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The following excerpts (highlighted in blue) describe Jacob Lawrence's participation in Lochry's Expedition against the Ohio Indians in 1781. Like the pension files of William Roark, Abraham Hiley, Henry Franks, and friend George Mason for whom Lawrence provides a declaration in support of a pension, Lawrence's deposition does not mention that he may have initially been a deserter from General Clark's army that preceded Lochy's men down the Ohio. Lawrence states that he enlisted and joined Lochry's expedition under Captain Michael Catt and Lieutenant Melichor (or Melekia) Baker at Wheeling. In fact, Catt and Baker's company were not part of Lochry's regiment. There were part of General Clark's army that left Wheeling before Lochry's men arrived. The diary of Lieutenant Isaac Anderson (see here and here) states that Baker's men joined Lochry's party when they were captured as deserters from Clark's army. Anderson's entry from Aug 13 reads, "Moved down to Fishing creek; we took up Lieut. Baker and 16 men, deserting from Gen. Clark..." 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. Catt remained with General Clark all the way to the Falls of the Ohio at present day Louisville, KY. Baker's company after capture by Lochry's men were forced to join Lochry's regiment and continue with them down the Ohio until the expedition was defeated August 24, 1781. Lawrence was captured and held by the Indians for roughly a year. He escaped but was re-taken by the British on his way home and imprisoned at Montreal. He was released at New York in 1783 when the Treaty of Paris was signed ending the Revolutionary War.
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 Lawrence's pension file (not transcribed or shown) contains letters and records related to payment of his pension. A complete account of Lochry's Expedition including the testimony of other participants is available here.
(page 3) ————-
Fayette County
State of Pennsylvania ss
On this 20th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the court of common pleas for the County of Fayette State of Pennsylvania, Jacob Lawrence a resident of the county & state aforesaid aged seventy one years who being first 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 the United States under the following names officers & served as herein stated
That he entered the service as a volunteer & about the first of July in the year 1781 in Captain Micheal Cats Company of Pennsylvania Militia, Lieutenant Melchor Baker. That he volunteered for the campaign to fight the Indians on the Western Frontier, that he was marched from Fayette county to Wheeling, that the troops there took boats & descended the Ohio river below the Mouth of the big Miami river, that they there landed on the Ohio side, that a few days after in August 1781 they had an engagement with the Indians near where Lawrenceburg now is - that he was taken prisoner by the Indians who at the same time captured & tookkilled & took prisoner the whole detachment consisting of about 105 men That he was kept a prisoner about one year at the mouth of Detroit river at Brownstown - That after being about one year a prisoner with the
(page 4) ————-
Indians at the above mentioned place he escaped from them and was making his road homeward but was taken a second time by the British who took him to Montreal and was there imprisoned seven weeks - That he was about six months a prisoner with the British in Canada - and was about Christmas 1783 taken to New York to be exchanged, but before an exchange took place peace was concluded. That he was in all about eighteen months a prisoner with the Indians & British. That the whole period of his That the troops to which he belonged were commanded by Col Laughery who was killed in the engagement with the Indians at the time he was taken prisoner. That he returned home early in the year 1784. That he has no documentary Evidence of his services. That he knows of no person at the present by whom he can establish them. but that the Revd Thornton Fleming & the Hon Andrew Stewart will certify as to his reputation. That he was born in Frederick county Virginia. That he resided at the time he entered the Service in Fayette county, pennsylvania & still resides there.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any state.
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
Jacob (his mark) Lawrence
H W Beeson Prothy
(page 21) ————-
We, Thornton Fleming, a clergyman residing in Union Town Fayette County, Pennsylvania and Andrew Stewart, residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Jacob Lawrence who has subscribed & sworn to the foregoing declaration; That we believe hime to be seventy one years of age; That he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution That we concur in that opinion.
Thornton Fleming
Andr Stewart
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid by Andrew Stewart & affirmed to by Thornton Fleming & subscribed in Open court 20 Augst 1832
H W Beeson Prothy
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 name applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Thornton Fleming who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in Union Town Fayette County Pennsylvania and that Andrew Stewart who has also signed the same is a resident of the same place & is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit
I Henry W. Beeson, Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas in & for Fayette County aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Jacob Lawrence for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand & seal of office this 20th day of August A.D. 1832
H.M. Beeson
Prothy |
Fisher Family Genealogy
