Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16,635, Phineas Beers, Conn.
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(3 - 1776)
SERVICE                                 NUMBER
                                         
Conn.      Beers, Phineas      S. 16635 

carded 
[double line]_
CONTENTS
Jerusha Beers, widow of above soldier,
Received pension as former widow of
Squire Ambler, (Continental) W. File 2,056.
Sir papers in said claim.
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28238
Connecticut
[double line]_______
Phineas Beers
Litchfield in the State of Connecticut
who was a private in the Conn
by Captain Coe of the reg
by Col Whiting in the Conn
line for 2 years
[double line]______
Inscribed on the Roll of Connecticut
the rate of 80 Dollars -- Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
[double line]____
Certificate of Pension issued the 21 day of April
1834 and N Perry
New Milford
[double line]___
Arrears to the 4th of March                 240.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept       40.00
                                    [double line]___
                                                              $280.00
                                     [double line]___
                                          { Revolutionary Claim,
                                             Act June 7, 1832.}
                                                                            
[illegible] corded by Dan Beers, Clerk,
[illegible] ok E2   Vol. =    Page 3
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Phineas Beers
27.536
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[ribbons attached upper left corner]
  State of Connecticut,
County of Litchfield,
Probate District of New Milford Ss.
On this 11th day of September
AD. 1833 personally appeared in open
Court, before the Court of Probate for said
District now sitting at New Milford in said
District and County Phineas Beers a resident of said New Milford; aged Seventy
five years the twelfth day of January
last, who being duly sworn according to
Law doth on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the
benefit of the provision
of the act of Congress
just passed June 7th 1832-

That he entered the service of the United States^
under the following named officers 
& and served as herein stated 

He declares that in the month of May
in the year 1776 he enlisted at Stratford in
the County of Fairfield in sd State of Connecticut into a company of Connecticut
State Troops for the term of Six months
which company was commanded by Capt.
Ebenezer Coe and was said by the Authority of the State and was stationed at
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Stratford in on Long Island Sound
for the purpose of guarding the Coast; Genl
Gould S. Silliman and Col Whiting were
his superior officers, Samuel Patterson
was a Lieutenant in the Company
and one of the Ensign's name was Whiting 
One of the Sergeant's name was Osborn & the declarant [illegible] his Christian name was Nathaniel; he also believes that Ephrm
McEwen was another Sergeant in Company
He served in sd Stratford during the
whole term of  sd enlistment, and at the expiration
of the said Six months he again enlisted
into a company of Connecticut State Troops
for the further period of six months at sd
Stratford under the same officers under
whom he had served the preceding
six months and served in sd  company in
the service of the United States at said
Stratford in guarding & defending the Coast
at said Stratford the full period of six
months longer and was finally discharged
 or dismissed at said Shatford
in the month of May 1777 having served
under both the enlistments above stated
the full period of one year: He had no
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written discharge but was honorably
dismissed
He further declares that afterwards, in
the month of April in the year 1780 he
again enlisted into a company of Connecticut
State Troops raised by the authority of said
State and commanded by Capt Yates.
He enlisted at said Stratford and marched
from thence
to White plains in the State of New York.
The Regiment at the time of its
formation, and for a short time after it was
in actual service was commanded by
Col Lewis of Connecticut to wit at White
plains when the said Lewis left the
Regiment on account of ill health and
some time in the 
term in the courn of the summer
the declarant believes in the month of August
the Regt marched from
White plains to West Point and was
there placed under the order
and command of Col Eno and remained
there in the service till some time in
the month of November of the same year (as
the declarant verily believes) at which time
the company to which he (the declarant
belonged) returned to Connecticut and
during the remaining period of said
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enlistment was stationed at Horse Neck & Stamford in said State of Connecticut at which latter place (as the declarant
believes) about the last of April or
first of May the said Company was
discharged or disbanded, the declarant
having served the full period of one
year under this enlistment no individual
discharges were given, and the
declarant had no written discharge;
His Lieutenant's name was Burton and his
Ensign's name was Rockwell, His orderly
Sergeant's name
was Edward Osborn; his
other Sergeant's names were Banks & Bessey
He cannot recollect the names of the continental
officers that were at White plains while the
declarant was there though there were some
He has no documentary evidence of his services, 
and as proof
of his services he rends
herewith
the affidavit of John McEwin
who was with him during the
whole period of service stated in this declaration. The
declarant has spent much time and endeavorum
to find proof of his services, and has not been
able to find any except the affidavit above
refered to. He resides about nine miles from
the Village of New Milford and is not
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personally acquainted with either of the clergymen residing there as they have resided there but a few years and there is no clergyman in that section of the town in which he resides, that he and his character for veracity are well known to Ford Sanford Esq. Levi Morris Esq., Dunning Babbitt Esq., Samuel Lockwood & many other persons residing in his neighborhood who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as soldier of the Revolution.

That he was born at Stratford aforesaid on the 12th day of January 1758 at which place he resided when he entered the service each times above mentioned.  He has a record of his age on a family Bible now in his [illegible] - He resided at that Stratford aforesaid
till he was about thirty years old, he then went to Newtown in sd Fairfield County where he resided about twelve or fourteen years and has ever since resided in said New Milford

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not
[illegible line]
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on the pension roll of the agency
any State         Phineas Beers[signature]
   
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Perrysmith, Judge of Prelett [spelling?]
for said District

We Samuel Lockwood and Jehiel Williams
residing in the said town of New Milford
do hereby certify that we are well acquainted
with Phineas Beers who has subscribed and
sworn to the above declaration that we
believe him to be seventy five years of
age; that he is reputed & believed in the
neighborhood when he resides, to have been
a soldier of the Revolution and that we
concur in that opinion   Sam'l Lockwood
                                       Jeheil Williams   

Sworn to & subscribed the
day & year aforesaid
And the sd Court do hereby declare their
opinion that after the investigation of
the matter and after putting the interrogatories
prescribed by the War Department, that the
above named applicant was a Revolutionary
[ word lined through] soldier and served as
he states and the Court further certifies
that Samuel Lockwood & Jehiel Williams who
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have signed the preceding certificate
are residents in the town of New Milford
and are credible persons, and that their
statement is entitled to credit-
Perry Smith Judge of Probate
for said District-
State of Connecticut
Probate District of New Milford Ss.
I George Tailor
Clerk of the Court
of Probate for said District do hereby
certify that the foregoing contains the original
 proceedings of said Court in the matter
of the application of Pimas Beers for a
pension
In
testimony
whereof
I have hereunto set my
hand & affixed the seal
of said Court this 12 day
of September AD. 1833-
George Taylor
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Phineas Beers
Supplemental
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State of Connecticut
County of Litchfield
Town of New Milford;

On this 15th day of February AD. 1834
before the Subscriber Nathaniel Perry
a Justice
of Peace within & for said County of Litchfield
personally appeared Phineas Beers a resident
of said New Milford aged 76 years
the 12th day of January last, who being
duly sworn according to Law doth on his
oath make the following declaration
supplementary to & explanatory of a former
declaration by him made for the purpose
of obtaining the benefit of the provision of
the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
 With regard to his first term of service of
the year commencing in May 1776 he
has no additional facts to state as he has no
reason to believe but that his statement
already made in court and he is also advised
that the War Department is already satisfied
with his statement & his proof so for as regards
his service under the two enlistments of that year-
With regard to his service of one year under
an enlistment which he has stated in his forms
declaration to have take [illegible lined through]
the month of April 1780, he now declares that he may
be mistaken as to the time while that service
was performed. It appears from the certificate
of the Comptroller of this State, which herein [illegible] that Col. Eno was not probably in the service in command of a State Regiment after 1779. Your declarant
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has stated in his former declaration that he was
attached
to the Regt commanded by Col Lewis
who retired from service a short time after
the declarant entered on account of ill health
He now declares that he knows he is not
mistaken in this statement (unless it be as to
the time when the service was performed) because
he was well acquanted with Col Lewis and
they were both inhabitants and natives of
the same town. Vs. Stratford in the County
of Fairfield in this State
He has also stated in his former declaration that
when Col Lewis retired from the service in the
month of August (as he believes) he then marched
to West Point & was for a short time placed under the
command of Col Eno for about 10 or 12 weeks. He is now
equally confident as when he made his former
declaration that he is not mistaken as to that
fact-Yet he now declares that, owing to his
advanced age & consequent loss of memory and having nothing to guide him but his recollection, he may be, and probably is mistaken
as to the time when that service was performed,
but that he performed all the service
stated in his former declaration either at the
time there [illegible] or at an earlier period
of the war he is confident and knows he
is not mistaken in the fact of having served
the full period of one year under his two enlistments
in 1776 - And also the full period of one year
under an enlistment at a subsequent time
on being [illegible] interrogated he well recollects
and
now declares that the last term of service
stated in his former declaration, was performed and ended 
before the execution of Major Andre which took place as your declarant is informed in the fall of the year 1780-
Phineas Beers
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year first above
written before me Nathaniel Perry Justice of Peace
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I Frederick Wolcott, Clerk of the County
Court within and for the County of Litchfield
in the State of Connecticut certify that
Nathaniel Perry was on the fifteenth
day of instant February, & that he now is
Justice of the Peace for said County
legally commissioned & qualified & that
the signature to the preceding Certificate
which purports to be his is genuine
In testimony whereof I hereunto
set my hand & affix the seal
of said Court at Litchfield
in said County this 19th day of
February A.D. 1834
Frederick Wolcott Clerk
 [seal affixed lower left corner]
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Phineas Beers
Connecticut
 for 1776 for
2 yrs $80
~
N Perry
New Milford
CL
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                                  WAR DEPARTMENT, 
                                            Pension Office, 
 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 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, (this:}). 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 Phineas Beers 

Period when the service was rendered.
1776-7/  1778 or 9 '80

Duration of claimants service.
1 year / 1 year / 2 year

Rank
Private

Name and Rank of the Field officers under whom he served.
Genl Silliman, Co'l Whiting, Capt. Cole/  Co'l Lewis, Co'l Eno/ Capt.Yates

Age at present and place of abode when he entered the service.
'76

Proof by which the declaration is supported.
John W. Ewen and Certificate of Citizens
                             
                           I am respectfully, 
                                    Your obedient servant, 
                                            J.L. EDWARDS
                                 Commissioner of Pensions
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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 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 in the County where such 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 __________ of 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 provion (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 enered (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 Stat, 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) hat 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 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 comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the service of each person

in it is suffered that Ed Roger Enos had emigrated to Vermont before 1781 it is necessary that the last term of service month be shown where actual service by proof drawn from the Public archives at Hartford
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                                                                        3
will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts state I 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 propand 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, were 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 who 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 he 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 the 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 Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such a 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 [illegible]
[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 be 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 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 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, h was not employed in any civil pursuit.
[j]. The law makes the relinquishments indispensable.
[g]. The opinion of the Court in 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 contain the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached hereunto 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 for 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 [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule is note [j] applies to continental troops only.
[k] The 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.
Page 19

16.635
Invalid
Initials Qm
File No. 16.635
Phineas Beers
Priv Rev War
Act:  June 7" 32
Index:  Vol. / Page 423
Arrangement of 1870
Page 20

Comptrollers Office
February 5th 1834
I Elisha Phelps, Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Connecticut, do certify, that under date 23rd April 1779, there is charged to the United States, upon the books of The Pay Table, the pay roll of "Capt. John Yeats company Col. Enos" regiment '78 & 9 L 2193.1.8. No roll of their company has been found or evidence showing how long I actually served.

And that the pay roll of Capt. John Yeats' company is also charged to the United States under date 7th June 1780.  No roll of this company has been found, or proof of the duration
of' ete services. 

(It appears by the State records that the General assembly of Connecticut in May 1779 ordered too regiments to be raised, & to serve until the First of March 1780 & appointed Matthew Mead & Levi Wells & Cols &c Abraham Tyler & Elias Buell Majors. John Yates was also appointed one of the Captains.
Page 21

The last account of Capt. John Yates was settled at the Pay Table on the 7th of June 1780.d no allowance or charge can be found acc th oreseing
a belief that he served in the State regiments afterwards.
It is not believed that Col. Roger Enos commanded a State regiment after the year 1779.
E. Phelps
The General Assembly of Connecticut, cir February 1778 ordered Col. Enos & McClellan's regiments to be raised. 
E Phelps
Page 22

Hon. J.L Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Page 23

    New Milford, Conn Feb. 21st 1834


Sir, 
I herewith again send the papers of Phineas Beers in support of his claim for a pension.
      From the communication received from the War Department  I understand you are satisfied with his declaration and his proof so far as regards his first term of service as you have made no objections to it.
    He was no doubt mistaken as to the time when his second tour of service was performed, he now states that it was previous to the execution of Major Andrew which must of [unknown] been previous to the time stated in his first declaration. You will observe hat he was under Col. Eno  but a short time a few weeks. It appears from the Comptroller's Certificate the Col. Eno had command of a Reg't as late as the year 1779. His mistake as to the time when he said I hope will not be considered a sufficient objection to allowing him for this service. 
  He has probably given as much light and proof when the subjectas he will
Page 24

be able to do, and if the Department is not satisfied as to his last service he would respectfully request that they grant him a pension for his services so far as they are satisfied with his declaration & proof.

Your Obt. Servt.
Nathaniel Perry


Hon. J.L Edwards
Com of Pensions
Page 25

John Mc Ewen
Affidavit to the Service of Phineas Beers
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State of Connecticut
Fairfield County       On this 2nd Day of September 1833. [illegible] any appeared before me Tho's Wheeler Justice of the Peace in and for said County John McEwen of the Town of Stratford in S'd county to say [illegible] Windsor to be a credible witness & being sworn [illegible] & says that he is well acquainted with Phineas Beers of the Town of New Milford in Fairfield county, who is now present served with him in the United States service in the Revolutionary War- two years as [illegible] (wave?) be the  hour of May 1776, the deponent  enlisted at Hartford in said county for six months in a company of Continental State Troops commanded by Capt. Ebenezer Coe said company [illegible] raised by the State & Stationed at [illegible] point on Long Island Sound for the purpose of granting the war Genl. Silliman & Col. Whiling [illegible] the officers both dec'd Samuel Davison was our Lieut. & one Whiling Ensign from Dec'd enlisted after the expiration of said six months the deponent and reenlisted for six months longer & served out said period under the service officers Said Phineas Beers then lived in said Stamford & enlisted into said Company with the deponent & served there in the whole time the Deponent did which was one year- said company was under a strict discipline & in course bent service the said Phineas left Stamford some time after me alone of the war but the deponent has always known him
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After the above service & in the month said 1780  the deponent enlisted at said Stamford for one year into a company of state troops commanded by Capt. Yates & went down & served the Militia States Army at White Plains one Burlow was Lieut. in said company some Rockwell Ensign both Dec'd Col. Eno had command of the Regiment & one went from White Plains to West Point where we staid until cold weather when we were ordered down to Horseneck at which place (or we are there we were discharged in May 1781- while at West Point & he (the deponent being  a carpenter by trade) was employed in Building as Fort. The shores named  Phineas as becaus has in the same company with the deponent. enlisted at the same time & served there in said period of one year as above stated. The Deponent was born at Stratford February first 1745. The said Phineas lived within a half a mile of Deponent for more than Thirty years & the Deponent cannot be [illegible] in the fact that said Phineas was with  him as above stated one years under Capt. Yates & one year under case col. [illegible] 

                                                  John [illegible]

Subscribed & Sworn to 
One day 2 years aforesaid before one
   Fitch Wheeler Justice of the Peace
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State of Connecticut
County Litchfield} SS New Milford
I Nathaniel Penny a Notary Public in & for said County duly commissioned & sworn do hereby certify that Fitch Wheeler Esq. before whom the foregoing affidavit of John W Evens was taken was at the date of the said affidavit  & now is a Justice of Peace within & for the County of Fairfield in said state duly commissioned & sworn and that full faith & credit are due to his official certificates.  That I am acquainted with the hand writing of the said Fitch Wheeler and that I verily believe the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed Notarial seal at sd. New Milford this 11th day of September 1833
Nathaniel Perry Notary Public