Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 1065, for David Munn, New Jersey
Page 1

New Jersey
Munn, David 
S. 1065
carded
Page 2

(note: edges badly torn)

22957
New Jersey

David Munn
--- Orange in the State of New Jersey
was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain Peck of the Regt. commanded 
by  Col. ----- in the New Jersey
line for 2 years.

Inscribed on the Roll of New Jersey
at the rate of 80 Dollars 00 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March 1834.

Certificate of Pension issued the 14th day of Dec--- 1833 and sent to L. Condict
                                                 Morristown

Arrears to the 4th of Sept '33                 $200
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 ? '34.           40
                                                                    ______
                                                                      $240

Recorded by  Geo. C. Stiles (?). Clerk
----E Vol. 2.  Page 122
Page 3

Payment ordered the  -?-
-pended and return to Lewis
Condit 1 June 1835
  same 19 June 1835
  same 29 June 1835
Hon. J.B. Aycrigg
February 4th 1842
do to Hon. S.N. Clarke Jan 12 1843


written vertically: Date of death not on AE - (initials)

Lee Criden in J. Peels claim
Page 4

found in 3 places on
Williams rolls in
possession (?) of -?- Condict
_____________

Service as Corpl. Hengt 
not distinctly alleged
and disallowed
____________


Add.
  24 mp pro.
_______
   80$
Page 5

State of New Jersey
County of Essex
      On this twelfth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared  before the Inferior Court of Common Pleas at the Court House of New Ark in and for the said County of Essex in the said State of NewJersey David Munn a resident of Orange in the County of Essex in the said State who being duly sworn according to law death on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain  the benefit of the provision  made by the Act of Congress passed  June 7th AD 1832.
   That he is seventy one years of age having been born on the sixteenth day of December 1760 he performed Military duty under Capt. John Peck in 1776 in Newark and Elizabeth Town for three months then the Militia were closed to do duty by the month, and to stand ready if required at any time, and in that way he done duty under Captains J. Pierson, Rob't. Nichols, Huntington,  Abm. Speer, John Peek, Thos. Williams, Elijah Squire, Gillan and Little, and believes under Capt. Sean and E. Baldwin from 1776 - 1781.  That he also done his father's duty, when not out for himself.....
Page 6

(continued from previous page)

....in the months service as a volunteer, at alarms were made he turned out on his own amount,  he was in the Battle of Belleville, at Connecticut Farms, at Springfield when it was burned, when the British came out from New York and invaded New Jersey under Kniphousen, he marched through New Brunswick for Monmouth, was marched back under under the order of Gen'l.  Wynes to Elizabeth Town, he recollects doing one month Service at Wood Bridge, under Capt. Capt Elias Baldwin, the Regiment I belonged to was under the command of Col. Phillip Van Courtlandt and Maj. Samuel Hays, that including the three months under Capt. Peek, and his military services as monthly man, and the time at alarms, he believes he has served more than two years,  at every time when dismissed, was dismissed with orders to repare/repose to a particular place without further orders, to be ready on all alarms.  Witnesses Samuel Perry David Crane, Asa Hillyer, his name is on the pay roll of Capt. Thomas Williams.
Page 7

(continued from previous page)

...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.
David Munn

Sworn to in open
Court and subscribed
the day and year
aforesaid
E. Van Arsdale CLK.

   We Aha Hillyer a Clergyman a resident of Orange Essex County and Samuel Perry of the same place are well acquainted with David Munn, that we believe hi 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.
Asa Hillyer
Samuel Perry

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid 
E. Van Arsdale CLK.
Page 8

State of New Jersey
Essex County
    I Aaron Peck one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County of Essex do hereby certify that I have long been personally acquainted with D.D. Crane whose affidavit as a witness of the revolutionary services of David Munn is annexed to the Declaration of said David Munn, that he is a credible person and his affidavit entitled to full credence, that he is at present and has been for a long time past a Judge of theCourt of Common Pleas for the County.
Aaron Peck
June 22nd 1833 
Orange Essex Co. N.J.

State of New Jersey
County of Essex
     I Elias Van Arsdale Junr. Clerk of the Inferior  court of common Pleas in and for said County of Essex do hereby certify that Aaron Peck Esq. by whom the foregoing certificate as to the credibility of D.D. Crane is signed was when he signed said certificate and still is a Justice of the peace for said County, duly commissioned and sworn and that name "Aaron Peck" subscribed to the same is his proper hand writing - I further certify that D.D. Crane named in the said certificate is was therein stated and has been for many years past on one of the Judges of the said Court of Common Pleas duly commissioned and sworn - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said Court at Newark the Twenty seventh day of June AD eighteen hundred and thirty three (1833).
E. Van Arsdale Jr. CLK
Page 9

State of New Jersey
Essex County
     On this 20th day of September AD 1832 personally appeared in Open Court before the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Essex now sitting at Newark  David D. Crane of Newark in the County and State aforesaid aged sixty nine years being first duly sworn according to law on his oath saith that he is well acquainted with David Munn who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration knows that he was in the service of the Revolutionary War but cannot say how long believes that the foregoing declaration made by David Munn to be true.
D.D. Crane

Subscribed and Sworn
to the day and year aforesaid
E. Van Arsdale Jr. CLK

   And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigations 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 Asa Hillyer who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the township of Orange in Essex County aforesaid and that Samuel Perry who has also signed the same is a resident in the same place and is a credible person and their statement is entitled to credit -  By order of the Court
E. Van Arsdale Jr. Clerk

    I Elias Van Arsdale Jr Clerk of the said Court of Common Pleas do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of David Munn for a pension.
       In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this tenth day of October AD 1832.
E. Van Arsdale Jr. CLK
Page 10

BA-J/ILL
David Munn
S. 1065

C. C. Gardner
26 Park Road
Maplewood
New Jersey.

Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request to know whether or not claims for pension have been made based upon service in the Revolutionary War of soldiers with surname Mun or Munn of New Jersey.
A search of the records has been made in your behalf and the record of only one soldier with that surname, of New Jersey, has been found, that of David. His record is given below as found in pension claim, S. 1065, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War. No charge is made for this service.
On September 20, 1832, David Munn, a resident of Orange Township, Essex County, New Jersey, applied for pension; he stated that he was born December 16, 1760 in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey and lived there with his father, whose name is not shown, during the Revolutionary War; that he (David) enlisted in March or April 1776, served two tours, amounting to eight months as private in Captain John Peck's New Jersey Company; that from early in 1777, he served on various tours in each year until 1781, amounting in all to about seventeen months under Captains Thomas Williams, J. Pierson, Robert Nichols, Huntington, Abraham Speer, Elijah Squire, Gillam, Lyon and E. Baldwin, in Colonel Philip Van Cortland's New Jersey regiment; that a part of the service was rendered as substitute for his
father, that he acted as corporal and orderly-sergeant, and was in the battles of Belleville, Connecticut Farms and Springfield, when it was burned; also, that at one time, a party of the enemy invaded his father's home, cut the beds open, killed the cattle, destroyed the property, and took him, David, prisoner length of captivity not stated.
His claim was allowed, his pension certificate was issued Decem-ber [December] 14, 1833. Upon a subsequent examination of his claim, in 1835, it
Page 11

was decided that the evidence on file in support of his claim for pension did not meet the requirement of the pension law. in consequence of which, in the same year, his pension was suspended. He was required to submit more specific statement in regard to his service, or record evidence of it. There is no record that the soldier complied with the requirement, or that his name was restored to the pension rolls.
There is no reference to wife or children in the papers in his claim for pension.
Very truly yours, 
A. D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrator.
Page 12

154
Pension office
January 12 [18]43

Sir
     In answer to yours of 5 instant asking copies of the papers in the case of David Munn I have the honor to inform you that the calls for copies of papers are so numerous that I shall not be able to fulfill  your request as soon as I could wish or you may probably expect.
It will be done as son as practicable.



Honorable S.N. Clarke
House of Representatives
Page 13

(left side page)

Rev. War
INVALID

File No. 1065
David Munn
Priv N.J. line

Act: June 7, 1832

Index: - Vol. A, Page 268

(right side page)

1922 Mar 19 hist. to Mrs. Rob't W. Pryor Jr.  EV
1933 - May 17 - Hist to C.C. Gardner - JLL
Page 14

26 Park Road
Maplewood, NJ
Mar 30 1933

Pension Bureau
Washington D.C.

Gentlemen:
     Will you pleas e inform me whether any Revolutionary soldiers from New Jersey (or their widows) named Man or Munn were pensioned, and how much it will cost to have an abstract made of the data furnished on the application for pension?
     Thanking  you, I am
          Yours truly,
                C.C, Gardne
   .
Page 15

3 post marks upper left - 2 blurry 1 good

Office of the Commissioner
 Mar 15 1922
U.S. Bureau of Pensions


other 2 dated Mar 15 1922 and Mar 16 1922  to Bureau of Pensions and ??? Division

Letter:

199 Roseville Ave.
Newark, N.J.
Hon. Washington Gardner

Dear Sir:
    Over one month ago I wrote you a letter asking you, if it were consistent with the rules of your department would you kindly send me a statement of the Rev. War services etc. of David Munn, Private, Essex County, New Jersey Militia.  He was .....
Page 16

(continued from previous page)

....granted a pension abt. 1832 - I am very anxious for an early reply was I desire this information in connection with my application for the Daughters of the American Revolution for membership. David Munn was my great great grandfather.  As yet I have received no reply and as a servant of the people it is your duty to reply or have someone of your many clerks do so.  It seems to ......
Page 17

(continued from previous page)

....me if you were a S.A.R. I would have had an answer long ago.  As this information and papers is necessary to file with my application I should deem if a pleasure if you will kindly give this your attention as soon as possible. Sending me -?- (same?).  Thanking you. Believe me yours sincerely.
Lillie B. Pryor
Page 18

(continued from previous page)

Mrs. Robert Westall Pryor Jr.

March - Fourteenth -
nineteen hundred
twenty-two


upside down postmark:
Record Division
Mar 16 1922
Page 19

Post Mark at top:  Office of the Commissioner Feb 17 1922 U.S. Bureau of Pensions

Post Mark to left (very faint): -?- Desk Feb 17 1922 -?-

Honorable Washington Gardner
Commissioner
Bureau of Pensions
Washington D.C.

Dear Sir:-
      If consistent with the rules of your department will you kindly send me a statement of the Revolutionary War services of:-  David Munn S1065 of Orange, New Jersey.
Page 20

(continued from previous page)

...Private, Essex County, New Jersey Militia.  He was granted a pension -?- 1832.  I desire this information in connection with application which I shall make to the Daughters of the American Revolution for membership.
Kindly send me this information as soon as possible as I want to send in my application.  I shall be greatly obliged to you.  Believe me...
Page 21

(continued from pervious page)

Most sincerely yours
Lillie B. Pryor

Mrs.Robert Westall Prior Jn.
199Roseville Ave.
Newark, New Jersey

February sixteenth -
nineteen hundred
twenty-two
Page 22

Revolutionary War Record

(note: transited hand written parts)

history of David Munn
S1065

Dates of Enlistment:
Mar or Apl 1776
Aug 1776
  -  1777
  -  1778
Fall of winter 1779
Winter 1780

Length of Service:
3 mos.
5 mos.
4 mos.
5 mos.
4 mos.
4 mos.

Rank:
Pvt
Corp and
Ord -?-

Captain:
Jno. Peck ; J. Pierson
Theo. Williams; Rob't 
Nichols; Huntington
Abraham Speer; Elijah 
Squier; Gillam; Lyon
Little & E. Baldwin

Colonel:
Philip VanCortlandt
Major Hayes (?)

State:
N.J.

Battles:  Belleville, Connecticut Farms, - at    burning of Springfield
Residence: Newark, Essex County, N. J.
Date of App.: Sept 20 1832 -?-
Resident at date of app.:  Orange Twp. Essex Co. N.J.
Age at date of app.:  Born in Newark, NJ Dec 16, 1760
Remarks:  No fam. data
Page 23

Honorable J.B. Aycrigg
February 4 1842
Page 24

Pen. Office
Feby 4th '42

Sir
     In answer to your inquiry respecting the case of David Munn I have the honor to state that his pension was suspended in 1835 in consequence of the contradictory and inconsistencies of his statement of his services in a deposition, with that he had made in his own declaration and upon the force of which he had been allowed a pension - No effort, known to this Dept has been made by him to remove the difficulty - He should restate in detail each term for which he claims and obtain the certificate of the Secy. of N. Jersey showing the evidence afforded by his records which either confirms or discredits each

Hon. J.B. Aycrigg
H.R.
Page 25

written vertically on left:
5 Jany 1843
 -?-
David Munn

written vertically on right:
Hon. S.N. Clarke (?)
HR

written horizontally in center:
J.L. Edwards
Pension Office
Page 26

House of Reps.
Jan 7 1843

J.L. Edwards Esq.
Comm. of Pensions
Dear Sir,
   The petition of David Munn of the Township of Orange County of Essex and State of N. Jersey, has been referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions - He states that in Dec. 1833 he was placed on the Pension Roll under the Act of June 7th 1832 at the rate of $80  per annum and that in 1835 the further payment of his pension was suspended on the alleged ground that there was a discrepancy between the statements made by the petitioner in his application for said pension and in an affidavit made by him upon the application of another person for a pension.  To enable the committee to act upon the petition I have to request you to furnish it with a copy of the papers on which the pension was granted together with the evidence on which you suspended its further payment.
Very respectfully
Yr. Obt. Servt.
S.N. Clarke
Page 27

State of New Jersey
Essex County
     On this twenty eighth day of September in the year of our Lord eighteen thousand and thirty three personally appeared before the Inferior Court of Common Pleas held at the Court House in Newark in aforesaid County of Essex, being the September term of said Court in open Court David Munn, a resident of the township of Orange in the County of Essex and State of New Jersey, aged seventy two year's who being first day sworn according to law doth on his oath made the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 -
     That he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer in the Militia of New Jersey in March AD 1776 (or April) and served under Capt John Peck three months (underlined) in Newark and in Elizabeth Town N.J.  In August of the same year he again entered the service as a private and volunteer, in the company commanded by Capt. John Peck - served five months (underlined) successively under Peck and others, whose names he cannot distinctly recollect, at Newark and Elizabeth Town, a part of this time he was on fatigue duty, and employed in various ways. While in Newark they lodged in the Academy and in Elizabeth Town in tents - during this period of service he recollects Capt. Peck Joseph Hadden and Robert Canfield were appointed  Commissionaries to sell the property of Tories and Capt. Thomas Williams took command of Peck's company - Early in the year AD 1777 the militia having been classed he was called into service in Class No. 2 - in July - was stationed at Newark N.J. on guard, continued in service  principally at Newark as well as he can recollect during the Fall and Winter not less than four months (underlined) - Most of this service was in the Fall and Winter as the enemy could then cross over on the ice and were out foraging continually - Capt. This. Williams commanded this company to which he at this time belonged principally -  in the year AD 1778 he served not less than Five months (underlined) as follows: he marched to Hackensack Bergen Co. N.J. under Gen'l. Wines, it was given out that the enemy intended to storm a fort there, but their object appeared to be plunder - while Gen'l. Wines was there it was rumored that the British intended to cut off his retreat - We were marched out of the place at midnight, lest we should be captured -
Page 28

(Continued from previous page)

...the remaining part of the last mentioned service was at Newark - Col. Philip VanCourtland + Major Samuel Hayes he recollects were the commanding officers of the Regiment to which he belonged - In the year 1779 the troops or those belonging to the companies stationed at Newark - being accustomed to leave their quarters at night ad to up country to see their friends - Maj. Hayes having been advised of it ordered the company to which this declarant belonged to Woodbridge N.J. - there was snow on the ground at the time - during this year he was in actual service not less than four months (underlined) - In AD 1780 - being the cold winter,  believes he served not less than four months - Jos Hedden, Rob't Canfield, and Sam'l Hayes were seized and carried off by the refugees - recollects well his service under Capt. John Peck andThomas Williams, Rob't Nichols, Huntington, Abm. Speer, Elijah Squire, William and Little were also Captains under whom he served at different times - While the enemy to the number of about 500 were in Newark a party came to his fathers residence, took himself prisoner, cut open the beds, killed their cattle and destroyed property of his fathers to the amount of five hundred dollars - At this late period of his life, he cannot recollect all the particulars of his service, but is confident of having served at least two years (underlined) during the Revolutionary War.  To wit: eight months (underlined) in the year AD 1776 and beginning of AD 1777 - 
Four months (underlined) in the year AD 1777 
in the year AD 1778 five months (underlined)
in the year AD 1779 Four months (underlined)
in the year AD 1780 Four months (underlined)
He was elected Corporal and orderly Sergeant during the time but knows of no living witnesses of this fact.  The only living witness of his service now recollected are David Lyons, Orange, Essex Co, NJ, and Daniel Condit and David D. Crane Newark.  He was living in Newark, Essex Co NJ when he entered the service - and closed his service ion AD 1780, had no written discharge -
Page 29

(continued from previous page)

...was at the Battle of Belleville and at Connecticut Farms - he marched thence New Brunswick on his way to Monmouth previous to the Battle there but was ordered back before he reached that place - during the periods of the above mentioned service he was not engaged in any civil pursuit  but was in the actual service of his country as a Soldier of the Revolution - In answer to the interrogatives propounded by the Court he answers:  he was born in Newark Essex County New Jersey - Has a record of his age at home - Was living at Newark when called into service, has lived in Orange in said county since the Revolutionary War and lives there now - Was a volunteer when he first entered - Recollects Gen'l Washington, Gen'l Wines, Col. Van Courtland and Maj Hayes and Col. Ward - Received a discharge as he believes in writing but has been long since lost - Rev. Asa Hillyer and Daniel Condit are his neighbors and can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a Soldier of the Revolution.
He hereby relinquished every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State or Territory.
Dr Isaac Pierson having died since the above was written the declarant refers to Daniel Condit to testify his character for veracity.
David Munn

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
    A. Reynolds Judge

    Mr. Asa Hillyer a clergyman residing in the township of Orange County of Essex and State of New Jersey and David Condit residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with David Munn who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe hm to be seventy two 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.
Daniel Condit his X mark
Asa Hillyer

Sworn and subscribed the day nd year aforesaid
  A. Reynolds Judge
Page 30

State of New Jersey
Essex County
     Personally appeared before the Inferior Court of Common Pleas held at Newark in and for said County of Essex, this twenty eighth day of September AD eighteen hundred and thirty three in open Court David Lyon of Orange in said county of Essex aged seventy five years who being duly sworn according to law on his oath saith that he is and has long been personally acquainted with David Munn, the within named applicant - that he served with him in the Revolutionary War, first in the summer of AD 1776, know of his being in the service at that time in Elizabeth Town N.J. and that he served a lear four months (underlined) during the summer and fall of that year was with the said Munn much of this time and knows he was in actual service - remembers he was out in the service in 1777 stationed at Newark and was also at the Battle of Belleville, this deponent was with him there - in 1777 David Munn and myself served in Capt. John Peck's company - in 1777 he believes the said David Munn was in actual service at least four moths, saw him often at Newark, Elizabeth Town and other places was under different Captains, he cannot recollect how long said Munn served at each place - they both belonged to Col. VanCourtlandts Regiment - Recollects said David Munn was in service during the whole of the War as he saw him after 1777 from time to time at different places in actual military duty till the close of the War - he served as a private as far as this deponent recollects - knows he was at the Battle of Springfield and his marching below New Brunswick on his way to Monmouth when they heard the Battle was over and returned - and further this deponent saith not -
David Lyon
 
Subscribed and sworn to the day and year above named before me -
A. Reynolds Judge
Page 31

26,503

Declaration of David Munn
   for a pension

Add

24 mo pro
_____
80$


Return to Lewis Condict
  Morristown, N. Jersey

(at bottom this crossed out)
Philip Kingsley
Orange Essex County
New Jersey
Page 32

State of New Jersey
Essex County
     Personally appeared before the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas held at Newark in and for said County of Essex this twenty eighth day of September AD eighteen hundred and thirty three in one Court Daniel Condit of Orange in said County of Essex aged seventy five years and eleven months who being duly sworn according to law on his oath deposeth and saith that he has been acquainted with the foregoing deponent David Munn from his youth - That he well recollects having quartered with the said David Munn at Joseph Coleman's at Newark while in the revolutionary service of having seen him in service at the Battle of Springfield in this State - also of having seen him in service at Elizabeth Town N.J. can not recollect all the times and places or periods of the War in which the said  Munn was in service but verily believes he served the full time stated by him in his declaration - this deponent having been a part of the time in the Continental Service - did not see him in all of his services -
Daniel Condit his X mark

Subscribed and sworn to the day and year above named in open court before me -
A. Reynolds Judge


State of new Jersey
Essex County
     Personally appeared before the Inferior Court of Common Pleas held at Newark in and for said county of Essex this twenty eighth day ofSeptember AD eighteen hundred and thirty three David D. Crane of Newark in said County of Essex aged seventy years, who being duly sworn according to law in open Court on his oath deposeth and saith that he is personally acquainted with David Munn the foregoing applicant  - recollects of seeing him frequently in the service during the Revolutionary War while stationed at Newark but cannot state the duration of the service also knows that Daniel Condit, David Lyon,  and Caleb Tichenor the witnesses to the service of David Munn were all out in the service and he believes he served with one or more of them as a drummer (?) and further saith not.
David D. Crane

Subscribed and sworn to in ope court the day and year last mentioned above.
  A. Reynolds Judge
Page 33

State of New jersey
Essex County
     Personally appeared before the Inferior Court of Common Pleas held at Newark in and for the County of Essex this twenty eighth day September AD eighteen hundred and thirty three Caleb Tichenor of Livingston in the County of Essex aged seventy five years who being duly sworn on this oath saith that he is well acquainted with David Man of Orange who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration - Knows of his having served in the revolutionary war - was with him at Woodbridge NJ in November AD 1779 - can not say how long he was in service that year but he was one month at Woodbridge - saw him frequently during the year - in actual service at different places - but cannot remember the periods of each service - is satisfied however from what he can recollect - that the said David Munn was in actual service in the militia during the Revolutionary War more than two years (underlined) - and further this deponent saith not.
Caleb Tichenor

Subscribed and sworn to the day and year above named in open Court
A. Reynolds Judge


State of New Jersey
County of Essex
      I Elias Van Arsdale Junior Clerk of the Inferior Court for the County of Essex aforesaid do hereby certify that that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of David Munn for a pension.  I further certify that Abraham Reynolds before whom the several affidavits are made and taken, touching and concerning said proceedings (thereunto annexed) at the time of taking the same was one of the Judges of said Court duly commissioned and Sworn: and that the signatures "A. Reynolds" affixed to said affidavits respectively and to the certificate as to the credibility of the Witnesses are genuine.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and Seal of Office this first day of October A.D. eighteen hundred and thirty three.
E. VanArsdale Jr. CLK
Page 34

State of new Jersey
Essex County
     I Abraham Reynolds one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas pf the County of Essex,do hereby certify that David Lyon Caleb Tichenor Daniel Condit and David D. Crane whose affidavits are hereto annexed in evidence of the the services of David Munn as a soldier of the Revolution are credible persons and their statements entitled to full credit and belief.
A. Reynolds Judge
Page 35

stamped at top "FREE"   (postage?)
Post marked:  Morristown N.J. Jun 24

Jas. L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
War Department
Washington
Page 36

Morris Town N.J. June 25 1835

Dear Sir

   I have just rec'd your two letters, viz: of the 19th and 20th -?-  -  Before I say any thing in reply, permit me to ask the result of the case of Enos Ferrand / Fenand which was returned to your office about the 25th Sept. last and of which nothing has since been known - some explanation or specification had been required.
      The letter rec'd from you about 10 days since, suspending further payment to David Munn of Essex Co. I enclosed to him, since which, I have had no intelligence from him.  How he may explain or account for the apparent incongruity of his two statements as to Capt. Peck's tour of militia service, I cannot tell.  It may be that in one case he mistook the events of 1776 for that of 1777, from a confused recollection of dates - I am well satisfied by the concurrent testimony of numbers of our veterans, that in 1776, there were a great many of the New Jersey Militia i.e. of East (underlined) N.J. who were marched to the defense of the city of N. York - some of whom were stationed in sight of the City on the Jersey side of the Hudson, and they in (underlined) the City and upon L. Isl.  (Long Island??) and who remained from month to month, in active duty;
1st in throwing up breast works and 2nd in defending the shores, or following the movements of Genl. Washington, from May to June, till his retreat retreat through N. Jersey in the fall - Men having families who go home at the end of a month, in spite of all persuasion,  if they incurred no legal penalty - whilst many young men who remain in service from month to month, for 5 or 6 months and longer.  Yet, this might be termed monthly (underlined) service, by militia because the law so speaks of militia duty - The emergencies of our frontier state and especially of this part of it, actually demanded the constant (underlined) and unceasing (underlined)effort of its militia for its defense and it is true of all who were Whigs at that day and without families, that most of their time was spent upon the lines, with arms in their hands, altho the law arrayed them "in classes" for alternate duty.  The married men left their farm and families as seldom as possible, sending out their sons of 16 and upwards and going themselves when the enemy invaded or threatened.
    I honor and respect a vigilant (underlined) and faithful (underlined) public officer (servant crossed out), who guards his office from imposition and fraud, by all means in his power; and I frankly and freely and gladly award to you and to your laborious associates, the humble need of my approbation, for the intelligence and integrity whichI believe is founding each department of your office, and I know too that you will not consider me censorious if I say, that in several  cases, a rigor  of construction has been applied which has excluded from the benefit of the law, some highly meritorious men, whom its' equity would most fully embrace.  And I most religiously believe, that if David Munn is cut off, on account of some discrepancy in his statement at different times - you will do great injustice to as honest and upright man, as is enrolled on the list of Revolutionary men.  At the age of 75 or 85, it cannot be, but that dates and events and names must be strangely confused and jumbled together in the mind, when it looks back 50 and 60 years to narrate occurrences  in different months - I now know several living men, whose memory was good and quite accurate in 1833, to whom I would not administer an oath now - Such is the case with Dennis Morris,  a witness for John Hall, as you will see in his declaration - and this is but "e pluribus unum" - Allow me to  confess a hope, that the rigid rules of rigid law, may not be applied to cut off the little stipend intended for this man of 1776 - Death is fast coming to the relief of the treasury .  Do not hurry these aged servants  of the public in sorrow to their tombs.
Yours truly and respectfully,
Lewis Condict

J.L. Edwards Esquire
(and R. Ela Esquire)
Page 37

Post marked:  Morristown N.J. Jun ? (date too faint)

FREE  (postage??)

Jas.L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Persons
War Department
Washington
Page 38

Morristown New Jersey June 10th 1835

Dear Sir,

     In October last I forwarded to the office the declaration of Daniel Skellinger and of David Horton, both of theCounty, claiming  pensions under the Act of 1832 - Skellinger called on me not long since, desiring to know whether his claim has been examined or not - He is very poor and decrepit and infirm.   As soon as mau suit the convenience of the office they will be glad to know the result.
    I received a few days past, a letter from you, requiring of David Munn of Essex County, a specification in detail of his militia services with proof, before any further payment could be made - His residence is about 16 miles from me - I have not seen him since 1833 but have forwarded your letter to him.  From it I understand there is a diversity in the statement of the service of Captain Peck's company, as contained in his own Declaration, contrasted with his deposition as witness for another person.  I do not know, whether or not they are capable of reconciliation  - but perhaps he might explain if permitted to know the variance - You must judge of the propriety of the measure and if you deem it consistent, I would ask it in his behalf.  The great loss of time and the fragility of memory at his time of life demand a fair and reasonable indulgence charity,  except is the case when fraud is apprehended.
In the neighborhood where Munn resides his character for truth and honesty is above suspicion. He is there reputed to be an honest sober man of strict  veracity and of consistent piety - In conversing with different persons at different times, of the same court, facts may be brought to his remembrance  at one time, which were lost before.  It may in one case be mere omission of the whole truth from forgetfulness and yet be wholly true - I believe  that Mr. Frelinghuysen, Silas Condit, the old clergyman D. Hillyer, the Physician of the village, and all Munn's neighbors will vouch for his good character, if such testimonials can avail.
My impression is, that his on memory is now too much impaired for him to give now a tolerable connected narrative of his services, without some means of refreshing it as to acts and names and other incidents - I know that one of his material witnesses (Caleb Tichenor) is dead, and probably others.  I think Lieutenant Perry was another and he also is dead - If your time will permit, I shall be pleased to have a line from you respecting the case.  If he should be held to further specifications and proof, it must virtually count to striking is name from the roll as I think it counts in 7/8th of all other cases, when most cannot be had to pay rolls and similar vouchers.
With much respect - your friend
L. Condict
Page 39

(vertically to left)

See a letter dated June 1, 1835 to Hon. Freylinghuysen, Newark, N.J. in which David Munn's name appears also

Send copies of declaration and evidence also of his deposition in Peck's case.
And copies of letter 1 June and 29 June '35
to Dr. Condict

Honorable S.N. Clarke House of Representatives
Page 40

[Duplicate of previous page, Image 40]
Page 41

Lewis Condict
1 -?- 35 (38?)

96

[illegible]
Volume 27 page 73
Page 42



War Department
PO
June1 1835

Sir
    The testimony David Munn relative to the service of Captain Peak's company [illegible] in support of another claim is so different from what was claimed and allowed upon his pension  that the agent has been directed to  make him as [illegible] frequent until orders shall be given which can not be done until his actual service shall be specified and proved in detail.  His certificate was sent you in December 1833 at which time the claimant represented himself as belonging to Orange in Essex County

Honorable Lewis Condict
Morristown
New Jersey
Page 43



War Department
PO
June 29th 1835

Sir,
   The remarks in your letter of the 23rd instant upon the payment of David Munn's allowance claim a few words of explanation as to the course adopted by this department.
    It is perfectly certain that the two accounts of services stated by Mr. Munn as having been performed by him in Captain Peck's company in 1776 cannot both be true.  Ingenious [illegible] peoples themselves in accounting further made in which Mr. Munn may have committed a mistake.  One might say as you have done this ought not to detract from his merit as only confounded the years - On the other side another would say that if he served at all he would be likely to remember when his first service was performed. They do not afford a sufficient basis for the [illegible] of the hour. There is no end to hypotheses in such matters.  The only safe guide therefore appears.  T to be clear, distinct [illegible] proof.  If insisting upon evidence a meritorious  claimant is deprived of pensions he are placed in worse condition that that to which every individual in society is  [illegible]. 
His want  of [illegible] in asserting any of his rights under the laws of the land.  The department would be deficient  in duty if contradictory statements of the same individual would alone be received as the foundations of claims upon the Treasury.  If rigid rules should be relaxed in this case as you request upon which of the conflicting statements....
Page 44

...of  Mr. Munn shall the computation be based?


Upon a due reflection it cannot be but you will be notified  that the errors committed by this department in execution of the law of 7 June 1832 have not often been those of which never arisen from too great degree of rigidity and accuracy of  examination. 

L. Condict 
Morristown
New Jersey

[Vertically to left:]
[illegible] 27 Page 149

Vertically to right:
Honorable Lewis Condict
29th June 1835
G.C.
Page 45

House of Representatives
June 28th 1842

J.L.Edwards, Esquire

Sir
   I have been appealed to by the friends of David Munn to ascertain the state of his claim to be reinstated  on the pension roll.
I will be obliged to you for information on the subject.
Respectfully
Your Obedient. Servant.
Joseph B. Aycrigg