Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 354, John Backus, New York
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3--1776
SERVICE                                           NUMBER
New York         Backus, John               R. 354


CONTENTS
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30601
In the Matter of John Backus application for Pension
Mr. Pierson

Hon. Mr. Pierson
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State of New York
Rensselaer County} ss. on this thirty first day of January 1834 personally appeared in open court before the Court of Common Pleas held in and for the said County now sitting John Backus a resident of the town of Hoosick in the County of Rensselaer and State of New York aged ninety one years 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, 1832
That at the time of the Battle of Bennington he was living in the town of Hoosick about ten miles from where said battle was fought that there was at that time a general turnout of the militia in that quarter as volunteers that he was a private & belonged to a company of militia commanded by Captain John Lampman and of which Henry Young was Lieutenant that he at that time turned out and went with his gun and was there taken prisoner by the enemy& carried to Burgoynes army then stationed at Stillwater or Saratoga in the State of New York that Captain Lampmans Company were most of them taken prisoners at the same time that he was then taken to Ticonderoga and there locked up with other prisoners that was in the year 1777 and after being Kept there a short time he was sent to St Johns and from there to Montreal and from there to Quebec and was there kept confined for some length of time and was kept until the close of the war in close confinement or under guard in such a manner that he could not escape and that the time that he was such prisoner to the Enemy was between
Daniel J Mills Justice of the Peace [on a page under the page containing the above text]
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State of New York [on a page underlying the page containing the text below]
six and seven years when at the close of the war he was released and came home that during his imprisonment he was kept in Canada at Bucks Island and Oswego most of the time that while at Oswego a number who were there as prisoners with him attempted to escape one of them went off with a plan of the fort but was followed and shot by the enemy--
That he is not acquainted with any Clergyman residing in the vicinity of his residence nor Elsewhere whose certificate he can obtain he being very old and infirm and poor and in consequence of which has for years past remained mostly at home not living near any church & not being able to attend church 
That he has no proof of the facts above stated but the affidavit of Lodowick Bonesteel which is hereto annexed nor does he know of any other person living at the present day by whom he can prove the same although he has made diligent search and enquiry
I   That he was born at Rhinebeck in the county of Duchess in the State of New York in the year 1742
II   That he has a record of his age at home in a testament which has been kept in the family
III   That he was living at the time he was taken prisoner as aforesaid in Hoosick in the County of Rensselaer and State of New York and has lived there ever since the Revolutionary war and still continues to reside there.
IV   That he was not drafted but that he went voluntarily in manner above stated
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V   That he has stated above the names of all his officers which he can recollect--
VI   That he was not discharged but was taken prisoner as above stated
VII   That the persons to whom he is known in his present neighborhood and who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of the facts above stated are Jonathan Haynes

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pensioner Roll of the agency of any State in the Union

Sworn to and subscribed 
                                                      {      his 
the day & year aforesaid              {John X Backus
in open Court Henry R. Bristol Clerk    mark

We Jonathan Haynes residing in the town of Hoosick in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York and Ebenezer Cross residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Backus who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to  be ninety one years of age that he is respected[?] and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been taken a prisoner by the enemy in the revolutionary war and remained as such prisoner for a number of years and that we concur in that opinion--}                              Jonathan Haynes
Sworn & subscribed the}       Ebenezer Cross
day & year aforesaid
in open Court Henry R. Bristol Clerk
   Daniel J Mills Justice of the Peace [signature seen on a sheet of paper below the present document]
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And the said court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the war department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served and was imprisoned as he states  And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Jonathan Haynes and Ebenezer Cross who have both signed the preceding certificate are both of them resident in the town of Hoosick and are both credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit

I Henry R Bristol Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas held in & for the said County of Rensselaer do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of John Backus for a pension
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 31st day of January 1834

Henry R. Bristol Clerk
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Lodowick Bonesteel of the town of Grafton in the county and State aforesaid of lawful age being duly sworn according to law deposeth and says that he is well acquainted with John Backus of Hoosick that he has known him for many years and was well acquainted with him in the Revolutionary War. That he belonged to a company of Militia commanded by Captain John Lampman and that at the time of the battle of Bennington he was taken prisoner by the enemy and carried to Burgoynes army, that this was in the year 1777 according to the best of this deponents recollection and belief, that before Burgoynes army surrendered to the american forces the said John Backus was sent a prisoner to Ticonderoga, Montreal and Quebec and was kept a prisoner by the Enemy between six and seven years at different places, that this deponent was with him during that  time and was personally [??]ing to  the above facts and this deponent saith that the said John Backus is a man of strict truth and veracity and further this deponent saith not--

                          Lodowick Bonesteel

State of New York-
Rensselaer County} Ss, on this 13th day of March 1834 personally appeared before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the said county Lodowick Bonesteel who being by me duly sworn according to law maketh oath and says that the facts contained in the above affidavit by him subscribed are true as the same and therein stated and I do further certify that I  am well acquainted with the said Lodowick Bonesteel and that he is a credible person & his statement is entitled to full credit--
                       Daniel J Mills Justice of the Peace
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State of New York
Rensselaer County ss} I Henry R. Bristol Clerk of said County do hereby certify that Daniel Mills Esqr. before whom the within affidavit of Lodowick Bonesteel purports to have been sworn was on the day of the date thereof a Justice of the Peace in and for said County. And that his signature subscribed to the within Certificate is genuine.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said County this 20th day of March 1836.
Henry R. Bristol Clerk.
for[?] [illegible initial] Howard Durr, Depy[?]


30601
In the Matter of John Backus application for Pension
--------------------------------------
Mr. Pierson

Hon. Mr. Pierson
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State of New York }
Rensselaer County} Is personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for the county of Rensselaer aforesaid John Backus who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he was captured and taken prisoner as stated in his declaration hereby amended, by a party of the enemy who were then called green Yorkers they were Rifle men, that he was taken to Burgoyne and from there to  Ticonderoga where he was locked up in the fort until news came that Burgoyne had surrendered to the American Forces, and the morning after receiving this information he was before day break taken on board a British vessel and immediately sailed for St Johns, that he was a prisoner of war taken and carried into Canada as such and detained and Kept for the length of time Stated in his declaration as Prisoner of war, and that his detention was not voluntary but was during all the time he was there occasioned by the restraint which was exercised by the enemy toward him & that he was not released from their custody until the Period by him stated and that he all the aforesaid time was confined or guarded in such a manner that he could not escape and that he knows of no person living by whom he can prove his imprisonment aforesaid but Lodowick Bonesteel
                                        John      Backus
                                                   X
                                                mark

Subscribed and sworn before}
me this 21st day of June 1834}
Harry Patterson Justice Peace
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State of New York
Rensselaer County Ss} I Henry R. Bristol Clerk of said County do hereby certify that Harry Patterson Esqr. before whom the within affidavit purports to have been sworn was on the day of the date thereof a Justice of the Peace in and for said County. Ad that his signature within subscribed is genuine.
In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 27th day of June 1834.
Henry R. Bristol Clerk
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State of New York }
Rensselaer County} Ss{maybe] Lodowick Bonesteel being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he is well acquainted with John Backus and has known him for a great length of time as stated in his affidavit heretofore made and that in addition to the facts contained in said affidavit this deponent well remembers that the said John Backus was a prisoner to the british for the space of between  six and seven years or from the time of the battle of Bennington until the close of the war and that during that time he was to this deponents personal knowledge Kept a portion of the time locked up a prisoner and was also to this deponents personal knowledge a portion of the time when not locked up confined by guards & kept a prisoner in such manner that he could not escape as this deponent well knows that he was detained during the time aforesaid a prisoner to the british and that he did not remain voluntarily while there as this deponent verily believes and further this deponent saith not--
Lodowick Bonesteel[signature]

State of New York
Rensselaer County} Is on this 25th day of June 1834 personally came before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the said county of Rensselaer Lodowick Bonesteel who being by me duly sworn according to law made oath and stated that the facts contained in above affidavit by him subscribed were true as the same were therein Stated & I further certify that I am acquainted with the said Lodowick Bonesteel and that he is a credible person & his statement is entitled to full credit
Alpheus Dumbleton Justice of the Peace
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State of New York
Rensselaer County Ss.} I Henry R. Bristol Clerk of said County do hereby certify that Alpheus Dumbleton Esqr. before whom the within affidavit purports to have been sworn was on the day of the date thereof a Justice of the Peace in and for said County. And that his signature within subscribed is genuine
In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal this 27th day of June 1834
Henry R. Bristol Clerk
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May -  21-1901[not sure]                         
Chas. L. Watrous -Des Moines, Ia


Ex'r.       INVALID.              REJECTED

John Backus
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[copy of the cover of a journal]
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Hoosick Falls                   [illegible, but possibly:] Lewis Cass
July 1st

[upside down:]Pension office
Hon ble Lewis Cass
                       Secretary of War
                          Washington City
                                           D.C


[Below this and written upside down:]
NY
John Backus
[can't read it upside down]
July [?] 1[8?]34
Pension Office
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Hon ble Lewis Cass
Secretary of War}
Sir  Enclosed is all the proof that John Backus can furnish in addition to that already given to Establish his claim to a pension under law of 7 June 1832. he is very old and the number living at the present day of that age is so small that he has been unable to find any person now living who was knowing to his capture & detention by the Enemy except Lodwick Bonesteel whose additional affidavit is herewith Enclosed, I hope therefore the evidence will be sufficient to satisfy the department of the merits of this claim
I am very Respectfully 
Your Obt. Servnt.
John Fitch

Please address communication to the subscriber Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer Co, New York
J. F.

June 30th 1834