| Text |
&The following images link to the documents from Adam Owery's Revolutionary War pension file. These include the transcript of Mary Owery's declaration to the Crawford County Court of Common Pleas eeking a pension for her husband Adam's military service in the Revolutionary War. Adam was deceased at the time of the declaration. The declaration refers to testimony provided by Mathias Fisher confirming service with Adam Owery in Colonel Archibald Lochry's ill fated August 1781 expedition against the Shawnee Indians in Ohio. Mr. Owery and Mathias were captured together near the mouth of the Big Miami River near Cincinnati, Ohio on August 24, 1871, taken as prisoners to the Shawnee towns and then later separated. Owery was traded to the British and released near the close of the War, returning to Westmoreland County, PA about a year after Mathias' escape from Montreal and return to Westmoreland in 1832.
The purpose of Lochry's Expedition was to attack the Shawnee, Delaware and Sandusky Indians in Ohio to stop their raids into Western Virginia and Pennsylvania. In August 1781, Lochry led a force of roughly one hundred Pennsylvania militiamen down the Ohio River. On August 24, Lochry's force was attacked and defeated near present day Aurora, Indiana. Roughly forty members of Lochry's company including Lochry himself died in the battle or were executed shortly afterward. Those not killed were taken prisoner. Most became Indian slaves. Some were sold to the British and imprisoned near Montreal, Canada. Only Mathias Fisher and perhaps a dozen others are documented as surviving the expedition.
For additional information on Lochry's Expedition, see:
- Edgar J. Pershing, "Lost Battalion of the Revolutionary War, PA.," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol XVI, No. 3, (Washington D.C.: National Genealogical Society, Sept., 1928), p 44-51. Includes a history of the expedition, transcripts of communiques between Colonel Archibald Lochry and General George Rogers Clark, some of which were intercepted by the British, and a list of those killed and captured. Also details Mathias Fisher's role in the expedition and credits him with bringing the fate of the expedition back to Pennsylvania.
- Chris McHenry, The Best Men of Westmoreland, An Historical Account of the Lochry Expedition, (Lawrenceburg, Indiana: self-published, 1981). Includes a lengthy narrative of Westmoreland history leading to Lochry's Expedition. Also contains records known as the Haldimand Papers from the Canadian National Archives which list men captured from Lochry's Expedition and later imprisoned by the British at Prisoners Island, Coteau du Lac, Quebec, Canada. Also contains photographs of a list of Lochry's men from the diary Lt. Isaac Anderson. The original diary is held by the Cincinnati Historical Society.
- "Lochry's Expedition," Pennsylvania Archives, Sixth Series, Vol. II, Thomas Lynch Montgomery, editor, (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Harrisburg Publishing Company, 1906), 403-410. A further transcript of Lt. Anderson's diary.
----------
The following is the complete text of one of Mary Owery's declarations. She made several in seeking a pension for her husband Adam's service. The text mentions supporting testimony provided by Mathias Fisher. Mathias's statement follows. Note that punctuation is almost entirely absent in the documents so much of the text reads as one long run on sentence. The transcript below reproduces the document as written.
----------
State of Pennsylvania
Crawford County Ss.
On this fifth day of May A.D. 1842 personally appeared before John H Work Esqr One of the judges of the court of Common Pleas of the County aforesaid Mary Owrey a resident of said county aged seventy six years who being first duly sworn according to law do on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 7, 1838 entitled an act granting half pay of pensions to certain widows that she is the widow of Adam Owrey deceased - who was a private in the army of the revolution & for his services as such. drew a pension the certificate of which is hereunto annexed That said Adam was at one time enlisted for three years - And served during that period. & was in the battle of Brandywine - and other engagements - but by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory She is unable at this time to recollect the names of the officers or the regiment to which he belonged after this he was drafted while at home in Westmoreland County Pennsylvania was taken prisoner - & taken to Detroit & finally to Niagary? at which place he was discharged but short time previous to the close of the War - She refers to this Declaration & proof made by her said husband in order to obtain his pension for a more particular account of his services and the depositions of Hugh Hamlin & Mathias Fisher taken before Robert Montgomery Esqr. and hereunto annexed which were taken for the purpose of supporting her said husbands application but were not received in time to be forwarded with his papers & She now offers them in support of this declaration - she further declares that she was born in Chester County Pennsylvania April 22nd 1766 - and was married to the said Adam Owery on the second day of April seventeen hundred and eight seven in Westmoreland County Pa - by William Jacks Esqr - a justice of the peace - That her husband the aforesaid Adam Owery died on the twenty second day of April eighteen hundred & twenty six - And that she had remained a widow ever since that period - that she was not married to him previous to his leaving the service but the marriage took place previous to the first of January seventeen hundred & ninety four, viz: at the time above - stated That she has no certificate of marriage or bible record but thinks that by the testimony of Thos McKee formerly a judge in Venango County Pa will prove her marriage - That she is unable by reason of bodily infirmity to appear in open court wherefore her declaration is made at her residence - And further saith not.
Mary Owery
her mark
Sworn & Subscribed
this fifth day of
May A D 1842
John H Work
----------
Westmoreland County of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Before me the Subscribed one of the Justices of the peace in for said county Personally came Mathias Fisher farmer a respectable citizen in of said County who being duly affirmed according to Law and that In the year of our Lord 1781 as deponent believes he volunteered In the service of the United States under Captain Shannon in a Campaign against the North western Indians - this deponent Saith he was taken Prisoner alongst with Several others on the Ohio River below the big Miami River at the time Colonel Lockry was killed - This deponent further Saith that Adam Owry who now resides in Crawford County Pennsylvania (as this deponent is informed) was likewise taken prisoner at the Same time and further Saith he saw the said Adam Owry frequently at ___ whilst a Prisoner - the Prisoners were all retained untill a peace was obtained unless a few who made their escape further Saith not
Mathias Fisher
affirmed and Subscribed before me the
16th day of February 1833
Robt Montgomery
Westmoreland County ss I Randal McLaughlin Prothonotary of the Court of Common pleas of Westmoreland County in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania Do hereby Certify that Robert Montgomery Esquire before whom the above depositions was taken, at the time Thereof was, and now is an acting Justice of the peace in and for said County, duly commissioned Sworn and acting as such to all whom official acts and that his signature to the above affidavit are genuine. faith and credit are due. In Testimony whereof I have herewith set my hand and affixed the seal of my office at Greensburgh the nineteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three.
Randal McLaughlin, Prot.
|
Fisher Family Genealogy
