Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 28640, Abijah Beard, Conn. Continental
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE
Conn.
Continental

Beard, Abijah

Number 
S.28640.

CONTENTS
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Albany New York 27
Abijah Beard
of Delaware in the State of N.Y.
who was a Private in the Company [illegible] by Captain Hull of the Rgt. commanded by Col. Gray in the Ct. line for 2 years
Increased from $44.65 

Inscribed on the Roll of Albany N.Y. at the rate of -80-Dollars--Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831
Certificate of Pension issued the 3d day of Feb. 1837 and sent v. Efner H. of Resps.
Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1836 $440.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar '37 $40.00
_____________
$480.00
{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by D.D. Addison, Clerk
Book C2 Vol. 4 Page 6
Page 3

The returns of this to be sent to Cyrenus Gibbs Harpersfield Delaware Co. N.Y.
Jun 10 '82
Dec. 9 "

State of New York Delaware County SS
On the twenty second of October one thousand eight hundred and thirty three came before me Samuel Stevens one of the Judges of the Court of common pleas for said county Abijah Beard aged nearly seventy seven a resident of the town of Harpersfield County of Delaware who being by me first duly sworn maketh the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the late act of Congress passed the 7th of June 1832. for the benefit of those who served their county in the Revolutionary War and says that from information which he believes is true he was born in Stratford Connecticut February 3 1757 that he resided in Stratford until he was eleven years old and then removed to Waterbury now Watertown Conn and and at thirteen years of age he went to Derby Conn. to learn the blacksmith trade and lived there until the 20th of June 1775. he then enlisted in a company commanded by Lieut. Commandant Charles Whittlesey of Derby in a detachment commanded by Major _______ Thompson of Derby for seven months and marched immediately for Boston and before his time was out viz. on the 27th of December 1775. he enlisted for one year under the same Lieut. in a company commanded by Capt. William Hull in Col. ______ Webb's regiment and continued in said regiment untill after the taking of the Hessians at Trenton 25th of De. 1776 he then for a bounty of ten paper dollars paid to him by Capt. ____ Catlin of Litchfield enlisted again for six weeks but staid there until
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the 20th of February 1777. having been in the army one year and eight months without losing a day or being absent or sick was then verbally dismissed in New Jersey And in the Summer of 1777. he enlisted for one month under Capt. ________ Smith and went to New London and laboured on Groton fort or back of it staid his time out and was verbally dismissed And in 1778. or 9. he was draughted and went into Capt Joseph Garnsey's company of Watertown for one month and went to Milford and staid his time out and was verbally dismissed And in the year 1782 the last of May or first of June he enlisted again for one year in a company commanded by Capt. ________ Munson a Grenadier company in Col. __________ Gray's regiment he marched immediately and joined the regiment at the Highlands went with the regiment to Plank's point went back with the regiment to the Highlands for winder quarters and in the latter part of Dec. 1782 or fore part of Jan. 1783 he had a discharge which is lost signed by Heman Swift Col. Commandant on account that the Preliminaries of Peace were signed and his services were not required having been in service at that time six months and a half certain and believes more than seven and for all the foregoing he claims a Pension.
He was in the battles of Whiteplains the taking of the Hessians at Trenton and at the taking of Princeton and that his wages were uniformly forty shillings New England money or 6 2/0 of a dollar per month and that after the war he resided at Watertown Conn. untill the winter of 1789 when he removed into
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the town of Harpersfield now Delaware County where he continues to reside that for several years back he has been troubled with the Gravel to such a degree that he has not been absent from home three miles and thinks that it would endanger his life if he were to go to Delhi where the court sits which is more than twenty miles distant And further he expects that is name is in the War Office as the troops with which he served were called Continental excepting the month at New London and the month at Milford
And further declares that he has no pension nor never had
Abijah Beers
Subscribed and sworn this 22nd day of October 1833 before me
Samuel Stevens Judge of Delaware County Common Pleas 
On the 22nd of October 1833 came before me Samuel Stevens one of the Judges of the court of common pleas for the County of Delaware Humphrey Treadwell a clergyman of the Methodist Church and after being duly sworn saith that he has been acquainted with Abijah Beard the above petitioner for more than twenty years and that he believes him to be of the age set forth in the above declaration and that it is generally believed in the neighborhood that he served in the Revolutionary War as there stated 
Humphrey Treadwell
Subscribed and sworn this 22nd day of October 1833 before me Samuel Stevens Judge of Delaware County common Pleas 
On the 22nd of October 1833 came before me Samuel Stevens one of the judges of the court of Common pleas for the county of Delaware Cyrenus Gibbs who first having been duly affirmed saith that he has been acquainted with
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Abijah Beard forty four years living less than one mile from him during that time and that it is fully believed in the neighborhood that he served in the Revolutionary War as set forth in the declaration and that he has heard him tell the same story substantially forty years ago and at other times
Cyrenus Gibbs
Subscribed and sworn this 22nd day of October 1833 before me Samuel Stevens Judge of Delaware County Common Pleas
On the 22nd day of October 1833 came before me Samuel Stevens one of the Judges of Delaware County Hector Carrington and after being duly sworn says that he resides within six rods of Abijah Beard the aforesaid applicant and thinks it would endanger his life to go to Delhi where the court sits and further that it is fully believed in the neighbourhood that he served in the Revolutionary War 
Hector Carrington
Sworn and Subscribed this 22nd day of October 1833 before me and I further certify that I am acquainted with the said Abijah Beard
Humphrey Treadwell Cyrenus Gibbs and Hector Carrington and that they are each and all of them credible witnesses
Samuel Stevens a Judge of Delaware County Common Pleas
State of New York
County of Delaware
Abijah Beard
28-146
SS
I Crawford B Sheldon Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Delaware it being a court of record do hereby certify that Samuel Stevens the person before whom the foregoing affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the time a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County, and that I am well acquainted with his handwriting and that his name is subscribed to the said affidavit
It is his proper handwriting & signature
Witness my hand and Seal of office this first day of November 1833
C. B. Sheldon Clerk
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State of New York Delaware County SS
On the 6th of January 1834 came before me Samuel Stevens one of the Judges of the Court of Common pleas Abijah Beard and made on Oath the following amendment to a Declaration made by him to the Pension Office dated 22 of October 1833 and states that Col Swift acted as Brigadier General and was call general at the time but if he recollects right his Discharge that is lost was signed by the title of Col Commanding the Brigade or to that effect and that he the said Abijah served all the Campaign of 1782 as he believes In Col Grass Regiment but In the fall he was put on Board a gunboat and was there cannot tell how long and when he left the Boat he was Informed that the Companies was Consolidated and that he was put into Captain Comstock's Company but he never Paraded with them But Comstock gave him a written recommend to General Swift as he was called for a Discharge and the General gave him one accordingly and it Might have Been that when the Companies was Consolidated the Regiment was without his knowledge and further that he Enlisted under Captain Munson By the name of Abijah Beard and never went by any Other name and there was no Other Person in that Company By the name of Beard and he now recollects that [illegible] was Orderly sergeant * Trueman--Pitcher Jeddedeah Hibbard * Joel Garnsey [illegible] some of these he Believes are alive In Ohio or on the Western Part of this State and further after he got home from service he sent to New Haven for his wages and if he Recollects right they sent him word that his name was not found but Elijah was found he sent the second time *By searching the Original Record or some Other way they found that his name was Abijah and sent his wages and he verily Believes that the Mistake was made by Transcribing the Roll after he left the Service
* not in the same Company But in the service with him
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In Testimony of the within he has set his name
Abijah Beard
Sworn and Subscribed this 6th day of January 1834 before me and I certify that the said Abijah Baird is a credible witness and I further certify that through Bodily Infirmity that the said Baird is unable to attend Court
Samuel Stevens, Judge
of Delaware County Common Pleas
A Statement showing the service of Abijah Beard 
As there was some mistake In the table of the Printed letter the following is made

Period of commencing
1775
June 20
6 Months 7 Days Rank Private
Officers &c
Lieut Wittlesey
Major Thomson
1775 Dec 27 
1 year Col Webb
Capt Hull
1776 Dec 27
1 Month 23 Days
Capt Catlin
1777 [illegible] 1 Month
Capt Smith
1777 org 1 Month 
Capt Gurnsey
1782 May
6 Months 15 Days
Capt. Munson & Comstock Grenadier
Col Grays
Total 2 years 4 months 15 days
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Abijah Beard
[illegible]
15 mo. 1200
66
2
____________
132
4333
4465
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Original [illegible] on file
Harpersfield April 2d 1834
To the Honorable J L Edwards yours was Received of the 10th ult Requiring the Evidence from the Comptroller of Connecticut to support the Claim of Abijah Beard In order to Obtain his Pension we have Obtained it and as there is some variation In his Return from Beards Statement it was thought to give an explanation of the Declaration
Cyrenus Gibbs
Personally came before me Samuel Stevens one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Delaware Abijah Beard and made the following amendment to his Declaration of the 23 of Oct 1833 and says that it might have been the 16th of May 1775 instead of 20 of June that he Enlisted under Charles Wittlesey But it is his Impression yet that it was 20 of June and that he Enlisted under the same man for a year 27 of December from the Circumstance after the Hessians was taken at Trenton 25 of Dec 1876 General Sullivan Rode up and Says Boys you have had a merry Christmas and if you will stay six weeks longer you shall have a habby New year he then enlisted under Captain Catlin but Charles Wittlesey was still Lieut. Whittlesey is returned as sergeant but it is his Impression that Lieutenant Bradford Heel was sick and he knows that Whittlesey took Command and that Osborne was Ensign and that there was no Person there by the name of Beard nor he never knew of such a Person and further as regards his years service he does not know of any Person living that was with him  
the name of the deponent Abijah Beard is 3 lines from top of his affidavit is returned before request
Abijah Beard
Subscribed and sworn this 2nd day of April 1834 before me
Samuel Stevens Judge
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28.146
Abijah Beard
Admitted
[illegible] 2 years--

--January 11, 1837
Issue a new certificate & cancel the old one
Hon. V. Efner
House Reps
US
[crossed out: Cyrenus Gibbs Esq. Harpersfield Delaware Co N.Y.]
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WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
Dec 24 33
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the paper 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 show what is necessary to be done. Those 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, showing the Service of Abijah Beard
Period when the Service was rendered.
1775 June 20--
Duration of the claimant's service
-Years
6 Months. 
7 Days. 
Rank of the Claimant.
Private
Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served. 
Lieut. Whttlesey
Maj. Thompson
Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service.
75 years
Proof by which the declaration is supported. 
1776 Dec 27 1 Years. " {Col. Webb Capt. Hull
" 1 Months. 12 Days. " Capt. Catlin
1777 Summer 1 Month. " Cap Smith
1778-- 1 Months " Capt Gurnsey
1782 May 6 Months. " x Munson Grenadier Company 
Col. Gray
& discharged by Col. Swift
I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
James L. Edwards,
Commissioner of Pensions.
x Capt. Munson did not belong to Col. Swift regiment A soldier of the name of Beard but not Abijah appears in the roll of Capt Munson's Company. Declarant should [illegible] his service in any other regiment, & whether he was enrolled under any other name
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2
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 (c) 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. [image of pointing hand] 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 days 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. 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, (i) and he will also, whether the 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
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3
alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person 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 if 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 Solider, { 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 given 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 inquiry 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 off 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 the 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 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 services 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 services. 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.
[pointing finger] 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.
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O.W. & M. Division
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
WASHINGTON, D.C.,
"
S28640
In reply to your request for a statement of the military history of Abijah Beard, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, you will please find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.

Dates of Enlistment or Appointment.
June 1775
Length of Service.
6 mo.
Rank.
Pvt.
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.
Whittlesay
COLONEL.
Maj. Thompson
STATE.
Conn.
Dec. 1776
1 yr. 6 mos.
"
Hull
Col. Webb
"
not stated
1 mo.
"
Catlin
not stated
"
Summer 1777
1"
"
Smith
""
"
1778
1"
"
Gurnsey
""
"
May 1782
6"

Monson
Gray
"
Battles engaged in, White Plains, Trenton, Princeton.
Residence of solider at enlistment, Derby, Conn.
Date of application for pension, Oct. 22, 1833.
Residence at date of application, Harpersfield, Delaware Co. N.Y.
Age at date of application, born in Stratford, Conn. Feb. 3, 1757
Remarks: His pen. was all'd.
Very respctfully,
J. Lee Tucker 
Oneonta,
Otsego Co. N.Y.
Commissioner.
13806 b---3 m
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28640
Rev INVALID.
File No. 28640
Abijah Beard
Pri Rev War

Act June 7th 32
Index:--Vol. 2, Page 32
[Arrangement of 1870.]

17/94
[illegible]
Otego Co. N.Y.
Page 17

Cyrenus Gibbs formerly of the Town of Litchfield, State of Connecticut but now of Harpersfield County of Delaware and State of Newyork Aged 66 the 17th of April last as he Believes
Deposeth and saith that In the latter part of December 1775 or fore part of January 1776 we had a Brother than Enlisted for one year In a Company Commanded by Captain Tuttle In Col Webbs Regiment and went to Boston and he has heard him say that he went into Dorchester heights and there filled Barrels with dirt &c to roll on to the British if they attempted to come on and In the fall he was at the Battle of White plains and was there wounded In the Shoulder with a Cannon Ball and the same Ball killed 5 and wounded 2 more and that it struck Sergeant Garrit on the head and some of his Brains his Brother Brought home some of them Dried on his Clothes and this Deponent saith that In March 1789 he came to reside in Harpersfield and about the same time Abjijah Beard come and purchased a farm adjoining his and they have Both lived ever since on the same Place and soon after they Became acquainted Beard told him of his Being in the Army and among other Details he related his being on Dorchester heights and had the Charge of One Barrell and likewise of his Being at the Battle of White plains and looked right into the mouth of a Cannon and thought it was a going to hit him but when fired It struck Next round [?] 8 men killed and wounded and Particular
Page 18

Mentioned the Case of Sergeant Garrit that some of his Brains struck him from the circumstance that my Brother (who has been Dead 20 years or more) was one of the Wounded and In the same Regiment with him. I recollect the more Distinctly Beard further Stated that in December he had no shoes and he and another man went one night about 2 miles and went Into the Barn and got a new hide and made each of them a pair of Mocasins with which he went to trenton and he related that when they went to Princeton he saw General Mercer killed and they Immediately Come with a Waggon and flung him in and his legs was out Behind the Waggon and further stated that at Princeton he acted as a sergeant and was side and side with Lieut Whittlesey and Wittlesey Jumped and said he was wounded but come to examine the Ball had gone through a Pair of Buckskins Britches and struck a Pocket Book filled with Continental Bills and Did not go through them but raised a Blood Blister on his thigh and further the said Beard has been in the habbit of telling the above Stories with Others for this forty five years But more particular while he laboured at the Blacksmith trade which was about 15 years after he first came into Town and this Deponent as much Believes that Abijah Beard was at Dorchester heights the Battle of White Plains the Taking of Princeton as he Believe that
Page 19

[crossed out: Believes that] there is such Places and they was was connected with war like operations In the year 1776 and further he has never heard a single Person ever raise the least scruple By Doubting any Part of his whole Testimony as to all the terms that he says that he served and further he Believes that there is twenty People in this Town that would Testify to all the above facts except what related to his Brother 
and further this Deponent
saith not
Cyrenus Gibbs
State of New York
Delaware County ss
Sworn and subscribed before me this 7th day of July 1834 and I further certify that I have been personally acquainted with the above named Cyrenus Gibbs for upwards of thirty hears last past, that he has formerly been a Judge of the County Courts in this County and that he is in every respect a credible witness
Samuel Stevens Judge of
Delaware County County
Page 20

M Edwards letter
Pension office

Pension Office
Hon V. Efner
House Representatives
NY
Page 21

War Department
Pension Office
January 14th 1837
Sir
The pension of Abijah Baird has been increased to Eighty Dollars per Annum. On the return of his Pension Certificate a new one will be issued accordingly
I have the honor to be
Respectfully
Your obt Servant
J L Edwards
Page 22

Harpersfield July 11th 1834

Honored Sir

I Received yours of May 9th and Immediately Presented it to Mr. Beard who said that he Did not know of any Person in the Company then living But had seen In that years service (viz) 1776 Frequently Joseph Fairchild and [illegible' on Long Island where he was with him In some expedition and that about ten years ago he heard he was alive and In Coventry about 70 miles Distant I wrote to him and he neglected while I thought he was Dead or moved away and you will see by the Date the same Day that I made a New affidavit the County Clerk Put his Certificate on Fairchild and I Received it on the 10th Mr. Beard thinks if he had have seen him and told him of what took Place when together the first Part of his Testimony would have been more full and Beard further accounts for the latter Clause Respecting [illegible] the war in these years that In the year 1882 he saw Fairchild again while he Beard was In the army But whether Fairchild belonged to the Army or not he Does not know for he was doing the Joiner work of a House
Page 23

It is suposed the Testimony now offered will satisfy your Honor that Beard never Intended Fraud but that he Did serve as Stated and he Does not like to Relinquish that years service for he says that he Endured the Cold with much Clothing or Shoes and all the Battles he was In was that year and the subsequent six weeks and if he cannot obtain it he shall think his fortune is [illegible] In their not keeping the Record Correct on his not keeping his witnesses alive But he says that he means to support Government as long as he lives and it is the furtherest he goes from home is 1 1/2 miles to Election to support the Present Administration.
the enclosed Affidavit of mine taken by Judge Stevens has not the seal of the Court upon it as it was thought it was not necessary Being the same man that took the Original Affidavits in Beard's Case
Cyrus Gibbs
Hon James L Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions