Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 17,176, Caleb Ward, Continental. New Jersey
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
Continental
New Jersey
CONTENTS
Ward, Caleb
NUMBER
S. 17.176
carded
Page 2

New York No 24.916
Caleb Ward
Richmond Co. in the State of N. York
was a Private in the company commanded
Captain Squier of the Regt. commanded
on Van Cortlandt in the N. Jersey Mill
for 8 months & 3 days Continental
and
Inscribed on the Roll of N. York
the rate of 27 Dollars - Cents per annum
commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 19th day of March
1834 and sent to Hon. J. Parker
H. R.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1834
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep "
81.00
13.50
$94.50
Recorded by D. Brown
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.
Book E Vol. 4
Cler
Page 129
Page 3

30. 110
application of
Caleb Ward of the County
of Richmond, New York
for the benefit of the act
of Congress passed 7th
June 1832 -
service in Allied Arm
& as carpenter at Morris
town disallowed
original declaration
details 8 Mo 3d of me
litary service and not
admissible to enlarge it
by deposition before a
Magistrate
Adm
hos pri
Hon. L Parker
Page 4


Declaration of Caleb Ward of the County of Richmond
Staten Island, New York, in order to obtain the benefit
the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
of New York
Richmond County
December
On this Eleventh day of April in the
year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty three, personally
 appeared in open Court before the Judges of the
Court of Common Pleas holden at the within and
for the County of Richmond, now sitting, Caleb Ward
a resident of the Township of Westfield in the County
of Richmond aforesaid, aged Seventy two years and four
months, 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 on the twelfth day of ┃
December A.D. 1760 in the then Township of Newark
now set off and known as the Township of Livingston in the ┃
County of Essex and State of New Jersey, as appears by
the old family record in his possession
produced in Court - That he resided at the place
of his nativity except when absent from home as hereinafter
is stated untill on or about the 24th day of May A.D.
1783. when he removed to the City of Philadelphia, and
from thence removed on or about the Eighth day of
July in the year 1788, to the County of Richmond State
Island New York, in the Township of Westfield, where he
has resided ever since being upwards of forty years
That as soon as he was sixteen years of age which was
on the twelfth of December A.D. 1776, he entered the
Service of the United States as a Militia man and was ┃
enrolled in the company of Militia commanded by Captain
Elijah Squier, Caleb Hatfield first Lieutenant Abraham
Ludlow, Second Lieutenant, and Matthias Ross Ensign, which ┃
company belonged to the Second Battalion commanded by
Major Samuel Hayes of Newark now deceased, in the Regis
ment of Esse, Militia commanded by Colonel Philip Van
Cortlandt, now deceased. That the first duty he did was
in the month of May 1777 at Newark aforesaid where
he remained for one month standing guard with the company
above mentioned, and at the expiration of his month which
Page 5

2.
was in the latter part of June following he returned home
I
That in the month of July of the same year he did and the
months duty in the Town of Newark aforesaid standing
guard, which month ended some time in August following
which duty was done under the captain & in the Company
aforesaid that in the month of November following and
in the same year he did another months duty standing
guard at and about the Newark Ferry on the road leading
to New York, which month ended sometime in December
following, which duty be did under Captain Isaac Gil
of and in the year of Newark. That on the 12th
day of March following in the year 1778, he did another month
duty as a substitute for one Joseph Camp now deceased
standing guard part of the time at Bound part of
the time at Low's Cock, each of which places are in the
vicinity of Newark and part of the time in the Town of
Newark under Captain Josiah Pierson as above mention
That as soon as said month duty expired he commenced
and did one months duty as a substitute for John Marsh
who has since removed to the Westward and whom this
applicant knows not whether he be alive or not at this time
which duty was performed at Newark standing guard
That as soon as this months duty expired he commenced
and die one other month's duty it being his turn of
duty, which he performed at Newark and its vicinity
standing guard as aforesaid, which two last months he
performed the first be thinks under one Captain Lyon
of Lyons Farm near Newark and the second under Captain
Thomas Williams of Orange near Newark -- That during the
month of September the latter part thereof he did
another month's duty under Captain Robert Nichols of
and at Newark, standing guard as aforesaid - That in con
sequence of a wound in his leg he did no more duty until
the year following, when in the latter of May A.D. 1777 be com
menced and did one months duty standing guard as
aforesaid at Newark under Captain Josiah Pierson
above mentioned in that during the summer of 1779 he did
no monthly tours of duty excepting during alames when
all were obliged to turn out- That General Washington
and army being at Morris Town, New Jersey, during the
full & winter following, and being in want of it
ficers
Page 6

3.
oficers and this applicant being a carpenter by trade be
went to Morris Town aforesaid and joined the corps of art
oficers under Captain Peter Dickerson on the 13th day
of December 1779 and continued therein until the 29th
day of January 1780, when he returned home by permission
and received a certificate of his leaving per
on said duty and also of the amount of pay coming
but which certificate be sometime afterwards lost or
Milne and has never directly or indirectly received
any money
thereon or any compensation for said service
That during his service at Morris Town aforesaid he
saw General Washington every day being employed
at his quarters in building his carriage house &c which
quarters were at Col Ford's residence in the Chatham Road
but near the Town. That after they completed the Carriage
house to this applicant and other certifices were employ
in building store houses to contain provisions for the
army and built also a log house for the Guard over the store
That in June following (1780) the alarm was spread throut
the County that the British were marching from Elizabeth
Town towards Springfield Essex County, New Jersey when
this applicant turned out with his company and marched towards Springfield, but when they reached there
found that the enemy had retreated towards Connecticut
Farms meeting house where this applicant follow
them with his company where he was placed on
Guard and contained there until he returned home, which
was in about ten days from the time he left home.
That he did no more duty until in the month of Janua
1781 when he did one month's duty standing guard
Newark under Captain Robert Nichols of Newark aforesaid
That on the 27th of August following (1781) The appli
cant with six
others penters and one Black
with joined the French Army then Compton
Bergen County, New Jersey. commanded by Court De
Rochambean, as artificers and were commanded by
Captain William Cocker of Newark, a Carpenter by
trade, That the army started next morng & marched
Morris Town, that this applicant marched with
his corps of Artificers.
doing duty & mending waggons at
on the rout, as was required, in said army from Morris
Page 7


4.
Town said Army and this applicant marched to Baskingridge in Morris County from thence thro the intermediate owing to Princeton where they halted two
day, and then marched to Trenton there crossed the
Delaware River and marched to Philadelphia where
they battled two days when they crossed the Schuylkill River and marched to Chester from thence on to
Wilmington, Delaware, thence to New Castle to Christ
from thence to the head of the Elk River where some of the
American & French Troops embarked on board of vessels
and sailed down the Chesapeake. That this applicant
a part of the army marched on to the Susquehannah River
which they crossed & marched on the small places to
Baltimore where the greater part of the Army embarked up
sailed down the Chesapeake that this applicant with ┃
sufficient number on to guard the hospital waggons
hage waggons he marched on by land to Annapolis, where ┃
the remainder of the Troops were embarked and sailed for
York Town Virginia with the exception of a sufficient
incumber only to guard + protect the hospital waggons, baggage
wrongs among whom were this applicant & his corps of
certificers who marched by land to George Town Maryland
where they crossed the Potomac River from thence marched
to Alexandria Virginia from thence marched to Colchester
from thence to Dumpies from thence to Falmouth from
thence to Fredricksburgh from thence to the Bowling Green
from thence to Hanover Court House from thence to
they reached on the 7th October &
Williamsburgh which was the place of deposit for the
stores of the Army destined against York Town, and where
this applicant was stationed and employed in mending
the waggons and otherwise engaged until the 16th
day of December 1781 when he received his discharge
and retiton home on the 8th of January 1782. That
said discharge was lost from his possession about the
year 1808 or 9. That during the time he was stationed at
William Dingler the Battle of York Town was fought, and
he there saw General Washington, General La Fayette, Roe
Charlean and other Superior officers - That he is confident
he did fifteen months and a half as will appear by the
eration of his services as above mentioned, during
said war besides numbers of alarms when all were obliged
Page 8

5.
to turn out whether it was their regular tour of duty or
not that the reason why he did duty under so many
different captains at the enrolled in one particular
company was that the officers as well as men did
duty in classes and performed it whenever then to ┃
came round which often happened when the class over
whom they commanded was not composed of the members ┃ of
their own company but of the Regiment to which they
were attached. That he has no documentary eviden
and he knows of no persons now living who can testi
by to his services excepting Caleb Ward and Enos Pierson
both of the County of Essex, New Jersey, whose affidavits
, each taken before Stephen R. Grown Esqr one of the
Justices of the Peace of the County of Essex aforesaid and
authenticated under the land and seal of the Park of
said County, are hereunto annexed - He hereby relin
quishes 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 in
Sworn and Subscribed
the day and year first
above mentioned before me
Caleb
his
1
Ward
Walter Betts, Clk.
Mark
2
We William Cole
a Clergyman residing in the
Township of Westfield in the County of Richmond
New York and Richard De Bois - residing in the same
do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with
Caleb Ward who has subscribed and sworn to the above
declaration, that we believe him to be upwards
of seventy 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
Sworn & subscribed
M Col
&
the day and year aforesaid
Lewis R Marsh
Richard Dubois
Comm &
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion,
after the investigation of the matter and after putting
the
Page 9

6.
the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department
that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary
soldier and served as he states - And the Court for
ther certify that it appears to them that William
Cole
---
who has signed the preceding certifeicate, is a Clergyman resident in the Township of Westfield aforesaid, and that Richard Du Bois
who has also signed the same is resident in the same,
and is a credible person, and that their statement is
entitled to credit and beliefof

Jan Tyson First Judge
A Chinn
Paul Mersereau
J. Walter Betts
Clerk of the Court of ┃
Common Pleas of the County of Richmond aforesaid
do hereby certify that the foregoing, and the annexed
affidavits of Caleb Ward of the Township of Livingston
and of Enos Pierson of the Township of Orange, both
in the County of Essex New Jersey, contain the original
proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the ap
plication of Caleb Ward of the Township of West
field in this County for a pension and that
they consist of the Declaration of the said Caleb
are subscribed & sworn before the Court aforesaid
of the certificate of Revd William Crowell and
---
Richard De Bois
---
as to the character and the
tation of the said Caleb Ward of the certificate of
the Court aforesaid signed by Job Tyson Paul Merse
peace and Abraham Crocheron
-
Esquire, Judges of said Court and of the affidavits of
Caleb Wait and Enos Pierson of the County of Essex New Jersey
duly taken before S. R. Grove Esqr Justice of the
Peace as authenticated by the Clerk of the County of
Essex and hereunto annexed which documents were all
bound together by a proper ligating and the end there
passed under the seal of this Court ┃
previous to my affixing my signature
to the certificate
In testimony where
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7.
of I have hereunto set my
hand and seal of Office at ┃
the age of Richmond in the County of
Richmond aforesaid this
Eleventh day of December
in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and thirty three-
Walter Betts Clk
Page 11

New Jersey
Essex County
9.
-
Be it remembered that on this fifth day of
April A.D. eighteen hundred and thirty three
personally appeared before me Stephen R. Brown
Esquire one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the County of
Essex in the State of New Jersey aforesaid, Caleb Ward of the
Township of Livingston in the County of Essex aforesaid, who
being duly sworn according to Law on his oath saith that
he is now in the Eighty fourth year of his age that he will be
eighty four years old on the seventeenth day of May
next, as appears by the family record now in his posses
sion, that he was born in that part of the Township of
Newark now set off and called the Township of Livingston
where he has resided with the exception of two or three years
ever since, that he is personally acquainted with Calleb
Ward of Staten Island in the State of New York who is applying
for a Pension under the act of Congress passed June 7th AD.
1832, and has known him from his infancy, that said applicants father and the grand father of this deponent, were
brothers, that said applicant was born and brought up ┃
within two miles of the residence of this deponent in the
Township aforesaid, that said applicant resided at his place of
nativity, except when absent on duty during the war as here
inafter stated, until the year of our Lord Seventeen hundred
and eighty three, when he removed to the City of Philadelphia
and thence removed to the County of Richmond, Staten Island
in the State of New York, where he has resided ever since that
he believes said applicant is now about seventy two years
of age, that as soon as said applicant was of the age of sixteen
years, he was enrolled in the company of Militia commanded
by Captain Elijah Squier, Caleb Hatfield first Lieutenant
Abraham Ludlow Second Lieutenant, and Matthias Ross
Ensign, in which company this deponent was also enrolled
both served as privates therein until the close of the
Revolutionary war, except at such times as this deponent was
absent in the regular service as he has specified in his Declaration or application for a pension already sent on the War
Department, and except at such times as said applicant
was present in the regular service as is hereinafter mentioned
and as the said applicant has specified in his declaration
which this deponent verily believes to be the truth and
Page 12

10.
correct, that the company to which said applicant and
this deponent belonged was divided into four classes, and
were drafted to do monthly tours of duty, by classes, which may
brought their duty every four months, but that they often
did duty by half companies or two classes which made there
hours of duty more frequent. That this deponent was
open drafted in the classes in which said applicant was
not included, which makes it impossible for this deponent
by reason of his age and infirmities also, to specify the
particular months in which said applicant did duty
but this deponent verily believes that said applicant did
his monthly tours of duty which amounted to about four
months each year from the time said applicant entered the
service which was in the year seventeen hundred and seventy
seven, until the close of the Revolutionary war, that the
monthly tours of duty were performed by said applicant
principally in the County of Essex in standing guard
at Newark and elsewhere the said County besides being
out frequently in alarms-- That during said war as this de
ponent, believes, in the latter part of the summer of the year
seventeen hundred and Eighty one, said applicant with
others volunteered and joined a French Army then lying
at Pompton in the County of Bergen, New Jersey, as an
tifice, said applicant being a carpenter by trade, and was
absent from home four months and a half and understood
at the time that said applicant had been all that time
with the French Army and has marched South with
them to York Town in Virginia. working as an certifier with said Army - That this deponent verily believe
said applicant did other duty that what this deponent
have mentioned but of which this deponent does not now
recollect, but that said applicant was a good soldier
throughout the war & further this deponent saith not
Caleb Ward
to
Taken & sworn before me the day and year first above
mentioned, and I do hereby certify that I am well ac
quainted with Caleb Ward the deponent who has signed
above affidavit, that he is an old & respectable in
itant of the County of Essex, and is entitled to full credit
1
and belief
Page 13

New Jersey
Essex County ⎬ Be it remembered that on this twelfth day of
April A.D. 1833 personally appeared before me
Esquire one of the Justices of the Peace
for the County of Essex aforesaid, Enos Pierson of the Town
ship of Orange in the County of Essex aforesaid who being duly
sworn according to law on his oath saith that he is now
aged seventy years and nine months, that he was a
the
resident of the Township of Newark during the Revolut
tionary war and did duty at that time in the service of
the United States as Militia man in the County of Essex
aforesaid and that he has resided where he now lives which ┃
was in those days included in the Township of Newark) ever
since his boyhood. That he is personally acquainted with
Caleb Ward now residing in Richmond County, State
Island, New York, who has this deponent understand is app
ing for the benefit of the Act of Congress passed pine
7th AD 1832, and that he was well acquainted with said
ward during the Revolutionary War. That this deponent
did during said war about four months duty at dis
ferent times, which service was altogethe performed in
and near the Town of Newark, in monthly tours, standing guard - That he distinctly recollects said ward
was on duty with this deponent two of those months
at least, it may be more, at this deponent by reason
of his age and infirmities cannot recollect seeing him for
a longer term, and that they and one of those monthly
tours of duty under Captain Robert Nichols of Newark
but by whom they were commanded in the other to of
duty this deponent does not recollect - he however is
positive that said ward and two monthly toung at dif
ferent times with this deponent during said ward
he believes said ward did many other tours of duty as
said ward was called out before this deponent was to do duty
and did duty for a length of time after this deponent
performed his four monthly tours as above mentioned
and further this deponent saith not
Enos Pierson
Taken, subscribed & sworn before me the day & year first above
written and I do hereby certify that I am well acquaint with
in or upon the above named deponent, that he is an old and respect
inhabitant of the County of Essex entitled to full credit & be
Grove Justice of the Peace
11
Page 14

12.
State of New Jersey
County of Essex
ss I Elias Van Arsdale Jun. Clerk of the
Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of
of
Ester Do hereby certify that Stephen R. Grover Esqr before
whom the foregoing affidavits of Caleb Ward and Enos
person were made and taken, was at the time of when
the said affidavits were so made and taken and still is
one of the Justices of the peace for said County of Esta
residing therein duly commissioned and sworn. That the signatures
S. R. Grover. affixed to the affidavits aforesaid is the proper hand
writing of said Justice, and that full faith may be given to his official
In Witness Whereof, I have hereto set my hand and the seal of
said Court at Newark in the County aforesaid, the Twelfth day of April
A.D. Eighteen hundred and thirty three-- (1833)
the Elias Van Arsdale
State of New York
Richmond County
On this nineteenth day of
February, in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and thirty four, Before me Lewis R March a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Richmond in the State of New York personally came Caleb Ward
of Westfield in the said County, personally known to me,
and in addition to the facts set forth in the preceding declaration, and affidavits, and being first duly sworn according to
law, doth on his oath make the following additional declaration
, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed
June 7th 1832 Thursence the declaration made by him before
the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County
on the eleventh day of December 1833 he has found the record
of his age and which he now produces, by which it appears
he was born on the twelfth day of December 1760. That inhis
preceding declaration he has mentioned that he served in
various alarms, independent of the monthly service therein
Page 15

stated of which alarms he recollect the following - That in
October 1779 the refugees & light horse under Colonel Time
started from Belly from Staten Island, were our home
by & from thence to Boundbrook and there distroyed the that
seats besides committing other acts of rage, when they retur
to Staten Island by way of New Brunswick & South
soon bridge that the militia of above 30 in number under
Capt Elijah Squien of which party he was and took the alarm
& proceeded immediately to Newark on their way to Br ┃
brook, where they received notice of the British & refugees
indeed the whale boats and returned-
Thom June 1778 he went as a militia man, with man
others under Capt Josiah Pierson to New Brunswick under the
order of General Wm Wynd, on their way to form the
american army in Monmouth when finding it impossible
as pass Southoever, the bridge being down they were again
ordered home after having been our eight days as part
That in answer to question of the reposed be the
Department he refers to Matthew Decker and John
Totten Esqr living in his present neighbourhood, who
testify as to his character for veracity, and their belief of his
services of his soldier of the revolution-
Sworn & subscribed
his
before me the day & year
Caleb Ward
aforesaid
Lewis R Marsh
justice  peace,
State of New York
Richmond County
.
mark
Walter Betts Clerk of the four
of Common Pleas in and for the for
ty of Richmond in the State afore
said do hereby certify that Lewis R Marsh Cree whose
name is subscribed to the foregoing declaration was the day
the case of said certificate a Justice of the Peace and
Commissioner in and for the said County residing in the
said County commissioned and sworn and duly auth
Page 16

12.
ized to take the said declaration and that I am well
aquainted with his handwriting, and do certify that the
signature of Lewis R March" thereto is genuine
I as further certify that the printed Certificate
dated Seventh December 1833, among the foregoin doe
ment was duly given by me and attached by a water
adjacent to the Certificate of William Cole Clergyman
Richard Dubois page - And for for this proof of the
genuiness of the foregoing documents I have now again
connected them together with tape and passed the ener
of the same under the Seal of the said County - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and affixed the Seal of the
said County this Nineteenth
day of February 1834
Waller Betts Clk.
Page 17

1812 Wars Section
Laura B. Yetman
36 Arthur Kill Road
Tottenville, New York
Madam:
August 20, 1926

I have to advise you that from the papers in the
Revolutionary War pension claim S. 17176 it appears that
Caleb Ward was born December 18, 1760 in Newark Township
the part which was later Livingston Township), Essex
County, New Jersey where he resided until in 1783.
He enlisted December 12, 1776, served as a private in
various times on short tours, and numbers of alarms, under
Captains Elijah Squire, Isaac Gillam, Josiah Pierson, Lyon,
Thomas Williams and Robert Nichols, and Colonel Philip,
Van Cortland in the New Jersey Troops. He enlisted December 13,
1779, served in Captain Peter Dickerson's Company of Artificers
until January 29, 1780, and enlisted August 27, 1781,
served in Captain William Cocker's Company of Artificers, during
the Siege of Yorktown was stationed at Williamsburg, Virginia
and was discharged December 18, 1781. His entire service
included about sixteen months.
In 1783 he moved to Philadelphia and in July 1788 moved to
Westfield Township, Richmond County, New York where
Page 18

Rev.

he was allowed pension on his application executed
December 11, 1833.
It is not stated whether he was ever married.

his soldier had a consin Caleb Ward born in 1749 whose
grand father was brother of this soldier's father - Bath
Calebs were in service
together a part of he 
time & both were born served from some
place & both pensioners


Respectfully,

 E. W. MORGAN
Acting Commissioner.
Page 19

state of New York
County of Richmond
I, Walter Pitts
Clerk of the County of Richmond DO HEREBY CERTIFY,
That Lewis R. Marsh (whose name is
subscribed to the Certificate of the
of
was on the day of the
date of the said Certificate, a Commissioner in and for the said
County, residing in the said County, commissioned and sworn, and duly
authorized to take the same. And further, that I am well acquainted with
the hand-writing of the said Commissioner and verily believe
that the signature to the said Certificate of L. A. Marsh is
genuine.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed
the seal of the said County, the eleventh
day
of December 1833.
Walter Pitts
Page 20

for
Washington Feb. 26, 1834
of 7 June 1832.
I enclose the papers and amended declaration of Caleb
Ward of Richmond County N.Y. claiming a Pension under the act
pectfully
James Parker
James L. Edwards Esq
Page 21

5336 Arthur Kill Road,
Tottenville, N. Y.
June 23rd, 1926
To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:
Will you kindly inform me of the military
service and family data of Caleb Ward who was placed
on the Pension Roll of the United States of America
on March 19th, 1834 for service as private in New York
Continental line, and who was at that time a
resident of Richmond County, New York?
Thanking you for any attention that the
above request may receive, I am
Very truly yours,
Yeoman
Laura B Regent
Abraham Cole Chapter, N. S. D. A. R.
Page 22

7.176
INVALID.
No.
Calib Ward
Pri Rev War
Jr
---
Act: June
Hex: -- Vol. Page 395
(Arrangement of 1870.}
1926 - Aug. 20. Hist. to Laura
B. Selman - M.F.