Lebanon-Lancaster County PA Archives Military Records.....BICKEL, John March 1833 Revwar - Pension 6th Battalion of the Lancaster Co. Militia ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Tom Caulley caulleys@yahoo.com August 18, 2008, 8:02 pm Revolutionary War Pension Declaration Revolutionary War Pension Claim of John Bickel of Lebanon Co., PA -------------------------------------------------------------------------- State of Pennsylvania } County of Lebanon } S. S. } } On the ______________Day of March 1833 personally appeared in open court before the judges of the court of Common Pleas now sitting, John Bickel Esquire, a resident of Swatara Township, in the county and state aforesaid, aged Eighty years the second day of May last, 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 7 1832. ____ That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.__ I entered the service of the colonies in the Revolutionary War in Captain Thomas Coppenhefer's company on the 2nd day of January A. D. 1777 marched from Jonestown to Philadelphia, thence to Trenton, thence to Priceton, thence to Rockyhill, thence to Princeton again, and then was discharged by General Putnam from militia duty and returned home, after having served a tour of duty for two months. ^/as ensign/--About the first of September A. D. 1777 I made another tour of militia duty, marched ^/as ensign/ to Featherbed hill near Germantown, was present at the battle of Germantown Brandywine, and served my two months in Captain Amos Green's Company under the command of Colonel Rogers- I was discharged and returned home again.--I served a third tour ^/of two months/against the Indians.^/as Ensign/--And were ordered to rondevous at Greens Mill in East Hanover Township Dauphin County, then Lancaster County and state Aforesaid __ Our Captain Thomas Coppenhafer did not come, and I was an ensign in the Company and had received my appointment and commission as such in augst 1777 and it had been date the 31st of July 1777 which I have exhibited in court signed by Thomas Wharton, Junr- Pres and countersigned by T Matlack Secretary and in the summer following, vis August 1778 marched on my third term of two moths as an ensign I then acted as Captain and marched the company under the command of Colonel Hartley and Major Eichelberger to Sunbury did all the duties of a captain but never received a commission as such -- I remained out on this tour three months and was past the time, from 6 to 8 weeks stationed at Fort Jenking on the North Branch of the Susquehanna River about 30 miles above the junction of the North and West Branches - I never saw an Indian on this tour but we were in persuit of them. I was again dischazrged in the town of Sunbury on the said River Col (I think) Butter and returned again to Jonestown in the County of Lebanon, aforesaid, then Lancaster County and there I have lived ever since except a part of the time I lived in Hanover Township, in the said county about, about a mile from Jonestown. -- I have no documentary evidence of my discharge but I have the commission appointing me as an ensign of a company of foot in the sixth battalion of militia in the county of Lancaster that he knows of no other persons whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services except Frederick Beeker, John Gerbinch and John Lebeman. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. ---I served six months as an ensign and three months as a captain. Sworn and subscribed in open } (signed) Court the day and year aforesaid } John Bickel } Adam Ritscher clk We hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Bickel who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration and we believe him to be eighty years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in this opinion.--- Sworn and subscribe in open } Valentine Shouflr court the day and year aforesaid. } } Wm Adam Ritscher clk Wood ==================================================================================== The following Questions were propounded to John Bickel Esquire an applicant for the benefit of the act of Congress passed 7 June 1832 by the court at the time of filing his declaration.-- First. -- Where and in what year were you born? I was born in Bethel Township in the county of Lancaster & state aforesaid on the 2nd of May A.D. 1752 Second. -- Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? I have it under my own fathers hand; it is a leaf out of the family Bible and I have it here in court. Third. -- Where were you living when called into service: where have you lived since the revolutionary war: and where do you live now? I lived at Hanover Township about a mile from Jonestown - Where I have lived and in Jonestown ever since the revolutionary war and I now live at Jonestown as mentioned in my declaration. Fourth. How were you called into service; where you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute? And if a substitute for whom? I was called into service underr the militia system I was drafted and served every time I was drafted I was out four times - the last time I was only out ten days and was discharged and this I have not mentioned in my declaration. Fifth. -- State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served; which continental and militia regiments as you recol lect and the general circumstances of your service? I saw General Washington often while in Jersy and knew him, genl Lee genl Putnam - Col Cox - I knew more of them but I have forgotten their names - I do not recollect the names of the regiments and have very little recollection of the circumstances. I knew genl Dehaus and Col Hussicker who fled to the enemy during the Battle of Princeton - which created much excitement. The rest I have alreaady stated in my declaration. Sixth. -- Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it? I got a discharge from Majr Latjah but what has become of it I know not I cannot find it - for the first tour for the other tours we got no written discharges we were called in rank and the muster roll was called over and we were discharged. Seventh. -- State the names of the person to whom you are known in your present neigh borhood and who can testify to your venaity and their belief of your service as a soldier in the revolution? The only persons I now can recollect are Frederick Becker, John Gerberiel and Jacob Lebman the last named person is sick and unable to be in court and therefore I have taken his deposition but the other two are in court Valentine Shoufler & D. William Wood. We hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Bickel who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration and we believe him to be eighty years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in this opinion.--- Sworn and subscribe } Valentine Shouflr in open court the day and } year aforesaid. } Wm Adam Ritscher clk Wood Certificate of the Court And the said court do hereby do declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogation 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 Valentine Shoufler and D. William Wood ----------------- are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit. ----------- JnPloninger Baidorff Additional Comments: This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 8.9 Kb