We recently asked for volunteers to help transcribe the newly found pension files, and nine people offered to help! We will post some of them here. You can view new ones as well as the complete transcriptions and images of the original documents on the Warwick Heritage Database (click on the link below, and click "view" on the far right of the screen next to the entry, to see the whole record):
http://www.refworks.com/refshare/?site=01002978336000000/1264529/_82,101,118,111,108,117,116,105,111,110,97,114,121,32,87,97,114,32,80,101,110,115,105,111,110,32,38,32,83,101,114,118,105,99,101,32,82,101,99,111,114,100,115&enc=yYou can see a map of the area drawn during the war, which helps you identify the places talked about, (which was discovered in the files of the Hessian State Archives in Marburg, Germany), thanks to Rick Mourek and the West Jersey History Project:
http://www.westjerseyhistory.org/maps/revwarmaps/hessianmaps/index3.shtmlRevolutionary War Pension File
Name: Burt, James
Pension Number S 12,388
National Archives Record Group M804
Transcription by Peggy Johnson, 2008
(excerpt from file- initial deposition)
State of New York
Orange County
On this fourth day of September one thousand and eight hundred and thirty two- personally appeared in open court before the jurors of the common please in and for said County (being in County of Record), now sitting James Burt a resident of Warwick in said county and state, aged seventy two 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 officers, and served as herein stated. Deponent saith that he was born in the year 1760 as he believes and, as appears by his fathers family record in deponents possession. That he was living in said town of Warwick when he first enlisted in November 1776, as a sergeant in the Battalion of Major Henry Wisner in Colonel William Allisons Regiment of militia for and served nearly three months. In this service deponent was mustered and marched to Chloster in New Jersey, near the British Lines – to Hackensack, English Neighborhood, Hoboken, Fort Lee + other places near the Hudson River and in the month of January was in a skirmish with the enemy at Bergen Woods where deponent with his companions in arms took six of the enemy prisoner of war. Deponent saith that he was orally discharged from this campaign in the month of February. Deponent further saith that in the month of March following (1777) he volunteered as sergeant under Captain John Minthorn and under Major Henry Wisner aforesaid and marched in pursuit of a gang of Tories who were going to the British; overtook and captured seventeen of this hostile band near Newfoundland in New Jersey and committed them to gaol- on his return home he immediately volunteered in said town of Warwick as sergeant under Captain William Blain, as one of the corps called Rangers. This service consisted as deponent saith, in patroling the mountains and ferreting out Tories and small parties of British who committed robberies and murder among the whig inhabitants- was thus engaged for two—months including a march to Ramapo, Nyack and the Hudson River, which latter place was then their headquarters + from whence his corps would frequently visit Chloster and other places in its vicinity checking, and occasionally capturing marauding parties of the enemy. Deponent saith that he was discharged from this command about first of June following. Saith about first of July of this year(1777) he volunteered as sergeant in Captain John Minthorn’s company-was marched to headquarters at Ramapo, was engaged in the like service as last aforesaid, in that and the vicinity of Tappan for one month. On the following last of August or first of September on a requisition of troops from Col. John Hathorns Regiment by order of Gen. George Clinton, deponents father, then aged sixty years, went as deponents substitute to Fort Montgomery + Clinton and served one month. On the approach of the British fleet up the Hudson and previous to the capture and fall of said Forts, by order of Gen George Clinton, the whole of deponent’s regiment marched to Ramapo where information reached them of the fall of said fortress. From Ramapo, deponent marched with the Warwick and Goshen Regiments to New Windsor to prevent the enemy’s landing at that place-saith that he was
….at this time the enemies fleet sailed up said river and burnt the town of Kingston. From New Windsor deponent was detached by order of Gen Clinton, to guard a Brigade of Waggons conveying French Muskets from Boston to Washington’s Army in Pennsylvania- This campaign as deponent saith lasted two months. Early in the spring of 1778 deponent marched under Captain Andrew Miller of Col. John Hathorns Regiment from among the Troops to form a force to escort General Wayne’s prisoners to Easton in Pennsylvania from which latter place deponent returned to Warwick aforesaid and immediately marched for the Minisink frontier to repel the hostile invasions of the Indians under Brant, but before his Battalions reached the Delaware River, met our retreating troops returning from the Battle field on the Lacawaxen where this enemy’s superior force had obtained the victory. Deponent saith that he was in the service at this place two months. Deponent saith that early in September following deponent was one constituting a quota of troops called to Fishkill on the eastside the Hudson river under the command of Colonel Hathorn and Gen George Clinton and served three months as sergeant aforesaid- was discharged in December following- Immediately on deponents return home a requisition was made for teams to transport clothing which had been forwarded from Boston to the continental troops then laying back of Watney Plains re as Morristown in New Jersey, saith that he went with his team taking two hogsheads of clothing which he conveyed to our army, saith that he spent two or more weeks in this service in which time he endured the greatest sufferings in his life from the immense quantities of snow through which he traveled and from the severity of the frost. In the spring of 1780 deponent served under Captain John Minthorn in the vicinity of Ramapo one month and in the summer of the same year one month under Captain Miller aforesaid, and in the same quarter. In this year (1780) deponent saith he served as sergeant under Captain Richard Baily and ….? John Kenedy at least two months on and along to Ramapo thence to Pompton in New Jersey, thence to Paramus, to Tappan, thence to headquarters at Ramapo, was out in this service one month. In the first of June following was ordered under Captain John Minthorn in said Hathorns Regiment and again marched to Ramapo in which vicinity+ on the lines, deponent ….? and …?. In this year (1778) by order of the Commander in Chief a requisition of men and teams were made early in September from his neighborhood to build Fort Putnam and deponent ….? And with a double team and wrought in the action of that fortress one and a half months and on the completion of which he returned home in the latter part of October. In the early part of November following deponent again marched to the Minisink frontier under Captain Andrew Miller and served half a month. Deponent saith that in the same autumn he served under Captain John Minthorn one month in and about Ramapo, Hackensack and other places near the lines. Deponent further saith that about the last of March or first of April 1779 he was again marched to Ramapo under Captain Andrew Miller as he believes and served one month. The first of June following was again at Ramapo under Captain John Minthorn and under Colonel John Hathorn and marched there to Stony Point on the Hudson river and where deponent’s Regiment lay until a short time before the taking of that Fortress by Gen. Wayne. After the same was taken deponent was
selected the Minisink frontier, being stationed apart of this time at the stockade at Martinus Decker’s settlement.
In the year 1781 deponent saith he was in the service as usual under the aforesaid commanders at Paramus, Hackensack and along the lines in various other places, with his fellow soldiers in army against the common enemy- in all, at least two months or more.
Deponent further saith that in the spring of 1782 he was marched under the command of Major David Mc Camly again to the Minisink border, on occasion of an expected attack by the Indians, of the exposed inhabitants in that region and remained with his Battallion in this + position about half a month, when the said Battallion was discharged- deponent further saith that he, at no times received a written discharge from service from any officer.
Revolutionary War Pension File
Name: Bennett, Gershom
Pension No. R 756
National Archives Record Group M804
Transcribed by Paul Greiner, 2008
(excerpt from file- initial deposition)
Declarations
In order to obtain the benefit of the acts of Congress passed
June 7th 1832
State of New York
County of Steuben ?[obscured]? october 1832 personally appeared in open court before the judge of the Court of Common Please of said County of Steuben. Gershom Bennett a residentof the town of Tyrone in the County of Steuben aforesaid and State of New York aged Sixty Seven Years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his own make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein Stated. That he was born in the town of Warwick, County of Orange and State of New York on the 20th day of November 1765.
That he has no record of his Age knows his age from what his parents told him. That when first called into service he was living at the ?...place of his birth. That when he first entered the service (which was ?when? in his 14th year of age) he took the place of his brother MitchellBennett who was hurt by a fall from a waggon the wheels running over him. This was in the spring of the year 1779 as deponent thinks and the Company was
commanded by Capt. Westfall of Naversink in Orange County aforesaid and by Lieutenant John English of the same place. cannot recollect the names of his field
officers, but his
[1]Col. resided a little ?word obscured? Peen Pack Orange County. Marched on to this Frontier where the Naversink empties into the Delaware River. Was
quartered at Chamber's Fort at the forks of the Naversink. Was out at this time nine months and lay at this place during the whole of said tour. was discharged when his time was out and went home. remained there till spring of 1780 early in April went as a substitute for one Isreal Rickey of Sussex County New Jersey in Capt. Pattersons Company & Lieutenant Benjamin Morse of same County. Cant remember the names of his field officers?then? marched on to the Delaware River opposite Milford. and was there stationed and built a block house while there and remained there to the end of the tour for which they were called which deponent is sure was as long as three
months & thinks longer. Capt. Harbus Company of ?nine? Months were there from? Sussex County New Jersey was stationed there at same time. deponent was dismissed and went home. And in a few days was ordered out and marched to Chambers Fort near the junction of the Naversink & Delaware in Capt. David McCamlys Company and stayed there some time. Thinks three months. was dismissed and went home. a few days after
he was again called out. on an ?alarm given perhaps to??...? Capt. McCamly. Col. Wisners regiment Genl. Hawthorns Brigade. went home and was soon after drafted and sent again to Warwick and served out his tour the length of which he does not recollect, but thatit was long enough to get his class certificate for 25 Acres of Land. At this time was attached to Capt. John English’s Company. from this time up to the close of the Revolutionary War. deponent was almost continually engaged in the service (except in the heart of Winter) on scouts, alarms etc. that he was in active service as ?much? [crossed out] twenty seven months. that ?...? discharges. That he never received a commission. That in 1783 he removed to Northumberland, Pennsylvania resided there till 1790 or 91. Then removed to Chemung Tioga County, New York and remained there till 1803 or 1804. then removed to the then Town of ?Frederickstown? now Tyrone in Steuben County New York where he has continued to and still does reside. That he is well acquainted with ?Hank? Williams knows Abraham ?Flut? and Silvanus Arnold in his present neighborhood and with ?[title?]? David Bartly Coryell of
Urbana in said county Steuben who can also testify to his ?character? ?[obscured]? and their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution. That he has no documents nor evidence of his ?services? and knows of no ?person in? the county who can testify to his Services except Benjamin Sutton of Romulus, Seneca County New York. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or Annuity except the present and declares that his name is not of the Pension Rolls of the Agency of any State. Sworn and subscribed the day & year aforesaid before.
Revolutionary War Pension File
Name: Burt, Thomas
Pension No. S 2,314
National Archives Record Group M804
Transcription by Penny Steyer, 2008
(excerpt from file- initial deposition)
At a special court held pursuant to the Regulations of the War Department in such case made and provided before the Hon. Grant B. Baldwin, first Judge of Tioga County in the State of New York, at the dwelling house of Thomas Burt in the Town of Chemung in the said County and by adjournment at the House of John G. McDowell, Esquire in the same Town on the second day of October, 1832.
State of New York §
Tioga County §
On this 2nd day of October, 1832 personally appeared before the Judge before named, who is the first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Tioga and State aforesaid which is a court of record because made so by the Laws and Constitution of the State having by Law a clerk and Seal, Thomas Burt, a resident of the Town of Chemung, County and State aforesaid, aged eighty years the twenty-sixth day of May last 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 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. About the first of April, 1776 he enlisted in the company of Captain William Blain in the Orange County Militia in the State of New York in the Regiment of Col. Beardslee of Warwick in the same County for the term of nine months and was marched on to Long Island where he remained till after the battle and the retreat of the American forces which he thinks took place in August in all which he took an active part. He was then at the Harlem Heights, Kingsbridge and White Plains and in the engagements at those places; he was then stationed at New Windsor on the North River where he remained till the expiration of the term and for two months longer; he was then dismissed and returned home about the first of March, 1777. In May following he had to turn out voluntarily or stand a draft; he chose to volunteer in the company of Captain John Wood of Goshen, Orange County aforesaid, and in the same Regiment of Col. Beardslee as this time he volunteered for no definite period but with an understanding that he should continue as long as the exigencies of the service should require. On these conditions he continued thence forward in the service for upwards of five years with the exception of a short recess each winter to go home for a month or two. At different times during this service he was under the command of Col. Hathorn who was commissioned a Brigadier General towards the close of the war. His service was divided between the North River and the frontier of Orange County and the Delaware River; he was stationed at Fort Montgomery, at Newburgh, New Windsor, Stony Point, Haverstraw and West Point on the North River at different times; while at Haverstraw he was under the command of Col. Odell; he was stationed at West Point about the time the Treason of Arnold was discovered, which he thinks was in the year 1780. He was honorably dismissed [from] the service in the fall of 1782 by General Hathorn. He has no documentary evidence of his said services neither does he know of any person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to them.
And in answer to the several interrogatories put to him by the Judge aforesaid he says that he was born in the Town of Warwick, County of Orange and State of New York on the twenty-sixth day of May, 1752; that he had a record of his age in his Bible till within a few years and that he believes some of his children have taken it out to copy into theirs and is not positive where it now is, but he has no shadow of doubt that his age is as above stated. That when he first entered the service as before stated in the year of 1776 he lived in the place of his nativity, Warwick aforesaid, that after the close of the Revolutionary War he continued to live in the same place till he settled at his present residence in Chemung, where he has lived upwards of forty –three years, that in all his services aforesaid he was a volunteer. That the names of some of the regular officers who were with the Troops where he served are Gov. George Clinton, Gen. James Clinton, Gen. Sullivan, Gen. Wayne, Gen. Hathorn, Col. Beardslee, Col. Dubois and Col. Livingston and Col. Odell and their respective regiments though his recollection in relation to the Troops is very indistinct at this late day; but the officers he paid more attention to at the time and are yet fresh in his remembrance.
That he never received any formal discharge from the service and that he would refer to the Hon. John. G. McDowell, Asahel Buck, Esq, Isaac Shepherd, Jacob Lowman and Jacob ??, Esquires, all of Chemung aforesaid and who are well acquainted with his reputation for truth and veracity and who can testify to their belief in the truth of the foregoing declaration.
He hereby relinquishes every claim, whatsoever to an annuity or pension except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn to and subscribed
the day and year aforesaid§
G.B. Baldwin
First Judge
Tioga County
(Signed) Thomas Burt
