Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 17,033, for Joseph Perkins, New York
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(3-1776) 

SERVICE 
New York

Perkins, Joseph 

NUMBER R.17.033

CONTENTS 
Soldier's son, James, also applies on account of his own services in the War of 1812 (See papers within)
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Invalid Pension Claim 
James Perkins 
[crossed out: Geo. W. Smith agent Boonville Oneida Co N.Y.]
Hon. O. B. Matteson  H. of R
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State of New York 
County of Oneida } SS. 
On the 7th day of May AD One thousand Eight Hundred & fifty six personally appeared before me [crossed out: James Perkins] a Justice of the Peace with and for the County & State aforesaid James Perkins, aged sixty nine years of age on the 6th day of August next a resident of the County of Oneida in the State aforesaid, who being duly sworn according to law declares that he is the identical James Perkins who enlisted in the service of the United States as a private in the company commanded by Asa B. Sizer in the war with Great Britain declared by the United States on the 18th day of June 1812 - that such company was a cavalry Company and declarant was honorably discharged from said service at Sacketts Harber the last of March or first of April in the year 1813. This declarant further says that while in the said service and in the line of his duty he received a fracture and dislocation of his shoulder blade, the particulars of which are as follows. the said fracture & dislocation occurred in consequence of declarant’s being thrown from his horse on the ice in Sacketts Harber Bay in the month of March 1813 under the following circumstances. On the evening previous to the said accident. Lieutenant Johnson had ordered this declarant to ride express to Cape Vincent early the succeeding morning - said Johnson being the acting Lieutenant of the said Company - This declarant accordingly prepared for an early start to execute this order and when proceeding to the usual watering place of declarants Company and immediately after having passed the stern of the Lady Madison on which was placed the morning gun, said gun was fired and in consequence thereof the horse of declarant reared and falling
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backward threw declarant upon the ice & upon fragments of ice which had been cut away from the sides of the said vessel and were then lying in the vicinity of said vessel, declarant was severely bruised on his shoulder (which is his right shoulder) and the same became greatly inflamed & swollen and immediately after such inflammation & swelling subsided declarant discovered that the shoulder blade of his said shoulder was fractured. declarant further says that from that time the said fracture & displacement of his said shoulder blade has been an almost constant source of pain, and from that time he has in a great degree been disabled so that he could not labor, and any over exertion improper or excessive for the said shoulder in its disabled condition, produces a severe aggravation of the pain therein 
Declarant further says that he is by occupation a carpenter and his circumstances in life have made it accessory for him to labor to the extent of his ability for the support of himself & family, that in the year 1814 he resided in the town of Boonville, County of Oneida, & State of New York, in the year 1815 & 1816 at Rochester (County of Genesee at that time, now County Monroe) state aforesaid and in the year 1817 this declarant returned to Boonville aforesaid where he continued to reside until the year 1851 when he settled in New Britain in the State of Connecticut, which place he left in the current year 1856 and returned to the said County of Oneida –
Declarant further says that in the year 1814 his occupation in the town of Boonville was attending bar on the tavern of his Mother-in law - in the years 1815 & 1816 he worked at the Carpenters trade in Rochester aforesaid, that after his return to Boonville in the year 1817 he worked at his trade of carpenter so far as his disabled con- [condition]
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[con]dition would allow, and so continued during his residence in Boonville aforesaid to follow his trade as a carpenter up to the year 1851, and during about five years of his residence in New Britain in the State of Connecticut as aforesaid he supported himself & family by keeping a boarding House.
Declarant further says that immediately on resuming the exercise of his trade after the war as aforesaid his said shoulder gave him great trouble & subjected him to much suffering whenever he attempted labor, that he was frequently compelled to lay aside his tools & abandon his work on account of the severity of the pain caused by such exertion with his said shoulder, that he was especially unfitted for having timber of which he could do little, and was almost entirely disabled from turning an auger, and that the said disability in his right shoulder so caused as aforesaid has continued from the time of the said accident without any permanent relief up to this time, and the same has given him more or less pain during nearly the whole of the said period - Declarant further says that at times after excessive exertion, his said disabled right shoulder has been so lame & painful that he has been unable to put on or take off his coat and that his said shoulder has been frequently swollen & inflamed, and would sometimes months together remain in that condition and one summer declarant was obliged to & did carry his arm in a sling the most part of the whole season in consequence of one of the recurring aggravations of inflammation & pain to which his shoulder was subject 
Declarant further says that after leaving the service he advised with Luther Guiteau M.D. in regard to his said injury (which physician is now de- [deceased]
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[de]ceased) and the said Do Guiteau gave it as his opinion that the displacement was of such a nature that it could not be remedied, and that the most that could be done would be to mitigate the pain reduce the inflammation and all the phisicians & surgeons consulted by declarant in regard to the said difficulty in his said shoulder, have pronounced the same a permanent & incurable injury. 
Declarant further states that the reason why he has not before applied for a pension as an invalid is that until within one & a half or two years he was under the impression and belief that such pension could not be obtained for any injuries unless occasioned by firearms, or some weapon of war, or unless in actual conflict with the enemy, but from information lately obtained, & from the facts attending his injury & its nature, he verily believes he is entitled to be placed upon the role of invalid pensioners. 
Declarant further says that the names of the lieutenants in said Captain Sizer's company were Johnson 2nd Lieutenant, & Love 1st Lieut; Christian names not remembered. 
Declarant further says that under the act of 1850 he received a Bounty Land Warrant for 40 acres of land No. 63.390 and another for 120 acres under the act of March 3d 1855 number not recollected. 

[the following text was crossed out]
James Perkins
State of New York 
County of Oneida
Personally appeared Isaac Guiwits and John Cross residents of the town of Boonville County & State aforesaid aged respectively 60 and 55 years
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Declarant further says that he is not able to obtain the certificate of his captain or other commissioned officer under whom he served because of the death of such officers that after the most diligent inquiry & search he is not able to find either of the said officers and all of them are reputed in the places of their last residence to be dead and this declarant verily believes them to be dead, declarant further says that he never obtained any Surgeon’s certificate of disability 
Declarant further says that the last residence of said Captain Sizer so far as declarant could learn was Madison, in the County of Madison, New York State and the common report there was & is that said Sizer is dead.-  the last residence in New York State of Lieutenant Love was also in Madison aforesaid, where the common report is that he had removed to the City of Cincinati in the state of Ohio & had there died, the last residence of Lieutenant Johnson in the State of New York was also Madison aforesaid & the common report there was that he had moved west & had died. And this declarant after spending much time has not been able to obtain any further or other trace of the officers of the said Company in which he served as aforesaid.
[signed] James Perkins

State of New York 
County of Oneida }
Personally appeared before me Isaac Guiwits & John Cross residents of the town of Boonville County of Oneida, state aforesaid aged respectively 60 & 55 years of age & whom I certify to be
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respectable persons entitled to credit & who being by me duly sworn say they were present & saw James Perkins sign his name to the foregoing declaration & they further swear that they have every reason to believe & do believe from the appearance of the applicant & their acquaintance with him that he is the identical person he represents himself to be & that they reside in the town of Boonville aforesaid 
[signed] Isaac Guiwits  John Cross 
The foregoing declaration & affidavits were subscribed & sworn to before me on the day & year first above written and I certify that I know the affiants to be Credible persons and respectable persons, that the claimant is the person he represents himself to be & that I have no interest in this claim.
[signed] Geo. Wheelock Justice of the Peace
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State of New York 
County of Oneida }
On this 7th day of May AD one thousand Eight Hundred & fifty six personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in & for the County & State aforesaid Ebenezer Wheeler aged Eighty five, a resident of the town of Boonville in the county & state aforesaid who being duly sworn according to law says that he served in the war declared by the United States against Great Britain June 18th 1812 and commanded a company as Captain in said war in the United States service, that he knew that James Perkins was a private in the company of Cavalry commanded by Asa B. Sizer at Sackets Harbor & saw said Perkins at Point Peninsula near Sacketts Harbor in said service as a member of said Sizers Company 
Deponent further says that in the year (1820) one thousand Eight Hundred & twenty, he knew the said James Perkins in the town of Boonville aforesaid that he worked at his trade as a carpenter for deponent on a sawmill & dam, that during his labor said Perkins complained of the pain & disability in his right shoulder & of its hindering him in his work, and at that time said Perkins stated that the difficulty in his said right shoulder was caused by his being thrown by his horse on the ice in the Bay of Sackets Harbor while in the service of the United States in the war with Great Britain in 1812, that the accident was caused by the rearing of his horse caused by the firing of the morning gun on board the Lady Madison, and when he was executing an order given him by the Lieutenant of his company substantially as the same is set forth in the declaration of the said Perkins made before George
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Wheelock Esq May 7. 1856. This deponent further says that the said Perkins several times previous to said Perkins working on deponents mill & dam, had related to him the same narration of facts & circumstances in relation to the said accident or cause of the difficulty experienced by him in his said shoulder, and never at any time gave any different account of the cause of the same and this deponent from his knowledge of the circumstances verily believes said statement of the said Perkins to be substantially true & correct. 
[signed] Ebenezer Wheeler 

The foregoing affidavit was subscribed to & sworn to before me on the day & year first above written and I certify that I know the affiant to be a credible person that he is the person he represents himself be, & that I have no interest in this claim.
[signed] Geo. Wheelock Justice of the Peace
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State of New York 
Oneida County } On this 8th day of May (1856) A.D One thousand Eight Hundred & fifty six personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in & for the County & State aforesaid Joseph Owens a resident of the town of Boonville County & state aforesaid who being duly sworn according to law says that he is sixty years of age and has known James Perkins who was reputed to have been a United States Soldier in the War of 1812 & to have served in Capt. Sizers Company of Cavalry, from the year 1814, that said Perkins in that year attended bar in the tavern of his mother in law in the said town of Boonville - that about the year 1821 said Perkins worked for this deponent as a Carpenter, that at said time his (Perkins) right shoulder troubled him in his labor & prevented his doing a full days work that said Perkins then explained that the cause of the difficulty in his shoulder as aforesaid was that he was thrown from his horse at Sacketts Harbor in the said war, while in the service of the United States as a private in said Company of Dragoons Commanded by one Captain Sizer, that the occasion of his being so thrown from his horse was that he was frightened by the firing of the alarm or morning gun at Sacketts Harbor which caused his said horse to rear & throw him upon the ice and that by reason of striking upon his shoulder the same had been lamed and dislocated & had continued lame & disabled from that time forward. Deponent further states that during the past forty two years he has frequently heard the said James Perkins relate the circumstances attending the laming & dislocation of his said right shoulder and that his narration of the same has always been substantially the
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same as is hereinbefore set forth. Deponent further says that during the said period of forty two years he has been well acquainted with the said James Perkins & knows that he has constantly suffered by means of the injury in his said shoulder, that the same has been from time to time greatly aggravated by any over work and exposure and has always greatly impaired his capacity to labor & been a source of constant discomfort & annoyance 
[signed] Joseph Owens
The foregoing affidavit was subscribed & sworn to before me on the day & year first above written and I certify that I know the affiant to be a credible person, that he is the person he represents himself be as to age & residence and in all respects & that I have no interest in this claim. 
[crossed out: Joseph Owens]
[signed] Geo. Wheelock Justice of the Peace
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State of New York 
County of Oneida } On the 8th day of May A.D. One thousand Eight Hundred & fifty six personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in & for the County & State aforesaid Nathan North, a resident of the town of Boonville in the County & State aforesaid who being duly sworn according to law says that he is a physician & surgeon in practice & he practiced that profession for the period of fifty three years, that he has known James Perkins who was & is reputed to have been in the United States service, as a dragoon in the last war with Great Britain, at Sacketts Harbor since the year 1817 and that from time to time during that period he has heard the said Perkins complain of an injury on his right shoulder and deponent knows from his acquainted with the said Perkins that said injury has been of long standing 
[signed] Nathan North
The foregoing affidavit was subscribed & sworn to before me on the day & year first above written and I certify that that I know the affiant to be a credible person, that he is the person he represents himself to be & that I have no interest in this claim and that the words “since the year 1817” were inserted before signing. 
[signed] Geo. Wheelock Justice of the Peace
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State of New York 
County of Oneida }  On this 8th day of May A.D. One thousand Eight Hundred & fifty six personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in & for the County & State aforesaid Hiram Hadley aged fifty six years of age a resident of the town of Boonville county & state aforesaid who being duly sworn according to law says that he is a practicing physician & surgeon and has followed that profession over thirty years duly licensed and authorized thereto by the Western College of Physicians & Surgeons of the State of New York, that he has known James Perkins for about five years, that about five years ago he became acquainted with the difficulty in the right shoulder of the said Perkins, that he has examined the same & finds that there is a displacement & fracture of the scapula, which must have been caused by some violent blow or concussion on the shoulder and that no union has been effected of the said fracture - that the said fracture & displacement produces a permanent disability & weakness in the said shoulder, reducing the power of the said shoulder as compared with the shoulder in a state of health, one half, and that from all the appearances the said injury is undoubtedly of long standing. 
Deponent further says that when he treated the said shoulder some years since said Perkins stated that the injury to his shoulder was caused by being thrown by his horse on the ice at Sackets Harbor while he was in the service of the United States in the last war with Great Britain, & in the line of his duty in said service 
[signed] Hiram Hadley M.D.
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The foregoing affidavit was subscribed & sworn to before me on the day & year first above written and I certify that the affiant is a credible person, that he is the person he represents himself to be & that I have no interest in this claim 
[SIGNED] Geo. Wheelock Justice of the Peace 

State of New York, 
ONEIDA COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, } ss. 
I DO HEREBY CERTIFY, That Geo. Wheelock Esquire, whose name is subscribed to the Jurats of the foregoing affidavits and thereon written, was, on the 7th & 8th days of May 1856 a Justice of the Peace, in and for said County, and sworn and duly authorized. And further, that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of such Justice, and verily believe that the signature to the said Jurats &c are genuine. 
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed the seal of the said County, and subscribed my name, this 9th day of May 1856.
[signed] Z. M. Howes CLERK. 

Invalid Pension Claim
James Perkins 
Hon O. B. Matteson
H. of R
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Boynton
James Perkins

[stamp]
DEPARTMENT OF THE Interior Dec 28 1864 PENSION OFFICE

Respectfully referred to the Commissioner of Pensions 
Geo C. Whiting Actg chf Clerk
Dept. Interior
Dec. 28/64.
Ref. to Mr Birge [or Berger] for Reply to that past rel. to War of 1812, Rev. Ans. 
Dec. 31 64,  Boynton,
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Boonville 
December 22d 1864 
to his Exelency Abraham Lincon 
President of the United States of America greeting 
Dear Sir, I take the liberty to adress your honor by way of my Rights to Clame a pension first in my own rights Second in the Rights of my Father Joseph Perkins a Soldier of the Revolution of 76 be it Remembered that I made application for a pension in my own Right as a invaled of the war 1812 and that in the Rights of my Father of the war of the Revolution of 76 - I made this application under the Reign of President Pierce and Buckhanan but they both said that I was entitled to a pension but the atorney general said there was no law then in existence to giv a pension to heirs of a Revolutionary Soldier but mister Whiteing then in the pension office advised me to withdraw from the pension office and apply to the President for my Rights and relief but we wel remember that there heads and hearts was crowned with Copper they Required all the rights of man in Capital and men to establish in there nefarious Rebelion  - Anad now kind sir I doe and must belive that you will harken to my request and giv me my Rights which is mine by law and justice and I am Constrained to believe that you posess a fleshly heart and not of coper and now my dear Sir
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I will inform you of my Survis in the war of 12 I volinteared as a Subtitute for William B. Brown under Captain Asa B Sizer for the term of Six months acting as Cavelry and the above named Brown went to Sacket harber and was there some ten days and was taken sick and I volenteared in his stead and on my arriving at the harber I was directed by the captain at Roll call to answer to my imployers name and by that means my name does not apear on Captain Sizers Rolls and for that Reason the atorney General Says that I am not entitled to a pension my envaledness consists of a woud in my right Sholder cawsed by the discharge of a Canon my horse took fright and rairing up and fel back and I under him Crushing my Sholder to atoms and I am not able to use it without Cawsing much pain now I can proove that I was a Sustitute for William B Brown and for that reason I am compeled to ask for Relief by way of a pension for I am poor and destitute of any help from my Suns I have four Suns in the armey and one has gone to the world of Spirits to fight no more and three more are yet in the field brave and valient and as I am an old man 84 years old I field as though I had a right to ask of your honor a pension and by law and rights of law that I ask this of your honor believing that you will hear and harken to and grant my Request you will pleas Call for for my writeings at the pension office and examine them with Cair and see if
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I am not entitled to a penson from 1812 to this time I furnished my own horse and equipage and drew 20 dollars per month 
and now Sir I contend that I have a Right to a pension in rights of my Father Joseph Perkins who Surved in the war of the Revolution from the beging to the close there of and received maney wounds and left with honorable discharge the first nine months he Surved as orderly and the Remainder of the war he surved as Lutenant and was in maney hard battle and he never drew a pension in his life and died without asking for one and I have made application for a pension in rights of my Father under act of May 15th 1828 June 7 1832. July 4th 1836 and July 7th 1838 under all of those acts I Claim that I am entitled to a pension and bounty land my papers are all at the Pension Office and I hope you will be kind enough to call for them and Examin them and now Sir if youwish for aney Referenc I will Refer you to Honorable Roger Conkling Mr Conkling has said that he would asist me in geting those pensions and I hope he wil do so and aford me relief 
I will hear say to you that I have forgoten the precise dates of my papers but they wil speak for them Selvs I forwarded a Certificate of my Father Survises from the hand of the Secretary of the State of New York which will satisfy you of my Fathers Survises
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and now kind Sir I hope you will not accuse or think me impurtinent in adressing your Honor as I have but I have don it in faith beleveing that you wil dare to hear and answer my Request 
you will pleas reply and let me know what you can and wil do by and for me 
Direct to Boonville 
Oneid County NY 
Box 140 
[signed] James Perkins
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Let, Jany 3d 1865, 


17033 Apl 24, 1816 
Joseph [crossed out: James] 
Perkins Oneida Co 
N.Y.
1873 

[stamped] REJECTED
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E154 No 3   24 April 1816. 
James Perkins 
Oneida County 
N. York 
Respectfully referred to the 3d Auditor for certificate. Pension Office Dec 20th 1856. 
Let to Hon. O. B. Matteson Jan 2d/57 
Let to Applicant Sept. 20/58 
Let to Applicant Oct 1/58, 
Let to Secy Interior April 6/59 
Hon. O. B. Mattison – 
House of Reps 
Appt - Westernville N.Y.

Ret. Dec. 31/56.
Cap Asa B. Sizer MY Ma
S. Edwards
80 & 82 B 
Allen 480 
The name of Jas Perkins not found on Rolls of [illegible, Capt?] Asa B. Sizer NY [illegible] from Sept 1812 to 16 Mch 1813, expected [illegible, as confirms?] Service
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I will also give a synopsis of the various claims for Pensions which I think will ultimately be allowed by the Government: 
1. To heirs of Commissioned Officers of the Regular Army of the Revolution, who served till the close of the War, half-pay from the close of the War until the death of the Officer. 
2. To the heirs of all Revolutionary Soldiers or Officers who would have been entitled to Pension if they had served 6 months, a Pension for the period they did serve, that is to say, if a Soldier served 4 months, and lived till after the 7th of June, 1832, his heirs would be entitled to one sixth of a full Pension. 
For the time the Soldier lived after June 7th, 1832: 
For example, suppose your father was a Soldier, and served only 4 months in the Revolutionary War, and died the 7th of June, 1838, his heirs could be entitled to 1-6 of a Pension, or $96. 
3. To the heirs of the widows of a Soldier (in case the Pension has not been drawn) where the widow lived after July 7, 1838, a Pension from July 4, 1836, till the date of the death of the widow, 
No matter when she was married to the Soldier. 
4. To children of all widows who did not draw Pension from March 4, 1841, to March 4, 1843. 
5. To the children of old Soldiers of the Regular Army, who served 
Till the close of the Revolutionary War 
And died between the 3d day of March, 1826, and the 15th day of May 1828, a Pension will be due for the time he lived between above periods. 
6. To the children of all the Revolutionary Soldiers who died before March 4, 1831, and left a widow to whom the soldier was married before the close of his said service, if she died before July 4, 1836, a Pension will be due for the period she lived between above mentioned dates. There are a great many such widows all over the country. 
7. To the children or legal representatives of all Revolutionary Invalid Pensioners, all sums withheld the Invalid after re ing the benefits of the Acts of 1818, and 1828. 
8. To the widows of all Soldiers a Pension or Bounty Land, whether they were afterwards married or not. 
9. The widow, or if dead, the surviving children of all Revolutionary Pensioners who were dropped from the Pension Roll, or were refused Pension under Acts of 1818 or 1820, because they were worth property, all such sums as were due them at Soldier's death. 
11. To the widow, surviving children or lineal descendants, a Pension money that might have been drawn, by the soldier or widow, under any Pension laws of the United States. 
12. To all widows of Soldiers of the War of 1812, or any War in which the United States have been engaged, a Pension during life; and like Pension in case of the widow's death, to the children of the Soldier under 16 years of age. 
13. To the children of all deceased Soldiers of the War of 1812 or any Indian War, Bounty Land, in cases when the same has not been drawn by the widow or minor children. 
14. To all Soldiers of the War of 1812 of the New York Militia, THERE IS NOW DUE pay for clothing from the State of New York. 
15. To all widows of Revolutionary Soldiers who are entitled to Pension under act of February 3, 1853, a Pension can be drawn from 4th of March, 1848, if their Husbands died before that period . And if after that and before February 3, 1853, then from the death of the Soldier to February 3, 1853. 
16. To all Invalid Pensioners from the date of their Wounds, Sickness, Disease, or other disability. 
All who are entitled under any of the foregoing sixteen subdivisions , will do well to write me without delay, stating the case and giving the date of the death of the Soldier or widow: the names of all the surviving children; their ages and places of residence; and if any application for Pension or land was ever made, state when, and by whom made, &c., &c. 
I will undertake in all the foregoing cases, and believe I can get a Pension, or Land, as the case may be. 
All Soldiers of the War of 1812, or any Indian War, or of the Mexican War, will do well to write me, stating their Captain, length of service, when and in what year or years they served and what they have received as Pension, Pay or Land. If anything now can be obtained, I will know it, and write them. 
All who have tried to get Pensions and Bounty Land, and have failed, will do well to Write Me. 
All persons writing me for information, in order to secure attention will please send a stamp to pay return postage. Address me at Lyons, Wayne County, New York. 
Respectfully, your ob't serv't. 
WM. VAN MARTER. 
R L ADAMS’ REPUBLICAN POWER PRESS, LYONS.
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Department of the Interior 
April 15th 1859. 
Sirs, 
I have examined the claim of James Perkins for a pension as an invalid, upon which an appeal has been taken from your decision. 
Perkins declares that he served as a private in a militia company of cavalry, in the State of New York, under the command of Asa B. Sizer, in the war of 1812, and that the disability for which he asks a pension consists in a practice and dislocation of the shoulder blade, incurred in consequence of his horse rearing and falling backward upon him, while in the performance of duty as an express rider. 
On looking into the testimony I find several strong objections to this case. In the first place, applicants name is not found upon the rolls of Capt. Sizer's company, which fact alone, according to the rule of this Department, would be fatal to the claim. And secondly, I find no evidence of a satisfactory character to show, when where, or how, the disability was incurred.
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Such being the condition of the claim, my opinion is, it ought to be rejected. Your decision is therefore affirmed, and the papers which accompanied your reports are herewith returned to your Office. 
I am, very respectfully, 
Your Obedt. Servt. 
[signed] J. Thompson Secretary.

Hon G. C. Whiting 
Commr. of Pensions.
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Pension Office 
April 18th 1859 
Sir,
Hereto annexed, you will find a copy of the decision of the Secretary of the Interior, affirming the action of this office in regard to your application for an invalid pension 
Respectfully 
[signed] Geo. C. Whiting Commissioner 

James Perkins Esq 
Oneida Cty
N. York.
(Copy)

Department of the Interior 
April 15th 1859 
Sir.
I have examined the claim of James Perkins for a pension as an invalid upon which an appeal has
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has been taken from your decision 
Perkins declares that he served as a private in a military company of Cavalry in the State of N York under the command of Asa B Sizer, in the war of 1812, and that the disability for which he asks a pension consists in a fracture and dislocation of the shoulder blade incurred in consequence of his horse rearing and falling backwards upon him while in the performance of duty as an express rider. 
On looking into the testimony I find several strong objections to this case. In the first place applicants name is not found on the rolls of Capt Sizers Company which fact alone, according to the rule of the Department would be fatal to the claim. And secondly, I find no evidence of a satisfactory character to know when where, and how the disability
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was incurred.
Such being the condition of the claim my opinion is, it ought to be rejected Your decision is therefore affirmed papers which accompanied your report are herewith returned to your office.
I am very Respectfully 
Your Obt Servt 
[signed] J. Thompson 
Secretary.
Hon. G. C. Whiting, 
Commissioner of Pensions
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Western Ville 
July 26th 1858 
James Buchanan Esquire President of United of America - Greeting 
Dear Sir 
you will pleas Excuse me for the liberty which I am takeing by way of adressing your honor 
I will hear say to your honor that one year ago last March I applyed for my Fathers un Claimed or back pension which I claim I am entitled under act 1828 and a nomber of other acts which entitles me to my Fathers pension for his survises in the war of the Revolution hee Surved some 7 years in the Revolution hee commenced at the Comencment of the war and surved to the close of the same So you will finde by refering to my papers at the pension office I would say to your honor that I sent my papers to P Minot Commissioner of pensions and at this late day hee reports that the Office have desided not to alow aney more pensions to the Children of Soldiers of the Revolution but I contend that the law allows it whether the Commisioner does or not
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and I would ask of your honor to See that the Commisioners do not pervent of miss construe the laws which are so plain and pointed that men need not er I will say that the desision of the Comisioners is not pure democratic for I think that I know the trew line and mark of a trew Democrat for I have voted that ticket for fifty years and my Father lived and died a democrat and as I am now adressing a trew democrat I fear not to say that you do and will appreciate the Soldiers Rights my Father fought the battle of Bunker hill - Brandy wine - Monmouth plain - Saratoga and at the storming of Quebeck and at the Capture of Corn Walis at Yorktown and finally hee was ingaged in all the prinsipa faught battles of our Union and Received honorable wound all of which hee has not Received aney Compensation by the way of pensions or half pay both of which he died intitled to my Father died 1813 in the County of Cayuga State New York and as there is a law and acts granting pensions to the heires of decassed Soldiers of the Revolution I hope you will see that the Commisioners are awake to there duty for I do contend that I am entitled to a pension in the rights of my Father from 1783 to 1858 and half pay from 1783 to 1813 to the date of my Fathers death
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Now Sir you will perceive that I Claim this pension under act 15th May 1828 and there are various other acts which equally as liberal as the act of 1828 
I hope and believe Sir that your honor will see that there is or may be no further delay in this matter 
I would further say to you that some two years this presant month I declared for an invaled pension in my own rights in the war of 1812 I surved six months under Captain Ada B Sizer at Sacetts Harbor in a Company of Cavelry and was there wounded the Commsioners say that I have not made ample proof of my survis which is not so for I have proven by two Commisioned officers who saw me there and under [illegible] doing military duty allthough they did not belong to the same company that I did yet they knew me and saw me frequently on duty the Commisioners say I must proove my Survises by two witnessis which I have done and done right and I hope Sir that that you will See that your Commissioners do there duty as faithfully as I have mine
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you will pleas reply to my febel and un gramatical requests as soon as may bee 
you will pleas direct to Westerville Oneida County New York 
With much respect 
Your humble Servent 
[signed] James Perkins

Pension Office
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Jas. Perkins says in a letter dated Aug. 18”/58 at Western Ville Oneida Co. New York. that some two years ago he applied for an Invalid pension & has not heard anything from it. He alleges his service in War of 1812. He also says he has a claim on fee for mileage
The letter of Perkins is few in case of Jos: Perkins, under act 7” June 1832, rejected, N.Y. 
Boynton
For Mr Robb.
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Invalid Pension 
Treasy Department 
Tha and Office 
ded 30/56 
Sir
The name of James Perkins does not appear on Rolls of Cap Asa. B. Sizer NY Ma from Sep 1812 to March the 16 1813. expiration of the Compy. Service, 
I am Respy 
Your ob. Sevt 
Robr J Atkinson [or Jameson?]
Audr.

Geo. C Whiting Esq 
Comr of Pensions
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Boonville 
December 20th 1859 
Honorable Geo. C. Whiting 
Comisioner of Pensions 
Dear Sir 
I aproach you once more as your supplient with regard to my pension Claimes you will pleas deliver to the Charge of Roscoe Conkling Esqire our Representative of Oneida County Newyork all and each and every one of my applications and all my papers apertaining or refering to a pension in my own rights or those of my Fathers that they may may be placed befor Congress in a proper maner so as to demand atention and Sir I hope that you will use your influence in my behalf rather than aganst me for you to know that I am entitled to a pension in Strict Justis if not by thee tuneral points of law but I Contend that I am entitled both in Justis and by law and if by both I hope to receive a pension you will Remember that sum time last season that I asked of you to informe me of the Sum total of pension which you granted to Richard Arnold a Son of Joseph Arnold a soldier of the Revolution hee received this pension through the hands of J. Hatheway of the Village of Rome Oneida County Newyork the old Gentleman thinks that he has been rongly delt with by his agent to wit I Hatheway and he now wishes me to refer to you for information with respect to the Sum which you advanced to Hatheway as his pension and if you advanced all that was his due at that time you will pleas answer this as soon as may be and oblige yours 
With much respect 
[signed] James Perkins

Hon. Geo. C. Whiting 
Washington D C
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Boon Ville November 27th 1858 
To the Gentelmen of Congress 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the United States of America In Congress Assembled  Be it known that each of the surviving officers or Soldiers of the War of the Revolution was entitled to a pension by Resolv of Congress - Reading this Each of the Surviving officers or Soldiers of the army of the Revolution in the Continental line who was entitled to half pay by the Resolve of October twenty first Seventeen hundred and Eighty be now Authorized to receive out of aney money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated the amount of his full pay in said line according to his rank in said line to begin on the third day of March one thousand eight hundred and twenty six and to continue during his natural life 
Gentel men of Congress Be it known to you that on this 27th day of October 1858 do and have appealed from a decision at the pension office made with regard to my pension claims now in the pension office and I hearby do apeal to your Honorable boddy for a redress of my grievances for I do feel myself agrieved and wronged by that decision made by his Honor Geo. C. Whiting and the Attorney General the Attorney did deside last August that the heirs of a Revolutionary officer or Soldier was no longer entitled to a pension in the rights of there Fathers and in my case he states that my Father died before the passage of the act of 1832 and 1836 all of which is correct for the act of 1802 - 1808 - 1812- 1813 -1814 – 1817 - 1828 - all of wich is now Contradictory of the decision made by the Commisioner at the pension office
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which is as folows he the Comisioner of Pensions Sais in his that if my Fathers name was not inscribed on the pension Roll before his death that I am not entitled to a pension in his rights he further says that if my Father had survived the passage of the act of 1832 -1836 that I would then have been entitled but I will hear confute that decision by refering you to the several acts of 1812 -1813 - 1814 and 1817, all of which reads thus - and it is Observable that the widows or Children of these several classes of persons were and are entitled to the pensions provided for by the acts above refered to without regard to the time when the death occured except that it must have occured after the 18th day June 1812 So Gentelmen you will see that my Father died the year 1813 which you may understand by refering to my declaration now on file in the pension office this decision is made by the Honorable John Macpherson Berien your former Attorny General in whom you can confide 
I will hear refer you to the dcision of the Honorable J. L. Edwards Esquire which reads as follows Sir I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday the endorsement of the Secretary of war to which you allude was not made on your letter but on a Communicaton made by me on the Subject a copy of which I now enclose from which you will perceive that the practice of this office of granting to the widow or Children of an officer or soldier the amount due to the deceased although he failed to apply originated in a written rule which emanated immediately from the Secretary of war in 1832 and the principle sanctioned by Congress
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as it was promulgated in the regulations under the act of June 7th 1832 and ten thousand of those regulations were printed by order of Congress so long ago as in July 1828 it was the practice of the Treasury department under the act of May 15th 1828 to pay the amont due although the officer or Soldier might not or did not apply for it in his life time - now Gentlemen there is a meaning to or in this language it was ment by the expression and intention of Congress that the Soldier who performed a meritorious or patriotic Service should be rewarded for the same - Gents you will perceive that all the above act hear in mentioned are a mendatory of the Resolve of October 21st 1780 Caried forward from ait to act until it reached the the acts of 1826 -1828 -1832 -1836 – 1837 -1838- at all of which mean the one and same thing by law and by Rights - and now Gentelmen of Congress I Shall and do Expect a liberal compensation or pension in the Rights of my Father for his Services in the Greate and Grand Struggle of our Independenc in the war of the Revolution - Gentlemen of Congress 
I will now inform you of my Father term of Service he entered the Service at the commencement of the Revolution and Served to the termination of the same and left the same with honorable wounds and Honorable discharge and was in maney a well faught battle - to wit - Lexington storming of Quebeck - Bunker hill – Saratoga - Brandywine Monmouth - and taking of Corn Walis and in maney more with Honor but with blo [corner pf page ripped off] and was paid with money which was wonse
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I repeat it again Gentle men of Congress 
Can you or will you withhold from me a pension which has been so dearly baught by my Honored Father with privations Starivation blood and wounds and who has never drawn a pension or asked for a pension in his life time and for the reason he said he would not so long as his Country was in debt and died with or in that principle in the year of our Lord - 1813 - all of which you may see by refering to my papers now on file in the pension office and I do hereby Expect and believe that you will grant and bestow to me the pension or all pensions which my Father was or would have been entitled to had he lived and him self applyed for the same in his life time 
and Gentle men of Congress I hearby impour you or each or any of you to ask for or demand access to my papers now on file in the office for your perusal of the same –
I am Sirs with much respect 
Your obedient humble Servent 
[signed] James Perkins

NB my Fathers name was Joseph Perkins 
You will pleas when writeing to me direct yours to Boonville Oneida County NY 
[signed] James Perkins
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To the Gentelmen of Congress 
Dear Sirs 
I would hear Refer your Honorable boddy to an appeal from the pension office made by A. Ward Esquire his appeal will be seen in his letter of the 25th ultimo under the law of July 4th 1836 whilst the pension is directed to Commence on the 4th of March 1831 and in all Cases it does Commence on that day provided the husband or Father was not a pensioner at that time but if he was a pensioner after the 4th of March 1831 the practice is to commence the pension on the day when the soldier died the attorney General in his opinion on this Subject dated the 13th of April 1837 Says that in all cases where the husband or Father was in the receipt of a pension after the 4th March 1831 under any of the Revolutionary pension laws until the time of his death the pension of the widow or Children under the act of July 4th 1836 can only Commence from the date of her husbands or Fathers death now this is evidently the general principle of the law 
and Sirs the Honorable Geo C. Whiting says in his that I am not entitled to a pension in Rights of my Father for the Reason that his name is not inscribed on the pension Rolls but I contend that he if not correct in his decision 
but I commit my cases to an honorable Congress 
Yours with much respect 
[signed] James Perkins
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Boonville November 27th 1858 
To the Gentlemen of Congress 
Be it enacted
By the Senate and house of Representative of the United States of America in Congress Assembled 
Gentlemen of Congress 
Dear Sirs
I would hear say to your Honorable boddy that in the war of 1812 that I volinteared as a substitute for William B. Brown under Captain Asa B Sizer who commanded a Company of Cavalry and when I entered the Service was directed by the Captain to answer to my imployers name at Roll Call which I did and Consiquently my name does not appear on the muster Rolls at Washington but my imployers name does to wit William B. Brown and I would hear say to your Honorable boddy that I was directed by my Captain to start by or before four OClock in the morning on Express from Sackets harber to Cape Vincent I obeyed orders and was up by times and as I rode from the Stable to the watering place the morning gun was fireed from on bord the ship Madison then lying in the bay at Sackets harbor which frightened my horse and cawsing him to plung and hear and falling back with me under him and on frozen blocks of ice which deslocated my Right Sholder breaking bones and Crushing Cords and Sinues which has cawsed a contraction of musiles Cords and Sinues to that degree that it has in a great measure dis qualefyed me from pursuing manuel labor for my Support and familys and being advised by friend to apply for a pension
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and finding my self to entitled I have or did apply two years ago last fall and the Commisioner of pensions at the pension office decided that I am not entitled for the reason that my name does not apear on the muster Rolls of Captain Asa B. Sizer and in my declaration I made mention why my name would not apear on the above mentioned muster Rolls was becaws I was a substitute for William B. Brown and was directed by my Captain when at Roll Call to answer to my imployers name which I did and now Sirs will or can this omision of my name on the Rolls debar me from being pensioned as a Substitute where as the law makes a Special provision for the Substitue and sais in plain language that the Substitute shall receive the reward and not his employer 
Assembled and now Gentlemen of Congress Know yea all that on this 27th day of November 1858 have and do apeal from the decision made by the Honorable Wm Whiting with regard to my pension claims now before the department in the pension office where as I now on this 27th day of November 1858 Apeal to your Honorable boddy for a redress of my grieviences with regard to my Claim to an invalid pension for Injuries or Casualties Received Whilest or whe in the line of my duty by and with the command of my Captain I was thus Injured and do hear by Appeal to your Honorable boddy for the pension which I am Honorably entitled to - the Surgeons who examined my disability in my Shoulder awarded to me one half or more of my monthly wagers which I received whilest in the service my monthly
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wagers in the service was twenty dollars per month, by furnishing my own horse and equipage which would amount to one hundred and twenty dollars per year and I do Contend that by law and justis that I am entitled to such pay from 1812 up to 1859 and as I have made all posable efforts to obtain evidence of my service by some one of Captain Asa B Sizers Company and failed so to do and the reason why is that they are all dead or Remooved to parts un known by me or aney other man now living as there former neighbors but I have prooven that I did do this Service by Captain Ebenezer Wheler and Lutenant George Manchester both of this place whose names you will find connected with my declaration now on file in the pension office and if more proof is needed I will produce it Gentlemen of Congress I am poor but I am a Republican patriot and fiered by a hero of the Revolution of 76 
I would hear say to you that my term of service was something near six months under Captain Asa B Sizer and I served untill the company was discharged by Captain Sizer him self 
and now Gentlemen of Congress I hear by Commit my feble and deserving petition to your hospitality and Clemency in full faith that you will grant and bestow on me the pension which I have declared for 
and I would further say to your Honored boddy that with regard to the pension in the Rights of my Father that I am entitled to a pension from 1775 up to the time of my declaration and I further say that I do belive that I am entitled to an ivalid
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pension in rights of my Father and at the same time entitled to bounty land under the bounty land act of 1856 and if so you will pleas informe me 
Gentlemen of Congress I hereby subscribe my self 
With much respect your Obedient humble Servent 
[signed] James Perkins 

To the Honorable Repulican Congress of these United States of America May the God of all grace and the lamp of Liberty preside in all your doings of this presant Sesion 
[signed] James Perkins