Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 10568, for Thomas Thorn, New York
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(3 - 1776 )
SERVICE
New York
CONTENTS
Thorn, Thomas
NUMBER
R. 10568
----
Contents
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New York June 3d 1835.

Sir:
I received a day or two since the papers of
Thomas Thorn together with your letter & a copy of the Pension Circular. By reference to the latter I find that in cases where the name of the applicant is not found on record, the time of service, etc., must be proved by 2 witnesses.  In the present instance this is impossible as all the officers and privates of the regiment are dead, excepting the present 
applicant - He however has a sister-in-law who was in the habit of living with his wife during the period of his absence in the army - the testimony will be of avail - it shall be forwarded - the names of the different officers
can be given (under which he served). 
My excuse for thus troubling you must be
the age & actually necessitous situation of the applicant, who I am satisfied is honest in his statement & worthy of relief.
I wait your answer to the above before forwarding another petition as the state of Mr Thorn's health renders it a matter of no small inconvenience to attend at Court.
Please receive my acknowledgment for the prompt manner in which you have acted in the present occasion.
I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully
Your Obdt servant,
Adolph C. Gouvernour
5/2 Pine St
S
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7. 1832.

Southern District of New York 
City and County of New York } ss:

On this Eighteenth day of June in the year
of our Lord One thousand Eight Hundred and thirty five personally appeared before me Samuel Jones, Chief Justice of the Superior Court of the City of New York; Thomas Thorn, a Resident of the City of New York in the State of New York and District aforesaid aged Eighty two years on the thirteenth of October last past, 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 at the period of the commencement of the Revolutionary war deponent resided in the County of Westchester in the State of New York where he had removed when about the age of Seven years with his parents from Oyster Bay in Queens County, the place of his birth.  
Deponent further saith that he entered the service of the United States as one of militia during the year 1776 and as nearly as deponent can recollect in the month of July or August in that year; that at the Battle of White Plains deponent served as a minute man
and continued as such for the period of five months, then next enlisting in the Regiment of which Samuel Drake was Colonel, Henry Strang was Captain, Joshua Drake Lieutenant, and Isaac Pinier (as deponent thinks the name was spelled) was major, that at the expiration of the said five months, deponent returned home and was not called out again until the month of March 1777 when the British forces landed at Peekskill and burnt the stores at that place, when deponent again served for the period of four months in the Horse picket of which John McCready had the charge, in the regiment which Colonel Drake above mentioned commanded, Elvin Purdy being the Captain, Isaac Pinier (aforesaid) Major and John McCready, the Lieutenant; that at the expiration of the said period, deponent was ordered to Croton to guard the lines, where he remained for the period of ten months serving
in the regiment of which Elvin Purdy was Captain, Samuel Drake, Colonel, I. Pinier,
aforesaid, Major; and Smith Heddy, Lieutenant, after which period deponent left the service of the United States and
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and returned to his home in the northern part of Westchester County until the period of the Capture of General Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown when deponent again entered the service of the United States as a volunteer for the period of Nine months in the regiment of which Samuel Drake, before mentioned, was Colonel, John Drake the Captain; Daniel Delavan the acting major and, as deponent thinks, Richard Smith was the Lieutenant and was employed on the lines.  That after the deponent had served three months in the last mentioned situation, he was obliged to return home and thereupon hired a substitute whose name deponent does not now recollect to serve in the same capacity in the place of deponent for the remaining six months.
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] Thomas Thorn

Sworn and Subscribed 
the 18th day of June 1835
before me
T. Jones
Chief Justice of the Superior Court of the City of New York


Southern district of New York
City and County of New York } ss:

We Stephen Bantine and John Oakley
residing in the City of New York hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Thorn who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be Eighty two years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
[signed]  Stephen Bantine
John Oakley

Sworn and Subscribed
this 18th day of June 1835
before me
T. Jones,
Chief Justice of the Superior Court 
of the City of New York
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Interrogatories propounded to Thomas Thom an applicant for a pension under the act of Congress passed June 7. 1832

First Interrogatory: Where and in what year were you born?
Answer: In Queens County, L.I., township of Oyster Bay on the 13th October AD 1752
Second interrogatory: Have you any record of your age & if so where is it?
Answer: Yes, in the family Bible in the possession of respondent.
Third Interrogatory: Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war and where do you now live?
Answer: in Westchester County about 5 miles from Peekskill in the State of New York where respondent remained when out of service until
the year when Thomas Jefferson was appointed President of the U.S., when respondent moved to New York where he has resided ever since.
Fourth Interrogatory: How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute? And if a substitute for
whom?
Answer: Respondents name was taken down on a Roll by Capt Strang or Purdy, (Respondent does not recollect which.) He was subsequently named out when his services
were required until the period when he volunteered as set forth in the preceding petition.
Fifth Interrogatory: State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the troops where you served; such continental and militia
Regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.
Answer: Col. Samuel Drake; Capt Henry Strang; Capt Elvin Purdy; John Drake, Major; Delavan Major; I. Pinier, Lieut. J. McCready were some
of the Officers - Respondent can state nothing further respecting the general circumstances of his service than is contained in his statement already sworn to
Sixth Interrogatory: Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it?
Answer:  Respondent never received a written discharge but upon the termination of the Revolutionary war was verbally discharged with the rest of his Company.
Seventh Interrogatory:  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 service as a soldier of the Revolution?
Answer: Stephen Bartine & John Oakley already named. Respondent is also known to
J. S. Astor of the City & Aaron Baldwin of the City & Peter Van Cortlandt of Westchester County
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And I the said Chief Justice do hereby declare my opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department that the within named applicant was a revolutionary
soldier and served as he states. And I further certify that it appears to me that Stephen Bartine and John Oakley who have signed the preceding certificate are credible persons and that their statement is Entitled to credit, and I also certify that by reason of bodily infirmity the applicant nor Eunice Oakley whose affidavit is hereunto annexed are able to attend in Court.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my hand this 18th day of June 1835
T. Jones
Chief Justice of the superior Court of the City of New York

Southern District of New York. 
I, Charles Clinton, Clerk of the Superior Court of the City of New York do hereby certify that Samuel Jones, Esquire is the Chief Justice of the said Court, (that it is a Court of Record) and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal
the Eighteenth day of June 1835
Charles A. Clinton

Southern district of New York, ss: 
Eunice Oakley, being duly sworn deposeth and saith that she is seventy four years of age, that she has heard the statement subscribed and
sworn to by Thomas Thorn carefully read to her and has a distinct and accurate
recollection of the different periods at which said Thorn has therein stated he served in the American Army; that the said Statement is in all respects just and true that deponent was in the habit of leaving his own home during the periods when said Thorn left his house to serve in the army and remaining with the wife of said Thorn, (who was deponent's sister) during his absence-- to which fact as a great
measure deponent attributes her distinct recollection of the period of service as set forth and sworn by said Thorn. 
Eunice Oakley
Sworn this 18 day of June 1835, before me
T. Jones, Chief Justice of the Superior Court of the City of New York
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Southern District of New York } ss.
On this Twelfth day of November in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight Hundred and thirty four personally appeared in open Court before the Court of the General Sessions of the peace
now sitting, Thomas Thorn a resident of the City of New York in the County of New York and State of New York and district aforesaid aged Eighty two years on the thirteenth day of October last past 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 was born at Oster Bay on Long Island in the County of Queens in the State of New York aforesaid in the year one thousand Seven Hundred and fifty two; that about the age of seven years deponent left the Island with his parents and removed to Westchester County where he continued to reside until the
commencement of the Revolutionary War.
Deponent further saith that he entered
the service of the United States as one of the militia during the year 1776 and as nearly as deponent can recollect in the month of July or August in that year. That at the Battle of
White Plains deponent served for the period of five months as a minute man under Captain Henry Strang in the regiment commanded by Colonel Samuel Drake and continued in the service of the United States in that capacity
until the month of March 1777, when the British forces landed at Peekskill and burnt the stores at that place, when deponent served on the Horse Picket at that place for four
months under Captain Elvin Purdy; from which period until the surrender of General Burgoyne in the month of October 1777 deponent acted as a minute man in the service of United States when deponent was ordered to Croton
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River to guard the lines where he remained for the period of five months under command of Captain Purdy - after which time deponent left the service of the United States and returned
to his home in the northern part of Westchester County and there remained until the period of the Capture of General
Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown, when deponent again entered the service of the United States as a volunteer for the period of Nine months (on the regiment of which Samuel Drake was Colonel and John Drake the Captain) to guard the American line, in which capacity deponent served for the period of three months, when being obliged to return to his home.  Deponent hired a substitute whose name deponent does not now recollect to serve in the same capacity for the period of six months. Deponent further saith that on diverse occasions from the above last mentioned period until the termination of the war, deponent acted as a volunteer on
scouting parties under the command of Colonel John Hyatt and Captain Henry Strang. Deponent further saith that to the best
of deponent's knowledge and belief, there is not at present a single person living of the regiment to which deponent belonged and
he has no documentary evidence that he can produce or any person whose testimony he can procure to testify to his service as above set forth.
Deponent 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
in open Court, 13th Nov., 1834
Thom. Thorn

Southern district of New York ss: }
We, Peter Bartine and Stephen Bartine residing
in the City of New York hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Thorn who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be Eighty two
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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] Peter Bartine
Stephen Bartine

Sworn and subscribed
in Open Court Nov. 13. 1834
H. Meigs Clerk

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 Peter Bartine and Stephen Bartine who have signed the preceding certificate are residents of the City of New York and are credible
persons and that their statements are entitled to credit.
R. Riker - Recorder
Robt C. Cornell - Alderman
Ames Ferris - Alderman

I, Henry Meigs, Clerk of the Court of General Sessions of the peace do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Thomas Thorn for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 13th day of November in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight Hundred and thirty four
H. Meigs, Clerk
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Rev. & 1812 Wars
Section.
May 17, 1926.

Ernest A. Robinson,
47 Maple Ave.
Hagaman, N. Y.

Sir:

I have to advise you, that from the papers in
the Revolutionary War pension claim, R. 10568, it appears that Thomas Thorn was born at Oyster Bay, N. Y. October 13, 1752, and while living in Westchester Co., N. Y. he served from July, or August 1776, for five months as a minute-man in Captain Henry Strang's Co.,
Colonel Samuel Drake's N. Y. Regiment, also from March 1777 for fourteen months as a minute man in Captain Alvan Purdy's Company, Colonel Samuel Drake's N.Y.
Regiment and, after the surrender of Cornwallis, he served three months as a minute-man in Captain John Drake's Company, Colonel Samuel Drake's N. Y. Regiment.
He was also out on some scouting parties in said regiment.
He applied for pension November 12, 1834, while living in New York City, but his claim was not allowed as he failed to furnish proof of military service in the field, as required by the pension laws.
He had a wife, but her name is not on record and it is not stated whether he had children.
Respectfully,

Commissioner

[Handwritten along the left margin]: The cause of rejection as stated is very unsatisfactory.  He is found in N.Y. archives on said regiment, but he states that he was a minute-man and guarded the lines, while the laws required actual military service in the field, which he did not claim.  Minute service not pensionable.
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10,568
Thomas Thorn
Service:
Enlisted:
Discharged:
Application filed:

[Stamped:  REJECTED ]

The printed list of 1852 gives cause of rejection as "The original declaration
was demanded June 22, 1835, but it has not
been sent to the department"
Attorney:
P. O.
Recognized.
Contract.

[Right-hand column]
1911 Apl. 15 - Hist. to Mrs. C.D. Eastman
1913 Nov. 13 - Hist. to Addie W. Crawford
letter in R. File 10568 Thomas Thorn
1926 May 17. Hist. to Ernest A. Robinson
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New York June 18, 1835

Sir:
Enclosed I transmit another declaration on behalf of Thomas Thorn for a pension -- the directions contained in the circular you were kind enough to forward have been complied with as fully as circumstances would admit
of, and I trust that the case will now meet with a favorable reception.
From the prompt manner in which the former application was acted upon I deem it unnecessary to recommend this matter to your earliest consideration.
With great respect
I have the honor to be
very respectfully
Your obdt servt

Adolph Gouverneur
5/2, Pine St.

James L. Edwards, Esquire
Comm. of Pensions
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New York Nov 13. /34

Sir

I have the honor of submitting the enclosed affidavit by & on behalf of Thomas Thorn, a revolutionary soldier who is now in very feeble health and compelled by necessity to make application for pension.
The proceedings, as I believe, [are] drawn in compliance with the latest direction from the Pension Office, with the exception that the witnesses are neither of them clergymen, Mr. Thorn not having been able to procure the attendance of one.  The Court, however, before whom the proceedings were had, did not deem a certificate of a clergyman indispensable on the present occasion.
As the petitioner is both infirm and destitute he prays that his case may be acted upon at the earliest convenience of the department.
I have the honor to be
Your very obedient servant,
A.N. Gouverneur
5-1/2 Pine Street

The Hon. Lewis Cass
Sect'y of War
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A.N. Gouverneur
June 22, 1835
C.C.
Recd Vol. 33.  pa. 498.
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War Department
Pension Office
June 22, 1835

Sir:
Your letter enclosing a new declaration
of Thomas Thorn is received. The original
which necessarily forms a part of the case should be transmitted before another examination
takes place-

A.N. Gouverneur, Esq.
Pine Street
N. Y.
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July '75 Strang, Drake - 5 mo.
Mar. '77 - Purdy  --  14 mo.
'81 - Major Pinier, Lt. Smith, Col. Drake - 3 & substitute
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Plymouth, Wis. April 10, 1911.

Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.

Do the names of Henry Carman and  Thomas Thorn, both soldiers in the Revolutionary Army from Westchester Co., N.Y. appear in the pension lists?
These two men are great great grandfathers
of mine and I wish their records to enable me to join one of our patriotic orders-
Respectfully,
[Mrs C.D.]
Amy M. Eastman
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[circular stamp] RECORDS DIVISION, APR 11, 1911

APR 11, 1911

[CIRCULAR STAMP]
U.S. PENSION OFFICE D
APR 11 1911
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47 Maple Ave.,
Hagaman, N. Y.
March 15 1926.

Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.

GENTLEMEN:

Please inform me if pensions were granted to the following ancestors; -
Thomas Thorne [handwritten note (R10568)] who lived at North Castle, Westchester County N.Y., and served in the 3rd Regt, Westchester County Militia. Also THOMAS MERRITT [handwritten note (there was one, but he was of the Ulster Co. Mil.)] who served in the 8th Regt, Albany County Militia N. Y. under COL. Robert Van Rensselaer.

Thanking you, I remain,
Respectfully yours,
Ernest A. Robinson
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In reply to your request of ___ received___
for a statement of the military history of Thomas Thorn, 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.
R. File 10568
[handwritten note: get rej. letter]
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT
(1) July or Aug. 76 - 5 mo. - minuteman - Capt. Henry Strang, Lt. Col. John Hyatt, Col. Samuel Drake, N.Y.
(2) Mch. 1777 - 14 mo. - minuteman - Capt. Alvain Purdy, Col. Samuel Drake
(3) after surrender of Cornwallis- 3 mo. - minuteman - Capt. John Drake, Col. Samuel Drake

[handwritten note] same reg't as above

Battles engaged in,
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Westchester Co.., N.Y.
Date of Application for Pension, Nov. 12, 1834
Residence at date of application, New York City
Age at date of application, born Oct. 13, 1752, at Oyster Bay, N.Y.
Remarks:  Pension was never allowed for the reason that claimant failed to furnish proof of  allowed service as required under the pension law of June 2, 1932 under which he applied.
- he had a wife -