Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W 23109, Finch Gildersleeve, New York
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE  
New York  

 Gildersleeve, Finch (or Fitch)   
Polly 
  
NUMBER
W23109
{B.L. Wt 831-2000. Lieut
Issued Sept 13, 1791
No papers

CONTENTS
Page 2

3714.

New York Albany
Polly Gildersleeve
widow of Fitch Gildersleeve
NY
who served in the Revolutionary war, as a Lieutenant

Inscribed on the rolls at the rate of 320 Dollars and      Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1848.

Certificate of Pension issued the 7 day of Feby 1849 and sent to L. Jenkins Albany N.Y.

Recorded on Roll of Pensioners under act February 2, 1848, Page 76 Vol. 4

[right hand column]

Reported
Feby 7/49
Page 3

6637

Married Nov. 1785
Husband died 24 March 18[?]

Col Malcomb 

Ensign March 1777
Lieut  October "
[illegible] to Feb 1779
In Balloting Book
Cont'd to end of the war

Admitted
Lieutenant
2 years

Hon Thos Betts
Senate.  NY
Page 4

At a Court of Common Pleas held at the Court house in Rochester in and for the County of Monroe in the State of New York on the third day of April one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine.

Present, Roswell Wickwire, Alfred Jones and Philanda Kane Judges of the said Court.

Polly Gilderslieve being duly sworn in open Court deposes and says: that she is aged Eighty two years and now resides in the city of Rochester in the family of James Williams whose wife is her granddaughter:  That she was married to Lieutenant Finch Gilderslieve in the month of November one thousand seven hundred and Eighty five by the Reverend Matthias Burnett of Norwalk in the state of Connecticut: that her maiden name was Polly Seymour:  that after their marriage she lived with him without interruption to the time of his decease which happened at South East in the state of New York on the twenty fourth day of March one thousand eight hundred and twelve:  That she has never been married since the death of her said husband:  That she always understood from her said husband and from others who knew him, that he served as a Lieutenant in the American Army of the Revolution in the New York state Line of Troops, in a regiment commanded by Colonel Wising Phelps and in a Company commanded by Captain Jonathan Titus during the War, and she has no doubt that such information is true:  That she does not remember the number of the Regiment in which her said husband served:  That she has seen the Commission which her said husband Lieutenant Finch Gilderslieve had as such Lieutenant;  That she supposes the commission is lost unless it is preserved among some papers in the hands of her son Benjamin Gilderslieve who resides in Charleston in the state of South Carolinia [sic]:  That she has never made any previous application for a pension and did not know till lately that she was entitled to a pension as the widow of the said Lieutenant Finch Gilderslieve.

[signature] Polly Gilderslieve

Subscribed and Sworn this
3'd day of April 1839 before
me in open Court. 
[signature] Ephraim Goss Clerk
of Monroe County
Page 5

I Ephraim Goss Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said County do hereby Certify that that the within named Polly Gildersleeve appeared in open court and testified to the within facts and that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the Said Court in the matter of the application of the said Polly Gildersleeve for a pension.

In testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 3'd day of April 1839.

[signature] Ephraim Goss Clerk.
Page 6

Rev'y WIDOW, &c.

File No. 23109

Polly Gildersleeve
wid of
Fitch Gildersleeve
Lieut  Rev War

Act Feb. 2'd   1848

Index:  Vol A, Page 274[?]

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 7

2107

New York   Albany

Polly Gildersleeve
widow of Fitch Gildersleeve
who was a Lieutenant
in the Revolution

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of
320 Dollars --
Cents per annum, to commence on
the 4th day of March, 1843.

Certificate of Pension issued the
19th day of Dec. 1843
and sent to
Albert Lester
Canandaigue [Canandaigua]
N. York

[Act of March 3, 1843.]
Recorded in Book A
Vol. 1.   Page 117.

Reported.
Page 8

[left hand column]

see letter to A. Lester  Aug
25.1843-

[right hand column]

Albany 5050

Polly Gildersleeve
widow of Fitch Gildersleeve

and who died on the 24. March 1812
of Monroe Co. in the State of N. York
who was a Lieutenant in the company commanded by Captain Titus of the regt. commanded by Col. Weisenfels in the N. York
line for 2 years

Inscribed on the Roll of Albany
at the rate of 320 Dollars ---- per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1836.

Certificate of Pension issued the 18. day of Feb. 1840 and sent to Hon. Thos. Betts Senate U. S.

Arrears to the 4th of Sep. '39   |   1120.00
Semi=annual allowance ending 4 Mar '40   |   160.00
   |   $1280.00
===========

{Act July 7, 1838.}

Recorded by D. Brown   Clerk,
Book A. Vol. 2  Page 79
Page 9

'6637

Ct.


Hon Tho Betts
Senate US
Page 10

[right hand column]

Sept 21/[illegible]
NY
Mrs Polly Gildersleeve
4007

[right hand column]

James L. Edwards Esquire
Commission'r of Pensions
War Dept
Washington City.

Lemuel Jenkins

[mail stamp]

ALBANY
SEP
20
[illegible]

M. Cole
act 1848
Page 11

Albany Sept. 20. 1848

James L. Edwards Esquire,
Commiss'r of Pensions,

Sir,

I enclose the declaration of Mrs. Polly Gildersleeve, for the purpose of obtaining her pension Certificate under the Act of 2'd February 1848.

Very Respectfully
Your obed't Serv.
[signature] Lemuel Jenkins.
Page 12

State of New York
Monroe County SS:  Mitchell Loder of the city of Rochester in the state of New York being duly sworn deposeth and saith that from the year eighteen hundred and Eleven to the year eighteen hundred and fourteen he resided in the town of South East in the state of New York, that he was then well acquainted with Lieutenant Finch Gilderslieve and his wife Polly who resided in said town: that said Finch Gilderslieve died at the town of South East some time in the year Eighteen and twelve as this deponent was then informed and believed to be true; that his widow Polly Gilderslieve continued to live at South East in the year Eighteen hundred and fourteen when this deponent moved away: that he has seen seasonally seen her from that period up to the present time: that she has never been married since the decease of her said husband to the knowledge or belief of this deponent: that she now lives
Page 13

in the City of Rochester aforesaid in the family of James Williams whose wife is her grand daughter _

This deponent further saith that he has seen the original patent issued to Lieutenant Finch Gildersleeve, bearing date the ninth day of July A.D. 1790, under the great Seal of the state of New York, executed by Lewis A. Scott Secretary, and George Clinton Governor, for one thousand two hundred acres of land as compensation for his military services, which original patent is now in the possession of the above named James Williams and further this deponent saith not.

Sworn before me April 8 1839
[signature] Isaac Hills, Recorder of Rochester

[signature] Michael Loder

State of New York
City of Rochester Ss.  I the Subscriber do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Mitchel Loder, who signed & made oath to the foregoing affidavit. he is a citizen of good standing and character in the said City of Rochester, and that his affidavit is entitled to the fullest credence

Dated April 3'd 1839-  [signature] Isaac Hills
Recorder of the City of Rochester
Page 14

Canandaigua, N.Y.
May 31, 1843,

James L. Edwards Esq.
Com'r of Pensions

Sir:
I enclose the declaration of Mrs. Polly Gildersleeve, of this place, made in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions of an act of March 3, 1843, granting pensions  to widows of persons who served in the Revolutionary War.  I was assured that Mrs. Gildersleeve was not known personally to any magistrate of this town, and her identity was, therefore, proved to the magistrate before whom her declaration was made, in "a manner Similar to that prescribed by the laws of this State, in case of the acknowledgement of a deed before an officer who is not personally acquainted with the grantor.  I have thought that this would be Sufficient, as Some Such mode of identification seems to be indispensable where the person making the declaration is not personally known to any Magistrate, before whom it can be made.

I am Very Respectfully,
Your obed't. Serv't
[signature] Albert Lester
Page 15

State of Connecticut}
County of Fairfield}Ss

Probate Court, District of Norwalk in Said County and State
Personally appeared before said Court being a Court of Record on the twentieth day of December Eighteen Hundred and thirty eight Mercy Gregory of Said Norwalk who being duly Sworn according to Law depose and says that she is Ninety eight years of age and was well acquainted with Finch Gildersleve and also with his present widow Polly Gilderslieve who was a niece of hers and well remembers that said Finch Gilderslieve was married to Polly Seymour now Polly Gilderslieve at her house in Said Norwalk the same week the Rev'd Matthias Burnet. was installed. Pastor of the Congregational Church in Said Norwalk which was on the 2'd day of November 1785 and was Married by said Matthias Burnet and the deponent was present and Saw them Married and she also understood at that time that said Finch Gilderslieve was an officer in the Continental Army that said Polly Gilderslieve has lived with the deponent for a number of years. and she understand that said Polly now lives in Rochester in the State of new York   Mary Gregory her x mark
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year found that I am well acquainted with Said Mercy Gregory and her faculties and Memory is good and that she is a Credible Person

[signature] Benj'n Isaacs  Judge
of said Probate Court
Page 16

There are no records of the 1'st Congregational Church in Norwalk, that I have ever seen or heard of as being in existence, of an older date than Jan. 1807.  In the records kept by Rev. R. R. Swan at that time pastor of this Church I find the following word over the date Sept 2, 1807, viz "The covenant, Confession of faith Catalogue of members were not to be found".  In the beginning of the records kept by Rev. Henry Benedict, who was installed as pastor of this Church Aug. 13, 1828 are the following words, "And also the former records of the Church, which extend no farther back than to the settlement of Rev. Mr. Swan, in 1807, the old records having been lost."
It is the current report & believe that records were kept, and that after the death of Rev. Dr. Burnet in 1806 and before the settlement of Rev. Mr. Swan in 1807, the records were destroyed or lost, I have often heard this statement made - and I have never heard any other, I believe it to be true.

Norwalk Dec. 20, 1838.

[signature] Edwin Hall, Pastor of
the 1"st Cong. Church
in Norwalk.

Probate Court District of Norwalk
in the County of Fairfield State of Connecticut - Personally appeared before said Court being a Court of Record. Edwin Hall and made oath in due form of Law that the foregoing Statement by him are true and I am well acquainted with said Rev. Edwin Hall and that he is a Credable [sic] person

[signature] Benj'n Isaacs Judge of said Probate Court
Page 17

I Benj Isaacs Town Clerk of the town of Norwalk in the County of Fairfield State of Connecticut do hereby Certify on my Oath of office that I have carefully examined the Records of said Town and do not find the Marriage of Finch Gilderslieve to Polly Seymour now Polly Gilderslieve Recorded in said Town Records

Attest Benj'n Isaacs Town Clerk of said Norwalk
Page 18

I Richard B Isaacs Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of Norwalk aforesaid do hereby Certify that Benj'n Isaacs is Judge of said Court of Probate duly Commissioned and Sworn and also that he is Town Clerk of said Norwalk and that his Signature hereto annexed is his genuine Signature.

In testimony whereof i have hereto set my hand and Seal of Said Probate Court this 20 day of [illegible]mber AD. 1838

[signature] Richard B. Isaacs Clerk


Thomas Betts
[illegible]
Page 19

State of New-York}
County of Ontario} ss.

On this Eighteenth day of September in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, personally appeared before the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in and for the county of Ontario in the state of New York, Polly Gilderslieve a resident of the town of Canandaigua in the said county of Ontario aged ninety two years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on her oath, make the following Declaration, in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the Act of Congress, passed on 2d February, 1848, granting pensions to widows of persons who served during the Revolutionary War:

That she is the widow of Fitch Gilderslieve, who was a Lieutenant in the War of the Revolution, and on account of whose service she was pensioned under the Act of Congress of July 7, 1838, 3'd march 1843 & 17 June 1844 - and the annual amount of the pension which she received under the Act of 17 June 1844, was three hundred & twenty dollars --

She further Declares that she is still a Widow

[signature] Polly Gildersleeve

Sworn to & subscribed on this day}
& year above written, before me.}

[signature] S. C. White   Justice of the Peace

I certify that the above Declarant is personally known to me

[signature] S. C. White   Justice of the Peace

State of New-York}
County of Ontario} ss.

I, Reuben Murray Jr Deputy Clerk of said county, do hereby certify that Solomon C White Esq was on the day of the date of the above Declaration and Certificate, a Justice of the Peace in and for the said county, duly appointed and sworn, and that the signatures to the Jurat of the above Declaration and to the above Certificate, purporting to be his, are genuine.

In Testimony whereof, I have hereto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the said county, this nineteenth day of September 1848.

[signature] Reuben Murray Jr Deputy Clerk
a Ontario County  Clerk absent from the office
Page 20

State of NewYork}
Ontario County}ss.  On this Eighth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and forty three, personally appeared before Solomon C. White, a Justice of the Peace of the County of Ontario, in the State of NewYork, Polly Gildersleeve, a resident of the Village of Canandaigua, in the County of Ontario and State of NewYork, aged eighty-six years in January last past, who being first duly Sworn, according to law, doth on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the act of Congress passed on the 3d. March, 1843, granting pensions to widows of persons who Served during the Revolutionary war:

That she is the widow of Finch Gildersleeve who was a Lieutenant in the Company of Captain Titus, in the Regiment of Colonel Wysanphelss, of the New York State line troops; and that the annual amount of the pension that she received under the act of July 7, 1838, is Three Hundred and Twenty Dollars.

She further declares that she is still a widow.

[signature] Poly Gildersleeve

Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year first above written, before me, the Subscriber, a Justice of the Peace of the County of Ontario in the state of New York, and I, the said Justice, do hereby certify that the said Polly Gildersleeve, the declarant named and described in the foregoing declaration, is personally known to me.

[signature] Solomon C. White
Justice of the Peace
of the County of Ontario
in the State of New York

State of New York.} 
Ontario County Clerks Office}Ss.  I hereby Certify that Solomon C. White Esquire before whom the above declaration was subscribed & sworn was at the time
Page 21

the same purports to have been subscribed and sworn a Justice of the Peace in and for the said County of Ontario duly Elected and qualified and authorized by Law to act as such - And further that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of such Justice and verily believe his name subscribed to the above Certificate to be in his genuine handwriting -

In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of said County of Canandaigua
this 13'th September A.D. 1843.

[signature]Thomas Hall, Clerk
of Ontario County
Page 22

[left hand column]
18. Sept. 1843.  4008 L NY.
Polly Gilderslieve
Act 1848

[mail stamp]
CANANDAIGUA
SEPT 14 N.Y.

$320 pension

[right hand column]

FREE

James L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
D. C.

Albert Lester
Canandaigua, NY
Page 23

Canandaigua, N.Y.
Sept. 14, 1843.

James L. Edwards Esq.
Com'r of Pensions

Sir:

I enclose a declaration of Polly Gildersleeve, made for the purpose of obtaining the benefit of the provisions of the Act of march 3, 1843 in said declaration mentioned,

I am, Very Respectfully,
Your obd't Servt.
[signature]Albert Lester