Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 17745, Abel Edwards, Conn.
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
Conn
Edwards, Abel
Sarah
NUMBER
W. 17745
CONTENTS
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Connecticut 3722
Sarah Edwards
widow of Abel Edwards
Conn.
who was a pensioner under the Act of
and who died on the 5th April 1826
of Litchfield in the State of Connecticut
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Lieut. Beach of the Regt commanded 
by Whiting in the Connecticut
line for 10 months & 8 days

Inscribed on the Roll of Hartford
at the rate 34 Dollars 21 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1836.

Certificate of Pension issued the 3rd day of August 1839, and sent to Isaac Sherman
Bridgeport Ct [County]

Attests to the 4th of March    $102.63
Semi-annual allowance ending    17.10
$119.73

Act July 7, 1838

Recorded by Resin Orme Clerk
Book [unintelligible] Vol. / Page [unintelligible]
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State of Connecticut
Count of Litchfield } [illegible] New Milford
On this 23rd day of November AD 1838
personally appeared before the court or Probate within and for the District of New Milford in said County & State.
Sarah Edwards a resident of said New Milford aged 80 years who being first duly sworn according the Law doth on her Oath, make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 7 1838 entitled "An act granting half pay and Pensions to certain Widows."
That she is the Widow of Abel Edwards who was a private & Corporal in the Army of the Revolution, and who communed Service int eh month of May 1775. as a private Solder in a vollunter Company raised in the Town of Stratford in Fairfield County [insert] State of Connecticut by Col Saml Whiting [illegible script above Whiting] under the imedeate command of L't Elijah Beach of sd Stratford and continued in Service in said  Company & under Lord Sterling from May 1775 to April 1776 as well appear by a Statement of said Service made by sad Abel in his lifetime in his own hand writing, which Statement, he left at his death in his pocK[et] Book in her possession which Statement is herto attach'd [per] her Declaration in which Campaign he Served as a private least Ten months.
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And that agreable [unintelligible] Statement of his service he again enlisted in May on June 1776 into a Company Raised in said Stratford and Commanded by said Elijah Beach in Col Swifts Regiment and Served in this company at least 6 months as a Corporal. and She respectfully requests that the Commissioner of Pensions will place her on the Roll of Pensioners for the term of time & grade that he shall judge from said Statement & the proof adduced she is Justly entited.

That said Abel Edwards was born in Said Town of Stratford, State of Connecticut - March 15th 1752.

That She was born in the Parish of Northfairfield in the Town of Fairfield in said County of Fairfield State of Connecticut August 29th 1758.
saw Abel was living ind Stratford when called into Service, & has lived Since the Revolutionary War in the Tow of said New Milford. has no documentary evidence to prove his service except his Statement before refered to which is hereto annexed.
has no [crossed out]other Record to prove her Marriage.
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She further declares that she was marr[i]ed to the said Abel Edwards on the Third day of September in the year Seventeen hundred and Seventy eight int eh Parish of New Fairfield afforesaid by the Rev'd James Johnson who was the settled Pastor over said Parish that time & the her maiden name was Sarah Man.
that her husband the afforesaid Abel Edwards died on the fifth day of April (AD 1826) [above]Eighteen hundred twenty six at said New Milford of the disease of Apoplexy.
That She was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marreage took place previou to the first day of January Seventeen hundred & ninety four vis. at the time above Stated.
her mark Sarah X Edwards
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written before
Nathaniel Perry Judge of Said Court
And the Said Court do herby declare their opinion after investigation the matter that the above married applicant is the Widow of Abel Edwards a Revolutionary Soldier who serves as Stated in the foregoing Declaration.
Nathaniel Perry Judge of said Court.
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I Noble S. Bennitt Clerk of the Court afforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of the Widow Sarah Edwards for a Pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 23d day of November AD 1838
Noble S Bennitt Clerk
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I Charles J. Prentice of Weston in Fairfield County and State of Connecticut a Clergyman of the Presbyterian or Congregational Society in the Parish of Northfairfield in said Town of Weston of thirty three years of age testify and say, That the Rev'd James Johnson now Dec'd [deceased] was the officiating Clergyman in said Society for & during all the time of the Revolutionary War & for many years after the War. that I now have in my possession the Church Records of said Society as Kept by him during his ministry in said Society, that I have examined said Records frequently for the marriages of different persons & that the Marriage of Abel Edwards to Sarah Mann is no where to be found on said Records.
I further certify that there was no Records of any marriages kept by the said Dec'd [deceased] James Johnson from the year 1774 to 1783 during a period of nine years & during all of the Revolutionary War.
Charles J. Prentice

State of Connecticut County of Fairfield} ss; Weston
On this 20th day of October 1838 before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in & for the County aforesaid. Personally appeared the Rev'd Charles J. Prentice a Clergyman as stated in the above Deposition to me known to be a man of truth & Respectebility in the possession of all of his faculties, who signed the above Deposition & made Oath to the truth of the same, & whose deposition is entitled to fill credit Before me Bradford Winton Jus[tice of the] Peace
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Hanford Edwards of the Town of New Milford County of Litchfield, & State of Connecticut aged 53 years deposeth and saith that he is a Son of Abel & Sarah Edwards that his mother the said Sarah Edwards is now residing with him in s'd [said] New Milford, and is now applying for a Pension, that said Abel Edwards died at said New Milford of Appoplexy on the 5th day of April AD 1826.
That said Sarah has never married since his death
and that the old paper attached to her Declaration purporting to be a history of said Abel Service in the Revolution was found in his Pocket Book after his death and Deponent Testifies and says that he Knows said old paper to be in the proper hand writing of this father the said Abel Edwards and that he remembers to have heard his father talk about his service int eh Revolution under Capt[ain] Elijah Beach to the Northward and about his being in Service in the City of New York. remembers his fathers talking about trying to get a Pension under the Act of 1818, but never did apply.
Hanford Edward[s]
State of Connecticut Count of Fairfield} ss Bridgeport Nov. 20th 1838 personally appears Hanford Edwards and Subscribed and made Oath before me to the truth of the above Deposition who I know to be a credible Witness
Isaac Sherman Justice of [the] Peace
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State of Connecticut
County of  Fairfield [illegible] [illegible]
 I Iva Sherman Clerk of the Court of
Probate within and for the District of 
Stratford in said County do hereby certify
that Isaac Sherman, Bradford Winton &
David Beach are all [illegible] of the peace
within & for said Fairfield County duly
[illegible] and qualified, that [illegible]
[illegible] will expire in June 1839
that then signatures to the propositions hereto
attach of Charles N Prontue, Joseph Suley
Thomas Stratton, Nanford Edwards, Thomas
Edwards V James Beardsley are then
genuine signatures
Given under my hand
and the Seal of Said Court
this 11th day of December & 1838.
Ira Sherman Clerk
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and the seal of said court
this 11 day of December 1838.

Ira Sherman Clerk
[seal]
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[page behind]
Rev, and 1812
War Section

[main page]

December 5, 1927
William H. Beach
Seneca Falls, R.D. 3
N.Y.
Sir:
I have to advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim W. 17745,
appears that Abel Edwards was born March 15,
1752 at Stratford, Fairfield County, Connecticut.
While residing at said Stratford, he
listed and served with the Connecticut Troops,
as follows
From in May 1775 to April 1776 as a private
in Captain Samuel Whiting's Company, Colonel David Waterbury's Regiment; from in May or
June 1776, six months as a corporal in Captain
Elijah Beach's Company, Colonel Herman Swifts Regiment; and afterwarda served five months, dates and officers not stated. 
Soldier died April 5, 1926 at New Milford
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Litchfield County, Connecticut.
Soldier married September 3, 1778 in the
Parish of North Fairfield, Connecticut, Sarah
Mann or Mann. She was allowed pension on her
application executed November 23, 1838, while
a resident of New Milford, Connecticut.
Their son, Hanford Edwards, was fifty-
three years old in 1838, and a resident of
New Milford, Connecticut. No further data
as to children.
The above noted Abel Edwards is the only
soldier of that name found on the Revolutionary War
records of this Bureau.
Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT
Commissioner.
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Sarah Edwards
Abel
M. 1778
D. 1826

May 75  [illegible] Lut. Beach [illegible] 4 mo. 8 dy
Age 76
[illegible]  76.6
Allow 10 mo 8 dy pri

See paper of Sam French
Conl. [illegible] [initials]
[illegible] No 17104
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Daniel Hall of the town of Trumbull in the County of Fairfield & State of Connecticut 80 years of age deposeth and saith that he was well acquainted with Abel Edwards formerly of the Town of Stratford in aid County, during the Revolutionary War and lived in the neighborhood of said Abel at the time he was married to Sarah Man and deponent testifies and says that he saw said Abel married to said Sarah in the Parish of North Fairfield in said County by the Rev James Johnson who was the ordained congregational minister over said Parish at the time of said marriage and that he remembers perfectly well that he deponent was a single man when said marriage took place and that he deponent was married on the 30th day May seventeen hundred and eighty two (1782) has a record of his own marriage on his Bible now in his possession from which circumstances he can testify positively that said Abel was married to said Sarah before the 30th of May 1782 but the exact  time he cannot state also remembers that said Abel went into Service in the Revolution but cannot state any thing in particular about his service.
Daniel Hall


State of Connecticut
County of Fairfield
Trumbull

On this 18th day of June 1839 personally appeared Daniel Hall & subscribed and made oath to the truth of the above deposition before me who I certify is a credible witness well known to me and I certify that the answers in the figure
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was done before signing. And I certify that said Daniel exhibited to me his Bible at the signing said deposition  from which I copied the following record.

Daniel Hall was born the year 1758, Nov 7.
Jermina Turney was born in the year 1762 May 8 and we was married May 30 1782.
Tabitha Hall was born June 17, 1783.
Mabel was born December 10, 1786.
Turney Hall was born Feb 13, 1789.

Test. Isaac Sherman Justice of Peace
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O. W. & N. Division

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Bureau of Pensions,
Washington D. C. December 15, 1894

Sir:-
In reply to your request for a statement of the military history of Abel Edwards a soldier of the Revolutionary War, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.

Dates of enlistment or Appointment: May 1775
Length of Service: 10 mo.
Rank: Pri.
Officers Under Whom Service was Rendered: Captain Elijah Beach, Colonel Waterbury
State: Conn.

Dates of Enlistment or Appointment: June 1776
Length of Service: 8 mo.
Rank: Corpl.
Officers Under Whom Service was Rendered: Captain Elijah Beach, Colonel Swift
State: Conn.

He served several other short tours but no particulars of the same are stated.

Battles engaged in: None mentioned
Residence of soldier at enlistment: Stratford, Conn.
Date of application for pension: by widow, Nov 23, 1838
Age at date of application: of widow, born Aug 29, 1758
Remarks: the soldier was born in Stratford, Conn., March 15, 1752, married Sarah Man Sept 5, 1778, and died April 5, 1826.

Mr. Wm. H. Beach
Eastern High School
Milwaukee, Wi.

Very respectfully,

Commissioner
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R.D.
Seneca Falls, N.Y.
June 20, 1927

Hon Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C.

Dear sir:-
I believe that my grandfather Isreal Beach Jr of Stratford, Conn. served in the Continental Army in the campaign about Boston 1775 and that my grandfather Abel Edwards of Albany, N.Y. or New Milford, Conn. was in the campaign against Burgoroyne and was wounded at Bewis Height. I do not know the organization in which they served. If you have the records of these men, it would be great
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favor to me if
you will send heir to me.
I am unable to read or write
Very Respectfully
Wm. H. Beach
Sergt. First - Sergt. 2nd, Leut 1st
Leuit, adjt
First New York Cavalry-
(Pertus Kine)
[stamp] PENSION OFFICE U.S. F JUN 25 1927
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East Side High School
Milwaukee, Wis.
Nov 24, 1894

To the Hon Commissioner of Pensions, Washington D.C.

Dear sir,
Abel Edwards at one time lived on or near Albany, N.Y. but afterward or near New Milford, Conn. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and was wounded in the battle of Saratoga. I have been told that he deserves a pension. Is there any record of him in the US Pension Office?
Any information you can give me will be of value to me and will be greatly appreciated.

Respectfully yours,

Wm. H. Beach
Teacher of history
formerly Lieut. in the N.Y. (Sineolu) Cavalry
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Wis.
Rev
WIDOW, & c.
File No. 17745
Sarah Edwards
Wid of 
Abel Edwards
Priv. Rev. War
Act: July 7. 1838
Index: -- Vol. A, Page 210
{Arrangement of 1870.]
1894 Dec. 15 Hist to
Wm H. Beach, Milwaukee
------
1927 Dec 5 - Hist to
William H. Beach [initials]
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Hezekiah Edwards of Trumbull in the County of Fairfield & State of Connecticut 78 years of age a pensioner under Act of June 1832, deposeth and saith that he was cousin to Abel Edwards who formerly lived in the Town of Stratford in said County before and during the Revolutionary War until after 1780, in that part now said Trumbull in the same neighborhood with deponent and deponent remembers that said Abel was living with Sarah Man as husband & wife in said neighborhood before he deponent went in to service in Capt Robert Walker's company of Artillery in the Continental line which was on the Spring of 1780.

Hezekiah Edwards

State of Connecticut
County of Fairfield
Bridgeport June 4th, 1839
Personally appeared before me Hezekiah Edwards who subscribed and made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition who I certify is a credible witness known to me and I further certify that the words until after 1780 in the above deposition was underlined before signing & also the work Connecticut in this certificate.

Isaac Sherman Justice of Peace
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State of Connecticut
Fairfield County
I Thomas B Osborne Clerk of Court
within and for said Fairfield County do hereby certify that Isaac Sherman Esquire is now and for  more than one year least past has been a Justice of the Peace within and for said Fairfield County duly commissioned and duly authorized to administer oath and take Depositions is and that the signatures to the certificates on the foregoing Depositions of [illegible] Edwards,
and Daniel Hall, purporting to be the signatures of the said Isaac Sherman Esquire, are genuine.
Given under my hand and the Seal of County Court in Fairfield this 17th day of June & 1839
Thomas B Osborne Clerk
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I Joseph Seeley of Weston in Fairfield County & State of Connecticut of eighty two years of age testify and say that I was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, that at this time I was acquainted with Abel Edwards of the town of Stratford on North Stratford Parish now Trumbull, who is now dead & who was also a soldier in the Revolution, that in the fore part of September 1778, the exact day I cannot state, I saw Abel Edwards married to Sarah Man n of the Parish of North Fairfield in the town of Fairfield now Weston by the Rev James Johnson of said North Fairfield Parish who has long since deceased. Being acquainted with the said Abel Edwards & having waited upon a sister of his by the name of Anna Edwards some two times, I was invited to attend his wedding & accordingly attended & waited upon the said Abel Edwards married to the Sarah Mann by the said Rev James Johnson, who was at that time the officiating Clergyman in said Parish, at the time as above stated & know that I am not mistaken as to the facts in this case.

Joseph Seeley his mark X

State of Connecticut
County of Fairfield} ss Weston
On this 29th day of October 1838 before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in & for the County aforesaid personally appeared Joseph Seeley of said Weston to me known to be a man of truth and credibility in the full possession of his reasoning faculties who subscribed the above deposition by making his cross & made oath to the truth of the same before me.

Bradford Winton Justice of Peace
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Comptrollers Office
Hartford Conn Oct 17, 1838

I certify that on application for evidence of the services of Abel Edwards, I find on a "Pay Roll of Liet Col Sam'l Whitings Co in the Reg't of the Forces of the United Colonies under the command of Col David Waterbury  raid in the Colony of Conn, commencing on the day in which they entered said service & ending with the time of their desmission including time of the discharged to get home at 15 mo Friday. Abel Edwards entered service May 9, time of discharge Sept 13 making 128 days. That no Pay Rolls of Capt Elijah Beach can be found in this office. I further certify that there are three documents on file in this Office of which the following are true copy, "August 2,1776 bought for the use of the Army
1 gun of Josiah Shelton $2-2-0 Bayonet 61   $2-8-0
1 gun bayonet & cartridge Box of Andrew Shelton  2-10-2
1 gun & bayonet of Jared Beardslee  2-11-0
One cartridge box 5pr  0-5-0
Curtis Mills cartridge box 4/6   0-5-6
$7-18-6

Stratford Aug 3 day 1776. Ebenezer Blackman rec'd the above in full (signed) select man Elijah Beach Capt "Rec;d Nath'l Booth one the select men of Stratford three stands of arms delivered one Col French, one to Sam'l French, one to Sam'l Parker- all which belongs to (over)
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the Colony of Conn, which I promise to return into said Colony Stores or account for unless lost by Inevitable providence agreeable to said account of this Colony, dated at Stratford this 31st day of July AD 1776- Elijah Beach Capt"
Stratford Aug 6, 1776 rec'd of Zach'h Coe one of the select men of the town of Stratford ten stands of arms which he presented for the use of the Colony and delivered one to  Sid Deet one ditto to Wm Winwrit, one to Wm Barton, one to Jas Downs, one to Jo. Buxton, one to Sam'l Edwards, one to Nath'l Booth, one to Tho Wrather, one to Peleg Sundertan, one to John Craford, all of my Co in Col Swifts Reg't which I promise to acct for agreeable to the act this Colony. Rec;d by Mr Elijah Beach Capt"

Henry Kilbourn Comm
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Thomas Statton of Bridgeport in the County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut a pensioner under Act of June 7 1832 deposeth and saith that he lived neighbour to Abel Edwards, during the Revolutionary War in Stratford in said County and remembers that said Abel served with him in a company to the Northward at the time St Johns Fort was taken on 1775 under Col Saml Whiting in Col Waterburry regiment, cannot say when he joined said company nor when he was discharged as deponent did not reside at home during the winter of 1775 & 1776 but he understood in the time of the war and service that said Abel went in a second company in 1776 under Capt Elijah Beach in a northern campaign in which campaign deponent always understood was for 6 months, that said Abel went in said campaign Jared Beardslee, Samuel Edwards, Samuel French, Joseph Burton, all from the parish of New Stratford in said town of Stratford and who are all dead and that there were to by the name Samuel Edwards who went said campaign one was cousin to said Abel Edwards and one was brother to deponents wife & Daniel Gregory was also in said campaign of 1776 as deponent was in the same service considerable part of the time during the Revolution and was home but occasionally had no opportunity to know any particulars about his said Abel service further than he has stated also that he remembers of hearing that said Abel was married in the early part of he Revolution in the Parish of North Fairfield on the town
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of Fairfield in said County by the Rev James Johnson who was the pastor of said Parish during the Revolutionary War.

Thomas Stratton

State of Connecticut
County of Fairfield
Bridgeport Nov 1 1838

Personally appeared Thomas Stratton and subscribed and made oath before me to the truth of the foregoing deposition who I certify as a credible witness well known to me.

Isaac Sherman Justice of Peace
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Thomas Edwards of the town of Bridgeport in the county of Fairfield and state of Connecticut 75 years of age deposeth and saith that he was well acquainted with Abel Edwards and lived in the same neighborhood with him during the Revolutionary War in the County of Fairfield aforesaid and remembers that said Abel went in a company with Sgt Elijah Beach in 1775 to the northward at the time Fort St johns was taken and also that in the summer of 1776 said Abel went into the service under said Beach who at the time was Capt of a company  in a company to the northward also remembers that said Capt Beach died at the northward on this campaign also remembers, that said Abel was married during the Revolution to Sarah Man of the Parish of North Fairfield by the Rev James Johnson as deponent understood & deponent says that he was at [unk] & heard the said Abel & Sarah published [unk] the said Johnson in the Revolution cannot say how long said Abel swerved but remembers perfectly will that he was in service in two companies to the northward, remembers he went in said service & returned thinks said companies were for 6 or more months each.
Thomas Edwards his mark X

State of Connecticut
County of Fairfield
Bridgeport Nov 28 1838
personally appeared Thomas  Edwards and subscribed the above deposition by his mark and made oath to the truth of the same before me who I certify is a credible witness well known to me.
Isaac Sherman Justice of Peace
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J. Edwards
Page 30

3941 ┃
Sarah Edward
Wid of Abel
Com
Act July 7 1838
Married 1778
died 1826
Allow 10 mo 8 dy pri
Luit Beach Colo
Whitney Conn [illegible]
$34.21
Isaac Sherman
Bridgeport Ct
Page 31

I James Beardsley of Trumbull in the County of Fairfield & state of Connecticut aged 80 years a pensioner of the United States under the Act of June 1832, depose and say that myself and Abel Edwards lived in the Parish of North Stratford in said County during the Revolutionary War and that I remember that said Abel Edwards served in a campaign in Samuel Whiting's Company in which company Elijah Beach of said North Stratford was  Lieutenant which company belonged to Col Waterbury & Regiment and marched to Northward in 1775 and took the Fort of St johns in this campaign which was a 7 month campaign and said Abel was absent as I believe on that whole campaign and that in the summer of 1776 said Abel enlisted again in said North Stratford Parish into a company commanded at this time by said Elijah Beach in Col Herman Swift's Reg of Infantry for 6 months and as I believe as a corporal of said company under said Beach  in 1776 and marched with said company from said North Stratford to Ticonderoga and Mount Independence and that said Capt Beach died at the Northward in the company of 1776 also that said Edwards served on New York in the winter of 1776 & 6. The reason deponent remembers about said Abel's service is that this brother David Beardsley of said Parish served in both of said campaigns to the Northward with said Abel Edwards and that his brother was also a corporal under said Capt Beach in said campaign of 1776, also remembers that Samuel French who was a pensioner under Act of June 1832 was in service in said campaign of 1776 said French is now dead.
James Beardsley
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State of Connecticut
County of Fairfield  
Js of Trumbull Nov. 29. 1838

Personally appeared James Beardsley and
subscribed and made oath before me to the
truth of the foregoing Deposition, who I know
to be a credible witness
David Beach Justice of the Peace
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Sixty five years of age,  [declare?] that I enterred into the Service of the UStates a Soldier under Lieut Elijah Beach of Shalfont [prob Chalfont] in P State in the Regiment Commanded by David Waterbury,  Saml [unintelligible] Lieut Col in the month of May 1775 and marched to the Northern Army on Lake Champlain and [unintelligible] brought the campaign in the month of Dec a part of the troops marched to Albany & from there to New York and I continued in the United States Army in New York under the command of Lord Stirling and was [unintelligible] by Lord Stirling in New York in the last of March or first of April 1776

In the month of May or [unintelligible just the or past of year] 1776 I enlisted again under Elijah Beach  then a Capt.  in Col Herman Swift's Regt UStates [unintelligible] and marched to Lake Champlain and was station on Mount Independence near Ticonderoga and was dismissed by Genl Horatio Gates in later part of December 1776 in the service I  [inlisted to and served as Corporal and had a written discharge from Genl Gates - having left the company after the above [unintelligible] service on the [unintelligible] near New York in American Army several terms of service for a few months at various times during the war or the Revolution.