Thomas Perry Pension Application
Date 2010/12/31 19:09:59 | Topic: Military History
| Pension Application of Thomas Perry STATE OF OHIO COUNTY OF WASHINGTON
This 23rd day of October 1832 personally in open court for the judge of the court of common pleas now sitting Thomas Perry, a resident of Wesley Township of the county and state aforesaid ,aged 76 years . after being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath , make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, serving as followed: viz
I was born in the state of New Jersey, Sussex County in the year of 1754. I first entered the militia service in New Jersey but cannot recollect the year as a substitute but for whom I cannot recollect as I was then very young, under Capt. Cole and was out two months on the Delaware River at Ninisick. I got no written discharge from this service but was relieved at the end of two months. Our service was to guard the inhabitants along the Delaware from the Indians. The next year I was out again as substitute for whom not recollected one month and served at Elizabethtown, Trenton, Brunswick, and was relieved by a new recruit as on the first service. The next year I went out as a volunteer under Capt. Richard Etchell and Col. John Soward; we marched from near Sussex Courthouse to New Winsor on the North River where the British were expected to land-but when they found us so strong that they could not land, they went down past New York and went to a place called Red Banks below Philadelphia.
Immediately marched after them to Red Banks and lay there during the siege of Mud Island Fort and until it was taken, when we were discharged. On this service I was engaged two months. My discharge was signed by Col. Soward and has been lost for more than 40 years. My father's family soon after removed to Pennsylvania 12 miles above Reading on the Little Schuylkill where we lived 5 years. I never received anything for these three tours.
In the Spring of the year the army wintered at the Valley Forge, as near as I can recollect, I enlisted in the State troops of Pennsylvania for three years, unless sooner discharged. At Henry Shoemaker's Tavern ,12 miles above Reading on the Little Schuylkill, we first rendezvoused at Reading and then marched to Philadelphia and were then signed and registered; we then marched under the officers who enlisted us to Morristown, New Jersey where we expected to join the army but it had marched before we got there. We overtook them at a place called Tappen. I believe, then went into Maj. Talbot's Company. Talbot had been a Captain but was advanced to rank of Major. Our first lieutenant Jonathan or Benjamin Lodge. Col. Harmon commanded the regiment which was the 6th of the second brigade. I served in a Company of Maj. Talbot 6 Th. Reg , 2nd Brig until I was discharged at the end of three years. Col. Harmon left our Regiment before I was discharged and I think took the command of the 1st Reg. Of the C7th Brigade but I am not sure. General Wayne commanded this division to which I belonged from the opening to the close of each campaign during the three years we were almost constantly marching from one place to another wherever the enemy drew us. We wintered 2 winters at a place called Jockey Hollow in Somerset County. I believe I do not recollect where we wintered the other winter , but believe it to have been in New Jersey. I was engaged in many skirmishes during my service.
I was engaged in the skirmish of Springfield where we drove the British. I was on the baggage guard at the Battle of Monmouth, having been one of those selected from our company for guarding the baggage in that battle General Wayne commanded our company with several others were marched as a reinforcement to Trenton but did not get there til after the enemy had surrendered.
My discharge was signed by General Washington and lost at the same time with those mentioned above. For my 3 years service I received certificates which I sold to Robert Richie who lived at the mouth of Bald Eagle Creek, a branch of the Susquehannah, for $20.00, $10.00 in cash and $10.00 in store goods. After my discharge I went as a substitute for a man whose name I do not recollect who had been drafted or enlisted for 7 months. We were put in companies that were broken to fill up vacancies and I was selected by Major Talbot and went into my old company and at the time of the 7 months received a discharge signed by Major Talbot which was also lost with the others.
I have no record of my age and have been living in Ohio for 30 years and where I now live for 7 years, I removed home from Northumberland Co., Pa. Augustus Stone and Heil/Thiel Dinsmore are persons who can testify as to my service. I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except this present, and declared that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Atest, George Dunlevy, Clerk
Signed ,Thomas Perry
(This goes back to the earliest Perry in my mother's Perry line. The same Perry line from Craigsville,WV)
submitted by: Brenda Dillon
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