Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 803, Peter Besancon, French.
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(3-1776)

SERVICE                                            French.    

Besancon, Peter.

NUMBER
 R. 803.

CONTENTS
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36,687

Revolutionary

Claim of Peter Besancon Act 1832
Original

Col

F.E. Hassler
Present.
Jan 31/54
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State of New York
County of Wyoming

On this third day of September 1853 personally appeared in open Court before the judge of the County Court, Peter Bezancon aged 91 years a resident of Pike County of Wyoming N.Y. 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 7. June 1832= that he entered the Service of the United States and served as follows = He came over to the United Sates with General Lafayette and served one year with him, when he at Valley Forge received a Lieutenants Commission and continued to serve in Staff with Lafayette during the continuance of the Revolutionary War for the fuller particulars refers to his written account of his said services hereunto annexed in French, as forming a part of this present application = and in reply to the queries propounded by the Judge = 
Where and what year were you born =
In France. the 4th February 1762
Have you any record of your age = and if so where is it = has no record
Where were you living when called into service where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live =
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lived in Paris when he joined Lafayette to come to the United States. = he has lived in Chenango Co. 7 years Otsego Co. Town of Butterments. 10 yrs. = in Cooperstown 30 yrs in Wyoming Co. 
How were you called in Service.
I received a Commission as Lieutenant at Valley Forge =
State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with troops where you served = 
Cap Benj Walker, Baron Steuben = Genl Chs Lee
Genl Lafayette. = Genl Sullivan in the Battle at Rhode island Genl Lafayette.
Did you ever receive a commission = and by whom was it signed = I received a Lieutenant Commission in 1778= 
State the names of the persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character and their belief of your services as an officer of the Revolution
John B. Skinner = Col. Cheney. Dr. Collar = Benedict Brooks = in Wyoming Village County of Wyoming Samuel Windsor = of this town and County of Wyoming =  and Conrad Bush = a Revolutionary pensioner = Onondaga Co- NY
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 and that the cause of not applying sooner for this pension, is that he would not apply as a pauper under act 1820. & Knew of no other acts having always resided in small country towns
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Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
M Trall
Wyoming County Judge

We Samuel Windsor late postmaster residing in the village of Pike and D P Gordon residing in the same, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Peter Besancon who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be ninety one years of age, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a revolutionary officer, and that we concur in that opinion. And said Samuel Windsor knew him in Cooperstown, and knows that he is the identical person indicated.
 Samuel Windsor
 DP Gordon

Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid, and that the said witnesses are credible persons.
M Trall
Wyoming County Judge

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and putting the interrogatories prescribed by the department, that the above applicant was a revolutionary officer and served as he states, and the court further certifies that it appears that said Samuel Windsor and D P Gordon are credible and disinterested witnesses.
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M. Trall, Wyoming County Judge

STATE OF NEW YORK, 
WYOMING COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, } SS.

I CERTIFY That Marvin Trall Esquire, was, at the date of the certificate of proof or acknowledgment of the annexed instrument in writing, a County Judge [typed Justice of the Peace is scratched out] in and for said County, duly authorized to take the same; that I am well acquainted with his hand writing, and verily believe that the signature to said certificate is genuine; [the following typed text is scratched out] and that the annexed Instrument is executed and acknowledged according to the laws of this State. [end of scratched text]

In TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said County this 1 day of October A.D. 1853. 

N Pleumer Clerk.
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State of New York
County of Wyoming

On this first October 1853 personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the Peace is and for the aforesaid County of Wyoming. R. Morey, resident minister for the village of Wyoming, Col. Cheney, Joseph Newell, Smith, Chapman, Kubes, Ferris, C. A. Collar, are known to me to be respectable citizens whose statements that utmost reliance may be placed, who being first duly sworn, state that they all knew Peter Besancon, who now resides in the town of Pike of aforesaid County, and the said Besancon has resided in the village of Wyoming, previous to his removing to Pike a number of years, and that during that period he was considered by ourselves and the community as a man of good moral character and strict veracity, that he was personally believed to have been in the Revolutionary
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War, and was so spoken of by all persons who knew anything of his reputation.
R. Morey
Reuben Ferris
W. B. Collar M.D.
Wales Cheney
Smith Chapman
Joseph Newell

Sworn and subscribed before Me this first day of October in the Year 1853
Iassac V. Matthews J.P.
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STATE OF NEW YORK,
WYOMING COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, } SS.

I CERTIFY That Isaac V. Matthews Esquire, was, at the date of the certificate proof or acknowledgement of the annexed instrument in writing, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, duly authorized to take the same, that I am well acquainted with his hand writing, and verily believe that the signature to said certificate is genuine; [following typed text is scratched out] and that the annexed Instrument is executed and acknowledged according to the laws of this State. [end of scratched out text]

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said County this 1st day of October A.D. 1853.
N Pleumer Clerk.
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State of New York, County of Wyoming} SS

On this the first day of Oct 1853 personally appeared before me the under signed a Justice of the Peace of the aforesaid county and state Charles H Knapp aged 50, years of the town Warsaw known to me to be a respectable citizen in whose statement the utmost reliance may be place who being duly sworn states that his Father  Gerard Knapp was a Revolutionary Pensioner of the rate of $216 per anum on the New York Rolls and during the life time of his said father he has heard him speak of Peter Besancon of this county as being in the Revolutionary war and all  wayes greeted him as an old Revolutionary man he further sayes He knew the said Peter Besancon and has frequently seen him on Independent dayes with other old soldiers with whom they seem to acknowledge him as being one
Charles H Knapp
subscribed and sworn to the day and year above written
Enos W Frost
Justice of the Peace
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him as being one. Charles H Knapp

STATE OF NEW YORK, WYOMING COUNTY CLERK’S OFFICE ss
I certify that Enos W Frost Esquire, was, at the date of the certificate of proof or acknowledgment of the annexed instrument in writing, a Justice of the Peace in and for said county, truly authorized to take the same; that I am well acquainted with his handwriting, and verily believe that the signature to said certificate is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto two set my hand and affixed the Seal of said County this 1st day of October A.D. 1853.
N. Pleumer Clerk.
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P. Besancon
Apl. 23.
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Pension Office, April 23. 1839.

Sir,

In reply to your letter of the 13th instant I have to state that the claims of the Peter Besancon, for pension under act of June 7 1832, has not been allowed for the reason assigned in a letter to Mr. Hassler, the agent, dated February 3 1834, a copy of which is herewith enclosed.

The original statement of the claimant's service written by him in the French language, is also herewith transmitted, instead of the translation there of requested by you
Very respectfully
S C

P. Besancon Esq
New Orleans,
Louisiana
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F. E. Hassler
Feby 3/54
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58

Pension Office,
February 3 1854

Sir,
The papers transmitted by you in support of the claim for pension, under the act of June7. 1832, of Peter Besancon, has been received and filed.

The claimant states that he received a Commission as Lieutenant in 1778. He does not produce it, or account for its non production; nor does he state by whom it was signed, or under what authority it was issued. He might have served in the revolutionary war under La Fayette (though the evidence allowed by no means satisfactorily substantiates that fact) and still not be entitled to pension.

All papers, to ensure this availability as evidence, or even as suggestion, must be in the English language. The statement in French of claimant's service in Detail, cannot be used in this behalf.
Very respectfully,
SC

F. E. Hassler Esq
Present
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Private.
New Orleans, April 15. 1859.

Sir,

Please inform me if an application for a Pension from P. Besancon, Oct 1. 1853, under act of June 7. 1832 has been allowed.
N. 383687- N.Y. Suspended Cases.
N.E. Hassler, Esq

It would confer a special favor if you cause a translation of the statements in French [underlined] to be sent to my address here that I may be advised of his early history. An absence of 30 years, with occasional reunion, has prevented the knowledge I should otherwise possess.

I have been out of the political world since we met and am now recovering from sickness in which I was almost deprived of sight.
Yours
P. Besancon

Geo C. Whiting Esq
Com'r Pensions.
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[Two small pieces of paper, paper 1] No. 38.687

Peter Besancon,
New York

Let to F. E Hessler Feb 3/54
P. Besancon Apl 23/39

803

Act of June 7, 1832

[Paper 2]
Peter Besancon
N. Y. 

Sus -1832
Look at it first but whatever is not improper him have. Chow

Private [underlined]
B

[written vertically] Geo. C. Whiting Esq 
Washington City
D C

[Circular Seal]
 PENSION OFFICE 
APR 21
 1859
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Ex'r          INVALID

No 803

[following text scratched out] Acts of July 14, 1862 and March 3, 1873.

Peter Besancon
P.O.
Service:
Enlisted:     , 18
Discharged:  , 18

Application filed; 18

Alleges:


Re-enlisted:

Attorney:
P.O.