Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 13366, Joseph Corns, New Jersey

SERVICE
New Jersey
borns, Joseph
NUMBER
P 13366
CONTENTS

State of Ohio } Washington County } ss
On the 25 th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Washington county now sitting. Joseph Collins a resident of Marlow Township in the County & State aforesaid aged seventy seven years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the the benefit of the act of Congress passed the 7 th day of June 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the following names & offices and served as herein after stated
I was born in Philipsburgh New Jersey in the year fifty five have forgotten the Month & the day of the Month on which I was born the Bible in which my birth was recorded has having been entirely worn out & destroyed I enlisted as near as I can recollect at the Straw Tavern in New Jersey in 1779 have forgotten the Month & day of the Month & also the description of Troops My Captain's name was Jacob Levin  Levin the Mayors Troops - The Colonel, Wendel , was private Soldier in the Infantry My Lieutenant's name was Thomas Lucas . My Ensign's name soon after I enlisted - I have forgotten his name. I enlisted for two years & served out that term & rec d my discharge which with all other papers relating to my service have been lost & destroyed - not believing that they would ever be of any service to me. Soon after I enlisted we marched to Black River & from there to Morristown where we drew thirty Dollars apiece which was all the Money I ever rec d for the war.

years service & that hung the Bills - and depraved I recd but very little for it I was was never en- gaged in any Battle. we had a Skirmish with the Rebels at Brandy Branch & took six prisoners lodged off Hay & Corn Feeders. Immediatly after I was discharged - for the two years service. I enlisted again at Harpers Ferry on the Susquehannah for six Months. I think this was on the 1st of July as I recollect my time was out on two years day but do not recollect the year my Captain's name was Smith my Major Westbrook. My Colonel's Name I served out this six months faithfully. I was not very recollection in any Battle or Skirmish during this term. soon after I enlisted I went into the Garrison two days march up the Susquehannah where Major Westbrook commanded. where we remained six weeks & then we marched to Sunnyvale Plains on the Susquehannah where we remained until my time was out. I do not recollect that I recd a written discharge at this time if I did. it has been lost.
I have no documentary evidence of my service or discharge and know of no  not person living who can testify to my service After my discharge I returned to Philipsburg in New Jersey & resided with my Brother in law Capt Mills about two months after which I traveled down for Sarah Abels on the Delaware for upwards of two years soon after I married & removed to the Susquehannah where I resided about one and a half years & then removed to Pine Creek where I resided six years from there I removed forty or fifty miles higher up the River Susquehannah where I resided until the year 1829 when I removed.

to Painesville where I now reside
I hereby relinquish every claim whatsoever to a dear pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State for such Com. I am acquainted with Joshua Bishop & Augustus Stone and who are well acquainted with me and who can testify to their belief in my revolutionary services
we Joshua Bishop & Augustus Stone the first residing in Painesville the in Maurice County & State of Virginia hereby certify that we are well acquainted = with Joseph Burns who here resides = and we can testify above declaration that we believe him to be seventy seven years old that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution & that we concur in that opinion Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Augustus Stone
Joshua Bishop
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid by Joseph Burns. Augustus Stone and Joshua Bishop.
Attest, Geo. Dunlevy Clerk.
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 who have signed the foregoing certificate Augustus Stone and Joshua Bishop are resi- dents in Washington County and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit. Attest, Geo. Dunlevy Clerk.
The State of Ohio. George Dunlevy, Clerk of the Court of Washington County, Common Pleas. We hereby certify that the foregoing

foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Joseph Coons for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this twenty fifth day of October Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred & thirty two.
W. Dunlop Clerk.
Joseph Coons 17174

17, 174.
Joseph Corns, of Wash- ington County, Ohio.
Look on New Jersey Role
In your declaration you allege you entered for 2 years in Bonds Regt There was not such ser- -vice performed by Bond Therefore your claim cannot be allowed
Geo. Dunlevy, Clk., Washington County, Ohio.

BRIEF in the case of Joseph Coons,  County of Washington, in the State of Penn.  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? A Court.  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 77 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.     Enlisted In 1779. 2. As a pr. Gen. Col. Bond, Col. Jacob Wintle, Major Hoops   Enlisted, not stated. 6. " Col. Smith, Major Brederick  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None.  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? New Jersey.  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? No. 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
R. B. Sumner, Examining Clerk.

Rejected
3
See letter 15 April 1833
(George Dunbar Esq) Clerk
See for reason of
rejection Marietta
of claim
Washington County
Ohio

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
13366 Ames
P. O. _____ Joseph Corns Service: Rev.
1 - 0
REJECTED
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Joseph Coons, which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? 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? 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? VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? 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?

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? No. Two citizens.
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?
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?
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so 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.