Pensions: William Beckwith Head, 1833: Frederick, Frederick Co., Maryland Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Bill Thayer (whthayer@verizon.net) Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/md/mdfiles.htm ************************************************ from: National Archives Pension Application R 21695 micro M804:1240 declaration dated 20 Mar 1833: State of Maryland, Frederick County Seat On this 20th day of March 1833 personally appeared in open court before the Court of Frederick County, now sitting William B. Head a resident of Frederick County Maryland, aged eighty four years on the 26th day of October 1832, 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 dated June of 1832. That he received the commission of first lieutenant of Captain Mordecai Bealls Company of militia in the Middle District of Frederick County belonging to the thirty seventh battalion of the now state but then province of Maryland on the 15th day of May Anno Domini 1776 as will appear by reference to the original commission. I ask hereto annexed marked A and prayed to be considered as part of this application: that during the summer or fall of 1776 said Captain Mordecai Beall died: That on the death of said Beall this applicant was appointed Captain of said Company in his place but whether he was appointed by the delegates of the Freemen of Maryland in Convention who gave him the commission of first lieutenant as aforesaid, or by the field officers, he cannot now remember. So it is however that as Captain in the ?room? of said Beall named in the commission aforesaid, he did about the last of December 1776 as captain of said company march with and in command of the same, from Creagers Town in Frederick County aforesaid: the first lieutenant was Bigger Head the brother of applicant: the second lieutenant was Cornelius Ridge, ensign Isaac Miller: there were about forty or fifty soldiers in the company. From Creagers Town they passed through Taney Town, thence on to Hanover, thence to York, where they remained perhaps a night or two, crossed the Susquehannah early in January on the ice with the baggage wagons, to Lancaster, then on to Philadelphia, remained several days there: thence to German Town where they stayed one night, crossed the Deleware at ?Cirrills? Ferry as he thinks: thence to Basking Ridge in New Jersey in the quarters near Lord Sterlings buildings, where from time to time provisions were drawn. Here the applicant joined his Colonel James Johnson of Frederick County to whose regiment he was of course attached, also Col. Charles A. Beatty, Thomas Johnson Brigadier General who was afterwards the first governor of Maryland, and this applicant was in the company with said Thomas Johnson at headquarters when the Express arrived with his commission as governor. Applicant was in the affair of Quibbletown in New Jersey, as a captain always with and under command of the aforesaid Charles A. Beatty: three of our men were killed: they were from Frederick Town: one of them was named Estler as he thinks and was a gunsmith: one from Virginia was ____ dead. Applicant thinks he was at Basking Ridge for perhaps about two months and at the expiration of the time for which they were detailed, was honorably discharged: delivered up their arms and returned here as he had gone on foot, about the last of March 1777 to Frederick County where he has resided ever since. Applicant farther saith that the paper marked B hereto annexed is the very identical paper which he received as Captain _____ the _____ aforesaid, which was the blank form used at that time which has been preserved by him to this day. [in the records there is a printed account/inventory form] This applicant was a volunteer. He aided also in guarding the Hessians captured at Trenton, when coming ____ to the south, from Woodsburough in Frederick County to ?Noland? Ferry. He hereby relinquishes every claim whether to a pension or annuity ____ the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. Sworn to and subscribed on day and year aforesaid. David F. Schaeffer William B. Head Henry Baer Test. Jno Schley, clerk We David F. Schaeffer a clergyman residing in Fredericktown and Henry Baer residing in the same place do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William B. Head who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration: believe him to be eighty four years of age on the 26th day of October 1832: that he is riputed(?) and beloved(?) in the nieghborhood where he resides, to have(?) been a captain of a company in the revolutionary war and ____ as he states and that we concur in that opinion. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that David F. Schaeffer who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in Fredericktown, Frederick County, Maryland and that Henry Baer who has also signed the same is a resident in the said town of Fredericktown and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit. And the said Court does hereby declared their opinion after consideration of the matter and after putting the interrogation prescribed by the War Department that the above named aplicant was a revolutionary captain ______ as he states. Sworn to in open court 20 March 1833 Test Jno Schley, clerk I Jno Schley clerk of the Court of Frederick County, State of Maryland do hereby certify ___ the foregoing _____ the original proceedings of said court in the matter of the application of William B. Head for a pension. In testimony whereof I have herewith set my hand and seal of office this 20th day of March 1832. Jno Schley, clerk Frederick County Court State of Maryland City and County of Baltimore Ct Be it remembered that on this twenty third day of March in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty Three, before me the Subscriber an associate Judge of the Sixth Judicial District of Maryland, personally appeared James Johnson of the said city of Baltimore who being duly sworn by me uupon the Holy Evangely of All Might God, did depose and say, that he is now in the fifty ninth year of his age, and that he has known Major William B. Head of Frederick County, State of Maryland, ever since he can remember. That the said William B. Head was an officer in the Regiment commanded by the father of this Deponent, Col. James Johnson, which Regiment was in General (afterwards Governor) Johnson's Brigade which marched from Frederick County in the winter of the year 1776 and 7, through Little York, Lancaster, Philadelphia, and part of New Jersey to Morris Town in the latter state, and were encamped during the same winter on the Basking ridge, and were discharged in the month of March or April. That he does not know the actual rank which said Head held in that Regiment, but that he always was known as Captain William B. Head in the neighborhood until he was appointed a Major in the Militia. That this deponent has heard his Father frequently say that Major Head was an officer in his Regiment during the time it was in service in New Jersey, and he distinctly recollects Major Head's telling him that he was in Genl. Johnson's Quarters when the Express from Annapolis arrived, informing him of his (Genl Johnson's) Election as Governor of Maryland, and this Deponent further states that Major Head has always borne the character of a most estimable, honest, and worthy gentleman, whose word would be taken by all who know him as soon as his Bond or oath, and further Deponent Saith not. In testimony where I have herunto Subscribed my name, this twenty third day of March in the year of our Lord One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty three, at the City of Baltimore aforesaid: R. B. Magruder