The last of Philip Myers’ three two-month terms of militia service began in June of 1781. By this time, the tide had turned in favor of the Patriots, and General George Washington was firmly in the driver’s seat. Although Philip did not engage in any battles this time, he witnessed some significant events, right in his home town of Frederick, MD. As before, click here to view the handwritten document.
About the first of June 1781 this applicant again volunteered his services, for the term of two months in the –? — militia company commanded by Capt. Nicholas White, and Lieut. Wm. Burneston. The other officers of the company he does not recollect. From Frederick his company marched with two or three other Companies, to the place where Washington [D.C.] City now is, then called he thinks New Hamburgh[?] where they received orders to return again to Frederick Town to guard about 150 Tory prisoners, where they continued until their term of service expired. His company was the only one employed in this service. While there three of the Tories were hung, one of them called Col. Caspar Fricky, another Captain Sherman, and the other Lieut. Yost. During this time his company was attached to no regiment, and it was again discharged without any written evidence of their services. They were paid, as they had been before, for their services at the rate of eight dollars per month in Continental money, but at that time it was comparatively worthless.
There are no living witnesses of his service, to his knowledge, unless they are to be found in Maryland. A memorandum of the ages of his family, including his own, he has seen, about five years ago, in a bible now in the possession of his brothers family in Frederick Town Maryland. He refers the court to William Swetland, Post Master at New Troy, to Oliver Helm late Sheriff, and Joseph Tuttle Commissioner of this county as persons who can testify as to his character for truth and veracity, and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution.
And further, he hereby relinquishes any 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
the day and year aforesaid.
[signed] H Pettibone, Prot[?] [signed] Philip Myers
This purports to be the actual signature of my fourth great-grandfather, viewed by me for the first time. The comparatively good penmanship suggests that Philip could read, as well as sign his name. More tantalizing is the phrase in bold print above (emphasis mine), referring to a bible in the possession of his brother (probably Michael) in Maryland. I sure wonder whether that book still exists! It might possibly contain the names of Philip’s parents, the “holy grail” in my pursuit of this family line.
There is another bible that figures prominently in the next part of this story: Martha Bennet Myers’ application for a widow’s pension. For his part, Philip had only served six months (the minimum to qualify for any pension), so instead of his full pay ($8.00 per month, as you may recall), Philip received a whopping $20.00 per year.
Next: the difficult path to a widow’s pension.
