Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 20983, for William Jones, New York
Page 5

Albany N.Y.  March 3, 1846

Sir:

Enclosed I send you the papers of Elizabeth Denison an applicant for a pension under the Act of July 7, 1838.
I can find no [underlined] church record [end underlined] of marriage.  An ancient family record, together with the testimony of a respectable witness, is the best proof of marriage that can be furnished.  The record I believe is as follows:
"William Jones married to Elizabeth Spencer Novr 17, 1783.
Elizabeth Jones born 31 August & 2 day of week 1784.
Henry Jones born May 30th 3d day of week 1786.
William Jones deceased March 24th 1788 in the 29th year of his age."  The figures 1783 in the record of marriage appear to have been altered. ["altered" underlined]:  The remainder of the record appears as originally written
Wm. Jones served as a Sergeant in the NY Line 3 years.  Both the widow & witness [illegible] unite in stating that he was discharged in the fall of 1779 & the record confirmed their statement.
I am [illegible]
Very respectfully
Your Obt [obedient] servant
[signed] Wm B. [or R.] Pierce

Hon. J.S. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Page 10

[image appears to be the reverse side of the previous Bible cover.  There are extremely faint handwritten words and dates on the page.  However, most are so faint that they are illegible. The follo wing can be seen:]


William Jones married to Elizabeth Spencer Novr 17, 1783.
Elizabeth Jones born 31 August & 2 day of week 1784.
Henry Jones born May 30th 3d day of week 1786.
William Jones deceased March 24th 1788 in the 29th year of his age
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State of New York
Albany County} s.s.  on this Thirteenth day of March in the year of our Lord one Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty Five, personally appeared before me, the Subscriber Luke Slade a Justice of the Peace, duly authorized and commissioned to administer oaths within and for the County of Albany and State of New York, Elizabeth Denison, [name underlined] who being by me first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath depose and say, that she is in the 89th year of her age, that she is a resident of the Town of Berne, in the County of Albany, and State of New York.
And that she this deponent is the Identical person, who is a pensioner of the United States, and Inscribed upon the Pension Rolls at the rate of one Hundred and Twenty Dollars pr. annum, payable at the Albany agency for paying pensions due from the United States.  And that this deponent, was pensioned under act of Congress passed February 2d. 1848. and that her pay certificate bears date, April 12th 1850.
And this deponent further saith that she is now a Widow ["Widow" underlined] and that she was pensioned as the ["former" erased] widow formerly of William Jones obtaining the Bounty Lands to which she may be entitled, under and by virtue of, and in Conformity, to a Law passed by Congress and approved March 3d, 1855, granting Bounty Lands to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the United States, or, other acts granting Bounty Lands to soldiers of the war of the Revolution, and their surviving widows, she declares that she has not obtained any Bounty Land, under this or any other act of Congress nor has she applied for any in the presence of us
[signed] Luke Slade Berne N.Y.
[signed] John M. Wood Berne, N.Y.
[signed] Elizabeth Denison
X mark
Sworn to and subscribed before me the day and year above written.
[signed] Luke Slade} Justice of the Peace

And I do hereby certify that Elizabeth Denison, who subscribed and was sworn to the above declaration or affidavit, is a respectable widow Lady and do believe her statement entitled to full credit and belief and that she is of the age above stated.
[signed] Luke Slade} Justice of the Peace
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[image is of 2nd page of letter from previous slide 14:]

seventy-nine years; the date and place of her birth are not shown.  Her claim was allowed.  In 1850, said Elizabeth Denison was a resident of Stillwater, Saratoga County, New York; in 1855, she resided in Berne, New York.

William Jones, the soldier, and Elizabeth, his wife, had two children:  Elizabeth, born August 31, 1784, and Henry, born May 30, 1786.  In 1845, this daughter, Elizabeth was a resident of Knox, Albany County, New York, her name then Elizabeth Crary; the name of her husband is not shown.

It was not stated that Ebenezer Denison and Elizabeth (Jones), his wife, had children.  However, in 1849, Elizabeth Denison, the widow, was referred to as at the home of her son "on the old battle ground, Bemis Heights"; shortly after, one William Denison was a Justice of the Peace for Saratoga County, New York; one William L. Denison also was there, also Margaret E. Denison.  No relationship of these persons with surname Denison to the widow was stated.

In 1845, George Spencer was a resident of Salisbury, Herkimer County, New York; he stated then that he was born in the year 1758, in Rhode Island, moved with his father and father's family in the spring of 1778 to Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York, and was present at the wedding ["wedding" crossed out] marriage [handwritten "marriage"] of his sister, Elizabeth, to William Jones, the soldier.

Very truly yours,

[no handwritten signature]
A. D. HILLER,
Assistant to Administrator.
Page 20

8808   A
New York.
Elizabeth Denison
formerly
widow of William Jones
who was a Sergeant
in the Revolution for two years

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 120 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843.

Certificate of Pension issued the 12th day of Apl '30 and sent to
Hon Hugh White
House of Reps

[Acts of March 3, 1843, & June 17, 1844.]

Recorded in Book A
Vol. 2  Page 83
Page 28

State of New York
Albany County } ss
George Spencer of the town of Salisbury in the County of Herkimer in said State, aged 77 years having been born in the year 1768, being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that he is a brother of Widow Elizabeth Denison who now lives in the town of Bern in said County of Albany and is an applicant for pension.  That Deponent was born in the State of Rhode Island from whence he removed with his father & father's family in the year 1778 & settled in the town of Stephentown, Rensselaer County N.Y.  That in the fall of the year 1779 Deponent first saw William Jones, who was afterwards his said sisters husband, and on account of whose revolutionary services his said sister is now applying for a pension.  That they met at a party near Deponents fathers and it was then & there reported & believed that said William Jones had just received his discharge from the army.  Deponent can not now remember under what officers he served but believes that he was of the New York Line of Continental forces.  Such was the report at the time, which Deponent verily believes to be true from the fact that in the spring of 1778 when Deponent came to Stephentown as aforesaid that said William Jones was absent with the army & returned home in the fall of 1779 when Deponent first saw him  If he had been out of service at any time previous to the fall of 1779 & after Deponent removed to Stephentown as aforesaid, Deponent would have been likely
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State of New York
Albany County
Clerks Office.} ss:
I William Mise Clerk of said County do hereby certify that Jacob M Settle before whom the foregoing affidavit purports to have been taken was at the date thereof a Commissioner of Deeds in & for said County duly commissioned & sworn & that his signature to the Jurat of said affidavit appears to be genuine
Witness my hand & official seal of this sixteenth day of February AD. 1846.
[signed] William Mise Clerk

[there is a faint circular seal within a square shape, but is illegible]
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Declaration [underlined]

S
In order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the acts of Congress passed March 3rd 1843, June 17th 1844, and February 2d. 1848.
State of New York
Saratoga County} ss
On this twenty eighth day of March (A.D. 1850.) One thousand eight-hundred and fifty, personally appeared before me William Denison a Justice of the Peace in and for the said County of Saratoga duly authorised by law to administer oaths, Elisabeth Denison, a resident of the town of Stillwater in the County of Saratoga in said State of New York, aged 84 years, who being first duly sworn according to laws, doth on her oath make the following Declaration, in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the acts of Congress passed July 7th 1838, March 3rd 1843, June 17th, 1844, and February 2d. 1848.
That she this Declarant is now the widow of Ebeneser Denison, late of the town of Still Water in said State of New York, who died on the 7th day of December, 1843.
That Declarant was the widow of William Jones previous to her marriage to her last husband the said Ebeneser Denison deceased.  That Declarant was married to her first husband the said William Jones on the 17th day of November, 1783. and that her husband the said William Jones died on the 22d day of March 1788.
That her first husband the said William Jones was a soldier of the United States in the War of the Revolution and enlisted into the said Service from Stephentown N.Y. and served three years as a Sergeant in the Company of Captain Bleeker and in the Regiment of Colonel Gansvoort and as Deponent verily believes was duly discharged from the said three years service in the fall of 1779, when he returned to his home in Stephentown where he married Deponent on the 17th of November 1783, as aforesaid.  That Declarant has applied for a pension under the Act of July 7th, 1838, and Declarant now makes this Declaration in order that she may receive a Pension, and to obtain Pension under the said acts of March 3rd 1843, June 17, 1844 and
Page 37

here are four Witnesses  some of them have Identafyed said Jones from the service to his grave all four served with him and - Bennet was Connected to the widow the wife of said Jones  he was a Cousin to Elizabeth Spencer & resides not more than 20 miles from her now although the widow has lately moved to Bemis hight - Mr. Bennet has visited her - - - and Nicholas Hill served with him he dined with him in 1786 and 5 or 6 years afterwards he called again and he was not living & Elizabeth his widow had married a man by the name of Denison - he states very definitely he resided in Stephentown  - Epheam Blawus [or Blowers] also - also John Wilson four soldiers all served with Jones & knew him in the service & after the war up to his grave
The Widow Denison is poor & had no one to help her to find the Testimony before now - it is an old case & has been in the hands of speculators - who did no go out of their own affairs to see for Testimony - untill of late a more proper Course has been taken for the poor old Lady and the Lord has blessed her with more than common testimony to answer this reply - & the Lord will bless it to make her comfortable through life &
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State of New York
Washington County} ss  personally appeared before me Jacob Bitley Junr a Justice of the Peace for and in said County of Washington aforesaid Charles Bennett a Resident of the Town of Fort Edward in said County of Washington aforesaid Aged 88 years and upwards first duly sworn according to the Law does testify and say I resided in said County of Washington in the War of the Revolution form whence I Enlisted under Captain Cornelius T. Jonson and served under said Captain Johnson and under Col Gansevort untill the Regiment of said Col Gansevoort was disbanded and broken up  I was then transferred to the Regiment of Col Van Schaick under whom I served untill the close of said War of the Revolution while under the service of Col Gansvoort aforesaid I was well acquainted with a sergeant named William Jones he served under Capt Leonard Bleecker in said Regiment 3 years & was discharged and while in said Army under said Captain Johnson & Col Van Schaick to the south not far from N.Y. there was a ["sergeant" crossed out] a soldier by the name of William Jones he was from the south he was defected and Captured when on his way to Desert - he had Forged Discharges for himself and others  this was the report in the Army at that time  I did not see him Executed but it was common & publicly reported that he was Executed & hung  I was not acquainted with him nor did I see him at the time he Deserted and was Captured this was a public Report in the Army  The town where we was stationed was called Baskin Ridge in New Jersey (as I believe) at this time there was two William Jones - the one under Captain Leonard Bleecker was enlisted for 3 years and served his 3 years & was discharged   we served together from the time I enlisted from 1778 untill he was Discharged which was about the time Col Gansevoorts Regiment broke up then his time was Expired  he went home to Stephentown to Renssalaer County N.Y. to his Parents & afterwards Married Elizabeth Spencer Daughter of John

[The following is written in a different handwriting sideways along the left margin of the page:]
Office [illegible] [illegible - looks like "aw"] 1918
All of these witnesses are referring to the Wm Jones who died in Canada in 1833

[Also written in a different handwriting sideways along the left margin of the page:]

see claim of Wm Jones the Sgt. S9362 - the man who deserted from 3 Regt was a pvt [private] of the 5th Co. 3d Regt. see his record in N. Y. Archives Vol. 1. p 203 -
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Oswego County
State of New York  ss  Personally appeared before me Orla H. Whitney County Judge of Oswego County aforesaid and as such surrogate of said County  Hon Orville Robinson a resident of the city of Oswego in said County of Oswego and state of New York being first duly sworn according to law does testify and say I am well acquainted with Nathan Franklin the Revolutionary Pensioner of the Town of Parish in said County of Oswego.  he is reputed as having been a soldier in the war of the Revolution by us & that he is now a pensioner of the United States for services rendered as a soldier in the war of the Revolution, he is an aged man and a competent witness and whose testimonials can be relied upon and I further certify that I served as a member of Congress from said County of Oswego until Mar. 1845 from said County of Oswego aforesaid
[signed] Orville Robinson

subscribed and sworn before me this 20th day of February A.D. 1849 and certify that I am well acquainted with said deponant [words crossed out] and well know that he served as above stated as member of Congress from this county as aforesaid in his deposition & I also know Nathan Franklin by reputation  he was an old soldier & pensioner as aforesaid, he is a man of truth & his testimony can be relied upon as aforesaid}
[signed] Orla H. Whitney
Co Judge of Oswego Co & as such surrogate of such Co
Page 69

[handwritten]
255 West Ridgewood Cir.
Ridgewood, N.J. April 6, 1934.

Record and Pension Office
Washington, D.C.

Gentlemen,

Have you the record of William Jones who served in the War of the Revolution, and whose widow Elizabeth (Spencer) Jones received a pension for his services. She was born in Exeter R.I. July 3, 1766 died - 1856. I do not know the dates of Wm Jones' birth or death or his parentage. Any information you can give me regarding him will be much appreciated.

Yours truly
Chas S. Spencer
 [/handwritten]

[stamp]
RECEIVED
APR 9 1934
DIV
U.S.V.B.
[/stamp]