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The following excerpts (highlighted in blue) from Christian Fast’s Revolutionary War pension file describe his service in Colonel Archibald Lochry’s expedition of 1781. Early on Fast was part of General Clark's forces who preceded Lochry down the Ohio River. At the mouth of the little Keukaway, “The Gen ordered Maj Cracroft and nine men of whom he was one into a boat and put some provisions aboard, and directed the Major to remain with the boat and provisions until Laughry arrived, then join his party and follow on. When Laughry (Lochry) arrived he joined his party and continued down the River.” Fast was captured when Lochry's forces were attacked and defeated near the mouth of the Great Miami on August 24, 1781. Fast's time after capture is interesting. On page 7 of his pension file he states he was taken into the Indian villages and held captive in Girty Town. Girty town was a trading post/village built by James Girty, brother to George Girty who along with Chief Joseph Brant led the Indian defeat of Lochry's Expedition. The post/village was located at the present day site of the town of St. Mary's in far eastern Ohio near the Indiana border. In the summer or fall of 1782, Fast was taken on a raid by the Girty brothers, their Indian allies, and British soldiers from Detroit against the American fort at Wheeling, WV where General Clark and Colonel Lochry's Expedition begin. Fast escapes from the the raiding party while they are attacking the fort and finally returns home in Dec 1782.
All transcriptions are as faithful to the source material as possible including spelling oddities (Lochry's name is frequently miss-spelled), poor grammar and punctuation (which is often lacking). The remainder of Fast’s pension file (not transcribed or shown) is largely concerned with petitions by his wife Anna seeking to obtain a widow's pension for Fast’s service after his death in 1841. A complete account of Lochry's Expedition including the testimony of other participants is available here.
(page 5) ————-
State of Ohio
Richland County ss
On this 23rd day of October 1832 personally appeared before the judges of the court of Common Pleas of said county in open court Christian Fast a resident of Orange Township in the county of Richland and state of Ohio aforesaid aged seventy years who being duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
That he was born in Frederick county Maryland the 22nd day of June 1763. That he has a memorandum of his age in his Bible which he transcribed from his fathers Bible. Then about 10 or 11 years of age he removed with his parents and settled in Monongahela county Virginia. In the spring of 1778 or 1779 he cannot recollect which he believes he was either in his 16th or 17th he entered into the service of the United States as a volunteer in the Virginia Malitia at Martin’s Fort in said county under Capt Joseph Keel and was stationed at Scott’s Mill on the Monongahela David Gilkey(?) was next in command in the station but he does not recollect what office he held. Col. Zachariah Morgan was the superior officer in that part of the county - he visited the station occasionally as an officer and once ordered the detachment from the station against the Tories. The detachment was stationed at this fort to guard the frontier. A part remained at the fort and a part made excursions through the county between that and the Ohio River and took turns in the same alternately. He served a term of seven months and was regularly discharged late in the fall, he had a written discharge or certificate of his service which he gave to his father to draw his pay and he’s never seen it since, thanks his father drew pay for his services
(page 6) ————-
About the last of may or first June 1780 he entered into the service of the United States in the Virginia Malitia in said county as a substitute for his brother Jacob Fast at Jared’s Fort on big Whitely and placed under Col. Miner and served in that station one month and was regularly dismissed but received no written discharge.
In June or the first of July he thinks in 1780 he was residing in what is now Fayette County Pennsylvania. A draft was ordered in the Malitia of one fifth part to go in Clarks Campaign and of five persons furnished a man they escaped the draft his two brothers & two brothers in law and himself belonged to the same company and he agreed to go in the expedition to clear them of a draft - Accordingly he entered into the service of the United States under Capt. Michael Gatt - Melzor Baker was lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Malitia they marched to Wheeling and there joined Gen. Clarks expedition against the Indians. He remained at Wheeling three or four weeks waiting for the arrival of Col. Laughry and then set out with the army down the Ohio in boats, without him. At the mouth of the little Keukaway an express arrived informing Clark that Laughry had arrived at Wheeling and was following on but had no provisions.The Gen ordered Maj Cracroft and nine men of whom he was one into a boat and put some provisions aboard, and directed the Major to remain with the boat and provisions until Laughry arrived, then join his party and follow on. When Laughry arrived he joined his party and continued down the River. After passing the mouth of big Miami, near the mouth of Laughry’s Creek the whole detachment was killed or taken by the Indians, he was wounded in the hip by a ball - Col Laughry was tomahawked after he surrendered and many others. He now recollects the names of the following officers who were taken prisoners Maj. Cracroft Capt. Orr, Lieut. Baker of the Malitia he thinks, and Capt. Thomas Stokely he believes of the regular army He was taken by the Indians back into the Miami Country and kept a prisoner among them & wandered
(page 7) ————-
He was taken by the Indians back into the Miami Country and kept a prisoner among them & wandered about in the woods with them.
In the summer or fall of 1782 having obtained their confidence he was permitted to go with them on expedition from Gertys town against Wheeling Col McGee commanded the expedition Simon Girty James Girty and George Girty and Capt. Elliott were white men in the expedition. They moved slowly Eastward and on the way were joined by a company of mounted Englishmen from Detroit. They crossed the Ohio about three miles below fort Wheeling and surrounded it and held a parley, but the men in the fort refused to surrender. They then kept up a fire for a few days & tried to burn the fort - A proposition was made to penetrate the country and make an attack on the settlements - The family into which he was adopted refused to join the party - The night after the party set out he ran away from the Indians and the next day he came on their trail and followed until by the signs he knew he was near them - He then took a circuitous route and ran all day - rested at night and the next day about four oclock arrived at Ross’ fort in the settlement on the waters of the Ten Mile now in Washington county and alarmed the settlement, about sundown the Indians attacked it but they were prepared and resisted successfully. The next day he arrived at his fathers about the first of December 1782: having been about 17 months as he thinks from his best recollection. His officers were so dispersed that he never received any certificate of his services nor any pay. With respect to the days of the Campaign he speaks from recollection and may be incorrect. After the Revolution he continued to reside in Fayette County until the spring of 1816 when he removed to his present place of residence in Orange Township Richland County Ohio where he has resided ever since. And the said Fast relinquishes all right every claim whatever to
(page 8) ————-
entire text crossed out
(page 9) ————-
or an annuity except the and declares his name is not on upon the pension role of any state - he knows of the existence of no documentary evidence by which his services can be proved nor does he know of any person living by whom he can prove said services except Philip Bowman whose affidavit is hereunto annexed
Christian Fast (mark)
Sworn & Subscribed before me This 23rd Oct 1832
Ellgry(?) Hedges Clk
We James Harvey and John Hickory residents of Richland county Ohio do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Christian Fast who has subscribed and sworn as the best can the above declaration that he is sixty nine years of age as they rightly believe that he is a man of truth, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and we concur in that opinion.
James Henry
John Hickory
Sworn to & Subscribed before me in open court this 23rd Oct—1832
Ellgry(?) Hedges Clk
And the said Court do hereby declare the their opinion after investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed
(page 10) ————-
by the War Department and examining the deposition of Phillip Bowman 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 James Harvey and John Hickerd who signed the above certificate are residents of Richland county and credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.
D Higgins Presd Judge
Wm Patterson
Isaac Osbun
Wm Riddle
Associate Judges
J Ellgry(?) Hedges Clerk of the court of Common pleas of Richland county do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Christian Fast for a pension - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 31st day of October 1832
Ellgry(?) Hedges clk
(page 42) ————-
the state of ohio
Richland County ss
on this 23rd day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand and thirty two personally appeared before me Alexander Porter one of the Justices of the peace in and for the County aforesaid Phillip Bowman and man now living in green Township Columbiana CountyOhio who being of Lawful age and first sworn Deposeth and sayeth that he was acquainted with Christian Fast now living in Clear Creek Orange township Richland County Ohio at the Time that he the said Fast lived in german Township Fayett County Pennsylvania about the year 1779 he the said Fast volunteered in the Militia of the United States in (under) Captain Michal Catt Lieutenant Malchr Baker in said german Township Fayett County and State of pennsylvania about the said year 1779 the said company that the said Fast was in Marched to Masons Mill in said County and I understand the Marched to Rendezvous at Fort Wheeling in Virginia and that the said Company was to join General Clark and he understood that he the said Fast was taken prisoner at Colonel Laughrys Defeat and he did not see the said Fast until about 15 months after when he the sd Fast Returned home and further and that he understood that the said Fast had been taken prisoner by the Indians at said Laughrys Defeat and he the said Bowman (?) the said Fast in his Indian Dress when he Returned home and he the said Bowman said the said Fast was Stationed Seven Months at scatts Mill under Captain Real(?) further this some time before the the said Fast Volunteered in Captain Michael Catt Company further the Deponent sayeth not
Philip Bowman
Sworn to and Subscribed before A Porter Justice of the peace for Said County the day and year first afore written
A Porter Justice of the peace
and I do certify the above as signed Phillip Bowman
(page 43) ————-
Sworn to and Subscribed before me in the within Deposition is a man of truth and veracity and his statements are entitled to full credit
A Porter Justice of the Peace for Richland County Ohio |
Fisher Family Genealogy
