Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4508, Ebenezer Hamill, Penn.

SERVICE
SERVICE Penn.
NUMBER _____
Hamill, Ebenezer
R. 4508
CONTENTS

S. Hamilt
11583

The State of Ohio Preble County Court of Common Pleas September Term 1832
On this twenty first day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared before the honorable the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Preble Ebenezer Hamill aged seventy seven years a resident of the county aforesaid 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 seventh eighteen hundred and thirty two.
That in the month of May seventeen hundred and seventy six in Northumberland County Pennsylvania he was employed by the commissioners of said county to work at gun smithing to make guns and bayonets for the United States army he served at this business until in December of the same year for which he received but little pay in Continental money. On the tenth of December he volunteered to serve three months in Captain Gray's company of Colonel Potter's regiment he was marched to Trenton in New Jersey he was in the battles of Trenton and Princeton. General Washington commanded in person. he fought under Colonel Potter

immediate command - he was then marched to Morristown he remained at Morristown one week - he was then marched to the lines near Amboy where he was engaged in guarding and in - scouts against the British foraging parties until the tenth of March seventeen hundred and seventy seven when he was discharged by General Max- field - In October of the same year he volun- teered in Chester county Pennsylvania to serve for two months in Captain Hinkaid's company of militia of Colonel Gibbons Regiment of General Lacey's Brigade he spent the two months scouting and mounting guard at General Washington's Camp at White Marsh at the end of the two months he was discharged - In seventeen hundred and seventy nine deponent worked two months in the publick factory at Lebanon in Lancaster county Pennsylvania for which he received some worthless continental paper, the whole time that deponent served during the war was fourteen months - He knows of no living witnesses by whom he can prove his services but is well known to the Reverend Samuel Mitchell and James Fleming residents of the county of Preble by whom he can prove that he sustains a good character for truth and veracity and that he is reputed and believed in his neighborhood to have been a soldier of the revolution - he never received a written discharge he has a written record of his age by which it ap-

pears that he was born in Chester County Penn- sylvania in September seventeen hundred and fifty five - deponent has lived in the state of Ohio more than thirty years and in the County of Preble more than seventeen years 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
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Ebenezer Harnill
J. C. Hawkins Clerk
We Samuel Mitchell Clergyman and James Fleming residents of the County of Preble in the state of Ohio do hereby certify that we are well ac- quainted with Ebenezer Harnill who has sworn to and subscribed the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy seven years of age that he sustains a good character for truth that he is considered respected and believed to to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we have full confidence in the truth of his declaration and believe that he did serve as he has above stated
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
J. C. Hawkins Clerk
Samuel Mitchell
James Fleming

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 Samuel Mitchell, who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the county of Preble, and that James Fleming, who has also signed the same, is a resident in the county of Preble, and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
By the Court.
J. C. Hawkins Clerk
I Joseph C Hawkins, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Ebenezer Hamill for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this twenty fourth day of September, eighteen hundred and thirty two.
J. C. Hawkins Clerk
Hamill

No 11. 585 E. Hamile
Ohio
Preble County
rejected did not see 6 months, see letter 22 Feb 33 to J. M. Mc Nutt,
  Reside  Date  Rank  Regt          Names of General and Field Officers  
J. M. Mc Nutt

BRIEF in the case of  Ebenezer Hamble  of the State of  Ohio  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Open 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.     * May In 1776. to December As a Gen.   Vol " 10 Dec 3 Private Capt Gray. — Col Potter   Vol 1777 Oct 25 " Kincaid — " Gibbons Gen Lacey  
* says the whole services have the months
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Trenton & Princeton  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Northumberland County Penn a  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? Not defective 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
H. G. Evans Examining Clerk.
* Employed as a gunsmith and worked until Dec r following which he acknowledged he rec d part pay in Continental Money for said services. 1779 — He served 2 Mths as gunsmith & again rec d some pay in Continental Money.

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
REJECTED
4508
P. O.
E. Hamble
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
Recognized.
Contract.

E. Hamile Ohio
Rejected
did not serve 6 months (See letter 22 February 1833 To J. M. W. Menut
4508

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Ebenezer Garrison which require further proof or explanation.
1. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes 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? Yes - in part 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? No VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes 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? Yes

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? Yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
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? Yes
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? Yes
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.