Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 6744, Nehemiah Brown, New York
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(3 - 1776)
SERVICE New York
Brown, Nehemiah
NUMBER S. 6744.
Carded
Dec. 2
CONTENTS
b. Dec. 02, 1760 in Dutchess Co. N. Y.
res. at [illegible] Phillipstown, Albany Co. (later called Nassau, Rensselaer Co.)
res. in 1832, Bolton, Warren Co. N.Y.

Carded
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14340
11202 New York   
Nehemiah Brown
Warren Co in the State of New York
who was a private in the Company command
by Captain Smith of the Regt. commanded
by Col. Vanness-in the N.Y. ma [illegible]
line for 13 mo.
Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the rate of 43 Dollars 33 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21 day of May
1833 and sent to
E. H. Rosekrans Glens Falls
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833  $86.66
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. 21.66
                                                      $108.32
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk
Book C Vol. 4 Page 45

Geo Richard Aug 4 1855
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In the matter of
the application of
Nehemiah Brown
for a Pension
18202
New York, Warren Co.
The first that divided in
the off. by accident.
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State of New York
Warren County  
On this 18th day of September 1832 personally
appeared in open Court before Seth C. Baldwin Esqr & First Judge - Thomas Pattison, Hiram Barber, Hobby Mead & Truman B. Hicks Associates of the Court of Common Pleas in the County of Warren & State of New York
now sitting at Caldwell in said County - Nehamiah Brown of the town of Bolton in said County aged seventy one years [of age crossed out] and upwards 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 is herein stated -
In the spring of 1778 he lived in what was then called Phillipstown in the then County of Albany, now called Nassau in the County of Rensselaer and for six months enlisted in Capt John Smith's Company of Militia Rangers, we received our orders from Col Humphrey & Col Peter Van Ness-- he enlisted for the purpose of ranging the country and taking tories and enemies of the Country - We ranged through Livingston Manor, Claverack, Kinderhook, Nobletown & Chatham and at Livingston Manor we took up about fifty Tories and took them to Claverack & sent to Albany for Commissioners to come & try them -- they came and after trial sent fifteen of them to jail. We served during the six months and at the end of the time I received a verbal discharge from my Captain -- John Dickinson of the town of Bolton aforesaid is the only person living who can testify to this part of my service. After
I received my discharge I returned to Phillipston & lived there until in June 1780 I enlisted in Capt Elijah Bostwicks company of New Canaan in Albany County then in the three months levies-- I enlisted in Col Graham
Regiment - Rus Calendar was Lieutenant of Capt Bostwick Company and Samuel Brown was orderly Sergeant - the company mustered at New Canaan & marched to Livingston's Manor & there our company and another got aboard
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of a Sloop and sailed down the Hudson River to Fish Kill. We remained there a short time and marched to West Point - there the Regiment joined & after a short time deponent  [illegible] and Stephen Sittle and several others were drafted out of Capt Bostwicks company to fill up vacancies in the Continental line Light Infantry -- there was a beating up for volunteers to the Continental Army & not obtaining a sufficient number the Col of our Regiment selected a certain number of men to go on to the [illegible] to join the Army - After I was selected I marched from West Point with the others under a militia Captain to Kings ferry - from there to Hackensack in New Jersey and there joined the Continental Army - there I entered Capt Fowlers Company, Col Courtlands Regiment - Genl. La Fayette was at Hackensack & had the command - Genl Hand & Genl Poor were over separate Brigade. We staid there a short time & went to Paramus from there we marched to what was called the English neighborhood & from there we march to Totoway River so called & there we staid till we were discharged. We had no engagement or skirmish with the enemy - Genl. Marquis La Fayette was with us the whole time -- I received no written discharge but verbal at the end of five months in November 1780 although I had enlisted only for three months. Robert Pratt and Amos Chapman of this County were with me in this latter service until I left West Point to join the Continental Army & will swear to it and they are the only persons
living who can swear to it that I know of. When I left West Point to join the Army I & the rest left our guns at Kings ferry & took Continental quns and accoutrements out of the Continental store there & after I was discharged at Hackensack I returned to
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Kingsferry after my gun but was informed our guns had been taken to Fishkill & we marched there & was informed they had been taken to Poughkeepsie & we marched there & were informed that the enemy had come up the River and that all the guns had been carried up to Albany & we did not pursue them further and never got them. We marched from Hackensack up to Poughkeepsie under the command of a Militia Captain and there we were dismissed and I returned home to Phillipstown. After this time in the fall of 1781 the Militia turned out on alarm and I volunteered under Capt John Schemerhorn and Col Jacob Schemerhorn Regiment and marched from Phillipstown to Fort Edward in the County of Washington, we had no engagement or skirmishes and returned to Phillipston and then we were discharged verbally. I was in this service about one month. Deacon Joshua Kellum was with [unintelligable] in this last months service and can testify to it and he is the only person I know of who can.
After this time I [crossed out word returned] volunteered under Captain Schemerhorn again and in Col. Jacob Schemerhorn's Regiment and we marched from Phillipstown to Schenectady to meet the Enemy who we understood were coming down from the North - we had no skirmishes or Engagements and returned to Phillipstown and were discharged. I was in this last service about a month but received no written discharge. I do not know of any one who can testify to this part of my service. I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State.
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid in open Court
Thomas Archibald Clerk
N Brown [signature]
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In answer to the questions directed to be propounded by the War Department this deponent saith -
1 I was born in the County of Dutchess in this State on the 22d December 1760.
2d I have a record of my age which is at my house in Bolton.
3d I lived at Phillipstown aforesaid when called into the service and after my service I lived two or three or four years at Phillipstown & after that lived at Pittstown in Rensselaer County one year and at Petersburgh in said County two years and moved from there to Bolton where I have lived ever since over forty years
4 In the first six months service I volunteered in the second five months service I was a substitute for one Peabody and in the other services I volunteered.
5. The answer to the fifth interrogatory is stated above
6 And also the answer to the sixth Interogatory is stated above
7 Deacon Joshua Kellum, John Dickinson and Elder William Grant and Robert Pratt and Amos Chapman are persons known to me in my present neighborhood and who can testify to my character for veracity and their belief of my services as a soldier of the Revolution
Subscribed and sworn -
the day and year aforesaid
Thomas Archibald Clerk
N Brown [signature]
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Warren County - Joshua Kellum & John Dickinson of Bolton in said County, Robert Pratt of Hague & Amos Chapman of Caldwell in said county being duly sworn depose and say that we have heard the foregoing declaration of Nehemiah Brown read and know the contents of it - that we have been acquainted with said Brown for more than fifty years last past and that he is a man of truth and veracity and that we believe his account of his service as contained in the foregoing declaration is in all respects true - and we further, each for himself say that the said Brown served in the Revolutionary war with each of us as he has stated in his declaration
Subscribed and sworn the day & year aforesaid in open court
Thomas Archibald Clerk
Joshua X his mark Killum
John X his mark Dickinson
Robert Pratt [signature]
Amos X his mark Chapman

We William Grant a clergyman residing in the town of Bolton in the County of Warren, Joshua Kellum and John Dickinson of the same town, Robert Pratt of Hague and Amos Chapman of Caldwell in said County hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Nehemiah Brown who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be Seventy one years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution & that we concur in that of opinion 
Wm Grant
Joshua X  his mark Kellum
John X his mark Dickinson
Robert Pratt
Amos X his mark Chapman

Subscribed and sworn the day & year aforesaid in open Court
Thomas Archibald Clerk
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and the said Court do hereby certify and 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 certified that William Grant, Joshua Kellum, John Dickenson Robert Pratt and Amos Chapman who have signed the above certificate in credible persons and that their Statement is entitled to credit-
I Thomas Archibald Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas Pleas of the County of Warren
do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in
the matter of the application of Nehemiah Brown for a Pension
In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this Eighteenth day
of September 1832
Thomas Archibald Clerk
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No 18202
Nehemiah Brown 
Warren County New York
Admitted.
13 mo. Private.
E. H. Roskrans, Glens Falls, Warren County New York
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WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
183

Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.

A Statement, shewing the Service of Nehemiah Brown Warren County New York

Period when the service was rendered. | Duration of the claimant's service. Years. Months. Days. | Rank of the claimant. | Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. | Names and Rank of the General and Field officers. | Battles in which the applicant was engaged. | Country through which he marched. | Place of abode when he entered the service, and age
at the present period. | Evidence by which the declaration is supported.

Entered Spring 1778 | - 6 - | private | Cap Smith | Gen La Fayett   Col Humphrey & Col Van Ness |   | Went through Livingston Manor, Clar beach, ?, Chatham, mustered at New Canaan marched to Livingstons manor to Fish Kill, to West Point to Kings Ferry to Hackensack to Paramus |  71 years Philipstown in then County of Albany, now called Nassau in the County of Renselear N York | traditionary evidence certified credible, a Clergymans certificate, papers properly attached-

Entered June 1780 | -  5  - | private | Cap Bostwick Cap Fowler |  Col Graham Col Courtland |  |  |

Vol 1781 | - 1 - | private | Cap Schermerhorn | Col Schermerhorn | | |

Vol 1781 | - 1 - | private | Cap Schermerhorn | Col Schermerhorn | | |

I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions.
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2
REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.

Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval service.
4. Indian Spies.

As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming he benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.

DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory or District of County of 

On this    day of   personally appeared (a) before A.B. a resident (b) of   in the county of   and State, Territory or District of    aged (c)   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 provion made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d)   , with   and served in the   (e) regiment of the   line, under the following named officers:

(Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he enered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.    A. B.
(And then will follow the certificate of the Court.)

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I     of the Court of      do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of      for a pension.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this    day of    & c.

If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the       and C.D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with        subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be    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.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
(And then will follow the certificate of the Court.)

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 A.B. and and that C.D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the    and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I,    Clerk of the Court of     do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the applicacation of    for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this   day of    & c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person
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3
will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?
5. 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 services.
6. To a Soldier. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it?
To an Officer. Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
7. 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 services as a soldier of the Revolution.
The Court will see that he answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons - one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed
and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates.
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period
of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.

(a) The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
(b) The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
(c) The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
(d) The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
(e) Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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 amount of pension he is entitled. 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."
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 that 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 shown 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.
(f) The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
(g) The opinion of the Court is always required.
(h) The Clerk must give his certificte in every case.
(i) The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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.
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 papers 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.
Proof of Service.
(j) 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 claimant's entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well 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.
[hand with pointing finger emoji] The notes from (a) to (i) are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops, The proof required by rule in note (j) applies to continental troops only.
(k) This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
(l) If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
(m) The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.
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6744.
Revtion
INVALID.
File No. 6744
Nehemiah Brown
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7th 32
Index: - Vol. A. Page 44
(Arrangement of 1870.)