I continue to be impressed with the amount of information contained in these records. I’ve been reading the records of a John Gwin. Here are the things I’ve learned from his records.
John Gwin appeared before the court of common pleas in Wayne County Ohio 17 June 1818 at age 55. He was a resident of Wayne County.
He enlisted about ten miles from Greensburgh, Pennsylvania in the company commanded by Captain Cobe Sullivan and later commanded by Captain Robert Vance in the 13th Virginia regiment and this regiment was later called the ninth.
He served for three years until 23 December 1779 when he was discharged from service at Fort McIntosh in Pennsylvania.
He was in the Battle of Brandywine.
He was a drummer.
He is in reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his country for support and has no other evidence now in his power of his services.
The court found evidence of his service between his first and second appearances, but without the “judges certificate then required that the applicant is in much reduced circumstances as to need, the assistance of his county for support the ?? in certificate cannot be granted.”
John Gwin a resident of Wayne County Ohio appeared again in common pleas court on 27 Sep 1820, aged 57 to “obtain the provision made by the acts of Congress of the 18th March 1818 and the 1st May 1820”. He swears that “in pursuance of the Act of 1 May 1820, I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March one thousand eight hundred eighteen and that I have not since that time by a gift sale or in any manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress entitled “an act-to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War””.
He lists everything he owns (except necessary bedding and cloathing [sic])
One cow calf, value $15
Two sheep, 5.00
20 hogs, 30.00
One axe, 1.00
1 iron pot 1.00
1 iron kettle, 2.00
1 dutch oven, 1.00
Two tea cups & saucers .10 // $55.10
“That I am indebted to several persons in the amount of about $40.00.
He’s a farmer and a miller.
“I am not able by my own labour to support myself by reason of my age and infirmities my family consists of my wife Molly Gwin aged fifty five years, one sone James Gwin aged nineteen years and my son Jonathan aged eleven years, and my daughter Sarah Gwin aged about eighteen, my said wife, my son James and my daughter Sarah are able to support themselves, but my son Jonathan cannot. I live with my said family on land belonging to my sons John and Thomas, and I do further see that my original herewith exhibited was made on the seventh day of June AD eighteen hundred and eighteen and that I have never received a pension from Government.”
Mary Gwin, wife of John appeared in court. Her plea was rejected. She appeared in Holmes County Ohio 25 February 1865 in the Court of Common Pleas. She was a resident of Kilbuck township in Holmes County Ohio and was 83 years old. She was trying to get the “benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 7, 1838, ‘an act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows’”
She was the widow of John Gwin, who was a drummer. She said he was a pensioner, so his pension must have been later granted. She said evidence of his pension is in Book B Volume eleventh and seventh page.
John and Mary were married 9 June 1781.
John died on the 7 April 1844.
She ws not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January 1794 and she has not been married since.
Mary’s brother, Jacob Ammon gave a statement 25 February 1865, that he was a soldier in the Indian War and now receives an annuity from the State of Pennsylvania for his services. He was present at the marriage of Mary and John and that Mary has children by John, “who now live around her, some of whom are over fifty years of age. He’s referred to as General Ammon in a later document.
Thomas McQuiston appeared before a Holmes County Ohio Justice of the Peace and said: he’s a resident of Holmes County Ohio; he’s 73 years old; he was born in 1772 in Westmoreland County Pennsylvania and for the last twenty seven years has resided in Ohio; He was personally acquainted with John Gwin and his wife Mary; John Gwinn was married to Mary (then called Molly) Ammon, daughter of George Ammon at her fathers house about twelve miles from Greensburg in Westmoreland County Pennsylvania in April 1782 by Esquire Hughes. Although but a boy, he well remembers the parties before they were married and though not actually present at the wedding remembers the day on which his brothers and sisters older than him went to the wedding and remembers that after marriage they lived as husband and wife in a house not over half a mile from where he then lived. He has been familiar and intimately acquainted with them and their children ever since and has always resided in the same neighborhood with them. Their son Thomas, who is since dead was born in 1784. Their daughter Rebecca was born in the year 1794. Susannah another daughter was born in 1788 and Polly was born in 1794; she is since dead. John Gwin ?? their sons was born in the year 1792 and is now fifty three years old. Jacob Gwin another son was born in the year 1796 and James Gwin another son in the year 1800. They have also other young children whose ages he does not particularly recollect….
An angry letter dated 10 Sep 1865, written by the Postmaster of Millersburg, Asa G Dimmock, berates the government for not granting a pension to “an old lady”…..
In a letter to some researchers from the early 1900’s, the person responding from the archives says she WAS granted a pension.
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