Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 8248, for Nathan Pierson, Connecticut
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Service Conn.
Pierson, Nathan
Number R8248
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Know all men by these presents, That J. William Pierson of Watson Lewis County New York the person mentioned in the American declaration have constituted and appointed,, and by these presents do constitute and appoint Leonard C Davenport of Lowville Lewis Co. New York, my true and lawful Attorney, irrevocably, with power of substitution, for me and in my name, place, and stead, to ask and receive of, and from, the United States the pensioner certificate or back pay to which myself and brother Nathan Pierson Junior May 6, entitled it as heirs as children of Nathan Pierson deceased as a soldier of war of the revolution who is mentioned in said declaration and in my name, to give receipts and other sufficient discharges for the amount found due as aforesaid, and to do any and other acts that I myself might or could do, were I personally present at the doing there of; hereby confirming whatsoever my said attorney shall do in and about my premises by virtue thereof.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixteenth day of August 1854
Signed, sealed, and delivered, in the presence of
2 witnesses: N. Duane Baker
John Benedict
William Pierson
State of New York
County of Lewis to wit:
on this sixteenth day of August, 1854, personally appeared, William Pierson of Watson in said county before me, and acknowledged the above power of attorney to be his act and deed for the purposes there is contained. And I certify that said William Pierson is the person described in said power of attorney
John Benedict Justice of the Peace - Seal enclosed
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State of New York
County of Lewis
On this twenty fourth day of July A.D. eighteen hundred and fifty four personally appeared before the honorable Francis Seger Judge of the County Court said county which is a court of record William Pierson aged forty-five years a resident of the town of Watson in said county of Lewis in  the State of New York who being duly sworn in open court in the presence of the said Francis Seger the judge thereof while holding said court declares on his oath so administered that he is the lawful son of Nathan Pierson deceased who was a private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Herman Swift in the Connecticut line of the Continental Army in the war of the American Revolution but does not know in what company his father served. That his said father Nathan Pierson enlisted into service in said war on or about the fifteenth day of January in the year seventeen hundred and eighty one and was in actual service in said war is said in said regiment commanded by Colonel Herman Swift eleven months and a half and was there honorably discharged from said service the last day of December A.D. 1781 will appear by the muster rolls and records of said records of service regiments that whether his said father received a certificate of discharge from said service he cannot tell that his said father Nathan Pierson at the time of entering said service above (illegible) in the month of January A.D. 1781 was a resident of Killingsworth in the County of Middlesex in the State of Connecticut that he entered into service in said war
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at that place in the Continental line of the American Army of the State of Connecticut as in herein before stated.
And this declarant further says that his said father Nathan Pierson the person who rendered that said military services died at Watson in the county of Lewis and State of New York on the fourteen day of November in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight in the eighty fifth year of his age that this declarant  William Pierson and Nathan Pierson's survivor a brother of this declarant are the only surviving children of Nathan Pierson the soldier who rendered the aforesaid services.  That his said brother Nathan Pierson Junior resides in the town of Grand Marsh in the county of Adams, Wisconsin and is forty nine years of age that said father has left no evidence now surviving and that this declarant and his only brother are the only children and personal representatives of the said Nathan Pierson the aforesaid soldier and this deponent further says that his said father never received a pension under any act of Congress and that he never applied therefor.  That his said father often spoke during his lifetime about applying for a pension under the Act of Congress passed which was passed June 7th 1832 but that he (the said soldier) died before he ever applied for a pension for said services although he often said that it was his intention to do so that he has no original record of the death of his said either public or private and the declarant duly
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believes that the time of the death of his said father was never publicly recorded but that he has he believes a minute of the time of said death in his family bible.  And this declarant further says that he and his said brother Nathan Pierson Junior claim that they by bring the only surviving children of Nathan Pierson the said soldiers there being no widow of the said soldier being are entitled to the back pension which should have been drawn by the said Nathan Pierce the soldier aforesaid under the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 and that he makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the back pay due them as the only children of said soldier from the 4th day of March 1831 to the 14th day of November 1838 (at which time his said father died as aforementioned) under the act passed June 7th 1832
Attest F Seges Harrison Barnes             William Pierson
Sworn and subscribed the day and year first above written before the Lewis County Courth of the State of New York in open court and is hereby certified that the said William Pierson is known as a respectable upright and honorable person and that his statement are entitled to credit above made, and from our acquaintance with the said declarant to believe him to be the person he represented himself to be and that the matter above stated are true.
In witness where of we have here withset the seal of said court and our hands this 24th day of July 1854 F. Seges County Judge
Harrison Barnes County Clerk
[seal in corner]
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State of New York
County of Lewis
On this 25th day of July A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty four before me Thomas Kirley a justice of the peace within and forsaid county duly authorized to administer oaths personally appeared Jason Van Atta a resident of Watson in said county aged sixty five years who bring duly sworn according to law deposes and says that for thirty two years last passed he has been intimately acquainted with William Pierson the person who had made and executed the annexised declaration. He also states that for eighteen years previous to the year eighteen hundred and thirty eight he was very intimately acquainted with Nathan Pierson the person who is mentioned in said declaration as the father of the said William Pierson and a soldier of the was of the American Revolution that during said eighteen years he resided a near neighbor to the said Nathan Pierce and was intimately acquainted with his family.  That the said Nathan Pierson was formerly a resident of Killingworth in the county of Middlesex in the State of Connecticut from which place he moved and settled in the town of Watson in said county of Lewis sometime on the year 1820 that he has often had long conversations with the said Nathan Pierson concerning the service and times of the War of the American Revolution That the said Nathan Pierce at the time of such conversations always manifested a great deal of interest in the events that happened in said war and that said Pierson has often told this deponent that he was a soldier in the war of the Amer-
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-ican revolution that the said Nathan Pierson has often said in said war for the term of one year in Middlesex County in the State of Connecticut and that he was in actual service in said war in the regimen commanded by one Colonel Herman Swift in the Continental Army for the space of one year or thereabout and that his term of service commenced in the winter of year 1781. That he does not remember the name of his captain that he has often heard the said Nathan Pierson speak of Colonel Herman Swift as the colonel of his regiment in which he served in said war.  That the said Nathan Pierson has always when speaking of his service said war talked of belonging to the Connecticut line of the Continental Army and that he was in Colonel Swift's regiment of the State of Connecticut.  Deponent further says that the said Nathan Pierson bore the character of the person of integrity and truth and that he never heard his veracity questioned and that said Nathan Pierce was always reputed by his acquaintances during his life time as a revolutionary soldier and those who were well acquainted with him always understood that he was in service in the revolutionary army in the State of Connecticut.
Deponent further says that the said Nathan Pierson is now dead that he will recollect the time and circumstances of said death that the said Nathan Pierson departed this life on the fourteenth day of November in the year eighteen hundred and thirty eight at Watson aforesaid in the eighty fifth year of his age that deponent well remembers the date of said death and deponent further
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says that the said Nathan Pierson deceased left no widow now surviving.  Deponent further says that Willian Pierson the person who has made the said annexed declaration and his brother Nathan Pierson Junior who is mentioned in said declaration a resident of Grand Marsh in the State of Wisconsin for a number of years resided in the family of the said Nathan Pierson.  That the said William and his said brother were always reputed to be the legitimate children of the said Nathan Pierson and that they are so known by by all who are acquainted with them that he has never heard the legitimacy of said children questioned by any one.  That said William and his said brother took care of the said Nathan for a number of years previous to the death of said Nathan in all respect as children would be with a parent.
Deponent further says that at the time of the death of the said Nathan Pierson he left a widow the mother of said William and his said brother but that the said widow died the 28th day of September 1848 or there about as near as deponent can state.  That the said William Pierson and his said brother Nathan Pierson Junior are the sole surviving children of Nathan Pierson the person who performed said services.  That by reason of his long and intimate acquaintances with said declarant the matters have in stated he knows to be true from his own knowledge.
Jason Vanatta
Sworn and subscribed before me the day and year first above written and I hereby certify that I am
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entirely disinterested in the result of the application of the said William Pierson and his said brother which is hereunto annexed I further certify that the said Jacob Van Atter the person who has made the foregoing declaration is to me well known that he is an honorable upright and truthful person and that his statements above made are entitled to credit I also certify that the words thirty two eighth line  the word eighteen 12th line and the words eighteen 18th line of the foregoing affidavit were all written before signing.
Thomas Kirley Justice of the Peace
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State of New York
County of Lewis
On this second day of August A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty four personally appeared before me John Benedict a justice of the peace duly authorized to administer oath within and for said county Thomas Butts aged sixty-five years a resident of Watson in said county who being duly sworn according to law deposed and says that for nearly thirty years last passed he has been intimately acquainted with William Pierson the person who has made the annexed declaration and that he has also been intimately acquainted with Nathan Pierson Junior the brother of the said William the person mentioned in said declaration for the same length of time reg thirty years.
Deponent further says that for eighteen years previously to the year 1838 he was also very intimately acquainted with Nathan Pierson the person who is mentioned in the said annexed declaration of the father of the said William Pierson and a soldier in the war of the American revolution that nearly the whole of the said eighteen or twenty years he resided in the same neighborhood with the said soldier Nathan Pierson and was very intimately acquainted with him often inviting him at his house and has frequently had long conversations with the said Nathan Pierson the said soldier in regard to the times and services of the American Revolution.  That the said Nathan Pierson has often told this deponent that he was a soldier in said war for the space of one year in Colonel Swift's regiment in the
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Connecticut line of the Continental Army in said war in the years seventeen hundred and eighty one that the said Nathan Pierson was formerly a resident of the town of Killingworth in the State of Connecticut from which place be married and settled in the town of Watson aforesaid sometime in the year 1820 as near as deponent can now state.  That the said Nathan Pierson in his life time was reputed by all who knew him to have been a soldier in said war in the State of Connecticut. The said Pierson having frequently so stated which statements were believed. 
Deponent further says the said Pierson was always reputed to be a person of respectability and truth and that he has never heard his veracity questioned.  That the said Nathan was always reputed to be a soldier of the American Revolution during his life time and those who were well acquainted with him always understood that he served in the American Army in the Continental line of the State of Connecticut and that he served in said service in said war about one year in Colonel Swift's regiment in said state.
Deponent further says that the said Nathan Pierson the said soldier and further is now dead that he departed this life at Watson. Aforesaid on the fourteenth day of November eighteen hundred and thirty eight in the eighty fifth year of his age that deponent will remember the date of said death.  And deponent further says that there is no widow of the said Nathan Pierson the person who has made the said annexed declaration and his brother Nathan Pierson Junior who is
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mentioned in said declaration a resident of Grand Marsh in the State of Wisconsin for a number of years resided in the family of the said Nathan Pierson.  That the said William and his said brother were always reputed to be the legitimate children of the said Nathan Pierson and that they are so known by all who are acquainted with them that he has never heard the legitimacy of said children questioned by any one.  That the said William and his said brother are the only surviving children of the said Nathan Pierson and saw him (illegible) and can therefore speak particularly as regards the time of the death of the said Nathan Pierson from his own knowledge.  That he does not remember that said soldier ever told him his captain's name.
Deponent further says that by reason of his intimate acquaintance with the said Nathan Pierson and the said declarant he knows that the matters herein stated to be true of his own knowledge except as herein stated.
Thomas Butts
Sworn and subscribed before me the day and year first above mentioned and I hereby certify that the said Thomas Butts is to be well known that he is an honorable upright and very respectable old gentleman and the the statements and
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depositions made by him in the foregoing affidavit are entitled to great credit and are in my opinion true in every particular . I further certify that I am wholly disinterested in the result of the claim which is hereunto annexed if William Pierson.
John Benedict
Justice of the Peace
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State of New York
County of Lewis
On this eleventh day of August A.D. eighteen hundred and fifty four before me Gerrit Bostwick a justice of the peace within and for said county duly authorized to administer oath personally appeared Jesse Willcox aged over eighty years a resident of Lowville in said county of Lewis who having duly sworn according to law deposes and says that he was born in the town of Killingworth in the county of Middlesex in the State of Connecticut in the year 1774 that for twenty three or twenty five years thereafter he continued to reside in Killingworth aforesaid.  That for over fifty years immediately proceeding the year 1838 he was intimately acquainted with Nathan Pierson the soldier in the war of the American Revolution who is mentioned in the annexed declaration of William Pierson and who is also mentioned in the annexed affidavit of Jacob Van Atter and Thomas Butts.  That the deponents own knowledge tho said Nathan Pierson was formerly a resident of the State of Connecticut.  That for said twenty three or twenty five years he resided next door neighbor to the said Nathan Pierson in the town of Killingworth aforesaid and often visited him at his house and knows that the said Nathan Pierson in the year 1780 and 1781 resided in the Sate of Connecticut and that he (the said Nathan) removed from the state and settled in the town of Watson in the said county of Lewis which is the same county in which deponent now resides for forty years.  That the said Nathan Pierson removed from the State of Connecticut and settled in Watson aforesaid sometime in
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the year 1820.  Deponent further says that the said Nathan Pierson was always reputed to have been a soldier in the war of the revolution by all who were acquainted with him.  That he has often heard it remarked that the said Nathan Pierson served as a private in Colonel Swift's regiment in the Continental Line of the Connecticut Army in said war.  That for the twenty three or twenty five before refered to in which he resided in the State of Connecticut and for sometime afterwards he was well acquainted with the people in that state bearing the name of Pierson but that he never heard of any other person except the person herein as before stated.  That there can be no doubt in the mind of this deponent but that the said Nathan Pierson the person mentioned the said annexed declaration is the identical Nathan Pierson who performed military service in said regiment commanded by Colonel Herman Swift which is set forth in the said annexed declaration that from his long and intimate acquaintance with the said Nathan Pierson and communications he has had with him about the times and scenes of the American Revolution he has no hesitation in stating that the said Nathan Pierson is the identical person who performed said military service .  He further stated that the said Nathan Pierson is now dead that he departed this life in the town of Watson aforesaid in the year 1838 the precise time he cannot state that he has left him servicing William Pierson
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the person mentioned in the annexed declaration and Nathan Pierson Junior who are the reputed children of the said Nathan Pierson and are so known by all who are acquainted with them and further this deponent says not
Jesse Wilcox
Sworn and subscribed before me the day and years first above written and I certify that the said Jesse Willcox is well known to me and that I have been well acquainted with him for thirty seven years last passed,  That the said Jesse Willcox is a highly respectable and honorable old gentleman and is well known as a person of truth  and entitled to credit.  That the said Jesse Wilcox by reason of the trembling of his hand could not sign his name to the foregoing deposition that the same was carefully read to him and at his request I signed his name thereto I further certify that I am wholly disinterested in the result of the application of the same William Pierson in the annexed declaration.  And that I believe that the said deposition to be true ensuing particulars
Gerrit Bostwick Justice of the Peace
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State of New York 
County of Lewis
On this sixteenth day of August A.D. eighteen hundred and forty four before me Emory B Holden  justice of the peace duly authorized to administer oath within and for said county personally appeared Adah Davenport aged over seventy years a resident of the town of Turin in said county when duly sworn according to law deposes and says that she was born in the town of Killingworth in the State of Connecticut and resided there for seventy years thereafter that for fifty years immediately proceeding the year 1838 she was well acquainted with Nathan Pierson deceased father of William Pierson who is mentioned in the annexed duration as a soldier of the war of the American Revolution. That the said Nathan Pierson was formerly a resident of Killingworth aforesaid and often visited at his house and was also well acquainted with the wife and family of the said Nathan Pierson while he resided in the said State of Connecticut.  That the said Nathan Pierson moved from the Killingworth sometime in the year 1820 and settled in the town of Watson in the said county of Lewis.  That she saw the said Nathan Pierson after he settled in Watson as a foresaid and knows that the person Nathan Pierson herein referred to is the identical person with with whom she was acquainted in the State of Connecticut.  That the said Nathan Pierson was in his lifetime always reputed to be a soldier in the
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Connecticut line of the continental army in said war.  That she said Nathan Pierson is now dead that he died she believes sometime in the year 1838 as Watson aforesaid aged about 83 years at the time of said death.  And further this deponent says not    Adah Davenport
Sworn and subscribed before me the day and years first above written and I certify that the said Adah Davenport is known to me as a person of truth and respectability and  that her foregoing affidavit.at her statements above are entitled to credit.  I further certify that I am disinterested in the application refered it in the foregoing affidavit.
E.B. Holden
Justice of the Peace
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State of New York
Lewis County Court
It is hereby certified that the satisfactory and conclusive proof has been produced and exhibited before the county court of the said county of Lewis which is a court of record by the depositions and affidavits of William Pierson Jacob Van Atter Thomas Butts Jesse Willcox and Adah Davenport which are here with annexed person who are all residents of said county of Lewis and who are known and duly certified to be persons of truth and entitled to credit; that Wi lliam Pierson Junior of Grand Marsh of the State of Wisconsin the persons mentioned in said annexed depositions and affidavits are the legitimate and only surviving children of Nathan Pierson deceased who was a soldier in the war of the American Revolution in Colonel Herman Swift's regiment in the Connecticut  line of the continental army and who performed the military services in said war which are fully set forth in the annexed declaration of the said William Pierson.
And it is further certified that by the same affidavit and depositions it is satisfactorily proved that the said soldier Nathan Pierson died at the town of Watson Lewis County in said state of New York on the fourteenth day of November A.D. one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight in the eighty fifth year of his age.  That at the time of his death he left a widow him serving who has since died and that the one said Nathan Pierson Junior and the said William Pierson the aforesaid declarant are now the sole and only surviving children of Nathan Pierson
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the soldier who performed the aforesaid military services which are more particularly set forth in the annexed declaration
And it is further certified that Thomas Kirley Gerrit Bostwick Esq. E. B. Holden Esq and John Benedict Esq whose names are respectively signed to the jurats as certificates of the affidavits and depositions hereunto annexed and refered to the herein.  Were each of them at the time of the execution thereof Justices of the Peace within and for said county duly authorized to administer oaths and perform the duties of such office.  And that there are acquainted with the hand writing of such justices and truly believe that the signatures herein refered to are genuine.
In witness where of I have hereunto set original hands and caused the seal of said count to be hereunto affixed.  Done in open court at Martinsburgh in said county on the 6th day of September A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty four
Harrison Barnes Court of Lewis
(Illegible seal affixed to document)
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(Illegible seal)
State of Connecticut
Comptrollers Office
Hartford Sept 16th 1854
I certify, that the application for evidence of the service of Nathan Pierson, in the war of the Revolution, I have examined the documents remaining in this office and find on a pay roll under the following heading vis, "Settlement with the 2nd Connecticut Regiment". Herman Swift Esp Colonel, for the year 1871." the name of Nathan Parsons, which on the ledger to which the balance of the said Parsons account is hosted is written Nathan Pierson and on the receipt on file in this office, which was given for the said balance, is written Nathan Pierson, all which are intended for the name of the same person.  On said pay roll the said Nathan Parsons or Pierson is credited with service as a private from January 15th to December 31st 1781-11 months 16 days.  John St. John is supposed to have commanded as captain of the company in which the said Pierson served, from January 1st to May 1st and David Strong as Captain from May 2nd to December 31st 1781.
John Dunham Comp.
by Geo Robinson Clerk
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Claim of William Pierson heir of Nathan Pierson private in the Connecticut line of the continental army War of the Revolution.
For back pension due him of soldier undeceeded 1832.
L.C. Davenport Attorney 
Lowville
Lewis Co
NeSort6
To Hon L.P. Waldo
Com of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
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Letter with stamp from Lowvil (partial)
Nathan Pierson N.Y. (illegible) 1832
Hon L.P. Waldo
Commissioner of Pensions
Pension Office
Washington, D.C.
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Stamp from Lowville Sept 20, N.Y.
Nathan Pierson NY, original
Hon L.P. Waldo
Com of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
(illegible stamp)
FREE
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(Mostly blank form)
rejected
8248
Nathan Pierson
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No. 38.815
Nathan Pierson
decd
NY
L.C. Davenport Sep 26 1854
same Oct 10 1854
8248
June 7 1832
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Lowville Lewis Co. New York
Sept. 20, 1854
Hon. L.P. Waldo
Dear Sir
I herewith send you the papers in the application of William Pierson son of Nathan Pierson re a soldier in the war of the revolution for the back pension to which his father would have been entitled had he applied therefore while living
I do not know what proof is required in cases of this kind not being acquainted with the practice in such cases.  Please look over the papers here with sent and inform me what further proof if any in required to establish this claim.
Very Respectfully yours
L. C. Davenport
Atty for Applicant
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In the matter of the Application of the children of Nathan Pierson dec'd
under Act of June 7, 1832 for back pension
Annex to letter of Sept 26, 1854 from Com of Pensions
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Lowville Lewis Co N York
October 2, 1854
Hon L P Waldo
Com of Pensions
Dear Sir
Your answers of Sept 26 1954 to the application of the children of Nathan Pierson d'cd under the act of June 7, 1932 is just received - I was surprised to receive such an answer to a claim which was founded on the evidence of witnesses who were all certified to be honorable and upright and and entitled to credit and which I supposed was presented to you in a respectful manner - I do not yet understand what is meant by the last clause of your answer as follows. "It is remarkable if he did serve that he should never have expected a claim for a pension and that his children should have just discovered this rights" thus inferring  that the claim is fraudulent when the declarant particularly states in his declaration that his father often in his lifetime stated that he was entitled to a pension and thus showing that they have not just discovered their rights and even without this statement would that fact show fraudulency in the claim
Again the statement that "a Nathan Pierson or Person or Person did render some service and I was not aware of any evidence that a person or person rendered any service the certificate of the comptroller of the state of Connecticut showing a service of 11 months and 16 days by a soldier who entered on the rolls Nathan Parsons. on
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leger the same name is written Nathan Piersons and on the receipt for pay for said service where the soldier wrote his name himself it is written Nathan Pierson which is the true name of the soldier.
Under your decisions that the applicant must prove themselves to be children of the soldiers by witness who know of their own "knowledge that he did render the alleged service in must of course fail of establishing our claim.  For there are no persons now living with whom Nathan Pierson served or who know of their own knowledge that he did render the service set forth in the declaration.  I supposed that the certification from Conn. established the service and that we would be allowed to identify the father of the applicants to be the identical person who rendered the service.  Thus I supposed I had already proved by the repeated declarations of the father himself as set forth in the evidence on file of Jacob Van Atta and Thomas Butts both of whom are certified to be persons of credit also the reputation of the father than he was always reputed in his life time to have been a soldier in the Revolution that he was formerly a resident of the State of Conn that he resided there at the time of the service mentioned and proved by testimony of Jesse Willcox and Adah Davenport both formerly residents of the same place in which said Nathan Piersons resided in the state of Conn and was well acquainted with him there and
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residents of the same place in which said Nathan Piersons resided in the state of Conn and was well acquainted with him there and has been well acquainted with him after he removed to this country.  That while the said Nathan Piersons resided in the State of Conn and was well acquainted with him there and has been well acquainted with him after he removed to this county that while the said Piersons lived in Connecticut he was reputed to have been a soldier d'cd.  All this testimony taken together if being the best evidence which could be produced  I believed would be allowed and would be sufficient to establish the identity of the father of the applicant and that he was the identical soldier who rendered the service
But under your ruling all evidence of this kind would be excluded and we must as a matter of course fail of producing satisfactory proof of our claims.  I have always understood the rules of the Pension Office to admit such proof as that on file to establish claims of this kind but if you decide differently we of course must abide by your ruling
Please inform me whether in the absence of better evidence we will be allowed to establish the claim by proving the identity of the father as a soldier who served by evidence of the same kind now on file without proving it by witnesses who know of their own knowledge that he did render the alleged service which is immpossible.
Very Respectfully yours
L.C. Davenport
Atty for Applicant