CONGRESS on the 18th of March 1818, passed "an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary war." We will here mention those of the inhabitants of York county, who became United States' Pensioners under this act and its supplement, and who were alive at the passage of the act.
John Schneider, served in Col. Hartley's regiment, Captain Grier's company from 11th Nov. 1775 until the end of one year and three months. He afterwards served in the regiment commanded by Col, Haren, in Capt. Turner's company, from the early part of the year 1777 until the end of the war. In 1818 aged 67.
Christian Pepret, served in Col. Butler's regiment, in Capt. Bush's company from the year 1779 until the close of the war. In 1818, aged 67.
John Jacob Baner, served in the first Pennsylvania regiment commanded by Col. Chambers, in Capt. James Wilson's company, from September 1774 until the close of the war. In 1818, aged 73.
John Deis, served in Captain David Grier's company, in the regiment commanded by Col. Hartley from March 1776 until the end of one year. In 1818, aged 62.
George Lingenfelder, served in Capt. Michael McGuire's company, in Col. Brook's regiment, of Maryland, from June 1780 until the close of the war. At the Battle of Brandywine he was severely wounded. In 1818, aged 59.
David Ramsey, served in the 1st Rifle Regiment under Col. Edward Hand, the company under Capt. Henry Miller from 1st of July 1775 until July 1776. Being then discharged, he joined Col, Mannum's regiment, and was in service until taken prisoner at the battle of Brandywine. Besides this battle he was present and took a part in those of Bunker's Hill, Long Island, and of Flat Bush, at one of which he was wounded in the head. In 1818, aged 69.
Humphrey Andrews, enlisted in Chester county, Pennsylvania, on 26th January 1776 for the term of one year, in the company then commanded by Capt. James Taylor, in the 4th Pennsylvania regiment, commanded by Col. Anthony Wayne. From Chester county, he marched by the way of New York, Albany, Ticonderoga, and Crown Point, to Montreal, at which place they met the troops under Gen. Thompson who were returning from the battle at Three Rivers. He thence rcturned, with his fellow soldiers, to Crown Point, where he remained until 24th January 1777, stationed between the two armies of Burgoyne and Howe. Marching to old Chester in Pcnnsylvania, he was discharged on 25th February 1777. Andrews was engaged in a skirmish with the British in November 1776. In 1818, aged 63.
Jacob Mayer enlisted in York county, served in Col. Wagner's regiment, in the company commanded by Capt. James Taylor from Feb. 1776 until the end of one year, when he was discharged at Chester. In 1818, aged 67.
Robert Ditcher, enlisted in the spring of 1777 in Capt. Jamcs Lee's company of Artillery then in Philadelphia, attached to the regiment commanded by Col. Laub. He was present and took a part in the battles of White Plains, Staten Island, Monmouth, Mud Island, and Germantown, and was several times wounded. In 1818, aged 57.
John Taylor, enlisted in Feb. 1778 at Mount Holly in New Jersey in the company of Capt. John Cummings, and in the 2d regiment of the New Jersey line attached to the brigade commanded by General Maxwell; and he continued in service until Oct. 1783, when he was discharged near Morristown in that state. He was at the battle of Monmouth, and at the capture of Cornwallis at York-town: he likewise served as a volunteer at the storming of Stony Point by Gen. Wayne, at which time he was slightly wounded. In 1818, aged 71.
Dedlove Shadow, served from the spring of 1776 until the close of the war, in Congress regiment commanded by Col. Moses Hazen, in the company commanded by Capt. Duncan. In 1818, aged 62.
James Hogg, served from 26th January 1779 in the 1st regiment of the Maryland line, commanded at first by Col. Smallwood, and afterwards by Col. Stone. His company was at first that of Capt. Nathaniel Ramsey, and afterwards that of Capt. Hazen. In 1818, aged 63.
Michael Shultze, served in Col. Hartley's regiment and in Capt. Grier's company from January 1776 for the term of one year. In 1818, aged 61.
Mathias Kraut, served in the 10th regiment of the Pennsylvania line, commanded by Captain Stout, from the year 1776 until the close of the war. In 1818, aged 58.
Thomas Randolph, served in the 7th regiment of the Virginia line commanded by Col, M'Lellan, in the company by [of] Capt. Peasey from the year 1775 until 1778. In 1818, aged 71. "The Soldiers Friend" thus describes this old pensioner in 1818. Thomas Randolph - better known here as old Tommy Randall, the standing bugbear of children and likely to rival the most celebrated "Boog-a-boos" of any past age. We sincerely hope his sooty note of 'sweep O' - 'sweep O' will soon be exchanged for more cheerful ones. Indeed he has scarcely a note of any kind left, as he is now a tenant of the poor house, having been some time ago gathered to that promiscuous congregation of fatherless, motherless, sisterless, brotherless, houseless and friendless beings, each of whom is little less than civiliter mortuus.
Samuel Ramble, served in the 1st Regiment of the Virginia line, under Col. Campbell, in the company commanded by Capt. Moss, during the three last years of the war. In 1818, aged 60.
Frederick Boyer, served in the detachment under Col. Almon from 1777 until 1779, when he enlisted in a corps of cavalry under Capt. Selincki, and under the command of Gen. Pulaski; he served in the corps until nearly the whole of it was destroyed. In 1818, aged 67.
Henry Doll, served in the first regiment of the Pennsylvania line under Col. Stewart, and in the company under Capt. Shade, for about one year. In 1818, aged 71.
John Lockert, served in Col. Proctor's regiment of Artillery in the Pennsylvania line, in the company of Capt. Duffie from June 1777 until June 1779. In 1818, aged 66.
Thomas Burke, served in the 10th regiment of the Pennsylvania Line commanded by Lieut. Col. Hazen, from June 1778 until 1781. In 1818, aged 58.
Jacob Kramer, served in the regiment commanded by Capt. Hausecker, and afterwards by Ccl. Weltman, in the company commanded by Capt. Paulsell and afterwards by Capt. Boyer. The term of service was from 19th July 1776, until 19th July 1779. In 1818, aged 62.
Joseph Wren, served in the 7th regiment of the Pennsylvania line, in the company of Capt. Wilson, from January 1777 until the close of the war. In 1818, aged 80. Joseph Wren made his original application for a pension through Samuel Bacon, formerly an attorney of York. Mr. Bacon thus writes concerning the old soldier in 1818.
"Joseph Wren - This old man's body and spirit seem to be equally light. He can travel his thirty miles a day with ease. His appearance reminds you of the Egyptian Mummies so celebrated for their fresh and life-like appearance after the lapse of centuries. During the deluge (not Noah's flood, nor yet Ducalion's, as you might have supposed from his ancient date, but the deluge which buried a third part of our town in ruins, on the ever memorable 9th of August 1817) old Wren, like the lively little bird of his own name, perched himself in a snug corner of the garret of a two story house, and went to sleep. The house rose on the bosom of the deep, plunged all but the garret into the waves, and was dashed from surge to surge till it lodged against a tree. Five persons were drowned side by side they lay in a room of the second story of the house. Joseph slept on. At length when the God of nature held out the olive branch of hope to the terror-struck tenants of the roofs of the tottering houses, and the flood subsided so that "the dry land appeared" - when the mighty ocean that had been as it were created in a moment and precipitated upon us, gathered itself into the mild and unassuming Codorus again, Joseph's abode of death, when youth and health, and female excellence and manly virtue, had been buried in the waves, was visited, - and still he slept. When he awakened he rubbed his eyes, not certain whether they were his own, or whether he was Joseph Wren any more; for he knew not where he was, unless it might be in some place on the other side of the grave. Thus, indeed has Joseph Wren had hair breadth 'scapes, in the forest wild and city full, and is spared to be made glad by something very unlike the ingratitude of republics."
Conrad Pudding, served in Armand's Legion, in Captain Sheriff's company from the spring of 1781, until the fall of 1783, when the army was disbanded. In 1818, aged 64.
Michael Warner, served in Capt. Jacob Bower's company of the Pennsylvania line from Oct. 1781 until Oct. 1783. In 1818, aged 59.
John Devinny, served in the 4th regiment commanded by Col. Anthony Wayne, in Capt. Thomas Robinson's company from the fall of 1775 until the close of one year, at which time he entered in the 5th regiment, in Capt. Bartholomew's company in which he continued to serve until the close of the war. In 1818, aged 62.
William Brown, enlisted at Philadelphia in the autumn of 1777 for the term of three years, in the company commanded by Capt. John Doyle and the 1st regiment of the Pennsylvania line commanded by Col. Hand. 11e was at the battle of Brandywine, at the taking of the Hessians at Trenton, and at the battle of Princeton, Monmouth, Stony Point and Paoli at the last of which he received several wounds. Having continued to serve six years, he was discharged at Lancaster. In 1818, aged 73.
John Beaty, served in the 6th Pennsylvania regiment commanded by Col. Irwin, in the company of Abraham Smith, from February 1776 until February 1777. In 1818, aged 63.
John Ohmet, served in the 10th regiment of the Pennsylvania line, commanded by Col. Richard Hampton, in the company of Capt. Hicks, from May 1777 until the close of the war. In 1818, aged 60.
Jacob M'Lean, served in Ccl. Hausecker's regiment called the "German Regiment," in the company of Capt. Benjamin Weiser, from July 1776 until the year 1779. In 1818, aged 60.
Frederick Huebner, served in Gen. Armand's legion, in the company of Capt. Barron for the term of about three years. In 1818, aged 64.
Adam Schuman, served in the 5th Pennsylvania regiment commanded by Col. Richard Butler in Capt. Walker's cornpany commanded by Lieut. Feldam, from the Spring of 1776 until the close of the war. In 1 8 18, aged 66.
Joel Gray, served in Cot. Hartley's regiment of the Pennsylvania line, in the company of Capt. Bush, from Oct. 1778, until the 1st of April 1781. In 1818, aged 75. Poor Joel was a client of Mr. Bacon, who thus writes of him in 1818. "Joel Gray - He may indeed be addressed in tile style of the old ballad, and they may make the same response.
O why do you shiver and shake Gaffer Gray?
And why does your nose look so blue?
I am grown very old,
And the weather 'tis cold,
And my doublet is not very new."This old man, in 1818, says: "I have one chest worth about a dollar. I have no trade or any business whatsoever. I have no children or friends to give me any kind of assistance. My pension and the poor-house are all I have to depend upon."
Michael Weirich, served in the 6th regiment of the Maryland line under Col. Williams and Col. Stewart, and in the company of Capt. Rebelle, (luring the last five years of the war. In 1818, aged 64.
Zenos Macomber, served in Col. Carter's regiment from May 1775 until January 1776, when he enlisted in Col. Bond's regiment of the Massachusetts line. Having served in this regiment about two months, he was removed and placed in General Washington's foot guard. Here he continued until January 1777 when he enlisted in Gen. Washington's horse guard in which he served three years. In 1818, aged 61.
Anthony Lehman, served in the 5th regiment of the Pennsylvania line under Col. M'Gaw, in the company of Capt. Deckart, from February 1775 until January 1777. In 1818, aged 65.
Samuel Spicer, served in the 10th regiment of the Pennsylvania line, under Col. Hampton, in Capt. Weaver's company, for about 1 year before the close of the war. In 1818, aged 81.
Christopher Nerr, served in the 2d regiment of the Pennsylvania uric commanded by Col. Stewart, under Capt. Patterson, from April 1777 until Jan. 1780. In 1818, aged 65.
William Smith, served in the 2d regiment of the Pennsylvania line, under Capt. Watson from February 1776 until the expiration of one year. Being then in Canada, he returned home, and enlisted in the 4th regiment of the Pennsylvania line commanded by Col. William Butler, in Capt. Bird's company. In 1818, aged 69.
Martin Muller, served in Count Pulaski's legion, in Capt. Seleski's company, for the term of eighteen months. In 1818, aged 69.
Ludwig Watman, served in the 6th regiment of the Pennsylvania line, commanded by Col. Butler, in the company of Capt. Bush, from the fall of 1777 for the term of three years and a half. In 181 8, aged 60.
William Kline, served in Col. Wayne's regiment, in Capt. Fraser's company, from Dec. 1775 until March 1777. In 1818, aged 63.
Source: Page(s) 68- 74, History of York County From its Erection to the Present Time; [1729-1834]; New Edition; With Additions, Edited by A. Monroe Aujrand, Jr.