Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 22768, William Finch, Conn. New York
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(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
Conn
New York
---
CONTENTS
49
Finch, William
NUMBER
S. 22768
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Book
Pennsylvania 25.846
William Finch
of Bradford Co in the State of Pennsylvania
who was Sargeant in the Company commanded by Captain Watson of the Regt
commanded by Col Elmor in the [Pennsylvania - crossed out] Con & NY line for -
11 Mo $ 30.00
2 Mo 10.00
-------
$ 40.00

Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania
at the rate of 40 Dollars 00 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 15th day of Jany 1834 and Sent to Hon S. Kean, Senate U.S.
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833 116.65
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 1834 23.33
-------
139.98

Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.

Recorded by J T Springer
Clerk,
Book E Vol 5 Page 19
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State of Pennsylvania
County of Bradford
on this 21st day of September
A D 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Honorable ^ Edward Derrick [Thomas Burn?dy -crossed out] resident and John McKean and Jonathan Stevens Esq associate judges of the Court of Common pleas of Bradford County aforesaid now sitting at Towanda in the County aforesaid William
Finch a resident of Towanda township
in said County of Bradford aged Eighty 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 in the month of April 1775 (day of the month not recollected) at the age of twenty four years he enlisted for the term of nine months under Captain John Watson of Canaan Litchfield County Connecticut in the Connecticut line in the Regiment commanded by Major Elmer (who acted as Colonel) and Major Brown went to Crown point and after remaining there some time went on a scouting excursion with a party of thirty or forty under one Captain Baker - when they arrived at the north end of Grand Island one Peter Ferris and
himself were sent by Capt. Baker to take one
"John Sock" a son of an Indian chief of the
Cockewagnie tribe across the Canada line, said
John Sock was educated at Wheelock College & had a
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passport to go home-- They staid over night
at the first house over the line and as they
were setting out to return the next morning
they were met by an Indian Scout under the
command of a Capt McCoy there were
ten Indians and an Indian interpreter with
him. One of the Indians was the said John
Sock Father and another, his brother-
Sock's Father took him aside & talked very
sternly with him and obliged him contrary to
his promise to tell who they were. They were
then surrounded by the Indians & taken prisoner and conducted to Montreal where they were imprisoned thirteen or fourteen days - they were then put in irons & sent on board a merchant vessel & carried to Quebec where they were again imprisoned-- after being confined sixteen or seventeen days he (said Finch) broke jail, & made his escape & after experiencing many difficulties & privations he
joined the army again at St Johns and remained there until after the Americans took the Fort at St Johns when he left the army & returned home he thinks sometime in November. Having been taken prisoner entitled him to his discharge. He resided at the time he enlisted at Norfolk adjoining the town of Canaan aforesaid.
He further states that in the latter part of
September 1776 he volunteered as orderly Sargeant in a company of militia commanded by Capt. Thomas Storms & served in said company a tour of two months. They were stationed at Fort constitution & while there saw Genl Washington when he came to
view the port. He received a discharge in writing from Capt. Storms which he thinks is
at home among his papers yet.
He further states that in September 1777
orders came that one half of the militia should turn out to a post in taking Burgoyne and in October following he turned out with the militia & went to
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Bemis Heights at Saratoga and was in the
Brigade sent to cut off Burgoyne's retreat
from his fortifications north of Bemis Heights
& on the way took up several bridges. Col:
Ashley commanded the Regiment. Lieut Taylor
commanded the company he went out in. He
was out on this tour five or six weeks as near
as he can recollect when he was taken sick &
by consent of the commanding officer of the
company returned home

He further states that he was out with
the militia, & took with him a young man
named Samuel Porter then in his pay & employ. At the time Sir John came down the shore and up the Mohawk river burning and destroying the property of the inhabitants. Genl Rensselaer, Colonel John McKinstry, Rensselaer and Pratt were the commanding officers. During this tour he was in an engagement with a part of "Sir John's" army lying on the east side of Mohawk river. He was out on this tour he thinks three or four weeks.
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 any agency of any state.
Officiated and & subscribe the day & year aforesaid.
 William Finch
J. P. Bull, Prot.
Mr Morris Spalding residing in Towanda Bradford County Penn'a and William Patton of the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Finch who has subscribed & sworn to
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the above declaration, that we believe him to
be eighty one years of age; that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion
sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Morris Spalding
J P Bull, Prot.
W. Patton
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 Morris Spalding & William Patton Esq who signed the preceding certificate are residents of Towanda Bradford County Penna & are credible persons and that their statement
entitled to credit By the Court

J P  Bull Prothonotary

I James P Bull Prothonotary of the
Court of Common pleas of Bradford County Penna do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of 
William Finch for a pension
In testimony whereof I hereunto set
my hand and seal of office this 21st day of Sept AD 1832
J P Bull
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File
22768
INVALID.
Revolution
22,768
William Finch
Sergt Rev War
---
Act: June 7 32
Index:--Vol. 2, Page 127
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Hon. Lewis Cass
Washington City D.C.

[on side]
Pennsylvania
 returned
18th Jany 1834

January 18, 1834
Pension Office

[stamp] FREE
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Harrisburg PA January 15, 1836
Hon Lewis Cass

Dear Sir,

Enclosed you will find papers relating to the claim of Adam Wilt of Somerset County in this state.

They were, I presume, enclosed by mistake in the envelope containing the papers of Wm. Finch of Bradford County in this state, or perhaps intended as a guide in supplying the necessary proof in the case of Mr. Finch.

If so, I acknowledge the kind favor in the furtherance of the cause of charity & benevolence towards one of that venerable class of our citizens & also for the facilities intended to be afforded me personally in relation to it.

Respectfully Yours,
W. Patton
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Wilt of Somerset County in this State

They were I presume enclosed by mistake in the envelope containing the papers of Wm Finch of Bradford County in this State or intended as a guide in supplying the necessary
proof in the case of W. Finch

If so I acknowledge the kind favor in furtherance of the cause of charity & benevolence towards one of that venerable class of our citizens & also for the facilities intended to be afforded me personally in relation to it.

Respectfully Yours &c
W. Patton

P.S. The papers of M. Finch together with
a supplementary statement of his and also the affidavit of Osias Bingham recently procured were forwarded to Creel McKean our senator who will lay them before you if not already done.
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Adm 1. yr and
1. Month - 2 Month
thereof Serg

11 for 36.66
2 Serg 10.00
$46.66

Hon. S. M. McLean
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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
Bradford County [illegible]

I, James P. Bull, Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Bradford County do certify that C. S. Goodrich, before whom this foregoing supplementary declaration of William Finch, and affidavit of Ozias Bingham were made is and was at the date thereof required in the said Court as a duly qualified Justice of the Peace; and that I am acquainted with his signature and believe the same to be genuine.

Witness my hand and official seal this 19th day of December A.D. 1833
J. P. Bull
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State of Pennsylvania
Bradford County

On this 19th day of December AD 1833 personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in and for said County William Finch who being duly affixed 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 and in the following grades.

In 1775 I served as a private for the term of nine months in Capt. John Watson's Company in a Regiment commanded by Major Elmor (who acted as Colonel) the number of the Regiment I do not recollect.

In 1776 I served two months as Orderly Sergeant in Captain Thomas Storms Company in the New York line. The number of the Regiment or the Colonels name I do not now recollect.

In 1777 I served as a private in a company commanded by Lieut. -- Taylor in the Regiment commanded by Col Ashley in the Massachusetts Line for one month and a half  -

In 1778 or 1789, I do not recollect which year, I served twenty days or more in the N. York Militia under Genl Rensaeler , Colonels Pratt and McKinster, but do not recollect the Captain's name.
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I would further amend my declaration by stating that at the time I served in the N. York Militia in 1778 or 1789 I took with me my hired man Samuel Foster and that I paid him for his
time spent in the service the same wages as I did when working for me at home and was never refunded by Government for his services. I claim in addition to the above for twenty days in the militia as above stated.

I further state that at the time I made my declaration before the Court there was no Clergyman living in Towanda and that I do not know of any Clergyman who has any knowledge of my services whose certificate could be procured as there are no clergymen with whom I am now acquainted but such as are too young to have any knowledge of the facts and that there is now living in my neighborhood 

I further state that I know of no witnesses who were living at the time I made my declaration except Ozias Bingham whose affidavit I have now procured and is hereto attached.

William March
Affirmed & Subscribed
before me Dec 19. 1833
E. Goodrich Jus Peace
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late of Pennsylvania
 Bradford County
 On the 14th of December 1833, personally appeared before me the subscriber one of the Justices of the peace in for said County Ozias Bingham to me well known aged eighty three years & upwards, I being duly sworn depo date & said I was a Sergeant in Captain John Watsons Company of the Connecticut time in the Revolutionary war that on or about the first of May in in the year 1775. William Finch enlisted into the same company for the term of nine months and that he served in the said Company during the whole term of the said nine months except a part of the time while he was a prisoner in the hands of the enemy, that after he escaped from the enemy he returned to his company, and send out the remainder of the time for which he in listed and was regularly discharged from service at the time the whole Regiment were disbanded at the close of the Campaign.
The company commanded by the said Capt John Watson & in which the said William Finch & myself both served was attached to the Regiment commanded by Major --- Elmon
Oras Bingham

 Bradford County
I certify that on the day & year aforesaid Ozias Bingham above named appeared personally before me and being duly sworn apostle .. the above affidavit by him subscribed is just & true and I further certify that the said Ozias Bingham is a credible person & his statement entitled to full faith Witness my hand & seal 
C.S. Goodrich Jus pea