Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11,226, for John Pettit, Massachusetts
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Service: Mass., New York
Pettit, John
Number: S.11,226
carded
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8208 
New York 
Jno. Pettit 
of Saratoga in the State of N. York
who was a Corp & Priv in the Company commanded 
by Captain Mean of the Regt. commanded
 by Col. Sprout in the Massatts *
line for 12 Mos Cap 
& 12 " Priv.
* Mass. and N.Y. May 31/05.
Records completed. [initials] 

Inscribed on the Roll of N. York 
at the rate of 84 Dollars per annum, 
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 

Certificate of Pension issued the 16th day of March 
1833 and sent to Hon. J. W. Taylor
Ballston 

Arrears to the 4th of Mar. '33  $168}
Semi-anl. allowance ending [blank] 42}
[=] $210

{Revolutionary Claim,}
{Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by Geo. C. Stiles Clerk 
Book E Vol. 4 Page 28. 

Right side:
Dead 
Paid at the Treasury under the Act of the 6th April 1838 from 4th Sep 1839 to 1 Jany 1840. Agt Notified 12 May 1841. 
Paid as above to 1 of 8 children 
Agt notified 17th June 1841
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14,969
John Pettit

admd
5.14
found on Rolls
enlisted 14 July 80 6 mo
no entry of discharge

M. 11 [illegible]
QWL
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14.969

BRIEF in the case of John Pettit 
County of Saratoga in the State of New York 
(Act 7th June, 1832.) 
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court
2.  If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? 
3. How old is he? 68. 
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
Period | Duration of Service  (Y-M-D) | Rank | Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.

Enlisted In 1780 June | "Discharged the latter part of December" | private | Col. Sprout, 12th regmt Mass line, Capt Mean
do. 1781 Spring | nearly 9 months | private | Col. Willet, Capt Gray
- 1782 - | not stated clearly | Corporal | Capt. Newell, Col. Willett

5.  In what battles was he engaged? [blank]
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Weststockbridge, Massa.
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary, Documentary & Witness 
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct 

X  Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned. 

[Signed] T. Waugh Examining Clerk. 
March 8, 1833.
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TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 
Second Comptroller's Office, 
June 9th 1841. 

Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States, "One of 8 childr of John Pettit, decd, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Albany N.Y. Agency, at the rate of Eighty four Dollars per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4th of Sept. 1839 to the 1st January 1840. 
Respectfully yours, 
[Signed] Albion K Parris 
Comptroller.

To the Commissioner of Pensions, Present.
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TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 
Second Comptroller's Office, 
May 8th 1841. 

Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States, "Seven of the eight childr of John Pettit, decd, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Albany N.Y. Agency, at the rate of Eighty four Dollars per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4th of Sept. 1839 to the 1st January 1840. 
Respectfully yours, 
[Signed] Albion K Parris 
Comptroller.

To the Commissioner of Pensions, Present.
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John Pettit
pension papers

alld. 14969
On Rolls of Sprouts Regt. enlisted 14 July '80 for 6 mo. no date of discharge.

admd.
12 mo Corpl
12 " pri
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State of New York} 
Saratoga County} ss. 
On the Eleventh day of September 1832 In Open Court before the Court of Chancery now sitting at Saratoga Springs, personally appeared John Pettit a resident of Greenfield in the County of Saratoga, and State of New York, aged Sixty Eight 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 Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he was born in the town of Sheffield in the County of Berkshire in the State of Massachusetts on the 27th day of August 1764 as he understands, he has no record of his age as he knows only from his own recollection, on the information of his parents, that in the year 1779 his family removed to the town of West Stockbridge in the said County & State of Massachusetts. That in the latter part of June 1780 at the town of West Stockbridge this applicant Enlisted into the service of the United States for six months, and served under the following named officers as herein stated. In the forepart of July following he was marched to West Point and was there told off to the 12th Massachusetts Regiment of the line Commanded by Col. Sprout, then lying at Fishkill Barracks, to which place this applicant and other soldiers who were sett off to Col. Sprouts Regiment were Imediately Marched, he was there put into Captain Means Company a Lieutenant Whiting was a subaltern in Captain Means Company he does not recollect that any other subaltern officer was attached to the Company while he remained therein, soon after the 12th Regiment Joined the Army at Peekskill, from Peekskill Crossed the Hudson at Kings ferry, and Encamped at Orangetown from Orangetown marched to English neighbourhood, from thence marched to a place called Stenrappa (or Stone Arabia) in
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the State of Newjersey from thence marched back to Orangetown, while lying at Orangetown at this time the deffection of General Arnold become public and Major Andre a brittish officer was hanged as a spye, from Orange town Marched to Tottoway [Totowa, NJ?] and some time in the month of November he was in a detachment to Guard the baggage and Invalids to West Point. after he came to West Point this applicant was put into a large detachment under General Stark, it was called a grand forage party, to the White Plains and near Kingsbridge (Since the revolutionary war this applicant on the reading the life of General Putnam by Col. Humphries an aid to General Washington, understand that the object of the command under General Stark was something more than foraging.) about the first of December this applicant returned to West Point to which place his Regimment had come and some time the latter part of December there was an order to discharge a Certain number of the levies from a Company a day and this applicant Received a written discharge from his Lieutenant Whiting before his term of service had Expired. Lieutenant Whiting at that time commanded Captain Means Company, and he then returned to the town of West Stockbridge this discharge he lost before the Close of the war, and refers to the rolls of the Army for this time of service. 

The next Spring Col. Willets Regiment of New York State troops of the State of New York was organized, and about the first of April 1781 this applicant Enlisted to serve for the term of nine months or untill the first of January 1782 in the New York State troops at a place then called Kings district then in the County of Albany (now town of Canaan in the County of Columbia). This Regiment was then
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Composed of men Engaged to Serve for three years, and men Engage to Serve for nine months. he was marched to Albany and from Albany was marched to Saratoga. Saratoga at that time was an OutPost where Major John McKinstrey commanded a detachment of Col. Willets Regiment Consisting of Captain Grays Company and Captain Dunhams Company of nine month men and a part of Captain Wright's Company of three years men. And this applicant Served in a Company commanded by Captain Gracy. Captain Gray's Subaltern officers were Ford and Fonday. 
Col. Vanschaicks Regiment of the New York line were then Stationed at Saratoga, but were soon after Marched to the Southward, he believes that after the New York troops of the line marched to the South, that Col. Willet's Regiment were the only deffence of the northern and ["western" stricken] Frontier from the Susquehannah to lake Champlain for Several months. his duty at this time was guarding, scouting, and reconoitering the Sacandaga & Kayaderosseras mountains, the Hudson and Sacandaga rivers, and across to lake George Fort Ann and to wood Creek &c. Some time the last of August or first of September a detachment of Militia arrived and General Stark took the command, this militia detachment were from Berkshire Massachusetts, and soon after a Regiment of Four months men under Col. Wizenfell arived 
About this time the aforementioned Captain Dunham and his Lieutenant by the name of Grant were by a Court of Enquiry found Guilty of Corosponding with the Enemy and were sent off to West Point in Irons, and about the same time a brittish spye by the name of Loveless was taken and Executed at Saratoga. Some time in November the 10th Massachusetts Regiment of the line and One of the Newhampshire Regiments of the line arrived at Saratoga, and in December the men Engage for nine months took a tour of Fatigue duty (or as
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is said a stint) in Erecting a block house, and were then dismissed a little before their term of service Expired. This applicant received no printed or written discharge nor does he know that any of the men belonging to Captain Gray's Com that did. he has no proof of this term of service only the testimony of Salmon Child a resident of the town of Greenfield in the County of Saratoga and State of New York aforesaid and who was a soldier in Captain Dunham Company in the same detachment with this applicant and whose testimony is hereunto annexed. In the month of March 1782 a law was passed to raise men for two years to fill up and to complete the State Regiments which had been contemplated by law. at this time Simeon Newall Received a warrant from the Governor of the State of Newyork to raise a company and to serve as a captain, and this applicant did then Enlist under under this Captain Newall and served as a Corporal in Newall's Company in the New York State troops Commanded by Col. Marinus Willet, a Mr. Bingham was a Lieutenant in Captain Newalls Company. at the time he Enlisted in Captain Newells Company he resided in a place then called Kings district then in the County of Albany in the State of New York (now Called Canaan in the County of Columbia) he was Imediately Marched to Albany, and soon after to Fort Plain on the Mohawk river, from Fort Plain to Stone Arabia near Johnstown.  Some time the last of the June or first of July, with Lieutenant Bingham & about 20 Stockbridge Indians repaired to Fort Plain in the evening joined Captain Chany's Company of light Infantry under Major Wait of the Newhampshire line and Marched the same night for Fort Herkimer and arrived Early next morning the Fort was Garrisoned by a detachment of Newhampshire troops of the line, and at this moment the
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Fort was Closely beset by a Superior force of the brittish and Indians which by the aid of the reinforcement under  Major Wait were Compelled to retire across the Mohawk into the woods. he soon after Joined a part of Captain Newells Company that were Stationed at a house about three Miles below the little falls on the Mohawk river, where were assembled a number of Families for better safety & that some time about the middle of July we were attacked by a host of the Enemy (in comparison to our own numbers) and we were compelld to fight (if not Glory) to save our own Scalps, and to secure those under our protection 
the enemy were beaten off after they had Sustained Considerable loss, nor did our little band Escape harmless. Soon after Captain Newells Company Joined a detachment of troops of the Newhampshire line at Fort Herkimer. he does not recollect the Senior officer at that Posts but thinks it was a Captain Dustan of the Newhampshire line in this detatchment there was a Lieutenant Davis a Lieutenant McGregor and he thinks a Captain McGregor & an Ensign Mason &c. in October the men Engaged for three years and that were Engaged for two years were consolidated at Fort Plain and the nine month men that belonged to Col Willets Regiment were stationed at other posts about the last of October under Lieutenant Bingham with three other non commissioned officers and an Indian Guide he was Sent to Scout and reconoiter the Country towards lake Ontario for nearly a month, and returned to Fort Plain 
Towards the middle of February 1783 Col Willets Regiment, and the Rhode Island Regiment of the line were detached to take the brittish Fort at the mouth of the Oswego river on Lake Ontario. we marched to Fort Herkimer that being an out Post at that time, from Fort Herkimer we had to take a trackless dreary wilderness for more than
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one hundred miles and the Snow very deep and the weather Extreemly Cold, the object of the Expedition failed, this applicant was told by the commanding officer, Col. Willet afterwards that the Guides mislead us down the lake a number of Miles, and these mortified troops were compelld to retrace their steps and return. the men were more or less frost bitten and some severely, and some never did return. the night that was Calculated to storm the fort we Marched all night untill dawn of the day, some times on the Oswego river and in many places the water was oozing [?] over the Ice nearly over shoe and the feet were wet and then into the snow and the night very Cold, and many of the men who survived were Invalid for life. we returned to Fort Plain the last of February or first of March, this applicant was Scarcely recovered from the small pox, when he went out on this Expedition and when he returned he was so badly frost bitten and otherways disabled as to be unfit for any duty; and the last of April was by direction of his officers sent to Albany and while there was sick with the meazles and after that a general debility and was not able to Join his Regiment untill it was disbanded and broken up, which took place about the Close of the year. For this last term of service he has no other testimony or documentary Evidence than a Copy of a letter from Col. Willet in 1810 and the Copy of an affadavit by Captain Newell before a Committee of the legislature of the State of New York at Albany in 1811. nor did he for this last term of service receive any printed or written discharge. Since the revolutionary war this applicant has all principally resided in the town of Canaan in the County of Columbia and State of New York until the first of April 1785. from the first of April 1785 he resided
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untill the first of January 1786 in the town of West Stockbridge in the County of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, from the last mentioned date untill June 1793 he resided principally in the town of Canaan in the County of Columbia and State of New York and in June 1793 he removed to the town of Greenfield in the County of Saratoga and State of New York where he now resides which was thirty nine years in June last 
Major McKinney was not in the New York State troops in the year 1782 but Major Van Bunschoten & a Major Fink. Major Fink was more particularly attached to the nine months levies. And he further states that from the records of the Council of Appointment of the State of New York, as Certified by the Secretary of State, which Certificate is hereunto annexed, that Captains Gray and Newell were both in service prior to the date of their Commissions, And Captain Newell nearly four months And that this applicant had actually been twice Engaged with the Enemy in the Summer of 1782 after he joined Captain Newells Company and before the 24th of July of that year. he states the names of Adam Bookes Esquire Supervisor of the aforementioned town of Greenfield and Aaron Hale of the same place to testify as to the Charecter for truth and veracity of this Applicant and their belief of his being a revolutionary soldier. 
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 the Agency of any State 
[Signed] John Pettit 
Sworn in open Court the day & year above written before me
[Signed] E. Cower
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State of New York} 
County of Saratoga} ss.
On the eleventh day of September 1832, in open Court before the Court of Chancery now sitting at Saratoga Springs personally Salmon Child who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath depose and say that he was an Enlisted soldier in the Newyork State troops in the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty one for the term of nine months, that he Served in a Company commanded by Captain Holtham Dunham and was in a detachment under Major John McKinstrey Consisting of Captains Dunham and Captain Gray Companies of nine month men and a part of Captain Wrights Company of three years men and was Stationed at Saratoga. And that John Pettit now a resident of Greenfield in the County of Saratoga and State of New York at that time was a Soldier and Served in a Company Commanded by Captain Silas Gray of nine months men. And that this deponent has read the detailed Statement of the said John Pettit of his Service for that year (that is 1782) and which is hereunto annexed. And he this deponent knows that his statement is materially correct and that this deponent, and the said John Pettit have both resided in the town of Greenfield in the County of Saratoga in the State of New York for more than thirty years 
[Signed] Salmon Child
Sworn the 11th September 
the day year above written 
in open Court, before me 
[Signed] E Cower
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State of New York} 
County of Saratoga} ss: 
On the eleventh day of September 1832 in open Court before the Court of Chancery now sitting at Saratoga Springs, personally appeared Adam Bockes Supervisor of the Town of Greenfield in said County who being duly sworn according to Law doth depose & say, That he lives about two miles & a half from the residence of John Petit an applicant for a pension, & has lived as near the said applicant upwards of thirty years. The deponent verily believes the said applicant to be of the age he represents himself, The applicant is reputed & believed in the neighborhood to have been a revolutionary Soldier & this deponent concurs in that opinion, This deponent never heard any doubt expressed on that subject & he verily believes him to believe him to be a man of truth & veracity 
[Signed] Adam Bockes
Sworn the 11th September the day & year 
above written in open Court before me 
[Signed] E Cower
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State of New York} 
County of Saratoga} ss: 
On the eleventh day of September 1832 in open Court of Chancery now sitting at Saratoga Springs, personally appeared Aaron Hale of the Town of Greenfield in said County who being duly Sworn according to Law doth depose & say, that he lives about one mile & a half from the residence of John Petit an applicant for a pension, & has lived as near the said applicant for more than thirty years. The deponent verily believes the said applicant to be of the age he represents himself. The Applicant is reputed & believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary Soldier & this deponent concurs in that opinion, This deponent never heard any doubt expressed on that subject & he verily believes him to be a man of truth & veracity.
[Signed] Aaron Hale
Sworn the day & year above 
written, in open Court before me, 
[Signed] E Cower
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State of New York} 
Secretary's Office} 
I certify that it appears by the records of the Council of Appointment of this State that on the 27th of April 1781 Silas Gray and Holtham Dunham were respectively appointed Captains in a Regiment of Levies to be raised for the immediate defence of the State of which regiment Marinus Willett was Lieutenant Colonel Commandant. And I further Certify that on the 24th of July 1782 Simeon Newell was appointed a Captain in a Regiment of Levies to be raised for the defence of the Frontier whereof Marinus Willett was Lieutenant Colonel Commandant and Elias Van Bunschoten Major 
Given under my hand and the seal of this office at the City of Albany the Eleventh day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two. 
[SEAL]
[Signed] Archd Campbell 
Dep. Secretary
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New york December 4. 1810 
Sir 
I have received your letter accompanied with one from Captain Newall And tho' I do not recollect the particulars respecting your absence from the regiment which occasioned the return that prevented your receiving the bounty of land I am satisfied that the statement of Captain Newall is deserving of full credit. I know that your general reputation as a soldier was good and as you was with me on the command to Osswago [Oswego], it is very probable that you was by being frosted, rendered unfit for service for a considerable time. This I know was the case with a number who was in that command -- Your having Served until then proves that you had your share in the burden of the Service, as the peace took place immediately after our return from that Expedition the Country did not stand in much need of your further Service -- And I am of opinion that you are better Entitled to land than many who received it
I am Sorry to observe that the manner in which the gratuities of land have been Conferred by the Legislature appears more like acts of favoritism than Justice. Major Scott who never did a days duty with the regiment has had two thousand acres of land given to him by the legislature , whilst you and Several others who encountered a long toilsome and hazardous service are refused a compensation which their service justly merit 
I think you will do well in attending the legislature yourself that you may lay your claim personally before them This letter contains as much as I can Certify on the Subject. It will afford me pleasure to hear that you succeed in your application, which I am Satisfied will be the case if the legislature reflect property that a nation is Exalted not by favoritism, but by acts of righteousness
With best wishes for your comfort & happiness 
I am your humble servant 
[Signed] Marinus Willett

Mr John Pettit
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I do hereby certify and declare that having received a special warrant from the Governor of the State of New York to raise a company of men to fill up the two regiments contemplated to be raised on bounty of unappropriated lands I immediately proceeded on said business -- And that John Pettit did inlist at the same time in my company was mustered by Captain Peter B. Tierce, was one by law Entitled to five hundred acres of land and one to make up the number Intitled me by law to a commission as a captain agreeable to the law in that case provided by the legislature of said State promising bounties of land -- And that the said John Pettit served as a corporal in my Company with reputation until after the Expedition to Oswego from which he returned frozen and much impaired, and that in the month of April One thousand seven hundred and Eighty- three he was by direction of the Commanding officer Sent to Albany and was not with the Redgt [sic] when discharged and broken up further from Satisfactory Evidence (to me given) was not able to return that the said John Pettit when he entered my Company was a disciplined soldier and was very useful to me in my new raised Company in Every respect faithful in duty and his Services in all meritorious and in a trying moment in the face of danger firm and unshaken as any man of age or rank 
City of Albany ss: Personally appeared before me John H Wendell one of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Albany Simeon Newel late a Captain in Col. Marinus Willetts Regiment of State troops in the State of New York, who being duly Sworn deposeth & saith that the within is a true statement of facts 
[Signed] Simeon Newel
Sworn to this 14th february 1811 before me 
[Signed] J H Wendell Justice Peace 

State of New York}
Secretarys Office} 
I Certify the preceding to be a true copy of
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an original Letter and affidavit on file in this Office, which together with a petition and other Documents were presented to the Legislature of this State in the year 1811 upon which an act was passed granting him Two hundred acres of land for his Services in the revolutionary War -- The said Documents with others relating to claims for revolutionary Services were filed in this office in the year 1831 pursuant to a resolution of the Assembly 
Given under my hand and the Seal of this office at the City of Albany the Eleventh day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty two 
[SEAL]
[Signed] Archd Campbell 
Dep. Secretary
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION. 3 -- 525 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. 
BUREAU OF PENSIONS. 
Washington, D. C. ______19__

In reply to your request of [blank] received [blank] a statement of the military history of John Pettit a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's [stricken] ) application for pension on file in this Bureau 
S.F. 11226 

DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT | LENGTH OF SERVICE | RANK | OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED (CAPTAIN/ COLONEL) | STATE. 
June 1780 | 6 mos. | Pvt. | Capt. Means/Col. Sprout | Mass.
Apr 1781 | 9 mos. | Pvt. | Capt. Silas Gray / Col. Marinus Willett | N.Y.
Mch. 1782 to close of 1783 | Corpl | Capt. Simeon Newel/ Col. Marinus Willett | blank

Battles engaged in, skirmishes at Fort Herkimer & near Little Falls on Mohawk river.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, West Stockbridge, Berkshire Co. Mass. 
Date of application for pension, Sept. 11, 1832. His claim was allowed. 
Residence at date of application, Greenfield, Saratoga Co. N. Y. 
Age at date of application, b. Sheffield, Berkshire Co. Mass. Aug. 27. 1764. 
Remarks: died Jan. 1, 1840 leaving children whose names & that of his wife are not stated 
The above is the only John Pettit of NY found on the Rev War records of this Bureau 
Respectfully, 
Commissioner.
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Rev War
11,226
INVALID.
File No. 11,226
Jno Pettit
Corp. Rev War
Act: June 7th 32
Index:-Vol. A, Page 293

Right side:
1914 Sept 1. Hist to Mrs. H.L. Stark M.B.H.
1921 May 28. Hist to E.D. Petteys. aw
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Saint Peter Minnesota 
27 August 1914 

Sir:
Will you kindly give me a certificate of the service of Capt John Pettit & of Private John Pettit - soldiers in the Revolutionary war from N York 
Thanking you I am 
Very truly -  
Mrs H.L. Stark
Page 25

Rev War
Keyport, N. J., May 14, 1921. 

Commissioner of Pensions, O. W. & N. Division, Washington, D. C. 

Dear sir: 
I would like to inquire if there are any records at the Pension office of the following Revolutionary soldiers: 
David Pettice or Petteys, of Saratoga, N. Y., who served in the Albany county, N. Y., militia in the revolutionary War. The Petteys in question was either my great-great-grandfather or my great uncle. The records which should be in the Capitol at Albany were burned in 1911. 
John Petteys or Pettits also served in an Albany regiment commanded by Colonel Willett (no date). Another John Petteys or Pettits was a captain of the Cambridge district of Albany county militia. The records show a pay roll dated 1780. 
John Petteys (either son or brother of the David noted above) was my great-grandfather and resided in what was afterwards Easton, Washington county, then a portion of Saratoga, Albany county, and only two or three miles from the Cambridge district above noted. The two John Petteys's or Pettices may be one and the same person. This is more than likely from the fact that my family is the only one of that name in that section of the state. 
Thanking you in advance, I remain 
Yours respectfully,
[Signed] Ellison D. Petteys 
21 Osborn St., Keyport, Monmouth County, N. J. 

[Postmark] U.S. Pension Office May 16 1921