Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14,175, for Lewis Picard, Other
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE

Continental (Canada)

Picard, Lewis
or Pecard

NUMBER
S. 14,175

Carded.
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Vermont 32.42 [rest cut off]

Lewis Picard

of Franklin Co. in the State of Vermont
who was a Private in the Compy commanded by Captain Lonszo of the Regt commanded by Col Livingston in the *Vt. line for Six months *Continental Records completed Sept. 26/06. SS

Inscribed on the Roll of Montpelier at the rate of 20 Dollars -- Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 18th day of Feb 1846 and sent to Wm. Bridges, St Albany Vt.

Arrears to the 4th of March, 1845 $280.00
Semi=anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. 45 10
                                                         $290.00
{Revolutionary Claim,}
{Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by Tho Lumpkin Clerk,
Book E. 2  Vol. 3  Page 93.
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3572[rest of number covered up]

Lewis Picards
Declaration
for a Pension

Act of June 7th, 1832.


6 months maybe
allowed -
Page 4

Declaration.
Revolutionary Claim,

Under an Act of Congress, passed June 7th, A. D. 1832.

State of Vermont,
District of Georgia, SS.  Franklin County, Probate Court,  April 1st, A. D. 1844.

Personally appeared in open Court, being the Probate Court for said District, in said County of Franklin, and a Court of Record for said County, and State of Vermont, as will appear by the first Sections of a Statute Law of said State, entitled An Act constituting Probate Courts, Courts of Record, passed November 15th, A. D. 1821, (see first Section of said Act), Lewis Pecard, of St. Albany (late of St. Sarare, L.C. where he lived 30 years), County and State aforesaid, aged Eight nine 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 Act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832.  He was formerly a resident of St. Sarare, Lower Canada, and made an application for a pension soon after the passage of the Act of 7th June, 1832, at Champlain, in the County of Clinton, State of New York, before a Mr. Wait or White, (his name he does not distinctly recollect) and has heard nothing from the application made at that time before him since.
He was born in St. Ann (below Quebec) in the Province of Lower Canada, but in what year he is unable to state precisely, as he has no records of his age.  He declares that he entered the service of the United States in the year 1775, sometime in the month of July and served under Captain Augustine Lonszo, John Baptiste Vient, & Peter Vient, who he thinks was Sergeant, in the Company to which he belonged, but
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whether said Vient was a Sergeant or a commissioned Officer he is not positive.)  The Regiment to which he was attached was commanded by Colonel James Livingston.  He recollects the names of the following Officers and Soldiers, belonging to Col. Livingstons Regiment, some of whom he thinks were in the same Company with him, viz:  Major, Abraham Livingston.  Captain, Noel Livingston, Captain Augustus Lonszo, alias Baird.  Sergeant, Anthony Vient.  Sergeant, P. Le Blanc, Corporal R. Lade Banche, & Corporal Gella
Privates.
P. Lade Banche, Dennis Parant, John Baptiste Savarei, P. Savarei, John Baptiste Lamontague, F. Pagnine, Corbellie, Dandlain, John Baptiste Lade Banche, John Baptiste Joyal, alias Jean Battist Joyient, & Peter Vereno, alias Parshae.
The applicant joined the Regiment at Point Leva, in the Province of Canada, from which place they marched to Quebec, and there remained untill the Army evacuated that place, and from thence the applicant went with is Company and Regiment to Isle Ex Noix, at which place he was taken sick and the Army left him at the last mentioned place, he at that time having served Ten months and Eight Days, as an enlisted Soldier; being first embodied at Sorell, Lower Canada, and served as a Volunteer until arriving at Quebec, at which place he enlisted for six months.
He further states that he never received a written discharge from the service, & has no do documentary evidence of his service whatever.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares
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that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State.
Sworn to, and subscribed 
before me on this 1st day
of April, A. D. 1844.

Lewis  his  X  mark  Pecard

Attest} Wm Bridges Just}  Wm Bridges Judge of Probate.

We Lawrence Lappan, & Augusts Tatro - of St. Albans in the County of Franklin, and State of Vermont, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Lewis Pecard, and have been acquainted with him for twenty nine years past, in St. Sarare, L. C. as well as for this place he the said Pecard, having subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration, for the purpose of obtaining a pension; that we believe him to be eighty nine years of age, as he hath alleged in his said Declaration, that it was trusted and believed in the neighborhood where he has resided that he was a Soldier of the Revolutionary War, that we fully concur in that opinion, & that said Pecard, is a man who sustains a good character for truth and veracity, and we have no doubt but that the statements in his Declaration made, are according to the best of his knowledge true.
Attest} Almon Stites
Wm Bridges Just

Laurence Lappan
Augustus Tatro

The above sworn to and
subscribed this fourth day
of April, A. D. 1844.

Before me, Wm Bridges Judge of Probate
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And the Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after [illegible] the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the said Lewis Pecard, was a Soldier of the Revolution, and served as he has in his Declaration set forth, and that in consequence of said applicants age, and his being but slightly acquainted with the English language, he is unable to convey his ideas respecting his alleged service in such manner as to enable this Court to give but a slight description of such service, but from acquaintance with said applicant this Court are fully of the opinion that he served as he hath above stated.

This Court further certifies that Lawrence Lappan and Augustus Tarto, who have signed the foregoing certificate, are both respectable citizens, residing in the neighborhood of this Court, and that full faith and confidence may be put in the foregoing statements by them, subscribed as being true.

Attest, Wm Bridges Judge of Probate

I, Joseph H. Brainerd, Register of the Court of Probate, within and for the said District of Georgia, in the State of Vermont hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court, in the mater of the Application of Lewis Pecard, for a pension.

I further certify that William Bridges, before whom the Declaration of said Pecard, & the Certificate of the said Lawrence Lappan,
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and Augustus Tatro, of St. Albans, were taken, is now and at that time was Judge of Probate within and for said District of Georgia, and State aforesaid, and that his signatures therein written, I know to be in his own proper handwriting.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the Seal of said County, at St. Albans, in said District this 4th. day of April, 1844.

[seal affixed to page]

Joseph H. Brainerd  Register
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35.722
Lewis Picard

Vt

Suspended
Let to Wm Bridges Sept 3. 1844
11 to do  June 23/45


Act June 7th 32.
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Clergyman's
Certificate 
for 
Lewis Picard

--------------- 11 -----------------------------
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page is in French, but cannot read it clearly enough to accurately transcribe it.
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Claim of Louis Desforge
S. File no. 3281 War 1812
is not identical with
that of Lewis Picard
S. File no. 14175
resident of New Orleans,
Records searched for
other claims none found

A. E. Pope-
Sept. 25, 1906.
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No 35.722
Lewis Picard
VT
Act 7 June 1832

Admd. 6 mo/in
$20.00 per annum

from 4 March 1831


William Bridges
St Albans
VT.
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State of Vermont Franklin Co
St Albans Decemr 10th, 1845,

Hon J. L Edwards

Enclosed I herewith transmit the 2d letter from the Comptroller of the State of N.Y. upon the subject of Lewis Pecor's Pension, from which it appears that his name is not borne upon the Rolls of Col Livingstons Regt and it also appears that the Rolls are incomplete which goes to show that there may be many who are now in the receipt of pensions & have been enjoying the benefits of the same for years whose names are not to be found upon the Rolls of any company or Regt  It is certainly so in the case of Peter Verano one of the witnesses in the case of Pecor whose name is mentioned in the enclosed letter as not being upon the Rolls of Livingston's Regt. and yet Verano was placed upon the Pension Roll in Sept 1833, & John B. Joyal in June, 1834, both fellow soldiers in the same Regiment with the applicant Pecor & witnesses in his case & their reputation well established, not only by the certifying officer, but also by individuals of undoubtable veracity.
The rules laid down by the Hon the Secretary of War (which rules are now before me) in cases where the name of the applicant is not found, he refers to (viz note j) and then proceeds
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to say "As the presumption will in such case be against the application consequence of the omission of their names upon the muster-rolls they will be required to furnish as near as may be the same evidence as has heretofore been required by the regulations & practice adopted for carrying into effect the act of Congress of March 18th, 1818, and the acts supplementary thereto with such relaxation as have been from time to time sanctioned by the Department on account of the rapid decrease of the survivors of the Revolutionary army, and the consequent difficulty of procurring direct & positive testimony in every case, and by reference to note j the mode of proceeding is clearly pointed out, that the service must be proved by two credible witnesses, yet with that reasonable allowance as recommended by the Secretary.  The evidence in this case has been made and the rule complied with agreeably to the direction by which all applicants are to be governed who are situated as the applicant is, and having furnished the evidence required I would most respectfully ask why this pension has been so long with-held.
The applicant in his declaration has given the names of his officers, the place of his birth, the time & place of his joining the army,
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and where he served, all which the applicant has stated as near as could be expected of any person of his advanced age, He is a man of no education and not of sufficient capacity to invent a story like the one told by him in his declaration He is an illiterate Frenchman living upon the charity of the people, is a resident of St Albans & has been for some years past.  He is apparently a very honest man and has uniformly given the same account of his services and all the particulars as set forth in his declaration without the least material variation.
It would appear from the rules laid down by the Hon Secretary that there are no rolls of the state troops except those of Virginia, & no rolls of the Militia, except those of New Hampshire, & therefore demands a different rule of proceeding.  It appears from the Comptrollers letter enclosed that Col Livingston's Regt was State troops.  But be that as may the evidence required in the case of continental or State troops has been furnished agreeably to the rule required making reasonable allowance for the infirmities of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, And it further appears from the instructions of the Hon Secretary of War, that it was not his intention to require from the applicants positive proof of service
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after the lapse of so many years for in so doing it would deprive many of the benefit of the law, But yet not to admit without some evidence together with corroborating circumstances & that a just medium should be observed.  In this case the circumstances in relation to Pecors services have been detailed in his declaration agreeably to the rule, and supported by two credible witnesses, and it is hoped & believed that after a review of this case you will grant the applicant a pension, to which I consider he is most justly entitled.

Yours Respectfully
Wm Bridges

Hon J. L. Edwards
Commr of Pensions
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Comptrollers Office
Albany
Nov 9th 1844



Wm Bridges
St Albans
Vt.

[partial postmark]
ALBANY
NOV
8
Page 19

Comptrollers Office
Albany Novr 9th 1844

Sir

After a careful examination of the books, documents, and papers relating to the Revolutionary period, the record of Lewis Picard is not found.

I am very respectfully
Yr Obet Servt
Philip Phelps
[illegible] Compr

Wm. Bridges
St. Albans
Vt.
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State of Vermont, Franklin Co.
St Albans, April 9th 1844,

Hon J. L. Edwards
Sir.

Enclosed are the papers of Lewis Pecord, for a pension,  you will please examine the same and return the result of your investigation to me, to whom he has entrusted his business.  Said Pecord, Pecor or Pecorre, is a very illiterate man, and does not understand how his name should be pronounced or spelled in english.  I have recd. communications from three different persons who have speld his name as above written.

Very Respectfully
Your Obt. Servt.
Wm Bridges,
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State of Vermont, Franklin County
St Albans May 9th, 1845.

Dear Sir,

Permit me to Call your attention to the claim of Lewis Pecor.  Agreeably to your instructions of teh 3d Sept last I wrote the comptroller of the State of N. Y. and have recd his answer, which is herewith enclosed,  But from his short communication it appear that the name of Lewis Pecor is not borne upon the books and papers found in the comptrollers office, and he gives no account whether there are any records or documents in relation to Col Livingston's Regt, and from the knowledge I have of the records & documents in the state of N. Y. relative to Revolutionary claims, (having been under the necessity of writing there a number of times,) I have a right to infer that they are few and very imperfect, and therefore do not consider that the applicants claim should be rejected on account of his name not having been found upon the Rolls at Albany, when in other respects the applicant has complied with the rules laid down by the Secretary of War, to be observed and complied with under the Act of June 7th, 1832.  It appears from the rules assd laid down by the Hon Lewis Cass that in case where the name of the applicant is not found upon the records he must prove his service by two credible witnesses.  But he further says, "To require from the applicant positive proof of service from a contemporary survivor,
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would after the lapse of so many years, be to deprive many of them of the benefit of the law, and, as no presumption is raised against the Militia by existing rolls in the Department, there is no good reason why this requisition should be should be extended to them.  on the other hand, to receive the declaration of the parties as a sufficient ground for placing them upon the roll, without corroborating circumstances, would be to pen the Treasury to great fraud.  A just medium seems to present the best rule for carrying into effect the object of Congress.  Such is the language of the Hon Secretary.  In the first place the applicant has given a history of the campaign, the names of the officers under whom he served, and also the names of several of his brother soldiers belonging to the same Regt, and it is also certain that the American Army was in Canada in the years 1775 & 6 which corroborates his statement.  His claim is also supported by the affidavits of two credible witnesses stating in detail their personal knowledge of the services of the applicant from October 1775 to May 76 which at least entitle him to six months pay without paying any regard to the declaration of the applicant, which I have no doubt has stated the truth, for he as uniformly, from first to last given the self same history of his services, and the names of the officers and soldiers with whom he served; he has never had any doubt about any part of his statement except that of the time of his enlistment, he is not positive as to the precise time of that period nor the day the army left him, sick
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at the Isle Ex Nox.  To satisfy the Department of the true character of the witnesses, I have procured the affidavits of four respectable gentlemen who have been personally acquainted with them (Jayal & Verino) for years, and live in their immediate neighborhood, which I herewith transmit.  The old gentleman (Pecor) has for two years past resided in St Albans, and I am personally acquainted with him, and he is a very honest old man, is very poor, and is in part supported by the expence of the town, and if he is Justly entitled to a pension, (as I have no doubt he is) no one needs it more.

Very Respectfully
Your Obt Servt
William Bridges


Hon J. L. Edwards
Comr of Pensions-
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Rev War

14175
INVALID.

File No. 14. 175
Lewis Picard
Priv Rev War

Act:  June 7" 1832

Index :--Vol. 1, Page 297

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 25

William Bridges Esq

St. Albans
Vt.
Page 26

Comptrollers Office
Albany Oct. 17th 1845.

Sir

Yours of the 11th Inst. is recd.  Further examination has been made for the name of Lewis Pecor or Desforge neither of which appear.

We have no Original Rolls of Col Livingston in this office.

Col Livingston commanded a Regiment of the New York line, A copy of his Rolls are in the Secretarys office, (supposed however to be incomplete) the name of Desforge or Peter Verino Marshan does not appear on them

William Bridges Esqr.  Yours Respectfully
St. Albans                      Philip Phelps
N. Y.                              Dep Compr.
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I Isaac B. Bowdish of Swanton in the County of Franklin and State of Vermont of lawful age do hereby certify that I am personally acquainted with Peter Verano of this Town that I have Known him for nearly nine years and that he sustains as good a character for truth and veracity as any man

I. B. Bowdish

State of Vermont}
Franklin County SS}  Swanton 22 April 1845

The above deposition Signed and sworn to before me
V. R. Goodrich} Justice Peace

I. B. Bowdish above named is and has been for the the last two years nearly, a Deputy Collector of the Customs in this place

V. R. Goodrich} Justice Peace
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I Horatio B Farrar of Swanton in the County of Franklin and State of Vermont of lawful age depose and say that I have lived in the Town of Swanton the last thirty years during all that time I have been personally acquainted with John B Jayal of said Swanton I believe he has always sustained a good reputation and his character for truth and veracity I never heard questioned

H B Farrar

State of Vermont}
Franklin County SS}  Swanton 17. April AD. 1845

Then personally appeared H. B. Farrar the signer of the above deposition and made solemn oath that the statement therein was true

VS Ferris} Justice Peace

I also certify that H. B. Farrar above written is and has been for a long time Post master in in this vilage

VS Ferris} Justice Peace
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I W. S. Thayer of Swanton in the County of Franklin and State of Vermont do depose and say that I have been acquainted with John B. Jayal from my childhood up to this time or more than twenty one years and that his character for truth and veracity is so good that I never heard it questioned

W. S. Thayer

State of Vermont}
Franklin County SS} Swanton 17. April AD 1845
The above deposition Subscribed and Sworn to before me

V. S Ferris} Justice Peace

I also certify that W. S. Thayer the above deponent is the Town Clerk of this Town and a Justice Peace in this County

V. S. Ferris Justice Peace
Page 30

I hereby certify that I am personally acquainted with Peter Verano of this Town that I have Known him the last ten or twelve years and that his character for truth and veracity is good

W. S. Thayer

State of Vermont}
Franklin County SS} Swanton 17. April AD 1845
Subscribed and Sworn to before me

VS Ferris} Justice Peace


I also certify that W. S. Thayer the above deponent is Known to me that he is the Town Clerk of this Town and a Justice Peace for the County

VS Ferris} Justice Peace
Page 31

State of Vermont}
Franklin County SS}

I Joseph H. Brainerd Clerk of the County Court of the County of Franklin aforesaid do hereby certify that Valentinee R. Goodrich & Valentine S. Ferris were at the time the oaths to the foregoing Certificates were by them administered, & Still are Justices of the Peace in & for Said County of Franklin duly qualified to act as Such magistrates & that full faith & credit ought to be given to their acts as such magistrates
In testimony whereof I have affixed the Seal of the County Court aforesaid & Subscribed my name officially to these presents at St Albans in the County of Franklin aforesaid this twelfth day of May A. D. 1845

Joseph H. Brainerd Clerk

[seal affixed to page]
Page 32

I Peter Vereno, of Swanton, in the County of Franklin, and State of Vermont, aged eighty four years, do depose, testify and say, that in the month of September, or October, 1775, I joined Captain Antoine Minors Company, in Col. James Livingstons Regiment, and marched from Belisle to Quebec, Lower Canada.  That previous to the commencement of the Revolutionary War I was personally acquainted with Lewis Pecard, then a resident of Point Leva, Lower Canada, and when Col. Livingstons Regiment lay at Belisle, I saw said Lewis Pecard, and conversed with him, and found by his conversation at that time, that he belonged to the same Regiment, in which I then was serving, and I know that said Pecard remained in the same Regiment until after the Army evacuated Quebec, and after Army left Quebec the Company to which said Pecard belonged was separated from the Company to which I belonged, and I had no further knowledge of said Pecard for some time, and am not able to say how long said Pecard served, but should say and verily believe that he served from the time I first saw him in September, or October, 1775, until some time in May 1776, during which time said Pecard belonged to Col. Livingstons Regiment, and served in a Company commanded by one Captain Lonszo, and further this Deponent saith not.
Sworn to and Subscribed,}
this 3d day of April 1844.}
Before me, Wm Bridges Justice of the Peace

Peter  his  X  mark  Vereno
Page 33

State of Vermont--}
Franklin County, SS}

I hereby further certify, that Peter Verono, who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing Affidavit by him made in my presence, is a respectable citizen residing in Swanton aforesaid, and believe his statement made in said Affidavit is true, according to his best recollection and belief.
William Bridges Justice of the Peace.
Page 34

I John Baptiste Joyal, of Swanton, in the County of Franklin, and State of Vermont, aged ninety-five years, do depose, testify and say, that in the year 1775, I believe about the first of October, I volunteered and joined Captain Antoine Poland's Company, at Sorell, Lower Canada, and was attached to Colonel James Livingstons Regiment, and there became acquainted with Lewis Pecard, then a Soldier in the same Regiment, to which I belonged, and in the Company commanded by Captain Augustus Lonszo.  From said that mentioned place the Regiment marched to Quebec, where I served until the place was evacuated, and during my stay at Quebec, I often saw said Pecard, and believe that he continued in service until the American Army left the Province, but the exact time that said Pecard joined the Army, or left the same, I cannot say, but am confident that he served from October 1775 to May 1776, and further this deponent saith not.
Sworn to, and subscribed this 1st day of April A. D. 1844.
Before me, William Bridges Justice of the Peace

John Baptiste  his X mark  Joyal.

State of Vermont-}
Franklin County, SS.}
I hereby certify, that John Baptiste Joyal, who has subscribed and sworn to the above Affidavit, and who made the same in my presence, I have been personally acquainted with, for a number of years last past, and he has always sustained a good character for truth and veracity, and
Page 35

I believe the statement by him made in the foregoing Affidavit to be true according to the best of said Deponants knowledge, recollected, and belief.
Wm Bridges Justice of the Peace.


State of Vermont}
Franklin County SS}

I Joseph H. Brainerd Clerk of the County Court of the County of Franklin aforesaid do hereby certify that William Bridges Esqr before whom the foregoing Depositions were made was at the time they were subscribed & Sworn to and Still is one of the Justices of the Peace in & for the County of Franklin aforesaid, that the signature purporting to be said Bridges is genuine & that full faith ought to be given to his acts as Such magistrate
In testimony whereof I have affixed the Seal of the County Court aforesaid and subscribed my name officially to these presents at St Albans in the County of Franklin aforesaid this Sixth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty four
Joseph H. Brainerd Clerk

[seal affixed to page]


John Baptiste Joyal,
&
Peter Verenos
Affidavits in
support of the claim
of Lewis Picard,
for a pension