Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 13,071, Samuel S Foster, Conn. Sea Service Privateer
Page 1

SERVICE
Conn Sea Service
Privateer

Foster, Samuel S.

NUMBER
S.13,071

carded

CONTENTS
Page 2

Typed form completed in handwriting

INVALID

Revy Navy

File No. 13071
Samuel S. Foster
Midshipman
Ship Gov. Trumbull
Rev. War

Act Jun 7 1832

Index: Vol. 5. Page 88

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 3

Typed form completed in handwriting

4312  New York

Samuel S. Foster
of Batavia, in the State of New York who was a Midshipman on board [strikethrough] in [strikethrough] the Gov. Trumbull commanded by Captain Henry Billings of the --- commanded by Con’n in the * [strikethrough] Connecticut line [strikethrough] State Service 2 Years - * Privateer Conn. Sea Service.

Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 144 Dollars --- Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 18 day of January 1833 and sent to Hon P. L. Tracy Present

Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832 --                 $216.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 33         72.00
                                                                     --------
                                                                    $288.00
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by Jno Cromwell Clerk
Book D Vol. 5. Page 88
Page 4

Samuel S. Foster
Declaration
18356

Please make returns to Horace M. Soper
Batavia, Genesee Co N.Y.

admitted
2 years midshipman
Page 5

State of New York
Genesee County. ss} Vine T. Hibbard of the Town of Darien Aged Sixty six years, being duly Sworn doth depose and Say That he is well acquainted with Samuel S. Foster of this town of said Batavia in the said County of Genesee: this deponent - Doth further depose and Say. that he was acquainted with The said Samuel S. Foster in the Revolutionary war. and That the Said Samuel S. Foster did shifts on board the Ship Governer Trumbull, A State Ship. there Lying in the Port of New London, in the State of Connecticutt. Commanded By Henry Billings Esq. Mounting Twenty four Guns, That the said Samuel S. Foster was Under Officer on Board Said Ship and as the deponent Believes A Midshipman then in the Service of the Thirteen United States and this deponent did Enlist on board said ship As a Powder Carrier, Sometime in the month of November In the year of Our Lord Seventeen Hundred and Seventy nine at which Time the said Samuel S. Foster was on Board said Ship and Continued on board untill she Was Captured and this deponent further deposeth and Saith That the said Ship Govern Trumbull Proceeded to Sea on a Cruise, against the British, towards the last Of the month of December Seventeen Hundred and Seventy nine and was Captured by his Britanick Majesty’s - Frigate Greyhound of Thirty Six Guns Sometime in the Month of February Seventeen Hundred and Eighty Off the Leeward of the Island of Tobago and Carried into Port and the said Samuel S. Foster and this deponent Were first on board different British Ships from which Time this deponent did not See, the said Samuel S. Foster Untill after the Close of the Revolutionary War and Further this deponent says not:
Vine X Hibbard

Sworn and Subscribed this 2nd day of October 1832 
Before Me Eben North Justice of the Peace
Page 6

State of New York
Genesee County ss}
I Timothy Fitch Clerk of said County certify that Ebon North before whom the written affidavit purports to have been taken and made was on the day of the date thereof a Justice of the Peace in and for the county of Genesee and that I am well acquainted with the signature of said Justice subscribed to said affidavit and verily believe the same to be genuine.

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal this twenty fifith day of October 1832
Timothy Fitch Clerk
By B. Pringle Dep Clk
Page 7

State of New York
Genesee County ss}  3
Simon Hyde of the Town of Alexander in the County of Genesee and State of New York aged sixty three years being sworn deposeth and says that he is well acquainted with Samuel S Foster of Batavia in the County of Genesee This deponent further deposeth and says that he this deponent first became acquainted with the said Samuel S Foster at the Town of Norwich in the County of New London in the State of Connecticut in the year of our Lord Seventeen hundred and Eighty three in the month of September and was well acquainted with said Foster for about four years at Norwich aforesaid This deponent further deposeth and says that at the time he this deponent became acquainted with the said Samuel S Foster it was reputed and believed that the said Samuel S. Foster had been in the Naval Service of the United for about four years and the principal part of the time kept a prisoner by the British And this deponent further deposeth and says he this deponent had been acquainted with the sad Samuel S Foster with some short intervals to the present day Ad that he the said Samuel S Foster has always been reputed to have been in the service aforesaid And further this deponent says not
Simon Hyde

Sworn to and Subscribed this 20th day of August in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and thirty two Before me
Ira Earll Justice of the Peace & Commissioner of Deeds
Page 8

State of New York
Genesee County} ss
I Timothy Fitch, Clerk of said County, certify that Ira Earll before whom the within affidavit purports to have been taken and made was on the day of the date thereof a Justice of the Peace in and for said county and that I am well acquainted with the signature of said Justice subscribed to said affidavit and verily believes the same to be genuine-

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my name and affixed my seal this twenty fifth day of October 1832
Timothy Fitch Clerk
By B. Pringle Dep Clk

Jany 17, 1833
I hereby certify that I am acquainted with Bine T. Hibbard & Simon Hyde the foregoing witnesses & that they are credible men.
P.L. Tracy MC

S.S. Foster’s aff:
Page 9

(Page 2)
of December 1779 when she went to sea on a Cruise against the British and Directed our Course to the West Indies and while We were Cruising to the Leeward of the Island of Tobago where Captured By the British frigate Greyhound of Thirty six Guns after a war action in which the Trumbull had Many killed and Wounded. We were Carried into Man of wars -Bay a post in said Island and four days after was Put on board a British Ship Called the Bedford a guard ship then lying in that port, and was left on board her About nine Months when the Ship was Ordered to the Jamaica Station the Priosoners first on Shore and first in Jail where we remained five months and then broke Jail and on the third day afterwards was Retaken and Put on board a Small armed Schooner her name he cannot Recollect and sent to the Island of St Christopher and Remained on board said Schooner about two Months. When a Part of Count DeEstaings Squadron apeared before the Island And Began to Bombard we Were sent Back to Jamica And first on board and Old ship called the Portsmouth And remained on board of her about. Eight Months when A Castel arrived and he was Released and Sent to Martiness. That he then went on board an American Privateer Commanded by Capt. Harding and was sick The who Passage homeward, and Landed at New London Arrived at home in September 1783. That the time of his being taken Prisoner his clothes and all his Papers were taken from Him and his Midshipmans warrant was in his Trunk with His clothing which he Never Saw afterwards, That he has no Documentary Evidence of his Service. That he was born in the Town of Canterbury County of Windham Ct on the 21st November 1762. That he has no record of his age but believes he is of the above age from the information of his Parents. That he resided at Norwich Ct. About two years after the close of the war. then Most of the Time That he followed the Sea Most of the time until 1809 and after that with some intervals until 1813 when he went to Rochester in the County Ulster where Lived about 4 years from there he went to Brutus in the County of Cayoga New York and lived there one year from thence to Batavia Genesee County NY where he has lived fourteen years
Page 10

Pg 1)

Declaration of Samuel S. Foster in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June. 7 1832

State of New York
County of Genesee} ss 
On this ninth day of October in the year Eighteen hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open Court before Judges of the Court of Common Pleas now Sitting in the Town of Batavia In and for the County of Genesee Samuel S. Foster a Resident of the Town of Batavia in the County of Genesee and State of Newyork aged Sixty Nine Years on the 21st November 1831 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 he Entered into the Service of the United States Under the following Named Officers and Served as herein Stated.

That in the fore part of the month of October 1779 but on What day he does not Recollect, he was Entered as a Midshipman On board of the Ship Governor Trumbull a State ship in the Service of the State oof Connecticut Carrying Twenty four Guns Commanded by Henry Billings Esq. Captain then Lying in the Port of New London in The State Connecticut - That he had Previously Served on board the Handcock, a Small Priveteer Commanded by Captain Night During Two Short Cruises, But Captured Nothing. That the Time of his Entering on board of the Ship Trumbull he lived at his Fathers in the Town of Canterbury in the County of Windham in the State of Connecticut That at the Time of his Entering on board he Received a Midshipmans Warant Signed by the Secretary of State of Connecticut. Whose Name was Willis, but his Christian name he Cannot Recollect; the 1st Lieutentant on board of the Ship wa William D Foster that he thinks a Lieutenant Putnam was Lieutenant of Marines but is not Captain but Foster was, and Putnam 1st Lieutenant of the Ship. That  H’y Billings, Elkaneh Morgan, E.P. Washbuern, Joshua Pire and Isaac Spence are all the midshipman That he remembered the Names of That Isaac Cox was Boatswain And E. Powers was Gunner. Doctor Marion Surgeon that before the Ship set sail he was sent on Show, to Recruit hands to man the Ship and that he went to Brookfield Mass, Woostock, Brooklin, Windham and Other Paces in Connecticut in this search and On board the Ship, until She Sailed which was in the last part
Page 11

Pg 3)

Where he has lived fourteen years and that [strikethrough] ? [strikethrough] Timothy Fitch Clerk of Said county and Phhinehas L. Tracy live in his neighborhood And acquainted with him and can testify as to his character for veracity and their Belief in his Services as a Revolutionary Seaman - He hereby Relinquishes Every Claim whatever to a Pention or annuity Except the Present and Declares That his Name is not on the Pention Roll of the of the Agency of Any State
Samuel S. Foster

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court
T. Fitch Clerk

NP. Timothy Fithcy [strikethrough] ? [strikethrough] Residing in the Town of Batavia in the County of Genesee in the State of Newyork And Phinehas L. Tracy Residing in the Same Place Hereby Certify that We are Well acquainted with Samuel S. Foster who has Subscribed and Sworn to the above declaration and that we Believe him to be Sixty nine years of age And that he is Reputed and believed in the neighborhood Where he Resides to have been a Seaman in the Revolution and That we Concur in that Opinion
Timothy Fitch
Phinehas L Tracy

Sworn and Subscribed The day and year aforesaid in open court
T. Fitch clerk
Page 12

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 Timothy Fitch and Phinehas L. Tracy both reside in the town of Batavia in said county, are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit. -
Isaac Wilson
Robert Earll
James Taggart
William Mitchell

I Timothy Fitch Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the county of Genesee and State of New York hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Samuel S. Foster for a Pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this ninth day of October 1832
Timothy Fitch Clerk