Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 11987, Christopher Zeigler, Continental New York
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
Continental
New York

Zeigler, Christopher
or Zegler

NUMBER
R.11987

CONTENTS
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State of New York
Green County ss}

Benjamin Bedell of the town of New Baltimore in the County of Green & State of New York being duly affirmed saith that he is well acquainted with Christopher Zegler & has been for the last thirty years, and that for the greatest part of that time he has resided in the said town of New Baltimore & during his residence there was reputed and believed by his neighbors to have been a soldier of the Revolutionary war - That the said Christopher resided for at least ten years in his fathers family, and that as long as he has known him he was a man of strict veracity & integrity, and was also a man of good moral character, except that he occasionally became intemperate - That at the time of his residence with his father he the said Christopher has had in his possession a paper purported to be a discharge from the American Army, that he heard it read by his father &
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understood from him that it was his discharge - That this deponent has not seen his discharge for the last ten years & believes that he the said Christopher has it not in his possession - 
Benjamin Bedell

Affirmed this 12th day of July 1832 before me
Abm Van Dyck
Commissioner of Deeds

See Clerks certificate at the outside
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State of New York
Greene County ss

On this third day of September one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common pleas in and for the said County of Greene now sitting, being a court of Record, Christopher Zegler a resident of the town of new Baltimore in County of Greene & State of new York aged seventy 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

That he was born in Berlin in the Kingdom of Prussia in Europe in the year one thousand seven hundred & fifty three he being now seventy nine years ole on the fifteenth of June last. That he has no record of his birth, nor does he know where there is one. That he came over to America in the year one thousand seven hundred & seventy six in the Army of General Burgoine, and remained in his army until October one thousand seven hundred & seventy seven when he deserted from Burgoine’s army a few days before the Capture of Burgoyne - That he went to Fort Stanwix then under the Command of Colonel Gansevoort - Col’l Willet & Col’l Schuyler were there at the same time. That he stayed at Fort Stanwix a few days, when Col. Courtland came express from General Gates, and the deponent enlisted under him - and then went to Albany and thence to New Jersey where Col Courtlands regiment lay. The deponent served one year in Courtlands regiment of Artillery, and then went with the written permission of Col’ Courtland (which is lost to Maryland, the town he does not remember; and enlisted in Col Washingtons regiment of light horse and served therein four years - until the war was over. That he [strikethrough]. was in the battle of yorktown. and the Battle of new ? [strikethrough} and in the Battle of Brunswick. - That at the
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close of the war he has a written [permission which he had [strikethrough] discharge, which he has lost - That after the peace he resided in the County of Westchester, in the State of New York for about five years, and from thence, went to Poughkeepsie where he remains eight or nine years, and thence into what is now the town of New Baltimore in the County of Green state of New York, where he has ever since resided

That while in Courtland’s regiment, he does not remember his Captain - The name of his lieutenant was Cole - That while in Washington’s Regiment his Captain’s name was Cannon, and his Lieutenant Moore - And he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Roll of the agency of any State.
Cp.n.
X his Mark
Christopher Zegler

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid by making his mark he not being able to write - in open court before me
William V.B. Heermance Clerk

We Ephraim Bronk and Ruliff Rhyer residing in the town of New Baltimore in the county of Greene, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Christopher Zegler who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration - that we believe him to be seventy nine years of age or thereabout - that he is reputed and believe in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that Opinion
X his Mark
Ephraim Bronk
Ruliff Ryan

Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid - in open court Before me
William V.B. Heermance Clerk
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And the said Court do hereby declare their Opinion that after the investigation of the Matter, and after putting the Interrogatories prescribed by the war department that the above deponent was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states - And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Ephraim Bronk and Rulif Ryan - who have signed the preceding certificate now residents of the town of New Baltimore and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit 
Darrance Kirtland
First Judge of Said Courts

I William VB Heermance Clerk of the Court of Common pleas aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Christopher Zegler for a pension -

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the said County this third - day of September 1832
William V.B. Heermance Clerk
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12,961
Declaration of Christopher Zegler of New Baltimore in the County of Greene and State of New York for a Pension under the act of 7th June 1832

Judge

X0
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State of New York
Greene County ss }

Supplementary declaration - 

On this twenty third - day of May 1833 personally appeared before me Dorrance Kirtland Esquire first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County and State of New York (the said Court being a Court of Record) Christopher Zeigler who will be eighty years on the fifteenth day of June next, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration supplementary and in addition to his declaration heretofore made and hereunto annexed, in order to Obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 - 

That this declarant cannot assign any reason why his name cannot now be found on the Rolls - That this declarant affirms that during the time he was in the United States Service his name was regularly called every day and generally twice or three times a day; that he unequivocally asserts that his name was on the muster roll, when he served in Col. Washington’s Regiment of Light horse - That he does not know whether his surname was written on the muster roll in the same manner that he spells it or not -

That this deponent has no documentary evidence in his possession or under his control whereby to prove his services - That this deponent from the time he enlisted in Col: Van Courtland Regiment of artillery until the close of the war believes he was always discharged his duty as a soldier in the American Service with the utmost fidelity. That he has had a discharge from Col: Washington, which he had lost - That this deponent has
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frequently searched for said discharge, but cannot find it - That he first discovered its loss [strikethrough] about [strikethrough] more than twenty years ago - That this declarant is now nearly eighty years of age and is considerable infirm and lame - That the officers under whom he served, and whose names he remembered, he has understood and believes are dead - That he does not know of any officer, soldier or other person by whom he can prove his services - That his services were rendered in the States of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia; that since the peace he has always resided in the State of New York and for about thirty five years last past in the town of New Baltimore in the County of Greene aforesaid - That he does not know where to find any of his fellow soldiers if alive - That this deponent is so poor, that he has not the means of travelling in the Southern States to make the necessary searches and enquiries whether any of his fellow soldiers are still living -

And the declarant further states that he first enlisted in the American service in the latter part of the year 1777 in Col: Courtlands regiment - That he served one year in Cortlands Regiment of artillery - That in the year 1778 as he thinks, and immediately upon leaving Cortlands regiment, he went by the written permission of Col: Cortlands to Maryland, (the name of the term he does not remember), and in the said year 1778 he enlisted in Col: Washingtons Regiment of light horse - That from the year 1778 when he last enlisted, he served uninterruptedly and constantly in the said
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light horse under Col: Washingtons until the termination of the war - That he fought in the battle at Yorktown & was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis - 

And this deponent further says that there is no Clergyman residing in his neighborhood nor has there been as long as he has resided in said town - That the nearest Clergyman is the Rev’d Wm. Searl of the Reformed Dutch Church in Cossackie, who resides about five miles from this declarant & with whom he has no acquaintance, the said Wm Searl having resided only a few years in said town - 

This deponent also says that while he was in the service of the United States during the Revolutionary war he was wounded six times - That this declarant is now lame by reason of a wound received in his leg in said war & while in the American Service -

And he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State - 
X his mark
Christopher Zeigler

Sworn & Subscribed by making his mark not being able to write his name before me this 23rd day of June 1833
Dorrance Kirtland First Judge aforesaid

And I the Judge aforesaid do further certify that Christopher Zegler the foregoing applicant is a Credible Person & that his Statement is intitled
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to Credit & further that there is no Clergyman residing in the neighborhood of the said Christopher Zegler as Stated in his Declaration
Dorrance Kirtland
First Judge aforesaid
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to Credit & further that there is no Clergyman residing in the neighborhood of the said Christopher Zegler as Stated in his Declaration
Dorrance Kirtland
First Judge aforesaid
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State of New York
Greene County ss}

Benjamin Bedell of the town of New Baltimore in the county and State aforesaid being duly affirmed saith that he is well acquainted with Christopher Zeigler of the town of New Baltimore aforesaid and has been for the last thirty years and during that time he was reputed and believed by his neighbors to have been a soldier of the Revolution - That the said Christopher resided at his fathers thirty years ago and continued to reside there for at least between ten & fifteen years - That while he resided with his father the said Christopher had a paper writing, which this deponent saw, and which he heard his father read, and which purported to be a regular discharge from the service of the United States - That it was understood by deponents father and by his fathers family to be an honorable discharge; and this deponent always understood & believed and still believes that it was such discharge - This deponent also saith that his father has been dead about twenty two years -

This deponent saith that
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when he first became acquainted with the said Christopher, that said Christopher shewed him several scars to wit one on the hand, one on the foot and one on his [strikethrough] neck [strikethrough] neck which he then stated to this deponent & always since told this deponent were from wounds received while he was in the American Service during the revolutionary war - That this deponent has [strikethrough] it [strikethrough] heard the declaration of the said Christopher reads in which he sets forth his same corresponds with the history he gave of his services between thirty and twenty years ago - 

That this deponent has not seen the discharge in a great many years - That more than ten years ago he understood & believed & still believes that the same had been lost - 
Benjamin Bedell

On the 20th day of May 1833 before me appeared Benjamin Bedell, whom I certify to be a resident in the town of New Baltimore in the County of Greene and to be a credible person, and being duly affirmed declares that the facts stated in the foregoing deposition by him subscribed are true - and I do further certify that the affirmation of the said Benjamin Bedell is entitled to credit
Abr Van Dyck Commissioner of Deeds for the County of Greene in the State of New York
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State of New York
Greene County ss. }

Sally Bedell of the town of New Baltimore in the County and State aforesaid being duly affirmed saith that she has, [strikethrough] under [strikethrough] heard read the foregoing affidavit of her brother Benjamin Bedell, and that she also remembers the facts & circumstances therein set forth & hereby affirms to the same - and this deponent further saith that she this deponent has herself read the said discharge while in possession of the said Christopher - That she always understood & believed & still believes that it was a regular & honorable discharge from the American Army - That she has known the said Christopher for at least thirty years and always known him to be a man of truth - That it was always reputed during the said thirty [strikethrough] day [strikethrough] years, and believed in the neighborhood where he resided that he was a soldier of the revolution, and this deponent always believed the same -
Sally Bedell
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On the 20th day of May 1833 before me appeared Sally Bedell whom I certify to be a resident [strikethrough] of [strikethrough] in the town of New Baltimore within County of Greene and to be a credible person and being duly affirmed declares that the facts stated in the [strikethrough] for [strikethrough] foregoing deposition by her subscribed are true - and I do further certify that the Affirmation of the said Sally Bedell is entitled to credit. [strikethrough] and those [strikethrough]
Abr Van Dyck Commissioner of Deeds for the County of Greene in the State of New York
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State of New York
Greene County ss } 

I William V.B. Heermance clerk of the said county do certify that Dorrance Kirtland Esquire before whom the annexed supplementary declaration of Christopher Ziegler was sworn, was at the date of the same First Judge of the Court of Common pleas of the said County and that his signature thereto is genuine. I also certify that Abraham Van Dyck Esquire before whom the annexed two affidavits of Benjamin Bedell and affidavit of Sally Bedell were sworn, was at the date of the same a commissioner of deeds of the the said county and that his signature to the said affidavit is genuine

Witness my hand and seal of office this twenty fifth day of June in the year 1833
William V.B. Heermance Clerk

There is an attached seal.
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State of New York
Greene County ss } 

I William V.B. Heermance clerk of the said county do certify that Dorrance Kirtland Esquire before whom the annexed supplementary declaration of Christopher Ziegler was sworn, was at the date of the same First Judge of the Court of Common pleas of the said County and that his signature thereto is genuine. I also certify that Abraham Van Dyck Esquire before whom the annexed two affidavits of Benjamin Bedell and affidavit of Sally Bedell were sworn, was at the date of the same a commissioner of deeds of the the said county and that his signature to the said affidavit is genuine

Witness my hand and seal of office this twenty fifth day of June in the year 1833
William V.B. Heermance Clerk

There is an attached seal.
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Typed document completed in handwriting

11,987

P.O. ---
Christopher Zeigler
Service: ---

Enlisted: ---, 18 --.
Discharged: ---, 18--.

Application filed: ---, 18--.

Alleges: ---
Re-enlisted: ---

Attorney: ---
P.O. ---

--- Recognized, --- Contract.
--- Cert. of Dis.  Searched for ---, 18--.

Stamped over the top of the document 
REJECTED
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This is a blank document.
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Typed document completed in handwriting

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Christopher Zegler - green C- NYork which require further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? no

V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of mention he is entitled? yes
Not found on the rolls [strikethrough] & now [strikethrough] evidence of service must be furnished agreeably to the regulations.

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

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

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes

X. Is the Clerk’s seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yes
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Typed document completed in handwriting

2

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? no

XII. If the clergyman’s affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? no

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

XIV. ** If the applicant’s name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
    If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
    Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? no

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

XVI. *** Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? no

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

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

*QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
“Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For--- year --- months, and --- days, I served as a --- For --- months and --- days, I served as a ---; and for such service I claim a pension.
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3

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about 3 or 4 months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia. &c. without. specifying the tours; the names of the officers and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served: the duration of each term of engagement: the particular place or places where the service was performed: that the applicant served with an enlisted 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.

**QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
     In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oath 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.

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

In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
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New York
Revo:
Christopher Zeigler
Rejected
let. JL Brink
15 Aug’t 1833

Act 7 June 32
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Cossackie June 26th, 1833

Dear Sir,

I received the declaration of Mr. Zeigler some time since with the objections of the Pension Office, to the allowance of a Pension - Those objections I believe are now fully and satisfactorily and satisfactorily answered by the Supplementary declaration and affidavits now transmitted - 

The papers are now properly authenticated, & the reason of not procuring a Clergyman’s certificate is assigned in the Supplementary declaration & the truth of it certified to by Judge Kirtland - The declarant also gives a satisfactory reason why he cannot procure living witnesses of services - It must at once be observed, that to require a very aged (80 years) for, infirm & lame soldier to travel in the Southern States, with the faint hope of finding some soldier somewhere, by whom he might possibly shew his services, would be a requirement which the law never contemplated, and
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Cossackie June 26th, 1833

Dear Sir,

I received the declaration of Mr. Zeigler some time since with the objections of the Pension Office, to the allowance of a Pension - Those objections I believe are now fully and satisfactorily and satisfactorily answered by the Supplementary declaration and affidavits now transmitted - 

The papers are now properly authenticated, & the reason of not procuring a Clergyman’s certificate is assigned in the Supplementary declaration & the truth of it certified to by Judge Kirtland - The declarant also gives a satisfactory reason why he cannot procure living witnesses of services - It must at once be observed, that to require a very aged (80 years) for, infirm & lame soldier to travel in the Southern States, with the faint hope of finding some soldier somewhere, by whom he might possibly shew his services, would be a requirement which the law never contemplated, and 

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which the Secretary at war in his letter to the Chairman of the Committee of pensions, seems to suppose unnecessary - “Time (says the Secretary) has so reduced the number of those Veterans & of the witnesses of their services & sufferings, that to demand of them positive proof independently of their own Statements, would be to deprive many of them of the benefit of the act”

The important objection to the claim of Mr. Zeigler seems to be that his name is not found on the roll - He states in his Supplementary declaration that his name was daily called - To his name he answered & if the Rolls do not contain his name, that I admit is a presumption but nothing more, & aught not to deprive the Soldier in participating in the liberality & gratitude of his adopted Country, if the history he gives of his services be entitled to belief - 

It is possible his name may be differently spelt with the Rolls, then what he spells it - Perhaps it may Siegler, or Seckler or Geigler - 

But this objection [strikethrough] of [strikethrough] I apprehend is now
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done away by the Supplementary declaration & the proof I furnish - Zeigler swears positively that he had a regular & honorable discharge and that the discharge is lost - That he had such a discharge many years ago is unequivocally affirmed to by Benjamin Bedell & Sally Bedell, and that the same was lost some years before any act passed allowing Pensions is equally proved - The witnesses are of the denomination of friends & of the first respectability - This proof shews the existence of documentary evidence sufficient to entitle him to a pension if produced - must this discharge be were produced Certainly not - There is no principle better settled in legal proceedings, then that a party may she the loss of a document by his own oath - Such is the settled rule in the United States Court, in the County in the State of. New York & may be in other states - Every professional gentleman can satisfy you as to the [?] of this statement - If this be so, & if tens of thousands of dollars, may be determined by the [strikethrough] left [strikethrough] proof of the loss of indeed, obligation or the paper by a claimants own oath; aught the Government of the United States in examining the claims of the Soldiers of four score
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insist upon rules more rigid then proved [strikethrough] of [strikethrough] in our courts of Law? I humbly conceive not - It ought to further to be remembered that in the Language of the Secretary, the “Rolls are known to be Imperfect” -

If you could have an opportunity of personally inspecting Zeiglers scares & hearing [strikethrough] his [strikethrough] the history of his services from his own lips, you would be fully satisfied of the truth of his respectability -

This case however I suppose causes fairly within the meaning of the act - 

Please to address to me
Yours &-
John L. Brink

Hon: J.L. Edwards