Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 21986, for Stephen Porter, New York
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New York 

Porter, Stephen
Mary

W 21986
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Declaration
In order to obtain the benefits of the provision  made by an Act of Congress passed July 7 1838 entitled “An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows” An act explanatory of and amending the same.

State of New York }
St. Lawerence County } On this Eleventh day of May (1846) Eighteen hundred and forty six personally appeared before Edwin Dodge, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County. Mary Porter, a resident of the town of Gouverneur in said county of St. Lawrence, aged (84) Eighty four  years and upwards who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by an act of Congress passed July 7, 1838 entitled “An act granting half pay and provisions to certain widows”. And act’s explanatory of and amending the same.
That she is the widow of Stephen Porter, late of the Town of Gouverneur aforesaid in which he departed this life on 18th day of August 1843. Since which time she has remained his widow.
That she was married to said Stephen Porter in the summer of the year 1783. 
That her husband said Stephen Porter was a soldier of the United States during the War of the Rev -
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olution and at the said day of his death a pensioner of the United States under the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832, at the rate of $21.60 per annum. That during said War of the Revolution he resided in Livingston’s Manor Dutches County and State of New York from whence he entered the service as a private as Declarant has always understood. That he was in service at the time Esopus was burnt by the British. She believes that he served three months as a substitute and three and a half months as a volunteer. She has frequently heard him relate the particulars of his Revolutionary service but owing to old age and consequent loss of memory she cannot now recall said particulars to mind. But as he was a pensioner at the time of his death she respectfully refers to his papers on file at the Department at Washington in the matter of his application for said pension for proofs of his Revolutionary services.
And Declarant further saith that she was married to said Stephen Porter as aforesaid in the summer of the year seventeen hundred and eighty three at the residence of Adam Miller an uncle of Declarant in Livingston Manor Dutches County aforesaid by the Reverend Mr. Simon Dakin of Salsbury adjoining. That the following persons were present at her marriage to wit, Elizabeth John, Henry and Catharine Moore, Elisa, Benjamin, Mary, Hannah, Margaret, John, Adam, and Silas Miller and many other persons. Declarant does not know whether any are now living who were present at her marriage
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State of New York }
Dutches County } Ruth Lord a resident of the Town of North East in said County of Dutches aged sixty two years and upwards being duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith that she is a Grand Daughter of the Reverend Simon Dakin who was a Baptist Minister and resided in said Town of North East in which he died in the year (1803) Eighteen hundred and three. He lived and preached in said Town during the War of the Revolution and for many years previous thereto. The old Records and papers of said Reverend Simon Dakin after his death in 1803 as aforesaid came into the hands of Simon Dakin Jr. Deponents father who died in the year 1830 and since his death the remaining or then existing Records and papers left by the said Reverend Simon Dakin came into the possession of Deponent who still retains them and has them now in charge. Deponent further saith that she has carefully and diligently examined and searched said Records in order to find evidence of the marriage of Stephen Porter to Mary Miller which is reported to have occurred in the year (1783) Seventeen hundred and eighty three but can find no entry upon said Records of said marriage. Many of the marriage entries made upon said Records at this period are so much worn and effaced as to render them unable to be read and there also appears to be a portion of said Records lost which deponent has diligently searched for but has been unable to find them. Deponent finds however the following
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Entry which is a true extract and copy from said Record to wit.
“February 26 1781 then joined in marriage Reubin Porter and Elisabeth More”
From whence it appears that Reubin Porter and Elisabeth More were duly married on the twenty six day of February Seventeen hundred and Eighty One by Reverend Simon Dakin aforesaid. 

Subscribed and Sworn this } Ruth Lord
22nd day of September A.D. }
1846 before me }
Charles Patterson Justice of the Peace

And I certify that the above deponent Ruth Lord is well known to me to be a reputable person and a credible witness. Charles Patterson Justice of the Peace 

State of New York }
Dutches County } I Robert Mitchell Clerk of said County of Dutches do hereby certify that Charles Patterson Esq. before whom the foregoing affidavit of Ruth Lord purports to have been sworn and executed was at the date of the same an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly elected and qualified and authorized to act as such Justice and to take the same. And further that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of said Justice and verily believe his signature to the (unknown word) of said affidavit to be genuine. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my official seal This 28th day of September AD 1846. 
Robert Mitchell Clerk