Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 5808, for James Keeler, New York
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
New York

Keeler, James

NUMBER
R. 5808

CONTENTS
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33,769 
B.694
James Keeler 
New York 
20 Decr 76 in [Corpel?] 22 Jany 79
deserted 4 Sept. 80 

deserted
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State of New York 
County of St. Lawrence } ss:
On this third day of March 1837 personally appeared before John Fine Esquire First Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of St. Lawrence aforesaid, James Keeler resident of the township of Augusta, county of Granville, District of Johnstown in the Province of Upper Canada aged 79 years, 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. viz: 
That in the latter part of the winter of 1776 he enlisted as a volunteer, for the term of one year, in Captain Dentons Company, Colonel Richmore’s regiment of York troops, General McDugal commander. That at the time he enlisted he resided in the town of Goshen, county of Orange and State of New York. That soon after he enlisted the company was stationed in the city of New York, where he remained untill the city was taken possession of by the British under Lord Howe. That during the battel on the hights of Harlem his regiment was stationed in the rear of the main army, as a reserve to await orders; that orders came for the regiment to advance against the enemy but before they arrived the Brittish had retreated. That about two months after that battle while stationed at the White Plains he was taken sick and was conveyed to the hospital at the Fish Kills; that he remained in the Hospital about one month during which time his term of service expired and when he came out of the hospital the company had been dismissed and the soldiers had dispersed - some to their homes and others had enlisted again. 
That he immediately inlisted under Captain Stewart, for the term of three years, in the fifth regiment of York troops commanded
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First, by Colonel Dubois, and, after the resignation of Dubois, by Colonel Willet. That he was at the Fish kills at the time he enlisted under Stewart, which was about December 1776. & was soon after stationed at the Barracks where he remained until the following spring when he went to Fort Montgomery where he remained until the Fort was taken by the Brittish on the sixth day of October 1777. That at the storming of the fort about one half of the regiment in which he served, were either killed or taken prisoners. That after the battle the remainder of the regiment was dispersed but assembled again at Merderners [Mordener’s] Creek and marched thence to New Windsor in the same state of New York. That he remained in New Windsor during the winter of 1777, ’78, and was then marched down to the village of Pickskill, & joined the army of General Gates. That he was soon after marched, with a part of General Gates’ army, to the White Plains & remained there during the summer of 1778. In the fall of 1778 he with the rest of the Regiment, was taken up in sloops to Albany, and was stationed, in the Winter of 1778, ‘79, at Johnstown, Montgomery county. That in the spring of 1779 he again went to the White Plains and was there picked or drafted into a company of Light Infantry commanded by Capt. Johnson in which he served until the close of the campaign and was then returned to the company & Regiment which he left, at White Plains, & returned again to Albany & wintered in [Schoharie] In the ensuing Spring his regiment was marched, under General Sullivan, through the Indian country to Genesee castle and marched thence to Morristown in the state of New Jersey & there wintered with General Washington and in the spring of 1781 he went to Haverstraw where he was discharged & received a discharge from
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Colonel Willet which has since been lost. 
He further states that he has no documentary evidence, and that he now knows of no person, whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service. 
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declairs that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. 
He further declares that he was born on Phillips Pattent 25 miles back of the Fish kill in the State of New York on the fourth day of July 1758. and that there is a record of his age as his house in the township of Augusta, county of Granville, District of Johnstown, Province of Upper Canada. That he resided at the town of Goshen Orange County State of New York when he enlisted first. That after the Revolutionary War he returned to Goshen. From thence he moved to Cambridge Upper Canada, remained there 3 years & then moved to Arlington, county of Bennington State of Vermont and removed thence to the township of Augusta Upper Canada where he now resides. 
[signed] James Keeler
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
[signed] John Fine First Judge of St Lawrence Cy
I certify that I am satisfied from the appearance of the above deponent & from the testimony of Adam Millions who is well known to me of William Keeler also of the above deponent all of whom were examined by me under oath that the above deponent is unable to appear in court which sits at Canton 20 miles from here by
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reason of bodily infirmity 
[signed] John Fine First Judge of St Law Cy Ogdensburgh March 3 1837 

State of New York 
St. Lawrence County } ss:
Adam Millons of the town of Oswegatchie in the county and State aforesaid being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he is seventy one years old & has been well acquainted with James Keeler (the Revolutionary soldier who subscribed, in the presence of this deponent, the annexed declaration to obtain a pension) for the term of forty years last past. That this Deponent believes him to be seventy nine years of age. That he has been reputed, during that period of time, to have been a soldier of the Revolution & this deponent concurs in that opinion. 
That he is a man of good moral character of integrity & of undoubted truth & veracity 
[signed] Adam Millions X his mark
Sworn & subscribed before me this 3d day of March 1837 
by Adam Millons who is well known to me to be a witness of good character 
[signed] John Fine First Judge of St Law Cy

I, John Fine, First Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of St. Lawrence, do hereby declare my opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war De-  [Department]
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[Department] partment, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states
[signed] John Fine First Judge of St Law Cy March 5 1837

State of New York
St Lawrence County } ss  I do hereby certify that John Fine before whom the foregoing acknowledgment or affidavits purport to have been made was at the time of taking said affidavits the First Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of said County duly authorised to take the same and that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of the said First Judge and verily believe that the signature to the said affidavits &c purporting to be his are genuine 
In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said County the 11th day of March 1837 
[signed] Z. N. Ellis Dep Clerk

NB. The words "duly authorised to take the same” interlined by me in the above ctf. Z. N. Ellis
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V  Rejected
Ansd A. C. Brown
May 12 '37
5808
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[crossed out: Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.]

5808
P.O.  James Keeler
Service: 
Enlisted:  , 18  .
Discharged:  , 18  .
[stamp] REJECTED
Application filed:  , 18  .
Alleges: 
Re-enlisted: 
Attorney: 
P. O. 
Recognized.   Contract.
Cert. of Dis.   Searched for  , 18  .
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B694
8 May 1837
Pension office
N.Y.
Act 1832.

Hon. Joel R. Poinsett
Secretary of War
Washington D.C.
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Ogdensburgh 28th April 1837 – 
Hon. Joel R. Poinsett 
Secretary at War 
Dear Sir - Enclosed are the papers of James Keeler a Revolutionary soldier. I wish the same to be examined by the Department with as little delay as possable. 
I sent to your department, during the forepart of last winter, an application of one Ira Pitm [Pitman] for a pension, from which I have not receive[d an] answer. 
These old needy Soldiers of the Revolution are very anxious to know the fate of their applications. They are infirm & poor and, I have no doubt, are justly entitled to their pensions.
Yours Respectfully
[signed] A C Brown