Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 22995, for Abraham Sleight, New York
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE
New York
Sleight, Abraham 
NUMBER
S.22995
CONTENTS
Page 2

30556
New York
Abraham Sleight
of Dutchess Co in the State of N York
who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Schenck of the Rgt [regiment] commanded by Col Bailey in the New York line for 7 months & 12 days

Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 24 Dollars 67 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 11 day of Apl. [April] 1836 and Sent Hon. N.P. Talmadge Senate US.

Arrears to the 4th of March 1836	 $123.35
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept  “ 12.33
						         $135.68
{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by DD Addison Clerk,
Book E2  Vol. 31   Page 66 
N.Y. 
Let to Hon N.P. Talmadge
Apl 14, 1836
Page 3

Dutchess Com. Pleas
At a Court of Common Pleas held at the Court House in the town of Poughkeepsie in & for the County of Dutchess on the twenty seventh day of September One thousand eight hundred and thirty two
Present
Edmund H. Pendleton 
Robert S. Livingston	 } Judges
Stephen Thorn
Joseph J. Jackson


State of New York
Dutchess County	} ss: On this day appeared in open court before the Court now sitting (the same being a court of record for said county) Abraham Sleight a resident of the town of Fishkill in said County aged 78 years on the 27th of July last; 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 the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. In the fall of 1775 deponent belonged to a uniformed Company of the militia of New York, of which John Schenck was captain, Peter Tappen was first Lieutenant, John Giles 2 Lieutenant and John Tappen Ensign, on the 14 of February 1776. he with the company entered into actual service at Fishkill were ordered and went to New York, and were attached to a regiment of which John Bailey was either the Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel, remained in New York till [until] May, and after General Sullivan and Sterling arrived at New York from Boston after the latter place was evacuated by the enemy. he with the company was sent to Poughkeepsie for the purpose of guarding and protecting the frigates which were then being built there, continued there until the vessels were launched & was then dismissed, did not receive a written discharge. He returned to Fishkill and remained home about two weeks and then entered at Fishkill as a class man in Captain Abraham Schencks company of militia in Colonel Jacobus Swartwouts regiment under General James Clinton, for nine months, went down to Kingsbridge, was there when the enemy landed on Long Island and remained there until our army evacuated New York, thence went to White Plains and was near there when McDougals battle was fought, went thence to fort
Page 4

Consitution [Constitution] in the Highlands and remained there until he was discharged on the first day of January 1777, had no written discharge. remembers during the service General George Clinton, General McDougal, Colonel Luddington of the New York militia, Captains Barnardus Swartwout of Col Swartwouts regiment. In 1778 In July or August, after harvest, entered as a class man at Fishkill in Captain Christian VanVoorhis’ company of militia in Colonel Humphreys regiment for four months, went to Fishkill and encamped there, there were two regiments there, one from Ulster and one from Dutchess, remained and served there as orderly Seargeant [Sergeant] of the company for two months, when favorable news being received that their services were no longer required the whole of the militia in the neighborhood [in left margin – “x1781” was inserted] were dismissed, no written discharge. Afterwards at Fishkill on April 1st, 1782X the year in which Cornwallis was taken, deponent entered as a class man for nine months in Captain Henry Dodges Company of militia in Colonel Weisenfils regiment. Joined the company at Fishkill went to West Point went thence [then] by water with Captain Godwins Company to Albany, staid [stayed] there some time in the barracks, went thence the two companies together to Schenectada [Schenectady], thence to Johnstown, staid there some weeks, and joined the residue of the regiment at Saratoga, was at that place when they heard of the capture of Cornwallis at York Town [Yorktown], and remained till [until] the last of October when by arrangement with his brother John with consent of the officers, his said brother took there his place and served until the expiration of the term of nine months, when he was discharged in the winter, deponent entered and served as orderly sergeant, except from West Point to Saratoga he was detailed and acted as adjutant to the two companies, did not receive a written discharge. There were continental and other troops at Saratoga at this time, but deponent can not now recollect the names of the officers. He was born at Kingston in Ulster County July 27, 1754. has a record of his age at home taken from the Church book at Kingston. has lived since the war in Fishkill except one year he lived in Hyde Park in Dutchess County. deponent has not any documentary evidence or direct proof of his service other than the affidavits of James Sleight and James Ackerman hereto annexed, and he refers to the said James Ackerman & Abraham Myers to testify as to his character and reputation as a revolutionary soldier. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of my state
Abraham Sleight
Sworn & subscribed in open court
the day and year aforesaid 
Henry J Traver Clerk
Page 5

State of New York
Dutchess County } SS.  James Sleight of the town of La Grange in the said County of Dutchess aged 86 years, who being duly sworn according to law doth depose and say that he is well acquainted with Abraham Sleight of the town of Fishkill in said County a brother of the deponent who is about to make application for a pension under the late law of Congress in that subject, That this deponent and his brother at the commencement of the war of the Revolution resided together with their father in the town of Fishkill now La Grange, that this deponent in the summer of 1776 and 1777 was in the service in a different place from his said brother, but understood and verily believed and it was so talked of and understood in the family, that the said Abraham Sleight served at several and different times in the militia during the said war, particularly of his going to New York, and of his staying there sometime, but how long deponent can not now recollect, believes that he was with the Army at Kingsbridge, White Plains and Fort Constitution. and that he went one campaign to the northward but under what officers or at what time and for what period, the deponent can not now state.
James Sleight
Subscribed and sworn 
before me this 25th day 
of September 1832
Jos. J. Jackson 
a County
Judge for Dutchefs [Dutchess] County in 
the state of New York        
And I do certify that the said James Sleight is unable to attend court by reason of bodily infirmity.
Jos. J. Jackson
Page 6

State of New York
Dutchess County } ss:  James Ackerman of the town of La Grange formerly Fishkill in said County 74 years of age being duly sworn doth depose and say that he knows Abraham Sleight who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration and who is now here present, and that he knew him in the revolutionary war. that he knows that the said Abraham Sleight served part of the campaign to the north toward the close of the war, under Captain Henry Dodge, this deponent saw him in the service at Saratoga, deponent went in company with John Sleight the brother of the said Abraham, to Saratoga where said John took the place of the said Abraham as a substitute, and served out the residue of his term, this deponent at the same time took the place as a substitute of his brother Casparus Ackerman in the same company.
James Ackerman
Sworn to & subscribed in open court 
this 27 day of September 1832
Henry J Traver Clerk

State of New York
Dutchess County } ss: We James Ackerman and Abraham Myers residing in the towns of Fishkill and La Grange in said county being duly sworn depose and say that they are well acquainted with Abraham Sleight who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration and have known him from our earliest recollection, that we believe him to be 78 years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighburhood [neighborhood] where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Also that the character of the said Abraham Sleight for truth is good and unexceptionable and that he is entitled to full credit on oath
Sworn to & subscribed in open court 
James Ackerman
Abraham Myers
this 27th day of September 1832 
Henry J Traver Clerk
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And the said Court doth 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 James Ackerman and Abraham Myers who have subscribed and sworn to the above affidavits are resident the said James in La Grange and the said Abraham Myers in Fishkill in said county and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit. Also that James Sleight who has subscribed and sworn to the annexed affidavit is resident in La Grange in said county, is a credible person and that his statement is entitled to credit. And that Joseph J Jackson before whom the said last mentioned affidavit purports to be sworn, is one of the Judges of this court & that his signature thereto is in his proper hand writing 
I Henry J. Traver Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Dutchess do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Abraham Sleight for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the said court this twenty seventh day of September in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty two	
Henry J Traver Clerk
[vertical numbers on bottom left side of page “13.325”]
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State of New York
Dutchess County } SS: Be it known that before me Daniel Hebard a Justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid personally appeared Abraham Sleight to me known to be the same person described in the annexed declaration, who being by me duly sworn deposed and says that by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory he can not swear possitively [positively] as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the period mentioned below, and in the following grades. In the year 1776 he served as a private in Captain John Schencks company of minute men, about three months, and in the same year he served as orderly seargeant [sergeant] in Captain Abraham Schencks company for seven months, making ten months service in that year. In 1778 he served as orderly sergeant in Captain Van Voorhis Company two months. In 1781 (the year Cornwallis was taken) he served in Captain Dodges company, personally, from the 1st of April to the 9th of October and with the aid of his brother John as his substitute finished the nine months for which he engaged: that deponent served as orderly sergeant from his enlistment on the first of April until about and not later than the middle of April the deponent was, at West Point, detailed by the Major Logan (or Logdan) in command, as Adjutant of the two companies and deponent from that time to the 9th of October, performed the duties of Adjutant of the two companies, in addition to the duties of orderly serjeant [sergeant] of his own company: that all the deponents said serviced, and for which he claims a pension, were in the militia of the state of New York. and further the deponent sayd [said] not 
Abraham Sleight
Subscribed & Sworn this 17th day
of June 1833 before me 
Daniel Hebard Justice of the Peace

State of New York
Dutchess County } SS: I Henry J. Traver Clerk of said County do hereby certify that Daniel Hebard before whom the above affidavit was sworn was at the date of the same one of the Justices of the peace in and for the said county & that I am acquainted with his hand writing & verily believe that his name subscribed to the said affidavit to be his proper hand writing & signature. Witness my hand and seal of office the 17 day of June 1833. 
Henry J Traver Clerk
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13.325
Abraham Sleight

5
P. 360
In Weissenfelt rolls
page 20 & 32 -- $49.12
7.11
2333
1.33
2467
[illegible]
adm. d
7 mo. 12 ds  pri
Hon N.P. Talmadge
[text crossed out]
Poughkeepsie N. York
Page 10

BRIEF in the case of Abraham Sleight of Fishkill in the State of New York (Act 7th June, 1832.) 
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? 
Open Court 

2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? 

3. How old is he?
78 years

4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 

Period.
Part of 1776 & 1777
2 seperate terms
Duration of Service. 
Years, Months, Days.
not clearly defined but about 10 months
Rank.
As a
Private
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Gen.
Capt. Jas & Abm Schenck
Colo. Bailey & Swartwout } N. York
Period.

1778
Years, Months, Days.
…….2……..
Rank.
As a
Sergeant
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Gen.
Capt. C. Van Voorhis
Colo. Humphery }  “
Period.
April 1781
Duration of Service. 
Years, Months, Days.
Served from 1st April to the last of October same year
Rank.
As a
Sergeant & Adjutant }
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Gen.
Capt. Harry Dodge
Colo. Wiesenfell }  “

5.	In what battles was he engaged? Non named 

6.	Where did he reside when he entered the service? Fishkill N. York

7.	Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary evidence and two living Witnefses [Witnesses]

8.	Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? They are duly authenticated 

Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Wm Gordon 
Examining Clerk.
Page 11

O. W. & N. Div.
L. W. B.
I. 22995.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
WASHINGTON, D. C., May 5th, 1896


Madam: -- 
Replying to your request for in information concerning the military record of Abraham Sleight, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, you are advised that he made an application for pension on September 27th 1832, at which time he was residing at Fishkill, N. Y., and 78 years of age, and his pension was allowed for seven months and twelve days' actual service as a private in the New York troops, Revolutionary war; a part of the time he served under Capt. John Schenck and Col. John Bradley. He probably enlisted from Ulster Co., N. Y. 
Very respectfully, 
Commissioner.
Miss Agnes Nourse, 
Sing Sing, N. Y.
Page 12

PENSION
H.
U.S.
Apr
28
1896

OLD WAR & NAVY 
Apr 30 1896
FILES
Page 13

Sing Sing
N.Y.
April 27/96

Please kindly forward me any proof that you may have of Abraham Sleight receiving a pension for services in the War of the American Revolution.
He was born in Kingston on the 27th of July 1755, and died 25th of July 1842.
And Oblige
Agnes Nourse
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Revolution
22995 
INVALID. 
--------------
File No. 22,995
Abraham Sleight
Pri Rev War
--------------
Act: June 7th 32
Index: ---- Vol. 2, Page 375
[Arrangement of 1870.]

May 5’ 96 [sent?] Pensd to Miss 
Agnes Nourse 
Sing Sing N
LWB
Ex by Mrs Johnston