Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1,597, James Calef, N. H.
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(3-1776) SERVICE N.H. Calef, James NUMBER R.1597 CONTENTS
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no
James Calef
New York
Jun 7, 1832
3.3.Calef
N.York
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the use of the Army
Subscribed and sworn to
this 21st day of August
A.D. 1854. Before me
his my hand and
Notarial seal
Zechariah Z Calef
[Signature] A H Rodgers
Notary
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I have heard my Father late Col. James Calef make
the following statements viz that he was a
Sutler at Fort Ticonderoga in the Revolutionary war
I think it was for Col. Longs Regiment US A.
he was at Ticonderoga when a council of war was held
in the dead of the night, and the whole of the American forces evacuated the place in the morning
from
the alarm of the near approach of the British
Also he was at Mount Independence
He stated that he furnished two Regiments with bread
also. I believe the government provided the
flour and he contracted to furnish the bread for
two Regiments at both the above places I suppose,
and I think he stated he was a Sutler also at both of
said place viz Ticonderoga. & Mount Independence
also when he has been at home at Dover N.H. & has
seen the Recruits going to join the American Revolutionary Army of the US. he he cheerfully gave
refreshments of victuals and drink to officers & men
a whole company at a time wholly at his own expence

At one period of the American Revolution
he became contractor for the timber for the repairs
of the French Fort: fulfilled his contract to the
letter, and delivered the timber at Portsmouth
. to the satisfaction of the officers of the said
French Fleet
Sometimes in going from Dover N. to get to the
American army after crossing the Connecticut
river he would have to cut and make a road for
his teams for a mile and a half two miles in place
in that Wilderness County but he crossed the Green
Mountains and got over the whole way safe to the 
American army with his goods which were for
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Aug 21. 1854
33 Calef
Rel at of his 
Letter to [illegible]
A Sept 2/54
Pensions
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New York August 21 1854
Sir I pray you would excuse me writing this line
to you I know it is out of the ordinary course
but I beg you would pardon me as I do believe
that this is an extraordinary affair which I will
state as briefly as I can my Father late Col James
Calef of Dover
I was a constant and faithful
friend to the American cause of from all
through the Revolutionary war  
I have heard him state that he was at Ticonderoga as a Sutler I believe for Col. Longs Regiment
he was there when in the dead of the night 
Council of was held, and in the morning
the whole of the American forces evacuated the
Fort and place altogether and crossed Lake Champlain in Batteaus towards Skenesboro now Whitehall, the cause of the was the approach of the
British he was also at Mount Independance
he was contractor to furnish two Regiments
with bread I think the government furnish
and the flour
I have heard him state at one time he left over
with one or more teams he had twelve oxen they
went on till they come to unity and so on to the
Connecticut river they forded the river and went
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on sometimes they had to make a road for the
teams for a mile and a half or more
but
he went through the Green Mountains
and arrived to the American army in safety
Sometimes when he has been at home at Dover
N H. in the time of the Revolutionary, and new
Recruits were going on to the said he
would offer the officers refreshments which
they accepted, and he would refresh with
victuals and drink a whole company at a time
wholly at his own expense cheerfully
He was contractor for the timber for the repairs
of the french fleet at one time in the revolution
any war which he fulfilled to the letter and
delivered the timber at Portsmouth NH. to the
acceptance, and satisfaction of the officers of
the said French flat
Dear
Sir, I beg your patience only one moment. I know
you the President of this great people, but I hope
you will excuse me as I was born in Newhampshire
your own state. while I say my father was once
wealthy but was a merchant lost vessels lost all
his lands or sold them, one of his last losses was his house
was burned and I had one brother burnt to death
in it  He never received a dollar from the
American government had nothing for his children and died poor, and if any thing could
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be done for his services in the Revolutionary war
it would be received with gratitude
I have sent my affidavit to Mr Davis Secretary
of War but I felt it my duty to address a line
to you and I do humbly pray that you would
countenance this matter, that a thorough search
may be made in rolls and documents connected with the Revolutionary war, and see if my
Father James Calef name is there as sutler and
Contractor for bread for two Regiments at Ticonderoga and Mount Independance as I have
stated above, one or both places, I suppose both places
I humbly pray the matter may be investigated
and with your countenancing the matter-- only as far
as Justice requires
while live
I shall be grateful indeed
Your obedient and
very humble Servant
[Signature] Zechariah T. Calef
To
Franklin Pearce
President of the United States
Washington
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Rev. War Section.
October 7, 1913.

Mrs Alice H. MacLellan,
108 Park Street.
Bridgeport, Conn.
Madam:

In response to your letter dated the 30"" ultimo and
received the 3d instant, you are advised that on August 21,
1854, Zachariah Z. Cale of New York City, applied for pension
on account of the Revolutionary War service of his father James Calef when  he stated was a sutler and contractor at Ticonderoga
and Mt. Independence for two regiments, and also furnished
timber to repair the French Fleet. The claim was not
allowed as the services were not military, being of a civil
character and rendered under contract.
The Revolutionary War records of this Bureau fail to
afford any information in regard to William Calef described
by you.
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.
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1597
James Cater
ervice:
listed:
charged:
plication filed:
leges:
enlisted:
torney:
O.
[stamp] REJECTED
Recognized.
Cert. of Dis. Searched for
18
18
18
Contract.
18
1913 Oct 7. Hist to Miss Alice
H. Mac Lellan, M.B.H.
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no
James Calef dcd
New York
Let 3.3. Calef Sept 2/54
I am Sept 16/54
1592
June 7. 1882
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Zach. Z. Calef
New York 9' Sept 1856
Relating to the spelling of his name.
Respectfully referred to the Dept of the Interior.
War Dept
Sept 12/54
Respectfully referred to the Comm of Pensions Dept Int Sept 14/54
Revolutionary
[illegible]
Am. Sept 16/54.
Cole
charge to col Nils
Aug 30-54
P N Schette
13 Sept 1854
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New York September 9th 1854
Dear
Sir please excuse me for this line
my letter was dated 21st August and I have
this morning an answer from the Interior
Department, and I discovered a mistake
the spelling of the name instead of Calef
it was spelt calf, my father Late Col James
Calef always spelt his name Calef and so
do I. I had an uncle Commander of a company in the regular army through the revolutionary war, and was afterward chief clerk
of the Genl Assembly for the State of NH
he always wrote his name Calfe but his
son wrote it as we do Calef
I did not know but it might be necessary
to mention this that it might be perfectly
understood
pray excuse me
Honorable
[Signature] Jefferson Davis Your obedient
and very humble
Secretary of War Servant
[Signature] Zechariah J Calef
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Zachariah Z Calef
New York NY
August 20 1852

Enclosing affidavit as to services of his father James Calef in the War of the Revolution
no papers
Respectfully [illegible] 
Cole
Recd Aug 25/54
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no papers
Respectfully referred to the Dept of the Interior
War Dept
Aug 24/54

Augt 25/57 Aug
Pritchett
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New York August 21st 1854
To the Honourable Jefferson Davis Secretary
of war
Sir I herewith enclose to you my affadavit on the subject of my Fathers services in
the time of the Revolutionary war, and
I should feel extremly grateful if would grant
a search to be made in the records of that
portion of Revolutionary army connected with
Fort Ticonderoga and also mount Independence
in time of the Revolutionary War and if my
Father James Calefs name is there as Sutler of
Col. Longs Regiment and also as contractor
furnishing bread for two Regiment USA
as mentioned in my affadavit if you will
confer this favor on me and when
Covenient please send me a line to New York
please state the merits of this matter and
if proof is necessary what proof it must be

Your obedient
Humble Servant
[Signature] Zechariah Z Calef

Honble
Jefferson Davis Secry War
Washington DC
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Pension Office
September 2 1854
 
Sir
Your letter of the 2d at to the President
has been referred to this Office, and you are informed that the Pension Laws make
no provision for Sutlers and Contractor who
were imployed during the Revolutionary War
Their employment was solely of a Civil character,
and under contract - Whereas, the Pension Land
embrace those Officers and soldiers only who were in
actual service in Field or garrison, and subject to the
[illegible] Martial, there is, therefore, no law in existence
under which your father, James Calef, was
entitled to a pension, or other gratuity, at
his death
Zachariah Z Calef Esq
New York

Respectfully,
Your
Servant
 S. Cole. Pen Com
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Sept 30th 1913
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.

[Stamp] U.S.PENSION OFFICE D OCT 3 1913

Dear Sir
.
I have been recommended to
apply to you-- by the Adjutant
General. war Department, for
information in regard
to some Revolutionary records
In the History
of Merricack and
Belknap Co, New Hampshire on page
612 is
found the name of William Calef in
Capt. Ebenezer
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was proved in Kingston, N.H.
Dec. 15th
1784. In this will he mentions his daughter
Sarah Calef who married her first cousin James
Calef. This Sarah Calef was my great-great
grandmother
anything in regard to this
William Calef which you can tell the
will or appreciated -
Then question #2
deals with his son
in law and nephew James Calef commonly
called Colonel James Calef. He was born
in 1749.
he acted as a Commissory
officer and furnished bread for two
regiments of the army at fort Ticonderoga
he was sutler for Col. King regiment
at Fort Ticonderoga and also at Fort
Independence. at one time he started
from Dover, N.H. with 12 oxen and
Coster and carried provisions for
the army crossing
the country and
making his one road part of the way
through Vermont. He crossed the Green
Mountains in this journey
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Webster's company who fought at
the battle of Bennington
the War
Dept. give me his record as king
in this same company, Col. Nichols
regiment, General Whipple's brigade
in the expedition to Rhode Island
in August 1778
This last
we have in our family records
but we also have the record above
[illegible] from the history as
to his
being in the Battle of Bennington
Can you give me any data
He was born 1706. His date of death
I cannot give you-- but his will
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[U.S.PENSION OFFICE D OCT 3 1913

When the french fleet were
disabled by a storm he
Contractor
for the timber
repairs. which he delivered
at Portsmouth N.H. He
died in 1820 (I think that
is the right date) he was an
excise commissioner of the
State and a representative
in the legislature from Dore
about 1787. (This last is taken
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at these records for
papers in the D.A.R.
Very truly yours
(Miss) Alice H. Mac Lellan
105 Park Street
Bridgeport Conn

[stamp] U.S.PENSION OFFICE D OCT 3 1913
[stamp] U.S.PENSION OFFICE D OCT 3 1913
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from Volume 21. N. H. State papers
(page 64 I think)
Has your department any records
concerning him?
He was
the son of James Calef who
was in the French and Indian
war and was at Fort William
Henry information in case
give me will
greatly appreciated
Needless to say I am working

[Stamp] U.S.PENSION OFFICE D OCT 3 1913