Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 43859, for Gideon Pitts, Massachusetts
Page 1

SERVICE
Mass.

Pitts, Gideon

NUMBER
S.43859

CONTENTS
Page 2

[Handwritten text to left side of document]
Let to J. A. Brown
Feby 19th 1842
Died
Nov 15, 1826
656
New York
Gideon Pitts
Capt Arnold
1
Massachusetts Line ┃
In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary Wa
Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the rate of 8- Dollars per month, to commence
the 25th of April 1818-
Certificate of Pension issued the 22d of May 1818
and sent to the Pensioner care of
Joshua Forman, Judge, &c Onory
day Onondaga County N York
of
Arrearages to 4 Sep: 1818- $34.00
4 do 10 vs $3.6
{ Revolutionary claims,
Act 18th March, 1818,
Nine Months
Shepard
1779 -
Onondaga, Onondaga Co
to
Page 3

25

Gideon Pitts
Massachusetts

Correct 
DN
Admitted
[illegible]
Page 4

State of New-York-
Onondaga County,  ss :-
On this Twenty fifth day of April 1818, before me the subscriber, First
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, in and for the said county of Onondaga, personally appears
Gideon Pitts
aged sixty years, resident in the
town of Onadaga in the said county, who being by me first duly sworn, according
to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the provision
made by the late act of Congress, entitled ""An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the
land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war:"" That he the said Gideon Pitts
enlisted
in the month of June 1779 for
nine months- at [Whitfield ?]in
the state of
Massachusetts in the company commanded by Captain Arnold
Cpl Shepherds Regiment of the Massachusetts line that
he continued to serve in the said corps, or in the service of the United States until the
the third day of April 1780 when he was discharged from service in the Highlands
opposite that point in the state of New York that he was in the services of the United full Nine months from the
time he was mustered at that point, that he was
stationed most of the time in that [illegible] County [illegible]  but was not in any battle
and that he is in reduced circumstances, and stands in need of the assistance of his country for
support; and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services.
Sworn to and declared before me,
the day and year aforesaid.
[Signature] Gideon Pitts-
Joshua Foumber

I, Joshua Forman First Judge, &c. as aforesaid, do certify,
that it appears to my satisfaction that the said 
Gideon Pitts 
did serve in the Revolutionary War, as stated
in the preceding declaration, against the common enemy; And I now
transmit the proceedings and testimony taken and had before me, to
the Secretary for the Department of War, pursuant to the directions
of the aforementioned act of Congress, done at Onondaga
this twenty fifth day of April in the year [illegible] 
[signature] Joshua Forman
Print of 
SEAL OF
THE COURT
Page 5

State of New York 
Onandaga ss.
William F. Church of the town of [illegible]
in said County being duly from with that he was well
acquainted with Gideon Pitts during the late Revolutionary War
and will remembers that he entered in the
United States service for nine months as mentioned
by him in his declaration within written & has frequently
[illegible] his discharged now the service
[Signature] Wm H Church
Sworn before me this 25 day of April [illegible]
[Signature] Joshua Forman

[Handwritten text at bottom of document]
Correct
DN
Page 6

Gideon Pitts
[remainder of written text is illegible]
Page 7

State of New-York, ss:
Onondaga County
On the second day of September 1820, personally appeared in open 
court in the court of common pleas in and for the county of Onondaga, being a court of record proceeding
according to the course of the common law, with a jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount, and keeping
a record of their proceedings, Gideon Pitts, aged sixty three 
years, resident in Onadaga in said county, who, being first duly sworn according to law,
doth on his oath 
declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows: -- In the Massachusetts Regt
commanded by Colonel Shepherd was discharged
in the company of Capt. Arnold as will appear by one
discharge and affidavits on file at Washington City
on which is founded my certificate No 656.

and I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of
March, 1818; and that I have not since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner, disposed of my property,
or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it, as to bring myself within the provisions of an act
of Congress, entitled ""An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the
United States, in the Revolutionary War,” passed on the 18th day of March, 1818; and that I have not,
nor has any person in trust for me, any property or securities, contracts, or debts, due to me; nor have I
any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed.

[Handwritten text to left]
Land and property I have none
personal property as follows
4 chairs 1 table 2 pails $3.00
1 pot 2 Kettles, 1 Spider -$2,50
old and one boy James
frying pan 6 knives 6 forks 1.25
Title 12 years old sick
5 tea cups & Saucers  .18
5 hogs old & young worth $5.00
1 cow $12.00
$24.49
Debts due now five dollars, deter 1/2 mi away, and one other debt of twenty five dollars $25.00
Gideon Pitts

[Handwritten text to right]
I owe about forty dp;;ars
amd have a family of myself & wife 57 years old and on boy Samuel Pitts 12 years old sickly
[Signature] Gideon (his X mark) Pitts
Sworn in open court this 2 day of September 1820
J. C. Wattles Judge
Court of Common pleas

I, Truman Adams, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in
and for the county of Onondaga, do hereby certify that the foregoing oath
and the schedule
thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of the said court; and I do further certify, that it is
the opinion of the said court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedis
twenty four
dollars and forty per cents & owes fifty dollars
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court, on this
nineteenth day of September 1820
Truman Adams
Clerk of the court for the County of Onondaga.
Page 8

June 26, 1935
XXXXXXXXX

BA-J/EEL
Gideon Pitts-S.43859

Mr. Fred A. Church
509 6 " Street, S. E.
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:

Reference is made to your personal request of June 25, 1935,
for the Revolutionary War record of Gideon Pitts.

The data which follow are obtained from the papers on file in
Revolutionary War pension claim, S.43859, based upon the military
service in that war of Gideon Pitts.

The date and place of birth and the names of the parents of
Gideon Pitts are not shown.

Gideon Pitts enlisted at Westfield, Massachusetts, in June,
1779, served in Captain Arnold's Company, Colonel Shepherd's Massachusetts
Regiment and was discharged April 3, 1780, having served
nine months.

He was allowed pension on his application executed April 25,
1818, at which time he was aged sixty years and resided in Onondaga,
Onondaga County, New York.

In 1820, he stated that his family then residing with him consisted
of his wife, aged fifty-seven years, her name and date of
their marriage not stated, and one boy, Samuel Pitts, aged twelve
years. A brother, Phillip Pitts, is referred to

In 1818, one William H. Church, lived in Onondaga County, New York
.
The soldier died November 15, 1826, place not stated,

In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension and the
name and address of person paid in the case of the Revolutionary War
pensioner, Gideon Pitt (S.23854), you should address The Comptroller
General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this
city, and cite the following data:
Page 9

Gideon Pitts, Certificate No. 656, issued May 22, 1818, rate
$8 per month, commenced April 25, 1818, Act of March 18, 1818,
New York Agency.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant to the Administrator.
Page 10

Revy
43859
INVALID
---
File No. 43,859
Gideon Pitts
Priv Rev War
Act: 18 March 18
Index: -- Vol. 3, Page 394
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 11

Veterans Administrations     June 25, 1935
Washington, D.C. 
Please furnish Cert. War record of Gideon Pitts, 
S.43859

Fred A Church
209 Six St. S.E. 
Washington 
D.C.
Page 12

[text written to the left and sideways]
Feb 14 1842
N.Y.
Gideon Pitts

[Handwritten text written horizontally]
James L Edwards
Commr of Pensions
Washington City
D.C.
Page 13

Syracuse N.Y. Feby 91842-
Dr. Sir 
Gideon Pitts of this County
was a pensioner. I believe under the
act of 1832 - & did a year or
two ago-- perhaps longer-
I wish to know who were the
Witnesses that proved his services
I want record evidence there may
be at your office on that subject
Phillip Pitts was a Soldier & entered
the Army at the same time as his
brother Gideon above referred to
I served in company with him
four time, but he never had a pension
I wish to obtain what evidence you have [illegible] 
Phillips relatives inform me that
he entered [illegible] into the army
in Newfield Massachusetts
under a Captain Martin Smith
This also state that he & Gideon West
together-
If in accordance with your
Convenience to answer the above
questions soon you will much
oblige
Your Obt Sert
Edward A. Brown
To
James L. Edward
Comr of Pensions