Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14947, Reuben Betts, Conn.
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE
Conn.

Betts, Reuben

NUMBER
S.14947

carded

CONTENTS
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8197
New York
Reuben Betts
of Saratoga in the State of N. York who was a Private in the Compant commanded by Captain Mead of the Regt. commanded by Col. Waterbury in the Court une for 16 months
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 33 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 16th day of March 1833 and [ILLEGIBLE] T P Taylor [ILLEGIBLE]
Arrears to the 4th of March, 1831 $106.66
Semi-anl allowance ending [ILLEGIBLE] 26.66
$133.32
{Revolutionary Claim,  Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by Geo C. Stiles Clerk,
Book E. Vol. 4 page 15
[Illegible] to Pen Agent and letter to Hon G. Kemble 20 Feb. 1838
To New York City fr. Albany of 4th March 1838.
Order to pay 27. March 1838.
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State of New York}
Saratoga County} ss.
On the twenty fifth day of September 1832, in open court before the court of Chancery now living at Saratoga Springs, personally appeared Reuben Betts, a resident of the town of Saratoga Springs in the County of Saratoga, aged seventy seven years, who being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make
the following declaration in order to entitle him to 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 & served as herein stated. In April 1775 he enlisted at the Parish of Wilton, in the town of Norwalk, in the County of Fairfield
in the State of Connecticut under Captain Matthew Mead, in Col. Waterbury's regiment of the Connecticut State troops for nine months, to go to the Northward 
Levi Taylor was first lieutenant, William Seymour was second lieutenant & James Betts was ensign. He thinks Webb was Lieutenant Colonel.  The major was Hobby - The company was mustered a few days after he enlisted, & marched to Horse Neck & thence to New York. He thinks the regiment was mustered at Horse Neck. The regiment came from New York to Albany by water & thus marched to Halfmoon, & lay there some  time.  The regiment then marched to Lake George, thence went down the Lake to Ticonderoga, & thence to St Johns thro Lake Champlain.  The regiment was a part of the forces commanded by Gen.Montgomery, but he does not recollect whether Montgomery assumed command at Halfmoon, Lake George or at Ticonderoga, but he has no doubt that Montgomery had command before the regiment left Ticonderoga. The Troops landed about a mile & a half or two
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miles south of St Johns.  After landing from the boats, the troops formed in the woods & marched towards the Fort at St Johns; they had not marched more than half of a mile, before they were attacked by the British & Indians.  Capt. Mead's company was on the right near the lake.  The attack commenced on the left but very soon extended to the right.  Capt Mead was wounded, Major Hobby was wounded & Capt. Mead's Company lost four men killed, & four wounded - The troops maintained their ground but towards night fell back to the woods & threw up an intrenchment to protect themselves during the  night & stayed there through the night, & the next day went down & threw a boom or chain across the river to prevent the British vessels from coming into the lake.  There was no other engagement of infantry to his recollection till the Fort at St Johns was surrendered -- The forces under Gen Montgomery surrounded the Fort & continued firing from a  bomb battery, built by Gen Montgomery on a hill west of the Fort until a surrender of the Fort, which took place about six weeks after the troops landed.  Three or four days after the surrender, he was drafted to guard the Prisoners taken at St Johns & came as far south as Stillwater where he was taken sick & the Captain of the Guard, Smith, who was a stranger, dismissed him, he remained sick at Stillwater a short time, & then made the best of his way home to Wilton, & arrived then in December 1775, a few days before the nine months expired in  He had no
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written discharge from this service-  He served the period of his enlistment, except a few days.
In the summer of 1774 he was drafted for three months, for the purpose of defending New York, & was at New York, when the American army evacuated the city-  Samuel Comstock was captain at New York.  He cannot recollect the militia colonel's name nor the names of Capt Constock's subalterns.  From New York Capt Comstocks company marched up to White Plains & after the three months expired he was dismissed at or near Saw Pits.  Soon after he returned home he found he was again drafted for three months, he returned to the service in company with Capt. Gilbert who commanded the company.  The subalterns in this company were frequently changed, & he does not now recollect their names except Joseph Rockwell.  He served the whole of this three months at Horse Neck, Saw Pits & Westchester & at the expiration of the time was dismissed.  He received a written discharge.  He returned home in the winter.  The militia colonel who commanded the regiment was Sephen St John, he lived at Norwalk & did not go down to New York & whither Capt Gilbert's & Capt Comstocks company belonged to any regiment in the service he cannot state; but their company & men made up of drafts, taken out of Col. St John's regiment.  On his return from the second draft, he enlisted in the troop of horse
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commanded by Capt. Gregory-  The next summer, Capt Gregory's company was called out.  They served two months-  He, applicant served this time with his horse.  The service was done at Horse Neck, Stamford, Saw Pits & in that quarter.  After that he always belonged to the town guards, & when on guard as one of them, always received provision & pay for the time.  The duty of the guards was to be on guard at Norwalk every third day & was commonly performed from the time he left the service in the winter of 1777 - 1778, till the close of the war.
He has no documentary evidence of his service.  He knows no person nearer than the town of Wilton in Connecticut who can testify to his service, except Giles Fitch of Greenfield who knows the fact that applicant enlisted & went to the north.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any state.
To the questions directed to be propounded he answers,
He was born in the Parish of Wilton, in the town of Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield & state of Connecticut on the 27th day of May 1755.
He has a record of his age in his great bible which is at Wilton, &
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he has also a copy of it in a testament at Saratoga Springs.
He lived at Wilton during the whole of the sd. Revolutionary War-  He lived in Wilton till 1823, thence he removed to Saratoga Springs & has lived there ever since.
He enlisted in the nine months service, was drafted twice for three month & was called out under Capt Gregory two months.  The service in the guards he believes was by enlistment.
He knew Gen Philip Schuyler, Gen. Montgomery, Col. Waterbury, Major Hobby & the officers of the troops who served with him generally, but their names he does not now recollect.
He never received a discharge.  He is not acquainted with any Clergyman in Saratoga Springs.  Daniel Crawford [illegible], and Ransom Cook Esquire, a Justice of the Peace of Saratoga Springs are acquainted with him, & can testify to his character for veracity & their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolutionary War.
Reuben Betts
Subscribed and sworn,
Sept. 25, 1832.
G. M. Davison,
Clerk in Chancery
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14,519
Reuben Betts
Admd
Town guard & patrol disallowed
T. W. L.
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14,919
BRIEF in the case of Reuben Betts County of Saratoga in the State of New York
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1.  Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?  Court
2.  If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? ~~
3.  How  old is he?  77.
4.  State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.
Enlisted in 1775 April
Drafted 1776 Summer
do. 1776
Enlisted - -
Duration of Service.
Years, Months, Days.
nearly 9 months
nearly 3 months
nearly 3 months
nearly 2 months
Rank.
As a
private
do.
do.
do.
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Capt. Mead Col. Waterburry
Capt. Comstock
Capt. Gilbert
Capt. Gregory
He states, that he also served as town Guard from the winter of 77 & 78 until the close of the war.
5.  In what battles was he engaged?
6.  Where did he reside when he entered the service?  Fairfield Cty, Conn.
7.  Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?  Traditionary & witness
8.  Are the papers defective as to form or authentication?  and if so, in what respect?  Correct
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
F. Waugh
Examining Clerk.
March 8, 1833
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APPLICATION FOR A TRANSFER.
State of New-York,}
County of Westchester} ss.
On this eleventh day of January 1838, before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, personally appeared Reuben Betts who, on his oath, declares that he is the same person who formerly belonged to the Company commanded by Captain Matthew Mead in the Regiment commanded by Colonel --------- in the service of the United States; that his name was placed on the pension roll of the state of New York from whence he has lately removed; that he now resides in the state (district, or territory) of New York where he intends to remain, and wishes his pension to be there payable in future; and that his reason for removing to the state of New York in the County of Westchester are these that he is very infirm and not able to provide for himself and intends to reside with his son Charles in Bath.
Reuben Betts
Sworn and subscribed to, before me,}
the day and year aforesaid.}
William Lockwood
Justice of the Peace
Notes:  The oath to be taken before a duly qualified magistrate, whose official character and signature must be authenticated by the certificate of the proper officer, setting forth that the person taking the testimony is a Justice of the Peace, Judge, or Notary Public, as the case may be, and that the signature purporting to be his is genuine.
The pensioner's oath must be supported by the evidence of another person as to identity.  The person must swear that he well knows him to be the same person described in the above affidavit.  The magistrate must certify that the deponent is a person of veracity.  This oath must also have the authentication as above required.
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Rev. War
14947
INVALID.
File No. 14,947
Reuben Betts
Pri Rev War
Act:  June 7th 32
Index:—Vol. 1, Page 35
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Nov. 20-1901
Dr. Frank R. Searle
Springfield
Mass
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Reuben Betts
Pension papers
14919
alld.
Service as Town Guard disallowed & other service estimated by consent of Hon J W Taylor
admd
16 mo pri
$53.33
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State of New York}
County of Saratoga} ss.
On the twenty fifth day of September 1832, in open Court before the Court of Chancery now sitting at Saratoga Springs, personally appeared Giles Fitch, who being duly sworn according to law doth depose & say that he is now seventy years of age & has known & been acquainted with Reuben Betts an applicant for a pension, for sixty years or more - In 1775, deponent lived at Wilton in Connecticut, a number of young men in Wilton, there enlisted to go to the north, or to Canada, part of the recruits assembled at Wilton & marched to Horse Neck as he understood.  The recruits did not return till December after St Johns was taken.  Reuben Betts, the applicant was one of the young men who enlisted at this time & returned about the same ^time with the rest of the soldiers.
Giles Fitch
Subscribed and Sworn,
Sept. 25, 1832.
G. M. Davison,
Clerk in Chancery
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State of New York}
County of Saratoga} ss.
On the twenty fifth day of September 1832 in open Court before the Court of Chancery now sitting at Saratoga Springs personally appeared Daniel Crawford a resident of the said town who being duly sworn doth depose that he has been acquainted with Reuben Betts an applicant for a pension about ten years, that the said applicant is a man of fair character and has always been reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier ^and deponent concurs in that opinion, deponent never heard any doubts expressed on that subject.  This deponent is sixty eight years of age.  The deponent verily believes, the applicant is of the age he represents himself from his acquaintance with him.
Daniel Crawford
Subscribed and sworn,
Sept. 25, 1832.
G. M. Davison
Clerk in Chancery
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State of New York}
County of Saratoga} ss.
On the twenty fifth day of September 1832 in open Court, before the Court of Chancery now sitting at Saratoga Springs, personally appeared Ransom Cook Esquire, a Justice of the Peace of the town of Saratoga Springs in the County aforesaid, who being duly sworn says that he has been acquainted with Reuben Betts an applicant for a pension, about eight years, that the said applicant has always sustained a good character since his acquaintance with him, & is reputed & generally believed to have been a soldier of the Revolution, ^and the deponent concurs in that opinion & this deponent has never heard any doubt expressed on that subject.  This deponent has no doubt of his being of the age he represents himself.  This deponent is thirty eight years of age.
Ransom Cook
Subscribed and Sworn
Sept. 25, 1832.
G. M. Davison,
Clerk in Chancery
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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 named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier & served as he states.  And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Ransom Cook Esquire who has signed the preceeding [preceding] certificate, is a Justice of the Peace, resident of the Town of Saratoga Springs, & that Daniel Crawford who has also signed the same is a resident in the same Town, & is a credible person, & that their statement is entitled to credit
E. Cowen, Jr V. Ch. 4th Circ., N. Y.
I Gideon M. Davison, Clerk of the Court of Chancery do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Reuben Betts for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this thirteenth day of October one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
G. M. Davison, Clerk.
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The within witnesses are men of respectability.
March 12, 1833
John W. Taylor
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B.
State of New York}
County of Westchester} ss.
January Eleventh 1838
I, William Lockwood a Magistrate in the County above named, do hereby certify, that I have the most satisfactory evidence *viz; by the affidavit of Charles G. Betts, hereunto annexed and by my own personal knowledge that Reuben Betts who has this day appeared before me to take the oath of identity, is the identical person named in the Pension Certificate, which he has exhibited before me, numbered 8997 and bearing date at the War Office, the Sixteenth day of March 1833; and signed by Lew Cass Secretary of War.
Given under my hand at Poundridge on the day and year above written.
William Lockwood
Justice of the Peace
J. P.
*Here state what the evidence is; whether personal knowledge, or the affidavits of respectable persons, giving their names.
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Sold by J. Hegeman & Co. 36 Wall st. cor. William
Under Act 7th June, 1832.
STATE OF NEW-YORK,} ss.
Westchester COUNTY,} ss.
BE IT KNOWN, That before me William Lockwood a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid, personally appeared Reuben Betts and made oath, in due form of law, that he is the identical person named in an original Certificate, in his possession, of which, I certify, the following is a true copy:
WAR DEPARTMENT.
REVOLUTIONARY CLAIM.
I CERTIFY, That in conformity with the law of the United States of the 7th of June, 1832, Reuben Betts of this State of New York who was a Private in the Revolutionary Army is entitled to receive Fifty Three dollars and thirty three cents per annum, during his natural life, commencing on the 4th of March, 1831, and payable semi-annually, on the 4th of March and 4th of September in every year.
Given at the War-Office of the United States, this 11th Day of March one thousand eight hundred and thirty three
L. S.
Lew Cass
Secretary of War.
Examined and Countersigned,}
J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions:
That he now resides in Poundridge County and State aforesaid and has resided there for the space of nine months [years crossed out] last past, and that previous thereto he resided in Saratoga in the State aforesaid
Reuben Betts
Sworn and subscribed before me, this
11th day of January 1838
William Lockwood Jus. Peace.
If the Pensioner has always lived in his present place of residence, insert the words NO OTHER  PLACE in this blank.
Here state what the evidence is; whether personal knowledge, or the affidavits of respectable persons, giving their names.
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Sold by J. B. Jansen.
State of New York}
Westchester County} ss.
On this Eleventh Day of January 1838 before me came Charles G. Betts who being by me duly sworn does on his oath say that he is well acquainted with Reuben Betts of the town of Poundridge - County and State aforesaid and late of Saratoga County in said State and this deponant [deponent] further says that he knows the said Reuben Betts to be the individual described ^in the annexed affidavit
Chas. G Betts
Sworn and subscribed before me 
the day and year aforesaid
William Lockwood Justice
I hereby certify that the above named Charles G. Betts is a man of truth and veracity and that his statement is entitled to full credit
William Lockwood Justice
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STATE OF NEW-YORK,}
County of West Chester} ss.
I John H. Smith Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for the County aforesaid, do hereby certify, that William Lockwood is a Justice of the Peace in and for the said County, duly commissioned and qualified; that his Commission is dated on the first day of January 1835, and will expire on the thirty first day of December 1838, and that his signature above written is genuine.
Given under my hand and the seal of said County, the fifth day of February one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight-
John H. Smith Clerk.
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James L. Edwards Esquire
Commiss'r. Pensions
War Dept.
City of Washington

Feb 28
Mr Evans
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MECHANICS' & FARMERS' BANK,
Albany Pension Agency,
February 24 1838
JAMES L. EDWARDS, ESQUIRE,
Commissioner of Pensions,
Sir,
In reply to your letter of the 20th inst. I have to state, that Reuben Betts a Pensioner under the Act of 7th June 1832 -- at 55 33/100 Dollars per annum was last paid to the 4 day of March 1837.
I am, Sir,
Very respectfully,
Your ob't serv't,
Tho. W. Olcott
PRES'T, AND PENSION AGENT.
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Mechanics Bank
New York 22 March 1838
Sir
I enclose for your examination, the papers in the case of Reuben Betts, a Private at $53.33/100 per annum, under the act of 7th June 1832, who claims his pension from the 4th of March 1837.
Also the papers of Simon Taylor a Private at $53.33/100 per annum under the act of 7th June 1832, who claims his pension from the 4th of March 1837.
I am Very Respectfully
Your Obt Servt
J L Willard 
James L Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington
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DR. FRANK R. SEARLES,
241 N. MAIN ST.
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
Nov 13th/1901
Sir:
Kindly inform me if there is any record of a Reuben Betts, or his widow Ellen Hawley, as on the pension rolls of the Revolutionary war.  I believe he was a resident of Massachusetts.  Thanking you in advance I am
Very Respectfully
F. R. Searles