Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11455, for Uriah Stephens, Pennsylvania
Page 1

Service  Penn.   Stephens/Stevens, Uriah  Number S11458
(unknown)
Page 2

8716
New York

Uriah Stephens

of Steuben Co in the State of New York who was a private in the company commended by Captain  Durgee of the Regt commanded by Col. Butler in the Penn Line for 2 years

                                         //s//
                                    Uriah Stephens
                            Records corrected May 45

Inscribed on the Rolls of New York at the rate of 80 dollars -- cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1834.

Certificate of Pension issued the 25 day of April 1833 and sent to William Woods Esq. (??)

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833      $160.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept "      40.00
                                                            _________
                                                             200.00

                                   {Revolutionary Claim,}
                                   {Act June 7, 1832)
Recorded by W.L. Williams  Clerk
Book c Vol. 4 Page 75
Page 3

In the matter of Uriah Stephens application for a pension

2125

aom [unknown]
2 years pri
80$

Wm. Woods Esq.
Bath, NY
Page 4

State of New York
Steuben County

On this sixteenth day of October AD 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Court of Common Pleas of the said County of Steuben now sitting Uriah Stephens a resident of the Town of Canisteo in the County of Steuben and State of New York aged seventy-one 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 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
That as he thinks and believes in the Spring of the yeat 1777 he was drafted as a militiaman at a place then called Fort Bosley subsequently called Fort Rice in the County of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania on the Chillisquaque Creek and at the same time entered as such drafted militiaman a Company of Militia under the command of our Capt. Daniel Hayes at Fort Bosley aforesaid and continued in such service under said Captain doing duty in Fort Bosley aforesaid until the early part of the Summer of 1778 except about one month when he together with others left said Fort and went under the Command of said Captain to a place called Fishing Creek in said County of Northumberland then the frontier of said county to guard the frontiers from the incursions of the Tories and Indians with whom the said County was at of that time much infested - that this battle service was rendered according to his recollection and belief in the fall of 1777 - that after he was drafted and entered said Company as above mentioned where said Company again returned to said fort he continued doing duty therein as above mentioned until the early part of the Summer of 1778 aforesaid - that at the time he was drafted said fort was not completed as a garrison but was finished during the following summer - that in the early part of the summer of 1778 as he thinks and believes he with others was detached from said Company and entered the service of said United States in a Company of militia under the command of Captain John Chatham of Northumberland County and marched from Fort Bosley to the foot of Muncy
Page 5

Hill in said county of Northumberland about six miles back from the said fort and was stationed at a house there owned by one Haynes whose Christian name he does not recollect_That this latter place was on the then frontier settlement of the said County of Northumberland at that point_ That he continued with said Company under the command of the said last mentioned Captain at this station about two months during which time they were engaged in guarding said frontiers and in searching for Indians who it was understood were there lurking in and about that neighborhood and who had a short time before massacred a family near that place by the name of Whitmire excepting two daughters who escaped in consequence of being engaged in the making of sugar in a sugar bush a short distance from the house of their parents_ that while he was stationed with Hayes as above mentioned the Wyoming massacre took place and that settlement was destroyed. That at the expiration of said two months said Company again returned to Fort Bosley when this deponent again entered the Service under the before mentioned Captain Hays and continued to do duty as a militiaman in said fort for a short time when in a Counsel of officers it was determined to evacuate Fort Bosley in consequence of it's insecurity and the immediate contiguity of a large body of Tories and Indians and march to Northumberland about twelve miles below Fort Bosley at the junction of the north and west Branches of the Susquehanna_ That he accordingly on the evacuation of Fort Bosley marched with said Company under the [unknown] and of the said Hays and assisted in the escorting and  guarding the women & children, cattle, horses and other property from the said last mentioned Fort to Northumberland where he continued to do duty under Captain Hays until the fall following where where he was attached to a Company of Militia under the command of a Captain Crawford whose Christian name he has forgotten -That while at Northumberland Captain Hays Company was commanded by a Colonel Cook who commanded at the battle place - that he served under Captain Crawford sometimes called Major Crawford in the fall of 1778 about two months during which time they were engaged in scouring the country as mounted men from Northumberland aforesaid within about thirty miles and in taking and securing Tories and disaffected persons and conveying there from time to time [unknown] the
Page 6

places of their arrest to Northumberland_ That at the expiration of said two months he again entered the Company of Capt. Hays at the Northumberland and is being late in the season and the enemy having disappeared from the neighborhood of Fort Bosley he again marched back with said Company under the command of said Hays to the last mentioned Fort where he continued until as he believes about the first May 1779 where in consequence of the near approach of bodies of Tories and Indians Capt Hayes again evacuated Fort Bosley and again marched his Company to Northumberland where  he continued in said Company under the command of said Hayes until about the first [unknown] following as he believes when he was discharged at Northumberland aforesaid_ that during the time he served at Fort Bosley and Elsewhere he can not recollect what Col. commanded said Company but he thinks that a Mr. Moody was the Lieut Colonel _ That he can not state whether he received any written discharge from said Capt. Hays or not but if did such discharge is lost_ That within a short time after his discharge as above mentioned and according to his recollection in June 1779 he enlisted into the Service of the UNited States at Northumberland aforesaid for the period of hive months under Capt John Morrison to be attached to the army of Genl. Sullivan their on it's march reduction of the Indian County in the Western part of the State of New York but to what regiment of the Army Captain Morrison's company belonged he can not state nor is he aware that he ever knew. That shortly after he enlisted he with others of said Company was detached under said Morrison to Middletown on the Susquehanna river in the said State of Pennsylvania for the purpose of procuring boats provisions and military Stores for the use of said Army and at Middletown procured said boats which at various places on the river were loaded with provision and military Stores & when they proceeded with the same up said river Wyoming where they met the army of S Lieutenant Sullivan_ that they were then ordered to proceed with said boats and stores up the river to Tioga point now a village in Bradford County, State of Pennsylvania near the New York line where the Army and boats again came together and where the stores from the boats were delivered over to the army_ That after being at a Tioga point some time but the particular length of time he can not state he was ordered back under the command of one Captain Dogherty with said boats to Northumberland aforesaid in order to procure further provisions and military Stores for the use of
Page 7

said Army - That he accordingly returned to Northumberland and after again receiving the provisions and military Stores on board the boats he again returned up the river with the said boats to Tioga Point from whence a portion of them was ordered to proceed up the Chemung branch of the Susquehanna to New Town Tioga County State of New York where he met the army of Genl Sullivan on its return from its expedition through the Indian country and delivered over the provisions intended for them. That he returned with said boats to Tioga Point that he there again was under the immediate command of Capt John Morrison and remained there some time and until the army arrived at that place. That he then proceeded down the Susquehanna and assisted in escorting the boats loaded with Military Stores and Troops to Wyoming aforesaid where the army was principally landed, but he with the boats having on board military Stores proceeded under the command of Capt Morrison to Northumberland aforesaid where he continued until the expiration of the period of his enlistment and where in November 1779 as he believes he received a written discharge from his said Captain but which discharge is lost or destroyed -- That the cause assigned for his self among others being detached to take charge of the boats instead of continuing with the army was as he understood and believed on account of their having resided near the Susquehanna waters and being better acquainted with the navigation of that stream of than any other portion of the Army - That as he understood Capt John Morrison was a native of Bucks County in the State of Pennsylvania but knows nothing of his present residence or whether he is alive at this time-- That in April in the spring of 1780 as he believes he removed to Wyoming aforesaid where within the period of one month after he was enrolled as a militia man and was called to do duty in the American Army in a company commanded by Capt. Simon Spalding of Willksbarre now in the County of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania that as he believes Capt Spalding belonged to the Continental Army and was attached to the regiment commanded by Col. Zebulon Butler who also resided at Wilkesbarre - that said Spalding commanded the Militia in that neighborhood as well as the regulars -That after being called into the service under Capt Spalding as aforesaid and which he thinks was in May 1780 he continued to do duty in said Company at Wyoming afore said until the close of the war of the revolution
Page 8

That he can not now state whether he received a written discharge for the service so rendered under Captain Spalding but if he did
the same is lost - That he was born in the Town of Canaan Litchfield County State of Connecticut on the 26th January 1761 as he
gathered from the record of his age kept in writing by his parents which he has often seen but which has been destroyed -That from Canaan he removed to Stillwater now in the County of Saratoga about the year 1766 - That from Stillwater he removed to what is now called Kingston in Luzerne County Pennsylvania about the year 1772 and from there removed
to Northumberland County State last aforesaid about the year 1774 and continued in that County until he removed to Wyoming 1780 as above mentioned_ that some time
after the war he removed to Wyalusing in the last mentioned State where he remained one Summer season and from thence removed to Tioga Point above mentioned where
he remained about two years from thence he removed to New Town, Tioga County aforesaid and there continued until 1790 where he removed to Canisteo  aforementioned where he has ever since and still continues to reside - that the annexed affidavit of James
Headley and John Stephens are the only evidences of service that he has been able after a diligent search to prove - That in his present neighborhood he is acquainted with Elijah [unknown], Daniel Jamison, Joseph Loghey, William Bennet Esq. - Nathan Stephens, William Atherton Samuel Baker - Col. Samuel [unknown] and others who can testify as to his character for truth and veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution
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

Worn to and and subscribed,    Uriah Stephens
the day and year aforesaid
M.S. Rumsey
Steuben County
Page 9

We Jerathmall Powers a clergyman late a resident of the town of Canisteo [unknown] in said County of Steuben___________and Elijah Guyon also residing in the town of Canisteo in the county of Steuben  hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Uriah Stephens who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy one 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 to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid
M. S. Rumsey Dep Clk
Steuben County

Jarathmal Powers
Elijah Guyon

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war depart
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 Jarathmall Powers
who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the Town of Addison and that he was lately a resident of the Town of Canisteo, and that Elijah Guyon who has also signed the same is a resident of the said town of Canisteo and is a credible person and
that their statement is entitled to credit-

J. Martin S. Rumsey deputy Clerk of the
Court of Common pleas of the said County of Steuben do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the Matter of the application
of Uriah Stephens for a pension-
In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and seal of office this
sixteenth day of October one thousand
Eight hundred and thirty two -
M. S. Rumsey Dep Clk
Steuben County
Page 10

In reply to your request of __________. received for a statement of the military history of Uriah Stephens a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
S. File 11455

Dates of Enlistment or Appointment | Length of Service | Rank | Officers under whom service was rendered. Captain | Colonel

Spring 77 | to June 1, 79 | Captain David Hayes Colonel Cook | Captain Jon Chatham | Captain Crawford
June 1779, 5 months | Captain John Morrison, Captain Dougherty
May 10, 1780 to close of war | Captain Simon Spaulding, Colonel Zebulon Butler

Officers under whom service was rendered
Captain | Colonel

Battles engaged in, _________
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Northumberland Co., Pa.
Date of application for pension, Oct. 16, 1832
Residence at date of application, Canisteo, Steuben Co., N/Y.
Age at date of application, Canaan, Conn., January 26, 1761
Remarks: No date as to family
Page 11

State of Newyork [New York] Col. John Stephens of the age of [illegible] County Sixty six years of the Town of [illegible] in the said county of Stuben being duly sworn [illegible] and saith that he has been acquainted with Uriah Stephens now of the town of [illegible] in the said Stuben) formerly of Northumberland and Wyoming counties in the state of Pennsylvania and that he knows that the said Uriah Stephens was in the service of the United States as a militia man in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven under the command of Captain David Hays and that in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight he served under the command of Captain John Chatham and that in the fall of the same year he served under a captain Crawford two months against the tories that the above services were ordered in the county of Northumberland Pennsylvania and this deponent further saith that the said Uriah Stephens enlisted into the army of General Sullivan in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine and served under Captain John Morrison five months as a regular soldier in the [illegible] country against the Indians and that in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty the said Uriah Stephens was [illegible] as a militia man and done duty under the command of Col [illegible] Butler and Captain Simon Spalding of the regulars at Wyoming now the county of [illegible] in Pennsylvania and continued in that service to the close of the war
                                     John Stephens
Sworn and subscribed this
30th day of August 1832
before me
        Sherman Brown Justice
Page 12

I Sherman Brown the Justice of the Peace before whom
the foregoing affidavit was taken hereby certify that I am
well acquainted with Col John Stephens the maker of said
affidavit that the said Col John Stephens is a man of
Good moral character and that his statements are well
entitled to full faith and credit
Dated August 30th 1832
Sherman Brown Justice of the peace
State of New York
Steuben County
I David Rumsey Clerk of said County do certify
that Sherman Brown Esquire before whom the within of
fidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date
thereof a Justice of the peace in and for said County
and that I am acquainted with his hand writing
and verily believe his name subscribed thereto is
his proper hand writing and signature
On testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and seal of Office this 16th day
of October 1832
D. Rumsey
Page 13

State of New York
Steuben County James[illegible] of the Town of [illegible] in the said county of Steuben being duly from deposeth and saith that he first became acquainted with Uriah Stephens (now of [illegible] aforesaid) at Northumberland in the State of Pennsylvania in the year 1779 and that he knows that the said Uriah Stephens was in the service of the United States at that time in the Army that was commanded by General Sullivan and that John Morrison was the Captain of the company that the said Uriah Stephens served in and further this deponent saith that from the common report of the neighborhood the said Uriah Stephens served on the frontier of the State under Capt John Chatham of the Militia of the State of Pennsylvania and the officer that commanded was the [illegible] officer- Major Crawford and Capt David Hayes and that from the common report of the Neighborhood he believes that he is a revolutionary soldier and was under the command of Military officers until the end of the war
Sworn and [illegible]      James [illegible]
before me this the 4 day of 
August 1832
Elijah [illegible] Justice
I Elijah [illegible] the Justice of the Peace before whom this forgoing affidavit was taken hereby certify that I am well acquainted with James Hadley the [illegible] of the said affidavit that the said James Hadley is a man of good moral character and this his [illegible] are well entitled to full [illegible] and [illegible] and [illegible]that the said James Hadley is in a very poor state of health and in my opinion [illegible unable to leave his house [illegible] August 4th 1832
Elijah [illegible] Justice of the Peace
Page 14

State of New York
Steuben County
I David Rumsey Clerk of said County do hereby certify
that Elijah Guyon Esquire before whom the within
affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date
thereof a Justice of the peace in and for said County and
that I am acquainted with his hand writing and
verily believe that his name signed to the said affidavit
is his proper hand writing and signature
Witness my hand and seal of Office this 16th
day of October 1832-
D. Rumsey
Page 15

https://catalog.archives.gov/images/misc/drag.png

State of New York
Steuben County

Uriah Stephens of the Town of Canisteo in the said County of Steuben being duly sworn saith that he first became of member of the Company commanded by Colonel Zebulon Butler as early as the tenth day of May in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty --- that about the first day of April in that year this deponent  had removed with his father from Northumberland to Kingston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, then a small settlement on the bank of the Susquehanna river opposite Wyoming.  That Colonel Butler was then commanding the regular troops there stationed at Wyoming, that on the arrival of this deponent at Kingston aforesaid he was enrolled as a militia man at Kingston.  That the regular officers who commanded the troops at Wyoming also commanded the militia  stationed at Kingston and that as one of the other said Militia he was under the command of Colonel Butler.  That while he was so stationed at Kingston as aforesaid he was employed in a guardhouse for the larger part of the time, but was occasionally employed on distant expeditions for the purpose of clearing the country of Lories and indians, relieving other garrisons and that he remained in the said service until the close of the war.  That while this deponent was stationed at Kingston aforesaid he was well acquainted with one Ira Stephens, that the said Ira  was a regular soldier stationed in the garrison at Wyoming and belonging to Capt Spaldings Company.  That this deponent is unable to state whether the said Ira Stephens enlisted in a company commanded by Capt Durges or to the company commanded by Capt Spalding for the reason that at the time the said Ira Stephens enlisted this deponent resided at Northumberland and that previous to his removing to Wyoming both of said companies had been united into one company under the command of Capt Spaulding, that said Ira Stephens remained at the garrison at Wyoming aforesaid until the close of the War_ that said Ira Stephen was cousin to deponent.  And this deponent further saith that he does not know of any person living who can testify as to his service at Wyoming aforesaid except John Stephens whose affidavit is annexed to this deponents papers on his application for a pension.
And this deponent further saith that by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory he cannot swear  positively as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection he served, exclusive of the time during which he served in Butler's
Page 16

regiment not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades for two years and six months I served as a private and for such service I claim a pension.
Uriah Stephens

Subscribed and sworn this 2nd day of March 1833 before me - H. W. Rogers Justice of Steuben County.

Steuben county clerks office
I Aaron Surtser Dept clerk of said county do certify that Henry W. Rogers Esquire before whom this preceding affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date of the same one of the Justices of Peace in and for the said county and that I am acquainted with the handwriting of the said Justice and verily believe his name subscribed to the said affidavit to be his proper handwriting and signature.   Witness my hand and seal of office this sixteenth day of March 1833.
A C Switzer Dept clk
Page 17

Clarke, Williams, & Groves.
General Insurance.
No. 16 W. Seneca St.

Telephone. Seneca 171

Buffalo, N. Y.  March 19th. 1900.

To the Honorable
Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington,D.C.

Dear Sir:

Can you advise me if one URIAH STEPHENS was a pensioner of the Government for services during the Revolutionary War, and what his military record is.  I am advised that he was a soldier in the Revolution and drew a pension as such.  Any information you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

Respectfully Yours,
A. E. Gray

[Date stamped at bottom, received by U. S. Pension Office, March 21 1900]
Page 18

L. S.W.

Tideoute Jul 19 11 AM 1907 PA   [original postmark]

Washington D.C. RECD
JUL 20 4-AM 1907  [receiving postmark]

U.S. Pension Office  [receiving mark -Pension Office)
H
JUL 20 1907

Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington, 
D. C.
Department O.
Page 19

Please send me the pension record of Uriah Stephens who served as a private in the Continentals of Pennsylvania during the Revolutionary War and was pensioned in 1833 in Stuben Co., New York.

Yours hastily,
Nancy C Morrow.
S11455

Tidioute, Pa.,
July 19, 1907.
Page 20

Mch 30 - 1900 Histy to
A. E. Gray - Buffalo N.Y.

1907 July 26.  Hist. to Nancy C. Morrow -  (checked off)

Rev War 11455

11455
Uriah Stevens  (asterisk over last name)
  Rev. War

June 7 1832

A   359

Uriah Stephens  (asterisk over last name)
Records corrected.  May 1/05
Page 21

None

Uriah Stevens
of
New York
Page 22

Uriah Stevens

No   (answer to question IV)

No   (answer to question V)

An affidavit is required setting forth the time of entg Butlers regt - the circumstances of enlistment & the character of his service while in that regt.  As his name does not appear upon the roll, the testimony of two credible witnesses is required - & to state what knowledge he has of
Page 23

of the service of Ira Stevens in that 

No   (Answer to question XVI)
Page 24

                                        3
   It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
[dagger mark]QUERE XIV. 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, who are required to set forth in their affidavits 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 witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
[double dagger mark]QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
   In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.