Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18434, Robert Harbison, Penn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Penn.
Harbison, Robert or Harbinson
S. 18434
leaded
CONTENTS

Ohio. 13. 4/10.
Robt. Harrison.
of Xenia, in the State of Ohio - who was a Private in the Co commanded by Captain Ritchie, of the Bt commanded by Col Harn. - in the Penna line for 17 mos.
$56 69/100
Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio. at the rate of 56 Dollars 69 Cents per annum. to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 27 day of Feb. 1833 and sent to Mr. Grover. Xenia, 46. Ohio.
Arrears to the 4th of March. 1831 $13.34 Sem-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept. 33 28.33
$41.67
{ Revolutionary Claim, } Act June 7 1832 }
Recorded by Wm. Palmer, Clerk, Book 6 Vol. 8. Page 10.

N o 17. 937. 13. 470.
Robert Hutchinson
Ret. 5. 16
Adm for 1. year 85 months
J. L. Groves Clerk Xenia Green County Ohio Ohio
21. Feb. 1833.

BRIEF in the case of Robert Warbinton of Greene County in the State of Ohio. (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? 74 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.     In 1775 — 2 — Private Gen. Capt. Jas. Smith   — not stated — — do Capt. Schryver Genl. Howe   — — 2 — do Capt. Hugh M'Intosh   — — 2 — do Capt. Hanton.   — — 2 — do Dr. Benj. Loe   1779 — 1 — do Capt. Matthew Jack (regular Soldier)   — — 2 — do Same —  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? —  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional evidence — Adam M'Connell proves the service under Col. Kerr  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? yes — declaration on several disconnected pieces of paper — 
X  Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
R. H. Pleasants Examining Clerk.

State of Ohio Greene County ss
On this 15 th day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty two, personally appeared in open court, before the Judges of the court of common Pleas now sitting, Robert Harrison a resident of Xenia in the county of Greene & State of Ohio aged about Seventy four years, who being first duly sworn said according to law said both on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 4 th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated viz - In the year Seventeen hundred & Seventy five, in the latter part of the summer or fore part of the fall of that year as well as he can now remember his residence then being in the county of Westmoreland in the State

of Pennsylvania, as a drafted Militia man, under Captain James Fitch or Leach and marched to Fort Pitt, (Pittsburgh) and his captain, with his company, and two other companies, (to wit, Capt. Hinkson & Marchbanks were added from thence to Wheeling, as an escort with provisions to that Garrison, but who commanded this detachment, he does not know, or whether there was any general officer along or not - in this town he served two months and they were all discharged & returned home, though no written discharge was given to him or to any other person to his knowledge -
The next Service he rendered was as a Volunteer under Captain Christy, and marched in his company on a campaign under General General Hahn against the Sandusky Indians & towns, they burnt two

Towns & killed some Indians and took some prisoners, this was in the latter part of the winter, the weather was bad & the waters high by which the campaign was shortened he does not know how long they were out, but he does know that they were worn out in the mud the cold & high waters -
That the next Service he rendered was under Captain Hugh Mitchell on a tour of two months, to guard the frontiers in which he went as a Subaltern but does not know for who, nor did he ever know, as he was highered by the Captain, for $30,000 & the State pay, & many others of said company were hired in the same way
That shortly after his return he was again drafted for an other tour under Captain Houston under whom he also served two months in guarding the frontier settlement -
Some short time afterwards, the date he cannot now state, he

was again drafted, and served a two months term under Lieut- enant Benjamin Gae, also on the same frontier, being the Northern part of the State of Penn- sylvania -
That in the Month of March 1779, he enlisted as a regular soldier under Captain Mathew Jack, for six months his Lieutenant was now Guthry This Company was attached to a Company of Regulars under Captain Jeremiah Stokely and were engaged in guarding the frontier settlements, and during the time built a fort at the old Indian town on the Alleghana River above the mouth of Crooked Creek, he was then marched on a campaign under Colonel Broadhead against the Muncy Indians up the Alleghana River, had

a fight with the Indians, killed nine Indians on the ground took their town, burnt it, and cut up their corn, This last Service was performed after our terms of Service had ex- pired, they were in all, two months longer out than the term of their enlistment or their absent, That for this lost Service he never receiv- ed any pay from the govern- ment
In addition to the Services detailed as above he performed much Service in scouting parties, in cases of a loss on the frontiers & under went much hardship and fatigue That he is not at this distance of time able to state his Servi- ces with more certainty than he has done, nor does he know of any person living by whom he can prove those Services except Adam McConnell who served with him, in the same

Company on the Power to Kentucky which he has before described, he further States that he never had a written discharge from any of his officers nor has he any other documentary evidence in his power to produce, nor hath he any record of his age here or else where - He left Pennsylvania about the year 1790 or 91 as near as he can now remember, and went to the State of Kentucky where he lived until the year 1809 when he removed with his family to the State of Ohio, where he has since remained & now lives in the County of Greene in said State -
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 above written Attest J. G. Morris Robert Harrison

We Adam McConnell and John Harbison both resident in the County of Greene in the State of Ohio, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Robert Harbison who has sworn to and subscribed the above declaration him to be of the age he states & that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a revolutionary soldier, and Adam McConnell for himself states that he served with him in the same company, on the campaign under General Harm, of which he speaks in his declaration - and we do both concur in the opinion that he was a soldier of the revolution sworn to and subscribed the day and year above
Attest
J. G. Brown Clk
Adam W McConnell John Harbison
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the int- errogatories 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 Adam McConnell & John Harbison who have signed the above certificate are residents of Greene County, Ohio, and are credible persons, and that their sta-

General is entitled to credit
I James Brown Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Grant County and State of Ohio, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the Original Proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Robert Hartison for a Pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal of offi- -ce this 17 th day of September 1832 J. Brown Clerk
2, H. Sinclair Feb 11 1837

Robert Harbison made an application for pension on September 15th, 1832, at which time he was residing at Xenia, Ohio, and about 74 years of age, and his pension was allowed for 17 months actual service as a private in the Penna. troops, Revolutionary war; a part of the time he served under Capt. James Leach and General Hand. He enlisted from Westmoreland Co., Penna.
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.
Miss Emma L. Bloomfield, Eaton, Preble Co., Ohio.
Apr 7 '96

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Robert Harbison which require further proof or explanation.
I. 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? very imperfectly 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? as to 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?
No Clergyman but 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? yes in part-
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? sworn in Court-
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? yes as far as he proves it -
XVI. ‡Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes. No
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? yes.
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.

es d
R 18434
INVALID.
Apr 7 '96 Recd pound to M E S Bloomfield JWB
File No. 18,434
Robert Harrison
Ex Rev War
Act: June 7 th 82
Index: —Vol. 1 , Page 166
[Arrangement of 1870.]

State of Ohio Green County ss
Personally appeared before me, the undersigned a justice of the peace in & for said county. Robert Harbison who being duly sworn, 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 & belief he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For two months as a private soldier & drafted Militiaman under Captain Litch. For one two months as a volunteer & private soldier, under Captain Christy. For two months under Captain Hugh Mitchell, as a private & a substitute. For two months under Captain Huston, as a private soldier , & drafted Militiaman. For two months under Lieutenant Benjamin Gae, as a private soldier, & drafted Militiaman. For eight months under Captain Matthew Jack, a regular officer, under whom he enlisted for six months, but was detained in the service about two months after his time was out, on the campaign under General Broadhead, in all seventeen months; and for which he claims a pension sworn to & subscribed before me at my office in Xenia this 18th day of May 1833
Robert Harbison
David Douglass P.P.

The State of Ohio I James D. Brown Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said county, do hereby certify that David Don glas Esq. before named, is an acting Justice of the peace within and for said county, duly commissioned and qualified, authorized to administer oaths, and that the signature purporting to be his is genuine
In testimony whereof I have here set my hand at the seat of said Court at Lima this 18th day of May 1833. J. D. Brown Clerk