to the Honorable the Secetary at War John Mehown Respectfully States that he is one of the persons Entitled to the benefit of the provisions of the Act entitled." An Act for the Relief of the Refugees from the british provinces of Canada and Nova Scotia.. and in Conformity of the Said Act he Transmits to the War Office the following Amount of his Claim. to the bounty of Congress.. Which claim he will hereafter Substantiate by proper proofs According to the provisions of said Act He the said John Mehown was a single person Resident in the province of Nova Scotia prior to the fourth Day of July one Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Six — and in Sep^t falling in said year, the John Did join a number of Americans who Came from the United Stats of Amiracea under the Command of Colonel Jonathan Eddy — And Did with them Attempt to take the Fort at Cumberland in the County of Cumberland and province of Nova Scotia for and in behalf of the United Stats of Amireca and Did take many of the Soldiers prisoners and the provision [undecipherable] one De[c?]. with the Chaplin of Said fort. and Sent them into the port of Boston but in Deem [undecipherable] the said Colonel Jonathan Eddy and the party that Came with him and I the said John with Several Others that Did [j]oyen with Said Colonel and party. was intirly Defeted by the Britich Troops and the Said John Did make his Escape into the United Stats and in 1777 the Said John Did Jocan in the Sarwise again of the United Stats of America under the Command of Colonel John Allan Sup=erintend of Inden Affairs Eastern Department and under the Command of said Colonel left Boston and proceded as far to y^e Estard as the River S^t John then in the province of Nova Scotia the Allan with his party that was with him Was Drove from them parts by the Militia and brituk Soldiers and thier Ships the had with them the Superintendent then was Obleeged to to Retreet across the Woods through to Machias — and Did order the Said John Mehown to proceed to Cumberland. and there to Get information — yf po[ss]able of the [Int]ention of the Ennmy. and to inforn the Indians in them parts to Send through to Machias Such as the Should Think fit to Consult for the best as he wanted much to Kep them on frendly Farm with the united Stats — Which the Said John Did Do but Not without much Danger and want of the nessarys of Life as he had about 200 miles to go through An Ennmy Cuntry and part of the wilderness The Said Mehown was afterwards at Machias when the Ennmy attempt^d to Distray take the Saim. and Have All the Asistance in his power in Defending the Saim. from the Ennmys of the United Stats and Continued to Searve [strikethrough: the C]and Defend the Cuntry all that was in his pow[er] and at Every opertunity that Offered by Sea or land [in] the Expe[dition] against the Ennmy at Robod Island [under] Command of Gen^l Sulavan and in the battal[?] and on Board the Stats Ship Mars Command^d by James Havens Esquir.. and on Board the State Sloop Defence Command[ed] by Dite and Continued to Lad and asis the united Stats of America untill the End of the war and by Reason of the above premiss the said John Mehown his Lost all the property he had both Real and personal in the Townships of Amherst in the County of Cumberland and province of nova Scotia at that time Statement of Losses --- 135 acres of Dyke Marsh Land @ Doll^s 24 20 Do cleared up Land @ 12 Doll^s is.— 1245 Do of Wild Land @ 20 Cents is — Four Cows @ 16 Doll^s Each — is ——— 64 One Horse [at?] ——————— 32 One D^o @ ——————————— 40 One yoke of Oxen. ———————— 6.4 A house. Barn and Farming Utensils 164 3207 He the said John Mehown further Stats that he was Not a member of a Family Resident in the province of nova Scotia Who Abandoned thier Settlement in Consequence of having Given aid to the United Stats but his Father and fathers family. Did Remain in Nova Scotia and he further Stats that he did Not Return to Reside in the dominions of the King of Great Britain prior to the 25. of November. 1783. and Also that he had [strikethrough: never Received] any Compensation or Grant whatever from the United States or any individual State or Receipt of his aforesaid Losses or Services City of Philadelphia John McGown being duly sworn upon his Oath saith that the facts set forth in the forgoing Petition are true and further saith not [his mark] John McGown Sworn before me the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of the Court of Common [undecipherable] [undecipherable] John B. [Cox?]