Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 42,515, John Trask, Mass.
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Trask, John
Service Mass.
Number S. 42.515

Contents
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15, 418 
New York 
John Trask of St. Lawrence Co. in the State of New York who was a Private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Wigglelwork of the Massachusetts line, for the term of One Year 

Inscribed on the roll of New York at the rate of Eight Dollars per month, to commence on the 1st of September 1819 

Certificate of Pension issued the 8th of October 1819 and Sent to Alexr Richards Esqr Ogdensburg New York 

Arrears to 4th of Sept 1819 4/30 &8/31    3.12 Semi-anl, all'ce ending 4th March 1820 48.                                                                                                    $51:12
{Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March, 1818.} 
Continued

This man is supposed to be dead.  See later from Alex. Richards filed with the papers of John Trask of Clinton Co. N.Y. 

Certificate sent May 8th 1821 for William Strachan Esqr. Ogdensburgh, N. York
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John Trask 
Mass line 
Col. Wigglesworth
10 April 1777 April 20 1778 - 1 yr.

So stated on roll
Admitted
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State of New York
St, Lawrence County Ss.
On this first day of September 1819 before me the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of St. Lawrence in the State of New York, personally appears John Trask aged sixty three years, resident in (illegible) in the said County, who being by me first sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress entitled " An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War", that he the said John Trask enlisted in Lexington in the State of Massachusetts some time in the month of February 1777, for three years in the Company commanded by Capt. Allen (his christian name not now recollected) Col, Wigglesworth's Regt. and General Glover's Brigade of the Massachusetts line of United States Troops. tat he continued to serve in the said Corps untill the last of November following after the surrender of Burgoyne's army he obtained a furlough for forty marched with the prisoners to Boston and returned home finding it would be inconvenient for him to return and join the army; about ten days before the expiration of his furlogh he hired a man by the name of Owen (his christian  name not recollected)  to take his place, who inlisted for during the war. He went with his substitute to Colonel Wigglesworth who was then on furlough at his home in Newbury-port who accepted Owen and gave Trask his discharge.
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the discharge was left with his family at Rockingham in Vermont, about twelve years ago when he moved into this State.-- his family have since all died or moved away, that he does not know what become of the discharge. 
In the month of March 1778 the Town of Woburn in Massachusetts being called upon with other towns, for its quota of men for the United States Army Trask enlisted for one of the recruits for nine months, and immediately marched for White Plains and joined the Army, - he was attached to Capt Seward's Company of Artillery, and drove the ammunition waggon of of the company till to the best of his recollections, some time in September or October of that year, he was taken from his Company to go with General Gates; he drove General Gates' Baggage waggon to Boston, where he continued in the service with General Gates till the March following when he was dischared by the General after having served and a year from his enlistment - his last discharge was left with the other - the said John further says he has a brother Jonathan Trask (who was waiter to General Gates) who now resides in Boston, and receives a pension from the Government.-- he was in the Battle of Bemis heights, and at the taking of Burgoyne at Saratoga and that he is in reduced in circumstances, and stands in need of the assistance of his country for support; and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services. 
John Trask
Sworn to, and declared before me the day & year above written 

Alex. Richards
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I Alexander Richards, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of St. Lawrence in the State of New York do certify that it appears to my satisfaction that the said John Trask did serve in the revolutionary war as stated in the preceeding declaration against the common enemy; and that to my knowledge he is in very indigent circumstances; I now transmit the proceedings and testamony taken and had before me, to the Secretary for the Department of War pursuant to the directions of the aforesaid act of Congress.
Witness my hand and the seal of the said Court this first day of September 1819.
Alex. Richards

State of New York
St. Lawrence Count SS
I Certify that Alexander Richards is one of thr Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of St. Lawrence and that the above is his signature.
Witness my hand and the seal of the said County Court this eleventh day of September 1819.
Joseph York, Clk
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John Trask
Revy Petitioner
15.418

March 1820

Wm. Strachan Esqr.
Ogdensburgh, N. York
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State of New York
St. Lawrence County SS
On this eleventh day of October in the year one thousand eight hundred & twenty personally appeared in the open Court o Common Pleas before the Judges thereof held at the court house in the town of Oswegatchie in & for the county of St, Lawrence, it also being a Court of Record for said County-John Trask aged sixty five years, resident in the town of Massena and county aforesaid, who first being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath declare that he served in the revolutionary War as follows-sometime in the month of March in 1777 I was regularly enlisted by Lieutenant Burton in Capt. Allens Comp'y in Col. Fullers Regt. at that time but the Regt. was shortly afterwards was disbanded and it was placed under the command of Col Wigglesworth under the ten Capt. Burton in which said Regt. I served till October the same year when I obtained a furlough for 40 days from the Col. and the Coll. also obtained a furlough from the Brig. Gen. Glover who I & the Col. went together to Newberyport, when I hired a substitute who was accepted and I regularly discharged by the said Col. W.
I again enlisted in April 1778 in Lexington in the County of Middlesex to which place Gen. Gates sent orders for recruit. I went from thence to Whiteplains where I was placed under the com'd. of Capt. Seward in the U. S. Artillery & I believe Col. Crane com'd the Regt. Gen. Gates Brigade when I served as a private in the U. states service till Nov. or December following when by the command of Gen. Gates I was ordered to drive his baggage waggon from Whiteplains to Boston in which place I serve in manner last aforesaid under the imme-
diate
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diate command of Gen. Gates until the last of March or first of April 1779 when I was honorably discharged by Brig. Gen. Gates.
And I the said John Trask have received a pension certificate No 15.318 dated Octo. 8th 1819.
And I do solemnly swear and declare that I was  a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War", passed on the 18th March 1818-and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securties, contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed.
John Trask

Property none real or Personal except the clothes I now have on & 1 pr light pantaloons
1 Woolen coat & (illegible) all common & greatly worn. I have no family living with me. My wife has been dead ten years. I have four daughters if living-one in Quebec, one on the Susquahannah, one in Georgia in Vt., & one in Tenmouth Vt. I owe Ben. Phillips $25. John Barnhart $7-& $83 to Doctors. I am much afflicted with the Rheumatism & frequently unable to dress or undress and totally unable to support
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myself.
John Trask
Sworn before me in open court this 11th day of October 1820
Joseph York Clk.

State of New York
St. Lawrence County SS
I Joseph York Clerk of the County of St. Lawrence and Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in & for said county do hereby certify that the annexed affidavit and the schedule thereto annexed are truly copied from the Records of said court, and further that it is the opinion of said court that the  total amount in value of the property exhibited in said schedule is Five dollars.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court this 17th Jany. 1821.
Joseph York Clk
Wm. Strachan Dep. Clk.
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42515
INVALID  15418
Revy

File No. 42,515
John Trask
Pri. Rev War

Act: 18 March '18
Index: Vol. S, Page 518

[Arrangement of 1870]
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Ogdensburgh NY
Septr. 13          FREE

The Honorable
John C. Calhoun
Secretary of War
Washington

Case of Jno. Trask 
Alex. Richards
Agt.
Ogdensburg N. Yk.
recd. Septr. 20 1819

Regstd.
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Madrid, N. Y. Sept. 1st 1819

The Honorable
John C. Calhoun
Secretary of War

Sir,
I herewith send the application of Jon Trask for a pension.  Should his case be embraced by the (illegible) he greatly needs the "provision made by the late act of Congress" one (illegible) was relating to the claim I feel myself bound in justice to Mr, Trask to mention, Trask applied to me to obtain his pension on the 18th May 1818-wheen I took his declaration as now forwarded-not being sufficiently acquainted with his circumstances at that time, to certify they were needy. I did not compleat the papers-from that time he has been so afflicted with rheumatic and other complaints, as to be unable to travel nearly 30 miles to the nearest Judge to have the papers compleated as the fault has not been voluntary it would seem in justice if he is intitled to a pension it ought to commence at the time of his first application. I with pleasure add, that one enquiry of the most respectable people in Massena of Mr. Trask's acquaintance, the universally accord him the reputation of being "sober, honest and industrious" his infirmities render him incapable of hard or much labour, that he is now subsisted by the charities of his neighbours among whom he lives from house to house".
Mr. Trask named to me a claim he has on the justice of his Country for a (illegible) he lost in the
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Revolution-his story is as follows "When he first entered the service h owned a team with which he was ordered to take a load of military stores from Boston to fish-kill on the north River. One the road he was taken ill with the measles and detained a number of weeks--the officer of the guard who had the teams in charge took the whole to head quarters; delivered the good to the proper officer and turned his team in with those of the public-when he recovered and came to camp he could find no one who would deliver him his team which he lost & has never received any compensation for it. The teams consisted of a waggon, two yoke of oxen and a Horse"-That should he receive a pension of 96 dollars per year its hardly probable he will live to receive the amount of his loss.
I am Sir
Ver respectfully your obed. sevt.
Alex. Richards
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John Trask
Mar. 1820
The value of the property within mentioned must be stated, whether the claimant be insolvent or not.
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State of New York
St. Lawrence County Clerks Office
I hereby Certify that the above is a true Copy of a Schedule and Affidavit on file in this Office, that the original proceedings were had in Open Court and the property contained in the Said Schedule valued by the Said Court as is above mentioned.
In testimony Whereof I have hereunto Subscribed by name & affixed the Seal of Said Court this 12th day of October 1821
Myrtle B. Hitchcock Clerk
Seal [illegible]
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State of Newyork
St. Lawrence County Ss.
On this first day of September 1819 before me the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Court of Comon Pleas for the County of St. Lawrence in the State of Newyork personally appears John Trask aged sixty three years, resident of Massena in the said County who being by me first sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress entitled" An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War", That he the said John Trask enlisted in Lexington in the State of Massachusetts in the Company commanded by Capt. __Allen (his Christian name not now recollected) Colonel Wiggleworths Regt. General Glover's Brigade of the Massachusetts line of United States troops some time in the month of February 1777 for three years. That he continued to serve in the said corps untill that last of November following after the surrender of Burgoyne's army he obtained a furlough for forty days, marched with the prisoners to Boston & returned home--finding it would be inconvenient for him to return and join the army at the  end of his furlough; about ten days before it expired he hired a man to take his place (by the name of Owen his christian name not recollected) who enlisted for during the war. He went with his substitute to Colonel Wiggleworth who was then on furlough at his hime in Newbury Port who accepted Owen and gave Trask his discharge. His discharge was left with his family at Rockingham in Vermont twelve years ago when he moved into this state & his family have since all died or moved away. that he does not now what became of the discharge.
In the month of March 1778 the Town of Woburn in Massachusetts being called upon with other towns for the quota of men for the Continental
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Trask turned out for one of the recruits and enlisted for nine months and immediately marched for White Plains and joined the army. He was attached to Capt. Sewards Company of Artillery and drove the ammunition waggon of the Company till to the best of his recollection some time in September or October of that year, he was taken from the Company of artillery by Genl. Gates to go with him to Boston--he drove Gates baggage waggon to Boston where he continued in the services of the General till the March following having served about one year, when he was discharged by Genl. Gates. This discharge was left with the other. He was in the Battle of Bemis heights and at the taking of Burgoyne at Saratoga and that he is in reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his country for support; and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services.
Sworn to and declared before me the day and year above written
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State of Newyork
St. Lawrence County SS

On this tenth day of October 1821 personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas held in and for the County of St. Lawrence being a court of record for said county John Trask aged sixty five years resident in the town of Massena in said County who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath declare and say that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows, that he was a private in Captain Allens company in Col. Wigglesworth Regiment in General Glovers Brigade in the year 1777 from March untill October and then hired one Robert Owen to take his place who continued in the service two years & upwards as substitute for this deponent to make up three years being the time of this deponent's first enlistment, that the next year after this deponent again enlisted in Captain Hobards company in Col. Cranes Regiment and continued in the service for at least twelve months and was discharged by General Gates at Boston, that the above regiments were of the Massachusetts line as will more fully appear in his original declaration made in the year 1819. That his pension certificate is dated the 8th day of October 1819 & numbered15318. And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any other manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent to diminish it so as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress entitled an "Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War", passed on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property securities, contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed.
Schedule of Real & Personal Estate
Real Estate--None
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Personal Estate
One hog & two Sheep One ox yoke,  $10.00
One ax-one scythe-two rakes -
one pitch fork                     .50
House hold furniture none of any description and my wearing apparel is old and very poor  $30.00

Debts due 
A note of Jeremiah Geer for 45 bushels of corn an account against Daniel Robinson for $20 unliquidated
An amount against Thomas Stedman for about 20 dollars  Geer & Stedman are insolvent & nothing can be expected from them

Debts owing by me
To Andrew McCollam about $28.00 on note.
To Benjamin Phillips an account about $22.00
To Stephen Wetherby an account about 8.00
To Ralph Richardson a Judgement of $200.00 obtained some years since against me in the Court of Common Pleas of St. Lawrence which is yet due besides losts of suit & interest.
(signed) John Trask
And this declarant doth further testify that he is by occupation a farmer, that he has neither wife or children now living with him, that his wife died about eleven years ago-that he has four children now living according to the best information this deponent can get, One in Quebec two in the State of Vermont and one in the State of Newyork, all of whom are daughters and unable to render this declarant any support-that this is infirm, has a breach-is often severely afflicted with the rheumatism & is unable to support himself by labour.
(signed) John Trask
Sworn before me in open Court this 10th day of October 1821
M. B. Hitchcock, Clk.

The Court are of Opinion the above deponent may be considered insolvent & worth nothing.
By order of the Court
M. B. Hitchcock Clk.