Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 9621, for Nicholas Siscow, New York
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New York

Siscow, Nicholas or Bogart

R 9621
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State of New York & city and County of New York SS_
On this twenty ninth day of July Eighteen-hundred
and forty four personally appeared
before me D Randall [?] Justice of the peace
and Judge of the Marine Court for the city & County of New York
Nicholas Siscow a resident of the City of
New York aforsaid [sic] Aged Eighty five Years
passed, [? (punctuation unclear)] Who being first duly sworn according
to law doth on his oath make the following
declaration in order to obtain the benefit [?] of the
provision of the Act of Congress passed June
7th ["th" in superscript and underlined] 1832 That he entered the service of the
United States in the Year 1776 as he believes
just for five months under Capt  [abbrev. "Captain"] James Smith
And Colonel Cooper [sic] or Nicholson. [sic]. [? (functioning as ","?)] as a
private And a substitute for his master
who proposed to him if he would stand the
draught [sic; modern US spelling "draft"] for him and serve [?] in his stead
during the war of the Revolution at its
termination he this deponent who was
then a Slave and held in Servitude by
David Bogart then residing in Orange
County, [unclear punctuation] but since divided and called
Rockland County and township of
Orange should have his freedom to which
proposition he acceded Whose name
was then usually [?] called after his master
Bogart but whether it was so written
on the muster rolls or not he does not [no space between "does" and "not" in image]
Know _ And at that time and in that vicinity
all the men who were true to their country, [? (functioning as a comma?)] & able to bear arms who did not gain [? (word unclear)]
the regular line of the army -were divided
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into classes of four men each who were to
take their turns in doing Milldery [sic; "Military" seems meant] duty in 
the Militia and those who did not turn out
voluntarily were draughted [sic] once in salary [?]
a [?] time to serve [?] according to the requisitions
of that day in guarding the frontiers or what
was then called the [unclear name/word ending in "s"] __ And according
to his best recollection he was stationed in
or near what is called Tappan and a part of
the time in what is now called West Chester [sic]
County, near what is now called Kings Bridge
And during this turn of service he was in two
scurmages [sic] with the British on and near
the shores of the North River__ And after that
tour had expired, he returned home to Orange
County _  But whether he did any more long [seen as "morelong" in image]
terms of military duty at one time, say four
or six months he cannot distinctly recollect__
But says he continued to take his
regular turns in serving [?] in the militia in
monthly tours [?] and otherwise at all times
according to the requisitions of that day
And in that vicinity until the Cessation of
arms [?] And served under the following Captains
Viz J Smith as aforsaid [sic] Capt JJ Blauvelt
Capt John: Hogan Camp, [sic] Capt William Sickles
Capt F. [?] Ennere [?? (unclear)] And others whose names he does
not distinctly recollect as their officers &
men were frequently changed according to circumstances _
Which is supposed to be better
Known at the department than he can explain [? (word unclear)]
all the particulars_ Nor [?t] can he [unclear word ("comfide"??) ] all
the particulars in relation to the times and 
places in which he did military duty - but
knows he took his regular turns during the
whole war as a substitute for his master_
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[handwritten]

And served mostly in the following Counties Viz Orange & West Chester in New York and Bergen County in New Jersey - And this deponant [sic] further says he was in frequent scurm[ages][? (a few characters not visible due to now-missing paper] with the Reffugees [sic] and British whilst out in the line of his duty and he suffered many hardships - during the inclemment [sic] seasons of the year by repassing frequently by night as well as by day _ As they who served in the Militia were incessantly called upon at every alarm as the Enemy were Constantly committing depredations  upon the inhabitants on the frontiers _ He hereby relinquishes 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 of Any state. And that he has never before applied for his pension to which he considers himself legally and justly entitled And if he has erred in any of his statements in this declaration it is unintentional [?] and [?] he trusts [?] such errors if they are committed, will be accounted for on just principles - which is the long lapse of time since those events _ His great age and Consequent infirmities _ And for the purpose of Carrying into Execution the foregoing, Kno [sic; "Know" seems meant] all men by these presents that I Nicholas Siscow aforesaid do hereby constitute and appoint Willliam K Hoyt to be my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name to demand and receive from the United States a warrant or Certificate for my pension due me according to law And my said Attorney is hereby fully authorized and empowered
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[handwritten]

to constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or attorneys under him for the special purposes above expressed
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year first above written}
Nicholas his X mark Siscow
Sworn to this 2d day of August 1844 Before me
D Randell
Justice of the peace & Judge of the main court of the City of New York

And the said Court hereby declares 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
[remainder illegible to due printed paper placed over the writing]

STATE OF NEW-YORK,}
CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW-YORK,} ss.
I, James Conner, Clerk of the City and County of New-York, and also the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for said City and County, being a Court of record, [lined out] DO HEREBY CERTIFY, That D. Randell, before whom the annexed deposition was taken, was, at the time of taking the same, Justice of the Peace; and Judge of the Main Court in and for said City and County, duly commissioned and sworn, and authorized by the laws of this State to take the same; and that I believe the Signature of said Justice of the Peace thereunto subscribed is genuine. 
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the Seal of the said Court and [lined out] County, the 2d day of August 1844.
James Conner, Clerk
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[handwritten]

to constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or attorneys under him for the special purposes above expressed
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year first above written}
Nicholas his X mark Siscow
Sworn to this 2d day of August 1844 Before me
D Randell
Justice of the peace & Judge of the main court of the City of New York

And the said Court hereby declares 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 us that Nicholas Siscow who has signed the preceding certificate & declaration is justly entitled to his pension equiable [sic] to his demand [?]
D Randall
Justice of the Peace & Judge of the Main Court of the City of New York
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[handwritten]

State of New York City and County of New York} ss
On this first day of August Eighteen hundred and forty four personally appeared before me William Tucker Ald [Alderman] of the 8th Ward & Judge of the Court Com Pleas in & for said City & County John Van Nostrand a resident of the city of New York aforesaid aged sixty nine years - Who being first duly sworn according to law depo [lined out] on his oath deposes and says he is now and has been personally acquainted with Nicholas Siscow the applicant in the foregoing declaration for a pension since his this deponents early childhood as he was born and brought up in this state in what was then called Orange but since called Rockland County and township of Orange and he this depponant [sic] was well acquainted with the said Siscow who [?] with a neighbor of his father by name of David -
Bogart who held the said Siscow as a slave at that time that is at or about the time of the Am Revolutionary War, there [?] the last years of which and the events that transpired within his neighborhood he well recollects by seeing the soldiers and hearing by conversation what was done at that time - And he well recollects seeing the said Siscow under arms and prepared to do military duty and he well remembers hearing that he went into the service as a substitute for his master and this deponent knew also several of the officers under whom the said Siscow served as they resided in that vicinity - Whose names [?] follow
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[handwritten]

Viz Colonel Cooper Colonel Isaac Nicholson Capt JJ Blauvelt & Capt James Smith and since this deponant [sic] has been a [?] has frequently heard several of those officers under whom the said Siscow served speak very highly of his faithfulness, courage and perseverance as a soldier whilst under them in the revolutionary war and also the same gentlemen and people generally in that vicinity sensured [sic] the conduct of Bogart the Master and then owner of the said Siscow for not granting him his freedom according to his agreement and which the slave had so dearly bought - And this deponent further deposes and says the said Siscow was always highly esteemed for his moral character, honesty, truth and veracity and for a Coloured man of his grade has always been much respected as being a pious and worthy charicter [sic] And this deponant [sic] has heard his statements in his declaration and from his own knowledge and what he has heard from others believed it to be the truth and the said Siscow entitled to full confidence as a man of truth and veracity
[writing illegible due to printed paper over handwriting]

STATE OF NEW-YORK,}
CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW-YORK,} ss.
I, James Conner, Clerk of the City and County of New-York, and also Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for said City and County, being a Court of record, [lined out] DO HEREBY CERTIFY, That Wm. Tucker before whom the annexed deposition was taken, was, at the time of taking the same, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said City and County, duly commissioned and sworn, and authorized by the laws of this State to take the same; and that I believe the Signature of said Judge thereunto subscribed is genuine.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the Seal of the said Court and [lined out] County, the 2d day of August 1844.
James Conner, Clerk.

and made over many years acquainted with the foregoing Subscriber John Van Norstrand and know he is the man who acknowledged the foregoing affidavit before me and I do know him to be a man of respectability and truth and entitled to full confidence as such to which I do hereby affirm
Wm Tucker
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handwritten]

Viz Colonel Cooper Colonel Isaac Nicholson Capt JJ Blauvelt & Capt James Smith and since this deponant [sic] has been a [?] has frequently heard several of those officers under whom the said Siscow served speak very highly of his faithfulness, courage and perseverance as a soldier whilst under them in the revolutionary war and also the same gentlemen and people generally in that vicinity sensured [sic] the conduct of Bogart the Master and then owner of the said Siscow for not granting him his freedom according to his agreement and which the slave had so dearly bought - And this deponent further deposes and says the said Siscow was always highly esteemed for his moral character, honesty, truth and veracity and for a Coloured man of his grade has always been much respected as being a pious and worthy charicter [sic] And this deponant [sic] has heard his statements in his declaration and from his own knowledge and what he has heard from others believed it to be the truth and the said Siscow entitled to full confidence as a man of truth and veracity
Sworn to and Subscribed on the day and year above written}
John Van Norstrand
Wm Tucker
Alderman 8th ward
City New York and Judge of the County Court in & for said City & County

I do hereby declare I am forty three years of age and have been
many years acquainted with the foregoing Subscriber John Van Norstrand and know he is the man who acknowledged the foregoing affidavit before me and I do know him to be a man of respectability and truth and entitled to full confidence as such to which I do hereby affirm
Wm Tucker
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No 35.860
[ ] icholas Siscoe  N.Y.
Susp d [Suspended?]

Let. [letter?] to W.K Hoyt, 19 Oct. 1844
  "       to Same [illegible] 16, 1844
  "        " [illegible], 25 feby,1845
  "        to Wm. K. Hoyt March 5. '45
papers c of [illegible, copied?] for Hon T.N Woodruff Feb 4 '46

Act June 7th '32
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[Printed form]
Acts of July 14, 1832 and March 8, 1818 [all crossed out]
REJECTED [stamped, all caps]
[written entry:] 7691[?]
P.O. [entry:] Nicholas Siscoe [crossed out] Colored [underlined]
Service:  [entry:] Nicholas Siscow
Enlisted: [entry:] NY A ot[?]

[No other written entries on the remainder of the form]
Application filed:_____,18 [date?]
Alleges:_____, 18 [date?]
Re-Enlisted:_____, 18 [date?]
Attorney:_____
P.O._____
___Recognized   _____Contact
___Cert. of Dis.
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House of Rep. [Representatives] Jan. 27th 1846
Sir   Will you be so good as to furnish me with the Papers and documents on file (or authenticated [underlined] copies [underlined] thereof as may be the rule,) in relation to the claims referred to your department in the cases of ---Mrs Mary Smith [name underlined], widow of Richard Smith [name underlined].
Mrs Sally Davis & Nicholas Siscow (colored)

By giving this matter attention at as an early day as possible you will much oblige
Your very O[']t Ser[']t &c [abbrev. "Obedient Servant et cetera"]
[signature; underlined:]  TM [?]  Woodruff




James L. Edwards, Esq[']re [?]
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[Notes on exterior of a tri-fold document]

Washn. [Washington?] Feb 21/45
Wm K Hoyt.
Appeals in case of Nicholas Siscow
[Hq Rec?]. Feb 21/45
[pension?] office

[Marked in center of page: DC or D6?]

[Faint marking at bottom of page] 9621
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Office of Sec of War Washington  Feb 21[?]st 1845
Sir  I want to respectfully request an appeal from Mr. Edwards decision in the case of Nicholas Siscow an applicant for a pension under the [ ] of 1832 to His Honor the Secretary of War-
I am Sir Yours Respectfully  William K Hoyt
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Newyork Nov 26th 1844
James L Edwards Esquire
Sir   I have sent to the Comptroller at Albany for a certificate of the Services of Nicholas Siscow if any record of them  could be found in that department which he informs me cannot be found. And as you are well aware there are now  in existence but a very small part of the records or returns of the militia Service personnel either in the State of New York or New Jersey during the war of the revolution.  And therefore documentary proof of that grade of service in either State as you must know is rarely to be obtained.  The reasons of these deficiencies are better known to yourself from your great experience than I can explain.  Hence[?] the want of documentary proof of his and the service of many others should not be a bar to their receiving what the law entitles them to - So long as there are living witnesses to the facts 

I am Sir Very respectfully Yours William K Hoyt No 97 Barrod[?] Street
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Pension Office  February 25, 1845
Sir, In obedience to your order, I have the honor to submit to you my decision in the case of Nicholas Siscoe, marked  A, and to return Mr. Hoyt's letter of appeal.
I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, Sir, Your Obedient Servant.  J.L. Edwards
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New York August 2nd 1844
Sir  I herewith enclose the declaration and accompanying documents of Nicholas Siscow an applicant for a pension and trust it will receive your earliest attention and favorable consideration
With the highest consideration Sir I am Your very humble Servant William K Hoyt
James L. Edwards Esq Commissioner of Pensions Washington
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(Copy)            
Pension Office November, 16th 1844
Sir,  In the case of Nicholas Siscoe asserted but lately and for various tours of Service in the Newyork Militia while he was the slave of D. Bogart, of Orange County, I am informed by yours of the Eighth instant, that the records at Albany, afford no evidence of his service.  That fact should have been Certified by the Comptroller, but assuming it upon your authority, the claim is disallowed.  Slaves were not liable to draft for they were not enrolled, and it would require very abundant evidence of a high grade to establish the allegation that a slave was received as the Substitute of his Master as an integral part of a Militia Company, whenever that Company was called out throughout the whole war.  It is unnecessary to press such a claim discredited alike by its character and the circumstances under which it is presented.
I am, Sir, very respectfully, your obt. Svt. [obedient servant]  /Signed/ J.S. Edwards
W.K Hoyt. Esq,
New York
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State of New York Rockland County and Township of Orange SS

On this thirteenth day of July eighteen hundred and forty four years personally appeared before me Abraham House Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for Said County John G. Bogart a resident of the State County and township aforesaid aged Eighty nine Years in August next ensuing.  [illegible: And he?] being first duly sworn according to law deposed and says he resided in the said State, County and town where he now resides in the time of the old Revolutionary War and served as a volunteer in the militia as a minute man in the four months service in New York under Colonel Hind & Major Stoulenbarg and Capt John J Blauvelt Next in the five months service under Capt James Smith, and under Colonel Isaac Nicholson & Lieutenant Colonel Cooper and at that time he this deponent had a neighbor residing near him by name of David Bogart who had [living?] with him a Colored man by name of
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Nicholas Sisco who is the applicant in the forgoing declaration and petitioner who the Said Bogart Sent out into the service for himself as a Substitute and who [illegible] in the militia and in the Same regiment and Company with this deponent and he answered for his master - And after the service as aforesaid had expired. They then  returned home. And served the remainder part of the war in the militia under Capt John Hogenkamp, Capt William Sickles & Capt Tenair or Tennese occasionally took command of the same company at alarms. And this deponent further deposes and says that he himself served and also the said Sisco in the militia service at all times and places on the lines in this State and also occasionally in the State of New Jersey when required from 1776 until 1783 at the close of the War. And was in scirmages [skirmishes?] and one in which they were engaged was in Bergen County New Jersey in what was called the English Neighborhood in which Colonel Cooper was wounded. And this deponent further says that he himself was
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a pension for his services as aforesaid - And that the Said Nicholas Siscow the applicant in the foregoing declaration did Serve in the militia as aforesaid with this deponent as a private in the defence of his country And he the said Sisco some times was detached to other companies in cases of alarms in which this deponent was not at that time attached.  As the companies were some times divided or doubled and composed of men from different [illegible] or [illegible]. And this deponent further says that he cannot recollect all the particular events of that day in consequence of the long lapse of [time?] age and consequent infirmities And if he was in any way inaccurate[?] in his statements it is in consequence of his forgetfulness. [Sworn?] to and subscribed on the day and year as above written before me Abrm House Judge of [illegible] [Common?] pleas in and for Said County.
X his mark John G Bogart.
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[This?] may certify that I have been personally acquainted with the subscribing [illegible] to the forgoing affidavit John G. Bogart. and have known him for twenty five years last passed and know him to be a gentleman of high standing for moral integrity [illegible] him to be a man [of?] truth and [illegible] and entitled to full confidence as such
Abram. House Judge

State of New York
Rockland County  I Abraham Hogenkamp clerk of the County aforesaid do hereby certify that Abraham House Esq before whom the deposition of John G Bogart was taken was at the time of taking the same a Judge in and for said County duly Commissioned and Sworn and that his Signature thereto subscribed is genuine.  In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the said County the thirteenth [illegible, day?] of July 1844 
Abm. Hogenkamp Clerk