Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 416, James Baker, Conn.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE                                        NUMBER
Conn.               Baker, James         R. 416

CONTENTS
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State of New York
Oneida County
On this 7th day of April 1840

Personally appeared before me the subscriber a Judge of Oneida County Court James Baker a resident of the town of Lee in said County aged seventy seven years, who being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the [illegible] of an act of Congress passed 7th June 1832
That he entered the service of the United States in the Revolutionary War and served nine months as hereafter specified and under the following named Officers To wit: Has drafted about the first of September 1780 was under one Captain Munson His Lt. was Daniel Grennell. Orderly Sergt Willmott thinks Trowbridge was Col. and served three months on the first tour. Stationed at New Haven was ordered from New Haen to East and West Haven. Black Rock and other places bordering on the coasts in that Section of Connecticut
The Spring following volunteered for six months was again stationed at New Haven as a guard. Was often sent from New Haven to East Haven, West Haven, Black Rock and on other excursions within the neighborhood 
Sargeant Willmott (most generally) when sent out on an excursion, had the command of one party
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Cannot now particularly name the superior officers who commanded at New Haven at this time, but that Capt. Munson was in command of the corps to which J belonged was at the time of entering the service aged 17 years. Born in the town of Oblong Dutchess County, New York resides at Bethany Ct. at the the time of entering the service, and served out the time and then left the service ___And now aged 77 years
And hereby relinquishes all claims whatsoever or annuities except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state and that at this time and for years past has not heard of any of his associate who that served with him in the Revolution or any person by whom he can prove his said service.
James his [an x] mark Baker
Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year above written said Baker cannot write because of infirmity
Aaron Cornstock, Judge of Oneida County
We Elijah Ward Vel Thayer and Simeon N Eames residing in Lee in the County aforesaid hereby certify that we are we well acquainted with James Baker who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be 77 years of age that he is reputed
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believed in the neighborhood in where he has resided for about forty years, to have been a soldier of the Revolutionary War and that we concur in that opinion, having been acquainted with him from twenty (20) to thirty five years
Elijah Ward
Vel Thayer
Simeon N Eames

Sworn and subscribed the day and year above written the Lord James Baker was written on erasure before signing
Aaron Comstock
Judge of Oneida Con Pleas

And I the said Judge do hereby declare my opinion after investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the War Department that the above applicant was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and served as he states___ And that the said Judge further states that it appears to him the said Elijah Ward and Vel Thayer and Simeon N. Eames who have signed the forgoing certificates are residents in the town of Lee of which Elijah Ward and Simeon N Eames I am personally acquainted with, all of whom are credible witnesses____ The reason why a Clergyman did not sign the certificate is there is no settled minister in the town of Lee.____ The following questions were propounded to the applicant
Ques "Where and when born? ___ In the town of Oblong Dulchy Co New York in 1763___ Have you any
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record of your age? I have none except that which has been told me by my parents. Where were you living when called into service; where since the Revolutionary War; and where do you now live? Lived in Bethany Ct. and now reside in Lee Oneida Co. How were you first called into service? First by Draft of 3 months__ Volunteered afterwards for six months__ State the names of the Officers under whom you served. Officers names are as above stated___ To whom are you known in the town in which you reside, and have resided. 

Ans. [circled] To Charles Stoky late Postmaster, Simeon Eames Esq and Nathaniel Wood Esqr__ Did you ever receive a discharge from the service? I did, and have lost it a long time since.

I Aaron Comstock before the Judge before whom the forgoing declaration and affidavits were taken do hereby certify that the said James Baker by reason of bodily infirmity is unable to appear in open and that in account of such infirmities the forgoing declaration was  laiten before me.    
Aaron Comstock
Lu de of Oneida County Courts 
Seal [scribbled circle]

State of New York
County of Oneida 
I James Dean clerk of the said County certify that the Hon Aaron Comstock was on the 7 day of April 1840 a judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the said County duly commissioned + sworn and that the forgoing signature purporting to be his are genuine witnesses my hand and seal of Office April 7 1840
James Dean Clerk
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Additional proof in the case of James Baker application for a pension.
 State of New York
Oneida County 
Personally Appeance before me Nathaniel Wood a justice of the peace in and for said county James Baker to me personally known for thirty years to be a man of truth and veracity who first being duly sworn, dath on his oath make the following declaration, that the reason why he this deponent did not sooner make applications to be placed on the pension list is that as long as he was able to support himself and wife by his labor, he was not disposed to make application for a pension. But of late and by reason of old age and bodily infirmities which are fast in ereaseing he is now unable to provide for himself and wife by his labor and now chooses in common with his fellow soldry, to ask support from his government rather than be dependent on an only son or the generosity of his neighbor.

Sworn to and subscribed this 8th day of June 1840 before me, he making his mark because he can not write
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The following questions were put to James Baker on application for a pension

Question, Was you ever paid for your services while in the revolutionary war

Answer, Yes

Question, By whom, and how were you paid 

Answer, by one Daniel Toole, who tour my claim against government and paid me my wages

Question, did you ever sign any pay rills 

Answer, I never did, to the best of my recollections

Question, what kind of money did you receive from Daniel Toole for you services while in the army

Answer, he paid me in continental paper and that ever dollar in paper was counted to me equal to a dollar in the cie 

Question, what did you do with the money you earned for you serving while you were in the revolutionary way

Answer, that the real rolue of the paper money was so trifling that I can not say but recalled that I paid ten dollars of it for a mug of Flip, while in company with some of my commanders which could have been bought for one shilling in silver 

Question, how many paper dollars would it take in continental money to to buy a silver dollar

Answer, It was difficult to get a silver dollar at any rate. But think from 75, to 80 paper dollars

Questions, was the company to which you belonged while in the service paid in the same kind of money as
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as you was paid in

Answer, they were as far as I ever a ???? and suffered a loss equal to my self on their money

Sworn to and Subscribed 
this 8th day of June 1840
and made his mark. Nathaniel Moore Justice
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Pension Office 
March 22 1842

Sir
The additional statement of James Baker, respecting the delay of making his application enclosed in yours of the 19th inst, has been examined and filed. In answer to your inquiry I have the honor to state that his claim was not rejected because he had delayed to 1840 to present it but because he has furnished no evidence whatever of his alleged service and by reference to the Books of the controllers at Hartford, his narrative is in no respect corroborated. He was called upon to remove by explanation if he could, the distrust which his failure to assert his claim at an earlier period amidst the constantly diminishing means of establishing it.

Hon J. G. Floyd
House of Reps
(Signed by Commission)

The Bakers, cu??e not a??? of this letter or state of things, till 1854
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Additional proof in the case of James Baker application for a pension.
State of New York
Oneida County
Personally Appeance before me Nathaniel Wood a justice of the peace in and for said county James Baker to me personally known for thirty years to be a man of truth and veracity who first being duly sworn, dath on his oath make the following declaration, that the reason why he this deponent did not sooner make applications to be placed on the pension list is that as long as he was able to support himself and wife by his labor, he was not disposed to make application for a pension. But of late and by reason of old age and bodily infirmities which are fast in ereaseing he is now unable to provide for himself and wife by his labor and now chooses in common with his fellow soldry, to ask support from his government rather than be dependent on an only son or the generosity of his neighbor.

Sworn to and subscribed this 8th day of June 1840 before me, he making his mark because he can not write