Military: Rev War: George Oury/Owry: from Westmoreland County, PA Copyright © 1997 by Starlene Oary. This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives. starlene@cross-roads1.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. _________________________________________________________________ The FOLLOWING IS AN AFFIDAVIT MADE BY GEORGE OWRY ON AUGUST 23, 1832 BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT OF OHIO IN TRUMBULL CO. OHIO On this 22nd day of August AD 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Supreme Court of Ohio for the county of Trumbull now sitting George Owry a resident of Weathersfield in the County of Trumbull and state of Ohio aged 75 years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain benefits of the act of congress dated June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served herein stated. Was born two years after Braddocks defeat, in August (1757) in Cumberland Co. Hempfield Twp. PA, lived in Westmoreland Co. when he entered the service about the commencement of the war in the 8th PA. Regt., under Col McCoy - Captain Jack was his commander, he was wounded by the bursting of his gun after about 6 months, was succeeded by Jeremiah Stokley. Col. McCoy died near Amboy. Col. Broadhead succeeded him. Was at the capture of Fort Washington above New York, escaped across the New York remained thereabout eleven months, was at the battled of White Plains, Long Island & Trenton. Was wounded by the Indians up the Alleghany, in the shoulder, and in the Battle of Long Island received a flesh wound from a sword. After the battle of Trenton was sent back to Pittsburgh, where he remained in the service against the Indians, up the Alleghany, building forts. Built Fort Gotanion about 50 miles above Pitt. Fort Ann, near Pine Run was stationed there 2 months, at Ligonier Valley 2 months, at Wally Fort about 50 miles from Pitt on Conamauy Run, 2 months returned to Pittsburgh. Engaged again after the expedition of the term under Gen. Broadhead on an expedition up the Alleghany to destroy Indian Towns remained two months and returned to Pitt. Discharged by Col. Broadhead was in the service one yr. & six months, was all the time Ensign. George Owry He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not the pension role of the agency of any state. INTEROGETORY PUT BY ORDER OF THE COURT Quest. 1. Where and in what year were you born? Ans. Cumberland County PA. two years after Braddocks defeat. Quest.2. Have you any record of your age and if so where is it? Ans. I had, but it was destroyed with my other papers when my father was killed and his house burned by the Indians. Quest.3. Where were you living when called in the service and where have you lived since the revolutionary war where do you now live? Ans. Westmoreland and Franklin PA and about 15 years Trumbull Co. Ohio where I now live Quest.4. How were you called into the service? Ans. I was regularly enlisted. Quest.5. State the names of some of the regular officers. Ans. Capt. Samuel Miller of the same regiment (8th). Lunt Kearny, Capt. George Irwin. Gen Washington, Gen. Putnam, Gen Broadhead. Col Bull of the flying camp and others Lunt Allen Whitcox and John Scott of the 8th regt. killed at Brandywine. Quest.6. Did you ever receive a discharge ad if so by whom was it given? Ans. I received a written discharge from Col. Broadhead but lost it when my fathers house was burned. Quest.7. Did you ever receive a commission and if so by whom was it signed? Ans. I recd. a commission signed by General Washington burnt with other papers. Quest.7. State the name of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood. (illegible) Sworn to and subscribed day aforesaid. THE FOLLOWING ARE COMMENTS PERTAINING TO THE AFFIDAVIT MADE BY GEORGE OWREY ON AUGUST 22, 1832 BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT OF OHIO 1. George says he was born in 1757 in Cumberland Co. Hempfield Twp., PA. This area was not open for settlement until 1768. He is probably mistaken and was born elsewhere. His father may be the Francis Ourey that warrants were issued to in 1762 and 1768 in Antrim Twp., Cumberland Co. PA. which is now Washington Twp., Franklin Co. Most likely George was born here or possibly even further east towards his grandfather's farm in Lancaster Co. 2. Col. McCoy's name is spelled incorrectly. The correct spelling is Aeneas Mackey (also MacKay). This was a common error. He died Feb. 14, 1777 near or at Quibbletown (now called New Market) New Jersey. He was replaced by Col. Daniel Broadhead. 3. Fort Gotanion is Kittanning - Court Recorders Error. 4. Fort Ann is Hand - Court Recorders Error 5. George says he was in the service one year six months. In his later affidavit he says twenty months. The later is probably closer. 6. George says he moved from Westmoreland Co. to Franklin, PA. (in 1797 George is listed as living in Allegheny Co. per sale of the family farm to Adam Oury). In his later affidavit he says he moved to Meadville, Crawford Co. PA. Franklin is in Venango CO. and is about 70 miles north of Westmoreland up the Allegheny River. Meadville is about 25 miles North East of Franklin. George may have lived in the Franklin/Meadville area for a period of time. Both are close to Adamsville, PA. (Franklin is about 30 miles southeast of Meadville about 15 miles North East of Adamsville) where his older brother Adam eventually settled (the 1800 U.S. Census lists a George Owry living in Mead and Conneaut Twps., Venango Co. PA.). George eventually moved to Trumbull Co. Ohio, which is about 50 miles southwest of the Franklin/Meadville area. 7. In his answer to question 5 - Lunt stands for Lieutenant. 8. In his later affidavit George withdrew his claim that his commission was signed by General Washington. 9. Capt. Mathew Jack commanded Co. "G" and was wounded April 12 or 13, 1777 at Bound Brook, New Jersey, when his rifle burst. 10. Lt. Nehemiiah Stokely was promoted to commander of Co. "F" when George's cousin, Wendel Oury, resigned his commission Oct. 11, 1777. 11. Capt. Samuel Miller commanded Co. "B". He lived on Big Sewickley Creek near Greensburg. He joined with the Eastern Army in 1776. He was at Valley Forge Jan. 1778 and in March 1778 went to Pittsburgh. He was killed July 7, 1778 by the Indians whilst taking reinforcements to Fort Hand. 12. Col. "Broadheads Expedition" up the Allegheny commenced at Fort Pitt Aug. 11, 1779 and ended at Fort Pitt Sept. 14, 1779. They traveled to within 20 miles of the New York Boundry burning Indian villages. 13. The "Flying Cam" was at Amboy New Jersey July 1776. The PA. contingent was joined by Miles's Regiment (PA. State Rifle Regiment) and Atlee's Batalion (PA. State Battalion of Musketry). Both were part of the PA. State Regiment (13th PA Regiment) one company had mostly Westmoreland Co. Men. Both groups engaged in Battles of : Long Island, Aug. 27, 1776, White Plains, Oct. 28, 1776, Fort Washington, Nov. 16, 1776, New Brunswick, N.J. Dec. 1, 1776, First Battle of Trenton, Dec. 26, 1776, Princeton Jan. 3, 1777, Quibletown, N.J., Jan. 24, 1777 Notes by James Gray Niles ________________________________ GEORGE OWREY'S 2ND PENSION APPLACATION DATED MAY 21, 1833 AT THE TRUMBULL CO. OHIO, PROBATE COURT. On this twenty first day of May A.D. 1833 personally appeared in open court before the court of common pleas now sitting at Warren within and for said co. of Trumbull, George Owrey a resident of Weathersfield in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio aged 76 yrs. 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 U.S. under the following named officers and served as herein stated. I was born in Hampfield Twp. in Cumberland Co. in the State of PA. on the 10th day of Aug. in the year of 1757 as my parents informed me but I have at this time no record of my age. In the month of April in the year 1783 my father was killed by the Indians and his dwelling house at the same time set on fire and consumed together with its contents. This was in Westmoreland Co. PA. about two miles from Hannastown. Our family record was burned at this time. I was living at this last mentioned place in Westmoreland Co. called also Hamfield Twp., when called into service. Early in the summer of the yr. 1776 I received an Ensigns commission and assisted in raising a company in Westmorland Co. PA. which captains Mathew Jack of Beaver Run in the same co. commanded and of which William Gutherie of said Hampfield Twp. was Lieutenant. Our company immediately joined a regiment in Pittsburgh which had been raised for the protection of the frontiers on the Alleghany River and was commanded by Colonel McCoy. The regiment was immediately afterwards ordered to the eastward and marched off. I remained a short time on the recruiting service and then marched with thirty men and rejoined the regiment at Amboy in the State of New Jersey . Soon after this Colonel McCoy died and Colonel Broadhead assumed the command of the regiment. I was one of the commissioned officers detached from our regiment and sent on to Long Island. I was in the battle of Long Island, right across the river from New York, in a company commanded by our Capt. Irwin, General Sullivan commanded the whole, and was taken prisoner. We crept over in the night from Long Island to New York. I had received in the battle a flesh wound in my right thigh, made with the sabre of a light horsemen when they broke our rank, and lay in one of the wagons on account of weakness from the loss of blood, until the proper time for Embarking. when the men carried me to the boat. I recovered my strength however, I accompanied a part of the army to the White Plains and was in the battle there. Afterwards I was stationed at Fort Washington under Colonel Magaw and when the fort was surrendered made my escape across the river to Fort Lee, in company with some others where I joined again my own regiment under Colonel Broadhead. As we crossed the Hudson River from Fort Washington the British fired upon us and one small cannon shot popped through our boat. Some of us stuffed our clothes into the hole and others bailed the water with their hats. Still it was with difficulty we kept the boat from sinking until we got to land. We were soon obliged to leave Fort Lee and retreated with the army of George Washington though the Jerseys to the Delaware River where a reinforcement of Pennsylvania militia joined us. I was engaged in the battle of Trenton, the same winter, where we took the Hessians by surprise and captured a great number of them. Immediately after this battled I was sent with the prisoners across the Delaware and into the interior of Pennsylvania. We took some to Carlisle and the rest to Chambersburgh and Hagerstown in Maryland. After seeing my prisoners in places of safety I visited by permission, my friends in Westmoreland Co. I was in service all this time, as an Ensign, for the term of nine months during which time I was under several different Captains. Captain Jack was wounded, after being out some months, in the hand by the bursting of a gun. I remained with my friends in Westmoreland CO. for a few weeks and until my regiment came up on it's way to Pittsburgh when I joined my company then commanded by Captain Findlay. We marched up the Alleghany River and built Fort Kittanning about fifty miles above Pittsburgh. I was engaged in the service against the Indians, under Colonel Broadhead, eleven months as an Ensign. Three months of which time I was stationed at Kittanning, two months at Fort Ann (Hand) near pine run, two months at Ligonier Valley, two months at Fort Wallace near Chestnut Ridge and two months in the year 1779 I was up the Alleghany on an expedition under Colonel Broadhead destroying the Indian towns. This service was performed mostly in 1777 and 1778. It commenced I think in March 77 and ended in the summer of 79. All together I served twenty months as an Ensign during the war of the Revolution. While employed with dealing with the Indians above Kittanning I was wounded by a Musket ball in the shoulder. I have often seen Gen. Washington, Gen. Wayne and I remember to have seen Gen. Putnam at the review in New York and its vicinity. I have no documentary evidence and if Captain Mathew Jack is dead, as I fear he is, I know of no person having by whom I can prove, my first nine months service or any part of it. I think I can prove some part of my service as an Ensign against the indians. My commission as a Ensign was destroyed when my fathers house was burned in 1783. I do not know for certainty who signed that commission. I did suppose it was signed by General Washington and so said in my first declaration. But I now think it may be a mistake and think it was signed by the authorities of Pennsylvania. My regiment was called the 8th Pennsylvania Regt. and I did think belonged to the continental establishment but in this it is possible I am mistaken and that I belonged to the State troops or more probably the volunteers of Pennsylvania. Since the war of the Revolution I have lived a number of years in Westmoreland Co. seven years in Meadville, Crawford Co. PA. and ten or fifteen years just passed in Trumbull Co. in the State of Ohio where I now reside. Mr. Richard Iddings & Alexander McConnell esq have been long acquainted with me and can testify as to my character for veracity and their belief of my services as a soldier of the Revolution. There is no clergyman of my immediate neighborhood and the clergyman who preaches in Warren has been absent from home some time past. I hereby relinquish every claim to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the pension role of the agency of any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year of aforesaid. George Owrey THE FOLLOWING ARE COMMENTS PERTAINING TO THE AFFIDAVIT MADE BY GEORGE OWREY ON MAY 21, 1833 AT THE TRUMBULL CO. OHIO PROBATE COURT 1. George says he was born in Hempfield Twp. 1757. This area was not open for settlement until 1768. He is probably mistaken and was born elsewhere. (my note we have the baptism record) 2. He says his fathers house was burned in 1783. He is probably mistaken. It would most likely have been burnt in 1782 when Hannahstown was burned. 3. George says he was living in Hempfield Twp. when called into service in 1776. In 1776 his fathers farm was in the area of Hempfield Twp. (Hempfield was organized in 1773) which subsequently became Salem Twp. in the yrs. 1785-88. 4. Beaver Run is near present day Delmont. 5. Col. McCoy's name is spelled incorrectly. His correct name is MacKay 6. Fort Ann is actually Fort Hand and was near present day Oklahoma in Washington Twp. 7. Fort Wallace was on McGees Run near Blairsville. 8. Gen. John Sullivan was at the Battle of Long Island 9. Capt. Findlay may be John Finley promoted from first Lieutenant to replace Capt. James Piggott who resigned his commission Oct. 22, 1777 as Commander of Company "D".