Author: Michael D. C. Merryman
William Davidson (1760-1831) P-329053
From the Revolutionary War Pension of William Davidson:
State of Pennsylvania
Erie County SS.
On this fifth day of June A.D. 1818 before me the subscriber one of the Associate Judges of the Court of Common pleas within and for the County of Erie aforesaid personally appears William Davidson aged 58 years, resident in the County of Erie aforesaid who being first by me duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress, entitled “An Act to provide for certain person engaged in the land and naval service of the united States in the revolutionary war,” that he, the said William Davidson in the month of March 1777 enlisted at Carlisle in Pennsylvania as a Serjeant [sic] for three years into a Company commanded by Capt. Mathew Irvine, which Company was afterwards annexed to the 6th Virginia Regiment under the command of Col. James Hendrick [Hendricks]. That in 1779 the said Company was annexed to 11th Pennsylvania Regiment commanded by Lieut. Col. Adam Hubley, and that he continued to serve in the said Corps or in the service of the United States until the month of January 1781, when he was discharged at Trenton, in the State of New Jersey, that he was in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown and also the battle of Monmo[u]th, and that he is in reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his Country for support, and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services.
Pennsylvania } SS
Erie County } On this seventeenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty, personally appeared in open Court, being a Court of Record, for said County (as well by it being such by act of assembly of 1722 as by its proceedings being according to the course of the commonwealth Law, having jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount and keeping a record of their proceedings and having the power of fine and imprisonment) William Davidson, aged 60 years in July next[, a] resident in Mill Creek Township in said County, who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath declar[es] that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows, that in the beginning of the year 1779 he was in the 1st Company, (Capt. Lawrence Keene) of 11th Pennsylvania Regiment, under the Command of Lieut. Col Adam Hubley and served in said Company and Regiment as Serjeant, [sic] until Jan’y 1781. That the date of his original declaration is the fifth day of June 1818: and the number of his pension Certificate is 8.309. And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by 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 person engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War” passed on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed.
Schedule of Property
To Wit one old walnut Bureau, 1 cherry Table, 1 tin Gallon Iron Kettle, 1 bake kettle, 1 pot, 1 frying pan, 1 Spinning wheel, 1 Trammel, one old blind mare, one Cow, one old saddle, 2 old pair Horse Geers, [sic] 2 old Oxen, 2 hoes, 2 Iron wedges, 2 maul rings, 1 Small Grindstone, one old plough, and one bucket. I also have a pension from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, of Forty Eight dollars per annum payable semiannually, for my Services in the Pennsylvania line during the Revolutionary war.
By occupation I am a farmer, but unable to pursue it, having been sorely afflicted with the Gravel more than 20 years, and having lost one of my eyes, in consequence of the fall of a tree upon my head about 17 years since, which has materially injured my health and am occasionally severely afflicted with pains in my head The following is the number and names of my family residing with me my wife Catharine aged 45 years Children as follows to wit 1 Eleanor aged 17 years, 2 Margaret aged 15 years, 3 Patrick aged 13 years 4th George Washington aged 11 years 5th Melly aged 9 years, 6th Catherine 7 years old, 7th Nancy aged 4 years 8th John aged 3 years, 9th Robert Reed aged 4 months, most of whom are too young to be of any essential service to me.
State of Ohio}
Summit County SS}
On this fifteenth day of March 1850 personally appeared before the Court of Common Pleas within and for the County of Summit and State of Ohio Catharine Davidson senr a resident of Akron in said county aged seventy two years on the seventh day of last August who being duly sworn according to law doth, on her oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed July 29th 1848 – she being the widow of William Davidson late of Youngstown in the County of Trumbull and state aforesaid. That said William Davidson was according to the recollection of this affiant a private in Colonel Hubley’s regiment of Continental Pennsylvania, being as she believes the fourteenth regiment of Pennsylvania troops – that the said William Davidson lived at Carlisle Pennsylvania at the time he enlisted – that he was a volunteer for some six months before his enlistment and then enlisted for five years or during the war – that after his enlistment he first went to Philadelphia – was with the army when it crossed the Delaware into New Jersey – was at the battle of Monmouth – at the battle of Trenton – at West Point – at Hogsback at White Plains according to her recollection of statements made by her deceased husband – that she has no documentary evidence as to his service – that he received a pension for many years before he died – that he lived at Erie, Erie County Pennsylvania when he first drew a pension – that he removed to Trumbull County Ohio in January 1827 and continued to draw a pension then until his death She further declares that she was married to the said William Davidson on the first day of October in the year seventeen hundred and ninety nine (1799); that her husband the aforesaid William Davidson died on the twenty ninth day of July in the year 1831; that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the second day of January eighteen hundred viz at the time above stated. She further swears that she is now a widow and that she has never before made an application of a Pension.
Catharine her X mark Davidson
NOTE: On 25 Sep 1826 William Davidson applied to have his pension payable at the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, agency, having moved to Trumbull County, Ohio “for the purpose of being near his relatives and for the greater convenience of subsisting his family.” The file includes a family record transcribed below. Nancy Goble and Catharine Davidson certified that the first column was written in a Bible by William Davidson in 1829. They stated that after the death of William Davidson the Bible was taken by his son, Patrick Davidson, of West Liberty, in Hardin County OH.
MARRIAGES.
William Davidson was married to Sarah Oldon in the year of Our lord 1785 Augt 5th
William Davidson was Marr’d to Cathrine Beaver 1799 Oct’r. the first
Fleming Davidson was Married
James Davidson was Married
Ann Davidson was Married to Jonas Duncan 1804
Sarah Davidson was marrid to Thomas M Millar 1809
William Davidson Jnr was married to Mary Hawes 1821
Thomas Davidson was marrid to Ruth Ferral 1820
Mary Davidson was Married to James Jackson 1824 March 24th
[End of first column. Same handwriting continues.]
Eleoner Davidson was Married to James Thorn 1828 Jan’y 1st 1828
Patrick Davidson was married to Matilda Carothers 1827 Oct’r. 11th
Margret Davidson was Married to James H. Williams 1827 Oct’r. 9th
George W. Davidson was Marrid to Nancy Lytle 1829 Jan’y 1st
[Change of handwriting]
Mellinger Davidson was maried to Geoege A Hardman March 25 1830
Nancy R. Davidson Was Maried to to Silas W. Gowble Feb 1835
Patrick Davidson Was married to Elizabeth Mathews Sept 30th 1841
Robert Reed Davidson married to Mary Jane Matthews May 4th 1843
Patrick Davidson Was married to Zephiah Barten 1848
[Page two. Identical handwriting to page 1 column 1.]
BIRTHS.
Fleming Davidson was Born in the year of our Lord 1786 June 13th
Ann Davidson was born in the year of Our Lord 1788 Jan’y 6th
James Davidson was born in the year of Our Lord 1790 April 21st
Sarah Davidson was born in the year of our lord 1792 Feb’y 4th
Susan Davidson was born in the year of our Lord 1794 March 12th
William Davidson was born in the year of our lord 1797 August 2nd
Thomas Oldon Davidson was Born in the year of Our Lord 1798 Dec’r. 13
Mary Davidson was born in the year of Our Lord 1800 August 22nd
Eleonor Davidson was born in the year of our lord 1802 June 23d
[Column two]
Margret Davidson was born in the year of our lord 1804 August 3d
Patrick Davidson was born in the year of our Lord 1807 Jan’y 25
George W. Davidson was Born in the year of our Lord 1809 April 6th
Mellinger Davidson was Born in the year of our Lord 1811 April 20th
Catherine Davidson was Born in the year of our Lord 1813 May 30th
Nancy R. Davidson was Born in the year of our Lord 1815 June 10th
John B Davidson was Born in the year of our Lord 1817 June 1st
Robert B. Davidson was Born in the year of our Lord 1820 Feb’y 3d
