Pension Application of John and Anna Barbara Trout Cooper: W6715
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
Virginia
At a court of quarter sessions begun and held for the county of Montgomery at the court house on Tuesday the 2nd day of June in the year 1818
It is ordered to be certified to the Secretary of the Department of war That John Cooper appeared before this court which is a court of Record and made oath that he enlisted as a Drummer in April 1776 in Chester County, Pennsylvania, in a company Commanded by Captain Marshal, which company shortly afterward fell to the command of Captain McClarid. That he marched from Chester County attached to the Regiment commanded by Col. Adley on to Philadelphia. Thence to Amboy Jersey [sic: Perth Amboy NJ], near to Staten Island, Thence to New York head quarters, thence to Long Island. That he was in the Battle of Long Island [27 Aug 1776], and was the first Drummer that beat the Alarm. Thence was station near fort Washington [on Manhattan Island], that he was at the battle of Hell gate [12 Oct 1776], thence back to fort Washington where he was detained in service until he was taken prisoner by Genl. Howe [16 Nov 1776], detained two months in close confinement. when he was paroled. That after he was paroled, he was in the Battle of Brandywine [11 Sep 1777] and Germantown [4 Oct 1777], that he was honorably discharged by Col. Walter Stewart, at Valley Forge on the first day of January 1778 or 1779 [1778], that he served as Captain against the Indians [rest of sentence looks like “near of Ianny ‘Carter.’”] That he is about Seventy years old, that he has resided in the State of Virginia about Twenty eight years, Seventeen of which he has lived in Montgomery County. that he is infirm and in very reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his country for his Support. Michael Henderliter also appeared here and made oath that he became acquainted with the said John Cooper in the year 1777 that he was then a Drummer in the Regular Service, that he was honorably Discharged on the first Day of January 1778 or 1779 at Valley forge. The said John Cooper states that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said Services
Schedule
District of Indiana}
Dearborn County} Sct
Dearborn Circuit Court}
On this eighteenth day of February 1822 personally appeared in open court in the Dearborn Circuit court it being a court of Record in and for the county of Dearborn John Cooper, aged seventy four years some months, a Resident citizen in the said county of Dearborn who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his solemn oath declare that he served in the revolutionary war as follows, to wit: That he served in the Regiment commanded by Colo. Walter Stewart in the Pennsylvania line on the continental establishment; and in a company of light Infantry commanded by Capt’n. Anderson that he enlisted in the year 1776 and served one year and nine months; and that he was honorably discharged by the said Colo Stewart – that he was present at, and fought in the Battles of Long Island Fort Washington, Brandywine and Germantown – and I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States of America on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any other 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” 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 and that I have received a pension from the United States of eight dollars per month but my original certificate being lost or mislaid I cannot now give either its numbers or date. that I have no property of any kind or description except my wearing apparel, that the number of my family is two, myself and my wife aged sixty two years, healthy. that my occupation is that of a farmer, but from age and infirmities totally unable to pursue that calling John his X mark Cooper
NOTES:
By returning to battle after being released on parole, Cooper risked being executed if he had been captured again.
Compare the pension application of Michael Henderliter S38016.
In Montgomery County on 19 Sep 1840 Anna Barbara Cooper, about 90, applied for a pension stating that she married John Cooper in Chester County PA in Feb 1780 or 1781, and that he died “in the fall of 1825, perhaps in the month of November.” A typed summary in the file gives her maiden name as Anna Barbara Trout, and it states that several of their children were referred to, including Jacob Cooper who in 1840 was about 58 and a resident of Montgomery County.