Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11,067, for Israel Merrimon, Connecticut
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Service
Conn.

Merrimon, Israel

Number
S.11.067

carded
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New York 20.465
Israel Merrimon
Monroe in the State of N.Y.
who was a private in the Company commanded
by Captain Theophilus in the Regt commanded
by Col Chandler in the State* troops
line for 10 months 1 day
*Conn Line 
Records completed

Inscribed on the Roll of N.Y.
at the rate of 33 Dollars 44 Cents per annum,
commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 13 day of Sept
1833 and sent to
Horace Gay, Rochester, Monroe Co

Arrears to the 4th of Sept '33 86.60
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 34 16.72
$103.32

[Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by F F Franciosi Clerk,
Book E. Vol. 4 - Page 69.
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19750
In the Matter of the
Application
of
Israel Merrimon
for a Pension
under the act of J. 1832

H. Gay Rochester
Monroe Co
NY. atty
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State of New York }
Monroe County SS }
On this 27th day of November in the year one thousand Eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court at a Court of Chancery of the said State holden at the Village of Rochester in said County & State before Addison Gardiner Esquire (Vice Chancellor of the said Court of Chancery) for the Eighth district in the State of New York said Court having by Law a seal and clerk Israel Merrimon a resident of the Town of Wheatland in the county of Monroe and State of New York aged seventy four 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 officers and served as herein after stated
That at the time the applicant first entered into the service he resided in the town of Harrington in the County of Litchfield and State of Connecticut. That the time of his entering the service was on or about the first Monday in May 1777, when he
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turned out to enlist in the continental line, with several others - The Captain of the militia in which the applicant was enrolled would not however allow them to enlist, and in order to get them into the regular service they were first drafted and immediately after they were drafted the applicant enlisted in the continental service for the period of Eight months - The regiment in which he enlisted was commanded by Colonel John Chandler - Does not recollect the Lieutenant colonels name. Thinks the Majors name was Clapp & thinks the adjutants name was Rice. The Captain of applicants company was Theophilus Munson - first Lieutenant Asahel Hodge - recollects that the name of the Captain of another Company was Smith - Immediately after he enlisted they marched to Danberry going through Woodbury, Westberry & Newtown - Part of the regiment was stationed at Danberry when they arrived there the other part of the regiment was stationed at Peekskill - stayed a short time about a fortnight at Danberry and then proceeded to Peekskill where they stood all summer -
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The time they were there they were employed on guard in fatigue parties & in building forts - Sometime in the fall or beginning of winter the applicant was attacked with the measles & was sent back to Danberry & thence home. He was advised by the Physician of the army at Peekskill to go home which he did & continued ill about three months, though he is not certain of the time - This much he recollects that his Eight months had nearly expired when he became able to do duty, but was advised by his Lieutenant who had returned home to Harrington that he would be useless for him to go to join his company, as it was then at Philadelphia. He would not much more than reach there before his term would expire, but the applicant drew his full pay for the whole Eight months service - He never received a written discharge - While applicant was at Peekskill the whole brigade under General McDougal were stationed there.
That the applicants second service was as a substitute for Israel Merrimon the father of the applicant who resided in the town of Harrington aforesaid - Does not recollect the year or the precise time of year his father
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To the second Interrogatory
He says he has been informed & believes that there is a record of his age kept by the Town clerk of the said Town of Harrington but he has no certified copy of it or other record of his age
To the third Interrogatory
He says that when called out & enlisted as a substitute as aforesaid he lived in Harrington aforesaid - He has lived since the revolutionary war in the following places. From Harrington he removed into Bennington county; in Vermont State went from there to the town of Salem county of Washington New York State - afterwards in the town of Wales Rutland county Vermont State & from thence moved to Town of Wheatland in the county of Monroe in New York State where he has resided for the last Eighteen years.
To the fourth Interrogatory
He says he was called into service in the manner mentioned in the preceding declaration
To the fifth Interrogatory
That he cannot set forth the names of the officers who were with the troops where he served & the circumstances of his service farther than as above set forth his memory being now very weak in
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consequence of old age & infirmity
To the Sixth Interrogatory
What he never received any written discharge
To the seventh Interrogatory
He says that the persons to whom he is known in his present neighborhood & who can testify as to his character for and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution are Donald McKenzie, John McNaughton, & Elihu H. Mumford - that there is no clergyman in his neighborhood.
Sworn to and Subscribed the 27 day and year aforesaid
Israel Merrimon
Sam Delden
First Judge
of Monroe

We Donald McKenzie of the Town of Caledonia in the county of Livingston & State of New York residing within half a mile of the residence of the said Israel Merrimon & John McNaughton of the town of Wheatland in the said county of Monroe & State of New York residing
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in the neighborhood of the said Israel Merrimon, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the said Israel Merrimon who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy four years of age, that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the revolution & we concur in that opinion
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Donald McKenzie
John McNaughton
Sam Delden
First Judge of Monroe

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 & served as he states And the Court further certifies that it satisfactorily appears that there is no Clergyman residing in their the neighborhood or Town, who is acquainted with the said applicant, or the reputation of said applicants services and
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a revolutionary Soldier - and it further appears that Donald McKenzie & John McNaughton who have signed the preceding certificate are residents in the neighborhood of the said applicant and that their statement is entitled to credit
A Grovener

State of New York }
Monroe County Ss }  I Samuel Delden one of the Clerks of the Court of Chancery of the State of New York for the Eighth Circuit of said State do hereby certify that the foregoing containing the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Israel Merrimon
In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and the seal of the said County of Chancery this 27th day of November 1832
Samuel Delden
Clerk
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War Department,
Pension Office,
May 29 1833

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 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 the Service of Israel Merrimon Munroe Co New York

[9 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 the Company officers under whom he served./ Names and Rank of the General and Field officers./ Battles in which the applicant was engaged./ Country through which he marched./ Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period./ Evidence by which the declaration is supported.]

Enlist 1777/ 8 Months./ Private/ Captain Theophilus Munson/ Col. John Chandler/ none stated/ To Danberry through Woodbury, Westbury & Newtown/ 74 years Litchfield County Connecticut/ Traditionary

Sub for his Father [year] not stated/ 2 Months/ Guard/ Lieut. Ashael Hodge Capt. Smith Capt. Phelps/ Maj. Clapp Maj. Bray Genl. Wolcott/ Peekskill to Stanford Through Danberry to Horseneck

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 if he 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 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 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 it 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 know at the Department. A very full account of the services 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?
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 the 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.
[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 bis 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 mouths 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 au embodied corps called into service by competent authority that lie 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 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 [j] 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.