Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Eastern District, Revolutionary War Soldiers' Claims and Related Papers: Includes rolls of Pennsylvania State militia, 1786-1789, and pension lists, This Digital Object is provided in a collection that is included in POWER LIBRARY: Pennsylvania Photos and Documents, which is funded by the Office of Commonwealth Libraries of Pennsylvania/Pennsylvania Department of Education., Arranged alphabetically by surname of claimant. Indexed externally, alphabetically by surname of pensioner here: https://www.phmc.pa.gov/Archives/Research-Online/Pages/Revolutionary-War-Pension-Records.aspx. Petitions for veterans' pensions submitted to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. According to the Statutes at Large for 1785, these petitions were normally filed in the local county Orphans' Court. By law, the Court required substantial proof of the disability. At least one commanding officer and the surgeon who was affiliated with the soldier had to file depositions with the court affirming the soldier's service record and attesting to the wound. Once the Orphans' Court decided upon the case, it was sent to the Comptroller-General for permanent recording. The Assembly required the court to revise their proceedings every year. The entire process was revised in 1787 when, by an act of the assembly, the Supreme Court became the overseeing authority, and was given authority to review any pension case necessary in its regular sessions, or on circuit in the counties. By law, applications for pensions were only allowed within three years of the two acts. Thus, a veteran or widow could only file a claim from 1785 through 1790. Information provided by the applications may include name, rank and regiment of soldier; residence; occupation; and age. The depositions normally show name of commanding officer; the battle fought in; and the type of wound received. Other documents sometimes included are commission and enlistment papers. Related information may be found in the Orphans' Court Dockets for the respective counties.
