Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1,484, James Burns, Penn.

SERVICE
SERVIC Penn
Burns, James
NUMBER _____
R. 1484
CONTENTS

State of Pennsylvania Bedford County } ss.
On this 31 st day of January A.D. 1854, personally appears before the subscriber an associate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of said County (said Court being a Court of Record) Genl James Burns, a resident of Stapler Township in the said County of Bedford & State aforesaid, aged ninety three years, who being first duly sworn accor- ding 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 under the following names Officers and Sergeants as herein stated. That in the winter of 1777, there was a draft of the militia of said County, and amongst those drafted was a Robert Moore, who procured this declarant as substitute, that at that time he was about 15 or 16 years of age, that he left his home in Bedford County, he thinks on the 13 th of March of the year 1777, and marched under Capt. Brown. First Lieut. John Reves. They marched to the State of Delaware near Wilmington to what he understood was the head quarters of the army, and were there transferred to the Command of other officers, whose names he does not know, as they were all strangers. He understood that the draft was for six months but he thinks they were permitted to return home before the expiration of the time but were out at least four months of the time.
Immediately after returning home, he entered the service again by enlisting for two years; he enlisted in Bedford County under Stephen Goble & David Bates who were recruiting sergeants.
He again marched under Captain Brown.

(who was afterwards promoted to a Col cy ), and and went to Head Quarters near Wilmington - Soon after reaching there the battle of Brandy- wine was fought, being in September of that year, in which this declarant participated.
Some time afterwards, the Army went into winter quarters at Valley Forge and this decla- rant remained there enduring the hardships & sufferings of the Army during that memorable winter. He thus continued with the Army until after the arrival, as he understood of vessels with supplies, when the Army was examined & reviewed by Genl Knapp, and clothing, arms & pay were distributed amongst the troops. He remained with the Army for eleven months, when the Indians becoming troublesome on the frontier, Genl. Washington detached 600 men, called "Backwoodsmen," for their defence. He returned to Bedford County, & was then engaged in the defence of the inhabitants & scouting against the Indians - and continued to be thus employed for six successive summers, and served at least six months of every year. He was during this time under the command of Captain Moore Boyd & Barr.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever whether to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension list of any State nor on any Roll or agency whatever.
He also saith he does not know of any clergyman who can certify for him, and that this declaration is made before a Judge because he is to age to attend Court without much inconvenience.
He also further states that his discharges

with many other valuable papers were many years ago put away in a box, and not being looked after or disturbed were entirely destroyed by mice; and that in consequence of the destruction of his papers, he never made application for a pension before, supposing it was useless to do so.
Sworn to & subscribe the day & year before written James Burns John G. Hartley
We Michael Rea & Samuel Vondersmith residing in Napier Township & Bradford County do hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with James Burns who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be ninety three years of age, that he is reputed & believe, in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to & subscribe the day & year aforesaid Michael Rea Samuel Vondersmith John G. Hartley
And I the said Judge do hereby declare my 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 & served as he states. And I do further certify that it appears to me that Michael Rea Esqr who has signed the preceding Certificate is a resident of Napier Township in said County, and that Samuel Vondersmith, who has signed

The same certificate is a resident in Bedford Borough in said County both very respectable & credible persons, and that their statements are entitled to the fullest credit.
John G. Hartley Associate Judge
State of Pennsylvania Bedford County ss. }
Daniel Warshabaugh Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Bedford County, do certify that John G. Hartley before whom the foregoing proceedings were had, is an associate Judge of the said Court, (the same being a Court of Record,) duly commissioned & qualified, and that the foregoing contains the original proceedings before him in the matter of the application of James Bums for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto affix the seal of said Court and subscribe my name this 15 th day of February A.D. 1854 D. Warshabaugh Pro.
600886

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., _____, 19____
R. 1484
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of James Burns a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     1777 4 mos. ✓ Brown ✓ Penn.   Sept. 1777 11 mos. Brown ✓   ✓ Enrolled at Moore ✓   Various Bayd ✓   Times 18 mos. Bayd ✓  
Battles engaged in, Brandywine
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Bedford County Pa.
Date of application for pension, June 21, 1854
Residence at date of application, Upper Merion Twp, Bedford Co. Penn.
Age at date of application, 93 years.
Remarks: There is no data on file as to his family.
This claim was not allowed as he failed to furnish proof of the services alleged above.  W.W.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

1920 Mar. 4 Hist to Mr. J. J. Rischeldufer.
1484
REJECTED
P. O.
James Burns
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

James Burns Ga. original
1854 1777 77 16 93
Genl. S. J. P. Hald Commission of Swearing Washington
N.O.
Hon S. L. Russell

No 38833
Jamie Burns.
Pa.
Hon. S. L. Russell 9 th Dec r 1854.
1484
Acq d 7 th June 1832.

Walls of the Ho: of Rep. Dec. 7, 1854.
Sir,
Herewith I send you the application of James Burns of Bedford County, Penn a for a pension. Please to inform me of the result of your investigation of his case as soon as you have leisure to do so.
I am
very Resp ly
Yours
J. L. Russell
Gen l Waldo
Comm r of Pensions
} }

96 Pension Office, 9 th Decr. 1854.
Sir,
The application of James Burns of Pennsylvania, has been received and filed under Act of 7 th June 1832.
James must adduce some evidence of his Revolutionary services, and of his identity as the soldier who received from the State of Pennsylvania the sum of £10. 10 s , for his services in the York County militia.
Hon. S. L. Russell. House of Reps.

No 128043 B.
£ 10. 10. 0 Specie.
I do hereby Certify, that the State of Pennsylvania is indebted to James Burns of York Co. Militia in the sum of ten pounds ten shillings Specie, with lawful interest from the first day of July, one thousand seven hundred and eighty three: the same being due upon an Account settled in this Office, Pursuant to an Act of Assembly passed the first Day of April 1784.
Comptroller General's Office } 26 th Oct. 1786
Mr. Nicholson
Auditor General's Office Harrisburg Mar. 9. 1854.
I Certify the above to be a true copy of the original remaining on file in this Department.
Witness my hand and seal of office the day & year aforesaid.
E. Banks. Aud. Genl.

Salt Creek Valley Bank
56-1014 UNINCORPORATED
GEO. D. MOWERY, President WM. H. SHUPE, Vice President J. J. REICHELDERFER, Cashier D. K. WILSON, Asst. Cashier
DIRECTORS:
J. F. Mowery Wm. H. Shupe Geo. D. Mowery D. K. Wilson J. J. Reichelderfer
Tarlton Gaurelville, Ohio, Feb. 16-1920
Dept. of Interior, Washington D.C.
Gentlemen - The name I am most anxious to have looked up is that of James Burns.
Born about 1755 - lived to be over 100 yrs. old, do not know date of death, but was alive in 1856 and was 101 yrs. old at that time.
Lived then in Bedford or Somerset Co. Pa. Do not know name of wife, he had a son James, and a daughter (Elizabeth?) who married Wm. Buchanan.
Sincerely
Mrs. J. J. Reichelderfer.