Capt. David Steel

State of Pennsylvania; County of Allegheny. To the Houourable the Secretary of the Department of War of the U. States.

The Declaration under oath of Capt. David Steele late of the Revolutionary army and now an applicant for a pension in virtue of the Act entitled ìAn act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and Naval Service of the U.S. during the Revolutionary war.

That he is a Resident citizen of the U. States; an inhabitant of the township of St. Clair in the County of Allegheny, and served against the common enemy in the Revolutionary army.

That on the Sixth day of December AD 1776 he was appointed a Captain of Infantry in the 13th Virginia Regt. Commanded by Col. William Russell and that his original commission for the same accompanies this Declaration.

In the same winter he raised his company, and in the Spring of ’77 was ordered to the Ohio about 60 miles below Pittsburgh.

He afterwards marched to Philadelphia about the first of July, and was placed under the command of Genl. Nash of North Carolina as a guard for Congress then at Philadelphia.

He afterwards received orders to join Genl. Washington who was there on his march to the head of Elk. And served in all the actions of that campaign, in Mulenburgs Brigade and in Gen. N. Greene’s division.

He was in the action at Germantown and when Major Campbell was wounded, he commanded the left of the 13th Regt. during the remainder of the engagement.

In the spring of ’78 he was at Pittsburgh under General McIntosh. In that campaign he assisted in building a number of forts with Col. De Chambree [Col. Chevalier de Cambray Digny] as an Engineer.

After Col. Broadhead received a command in the Western department, my further services as an officer not being required, he gave leave to this applicant to quit the army and return to private life.

He receives no pension from the U.S. [Signed] David Steel

Allegheny County; Before me President of the 5th Judicial District of Pennsylvania personally came the aforesaid Applicant and being duly sworn saith that the facts above stated are true to the best of his remembrance, and that from his reduced circumstances, he needs the assistance of his Country for his support. In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, in order that this declaration may be transmitted to the Secretary of the Department of war. Sworn & Subscribed Before me this 27th day of April AD 1818, Sam Roberts [Samuel Roberts, Esquire] Also signed by David Steel.

State of Pennsylvania; County of Allegheny; Be it known that before me an alderman in this the city of Pittsburgh and ex-officio a Justice of the Peace in the said County, personally appeared Elizabeth Montgomery (widow of William Montgomery) and about seventy years; who being duly cautioned and then sworn in due form of law, states that she is the only daughter of David Steele who was a Captain in the Revolutionary Army, who died on the fourth day of February AD 1819, and that her mother (whose maiden name was June ? ) died on the 10th day of May 1820. They were married, as she always understood, in Philadelphia, but in what year she cannot say. They moved to this county in or about the year 1787, where they remained until they died. She furthermore saith that the names of the other children of her father were, David, who died unmarried, and Thomas who died (his wife is also dead) leaving issue, Jane married to Samuel.

This 8 August 1854 document contains additional family information as David Steel’s only daughter attempts to obtain any future pensions or land provided by the U.S. government in the name of her father. Capt. Steel was inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania at the rate of $20 per month to commence on the 27th of April, 1818. S. 40.516

David Steel’s pension application is from the National Archives of the United states, Washington, D.C., and provided to the Friends of Fort Laurens Foundation on 23 July 2002, by Fetzer, Richard, Auroa, OH; Genealogist, Ohio Society Sons of the American Revolution; Transcribed on 19 January 2003 by Fisher, Scott, Batavia, OH; Trustee, Friends of Fort Laurens Foundation.

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