Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,921, for John P Ray, Connecticut
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(3 - 1776)
SERVICE        NUMBER
Conn.   Ray, John P.    S. 31,921
CONTENTS
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6266 New York
John P. Ray
of Hebron in the State of New York
who was a Pr. & Matro in the Company commanded
by Captain Morgan of the Regt commanded
by Col Ledyard in the Connecticut
one for 15 months Private of Infantry
9 months Matross

Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the rate of 87 Dollars 50 Cents per annum,
commence on the 4th day of March, 1831

Certificate of Pension issued the 27 day of Feby
1833 and sent to Hon S Pearson 
Ho Reps
-
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1832 $131. 25
Semi-anl allowance ending 4 Mar '33  43.75
$175.00

Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.     ⎬---

Recorded by Jno Cromwell , Clerk
Book A Vol. 5 Page 132
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no. 9529
John P. Ray
(Page 73)\Admd
61617
31 Aug '32
20 mon

W.Pierson
Wm H McGee [crossed out]
Salem NY
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BRIEF in the case of John P. Ray 
of Hebron in the State of N. York
(Act 7 June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? in open Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? Seventy Seven years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Entered the same in the Spring of 1776 for Nine months in Col. Ledyard Regt Connect State troops, and 
was discharged to early in the Winter following
Period   Duration of Service.  Rank  Names of General and Field Officers
                Years Months Days.  As a       under whom he served.
Soon after, Aug 1776.  3   Private  Neither Col or Capt recollected
Spring of 1777  9   "  Col Ledyards artillery
Summer of 1778  3  "  "   ditto  drafted
5. In what battles was he engaged? White Plains
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Preston, Connecticut
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence.
by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary evidence alone
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? the papers
are correct in form and authentication
Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case
above mentioned.
Wm Gordon Examining Clerk
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9529
Matter of John P. Ray
a revolutionary soldier
---
aond
9 mo. Matross Arty
15 - pri infy
---
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State of New York
Washington County
On the ninth day of February in
the year of an Lord Eighteen
hundred thirty three John P. Ray personally
appeared before me John Willard
Surrogate of the County of Washington in
the State aforesaid, in open Court being a
Court of record, and made the following
amended declaration in addition to the
facts heretofore stated - my that the (2) second
time he enlisted at Preston in the State
Connecticut, where he served three months
at Providence in the State of Rhodeisland
the Company in which he enlisted was under the
command of one Captain Morgan,
the said [illegible] was Lieutenant and the
said Wiley was Ensign as mentioned in
his said declaration - that the company was 
in the regiment commanded by Colonel
Smith, whose Christian name he does not
recollect that the balance who [illegible]
the Regiment of arttillery to which the Company
in which he served under Captain Lathan
belonged, was named Ledyard, whose Christian
name he cannot recollect. that [illegible] 
Ledyard was killed at Fort Griswold
in 1781, at the time Benedict Arnold stated
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the Fort, and the name of the Captain
who commanded the company of Militia
in which he was drafted in 1778-was 
Wilson, and that the names of the other 
officers in said company he does not recollect
that the said company was  in the Regiment
commanded by Colonel Ledgard, - that
James Morgan was adjutant of the Militia
who resided in Luningburgh in the County
Rensselaer, but is now dead
and the said John P. Rayy, in answer to
the first interrogatory states that he was in
be you of Preston in the State of Connecticut 
on the tenth of August 1756 -
and to the second interrogatory he states
that he has a record of his age in his
Bible
to the third interrogatory he states that
he resided in the town of [illegible]
aforesaid when he first entered the service
Next time the Revolutionary war [illegible]
resided in the town of Hebron in the
County of Washington & State of New York
where he now resides
To the fourth interrogatory he answers that
he entered the service several
times and in the several manner as
noted in his declaration
To the fifth interrogatory, he states that
he has mentioned the names of all the
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offices who commanded at the different times
the named Regiments and Companies in which
he served and the general circumstances of
his services as near as he can recollect
To the sixth interrogatory he states as he
has heretofore stated in his declaration, that
he receive discharges for the Captains of
the several respective [illegible] in which
he served, but he has not preserved them
they are therefore lost
To the seventh interrogatory he states that he
has [illegible] the names of the several
[illegible] who reside in his neighborhood
and have testified to his character for truth 
and veracity, and as to their belief of his
serving as a soldier of the revolution.-
And the said John P. Ray further saith
that by reason of old age, and consequent loss of
memory, he cannot recollect, more particularly
the names of the officers under whom he served
that he has stated in his foregoing declaration and
amended declaration and that he cannot
state more particularly the circumstance, or
time, or period of his service - but he is
confident, that he served not less than the
periods mentioned below, and in the following
for nine months I served as a private in the
company commanded by Captain Goit.
---
1881.
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for three months I served as a private under the
command of Capt Morgan at Providence
for nine months I served as a private of Artillery
under the command of Capt. Lathon
---
For three months I served as a private drafted
in a company of militia under the command
Captain Wilson, and for such service, I claim
a pension.-
John P. Ray

Sworn before me this 4th
day year aforesaid in open court
John Willard, Surrogate

State of New York
Washington County J. I John Willard Surrogate
the County of Washington do certify that the above
declaration was sworn to before me after putting
the interrogatories prescribed by the war department
on the 9th February 1833 and I further certify that
affixed my official seal to the knot of the tape by
which these papers are bound together. In witness
of all which I have hereto set my
hand & seal of office at Salem in
said County this ninth day
of February 1833.
John Willard
Surrogate
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State of New York
Washington County
on [illegible] eighteenth of 
August in the year 1832 personally appeared
in open Court before the Judges of the Court of
Common Pleas of the County of Washington now sitting
at Salem in said County John P. Ray a resident 
of Hebron in the County & State aforesaid
aged seventy seven years who being first and
sworn according to law doth on his oath make
the following declaration in order to obtain the
benefit of the act of Congress passed seventh
of June 1832-
That he was born in the
town of Preston in the State of Connecticut on
the 10th of August 1756 & has a record of his
age in his bible that he removed to Hebron
during the latter part of the revolutionary war
where he has since lived & who he now lives
That he entered the service of the United States
at Preston before mentioned in the spring
of the year 1776 in the company of Captain
Goit - Lieutenant John James & Ensign John
Whitney in the regiment commanded by Colonel
Ledger of the State troops of the State of Conn
under an enlistment for nine months was
for the whole of said term Groton in said
State of part of the time engaged in helping to
build fort Griswold that he was discharged
from the service under this engagement early in 
the winter following and soon after enlisted
again at Preston before mentioned in a company
of which one - Randall was lieutenant and
one John Wiley was ensign but under what
captain or Colonel this deponent does not
recollect & served for the said term of three
month at Providence in Rhodelsland & at
the expiration of his time was discharged. And ┃
that he next enlisted at Groton before mentioned
in the spring of 1779 for a term of nine months
in the Artillery company commanded by Captain
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Lathon in the regiment commanded by Colonel
Ledford before mentioned and continued to serve
in said Company being stationed at Groton the whole
of the said term except once when this deponent
was called to march with Captain Lathons Company
& an artillery Company from the fort at New London
under Gen. Lee to a place then called Livetown
on the East side of Rhodeisland with the intent
to cross on to the Island and retake it from
the British but after making two or three unsuccessful 
attempts returned to their respective forts
and once  in October following when he marched
with the same two Artillery companies above then
of each Company having a six pound pound field piece
to White Plains on the Hudson River under our
Colonel John Ely where they arrived two or three
days before the battle of White Plains on the 28th
of October 1777 I were acting engaged with
the field pieces before spoken of during the
whole of said battle, and soon after the
British retreated from that place they returned
to their respective forts - and at the expiration of
of said last mentioned term of nine month he
was discharged from said service, this was
same time in the winter after. And that in the
summer of 1778 he was drafted as a Militiaman 
for three months in the regiment commanded by Col.
Ledger before mentioned and served for the whole
of said term at New London where he assisted in
building a fort back on the hill & at the expiration
of said term was discharged from the service 
and that he thinks all the discharges mentioned
in the foregoing declaration were given by the
Captains of the respective Companies-- but that
he has not preserved them that he knows of
person now livery was was personally
knowing to any of said service and has no
documentary evidence relative to said service
And that he does not recollect the names of
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any of the Continental officers with whom he
served Except such as are above mentioned
that he is well acquainted with the Reverend
Alexander Proudfoot, Gideon Button, Robert Long & John
McDonald Esquires who can certify as to his
character for truth & veracity & of the belief of the
neighbourhood where he resides-- And he hereby
relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension
or annuity except the present & declares that his
name is not on the pension roll of the agency
of any State
John P. Ray
sworn and subscribed
in open court
J. S. Leigh Clk

We Alexander Proudfoot of Salem & Gideon
Sutton, Robert Long & John McDonald of Hebron
hereby certify that we are well acquainted with
John P. Ray who has subscribed and
Sworn to the foregoing declaration & that we
believe him to be a man of truth & veracity -
And that he is reputed & believed in the
neighbourhood where he resides to have been
a soldier of the revolution & that we concur
in that opinion.
Alex Proudfoot
Gideon Button
Robert Long
John McDonald
Sworn and subscibed to the day & 
year aforesaid in open court
JS Leigh Clk

and the said Court hereby certify & declares
their opinion after the investigation of the matter
& after putting the interrogatories prescribed by
the war department that the before named
applicant John R. Ray was a soldier of the
revolution & served as he states. And the Court
further certify that Alexander Proudfoot who
has signed the foregoing certificate is a resident
of Salem & a Clergyman & that Gideon Button
Robert Long & John McDonald who have
subscribed the same are residents of Hebron
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& that their statement is entitled to credit
& it further appears that the said applicant is a pauper
supported at the expense of said County
I Jesse S. Leigh Clerk of the Court of Common
Pleas of the County of Washington do hereby
certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings
in the said Court in the matter of the
application of John P. Ray for a pension-
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand & the seal of this Court this 28"
day of August 1832-
J. S. Leigh Clk
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31921
Revy INVALID.
File No. 31,921
John P Ray
Pri Rev War
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Act: June 7" 32
Index: - Vol. 2, Page 333
(Arrangement of 1870.)