Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 10,345, for Peter Swartwood, New Jersey
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(3-1776)
Service
New Jersey
Swartwood, Peter
Number
R.10,345
Contents
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State of New York
Tioga County ss.
On this 6th day of June A.D. 1834 personally appeared before me Elijah Shoemaker one of the Judges of the Courts in and for said County Peter  Swartwood a resident of the Town of Cayuta, County & State aforesaid aged Eighty seven years who being 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 7th 1832.  That he entered the service of the United States at Wallpack, Sussex County & State of New Jersey, in a company commanded by Emanual Hoover Capt. John Swartwood Lieut and Henry Decker Ensign; John Rosenerantz was Colonel of the Regt and Samuel Westbrook Major.  He entered the service about the 1st of April 1779 and was stationed at Hoover's Fort and engaged in guarding & defending the inhabitants from the attacks of the Indians during that season until the last of October.  That in the latter part of March AD 1780 he again entered the service under the same officers at the same place and continued in the service during the season in defending the lives and property of the citizens until in October of that year.  That about the first of May 1781 as he believes he again commenced service under the same officers at Wallpack as above and remained in the service during the whole of that season employed as before until the last of October which closed his services in the War of the Revolution.  Having served one year and six months as he verily believes as a ranger or Indian [illegible]. In answer to the interrogatories proposed by the War 1  Department he says he was born in the Township of Upper Smithfield, Northampton County & State of Pennsylvania on the 16th of January AD 1747.
2 That he has had his name & age recorded in his Bible upwards of fifty years.
3 That he lived in Wallpack, Sussex County and State of New Jersey, when called into service, where he continued to live one year after the war, then
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he moved to Upper Smithfield Northampton County Pennsylvania where he lived three years, then went to Wyoming Luzern Co. Pa where he lived nine years then moved to Tioga County New York where he continues to reside.
4 That he entered the service by voluntary enlistment
5 He does not recollect the names of any others than his own officers
6 He never received a written discharge from the service.  That he refers to John Swartwood who can testify in regard to his services as a soldier of the revolution, that there is no Clergyman residing in the neighborhood of his residence.  He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension roll of the agency of any state.
Peter Swartwood
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid before me Elijah Shoemaker

State of New York Tioga County ss.  Personally appeared on this 6th day of June 1834 before me Elijah Shoemaker, a Judge of the Courts in and for said County James Swartwood of Erie aged Eighty two years and John Swartwood of Cayuta aged Eighty years all of Tioga Co, State of New York who being severally duly sworn according to law, say on their oaths that they are well acquainted with Peter Swartwood whose name is subscribed to the above declaration, that they were all acquainted with the officers under whom he served and have a knowledge of said Peter's serving at Wallpack Sussex County, New Jersey in the years 1779, 1780 and 1781 as stated by him in his declaration and believe he served as therein stated.  
X his mark
James Swartwood
John Swartwood
Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me Elijah Shoemaker
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51,301
New York
Act June 7th 1832
Peter Swartwood
Suspended
Letter Hon. N Halsey
12 Jany 1835
Let to Hon N Halsey 1 April 18[illegible]
10345
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10,345
P.O.
Peter Swartwood
Service:
REJECTED
Enlisted: _________,18  .
Discharged: _________,18  .
Application Filed: _________,18  .
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P.O.
Recognized.
Contract.
Cert. of Dis.
Searched for  _________,18  .
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Affidavit &c
James Swartwood &
John Swartwood
In regard to Peter Swartwood
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State of New York
Tioga County ss
On this sixth day of December A.D. 1834 personally appeared before me Nathan Ogden, a Justice of the Peace in and for said county James Swartwood of Erin aged eighty two years, residing in said county of Tioga, New York, who being duly sworn according to law, say, on his oath that he is well acquainted with Peter Swartwood whose declaration was made and subscribed by him on the 6th day of June last past before Elijah Shoemaker, one of the Judges of the aforesaid County, that he resided in early life in & about Wallpack Sussex County, New Jersey, a place then on the frontier settlements, when the inhabitants were exposed to the continued assaults of the Indians, then round about that country. That said Peter Swartwood then lived at Wallpack, New Jersey where he in the spring of the year 1779 attached himself to Capt. Emanuel Hoovers company then employed as Rangers, in defending the lives and property of the citizens, that said Peter continued in said company at different periods during the years 1779, 1780 & 1781. That this deponent frequently saw him while in the service during that period but cannot say as to the precise length of time he served.  
X his mark
James Swartwood
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid before me.  
Nathan Ogden Justice of the Peace
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State of New York
Tioga County ss.
On this sixth day of December 1834 personally appeared before me Nathan Ogden, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid, John Swartwood of Cayuta, Tioga County, New York, aged eighty years, who being duly sworn according to law says that Peter Swartwood is a brother of his and that they both resided during the Revolutionary war, in and about Wallpack Sussex County & State of New Jersey.  That this deponent was a Lieutenant in Capt. Emanuel Hoovers company of that place, and that Peter Swartwood attached himself to said company in the month of April, 1779 and continued in service during the season.  The Indians at that time were harassing the frontier settlements and we were employed in defending the inhabitants from their ravages.  That the said Peter Swartwood the next season and in 1781 as this deponent verily believes early in May said Peter Swartwood enlisted in said company again and continued in the service until late in the season.  The company were employed as Rangers, watching & guarding the lives of the citizens through that region of country from the continued depredations of the Indians.  
X his mark
John Swartwood
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid before me
Nathan Ogden Justice of the Peace

State of New York, Tioga County
I Green M Tuthill Clerk of said county do certify that Nathan Ogden Esq before whom the preceding affidavits purports to have been sworn & by whom the certificate purports to be subscribed was on the dates of the same a Justice of the Peace in and for the Tioga County .  And further that I am acquainted with the hand writing of the said Justice & verily believe his signature subscribed thereto to be genuine.  
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said county this 16th day of Deceber AD 1834
Green M. Tuthill, Clk.
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David Cortwright
Peter Swartwood

Mar 16
NY

Free

Hon J.L. Edwards
Comm of Pensions
Washington City D.C.

Barton N. Y. 
March 10th
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Smithsboro  March 10, 1835
Sir
In reply to the objections contained in your letter to Hon. N. Halsey of 12th Jany. last, against the claim of Peter Swartwood (which is on file in your office) I beg leave to make some remarks which I  think will do away these objections.
He represents (if I recollect aright) that he served in 1779, 80 & 81, from some time in the spring, till in the fall in Capt. Emanuel Hoovers company of Rangers on the Minisink frontier, in the vicinity of Wellpack, Sussex Co. New Jersey and his service is confirmed by the affd't of James & John Swartwood, the latter being the Lieut. under Capt. Hoover. Doubts seem to be entertained by you whether the company was organized according to the causes of [illegible] that it was only a self organized corps for mutual defense, and unknown to the authorities of that state, or at least not officered by competent authority.  The history of this corps is simply this, It belonged to a battalion commanded by Major Samuel Westbrook, in Col Rosenkrentz Regt of Sussex Militia, and was employed on the Minisink frontier during the greater part of the war, at least from spring to fall. To prove the above statement, I refer you to certain documents on file in the Pension office among which are first, the papers in the case of Maj. Saml Westbrook the commander of this battalion who was allowed a pension in April 1833 under the act of June 7, 1832, through the agency of Thomas Maxwell, Esq.  Accompanying Westbrook's papers is a certificate from J.D. Westcott, Secy of the State of New Jersey, showing various regiments to
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Westbrook's battalion and the officers under him in which the name of Capt. Hoover frequently served.  And also, the papers in the case of this same Lieut J. Swartwood, who was allowed a pension under the same act, with whose papers is the original commission to Lieut. Swartwood signed by Govr. Livingston and the evidence of Majr. Westbrook & others in relation to his service.  That he was an officer duly appointed and acting under proper authority in N. Jersey was at that time satisfactorily established & the evidence is in your office.  The oath then of this officer must do away any doubts as to the character of the company of Capt. Hoover in the which said Peter served.  I suppose then, there will be no doubt as to his claim to a pension, if his service in that corps is made and sufficiently clear; & on that question I refer you to the declaration of said Peter and affidavits of James & John Swartwood accompanying the same.  I think I have referred you to documents sufficient to establish the character of the Corps and of the officers under whom he served.  
Please sir have the above matter further investigated and inform me of the result as early as possible.  
E Shoemaker
In reply to your objections in your note to Mr. Halsey of Jany 8, 1835 in the case of David Cortwright, (which papers is also on file in the Pension Officer) desiring him to state more fully the circumstances how he entered the service, whether by a draft or otherwise, & the duration of each term of actual service after 1779, I refer you to the enclosed affidt &c. of said Cortwright showing his opinion & belief.
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that he was drafted into the service at the several different times he served, and that thinking the time of actual service in 80 & 81 was three months in each year, which facts I hope will enable you to come to a favorable decision in his case.
After the examination of the two above mentioned cases, you will please have the goodness to inform me respecting them.  Direct to E. Shoemaker
Smithsboro, Tioga Co. N.Y.

Respectfully yours
Elijah Shoemaker

J.L. Edwards Esq.
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Declaration &c
Peter Swartwood
31,301
E. Shoemaker Agent
Smithsboro
Tioga Co N.Y.
N Halsey 
P M C
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State of New York
Tioga County ss.
On this 6th day of June 1834 personally appeared before me Elijah Shoemaker one of the Judges in and for the county aforesaid, Jacob Swartwood of Cayuta, Tioga County & State of New York, who being duly sworn, deposeth and says, he believes that he is sixty five years of age, that he is well acquainted with Peter Swartwood who has signed the foregoing declaration, that he knew of his helping in the Eviction of Hoover's Fort so called in Wallpack Sussex County, New Jersey, and believes he rendered the services as therein stated by him in his declaration.  
Jacob Swartwood
Sworn to & subscribed day & year aforesaid before me Elijah Shoemaker

Tioga County ss.
I Elijah Shoemaker, a judge of the courts in and for said county do hereby declare my opinion after the investigation of this matter, and putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the before named applicant Peter Swartwood was a revolutionary soldier and served as he stated.  And I further certify that James Swartwood, John Swartwood and Jacob Swartwood are credible persons, that they signed the preceding affidavits, and that their statements are entitled to credit and belief, and that the said applicant Peter Swartwood by reason of old age and infirmity cannot attend court.  
Elijah Shoemaker
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State of New York
Tioga County }ss.
I Green M. Tuthill Clerk of said county do certify that Elijah Shoemaker Esq before whom the within declaration and affidavit purports to have been sworn was on the day of the date of the same a Judge of said Tioga County.  And further that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of said Judge and verily believe his name subscribed thereto to be genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said county this 10th day of June AD 1834
Green M Tuthill