Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 15191, for Abram Leeds, Connecticut
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
Conn.
CONTENTS
Leeds, Abram
4
NUMBER
S.15191
Carded
Page 2

Let. Pensioner & Pes. Agt.
June 18 '39
Connecticut
31221
Abram Leeds, of Fairfield  in the State of Connecticut who was a
private in the Company commanded
by Captain Bell of the regt commanded
by Col. Mead in the Connecticut line for
2 years.

Inscribed on the Roll of Connecticut
at the rate of 80 Dollars 00 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 3d day of October
1837 -
and sent to Hon
T. Whittlesey H. R

Arrears to the 4th of March 1837 $480.
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept "
40.
$520.
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by D McCurdy
Clerk
Book E 2 Vol. 3 Page 24
Page 3

A.
State of Connecticut
County of Fairfield

J. Probate District of Stanford
On this 8th day of
August AD 1835 personally appeared in
in Open Court before the Court of Probate in of the said District, now
sitting Abram Leeds of Stamford in said District, a resident of
Hanford in the County of Winfield & State of Connecticut aged
seventy four years who being first sworn according to law doth
in his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain
the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832; that he
entered the service of the United States under the following named
officers & served as herein stated viz In the year 1777 in the
Revolutionary war I belonged to a corps of town guards commanded by Capt Jesse Bell then of said Sanford my since and
said City steadily therein for the space of five months commencing August 1st of that year ending January 1,1778
we were stationed all that time in said Stamford about a quarter
of and below the main street of the village at a house which was owned by one Abram Bates. He went over to the ending of his
property lawfully was confiscated: our duty was guard duty in defending
the County from the British & Jones & continued in interuptedly for
the term aforesaid of being the time I followed no civic purpose but was constantly engaged in the service absent from
my home. Bell commanded a Company of Stanton militia to
which I belonged & I think this Corps consisted of that company
ordered out to do guard duty for that time; for I have instead no recollection
until he recollection of the Company's being raised by enlistment, we were how called Town guards & did this duty
of such troops & drew -- of rations, one Benj Rosemond of Stamford now dead was the lieutenant of said Company but
was some reason discharged - Justin Weed now and was
Ensign & did lieutenant duty. Hezekiah Weed & Nathaniel Wetinbury of Dover in said District were members of said Company
& did duty therein during this time.  Col John Mead
of Greenwich now and was one superintending officer.
the next year 1778 and in the beginning of April, I had me the 1st of that month said company or Militia still commanded
by said Bell, Hanford Hoyt was in. being lieutenant was ordered  to do duty against the enemy at Horseneck &
I with the rest of the company did duty there steadily for three
months being stationed during that time at Samuel Seymonds
our term  ceased at the revolution  of three months & I believe
on or about the 11th of July 1778. I know we served three months - I know no living person who can testify to the
tour of duty or who was with me in this service
soon after honest of the same year (1778) when early
Page 4

peaches began to refer the same company, or a detachment thereof (which I can say with certainty was
again ordered out & did duty against the enemy around Horwich for eight weeks, being stationed at John Hobley's.  I
was with the company on this occasion for the whole term
of they did duty therein & Nathaniel Waterbury was
with me on this occasion & I believe this I cannot be
certain that said Hezekiah  was also.  Am pretty
certain he was--certainly  with this occasion in the one week the deed stated. 
I cannot state with certainly when this term began, but I know lasted eight weeks. I believe
it began about the first of August & ended about the1st of October plowing

Immediately after our discharge
& with an interval I think of within
two or three days said company or a detachment then
was again ordered out to do duty again at said Horseneck & did duty there against the enemy for the space
six weeks being stationed in Jared Islands. I said Nathanial Waterburg
 both did duty in said corps pr & and that
of six weeks, being steadily & constantly in service. Whether
said Hezekiah was with us or not I do not certainty know
 Capt Bell was our captain on both that occasions but was but little with us, the Lieut.. Hanford Hoyt
having the active charge of us. Col John Mead was our 
superior office. I cannot state with certainty at what precise time this term began or ended except by referring to the term next preceding.

in
the year 1780 I with the rest of said company or  establishment thereof (I cannot certainly say which) was
again ordered & did duty at Horseneck being --- at
Nehemiah Mends-- I cannot say with certainty when this
term began or ended or with certainly how long it continued- but  know it was a term of more than four weeks.
nor do I know that I can bring a witness who has knowledge
of this time or duty or who was with me in it.  said Hanford Hoyt was our commander & I think at this time, as
Bell had gone into other service,
that he was captain
& will recollect one of one sentries and not another supposing him to talkin to the ---
My belonging to the corps from the Eastward - for this term of duty I claim one month,
knowing that is actually exceeded that time-
I have stated any in saying I do not know any one who
was with me on this occasion-- said Nathaniel Waterbury was what his recollection of this tour of duty will
Page 5

be I do not know. New term began I think in October or ---, if so, would have ended  sometime in November
my after this, and I think before the 1st of December 1780
I knew as early in that true & said militia company commanded by said Hanford Hoyt was again ordered out of Stand...
did duty against the enemy in said Stamford for a short thace
being stationed in the village. then for a short time at Peter
Sellick about a mile west of the Village & afterwards at
John Smiths about four miles northwesterly from the village of Stamford near where the north Baptist meeting House now
stands. We went to this last station certainly as early as
the 1st of January & steadily continued there in service till
the 1st of April 1781, when we were discharged - John Dibble
joined us while we were here, said Nathaniel Waterbury Capt
Ebenezer Hoyt & said Dibble & myself were all in service in said corps during the whole of the term aforesaid. The
Term was I am confident for more the four months, but as term only I
cannot state certainly when it began, I claim further term only-- said Dibble was not with us all the time for
we had been in service sometime before he joined us. Dibble belonged to another company & says a detachment that company
joined us at John Smiths which was probably the case
during all the terms afterward  said John Mead was our commanding Colonel  Our duty consisted of scouting and doing guard
duty we drew pay & rations
in the spring of 1782 and the 1st of April of that year I enlisted as a private in a company of town guards in said Stamford for nine months under Capt. Jesse Bell - His lieutenant
was Howe. Jonathan Curtiss now dead was his Ensign
Each of said officers had division of said company I belonged to
Curtiss' division & we were stationed near Morton River of State Vt & there kept guard. I served out the whole of this
term of nine months ending January 1 1783 being constantly
engaged in the service. I drew regular pay but used to get my
provisions at my home which was nearby by the divisions
had very little intercourse with each other, occupying different
stations in the town & I do not in a single survivor who
was with me upon whom I can call as a witness my
brother Cary however well knows the fact that I was in
this service. This corps was raised & ordered into service by the 
public authorities of Connecticut
all the services above stated were steady services in the
field or a quarters of the kind stated above, during the
whole of them I was taken & kept from my home of consent did not follow any civil pursuit; being constantly
-
Page 6

engaged in the public service, on each of the occasions  stated
We were ordered into service by the public authorities of
this State. Col. Jno Mead was I think our commanding
Officer: one superior officer during all the towns the
other part of the war he was I believe a general.

Mr. Dedman was born at said Hampton  February 26th AD. 1761.
I entered the term of service as a
private in all the occasions stated above. I have received
a written discharge within my recollection. I enlisted & was
ordered the entire respective terms stated.
 on the
in  -- as stated
I served in my own behalf & not as a substitute on any occasion. was out on many occasions stated Such as  short
terms or alarms & the length of which I cannot specify. I have
stated the names of officers & the circumstances of my
service as minutely as I can do to my beneficial limits.
I have been for two years endeavoring to get my witnesses before the
County Probate as the Judge knows, to have my application made, but I am destitute & helpless & have not
needed till the present time of this is the reason my application has not been sooner made-- I resided in said
Stamford on each of the occasions when I entered the service as of now
and I have resided there ever since of still reside there
I refer to the Rev Daniel Smith & Cary H Gray of said Stamford as witnesses
to prove the reputation of my services and their belief  in citation thereto

the said Abram Leeds hereby relinquishes every
claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present
& declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the
agency of any State. He states an addition that his age is
recorded in the public records of said Stsmford
Sworn to & subscribed the day
year aforesaid & I certify
Abram Leeds
that the erasure of intimation
in the recorded page were made
before signature or oath
Chs Hawley Judge
Page 7

State of Connecticut
Fairfield County ⎬ Probate District of Stamford
on this 30th day of July AD 1835 before the Court of Probate in
the said District now sitting personally appeared John Dibble
of and in said District aged seventy five years who being
duly sworn oath testify that he well knows & always has known
Abram Leeds of Stamford in said District and applicant for a pension
 believes him to be seventy four years old - his character for
truth is good. In the Revolutionary war and the first of January
AD 1781 a Company of Militia of this State consisting in part of
a company then commanded by Nathl Hason late of said Davis now
decd. & in--- a company of Militia of Connecticut commanded by Capt Hanford Holt (or Hoyt as pronounced) was --- in the public service in said Stamford at or near where the
North Baptist meeting House now stands in said Stamford being
about four miles with west of the village of Stamford - the Capt
Hanford Hoyt had command of said Company Col John Mead
then of Greenwich, now decd, was the Superior officer. Afterward
belonged to Capt Hason's Company & was one of the establishment
& in that company which served under Capt Hait as aforesaid
we served at that place in guarding the country against the
British & Tories for the space of three months ending the 1st of Apl
1781 when we were discharged. And Abram Leeds was a private in Capt Hait's Co. gives in service at the place above
stated in said Company for said whole term of three months as
deponent well knows from having been in service with him & seeing him there-- this was steady service in the field in scout,
in guarding & & such as required our whole time & prevented
our following any civil pursuit-- we were all the time at
sent from our homes, we drew regular pay & Rations.
 Colonel
was steward of the Co. & Smith Weed kept the stores from which
we drew our provisions at the Village of Stamford. I recollect
also that I was on two or three other occasions in the public service against the enemy at Horseneck in Connecticut of said Abrams
was there in service with me-- ever under Jesse Bell & once
included Hanford Hoyt- but I cannot state in now state in what years
or for how long - it was during said war & we went to relieve
troops from the Eastwin which were, at time there
John Dibble

Andon the same day before said Court personally appeared Nathaniel
Waterbury of said David aged Seventy eight years who
being duly sworn doth testify that he has always well known
Abram Leeds above mentioned, believe him to be Seventy
four years old - his character for truth is good. In the Revolutionary war &  in the year 1781 this deponent of said Abram
both belonged to the militia company of said Stamford Con-
Page 8

manded by Capt Hanford Hoyt under a portion of said
company if not the whole of them (together with a detachment as I be told from Capt Halls company of what was
then a part of Stamford, but now Darien) under the command of said Hoyt were stationed in the public service against the enemy, near where the North Baptist meeting House stands in said Stamford - one term of service
ended Apl 1st 1781 & was a term of three months at
least. I had thought longer for I had thought we began
before the 1st of January of that year, but I was told by
John Dibble who was in the service with us that it
it commenced at that time & continued for three months only-Jacob Scofield of Stamford now decd was Ensign
I have at present in recollection of the lieutenant - This deponent of said Abram
steadily served together as privates in said company in
said place under said Hoyt during the whole term aforesaid. We
were both constantly absent from our houses & followed no
civil pursuit, being constantly engaged in the service


In the year 1777 this deponent & said Abram were both
privates in a town or coastguard commanded by
Capt Jesse Bell then of said Stamford now dec'd.   the company was stationed at a place before that time accompanied by one Abram
Bates who fled to the enemy & his place was confiscated
to it stands about eighty rods below the Village of
Stamford--one term ended on or about the 1st of January
1778. I recollect for my father died in Decr 1777 & we
were not discharged till after his death. I cannot State with
certainty when we enlisted or our term began, but it was
in warm weather said Leeds says in August - I know
it was a term of several months & may probably he is
right. This was steady service in guarding the town against
the enemy & such as kept us constantly engaged so that we
could not & did not follow any civil pursuit, we
drew pay & rations. I know said Abram served in said
company as stated above, I am being in the service with
him all this I cannot state positively when our term began, yet I know it was on three months - Col Jno
Mead or Green now dec'd was at this time the commanding officer in this quarter
I also know that said Leeds was in the public
service against the enemy in Horseneck during the war
on at least two occasions-- or at least one - or two
I recollect under either said Jesse Bill or said Hanford Hoyt-- I am not confident which-- I cannot State
Page 9


in what year or for how long  on one occasion were stationed
at one Hobbys & on the other at James Meads, The times were each some weeks long but I cannot say how long we
were on these occasions ordered out by public authority
I was in service with said Leeds (both privates) on both
of these occasions-
Nathanael Waterbury


and on the Same day before said Court personally appeared
Cary Leeds of said Stamford aged seventy seven years brother
of said Abram Leeds who being duly sworn doth testify that
he has always well know said Abram his age is seventy
four years. In the Revolutionary War I know said Abram
was a great part of the time engaged in the public service against
the enemy either in the town guards or the militia but I cannot specify all the tours of duty. He belonged to Capt Hanford
Hoyt's company of militia. I recollect being told by our family & by him any often since that he served five months in
town guards under Jesse Bell in said Stamford in 1777 stationed at the place formally belonging to Abm Bates who went to the enemy but
I did not live at home at that time & had no other knowledge of the fact. But in 1781 I did live at home & well recollect his going in the beginning of that year on a tour of duty in
the militia under said Hanford Hoyt being being that time at John
Smiths, near where the north Baptist meeting House now
stand in said Stamford - he was gone from home for certainly
as much as three months. I had thought for a longer
term &  being this time was constantly about from home in
service - I also well recollect that he did duty for a
term at Horseneck in the militia under Sd Hanford Hoyt-
I cannot say how long a time but it was a good while
but for many weeks I know I well recollect his absence
- In the spring of 1782 & I believes about the first of
Apl. said Abram enlisted as a private in a company of
town or coast guards in said Stamford commanded by Capt
Jesse Bell of said Stamford, now decd. the enlistment was
for nine months ending with that year. the company
were stationed near Norton River in said Stamford & patrolled
along the shore. Said Abram continued in the service in said
Company under said Bell & did duty then therein steadily for the
whole of said term of nine months - I know all these
facts for I was present when he enlisted & know he was absent from our home during all the time on duty & I saw him
from time to time in service as our home was nearby-
said Abram used to get his provisions at our home, coming
there from time to time for that purpose
Page 10

I know also he was one in service in the militia another
occasions but I cannot specify them-- I have no doubt his services in the aggregate exceeded two years
Cary Leeds


and in the same day before said Court personally appeared Capt
Ebenezer Hoyt of said Darien who being duly sworn doth
testify that he has always well known said Abram Leeds &
well recollects being in service with him against the enemy during the Revolutionary War in the year 1780 we were
out on duty in the Militia under Capt Hanford Hoyt now dc'd
and in said Stamford at first for a time in the Village of said
Stamford then at Peter Sellick's in the Western part of said Stamford & afterwards at John Smiths near where the north
Baptist meeting house now stands - our service together
amounted to more than four months - We were there different
 tours of duty--I cannot now specify the length of either precisely. The service was all of it steady service in
scouting and guarding & such as kept in all the time from
home & such that we could not following civil pursuit
the service at John Smith's was in the early part of the
year 1781 & I well know we were not discharged
till Aprl. of that year
I have heretofore thought this town
was for a life time then I am now upon further reflection
satisfied it was for
the pregoing deposition of John Dibble
Ebenezer Hoyt
Nathaniel Waterbury, Gary Leeds
Eliza Hoyt were respectfully sworn to & be cited by
the deponent infinitely on the day & year aforesaid & I certify
that I well know all the deponents & that they all
credible persons & that the natures interlinations in said
depositions were all in the signature or oath
Ch. Hawley Judge


and now on this 4th day of August AD 1835 before said Court
now upon, Comes Hezekiah Wood of Darien aforesaid aged
Seventy eight years who being duly sworn in he testify
that he has always well known Abram Leeds above
mentioned. In the Revolutionary war in the year 1777
said Abram & this deponent were both enlisted holding
in a company of Connecticut State troops commanded by
Capt Jesse Bell now decd & stationed a little below the village of Stamford at a place owned by macabram
Bates who had gone over to the enemy.
Page 11

said Abram Leeds was a private - I was a Sergeant. one
term of service was I well recollect five months & I know
the latter part of the year, but I cannot now tell with certainty when it began or when it ended. I know it was
in the winter. I have said we were enlisted, it may be that I am
mistaken & that it was his company of militia (to which I be
longed) that was stationed there further time-- but I know we
were called town guard. I served a great deal under Bell
during the war under enlistment & in the militia both & for
that reason am unable now to state with ten certainty which
his militia company was stationed here at this time or whether we
were enlisted. However we performed the duty of town guard & were so called. This was steady constant service
six months & said Abram served the whole time as did I
---
we drew pay & rations
& were kept all the
while from our homes & followed no civil pursuits I
recalled too that said Abram & myself were both called out in
service (by detachments from the militia) in 1778 I think I in the latter part of the service, under Capt Jesse Bell
we served for several weeks but I cannot say with any
certainty how long. I think for as much as two months
This was steady field service; we being all the time away from our homes.
the
Sworn to subscribed the Hezekiah Weed
day year aforesaid
certify that I well know
this Deponent & that he is a credible person
Ch Hawley Judge


and now on this said day of August 1835 before said Court
now sitting personally appeared Nathaniel Waterbury makes 
hereof the pregoing depositions being duly sworn testifies
in addition thereto that he well recollects being out on duty
in the company of Militia commanded by Capt Hanford Hoyt
(in I think / Horseneck & stationed at Nehemiah Meads--
Said Abram Leeds I well recollect was then with us all
the time we were there-- but in what year this was or
for how long a term I am now unable to State
In to I subscribed the
Nathanael Waterbury
day & year foresaid unto
by that I well know the deponent & that he is a credible
person
Ch. Hawley Judge -
Page 12

We Daniel Smith a Clergyman residing in the
town of Stamford in the County of Fairfield
& State of
Connecticut & Cary H. Gray residing in the
the place hereby certify that we are well
acquainted with Abram Leeds, who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that
we believe him to be seventy four years
of age - that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution & that we concur in
that opinion
Sworn & subscribed the
⎬
Daniel Smith
day of September
AD 1835

Cary H Gray

C. Hawley Judge

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion
after the investigation of the matter & after putting
the interrogatories prescribed by the war department
that the above and applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states. And the Court
further certifies that it appears to them that the Rev
Daniel Smith who has signed the preceding certificate
is a clergyman resident in the Town of Stamford in the
County of Fairfield & State of Connecticut & that Cary
H Gray who has also signed the same is a resident
in the said place & is a credible person & that their
Statement is entitled to credit.
Chas Hawley Judge
.
I Samuel Lockwood Clerk of the Court of Probate for
the District of Fairfield in Connecticut do hereby
certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings
of the said Court in the matter of the application of
Abram Leeds pr a pension. In testimony whereof
I have hereunto set my hand & seal office this
12th day of September A D 1835
Sam Lockwood Clk
Page 13

15191.
INVALID.
File No. 15. 191
Abram Leeds
Pri Rev War
-
Act: June 7th 1832
Index: -- Vol. 1
, Page 221
Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 14

A. Leeds
77 1 aug Jesse Bell Mead  Stamford           5 mo
78 1 Apl   "               "          Horseneck       3 mo
"      Aug   "               "         Jno Hobby's    1.26
"      Oct.   "              "          Horseneck      1.12
80 Oct.    H.Hoyt      "               "                   .28
81 Jany    -- -           "            Stamford        4 --
82.1 apl. Jesse Bell   "                                   9 --
                                                                  25.6
Page 15

J.B.E. Esq.
Page 16

Stamford (Conn) Sept. 7. 1837

J. L. Edward Esq

Sir
I enclose an additional sideration of Abm Leeds
& further deposition of Cary Leeds. They were taken at the time they
were dated & should have been sent in. It will doubtless
seem strange to you that they have so long lain in hand the
fault is exclusively my own. - The [illegible] being as credible 
entirely to my own blamable forgetfulness & neglect. The papers
have ever been in my hand since their date, but were 
mislaid & not again discovered will recently-- Please make no 
inference unfavorable to the applicant, for my delay &
forgetfulness
In yours to be of Sept. 24, 1835 you observe that "every 
service actually rendered must be susceptible of proof by his
surviving neighbors and comrades". You will perceive he has 
procured testimony of all within his knowledge who are
yet living - It is true that some of his service and sworn to by
no one but himself-- for these he does not expect an allowance
if by your regulations they cannot be allowed but
asks an allowance for such of his services as are
reasonably proved- If you believe the witnesses who estimate
one tour of duty at 3 months in preference to his own assertion
that it was 4 mo. he is content to be allowed it to be
3 only, tho confident that the term was six

You observe further that it is [illegible] that "the militia
as said were employed in the Coast guard service"
But it is I believe very certain that the militia were
& not unfrequently ordered out in particular station for
different periods to do precisely the same kind of duty 
which the Coast guard, which "came to their relief", and 
the applicant may have fallen into a misnomer of 
the services - but the whole history of the war will show
services like those alleged Aug 1. 1777 to Jan 1. 1978
regularly rendered by companies or detachment of [illegible]

His other militia services were rendered in Greenwich 
& Hartford & were duty of a character which is
entitled to a pension - it being well know that for years
Stamford and Hartford, particularly the latter, were on
the lines & were guarded by detachments, companies, 
Rgts &c of militia ordered there from time to
what these troops were termed in service I do not know, but
there was a vast amount of service rendered on the lines by the
Page 17

of this exception. I do not now recollect at what date
enlisted town guards were first stationed to his quarter - but
from my present recollection think it was not till after the extension
of the first tour of duty, alleged by the applicant. That the
militia was "relieved" by the guards after this period- If so
than be more likely then the stationing a corps of militia
the protection of the coast in 1777 at the applicant alleges.
The last tour of duty in the guard in 82 is as is hoped, & if
[illegible] proved, because positively sworn to by Cary Leeds- Those
who were the applicants comrades as all dead
I believe all the terms of duty are explicitly proved
except that from Apr. 1 to July 1, 1778 by Nath'l
Waterbury-- If I do not forget Hez. Weed also proves that
in 1777 of five months
the term in 1780 & 1781 is also proved by Capt Ebenezer
Hoyt-
Those persons are all familiarly known by me & no more
respectable persons than they can be found
The poverty of the applicant makes my long delay in
this matter a subject of deep chagrin & [illegible] I earnestly
hope his declaration & proofs will now be declared sufficient  
& that he will ere long and his wishes realized
He expects as a matter of course that if all his claims
[illegible] not in the opinion of the [illegible] and be sufficiently
[illegible], an allowance will be made for [illegible]
to such as are satisfactorily established-
Your respectful Sevt
Chas Hawley

J. L. Edwards Esq.
C
Edward
Page 18

I he recently written to the department in relation to the application 
of Abm Leeds & the widow of Isaac Weed and am daily in 
expectation of hearing from them. Please enquire in relation to them
- I cant think they will allow them as I think them
will sustained by evidence. If they have not yet been acted
upon please call their attention to them-- You know all
the witnesses & will be able to assure Mr E. of their 
respectability
Please look at the papers in the case of James Dan he
enjoys a pension + he tells me for the same services, in
[illegible] for service at the same time & in the the Corps with
Nath'l Dan, whose widow is an applicant - If this be so 
the department I think can hardly deny this application
I had also in the case of Enos Mead and Aaron
Peck's widow- Please call their attention to them &
if you find issue to lend a helping hand do so & oblige 
the [illegible] in Mrs Peck claim for services rendered by Peck
in the Greenwich guards under Lockwood & Waring
the services are fully proved as you will see by Dulia
Lockwood & Jeremiah Reynolds - I think no case can be
better sustained than hers
Yours
Chas Hawley
Page 19

State of Connecticut
County of Fairfield
Probate District of Stamford
on this 12th day of November 1835 personally appeared before 
the Court of Probate in & for said District, now sitting,
Abram Leeds of Stamford in said District, an applicant
pension & make the following declaration in addition to
that heretofore forwarded by him to the Pension Department
having been first duly sworn according to law; according to law Viz
He solemnly declares on his oath that the averments of his
said original declaration are true. That he rendered & faithfully 
rendered the services therein detailed as therein. 
That those services were rendered on behalf of the public viz
under authority of the State of Connecticut against the common 
enemy & were such as took him entirely away from
all civil business & confined him entirely to his duties as a
soldier. that the services were not those of [illegible] patriots 
in such as were rendered in short alarms, but were
regular Services for the times & specified was in said original
declaration State. The declarant was out on a great
many occasions for a day two or longer in aforesaid 
sudden emergencies, which he has not attempted to verify 
& in which he makes no claim. The services stated are
all of a character entirely different

Declarant is not aware of a living witness where he
could obtain in addition to those whose testimony has been
forwarded; & he relies with confidence upon those as sufficient
to prove the fact of his having served as stated

In regard to his term of nine months under Ensign Jonathan 
Curtiss in 1782 he cannot get any testimony - for
all his associates in the service are dead & all the neighbors
who had knowledge of that service of except his
brother Carey whose deposition has been forwarded are
dead, or if living were absent on other service at the time
Then were with me under said Curtiss, John Waterbury Amos
Hoyt, John Leeds, Joseph Wilson , Martin De Bruce,
Joseph Hoyt, Saml Hyl. Isaac Scofield-- These were all
neighbor of mine they are all of them dead as is said Curtiss
There were others making in all as I think the number
of twenty but their names I have forgotten, except that
I think Hezekiah Weed of [illegible] was in service with us
I have applied to him & he has no recollection of having
served at all under Curtiss & has no distinctive recollection
him in regard to his own services. - But I knew he was
in service at the time - he might have belonged to a different
division of the company & I have there met him
Page 20

in the service, as I have heretofore stated there were
three divisiosn of the company of the Capt.
had one in Stanford Village - the Lieut. had another
Station in Darien & Ensign Curtiss had the other stationed 
between the others at [illegible] River. These
divisions had no intercourse, unless some uncommon 
emergency bought them together & I have no recollection 
but now of their ever being thus brought together.
said Hezekiah Weed informs me he has no recollection of
any services under Curtiss - I have taken great pains to obtain 
the testimony but cannot do it-- but I know that
I rendered services under Curtiss as stated & for the term
stated. There are other persons living in the neighborhood
as Abraham Bell, Benjamin Weed & others who were
at the time absent in service at other places & therefore 
have knowledge of mine, Charles Weed &
James Weed were neighbors but they were absent in
other service & are we both dead

I earnestly urge a reconsideration & allowance of 
my claim for an old & nearly helpless & utterly 
destitute of property & am now suffering for want of
the common necessaries of life 
Abram Leeds

Sworn to & subscribed the day
and year aforesaid
Before me
Charles Hawley Judge

I Cary Leeds of Stamford in Connecticut testify in addition 
to what I have heretofore testified on the application
of Abram Leeds for a pension that altho
I was not in service with him under Jonathan Curtiss
in the Town Guards in 1782 yet I well know
the fact that he enlisted & served as he has stated in
his original declaration & as I have testified in my
[illegible] for I saw  him often in the service 
as his station was near by my place of residence &
will knew the fact of this continued absence from
home for the term of nine months and I know the
fact of his service in this way, as certainly as if I
had been in the service with him. I also know the fact 
that all the persons he has named and his foregoing
posit as read, are dead viz; John Waterbury,
Amos Hoyt John Leeds Joseph Wilmot, Martin
De Bruce, Joseph Hoyt, Sam Hoyt, [illegible]
James Weed Charles Weed. I recollect
Page 21

for that these with the exception of James Weed & Charles
Weed were in service with said Abram. I do not
know a single living person who was in service with him
The names of the others of Curtiss division I do not now
recollect, but if their names were mentioned to me I feel
sure I would remember them 
Cary Leeds
Sworn to subscribed the day
& year aforesaid do certify that I will know the deponant
that he is a credible person
Chas Hawley Judge-

I Joshua B. Ferris
Clerk of the Court of Probate for the
District of Stamford in Connecticut do herby certify
the pregoing contains the original proceedings before said
Court in the matter of the additional declaration of
Abram Deeds for a pension. In testimony whereof I
have hereunto set my hand seal of office this 7th
September AD 1839 -
Joshua B. Ferris Clerk