submitted by: Brenda Dillon
Pension Application of Thomas Perry
STATE OF OHIO
COUNTY OF WASHINGTON
Thomas Perry's Pension Application
This 23rd day of October 1832 personally in open court for the judge
of the
court of common pleas now sitting Thomas Perry, a resident of Wesley
Township of the county and state aforesaid ,aged 76 years . after being
duly
sworn according to law, doth on his oath , make the following declaration
in
order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed June 7th
1832.That he entered the service of the United States under the following
named officers, serving as followed: viz
I was born in the state of New Jersey, Sussex County in the year of
1754. I
first entered the militia service in New Jersey but cannot recollect
the
year as a substitute but for whom I cannot recollect as I was then
very
young, under Capt. Cole and was out two months on the Delaware River
at
Ninisick. I got no written discharge from this service but was relieved
at
the end of two months. Our service was to guard the inhabitants along
the
Delaware from the Indians. The next year I was out again as substitute
for
whom not recollected one month and served at Elizabethtown, Trenton,
Brunswick, and was relieved by a new recruit as on the first service.
The
next year I went out as a volunteer under Capt. Richard Etchell and
Col.
John Soward; we marched from near Sussex Courthouse to New Winsor on
the
North River where the British were expected to land-but when they found
us
so strong that they could not land, they went down past New York and
went to
a place called Red Banks below Philadelphia.
Immediately marched after them to Red Banks and lay there during the
siege
of Mud Island Fort and until it was taken, when we were discharged.
On this
service I was engaged two months. My discharge was signed by Col. Soward
and
has been lost for more than 40 years. My father's family soon after
removed
to Pennsylvania 12 miles above Reading on the Little Schuylkill where
we
lived 5 years. I never received anything for these three tours.
In the Spring of the year the army wintered at the Valley Forge, as
near as
I can recollect, I enlisted in the State troops of Pennsylvania for
three
years, unless sooner discharged. At Henry Shoemaker's Tavern ,12 miles
above
Reading on the Little Schuylkill, we first rendezvoused at Reading
and then
marched to Philadelphia and were then signed and registered; we then
marched
under the officers who enlisted us to Morristown, New Jersey where
we
expected to join the army but it had marched before we got there. We
overtook them at a place called Tappen. I believe, then went into Maj.
Talbot's Company. Talbot had been a Captain but was advanced to rank
of
Major. Our first lieutenant Jonathan or Benjamin Lodge. Col. Harmon
commanded the regiment which was the 6th of the second brigade. I served
in
a Company of Maj. Talbot 6 Th. Reg , 2nd Brig until I was discharged
at the
end of three years. Col. Harmon left our Regiment before I was discharged
and I think took the command of the 1st Reg. Of the C7th Brigade but
I am
not sure. General Wayne commanded this division to which I belonged
from the
opening to the close of each campaign during the three years we were
almost
constantly marching from one place to another wherever the enemy drew
us. We
wintered 2 winters at a place called Jockey Hollow in Somerset County.
I
believe I do not recollect where we wintered the other winter , but
believe
it to have been in New Jersey. I was engaged in many skirmishes during
my
service.
I was engaged in the skirmish of Springfield where we drove the British.
I
was on the baggage guard at the Battle of Monmouth, having been one
of those
selected from our company for guarding the baggage in that battle General
Wayne commanded our company with several others were marched as a
reinforcement to Trenton but did not get there til after the enemy
had
surrendered.
My discharge was signed by General Washington and lost at the same time
with
those mentioned above. For my 3 years service I received certificates
which
I sold to Robert Richie who lived at the mouth of Bald Eagle Creek,
a branch
of the Susquehannah, for $20.00, $10.00 in cash and $10.00 in store
goods.
After my discharge I went as a substitute for a man whose name I do
not
recollect who had been drafted or enlisted for 7 months. We were put
in
companies that were broken to fill up vacancies and I was selected
by Major
Talbot and went into my old company and at the time of the 7 months
received
a discharge signed by Major Talbot which was also lost with the others.
I have no record of my age and have been living in Ohio for 30 years
and
where I now live for 7 years, I removed home from Northumberland Co.,
Pa.
Augustus Stone and Heil/Thiel Dinsmore are persons who can testify
as to my
service. I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity
except this present, and declared that my name is not on the pension
roll of
the agency of any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Atest, George Dunlevy, Clerk
Signed ,Thomas Perry
( This goes back to the earliest Perry in my mother's Perry line. The
same
Perry line from Craigsville,WV)
© 2002 Rhonda Smith