Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 11,742, Adam Wisner, New York Penn.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE: 
New York
Penn.

Wisner, Adam 
or 
Wisnar

NUMBER: 
R. 11,742

CONTENTS: 
[blank]
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35,032
Adam Wisnar
N.Y.
Act 7. June '32
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State of New York
County of Livingston ss: On this 27th day of January - 1840 personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas of Livingston County now sitting Adam Wisnar a resident of the town of Geneseo in the County of Livingston and State of New York, aged eighty four years on the 27th day of April last past, who being first 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 7, 1932. -- That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated: That during the Revolutionary War (until the month of July 1778 as hereinafter stated) he resided in the town of Northumberland, in the County of Northunberland in the State of Pennsylvania. That from the commencement of hostilities, so long as he resided in the State of Pennsylvania, he always stood as a minuit-man, and, as such, whenever drafted, went into Service in the Militia of that state. As minuit-man he was called every Monday (with the exception of five mondays - and with the exception of the tours of service hereinafter specified) to appear on parade, and actually did so, together with the company to which he was attached. At the commencement of the War he remembers, well takeing the oath of allegiance to the United States, before one Thomas Hewitt, who was then a Justice of the Peace in the County of Northumberland; at which time he received from said Thomas Hewitt a certificate of haveing taken said oath and also a copy of the oath. These papers are now destroyed, haveing been burned at the destruction of his house by fire as hereinafter stated, but he remembers that the oath read substantially as follows - "I Adam Wisnar renounce all allegiance to George the third his heirs and successors, and solemnly swear that I will make known all conspiracies which I now know, or hereafter may know against the United States". Besides being called on the parade as before stated, he can now specify the following tour of service which he performed in the State of Pennsylvania - viz - That he was drafted and went into the service as a militia man in the month of December 1775. as a private in a company there commanded by one Captain Wrong, (whose given name he cannot now remember)- and continued without intermission in the service until the month of March there not ensueing - and was then discharged. during the time he was with the company, for the three months aforesaid, and was then discharged. During the time he was with the company, for the three months aforesaid, they, together with the Regiment to which they were attached, lay at Reading and Northumberland, and small attachments were often sent out from the Regiment, as frontier scouts, for the purpose of intercepting the Tories and Indians. The Colonel of the regiment was one James Murray and the regiment was attached to a Brigade or Division commanded by General Potter. He remembers the following named persons, who were, during said three months, privates in the same company with him - viz - his brother Annanias Wisnar, Henry Doughtery, Samuel King, Joseph Cowen and William Clark. Afterwards in November 1776. he again went into the service, as a drafted militia man and served three months - cannot remember the name of the Captain under whom he did this service, but remembers well that one Charles Clark was the Lieutenant of the company, and that the same Colonel Murray & General Potter were the commanding officers. Remembers well that Charles Clark was Lieutenant from the fact that said Clark commanded a small scouting detachment, which went out to a place called White-Marsh where they had a skirmish with the enemy and Clark was taken prisoner & was gone three years before he returned. During this three months they lay at Reading except
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when detached on scouting parties. The following persons he remembers were privates in the company at the time – viz - Timothy Livingston, John Gray, Israel Barrett - and Annanias Wisnar -remembers being discharged at the end of three months in February next ensuing the time of his going into the service. The next service which he can now definitely recollect, was in the month of May 1778, at which time he went, in Company with a person by the name of John Coats, to conduct and guard a spy. who had been captured, to the City of Philadelphia. The Spy gave his name as Nicholas Pickard and was a Tory. They delivered him at Philadelphia and afterwards heard that he was hung. This is the only service for which he ever received any pay - The Governor of Pennsylvania paid him for this - and also gave him a pass, Signed with his own hand, to enable him to get home. This pass he kept until 1825, when it was burned at the destruction of his house by fire as hereinafter stated. Soon after the destruction of Wyoming by the Indians and British a general alarm prevailed through the section of Pennsylvania where he resided and most of the inhabitants abandoned their homes and sought various places of refuge. And he the said Adam Wisnar, left there and went to the County of Ulster in the State of New York, in which County he resided until after the proclamation of Peace. Remembers that he left Northumberland on the 3d day of July 1778, and arrived in Ulster County in the latter part of the same month. From the best estimate he can make he thinks he served in all, as a drafted militia man, in the New York Militia, Six months. The two following are all the tours of service which he can now specify – viz - In the fall of 1778 reccollects(sic) of forming one of a party of six, and going under Ensign David Wisner to waylay a pass in Orange County for the purpose of intercepting a body of tories, and was gone at this time three days - In May 1779, went on a scouting party to a place on the Delaware River, then called Pin Pack, beyond Neversink, in a company commanded by Captain John Newkirk. the company was attached to a Regiment commanded by Colonel Jacob Newkirk. Remembers the Ensign of the Company whose name was Daniel McHenry, and remember the following privates – viz - John Sears - a man by the name of Criss - Benjamin Sears - Samuel Sears - James Sears and James Rodgers - The Company went on a scouting party but had no skirmish - was in the service at this time two weeks – 
And the said Adam Wisnar says, that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory & of his papers by fire (which occurred at the township of White Water, in the County of Hamilton and State of Ohio in the spring of the year 1825, at which time his house, and nearly all his effects, were burned) he can give no more definite statement than is above set forth, of his service; but he always has and still does believe that during the war he served two years - As to the service he has specified his recollection is distinct. The Mondays which he spent for three years (with the Exceptions aforesaid) in appearing on parade in the State of Pennsylvania - he claims would amount to four months, which, added to the other three tours of service done in Pennsylvania, would make the whole time which he served in Pennsylvania and which he can now remember and specify ten months and ten days - which with the ten weeks at one time, and three days at another time, which he can now remember and specify as having served in the State of New York, makes in all ten months and twenty seven day actual service by him performed which he can now recollect during all of which time he served as a private - And the said Adam Wisnar further says that he has no documentary evidence - And that he knows of no person whose
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testimony he can procure who can testify to his service. That since the fall of 1836 he has spent much of his time in fruitless and unavailing search to find some person who knew of his service, during which time he has travelled more than thirteen hundred miles in various parts of the States of Pennsylvania and New York, but has been unable to find any one who knew him, or knew of his service in the Revolutionary War. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to an annuity or pension except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of any agency of any State 
In answer to the interrogatories propounded by the Court the declarant answers as follows – 
1 I was born at Goshen in the County of Orange and State of New York, on the 27th day of April 1755 
2. I have a Record of my age in my Bible now in my possession 
3. When first called into the service I lived in the town of Northumberland in the County of Northumberland in the State of Pennsylvania, at which place I continued to reside, and did service as before Stated until the 3d day of July 1778, when I left there and removed to the County of Ulster in the State of New York, where I performed the service above specified. In 1784 after the proclamation of peace I returned to Northumberland in the State of Pennsylvania where I continued to reside until December 1800 when I removed to the town of Leicester which was then in the County of Genesee (now Livingston) and State of New York, where I resided until 1813. In the month of March 1813 I removed to the town of Andrus (now DeWitt) in the County of Onondaga and State of New York at which place I resided until 1817. On the 15th day of September 1817 I left the County of Onondaga and removed to the town of Coshocton in the County of Coshocton in the State of Ohio and resided there until 1819. In February 1819 I removed to White Water township in the County of Hamilton and State of Ohio and resided there until the Spring of 1825 when my house, together with the papers aforesaid, and most my effects were destroyed by fire - In the Spring of 1825 I removed to the County of Bartholomew in the State of Indiana and resided there until near the close of the month of August 1836. when I returned to the State of New York (on my way back passing through the State of Pennsylvania for the purpose of ascertaining if I could find any witness to prove my service by) and have since resided with such my relatives & friends who were willing to keep me, in the Counties of Onondaga, Seneca and Livingston until the month of June last, when, having exhausted the charity of my connections & friends, haveing no property, and from old age and infirmity, being unable to labour I entered as a pauper the Poor House of Livingston County in the State of New York, where I have since to the date hereof continued to reside
4. I was always drafted when called into the service
5. The names of the officers whom I can now recollect, were, in Pennsylvania, General Potter Colonel James Murray Captain Wrong Lieutenant Charles Clark And in the State of New York Captain John Newkirk, Colonel Jacob Newkirk and Ensign Daniel McHenry. I can give no other account of the circumstances & my Service than above stated 
6. I never received a written discharge from the Service [signed] Adam Wisner
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
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We Abraham Harrison and Daniel Kelly residing in the town of Groveland in the County Livingston aforesaid, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Adam Wisnar who has Subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be Eighty four years of age on the 27th day of April last, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution: and the we concur in that opinion. 
[signed] A Harrison  Daniel Kelly
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. 

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary Soldier and served as he states - And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Abraham Harrison and Daniel Kelly who have also signed the same are residents in the town of Groveland in the County last aforesaid and are credible persons and that the statement is entitled to credit. 
I William H. Stanley clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Livingston and State of New-York, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application & Adam Wisnar for a pension. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal office this 27th day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty. 
[signed] W. H. Stanley clerk
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION.  3-525 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 
BUREAU OF PENSIONS. 
Washington, D. C., July 17”, 1916. 
F.S.C
R. File 11.742
Rev. War
G. Franklin Wisner
211 East Fayette St. Baltimore, Md.

Sir:-
In reply to your request of July 14” received July 14” for a statement of the military history of Adam Wisner, a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his application for pension on file in this Bureau. 

[BEGIN TABLE]
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.  |   LENGTH OF SERVICE.   |   RANK.   |  OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. CAPTAIN.   |   COLONEL.   |   STATE.  |
Dec 1775  |  3 mos.  |  Private  |  Wrong  |  James Murray  |  Penn.  |
Nov. 1776  |  3 mos.  |    |  Lt. Charles Clark  |  James Murray  |  Penn.  |
May 1779  |  2 wks.   |    |  Capt. John Newkirk  |  Jacob Newkirk  |  New York  |
[END TABLE]

Engaged in, skirmish at Whitemarsh in which Lt. Clark was captured
Residence of soldier at enlistment, 1st Northumberland, Northumberland Co. Penn  3rd Ulster Co. New York
Date of application for pension, January 27, 1840.
Residence at date of application, Geneseo, Livingston Co., New York.
Age at date of application, born Apl. 27, 1755 at Goshen, Orange Co., NY. 
Remarks: this claim was never allowed for the reason that the claimant failed to furnish proof of his alleged services. There is no family data on file.
Respectfully, 
Commissioner.

6-2856
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[left side]
1916 July 17. Hist. to G. Franklin Wisner at request of T. F. Dennis Law Clerk Bu. of Pens. no letter in our files. ¢ 1917 Aug. 16 Photocopy 3 pages of decl. to above. ¢

[right side]
11.742
P.O. Adam Wisner
Service: 
Enlisted:  , 18  .
[stamp] REJECTED
Discharged:  , 18  .
Application filed:  , 18  .
Alleges: 
Re-enlisted: 
Attorney: 
P. O. 
Recognized.   Contract.
Cert. of Dis.   Searched for  , 18  .
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[Document illegible]
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free
J L. Edwards Esqr 
Commissioner of Pensions 
Washington City 
D.C.

Dr. Crump
Adam Wisnar
N.Y.

[postmark]
NUNDA VALLEY N.Y. JUL 30
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Nunda Allegany Co. N.Y. 
July 30th 1840 
Sir 
On the 13th of June ultimo I wrote you respecting the claim of Adam Wisnar for a Pension under the Act of June 7, 1832. in which I stated that I knew of nothing more that I could do in his case. 
Not having since that time received and answer from you, I have now to request that the final decision of the Comr of Pensions in his case may be made, and, if his name is placed on the Pension Roll, that the certificate of Pension may be forwarded to me 
Mr. Wisnar is anxious to know the final result, as thereon depends whether he shall remain as he now is the companion of the Vicous & degraded in the Poor house, or be restored to the enjoyment of the ordinary blessings & privileges of Society – 
I am with much respect 
Your obt Sert.
[signed] A. M. Crane 

J.L. Edwards Esq.
Comr of Pensions
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Bates Cook Esqr 
Recd June 13. 1840

A. M. Crane Esq
Nunda Valley N.Y.
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Comptroller Office 
Albany June 8. 1840 
Mr. A. M. Crane 
Nunda Valley N.Y. 
Sir 
In answer to yours of the 12 May last I have to inform you that on searching the records of this office for evidence of the revolutionary service of Adam Wisnar none can be found 
It appears that there was issued to Daniel Andrus by the Treasurer of the State for levies and Militia Service, three several certificates viz.
“October 23d 1781 £1.1.4  
October 23d 1781. 1.1.4 
Nov. 7 1781. 1.12.0” and were of course issued for services previously performed; but no record exists in the office showing the date or term of service for which such certificates were issued.
Very Respectfully
Your Obedient Servant 
[signed] W W Tredway 
Dep Comptroller
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Nunda Valley, Allegany Co N.Y. 
29th January 1840 
Sir
Enclosed I send you the application of Adam Wisnar for a pension under the Act of June 7, 1832. From the application, and the facts set forth in the declaration, you will perceive that the applicant is from the misfortunes with which he has met, in very indigent circumstances, being now an inmate of the Livingston County poor house – 
He expected to have been able to proven the attendance of the Rev. Mr Brown in Court, but was disappointed which accounts for the erasures which appear in the certificate and opinion of the Court. I send you however a certificate signed by Mr Brown which I recd from the applicant, and have no doubt of its genuineness. The applicant can produce no other evidence of his services than is herewith sent, and he wishes that there should be a decision upon his claim upon the enclosed papers and that the decision may be made known to me as soon as convenient 
Very Respy
Your Obt Serv [signed] A. M. Crane 

J. L. Edwards Esqr 
Comr of Pensions
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To all whom it may concern; This may certify that the bearer Mr Adams Wisner is a man in favour of whose moral, and christian character we the undersigned have great confidence, both from personal acquaintance and satisfactory information, and that he is in very needy circumstances, in consequence of providential loss of all his property. And we also further certify that from many circumstances we have not the least doubt but he was a soldier in the revolutionary Army, under General Potter, and is justly entitled to a pension as such, although he can produce no certificate of his discharge from this service, in consequence of the loss of all his papers by fire, which has rendered him thus needy.
East Groveland Dec 27th 1839. [signed] Oren Brown: Minister of the Gospel
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Nunda Valley N.Y. 
Aug. 11. 1840 
Sir, 
Yours of the 5th inst. in relation to the claim of Adam Wisnar, came duly to hand yesterday, in which I am informed that the silence of of the Militia Rolls as to his service are received as a presumtion against his claim, and that the presumption can only be rebutted by satisfactory evidence - As this Examination, and the point decided, is only in relation to the service alledged to have been done in the State of New York, I am Still led to hope that upon reexamining his claim for the Pennsylvania Service enough will be found to entitle his name to a place on the Pension Roll. 
I wrote you on the 30th ultimo. and as this (your letter) does not purport to be an answer to that, I will now say to you again, as I then said, that I know of nothing further I can do in the premises – 
As to the fact of his haveing been a Soldier in the Revolution no one, who knows the man, has any doubt of it - I presume I can get a hundred persons to certify (on oath if need be) that for a series of years, they have known him & that he has always been reputed a Revolutionary Soldier- 
All the direct evidence he can give is his own Statement and the certificates of character attached to his declaration. Sixty years has carried away his former associates: misfortune has deprived him of his documentary evidence; Poverty has thrown him, among the vicous and degraded, upon public charity and under all these adverse & trying circumstances he produces the best and only evidence in his power - and asks, if consistent with the the principles of Justice, and of the evidence he has given induces the conviction that he has served as he states that he may be relieved from the oppressive weight of misfortune to which in his declining years he seems the fated subject – 
In regard to the New York Service, I would remind you
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You that he does not claim to have served only as a volunteer on various scouts and Expeditions - and Service done under such circumstance would be less likely to appear on the Rolls than that done in the enrolled Militia or regular Army - This is likewise true in regard to most of the Pennsylvania Service – 
The Government will soon be done with Revolutionary claims - This day takes place the funeral of Daniel Andrus (whose claim was a short time since rejected at the Pension Office) [illegible] 90. He goes to his grave full of years, and the spontaneous testimony of this community is that “another Revotioner is gone” – 
Shall Adam Wisnar die in the Livingston County Poor House? Unless the evidence now before the Comr of Pensions will entitle him to relief he certainly will –
Having no further evidence which can be given & knowing of nothing more that I can do - I now ask that a final decision may be made respecting the claim of Adam Wisnar, and that the result thereof may be communicated to me, with as little delay as may be consistent with the business of the Pension Office 
I am very Resp 
Yr obt Sert
[signed] A.M. Crane 

J.L. Edwards Esq 
Comr Pensions
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Nunda N.Y. June 13. 1840 
Sir 
Enclosed herewith I send you a letter from the Comptrollers office of this State from which it will be seen no evidence in the case of Adam Wisnar can be found. 
(The remainder of the letter in regard to the services of Daniel Andrus of course has nothing to do with Wisnar’s case - nor with Andrus’ as his claim has been Rejected - It was elicited in reply to a Letter from me, I wish to ascertain if some further evidence in case could out be obtained)
I know of nothing more that I can do for Mr Wisnar, and therefore ask for a final decision of the Department on his claim Hopeing that his own affidavit may be found to contain enough intrinsick evidence to allow the claim upon. The applicant is now an inmate of the Livingston County Poor house, and if any one needs assistance it his him – 
Respectfully
Yours [signed] A. M. Crane

J. L. Edwards Esq 
Comr Pensions
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Date Aug. 16, 1917. 
Name Adam Wisner of No. R. File 11.742 Rev. War 
Photographic copies wanted of 1 pieces, consisting of 3 pages. 
Remarks: uncertified 
Exr J.S. Chamberlin Actg Chief Rev. War Div. 
APPROVED: T. F. Dennis
Chief, Law Division. 
Serial No. 8823   [Crossed out: 8826]
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BUREAU OF PENSIONS 
Finance Division 
AUG 15, 191. 
Chief Law. Div
Sir: 
I have this day received from G. Franklin Wisner No. Cash for $1.50 requesting copy of record as per letter herewith. 
Very respectfully, 
W N Campbell 
Chief of Division.
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Law  cw

[stamp]
CHIEF’S DESK  Mail & Supplies Division Aug 15 1917  U.S. BUREAU OF PENSIONS

Received of G. Franklin Wisner 9 E Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Md. $1.50 for copies of papers in three Revolutionary War pension cases 
RWB Law
August 15, 1917.
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Mr. G. Franklin Wisner
9 E. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland 
Photostat copies of papers in the following Rev. War claims 
Rej. File No. 11.742 Adam Wisner 3 pages
Wid. File No. 6.549 David Wisner  2 pages
Wid. File No. 26.040 Jacob Wisner 5 pages
[total] 10 pages

[stamp]
FINANCE DIVISION 
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
AUG 18 1917
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In reply to your request of ___ received ___ for a statement of the military history of Adam Wisner a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his  application for pension on file in this Bureau.  R. 11.742

[BEGIN TABLE]
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.  |   LENGTH OF SERVICE.   |   RANK.   |  OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. CAPTAIN.   |   COLONEL.   |   STATE.  |
Dec. 1775  |  3 mos.  |  Private  |  Wrong  |  James Murray  |  Penn.  |
Nov. 1776  |  3 mos.  |    |  Lt. Charles Clark  |  James Murray  |    |
May 1779  |  2 wks.  |    |  Capt. John Newkirk  |  Jacob Newkirk  |  New York  |
[END TABLE]

engaged in, sk. At White Marsh Lt. Clark captured.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Northumberland, Penn. Removed to Ulster Co, N.Y. July 3, 1778.
Date of application for pension, Jany. 27, 1840.  R.
Residence at date of application, Genesee, Livingston Co., N.Y.
Age at date of application, born Apl. 27,1755 Goshen, Orange Co., N.Y.
Remarks: this claim was never allowed for the reason that claimant failed to furnish proof of his alleged service 
Respectfully, 
Commissioner.

6-2856