Military: Revolutionary Pension Application of Jacob Zoll: Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Arlene McLennan . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within 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. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *************************************************************************** APPLICATION FOR PENSION Jacob Zoll (No attempt has been made to edit original material, spelling or punctuation. . A.Z.M.) 1st - When and what year were you born? Ans. - I was born twenty miles from Philadelphia in Philadelphia County Pennsylvania on the last day of November AD 1754. 2nd - Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? Ans - I have no record of my age My father had it recorded in a book that was lost when I was young But I have still kept an account of it as stated in the lost record. 3rd - Where were you living when called into service: Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live? I lived near Tawney Town in Frederick County and State of Maryland. I have lived about 30 year in the same place where I lived when called into the service and about thirty years near Mount Pleasant in the State of Ohio, and about two years in the State of Illinois Fulton County where I now live. 4th - How were you called into service: were you drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom. Ans - I volunteered. 5th - State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the troops when you served Such Continental and Militia Regiments as you recollect and the general circumstances of your service. Ans - From the great length of time I can only recollect the name of General Putnam of the Continental establishment and the regiment in which I served I think to the best of my recollection was called the 4th Regiment of Maryland Militia and commanded by Colonel Norman Bruce and Major James Shields and was acquainted with General Smallwood commander of the Maryland line of Regular Troops. And also with Captain William Wilson, Captain William Shields Captain Philip Mathews and Captain John Ross Key who commanded my own company and also with Lieutenants Hockey Smith. And Thos & Joseph Wilson. The general circumstances of my service were these..There being a general movement amongst the people of my neighborhood to fight for their liberties. I volunteered for three months in a company with the majority of my neighbors who were able to bear arms in Company of the Maryland Militia commanded by John Ross Key at Tawney Town in Frederick County, Maryland on the first day of January in the year Ad 1776 From which our whole regiment marched through the snow about knee deep via McCollisters Town, Little York & Lancaster to Philadelphia where we arrived some time about the middle of the month of January AD 1776 and stayed there eight days. Thence we were marched to Morristown via Bascon ridge and then to the Delaware River which we passed on the ice about forty miles up said river from Philadelphia We then marched into the state of New Jersey near Quibbletown where from the severity of the cold and the want of provisions our regiment was scattered out in parcels of Ten & Twenty men amongst the neighboring farmers whilst in this situation the Brittish approached and attacked some of our men near Trenton and they retreated back on us near Quibbletown where the regiment to which I belonged (having been called together) and a regiment under General Putnam had a general battle with the said party of Brittish which battle was closely fought for about 1/2 of an hour when the brittish made a retreat leaving the field of Battle in our possession leaving none of our men either killed or wounded. About four weeks after this battle took place our regiment marched back to Philadelphia by the same road that we had come. This battle took place some time in the month of February AD 1776 after which we were discharged at Philadelphia; thence I returned home. 6th - Did you receive a discharge from the service; and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it? I received a written discharge in Philadelphia about the first of April 1776. it was given to me by Captain John Ross Key and was signed by Colonel Norman Bruce and also by Captain John Ross Key. My discharge has been destroyed through the great length of time since it was given me. 7th - State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for voracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. I am acquainted with the Rev. Robert B. Dobbins and James Gilson who can testify Sworn and subscribed in open court, this 24th day of may A.D. 1837 Stephen Dewey, Clerk Jacob (his mark) Zull State of Illinois Fulton County on this twenty fourth day of May AD 1837 personally appeared in open Court before the Circuit Court of Fulton County, now sitting Jacob Zoll a resident of Bennington in the county of Fulton and State of Illinois aged eighty two years & upwards, who being 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 7th AD 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. That Norman Bruce was his Colonel, James Shields was his major. And that John Ross Key was his Captain & Joseph Wilson was first Lieutenant & Thomas Wilson was Second Lieutenant of the company in which he enlisted in the Militia Service of the State of Maryland in the County of Frederic on or about the first day of January in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred & seventy six & continued in the same Service untill some time in the latter part of march of the same year. And he resided near Tawney Town in the County of Frederick and State of Maryland where he entered the Service for three months. And that he volunteered. And was engaged in a battle at a place called Quibbletown. He marched from Tawneytown after volunteering to the Pennsylvania line to Mc Collisters town thence to Little York thence to Philadelphia via Lancaster and from thence marched up the Delaware River forty miles and there crossed it and then marched into the country about thirty miles in a North course from Philadelphia and there the regiment was called to a halt on account of extreme coldness of the area there and divided out into small companies of ten to twenty and placed amongst the farmers of the neighborhood for the Space of about Two months And whilst the regiment was scattered thus in small companies the Brittish advanced upon the regiments stationed a short distance from ours & a part of our regiment and drove the whole force back to the place near where he was stationed to wit (Quibbletown) Where a general engagement ensued which lasted about one half hour and in which battle the Americans drove the Brittish from the field and kept possession of the same. And shortly after said Battle his regiment marched back to Philadelphia where he was discharged And he served with a Continental Regiment under the command of General Putnam. And that the Regiment of Militia commanded by Col Norman Bruce was also under the command of General Putnam And that General Putnam had the chief command of both Regiments at the battle near Quibbletown before mentioned And he knew General Smallwood Commander of the Maryland regular troops. And he suffered much from the coldness of the weather & the deepness of the snow being about knee deep on the roads as he passed from Tawneytown : And while he was quartered in New Jersey near to Quibbletown the small pox raged to a considerable extent and there was twelve died with it of the Company to which he belonged commanded by Captain John Ross Key And that he has no documentary evidence of his services as his discharge has been lost long since not thinking it worthwhile to preserve it and he knows of no person living whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State. Sworn to and Subscribed the Jacob (his mark) Zoll day and year aforesaid in open Court Attest Stephen Dewey, Clerk We Robert B. Dobbins a clergyman residing in the county of Fulton and State of Illinois and James Gilson residing in the same county & State hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Jacob Zoll who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be eighty two (82) years of age that he is respected & believed to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and we concur in that opinion and a man of truth and voracity. Subscribed and sworn the day & Robert B. Dobbins year aforesaid in open court. James Gilson attest Stephen Dewey, Clerk And the Said Court does hereby declare his opinion after the investigation of the matter& after putting the interrogations 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 him that Robert B. Dobbins who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the county of Fulton State of Illinois & that James Gilson who has also signed the same is a resident in the same county and state and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit. James H. Ralston, Circuit Judge, Fifth Judicial Circuit, Ill. Stephen Dewey clerk of the Circuit Court do hereby certify that ---------contains the original proceedings of the said court ----------of the application of Jacob Zoll for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of said court at Lewiston this 24th day of May A.D. 1837 Stephen Dewey Clk.