Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1346, Thomas Brown, New Jersey N.J. {Gunboat Service Guarding Coast
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SERVICE
New Jersey
N.J.  Gunboat service guarding coast

Brown, Thomas

NUMBER
R. 1346

CONTENTS
b. March 11, 1760
res. at [illegible] Dover Twp, Monmouth Co. N.J.
res. in 1832 Bordentown, Burlington Co. N.J.
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12,686  Feb. 18

Application of Thomas Brown for a pension.

William N. Shinn

Hon. W.N. Shinn
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(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

State of New Jersey
County of Burlington Ss:

On the twenty seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before the Inferior Court of Common Pleas of the said county of Burlington, now sitting at a special term thereof, Thomas Brown, a resident of the Borough of Bordentown, in the County of Burlington aforesaid and state of New Jersey aforesaid aged seventy two years on the eleventh day of March last past, 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, this deponent was born on the eleventh day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty, as he was informed by his parents and verily believed- that he was sure that time recorded in the family bible as the period of his birth - but the bible itself containing the record was burnt in his father's house, when the said house was burnt by the enemy as hereinafter stated in this declaration and cannot now be produced, that this deponent is the son of Samuel Brown, who resided at the time of the commencement of the revolutionary war, at Forked River in the Township of Dover according to the present bounds of the Township so designated) in the County of Monmouth and state of New Jersey aforesaid - which river empties into Barnegat bay, was navigable for boats and galleys of not more than three feet draught of water, and with which there was a communication from the Atlantic Ocean through Barnegat Bay and Barnegate Inlet - that those parts of the said Counties of Monmouth and Burlington, either bordering upon the sea or upon the bays and rivers, immediately communicating therewith
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and which were separated from the improved and cultivated parts of the said state by an immense tract of uncultivated and uninhabited land covered with forest and swamps, in many parts almost impassable, were taken possession of by that portion of the inhabitants of the state, who had abandoned the standards of their country and flown to the British for refuge from their justly incensed countrymen. the forest and swamps furnishing fortresses from which it was difficult to dislodge them - and from these retreats they made incursions into the cultivated parts of the state; committed every species of depredations, carried the plunder seized in these incursions into the woods, from which they could conveniently transport it, by water on board the British vessels - in this state of things it became necessary for the whigs, inhabiting those parts of the said counties to associated themselves together for self defense, and at Forked river, a company of about thirty men was formed, who chose the said Samuel Brown as their Captain, Joseph Bell Lieutenant, and William Holmes ensign - this company were called minute men, their duty being understood to be  to hold themselves continually in readiness, to turn out at a moments warning to resist the depredations of the tories and refugees in whatever place their service might be required. The said Samuel Brown received a commission under the authority of the state of New Jersey to act as captain of this company - This deponent being then between the age of sixteen and seventeen years entered as a volunteer in the said company and his name was the first inscribed on the list of
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(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

the privates of the said Company - From the time of the organization of the said company until the month of October of the same year, the company was stationed at the mouth of the Forked river, about one mile and a half from the residence of the said Samuel Brown, in order to watch the motions of the enemy - during which period the said Samuel Brown commenced building a heavy gun boat on the said river and not more than a mile from the place where the said company was stationed. This boat was intended to be used for the enemy - and of the enemy, and a part of the duty assigned to the privates of the said company while so stationed at the mouth of the Forked river, was by turns, to aide in the construction of the said boat and watch over her safety - In the said month of October, a certain John Morris, a native of the said county of Monmouth; a tory and refugee who was reputed to have received a commission to act as Colonel in the British service, marched from Shrewsbury in the said county of Monmouth at the head of three hundred tories and refugees, and stationed himself and his men at Toms River about twelve miles from the place where the said company was stationed and the station of the said company was thereupon immediately changed to a cedar swamp between where the said boat was building and said Toms River and at a place where the main road from Toms river to Manahawkin crosses the middle branch of Forded River, in order more effectually to check the [illegible] of Colonel Morris and his refugees - who having  [illegible] the position of the company, and being aware of the advantages
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of this situation, did not venture to approach them, but remained quietly at Toms river until the month of January following when he returned with his force to Shrewsbury having done nothing during his three month stay at Toms River but to invite the inhabitants of the surrounding county to come in and receive British protection - the said company remained on guard in the said cedar swamp during the whole of this period. After the said John Morris had retired, the company returned to the original station at the mouth of Forked River and there remained until the Spring of the year seventeen hundred and seventy seven. where Captain Joshua Sutdson, who then acted as the captain of a gunboat in the service of the United States, arrived at Forked river in a whale boat, then used as a gunboat, in search of men to complete the crew of his boat, she being then five deficient of the complement  necessary to work and fight her to advantage - and the tories and refugees having then retired from the vicinity, five of the said company by and with the assent of the said Samuel Brown, their captain, volunteered to serve on board the said boat under the said Captain Joshua Studson, of which five this deponent was one. The said five volunteers having entered on board the said boat, she immediately afterwards, the deponent thinks about the first of April in the year last aforesaid proceeded in the night to sea through Barnegat Inlet, and reached Sandy Hook passed the Roebuck Man of War then lying there and in Amboy bay boarded a British Schooner, captured her and
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(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

took her into Middletown Creek in the County of Monmouth, were we were shortly afterward blockaded by British vessels, from which a force superior to ours was landed, who attacked us in the night, retook the Schooner, and after a short [illegible] burnt our boat, burnt Captain Burroughs mills at Middeltown Point in the said county of Monmouth and then returned to their vessels - This deponent with the rest of the crew of the boat then returned to Forked River in the same month of April - when this deponent and the other members of Captain Samuel Brown's Company who volunteered to complete the crew of Captain Studson's boat returned to the performance of their duties in the said company - At this time the boat which the said Samuel Brown had commenced building on Forked River as herein before stated was nearly completed - She was called "The Civil Usage" and was launched some time in the month of May in the year last named - She was armed with one long six pounder, four swivels and two small pieces and muskets for each of the crew - The said Captain Samuel Brown took command of the said boat and this deponent and the other members of the said company entered on board the said boat under the command of said Captain Brown, and constituted the larger part of the crew, the whole crew consisting of from thirty six to forty men - The duty assigned to the said gunboat, after she was so armed, equipped and manned, was to guard Barnegat bay and inlet, and prevent as far as practicable aggressions of the enemy through these sources. Her crew drew their rations from John Richardson who acted as commissary under the Authority of the
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State of New Jersey, and was stationed at Toms river Asher Holmes, stationed at Middletown in the said county of Monmouth, acted under the same authority, as paymaster - Shortly after the said gunboat was so armed equipped and manned, and during the early part of the summer of the year seventeen hundred and seventy seven, while cruizing in the said gun boat off Barnegat Inlet, we captured a British brig from the West Indies bound to New York loaded with rum, sugar, molasses and limes, and carried her into Toms river. We continued to cruise in the said gun boat on the same station until the fall of the same year, and a little while before the severely cold weather set in , we run the said gun boat up Oyster Creek into a cedar swamp, and placed her in the best situation we could select the said creek, to protect her through the winter from the attacks of the tories and refugees, who had at that time collected in considerable bodies in the vicinity, and laid concealed in different parts fo the cedar swamps and pine forests between the bay shore and the cultivated and inhabited parts of the interior - During the following winter the crew of the said boat this deponent among the rest, kept such watch as they could, to guard the said boat, themselves, and the property of the whigs in the neighbourhood generally from the depredations of the enemy- Sometimes passing their nights in houses and sometimes in the adjoining woods and swamps. In the following spring in the year seven hundred and seventy eight, Captain Samuel Brown with the whole of his company, except about twelve
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(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

left that station and marched to join General Morgan, who commanded a regiment of riflemen in the Continental Army, under General Washington - General Morgan being at the time stationed somewhere in the state of Pennsylvania - The twelve members of the Company who were left behind, and of whom this deponent was one, remained under the command of William Holmes, Ensign of the Company, having the said gunboat in charge and being [illegible] generally to act according to their best judgment in guarding  [illegible] as they had power, the persons + property of the whigs from the depredations of the enemy. We remained at that station, and the said gun boat stationed in Oyster Creek where we had feared her for safety, until after the battle of Monmouth. After the battle of Monmouth, Captain Samuel Brown returned, and again manned and took control of the said gun boat, and during the same summer whilst on a cruise, succeeded in capturing a boat of the enemy, engaged in trading with loyalists resident at a village then called Clam Town (now Tuckerton) in the Township of Little Egg Harbour in the said county of Burlington - during the following winter Captain Brown and his company occupied their station at the Forked river, where the said gunboat laid during the winter - In the following spring in the year seventeen hundred and seventy nine, Captain Brown and his said Company again manned and resumed cruising in the said gun boat and to the southward of Barnegat descried en-
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gaged, and captured, a gun-boat belonging to the refugees, under the command, according to this deponent's present recollection, of a Captain Whiley, armed with four swivels and a wale piece, and with a crew of from twenty five to thirty men - After the capture of the refugee gunboat, we continued to cruise for some time when for a time in the latter part of June or the beginning of July of the same year, having discovered that our gun-boat required repairs we run her into harbour at Toms river for that purpose - being about twelve mile from Captain Brown's house where his wife and family were - While the boat was repairing Captain Brown and this deponent paid a visit to their family leaving the rest of the company with the boat - We arrived at home a little while before dark and slept there. The next morning as the sun was rising, we were alarmed by the dog barking fiercely, and immediately running to the window, the deponent saw a large number of men, whom he supposed to be refugees engaged in fording a creek about thirty paces from the houses - This deponent immediately informed his father, Captain Brown of what he saw - and he and this deponent, feeling their danger, immediately left the house + with all the speed they had, made for the woods - they were under the necessity in making their escape to pass thro' a cleared level field of thirty acres, and no obstruction intervened between this field
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(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

and the position occupied by the refugees but a slight fence - Captain Brown and this deponent left the house with no other garments than their shirts, and though fired at by the whole body of the refugees were so fortunate as to reach their gun-boat at Toms river unhurt. When we reached our boat, we learnt that the refugees who had attacked us were bodies of men under two refugee captains, known as Captain Davenport and Captain Roch who were supposed to have come up the bay in two boats from Clamtown, and information was brought to us that they designed to pass out to sea through Barnegat Inlet and go to New York. Their number was estimated at one hundred and sixty men. The repairs of our boat being then completed, we immediately put to sea to watch them, and if possible to attack and capture them - Captain Andrew Brown and Captain Joshua Studson - being then at Toms river and each in command of an armed boat, and tendering us their aid - We stationed our boats between Cranberry Inlet and Sandy Hook + there watched for the refugee boats. But we watched in vain - The refugees, a few days after their attack upon Captain Brown and this deponent, taking advantage of our absence, and having probably learnt the position of our boats, and that it would be dangerous for them to attempt to reach New York - returned to Forked River and finding Captain Brown's house without other guard than his wife and younger children, they robbed it of everything of value that it contained, forced his wife and children to leave it, and then burnt the house, barn, shop and others out build
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dings to ashes - and at the same time they burnt a valuable schooner belonging to Captain Brown of forty or fifty tons burthen, then lying in Forked River - After this occurrence, we continued to cruise in our gunboat on the same station till the fall of the same year - when this deponent accompanied his father, the said Captain Brown, to Woodbridge in the County of Middlesex, to which place he removed his family and took up his residence leaving the remainder of his said company in charge of the said gunboat. We remained at Woodbridge during the following winter, this deponent keeping guard occasionally during that time at the mouth of the Raritan River, under the command of William Ross, a Captain of the New Jersey militia - During the same fall that Captain Brown removed to Woodbridge, Doctor Aaron Swain, under the direction of Samuel Brown took command of the said gunboat, "The Civil Usage" + took her round to Crown Ferry, above Amboy in the Raritan River, where she remained during the following winter - In the following spring in the year seventeen hundred and eighty, and as this deponent now thinks, in the month of March of that year, the said Doctor Aaron Swain entered on board the said gunboat "The Civil Usage" as captain, and this deponent, as lieutenant by virtue of commission under the authority of the State of New Jersey, handed to them by General
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(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

Heard of the New Jersey Militia - and from the period in which this deponent so received his commission as lieutenant until the close of the revolutionary war, this deponent served on board the said gunboat "The Civil Usage" as her lieutenant, and was the chief in command of the said gunboat for more than half that period - Captain Swain being frequently absent from his command and for a period of a considerable length of time. the boat was employed from the time this deponent had become her lieutenant until the spring of the year seventeen hundred and eighty one in cruising along the coast from Raritan river to Shrewsbury River, as a check upon the refugees, and traders (sic?) with the enemy. Captain Samuel Brown continuing to act during that period as adviser to the Officers and crew of the said gunboat, and in part directing her proceedings. In the fall of the year seventeen hundred and eighty, a considerable body of refugees and tories being located at ClamTown in the Township of Little Egg Harbour before mentioned, parties of them were dispatched from thence to penetrate into + commit depredations in the cultivated parts of the Counties of Burlington and of Monmouth - By these marauding parties, Clayton Newbold, John Black, + Caleb Shreve, of the County of Burlington, and John Holmes of the County of Monmouth were robbed
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of large quantities of silver plate, money clothing and other articles, and of a number of negroes - The marauders took their booty to Clamtown, and put the same on board a lumber sloop lying there under the control of the refugees, to be transported to New York as soon as the navigation should open in the spring - Captain Swain the captain of the said gunboat being in the interior of the County of Burlington at the time these robberies were committed and by that means becoming informed of the same, conceived the idea of intercepting the booty in its passage to New York. He reformed his crew + ordered his gunboat to Shrewsbury Inlet to watch the motions of the enemy. Early in the spring following in the year seventeen hundred and eighty one we proceeded to Barnegat Inlet and on our way we fell in with and captured the schooner containing the booty which had been taken by the refugees in the previous fall as before set forth, and had the satisfaction of restoring the same to its owners - Immediately after the capture of the Schooner we fell in with a Captain Gray from Rhode Island, commanding an American Privateer - With him we concocted the plan of dispersing the refugees established at Clam-Town -  It was agreed that he should approach Clam Town from the sea through Egg Harbour Inlet and decoy them out to sea in their boats - and that we should approach the same inlet thro'
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(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

the bay, keeping ourselves concealed, and in case we should succeed in decoying them out, we were to follow and support him in the engagement, placing the enemy between two fires - Captain Gray accordingly approached within sight - with covered guns - putting about as soon as he perceived he was observed by the enemy affecting to fly with all the sail he could make - The ruse succeeded - the refugees pursued in their galley commanded by Captain Davenport - when they were out at sea, Captain Gray hove about  + shood(?) for them - the vessels engaged - Captain Davenport and eight or nine of his men were killed by the first broadside from the privateer, when the galley of the refugees struck and was immediately taken possession of by Captain Gray and sunk - The survivors of this galley crew were received on board the privateer + from thence sent to the Gaol of Burlington County - After this defeat, the refugees and tories broke up their establishment at Clam Town, and we returned with our gunboat to the Raritan River. In the same year we were joined by Captain John Story, Commander of another gunboat - and in a thick fog in the fall of that year, the two gunboats Captain Story's + "The Civil Usage" boarded and captured the British guard galley that lay in Princes' Bay and sent her into New Brunswick - After this
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occurrence we continued with our boat on the same station, in service until peace was proclaimed - This deponent cannot state the precise date or exact tenor of the commission under which he acted as lieutenant of the said gunboat - in the vicissitudes of his after life he was so unfortunate as to lose it - he is however confident he received it from General Heard in the year he has before stated, considered it as emanating from the State of New Jersey, and continued under its authority, to act as lieutenant of the gunboat "The Civil Usage" until the declaration of peace - he never received any discharge from the service. This deponent further saith that he doth not know of any living person whose testimony he can procure, and who can testify to his knowledge - of this deponent's service - that when he first hear the rumour that the law under which this application is made was about to pass, he performed a journey on foot into the counties of Monmouth, Middlesex, Sussex in the State of New Jersey, + into the County of Bucks in the State of Pennsylvania in hopes to find still alive some of the persons who had served with him during the revolution, + who could testify from actual knowledge to this deponent's services - but found that none of those to whom he had intended to apply, remained alive - that with the same objection in view this deponent procured the annexed deposition of Sarah Kent to be taken before Job F. Randolph Esquire, before the said law passed - the said Sarah Kent being then about to leave the State of New Jersey and go to reside in the Wester Country - the said Sarah Kent did leave the State of New Jersey
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and go to the Western Country before the said Act became a law, and this deponent hath since been informed + verily believed it to be true that the said Sarah Kent hath died since she left the State of New Jersey, so that this deponent cannot produce her before this court. After the close of the Revolutionary War this deponent resided for some years at the village of Manahawkin in the Township of Stafford in the County of Monmouth. From there this deponent removed to New Egypt in the Township of Upper Freehold in the said County of Monmouth + after residing there some years removed to the Township of Chesterfield in the County of Burlington where he continued to reside for some time + then returned to New Egypt + continued to reside there till a few months past, when he went to the Borough of Bordentown where he now resides - There is but one clergyman near whom this deponent has resided, and upon whom he could call to certify in his behalf, The Reverend William Foulk. He's now far distant [illegible] the County of Burlington, + it has not been in the power of this deponent to procure his attendance before the court. Uriah Bennet, Jarvis Hazelton, Samuel Moore + Silas A. Crane, whose names are subscribed to the annexed affirmation + certificate are some of the persons in the neighbourhood where deponent formerly resided who can testify to his deponent's character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. This deponent hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension
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roll of the agency of any state -

Sworn to + subscribed the day and year aforesaid - (The words "at a special time thereof" "a resident" "river" "with" "from the sea" "further saith that he" "this deponent" being first interlined, the word "September" being first written on an erasure, + the words "sometime" "of Samuel Brown" "Alive" + "I" being first stricken out, and being contained on  eight several pieces of paper fastened together in the margin of the first seven of which the undersigned [illegible] have also written their names in open court before
Tho Swaim
Matthew McHenry
Jno Langelere} Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas of the County of Burlington -
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Uriah Bennet aged sixty four years, Jarvis Hazelton of the age of fifty six years, Samuel Moore of the age of thirty six years and Silas A Crane of the age of twenty five years, all of the village of Manahawkin in the Township of Stafford and County of Monmouth, having severally alleged themselves to be conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath and being respectively solemnly affirmed according to law do affirm and certify that they are well acquainted with Thomas Brown who has subscribed and sworn to the annexed declaration (contained on eight separate pieces of paper fastened together) that the said Thomas Brown bears a good character for veracity that it is the general reputation and belief in the neighbourhood where the said Thomas Brown resided during and for some years after the close of the revolutionary war that he was a soldier of the revolution + served during the war as a minute man and as lieutenant of the gunboat "The Civil Usage" - These affirmants have heard the said declaration read, and from their knowledge of the said Thomas Brown, and the tradition, reputation + belief in the neighbourhood where they reside they believe the facts set forth in the said declaration as to the revolutionary services of the said Thomas Brown to be truly [illegible] and they believe the said Thomas Brown to be of the age set forth in the said declaration and these affirmants further say that they
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are well acquainted with Sarah Kent whose name is subscribed to the deposition hereunto annexed + sworn to before Job F. Randolph Esquire - that the said Sarah Kent was a woman of highly respectable character and her veracity unimpeachable - and that the said Sarah Kent left the State of New Jersey several months ago and went to the Westward

Sworn to and subscribed in open court the day and year aforesaid before 
Tho Swaim
Matthew McHenry
Jno Langelere

Uriah Bennett
Jarvis Hazelton
Samuel Moore
Silas A. Crane
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Monmouth County
State of NJersey Ss]

Personally appeared before me Job F. Randolph one of the justices of the peace in and for said county of Monmouth- Sarah Kent - wido of the late Phenies Kent on the 16th day of February 1832 and being duly sworn upon the holy evangalists (sic) of almighty God deposeth and sayeth that she the sayd deponent is personally acquainted with Thomas Brown and has been eve since the Commencement of the revolutionary war + that she the said deponent did live during the wore in the family of the said Thomas Brown's father. Deponent further sayeth that she knew the said Thomas Brown to serve in the defense of his country a soldier under Capt Samuel Brown alternately from the time the British took New York till the close of the war. Deponent sayeth that the sayed Thomas Brown was a sun (sic) of Capt. Samuel Brown and whilst they the sayed [illegible] Samuel Brown and Thomas Brown was out on gard (sic) or on post they had all theare (sic) property Burnt by fyre (sic) by the enemy theare (sic) hous (sic) and all the out buildings and a good schooner belonging to the Sayed Thomas Brown's father, weare (sic) all set on fyre and consumed by fyre from the Enemy and deponent sayeth that the sayed Thomas Brown escaped several times with great difficulty from the Enemy! further deponent sayeth not.
I do hereby certify the within to be the truth as stated by the within named deponent - given under my hand and seal the 16th day of February in the year of our Lord 1832.
Job Randolph, Esquire

Sarah Kent
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I, Daniel Ellis, Clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Monmouth in the sate of New Jersey do hereby certify that Job F. Randolph, whose name is subscribed to the within written deposition, is a justice of the peace in and for the county of Monmouth duly commissioned, qualified and sworn, and that full faith and credit are due to his acts as much.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office this sixteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
D.H. Ellis clk

The within is the deposition of Sarah Kent referred to in the annexed declaration of Thomas Brown, + affirmation of Uriah Bennett, Jarvis Hazelton, Samuel Moore + Silas A. Crane.

Tho Swaim
Matthew McHenry
Jno Langelere
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State of New Jersey
Burlington County Ss}

On this eleventh day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared in open court before the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in + for the County of Burlington in the State of New Jersey, now setting at Mount Holly in said County (the same being a Court of record) Thomas Brown whose name is subscribed to the declaration hereunto annexed, contained on eight several pieces of paper attached together, who being duly sworn according to law upon his solemn oath saith that the said declaration was taken as aforesaid on eight several pieces or leaves of paper attached together, and in which is set forth a history of his services as a revolutionary  soldier, contains the truth and is nothing but the truth - and this deponent further saith that the company of minute men mentioned in his said declaration, and in which this deponent served under the command of Captain Samuel Brown was raised and officered, as near as this deponent can recollect, in the middle of the month of August in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, and that this deponent served as a private in the said company from that time until the month of March in the year of our Lord on thousand seven hundred and eighty, sometimes on land and sometimes on water as is in his said declaration set forth - and that from the month of March seventeen hundred and eighty until the close of the revolutionary war this deponent served as lieutenant of the gunboat in his said declaration mentioned and is the commission therein referred to - And this deponent further saith that by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively to a month, a week or a day as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection, he served not less that the periods mentioned below and in the following grades: for three years and seven months he serves as a private, and for two years and eight months he served as lieutenant of a gunboat under the commission in his declaration mentioned, + for such service he claims a pension, and that during the period of such service he was not employed in any civil pursuit.

Thos Brown

Sworn and subscribed in open Court the day and year aforesaid
Thom Swaim
Matthew McHenry
Richard Eayre} judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas of the County of Burlington

And the said Court Thomas Swaim, Matthew McHenry, + Richard Eayre, Esquires, [illegible] sitting as judges thereof before whom the said Court is this day held, do certify + again declare their opinion that the above applicant
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(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

State of New Jersey
County of Burlington Ss:}

On this twenty seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open court before the Inferior court of Common Please of the said County of Burlington, now sitting, at a special term thereof, Thomas Brown, a resident of the Borough of Bordentown, in the County of Burlington, aforesaid and State of New Jersey aforesaid aged seventy two years on the eleventh day of March last past, 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, this deponent was born on the eleventh day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty, as he was informed by his parents and verily believes- that he has seen that time recorded in the family bible as the period of his birth - but the bible itself containing the record was burnt in his fathers house when the said house was burnt by the enemy as hereinafter stated in this declaration and cannot now be produced- that this deponent is the son of Samuel Brown, who resided at the time of the commencement of the revolutionary war, at Forked river in the Township of Dover (according to the present bounds of the Township so designated) in the County of Monmouth and State of New Jersey aforesaid - which river empties into Barnegat bay, was navigable for boats and galleys of not more than three feet draught of water, and with which there was a communication from the Atlantic Ocean through Barnegat bay and Barnegat Inlet - that those parts of the said counties of Monmouth and Burlington, either bordering upon the sea or upon the bays and rivers, immediately communicating therewith
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and which were separated from the improved and cultivated parts of the said State by an immense tract of uncultivated and uninhabited land covered with forest and swamps, in many parts almost impassable, were taken possession of by that portion of the inhabitants of the State, who had abandoned the standards of their country, and flown to the British for refuge from their justly incensed countrymen. the forest and swamps furnishing fortresses from which it was difficult to dislodge them - and from those retreats they made incursions into the cultivated parts of the State; committed every species of depredations, carried the plunder seized in these incursion into the woods, from which they could conveniently transport it by water on board the British vessels - in this State of things it became necessary for the whigs, inhabiting those parts of the said counties to associate themselves together for self defense, and at Forked river a company of about thirty men was formed, who chose the said Samuel Brown as their Captain, Joseph Bell Lieutenant, and William Holmes ensign - this company were called minute men, their duty being understood to be to hold themselves continually in readiness, to turn out at a moments warning to resist the depredations of the tories and refugees in whatever place their serving might be required. The said Samuel Brown received a commission under the authority of the State of New Jersey to act as Captain of this Company - This deponent being then between the age of sixteen and seventeen years entered as a volunteer in the said Company and his name was the first inscribed on the list of
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(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

the privates of the said Company - From the time of the organization of the said company until the month of October of the same year, the company was stationed at the mouth of Forked river, about one mile and an half from the residence of the said Samuel Brown, in order to watch the motions of the enemy during which period the said Samuel Brown commenced building a heavy gun boat, on the said river, and no more than a mile from the place where the said company was stationed. This boat was intended to be used for the annoyance of the enemy, and a part of the duty assigned to the privates of the said company while so stationed at the mouth of Forked river, was by turns, to aid in the construction of the said boat and watch over her safety - In the said month of October, a certain John Morris, a native of the said County of Monmouth, a tory and refugee who was reputed to have received a commission to act as Colonel in the British Service, marched from Shrewsbuy in the said county of Monmouth at the head of three hundred tories and refugees, and stationed himself and his men at Toms River about twelve miles from the place where the said company was stationed. and the station of the said company was thereupon immediately changed to a cedar swamp between where the said boat was building and said Toms River and at a place where the main road from Toms River to Manahawkin crossed the middle branch of Forked River, in order more effectually to check the {illegible} of Colonel Morris and his refugees   - who having learnt the position of the company, and being aware of the advantages
Page 27

of their situation, did not venture to approach them, but remained quietly at Toms river until the month of January following, when he returned with his force to Shrewsbury having done nothing during his three months stay at Toms river but to invite the inhabitants of the surrounding country to come in and receive British protection - the said company remained on guard in the said cedar swamp during the whole of this period. After the said John Morris had retired, the Company returned to their original station at the mouth of Forked River and there remained until the Spring of the year seventeen hundred and seventy seven. When Captain Joshua Studson, who then acted as the Captain of a gun-boat in the service of the United States, arrived at Forked river in a whale boat, then used as a gun boat - in search of men to complete the crew of his boat, she being then five deficient of the complement necessary to work and fight her to advantage - and the tories and refugees having then retired from the vicinity, five of the said company by and with the assent of the said Samuel Brown, their captain, volunteered to serve on board the said boat under the said Captain Joshua Studson, of which five this deponent was one. The said five volunteers having entered on board the said boat, she immediately afterwards, this deponent thinks about he first of April in the year last aforesaid, proceeded in the night to sea through Barnegat Inlet, and reached Sandy Hook, passed the Roebuck Man of War then lying there, and in Amboy bay boarded a British Schooner, captured her and
Page 28

(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

took her into Middletown Creek in the County of Monmouth, where we were Shortly afterwards blockaded by British vessels, from which a force superior to ours was landed, who attacked us in the night, retook the schooner, and after a short contest burnt our boat, burnt Captain Burroughs mills at Middletown Point in the said County of Monmouth and then returned to their vessels. This deponent with the rest of the crew of the boat then returned to Forked River in the same month of April - when this deponent and the other members of Captain Samuel Brown's Company who volunteered to complete the crew of Captain Studson's boat, returned to the performance of their duties in the said company. at this time the boat which the said Samuel Brown had commenced building on Forked River - as herein before stated - was nearly completed. She was called "The Civil Usage" and was launched some time in the month of May in the year last named. She was armed with one long six pounder, for swivels and two small pieces and muskets for each of the crew. The said Captain Samuel Brown took command of the said boat, and this deponent and the other members of the said company entered on board the said boat under the command of the said Captain Brown, and constituted the larger parts of the crew, the whole crew consisting of from thirty six to forty men. The duty assigned to the said gun boat, after she was so armed, equipped and manned, was to guard Barnegat bay and inlet, and prevent as far as practicable aggressions of the enemy through these sources. The crew drew their rations from John Richardson who acted as commissary under the authority of the
Page 29

State of New Jersey, and was stationed at Toms river Asher Holmes, stationed at Middletown in the said County of Monmouth, acted under the same authority, as paymaster. Shortly after the said gun boat was so armed, equipped and manned, and during the early part of the summer of the year seventeen hundred and seventy seven, while cruising in the said gun boat off Barnegat Inlet, we captured a British brig from the West Indies bound to New York, loaded with rum, sugar, molasses and limes, and carried her into Toms river. We continued to cruise in the said gun boat on the same station until the fall of the same year, and a little while before the severely cold weather set in, we run the said gun boat up Oyster Creek into a cedar swamp, and placed her in the best situation we could select in the said creek, to protect her through the winter from the attacks of the tories and refugees, who had at that time collected in considerable bodies in the vicinity, and laid concealed in different parts of the cedar swamp and pine forests between the bay shore and the cultivated and inhabited parts of the interior. During the following winter the crew of the said boat, this deponent among the rest, kept such watch as they could to guard the said boat, themselves, and the property of the whigs in the neighbourhood generally from the depredations of the enemy. Sometimes passing their nights in houses, and sometimes in the adjoining woods and swamps. In the following Spring in the year seventeen hundred and seventy eight, Captain Samuel Brown with the whole of his company except about twelve
Page 30

(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

left that station and marched to join General Morgan, who commanded a regiment of riflemen in the Continental Army, under General Washington. General Morgan being at the time stationed somewhere in the State of Pennsylvania - The twelve members of the company who were left behind, and of whom this deponent was one, remained under the command of William Holmes, Ensign of the Company, having the said gun boat in charge, and being constrained generally to act according to their best judgment in guarding  [illegible] as they had power, the persons + property of the whigs from the depredations of the enemy. We remained at that station, and the said gun boatd stationed in Oyster Creek, where we had placed her for safety, until after the battle of Monmouth. After the battle of Monmouth, Captain Samuel Brown returned, and again manned and took the command of the said gun boat, and during the same summer whilst on a cruise, succeeded in capturing a boat of the enemy, engaged in trading with loyalists resident at a village then called Clam Town (now Tuckerton) in the Township of Little Egg Harbour in the said county of Burlington during the following winter Captain Brown and his company occupied their station at Forked River, where the said gunboat laid during that Winter. In the following Spring in the year Seventeen hundred and seventy nine, Captain Brown and his said company again manned and resumed cruising in the said gun-boat and to the Southward of Barnegat descried en
Page 31

gaged, and captured, a gun-boat belonging to the refugees, under the command, according to this deponents present recollection, of a Captain Whiley, armed with four swivels and a wale piece, and with a crew of from twenty five to thirty men. After the capture of the refugee gunboat, we continued to cruise for some time when some time in the latter part of June or the beginning of July of the same year, having discovered that our gun-boat required repair, we run her into harbour at Toms river for that purpose - being about twelve mile from Captain Brown's house where his wife and family were. While the boat was repairing Captain Brown and this deponent paid a visit to their family leaving the rest of the company with the boat. We arrived at home a little while before dark and slept there. The next morning as the sun was rising, we were alarmed by the dog barking fiercely, and immediately running to the window, this deponent saw a large number of men, whom he supposed to be refugees engaged in fording a creek about thirty paces from the house - This deponent immediately informed his father Captain Brown of what he saw - and he and this deponent, feeling their danger immediately left the house, + with all the speed they had, made for the woods. They were under the necessity in making their escape to pass thro' a cleared level field of thirty acres, and no obstruction intervened between this field
Page 32

(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

and the position occupied by the refugees but a slight fence - Captain Brown and this deponent left the house with no other garments than their shirts, and though fired at by the whole [illegible] of the refugees were so fortunate as to reach their gun-boat at Toms river unhurt. When we reached our boat, we learnt that the refugees who had attacked us were bodies of men under two refugee captains, known as Captain Davenport and Captain Roch who were supposed to have come up the bay in two boats from Clamtown and information was brought to us that they designed to pass out to sea through Barnegat Inlet and go to New York. Their number was estimated at one-hundred and sixty men. The repairs of our boat being then completed, we immediately put to sea to watch them, and if possible to attack and capture them - Captain Andrew Brown, and Captain Joshua Studson being then at Toms River and each in command of an armed boat, and tendering us their aid. We stationed our boats between Cranberry Inlet and Sandy Hook, + there watched for the refugee boats but we watched in vain. The refugees, a few days after their attack upon Captain Brown and this deponent, taking advantage of our absence, and having probably learnt the position of our boats, and that it would be dangerous for them to attempt to reach New York- returned to Forked River and finding Captain Brown's house without other guard than his wife and younger children, they robbed it of everything of value that it contained, forced his wife and children to leave it and then burnt the house, farm, shop and other outbuild
Page 33

dings to ashes - and at the same time they burnt a valuable Schooner belonging to Captain Brown of forty or fifty tons burthen, then lying in Forked River. After this occurrence, we continued to cruise in our gunboat on the same station till the fall of the same year - when this deponent accompanied his father, the said Captain Brown to Woodbridge in the County of Middlesex to which place he removed his family and took up his residence leaving the remainder of his said company in charge of the said gunboat. We remained at Woodbridge during the following winter, this deponent keeping guard occasionally during that time at the mouth of Raritan River, under the command of William Ross, a Captain of the New Jersey militia. During the same fall that Captain Brown removed to Woodbridge Doctor Aaron Swain, under direction of Samual Brown took command of the said gunboat, "The Civil Usage" + took her round to {illegible] Ferry, above Amboy in the Raritan river, where she remained during the following winter. In the following spring in the year seventeen hundred and eighty, and as this deponent now thinks, in the month of March of that year the said Doctor Aaron Swain entered on board the said Gunboat "The Civil Usage" as captain, and this deponent, as lieutenant by virtue of Commissions under the authority of the State of New Jersey, handed to them by General
Page 34

(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

Heard of the New Jersey Militia - and from the period in which this deponent so received his commission as lieutenant until the close of the revolutionary war, this deponent served on board the said gun-boat "The Civil Usage" as her lieutenant, and was the chief in command of the said gun-boat for more than half that period - Captain Swain being frequently absent from his command and for periods of a considerable length of time. The boat was employed from the time this deponent had become her lieutenant until the spring of the year seventeen hundred and eighty one in cruising along the coast from Raritan river to Shrewsbury River, as a check upon the refugees, and traders with the enemy. Captain Samuel Brown continuing to act during that period as adviser to the officers and crew of the said gunboat, and in part directing her proceedings. In the fall of the year seventeen hundred and eighty, a considerable body of refugees and tories  being located at Clam Town in the Township of Little Egg Harbour before mentioned, parties of them were dispatched from thence to penetrate into + commit depredations in the cultivated parts of the Counties Burlington and of Monmouth. By these marauding parties, Clayton Newbold, John Black, + Caleb Shreve, of the County of Burlington and John Holmes of the County of Monmouth were robbed
Page 35

of large quantities of silver plate, money clothing and other articles, and of a number of negroes - The marauders took their booty to Clam Town, and put the same on board a lumber sloop lying there under the control of the refugees, to be transported to New York as soon as the navigation should open in the Spring. Captain Swain the captain of the said gunboat being in the interior of the County of Burlington at the time these robberies were committed and by that means becoming informed of the same conceived the idea of intercepting the booty in its passage to New York. He reformed his crew + ordered his gun-boat to Shrewsbury Inlet to watch the motions of the enemy. Early in the Spring following in the year seventeen hundred and eighty one, we proceeded to Barnegat Inlet and on our way we fell in with and captured the Schooner containing the booty which had been taken by the refugees in the previous fall as before set forth, and had the satisfaction of restoring the same to its owners. Immediately after the capture of the Schooner, we fell in with a Captain Gray from Rhode Island, commanding an American Privateer - With him we concocted the plan of dispersing the refugees established at Clam Town. It was agreed that he should approach Clam Town from the sea through Egg Harbour Inlet and decoy them out to sea in the boats - and that we should approach the same inlet thro'
Page 36

(Signatures along left border: Thos. Swaim, Matthew McHenry, Jno Langelere)

the bay, keeping ourselves concealed, and in case he should succeed in decoying them out, we were to follow and support him in the engagement, placing the enemy between two fires. Captain Gray accordingly approached within sight - with covered guns - putting about as soon as he perceived he was observed by the enemy affecting to fly with all the sail he could make. The ruse succeeded - the Refugees pursued in their Galley commanded by Captain Davenport, when they were out at sea, Captain Gray hove about + stood for them - the vessels engaged Captain Davenport and eight or nine of his men were killed by the first broadside from the privateer, when the galley of the refugees struck and was immediately taken possession of by Captain Gray and sunk. The survivors of this galley, crew were received on board the privateer + from there sent to the Gaol of Burlington Count. After this defeat, the refugees and tories broke up their establishment at Clam Town, and we returned with our gunboat to the Raritan River. In the same year we were joined by Captain John Story commander of another gunboat - and in a thick fog in the fall of that year, the two gunboat Captain Story's + "The Civil Usage" boarded and captured the British guard galley that lay in Prince's bay + sent her into New Brunswick. After this
Page 37

occurrence we continued with our boat on the same station, in service until peace was proclaimed. This deponent cannot state the precise date or exact tenor of the commission under which he acted as lieutenant of the said gunboat - in the vicissitudes of his after life he was so unfortunate as to lose it. He is however confident he received it from General Heard in the year he has before stated, considered it as emanating from the state of New Jersey, and continued under its authority, to act as lieutenant of the gunboat "The Civil Usage" until the declaration of peace. He never received any discharge from the service. This deponent further saith that he doth not know of any living person whose testimony he can procure, and who can testify to his knowledge of this deponent services - that when he first heard the rumour that the law under which this application is made was about to pass, he performed a journey on boat into the counties of Monmouth, Middlesex, + Sussex in the state of New Jersey, + into the county of Bucks in the state of Pennsylvania in hopes to find still alive some of the persons who had served with him during the revolution, + who could testify, from actual knowledge to this deponent's services - but found that none of those to whom he had intended to apply, remained alive - that with the same object in view this deponent procured the annexed deposition of Sarah Kent to be taken before Job. F. Randolph Esquire, before the said law passed - the said Sarah Kent being then about to leave the state of New Jersey and go to reside in the Western country - that the said Sarah Kent did leave the State of New Jersey
Page 38

and go to the Western Country before the said Act became a law, and the deponent hath since been informed + verily believes to be true that the said Sarah Kent hath died since she left the state of New Jersey, so that this deponent cannot produce her before this court. After the close of the revolutionary war this deponent resided for some years at the village of Manahawkin in the Township of Stafford in the County of Monmouth. From there this deponent removed to New Egypt in the Township of Upper Freehold in the said County of Monmouth, + after residing there some years removed to the Township of Chesterfield in the County of Burlington- where he continued to reside for some time + then returned to New Egypt + continued to reside there till a few months past, when he went to the Borough of Bordentown where he now resides. There is but one clergyman near whom this deponent has resided, and upon whom he could call to certify in his behalf, The Reveran William Foulles. He's now far distant [illegible] the county of Burlington, + it has not been in the power of this deponent to procure his attendance before this court. Uriah Bennet, Jarvis Hazelton, Samuel Moore + Silas A. Crane, whose names are subscribed to the annexed affirmation + certificate are some of the persons in his neighborhood where deponent formerly resided who can testify to this deponent's character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. This deponent hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension
Page 39

Uriah Bennet aged sixty four years, Jarvis Hazelton of the age of fifty six years, Samuel Moore of the age of thirty six years and Silas A Crane of the age of twenty five years, all of the village of Manahawkin in the Township of Stafford and County of Monmouth, having severally alleged themselves to be conscientiously scrupulous of taking an oath and being respectively solemnly affirmed according to law do affirm and certify that they are well acquainted with Thomas Brown who has subscribed and sworn to the annexed declaration (contained on eight separate pieces of paper fastened together) that the said Thomas Brown bears a good character for veracity that it is the general reputation and belief in the neighbourhood where the said Thomas Brown resided during and for some years after the close of the revolutionary war that he was a soldier of the revolution + served during the war as a minute man and as lieutenant of the gunboat "The Civil Usage." These affirmants have heard the said declaration read, and from their knowledge of the said Thomas Brown, and the tradition, reputation + belief in the neighbourhood where they reside they believe the facts set forth in the said declaration as to the revolutionary services of the said Thomas Brown to be truly stated and they believe the said Thomas Brown to be of the age set forth in the said declaration. And these affirmants further say that they
Page 40

are well acquainted with Sarah Kent whose name is subscribed to the deposition hereunto annexed + sworn to before Job F. Randolph Esquire - that the said Sarah Kent was a woman of highly respectable character and her veracity unimpeachable - and that the said Sarah Kent left the State of New Jersey several months ago and went to the Westward.
Urian Bennett
Jarvis Hazelton
Samuel Moore
Silas A. Crane

Sworn to and subscribed in open court the day and year aforesaid before
Tho. Swaim
Matthew McHenry
Jno Langelere
Page 41

Monmouth County
State of NJersey Ss]

Personally appeared before me Job F. Randolph one of the justices of the peace in and for said county of Monmouth- Sarah Kent - wido of the late Phenies Kent on the 16th day of February 1832 and being duly sworn upon the holy evangalists (sic) of almighty God deposeth and sayeth that she the sayd deponent is personally acquainted with Thomas Brown and has been ever since the Commencement of the revolutionary war + that she the said deponent did live during the wore in the family of the said Thomas Brown's father. Deponent further sayeth that she knew the said Thomas Brown to serve in the defense of his country a soldier under Capt Samuel Brown alternately from the time the British took New York till the close of the war. Deponent sayeth that the sayed Thomas Brown was a sun (sic) of Capt. Samuel Brown and whilst they the sayed [illegible] Samuel Brown and Thomas Brown was out on gard (sic) or on post they had all theare (sic) property Burnt by fyre (sic) by the enemy theare (sic) hous (sic) and all the out buildings and a good schooner belonging to the Sayed Thomas Brown's father, weare (sic) all set on fyre and consumed by fyre from the Enemy and deponent sayeth that the sayed Thomas Brown escaped several times with great difficulty from the Enemy! further deponent sayeth not.
Sarah Kent

I do hereby certify the within to be the truth as stated by the within named deponent - given under my hand and seal the 16th day of February in the year of our Lord 1832.
Job Randolph, Esquire
Page 42

I, Daniel Ellis, Clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Monmouth in the sate of New Jersey do hereby certify that Job F. Randolph, whose name is subscribed to the within written deposition, is a justice of the peace in and for the county of Monmouth duly commissioned, qualified and sworn, and that full faith and credit are due to his acts as much.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office this sixteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
D.H. Ellis clk

The within is the deposition of Sarah Kent referred to in the annexed declaration of Thomas Brown, + affirmation of Uriah Bennett, Jarvis Hazelton, Samuel Moore + Silas A. Crane.

Tho Swaim
Matthew McHenry
Jno Langelere
Page 43

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Uriah Bennett, Jarvis Hazelton, Samuel Moore and Silas A. Crane, who have signed the preceding affirmation and certificate, are residents of the village of Manahawkin in the Township of Stafford, in the County of Monmouth in the state of New Jersey, and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Tho Swaim
Matthew McHenry
Jno Langelere

I, Samuel J. Read, clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Burlington int he State of New Jersey, do hereby certify that the aforegoing (written on eleven several pieces of paper fastened together, including the deposition of Sarah Kent and this paper) contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Thomas Brown for a pension -

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this twenty seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two - (The words "do hereby certify" interlined)
Sam J. Read
Page 44

State of New Jersey
Burlington County Ss}

On this eleventh day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared in open court before the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in + for the County of Burlington in the State of New Jersey, now setting at Mount Holly in said County (the same being a Court of record) Thomas Brown whose name is subscribed to the declaration hereunto annexed, contained on eight several pieces of paper attached together, who being duly sworn according to law upon his solemn oath saith that the said declaration was taken as aforesaid on eight several pieces or leaves of paper attached together, and in which is set forth a history of his services as a revolutionary soldier, contains the truth and is nothing but the truth - and this deponent further saith that the company of minute men mentioned in his said declaration, and in which this deponent served under the command of Captain Samuel Brown was raised and officered, as near as this deponent can recollect, in the middle of the month of August in the year of our lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, and that this deponent served as a private in the said company from that time until the month of March in the year of our Lord on thousand seven hundred and eighty, sometimes on land and sometimes on water as is in his said declaration set forth - and that from the month of March seventeen hundred and eighty until the close of the revolutionary war this deponent served as lieutenant of the gunboat in his said declaration mentioned and is the commission therein referred to - And this deponent further saith that by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively to a month, a week or a day as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection, he served not less that the periods mentioned below and in the following grades: for three years and seven months he serves as a private, and for two years and eight months he served as lieutenant of a gunboat under the commission in his declaration mentioned, + for such service he claims a pension, and that during the period of such service he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
Thos Brown

Sworn and subscribed in open Court the day and year aforesaid
Thom Swaim
Matthew McHenry
Richard Eayre} judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas of the County of Burlington

And the said Court Thomas Swaim, Matthew McHenry, + Richard Eayre, Esquires, [illegible] sitting as judges thereof before whom the said Court is this day held, do certify + again declare their opinion that the above named applicant
Page 45

was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states and the Court do further certify that the declaration hereunto annexed written on five several leaves or pieces of paper and made by the said Thomas Brown on the twenty seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two was again on this eleventh day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three. Sworn to in open court by the said Thomas Brown.
Tho Swaim
Matthew McHenry
Richard Eayre

I, Samuel J. Read, clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Burlington in the State of New Jersey, do hereby certify that the aforegoing (written on eleven several pieces of paper fastened together) contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Thomas Brown for a pension as well as the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the said application had on the twenty seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, as on the eleventh day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three. -

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this eleventh day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three - 
Sam J. Read, clk
Page 46

Return this to the war dept.


5.11.14.16


A. Brown Esq
Mount Holly
N. Jersey
Page 47

Brief objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Thomas Brown which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes.
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes.
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes.
V. *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? No.
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes
VII Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832. Yes
VIII. Has the court given their opinion? Yes
IX. Has the clerk given his certificate? Yes
X. In the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? Yes.

Brown, Thomas (N.J.) R1346
Page 48

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? No.

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? Yes.

XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?

XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? No.
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? Yes.
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? Yes.
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And if not, which of them is not so answered? Answers to each are embodied in the Declaration.

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
Quere V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: 
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peach, etc, A. B. who being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For ____ Year ___ Months, and ____ days, I served as a ____ For ____ months and ____ days, I served as a ____; and for such service I claim a pension.
Page 49

3
It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase, "about three or four months" is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration
of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the
applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper seal of office.
XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
Page 50

(Rejected stamped vertically along left border)

1346

P.O. Thomas Brown

Service:

Enlisted:
Discharged:
Application Filed:

Alleges: List of rejected claims printed in 1852, shows cause
Re-enlisted: of rejection as follows: "Not under proper military organization."

Attorney:
P.O. 

____ Recognized. ____Contract
Page 51

New JErsey 12,686
Rev
Act 7 June 1832
Thomas Brown

Suspended

Letter to
Hon. W.N. Shinn
H of Rep
11 Dec. 1833

Papers sent to Hon. W.N. Shinn, H.R. Mar 15 1834
Let Hon B.F. Deming May 19 54
Let Wm W. Foster, March 18/54
Page 52

New Jersey
Thomas Brown

defended (?)
let W.N. Shinn
21 March 1835

(upside down) Feb. 4

Let to Jas: N. Lawrence Nov. 25, 43(?)
Let to C. G. McChesney, April 20 43
copies of papers sent to C.J. McNulty clk H.R. Feb. 17, 1844
Page 53

Will the commissioner of Pensions be pleased to send to me the papers of Thomas Brown of New Jersey, an application for a Rev. Pension
Respy
C. Jno McNulty

10th Feby 1844
Page 54

C. G. McChesney
April 20 1843
Page 55

362/344
Pen Offc
Apl 20 '43

C is

The addl papers left by you in the case of Thomas Brown and the act of the Legislature of N.J. to which you refered, confirm the view taken of his service in my letter to Hon. W. N. Shinn of 21 March '35 herewith enclosed - The statement of claimant is conclusive of the character of his service under a neighborhood organization as well for capturing from Tories supplying the enemy + from the enemy; as for defending themselves from the depredations of both -

In the cases of Margaret Dey + Sarah Fisher I would refer to you to my letter of 4 [illegible] J. McChesney esqr of Cranbury.-

C.G. McChesney Esq
Sec of State
N.J.
Page 56

(Vertical along left margin)
25 Nov. 1848
Do Grump
Thomas Brown

Hon Commissioner of Resolution
Pension Office
Washington City
DC
Page 57

Imlaystown Nov. 19/42

Hon Commissioner of Rev Pensions office

Sir

Thomas Brown of this county applied to the department for a pension for his services in the Revolution, his papers were forwarded by the Hon. Wm N. Shinn while a representative from this state, since that that time he has not been able to learn any thing with regard to the matter in consequence of not knowing when to apply. Any information you may give on the subject will be thankfully received.
Yours Respectfully
Your most obdt set
Jas N. Lawrence

PS please direct Imlaystown New Jersey
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Receipts for the 2d years Interest paid on certificates given by the Commissioners in the Several counties for militia services.

(Table)
No. of Certificate: 1241
Signed by: Thomas Henderson
Date: May 1, 1784
Payable to: Thomas Brown (Not his father)
Amount L S D: 14.14.14
One yrs int: L. S. D.: .17.6

State of New Jersey
I, Charles G. McChesney, Secretary of State of the State of New Jersey do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true abstract from a Book headed as above, is taken from and compared with the original now remaining in my office. And I do further certify that Thomas Henderson Esq was by the fifth section of An Act passed by the Legislature of New Jersey Dec. 20 1783 entitled "An Act to procure an estimate of the Sums due to the militia and troops who have been raised for the defense of the frontier of the State and to provide for the Settlement of the Same" appointed a commissioner for the County of Monmouth for the purpose of settling and adjusting the payrolls of the militia and troops of this State as aforesaid and also for signing and delivering out to each + every person a note for the payment of what may be justly due.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office at Trenton in said State this eight day of April one thousand eight hundred and forty three.

Charles G. McChesney, Sec. of State
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239
Pen. Offc
Nov. 25: 42

Sir

In answer to your enquiry respecting the case of Thomas Brown I refer you to the enclosed copy of my letter to Hon. W. N. Shinn 21 March '35 since which time no papers have been rec'd.

Jas N. Lawrence Esq
Imlaystown, New Jersey
Page 60

add'l Evidence in the case of Thos Brown
N.J. act. 1832

See laws of N.J. in relation to the boats for guarding the shore

C.G. McChesney
Page 61

State of New Jersey
Monmouth County Ss}

Be it known that on the Sixth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and forty three personally appeared before me one of the Justices of the peace in and for said County of Monmouth William Atcherson who appearing to be of sound mind and memory, who being duly sworn according to Law, doth depose and say that he the said deponent is at this time in his Eighty fifth year of age that he is well acquainted with Thomas Brown of the County of Monmouth and has been an acquaintance with him in the revolutionary war and since that time; at the beginning of his acquaintance not particularly recollected the British vessels was in the custom of frequenting our coast from Sandy Hook to Cape May and sending their small boats on shore and plundering the Inhabitants and taking their cattle, hogs and all kinds of provisions and there being many persons along said coast at the time who sided with the English and did assist them in the plundering and other depredations and it was thought expedient by those in command of the militia to build boats at the expense of the United States and man them in order to prevent the same. these boats was called Row Galleys - Reconniters or Row Boats [illegible] with men Each Knows Left. Thomas Brown was connected with said boats as guard boats in Toms River in the County aforesaid. Knows that Thomas Brown and Reuben Potter where (sic) called two of the Bravest men engaged in the Service he also knows it from the fact that he was at different times engaged with them. Recollects Captain Brown, the father of Thomas Brown and our Captain Huddy who commanded two of the said boats bringing a Brig loaded with Rum and Sugar belonging to the British which crew was in a state of Starvation and had sent their men on Shore for provisions and while so ashore took said Brig and Brought her in at Cranbury Inlet and this deponent was one of those men who assisted in towing her up from said inlet to Toms River; knows that Thomas Brown was one of the officers in one of the boats crews who rendered the service recollects that General Daria Firman took charge of said Brig + Cargo at Toms River - Recollects a great difficulty which took place Between General Firman and the militia and officers at Toms River concerning the said Brig and Cargo at this time I was first apprised that the Boats belonged to us was the property of
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the United States as General Firman made that fact they would surrender their Claim to the said Brig and Cargo - also recollects Thomas Brown telling him Shortly after said war that he was one of those assisted in dislodging of the refugees at what is called Tuckers Beach at Little Egg Harbour when Captain Davenport, one of the heads of the Refugees, was killed; also was in company with Thomas Brown in many of the Excursions of a like nature but owing to his age not so impressed on in his mind as to give a minute detail of the same but remembers that General Firman ordered two of said boats to a place called the Gut at Highlands of Neversink (sic) in order to prevent Horses, Cattle, Hogs and other property from being plundered and taken from the Neighbourhoods. 
21 - 23? lines raced out
William X Atcherson
his mark

I William D. Oliphant one of the Justices of the peace as aforesaid do hereby certify that I have known William Atcherson for about two yaers last past and as for truth and veracity he stands equal to any man of my acquaintance.
Wm D Oliphant.
Page 63

State of New Jersey
I, Charles G. McChesney, Secretary of State of the State of New Jersey, do hereby certify that William D. Oliphant Esquire, before whom the within affidavit was taken, was, at the time of the doing thereof, a Justice of the peace in and for the county of Monmouth in said state, duly appointed, commissioned, and sworn; that full faith and credit are to be given to his official attestations, and that the signature thereto is in the proper handwriing of the said William D. Oliphant.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed my seal of office, at Trenton, in said state, this Seventh day of April A.D. one thousand eight hundred and forty three.
Charles G. McChesney
Sec'y of State
Page 64

State of New Jersey
I, Charles G. McChesney, Secretary of State of the State of New Jersey, do hereby certify that William D. Oliphant Esquire, before whom the within affidavit was taken, was, at the time of the doing thereof, a Justice of the peace in and for the county of Monmouth in said state, duly appointed, commissioned, and sworn; that full faith and credit are to be given to his official attestations, and that the signature thereto is in the proper handwriing of the said William D. Oliphant.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed my seal of office, at Trenton, in said state, this Seventh day of April A.D. one thousand eight hundred and forty three.
Charles G. McChesney
Sec'y of State
Page 65

Mt. Holly N.J.
Jan 28

Free

Honorable William N. Shinn
Member of Congress from New Jersey - now at Washington City

(Written vertically along left border)
[illegible] of Records
Letter Rec'd
Jany 31-

The [illegible] of their letter appears to have [illegible] the [illegible]
Page 66

Dr Sir -

I understand Thos Brown has made application for a Pension under the late Act of Congress - I have no personal knowledge of the services rendered by him in the war of the Revolution. I was well acquainted with his family and connections - and have always heard it said they were good Whigs - Dr. Brown, the Father of Thomas, resided on the shore + was considered an active + unified Man in the war - Some years ago I was in Conversation with Thos Bud at my forge- He told me that Thos. Brown was a very active man in the Revolutionary War - both in the militia + in the gun boats as guard [illegible] - That he had been with him on several tours in the militia + Boats - and I have understood general in the Neighbourhood that Brown was very active + [illegible] considerable service in the cause of his country - Bud is now dead + Thos Brown has requested need to State to you what I heard him say as also to impress my opinion as to his right to a pension - from what I have always heard I am of opinion that he has rendered service in
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the militia + in the Boats + [illegible] I have no reason to doubt the truth of his declaration on Oath + that he is entitled under this law to his Pension -

I am your Obed Servt
Saml Read
27th January 1835

Wm. N. Shinn Esq.
Page 68

case

Allowaystown, March 12, 1854
Mr. L. P. Waldo Esq, Commissioner of Pensions

Sir will you favour me with the information respecting a claim for pension by the heirs of Thomas Brown and if there was any thing obtained from Elfonson L. Eakins on their be half as we employed him 2 years ago to attend to it for us and we cannot obtain any satisfaction from him about it. if he has not done any thing in the business, we wish to employ some one else for us.

Yours respectfully, Wm W. Foster
Allowaystown Salem County, N. Jer
Page 69

The National Archives
For VAM-51
12-5-41

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*

Division of Veterans Administration Archives

NAME: Brown, Thomas
Grade: Private
Line: North Carolina

WARRANT Number: 11964 
ACREAGE: 100
Issued April 26, 1798 to Street Ashford, assignee

*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in the National Archives.