Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 5308, Jacob Bussard, Penn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Penn
Bussard, Jacob
S 5308
CONTENTS
bearded
n

31876
Pennsylvania
Jacob Bupard
of Northampton the State of Penna. who was a private in the Compny commanded by Captain Gregory of the regt commanded by Col. Geiger in the Pa Militia line for 6 months.
Inscribed on the Roll of Philadelphia at the rate of 20 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 19 day of Jany 1841 , 4 sent to Hon. D. D. Waite Mr. House of Reps
Arrears to the 4th of March 1841  200.00 Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sep '41  10.00
$210.00
{ Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by D. M. Curdy , Clerk book E 2 , Vol. 5 , Page 5

In the matter of the application of Jacob Buzzard of Lehigh Township in the county of Northampton in the State of Pennsylvania for a Pension under the Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Northampton County Gs
On this Seventeenth day of November in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty, personally appeared in the open Court of Common Pleas of said County before the Honorable John Banks Esquire President and Samuel M c He and George Keph Junior Esquires associate Judges of the said Court. Jacob Buzzard a resident of Lehigh Township in the county of Northampton and Commonwealth aforesaid and says that he is in his eighty first year of age and being 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 service of the United States in the Militia of Pennsylvania under the following named Officers and served as herein stated. That in the Year AD one thousand seven hundred and eighty he served in the Pennsylvania militia as first Lieutenant under the command of Captain John Gregory of Towamensing Township in the county of Northampton aforesaid and that at that time he served a tour of two months in an expedition against the Indians in Chesnethol Township then Northampton now Monroe County Pennsylvania
That in the same Year or in the upper following 1781 he served another tour of two Months in the Pennsylvania militia as first Lieutenant under the command of Captain Henry Gearhart against the Indians over the mountains in Hamilton Township then Northampton now Monroe County aforesaid

That in the Year one thousand seven hundred and eighty one or thereabouts he served - a tour of four Months in the Pennsylvania Militia as first Lieutenant under Captain Frein , whose first name he does not recollect, over the Blue Mountains at the Pocono then Northampton now Monroe County aforesaid it was at the time the Larner family was murdered by the Indians. Deponent assisted to collect the remains of the dead bodies of the Larner family.
That the last service he rendered as a Lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Militia was a tour of one Month in the year 1782 or 1783 under the command of Captain Frederick Kuntz in an expedition against the Indians in Towamensing Township Northampton County aforesaid Col: Henry Geiger was the officer in command during all the Term Deponent served as Lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Militia.
That he served various other tours as a private in the Pennsylvania Militia, amounting in the whole to about seventeen Months. That he well recollects that in the Year 1781 - or thereabouts he served four Months as a first Lieutenant private under the command of Captain John Deeter and that during that campaign they laid at Dockertown near the River Delaware about sixty miles above the Borough of Easton. That all the services he rendered as a private and Lieutenant in the Militia aforesaid were in the Year 1780, 1781, 1782 and 1783.
That his commission, discharges and other papers if any that he had relative to his military services have been lost or destroyed as he did not at the time he received them consider them of much if any value.

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 except a State pension of forty Dollars a year from the State of Pennsylvania Sworn Subscribed the Day Jacob Boyer
W. Hackett Prothof.
Questions or Interrogatories by the Court -
Inter: 1 st Where, and in what year, were you born -
Answer: I was Born in Schuylkill Township Northampton County aforesaid on the twenty second day of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty -
Inter 2 d Have you any record of your Age, and if so where is it?
Answer: I have no other record of my Age than the annexed "Dauf Scheins" that I had copied about two years ago from the original record of my Birth which was at that time very much torn and has since been destroyed
Interrog 3 d - Where were you living when called into ser- -vice; where have you lived since the revolutionary War; and where do you now live;
Answer: I was Born in Schuylkill Township Northamp- -ton County, I lived there when I was called into service I lived there since the revolutionary War, and always - have and still live there
Interrogatory 4 th How were you called into service

were you draughted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute; and if a substitute, for whom?
Answer I was draughted, and belonged to the Seventh class, I held my commission as first Lieutenant six years; six months of the time I served as first Lieutenant I was draughted, the remaining five months of my service as first Lieutenant I served as a substitute but don't now recollect for whom, the whole of the service I rendered as a private, I served as a substitute but don't recollect for whom.
Interrog 5 th State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served; such continental and militia regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service.
Answer Captain John Decker was my captain four months, Captain Green was my captain four months, John Gregory was my captain four months and Frederick Kirtz was my captain one month and I served under each of them as first Lieutenant, and that I served a tour of two months as a substitute under Captain John Lawby when we laid and encamped in Chesnut Hill Township, that I served a tour of one month as a volunteer under Captain Nicholas Kerns when we acted as a scouting party through different parts of Northampton County, and that I don't now recollect the names and places of the other Officers under whom and the places where I served. Col. Henry Geiger was the Officer in command.
Sworn and Subscribed the Day and Year aforesaid
Isaac Cofford
W. Hackett N. Rox

TO THESE PARENTS. as Alphonsus Michael Bussard and his wife Mary a born Heammen was born a Son the 22 day of August in the year of our Lord 1760 It was born in  Lehigh Township, Northampton County, State of Pennsylvania was baptized by the Revd. M c Hecker and received the name Jacob on the 2 day of November 1760 Witness present at the Act of Baptism:  George Spealmann  and Magdalena Linger un married  PRINTED AND SOLD BY A. & W. Blumer, Allentown, Pa. 1838.
Our wasting lives grow shorter still As days and months increase ; And every breathing pulse we tell, Leaves but the number less.  Infinite joy or endless woe Attends on every breath ; And yet how unconcern'd we go Upon the brink of death.  An inward Baptism of pure fire, 'Tis all my longing Soul's desire ; Kindle in me the living flame ; Baptize me in Jesus, name ! Wherewith to be baptiz'd I have, This, only this, my Soul can save.  IT was the commission of our Lord To teach the nations and baptize. The nations have received the word Since HE ascended to the skies.  Repent, and be baptiz'd, he said, And thus our sense assists our faith. And shows us, what his Gospel means, For the remission of our sins.

In the matter of the Application of Jacob Buzzards of Schuylkill Township in the county of Northampton in the State of Pennsylvania for a Pension under the Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832 State of Pennsylvania Northampton County ss
Before me Daniel Wertz one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the said County of Northampton this Twenty Third day of November A D 1840 personally appeared John Leuffly of Towamensing Township in the County aforesaid aged about Seventy eight years (whom I hereby certify to be a man of high standing and credibility and his statements entitled to full credit and belief who from bodily infirmity is unable to attend court) who being duly sworn according to law: Saith that he is well acquainted with Lieutenant Jacob Buzzards the applicant in this case, and that he has known him nearly or quite sixty years - That Defendant served a tour of two months in the Year 1780 or thereabouts in the Pennsylvania militia under the command of Captain John Gregory, in an expedition against the Indians in Chemung Township, then Northampton now Monroe County. That in that expedition the above named Jacob Buzzards was the first Lieutenant and served his tour of two months, after the expiration and service of our tour we were discharged by Col Henry Geiger -
Sworn & Subscribed Before me the Day and Year aforesaid D. Wertz J.P.
Jacob Buzzards

Pennsylvania Northampton County } I
William Hackett Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County Do her- by certify that Daniel Wentz Esquire before whom the within Affidavit was made, is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the said County duly Commissioned and sworn and that full faith and Credit are due to all his Official Acts as such, & I further certify that I believe the signature purporting to be his is the proper hand writing of the said Justice
Witness my Hand and the seal of the said Court at Easton the 30th Day of November A D 1840
W Hackett Protho

Dear Sir
Easton December 21 st 1840
I herewith send you the additional Affidavit or application of Jacob Buzzards for a Pension, which is all the Testimony he can at this late day procure. He says if it is necessary he thinks he can procure copies of the Affidavit of Casper Marsh who proves two Months Service under Captain Gregory and the Affidavit of William Stewart who proves one Month Service under Captain Frederick Kuntz, that he forwarded to Harrisburg in 1832 or 3. when a law was passed granting him a State Pension of $40 a year. He says these Affidavits were drawn by Esq. Gist and as he believes in a loose and careless manner and don't state whether he was an Officer or a private as the pay allowed to an Officer and a private by the laws of our State are equal.
I spoke to Richard Brodhead Esq. whether there were not some records kept at Harrisburg of the Officers of the Pennsylvania Militia during the Revolutionary War. He said there were but that some years ago they were sent to Washington where they were consumed.
If the Pension Department thinks that copies of the Affidavits above stated and filed at Harrisburg will be of service in Mr. Buzzards case I will endeavour to procure them as soon as Mr. Brodhead goes to Harrisburg.
It really seems hard that poor old Mr. Buzzards should be deprived of what the laws of his country say he shall have because he has had the misfortune through ignorance not to know his rights at a period when ample Testimony could have been procured to prove his rank and service. Mr. Buzzards is poor it is true yet respectable and no one who knows him would for one moment suppose that he would at any period of his life be guilty of swearing to what was not true especially at this advanced period of life when he cannot reasonably expect long to be an inhabitant of this world, although length of time and old age may have somewhat impaired his memory, which will satisfactorily

account for the discrepancy if any between his statements and the facts as they are matters of record in the History of our Country
Mr. Buzzards is extremely anxious to know the disposition of his application as soon as possible and learn his fate whether he is to receive a Pension or whether his last days are to be lingered out in poverty and possibly in want
To the Honble David D Wagener
Member of Congress Washington D. C.
Yours very respectfully J. H. Hale

Dec 8. 1840
In at
Rev Samuel May Jr.
J. S. Edward Esq. Commissaire of Police Washington City

Washington City.
Dec 5 1840
J. L. Edwards Esq. Sir,
I herewith send you papers in the case of Jacob Burrard & Solon of the revolution, asking a Pension their prompt examination will confer both a favor upon the old Solon
and your humble servant David D. Mayhew
You will please advise the result.

Jan 15. 1821
Pa
Oral
L. Edward
Esq
(Commissary of Pensions)
David Mayhew Esq
H. D. Wagner Esq
Washington D.C.

Friday Mornig.
January 15. 1841.
J. L. Edwards Esq.
Com. of Pensions.
Richard Brodhead Esq. mem- ber of Pa. legislature, informs Esq. Beckman who acts for Jacob Buzzard , (whose case you have had under consideration) that "no Certificate can be obtained from any of the offices - that the Books have been burned or sent to Washington, because no record of the facts was made. - The officers only know it as a matter of history and tradition."
It then appears that no documentary Evidence, is in the offices at Harrisburg, because they have been destroyed or burned.
If I recollect Buzzard's evidence clearly makes out sufficient length of time to entitle him to a pension. if only for a Private. The Service has been proven. - Your attention with as little de- lay to this application is desired, & I do hope you will find sufficient evidence to justify you

to grant him a pension - The old gentleman is anxious to know his fate & your prompt action will be duly appreciated.
Yours Respectfully Darius D. Wager

Dec 24 th 40 Jacob Bupard. Penna.
James Harris Messenger D. D. Wagener H. R. J. A. P. Colvards Esq. Commissaries of Pleas Anno D. D. Wagener H. R. Harris C. S.

My Dear Sir,
I enclose you additional Evidence in the case of Mr. Buzzard and hope it will be sufficient to entitle him to a Pension - a prompt attention will oblige
Yours very Respectfully Daniel D. Mayhew Washington City
Dec 24. 1840
I send you Mr. Beckman's copy

Rev. Wm
5308 INVALID
File No. 5308
Jacob Bussard Miss Penn Mail
Act: June 1 st 82
Index:—Vol. M , Page 50
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Jacob Bussard Pennsylvania Suspended
See let. 8 th Dec. 40 to Hon. D. D. Wagener let. 28 Dec. 40 to do.
Act of June 182.

35.129
Jacob Bussard Pennsylvania
admitted
Pr: 6 mo. $20. Col of Gregory Col Geiger Pa mile
Act 7 June 1832.
Hon: L. L. Wagener H. R.

In the matter of the application of Jacob Buzzard of Lehigh township in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsyl- vania for a Pension under the Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832
State of Pennsylvania Luzerne County Gs
Before me John Vandermark one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the county of Luzerne afore- said this Twenty Third day of November Anno Domini 1840 personally appeared Jacob Resler of Rescopec township in the county aforesaid aged about Eighty two years (whom I hereby certify to be a man of high standing and credibility and his statements entitled to full credit and belief who from old age and bodily in- firmity is unable to attend court) who being duly sworn according to law: Saith that he is very well acquainted with Lieutenant Jacob Buzzard the applicant for a Pension in this case and has known him for about sixty five years last past and upwards
That Deponent in the year 1780 or 1781 served a tour of two Months as a private in the Pennsylvania Militia under the command of Captain Henry Zearfoss in an expedition against the Indians over the Mountain in Hamilton Township then Northampton now Monroe County; That the said Jacob Buzzard was the first Lieutenant in said Company and served his tour of two Months after which we each were discharged by Captain Zearfoss as per Orders from Col Henry Geiger (as I was informed) who was not present at the time of our discharge. That shortly after our discharge I served another tour of four Months in the Pennsylvania Militia (as a private) over the Blue Mountain in Pocono Township then Northampton County now Monroe under the command of Captain Trein; it was at the time that the Indians

murdered the Larner Family. The said Jacob Buzzards was also our first Lieutenant under Captain Trein and served out his term of four Months, after which we were discharged by Captain Trein by order of Col Geiger as I understood. Sworn & Subscribed Before John Vandemark J.P. me the Day & Year aff. Jacob Buzzards
Pennsylvania Suzerne County ss
I Stephen Vaughn Prothonotary, Pro tem of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Suzerne do Certify that John Vandemark is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Suzerne and that full faith and Credit is due to all his acts as such. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hands and affixed the Seal of said Court at Wilkesbarre this twenty fourth day of November A.D. 1840
Stephen Vaughn
Prothonotary Pro tem by appt of the Court

Hm D D Wagener H 2

State of Pennsylvania Northampton County
On this twenty first day of December in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty person- ally appeared before me George Hops Esq. one of the Associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Northampton aforesaid. Jacob Buzzards of Schuylkill Township in the said County of Northampton aged eighty one years on the twenty second day of August last past who being duly sworn accord- ing to law doth on his Oath make the following declaration in addition or explanatory to his declaration made at last November Court in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed - June 7 th 1832
That he received his commission as first Lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Militia at the time that Thomas Mifflin was Governor of Pennsylvania and that the commission according to his recollection was signed by Thomas Mifflin or Benjamin Franklin or both of them but the day and year his commission bore date he is unable to say that he held his commission for six years as he thinks and believes that previous to the time he received his commission he served at differ- ent times as a private in the Pennsylvania Militia. Six Months part of which time he was regularly classed and drawn and part of the time he served as a substitute. That after he was com- missioned as a first Lieutenant, he served as such in the Pennsylvania Militia on different tours in Northampton County in all about eleven Months. That he belonged to the Seventh Class and served four months of said time in two regular tours of two months each in said Class and the remaining seven Months he served as a substitute. That the last tour he served was one month as a substitute under Captain Frederick Kintz and they were discharged by Col Henry Geiger on the first day of January 1782 or 1783, and that the next last tour he served was under Captain Henry Treino when he served four Months over the Mountain in Pocono Township at the time the Lanner family was murdered by the Indians. Two months of the time he was classed and the other two Months he

served as a substitute, so also did Captain Trein serve his two last months as a substitute - That he has no record or documentary evidence of the fact of his being a first Lieutenant as aforesaid in as much as he did not at the time consider his Commission of much if any value and was not careful to preserve it, and it was either lost or destroyed - That the reason he did not make earlier application for a Pension was because he did not know that he was by law entitled to one for services rendered in the Pennsylvania militia and that the first knowledge he received of his right to a Pension was last fall a year ago, after which he made immediate application and had his Papers drawn up by Esqr Gish and was afterwards informed by the Noble David D Wagner that they were insufficient or else informally or incorrectly drawn up.
That the only persons who yet survive that served with him that he knows are William Stewart of Lehigh Township who for some time past already was struck with the Palsy and cannot speak and Paul Solt who from old age or some other cause has lost his reason so that neither of their Affidavits can be procured, and John Duffly and Jacob Kester both of whose affidavits have been taken and forwarded to the Pension Department at Washington City.
Sworn and Subscribed Before me the Day and Year aforesaid
Jacob Goyert
Geo. Hays Jr.
Pennsylvania } Northampton County } ss.
I William Hackett, Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Northampton in Pennsylvania. Do Certify, that George Hays Junr. Esquire before whom the preceding Deposition of Jacob Buzzard was made was at the time thereof and still is one of the Associate Judges of the said Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County duly commissioned & sworn into Office, to all whom Office in acts full faith and Credit are due - and I further certify that I am well acquainted with the signature of the said Judge and that I am satisfied that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine (Arise my hand and the seal of said)

Certificate to the Hon. the Lords of Com. Pleas

To The Hon - The Judges of the Court of Common- pleas of Northampton Co &c
I Certify, that I have heard from various respectable individuals resident in my neighborhood, that Mr Jacob Buzzard Sen, was a Revolutionary Soldier; - He having made Application to me for the above Certificate, in order to draw United States pension; He is an old & infirm individual, incapable of labouring in order to properly support himself, and therefore truly in want of some source of support;
Wm S Berhard Minister of the Gospel
Nov 10th 1840

We Adam Hower Merchant and Abraham Berlin Esquire both residing in Lehigh Township in the county of Northampton aforesaid being duly sworn do depose and say that we are well acquainted with the Reverend William T. Gerhard Minister of the Gospel of the German Reformed Church of Lehigh Township aforesaid who signed the annexed certificate and that we are well acquainted with Jacob Buzzard who has sworn and subscribed to the above declaration and that we believe him to be about eighty or eighty one 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 & subscribed in open Court this twenty third day of November A.D. 1840
Adam Hower A. Berlin
W. H. H. H. R. R.
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 William T. Gerhard who signed the annexed certificate is a Clergyman resident in the Township of Lehigh aforesaid, and that Adam Stover and Abraham Berlin are credible persons; and that their state- ment is entitled to credit —
W. B. Hackett
Pro E. Ledge
I William Hackett Prothonotary of the court of Common Pleas of the county of Northampton in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Jacob Buzzard for a Pension
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and the seal of Office this twenty third day of November in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty —
W. B. Hackett Pro.

35,129
Jacob Buford Pennsylvania
H. D. D. Wagoner H. D.