certify that John Osborn Esq. is a Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly Commissioned and qualified and that the several foregoing signatures purport- ing to be his are genuine
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name and affixed the official seal of said Court. This 18 th day of October A.D. 1843
S. L. Mowatt Clerk
Court

Nov. 18-1935
448 EAST MADISON STREET FRANKLIN, INDIANA
Commissioner Veterans Administration Washington D.C.
Dear Sir -
Do you have a record of Revolutionary War service for Nathaniel Bell? His wife was Mary, he served in the Pennsylvania militia and is supposed to have died in Johnson County Indiana, he appears on the Court- records in 1829.
I am acting as chairman of committee for locating soldier graves in Johnson County for the Alexander Hamilton Chapter D.A.R. and this information will be appreciated - Thanking you I am
Yours truly Mrs. Ida E. Tranter

January 11, 1936
Mrs. Ira E. Tranter 448 East Madison Street Franklin, Indiana
Nathaniel Bell-R.724 BA-J/AWF
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Nathaniel Bell, who served in the Pennsylvania Militia, and died in Johnson County, Indiana.
The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, R. 724, based upon the Revolutionary War service of Nathaniel Bell.
Nathaniel Bell was born in the year 1757 in Berkeley County, Virginia; the names of his parents are not stated.
Cannon While residing in Washington County, Pennsylvania, he stated that he volunteered in 1778, served three months in Captain William Harrod's company, Colonel John Cannon's Pennsylvania Regiment, assisted in building a fort on Fishing Creek near the Ohio River and was in Fort Wheeling when it was attacked by the Indians; he was engaged by Colonel Crooks to watch the Indians and Tories in 1780, and in 1781, served two months as sergeant under Captain James Archie and Colonel Morgan and assisted in erecting a fort on the frontiers.
After the Rev. Nathaniel Bell lived in After the Revolution, Nathaniel Bell resided in Ohio for several years, when he moved to Indiana. He applied for pension November 13, 1843, then living in Johnson County, Indiana, where he had lived about twenty-three years.
The claim for pension was not allowed as he did not

serve six months in an embodied military organization.
Benjamin Bell, brother of the soldier, Nathaniel Bell, was living in 1843 in Clay County, Indiana, then aged eighty-one years.
The papers in this claim contain no further reference to family.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator