The following application by Thomas Russell for a pension as a Revolutionary War veteran was provided by Nancy Scott. I believe Thomas to be the brother of my great-great-great-grandmother, Sarah Russell, who married Moses Perry. Although research is still underway as to the identity of Moses' wife, this pension application is a matter of public record which we'll keep on this page, apart from that issue.
THOMAS RUSSELL - APPLICATION FOR PENSION - Revolutionary War.
PENN. R9108
Received 22 June 1999 from the National Archives.
Rejected. See letter to James R. Snowden, Franklin, Pa. 23 March 1835
9108
Declaration of Thomas Russell senior, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
State of Pennsylvania, Venango County
On this twenty-fifth day of February A.D. 1835 personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Henry Shippen President and John Irwin and Thomas McKee Esquires special Judges, now holding a court of common pleas in and for said county, Thomas Russell, a resident of French Creek Township in the County of Venango and commonwealth of Pennsylvania aged seventy four years, 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 United States in the summer of the year 1780 in the company of Pennsylvania Militia commanded by Captain Philip Scott, that he joined the company as a substitute for his father William Russell, who had been drafted, that he rendezvoused with the said company at New London Crossroads in the County of Chester in Pennsylvania, from thence we were marched to the "valley forge," where we remained about fifteen days waiting for orders, we were marched from thence towards Chesapeake bay having received intelligence that part of the enemy had landed in South Carolina and that a part were coming up that Bay, we were marched towards the "Head of Elk," and proceeded to Newark in the State of Delaware, where we received news that the enemy had not come up the bay, whereupon the company was dismissed and that he then proceeded to Chester County Pennsylvania his place of residence. The company was dismissed about the last of October in the same year. This tour lasted about three months, during which time the company was out under the command of a Major or Colonel to the best of his recollection the only other officers name besides Capt. Scott that he now recollects was Lieutenant John Bryan, and he was Lieutenant in the Company to which he belonged.
The next year he was drafted as a militia man in the Pennsylvania troops, that he rendezvoused with his company at Fishers mill in Chester County near the Delaware Sate line. The name of the Captain was Thomas Watts, from Fisher's mill. we were marched to Conch's Bridge where there was a body of our men under the Command of Colonel Henry Hollingsworth, we there were attacked by a body of the enemy superior in numbers to us, we retreated before them still however keeping up a running fire, for several miles. Colonel Hollingsworth was severely wounded, After the Colonel was disabled, we retreated to Newark where the officers, as he was informed, consulted and came to the determination that it was useless to contend with the enemy, the time of service of the company to which he belonged as well as several other companies having expired. That he together with the other members of the company were dismissed at Newark, and from thence he proceeded home to his residence in the County of Chester in Pennsylvania. That he was in the service during this tour three months or thereabouts, and was dismissed about the beginning of September 1781. That he does not remember the names of any other officers except Colonel Francis Johnston who he believes belonged to the regular troops.
In the year 1782 he volunteered under Captain Bogs to prevent some British vessels from landing some ["men" is crossed out, and a carat inserted] tories, on the bank of the Delaware, in which service we continued about three weeks when the company was dismissed and he returned to his residence.
The deponent and applicant further states that he was born in Ireland, that he has no record of his age, but that he believes he was thirteen years of age when he landed in the City of Philadelphia in the year 1774, in the month of November he therefore believes that he is 74 years of age - that he lived in East Nottingham Township Chester County, Pennsylvania where he entered the service - that since the revolution he lived in Northumberland County Penna. about four years, then moved to Huntingdon County, Penna. where he lived about 14 years and from thence removed to the County of Venango where he now resides, and where he has lived about thirty five years - that he received no written discharges having been discharged by word of mouth. - He also states that the Reverend Robert Glenn, Aaron W. Raymond, George Powers, Samuel Hays, Esquires - will state as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution.
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.
(signed) Thomas Russell
And he further states that he can say with certainty that he served in all at least six months and fifteen days.
(signed) Thomas Russell
Sworn & Subscribed in Open Court Feb 25 1835
(signature illegible)
Statements by the men named and a letter from James Snowden submitting the application to James L. Edwards Esqr, Commissioner of Pensions, Handwritten over the first page of the application: "32895 Thomas Russell Pennsylvania Rejected did not serve six months."