Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16213, for David Niles, Vermont
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(3-1776)                       

Service                                             Number

Vt.                      Niles, David            S.16213


                                                              Carded
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Pittsburgh
Ohio 19.788.

David Niles
Of Ashtabula in the State of Ohio
who was a Private in the Comp. commanded
by Captain Booth of the Regt. commanded
By Col. Warner in the Vt. [N. York-crossed out]
line for 19 mo.

Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio
at the rate of 63 Dollars 33 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 17 day of Sept
1823 and sent to J.R. Geddings, Jefferson

Arrears to the 4th of Sep. ‘23 $158.33
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar ‘24 31.66
$189.99 [total]

Revolutionary Claim,
June 7, 1832.

Recorded by Geo C. Stiles
Book E. Vol. 8  Page 121 

Was placed on the Ohio
Book by mistake
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State of Ohio
Ashtabula  County } ss

On this 20th day of September 1832 personally appeared in open court, before the Judges of the court of Common Please now sitting, David Niles, a resident of Monroe in the county of Ashtabula and state of Ohio, aged 72 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 he entered the service of the United States under the following named offices, and served as herein stated

In the Year 1777 about the 1st of June when Burgoyne's army came down to Ticonderoga there was a call for one man from every Class of Eight, he was a resident at that time of the Town of Clarendon then in Bennington County in the state of Vermont.    He went out as a soldier under that call under the command of Capt Elkanah Cook and Lieut John Bowman of the Vermont State Troops, was rendevoused at Castleton about Seven hundred in number and was marched from there under the command of Colonel Seth Warner of the Continental Army to Ticonderoga and remained under his command about two months , and the remainder of my engagement which was originally four months was spent under the command of Capt. Cook engaged in scouting & [illegible] and prcessing forage and provisions for the army.   In the latter part of July of that year we succeeded in taking about taking about sixty head of cattle supposed to be destined to the enemy between Rutland and Castleton and down then to Springfield on Connecticut River.
In the year 1778 about the first of May he volunteered in the Vermont Militia for five months under Capt. Thomas Sawyer and Lieut Samuel Campbell, was stationed at Rutland in Vermont with other troops under Captain Gideon Bronson of the Continental army was engaged in building blockages, barracks and a picket fort and scouting some of the time of his engagement and was honorably discharged but received no written instrument. 
On the first day of April 1779 he enlisted in the  Vermont State Troops under Capt [strikethrough] Sawyer for eight months was stationed at the post before [mustered] principally under the command of Capt Bronson. Col Warren called at the post occasionally, the duty was to keep the post and scout between that and Lake Champlain, at the expiration of my term  [page is cut off here, but the last 7 lines on this pages are there first seven line on the subsequent pdf]
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On the first day of April 1779 he enlisted in the  Vermont State Troops under Capt [strikethrough] Sawyer for eight months was stationed at the post before [mustered] principally under the command of Capt Bronson. Col Warren called at the post occasionally, the duty was to keep the post and scout between that and Lake Champlain, at the expiration of my term
I recd an honorable discharge in writing and which I
[gave my] application for a pension under a former
law and delivered the discharge to the Hon Neh.
Kings who has now removed from the country and
and said discharge is now causally out of my
possession and control.
About the 20th of Sept. 1780 was again called
out for two months under Capt Ichabod Robinson.
Rendezvoused at a Small picket fort at Castleton in
Vermont, was detached for a few days to Mount
Independence. At the expiration of the term was
discharged without a written instrument, was not
in any general action with the enemy, but was in
[cardinal] skirmishes with small parties.
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.
David Niles
SWORN to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
L. Moffitt annotate Judge

We Henry Smith, residing in the town of Salem and Earl Pierce, residing in the same place
hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with David Niles who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 72 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.
 Henry Smith
Earl Pierce
SWORN, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
L. Moffitt Annotate Judge

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 Harry Smith who has signed the preceding certificate, is a resident in the town of Salem and that Earl Pierce who has also signed the same, is a resident in the same place and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I, Sam Hendry, clerk of the court of Common Pleas do hereby certify that the foregoing  contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of
 David Niles for a pension.
IN TESTIMONY whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of
office, this 25th September A.D. 1832
Saml Hendry Clerk
(seal)
75 [Clk]
Page 5

In reply to your request of ___, received ___
for a statement of the military history of David Niles
a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired
information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension
on file in this Bureau. S. File 16213
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. |LENGTH OF SERVICE.|OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.CAPTAIN.| COLONEL. | STATE.

June 1777| 4 mos. | Priv. |Elkanah Cook | Seth Warner, Marched to Ticonderoga | Vt.

May 1, 78 | 5 mos | [blank]| Thomas Sawyer| Seth Warner| Vt.
Apl 1, 79 |  8 mos | [blank]|       Sawyer | Seth Warner| Vt.
Sept 20, 80 | 2 mos.|  [blank]| Ichabod Robinson| Seth Warner| Vt.

Battles engaged in, none
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Clarendon, Vt.
Date of application for pension, Sept. 20 1832. Allowed-
Residence at date of application, Monroe, Ashtabula Co., Oh.
Age at date of application, Born in 1760 in Scituate R.I.
Remarks: No family data.
Pensioner Ohio Agency Book - Niles -OK - JLL 3/25/42
Sec of War - Niks - 3/25/42
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Letter dated June
Rec'd " 4

Mrs Earl McDowell
Crawford
Neb

Letter in R.F.11,500
Andrew Wiggin
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CERTIFICATE DIVISION.
3- 676.
ORDER TO INSCRIBE.
Cert. No. 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Washington, D. C.,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
The UNITED STATES PENSION AGENT

[right side of page torn, might be missing data from blank form]
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Mrs Lelia L Johnson
c/o AS Edward
601 W 125 St
NY City

[circle stamp]
RECORDS DIVISION
APR 10 1908
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May 12 1910
Fort Wayne Ind
Pension Office Dept
Will you please
inform me if there is a
Pension record of David Niles
whose wife was Lydia Barrett -

Respectfully
(Mrs) Martha B. Hanna
1128 West Berry St

MAY 17 1910

[circle stamp]
PENSION OFFICE U S E
MAY 16 1910
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3 - 871.
RECORD DIVISION.
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Department of the Interior,
Briefed by
Claim No.
Certificate No.
Claimant David Niles
Soldier
Service Vt.
Additional Service
No claim, State records __190__.
No claim, combination records ___, 190__

REMARKS:
No claim but S.F. 16213
Agency books searched
Rejected book searched
2 letter combination searched
ACM
Apr. 8
Chief Division
O - 8
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J R Giddings
Jefferson
Ashtabula
County
Ohio
Adm 1 year & 9 months

126.66
31.66
--------
158.53
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
David Niles which require further proof or explanation.

I Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes

II Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes

V. * Has he mentioned 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? Yes

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes

X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? Yes
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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? No

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No

XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?
No - his discharge may be on file with his first application

XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the
regulations direct? [blank]

XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? [blank]

XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No #

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 1st 2nd 5th 7th

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. 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.
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3
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 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 objection
able. 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.
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 claimants 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.
QUERE XVI. 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 paper 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.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, 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.
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16213
INVALID.
File No. 16.213
David Niles
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7" 39
Index: - Vol. 1, Page 275 
{Arrangement of 1870.}


1908 Apl. 14 Hist to Mrs. Lelia R. Johnson [cents sign]
1910 May 24. To Mrs. M.B. Hanna [cents sign]
1915 June 5. To Mrs. Earl McDowell,  [cents sign]
letter in R. 1500 Andrew Wiggin. [cents sign]
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The State of Ohio
Ashtabula County 
In the Common Pleas This May
Term AD 1833-
Personally appeared in open Court David Niles who being duly sworn
 says that the reason that he obtained the certificate of no Clergyman
 to his application made before said Court on the 25th day of
September last, was that there was at that time no
Clergyman residing near him, or with whom he
was acquainted, or who could testify in favor of this applicant.
 That I was born in the town of Scituate in the State of
Rhode Island in the year of our Lord 1760. That I have
no record of my age.That while I was in the service
I was acquainted with Col Seth Warner, General Poor, Genl St Clair
Capt Sawyer & Lieut Campbell. That I am acquainted with
Henry Smith, Earl Pierce, Ashbel Dart, Edward Fifield, 
 and others reside in my neighborhood and who
 can testify to my character for veracity
and their belief of my service as a soldier of the Revolution
David Niles

Sworn to & subscribed in open
Court May 14. 1833 Saml Hendry Clerk P. Term


The State of Ohio
Ashtabula County
I, Saml Hendry, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said County
of Ashtabula do hereby certify that that that the foregoing contains the
supplemental proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application
David Niles for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and seal of Office this 14th day of May AD 1833

Saml Hendry Clk P. Term