Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29505, for John Thompson, New York
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New York 

Thompson, John

S. 29505
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Albany 31627
John Thompson deceased 

Schenectady in the State of New York 
who was a private in the company commanded by Captain N of the regiment commanded by Colonel Yates in the N. York line for 9th months, who died 21st April 1836

Inscribed on the Roll of Albany
at the rate of 30 Dollars per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March 1831 to the 21st September 1836 the time of his death

Certificate of Pension issued the 17th day of June 1839 and sent to General Yates Schenectady 

Arrears to the 28th of September 1836 $166.56
Semi-annual allowance ending
Payable to John Thompson Jr. 
Administrator

Revolutionary Claim
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by D. Broker Clerk
Book E. 2 Volume 4 Page 72
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WAR DEPARTMENT, 
Pension Office, 
183 

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 the regulations will shew 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, (thus: }). 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 John Thompson Schenectady, N.Y.

Enlisted 1776
9 months
Private 
Captain V Continental at State (illegible)
General (illegible) an Colonel Yates 
Albany, Saratoga
Aged 78
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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 of cases 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 in stance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record. of On this DECLARATION. In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832. Serity, or is County of day of A.B. a resident (b) of personally appeared (a) before in the county of and State, Territory or District 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 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 [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 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 State, 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. of the Court of do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of 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 hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with and C. D. residing in (the same) subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be who has 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. Clerk of the Court of do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the applicacation 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 if 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 the 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 services of each person
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3 will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated 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 propound 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? and there were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary And if a substitute, for whom? 4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? 5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the the general circumstances of your services. 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? never receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what 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 that opinion. 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 be fore 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 the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such 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 of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the late period opinion of the Court upon the whole matter. low the rule laid down for his guidance. The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will of 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 The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned. The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served. claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, with precision, the length of his entered the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the , as to what amount of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making race, &c. A. B. who, being the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but, according to the best of his not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades:--For---year----months, and son and days, I served as and for such service I claim a pension directs the pension to be paid according to the grant important, in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months --- in the mind without specifying the tours, the names of this officers, and other particulars state that years objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shown under what offers the heart of the late place or place where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent aupursuit . that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any The law makes the relinquishment indispensable. The opinion of the Court is always required. The Clerk must give his certificate in every case. most of us, and it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no pubpapers . the sea of ice, the certincate of a Member of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the Mode of authenticating papers. stance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which conthat the papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate. Proof of Service. 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. required to set forth in their spirits the time of the claimants 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 with and the final character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office. note applies to continental troops only. safety applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact. The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.
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19809 
In the matter of 
the application of 
John Thompson 
for a pension 

A private 9 months
No. 88 to the
care of Giles Yates
Schenectady N.Y.
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The following are the names of some of the regular officers whom he knew, or who were with the troops wheee he served and such continental and militia regiments or companies with which he served or as he can recollect viz: General Schuyler Colonel Christopher C. Yates Captain Leffeler Van Evers 

He never received any written discharge from the service.

He has no documentary evidence and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure  who can testify to his service except William Cort whose his position is hereunto annexed.

The following are the names of persons to whom he is known in his present neighborhood and who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution to wit.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Subscribed and sworn to the day and year first aforesaid.
John S. Vrooman Clerk
John Thompson his X mark

I John Thompson who have subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration being further duly sworn and examined do depose and say that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively to all the (illegible) of my service other than as set forth in the preceding declaration. I enlisted in said company of Captain John Vernon on the continental establishment on the 15th day of March 1776 and served therein at the places mentioned in said declaration for the full term of nine months. The following are the names of Captains who commanded companies under the same organization
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with the said Captain Vernon’s, viz Captain Jacobus or James Peek, Simon De Graff and Leffeler Van Everen - General Schuyler had the chief command of these companies and directed their operations. I served with a detachment of men for a period exceeding one month under the immediate command of said General Schuyler. During the nine months aforesaid I was not engaged in any civil pursuit what ever and at the end of said term I received a written discharge from Colonel Christopher Yates of Schenectady which discharge I have since mislaid or lost for the aforesaid service of nine months I claim a pension.

Subscribed and sworn this 18th June 1833 before me 
J. D. Harmon, Justice of the Peace 
John Thompson his X mark
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State of New York }
County of Schenectady } On this eighteenth day of October one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county now sitting William Cort a resident of the city of Schenectady in the county of Schenectady who being duly sworn doth depose and say that he was in the time of revolutionary war and is now well acquainted with John Thompson who has subscribed and sworn to the preceding declaration; that this deponent knows said John Thompson served as he states in said declaration in the company of fatigue men and artificers commanded by Captain John Vernor for the term of nine months and longer and further saith except that this deponent served with said John Thompson at Albany and Corymans in the year 1776.
William Cort

Sworn in open court an aforesaid 
John S Voorman Clerk
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I Jacob Van Vechten pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church in the City of Schenectady do hereby certify that I have been well acquainted with the before named John Thompson for the last seventeen years that he is a member of this church that I believe him to be 79 years of age and that I believe his statements to be worthy of credit. June 18, 1833
Jacob Van Vechter 
Pastor R. D. C.

I John C. Vrooman Clerk of said county do hereby certify that William Cort who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration before me in open court appeared to said court and I hereby certify him to be a man of credibility and I further certify that I am acquainted with the Reverend Jacob Van Vechter above named and with his handwriting and verily believe the certificate above signed by him or purporting so to be is genuine and I further certify that Joshua D. Harmon before whom the preceding supplemental affidavit of the aforesaid applicant John Thompson has
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been taken was on the day of the oath thereof a Justice of the Peace in and for said county and that his signature to the same is genuine.
Witness my hand and seal of office this tenth day of July 1833
John S. Vrooman Clerk 

We John Cort and David Van Derheyden residing in the city of Schenectady in the county of Schenectady aforesaid and residing in the (blank) do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Thompson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy five 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. 
Subscribed and sworn the day and year aforesaid
John S. Vrooman Clerk 
John Cort 
David Van Derhyden his mark X

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 John Cort and David Van Derheyden who signed the above certificate as residents of said city and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit. 

I John Vrooman Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Schenectady do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Thompson for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this nineteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
John S. Vrooman Clerk
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December 9, 1932
BA-J/ILL
John Thompson 
S. 29505

Dr. Myron S. Gregory 
2209 N.W. 22nd Street
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 

Dear Sir: 
Reference is made to your letters in which you request information regarding John Steven’s, baptized March 31, 1745 who served in the New York troops, William Steven’s, baptized September 10, 1732, and John Thompson, of Schenectady, New York, a pensioner.

A search of the Revolutionary War records has been made and no record found of claims for pension or bounty land on file based upon service of William Steven’s and John Steven’s as described by you. Such claims made to the United States are the source of Revolutionary War data furnished by this office. The record of John Thompson has been found and is furnished herein as shown in the papers on file in his claim for pension, S. 29505. 

John Thompson was born June 21, 1755 in Schenectady, then in Albany County, New York; the names of his parents are not given.

While a resident of Schenectady, New York, he enlisted March 15, 1776, as a private in Captain John Vernon’s company, Quarter Master’s Department, and served nine months under Captains Jacobus, or James, Peck, Simon DeGraff, Leffler, and VanEveren and was discharged from Colonel Christopher Yates New York regiment.

He applied for pension October 19, 1832, while a resident of Schenectady, Schenectady County, New York; he had continued to live there all his life time. His claim was allowed.

The soldier died September 21, 1836 in Schenectady, New York. He was not survived by wife or children.

In January 1839, John Thompson, Jr. of Schenectady, New York, was the nearest kin and only heir of the soldier, John Thompson; the relation
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ship between them is not shown in this pension claim.
Very truly yours,
A. D. Hiller 
Assistant to Administrator
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1933 - December 9 - History to M. S. Gregory 

29505
Invalid
Revolutionary 
John Thompson 
Private Revolutionary War 
Act: June 7th, 1832
Index: Vol. 9 Page 418