Fisher Family Genealogy

Lochry Expedition - Excerpt from Revolutionary War Pension File No. S32495, William Roark

Lochry Expedition - Excerpt from Revolutionary War Pension File No. S32495, William Roark



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  • Title Lochry Expedition - Excerpt from Revolutionary War Pension File No. S32495, William Roark 
    Short Title Lochry Expedition - Excerpt from Revolutionary War Pension File No. S32495, William Roark 
    Publisher National Archives, Textual Reference Branch  
    Call Number Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 
    Repository National Archives 
    Source ID S434 
    Text The following excerpts (highlighted in blue) describe the Revolutionary War service of William Roark. Roark's participation in Lochry's Expedition against the Ohio Indians in 1781 is very interesting. Roark was not originally part of Lochry's regiment. He states in his deposition on page 5, that he enlisted in a light horse company under Captain Michael Catt to be part of General Clark's army, whom Lochry's men were to meet at Wheeling. He goes on to state that when his company arrived at Wheeling, Clark had already gone down the Ohio River. Roark's company then joined Colonel Lochry's regiment who had just arrived at Wheeling. On page 25, William Worthington, a member of Captain Campbell's company in Lochry's regiment, testifying in support of Roark's pension application, tells a different story - that Roark's company left with Clark but "from some cause had become separated from the main Army." According to the diary of Lieutenant Isaac Anderson (see here and here) these men were not lost soldiers by rather deserters from Clark's army seeking to return home. Anderson's entry from Aug 13 reads, "Moved down to Fishing creek; we took up Lieut. Baker and 16 men, deserting from Gen. Clark..." Roark was part of Baker's company and therefore a deserter. Further evidence supporting this conclusion is the fact that Baker's commanding officer, Captain Michael Catt, was not among the killed or taken prisoner at Lochry's defeat. He remained with General Clark all the way to the Falls of the Ohio at present day Louisville, KY. Baker's company including Roark was forced to join Lochry's regiment and continued down the Ohio until the expedition was ambushed and defeated August 24, 1781. Roark was captured by the attacking Indians, taken to Detroit, and then Montreal where he was imprisoned by the British. He was released at New York in 1783 as part of a prisoner exchange. Similar omissions of being a deserter from Clark's army are found in the pension files of other members of Baker's company including Abraham Hiley, Jacob Lawrence, Henry Franks and George Mason.

    Roark's pension file also contains on page 15 a funny, and testy exchange with the War Department in 1836 responding to his pension being denied in 1833 for lack of evidence. The Department in denying Roark's apparently claimed "that Gen. Clark's expedition, referred to in the Declaration, took place in September 1782, & not in 1781 as stated." The Justice of the Peace arguing Roark's case, knowing this to be patently untrue replies on page 16 "if the authentic History of that expedition fixes it in 1782, he must of course have been mistaken in the year. Certainly so horrid a massacre and defeat as that of Col. Archibald Loughery must be known at the War Department with all its circumstances of time & place." Shorthand I suspect for get your history straight you useless bureaucrat!

    All transcriptions are as faithful to the source material as possible including spelling oddities (Colonel Lochry's name is frequently miss-spelled) and punctuation (often lacking). The remainder of Roark's pension file (not transcribed or shown) is devoted to other correspondence relating to his pension application and requests for his pension file by relations in the early 1900s. A complete account of Lochry's Expedition including the testimony of other participants is available here.



    (page 4) —————

    Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832

    State of Illinois
    Gallatin County Seal

    On this 15th day of March 1833 personally appeared in open court before the Hon. Thomas G.? Browne judge of the Circuit Court for the county aforesaid now sitting, William Roark a resident of said County in the state of Illinois aged seventy three years in June next, who being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June the 7th 1832. That he entered the service of United States under the following named officers and served as therein instated. That he was drafted into service in the county of Sussex State of New Jersey first under Captain John Fleet and served a term under him during which time theywe were marched to Amboy in said state, The next term of similar service was under Capt. Mark Thompson, during which term we were marched to a place called bound Brook, The next term was under Captain John Maxfield. These several terms combined at a time of (blank) I do not recollect many of the United States officers excepting those mentioned and Genl. Washing (inserted: ton) who was about this time in New New Jersey, and Genl. William Maxfield the brother of my Captain,, somewhere during

    (page 5) ————

    this time Captain John Maxfield received a commission of Captain in the Regular Regulars, nnd enlisted a company, at the Grand Camps and I enlisted in it under him, I was at the Battle of Millstone and took a prisoner at or near th the settlement of Monmouth. I had lived with an uncle are was acquainted with the General and he came down and got me off from further service at this time. I moved and settled on the Monongahela waters but at what particular the transactory transpired I am unable to recollect, as I have no record of them or of my age, in the year 1782, I think in June (inserted: but maybe in August or Sept) and order came from Genl. Clark for men and there was a draft, he came down the Allegheny, I again entered the service under Capt. Michael Catt, and went to Wheeling on the Ohio River where we were to join Genl. Clark, but he had gone on down the river. Colonel. Laury had not come in. The general intuition was to go to the Falls of the Ohio, to get a reinforcement from the Kentucky settlements thence to proceed against the Indian Towns, we started under Col. Laury or Laughey and had nearly overtaken Genl. Clark, but got defeated by the Indians (inserted: in June or July) about ten miles below the Big Miami as it was said, some said it was further, we were killed but forty seven who were taking prisoners among which I was also taken, the Indians took us into their Towns and after sometime we were taken to detroit from Detroit we

    (page 6) —————

    were taken into Canada and confined about forty sixmiles from Montreal where we were kept (inserted: ten months afterwards) then we heard of a surrender of Cornwallis at York, Then under British orders we were taken to Quebeck and put on board of a ship and taken to New York where we were discharged or parol (inserted: 17th of March 1783) for there was not prisoners to exchange for us. I heard afterwords the British got prisoners for us and we I got home in January or February 1784. After this time I resided on the waters of the Monongahela in Virginia from whence I moved to Mughlenberk (Muhlengerg county Kentucky, ed.) Where I resided ten years then I moved to Gallatin County Illinois in the year 1810 where I have resided ever since I hereby declare I have recd no compensation from the government of the U. S. and that I relinquish all claims to a pension except the present.

    Sworn to & subscribed this 15th March 1833 in
    William (is mark) Roark

    We the Jesse Pierce a clergyman residing in the County of White adjoining the county of Gallatin and State of Illinois and William Sutton residing in the County of Gallatin hereby certify that we are acquainted with William Roark who has signed the foregoing that we believe him to be seventy three years of age that he is reputed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion

    Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
    Jesse Pearce
    William Sutton

    (page 7) —————

    And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Jesse Pearce, who has signed the preceding certificate, Is a clergyman, resident in the county of White, Illinois; and that William Sutton, who has also signed the same is a resident of Gallatin County, Illinois; and and is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit

    I, Leonard White, clerk of the circuit court for said county, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of William Roark for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 15th day of March A.D. 1833 –

    Leod White Clk

    (page 15) —————

    State of Illinois
    Gallatin County sct

    This day personally appeared before the undersigned Judge of Probate, the same being a Court of record in and for said County, authorized by law to take examinations, and to administer oaths, William Roark, who from advanced age and bodily infirmity is unable to appear in open court and stated, upon oath, that he on the 15th day of March 1833, he made an original Declaration (inserted: & on 13 September 1833 and amended declaration) before the Circuit Court of said County, for the purpose of obtaining a pension under the act of Congress of June 7th, 1832 – that said application was returned by the Comm. of Pensions, by under date 15th of Nov 1833 with the objection, "that the claimant could not be allowed for the time he alleges [himself] to have been a prisoner, unless he shall produce some satisfactory proof there of other than his own allegation, or the belief of others” – That he then sent a messenger into Kentucky, and procured the deposition of William Worthington, senior, dated the 20th Nov 1834, establishing the fact of this claimant having been a prisoner, as stated in said original Declaration, and corroborating the general character of his services, which was forwarded, with his said original and amended Declaration to the War Department, All of which were authenticated according to regulations. That again these papers were returned it to him, under date the 16th Dec 1834, With the remark, "that the New Jersey Militia served in tours of one month only – that Gen. Clarkes expedition, referred to in the Declaration, took place in September 1782, & not in 1781 as stated,– that the applicant should amend his declaration accordingly, and should also state the time at which he was paroled at New York, etc.” some of these, the Hon. Secretary will observe are new

    (page 16) —————

    objections which existed before, but which were not then stated. As to the time he served in the (inserted: 3) different tours in the New Jersey Militia, he can only state that it seems to him he served for the respective periods stated in his original or amended Declaration, which he submits might have been, notwithstanding the fact stated by the Hon. Commissioner of Pensions. He was (inserted: & is yet) illiterate and ignorant of the laws, rules and regulations governing the New Jersey Service, – this applicant states that he was, besides his three tours under Captains Fleet, Thompson & Maxwell engaged almost during the whole war in the service of his country, in driving his uncle's team engaged in the artillery service, chiefly hauling cannon balls at Morristown. But he maybe mistaken as to the lengths of his different enlistments, as 50 odd years is a long time, and his memory and other faculties are greatly decayed. In like manner as to the time he joined Gen. Clarke’s expedition it certainly seems to him it was in 1781, but if the authentic History of that expedition fixes it in 1782, he must of course have been mistaken in the year. Certainly so horrid a massacre and defeat as that of Col. Archibald Loughery must be known at the War Department with all its circumstances of time & place; and if this applicant is mistaken in regard to the year it will be seen that his fellow sufferer in that affair and in the subsequent imprisonment, Wm Worthington, is also mistaken, and this applicant ventures to say that no person is more respected than he is, and he has been receiving a pension for similar services for many years, and has been a member of the Kentucky Legislature and a Judge of her courts for many years. This affidavit further states that it was on the 17th day of March 1783 (inserted: or 1784) that he was paroled at

    (page 17) —————

    New York. He recollects of hearing music, and being told that it was St. Patricks day. He states that he was nearly ten a year (inserted: or more) a prisoner, and if the expedition of Gen. Clarke in the defeat of Col. Loughery took place in 1782, it must have been 17th March 1784 that he was paroled at New York. This applicant is old, and very needy, and will not insist upon the accuracy of his memory in regard to (inserted: his) time of service or of imprisonment ,further, but submits to the better knowledge of the important transactions known to exist at the War Department. He hopes that the Department will duly weigh his statements, and the testimony of Judge Worthington, (all of which are herewith returned, together with his letters from the Department) and make him such allowance as is just and right according to law.

    Wm (his mark) Roark

    State of Illinois
    Gallatin County, sct

    I Leonard White, Judge of the Court of Probate in & for said county (the same being a court of record having a Public seal) do certify that this amended Declaration of William Roark, contained on this sheet, was subscribed & sworn to before me – that owing to the advanced age and bodily infirmity of the said applicant, he having lost the use of his limbs & being quite helpless, he is unable to appear in open Court – and I do further certify, that having investigated the matter and put all the interrogatories prescribed

    (page 18) —————

    by the War Department, it is my opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served, and suffered imprisonment as he states.

    In testimony where of I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court, at Equality, this 3rd day of Nov 1836 –

    Leod White

    (page 25) ————

    The deposition of William Worthington aged seventy three years taken on behalf of William Roark a Revolutionary soldier who being first duly sworn deposeth & saith

    That in the year seventeen hundred & eighty one, this deponent enlisted under Captain Campbell the regiment commanded by Colonel Archibald Laughery of the State of Pennsylvania who was raising volunteer troops to join General George Rogers Clark who under an order of the State of Virginia was collecting troops to march against the Northwestern Indians – we were ordered to Rendezvous at Wheeling Virginia on a day appointed by Genl Clark, but owing to some casualty Col Laughery with his troops did not reach there on that day & finding that Genl Clark had proceeded on down the Ohio River Col. Laughery forwarded an express immediately to Genl Clark letting him know of his arrival at Wheeling & his situation – On the Return of the express Col. Laughery was informed that Genl Clark would leave a flat Boat for the Horses at a certain island in the River & some other accommodations for the Light horse troops – upon

    Page 26) —————

    Previous to our Reaching the said Island, we fell in with a small detachment of Clark's Regiment that from some cause had become Separated from the main Army. Among them was the said William Roark, which detachment joined & went a board of the boat with us in pursuit of Genl Clark & the main army. – we descended the Ohio some distance below the mouth of the Big Miami to the mouth of a creek (now called Laugherys Creek) where we were attacked by a large party of Indians who had embodied themselves for the purpose of attacking Genl Clark as we were afterwards informed – the Indians attacked Laughery’s troops & killed & took the whole of them – Mr. Roark & myself being among the number of prisoners taken – we were then separated & I saw no more of Mr. Roark until we arrived at Detroit we were then put on board a vessel with a number of others & conveyed across Lake Erie to the landing above Niagara from thence we were conveyed to an island in the St. Lawrence 40 miles from Montreal

    Mr. Roark still in company


    (page 27) —————

    we reached the Barracks on the Island sometime in November 1781 where are we continued until sometime in the month of June or July 1782 when this deponent was taken with nine others to Montreal leaving the said Roark on the island before said a prisoner with a great many others

    From our long confinement together I became intimately acquainted with the said Roark – this deponent saw nothing more of said Roark after their separation afs until the year 1801 or 1802 when he met with him in Muhlenberg County Kentucky to which place he had Removed & where he Resided for about the space of Ten years during which time we often conversed about our expedition & imprisonment – from Mulhlenburg County said Roark Removed to Gallatin County Illinois – he has been at my house in Mulhlenburg County Ky since his Removal to Illinois and I have no hesitation in saying that he is the same William Roark that was imprisoned & suffered with me on the expedition aforesaid

    William Worthington

    (page 28) —————

    Commonwealth of Kentucky
    Muhlenberg County SS

    Before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace for the county aforesaid came William Worthington & signed and (inserted: was qualified to) acknowledge the foregoing deposition – and I further Certify that I have been acquainted with the said that Worthington from my boyhood & whose Character for truth and integrity is not surpassed by any other gentleman in the County

    Given under my hand this 20th day of November 1834
    John Campbell JP

    Commonwealth of Kentucky
    Muhlenberg County sct

    I Charles F Ming clerk of the County Court for the County afs hereby Certify that John Campbell Esq whose Signature appears to the above Certificate is & was at the time of Signing the same an acting justice of the peace for said County & that due faith & Credit is due each & every of his official acts –

    In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my seal (inserted: of office) this 20th day of Nov 1834

    Ch F Ming 

  • Documents
    Revolutionary War Pension File: Willam Roark, No. S32495
    Revolutionary War Pension File: Willam Roark, No. S32495
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 4)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 4)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 5)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 5)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 6)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 6)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 7)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 7)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 15)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 15)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 16)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 16)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 17)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 17)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 18)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 18)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 25)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 25)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 26)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 26)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 27)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 27)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 28)
    Military: Roark, William - Revolutionary War pension file No. S32495 (p 28)

  •  Notes 
    • Images from Fold3.com
      Original data:
      Publisher: NARA
      National Archives Catalog ID: 300022
      National Archives Catalog Title: Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service, compiled ca. 1800 - ca. 1912, documenting the period ca. 1775 - ca. 1900
      Record Group: 15
      Short Description: NARA M804. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files.
      State: Pennsylvania
      Veteran Surname: Roark
      Veteran Given Name: William
      Service: New Jersey Penn.
      Pension Number: S. 32495