RICHLAND COUNTY OHIO - Revolutionary War Pension: FAST, Christian (1832) *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by C 1999 All rights reserved Glenn K. Fast FASTGK@aol.com July 24, 1999 *********************************************************************** State of Ohio Richland County Court Testimony On the 23rd day of October 1832 personally appeared before the judge of the court of Common Pleas as of said county in open court. Christian Fast a resident of Orange Township in the county of Richland and state of Ohio aforesaid aged seventy years who being duly sworn according to law do taken his oath makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he was born in Frederick County Maryland the 22nd day of June 1762. That he has a -- or a -- of this age in his Bible which he transcribed from his father's Bible. When about 10 or 11 years of age he moved with his parents and settled in Monougahula County Virginia. In the Spring of 1778 or 1779 he cannot recollect which but knows he was either 16 or 17 he entered into the service of the United States as a volunteer in the Virginia Militia at Martin's Fort in said county under Capt. Joseph Neel and was stationed at Scott's Mill on the Mouougaheela River. David Gilkey was next in command in the station but he does not recollect what office he held. Col. Zacheriah Morgan was the Superior officer in that part of the country. He visited the station occasionally as an officer and once ordered the attachment from the station against the Tories. The attachment was stationed at this part to guard the frontiers. A part remained at the station and a part made excursions through the country between that and the Ohio River and took turns in the same alternately. He served a term of seven months and was regularly discharged late in the fall. He had a written discharge or certificate of his service which he gave his father to draw his pay and has never seen it since, thinks his father drew pay for his services. About the last of May or first of June 1780 he entered into the service of the United States in the Virginia Militia in said county as a subtitute for his brother Jacob Fast at Jared's Fort on Big Whitey and placed under Col. Minor and served in that station one month and was regularly dismissed but received no written discharge. In June or the first of July he thinks in 1781 he was residing in what is now Fayette County Pennsylvania. A draft was ordered in the Militia of one fifth part to go in "Clark's Campaigne" and if five persons furnished a man they escaped a draft. His two brothers, two brothers-in-law and himself belonged to the same company and he agreed to go in the expedition to clear them of a draft. Accordingly he entered into the service of the United States under Capt. Michael Gatt. Melzor Baker was Lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Militia. They marched to Wheeling and there joined General Clark's expedition against the Indians. He remained at Wheeling three or four weeks waiting for the arrival of Col. Laughery and then set out with the Army down the Ohio in boats without him. At the mouth of the little Kerkaway an express arrived informing Gen. Clark that Laughery had arrived at Wheeling and was following on but had no provisions. The General ordered Major Cracroft and nine men of whom he was over into a boat and provisions until Laughery arrived, then join his party and follow on. When Laughery arrived, he joined his party and continued down the river. After passing the mouth of the Big Miami mear the mouth of Laughery's Creek the whole detachment was killed or taken by the Indians. He was wounded in the hip by a ball. Col. Laughery was tomahawked after he surrendered. Many others died. He now recollects the names of the following officers who were taken prisoners: Major Cracroft, Capt. Orr, Lieut. Baker of the Militia he thinks, and Capt. Thomas Shakely he believes of the Regular Army. He was taken by the Indians back into the Miami country and kept a prisoner among them and wandered about in the woods with them. In the summer or fall of 1782 having obtained their confidence he was permitted to go with them on an expedition from Girty's --- against Wheeling. Col. McGee commanded the expedition. Simon Girty, James Girty, George Girty and Capt. Elliott were white men in the expedition. They moved slowly eastward and on the way were joined by a company of mounted Englishmen from Detroit. They crossed the Ohio about three miles below Fort Wheeling and surrounded it and held a party, but the men in the fort refused to surrender. They then kept up a fire for a few days and tried to burn the fort. A proposition was made to penetrate the country and make an attack upon the settlement. The family into which he was adopted refused to join the party. The night after the party set out he ran away from the Indians and the next day he came upon their trail and followed until by the signs he knew was near them. He then took a circuitous route and ran all day - rested at night and the next day about four o'clock arrived at Ross's Fork in the settlement on the waters of Ten Mile now in Washington Country and alarmed the settlement. About sundown the Indians attacked it but they were prepared and resisted successfully. The next day he arrived at his father's about the first of December 1782 having been about 17 months as he thinks from his best recollection. His officers were so dispersed that he never received any certificate of his services nor any pay. With respect to the date of the Campaigne he speaks from recollection and may be incorrect. After the Revolution he continued to reside in Fayette County until the spring of 1816 when he moved to his present place of residence in Orange Township, Richland County, Ohio where he has resided ever since. And the said Fast respectfully is asking claim in whole to a or an annuity, except the present and he declares his name is not upon the pension roll in any state. He knows of the existence of no documentary evidence by which his services can be proved nor does he know of any person living by whom he can prove said services except Phillip Bowman whose affidavit is hereunto ---. His Christian Fast Mark Sworn to -- before me this 23 Oct 1832 Elly Haegulk ______________________________________________________ A list was later found in British Records of Col. Archbald Lochry's Battalion, Pennsylvannia listing Christian Fast as a Prisoner of War, August 24, 1781. Christian's Pension Number is S4, 195 Prisoner. Original list is in British Museum. The Phillip Bowman mentioned was an Officer in the Continental Army. _______________________________________________________