Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 5197, Increase M Hooker, Vt
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SERVICE
Vt

Hooker, Increase M.

NUMBER
R. 5197

CONTENTS
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Increase M Hooker
NY
act 7 June 32
451414½ 16
under 14
specified service
less than 6 mths
210
197
E.C. Reed
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BRIEF in the case of Increase M. Hooker
of Cortland County
in the State of New York
(Act 7th June 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Open Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? Sixty-six years
Period.
Duration of Service. 1779 sept 1 week  Capt., Allen
1779 Nov. 3 weeks Capt. Dewey
in 1780 27 weeks Capt. Dewey
In 1782 5 weeks 
 he was in actual serving half the time
5. In what battles was he engaged? none stated
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Putney Vermont
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by
incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Mary Hooker, revolutionary Dame
Dewey, Olive Chittenden pay here
his hereby certify to edition
evidenced Jesse Blanchard being the statement of applicant to be and
Benoni Haskin poses any of applicant as he sat them.
Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
D Kent Examining Clerk.
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State of New York
Cortland County
Mary Hooker of the town of Genoa County
 of Cayuga & State of New York being duly sworn says
that she is in her 90th year - that she is the mother of
Increase M Hooker of the town of Trenton County of
Cortland & State aforesaid - that during the war of
the Revolution this deponent lived a part of the
time in Vermont. That while living in Vermont the
said Increase served for some length of time in the
army as a common soldier. that we were under
a state of alarm a great part of the time & the troops
were under the necessity of being almost constantly called
out for service - the said Increase served in the
company commanded by Captain Dewey. And
further this deponent says not. Dated Oct. 26. 1832
Subscribed & Sworn
this 26th day of Oct. 1832
before me
Mary Hooker
Thomas Chadwick Justice of the Peace
Cayuga County ss I certify that Mary Hooker the above
Deponent is a credible person that full faith & credit
are to be placed in her statements. That she is blind
cannot see to write. Dated Oct. 20, 1832-
Thomas Chadwick Justice of the Peace
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State of New York

Cayuga County & Olive Chittendon being duly sworn says that she is in her 60th year -- that during the ware of the revolution she lived in Vermont -- that Increase M. Hooker of the town of ____ County is her brother -- that which she was quite young she well recollects her brother Increase leaving home to go into the army of the United States - that she recollects of his serving under Capt. Clark -- that she cannot recollect how long he was absent at any one time in the service -- Capt. Dewey a near neighbor always used to go with them saw Increase when he went from home -- How long then said Increase served in the Army this deponent does not know

Dated Oct. 26. 1832

Olive Chittenden

_________

Oct. 26. 1832 before mr

Thomas Cha__h___ ________ of the ______

Cayuga County ________ that Olive Chittenden the about deponent is a credible person & that the fullest confidence may be placed in her statements - Oct. 26. 1832

Thomas ___________________
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Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress
passed June 7th 1832

State of New York
Cortland County
On this 27 day of September 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of the Court
of Common Pleas in and for the County of
Cortland in the State of New York now sitting
Increase M. Hooker a resident of the town of
Truxton in the said County of Cortland
and State of New York aged 66 years last
November 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 [illegible] the service of the United States
under the following named officers and
served as herein stated
he was born in the town of Woodbury County
of Litchfield and State of Connecticut in the
month of November 1765. and lived there till
About 1775 his father moved to the town of
Washington in County aforesaid has no
record of his age, and in the year 1779
his father moved into the town of Poultney Rutland County Vermont and he resided there with his father after the war and
moved about the year 1790 to the town of
Greenvill in Green County New York and
about the year 1798 he moved to Salon
in Cortland County and the next year
be mooved to Truxton where he has
resided ever since. in the year 1779
about September he was called to fort
Castleton in the town of Castleton from the
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town of Poultney where he lived upon an alarm to guard the fort and served one week and returned home
having been dismissed in November following
he volunteered to go to same place in another
Allarm and staid three weeks was under
Zebulon Dewey each time Captain Parmelee Allen commanded
in the fort the three weeks
and was dismissed. In the spring of 1780, The people agreed to volunteer their services to defend the
Country and to stand as minute men.  He lived in Poultney on the borders and there was a
long space on the lines from Onion River
to White Hall then called Skenesborough to be guarded & a mill in Castleton Rutland & Poultney were to be guarded and only one company in the Garrison except only in alarms when the militia
would repair there.  The said habitants who
were so United were under Captain Dewey
and drew their ammunition from the fort
armed with long guns and tomahawks & Indian knife & were called the Indian hunters and were to repair to the fort if the Cannon was fired three times in succession and whenever they or any of them went to any place of Collection or meeting even on the Sabbath they had to swing the knapsack and go equipt for duty. In this situation & under these
restrictions they [illegible] until about the time peace was made, and they were under the command of the commanding officer of the garrison when in the fort as their superior officer in the year 1780 in the month of May he was called
to the fort one week in June or July was there two weeks, in September was called to the fort
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and staid one week in October was there as 
substitute for his brother William Hooker two weeks. November was there the two weeks engaged
in scouting and repairing the foot. he was often called out on scouting parties in various directions
and on [illegible] nights & c considerable
during the year 80. He should think about a
month beside what is set out above Captain Allen commanded at the fort the year 80 he thinks, In the year 81. Captain Hutchins Commanded the fort. He was called out to the fort once in May was [illegible] in June
and July there weeks. the British fleet made 
their appearance on the lake that year and made a
great deal of trouble in august. he was one week at the fort in first part of September was called out and the militia from all parts of the State and some from the State of New Hampshire were called to the fort aforesaid.  Ethan Allen General Commanded in the fort.  A difficulty arose between him & Captain Hutchins who should command the garrison. but it was
arranged. The Indians & tories came and 
burned  same houses & took a prisoner at Skenesborough. they were ordered to go there in the right and one Blanchard was the pilot.  went and
found that the Indians had cleared out and
they returned at this time. the applicant acted as waiter to Clark.  saw General Allen & one Colonel Herrick who commanded a
picket guard at Castleton Mills Colonel
Pearl was there  Colonel Robertson was there
and Isac Tischner Since Governor of Vermont
was there acted as agitant soon after the party returned from Skenesborough, Captain Sherwood
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who was a Tory and a captain in the British
service, came with a flag of truce to go to
Arlington Captain Clark took several of his men the applicant among the list and went to Rupert. and another escort went one & the applicant
and his party returned to the fort. soon after he
returned Captain Clark went with a flag to
the British fleet on the lake applicant went
with him too East Bay where they took water
and the applicant returned with the horses. after
that he acted as waiter for General Ethan Allen this campaign was ten weeks: he was
out on scouting & patrolling the woods and
guarding the mills day or two and often
three days at a time during the whole time
from breaking up of winter till winter set in
again, some of the company were out all
the time on these patrolling parties, and he 
went when his turn was. there was little or no
business done nor could there be as their service
was at all times to be in readiness. in the year
1782 he was called at the fort one week in the
month of June in the month of August one
week about the last of September or first of October one week. the patrols & scouts were kept up
but not as much as the former years say about
half as much in the month of December he
was called out on a scouting party Captain
Dewey Elisha Ashley & William Ashley was with
him, went to Mount Independence crossed the
lake Champlain near Mount Defiance reconnoitered the woods around the outlet of Lake George returned a part way and there came
an a snow storm and they went back to
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see if they could find any tracks of Indians
which they expected were those found on back
which after following some time they found was
Steering for canidy, and they left it and returned
was out two weeks at this time he believes
that during those years he was out in actual
service one half of the time and his duty
was as arduous as if he had been stationed in
the fort all the time and in fact as to the hardships
he would have preferred to have him in the regular
service. he has no documentary evidence of his
service. the Clergyman of his town is out of health and
unable to attend court he is known to William Andrews
Butterfield of Homer who can state as to his reputation.
Colonel Fletcher was occasionally over at the fort
several of Gen E Allen's brothers were at the fort after
He here relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension
or annuity except the present, and declares that his name
is not on the Pension Roll of any agency of any
State
& Subscribed the
Increase M Hooker
day & year aforesaid
Samuel Hotchkiss W. Clerk of Cortland County
State of New York
Cortland County William Andrews and Moses B
of the town of Homer in said County of Cortland
hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Increase
M. Hooker who has subscribed & sworn to the above
declaration: that we believe him to be 66 years
of age, that he is reputed and believed in the
neighborhood where he resides, to have him a
soldier of the revolution and that we concur
in that opinion
William Andries
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid W.B. Butterfield
Samuel Hotchkiss W. Clerk of Cortland County
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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 Moses B
Butterfield & William Andrews of the town of
Homer in the County of Cortland aforesaid
has signed the preceeding certificate are
credible persons, and that their statement
entitled to credit
William Mallery
Judges of
Andrew Dickson
Cortland County Courts
Aaron Brown
I Samuel Hotchkiss Clerk of the Court of Common
Pleas in & for the County of Cortland do certify
that the foregoing contains the original proceedings
of the said Court in the matter of Increase
Hooker for a pension
unto set
my hand and seal of office this 29th day
September AD 1832
Samuel Hotchkiss Jr. Clerk
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State of New York of
Cortland County Ss Jesse Blanchard of the town of Trux
ton in said County being duly sworn says that he has resided 
in the town of Bruxton for 3 years come 
next March that he has been intimately acquainted with
Increase M. Hooker of Turton the person 
mentioned in the above declaration for upwards of 30 years
That the said Increase & this deponent have both lived in
Bruxton upwards of 33 years- that this deponent was
66 years old last June. That this deponent during the War of
the Revolution resided in the town of Castleton in the State of
Vermont & that the said Increase resided at that time about ┃
or 8 miles from this deponent. That this deponent's father
at that time owned a grist mill in Castleton that there
was no other will near & it was the object of the enemy
to destroy the mills in that section of the country so as to
break up the settlements of the Americans in that quarter
that there was a garrison kept up at Castleton most of 
the time for the protection of the will & the settlement
in that quarter that being a frontier town. That the
People in that section were in a constant state of alarm
during almost the whole period of the war almost every
one of the inhabitants were enrolled as minute men or
ranges & were ordered out every little while to scour
the country & defend the mills & settlement from the
incursions of the enemy that this deponent was acquaint
with all the transactions that took place in that 
section & that no one who did not reside in that neighborhood
 could give a detailed history of all the little 
transactions events that took place in that quarter of life
he had been an inhabitant the personally concerned
 in those transactions. That this deponent was not
at that time personally acquainted with the said Hooker
but that since they have resided in Trust on the said
Samuel Hotchkiss W. Clerk of Cortland Coun
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Hooker & this deponent have frequently talked over the
events that took place at & near Castleton this deponent
has always found the said Hooker as well acquainted with
all the events occurrences that transpired in those
days as this deponent was and this deponent says that
it would be impossible for anyone to know & be 
that he has not the least doubt but what the said Hooker
did serve in the Army of the Revolution in the State of Vermont
as he has above stated in his declaration. And further
this deponent says note dated Oct 31. 1832-
Subscribed & Sworn
Oct. 31. 1832 before me
Edward C. Reed
Jose Blanchard
Justice of Peace
Papers
Pension
off mention
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Benoni Haskin of the town of
Truxton County & State aforesaid being duly sworn
says that he is personally acquainted with Jean 
M. Hooker of the town of Truston aforesaid - that he first became
acquainted with the said Increase in the year
1781 in Vermont this deponent then lived in the town of
Hampton which joined Poultney when the said
Increase then lived - This deponent is now 86 years
old- That the said Increase in the year 1781 when
deponent first became acquainted with the said
him belonged to Capt. A company of Rangers
that company was a company of minute men & were
called out often to scour the country & defend the
settlements from the incursions of the enemy the
4
Tories & the Indians were the most troublesome
Dewitt
company was frequently called out to guard Blan
chards grist mill in Castleton from being burnt
by the enemy Deponent was once called out for
that purpose. Deponent belonged to Capt. Lemuel
Hydes company at that time-
Capt. Dewey's company
were out upon active service full one half
of the time & were kept in a constant state of alarm
almost all of the time that place then being a from
the settlement & it being the object of the enemy
to break it up-- Duceys company were not disband
until after the war closed & Hooker served
in it until it was disbanded. Deponent was
out so much in the service at that period that
he knows all about the services of any company
my of the other troops in that vicinity deponent
at that period held an Ensigns commission. If
bears date May 1781 - Deponent has it now in his
possession - Deponent came to the town of Truxton to
line 32 years since & has during all that time been intimate
with the said Hooker And further this deponent
the
says not Dated Oct. 31, 1832-
of
Subscribed & Sworn
Oct. 31. 1832 before me
Ed. C. Reed
Bro Hosking
Justice of Peace
S
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Increase M. Hooker
House of Reps
March 2. 1833
I certify that the affidavits of
Mary Hooker, Olive Chittendon, Jesse Blanchard
Benoni Harkin were all drawn by me, that the
affidavits of Blanchard & Haskin were taken before
me as a magistrate of Cortland County & that both
of those men on highly respectable & an entitled to
full credit. I also certify that I was present when Mary
Hooker & Olive Chittenden's affidavits were taken by
Thomas Chadwick & that the said Chadwick was at
that time an acting Justice of the Peace of the town of
Genoa & County of Cayuga I further certify
that with the exception of those four affidavits
the above papers are precisely in the same situation
they were at the time they were passed upon by the
Court of Common Pleas of Cortland County after the said
papers were passed upon by the said Court the said In
crease M. Hooker by my advice procured the said four affidavits
& they were by me attached to the original papers
of Hooker & then presented by me to the Pension Office
E. C. Reed
Pension Papers
pers to accompany
to Pension
son
wife
entitled to no more
what you think he is justly
 of the House of Reps
Washington Dec 3. 1832
Claim not 14 years old when
he alleges he was called into a
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Act of July
5197
Increase M Hooker
service
enlisted
discharged
application filed
alleges
Re-enlisted:
attorney:
P O
Recognized.
Cert. of Dis. Searched for
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37.219
Increase M Hooker
New York
Act 7th June 1832
Rejected See letter
to E. C. Reed M
April 12th 1833
Let to I Emerson
24 Sept 1834
 March 8. 1838
John Gray March 3. 1846
Hon. H. J. Ramah, April 10, 1846
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Sir
Hon of Rep April 24th 16
Will you please furnish me with copies
of the papers on file in your office in the case of Increase
M. Hooker, referred to in your communication of 
the 10th inst.
I am requested to procure these papers and
present the claim to Congress.
Respectfully
Yours
Henry J. Seaman
To
J. L. Edwards Esq
Com. of Pensions
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Pension Office
Sept. 1834
Increase Hooker
Pension Office
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Sir
Sexton
t N. York
3 Sept 1884
Son
that in A
Meriate M. Hooker informs
the year 1832 agreable to the regulating
of the War Department for this that applied
for Penpen under the act of Congress of the
of that year he applied to the Court obtained
Certificate & left it with the to
be forwarded to your office & having since
repeatedly called on him to know his late
in obtain no satisfaction on the subject
wishes to know if they were ever read at the
department & if so if any further proof is
I am respectfully
Your Obdt Servt
Joseph Emerson
Cap Esq
set War
Washington
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Increase M. Hooker
Pension applicant
1832
Papers corrected
by E.C. Reed
returned by E C reed
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which these
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Increase M Hooker
further proof or explanation.
Does the declaration show where the applicant resides?
which require
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides?
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason
assigned for his not doing so?
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? No
V. Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he
served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension
he is entitled. No
allowance can be made for a service alleged to have been
alleged by one under 14 years as a common soldier in obedience
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yes
call of the competent authority
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of
June 7, 1832? yes
VII. Has the Court given their opinion?
yes
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished
from any other seal? yes
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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to
their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary
service?
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? yes
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one
living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?
XIV. If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who
administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? no
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under
his seal of office? No
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age,
as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? yes
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? no connection
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And,
if not, which of them is not so answered?
and were
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how
long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being
duly sworn, deposed and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the 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 not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For year
months and --- days, I served as a -. For - months
and days, I served as a -; and for such service I claim a pension."
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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.
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 be 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.
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 in
properly attached to the certificate.
and certificate
Red certificate