Declaration of John Ross of his Service in the Revolutionary War

The following account was taken from the Pension file of John Ross. It is a declaration of his service sworn before a judge. This declaration was taken so that John could apply for a pension for his military service.

State of Ohio

County of Harrison

On this 16th day of July A.D. 1833, personally appeared before Thomas Bingham, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in the aforesaid county, John Ross, a resident of Archer Township in the county and state afresaid aged eighty-two years, who being first duly sworn according to the law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officered and served as hereinafter stated. He, in June 1776, and as near as he can recollect, the 22nd day of that month, he was drafted at York County, Pennsylvania for two monthsserved as Ensign in a company of foot in the Fifth Battalion of Associates. He received his commission as Ensign signed by ______Morton. The company was commanded by Captain William Aston and (????) Welsh was the Lieutenant; the Colonels' name he has forgotten. He marched with his company through Lancaster, Philadelphia, Trenton, Princeton, Brunswick to Bergen and was engaged in a slight skirmish at Bergen Point. He continued to serve until his term, two months, expired, which was on the twenty first of August. On the next day he entered into the Flying Camp (August 22nd) in Col. Michael Swope's Battalion, in a company of foot commanded by (????) Welsh. The Brigade, he thinks, was commanded by General Ewing. Immediately after his enlistment, he was appointed and served as Lieutenant. Shortly after he received his commission as such required by Benjamin Franklin, he marched with the troops to which he was attached. Shortly afterwards to Fort Consitution on the North River opposite Fort Washington. He continued to be stationed at Fort Contitution without being engaged in any battles (Except for skirmishing and [?????] when British Vessels attempted to [bottle up] the river) until some time in November after the surrender of Fort Washington, when the British troops commenced crossing the river and they were obliged to abandon the fort and retreat into New Jersey. They marched through New Brunswick to Trenton and being persued closely by the British troops, were compelled to cross the Delaware. Being poorly provided with things such as clothing, they suffered much with cold until the 25th of December, the night before the battle of Trenton, where they attempted to re-cross the Delaware but were prevented by ice. On the fifth of January 1777 they were discharged; he having served during this last tour since the 22nd of August, being four months and nine days and during all that he served as Lieutenant. On the 2nd of August 1777, as near as he can recollect, he volunteered at York County, Pennsylvania into a regiment of foot commanded by Col. Stephenson and was immediately appointed Quartermaster for the regiment; in which capacity he served for two months. When the term for which the recruit had been drafted, expired. At the same time, Col. William Rankin arrived with the 2nd Battalion of York County Militia which he commanded. This declarant immediately (Fourth on the 2nd of October 1777) volunteered with said Rankin regiment for two months and was, by him, on the same day appointed Quartermaster of said regiment or Battalion and as such continued [missing section]...tion of two months which was on the 1st of December 1777. He received a certificate of his appointment from Col. Rankin, which is in his possession, but whether he recieved one from Col. Stephenson he cannot remember. Owing to his extreme old age and consequently to loss of memory he is unable to recollect the particulars of his two last tours of serive but only remembers that he spent the principle part of his time in the eastern part of Pennsylvania and in New Jersey, in the neighborhood of the Delaware River. He is only enabled to recollect many of the particulars of his service under the two first engagements by having recourse to a journal which was kept by one of the company who entered and left the service with him. He received no commission except the two above mentioned, nor any discharge that he can now recollect. He has no documentary evidence (except said [????] and certificate), and knows of no person living whose testimony he can (?????), who can testify to his services. He was born in the year 1751 in Ireland.

He resided in York County, Pennsylvania until some time after the Revolutionary War and has for the last twenty six years resided at his current place of residence in Harrison County, Ohio. He has no record of his age, but draws his knowledge from a recollection of the past that he was twenty six years old when he first entered the service.

Of the persons in his present neighborhood to whom he is known, and can tstify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution, he names the Rev. John McArthur and David Kilgore. He hereby relinqueshes every claim whatsoever 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]John Ross

Sworn to and subscribed the Day and year aforesaid before me

[signed]Thos. Bingham Associate Judge

Mr. John McArthur, a Clergyman residing in the town of Cadiz, Harrison County, Ohio and David Kilgore of the same place, hereby certify that we are well aquainted with John Ross who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be eighty two years of age; that he is truthful and believed in the neighborhood in which he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur to the subscribed the day and year above written before me.

[signed] Mr. Mcarthur [signed] David Kilgore

[signed] Thos. Bingham Associate Judge

Thomas Bingham, one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Harrison, Ohio, do hereby declare my opinion of this investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department, that the above mentioned applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states and I do further certify that it (??????) that John McArthur who has signed the preceeding (???) is a clergyman, resident of Cadiz, in said Harrison County, and that David Kilgore, who having signed the same is a resident in the same place and is a credible person and that this statement is entitled to credit. And I do further certify that the above named applicant from bodily (???) is reasonable to advise the Court.

July 16, AD 1833

Thos. Bingham Associate Judge

The State of Ohio, County of Harrison

I, William Tingley, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said Harrison County do hereby certify that the above named Thos. Bingham Esq. Before whom the foregoing proceedings were had is a judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Harrison Cunty afresaid. The same being a Court of Record and what the foregoing signatures annexed are genuine signatures. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court of Cadiz this 16th day of July AD 1833. Wm. Tingley Clerk