Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 15209, for Wessell Salisbury, New York
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
New York
CONTENTS
Salisbury, Wessell
or Wessel
NUMBER
S. 15209
Carded
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8966
New York
Wessell Salisbury of
Green Co in the State of New York
he was a Lieut in the company commanded by
Captain Wittbeck of the Regt command
by Col. Van Bergen in the New York ┃
line for 7 month Sergeant and
10 month Lieut
Inscribed on the Roll of New York
the rate of 168 Dollars 33 Cents per annum
commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 22 day of June
1833
and sent Claimt
Catskill N.Y.
Arrears to the 4th of March 33 $336.66
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep 33 84.16
420.82
Book E Vol. 4
Revolutionary Claim
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by Jno Cromwell Clerk
Page 78
in
21.
" " C. Tucker Nov 9 1834
H. E. Whittlesey 28. March 1836
Nov
Page 3

REVOLUTIONARY PENSION CLAIM.
ACT OF
John Salisbury
Son of
Lieut. Wessel Salisbury
POWER OF ATTORNEY
-
TO
EXAMINE CLAIM.
Wessel Salisbury
Pensioner, Act of 1832
New York roll.
CHARLES C. TUCKER,
Attorney,
Present.
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Power of Attorney. 
Know all men by these presents: That John Salisbury of the town of Catskill, County of Greene & State of New York do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint CHAS. C. TUCKER, of Washington City, D. C., my true and lawful Agent and Attorney to prosecute the Claim of Lieut Wessel Salisbury [unreadable], for any amount of Revoluntionary Pension or increase of Pension that may be due under the provisions of the Act of June 7th 1832 or any other Act or Resolution of Congress, and I hereby authorize my said Attorney to examine all papers and documents in relation to said Claim on file in the Departments at Washington City, or elsewhere, to file additional evidence or arguments, and to receive the Certificate which may be issued for said Claim, and to appoint one or more substitutes under him for the purposes herein expressed: and to do all things that I might or could do, were I personally present. Hereby ratifying and confirming all that my said Attorney may lawfully do in the premises. WITNESS my hand and seal this 21st day of April 1854 in presence of   M. A. Gimneler } ss.   John Salisbury 

STATE OF New York Green County} ss On this 20 day of April 1854, before me a Justice of the Peace in and for the County and State above mentioned personally appeared John Salisbury and acknowledged the foregoing power of Attorney to be his act and deed for the purpose therein mentioned. Robt Dorton  Justice of the Peace 
STATE of New York Greene COUNTY. On this 21st day of April 1854 before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, personally appeared John Salisbury a resident of said County, and made oath according to law that he is the identical  John Salisbury who executed the foregoing power of Attorney, and that he is directly interested in said Claim, and makes this affidavit to be filed with such additional evidence or arguments as my said Attorney may use in prosecuting said Claim, [unreadable] John Salsibury is the only surviving child of Lieut Wessel Salsibury who was a soldier in a Revolution      
Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year above written. Robt Dorton Justice of the peace    
State of New York COUNTY of Green }   I H. Wm. Green Clerk of Green County do hereby certify that Robert Dorton  Esq., before whom the foregoing affidavit and acknowledgement were made and who has thereunto signed his name, was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County and State aforesaid, duly commissioned and sworn, and that all his official acts as such are entitled to full faith and credit.   
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my official seal this 21st day of April 1854   J. Wm. Green  Clerk
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State of New York
Green County ss. On this 4th day of February 1833
personally appeared in open Court of
the Judge of the Court of
Peace of the County of Green now sitting
Wessell Salisbury a resident of the
town of [illegible] in the County of Green
and State of New York aged Eighty
and 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 he states
that he was born in the now town
of Catskill in the County of Greene
and State of New York on the thirtieth
day of December 1747. that a family
Bible was kept showing the time
when this deponent has borne &
the same in the possession of
Abraham a Salisbury of Catskill
aforsaid, a nephew of this deponent.
that since the revolutionary war
this deponent has resided in the
town of Cairo & Catskill in the
County of Greene and line of a
York and not elsewhere, that during the
year 1776, but what month, this
deponent cannot say by reason of
old age and the consequent loss of
memory state, he his drafted to
go to Stillwater, to join the American
troops there commanded by General
Schuyler, that he went & was in
the same then three months that
he acted as Lieutenant of the
company with which he went
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of and Capt. John Whitbeck who was a resident of the same place of the deponent. was captain of the company that after arriving at Stillwater, this deponent and the company to which he grouped was put under the command of Continental officers. that he cannot for the reason [illegible] aforesaid state the names of any of the field officers of the Regiment to which he was attached that in the year 1777 this deponent has again ordered out to go to the north to Half Moon in Stillwater to join the American troops stationed there and then commanded by General Gates and that he went and was in the service there four months. that he acted as Lieutenant of the company in which he went and John Whitbeck before named was the Captain of the Company that Anthony Van Bergen then of the town of Coxsachie in the County of Albany and State of New York commanded the Regiment to which the deponent belonged, that this deponent was at the taking of General Burgoyne , and was soon thereafter discharged that the deponent had no written discharge at either of the time above mentioned after performing the services above mentioned that in the year 1778 this deponent was drafted to go to Pelham and that he went and was in the same three four months, that he acted there as Continent of the Company at he cannot by reason of old age
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and the consequent loss of memory State the name of the person who commanded the Company nor any of the names of the officers who were there in command. this deponent recollects that the troops at that place at the time this deponent was there was commanded by a continental officer but the name he cannot state. then after the termination of the said four months this deponent returned home, being discharged. That he received no written discharge. that in the year following to wit in 1779, he was again drafted to go to Schoharie that the went there and was in the service there two months, that he then also acted as Lieutenant of the company, that he cannot by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory state the name of the person who commanded the Company, nor the names of any of the offices in command there, that the troops at this place were commanded by continental officers or officers, that at the [unreadable] of the and the month, he was discharged and returned home but that he received no written discharge that the deponent says that the first time at mentioned when he went to Schoharie he thinks it was in the summer or soon after harvest let the month he cannot state  of old age and the consequent laps of memory
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He recollects when he returned from Schoharie the first time, serving the said four months, that there was snow on the ground. that this deponent cannot state by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory, the month he went to Schoharie, the second time herein before mentioned. But that he this deponent thinks & believe after harvest.      
This deponent further says that on the 20th day of June 1778, he received the annexed commission given by George Clinton esquire then governor of the State of New York. that he has no documentary evidence of his services as the war and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service except the affidavits of the persons hereto annexed. He hereby relinquishes every claim whether to a pension annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the age of any State.    
This deponent says that Isaac N. Wyckoff a Clergyman and William Van Bergen are well acquainted with him and have been for many years past and that they can testify as to this deponent character thereto for veracity and their belief of his services as a solder of the revolution      
Wessell Salisbury     
Sworn and subscribed in open court on the day a and year aforesaid William T. B. Heermance Clerk
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INVALID.
File No. 15209
Wessell Salisbury
Lieut Rev War
---
June 7th 32
Index: --Vol. 1, Page 330
Arrangement of 1870.}
A
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To whattime was Wessel Salisbury Lt &  Sergt 168.33/100
paid at the Albany Agency under act 1832
G.M.C.
May 17 '36
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Wessel Salisbury
N.Y. 1832

Hon Loren P. Waldo
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington DC
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Wessel
Salisbury
New York 1832
Admitted
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Mar. 21
[unreadable] Attestation

Free
J. L. Edwards Esqr.
Commissioner of Pensions
 
Washington D.C.
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Leeds  March 14, 1836.   
Sir.     
A communication from your department to Wessel Salisbury after having lain in Catskill Post Office for long time was discovered and its advertisement     
Agreeable to your request the Pension Certificate is inclosed to you-- the request should have occupied Earlier attention but your claimant had ceased prosecuting his pension, inasmuch as his advises represented that your letter intimated that his pay would only be resumed when a certain Amt [amount] of over pay should be made up; which it was doubtful his age would ever meet.     The claims of yr. pensioner are considered here by our most respectable inhabitants as one of Strongest Character & entitled to full pay.     
 The claimant is 88 years old & very inform, with mind much impaired - In represents that during the revolutionary war he was a Lieut. in the service of the King but was a violent whig at the rupture with Great Britain received from Gov Clinton his Commission of Lieut which Station he held throughout the war under the Captaincy of his uncle Witbeck had a first Station at his own house (about 3 miles from here, but was frequently called out to repel the Indian missions - was at the taking of Burgoyne
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had been called to Stillwater Several times previous to that event.     
On Eliciting information in confirmation of his statements: we find that then are but few survivors here that have any recollection of the time.   His daughter recollects of their house being picketed, & that troops were stationed there which under his command sallied out to repel the Indians as you have already on file at your office the affidavit of our revolutionary veteran (who is one of our most wealthy & respectable inhabitants)  who was knowing to his having held a Lieut Commission & acted under Capt Witbeck - also you have the affidavit of the Clergyman of the Society to which he is a member  - he can further adduce a number of our most respectable inhabitants who can attest to the impressions prevalent in the town of his having served through the War as a Lieut would bear Evidence of his veracity & respectability.     
The situation of your claimant is wholly dependent, being in very indigent circumstancy:   living with his daughter & Grand Daughter who have struggled hard with adversity the last winter for a living -     
We think the Justice of his claims together with his very dependent circumstance will merit all the lenity which the department can indulge.   Please advise him on the Subject, Stating whether his claim would be advanced by any other evidence
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and if so of what character,  & if possible his friends will prove it.    
With much respect 
Your Frd & Sevt
H. E. Whittelsey      
Adup.    
Wessel Salisbury      
Leeds 
Green Co. N. York
Page 17

State of New York, COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE. Albany August 30 1854 I Hereby Certify, That on searching the Records in this office for the Registry of Certificates issued in pursuance of a law, passed April 27, 1784, entitled "An Act for the settlement of the pay of Levies and Militia for their services in the late war, and for other purposes therein mentioned,” I find the following, viz: 

NAMES.    Wessel Salisbury Lt.  No. of BOOK .  8  NO OF CERTIFICATE.  35.850    DATE.    Aug 4.1780   £ 13  S.  3   D.   4     RANK AND NAME OF COMPANY OFFICER.  Lieut Wessel Salisbury    RANK AND NAME OF FIELD OFFICER.   Col. Anthony VanBergen 

NAMES.    Wessel Salisbury Lt.  No. of BOOK .  8  NO OF CERTIFICATE.  35.981    DATE.    Aug 31.1779   £ 3  S.  3   D.  6     RANK AND NAME OF COMPANY OFFICER.  Capt. Benjamin Dubois    RANK AND NAME OF FIELD OFFICER.   Col. Anthony VanBergen

NAMES.    Wessel Salisbury Lt.  No. of BOOK .  8  NO OF CERTIFICATE.  36.076    DATE.    Oct. 15.1777   £ 10  S.  1   D.  1     RANK AND NAME OF COMPANY OFFICER.  Capt. John A. Whitbeck    RANK AND NAME OF FIELD OFFICER.   Col. Anthony VanBergen 

NAMES.    Wessel Salisbury Lt.  No. of BOOK .  8  NO OF CERTIFICATE.  36.086    DATE.    Aug. 25.1779   £  6  S.  12   D.  1     RANK AND NAME OF COMPANY OFFICER.  Capt. John A. Whitbeck    RANK AND NAME OF FIELD OFFICER.   Col. Anthony VanBergen 

NAMES.    Wessel Salisbury Lt.  No. of BOOK .  8  NO OF CERTIFICATE.  36.152    DATE.    Nov.  5.1779   £  2  S. 12   D.  8     RANK AND NAME OF COMPANY OFFICER.  Capt. John A. Whitbeck    RANK AND NAME OF FIELD OFFICER.   Col. Anthony VanBergen 

NAMES.    Wessel Salisbury Lt.  No. of BOOK .  8  NO OF CERTIFICATE.  36.204    DATE.    Oct. 27.1780   £  3  S.  10   D.  2     RANK AND NAME OF COMPANY OFFICER.  Capt. John A. Whitbeck    RANK AND NAME OF FIELD OFFICER.   Col. Anthony VanBergen 

NAMES.    Wessel Salisbury Lt.  No. of BOOK .  8  NO OF CERTIFICATE.  36.230    DATE.    Oct. 22.1777   £  1  S.  15   D.  1     RANK AND NAME OF COMPANY OFFICER.  Capt. John A. Whitbeck    RANK AND NAME OF FIELD OFFICER.   Col. Anthony VanBergen 
£  40.17.11
I have examined the Rolls for the items above set forth, and find them to be correct.      
H.D. Hasurll Clerk                       Pat M Cook Comptroller.
Page 18

 

We Isaac N Wyckoff a Clergyman residing in the town of Catskill in said County and William Van Bergen a resident of the same place do hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Wessel Salisbury, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be eighty five 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.   I N Wyckoff
Wm. VanBergen
Sworn and  subscribed in open Court day and year aforesaid Wm. V. B. Heermance Clerk 
And the said Court do hereby [unreadable] 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 Isaac N. Wyckoff who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergy man resident in the town Catskill in said County and that
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William Van Bergen, who has also signed the same is a resident in the said town of Catskill and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit and the said Court further certifies that Frederick Schram who has made & signed the annexed affidavit is a credible person and that his statement is entitled to credit 
Perkins King 
C. Daly 
Wim. Polley   Judge of Said Court

 I William Van Bergen Hermance Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, do hereby certify that the forgoing and amended within are the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Wessell Salisbury for a pension     
In Testimony to whereof I have hereunto set my hand Seal of the said Court this fourth day of February 1833 William V. B. Harmance Clerk
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Wessel Salisbury

 
May 14

J L Edwards Esqr
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington
D.C.
Page 21


Hudson May 11 1836 
Sir     
Your favor on the subject of Wessel Salisburys Pension Claim was shown me four days since when over to Leeds    
The reply you made was not wholly satisfactory   they are desirous to know how far the old Gent account is overdrawn or he in arrears – and agreeable to their request I trouble you again-- Will you write me on the subject & State how his account Stands, & when his pension Stipend and will be resumed - I doubt its ever being of any service to him, as he has lately had severe attack of numb-palsy, which he narrowly survived & from which he has lost the use of one side-- yet the family are very poor & cling to the Pension claim as great dependence- With much respect Your Friend & Svt H. E. Whittelsey
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Payments to be made
at New York
●
by the Presd. A.S. Br B
Agent for paying Pension
, in the Agency of
New York
Recorded in the Pension Office, in Book
E. Vol. 4
Page 78 by
Jno Cromwell
Clerk
Page 23

WAR DEPARTMENT.
Revolutionary Claim.
I certify that in conformity with the law of the United States
of the 7th June, 1832, Wessel Salisbury of the
State of
New York
who was a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary Army
is entitled to receive One hundred & Sixty eight dollars and
Thirty three cents per annum, during his natural life, commencing on
the 4th of March, 1831, and payable semi-annually on the 4th of March, and
4th of September, in every year.


GIVEN at the War Office of the United
22d
 day of
June one thousand eight
hundred and thirty three
John Robb
Secretary of War
 
Examined and
Countersigned. }
J L Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions.
Page 24

Washington D.C. Nov. 4. 1854     
Hon Loren P. Waldo      
Commissioner of Pensions     
Sir      
Enclosed please find certificate of service to be filed with the Pension Claim of Wessel Salisbury dec [deceased] of New York     
Mr Salisbury was placed on the Pension roll under the Act of June 7, 1832 at $168.33 per year and about the year 1836 his pension was reduced to $68.33 and he informed that the amount over paid would not be paid until the pension extended to 1841, and the pension was stopped. He died in 1839.     
The first pension was for 10 months service as a Lieutenant and seven months as a Sergeant and the reduced pension was for four months as Lieutenant and three months as a Sergeant   I respectfully submit that there is an error in this computation. It will be found on examination of the claim that there is not a word about service as a Sergeant. If the three months service in 1776. is admitted it must, upon the evidence, be for service as a Lieutenant      
But I respectfully submit that the stopping of Mr Salisbury pension is contrary to decisions since rendered in similar cases and that the amount of arrears accruing from March 4. 1835, the date from which
Page 25

the pension was stopped to the date of the soldier's death is now due the children of the pensioner.     
The decisions I refer to are the following: First. An opinion of Atty General B. F. Butler dated July 6. 1835 as follows Where a pensioner has been allowed more than his services entitled him to no portion of the money there improperly paid him can be retained in a re-adjustment of his pension." (See Capt. Triplett's Compilation of Pension Laws &c page 8)     
The other is an opinion given by the same attorney General dated March 13. 1837, given in a case precisely the same as this, that of Capt. Richard Vernon in which an appeal was taken from the decision of the Commissioner of Pension, which opinion is in the following words.- “Except where the payment has been made by fraud, I think it most agreeable to the spirit of the pension laws to treat the over payment in the light of money paid and received by mistake and constituting a debt from the pensioner to the United States, which is no bar to the payment of the pension, according to the equity of the act of 20. May 1836 Very respectfully       
Your Obt Sert     
Chas. C. Tucker
End
Page 26

425 Mazo & Mouton
Page 27

admd
10 mo. Lieut
7 mo. to be comp
as a srgt

$168.33
Page 28

State of New York     
Greene County  Ss.       Frederick Schram of the town of Catskill in the County of Greene and State of New York aged Eighty years being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he is well acquainted with the Wessell Salisbury of the town, County & State aforesaid. that he knew him previous to the revolutionary War and was well acquainted with him during the war and since that time that this deponent know that the said Wessel Salisbury was at Stillwater in the year 1777 in the [unreadable] of General Schyler and was a Lieutenant in the Company of Militia in which this deponent was.  And further says not    Fredk Schram    
Subscribed and sworn in open court Sept. 4 1832      
William V. B. Heermance Clerk    
I do hereby certify that Frederick Schram the person who has made this affidavit is a credible person and that his statement is Entitled to credit Feb. 6  1833. William V. B. Heermance Clk
Page 29

Admitted
4 m. Lieut
3 " Srgt
$68.33.
Page 30

Wessel Salisbury
your
See Vol 6 - 13.3.4 - 1780
11 ┃
¶
8 -
3.3.6 - 1779
" " 10
●
10.1. 1- 1777
" " 11
6.12.11779
11 11
18
2.12.8-
1
" " 12
3. 10.2 1780
" " 13
1. 15. 1. 1777
.
about 4 months
140.17. 11 -
save the commissioner says admit 12.21
the then months in 1776
Page 31

The People of the State of New York by the Grace of God. FREE AND INDEPENDENT
 
Wessel Salisbury Gentn
Greeting
We reposing special Trust and confidence, as well in your Patriotism conduct and loyalty, as in your valour and Readiness was a good and faithful service
Hay reported and constituted and by these Presents Do appoint and constitute
you the said Wessel Salisbury Second Lieutenant of Captain John Hicks Company
Potter of Albany, in the Regiment where of Anthony Jam Bergen Esquire is Colonel
are therefore state the said Company into your charge and as Second Lieutenant thereof and duly to exercise the Officers and Soldiers of that Company in Arms, who are hereby commanded to obey you as their
Second Lieutenant and you are also to observe and follow such Orders and Directions you shall from time to time
receive from our General and Commander in chief of the Militia of our said State, on the Superior Officers according to the Rules and discipline of her in pursuance of the Trust reposed in your doing this shall be your
Commission for and during our good pleasure to be signified by our Council of appointment In Testimony whereof we have caused our Seal for Military Commissions to be hereunto affixed Witness our Trusty and well beloved George Clinton Esquire our Governor of the State of New York, General and Commander in chief of all the Militia and Admiral of the Navy of the same, by and with the advice and Consent of our said Council of Appointment, at Poughkeepsie the Twentieth day of June in the second year of our Independence, and in the year of our Lord one Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Eight  Passed the Secretarys Office Aug 5th 1778
By His Excellencys Command.
Abram T. B. Bancker     Geo. Clinton