GREENE COUNTY, TN - MILITARY - John Kerbaugh, War of 1812 Pension Application ----¤¤¤---- PENSION APPLICATION FILES WAR OF 1812 DEATH OR DISABILITY FILE # 683 JOHN KERBAUGH, PRIVATE, 24TH REGIMENT U.S.A., SERVICE LT. STEWART (spellings and punctuation are unchanged) State of Tennefsee Greene County This day personally appeared before me Charles Gafs ("Gass") one of the acting Justices of the Peace for said County Jacob Trobaugh and made oath in due form of law that he was well acquainted with John Kerbaugh of said county and that he enlisted in the year 1813 in the summer of that year in the 24th Regiment of the United States army in Lieutenant Stewarts company during the war. And that he knew nothing more of said Kerbaugh until the fall of 1814 when the said Kerbaugh as he told me was taken prisoner by the Brittish at Fort Niagra on the 19th December 1813 and when he came into our neighborhood after he was exchanged he got as far as my house one mile west of Greeneville and appeared so much cripled and in so much misery that he was unable to get home and I took a horse and carried him home and he then said Kerbaugh told me that he was cripled in his hip and foot by a Brittish soldier who thrue him against the boat gunwell whilst a prisoner and so disabled him and altho his time of service had not expired he was not able to go to meet his regiment that was then in the south west and while he was at home one Doctor Chitester (?) attended on him and Christain Dyche wrote on to the Board of War stating his situation and further the said Trobaugh states that he has been well acquainted with the said Kerbaugh ever since and that he has been cripled ever since in his hip and foot and appears to be getting worse and is not now able half the time to do any thing owing to the misery as aforesaid. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 16th day of January 1845. Jacob "X" Trobaugh "his mark" Charles Gafs ("Gass") Justice of the Peace State of Tennefsee Greene County This day personally appeared before me Charles Gafs one of the Acting Justices of the Peace for said county George Kerbaugh and made oaths in due form of law that he was well acquainted with John Kerbaugh of said state and county and that he enlisted in the year 1813 in the 24th Regiment of the United States army during the War. And that he came home in the year 1814 after as he told me he was exchanged as a prisoner of war and he the said John Kerbaugh was so disabled in his hip and foot and as he told me was done by a Brittish soldier throwing him against a boat gunwell whilst a prisoner of war and that I was with him many times after he came home and went several times for the doctor to attend on him the said Kerbaugh and that I have been well acquainted with him ever since and the same disease has followed him ever since and at this time has become so helplefs ("helpless") that at times he is scarcely able to get up or down. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 16th January 1845. George Kerbaugh Charles Gafs ("Gass") Justice of the Peace State of Tennefsee January 30th, 1845 Greene County We certify that we have investigated the state of health of John Kerbaugh a citizen of said state and county and an applicant for a pension that the disease of which he complains (judging from his own history and account of it, the external indication, not furnishing satisfactory evidence) is probably, sciatica, and general rheumatism, of the chronic or sub-acute variety - and we further certify that we believe the injury stated by him to have been received , may have laid the foundation of the sciatic affection, and that exposure to the inclemencies of a northern winter may have been the cause of the general rheumatic affection with which he states he is afflicted - and we further certify that we consider him two thirds disabled from obtaining a living by manual labors. F. M. Compton Geo. W. Forte State of Tennefsee Greene County Personally came before me Mordecai Lincoln, an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid, the above named Franklin M. Compton and George W. Forte, and made oath in due form, that the foregoing certificate is true to the best of their knowledge and beliefs - and I further certify that said F. M. Compton and G. W. Forte are practicing physicians and reputable in their profession. Given under my hand and seal the 31st day of January 1845. Mordecai Lincoln Justice of the Peace State of Tennefsee Greene County January 1845 Declaration to obtain a pension under the various acts of Congrefs ("Congress") of the U. S. allowing pensions to persons who were wounded or disabled while in the service of the United States during the War of 1812 with Great Britton. This day personally appeared John Kerbaugh the declarant before me Charles Gafs ("Gass") Esquire an acting justice of the peace for the county of Greene aforesaid who being first duly sworn upon the holy evangelists of almighty God deposes and states as follows to wit That to the best of his recollection he enlisted in the army of the U. S. in the town of Greeneville in the state of Tennefsee about the 25 day of July 1813 under Lieutenant David Guinn. That he was marched immediately to Knoxville where he was mustered into the service of the U. S. under Col. Anderson of the 24 Regiment light infantry and remained there about one month, thence we took up our line of march for the Canady ("Canada") frontier by way of Cumberland Gap, Sixinyton (?) Chilacothe, and the mouth of Carrion river to Ft. Malden, and Detroit where we met Gen. Harrison's army just after they had whipped Procter and had captured his army. From Detroit we went with Harrison down to Bufalo and Black-rock, and to Ft. Niagari, where this declarant with others were stationed by Gen. Harrison under Capt. Leonard to guard that fort. We remained there about two weeks when the fort was taken by the British and this declarant with others was taken prisoner by the British. And on next morning they were taken by the British acrofs ("across") to Fort George on the Canady ("Canadian") side. The weather was severly cold and when they went to shove off the boat it was found to be frozen to the banks. This declarant was ordered to shove it off. He made several efforts but could not do it. He was then knocked down by a non commifsioned ("commissioned") officer or soldier and fell against the gunwall of the boat and mashed and injured his hip very much. The commanding officer happening to see it, stepped up and appeared to be very angry and drew his sword and said to the man that had struck this affiant "if he ever saw him so treat a prisoner of war again he would split him down". The weather was so sever that this affiant caught cold in his hip and wound and was compelled to lie in the hospital from that time until he was exchanged which was about five months. He was hauled to the river in a ship as after he was exchanged, and when he reached Plattsburge he lay in the hospital six weeks under the care and supervielance of Doctor Grove. He then got so he could walk a little, and obtained a furlough and started home, and after a long time, and with frequent stops; some times as long as six weeks at a time, and with much pain he reached home, by the afsistance ("assistance") of waggoners and other benevolent and kind hearted travellers. And after this affiant got home he was confined for two months or something like it before he was able to meet the troops again, and before this affiant was able and fit for service peace was made, and he having enlisted for and during the war only, before the news of peace reaching his county his officers discharged him. He was then however wholy unable to do duty. This affiant was wholy unfit for any kind of businefs ("business") for a long time. He did finally so far recover however, as to be able to do a little common plantation work, but suffered much pain, and at times was unable to do any thing. And as he grows older he gets worse. He is now 62 years of age and is almost totally disabled from doing any thing for a support. He is with all quite poor and needs much the afsistance ("assistance") of his Country. John Kerbaugh Sworn to and subscribed before me this 25th day of Jan. 1845. Charles Gafs State of Tennefsee Greene County This day personally appeared before the subscriber an acting Justice of the Peace for said County Jacob Kerbaugh and made oath as the law directs. That when John Kerbaugh came home from the army he was brought home on horse back and that his feet was badly frosted and he lost the nails off some of his toes in consequence of them being frosted. And that he has been well acquainted with he the said John Kerbaugh ever since and has always said that he was cripled when he was taken prisoner by the enemy throwing him down against some lumber and hurt him in the hip and that he has been at times so bad with it that he was hardly able to walk and it appears he gets worse and he has always said that it was by the hurt he received when he was taken prisoner. Sworn to and subscribed before me this 4th Jan. 1847. Jacob Kerbaugh Chas. Gafs ("Gass") Justice of the Peace Col. Edward Will please make his reply to Andrew Johnson House of Reps. January the 13th 1847. Yours etc A. Johnson Greeneville TN Feb. 28th 1848 My Dear Friend Johnson, Your last favour was duly received. You say my papers cannot be sent back me. I am advised a petition cannot be drawn understandingly without the whole of the papers. I therefore pray you draw my petition for ______(?) according to the facts as sworn to by myself and witnefs ("witness"). I am advised that it will be proper for you to do so and I hereby authorise you to draw it and to sign my name to it. Go for the whole. Go for a pension and for arrearage of pay etc. etc. Do your best for me. I am in great need of the money. In much haste (?) your friend and ob't ("obedient"?) serv't ("servent"?). John Kerbaugh House of Reps March the 6, 1848 Col. Edwards Will please send me the papers of Jno ("John") Kerbaugh for the purpose above and retain this as a receipt for the same. A. Johnson ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Stevie Hughes Stevie1302@aol.com ___________________________________________________________________