Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 2353, David Baker, Continental. New Jersey.
Page 1

Continental New Jersey
David Baker
S 2353
carded
Page 2

(left side page)

See (smudged) 20th April 1837 D H/K Burn(?)
See letter 1 July 1837 to Mrs. Eliza Ballard
Let to Hon. J.H. Bronson Dec 20 1837
Let to H. Mallaby Aug 19 1842

(right side page)

No 3461
New Jersey
David Baker
of Morris Co. in the State of N. Jersey who was a Priv and Lieut. in the company commanded by Captain Brittin of the Reg't commanded by Col. Spencer in the N Jersey line for 1 year and 10 months - Continental

Inscribed on the Roll of New Jersey at the rate of 175 dollars and 96 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March 1831

Certificate of Pension issued the 22 day of Dec 1832 and sent to Pensioner Morristown, N.J.

Arrears to the 4th ofSeptember 1832.   263.94
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 March        87.98 
                                                    1833     $351.92
{Revolutionary Claim
Act Jun 7, 1832}

Recorded by D.Brown Clerk
Book D Vol. 4 Page 143
Page 3

David Baker
Lieut.
Page 4

State of New Jersey
Morris County

On the second day of May in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and Eighteen, personally appeared before me the subscriber one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Morris  and State of New Jersey, David Baker, a citizen of Morristown in the county and State aforesaid, who being by me first duly sworn according to Law did on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the provisions of an act of Congress Entitled " An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land andnaval service of the United States in the revolutionary war".  To wit - that he was born in Elizabeth Town in Essex County, State of New Jersey, and is now in the sixty seventh year of his age.  That early in the spring of the year Seventeen Hundred and Seventy Seven he believes in March he Rec'd the appointment of first Lieutenant, and joined the revolutionary army  as such in Middlebrook, New Jersey, under Capt. William Britton, in Col. Spencer's  Reg't Gen. Conways Brigade of the New Jersey Line - and served in the army of the United States till April 6th 1778 - when he was honorably discharged as will appear by the paper marked A herewith transmitted - and that he is the same David Baker, who is named in said Paper marked A - He had at that time a family of small children dependent on him (some words crossed out) and was obliged to leave the service, in order to provide for them the means of subsistence.  He had sold a small patrimonial estate the proceeds of which he expected would have procured the nupareis (?) of life forms family.  Such....
Page 5

(Continued from preceding page)

...the depreciation of Continental money disappointed his expectations, and compelled him to leave the army, to endeavor  to save himself from luggary (?). Though notwithstanding his first endeavors he lost nearly all his patrimonial estate.  That he supported himself and family by his won persons labor from that time till within about two years since which the infirmities  of ale and ill health have disqualified him from attending to any kind of business.  That he is in such reduced circumstances as to stand in need of assistance from his country for support, and hopes that he may receive from the United States such a pension as commissioned officers of the revolutionary army are entitled to, by the aforementioned act of Congress.
The deponent further states on oath that the commission of Lieutenant which he received from the government was by him left at Head Quarters, Valley Forge, in possession of the Aid of General Washington  Finch (?) Tilghman, whose name is subscribed to the annexed paper marked A and that it is not now in his power to procure it.
David Baker

(sidebar)
Congress -
The word "seven" 18 line - 1st page interlined before execution - also the words "of the New Jersey Line" is the 22nd line

Sworn and subscribed  before me this 2nd April 1818
Louis Condict
Page 6

State of New Jersey
County of Morris

I Robert Hall Carter of the County of Morris aforesaid do hereby certify that Lewis Condict Esq. before whom the foregoing affidavit  is made, is and was at the doing thereof duly enrolled one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Morro\is and that full faith and credit is due and ought to be given to his official Acts was such.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said County this second day of May in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and eighteen.

Robert Hall Carter
Page 7

Admitted
Page 8

Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832

Morris Coun. Phar. Special Term August 1832

State of New Jersey
County of Morris

On this 128th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas now sitting, David Baker a president of Morristown in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey,  aged eighty-one years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on this oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain  the benefit of theAct of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
That he entered in the army of the United States in the year 1777, as he believes, as a Lieutenant of Infantry, with Captain William Brittin and served in Col. Spencer's regiment of the New Jersey Line, under the following named officers:
This Regiment, as he thinks, was one of the 16 additional Regiments, ordered to be raised by Congress in the year probably 1780, but is not certain as to the time.
He joined his Regiment at Middle Brook, in Somerset County, then the head quarters of the American Army and just before Lord Sterlings engagement with the enemy at Short Hills, in which battle this deponent was personally engaged.  He continued to serve as Lieutenant in said Company and Regiment until the time when the Regiments were about to be consolidated, when he, with several other officers of various grades, were discharged as supernumeraries.  His discharge was given at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania under the direction of the Commander in Chief subscribed by Finch Tilghman, Aid to Genl. Washington.  For its date he refers to the discharge itself, now on the files of the War Department with his Declaration and other papers, prepared under the Act of Congress of March 18th 1818.  The whole period of his service as Lieutenant, he thinks, was about two years, perhaps a little less or more - his memory now being frail from age.  He refers however to his former Declaration made when the events of the War were more distinctly within his remembrance.    His name was placed on the pension list in 1818 and suspended by the Law of 1820 and has now been restored.  Besides his service as Lieutenant in Col. Spencer's Regiment he performed several tours of Militia Service before, as well as after, his engagement with Spencer's Regiment. He does not recollect, whether or not the Militia tours were mentioned in his former Declaration, nor is it possible for him to acertain the times accurately, nor the places, not the officers associated with him on all those occasions.  He was out under the command of....
Page 9

(continued from previous page)

...Captain Josiah Hall, nearly in the War, for a month - was stationed at Elizabeth Town, guarding the points of landing of the enemy  then in possession of Staten Island and New York.  He was also stated on another monthly tour at Beyer Point guarding the shores and landing, places and protecting the inhabitants from the depravations of the enemy.
He was out on another tour of monthly duty under Captain James Keer/Kern - was stationed at Springfield, Connecticut farms, and Elizabeth Town, performing guard duty and as before stated.  In some of these early duties he was under command of Col. Nathan Lure and Col. Starke.  This probably was in the early part of the year 1776.  He also was out in the fall of that year upon another monthly tour, when New Jersey was overrun by the enemy and followed Genl. Washington's Army across the State as he retreated upon the march called the  -?- wounds  under Captain James Keen.  He was also out on a tour by an alarm when Springfield was burnt and  pursued the enemy to Elizabeth Town. Was in the engagement when the enemy made a stand between Elizabeth Town and the point at the forks of the road.  In the course of this skirmish he fell into Capt. Nathl. Randolph's company and was standing next to Capt. Randolph when he was shot through the arm.  Henry Vail his neighbor stood next to this deponent on the other five.   See Henry Vail's Declaration made before this Court to be transmitted to the Pension Office.  This was subsequent to his discharge  from Col. Spencer's Regiment, but he cannot tell the year - perhaps 1780 - he was on Militia duty  and in the regular service more or less from the beginning to the end of the war, in every year, at least half the time upon alarms and other occasions. And in  addition to his regular service he verily believes he performed at least twelve months of Militia service.
Before entering Col. Spencer's Regiment he had engaged as a 1st Lieutenant in Capt. David -?- company, and in Col. McDouglass's regiment of the New Oak Line, but being taken suddenly sick was prevented from fulfilling his engagement.  He however before his sickness, had assisted in raising the company  which was -?- to march to the north.  He was born at Elizabeth Town, Essex County, N. Jersey, on the last day of Nov. 1751, according to a record copied from this father's family bible, the original of which is in a sister's possession.  He lived in Hanover, Morris County, when first called into service and for several years before the war.  He then moved to N. York City, where he lived some 12 or 15 years, and then moved to Morristown where he now lives.  In the regular army he was in Conway and Maxwell's Brigade and the division of Major General Lord Sterling, with whom he was acquainted. In the Militia he served under Cols. Luse, Bott, and Stark and Genls. Williamson and Heard.  He had a Lieutenant commission but knows not who signed it.  He has long been acquainted with     D-- Louis Condict and with Moses Este to whom he refers for his character and the general belief of his revolutionary services.  He desires and claims to be restored to the Pension roll from which he was suspended by the law of May 1820.
Page 10

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, ["is only on that of the Agency of the State of New Jersey" crossed out] Sworn to, and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

[handwritten signature: "Stephen Vail"]

We, [handwritten: "Lewis Condict and Moses Estey, David Baker] residing in the [handwritten: "County of Morris"] hereby certify, that we are acquainted with [handwritten: "David Baker"] who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be [handwritten: "Eighty one"] 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.

[handwritten signatures: "Lewis Condict, Moses Estey, Stephen Vail"]

[handwritten: "Mr. Estey is quite blind, and writes his name without seeing a little"]

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion, that the abovenamed applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states.

[handwritten signature: "Stephen Vail"]


I [handwritten: "David Day"] 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 [handwritten: "David Baker"] for a pension. 

[Image of a large circular seal with large capital letters, an "I" in the center, and seemingly the word "MORRISTOWN" included on the border]


IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this [handwritten: "Eighteenth"] day of [handwritten: "August"] in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty [handwritten: "two"]

[handwritten signature: "David Day" (illegible, possibly "Clk", crossed out)]

[handwritten: "Capt. David Baker, the above Declarant, has (illegible) my (illegible) neighbour there last 15 years, and I know him to be a man of (most? illegible) (illegible) veracity - he is admitted and believed by all his neighbours, to have been a soldier in the war of the Revolution. - Lewis Condict, one of the (illegible) from N. Jersy.

Morristown August 16th 1832]
Page 11

Mrs. Eliza Ballard
Executrix of
Mrs. Phebe Baker
Du (?)

Copy of will and Probate
Page 12

In the name of God I Phebe Baker widow and relict of Capt. David Baker late of Morristown in the County of Morris and State of New Jersey deceased do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner and forms following:

First - I direct that all my debts be paid.
Item - I do give and bequeath unto my daughter Eliza Ballard all the estate of which I may die seized or possessed together with all monies due me at my decease and do hereby appoint her the said Eliza Ballard sole Executrix of this my last will and testament - hereby revoking and making void all former and other wills by me at any time heretofore made -
In witness whereof I the said Phebe Baker have hereunto set my hand and seal the 31st day of December A.D. eighteen hundred and thirty three.
Phebe Baker

Signed sealed and declared by the said Phebe Baker as her last will and testament in our presence -
Na   C. Whitehead

I William A. Woods surrogate of the County of Morris, do certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the last will and testament of Phebe Baker late of the County of Morris deceased and that Mrs. Eliza Ballard the Executrix therein named proved the same before me and is duly authorized to take upon herself the administration of the Estate of the Testatrix agreeably to the said will.
Witness my hand and seal of office the seventeenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five.
William A. Woods
Page 13

State of New York
Jefferson County

   On this 4th day of April A.D. 1837 personally appeared before the undersigned one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County Jefferson Mrs. Eliza Ballard, aged 43 years, Capt. Francis Mallaby, aged 46 years, and Mrs. Sarah Mallaby aged 41 years.  Al residents of Sackets Harbor in the said County of Jefferson and State of New York who ---ing  personally duly sworn according to law, do, on their personal oaths make the following declaration in order to ...
(faint added sentence - too faint to read)
...obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of July 4 1836.  That the said Eliza Ballard and Sarah Mallaby are daughters of David Baker and Phebe Baker, late of Morristown in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, deceased, and the said deponents do further on their personal oaths declare that the said David Baker and Phebe Baker, deceased, were legally married to each other on the second day of May A.D. 1773 as the said deponents have always been informed and verily  believe, and in confirmation of the act of marriage as above stated the said deponents  as aforesaid say that said David and Phebe always lived together.....
Page 14

(continued from previous page)

...were esteemed as husband and wife until the death of said David as hereinafter mentioned.  And that Abigail Baker now Mrs Abigail Minton, their oldest child who is now living at Morristown aforesaid is now over 62 years of age and further the following is a true copy of such part of the family record of said David and Phebe Baker deceased.  Was shows their births deaths and marriages viz:
"Family Record"
David Baker born 30th Nov 1751 Died in Morristowns 6 March 1833 aged 81 years 3 months and 6 days
Phebe Wilcox born 18th June 1756. Died in Morristown 30 September 1835 aged 79 years and 6 months
Married May 2, 1773

And said Deponents further as aforesaid say that said David Baker and Phebe Baker each departed this life as noted in the above transcript from the Family Record.  (Added above this last) and said Phebe was not again married.
And said deponents further as aforesaid say that David Baker was an officer in the Revolutionary War and served about 3 years and as such is entitled to a pension under the Act of Congress of June 7, 1832 - that having died before obtaining his money it was afterwards received by the said Phebe as his widow, as these deponents are informed and verily believe and for proof of the ....
Page 15

(continued from previous page)

....particulars of his service the Deponents beg leave to refer to the Pension Department to the papers and vouchers now supposed to be on file there, as the Deponents have no copy of them.
Also said Deponents further as aforesaid say that the above named Deponent Eliza Ballard is the identical person named in the annexed "copies will and Probate" and to be legatee and Executrix of the said Phebe Baker deceased.
Eliza Ballard
Frances Malllaby
Sarah Mallaby

I the undersigned Judge do hereby certify that the above named deponents severally appeared before me this fourth day of April 1837 - and subscribed and made oath to there above deposition - and I further certify that I am well acquainted with each of the said deponents and that are all of good character and unquestioned credibility - and that the said Eliza is not able to attend in person at Court by reason of bodily infirmity -
Zeno Allen Judge
of Jeff. Co. County
Page 16

State of New York
Jefferson County Clerk's Office

   I Peleg/Peter Buchard Clerk of said County do certify that Zeno Allen Esq. before whom the annexed affidavit purport to have been sworn was at the date of the same a Judge of Jefferson County Courts commissioned and -?- and the I am well acquainted  with his handwriting and verily believe his signature to the same to be genuine - Witness my hand and the Seal of said County this fifth day of April in the year 1837
P. Buchard Clerk

(sidebar lower left)
? 1891
Phebe Baker's heir
N.York
Page 17

June 29, 1939.

Mr. Joseph A. Baker
12 Prospect Avenue
Ilion, New York.

BA-J/ILL
David Baker
S. 2353

Dear Sir:

The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, S. 2353, based upon service of David Baker in the Revolutionary War.

David Baker was born on November 30, 1751 in Elizabethtown, Essex County, New Jersey: the names of his parents are not shown.

While residing in Hanover, Morris County, New Jersey, he enlisted and served several monthly tours as private under Captains Josiah Hall and James Keen, and Colonels Nathan Luse and Starke in the New Jersey troops, all of which took place in the year 1776. He was appointed in March 1777, 1st lieutenant, served in Captain William Britton's company, Colonel Spencer's Regiment, was in the battle of Short Hills and resigned on April 6, 1778, at Valley Forge. He served subsequently on different tours of the New Jersey troops, once when Springfield was burned, also, at the time Captain Nathaniel Randolph was shot.

David Baker continued to reside in Morris County, New Jersey, for several years after the Revolutionary War, after which he moved to New York City, where he resided for twelve of fifteen years, then moved to Morristown, New Jersey.

He was allowed pension on his application executed May 2, 1818, at which time he resided in Morristown, New Jersey. His name was stricken from the pension roll under the Act of May 1820, because he was in possession of too much property to entitle him to pension [^ "under illegible"]. He applied August 18, 1832, for pension under the Act of June 7, 1832, at which time he resided in Morristown, New Jersey. Pension was allowed. He died in Morristown, New Jersey, March 6, 1833.
Page 18

David Baker married May 2, 1773, Phebe Wilcox, who was born June 18, 1756; the names of her parents are not shown.

Phebe Baker, this officer's widow, died September 30, 1835, in Morristown, New Jersey. She named her daughter, Mrs. Eliza Ballard, executrix of her estate.

[handwritten: "^Illegible (Additive?) after resignation of this officer, D.B. from the Army in 1778, he had a family of small children, no names illegible (designn?) illegible."]

In 1837, the names of the surviving children of David Baker and his wife, Phebe, were given as follow: Mrs. Abigail Minton, their eldest child, aged more than sixty-two years, and a resident of Morristown, New Jersey; Mrs. Eliza Ballard, and Mrs. Sarah Mallaby, aged forty-three years and forty-one years, respectively, both then residents of Sacketts Harbor, Jefferson County, New York.

Mrs. Eliza Ballard applied in 1837, for the pension which might have been due the children of David Baker, on account of his service as an officer in the Revolutionary War. She applied in behalf of herself and other heirs. The claim was not allowed as there was no provision of law under which children of a Revolutionary War soldier or officer were entitled to a pension.

In 1837, Captain Francis Mallaby, aged forty-six years, was with Mrs. Sarah Mallaby and Mrs. Eliza Ballard when they mad affidavit in regard [illegible] their parents; his relationship to Sarah was not stated. In 1842, one H. Mallaby resided in Madison, New Jersey.

[handwritten: "next time ao above"] Reference was made by this officer, David Baker, to ["a" crossed out] his [^"also only"] family of small children at the time he ["r" crossed out] resigned in 1778, but no other names of children were stated in this claim.

Very truly yours,
A.D. HILLER,
Executive Assistant to the Administrator
Page 19

(left side of paper)

Rev. War. 2353
INVALID

File No. 2353
David Baker
Lieut. Rev. War

Act: June 7 1852
Index:- Vol. A, Page 17

[arrangement fo 1870}

(right side written vertically)

1931 - Jan. 9 Hist. to Edward L. Baker Aug
1939 - June 29 Hist to Mr Joseph A. Baker ??
Page 20

Phebe Baker
Neris / Nevis ?
N.York

Rejected

(crossed out): See letter to Mrs Eliza Ballard 
 1 July 1887 (year smudged)
433

widow died before  -?- of Act of 6 July 1836
Let. to Hon J.H. Bronson Sept 18 1837
Page 21

Ex'r.    INVALID

line crossed out

Phebe Baker
widow of David Baker
NJ Revy. war

service: for papers see admitted soldier file No. 2353
Page 22

602

New Jersey Roll

DAVID BAKER
Lieutenant
New Jersey Line
In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War and Continental.

Inscribed on the Roll of New Jersey at the rate of Twenty Dollars per month, to commence on the 2nd of April 1818.

Certificate of Pension issued the 19 of May 1818 and sent to Lewis Condict Esq. Morristown, N.J.

Arrearages to 4th Sept 1818
5 months 3/30                                 $102.00

{Revolutionary claims
 Act 18th March 1818}

one year
Page 23

David Baker, N Jersey Roll, Act 7 June 1832

at $175.96 per ann.

Pension Office
Dec. 20 1837

The widow -?- $352.88 due from 4th March 1831 to the 6 March 1833 the day of his death.

JH
Page 24

(written vertically)

S,.F. 2353
David Baker
N.J.
Page 25

Head Quarters Valley Forge 6th April 1778

David Baker of Col. Spencer's Regiment having desired liberty to quit the force on account of his private business, his Resignation is on that accord accepted of.

By his Excellency's Command
Tench Tilghman
Page 26

26 April 1887 / 1881 (smudged)

D.N. Burnham

G. C.

Record 42 page 171
Page 27

War Department
Pension Office
26 April 1837

Sir
    The voucher in the case of Phebe Baker deceased, widow of Capt. David Baker deceased late a pensioner under the Act of the 7th June 1832 are herewith enclosed.
     The regulations as contained in the enclosed printed sheet must be complied with before an order to pay can be granted.

I am H

D.N. Burnham Esq.
Sacketts Harbor
New York
Page 28

1818
69
1851
Page 29

Sacketts Harbor NY
Apl 5 1837

J. L Edwards Esq.

Sir,
   Enclosed are the papers and proof which together with the documents on file in your office I deem sufficient to entitle Mrs. Eliza Ballard o receive the amt. due her mother at her decease by written of the Pension Laws of June 7 1832 and July 6 1836.  
You have, I understand, the requisite proof the service of her father David Baker and the time of his death - we ask the amt. accruing to the widow after his decease, till her death.  Please let me hear from you on this subject was soon as your convenience will permit.
Very respectfully
your Obd. Servant
D.N. Burnham
Page 30

Sir
    Mr. D.H. Burnham the gentleman who I employed to make out the accompanying papers has returned the same to me, with your letter of the 26 April and also a printed sheet, referring to certain forms to be pursued in obtaining the money due to my deceased mother WITHOUT THE FORMS THEMSELVES (underlined) and which I have no mens of obtaining here.
    On looking over the printed sheet, it seems to me that I have complied with the general requisitions but wherever you discover an omission I ask to be set right.
   Permit me to state the case to you.  My deceased father's papers are all in the pension office, and the arrears due him to the time of his death were paid to my deceased mother, she having proved her marriage recording to the Act of Congress.
    The probate of her will before the Surrogate of the County of Morris and State of New Jersey is the legal evidence of her death, which instrument constitutes me sole executrix and legatee and as such I claim the monies due her as the widow of David Baker.
    I regret extremely that you should have so much trouble in the matter but must rely on your courtesy to excuse me and ask it further exercise in.....
Page 31

(Continued from previous page)

...pointing out the particular deficiencies in the documents again transmitted.

I am Sir
very respectfully
Your -?-
Eliza Ballard
Executrix of Phebe Baker deceased 


To
  J.L.Edwards Esq.
Page 32

War Dept Pen Office
July 1 1837

Madam
   The papers transmitted by you in support of claims of the heirs of Phebe Baker widow of David Baker have been examined.  The 3rd section of the Act of 21 July 1836 provides for the heirs of those widows of Revolutionary soldiers only who were living at the time of the passage of said Act.  Your mother having died in 1835 the heirs are of course excluded from the benefits of said Act.  The papers which have now been placed o the file of rejected cases in this office were returned to you in April last under the impression Act....
Page 33

(Continued from previous page)

....they were executed for the purpose of obtaining the arrears of pension due under the Act of 7 June 1832 -?- the period of your father's death.

(vertically on right)
Mrs. E. Ballard
July 1, 1837
N.Y.

Mrs. Eliza Ballard
Sacketts Harbor
N.York
Page 34

Wash: Sept 11 1837

Hon. Jas. L. Edwards
Comm of Pensions

   Sir - I am about tomato an application to Congress in behalf of the heirs of Phebe Baker, widow of David Baker a Rev. Soldier from arrearages of the pension supposed to be due to them - with this view I desire copies of the papers on file to your office relative to the application of Eliza Ballard and others (the heirs of said)of Sacketts Harbor N.Y. touching this matter.  The claim was rejected at yr. office in July last.

Respectfully Yours,
J.H.Bronson
Page 35

Washington Dec 11 1837

Hon. J.L. Edwards

Sir - David Baker of Morristown N.J. - a Rev' Sold' was placed upon the pension Roll under the Act of Congress of 7 June 1832 - He died 6th March 1833 - His widow Phebe Baker is said to have received his pension money after his death.
Will you do me the favor to state when he became a pensioner - What was the annual amt. of his pension - And whether or not his widow rec'd it or any portion of it and up to what time it was paid to her -
I want this information to be used as evidence before a Committee at the H of R.

Respectfully Yours,
J.H Bronson
Page 36

Hon. J.H. Bronson
Dec 20 1837

GC

Record V.46 Page 141
Page 37

War Dept
Pension Office
Dec 20 1837

Sir,
    In reply to your letter of the 11th last I have the honor to state at (David Baker crossed out) a pension certificate was issued for David Baker of Morristown, N. Jersey, on the 22nd Dec 1832 at the rate of $175.96 per annum.  The bank of the Mint Auditor's Office show that the amount one from the 4th March 1831 to the 6th march 1833 being $352.88 was paid to his widow.

Hon. J. H. Bronson
H.R.
Page 38

F. Mallaby
Aug 19 1842
Page 39

297

Pension Office
Aug 19 1842

Sir,
   In rely to your letter of the 16th -?- I have to inform you that David Baker was allowed a pension under the Act of June 7 1832, on the 22nd December 1832 at the rte of $175 per annum to commence on the 4th March 1831.  He died on the 6th March 1833 and the amount due, viz. $352.88 was paid.  If you will make application to the Third Auditor in whose office the vouchers are filed, he will inform you received the money.

H. Mallaby, Esq.
Madison
N. Jersey
Page 40

Madison, Morris County N. Jersey
Augt. 16th 1842

Sir
   Recent developments in this County has exhibited a systematic fraud in the Revolutionary soldiers and their widows, and  my object in writing is to ascertain the amt. and period for which David Baker (name underlined) of Morristown has been paid as a Pensioner and also the amt. paid to his widow after his decease and to whom paid.
By furnishing this information you will confer an obligation as the heirs and as... (nothing more written).
Very Respectfully 
Yr. Obd. Serv.
F. Mallaby


to
J.L. Edwards Esq.
Pension Agt.
Washington
Page 41

December 6, 1930
Post Mark Dec 8 1930

Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C.

Dear Sir
  I understand that David Baker (underlined) of Morristown N. J. born Nov. 30, 1751, died Mar. 6, 1833, was a pensioner of the Revolutionary War.  Will you please send me what information the records disclose I regard to the place of his birth, ancestry, etc.?
Yours very Truly
Edward L. Baker
Page 42

April 30, 1939. (plus Post Mark for same)

Bureau of Pensions
Washington D.C.

Sirs,
   Soon after the passage of the Act of congress of 1818, one David Ballard (underlined) made application for a pension for service in the Revolution.  His case was presented to the War Department by the Hon. Thomas W. Hubbard, member of congress from his district.
   If this application is till in existence I would like a copy of it.  I understand that the pension was not granted because some of the service was not in the Continental Line, but there is information contained therein that would be of great interest to his descendants.
    If there is any fee foe making a copy of this and other papers relating to Dave Ballard, please inform me.

Very truly yours,
Joseph Baker
Page 43

January 9, 1931

Rev. & 1812 Wars Section
AWF:MLB

Mr. Edward L. Baker
1110 Sheridan Road, North Lake Forest, Illinois

Dear sir:

You are advised that it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 2353, that David Baker was born November 30, 1751, in Elizabethtown, Essex County, New Jersey.

While residing in Hanover, Morris County, New Jersey, he was appointed in March, 1777, first lieutenant, and served in Captain William Britton's company, Colonel Spencer's regiment, was in the battle of Short Hills and resigned April 6, 1778.

["He stated that he" crossed out] He served also in the militia, both before and after the above noted service, in Captains Josiah Hall's and James Keen's companies under Colonels Seeley, Bott, Nathan Luse, and Starke.

Several years after the Revolution, ["he" crossed out] David Baker moved to New York City and lived there twelve or fifteen years; then moved to Morristown, New Jersey, where he was living when he was allowed pension on his application executed May 2, 1818.

This officer died Mch. 6, 1833 in Morristown, N.J.

["He" crossed out] David Baker married May 2, 1773, Phebe Wilcox, who was born June 18, 1756. She died Sept. 30, 1835, in Morristown, N.J.

["The soldier died March 6, 1933 in Morristown, New Jersey, and his widow, Phebe, died there September 30, 1835." crossed out]

["The soldier stated that" crossed out] At the time of his resignation from the army, ["he" crossed out] David Baker had a family of small children. The names of the children ["as stated" crossed out] which are shown in the claim for pension are as follows: Mrs. etc

Mrs. Abigail Minton, their oldest child, "over sixty-two years of age" in 1837 and a resident of Morristown, New Jersey; Mrs. Eliza
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Ballard, in 1837, aged forty-three years and a resident of Sacketts Harbor, New York; ["and" crossed out] Mrs. Sarah Mallaby, in 1837, aged forty-one years and a resident of Sacketts Harbor, New York.

Captain Francis Mallaby, aged forty-six years in 1837, ["and" crossed out] was then a resident of ["residing in" crossed out] Sacketts Harbor, New York, ["is referred to," crossed out] relationship to the Baker family not shown.

Very truly yours
E. W. MORGAN
Acting Commissioner
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June 29, 1939.

Mr. Joseph A. Baker
12 Prospect Avenue
Ilion, New York.

BA-J/MMHF/ILL
David Baker
S. 2353

Dear Sir:

Reference is made to your letter in which you state that Dave (or Dane?) Ballard applied for pension in 1818, for service in the Revolutionary War, that his claim was presented to the War Department (of which the pension records were then a part) by Hon. Thomas M. Hubbard, Member of Congress from his district. You state further that the claim was not allowed because some of his service was not in the Continental Line, however, you would like to have all data shown in the papers in the claim, if on file at this time.

A very careful search of the Revolutionary War pension records (now in the custody of the Veterans Administration) has been made and no claim for pension found based upon service in that war of a Dave, David or Dane Ballard. It is proper to state that when applications for pension were made under the Act of March 18, 1818 (which Act provided for those soldiers, only, who rendered service of nine consecutive months in the Continental Line) and were rejected, it was the policy of the department at that time, to return all papers in those applications to the applicants, hence they are not on file in the United States Government. It is believed, however, that they were recorded on the records of the county court of the county in which the applications were made, from which source some information might be obtained.

In the effort to aid you, reference has been made to a volume entitled a "List of Private Claims Presented to the House of Representatives of the United States from the First to Thirty-first Congress". The following item is recorded in that
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volume: "Ballard, Eliza, Claimant, (See heir of widow of David Baker); 25th Congress, 2nd Session; Page of the Journal No. 54''. Also, the following: "Baker, David, heir of widow, the claimant; Nature or Object of the Claim- Arrears of pension; 25th Congress, 2nd Session; Brought before the House by petition; Page of the Journal No. 54; Referred to the Committee of the House on Rev. Pensions". No action of that committee is recorded in said volume. It is suggested that the information recorded on the page of the Congressional Journal, cited above, might be obtained from the Library of Congress, this city.

As the David Baker claim and the Eliza Ballard claim were identical as recorded in the volume cited above, the Revolutionary War pension records of this office were searched under the name David Baker, and a claim for pension found based upon his service in the Revolutionary War, in which claim the name Eliza Ballard is found. His record is furnished you, herewith, in the hope that the data may aid you somewhat in your research.

Very truly yours,
A.D. HILLER,
Executive Assistant to the Administrator.