Michael Leonard
On this 12th day of October 1835 personally appeared in open court before the Justices of the County Court of Grant, now setting Michael Leonard, a resident of Grant County and State of Kentucky, aged about __ years, who being first 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 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officer and served as herein after stated.
That he was born some time in the Spring of the year 176__ (time not recollected), in the county of Rowan and what is now the State of North Carolina and there resided until the fall of 1779, that he then removed to what was then the District of Kentucky, now the State of Kentucky, at a place called Riddles Station, near the junction of Hinston and Stoner Creek forming the south fork of Licking River, that some time about the first of June 1780 there was great alarm about the Indians and British, it being reported that a force consisting of British and Indians was expected to appear and attack the stations, that although this declarant was not then of an age which required of him military entry, he volunteered and was received under the command of Captain Riddle who commanded at a Station called Riddles Station and entered upon the duties of a private soldier and so remained doing the duties of a private soldier under the orders of said Captain Riddle until after the middle of said month of June 1780, say about the 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd or 24th day of said June, the day not now recollected, when the force before expected consisting of two or three hundred English and six or seven hundred Indians under the command of Capt. or Colonel Bird of the British army made its appearance and we were prepared for resistance, but after the force of the enemy was ascertained and their means of attack, Captain Riddle surrendered and the enemy entered the station, plundered and destroyed everything which could not be conveniently removed and sent in charge of a portion of Indians all the prisoners, both men, women and children to Detroit, the prisoners were divided into parcels of from two or three to about twelve according as they were able to offer resistance and put under charge of as many Indians as was thought necessary to secure them, this declarant was divided out with seven others, say two men, two boys, two women and two children and under the charge of eight Indians and while on our way to Detroit and some where in what is not the State of Ohio, while at breakfast one of the Indians became angry with this declarant and struck him on the top of his head with a tomahawk and came near killing him, he however survived and traveled on until we arrived at an Indian town of the Shawneys where we all were compelled to run the gauntlet.
We then proceeded to Detroit where we were divided out among the citizens to work and was watched so that taking into consideration the ammence wilderness to be traversed, the Indians and many other danger we could not leave. Some however was sent to Quebeck or some other place.
After we had been divided out among the Indians at Riddles Station as before said, we then understood that the British and a part of the Indians were to proceed to other stations in the neighborhood, which turned out to be the case, for a short time after the prisoners of Riddles Station had been brought to Detroit the British and Indians that had been left at Riddles Station came to Detroit with all of the force of Martins Station.
This declarant remained a prisoner of war until the news of peacreached the constituted authorities at Detroit when we all were told that we were at liberty to go where we pleased, which happened as this declarant now believes in the latter part of the year 1783 so that this declarant was in actual service of the United States while in the station and a prisoner of war from about the beginning of June 1780 until about the fall of the year 1783 being the time he was liberated, so that he has served the United States as a private soldier not less than three years and for such service he claims a pension.
He was not while in the service with any other troops than those mentioned and therefore saw nor knew of any others, this declarant received no discharge and has no documentary testimony of his service and knows of no person whose evidence he can now procure who is acquainted with his service except John Zinn and Elizabeth Franks, both of Grant County. There is several others but they live at too great a distance for this declarant to travel and see so as to procure their evidence.
This declarant has no record of his age and only states his age from the fact that he was told that he was 14 years old at the taking of Riddles Station. This declarant was living in what is now Bourbon County, Kentucky when he was called in to service and when he returned from his captivity which was in the year 1784, he settled again in Bourbon County, Kentucky and remained there until 1786 when he removed to Lexington, Kentucky and remained there until the year 1797 when he removed to Scott County, and remained there until about 1803 when he removed to what is now Nicholas County, Kentucky when he removed to Harrison County, Kentucky and remained there until 1808 when he again removed to Scott County, Kentucky and remained until 1809 when he removed to what is now Grant County, Kentucky, where he has remained ever since, say about 26 years.
This declarant never received a discharge from the service for there was no officer to give it to him, he having remained a prisoner until the close of the Revolutionary War and returned home without the ______ of an officer. This declarant states that although there is in his neighborhood clergymen, yet he could not procure any one of them to attend this court (though had they attended they would state all that I could have had them to state), he there refers to the certificate of Travis T. Daniel and Charles Secrest to whom I know will state their opinion in relation to my veracity and their belief of my service as a soldier and private of the Revolution. This declarant declares his name is not on the pension roll of of any State or Territory and hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present sworn to and subscribed as aforesaid.
Michael (X) Leonard
We, Travis Daniel and Charles Secrest both residents in the County of Grant and State of Kentucky hereby certify that we were well acquainted with Michael Leonard, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, ___________ and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
I, H. B. Smith, Clerk of the Court of Grant County, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Michael Leonard for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal of office this 28th day of October 1835.
H. B. Smith, Clk.
Know all men by these presents that I, John Zinn, having been informed that Michael Leonard hath applied for a pension and having read his declaration which was made before the County Court of Grant County on the 12th day of October 1835, I do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with said Michael Leonard and that I believe him to be 73 years of age, that he was as he states in his said declaration in service in the Station called Riddles Station in the year 1780 when said Station was taken, say about the 22nd day of June, in said year that the said Leonard together with this affiant and all others then in said Station was taken prisoners of war and _____ _____ as he hath stated and there detained as such until the fall of the year 1783, that the said Leonard now resides in Grant County and has done so for some years as has this affiant. Given under my hand this 30th day of October 1835.
John Zinn
I, Asa Vallandingham, one of the Commonwealths Justices of the Peace in and for said county do certify that the affidavit of John Zinn was this day subscribed and sworn to before me and that the witness is a credible person. Given under my hand this 30th day of October 1835.
Asa Vallandingham, Justice
Know all men by these presents that I, Elizabeth Franks, do hereby certify that in the year 1780 the English and Indians took Riddles Station and that I was among those that was taken to Detroit and that Michael Leonard was also of the number and that he was detained at Detroit by the enemy from the aforesaid year of 1780, say about the middle of June in said year until the fall of the year 1783 when the news of peace reached the authorities at Detroit and we were all then informed that we could depart at our pleasure, the said Michael Leonard does now and has for some years resided in this (Grant) county. Given under my hand this 29th day of October 1835.
Elizabeth (X) Franks
I, Asa Vallandingham, one of the Commonwealths Justices of the Peace in and for said county do certify that the above affidavit of Elizabeth Franks was this day subscribed and sworn to before me given under my hand this 29th day of October 1835.
Asa Vallandingham, Justice