On November 5, 1833, Stephen Ford made the following declaration about his service during the Revolutionary War to the Burlington County Inferior Court. He did so “in order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832,” the most liberal service-pension act passed to date. This Act removed the previous requirement that the pensioner be “in need.” Stephen Ford was about 77 years old at the time of this declaration. He was Paul’s 4th-great grandfather.
After some further inquiries by the Court, the document is signed with Stephen Ford's mark.
The term “marine” has a different meaning than today. At that time, their most important duty was to serve as on-board security forces, protecting the Captain of a ship and his officers. During naval engagements Marine sharpshooters were stationed in the fighting tops of the ships' masts, and were supposed to shoot the opponent's officers, naval gunners, and helmsmen.
Ultimately, Stephen Ford’s request for a pension was denied. The ship Mifflin was not a part of the Pennsylvania State Navy or the Continental Navy, and was likely a privateer.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following officers and served as herein stated. The declarant was born in the Township of Little Egg Harbour in the said County of Burlington and resided there until some time in year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy five when he turned out under Captain Joseph Estell of the Militia of New Jersey and served under him as a militia man, for the space of three or four months. This declarant at this distance of time has no distinct recollection of the day or moth of the year when he first entered the service, nor hath he any record or memorandum from which he can ascertain it. This declarant during his first tour of service was stationed for some time at the Village of Slabtown [now called Jacksonville] in the Township of Springfield in the said County of Burlington, and was in the battle near that place, sometime called the battle of Petticoat bridge, between the Americans and the Hessians.
While stationed at the said village of Slabtown, and at a time when this declarant was standing as a sentinel, he was wounded in the knee by a Hessian. After the battle at Slabtown and the wound in the knee, this declarant having been three or four months in service, and being disabled by his wound from active service, returned home with the permission of his said Captain. Some three or four months after this declarant had returned home and after the wound in his knee had been so far cured as not to disable him from active service, he was solicited to enter the service again as a militia man, but being unwilling to do so, he went to Philadelphia and enlisted as a marine or musket man under Captain John Hamilton who commanded the ship Mifflin belonging to the State of Pennsylvania. John Farenor[?] acted as the first Lieutenant of the said ship. This declarant has no distinct recollection, nor any means within his power of ascertaining the precise time when he so enlisted to serve on board said ship Mifflin, nor the precise period when she sailed from Philadelphia, but distinctly recollects to have understood at the time he sailed in the said from Philadelphia, that the British were still in possession of the City of Boston [April 19, 1775 to March 17, 1776].
The Mifflin sailed toward the Island of Jamaica, and continued to cruise off that Island, and in other places on the West Indian Station, and off at sea, and made many prizes. The declarant recollects that (among other vessels) the Mifflin captured a Schooner called the Locust and took her into Cape Franḉois, where she was disposed of. John Stibbins, the commander of The Locust when taken by the Mifflin, after her capture took the oath of allegiance to the United States and became Second Lieutenant of the Mifflin.
This declarant remained in service as a marine on board the said Ship Mifflin from the time she sailed from Philadelphia until she returned to the United States of America, comprising a period of two years and six months. During the latter part of this period, the Mifflin attacked a British Letter of Marque [a cargo ship] commanded by Captain John Marely. She was carried by boarding. This declarant was the first of the crew of the Mifflin that boarded the Letter of Marque, and his right arm was broken in the conflict in a personal contest between this declarant and the Captain of the said vessel. Falling in with a British fleet of twelve vessels, shortly after the said capture, the letter of Marque was retaken by the enemy, but the Mifflin escaped.
On the return of the Mifflin to the United States she landed her crew at Kenney’s Wharf [in or near Charleston] in South Carolina. This declarant then and there received a written discharge under the hand of the said Captain Hamilton, and a pass was signed and delivered to him by a Colonel of the Militia of the State of South Carolina, whose name this declarant has forgotten.
Upon receiving his discharge from the Captain of the Ship Mifflin this declarant retuned home, and shortly after his return, he again entered the service of the United States as a militia man under the command of the same Captain Joseph Estell of the Militia of New Jersey under whom this declarant has served before at the commencement of the war, and served under him in that capacity in the State of New Jersey opposite Mudfort [Fort Mifflin on Mud Island] for the space of four months. During a part of this last tour of duty this declarant was stationed opposite to Mudfort, and was there at the time the fort was taken by the enemy [November 16, 1777]. After this the declarant was in the service a year at Batsto furnace where he was employed in aiding to make cannon guns and balls, chain shots, and other things for the use of the Army of the United States.
And this declarant further saith that he has not nor ever had any record of his age, but is satisfied that he was twenty one years of age or thereabouts when the British took Philadelphia during the revolutionary war [September 26, 1777, making his birth c. 1756], from the information given to him by those with whom he was brought up; that has always continued to reside in the Township of Little Egg Harbour and the adjoining Township of Washington, in the County of Burlington aforesaid, except during the period of time while he was in the service of the United States during the revolutionary war, and still resides in said Township of Washington; that during the latter part of the revolutionary war this declarant’s house was burnt and all his papers destroyed and among the rest of his discharge under the hand of said John Hamilton, Captain of the said Ship Mifflin, and the pass he received from the Colonel of the Militia of the State of South Carolina.
This declarant is known to Nicholas Sooy, Jesse Richards, and Jesse Evans and others in the neighborhood where he now resides who can testify to his character for veracity and the belief of his services in the revolutionary war as a soldier and marine; but this declarant cannot produce any witnesses to prove his actual services during the revolution, all those who knew him in actual service being dead, or if living, having removed to places not within the knowledge of the declarant except only those ___ whose affidavits are herewith attached; that there is no clergyman residing within the immediate vicinity of the declarant and acquainted with him upon whom he can call to testify in his behalf.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declare that his name is not on the pension role of the agency of any state.
While stationed at the said village of Slabtown, and at a time when this declarant was standing as a sentinel, he was wounded in the knee by a Hessian. After the battle at Slabtown and the wound in the knee, this declarant having been three or four months in service, and being disabled by his wound from active service, returned home with the permission of his said Captain. Some three or four months after this declarant had returned home and after the wound in his knee had been so far cured as not to disable him from active service, he was solicited to enter the service again as a militia man, but being unwilling to do so, he went to Philadelphia and enlisted as a marine or musket man under Captain John Hamilton who commanded the ship Mifflin belonging to the State of Pennsylvania. John Farenor[?] acted as the first Lieutenant of the said ship. This declarant has no distinct recollection, nor any means within his power of ascertaining the precise time when he so enlisted to serve on board said ship Mifflin, nor the precise period when she sailed from Philadelphia, but distinctly recollects to have understood at the time he sailed in the said from Philadelphia, that the British were still in possession of the City of Boston [April 19, 1775 to March 17, 1776].
The Mifflin sailed toward the Island of Jamaica, and continued to cruise off that Island, and in other places on the West Indian Station, and off at sea, and made many prizes. The declarant recollects that (among other vessels) the Mifflin captured a Schooner called the Locust and took her into Cape Franḉois, where she was disposed of. John Stibbins, the commander of The Locust when taken by the Mifflin, after her capture took the oath of allegiance to the United States and became Second Lieutenant of the Mifflin.
This declarant remained in service as a marine on board the said Ship Mifflin from the time she sailed from Philadelphia until she returned to the United States of America, comprising a period of two years and six months. During the latter part of this period, the Mifflin attacked a British Letter of Marque [a cargo ship] commanded by Captain John Marely. She was carried by boarding. This declarant was the first of the crew of the Mifflin that boarded the Letter of Marque, and his right arm was broken in the conflict in a personal contest between this declarant and the Captain of the said vessel. Falling in with a British fleet of twelve vessels, shortly after the said capture, the letter of Marque was retaken by the enemy, but the Mifflin escaped.
On the return of the Mifflin to the United States she landed her crew at Kenney’s Wharf [in or near Charleston] in South Carolina. This declarant then and there received a written discharge under the hand of the said Captain Hamilton, and a pass was signed and delivered to him by a Colonel of the Militia of the State of South Carolina, whose name this declarant has forgotten.
Upon receiving his discharge from the Captain of the Ship Mifflin this declarant retuned home, and shortly after his return, he again entered the service of the United States as a militia man under the command of the same Captain Joseph Estell of the Militia of New Jersey under whom this declarant has served before at the commencement of the war, and served under him in that capacity in the State of New Jersey opposite Mudfort [Fort Mifflin on Mud Island] for the space of four months. During a part of this last tour of duty this declarant was stationed opposite to Mudfort, and was there at the time the fort was taken by the enemy [November 16, 1777]. After this the declarant was in the service a year at Batsto furnace where he was employed in aiding to make cannon guns and balls, chain shots, and other things for the use of the Army of the United States.
And this declarant further saith that he has not nor ever had any record of his age, but is satisfied that he was twenty one years of age or thereabouts when the British took Philadelphia during the revolutionary war [September 26, 1777, making his birth c. 1756], from the information given to him by those with whom he was brought up; that has always continued to reside in the Township of Little Egg Harbour and the adjoining Township of Washington, in the County of Burlington aforesaid, except during the period of time while he was in the service of the United States during the revolutionary war, and still resides in said Township of Washington; that during the latter part of the revolutionary war this declarant’s house was burnt and all his papers destroyed and among the rest of his discharge under the hand of said John Hamilton, Captain of the said Ship Mifflin, and the pass he received from the Colonel of the Militia of the State of South Carolina.
This declarant is known to Nicholas Sooy, Jesse Richards, and Jesse Evans and others in the neighborhood where he now resides who can testify to his character for veracity and the belief of his services in the revolutionary war as a soldier and marine; but this declarant cannot produce any witnesses to prove his actual services during the revolution, all those who knew him in actual service being dead, or if living, having removed to places not within the knowledge of the declarant except only those ___ whose affidavits are herewith attached; that there is no clergyman residing within the immediate vicinity of the declarant and acquainted with him upon whom he can call to testify in his behalf.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declare that his name is not on the pension role of the agency of any state.
After some further inquiries by the Court, the document is signed with Stephen Ford's mark.
The term “marine” has a different meaning than today. At that time, their most important duty was to serve as on-board security forces, protecting the Captain of a ship and his officers. During naval engagements Marine sharpshooters were stationed in the fighting tops of the ships' masts, and were supposed to shoot the opponent's officers, naval gunners, and helmsmen.
Ultimately, Stephen Ford’s request for a pension was denied. The ship Mifflin was not a part of the Pennsylvania State Navy or the Continental Navy, and was likely a privateer.
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