Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 10363, for William Swift, Connecticut
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(8-1776)

SERVICE
Conn.

Swift, William

NUMBER
R 10363

CONTENTS
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30373
William Swift


Schuyler Crippen Esq
Worcester
Otsego Co
New York
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WAAR DEPARTMENT
Pension Office
Aprl 1834

Sir
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, shewing the Service of

Tables Entry
Period when the service was rendered   1778 or 1779
Duration of the Claimant's service  1 year, 10 months
Rank of the claimant   waiter? Artillery
Name and rank of the Field officers under whom he served  Col Lidyard  Capt Lutham
Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service   71
Proof by which the declaration is supported. left blank

I am respectfully,
our obedient servant,
JAMES L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions

The services of a waiter are not unboard by the act of July 7, 1832. This claim cannot be allowed (unknown word) sworn that the claim was won detached from the ranks to serve as a waiter
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Document is entitled REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
No individual information listed
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3
REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
[continuation]
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State of New York}
Otsego County} Ss

On his Eleventh day of February AD 1834 personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the said county now sitting William Swift a resident of the Town of Westford in the County of Otsego and State of New York, and seventy six years, who being first duly sworn according to Law doth in 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 State under the following named officers and served as herein stated that is to say- That he enlisted into a company under the command of Captain  William Latham, who was stationed at Fort Griswold in the State of Connecticut & who was at that time called the Captain of the Fort and that Lieutenants Ledyard & Stanton at the same time belonged to said company and that Captain Lathams Company belonged to a Regiment  commanded by Col. Ledyard and that Captain Lathams Company was called a Company of Matross at that time. And he frther declares the he enlisted into said company at Fort Griswold some time the latter part of the month of April in
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in Col. Ledyards Regiment for the period of one year and ten months- when he was discharged from service by his officers- on account of an opportunity which he then had to go to sea with a brother of Capt. Latham, who was a Lieutenant of the Ship Recovery of Twenty Guns- and that he did on being discharged from the service go on board of said ship- and sailed from Fort Griswold to the West Indies and from there to France- and he further declares that when he was discharged from the service under Capt Latham, he received a written discharge, which was signed by Capt Latham or Col Ledyard, but which he cannot now recollect or state- and which discharge he this declarant either lost or destroyed a great number of years since- and is wholly unable at this this time to produce the same- and he further declares that during the time he served as a soldier in Capt Lethams Company he was a waiter, of Capt Latham, and that he also during all of said time performed his duty as a private soldier by standing on guard in his regular turn with the other soldiers belonging to said company- and also performed all other military duty, and was subject to the command of the officers of said Fort in the same manner of the other private soldiers belonging to said Company- and he further declares that at the time he enlisted into Capt Lathams Company he resided in the Town of Groton in New London County Connecticut; and that he enlisted as a private soldier, and immediately on his enlistment entered the service in said
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Company at Fort Griswold, and was stationed at said Fort, and remained there in actual service as above stated until he was discharged at the expiration of one year and ten months as above stated- and he further declares that at the time he was in the service at Fort Griswold under Capt Latham there was a Company of Militia stationed at the Fort, but he cannot now recollect or state the names of the officers of that Company and that both of said Companies were under the command of Col Ledyard who had command of said Fort-
And he further declares that he
1  was born in the Town of Groton in the County of New London Connecticut in the year 1763 as nigh as he can ascertain the time-
2  That he has no record of his age in his possession or power-
3  That he resided when called into the service in the Town of Groton, New London County, Connecticut- That since the Revolution he has resided in the Town of Duanesburgh in the County of Schenectady New York and from thence he removed into the Town of Westford Otsego County New York where he has resided for the last seventeen years, and where he now resides-
4  That he was called into the service by a Voluntary enlistment as herein before stated- and that he did not serve as a substitute for any other person-
5  That the Names of the officers who were with the Troops where he served and the general circumstances of his service are above set forth as fully and particularly as he can now recollect or state the same
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6 That he received a written discharge from the service which was signed either by Capt. Latham or Col. Ledyard, and which he cannot recollect - but which discharge has been lost or destroyed for a great number of years.
7 That he is known to William Kirby and Eben S. Abbott of his present neighborhood, who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution.
And he further declares that there is not any clergyman residing in his neighborhood or vicinity, wherefore he is unable to comply with the instructions from the war department in that behalf made. And also that he hath not any documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure to testify to his services except the testimony of Abraham Guile of the town of Charleston in the County of Montgomery New York whose deposition is hereunto annexed. And he further declares that he was not engaged in any civil employment whatever during the time he was in the service as above stated. And also that he received pay at the rate of eight dollars per month for the period he served in said company which was the pay that was said at the time; he belong to privates in the matross company, stationed at Fort Griswold as hereinbefore set forth.
William Swift
Sworn & subscribed in open court the 11th day of February 1823.
Horace Lathrop Clerk

We William Kirby residing in the town of Westford int he county of Otsego state of New York and Glen L. Abbott of Middlefield int he same county hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Swift who
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has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy one 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. Also that we have known the said William Swift for several years past, and that he sustains a fair character for truth & veracity.
William Kirby
Ebben S. Abbott
Sworn & subscribed the 11th day of February 1834 before me.
Horace Lathrop Clerk

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 Kirby who has signed the preceeding certificate is a resident of the town of Westford in the county of Otsego New York, and that Ebben S. Abbott who has also signed the same is a resident of the town of Middlefield in the same county, and that they are respectable persons, and that their statements are entitled to credit.
J. O Morse
Seth Chase
J. C. Walworth
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State of New York}
Otsego County ss}
I Horace Lathrop, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the said County of Otsego, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings in the matter of the application of William Swift for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and Seal of Office, this 13th day of February 1834.
Horace Lathrop, Clerk.
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of Charleston County - Montgomery State of New York
Abraham Guile of the town & county aforesaid personally came before me the undersigned one of the Justice of the Peace of said town & county this 31st day of January 1834. & being duly sworn supposeth & saith that he was was acquaint with William Swift (& knowes him to the same man now) In Fort ? in the town of Groton in the County of Newlondon & State of Connecticut. time by was taken by the British & knew him the said Willam Swift at that time was a waiter to Capt William Latham and that Col Ledgard was commander of the fort at the same time & that this ? a soldier then but how long he was there this defendant cannot recollect as he this deponant enlisted them into the continental service & his further this defendant saith not
Subscribed before me & signed Abraham & Guile this 31st day of January 1834
Nathan Kimball Justice
The above signing justice do hereby certify that I have lived a neighbor the above named Abraham Guile for more than thirty years immediately proceed this date & that has during that time sustained the character of a man of the & veracity & I think his statements entitled to full credit
I witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of January 1834
Nathan Kimball and County Court
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State of New York}
Montgomery County}
Clerks office}
I, George D. Ferguson, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Montgomery aforesaid, do hereby certify that Nathan Kimball before whom the within affidavit purports to have been sworn, was on the date thereof a Justice of the Peace in & for the said County.  And that I am well acquainted with his hand writing & verily believe that his name subscribed to said affidavit is Genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the Seal of my office this 1st February 1834.
Geo. D. Ferguson
examined
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30373
In the matter of William Swift a Revolutionary soldier
Schuyler Crippen
Worcester Otsego Co
New York
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State of New York
Otsego County Be at remembered that on the 6th day of August 1834 personally appeared before me, Samuel Short of the Town of Otsego in said County, and upon his oath doth depose and say that he is now over sixty nine years of age and that he is well acquainted with William Swift who has subscribed and sworn to the declaration for a pension hereunto annexed And this deponent further saith that he was a private soldier in a company of Militia commanded by Asa Lyon in the fall of the year 1779 and went into the service that time in said company and was stationed at Fort Griswold, in the State of Connecticut for the period of three months, and this deponent further saith that he was acquainted with the said William Swift at said Fort, and that he the said William Swift was a private soldier belonging to a company commanded by Capt William Latham the Captain of said Fort and that he the said William Swift was in actual service as such private during the whole time that he this deponent was stationed at said Fort being the full period of three months as above stated and this deponent further saith that the said William Swift was in the service at said Fort when he this deponent first went into said Fort and when this deponent left said Fort, he the said William Swift continued at said Fort as a private in Captain Lathams Company aforesaid and this deponent further saith that he the said William Swift was detached from the ranks of Captain Lathams Company and served in the capacity of a waiter to Captain Latham and he also during the same time performed the other duties of a private in said company.
Sworn to and subscribed before me the 6th day of August 1834 before said Elisha Foote Judge of Otsego County - Samuel Short
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I certify that I am well acquainted with the within named Samuel Short, and that he is a man of good moral character and his statements entitled to full credit & belief
Elisha Foot Judge of
Otsego County Court
State of New York
Otsego County for
I Horace Lathrop, Clerk of said County, do hereby certify that Elisha Foote before whom the preceding affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date of the same, one of the Judges of Otsego County Courts, duly commissioned and qualified, and authorized by law to take such affidavit. That I am well acquainted with his hand writing, and verily believe his name subscribed to the foregoing affidavit, and certificate, to be his own proper hand writing & signatures. Witness my hand & seal of Office this 9th day of August, 1834. Horace Lathrop, Clerk
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Otsego County - Jack Pempleton being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he resides in the town of Hardwick in the County of Otsego where he has resided for nineteen years last part - that he was seventy one years of age on the 9th day of January last that formerly he was well acquainted with William Swift. That the said William Swift enlisted as a soldier the year preceeding the taking of Fort Griswold in Capt William Latham's Company in Col Ledyards regiment for the term of one year that before the expiration of the said term of time the said William Swift left the Regiment and went on board of some armed vessel which was commanded by a Brother of Capt Latham, which was by an arrangement between Capt Latham & his Brother, is the law previous to the taking of the said Fort - In the spring after the said William returned again, and performed duty until the month of September following, when the time of the 2nd enlistment of this deponent expired and when he left the said William on duly, That this deponent enlisted for one year under Capt Latham and before the expiration of the said term this deponent enlisted for another year under the said Capt Latham - That this deponent believes he performed duty with the said William Swift from 8 to 10 months during the first years enlistment - This deponent understood that the said William enlisted the second time under Capt Latham but this deponent was not present  at such enlistment and performed duty with him in the same company for six months or more during the second year, this deponent believes that about two to three months of the first years enlistment the said William acted in the capacity of waiter to Capt Latham, and also during that during that time he frequently appeared at roll call and prepared
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duty on parade with his musket, as the other soldiers did - this duty however this deponent supposed was voluntary and further this deponent saith not
Jabez Pembleton

Sworn and subscribed
before me this 12th day
of August 1835
Elisha Foote Judge
of Otsego County Court

I certify that I have been well acquainted with Jabes Pembleton the above deponent for more than fifteen years and believe him a person entitled to credit and view him a man of strict integrity
Elisha Foster Judge
of Otsego County
State of New York
Otsego County I George C. Clyde Clerk of said County do certify that Elisha Foote Esquire before whome the preceding affidavit purports to have been rendered sworn was on the day of the date of the same a Judge of Otsego County Courts in & for the County of Otsego duly Commissioned & sworn. And further that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of the said Judge & verily believe his name subscribed to said affidavit & the annexed Certificate of Credibility to be his genuine handwriting & signature
Witness my hand & Seal of Office this twelfth day of August AD 1835
George C Clyde
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Cooperstown August 12, 1835
Sir
Wm Swift a soldier of the 
Revolution and an applicant for a Pension has
applied to me this afternoon with Mr Pembleton
requesting me to take his deposition & this I have
done and at his urgent solicitation I enclose it
to you certified & Will you have the 
goodness to attach it to his former papers now on file
in your office, and give it (the case) a further
examination at as early a day as possible, and let
me know the result. I am a stranger to the
case but so far as I can judge of it from
your letter of August 28, 34 to Mr
Crippen I should think the deposition of
Mr Pembleton would fully explain the matter
of his acting in the capacity of a Servant
It is Mr Swifts request that any further
Correspondence in his case May be with
Me
Yours respectfully
Hon J.L. Edwards
Elisha [illegible]
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Cyrus Brown
________
Affidavit
_________
in the case of W. Swift
Hon JH Prentiss
[the following is written upside down at the bottom of this page]
Case of Wm Swift
______________
[illegible] to [illegible] P.O.
Otsego Co. N.Y.
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New York State
Otsego County
Town of Maryland
_______________________November 20th 1838
This day Cyrus Brown
being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he is
aged seventy five years, that he was a soldier in
the revolutionary war and said deponent further
saith that during the last year of said war he belonged
the Col [illegible] regment [regiment] then commanded by Col 
McCloning of the company of Will Latham from
the town of Granton County of New London State of
Connecticut and this deponent further saith, during that year
he was acquainted with, William Swift, he
then was a soldier in the same company with the said
deponent, and as above described, as regards the officers
in command, and this deponent further saith that the
soldiers that were then in service, were enlisted
and further this deponent saith not
Subscribed & sworn
this 20th day
of November 1838
________________
Cyrus Brown
Daniel Platt jr Justice
I do hereby certify that I am acquainted with
Cyrus Brown the said deponent and
his statements are entitled to credit
Daniel Platt Jr Justice
State of New York }
Otsego County ss }
I Jesse Rose Clerk of said County
do hereby certify that
Daniel Platt before whom the
preceding affidavit purports to have been Sworn was on the
date of the Same a Justice of the peace in and for said
County duly Elected and qualified And further
that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of
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of said Justice and verily believe his name Subscribed to the
within affidavit and the annexed certificate to be his
genuine
handwriting and Signatures
Witness my hand and seal of office this 22
day of November AD 1838
Jesse Rose clk
[the following is written vertically from top to bottom along lower right edge of page]
Cyrus Brown
_______________
Affidavit
_______________________
in the case of W. Swift
[the following is written vertically top to bottom along lower left edge of page]
Hon JH Prentiss
[illegible]
_____________________
[the following is written vertically bottom to top along lower left edge of page]
case of Wm Swift
_______________
written to [illegible] P.O.
Otsego Co. N.Y.
_______________
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[the following is written at lower right corner of page]
Hon. J.H. Prentiss
HR
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State of New York}
Otsego County} ss:  
 Jabez Pembleton, of the Town of
Hartwick in said County aged Seventy four
years, being duly sworn deposeth & says that he was 
a soldier of the Revolutionary War and is now
a pensioner of the United States, that this 
deponant served as a private Soldier in Captain
William Lathams Company, that while in said
Service he became acquainted with William
Swift who now resides in the Town of 
Middlefield in this County, that the said William Swift
Enlisted as a private soldier and served one year
under the said Captain Latham, that this Deponant
cannot now recollect the precise time of Service but
It was while this deponent was in service in said
Company, and the next year after the Battle and
Surrender of Fort Griswold to the British, that
a portion of the time the said William Swift
was taken from the ranks to serve as waiter or
Cook for the officers, that when this Deponant
left the company the said William Swift still
remained in the ranks as a soldier in said company
and this Deponent cannot say how much longer
he served, and further saith not.
Jabez Pembleton
Subscribed & sworn
Before me Feby 8,
1839.
Chester Jarvis Justice
I the said Justice before whom the above affidavit
was taken do further certify that I am well 
acquainted with the said Javez Pembleton and do
know him to be a person of good character for
truth and veracity and his statement is entitled
to credit. Dated Feby 8. 1839
Chester Jarvis Justice
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State of New York  )
Otsego County      )  I Jesse Rose Clerk of said  County do hereby certify that Chester Jarvis Esquire before whom the within affidavit appears to have been sworn was on the day of the date thereof a Justice of the peace of said County, duly Elected and Sworn and further that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of said Justice and verily believe his signature affixed thereto and to the annexed certificate of credibility is genuine.
               Witness my hand and Seal of office 
               this 14th day of February 1839

                              Jesse Rose Clerk
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                                  Worcester Aug 6. 1834

Dr Sir

Enclosed I return to you the papers in the care of William Swift an applicant for a pension.

He has been able to obtain the testimony of one witness, to prove his service for the period of three months, and this is all the proof he has been able to obtain.  The great length of time which has elapsed since his service was rendered makes it extremely difficult to find any proof.

I hope the corroborating proof for three months of the period, will be satisfactory that the applicant was in the service as he has set forth in his declaration.  The applicant himself testifies that he enlisted into Capt Latham's Company as a private for the period of two years, and after serving 1 year & 10 months he was discharged.  He also swears that altho [sic] he performed the duties of a waiter to the Capt he at the same time performed the duties of a private soldier in said Company.  These facts are corroborated by the testimony of one witness, and is his claim is now refused, he will be under the necessity of abandoning his application as he has already made every exertion in his power to find witnesses.
      
                            Yours &c
                            Schuyler Crippen 

J.L. Edwards, Esq.
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New York

Revo Act of June 1832

__________________//_______________________

William Swift
Rejected.

[illegible] lett 28th Aug 1834
S, Crippen
Let to
Elisha Forte Esq.  Sept 26, 1835
let to Hon. J.H. Prentiss [illegible] Dec. 1838
to same 27 March 1839

10363
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10363

P.O. William Swift
Service: ______________________

Enlisted: _________________________, 18
Discharged: ______________________, 18

Application filed: ____________________, 18

Alleges: __________________________________

Re-enlisted: ____________________________

Attorney: _____________________________
P.O. __________________________________

___________ Recognized.   _____________Con--

___________ Cert. of Dis.  Searched for_________, 18

[stamped] REJECTED