Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 227, John Anson, New Jersey Penn.
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Service
New Jersey
Penn
Anson, John
Number R. 227
Contents
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State of New York
Cattaraugus County }ss
On this 12th day of December 1834 personally appeared before me Dan Allen a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Cattaraugus County John Anson of the town of Perrysburg, County and State aforesaid aged seventy three years who being by me first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7 1832.  That he was born in Austria in the town of Ninter adjoining France the 12th day of March 1761, that when he was about five years of age his father came to America landed at New York and immediately moved to the State of New Jersey Huntington County Town of Trenton, lived there about two years; his father having died he was bound to live with a widow by the name of Anna Robinson; she moved to the City of Philadelphia and lived with her about four years and she deceased; he then went back to Trenton and lived with a man by the name of Job Pearson who soon after moved to the town of Darby in Chester or Philadelphia County Pennsylvania; that he lived with him until about the 10th of April 1776 at which time he enlisted as a private soldier for one year and entered the service of the United States.  Joined a company commanded by Captain James More (who was after promoted to Colonel). Joined his company in the said town of Darby and joined his regiment at Germantown and the regiment was called or belonged to the Pennsylvania line. Germantown is distant from Darby about 17 miles.  He cannot recollect the Colonels name, the Majors name he believes to be Morgan; that they stayed about one month at Germantown, marched through Trenton to New Brunswick and joined with the Jersey troops. The brigade was commanded by General Maxwell as he believes.  Marched from New Brunswick to Elizabethtown and stayed about two months.  Marched to White Plains where they joined some New York troops. Was there about two months when they retreated by Elizabethtown & New Brunswick to Trenton and from there to Bucks County in Pennsylvania. Stayed in Bucks County until Christmas day when they had orders from General Washington to march to Trenton to fight the Hessians, that he fought in the battle of Trenton on the 26th day of December 1776.  The result of the battle to us was the taking of about one thousand of the Hessians prisoners.  Generals Washington, Green & Sullivan were in the battle.  Saw Washington the next day after the battle.  The American troops stayed at Trenton a few days; when they found it was not expedient to stay longer, they moved up the river to
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Howels Ferry so called distant from Trenton about four miles.  It was ascertained by the scouting parties that small parties of the British were lurking about the American Camp and in order to decoy them while the provisions and stores could be moved from Trenton to Howels Ferry, Washington ordered out three hundred of his men to attacked a small party of the British and keep them at bay.  That he was one of six men left out of the 300 to guard a bridge in order that none of the British should pass while the rest were to pitch battle with a small party of the British in a field a few rods distant and while those in the field were engaged, a small flank of British Dragoons cut off their retreat to their party, killed two of his number and he with the remaining there were taken  prisoner.  He was not taken however until he received a severe cut across the head from one of the Dragoons cutlass which mark he now bears.  They were immediately taken back about half a mile to a house where were the British wounded and a small guard to keep the prisoners.  This was about 2 o'clock in the afternoon and about the first of January 1777.  The weather cold, house somewhat crowded and the next morning about 9 o'clock the back door of the house being open and the British crowded around the fire, he took this time to slip out of the door and rant for the woods and succeeded in getting away.  That he had not been out long before he heard the firing of cannon in a direction of Princeton which he saw alarmed the British at the guard house and they soon left the house for their main army;  and when finding that the American Army had gone from Howels Ferry and hearing that Washington had taken some British prisoners at Princeton college, and not knowing which way to go he put up at a house for four days until he learnt that his company had gone to Morristown, which place he set out for and arrived in two days distance about 64 miles.  He stayed with the troops at Morristown through the winter until some time in April after when he received discharge signed by General Washington after having served out his year for which he enlisted.  He then went back to the town of Maidenhead, Huntington County New Jersey and stayed until about the 8th day of June of the same year at which time those able to bear arms were drafted into companys of six and each had to furnish a man for one month and that he went as a substitute for one whole class for six months & for those to wit Joseph Baker, Samuel Baker, Timothy Baker, Henry Parson, Samuel Smith & Job Pearson (at this time Job Pearson had
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moved back from Darby to the town of Maidenhead, he joined the company at Trenton commanded by Captain Joseph Clunn Lieut. Charles Clunn & Ensign Dickinson.  Marched from Trenton through Bucks County and joined the regiment between Schuylkill & Chaistin Creek.  The colonels name he has forgotten. Halted at Philadelphia three or four weeks, marched to Valley Forge.  Joined Washingtons army, stayed until the British advanced from Elkriver in Maryland towards the Brandywine with Gen. Howe at their head.  His brigade was commanded by General Stephenson; he now believes orders were given by Washington to Gen Stephenson & the whole of the American army to march and meet Gen. Howe which they did at Brandywine, that he fought in that battle for 3 or 4 hours which was about the 10th of September 1777; in this battle many were killed and wounded on both sides and both armies were driven alternately; at length the American army gave way which give the British possession of Philadelpha.  Distant from Brandywine about 90 miles the regiment to which he belonged marched through Trenton to Great Egg harbor. stayed there about two months when after serving his full time of six months as a private soldier he was discharged by General Phillip Dickinson.  Went home to Maidenhead, lived with Job Pearson until the next June of 1778 at which time and about the 20th of the month he enlisted as a private soldier into the Jersey line for three years at Trenton under a recruiting officer by the name of Joseph Jay.  Joined his company at Rocky hill commanded by Jonathan Phillips, Abram Appleton Lieut. & John Phillips Ensign. Marched to Monmouth distance from Rocky hill about 60 miles, was in the battle of Monmouth about the last day of June; in this battle many of the soldiers died with heat, that he helped bury the dead and great numbers were found dead without any wound about them, that a great many were killed & wounded.  General Washington was in this battle and stayed with his men on the battle ground and the British retreated towards New York with the loss of about one hundred prisoners besides their killed and numbers deserted them.  In this battle the Americans had the advantage. A few days after the battle his company marched to New Brunswick and was there attached or joined the 4th Regiment in the Jersey line.  Cannot recollect the Col or Majors name but the brigade was commanded by General Green until about a year before his time was out when Gen Green superseded General Gates.  The Brigade was then commanded by General Knox.  After joining
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the regiment as before stated at Brunswick they stayed there some time was a part of the time at Elizabeth town.  There was some skirmishing about there but not of much note, after he had been in the service about a year (after his enlistment for three years) General Sullivan made a draft of men from the Jersey, New England & New York troops to go against the Indians at the west that Captain Jonathan Phillips and a number of his company were in the draft in consequence of which the company were broken up and the hen was part of a company commended by Captain McCay, Lieut. Samuel Anniss  & Ensign David Ayers belonging to the 7th or 8th New Jersey Regiment commanded by Colonel Freylinghuyse, first Major Davidson McDonald 2nd Major L Peter Law Adjutant,  that he served in that regiment for the last two years, part of the time stationed at Hackensack New Brunswick Elizabethtown and Newark.  He cannot state the precise length of time that he stayed at the different places but mentioned nothing of note occurred more than he has before stated, that he can recollect that he was discharged about the first day of July 1781 at Middlesex.  General Knox signed his discharge, that in this service he served as a private soldier three years and for the before mentioned services he claims a pension.  That his discharges are all lost, that he doesn't know of any record of his age or knows of no one who can testify to his service.  He has spent much of his time in search of witnesses but has never been able to find any, that there is no clergyman living in his neighborhood with which he is acquainted, that he is acquainted with Phineas Spencer, Esqr Postmaster at West Lodi village in the town of Perrysburgh and with Leman J. Pitcher Esqr of the same village who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution and he does further declare that he hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity except the present and that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.  That since the revolution and after being discharged he went home to the town of Maidenhead and lived with Job Pearson about five years, went a voyage to sea, was gone one year, landed at Philadelphia, went from there to Cambridge Washington County State of Newyork.  Stayed about one year, went to Canada, lived about three years, came from Canada to Arlington in Bennington County State of Vermont. Stayed
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about two years, went from there to Cambridge, N. York, lived about 3 years, married moved to Chenango County New York in the town of Oxford and lived 18 years, lost his wife Went to Camillus, Onondaga County N.York, lived about 5 years and in the 2nd year of the late war he went to Fort Niagara with a team to work for the army.  Was taken prisoner near Niagara Falls by the British while they had possession of Fort Niagara.  Lost his horses & team but by the assistance of Judge Archibald S. Clarke of Clarence Erie County (then Niagara County) he received from government his pay for them.  He was kept a prisoner about 24 hours when he got away.  Went to Buffalo and joined Colonel Chapins volunteers and was in the battle when the British crossed at Black Rock before the burning of Buffalo.  Stayed with Chapins about four weeks.  The next year after was boatman for General Browns army.  Went to Clarence and lived about four years.  Went back to Camillus in Onondaga County & companies in Cayuga County and town of Scott Cortland County lived about five years from there moved to Perrysburgh where he now lives and has for three years last past.  That he is very infirm by reason of old age and that he is not able to attend the court of the said county of Cattaraugus 
John Anson
Sworn to & subscribed before me the day & year aforesaid
Dan Allen
Judge of Cattaraugus County Common Pleas
We Phineas Spencer residing in the village of West Lodi in the town of Perrysburgh & Leman H. Pitcher residing in [illegible] village town of Collins Erie County hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Anson who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration, that we believe him to be seventy three years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. 
P. Spencer
Leman H. Pitcher
Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me.
Dan Allen
A Judge of Cattaraugus County Common Pleas
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And I the said Don Allen Judge as aforesaid do hereby declare my opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories presented by the War Department that the above names applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states.  And I further certify that the said applicant is not able by reason of old age and bodily infirmities to attend the court of our said County and I the said Don Allen Judge as aforesaid further certify that I am well acquainted with Phineas Spencer, Esqr of Perrysburgh residing in the village of Lodi in the County of Cattaraugus who has signed the preceding certificate and Leman H. Pitcher Esqr of Lodi Collins Erie County who has also signed the preceding certificate are both credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.  
Dan Allen
Judge of Cattaraugus County Common Pleas
State of New York
Cattaraugus County
I John W Staunton clerk of the said county do certify that Dan Allen Esqr whose name is subscribed to the preceding affidavit certificate &c. was on the day of the date of the same a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the said county commissioned, sworn and duly authorized to act as such.  And further that I am well acquainted with his handwriting and verily believe his name subscribed to the foregoing affidavit certificate &c. to be his proper handwriting and signature.  Witness my hand and seal of the said county this 26th day of December A.D. 1834
John W. Staunton, Clerk
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32371
John Anson
New Claim
227
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State of New York
Cattaraugus County
Be it remembered that on the eleventh day of April 1835 personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace of the Town of Perrysburg in said county John Anson, to me personally know who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in answer to a letter from the War Department Pension Office dated February 4th 1835 asking an explanation why he the said John Anson did not apply for a pension under the act of March 18th, 1818 and other questions to which he answers as follows.  To the first to wit relative to the act of the 18 March 1818 he states that he was then living at Camillus in Onondaga County New York, that some time in May in 1818 he applied to Gideon Wilcoxson, a lawyer & Master or solicitor in Chancery then living in  said town & county last mentioned and by him was told that he must give an inventory of his property in and on doing so he was told that he had too much property to come within this act which was about five hundred dollars & was also told that those having a considerable  [illegible] sum was deprived of a pension.  Should say it was an amount as small as 200 or 250 dollars and in placing confidence in Esqr Wilcoxson's word did not apply after as his property made him comfortable until within about five years since which time he has supported himself by hard labour.   Esqr. Wilcoxson moved to Michigan some years ago and some few years since deceased.  That in reply to the statement of said letter respecting his name not being found on the rolls of any of the Continental regiments of New Jersey he would state that in making the supplemental declaration in endeavoring to give the names of the different Colonels he served under he named Colonel Morgan with others and about ten days after making the last mentioned declaration it came fresh to his mind that instead of service under Colonel Morgan the first year of his last enlistment he served under a Colonel Ogden for that first year of his last enlistment and that he served under Major Morgan under Colonel Fleming & never under Colonel Morgan and the mistake was in him by the names Morgan & Ogden sounding something alike
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and by reason of his old age and consequent bad memory in relation to things of so little consequence as was supposed at that time would be of so much consequence to retain at the present time.   And although he has stated that Colonels Fleming, Ogden & Freylinghuyse were colonels of the New Jersey Continentals, he may be mistaken as to that, he not knowing the particulars respecting the arrangement of the different regiments but this one thing he states he enlisted in the State of New Jersey and served as before stated mostly in that state and that he always did and does now believe that he enlisted and joined the fourth regiment New Jersey Continentals under Col Ogden and at the time Sullivan made the draft from the Jersey, New York & New England troops.  The companys and regiments were in a measure broken to pieces and the remnant of his company joined a company alongside to the regiment commanded by Colonel Freylinghuyse and as he always supposed a New Jersey regiment but be that as it may he served under Colonel Fleming one year under Colonel Ogden one year under Col. Freylinghuyse two years, and six months in the militia as they were called and as the abovementioned letter says.  There was no such classification of the militia as is set forth in his declaration.  He is sure there was some kind of classification as he stated and he did and does from his best recollection believe it to be in substance as he stated.  At any rate he served for six months and that all of his service as aforesaid was in the service and for the benefit and under officers belonging to the United States and if enough of his service is satisfactorily proved to the Secretary of the War to entitle him a full pension, it is enough for him without being required after serving four years & half in the service of his country to prove it all when it is only [illegible] to [illegible] years service to entitle him to a full pension and this much he hopes and veryly believes he has done by the existence of the different rolls in the Pension Office and by giving the particular at length.  
John Anson
Subscribed & sworn before me the day & year aforesaid.
Amasa L Chaffe  
Justice of the Peace
belonging to the regiment interlined before signing  16 line from top
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And in continuance the said John Anson further states that he left the state of New Jersey in the year 1788, that he has of late made inquire respecting his old shipmates and brother soldiers with whom he was well acquainted and cannot learn where any of them if living reside and has also learnt that those he relied on as evidence of his service are dead and does not know as he can make other proof than which he has heretofore made relying on these facts.  That he claims a pension for services done in the service of the United States during the Revolutionary War as a private soldier and under the following colonels to wit:  Colonel Fleming one year Colonel Ogden one year & Colonel Freylinghuyse two years, and in the militia six months and as to the particulars of his service in the different battles and different companies and the places where he served he refers the Secretary of War to his first declaration.  
John Anson
Subscribed & sworn before me at the date aforesaid.
Amasa L. Chaffe, J. Peace
State of New York
Cattaraugus County } ss.
I, John W. Staunton, clerk of the county aforesaid do certify that Amasa L Chaffe esq. before whom the preceding affidavit &c. was sworn was at the date of the same a Justice of the Peace in and for the said county duly elected and qualified, that I am well acquainted with his handwriting and verily believe his name subscribed to the foregoing affidavit &c. is his own proper hand writing and signature. 
Witness my hand and seal of office this 17th day of April A.D. 1835
John W, Staunton, Clerk
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Ex'r
Invalid
No 227
REJECTED
John Anson
P.O.
Service:
Enlisted :_____,18
Discharged: _____,18
Application filed: _____,18
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P.O.
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32371
New York
Revo.
John Anson
Suspended
Sd let to A. L. Chaffe
June 9, 1835
Let to [illegible] Feb 4 '35
Hon C Durkee 11 Jan '53
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Ellicottville NY
Jay 25th
Feb 2nd
To J. L. Edwards Esq.
Comm of Pensions
War Department
Washington
free
John Anson
NY
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1.25    4.25
3
3.75    106.25
93.75   93.75
281.25    200
7
19.60

318.75
Jany 6
NY
John Anson
Origl
Ellicottville NY
free
Pension Agent
Washington City
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Ellicottville NY  free
April 19th

NY
Apr 27
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
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Any communications on this subject to be addressed to Amasa L. Chaffe Esq. West Lodi, Cattaraugus County New York
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State of New York
Cattaraugus County }ss.
On this 21st day of January 1835 personally appeared before me Amasa L. Chaffe a Justice of the peace in the Town of Perrysburgh in said county John Anson to me personally known an applicant for a pension or annuity for service by him as a soldier rendered to the United States during the revolutionary war who being by me first duly sword according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration & statements.  (In answer to a letter from the War Department Pension office dated January 9th 1835 on the subject of his claim by which he is requested to give the names of his officers, particularly that of the Colonel of each regiment in which he served.) That for the first year of his service when under Captain More, the regiment to which he belonged was commanded by Colonel Flemming and by Major Morgan and when in the six months of service (as a substitute as stated in his declaration) under Captain Joseph Clunn his company joined a regiment between Schuylkill and Chaistin Creek commanded by Colonel Stephenson
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or Stevens and in the last service for the first year or thereabouts when under Captain Phillips his company belonged to a regiment commanded by Colonel Morgan, the Majors name was Brailey.  That when Gen Sullivan made the draft to go against the Indians Captain Phillips went with him and the company left was then under the command of Captain McCay and the last two years of his services he was commanded by Captain McCay, adjutant Peter Law. 2nd Major Mc Donald, first Major Davidson and Colonel Freylinghuyse or Colonel Freylinghouse does not know which of the two ways his name is spelled.  He also states that it may be possible that he has misplaced the Colonels but has endeavored to refresh his memory on the subject and has made the above statement as correct as is in his power taking into consideration the great lapse of years since the service was performed and his consequent old age and the little acquaintance he had with the superior officers above the captains and further saith not.
John Anson
Subscribed & sworn the day and year aforesaid before me
Amasa L. Chaffe
Justice of the Peace as aforesaid
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State of New York
Cattaraugus County }ss.
I John W. Staunton clerk of the county aforesaid do certify that Amasa L. Chaffe Esquire before whom the preceding declaration purports to have been sworn and subscribed was at the date of same a Justice of the Peace in and for the said county duly elected and qualified.  And further that I am well acquainted with his handwriting and verily believe the signature "Amasa L. Chaffe" subscribed to the said declaration is genuine.  In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 23rd day of January A.D. 1835
John W. Staunton Clerk