Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3990, Zenas Gibbs, Mass.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE Mass.
Gibbs, Zenas
NUMBER R. 3990
CONTENTS [BLANK]
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Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7th 1832.

State of New York,
County of Oneida, ss:
On this fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open Court, before Nathan Williams, Esquire, Vice Chancellor of the Fifth Circuit of the State of New York, in the Court of Chancery for the said State, now sitting, Zenas Gibbs, a resident of the Town of New Hartford, in the County of Oneida and State of New York, aged about seventy five 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 entered the service of the United States under the following Officers, and served as herein stated
That he enlisted under Captain Adam Wheeler, in May, 1775, in the regiment commanded by Colonel Thomas Nixon, in the State of Massachusetts; he thinks that regiment was regularly formed at Governor's Island. He lived in the town of Rutland in Massachusetts, at the time he enlisted. He went, after the war, to Branford in Connecticut, where he lived about six years, as near as he recollects; he then
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removed to New Hartford in the State of New York where he has resided ever since, being about forty two years. General John Nixon was the General of the Brigade to which he was attached. One Colonel Sheldon of the Connecticut line commanded the Connecticut horse. He served at Governor's Island about two months; they retreated from the island in flat boats to New York, and from thence they went up the North River to what place he cannot remember. They retreated from the Island the same day that General Washington left Long Island. He was in the battle of Trenton, in the year 1776 at the taking of the Hessians, under Washington, and recollects General Cadwallader [Cadwalader]. His first term of service was eight months, at Winter Hill near Boston. He enlisted again in 1776, for three years, under the same Captain Adam Wheeler before mentioned. He went by the way of New London to Governor's Island, as above said, where he was engaged in building a breast work. He was at the battle of Princeton in New Jersey in January 1777, he thinks, and suffered by the severity of the weather. He afterwards went up the North River with the troops and landed at Albany and was at the taking of Burgoyne in the same year. After the surrender he was detached as one of the guard to the prisoners. Captain Goodell and Lieut Wattles appeared to have the command of this guard. He went to Hartford in Connecticut, with those prisoners. From Hartford he went to West Point & was then when Arnold turned traiter. Some time after this he received his discharge, which he was drawn by Sergt Hartson and signed by Col. Thomas Nixon. When Andre was executed, he belonged to the flying army [illegible]. He has lost his discharge, and has no documentary evidence and knows of no person, whose testimony he can procure, to testify to his service. He was born in Rutland in the County of Worcester, Massachusetts, about the year 1755 or 1756, but has no record of his age
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.
Zenas Gibbs
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
N. Williams
Vice Chan.
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State of New York
Oneida County, ss.
Frederick Gibbs of Binghamton, in the County of Broome in the State of New York, being duly sworn, in open Court, deposeth, that he is well acquainted with the said Zenas Gibbs, who subscribed the foregoing declaration; that he recollects seeing the said Zenas Gibbs twice during the period of his second enlistment, in actual service, in his uniform; and that one of these times he was with Captain Wheeler. That he saw the discharge of the said Zenas Gibbs after the war; and it was generally reported and believed at that time by the friends and acquaintances of the said Zenas Gibbs, that he had served the full period of three years during the second enlistment. And he further saith not.
Frederick Gibbs

Sworn and subscribed the day & year aforesaid
N. Williams
vice Chancellor

State of New York
Oneida County ss:
Herman Norton, of Utica, in said County being sworn, saith, that there is no clergyman residing in the neighborhood of the said Zenas Gibbs, who is sufficiently well acquainted with him to testify as to his age and repute in the neighborhood where he resides; and further he saith not.
Herman Norton

Sworn and subscribed, in open Court, the day and year aforesaid
N. Williams
Vice Chanr.
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We, William Pittman and Oliver Prescott, residing in the Town of New Hartford in the County of Oneida, and State of New York, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Zenas Gibbs, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be about seventy five 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.
Oliver Prescott
Wm Pittman

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
N. Williams
Vice Chanr.

And the said Court hereby declare its 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 Frederick Gibbs and Herman Norton, who signed the foregoing affidavits, and Oliver Prescott and William Pittman residents of the Town of New Hartford in the County of Oneida, who signed the preceding certificate, are all credible and reputable persons, and that their statements are entitled to credit.
N. Williams
Vice Chanr.
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I, James Watson Williams, Clerk of the Court of Chancery of the State of New York, for the Fifth Circuit of the said State, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the Matter of the application of Zenas Gibbs, for a pension.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
J. Watson Williams
Clerk in Chancery
5th. Circuit, N. Y.

In the Matter of the Application of Zenas Gibbs for a Pension
Declaration & Certificates
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December 14, 1934
BA-J/EEL
Zenas GibbsR. 3990

Elizabeth A. Travis
900 Colfax Street
Evanston, Illinois

Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter of November 19, in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Zenas Gibbs, of Massachusetts.
Revolutionary War data furnished by this office are obtained from claims for pension which have been made to the United States based upon service in that war. The record of only one Zenas Gibbs has been found. A very careful examination of the papers has been made and all data recorded in the claim pertaining to residences, age, service, etc., of this soldier are incorporated in this report for which no fee is charged.
Zenas Gibbs was born in 1755 or 1756, in Rutland, Worcester County, Massachusetts.
After the Revolutionary War, he moved to Branford, Connecticut, and lived about six years; then moved to New Hartford, Oneida County, New York.
On September 4, 1832, while a resident of said New Hartford, where he had resided for about forty-two years, Zenas Gibbs applied for pension and stated that while living in Rutland, Massachusetts, he enlisted in May, 1775, and served eight months at Winter Hill, near Boston, as a private in Captain Adam Wheeler's Company, Colonel Thomas Nixon's Massachusetts Regiment; that he again enlisted sometime in 1776, served under the same captain; that he was at Governor's Island for two months engaged in erecting a breast work, that he was in the retreat from New York, at the battles of Trenton and Princeton and at the taking of Burgoyne;that after the surrender of Burgoyne, he was detached and served under Captain Goodall, who conducted the prisoners from Burgoyne's Army to Hartford, Connecticut; that he returned to New York after this and was at West Point at the time of Arnold's treason, after which he was discharged.
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His claim for pension was not allowed because an examination of the rolls showed that he deserted from the service which forfeited his claim to pension; the rolls showed, also, that he returned to his regiment, but he did not furnish proof of service of six months after his return to service which length of service was required by the pension law under which he applied.
It is not stated that Zenas Gibbs was ever married.
In 1832, one Frederick Gibbs was residing at Binghamton, New York, and stated that he was acquainted with the soldier during the Revolutionary War, but gave no relationship and there are no further
data as to family.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant to the Administrator.
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3990
P.O. Zenas Gibbs
Service: [BLANK]
[stamped: REJECTED]
Enlisted: [BLANK], 18
Discharged: [BLANK], 18
Printed list of 1852 shows cause of rejection
Application filed: [BLANK], 18
Alleges: "He did not serve six months"
Re-enlisted: [BLANK]
Attorney: [BLANK]
P.O. [BLANK]
[BLANK] Recognized. [BLANK] Cont [text missing]
[BLANK] Cert. of Dis.  Searched for [BLANK], 18

1934 - Dec 13 - Hist to Elizabeth A. Travis. EEL
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Hon. S. Beardsley.
Utica. 15. Sep. 32.
[crossed out: GC]
O.C.
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War Dept
Pension Office
Sept. 15. 1832

Sir,
The papers in support of the claim of Zenas Gibbs have been examined and placed on an files. It appears from the Rolls that he deserted from the service. By that act he forfeited all claim to every gratuity. It further appears that [crossed out: was again] he rejoined his regt. but there is no satisfactory proof that he served after he returned to the service, long enough to entitle him to Pension under the act of June 7. 1832.
I have the honor

Hon. S. Beardsley
Utica, N. York

Sept 8. date
Sept. 15. recd.
Act 7 June 1832
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recd. Sept. 15 1832
New York
rejected same day
Zenas Gibbs
Act June 7 - 1832

J. L. Edwards
Pension Office
Washington

3990

37

Zenas Gibbs
N.Y
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Utica Sept 8 1832

Sir,
I enclose papers for a pensioner & am sir, yr. obdt. st.
S. Beardsley

J. L. Edwards
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900 Colfax Street
Evanston, Illinois
November 19, 1934

Veterans Bureau
Washington, D. C.

Gentlemen:
I am very much interested in obtaining information
about Zenas Gibbs, who, I/am  lead to believe, fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
I understand there was a Zenas Gibbs, a private in Captain Adam Wheeler's Company, 6th Massachusetts Regiment, commanded by Colonel Thomas Nixon and later Captain Abel Holden's Company of Light Infantry, same regiment. I should
like to know if you can give me any information about this man or any Zenas Gibbs. I should like to know his residence, birthplace, name of parents, children etc. Any information you can give me about him or if you can refer me to any bureau where I might obtain this, I shall appreciate it a great deal. If there is any expense necessary to looking up this information I shall be glad to send you the money. I should also like to know if you supply photostatic copies of any records you have.
Very truly yours,
Elizabeth A. Travis
Elizabeth A. Travis

Elizabeth A. Travis
900 Colfax Street
Evanston, Illinois

[stamped: RECEIVED NOV 20 1934 MAIL SUB-DIV VETS. ADM. READER #26]