Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14722, Aaron Truesdell, N.H. Vt.
Page 1

Service
N.H.
Vt
Truesdell, Aaron

Number
S. 14722
Carded
Page 2

20.784
New York
Aaron Truesdell
Genesee in the State of N York
who  was private in the Conf command
Captain Nelson
of the Reg. commanded
Col. Beebe in the Vermont
line for 16 mos

Inscribed on the Roll of N. York
the rate of 53 Dollars 33 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 2nd
day of Sep
1833
and Smith M. C. Hough
veny village 

Arrears to the 4th of Sep '33 $133.33
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 M 34
26.66
$139.99


Revolutionary Claim,
June 7, 1832.
Recorded by
Gole Stiles
Book E Vol. 4 Page 81
Page 3

Declaration
of
Aaron Truesdell


16384
Page 4

Batavia N.Y. June 15, 1833
Dear Sir,
I am requested to forward the enclosed papers
I believe the objections are all answered.-- You will please
make returns to me, and oblige
Yours very Respectfully
H. U. Soper
Page 5

State of New York
Genesee County SS.
State of New York
Aaron Truesdell of the town of Castile
in the County of Genesee and State of New York being sworn
says that at the time of making his declaration he
supposed he relinquished his claim to any other pension
than the present but that by some mistake the clause
of relinquishment was erased or obliterated and that the
same was not inserted again as was probably
intended, that to remedy said defect he now
relinquishes all claim whatever to a pension except
the present and declares that his name is not on the
Pension Roll of the agency of any State and
under saith not
Avon Truesdell
Sworn and Subscribed
this six day of June 1833
Before me Clark Sanford Justice

State of New York
Genesee County
I Timothy Fitch Clerk of said County
certify that Clark Sanford before whom the
above affidavit purports to have been
taken and made was at the date of taking
the same a Justice of the Peace in and for
said County, and that I am well acquainted with
the handwriting of said Justice and verily
believe his name subscribed to said affidavit is genuine.
In testimony
whereof I have hereunto set my name
and seal of office this
fourteenth day of June 1833
Timothy Fitch Clerk
By B. Pringle Dep Clk
Page 6

Declaration of Aaron Truesdell in order
to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress
passed June 7th 1832
State of New York ⎬
County of Genesee in this Smith
On this ninth day of
October in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared
in open Court before the Judges of
the Court of Common Pleas of said County
of Genesee now sitting Aaron Truesdell a
resident of the town of Castile in the County
of Genesee and State of New York aged Sixty
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 7, 1832
---
That he entered the service of the United States
in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and seventy eight in a company of
militia or State troops under the following named
officers to wit, Captain Charles Nelson, Lieutenant Ezra Moore-- that at the time of his enlistment
he was aged near sixteen years, that he resided in
the town of Thetford (now Orange County in the
State of Vermont) in the territory or tract of
Country then claimed both by New York and
Newhampshire, that the company in which
he enlisted was attached to a Regiment
commanded by Colonel F Betle (or Bedell)
Lieutenant Colonel I Wheelock, that he enlisted
either in the town of Thetford or Lyme, but
which he cannot now recollect, for the term of
one year, that the company was formed at
Lyme on the East side of Connecticut River.

Soon after the company was there formed, he
went with a part of two companies commanded
by Captains Charles Nelson & Solomon Cushman
they marched first to Charleston N.H. crossed
the River at Rockingham and marched to Bennington (Now in Vermont) and soon after the
Page 7

companies marched to Albany to get clothing for the Regiment-- when arrived there they drew no
clothes but such of the soldiers as had no arms
drew arms, tents, and camp kettles--

 they remained in Albany about two months, and then returned
to Thetford by different routes and not in a
body, and the said companies then a subsequently acted on scouting parties and this
declarant among them under the aforenamed officers up and down Connecticut River back 
to Lake Champlain until their said
term of service expired and he returned
home taking no written discharge from
his officers - 

that in said term of service he
served with none of the continental troops and
that he has no documentary evidence of
said term of service and knows no person
whose testimony he can procure who can
testify to his service-

And this declarant further states that in the
month of August in the year 1780 or 1781 but
which he does not now distinctly recollect he
stood his draft, or was sent out by the Militia
of his native town of Thetford, when the
constituted authorities ordered troops to be
raised from the militia in that and the
neighboring towns, and every [6th] man
was drawn as near as he can now recollect
and this declarant met the troops so raised at Royalton
(in Vermont) then in the said above named
disputed territory and was formed into a
company commanded by Captain Jesse Safford
---
the Lieutenants Zebulon Lyon & Evans
which said company and he in his
turn stood sentries and scouted and signed the
woods between Royalton and Lake Champlain
to watch and keep off the Indians for a short
time when they marched to Bethel and there
Page 8

built a Regmt fort and Barracks after which
they returned to their scouting in the aforesaid  region of County which they followed until their term of service which was four months
had expired when this Declamant took no
written discharge from his said captain
and returned to his home at Thetford passing
through Royalton the [illegible] day before the [illegible] was burnt by the British and Indians,
[crossed out lines]/which said written discharge has[?] [illegible] been either destroyed or lost so that he cannot now produce it/[crossed out lines] and this declarant further States that during said term he served with no regular troops-- and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service and that he has no documentary evidence of the same.
And to the special interrogatories of the said
Court. he further states and answers that
he was born in the town of Woodstock Windham County, in the State of Connecticut in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty two that at the time he entered said service he was living in the town of Thetford in the (now) County of Orange in the State of Vermont where he resided until the 9th day of January 1807 when he removed to the town of Aurelius in the County of Cayuga and State of New York where he resided until the year 1822-
when he removed to the town of Sparta in
Livingston County where he resided until
the fall of the year 1826, when he removed to
the town of Castile in the County of Genesee
where he now resides-- that he has no Record
of his age but he well recollects to have seen a
record of the same in the family bible of his father but the same is not in his possession and he has no means of obtaining the same
toen (Now in Vermont, and soon after the [illegible]
Page 9

[illegible] marched to [illegible]
that he voluntarily enlisted in to the service in
his first term, and went as a substitute for
a drafted Militia man in his said last term
of service, being hired by a class of six men
who were to stand a Draft of one man, but
who in lieu thereof hired this declarant to
perform said service-
He recollects that General Stark commanded
some of the troops at Albany when he was
there-- Colonel Morgan also commanded
two Regiments at that place one of whom
were riflemen-- who pitched their tents on each
side of the Road west of Albany* - But that
more particularly he cannot state as he was
not at any time embodied with any of the
Regular troops. [crossed out]/He hereby
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./[crossed out]
That he has never received a written discharge from the service at any time, and that he is acquainted with Elder William Smith a Preacher of the gospel and Clark Sandford a citizen in his present neighbourhood, and who can testify as to his character for veracity, and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Subscribed and Sworn to
the Ninth day of October
Aaron Truesdell 
1832 before the said Court in
open Court- T. Fitch Clerk

[written in left margin] *that frequently while in Albany he stood sentry at the door of the lodging of General Stark
Page 10

Genesee County ss We William Smith a Clergyman residing in the town of Castile, County of Genesee and State of New York and Clark Sanford residing in the same town
County & State do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Aaron Truesdell who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed
Wm Smith
Clark Sanford
the day and year aforesaid 
before me -
Smith
the day and year aforesaid Clark Sanford
Antonio Willard [illegible]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a
Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states
And the Court further certifies that it appears
to them that William Smith who has signed the
preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident
in the town of Castile County of Genesee and State of New York, and that Clark Sanford who has also signed the same is a resident in the said town of Castile and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.-
James[?] Wilson
Robert Earle Jr
S. Cuming
Judges
town (Now in Vermont) and soon after the [illegible]
Page 11

State of New York
Genesee County I. Timothy Fitch, Clerk of the Court Common Pleas in and for said County
certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Aaron Truesdell for a Pension-
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto
set my hand and seal of the said Court this twelfth day of October 1832
T. Fitch Clerk
[image of seal?]
State of New York 
Genesee County 
I, Timothy Fitch, Clerk of said County certify that Antonio Willard, was a Justice of the Peace of said county at the time of taking the within affidavit and certificate of William Smith and
Clark Sanford and that his name subscribed to the certificate of taking the same is his hand writing.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 18th June 1833-
Timothy Fitch Clerk
Page 12

No 16384
Aaron Truesdell
Genesee Co N. York
Admitted
I Private 16 months
Rolls of Col Bedell
[illegible]
M.C. Hough Sgt
Perry Village Genesee Co. N.Y.
Page 13

Sir
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
183
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your
claim.

A Statement, showing the service of Aaron Truesdell, Genesee Co. N.Y.
[column headings: Period when the service was  [illegible]. Duration of the claimant's service. Years. | Months. | Days. Rank of the claimant. Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. Names and Rank of the General and Field officers. Battles in which the applicant was engaged. Country through which he marched. Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period. Evidence by which the declaration is supported.] 
Enlisted 1778. 1. Private. Capt. Chas Nelson, Lt Esra Moore, Capt Jesse Safford, Lt. Zebulon Lyon and [illegible]. Col Betts or Bedell, Lt. Col Wheelock, Gen. Stark, Col Morgan. Chastown N H, [illegible], Rockingham, Benningon in Vermont, Albany, [illegible] Lake Champlain, [illegible] Vt and Lake Champlain, Bethel. 69, Orange Co. Vt. Traditionary.
[illegible] 1780 or 1 as Sub for a class. 4.

I am, respectfully, 
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS, 
Commissioner of Pensions.



C. N.Y.
Place of abode
when he entered
the service, and age
at the present
period.
son
croped the
69
Neon at
Nora
Bennington
in born
Albany
upon
Con River ┃
Lake Cham
place
Royalton
and
Lachan
plain
Bethel
I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
Evidence by
which the declaration
is sup-
J. L. EDWARDS,
ported.
Traditionary
Commissioner of Pensions.
Page 14

2
REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia" and "volunteers, all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged
in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval service.
4. Indian Spies.
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.
 
DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of 
County of
ss.
On this [blank] day of [blank] personally appeared (a) before [blank]
A.B. a resident (b) of [blank] in the county of [blank]and State, Territory or District of [blank] aged [blank] 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 provion made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year of (d) [blank], with [blank] and served in the [blank] (e) regiment of the [blank] line, under the following named officers:
Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he enered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged,
and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. A. B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court].
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary
soldier, and served as he states.
I, [blank] of the Court of [blank]
do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of [blank] for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this [blank] day of [blank] & c.
If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the [blank] and C.D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with [blank]
who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be [blank]
years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court].
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary
Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that A.B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the [blank] and that C.D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the [blank] and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. 
I, [blank] Clerk of the Court of [blank] do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the applicacation of [blank] for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this [blank] day of [blank] &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person
Vide declaration
Page 15

3
will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a sub-titute, for whom?
5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.
6. {To a Soldier} Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it?
{To an Officer}: Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
The Court will see that he answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons -one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from
their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates.
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct
proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.
[a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
[b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
[d] The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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 pension he is entitled. 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 [blank] year [blank] months, and [blank] days
I served as a [blank]. For [blank] year [blank] months, and [blank] days I served as a [blank]; and for such service I claim a pension."
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 three or four months, is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that 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 shown 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 embodied 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.
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required.
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[i]The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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.
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 papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
Proof of Service.
[j] 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 claimant's 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 oaths 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.
The notes from [a] to [i] all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops, The proof required by rule in
note [j] applies to continental troops only.
[k] This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[l] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration
Page 16

S
14722
INVALID.
[Illegible handwritten word in left margin]
File No. 14.722
Aaron Truesdell ┃
Ha
Priv Rev War
-
---
Act: June 7, 1832
Index: - Vol. 1, Page 379
Arrangement of 1870.}