Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 2492, Evits Townley, New Jersey
Page 1

(8-1776)

SERVICE | NUMBER
New Jersey | Townley, Evits or Everitts & Sarah | W.2492

CONTENTS
Page 2

3715

New Jersey

Sarah Townley, widow of Evits Townley, who died on the 1st July 1826 of Essex Co. in the State of New Jersey, who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Reeves of the Reg(iment) commanded by Col. Van Courtland in the New York line for 6 months.

Inscribed on the Roll of New Jersey at the rate of 20 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 5th day of May 1822 and sent to B. Miller, Newark, New Jersey.

Arrears to the 4th of March 1822.....$220.00
Semi-annual allowance ending Sep. 4th..10.00
                                     =======
                                     $230.00

{Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 3rd.}

Recorded by D.H. Addison, Clerk.
Book A; Vol. 2; Page 146.
Page 3

No. 5585

Declaration and evidence of the widow, Sarah Townley, for a pension under the Act of Congress of July 4th 1836.

Adm(itted)
6 mos. Pri(vate)
20$

Team  service disallowed.
No deduction.

Sam B. Miller
Newark, New Jersey
Page 4

Declaration.

In order to obtain the benefit of the third section of the Act of Congress of the 4th July 1836.

State of New Jersey
Essex County//

On this Twenty ninth day of October in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty one, personally appeared before the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for said County, Sarah Townley, a resident of the city of Newark in the County of Essex and State of New Jersey, aged Eighty five years in the month of August last past, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 4th 1836. That she is the widow of Evits Townley, late of the County of Essex and State of New Jersey, deceased, who was a private soldier in the War of the Revolution and belonged to a company of militia under the command of Captain Reeves of the County of Essex and State of New Jersey, in Colonel Van Courtland's Regiment. And that her husband, the said Evits Townley, was out on duty and in actual service as much as four months in each year from the spring of the year Seventeen Hundred and Seventy six until the spring or summer of the year Seventeen Hundred and Seventy nine, when her said husband enlisted for six months in the Wagon Service under the command of Captain Samuel Crowell of said County, in the New Jersey Brigade of Teams. And this deponent further saith that she is knowing that her said husband was in the Battles of Connecticut Farms and Springfield in the year 1780 but cannot now say what officers he was under but was out on duty one month at that time. And the said Sarah Townley further declares that she was married to...
Page 5

...[duplicate: to] the said Evits Townley in the fall of the year Seventeen Hundred and Seventy four (and had one child born before the British Army took possession of the City of New York) by the Rev'd Jacob Van Arsdale at Springfield, New Jersey, and that her husband, the aforesaid Evits Townley, died on
the first day of July Eighteen Hundred and Twenty six at his residence in the Township of Livingston in said County and that she has remained a widow and unmarried ever since that period, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed. And this deponent further saith that she has no record or documentary evidence except the Secretary of State's Certificate hereunto annexed. And that the reason of her not sooner applying for a pension is that soon after the passing the law of Congress of July 4th 1832, she applied to Stephen D. Day, Esq., one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said County to make out her declaration and take evidence in support of her claim and having prepared and made out same of her papers in relation to said claim and then delayed & finishing the same until this time. She having fully entrusted her claim to him.
s/ Sarah Townley (X - her mark)

Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year first above written before the said Court.
s/ J.P. Jackson, Clerk

I, John P. Jackson Clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for the said County of Essex in the State of New Jersey, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of the said Sarah Townley for a pension under the Act of Congress of July 4th 1836.

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal of Office this Twenty ninth day of October in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty one.
s/ J.P. Jackson, Clerk
Page 6

Mr. Abner Ball's affidavit relation to the services of Evits Townley in the War of the Revolution.
Page 7

State of New Jersey
Essex County//

Before the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in & for the said County, personally appeared Joseph Lyon, who being first duly sworn according to law upon his oath deposeth & saith that he is Seventy six years of age. That he is a brother of Sarah Townley, who is now applying for a pension. That he was present at the service of the said Sarah Townley to Evits Townley, which was solemnized at the house of deponent's father in the Township of Springfield by the Rev'd Jacob Vanarsdale. That it took place before the commencement of the Revolutionary War in the fall of the year. The precise year this deponent cannot designate with certainty.

Deponent remembers that there was a great deal of carousing at the wedding. Among other things, there was a "sword dance" of which one Bies Ely was captain. As to the military services of the said Evits Townley during the War of the Revolution, deponent cannot remember the particulars but he recollects distinctly his being in the Wagon Service at different period during the war.
s/ Joseph Lyon

Sworn and subscribed before me this Seventh day of February 1840.
s/ Stephen D. Day, Judge
Page 8

State of New Jersey
Essex County//

Before the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in & for the said County, personally appeared Abner Ball, a person known to me to be entitled to belief as a witness, who being first duly sworn according to law upon his oath deposeth & saith that he was Eighty years old January 1st 1840. That he is well acquainted with Sarah Townley, the above applicant for a pension. I was also acquainted with her husband, Evits Townley, while living. deponent was not present at their marriage but knows that they were reputed to be married during the Revolutionary War & have lived together as husband & wife since that time up to the death of said Evits Townley, which took place in the summer of 1826.

(See Next paper)
Page 9

[crossed out: Declaration.

In order to obtain the benefit of the third section of the Act of Congress of the 4th July 1836 entitled, "An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows." 

State of New Jersey
Essex County//

On this Sixteenth day of March A.D. 1840, before the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in & for said 
County of Essex, personally appeared Sarah Townley, a widow of Livingston Township in said County of Essex, who being by me first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 4th 1836 entitled, "An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows." I was Eighty four years of age in the month of August last past. I am the widow of Evits Townley, who was a substitute soldier and also employed in the Wagon Service in the War of the Revolution. I remember that in the same year when the [illegible] Springfield & Connecticut Farms were burnt by the...]
Page 10

...That she has remained his widow for that time to the present period. Deponent well remembers that said Evits Townley was serving as a soldier & also in
the Wagon Service during the Revolutionary War, has a perfect knowledge that said Evits Townley enlisted six months in the Wagon Service under Capt. Samuel Crowell and drove a team for the army, chiefly from Trenton to Kings Ferry. Deponent's father had a team in the same company driven by Eleazer Looker, who is now dead. Deponent thinks this service was done in the year 1779. That it was the year preceding the burning of Connecticut Farms & Springfield. Deponent also has some knowledge of said Evits Townley doing military duty at Newark & at Elizabeth Town but cannot specify the periods of service nor the names of the officers of deponent belonged to a different company but from deponent's knowledge of the ability of said Evits Townley & from his being out so frequently during the war but thinks he could not have performed less than two years service as a soldier.
s/ Abner Ball

Sworn to & subscribed this 16th day of March A.D. 1840, before me.
s/ Stephen D. Day, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas
Page 11

Declaration & evidence of the widow, Sarah Townley, for a pension under the Act of Congress of July 4th 1836.
Page 12

In the matter of the application of the widow Sarah Townley for a pension under the Act of Congress of July 4th 1836.

State of New Jersey
Essex County//

Personally appeared before me, Samuel B. Miller, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, Aner Ball, Esq., a respectable person residing in the Township of Livingston in the County of Essex and State of New Jersey and personally known to me to be entitled to credit or a witness. And being by me duly sworn on his oath saith that he is in the Eighty second year of his age and that he was well acquainted with Evits Townley of the said County of Essex, New Jersey, during the War of the Revolution. And in addition to his former affidavit taken before Steven D. Day, Esq., the said deponent further saith that he is knowing that the said Evits Townley belonged to Captain Isaac Reeves Company of Militia in the War of the Revolution under the command of Colonel Philip Van Courtland, Samuel Hays, Major, in said (Colonel Philip) Von Courtland's Regiment. And this deponent further saith that the said Evits Townley was on duty in Newark and Elizabeth Town as much as four months under the command of the said Colonel Van Courtland during said war. And this deponent further saith that he is knowing that the said Evits Townley was out on duty more than two months at alarms in company with said deponent at Newark, Elizabeth Town, Springfield and Connecticut Farms but cannot now specify the particular times and fully believes that the said Evits Townley was on duty during said war as much as two years and further saith not.
s/ Aner Ball

Sworn to and subscribed at Newark in said County September 4th 1841 before me.
s/ Sam'l B. Miller, Justice of the Peace
Page 13

In the matter of the application of the widow Sarah Townley for a pension under the Act of Congress of July 4th 1836.

State of New Jersey
Essex County//

Personally appeared before me, Samuel B. Miller, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, Sarah Mecker, a respectable person residing at Camptown in the County of Essex and State of New Jersey and personally known to me to be entitled to credit as a witness. And although fare advanced in age, she is of sound mind, memory and understanding. And being by me duly sworn on her oath saith that she is in the Ninety first year of her age and is the widow of Timothy Mecker, late of the County of Essex and State of New Jersey, deceased, who was a pensioner of the United States under the law of Congress of June 7th 1832. And this deponent further saith that she was well acquainted with Evits Townley and Sarah Townley, his wife, (whose maiden name was Sarah Lyon) before, during and after the War of the Revolution; She then residing in the same neighborhood with the said Evits Townley and Sarah, his wife. And in knowing that the said Evits Townley was a private soldier in said war in the service of the United States and belonged to a company of militia under the command of Captain Reeves of the said County of Essex in Colonel Van Courtland's Regiment, Samuel Hayes Major. And this deponent further saith that she did frequently see the said Evits Townley going out on militia duty, fully equipped for war with his gun, bayonet & cartridge box and that her husband, the said Timothy Mecker, belonged to the same regiment, and or she now believes to the same company, for the greatest part of said war. And that the said Evits Townley and her said husband was out on duty together the most of the time in said regiment but not always under the same captain or the [duplicate: or the] captains...
Page 14

...[duplicate: captains] belonging to said regiment took their regular tours of duty as well as the privates. And this deponent further saith that her said husband was out on duty and in actual service as much or four months in each year as a sergeant on duty in said regiment. And that she fully believes from her own knowledge of said service that the said Evits Townley was on duty in said regiment nearly as much of her said husband as she frequently saw him going and returning from said service. And this deponent further saith that the said Evits Townley was always reputed to have been married to the said Sarah Lyon before the commencement of the War of the Revolution and is knowing that the said Evits Townley and Sarah, his wife, now the widow Sarah Townley above named, had one child and as she now believes, two together, before the commencement of said war and that they always resided together as husband and wife and reputed so to be until the death of the said Evits Townley, which took place as much as Twenty years ago. And that the said Sarah Townley is still living and now resides at Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. And has remained a widow and unmarried ever since the death of her said husband. And further saith not.
s/ Sarah Mecker (X - her mark)

Sworn to and subscribed at Camptown in said County of Essex this Sixth day of September in the year of our Lord 1841 before me.
s/ Sam'l B. Miller, Justice of the Peace
Page 15

Mrs. Jane Stewart
Page 16

State of New Jersey
Essex County//

Personally appeared before me, Samuel B. Miller, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, Jane Stewart, a respectable person residing in the City of Newark in the County and State aforesaid. And being by me duly sworn on her oath saith that she is in the (blank) year of her age. That she is the daughter of the Rev'd Jacob Van Arsdale, late of the Township of Springfield in said County, deceased. And that she always understood that her father, the said Jacob Van Arsdale, came to resides at Springfield in said County before the commencement of the Revolutionary War and was Pastor of the Presbyterian Church in that place and resided there until his death which took place in the year Eighteen Hundred and one. And this deponent further saith that her father, the said Jacob Van Arsdale, keep a marriage record in a small book made by him for that purpose, in which he entered the names of those he married, the time when and amount of fees received for his services. Which record came into this deponent's possession after the death of her said father. And not thinking said book of any value, her grandchildren had it play(ed) with until it got torn and much defaud and then it was taken and used for wrapping and writ(ing) paper and entirely destroyed and is not in being at this time and further saith not.
s/ Jane Stewart

Sworn to and subscribed at Newark in said County this Twenty eighth day of December A.D. 1841 before me.
s/ Sam'l B. Miller, Justice of the Peace
Page 17

THE NEW TESTAMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, TRANSLATED OUT OF THE ORIGINAL GREEK: AND With the FORMER TRANSLATIONS diligently compared and revised.

MORRIS-TOWN:
PRINTED AND SOLD BY MANN AND DOUGLASS.
1805.
Page 18

Isaac Townley, son of Everitt & Sarah Townley was born May 22nd 1777.
Semina Townley was born June 30th 1780.
William Townley was born Dec. 9th 1781.
Moses Townley was born June 4th 1785.
Elizabeth Townley was born June 12th 1787.
Charles Townley was born April 12th 1790.
Zadock Townley was born April 2nd 1795.
Sarah Townley was born August 27th 1799.

Isaac Townley died August 28th 1832.
Page 19

Mrs. Jemima Meckner
Affidavit. ----
Page 20

In the matter of the application of the widow Sarah Townley for a pension under the Act of Congress of July 4th 1836.

State of New Jersey
Essex County//

Personally appeared before me, Samuel B. Miller, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, Jemina Mecker, a respectable person residing in the City of Newark in the County and State aforesaid and personally known to me to be entitled to credit as a witness. And being by me duly sworn on her oath saith that she is [crossed out: the] the daughter of Evits Townley, late of the County of Essex and State of New Jersey, deceased, and Sarah Townley, his wife, and that her father, the said Evits Townley, died on the first day of July Eighteen Hundred and Twenty six at his residence in the Township of Livingston in said County of Essex. And that her mother, the said Sarah Townley, is still living and now resides with this deponent in the City of Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, and has remained a widow and unmarried ever since the death of her said father. And that her said father and mother resided together as husband and wife and always reputed so to be until the death of her said father. And this deponent further saith that the leaf which is hereunto annexed purporting to be a record of the births of the children of the said Evits Townley and Sarah, his wife, was taken from an old family Bible, which has been in her mother's possession for more than thirty years last past and is in the handwriting of Abner Ball, Esq. And is knowing that said record relative to the births of said children was made more then thirty years ago. And which she verily believes to be a true record of...
Page 21

...[duplicate: of] the age of the children of the said Evits Townley and Sarah Townley, his wife, except or she has always understood from her said father and mother, that the births of their two oldest children was not entered on said record. Viz.: Stephen, who died when a small infant and the (an)other named Effingham, who died when about thirteen years of age, which boy this deponent saith she well remembers. And further saith out.
s/ Jemima Meeker (X - her mark)

Sworn to and subscribed at Newark in said County of Essex this Eleventh day of April in the year of our Lord 1842 before me.
s/ Sam'l B. Miller, Justice of the Peace
Page 22

State of New Jersey
County of Essex//

I, John P. Jackson, Clerk of the County of Essex and of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for said County, do hereby certify that Stephen D. Day, before whom several affidavits of Joseph Lyon & Abner Ball were made and taken and Samuel B. Miller, before whom the several affidavits of Abner Ball, Sarah Meeker, Jane Stewart & Jemima Meeker were made and taken, at the time of taking the same, the said Stephen D. Day and the said Samuel B. Miller were  and still are Judges of said Court & Justices of the Peace in and for said County, duly commissioned and sworn and that the signatures of said Justices affixed to the Jurats of said affidavits respectively, are genuine. 

"Judge said Court interlined in certificate."

In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal of Office at the City of Newark in said County the Fifteenth day of April A.D. Eighteen Hundred and Forty two.
s/ J.P. Jackson, Clk.
Page 23

RECORDS DIVISION. | 3-525
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D.C., (blank) 19 (blank)

W.F.2492

In reply to your request of (blank), received (blank) for a statement of the military history of Evits Townley, a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau. * - Name also appears Everitts Townley.

DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. | LENGTH OF SERVICE. | RANK. | OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. (CAPTAIN/COLONEL) | STATE.
Spring 1776 | 4 mos. each year until summer 1779. | Pri(vate) | Isaac Reeves | Philip Van Courtland | N.J.
1779 | 6 mos. | Teamster | Samuel Cromwell | (blank) | (blank)
1780 | 1 mo. | (blank) | No officers given. | (blank) | (blank)

Battles engaged in, (1780) Connecticut Farms & (1780) Springfield
Residence of soldier at enlistment, (blank)
Date of application for pension, Oct. 29, 1841. Her cl(aim) was al(lowed).
Residence at date of application, Newark, Essex County, N.J.
Age at date of application, He was b(orn) in Aug. 1756.
Remarks: Soldier was at Springfield, N.J., in the fall of 1774. Sarah Lyon. He died at Livingston, Essex Co., N.J., July 1, 1826. Children: Stephen, died in infancy; Effingham, died at age of 13 years; Isaac, b(orn) May 22, 1777, d(ied) Aug. 28, 1832; Jeminia b(orn) June 30, 1780; William b(orn) Dec. 9, 1781; Moses b(orn) June 4, 1785; Elizabeth b(orn) June 12, 1787; Charles b(orn) April 12, 1792; Zadock b(orn) Apr. 2, 1795; Sarah b(orn) Aug. 27, 1799.

Very respectfully,
Commissioner.

6-2856
Page 24

Charles G. McChesney, Secretary of State
Page 25

Receipts for the second years interest paid on certificates given by the Commissioners in the several Counties for Militia Services.

No. of Vouch(er) | No. of Certif(icate) | Date | Signed by | Payable to | Amount £ | 1 Yrs. Int(erest) £ |
31 ┃ 1010 | 13 Aug 1784 | Thos. Clark | Evits Townley | 4.17.11 5.10 |

State of New Jersey//

I, Charles G. McChesney, Secretary of State of the State of New Jersey, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true abstract from a book headed as above, as taken from & compared with the original, now remaining of record in my office. And I do further certify that Thomas Clark, Esquire, was by the fifth section of an Act passed by the Legislature of New Jersey Dec. 20, 1783, appointed a Commissioner for the County of Essex for the purpose of settling and adjusting the payrolls of the Militia & troops of this State and also for signing and delivering out to each and every person a note for the payment of what may be justly due.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my Seal of Office at Trenton in said State this Eleventh day of September A.D. One Thousand Eight Hundred & Forty one.
s/ Charles. G. McChesney, Sec'y of State
Page 26

J. L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
D. - C.
Page 27

Newark, N. Jersey, April 30th 1842

J.L. Edwards, Esq.

Sir,

I herewith transmit to you the declaration and evidence of the widow, Sarah Townley, for a pension under the Act of Congress of July 4th 1836, which was long delayed by Stephen D. Day, Esq., on account of obtaining proof of service. And by me on account of not obtaining record evidence in the Secretary of State's Office as to Mr. Evits Townley's Wagon Service in the War of the Revolution in the New Jersey Brigade of Teams. Will you please to file the papers in your office and examine the same as soon as convenient and have the goodness to examine the records in your department in relation to said Wagon Service, as I have not as yet been able to find any record evidence in the office at Trenton, New Jersey, of such service. And if not found, grant such pension as you think the evidence will justify.

With the highest respect I remain yours &c.,
s/ Saml B. Miller
Page 28

Rev(olutionary) War

WIDOW, &c.

File No. 2492
Sarah Townley
Widow
Evits Townley
Pri(vate), Rev(olutionary) War

Act June 4, 1836

Index: -- Vol. M, Page 277

{Arrangement of 1870.}

June 20, 1903 - Hist(ory sent) to O.C. Gardner, Newark N.J.
1913 Apr. 8   - Hist(ory sent) to S.A. Lane
Page 29

Eaton Rapids, Mich.
April 1st 1913

W.S. Comm of Pensions
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir,

Will you please furnish me "abstract of service" of Evits Townley, born in N.J. Also Luther (?) Meeker, born in N.J., both of whom in family tradition & genealogy claim were soldiers in the Revolutionary War.

I am of desirous of obtaining the information to become eligible to the Sons of the Rev.

Trusting that you may find the desired data & assuring you of my appreciation. 

I am yours very truly,
s/ S.A. Lane
Page 30

stamp] U. S. PENSION OFFICE D APR 3 1913 [/stamp]