David HAYNES, served in the military June 1778 to November 1781. As taken from David Haynes' pension record of 03Jan1833 at which time he was living in South Dansville, Steuben County, NY. At the commencement of the Revolutionary War, his father resided with his family on the headwaters of the Chillisquaka Creek in the County of Northumberland in the state of Pennsylvania, about a mile and a half south of the Indian path leading to Nuncy Creek. His father purchased for each of his five sons a rifle and encouraged them to hunt for the purpose of becoming expert in the use of arms, and of becoming acquainted with the woods in that vicinity. In June 1777 his house was converted into a garrison and a company of militia was stationed partly there and partly at (?) Neesip garrison about seven miles distants. The Captain of the company, John Chatham, remained at the latter place. The other detachment was under the command of Lt. Fulton and Ensign Marshall. During almost everyday for about a month, this applicant acted as their pilot through the woods. They did not fall in with any Indians and had no skirmishes. In June 1778 he enlisted as a ranger under Col James Murray, who had command of those forces in that section of Northumberland County. He immediately commenced duty reconnoitering the Indian path from Nuncy to Fishing Creek, a distance of about twenty-five miles, and was constantly engaged in that service for about eleven months, when he had permission from Col Murray to return home. He was absent from the service for about three months. He then returned and continued on in the same duty for about a year and five months or until some time in January of 1781. During this time they did not meet any Indians, excepting once, when he saw an Indian on horseback, carrying a piece of venison. he pursued and the Indian threw down the venison and escaped very fast. On his way home after he had been discharged, he and his brother were arrested by some men belonging to a regiment commanded by Col John White, on the grounds that they were deserters. They obtained his brother as a hostage, and also his own arms and equipments, and suffered him to go. He went to Sudbury and saw Col. Murray and Lt Col William Hunter. He received from the former a certificate, (which he has long since lost,) stating that he and his brother served faithfully for two years and four months, with which he returned to his brother and got him discharged. In the month of October 1781, he enlisted at the city of Lancaster for three months as a substitute for one William Sawyers, in a regiment of Pennsylvania militia in a company of which the officers were Capt.Bradley and Lt.Barnett. All of the other officers in the regiment now recollected are Col.George Ross, Major Katy, Capt. Williams, Allen, Scott. The regiment marched through Dowenstown, and through Bucks and Chester Counties, with the purpose of going to New York City, but for some cause which he did not understand, they stopped at the place called Four Lanes End. After remaining there several days, they returned to Lancaster, where he was discharged, having served about one month. The foregoing is the best account which he can give of his service, as his memory has been very much impaired by a fit of the palsy. He can not recollect the day on which any of his terms commenced or concluded. There is a record of his age in a book belonging to his father, which he supposed, though he does not know certainly, to be in Pa. He continued to reside on the headwaters of the Chillisquaka till 1793, when he removed to Geneseo, now Livingston County, New York. He resided there until 1822, when he removed to his present residence and has resided there (South Dansville, Steuben Co. ,NY) since. After the above was written(1833) David removed in 1837 to Jackson County, Michigan.
Contributed by: Andrew Burdett

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