Alexander McClelland (1762-1836) of Fayette County PA
The following is the rejected pension application made in 1834 of my ancestor, Alexander McClelland. All efforts to trace his ancestry have to date failed. No siblings are known. According to family tradition I believe, he married Isabella Futhey about 1790 in Lexington, Kentucky. The marriage records of Fayette County, Kentucky burned in 1803.
Alexander McClelland National Pension No. 6620 Application Date: 7 July 1834 Rejected: 22 August 1836 Cause noted in 1858: not 6 months service
State of Kentucky ) County of Montgomery ) SS.
On this 7th day of July 1831 personally appeared in open court before the Montgomery County Court, now sitting, Alexander McClelland, a resident of said county in the State aforesaid aged seventy two years 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 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the U. States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated: He was a volunteer from Fayette County, Pennsylvania, then the county of his residence. He entered the service as a private under Capt. Edward Stewart of the Pennsylvania Militia on the 1st of July 1781 as nearly as now recollects, and proceeded to the place of rendezvous on the Monongahela river, called in that day the New Store. Our company was a small one consisting of about thirty five men. We had no lieutenant. Our Ensign was a Mr. McDonald. We were also without a major belonging to the Militia, but we had a major of the Regiment by the name of Malis (Wales or Whaley?). Morgan was our Colonel and Clarke of Virginia our General. At this time I do not recollect Morgan's Christian name, but distinctly that he was known in camp by the name of old Cuff Morgan. From the New Store (where the troops remained something like two weeks preparing) we proceeded down the river in boats to M'Key's (Kerr's) Island — opposite the mouth of Shisler Creek about three miles below Pittsburg. We remained here near two weeks and while there three regulars, whilst on the river a short distance from where the Army lay, were killed by the Indians. We then proceeded to Wheeling and were detained there for several days. At that place we were joined by some troops who came by land from the Red Stone Country, but a considerable number of our men deserted about the same time. From there we went down the Ohio to Louisville where we arrived on the 1st of August. While in Louisville Captain Tipton and Captain Chaplain of the Regulars were killed by the Indians. These officers, when attacked, were riding to a station in the neighborhood. They were tomahawked and scalped. I assisted in burying them. By the time we reached Louisville our numbers which when at Miker's Island must have exceeded six hundred men, was diminished by sickness and desertion to such a degree that Gen. Clarke found it impracticable to proceed on his intended expedition which was — as understood by the troops — to penetrate the Indian Country north of the Ohio as far, if possible, as Sandusky, and then to march by land to Pittsburg. The General, having asserted himself unsuccessfully to raise in Kentucky the forces necessary for his expedition, finally abandoned it, and resolved to disband his troops — with the exception of the Regulars. The Officers of the Militia were accordingly discharged about the 1st of October and the privates permitted to return with an understanding that they should draw pay and rations up to the time of their actual arrival at home. The second day after I left Louisville I was taken ill of a fever from which I was compelled to stop. I lay nine weeks about a mile from Bardstown — at a Mr. Thomas Cunningham's from whence I was removed by Thomas Norton to Bardstown where I was confined about the same length of time. This disease ultimately located itself in my left leg —from which I experience pain and inconvenience even at this day. My affliction was such that I found myself wholly disabled from undertaking my journey homewards until about the 1st of October 1782, when I left Kentucky, and reached home on the 29th of the same month. A short time after my arrival at home, I received from Capt. Kannon, the successor of Capt. Stewart who had been killed in Crawford's defeat, my written discharge. This paper, to the best of my recollection, was forwarded to some Virginia Land Office, and has never been heard of by me since. I have no documentary evidence in my possession which will show, nor do I know of any person whose testimony I can procure, who can testify to my service, as above set forth.
1. I was born in Sussex County, New Jersey, about a hundred miles above Philadelphia, on the 16th of January 1762.
2. I have a record of my age now at my house taken from the family record of my father.
3. I was living in Fayette County in the State of Pennsylvania when called into service. A few years after the close of the Revolutionary War I removed to Fayette County in the State of Kentucky. Whence I removed to Montgomery County in the latter State in 1795 — where I now reside, and have resided ever since.
4. As stated in the foregoing part of this statement, I entered the service as a volunteer.
5. I recollect the names of Captain Ben Whaley, Lieutenant James Paul, Major Wales, Captains Tipton and Capt. Chaplain and Colonel Crohith (?) as among the officers on the expedition.
6. I did, as above set forth, receive a discharge, and it was disposed of as previous stated.
7. I am known in my neighborhood by John McCormack and Samuel McCormack, who. can testify as to my veracity, and their belief of my services as a soldier of the Revolution.
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 and subscribed this day and year aforesaid.
his Alexander C McClelland mark
Mr. Samuel McCormack, a Clergyman residing in Montgomery County and John McCormack residing in the same county, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Alexander McClelland, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy two years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. (signed) Samuel N. McCormick John McCormick
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter and after the interregation 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 Samuel McCormack who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in Montgomery County; that John McCormack who has also signed the same is a resident of the same county and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to evidence.
I, Micajah Harrison, Clerk of the Montgomery County Court, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Alexander McClelland for pension.
In testimony whereof, I unto set my hand and seal of office, this 7th July 1834.
(signed) M. Harrison, Clk