Westmoreland County PA Archives Military Records.....McDOWELL, James April 1850 Revwar - Pension ************************************************ 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: Nancy Poquette npoq@hotmail.com July 24, 2006, 3:18 pm Pension Application Of James McDowell, Natl Archives Microseries M804, Roll #__, Application #R21676 Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, April 16th, 1850, Elizabeth McDowell aged 82 years: "That she is the widow of James McDowell who was a Revolutionary soldier. That her said husband performed in the said war, the following services: He was a private soldier in Captain Shannon's company and marched in the said company from Westmoreland County to Amboy, New Jersey. The said company was attached to Colonel John Proctor's detachment. This service was performed in the year 1777." "That in the following year he was in the United States service at building Fort Ligonier in Westmoreland County. That in 1778, he was engaged for 6 weeks, from the month of February in an expedition against the Indians, expedition commanded by Colonel Hann [or Mann]. That during the summers of 1778, 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782 and 1783, the said James McDowell was in the service of the United States at Fort Ligonier, Westmoreland County, during a portion of which time he had the command of the said fort. The whole term of service of the said James McDowell during the Revolutionary War amounted to 3 years. Deponent learned the facts above stated from her husband and from his companions, who were engaged in the United States service at the same time. She further declares that she was married to the said James McDowell on the 16th day of April, 1787. That her husband, the said James McDowell, died on the 27th day of January, 1829 and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear in reference to the proof hereto annexed." Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, John L. Campbell: "That he was well acquainted with the late James McDowell, Esq, and his widow Elizabeth McDowell, the present applicant. That deponent is now in the 63rd year of his life and has resided all his life as their neighbor. That the said James McDowell and Elizabeth lived together and were reputed as man and wife from the earliest acquaintance deponent had with them until the death of the said James McDowell. That they raised a large family of children, the eldest of whom, John McDowell, is over 63 years of age. That deponent has often heard the family state that the family record of births, marriages and deaths contained in an old Bible was lost and destroyed accidentally, at the death of James McDowell." "Deponent further states that he had frequent conversations with the said James McDowell during his lifetime in relation to his services during the Revolutionary War. That the said James stated to deponent that he was in the campaign against the Indians under General ?Han [?Mann]. That from the year 1778 to the year 1783, he was in the service of the government at Fort Ligonier; that he had assisted to build Fort Ligonier." "Deponent also recollects of the said James McDowell frequently speaking of a tour of duty he performed in the spring of 1777 when he marched from Ligonier Valley, Westmoreland County, PA to Amboy, New Jersey in Captain Shannon's company. That the said James McDowell further stated that the said company was attached to Colonel Proctor's detachment. That the said James McDowell further stated that his whole term of service in the Revolutionary War amounted to over 3 years." "That the deponent further states that the said James McDowell died on the 27th of January 1829, and that his widow, Elizabeth, the present applicant, remains a widow and is still unmarriedÖThat deponent has often heard [James McDowell] and other Revolutionary soldiers speak of their campaignsÖ" January 2, 1852 Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Margaret Best: "That she is in the 72nd year of her life, that she was well acquainted with James McDowell, Esq., formerly of Ligonier Valley, and with his widow, Elizabeth McDowell. That she lived within 3 miles of the said James McDowell for between 30 and 40 years. That she has frequently heard the said James McDowell speak of his services in the Revolutionary War in Captain Samuel Shannon's company and of his services rendered at Fort Ligonier. That she distinctly remembers conversations between the said James McDowell and other Revolutionary soldiers concerning their services in the Revolutionary War: Of the time Captain Shannon's company went down to what they called ëthe Camps' and of the Ash Swamp Battle in which they were engaged." "That the said James McDowell and Elizabeth, his wife, were married in about the year 1787, about a year after our family came from Virginia. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Kerns. I was not present at the wedding, but recollect of the fact of their being married. They lived together as man and wife and raised a large family. Esquire McDowell was a justice of the peace and an elder of the church and a man of great respectability of character, and was generally reputed in the neighborhood as a Revolutionary soldier by his neighborsÖ" February 20, 1852 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb