Pension Application

S.16035
State of Indiana SS.
            Be it remembered that at a circuit court for the County of Clark, at the Court House in Charlestown on Saturday the 14th day of April 1821 before the honorable Davis Floyd president, and William Goodwin and John Beggs Esquires Associate Judges, came Philip Austin a revolutionary soldier and applicant for a pension personally into court &c on this fourteenth day of April 1821 personally appeared in open court being the circuit court of said county, and a sort of record, Philip Austin aged fifty five years, resident in said county, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath declare that he served in the revolutionary war, that he enlisted sometime either in the month of March or April 1783 for the term of three years, in the State of Massachusetts, in the company commanded by Captain Joseph Williams in the third regiment formerly commanded by col. Grafton Jackson but at the time of enlistment command by a major whose name cannot be recollected, in the Line of the State of Massachusetts, on the old Continental Establishment. That he continued to serve in the said corps until the fourth day of July 1784, when he was discharged from the said service at Springfield Massachusetts, I further declare that I enlisted on the of April 1782 [sic] for nine months in company of Captain Harris the regiment commanded by Col. Willet, at Albany New York and was discharged on the first of January 1783, at Fort McKean, New York, after this discharge there went to Massachusetts as before stated, enlisted and served the above reduced period in the Massachusetts line, that he has no other evidence, now in his power of his said service except the foregoing declaration on oath.
            I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of march one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any 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 of March one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, 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, to wit, one heifer, one sow, and six pigs, one table, six chairs, one candle stand, one Dutch oven, one small pot, one skillet, 4 knives and forks, 3 cups and saucers, 2 plates. That I am by occupation a farmer, that I have residing with me six persons, exclusive of myself, to wit, my wife Martha, aged twenty seven years, my son aged twelve years, named Albert Gallatin, My daughter named Alice aged nine years, my son Alfred aged seven years, my daughter aged five years named Susanna Anne, my son Samuel P. aged two years, the whole measurably unable to contribute to this support.   (Signed) Philip Austin
            Sworn to and declared in open court on the 14th day of April 1821 whereupon the fourt appraises the property contained in the foregoing schedule at $10.25.
            I Isaac Shelby clerk of the Circuit Court for the County of Clark within said State of Indiana, do hereby certify that the foregoing oath, and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the Record of the said court, and I do further certify that it is the opinion of the said court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is Twenty dollars and twenty five cents. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court this 7th day of September 1821. Isaac Shelby, clerk of the Circuit Court for the county of Clark Indiana.

The following is a letter written December 8, 1939 in response for a request for information. Part of the letter refers to others who served, the following is the part pertaining to Philip Austin.
            The data which follow concerning Philip Austin were obtained from papers on file in claim for pension, S. 16035, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War.
            Philip Austin was born November 18, 1765, in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. The names of his parents are not given.
            While a resident of Columbia County, New York, Philip Austin enlisted April 1, 1782, served nine months as private in Captains Cannon’s Harris’ and Newell’s companies, Colonel Willett’s New York regiment, protecting the frontier settlements from the invasions of the Indians, and guarding at Fort Plain. He moved to Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and enlisted sometime in March or April 1783, served as private in Captain Joseph Williams’ company in Colonel John Greaton’s Third Massachusetts regiment, and in Colonel Jackson’s regiment, was discharged July 4, 1784.
            The soldier, Philip Austin, moved from Massachusetts sometime in 1810, to Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and sometime in 1816, moved to Clark County, Indiana.
            He was allowed pension on his application executed February 11, 1833, then a resident of Clark County, Indians.
            Philip Austin referred in 1821 to his family as follows:
            Martha, his wife, aged twenty-seven years.
            Albert Gallatin, his son, aged twelve years.
            Alice, his daughter, aged nine years.
            Alfred, his son, aged seven years.
            Susanna, his daughter, aged four years
            Samuel P., his son, aged two years.
            The papers on file in this claim contain no further discernible family data.

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