Friday, November 23, 2007

Revolutionary Trials

During and after the Revolutionary War, Congress made several categories of pension available to those who served. There were invalid, widow, and service pensions based on need. As with all government entitlement programs, a certain amount of red tape, backpeddling, and confusing rules ensued. Sometimes many, many pages of handwritten statements and depositions were filed for just one case.

Recently, some of these records (previously available on microfilm) were scanned and made available on the service Footnote. com; we are in the process of finding and retrieving these records on Warwick's men (who mostly served with Col. Hathorn's regiment), because they give details on the individuals, their families, and acquantences, that were otherwise unrecorded. They also give details on what exactly Hathorn's men were up to during the war. Hardcopy of these will be made available at the library.

In the meantime, here is one transcribed example. Azariah Ketchum's house on Church St. is now a museum of the Historical Society of the Town of Warwick. He was the master carpenter for the Old School Baptist Meeting house.



Deposition for Revolutionary War Pension of Azariah Ketchum
National Archives Publication No. M804 Pension No. 16,316
Transcribed by S. Gardner, 2007



State of New York
Orange County

On this fourth day of December 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the said County (being a Court of ?) now sitting Azariah Ketchum of Warwick Orange county and said State aged seventy seven years, who being fist 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 serviced as herein stated.

Deponent saith that he was born in Bedford in West Chester County, in said State, on the 18th day of February in the year 1755, as he believes, and as he has often read the same in his father’s family Record. That deponent was living in said town of Warwick where he first entered the services of the United States. Saith that in the month of April as he believes, in the year 1776, he volunteered in the company of Militia commanded by Captain John Wisner, Asa? Wisner being Ensign and belonging to Colonel John Hathorn’s Regiment, and as a corporal in the said company, was mustered for one month; was marched to fort Constitution on the side the Hudson River, where his company was attached to or commanded by Colonel Newkirk; at this place deponent was employed with his company in building said Fort, up to the end of the month, Deponent further saith that he volunteered and served two months at Fort Montgomery, in the same summer (1776) under Captain John Minthorn, Lieutenant Nathaniel Ketchum & George Vance—his Regiment commanded by Colonel John Hathorn. Deponent further saith that in the same Year he was a volunteer in the company of Captain William Blain in Colonel Nicoll’s regiment and served one month at White Plains—saith that he was in the Battle and fought the Brittish Troops on the 28th day of October of that Year, was personally acquainted with and was there under he Orders at several times, of Generals Putnam and George Clinton. Deponent saith that in the winter of 1777 he served as corporal three months under Captain John Minthorn, laying or being stationed at Chloster near the Hudson River. During the same year deponent saith that he served as a corporal under Captain Daniel Gore at the Susquehannah out along the Indian frontier for the space of five months. Was a volunteer under the command of Captain Minthorn four months at West Point in the year 1778, and also one month at Ramapo. Was marched to and lay one month at New Windsor and Fishkill in the year 1779, being as deponent saith in the month of November. Deponent further saith that in the Year 1777 he was ordered under Lieutenant Nathaniel Ketchum and marched to New Windsor, thence to Esopus or Kingston and from thence went as an escort to continental Waggons from Boston to Easton in Pennsylvania. This service deponent believes lasted about two months. Saith that he was stationed one month at Goshen to guard the prisoners there, at the time the Notorious Claudius Smith and his band were executed. Deponent further saith the he served as Corporal aforesaid under Captain John Minthorn two months at different times on the Minisink frontier. Also under the same Captain and in Colonel John Hathorn’s Regiment deponent served three months at other periods at Haverstraw and West Point. Beside frequent excursions which he performed with his fellow soldiers in arms in ?illegible word? the depredations of the Tories who haunted and robbed the Wig inhabitations along the River towns. Deponent declares that the whole time which he faithfully served his country in the Revolutionary War and in the capacity of corporal in the Militia, amounted to more than two Years. Saith he, deponent, never received any written discharge from the service. Deponent further saith that he is acquainted with John C. Murphy, a clergyman who resided in his neighborhood and who will testify as to his belief of his having been a solder of the Revolution ?known? from general reputation as to his credibility. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.


(signed) Azariah Ketchum.

In open court the day and year aforesaid
Asa Deming, clerk


Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Yikes! UFOs in Warwick!

Recently, the classified documents of "Project Blue Book" were made available through the commercial database, Footnote.com. The records and case files relating to investigations, were collected by the Office of Special Investigations, of sightings of unidentified flying objects (UFOs). Here is are partial transcriptions of what a search for Warwick turned up!


OSI Report of UFO Sighting--Greenwood Lake, NY
1956/07/14

Report of a UFO at Greenwood Lake.Report made by Robert S. Hermann, S/A (special agent?)Report made at: DO #2, 111 East 16th St., NY NY18 July 1956Investigation predicated upon receipt of a telephone call from (name blanked out), civilian, that he had sighted an unidentified glying object both in the afternoon and in the evening of 14 July 1956 at Greenwood Lake, NY. Such details which WHITE (name not blanked out) could remember, based upon his observation and description of what he had observed, were obtained....White reported that on 14 July 1956 he had twice objserved a flying object in the sky. The observations took place for short periods at about 1630 hours and 2200 hours. The periods of observation were brief. White could not tell whether he had seen the same object in both instances of observation. He descrbed the object seen at 1630 hours as the size of a dime, silver colored, disc shape, and motionless; then it tilted, appeared to have a dome on the top, and disappeared. The object seen at night was also the size of a dime, red in color, of disc shape, and was traveling at high speed; it curved sharply across the sky, and disappeared. Weather condiitons were good for observation, no instruments were used. (name blanked out) advised that his wife (name blanked out, address blanked out), both of Greenwood Lake, New York, could corroborate his observation, in part. When asked if he could be interviewed, replied that a personal interview would take too much of his time.Details, further in text, difficult to read: Identifying information of all observers:1. (name blanked out), civilian, age 32, residing in NY City, portrait painter.2. (name blanked out), civilian, wife of (name blanked out)3. (name blanked out), Greenwood Lake, NY, oil explorer4. (name blanked out), Greenwood Lake, NY, (occupation illegible).

UFO Sighting (Project Blue Book)
1966/11/21

Source--Civilian
Number of Objects--Two
Length of Observation--One hour
Type of Observation--Ground Visual
Course: NE
No photos
No physical Evidence
Location: Warwick, one witness
Conclusion: Astro(S/P) (astronomical body)
Summary & analysis: Observer noted two different similar objects which were like a star. The two objects were pulsating different colors as they moved. Colors observed changed from green to yellow to red. The objects wer ein a slow flight path and no erratic movements. Investigating official commented that the witness was somewhat vague about the diretion of sighting and flight path. The rate manner of movement suggests tha tthe sighting was of astronomical bodies.

A. Description1. Shape: Undefinite at distance2. Size compared to a known object: Size of a star.3. Colors: Pulsating green,yellow, red, etc. on perimeter and red on bottom.4. Number: 25. Formation, if more than one: Appeared to change physical relationship with each other but moved in generally synchornized manner from NW to NE.6. Discernible features: none7. Tail, Trail, or exhaust: none8. Sound: none9. Other features: none

B. Description of Course1. What first called attention of observer to the object: Two odd pulsating lights different than a star.2. Angle or elevation and azimuth when first observed: NW quadrant 30 degrees above horizon.3. Angle or elevation and azimuth upon disappearance: NE quadrant 25 degrees from horizon.4. Desciption of flight path and maneuvers: Slow flight, no erratic movement.5. How did object disapper: Appeared to speed up just prior to disappearance.6. Now long were objects visible: At least 1 hour.

C. Manner of observation1. Ground--Visual2. Optical Aids: Binoculars

D. Time and Date of Signting:1. Zulu time-date group of sighting: 0200Z/22 Nov 662. Light conditions: Clear with full moon.

E. Location of observation: 42 degrees 15' N 74 degrees 22'W

F. Identifying Information on observer: Civilian, Age 30, (name and address blacked out), Warwick NY.An attorney, estimate of reliability: Reliable account of sighting with three other witnesses.

G. Weather and Winds: Clear, and 15 plus vsby, winds calm. No ceiling, vertical temperature gradient: 0 degrees/1000' (Sfc-8000') -2 degrees/1000' (Abv. 8000').

H. Other Unusual Activity: None

I. Interception or identification action taken: none

J. Location of any air traffic: V489 runs from SW to NE almost directly over area of the sighting.

K. Position, title, and comments of the preparing officer: Slow rate of movement and observaer's own comparison to aircraft passing overhead during the period of sighting would make an aircraft unlikely as a stimulus. Rate and manner of movement suggest that sigting was a planet although reported slight path does not coincide. Unusual appearance could stem from sighting through an inversion/ Apparent rapid movement just prior to disappearance of signting and flight path of object.Henry L. Pierce, Capt., USAF, Investigating Officer.