Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 357, Matthias Bright Bacon, New Jersey.
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New Jersey Bacon, Matthiae Bright or Baked R.357
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, Passed June 7th, 1832.

State of New Jersey
County of Salem SS

On this Nineteenth day of April, 1837, personally appeared before me, one of the Judges of the Inferior court of Common Pleas, Matthias Bright Bacon, a resident of the County of Salem and State of New Jersey, aged 74 years next July, who being 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, and served as herein stated. That he entered the service, July 1777 at Deerfield in Cumberland County State of New Jersey, as a substitute for his brother one Michael [Bacon?], in the company commanded by Capt. Constant Peck in the regiment of Cumberland Co. Militia, state aforesaid commanded by one Col. [ ]. The company that doth in under Capt. Peck marched from Deerfield to a place called Dutch Beach, situate on the Delaware Bay near the mouth of Alloways Creek, where we encamped, where we marched up into the county of Salem, to a place called Upper Penn’s Neck, nearly
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opposite Wilmington in the State of Delaware, where we encamped, we immediately made the attempt to cross the Delaware at that place, but were driven back by the firing of the enemy's fleet, which lay a little distance below that place, during the day we heard the firing of the guns at the Battle of Brandywine, which he believes was fought on the 11th of September 1777, the next night we again made the attempt to cross the river and some fifty or sixty of us succeeded in reaching the shore on the Delaware side. We then marched up through the marsh and far below the bridge now say, that called the Brandywine, where the Brandywine Mills are situated, we then from some cause or other, turned and retreated to our boats, and crossed the river into New Jersey to encampment before occupied by us in Penn's Neck, and remained there some 3 weeks, we then marched back into Cumberland Co. N.J. to Dutch Beach where we again encamped, about this time, I had a furlough to go home and I went home, let my master's near Deerfield, Cumberland Co. N.J. at this time the English frigate Augusta was blown up at Mud Fort or Fort Mifflin, I remember seeing the explosion, it was just like a tea kettle, it was a heavy shock, the family thought it was an earthquake, I returned that day or next to my company at Dutch Beach, where
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We were encamped about four months when we again marched up into Salem Co. with other companies under the command of Col. Clark to a place called Quinton’s Bridge and arrived there just as the battle was over, that was fought there I believe in March 1778, we encamped at that place until the enemy retired from the vicinity, then we again marched back to Dutch Beach where we encamped until I think the Spring before the enemy’s fleet had retired from the Delaware River and Bay, when I was honorably discharged at that place, but received no written discharge; I did not then return to my master, but came up into Salem Co. and bound myself to one Pamel Ryder with whom I served until I was twenty one years of age; I have always resided hereabouts. Revolutionary war in the counties of Salem and Cumberland in the state of New Jersey with the exception of one year about forty or fifty years ago, which was spent near Nine Partners in Philadelphia, PA. I do not think there is any one living at this time who was out in service with me. I remember the names of some that were out in service: John Bright, Gabriel Bacon, Clark Penton, David Carll, & Isaac Bacon (to that David Carll received a pension, I learned to
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About some twenty five years ago I employed Mr. Wm. M. Jeffries, Attorney at Law, to get him to make application for a pension for me, he told me he did not think I could get one because I served as a substitute, I have never till this present time made application for said pension as I had relied upon Mr. Jeffries the time I called on him. Said Wm. M. Jeffries, I have resided such distance from the principal places where the necessary information could be obtained, that I have been deprived the privilege of acquiring such knowledge relative to the making of said application previous to this present time. When I first entered the service I was about sixteen years of age.

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.

Sworn and subscribed
Mathias Wright
To before me this 19th day of April 1805
George Armstrong Judge
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Mr. Ezra L. Anderson a clergyman, residing in the township of Upper Alloways creek, county of Salem, State of New Jersey, and William House residing in Alloways Town, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Mathias Bright Bacon, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be 93 or 94 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 and year aforesaid.
Ezra L. Anderson
William House
George Armstrong Judge

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 Ezra L. Anderson who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, residing in the Township of Upper Alloways creek, County of Salem, State of New Jersey, and that William House who has signed the same is a resident in the same township, county, and state, and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

George Armstrong Judge
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1. When and in what year were you born?
   (Answer) I was born in Beaver Neck (Cumberland Co. N.J.) on the 5th of July 1761

2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
   (Answer) The record of family record is lost, and cannot be found.

3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary War, and where do you now live?
   (Answer) I then lived in Cumberland Co. N.J. & I have lived since the war in Salem & Cumberland counties, with the exception of a few years and now lives in Salem County (N.J.)

4. How were you called into service; were you drafted; did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? and if a substitute, for whom?
   (Answer) He was called into service as a substitute for his master Michael Hoshel, and served as a private.

5. State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served, such continental and militia regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service?
   (Answer) As I have before stated in my affidavit.

6. Did you ever receive a discharge from service; and if so, by whom was it given; and what has become of it? (Answer) I never did receive a written discharge, at the time of my discharge my master Michael Hoshel had been gone before and I received my verbal discharge from him.
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7. 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.
   (Answer) Rev. Ezra L. Anderson, Wm and Potts, Ephraim Harris, Phebe Seal, Solomon Harris.

State of New Jersey
County of Salem ss.

Personally appeared before me George Armstrong one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county Phebe Seal aged between 70 and 80 years (she declares) a resident of the county of Salem State of New Jersey, upon her oath declares and says, that she is acquainted with Matthias Wright & have been for near fifty years, she has known him ever since she was a little girl and he was a married man when she first knew him, I then lived with Noah Bowen in Cumberland Co. N.J. and the said Matthias Wright Bacon was often at our house, I have often heard Noah Bowen speak of his being a Revolutionary soldier, and Mrs. said Bowen would ask, and he said I think Matthias would at the same time he was, I have heard many persons speak of his being out in the Revolutionary war, from that time till
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the present and have never heard it contradicted by anyone. I have heard my late husband speak of him as a Revolutionary Soldier, my husband was a Revolutionary Soldier and received a pension and I now receive a pension as his widow, and further I believe the foregoing statement in the affidavit made by said Matthias Bright Bacon to be true from my knowledge of the man, and what I have heard old men who were Revolutionary Soldiers say of him during the whole course of my life, His character for truth and veracity is good.

Sworn and Subscribed
Isabella Seal
before me this 23rd day of April A.D. 1835
George Armstrong Judge

State of New Jersey
County of Salem ss.

Personally appeared before me one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county and state aforesaid Woodruff Pettit aged 74 years, who being duly affirmed according to law declares and says that he is well acquainted with Matthias Bright Bacon, and has known him for upwards of 40 years and knows that the said Bright Bacon has always borne a good character as a Revolutionary Soldier, knows him as a man of strict truth and veracity, has never heard his reputation as a Revolutionary Soldier doubted, has heard from his own observation of facts, and his knowledge and conversation connected with the same, that the said Matthias Bright Bacon is the man he represented himself to be.

Affirmed and subscribed before me this 23rd day of April 1835
George Armstrong Judge
Woodruff Pettit
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Ex’r.
INVALID.

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873

Matthias Bright Bacon

No. ____________

Service: ____________________________

Enlisted: ___________________ 18____

Discharged: ___________________ 18____

Application filed: _______________ 18____

Alleges: ___________________________

Re-enlisted: _______________________

Attorney: __________________________

P.O. _______________________________
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No. 8994
Mathias Bright Bacon
New Jersey

Land Claim June 11, 1835
P. M. Henry Dec. 15/57

357
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Power of Att.
Revd. Pension act 1832.
Suspended Claim.
Matthias Bright Bacon
New Jersey.

P. M. Henry
Present.
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POWER OF ATTORNEY.

Know all men by these presents: That I, Matthias Bright Bacon of the county of Salem and State of New Jersey,
the identical person whose claim for pension under the act of Congress, approved the 7th day of June 1832, was presented about two years and has been suspended,
do hereby constitute and appoint Capt. P. M. Henry & Wm. Azor of Bridgeton N.J. my true and lawful Attorney, irrevocably for me, and in my name and place, and with full power of substitution to examine all the records, letters, affidavits, and other documents and papers connected with the aforesaid claim now on file in the Pension Off., as well as all the Muster Rolls and other records that may show the military services of that company,
and generally to do all lawful acts and things whatsoever, touching the premises,
in order to prosecute said claim to some result, and to receive the certificate when issued; hereby revoking all powers of attorney heretofore given for a like purpose, and confirming whatsoever my said attorney shall, in my name, legally do in the premises: In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November, 1857.

Matthias Bright Bacon (his X mark) [SEAL.]

Acknowledged and subscribed before me, a Justice of the Peace, for the aforesaid county of Salem and State New Jersey, and I do certify that of my own personal knowledge the aforesaid Matthias Bright Bacon is the identical person he represents himself to be.

Witness my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of November 1857.

Wm McClauder, Justice of Peace [SEAL.]

STATE OF _____
COUNTY OF _____ ss.

I do certify, that ________________________, Esquire, before whom the foregoing acknowledgment was made, was, at the time of it being made, a Justice of the Peace for said county, duly commissioned and qualified, and that the above is his genuine signature.

Witness my hand and the seal of the __________ court for said county,
this ______ day of __________ 18___.

Clerk.
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State of New Jersey } ss.
County of Salem }

Personally appeared before me one of the Justices of the peace for the county and State aforesaid, Sylvester Harris, who being duly sworn according to law declares and says that he is 78 years of age and now & has known Matthias Bright Bacon for 50 years, and has frequently heard him spoken of as a Revolutionary Soldier, he has heard his wife in her life time say that her husband Bright Bacon served his time with her uncle Phebe Seal, and that she lived with her uncle while her said Bacon lived there, and he believes him to be a man of truth and veracity, and whose statements are entitled to full credit, and his reputation in the neighborhood has always been like of a Revolutionary Soldier, who served in the militia.

Sworn and subscribed, Solymore Harris
before me this 15th day of May, A.D. 1835
Joseph Pancoast, Justice of the Peace

State of New Jersey } ss.
County of Salem }

Personally appeared before me one of the Judges of the inferior court of common Pleas within and for the county and state aforesaid Elisha Cope, aged 46 years, who being duly sworn according to law declares and says that he is a practical surveyor, and that he has measured the distance on the map between
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from Mifflin and Fairfield, Cumberland Co., and finds it to be about twenty three miles, and he had also measured on the site lines on said map between Port Mifflin, and Salem Townships, Salem County N.J. and finds it to be twenty five miles.

Sworn and subscribed before me this 24th day of April A.D. 1835.
George Armstrong Judge
Elisha Cope

State of New Jersey } ss.
County of Salem }

Personally appeared before me one of the Judges of the inferior court of common Pleas within and for the county and state aforesaid William J. Jones, who being duly sworn according to law declares and says, that he has often heard his wife’s father and uncles (who were aged people) say, and they have been regarded older than the deponent, and that they lived at the time about 3 miles below Salem and a more eastern point than some of the expressions there either at Port or Salem, and they said that it struck on Hugle’s (Hughes’s?) landing place.

Sworn and subscribed before me this 24th day of April A.D. 1835.
George Armstrong Judge
Wm. J. Jones
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George Armstrong one of the judges of the inferior court of common Pleas, within and for the county of Salem, State of New Jersey, and before whom the foregoing affidavits were taken, do hereby certify that the said Matthias Bright Bacon is an aged and infirm person, and is much reduced, and difficulty to appear in open court for the purpose of having his application taken and therefore I waited upon him at his residence for the purpose of taking said affidavit and putting the interrogatories required by the War Department, and the answers to the interrogatories are written thereunto and annexed in two affidavits of the said Bright Bacon, and I believe from the statement of the applicant, and the testimony produced of the facts, that I know, that he is fully entitled to a pension, and that all the witnesses are respectable persons.

George Armstrong Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Salem

State of New Jersey } ss.
County of Salem }

Personally appeared before me one of the judges of the inferior court of common Pleas within and for the county and state aforesaid George Remstien, aged 69 years, who being duly sworn according to law declares and says that he was acquainted with the said Matthias Bright Bacon before and since he made his application for himself for more than 40 years, his reputation has always been that of a Revolutionary Soldier, and he has frequently heard people talk of
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him as such ever since he has known him, and rather think he believes him to be of less age he represents himself to be, and makes his general account of truth and veracity is good.

Sworn at Salem April 24th, 1835 before me
George Armstrong
L. L. Elmer
President Judge, Salem Common Pleas

State of New Jersey } ss.
County of Salem }

Personally appeared before me one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas within and for the county and state aforesaid Andrew Shederick, aged 68 years, who being duly sworn according to law declares and says that he was acquainted with Matthias Bright Bacon for more than forty years, he lives below Salem and his reputation is that of a Revolutionary Soldier, has often heard many people speak of him as such, I have heard my father-in-law (William Miner) say that Matthias Bright Bacon was a Revolutionary Soldier, my father-in-law was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served in the same city of this state at the siege of York Town, Va. and I have never heard the fact of Matthias Bright Bacon as a Revolutionary Soldier, doubted or disbelieved by any person, I believe that his statements are correct and his age as he has therein stated and that his character for truth and veracity is good and respected, for some years back, that he had hearings of a pension.

Sworn and Subscribed before me this 24th day of April A.D. 1835
George Armstrong Judge

his
Andrew X Shederick
mark
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We offer the following certificate for the purpose of proving the truth of the bodies of Quininn Bridge

To the Worshipful
The Justices of the General Sessions
of the County of Salem

The Petition of Widow Craven
Humbly sheweth

That Isaac Crain late an active militia man in the second Battalion of militia in this county was killed in the action at Quininn Bridge with the British troops on the 18th of March 1778 — That his wife remained a widow until the 20th of October following when she intermarried with your petitioner wherefore she prayeth That your worships will extend to him the benefit intended by the late act of assembly for the relief of the widows of militia men who are killed in their country service.

And he is in duty bound &c.

22nd Sept 1779

I certify that the within named Isaac Crain was killed in the action with the British troops at Quininn Bridge on the 18th of March 1778.

William Smith, Capt. Command.

We the inhabitants & freeholders of the township of Lower Alloways Creek where the within mentioned Isaac Crain formerly lived do hereby certify that we verily believe he was lawfully married to the present wife of William Crain & that she remained his widow as set forth in the within petition.

Andrew York
John Brigg
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Endorsed
Petition of Isaac Crain’s Widow now Richard Wheat’s present wife
Allowed her half pay

I, Asher Ware, Clerk of the inferior court of common Pleas in and for the County of Salem, New Jersey, do hereby certify, that I have searched and find on file there in my office the paper of which the foregoing is a true copy.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 19th day of April A.D. 1835.
Asher Ware, Clerk

State of New Jersey } ss.
County of Salem }

Personally appeared before me the Judge of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Salem and State aforesaid, Ephraim Turner, aged 53 years, who being duly affirmed according to law, declares and says, that he is acquainted with Matthias Bright Bacon, and has been acquainted with him since boyhood, being acquainted with Bright Bacon since the (affiant’s learning) 10 or 12 years of age. The said Bacon (as affiant says) has been acquainted with him, knowing his character as a Revolutionary Soldier, his reputation has been such, finding his former reputation with him has always been respectable, speaks of him as such, and knowing of several others aged, and
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that Matthias Bright Bacon’s character for truth and veracity is good, and that he believes the statement made by him as deserving of credence is true.
Deponent has heard, during his life, and of others his grandfather, he being a soldier in the service and has heard him relate that he served with Matthias Bright Bacon, as he (deponent’s grandfather) resided near him, and he believes that the statement is generally true, that the said Matthias Bright Bacon is a Revolutionary Soldier, although he has never found or heard that any one thought differently.
Knows Bright Bacon to be a member of the Baptist Church.

Affirmed and subscribed
before me this 24th day of April A.D. 1835
Ephraim Turner
George Armstrong Judge

State of New Jersey } ss.
County of Salem }

I, Asher Ware, Clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of & state aforesaid do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Matthias Bright Bacon for a pension.
And that George Armstrong, before whom the affidavit of said Bacon and others was taken, is a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, duly commissioned and sworn to all whose official acts as such full faith and credit should be given as well in Courts of Justice
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as elsewhere, and further, that the signature thereto is his official signature, and I do further certify,
that Lucius Q.C. Elmer, before whom the affidavit of George Remster was taken, is one of the Judges of the Supreme Court of the State of New Jersey, and presiding Judge of the Court of Common Pleas to all whose official acts as such, full faith and credit is due and should be given and that the signature is his official signature. And that Joseph Pancoast, before whom the affidavit of Solymore Harris was taken, was a whose official signature is thereto affixed, is a Justice of the Peace duly commissioned and sworn and to all whose official acts as such full faith and credit should be given and that the aforesaid courts are courts of record having general jurisdiction &c.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my hand and seal of office this fifth day of June one thousand eight hundred and fifty five.

Maskell Ware Clerk

(Seal attached with ribbon)

Declaration of Matthias Bright Bacon for a Pension under act of June 7th, 1832.

Samuel Osborn
Agent
Salem, New Jersey