Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31916, for Stephen Post, Connecticut
Page 1

(3--1776)

SERVICE
Conn.

Post, Stephen

NUMBER
S.31916

CONTENTS
Page 2

Connecticut 28.902

Stephen Post
of New London in the State of Ct.
who was a pri: in the Compy commanded
by Captain Waterman of the --- commanded
by --- in the Ct.
line for 8 mo:

Inscribed on the Roll of Con't
at the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 2 day of July 34
and Sent Jno [John] Hyde,
Norwich -- Ct.

Arrears to the 4th of Mar 34 79.98
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. 13.33
$93.31

{ Revolutionary Claim, }
{ Act June 7, 1832. }

Recorded by N Rice Clerk,
Book E Vol. 2 Page [illegible]
Page 3

Send the
Pension Certificate
to John Hyde
Norwich Ct.
Page 4

State of Connecticut } ss. Court of Probate
County of New London } District of Norwich

On this 24th day of August 1832. personally
appeared, in open court, before the Court of Probate
for the District Norwich in the State of Connecticut
now sitting present John Hyde Esq. Judge
Stephen Post 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 7th 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States
under the following named officers & served as herein
stated

In the year 1777, he was drafted at said
Norwich to go to the Northward to oppose Burgone
but his father Mr John Post late of said Norwich dec'd
being opposed to his going, an arangement was
made, that he should go into Fort Griswold at
Groton in said Connecticut to do garrison duty
which he did as a soldier & so continued doing duty
in said Fort ten months in the company commanded
by Captain John Waterman, who is now dead
his mess mates were Comfort Chapman, Uriah
Avery, Nathaniel Huntington & Henry Wattles
who are also all dead, & he knows of no person now
living who was in the Fort at the time & has reason
to believe that all are dead.

Also in the fall of Oct 1782. he was drafted and served as a
soldier a term of two months at New London and was
stationed at Fort Trumbull & Fort Nonsense
which service he believes commenced in October &

2 mo pri
Page 5

terminated in December and was in the company
commanded by Captain Hungerford, Lieutenant
Joshua Raymond both dead & he knows of no
person living that served this tour of duty with him
but Frederick Brewster & Amasa Woodworth

Also at another time he was drafted and
served a term of three months in said Fort Trumbull
in a company commanded by Capt. Samuel Wheat
& Lieutenant Joseph Ellis his mess mates were
Roger Huntington & Benjamin Wentworth all of
whom are dead & he knows of no one living that
served with him, or knows of his services, and this
last service he cannot state which year of the war
it was.

At another time during the war he served a
term of two or three months at Fort Griswold and
was under officers that were strangers to him
and their names are not recollected & knows of
no one that served with him
3 mo.

In the summer or fall of the year 1779.
at Litchfield in Connecticut he enlisted into
the continental service of the United States under
Colo. John Durkee in a company commanded
by Captain Robinson, Lieutenant James Hyde
Serjeants. Hammond, Redfield & Clay he
remembers belonged to the company marched to
Danbury from thence to West Point where
we remained sometime & from thence to
Morristown where we took up winter quarters
and there remained through the winter
Page 6

after that came back to Danbury and there
was discharged by a written discharge which
is since lost, some years since he made a
declaration of his continental services & he
supposes the same were sent to the war
department with the affidavits of Elijah
Vergason, Labbeus Quy, & Peter Gummer
who are now all dead, and to that he refers

He was born in said Norwich that part thereof
now Bozrah on the 20th day of April 1761. as
appears on record in the town records of said Norwich
and has always lived in the same place where
he was born it being now Bozrah

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

[signed] Stephen Post

Sworn to and subscribed, the day & year aforesaid
Before me
[signed] John Hyde Judge

We David N. Bentley a clergyman, residing in the town
of Norwich and Gurdon Leffingwell of & residing in said Bozrah
hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Stephen Post
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.
[signed] D. N. Bentley
[signed] Gurdon Leffingwell

Sworn & subscribed
this 24th day of August A.D. 1832.
Before me [signed] John Hyde
Judge of the court of Probate
Page 7

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 the Rev. David N. Bentley who has signed the
preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the town
of Norwich in the County of New London & State of Connecticut
and that Gurdon Leffingwell who has also signed the same
is a resident in the town of Bozrah in said County
& state, and is a credible person, and that their statement
is entitled to credit.

I Burrel Lathrop, Clerk of the Court of Probate for the
District of Norwich in the State of Connecticut do hereby
certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings
of the said Court, in the matter of the application of
Stephen Post for a pension.
[seal of office]
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my
hand & affixed the seal of office of this Court
this 24th day of August A.D. 1832.
[signed] Burrel Lathrop
Clerk
Page 8

Stephen the son of John Post and of Abigail
his wife was born April 20th 1761

Norwich }
Augt 13 1832 }

a true Extract from the records
of the town of Norwich
Attest [signed] Alex Lathrop
Town Clerk


in the fall of the year 1782, he
believes October & November but is not
certain but it was December when
the term expired and the said
Stephen served at the said Forts the
said two months in the same company
with the deponent Capt. Hungerford
Lieutenants Everett & Raymond
all under the command of Col.
McClellen. And further the deponent
saith not
[signed] Frederic Brewster

Sworn & subscribed the day
& year aforesaid
Before me [signed] John Hyde Judge

I have heard the foregoing Deposition of
Frederick Brewster read and agree to the
truth of the same having performed the same
services in said company at said time
& further the deponent saith not
[signed] Amasa Woodworth

Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Before me John Hyde Judge
Page 9

Frederick Brewster of Franklin in the
County of New London & State of Connecticut
aged sixty nine years old deposes & says
that he is acquainted with & knows Mr
Stephen Post of Bozrah in said county
and state, that in the time of the
Revolutionary War he served a tour
of duty at Fort Trumbull and
Fort Nonsence so called in New London
in the fall of the year 1782, he
believes October & November but is not
certain but it was December when
the term expired and the said
Stephen served at the said Forts the
said two months in the same company
with the deponent Capt. Hungerford
Lieutenants Everett & Raymond
all under the command of Col.
McClellen. And further the deponent
saith not
[signed] Frederic Brewster

Sworn & subscribed the day
& year aforesaid
Before me [signed] John Hyde Judge

I have heard the foregoing Deposition of
Frederick Brewster read and agree to the
truth of the same having performed the same
services in said company at said time
& further the deponent saith not
[signed] Amasa Woodworth

Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Before me John Hyde Judge
Page 10

The within Depositions of Frederick Brewster & Amasa Woodworth
were sworn to before me & I now certify further that the said
Deponents are well known by me and are credible
witnesses Attest [signed] John Hyde
Judge
Page 11

Asa Post of Bozrah in the County of New London
& state of Connecticut aged sixty three years being duly
sworn on oath testifies and says, that he remembers
that his brother Stephen Post, in time of the revolutionary
war, inlisted into Col. John Durkee's Regiment
of continental Troops, and was knowing to his being
gone most of a year & has a perfect recollection
of his coming home from that tour of duty
he also remembers that he served a number of
tours as a soldier at the Forts at Groton &
New London and remembers that his father
went several times to carry clothes and
necessaries to him while in said Forts and
altho' he cannot testify to the precise time
nor length of his several terms of service yet
he is satisfied in his own mind & belief that
he must have been from home in the
service of the United States during the war
more than two years and it has been a tradition
& understanding in our family that
brother Stephen went a soldiering in
the time of the revolutionary war between
two & three years,
and further the deponent saith not
[signed] Asa Post

Sworn & subscribed
the day & year aforesaid
Before me [signed] John Hyde
Judge of the Court of Probate
District of Norwich
State of Connecticut

I also certify that
the said Asa Post is a credible
Witness. Attest [signed] John Hyde
Judge of the Court
of Probate
Page 12

John Arnold Gifford of Norwich in the county of
New London & state of Connecticut sixty five years of age
having been duly sworn, does on his oath, testify & say, that
he has always been acquainted with Mr Stephen Post of
Bozrah in said county, an applicant for a pension, that
he was born & has always lived within two miles of the
place where the said Stephen was born & has always lived
That he knows that the said Stephen was in the
army of the United States in the war of the revolution
and has always understood from him & his family
& others that he was stationed a part of the time at
Groton & New London, in some part of the war,
and he perfectly remembers that the said
Stephen and a member more that then lived in our
particular neighborhood enlisted & went off into
the army, and also has a perfect recollection of
the said Stephen's returning home, the names of
those that so inlisted as aforesaid were Stephen
Post, Dudley Bailey, Samuel Lester Jones,
John Center, John Gifford, Jeremiah Gifford,
Absalom Gifford, Jonas Mullendine, Azel
Woodworth, Ziba Woodworth, Benjamin Griswold
and a man by the name of Petton [Pelton?] whose christian
name is not now recollected but who lived at the
time as a hired man with the father of the deponent
The deponent further says that the said Stephen
while he was building an addition to his house a
few years ago fell & bruised his head so that he languished
for a long time and his life was dispaired [despaired] of and that
he has never recovered from the head & his mind is
Page 13

so impaired that he cannot remember and
relate his story as he formerly could.
And further the deponent saith not.
[signed] John A Gifford

Sworn & subscribed
the day & year aforesaid
Before me
[signed] John Hyde
Judge of Court of Probate
District of Norwich
State of Connecticut

I further certify that the
said John A. Gifford is well
known to me as a credible witness
[signed] John Hyde
Judge

State of Connecticut. New London County
Court of Probate District of Norwich
October 4th 1833

Personally appeared before me John Hyde Judge
of the court of Probate for the District of Norwich in the
State of Connecticut Stephen Port of Bozrah in said
county seventy two years old who being duly sworn
deposeth & 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, & in the following grades
ten months in Capt. John Waterman's company at
Fort Griswold in the year 1777 & 1778. two months
in Capt. Hungerford's Company in Fort Trumbull &
Fort Nonsense in the year 1782. Three months in Capt.
Samuel Wheat's Company in Fort Trumbull eight months
in the continental line in Captain Robinson's company
in the year 1779 & 1780, making in the whole one year &
eleven months which I served as a private soldier and for
such service I claim a pension
[signed] John Hyde
Judge
Page 14

I Calvin Goddard of Norwich in the County of New London & State of
Connecticut on oath declare that at the time of the passage of the pension Act of Congress
of the 18th of March 1818 I was one of the Judges of the Superior Court of that
State -- that many applications seen made to me by persons who claimed pensions
under that Act & among them was Stephen Post of Bozrah in s'd [said] County
then & now personally known to me -- That I recollect his then relating to
me his own account of his services on the Continental Army & I think in
doing so he related his whole Services during the War of the revolution
I am not able to recollect the period of time of either nor have any distinct
recollection of transmitting his claim to Washington but am inclined to think
I did not -- I found his memory then much impaired -- I have no distinct
recollection of having taken in writing the testimony of Lebbeus Qui, Elijah
Ferguson or Peter Gummer altho they are among a list in my possession
of persons who obtained pensions -- I am induced to think I did not take their
Depositions, but of I did [illegible] & say where they are -- As that Act required
an opinion of the Judge upon the evidence & from my finding upon the
annexed paper eight Months mentioned as his period of service in Col
Durkees Regiment & other circumstances I am induced to believe
that I did not find evidence sufficient to decide that he had
served the term of nine Months in the Continental Army & therefore did
not send them -- He has since several times applied to me on the same subject
& I now send the Memorandum hereunto annexed in my own hand
writing marked A. among my papers respecting pensions but I cannot
say when made but believe much later then the time above
say when more
refered [referred] to probably since the passage of the Act of 1832. I did not
keep memoranda of all pensioners whose papers were sent tho I have
many now in my possession -- above is all I find about Stephen Post.
My own believe is & I think formerly was that he served on the
Continental Army but not Nine Months further [illegible]
Norwich Oct 5. 1833
[signed] Calvin Goddard

Court of Probate
District of Norwich
On this 5th day of October 1833, Personally appeared
the Hon. Calvin Goddard well known to me as a credible
witness and made oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition
by him subscribed. Before me [signed] John Hyde Judge.
Page 15

Stephen Post Continental Army --

That he enlisted in the Continental Army -- --

That he was drafted to serve Eight months at West
Point -- At Litchfield enlisted under Col
Durkee for eight months -- Capt Robinsons Company

Sergeant Hammond Orderly --
West point -- Washington there --

In Fort Griswold - 3 Months - at [illegible] at the Capture
of Burgoyne
Capt Hungerford of East Hadden

Ellis -- Joshua Raymond Lieut

Paper refered to in my Affidavit of Oct 5. 1833 marked A
regarding Stephen Post --
[signed] Calvin Goddard
Page 16

John Turner of Norwich in
the County of New London State of
Connecticut Deposes and says, that he
was called to Stephen Post of Bozrah
of said County of New London State
of Connecticut many years since (as
a Surgeon) in consequence of a wound
he had received in falling from his
house -- I found the skull bone on one
side of his head very extensively depressed by
the blow receiv'd [received] at the fall -- he lay for
many days so very inconsious [unconscious], as seemed
to render his ultimate recovery quite
doubtful -- there has still remained
to the present day a large indentation
of the Cranium on one side of his
head -- it is by no means improbable
that his memory may be in some degree
impaired even to the present day in
consequence of the injury received at
the fall -- and further the Deponent
sayeth not
[signed] John Turner
Page 17

[office seal]

Send the
Pension Certificate
to John Hyde
Norwich Ct
Page 18

Court of Probate
District of Norwich Oct. 5th 1833.
Personally appeared Doctor John Turner
the signer of the within deposition, well known
to me as a credible witness & made oath to the
truth of the same
Before me John Hyde
Judge of the Court of
Probate

[office seal]

Send the
Pension Certificate
to John Hyde
Norwich Ct
Page 19

O. W. & N. Division.

F. S.
M. E. C.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D. C., February 19, 1896.

Sir:
In reply to your request for a statement of the military history
of --- Stephen Post --- 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.

DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.
LENGTH OF SERVICE.
RANK.
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN. COLONEL.
STATE.

In 1777 he was drafted and served about ten months at Ft. Griswold,
as a private in the company commanded by Capt. John Waterman; October,
1782, drafted and served about two months at New London, in Capt.
Hungerford's company; at another time (date not stated) was drafted and
served three months at Ft. Trumbull, in the company commanded by Capt.
Samuel Wheat; also served two or three months at Ft. Griswold, at
another time --- date and officers names not stated; in the summer of
1779 enlisted as a private in Capt. Robinson's company, Col. John
Durkee's regiment, and served therein eight months.

Battles engaged in, None mentioned.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Norwich, Conn.
Date of application for pension, August 24, 1832.
Residence at date of application, Bozrah, Conn.
Age at date of application, Born at Norwich, Conn., April 20, 1761.
Remarks: His application for pension was allowed.

Judge Charles H. Post,
Guilford, Conn.

Very respectfully,
- Commissioner.

1832b2m
Page 20

31916
Revy INVALID

File No. 31,916
Stephen Post
In Rev War

Act: June 7 32 (1832)
Index: -- Vol. 2 , Page 326

[ Arrangement of 1870. ]
Page 21

Feby 19, 1896.
Mil. Histy to.
Judge Chas H. Post
Guilford, Con. [Conn.]
Page 22

31916 -- J
N OWN P

PROBATE COURT.
DISTRICT OF GUILFORD.

CHAS. H. POST, JUDGE.
GEO. S. DAVIS, CLERK.

Guilford, Conn, Jan. 17th. 1896. 189

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

Dear Si [Sir]:
  My grand-father, Stephen Post, was a soldier of the Revolution.
He was born at Norwich, Conn., April, 20th. 1761, and died at Bozrah, Conn.,
June, 24th. 1837. He was a pensioner under the Act of Congress, approved
June 7th. 1832. He was enlisted in the 2nd. Regt., Conn. Line, July, 15th.
1779 and discharged Jan. 15th. 1780. He was also in Capt. Hungerford's
Company at New London. I wish to get a complete record of his service
if possible. As he must have filed in the Pension Office an application
for a pension and affidavits or other evidence showing his service
in the war, I have no doubt but that they are still on file.
If they are, and you will please tell me the expense of copying the same
I will gladly remit the amount.
Yours truly,
Chas. H. Post,
Guilford,
Conn.
Page 23

[postmark] U. S. PENSION OFFICE H. JAN 18 1896

[stamp] OLD WAR & NAVY FILES. JAN 21 1896
Page 24

Post
Stephen Post.
[illegible]

6 mo in Bullen Regt
1779
2 mo Mc Lellan
1782
8 mo private
26.66

J. Hyde Esq
Norwich
Ct
Page 25

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Stephen Port New London County Connecticut which require
further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes

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 amout of pension
he is entitled? no No See quere 5

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? no

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of
June 7, 1832? yes

VIII. 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
Page 26

2

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? yes

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not
obtaining it?

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's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness
or witnesses as to his service? Not on the rolls of Col Durkee
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath,
certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? yes
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the
regulations direct? yes

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? yes

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And,
if not, which of them is not so answered?

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, deposeth 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.
Page 27

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each 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. Some persons who apply for pensions
merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the
officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable.
It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration
of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the
applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; 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 civil pursuit.

** 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.

*** QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates 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 ends 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.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of
office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the
certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

The declarant will in his supplemental declaration
mention the act under which his former application
was made & the time his papers were transmitted

Norwich Ct, Dec. 11th 1833. The new papers sent are the Deposition of Hon. Calvin Goddard
& his memorandum, & the Deposition of Doct. John Tanner, which are all that can be
obtained, or probably ever will be, & also a new declaration of Mr. Post, in conformity
to the form in the Explanatory Notes, They have been retained this length of time
hoping to find more proof, but the extreme need of the applicant & the probability
that he will not continue in this life much longer they are now sent.