Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 1058, for Henry Mershon, New Jersey
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE
New Jersey

Mershon, Henry

NUMBER
S. 1058
carded
===
CONTENTS
Page 2

280081
New Jersey
===
Henry Mershon, dec'd
of Hunterdon Co in the State of New Jersey
who was a Musician in the compy commanded
by Captain Hunt of the regt commanded
by Col. -- in the N. Jersey Mili
for 10 month f 1776.
===
Inscribed on the Roll of New Jersey
at the rate of 36. Dollars 66 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
===
Certificate of Pension issued the 15 day of February
1834 and sent to W. Halstead,
Trenton, N.J.
===
Arrears to the 4th of Sept.
Semi-ant. allowance ending
amount due heirs
to 8th July 1833.  $82.94
heirs Julia Green, Benj
B. Mershon, Rhoda Mershon
& Randall Mershon
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Wm Allison Clerk
Book E Vol. 3 Page 122
Page 3

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the
act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
On this fourteenth day of August in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally
appeared in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas now
sitting in and for the County of Hunterdon in the State of
New Jersey Henry Mershon formerly a resident of the
said County of Hunterdon in the State of New Jersey but
at present a resident in the city of Philadelphia, aged
Seventy seven years five months and twenty three days,
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 viz that he
was born in the township of Maidenhead in the County of Hunterdon in the year 1755
that he entered the same of the United Sates as a drafted
militia man under Capt John Hunt of the
township of Hopewell in the County of Hunterdon aforesaid,
where this deponent then lived
a Mr Howell (whose christian name this deponent does
not recollect) being lieutenant; Col Thompson commanded
the regiment; it was in the month of July or August
in the year 1776 that this deponent first entered the service
and the company in which this deponent then was marched
from the township of Maidenhead (now Lawrence) through
Princeton and New Brunswick to Perth Amboy and he
remained there with his company one month, and in
the fall of the same year, he thinks in the month of October
he was again drafted for a months tour of duty and
marched with his company through Princeton and
New Brunswick to Smith's farm, and there served
the month out. That he was again drafted in the year
1777 for a months tour and marched with his company
to Elizabeth town in said State of New Jersey and there
served his months tour of duty out, and after that he
continued with his company another month at Eliza
Page 4

Elizabeth Town as a substitute, and after the termination of
the second month he served another and third months
tour of duty for himself; Colonel Joseph Phillips commanded
the regiment at Elizabeth Town at this time, General
Dickinson of the Jersey Militia was also there; that he
was again drafted in the year 1778 or 1779 (does not recollect
which) and marched from the said township of Maidenhead
through Princeton Somerville Morristown to Pompton
in the County of Bergen and State of New Jersey and lay
there about two weeks and from thence we marched to
Suckasuny [Succasunna?] Plains in the County of Morris, and there served
out the residue of the month. That he was again drafted
for a months tour of duty at the time the Pennsylvania
regiment revolted and he marched with his company
to Princeton and lay there some time and thence we
marched to the Baptist meeting house in the township of
Hopewell in the County of Hunterdon aforesaid, and lay
there some time and was then regularly discharged but
whether he was out a whole month at this time he does
not recollect. He was again drafted in the month of May
1778 and marched through Trenton
through Princeton & New Brunswick to Elizabeth Town
and then back again to Trenton and from Trenton we marched
to Monmouth Court house and that he served out his
months tour, which expired on the 27th of June, the day previous
to the battle of Monmouth at which time he was discharged
That he was again drafted for another months tour of duty
and marched under the command of Lieutenant Parks
to Colts neck in the County of Monmouth and lay
there the whole month this was for the purpose of
protecting that section of the country from the tories
That this deponent volunteered to serve a tour of a months
duty and marched on the eighth day of December
1776 under the command of Captain Phillip Phillips across the
Page 5

Delaware into the State of Pennsylvania the army of
General Washington crossed from the Jersey shore to
Pennsylvania the same evening and next morning, and remained
in Pennsylvania some days and recrossed the Delaware
previous to the battle of Princeton and served his
month out. That he volunteered again for a tour of duty
of three months and marched with his company through
Princeton and Somerville to Connecticut farms in
the County of Essex and lay there under the command
of Colonel Seely and Captain Freeman for three
months when he was regularly discharged
But he never had any written discharge at any time. That this
deponent in all the different times above stated served as a
musician That he does not recollect the names of any of the
continental officers. That he has no documentary evidence
and no record of his age
and that he knows of several persons who can testify that
this deponent was in the service but they cannot testify
as to the length of time he served; among these persons
he now recollects the names of Isaac Brearly of Lawrence
township, of Benjamin Price of the township
of Hopewell and of Andrew Mershon whose affidavit
is hereto annexed that he has resided since the revolutionary war in the
county of Hunterdon and of Somerset in New Jersey until last November when he
removed to Pennsylvania where he now resides.
That 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 agency of any State

Henry Mershon

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
in open Court
Benj Egbert

Hunterdon court of Common Pleas Personally appeared
in open Court Andrew Mershon who being duly sworn according
to law deposeth and saith that he is the brother of the above
named Henry Mershon, that he recollects that the said Henry served as a
militia men a number of tours of duty he recollects distinctly
when he marched on the eighth day of December 1776 when
Washington army was retreating from Rocky Hill to
the Delaware and passed over the Delaware be also
Page 6

recollects the time his Brother volunteered and served three months
at Connecticut farms, and be recollects that the time when his
brother marched to Pennsylvania above stated, that he did not
return until the Tuesday week after the battle of Princeton and that
he was gone more than a month.

Andrew Mershon

sworn and subscribed this 14th of
August 1832 in open Court
Benj Elbert

And the said Court of Common Pleas of the County of
Hunterdon do hereby declare their opinion after the
investigation of the matter and 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 V Brown who has signed the annexed certificate
is a clergyman resident in the township of Lawrence in
the County of Hunterdon and that Andrew Mershon who
has also signed the same is a resident in the same place
and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled
to credit

Benj Egbert
Robert K Reading
John Barton

I Isaac G Farlee Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas
of the County of Hunterdon do hereby certify that the foregoing
contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the
matter of the application of Henry Mershon for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and seal of office this 14th day of August
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and thirty two

Isaac G. Farlee Clk
Page 7

Hunterdon County ss We Isaac V Brown a
Clergyman residing in the township of Lawrence
formerly Maidenhead and Andrew Mershon
of the same place hereby certify that we are well
acquainted with Henry Mershon who has subscribed
and sworn to the above Declaration; that we
believe him to be seventy seven years of age; that he
is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood of
Lawrence where he formerly resided to have
have been a soldier of the revolution and that
we concur in that opinion

Isaac V. Brown
Andrew Mershon

Sworn and subscribed
this 13 day of August 1832
before me Henry Vancleve
of the Justices of the peace
in and for said County

State of New Jersey
Hunterdon County } ss. I Isaac G. Farlee Clerk of the
Court of Common Pleas in and for
the County of Hunterdon Do hereby certify that Henry
Van Cleve Esq. before whom the above affidavit was
taken then was and now is one of the Justices of the peace
in and for said County duly commissioned & sworn
and that full faith and credit are due to all
his official acts as such
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand
(over)
Page 8

and affixed the seal of said Court at
Flemington this fourteenth day of August
AD. Eighteen hundred and thirty two

Isaac G. Farlee Clk

[written upward]
Pension Papers
Henry Mershon
P.96319
Page 9

New Jersey ss Hunterdon County, Personally appeared
before David Johnston one of the Justices of the peace
in and for the County of Hunterdon, Andrew
Mershon of the township of Lawrence in the said
County who being duly sworn according to law
deposeth and saith that he is the brother of Henry
Mershon the applicant for a pension within named
That the said Henry Mershon was born and brought
up in the township of Lawrence formerly called
Maidenhead in the County of Hunterdon after he arrived
at the age of twenty one years he removed into
the County of Somerset and resided there a short time
and then returned again to the County of Hunterdon
where he resided (with exception of eight years during
which he removed to Somerset again,) until the month
of November A D 1831. at which time he went to
Philadelphia to live with his children who resided there
but the said Henry Mershon having lost his wife and
all his children having become of age and left him
did not keep house himself, but sometimes lived
with his children in Philadelphia and sometimes
with this deponent in the township of Lawrence
and that the said Henry Mershon considered the
township of Lawrence as his permanent residence
And this deponent further says that the reason
why the application of the said Henry Mershon
was not made in Philadelphia where he was
living at the time his papers bear date, was
because almost all the revolutionary services of the
said Henry Mershon were performed in the State
of New Jersey and because all his witnesses
resided there and it was on that account much
less expensive for him to make his application
in New Jersey than to carry his witnesses to
Philadelphia. And because he was very little
known in Philadelphia beyond the circle of
his own family and by no person there who could
testify any thing as to his services

And this deponent further says that he was
Page 10

thirteen years old on the eleventh day of October
AD 1777 and that he has a distinct recollection of
the time when his brother volunteered and served a
three months tour at Connecticut farms and also
when he left home on the 8th of December 1776 as
stated in the declaration of the said Henry Mershon
That he also recollects that his brother Henry
Mershon served a great number of tours of duty as a
private musician or fifer in the revolutionary
war that he the said Henry was always ready
and willing to go whenever called upon and did
go with cheerfulness and alacrity at every call,
that this Deponent recollects that upon one
occasion when he was marching
to the Eastern part of the State of New Jersey
and had proceeded with his company as far as
Princeton that old Richard Stockton Esq the
father of the late Richard Stockton deceased
applied to Col Phillips under whose command
the said Henry Mershon then was, to let the
said Henry Mershon remain at Princeton and
make some shoes for the said Stocktons family.
And the said Col Phillips gave the said
Henry Mershon permission so to do, but that
the said Henry Mershon declined so to do and
preferred doing his duty as a musician
with the troops and marched on with them.
And this Deponent says that from his own
recollection he has no hesitation in saying
that the said Henry Mershon served more
the twelve months as a private musician
in the revolutionary army. That to the
best of this deponents knowledge and belief the
said Henry Mershon served fourteen months
but he is not willing to swear positively he
served that time, but is willing to swear that he
served twelve months at least. And this
deponent further saith that the reason why
Page 11

the said Henry Mershon does not make a supplementary
affidavit to supply the omissions in his first
application, is that the said Henry Mershon died
on the eighth day of July last leaving four
children Julia Green, Benjamin B Mershon Rhoda
Mershon and Randall Mershon. The
reason why these objections were not obviated in the
life time of the said Henry Mershon is that his
papers by some mistake were not forwarded to the
person by whom they were originally sent to the
War Department and therefore did not come
to the hands of the said Henry Mershon during
his life time

Andrew Mershon

Sworn and subscribed to before
me January 25, 1834
DAVID JOHNSTON
Justice of the Peace

I David Johnston Justice of the peace of the County of
Hunterdon and State of New Jersey do hereby certy
that I am well acquainted with Andrew Mershon the
deponent whose name is subscribed to the foregoing
deposition and that the said Andrew Mershon a man of
credibility and respectability and that full faith and
credit ought to be given to his statements under oath
Witness my hand this 25th day of January 1834

DAVID JOHNSTON

I James D Westcott Secretary of
State of the State of New
Jersey do hereby certify that
David Johnston Esquire whose
name is subscribed to the
foregoing certificate and
deposition is a justice of the
Peace in and for the County
of Hunterdon and that
Page 12

his acts and doings as such
are entitled to full faith
and credit

In witness whereof I have
set my hand and caused
my official seal to be affixed
this twenty ninth day
of January in the year of
our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and thirty four

James D. Westcott
Page 13

[Top and bottom of form letter are missing]
for a statement of the military history of Henry Mershon
a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired
information as contained in his ["(or his widow's)" crossed out] application for
pension on file in this Bureau.
Sur. F. 1058.
===
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.
July or Aug. 1776

LENGTH OF SERVICE.
served at various times amounting to at least 10 mos.

RANK.
Muscn. [musician]

OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.
[a] John Hunt
[b] Philip Phillips
[c] Freeman

COLONEL.
[a] Thompson
[b] Joseph Phillips,
[c] Seeley

STATE.
N.J.
===
Battles engaged in, [check mark]
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Hunterdon Co., N.J.
Date of application for pension, Aug 14, 1832. His cl. was al. [claim was allowed]
Residence at date of application, Philadelphia, Pa.
Age at date of application, 77 yrs 5 mos 23 d; born in 1755, Maidenhead Twp, Hunterdon Co. N.J.
Died July 8, 1833.
Remarks: His wife, name not stated, died prior to Nov. 1831.
4 children survived soldier: Julia Green, Benjamin B.,
Rhoda and Randall. The above noted is the only Henry Mershon
of N.J. found on the Rev. War pension records and said records fail to
afford any information in regard to Thomas Mershon of N.J.

Very respectfully,
Page 14

Free
J L Edwards Esq
Pension agent
War Department
Washington

[postmark] TRENTON FEB 1

[written upward at left]
February 4th 1834
New Jersey ret'd
---
1st Feby 1834
Pno. 6.819.
Page 15

Trenton January 31 1834
Sir
The application of Henry Mershon
for a pension some time in August 1832
was returned by the Department on account
of same formal objection to it, and owing
to some mistake was directed to Philadelphia
instead of Trenton, from Philadelphia
it was forwarded as a dead letter to the
Post office Department at Washington and
afterwards forwarded to me in November
last. between the time of the application
and the receipt of the paper by me, Henry
Mershon the applicant died. His children
were of opinion that the objections to
his application could obviated by the
affidavit of Andrew Mershon The[y] have
therefore caused the supplementary
affidavit of Andrew Mershon to be taken
and requested me to forward the papers
again to the Department, not knowing
what the rule of the Department is in a
case of this kind where the applicant dies
between the time of his application and the
granting of the pension. If the heirs in such
case are entitled to receive the pension
Page 16

up to the time of their fathers death it will
come very acceptable to the children of Mr
Henry Mershon

Yours very Respectfully
Wm Halsted

J. L. Edwards Esq
Page 17

Henry Mershon
deceased
New Jersey
===
from 1776 Musician
10 months.
$36. 66/100
due $82.94.
can only allow for
10 months.
Heirs Julia Green,
Benj B Mershon, Rhoda
Mershon, Randall Mershon
W. Halstead Esq
Trenton
N. J.
Page 18

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Henry Mershon which require
further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides?

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides?
no

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason
assigned for his not doing so?
no

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served?

V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he
served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amout of pension
he is entitled?
no - see Quere 5

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of
June 7, 1832?

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?

X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished
from any other seal?
Page 19

2
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to
their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary
service?

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?

XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one
living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?

XIV. [dagger] If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness
or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath,
certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the
regulations direct?

XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age,
as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?

XVI. [double dagger] Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And,
if not, which of them is not so answered?
---
EXPLANATORY NOTES.

* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how
long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:

Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being
duly sworn, deposeth and 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: For ---
year --- months, and --- days, I served as a ---. For --- months
and --- days, I served as a ---; and for such service I claim a pension.
Page 20

3
It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served,
and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the
pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too
indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions
merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the
officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable.
It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration
of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the
applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either
in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed
in any civil pursuit.

[dagger] QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must
prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of
the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the
regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths
must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the
magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.

[double dagger] QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not
written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the
certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass
under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly
attached to the certificate.

[pointing hand] In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of
office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the
certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
Page 21

[round stamp] U. S> PENSION OFFICE A FEB 24 1908
[round stamp] RECORD DIVISION FEB 25 1908
Page 22

HEADQUARTERS.
Kosciusko Woman's Relief Corps No. 163
AUXILARY TO THE CRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC

Office of the Secretary

Warsaw, Ind, Feb 21 1908
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C

Dear Sir

I wish to join Daughters
of American Revolution iff eligible
and will you please inform
me if you have the record
of any Mershon's who were
in Revolutionary War.

I am a direct descendant
of Henry Mershon who came
to this country from France
before the Revolution War
Page 23

My Great Grand fathers
name was Thomas Mershon
my Grand Fathers name
William Mershon. I am
told that some of them
were in that War with
Washington or Lafaette.

If you can give me any
information as to enlistment
time of service, rank &c.
I will greatly appreciate it
my Grand father lived in
New Jersey.

Yours Resp
Mrs Lydia (Mershon) McComb
410 N. Lake St
Warsaw
Indiana
Page 24

8-871.
RECORD DIVISION.
Department of the Interior,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Briefed by L. D. Lamparter
Claim No. __
Came from France.
Claimant __
Soldier Henry Mershon
Service N. J.
Additional Service Rev. War
No. __ claim, State records ___, 190__
No claim, combination records ___, 190__
REMARKS:
No claim as above except
Inv'd 1058 not ident. born in N. J. (but sent)
9-8 Chief Division
Page 25

[left side]
Mch. 2, '08. Hist. to Mrs. Lydia
Mershon McComb.

[center]
Rev War.
INVALID.
File No. 1058
Henry Mershon
Priv. N.J. Mil.
Act: June 7, 1832.
Index:-- Vol. A, Page 253
[Arrangement of 1870.]