REV WAR Pension Application of Zachariah CLASON, 1833: Whitpain Twp, Montgomery Co, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Jim Stokes. jlstokes@supernet.com USGENWEB NOTICE: Printing this file by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. ------------------------------------------- Revolutionary War pension file of Zachariah Clason of Hatfield Twp., Montgomery County. I don't know who his parents are, his wife was Elizabeth Hawksworth (Hoxworth). Zachariah died 8/06/1839, I'd like to find out where he was buried. A will filed in Bucks county by Susanna (Clayton) Edwards mentions her cousin Mary Closen and Mary's children Zachariah and William, I haven't been able to discover the information that would show Mary's maiden name or Zachariah's father's name. [EDWARDS, Susanna. New Britain. November 22, 1760. 3.34. Abstract located in these archives.] ------------------------------------------- Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832 State of Pennsylvania County of Montgomery On the tenth day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight Hundred thirty-three personally appeared in open court before the Honorable John Fox, Esq., President and Hiram McNeil and Richard B. Jones Esquires associated ______________ Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County aforesaid now sitting, Zachariah Closen a resident of Whitpain Township in the County of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania aged 80 years who being duly sworn according to the laws doth on his oath _______ makes 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 __to wit. He entered the service as a militia private in August 1776 in Captain George Smith's Company in Colonel William Dean's Regiment, Pennsylvania Militia. He was drafted from Hatfield township in said county. The company marched through Bucks County and crossed the Delaware River at Trenton in the State of New Jersey. It remained at Trenton two or three weeks, and marched from there to Princeton and there it quartered in the College a short time, from there it proceeded to Brunswick where it remained one night and the next morning marched to Amboy, then the Regiment encamped. The British and Hessians were on Staten Island at that time. We saw the British troops every day while the Company was at Amboy. They frequently fired bullets over the town of Amboy when the Americans were encamped there. The commander of the troops at Amboy was General Dae. He cannot say whether General Dae was a regular officer or not, but thinks he was, - the company he believes was discharged at Amboy after the time was up. He cannot say what time he returned home but remembers the time he was out was called a two month tour. He was paid for two months service by his captain at Amboy and then returned home. He further says he went a second time in 1777. He thinks in the latter part of summer under Captain Andrew Morgan in Col. Currey's Regiment. He was drafted from Hatfield township aforesaid. He served as a private in a company of militia. The Company marched to the River Schuylkill in the township of Norriton in the County of Montgomery aforesaid, a short distance below the Swedesford ferry. The British lay at that time at the Valley Forge. During this tour he together with twenty or thirty others volunteered with Captain Currey on a scouting excursion. They crossed the Schuylkill in the evening. After dark they went over to the tavern called the King of Prussia, as Elliot's tavern in Upper Merion township, Montgomery County. The House was deserted. There was a large quantity of cannon balls there. The company returned and arrived at the encampment the next morning. Sometime after the company was discharged and he returned home. He cannot say what time he was discharged but he remembers when the British took possession of Phil'a he was at home and he further remembers that the time of service was called a usual tour which was two months. The said Zachariah Closen further says - Same time in the fall of 1777 he was drafted from Hatfield township aforesaid as a private in a company of militia commandeered by Captain Daniel Bloom of Colonel Bull's Regiment. The company marched to Whitemarsh township in the County of Montgomery aforesaid where it encamped. The British were quartered in and about Phil'a. During this time he and about forty others commanded by Capt. Bloom went on a scouring expedition they marched towards Phil'a city until they came to the Robin Hood Tavern. There they saw two American horsemen coming at full speed and about twenty Hessian Cavalry in pursuit of them. When the Hessians saw Captain Bloom's company they halted, several shots were exchanged. This deponent fired five times at them. He is unable to say whether any of the shots fired by Captain Bloom's men took effect or not but he thinks it probable they did from the apparent bustle among the Hessians. They retreated and Capt. Bloom's Company marched across to Germantown and from there to their quarters in Whitemarsh. Sometime in the winter of 1778 the company was discharged and the deponent returned home. This was also called a two month tour. A short time after, in the same winter of 1778 this deponent was hired by Col. George Smith as a private in a company of militia commanded by Captain Folwell in Col. Curry's Regiment of P.M. George Smith was called Sub Lieutenant of the County or of some part of it at that time - this deponent with the rest of the company marched to Harvard Township, Delaware County were it encamped - it remained there until the soldiers were discharged - He cannot remember what month he went out or the time he returned home but he knows it was called a two month tour. Col. Smith paid him a hundred dollars extra for his service but it was almost good for nothing. He remembers of paying twenty dollars for one pound of sugar. General Potter was the commander in Chief this tour but he can not say whether he was a regular officer or not. In the latter part of Summer of 1781 this deponent was drafted from Hatfield Township aforesaid as a private in a militia company commanded by Capt. Henry Nevil, now a resident in Gwynede township in the County of Montgomery aforesaid) in Col. George Smith's Regiment. The company proceeded to Newton in the State of New Jersey, there it encamped. This deponent remained there with the rest of the company until they were discharged. He cannot say what month he was discharged in but he remembers he was paid for two months service by Capt. Henry Nevil. This deponent further declares that he on no occasion received a written discharge. He each time received what was called a marching order, but has lost them all but one and that has not the year on. But he knows it was the one he received in 1781 when he marched under Capt. Nevil. The order is hereto annex He has no other documentary evidence of his service but he knows of three persons whose evidence he thinks he can procure, viz Capt. Henry Neil, Jacob Johnston & William Snore who can testify as to part of his service. The first tour Samuel Hinse was first Lieutenant, Jenkins Evans was second Lieutenant, Jacob Humphrey was ensign ________ __________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ The said Zachariah Closen herby 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. his Sworn to and subscribed the this day Zachariah X Closen And year aforesaid in open court mark Adam Slemmer Proth Interrogatories put to the aforesaid Zachariah Closen by the Court. And his answer thereto. First Where and in what year were you born. Ans. From the information I received from my parents, I was born at Maidenhead in the State of New Jersey in the year 1753. Second Have you any records of your age and if so where is it. Ans. I have no records of my age. I had an indenture, but it is lost. Third Where were you living when called into service where have you lived since the revolutionary war and where do you now live. Ans. When I was called into service I lived in Hatfield Township, Montgomery county (then a part of Phil'a County) in the State of Pennsylvania. Since the revolutionary war I have lived all the time in Montgomery County except one year that I lived in Bucks County in the State of Pennsylvania. I know live in Whitpain Township in the county of Montgomery as aforesaid. Forth How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute ? And if a substitute for whom ? I was drafted four times and the first, second, third and fifth. The fourth time I was hired by Colonel George Smith then Sub Lieutenant in the Montgomery County. Smith paid me $100 extra for my services in Continental money. I may have been a substitute for somebody this tour but if so I never knew for whom, I went voluntarily at the request of Col. Smith who employed me. Fifth State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served. Each Continental and militia regiment as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service. Ans. I do not recollect the names of any officers that were with the troop that I was certain was regular officers. I do not remember any Continental Regiments. Militia Regiments - Col. William Dean's Regiment, Col. Curry's Regiment, Col. Butler's Regiment. Col. George Smith's Regiment. I served five tours of two months each as a private militiaman. Sixth Did you ever receive a discharge from the services and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it. Ans. I never received a discharge from the service except as a verbal discharge. Seventh State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the revolution. Ans. John Real, John Heist, John Sheneberg Esquire, the Rev. George Wack, Abraham Yost, Abraham Wentz, William McGlothery and Isaac McGlatchy. Montgomery County I Adam Slemmer Prothonotary of the SEAL Court of Common Pleas in and for the Countyof Montgomery in the State of Pennsylvania it being a court of Records do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Zachariah Closen for a pension. In testimony where of I have hereto set my hand and seal of said Court at Norristown, the eighth day of May AD 1833. Adam Slemmer, Proth. We, George Wach, a clergyman, residing in the township of Whitpain in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania and John Heist Esq'r residing in the same township county and state aforesaid hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Zachariah Closen who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that 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 can concur in that opinion. Sworn and Subscribed George Wach The day and year aforesaid In open court John Heist Adam Slemmer Prot'r And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogators proscribed 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 George Wach who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman resident in the township of Whitpain, in the County of Montgomery aforesaid and that John Heist Esq'r who has also signed that same is a resident in the same township of Whitpain And is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit _______ In witness thereof they have hereunto set their hand this tenth day of April A D 1833 John Fox Pres. Judge Hiram McNeil of the associates for Montgomery County Richard B. Jones Assoc. Judge State of Pennsylvania Montgomery County Personally appeared before me B.F. Hancock Esq., one of the Justices of the peace in and fore said county. Henry Nevil of the County aforesaid who being duly sworn according to law doth deport and say that he is 80 years of age and that I am well acquainted with Zachariah Closen the within applicant and have been for many years. Some time in the month of September 1777 I was drafted from the County of Philadelphia. I was second Lieutenant in Captains Haselet's company in Colonel Curry's Regiment. I lived in Germantown. We marched up the River Schuylkill to Swedesford to prevent the British from escaping, the British crossed the river and marched to Philadelphia. We afterwards marched to Germantown and the Battle took place. I was at the Battle of Germantown. I recollect of seeing the said Zachariah Closen before and after the battle, he was on duty as a soldier in a company of militia but I cannot say whose company he was in. I think it was about two weeks before the battle I saw him the first time and a few days after the battle that I saw him for the last time. I returned home about the latter end of November but I cannot say what time the said Zachariah returned home. I always understood that he was not in the Battle of Germantown, but was along with some picket guard at the time of the battle. Some time in the beginning of August in the year 1781 I think I was Captain of a company of drafted militia from the County of Montgomery (then a part of Phila. County). We marched to Trenton in the state of New Jersey, there we encamped and remained there until we were discharged. We were called out to go to Rhode Island to prevent the British from taking it but they afterwards directed their course southward and we went no further than Trenton. I cannot say exactly how long we were out this time but I think it was not quite two months but very near. I paid the men myself for their services. Henry Nevil, Capt. The said Zachariah Closen the within applicant was one of my men this time he was a private in the company and remained with the company until it was discharged and was afterwards paid by me for his services. Colonel George Smith was Commander of the Regiment. Henry Nevil, Capt. The foregoing disposition taken and by me committed to writing this Seventh day of May A.D. 1833. And I hereby certify that the said Henry Nevil whose name is hereto subscribed is a man of reputation and veracity and a credible witness. B.F. Hancock Justice of the Peace. State of Pennsylvania Montgomery County Personally appeared before me, B. F. Hancock, one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the said County this Seventh day of May, A.D. 1833. Jacob Johnson who being duly Affirmed according to law sayith, I am eighty-two years of age, I am well acquainted with Zachariah Closen the afore mentioned applicant. And have known him for some time prior to the Revolutionary War. I was drafted in the militia the same time. I think in the month of August perhaps in the year 1776, I am not certain - from the county of Montgomery, then a part of Phila. County- I marched under Capt. George Smith in Colonel William Dean's Regiment. We marched to Amboy in the State of New Jersey then we encamped there and remained at Amboy until we were discharged. The said Zachariah Closen was a private in the same Company, went out with it and remained with it until it was discharged. When we lay at Amboy the British were on Long Island - We could see them every day they frequently fired over the town of Amboy. We were out two months. The said Zachariah and I were discharged at the same time. Sometime in or about the fall of the year 1777 I was drafted from the county of Montgomery in a company of militia commanded by Captain Bloom in Colonel McVeagh's Regiment. I think we marched to Wilmington where we encamped. We lay a considerable time over Schuylkill and I recollect of seeing the said Zachariah Closen on duty, he was a private in the same company of militia. I think he was in the same regiment that I was, but am not certain. Fotheral was our General. I was out two months but cannot say how long the said Zachariah Closen was out this tour. I have lately received a stroke of the palsy and am unable to write my name in consequence. They're of, his Jacob X Johnson Taken and subscribed and by mark me committed to writing, this Seventh day of May A.D. 1833. And I hear by certify that the said Jacob Johnson who has subscribed to the above deposition and placing his mark thereto is a man of veracity and reputation and a credible witness. B.F. Hancock. Justice of the Peace