Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 6,287, for Isaac Lent, New York
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(3 - 1776)
SERVICE | | NUMBER
New York | Lent, Isaac | R. 6,287
CONTENTS
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No 22851 X
Isaac Sent
Westchester Co
New York
Rejected
letter to J. W. Tompkins
May 2 1833
J. W. Tompkins
West Chester Co
New York
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WAR DEPARTMENT.
Pension Office,
183
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew [sic] what is necessary to be done. These points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: } ). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A Statement, shewing [sic] the service of Isaac Lent West Chester Co.- New York
[8 column table]
Period when the service was rendered. | Duration of the claimant's service. | Years. | Months | Days. | Rank of the claimant. | Names and Rank of Field officers under whom he served. | Age at the present and place of abode when he entered the service. | Proof by which the declaration is supported.

Vol June 1777 | - | 2 | - | Private | Capt Palmer | 80 years West Chester Co N.Y. | Traditional evidence
Spring 1778 |  |  |  |  | Maj Thong |  |  
Sum -78 | - | 2 |  |  | Col Hammond |  |  
til Dec 24th- |  |  |  |  | Col Sheldon |  |  
Vol Jan'y 1779| time of service not stated |  |  |  | Col Guefs |  |  
Sum 79  |  |  |  |  | Col Graham |  |  
1780  |  |  |  |  | Col Burr |  |  
Feby 81  |  |  |  |  | Majr Hull |  |  
June 1777 to Fby 81  |  |  |  |  | Col Amond |  |  

I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions
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REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," Militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval service.
4. Indian Spies.
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first instance,  make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.

DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of}
County of} ss.
On this _____day of _______ personally appeared (a) before _____A. B. a resident (b) of ______ in the county of _____ and State, Territory or District of _____ aged (c) ____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 provision made by the act of Congress, passed
June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d) _____, with _____ and served in the _____(e) regiment of the _____ line, under the following named officers:
[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service (and of the served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. [This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]

He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of _____

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.  _____A. B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.

I _____ of the Court of _____ do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of _____ for a pension.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this _____ day of _____ & c.

If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.

Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:

(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the _____ and C.D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with _____, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be _____ 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.

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the muster, 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 A.B. _____ who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the _____ and that C.D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the ____ and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I, _____ Clerk of the Court of _____ do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of _____ for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this _____ day of _____ &c.

Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.

If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the service of each person
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will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted ; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?
5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.
6. {To a Soldier.{ Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it?
6. {To an Officer { Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.

The Court will see that he answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.

The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons -one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates.

The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.

Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.

Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.

No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure , taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.

[footnotes]
[a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in  which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
[b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule/
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
[d] The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, with precision, the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the Department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:

"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service; but, according to the best of his recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For _____ year _____ months, and _____days, I served as a _____. For months _____ and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important, in all cases, to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase "about three or four months", is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that they served two years in the Militia, &c. without specifying  the tours, the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must, in every case, be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required.
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no public seal of office, the certificate of a Member of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains
the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must
pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.

Proof of Service.
[j] In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimant's entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
[ ] The notes from [a] to [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops, The proof required by rule in note [j] applies to continental troops only.
[k] This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[l] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.
[signature] John N Ashton
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Declaration &c of Isaac Lent to obtain pension under act of Congress of June 7th 1832
22851
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State of New York}
Westchester County} ss On this third day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas and for the said County of Westchester now sitting at White Plains in the said County of Westchester Isaac Lent a resident of the Town of Yonkers in the County of Westchester and State of New York aged eighty years on the twenty fifth day of November 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 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. That he this Declarant was born at the Town of Westchester in the said County of Westchester on the twenty fifth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty five as this Declarant had been informed and verily believes to be true but has no record of his age. That when he was about eight years old he removed with his father to what was then called Phillips [Philipse] Manor
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now the Town of Yonkers in the said County of Westchester and continued to reside there with his father Jacob Lent /. till about the month of June one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven, when one Cap'n Edward Palmer with some Refugees attacked his father House in the dead of the night and dragged this Declarant out of his bed by the hair of his head and when they had got him out of Door and bound him, the said Palmer & his Refugees were driven off and two of their Guns captured by this Declarants sister Martha (now the wife of Benjamin Dyckman of the Town of Cortland in the said County of Westchester) and his father the said Jacob Lent - That this Declarant then found it would be useless and unsafe for him any longer to remain at home & the next day quit and went up to the American Troops under the command of Col James Hammond and Major Joseph Strang then lying at Youngs House in the Town of Mount Pleasant in the said County of Westchester and in the month of June 1777 joined himself to the Regiment of Levies is a volunteer [lined out "scout"] Guide
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then commanded by the aforesaid Col James Hammond and commenced [lined out "drawing"] drawing pay at the rate of ninety Dollars per month in continental money and rations. That he this Declarant continued to serve as such Guide with the said Col Hammond for about two months thereafter when Col Sheldon with his Regiment of Horse came on the American Lines in the said County of Westchester, when this Declarant was transferred as a volunteer Grade under the command of the said Col Sheldon, when this Declarant obtained a Horse from his father and drew a pair of pistols & military boots from Col Sheldon and done duty as a mounted volunteer guide in said Sheldon Regiment til the taking of fort Montgomery near West Point when Sheldon left the lines in this County, and this Deponent was taken sick with a fever and continued for three months sick under the Physicians hands at the House of John Fosberry near Youngs House in the said County of Westchester - while he was under the command of

[lines from a previous page appear at the end of this image] to what was then called Phillips [Philipse] Manor
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Col Sheldon as aforesaid he was [lined out "sick"] taken sick and shortly after he had attached himself as such volunteer Gride to that Regiment- That after this declarant had recovered his health he again attached himself as a volunteer Guide to a Regiment of men under the command of Col Guess then on the American Lines in the said County of Westchester and this Declarant continued to serve with said Col Guess as such Guide till about the first day of January AD 1778. when this Declarant attached himself [lined out "to"] a a volunteer Guide to different companies and detachments of Militia belonging to said Hammonds Regiment then guarding the Lines in said County and this Declarant continued to serve as such Guide with such detachments of Militia till the spring of the 1778, when Col Morris Graham came on the lines in the said County of Westchester with a Regiment of Levies to which regiment this declarant then attach himself as such volunteer side till the summer of the year AD 1778 when Genl Washingtons grand Army came to the said County of Westchester
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when this Declarant attached himself as a Guide to the Infantry belonging to Genl Washingtons Army till his Army moved off to the North ward in the fall of that year when this declarant joined himself as such volunteer Guide to a Partizan Corps under the Command of Col Guess in the said County of Westchester with whom he continued to serve for about the space of two months, when Col Guess with his Corps left the said County and this declarant returned and did duty as such Gride with the Remains of Col Morris Grahams Regiment of Levies under the command of Capt Williams till christmas eve of that year when said Capt Williams was taken prisoner at Youngs House in said County by the British Refugees under the command of Major Baremore, and said Company dispersed-- That about the month of January AD 1779 this declarant attached himself as a volunteer Guide to a detachment of Continental Troops Commanded by Col Aaron Burr on the lines in the said County of Westchester with whom this declarant con[tinued]
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[con]tinued to serve as such Guide while he Col Burr remained on the Lines then Major Hull came on the said Lines and this Declarant continued to serve with him as such Guide, where he remained in the said County and afterwards with Detachments of Militia in the said County till the summer of the last mentioned year, when Col Almand as he has called came on to the American lines in the said County with a Detachment of about 300 men with whom the Declarant served till late in the fall of the last mentioned year as such volunteer Guide when said Col Almand quit and this Declarant continued to serve as such Guide to different companies & Detachments of Militia in said County and as a Guide to Col [lined out " Megs"] Thompsons Companies Detachments, till Thompsons defeat at Youngs House in the winter of 1780. And this Declarant further states that he continued to serve as such volunteer Guide to the different parties and Detachments of American Troops in said County of Westchester till the Month of February 1781, when this Declarant was married and
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[this image includes the following text from the bottom of a prior page]
Westchester till the Month February AD 1781, when this Declarant was married and

did not (except a few times) serve after his marriage as such Guide- 
And this Declarant further states that all of [lined out "this"] his aforesaid services were rendered within the said County of Westchester as a volunteer Guide to the American officers and Troops that were from time to time within the same County That this Declarant never received any commission or Discharge in writing during all of his aforesaid services but drew pay during all the time aforesaid at the rate of $90 per month [lined out illegible] and rations for himself & his Horse. That this Declarant continued regularly with the American Troops acting as such Guide as aforesaid from the Month of June 1777 to the Month of February 1781 is aforesaid without any intermission except during his aforesaid three months sickness & occasional absences [lined out "on furlough"] by permission of the officer in command
That this Declarant while serving as such Guide as aforesaid now recollects the following engagements & expedition, in which he acted as such Guide
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as aforesaid viz in the year 1779. This declarent led a party of Col Amands Regiment then stationed in said County of Westchester (as a Guide) to Hunts Point on the East River and Captured Major Baremore and George Oglesby of the British Army and brought them prisoner in the American Lines - and on various occasions this declarent acted as Guide to parties of American Troops when going to Morrisania and within the British Lines and was with them as a Guide when they burnt the Huts in Morrisania and in the winter of 1781-
That in the spring of 1781 the declarant moved with his wife to Fishkill in the County of Dutchess & State of New York lived there 9 years then and back to Yonkers & has lived there ever since and now resides in the said Town of Yonkers, that this declarent lived in what is now call the Town of Yonkers in the said County of Westchester when ^he^ entered the service of the Americans as aforesaid and always served for himself and not as a substitute and never was drafted, but served
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as a volunteer as aforesaid That this Declarant never received any written discharge neither has he now any written or Documentary evidence relating to his aforesaid services or discharges during the Revolutionary war. But this declanent saith - That during the Revolutionary war he frequently received from the American Officers in command in the and County of Westchester under whom this declarant served as aforesaid written order passess [sic] and Documents of different kinds all of which have been either lost or destroyed and he cannot now produce the same
That this declarant although be received pay as such volunteer Guide as aforesaid the rate of ninety Dollars per month yet it was always in continental money the only currency then used in the Continental Army which remained on his hands and became very much depreciated insomuch that during his aforesaid services as such, Guide he & his Brother ^(in law)^ paid three thousand five hundred Dollars in continental money for one horse worth about two hundred Silver Dolars-
That this Declarent recollects the following Regular officers and continental Militia regiments

[lines from a previous page appear at the end of this image] 
with his father to what was then called Phillips [Philipse] Manor
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That were with the troops where he served as as aforesaid viz Genl George Washington Genl Gates - Genl McDougal Col Philip Van Cortlandt Col Guess Coll Armand Col Morgan of the Riflemen Col Morris Graham, Col Meigs - Col Aaron Burr. Major Wm Hull, Col Sheldon - Major Lee of the Southern Light Horses also the following Continental Regiments. Col Van Cortland Col Morris Grahams Regiment Col Meig's Regiment Col Morgans Riflemen. Col Sheldons Regiment Col Guess four companies called a Regiment- also the following Militia Regiment in Col James Hammonds.
And this Declarent further states that he is known in his present neighbourhood to Genl Jacob Odell and Caleb Smith both of the Town of Yonkers in the said County of Westchester, who can testify as to this Declarents character for veracity, their belief of his age and of his services as a soldier of the Revolution but there is no clergymen, living in his vicinity who can testify to the same and 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 any State
[signature] Isaac his X mark Lent
Sworn to and subscribed in open Court the day and year aforesaid}
[signature] A Bayles Clk
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[image includes lines of text from previous page]
[signature] Isaac his X mark Lent
in open Court the day and year aforesaid}
[signature] A Bayles Clk

State of New York}
Westchester County} SS We Jacob Odell & Caleb Smith both residents of the Town of Yonkers in the said County hereby certify That we are well acquainted with Isaac Lent a resident of the Town of Yonkers aforesaid who has subscribed & sworn to the above Declaration. That we believe him to be eighty years of age. That he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion and we do further certify that we have each lived as neighbour to the said Isaac Lent for the last forty years and been well acquainted with him during all the time last mentioned and that we have full confidence in the truth of the preceding declaration Sworn to and subscribed by him, and consider it entitled to the fullest credit-
[signature] Jacob Odell
[signature] Caleb Smith
Sworn & subscribed in open Court the day as aforesaid}
A Bayles Clk

[image includes a line of text from a previous page]
then called Phillips [Philipse] Manor
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And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department That the above named applicant Isaac Lent was Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states And the  Court further certifies that it appears to them That Samuel Lyon & Caleb Smith who have signed the preceding declaration are each of them Residents of the Town of Yonkers in the said County of Westchester and are each of them credible person and that their statement is Entitled to credit
I Nathaniel Bayles Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Westchester and State of New York do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the Court in the matter of the application of Isaac Lent of the Town of Yonkers for a pension
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this third day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and thirty two
[signature] A Bayles Clk
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New York
Revo:
Isaac Lent
Rejected
let J W Tompkins
May 2d 1833
6287
Act 7 June 1832
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[lined out "Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873."]
6287
P.O.
Isaac Lent
Service: 
Enlisted: [stamp] REJECTED , 18  .
Discharged: [blank] . 18  .
Application filed: [blank] . 18  .
Alleges: [blank]
Re-enlisted: [blank]
Attorney: [blank]
P. O. [blank]
[blank] Recognized.  [blank] Contract.
[blank] Cert. of Dis. Searched for [blank], 18  .