Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 46,261, Zopher Hawkins, New York
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New York

Hawkins, Zopher

S. 46, 261
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1915. Dec 9, history to Mrs. L.D. Hurd
M13.H

Cert #1166
Name: Zopher Hawkins
Rank: Pri.  Company: Fowlers
Reg't: 2nd, NY Line 

Admitted Act - 1828
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Zopher Hawkins

21447

On Rolls 4th Reg't
Zopher Hawkins
enlisted in Capt. Sacketts
Company 21st Nov '77 for
the war  - taken prisoner 2 Mar '87
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State of New Your
County of Suffolk

On this the second day of October in the year eighteen hundred and thirty two, personally appeared [arrow up] in [illegible] Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county. Zopher Hawkins, a resident of Brookhaven in said county and state, aged seventy five years 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 made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
That he enlisted in the Army of the United States at New Haven State of Connecticut in the Month of November 1776, as a private in the company commended by Capt Samuel Sacket of which Nathaniel Norton was first lieutenant. That he afterwards belonged to the company commanded by Capt Fowler but whether by the transfer  of himself or of the officers he cannot tell __  That he was marched with the company from New haven to Fishkill in New York where he spent the winter __ That the following spring and from thence in August or the first of September he was ordered to the north and was at the battles of Stillwater and Saratoga when General Burgoyne was defeated__ That he is unable to state the particulars of his service for the two or three succeeding years further than that being for the most part of the time stationed new the frontier he was frequently engaged in skirmishes with the enemy and particularly the Indians__  That in the fall of 1780, as he thinks, he was ordered to Fort Stanwix where he with other troops remained through the winter__ That in the morning of the second day of March following he was one of a party sent out of the Fort to cut and bring in firewood for the use of the garrison and that which thus employed he with the the rest of the party were surprised by a company of Indians the command of Col Brandt and made prisoners. That he was then conducted to Niagara where he was detained as a prisoners by the Indians until peace took place__ That he arrived
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State of New York
County of Suffolk

On this second day of October in the year eighteen hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County.  Zopher Hawkins, a resident of Brookhaven in said county and state, aged seventy five years. 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 made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.

That he enlisted the army of the United States at New Haven, Connecticut in the month of November 1776, as a private in the company commanded by Capt Samuel Sacket of which Nathaniel Norton was first lieutenant_  That he afterwards belonged to the company commanded by Capt Fowler but whether by the transfer of himself or of the officers he cannot tell_  That he was marched with the company from New Haven to Fishkill in New York where he spent the winter_  That the following spring and summer he was marched into New Jersey and Pennsylvania and from thence in August on the first of September he was ordered to the north and was at the battles of Stillwater and Saratoga when General Burgoyne was defeated_  That he is unable to state the particulars of his service for the two or three succeeding years, further than that being for the most part of the time stationed near the frontiers he was frequently engaged in skirmishes with the enemy and particularly the Indians_  That in the fall of 1780 as he thinks, he was ordered to Fort Stanwix where he with other troops remained through the winter_  That in the morning of the second day of March following he was one of a party sent out of the Fort to cut and bring in firewood for the use of the garrison and that while thus employed he with the rest of the party were surprised by a company of Indians under the command of Col Brandt and made prisoners_  That he was then conducted to Niagara where he was detained as a prisoner by the Indians until peace took place_  That he arrived
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at home at the place where he now resides sometime in the fall of 1783 __
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except for the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in state 

Sworn to and subscribed                    Zopher Hawkins
the day and year aforesaid
Joseph R Huntting Clerk 

And the said Court after a due examination and hearing, of the foregoing declaration and of the annexed affidavit of Nathaniel Norton, do hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states -

 I Joseph R. Huntting Clerk of the said Court of Common Pleas, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Zopher Hawkins for a pension -
 In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this Second day of October 1832 -
  Joseph R Hunting  Clk
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Suffolk County--

Capt Nathaniel Norton of the city of New York being duly sworn, deposes and says that Zopher Hawkins the above named applicant enlisted into the company commanded by Capt Samuel Sackett of which the deponent was first lieutenant, in the month of November 1778--that the enlistment took place at New Haven in Connecticut--that said Hawkins continued in the company as a good and faithful soldier for four years--that the deponent having promoted was frequently sent upon extra services and did not have an opportunity of knowing so much about the applicant afterwards--

Nathll. Norton

Sworn and subscribed to this 24th day of September 1832--before me--
John S. Mount a Judge of Suffolk Common Pleas

Suffolk County Clerks office
I Joseph R Huntting Clerk of the County of Suffolk Do hereby Certify that John S Mount Esq before whom the above Deposition was taken is a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for Said County and that I am well acquainted with his handwriting and and believe the Signature to be his Judges handwriting.  In Testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal of office this 
[2?] day of October 1832
Joseph R Huntting Clerk
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State of New York
Suffolk County

I John S. Mount one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county of Suffolk, and before whom the within affidavit of Nathaniel Norton a witness in the matter of the application of Zophar Hawkins for a pension was taken and subscribed on the 27th day of Sept 1832, Do hereby certify that I am acquainted with the said Nathaniel Norton and know him to be a credible person and that his statements in said affidavit are entitled to full credit.  Witness my hand this 26th day of June 1833--
John S. Mount a Judge of Suffolk County com Pleas

Suffolk County Clerks Office
I Joseph R Huntting Clerk of the said county of Suffolk Do hereby certify that John S. Mount Esquire who has signed the above certificate was at the date of the same a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county, and that I am well acquainted with his handwriting and believe the signature to be his Judges handwriting--
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 29th day of June 1833---
Joseph R. Buntting [Clerk?]
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21447
Zopher Hawkins
Suffolk County
N. York
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Service: New York

Hawkins, Zopher

Number: S 46.261
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2.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7,1832.

The following regulations have been adopted:
 
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.

Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval service.
4. Indian Spies.

As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.

DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of; County of >>ss.

On this -blank- day of -blank- personally appeared (a) before
A.B. a resident (b) of -blank- in the county of -blank- and State, Territory, or District of -blank- aged (c) -blank- years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provion made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. The he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d) -blank-, with -blank- and served in the -blank- (e) regiment of the -blank- line, under the following named officers:

*Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. >>This form is the be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.*

He hereby relinquishes every claim (.f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares this his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of 
-Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.                          A.B.
(And then will follow the certificate of the Court.)

And the said Court do herby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.

I (insert name) of the Court of (insert name here) do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of (insert name here) for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this (insert date) day of (insert year) &c.

If, on examination of the proper record the names of the applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A.B., a Clergyman, residing in the (insert name) and C.D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with (insert name), who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be (insert age number) 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.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
(And then will follow the certificate to the Court.)

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 A.B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the (blank) and the C.D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the (blank) and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I, (insert name), Clerk of the Court of (insert name) do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of (insert name) for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal. 
(Blank) of office, this (blank) day of (blank) &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the servies of each person .....continued.
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...will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before so>>me Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3.Where were you living when called the service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?
5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.
6. *To a Soldier: Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it?
*To an Officer: Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.

The Court will see that he answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons - one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates.
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office; will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.

Footnotes:
(a) The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
(b) The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
(c) The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
(d) The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
(e) Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, with precision, the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the Department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: 
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively to the precise length of his service; but according to the best of his recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades:  __For ---- year -----months, and ------days, I served as a --------. For ------ months and ------ days, I served as a -------; and for such service, I claim a pension."
It is important, in all cases, to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase "about three or four months," is too indefinite and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours, the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must, in every case, be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
(f) The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
(g) The opinion of the Court is always required.
(h) The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
(i) The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no public seal of office, the certificate of a Member of Congress, proving the official character and signation of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

Mode of authentication papers.
-In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or either papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.

Proof of Service.
(j) In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses who are required to set forth is their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who many administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
>>The notes from (a) to (i) are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in note (j) applies to continental troops only.
(k) This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
(l) If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
(m) The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.

Bottom: (Signature unknown)
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SERVICE
New York
Hawkins, Zopher
NUMBER
S. 46,261
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[Zophar Walkins, crossed out]
Zophar Hawkins

Stony Brook NY        [illegible]
April 6

The Honorable 
Abel Huntington
In Congress
Washington City
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Stony Brook April 6, 1824--
Dear Sir, 
I this morning troubled you with a line respecting a soldier of the last war--I now take the liberty to trouble you again in behalf of a soldier who fought and suffered in that war which secured the independence and freedom we now enjoy.  It is the case of Zophar Hawkins of Brookhaven an applicant for a pension under the law of June 1832.  He made his application first rather more than a year ago--as he was with regular service he concluded that his name would be found on the rolls and did not procure at that time evidence proving the particulars of his service, especially as it would have been attended with considerable expense.  His name on examination was not found on the rolls, for which he cannot account upon any other grounds than the loss or destruction of the rolls previous to his having been made a prisoner by the Indians.  The papers were returned last fall and among other things, the testimony of two witnesses was required as to time and place of enlistment, regiment etc. and time and manner of leaving the service.
Mr. Hawkins declared himself that he enlisted
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into Col Courtlandts regiment--one of his witnesses said the same, but the other who was the Lieut of the company and the officer who enlisted him said that Mr. Hawkins enlisted into Col Harry D. Livingston's regiment.  The declaration and testimony in all other respects agree.  The whole has been sent on as it came from their mouths and the applicant has heard nothing more about it.  I am quite certain that the Lieut is right & that Mr. Hawkins whose memory & powers of mind from old age are very feeble and poor and which have been hastened by his sufferings in the war, is mistaken as well as his other witness, Chapman Davis.
Mr. Hawkins would undoubtedly have entitled to a pension under the former laws, but having been a prudent man had too much property in his possession.  There is not a doubt among all his acquaintance but that he really deserves all that the law of 1832 would give him.
Will you call at the pension office, get an examination of the papers and if there should be any hesitation and account of the discrepancies of the testimony in that particular, urge them to grant the declarant and witness the privilege of correcting their testimony for I am very sure that the difference has been occasioned by nothing more than a defection of memory--besides privates generally are not in
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the habit nor is it so much a part of their duty to know and retain a recollection of the particular regiment [illegible] to which they may belong as of officers who are frequently transferred as occasion requires.  The Lieut testified that subsequent to the enlistment the regiment to which declarant belonged was by a consolidation commanded by Col Courtlandt and to this may very measurably be ascribed the mistake.
All the acquaintance of Mr. Hawkins are very anxious that he should be gratified with receiving a full pension, believing that in no case it could be more merited.
I remain yours,
John M. Williamson
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[Court seal on right upper corner of document]

State of New York
County of Suffolk

On this twenty sixth day of June in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared before me John S. Mount one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county Zopher Hawkins the person named in and who made the foregoing original declaration on the second day of October in the year eighteen hundred and thirty two in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration amendatory to the said original declaration:
That the omission to state in his said original application for a pension the corps into which he enlisted, and served, and the term for which he enlisted, was an unintentional omission and neglect, and that all the other following particulars not mentioned or alluded to in his said original declaration, he had upon further reflection been enabled to recollect but which at that time did not occur to his mind.
That a short time previous to his enlistment as mentioned in said declaration he fled from his home in the town of Brookhaven in the said county of Suffolk where he was born and until then had always resided, to avoid impressment into the British Service, (Long Island being then in the possession of the British) and landed at New Haven in Connecticut--where he enlisted in the army of the United States in the Continental line to serve during the war--but is unable to say precisely what day of the month of November 1776 he did enlist but thinks that it was about the middle or the 15th of the month.  That the officer who enlisted him was Lieut Nathaniel Norton and that the company into which he enlisted was commanded by Capt Samuel Sackett, and thinks that the regiment to which his company was attached was commanded by Colonel Wisenfeldt--that for some time before and at the time of the battles of Stillwater and Saratoga and until he was made a prisoner, he was attached to the regiment commanded by
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Colonel Cortlandt and thinks that his company was at the same time under the command of Capt Fowler--cannot recollect the number of either of the regiments or the names of any of the other field officers of the regiments--that he was constantly on duty as a soldier either on the march, in encampment, or in skirmishes and battles from the time of his said enlistment to the time when he was taken a prisoner by the Indians as stated in his original declaration, and was at no time during that period engaged in any civil pursuit--That from the great length of time which has elapsed, and the failure of his memory since his service was rendered, he is unable to state more fully the particulars thereof than he has done in his original declaration--his duty was an every day duty, and he is certain in this particular that he never shrunk from the performance of it.  That he suffered much from the inhuman and cruel treatment he received from the Indians, and could by no means effect his release from their power until peace was proclaimed.  That sometime in the summer of 1780 he was permitted by them to return home where he arrived as he thinks in the latter part of October or the first of November following--that he never received any written discharge from his officers--That he served as a soldier in the Continental line from on or about the 15th day of November 1776 to the 2nd day of March 1781, making in the whole Four years three months and a half, and that he was detained as a prisoner of war among the Indians (most of the time at Niagara) from the said 2nd day of March 1781 until he was released as above stated.

Zopher hawkins [signature]

Sworn and subscribed this 26th day of June 1833 before me 
John S. Mount a Judge of Suffolk County Com Pleas.
And I the said John S. Mount do hereby declare my opinion and belief that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he stated.
[Court seal at bottom of page]
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and that this is the general opnion and belief of all those residing in his vicinity--
And I do further certify that the said applicant cannot from bodily infirmity attend the court.

John S. Mount A Judge of Suffolk County Com Pleas.

Suffolk county Clerks Office
I Joseph R. Huntting Clerk of the said county do hereby certify that John S. Mount Esquire who has signed the preceding certificate and before whom the foregoing declaration of Zopher Hawkins purports to have been sworn to and subscribed is a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county of Suffolk and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing and believe the signatures to be his genuine signatures--
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 29th day of June 1833.
Joseph R. Huntting [signature]
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State of New York
Suffolk County

Chapman Davis of the town of Riverhead in said county being duly sworn deposes and says that he is acquainted with Zophar Hawkins of the town of Brookhaven in said county and an applicant for a pension, and has been acquainted with him ever since the year 1776--that said Zophar Hawkins came to New Haven in the State of Connecticut sometime in the fall of the year 1776, and he thinks in the month of November of that year, the precise day he cannot recollect, and immediately enlisted in the service of the United States in the Continental line in the company which deponent then belonged to, commanded by Capt Samuel Sackett in the fourth regiment commanded by Colonel Cortlandt (thinks his christian was Philip)--that said Zophar Hawkins continued in the service in the continental line in the said regiment and in the same regiment with the deponent until the month of March 1781 at which time they were on duty at Fort Stanwix--that on or about the 2nd day of March 1781 said Zophar Hawkins was sent out of the Fort with other soldiers to cut wood for the use of the garrison and that in about half an hour thereafter the firing of the sentinels was heard and tidings soon came to the Fort that the whole of the party, except one who was killed on the spot, were made prisoners by the Indians--that deponent never saw said Hawkins any more until after the conclusion of the war--that said Zophar Hawkins served as a soldier in the continental line to the certain knowledge of the deponent for upwards of four years--that said Hawkins and deponent were some time after their enlistment under different Captains owing
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as he supposed to resignations and promotions which frequently took place--that deponent and said Hawkins were both on duty and in the battle at the taking of Burgoyne--and deponent further says that he is now a pensioner of the United States for revolutionary services--
Sworn and subscribed to this 29th day of November 1833

Chapman Davis [signature]

S B Strong [signature]  Supreme Court Commissioner

State of New York
Suffolk County
I Selah B. Strong a Supreme Court Commissioner residing in the County of Suffolk do hereby certify that on the 29th day of November 1833 before me personally appeared Chapman Davis and subscribed and swore to the truth of the foregoing affidavit, that I am acquainted with the said Chapman Davis, that he maintains the character of a man of security and that in my opinion full credit is due to his statement.
In testimony whereof I do hereunto set my hand this day and year last above written.
S.B. Strong [signature]
Supreme Court Commissioner

State of New York
Suffolk County
I Joseph R Huntting Clerk of the said county do certify that Selah B Strong before whom the foregoing affidavit purports to have been sworn, and who has subscribed the preceeding certificate, was at the date of the same a Supreme
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Court Commissioner in and for the said county, and that I am acquainted with his handwriting and verily believe his name subscribed to the said affidavit and the said certificate to be his proper hand writing and signature--
Witness my name and seal of office this third day of December 1833
Joseph R Huntting Clk  [signature]
Page 24

City and County of New York

Nathaniel Norton of said City and County being duly sworn deposes and says that he has been acquainted with Zophar Hawkins of Brookhaven in the County of Suffolk and State of New York an applicant for a pension under the law of Congress of the 7th June 1832, ever since the year 1776--That said Zophar Hawkins enlisted into the service of the United States at New Haven in the State of Connecticut, by the said deponent sometime in the month of November the very day he does not recollect in the year 1776 as a private in the company commanded by Captain Sackett. Note aforesaid deponent was then First Lieutenant in the Fourth regiment commanded by Colonel Henry Livingston in the Continental Line--that afterwards said regiment was in charge of Col Wiesenfeldt, and that ultimately what period he cannot say said regiment was commanded by Col Cortlandt.  That said Hawkins in the current knowledge of deponent continued in the same service from the month of November 1776 until sometime in the month of December 1780, at which aforementioned date deponent and said Hawkins were sent on duty at Fort Stanwix.  That sometime during the same last seen [illegible] month deponent was sent on a commission to Connecticut and Long Island and never returned again to Fort Stanwix being a supernumerary officer and in the Spring and summer of 1781 he received letters from [illegible] and had personal communications with other officers who had remained on duty at Fort Stanwix stating that said Hawkins and other soldiers belonging to the Fort had been taken prisoners by a party of Indians, and according to the best of his recollection that it took place in the month of March in the last mentioned year.  Deponent always put full confidence in the said statements--nor had any reason to doubt their correctness--That deponent never saw Hawkins again until some months after peace took place and then believed and more believes that he was detained as a prisoner by the Indians until the conclusion of the war.  That said Hawkins was a good and dutiful soldier as far as the personal knowledge of deponent extends, and now sustains and ever has sustained the character of a man of good morals and of strict veracity--All which said deponent declares according to the best of his recollection.
Sworn and subscribed this 8th day of January 1834 before me 

Nathan'll Norton  [signature]

R. Riker [signature]
Page 25

 I certify that Captain Norton who made the preceding deposition is well known to me - He has his pension Certificate as Captain in the fourth New York Regiment of Infantry. He is a Man of strict veracity & of excellent character.
  R. Riker
Recorder of the City of New York
[underline]N York 8 Jany 1834 [/underline]
Page 26

State of New York, City and County of New York
I, Abraham Asten, Clerk of the City and County of New York, and Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for the said City and County, do hereby certify that Richard Aiker Esq whose name is subscribed [illegible] am certificate of the annexed deposition was on the day of its date thereof, Recorder of the City of New York, duly commissioned and sworn and authorized to [illegible] the same. In testimony whereof, I have herunto set my Hand, and affixed the Seal of the said Court and County, the 8th day of January 1834 Abraham Asten
Page 27

No 57,794 - Zopher Hawkins

James withers, No 1165 will be found between No 1169 & 1170
[on side]
 And # 46261
Page 28

Revolutionary Claims
Treasury Department 8 May 1834 
Zapher Hawkins of ___ in the county of Suffolk in the state of N York has applied to the Secretary of the Treasury for the benefit of the act entitled "An Act for the relief of certain surviving officers and soldiers of the Revolution", approved the 15th of May, 1828. He states that he enlisted in the Continental line of the army of the Revolution, for and during the war, and continued until its  termination at which point he was a private in captain Fowlers' company, in the regiment of the New York line, and that he received a certificate for the [illegible] of eighty dollars, provided by the resolve of the 15th of May, 1777 and further, that he has met on the 15th of May, 1828, on the revolutionary pension list of the United States, and that he has accrued as a pensioner since the 3rd of March 1826, nothing. The Third Auditor is requested to report how far the several statements are corroborated by the records in his office. By exam of the Secretary Francis A Dickins
Treasury Department, Third Auditor's Office 10th May 1834
It appears by the records in the office that a certificate for the reward of eighty dollars has been issued to [this sentence has been crossed out]. It further appears that Zapher Hawkins is not now on the pension list of any agency and has not been so since the 3 March 1826. The name of Zapher Hawkins does not appear among those of the New York line to whom certificates for the gratuity of Eighty Dollars was issued in the name of Zapher Hopkins of the Regiment to which Cp.s Fowler belong. Peter Hagner Aud
Page 29

Dept of War, Bounty Land Office
 The name of Zopher Hawkins is not returned with records of the New York line on file in this office. Among those, entitled to bounty land from the U. States - Nor has a Land Warrant issued in his name, or in his right
  Wm Gordon
Page 30

Rev.  6 May 1834
Page 31

No of orig Payt-- 1166(underlined)  [in pencil]

Smith Town January 15th 1834
Sir
I enclose two affidavits in support of the application of Zophar Hawkins for a pension, you will perceive that there is in the two depositions a discrepancy as to the Col of the Regiment to which he belonged--Lieut Norton states that the Regiment at the time of Hawkins enlistment was commanded by Livingston and was subsequently commanded by Cortlandt, & Davis the other Witness states that the Regiment was [illegible] by Cortlandt also.  I can only account for it on the ground of the imperfect recollection of Hawkins, for the fact of his service no one of his acquaintance doubts, as his character for truth & veracity are [illegible] honest.  I hope however the depositions enclosed will be satisfactory to the department.
I am yours with respect
Charles a Hoyer [signature]

J. L. Edwards, Esq
Court of Pensions

(Annotations in pencil at bottom of page):
Allowed Act 1828
#47656-Ref
No record
SOS
[Illegible]/51
Page 32

Jan 21. - 1834
Zopher Hawkins
addl Evidence

F.S. Dickens [?d]
[on side]
Smith Town N.Y.    Free

John L. Edwards Esqr
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington
Page 33

Jany 6. 1881
Office H.R.
 Respectfully returned [?] Acting Comr of Pensions with the information that the Name of Zopher Hawkins does not appear upon the records of the House nor are any papers on file in the office
  Green Adams
  Ch'f clk H.R.
Page 34

Old war Division
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
PENSION OFFICE
Washington D.C.  Jany 3d 1881
Sir,
 On the 6th of May 1834 the papers of Zopher Hawkins an applicant for a pension were delivered to the Hon: A, Huntington, a member of the House of Representatives from Long Island, N.Y. As the claim was suspended he may have desired the papers with a view to procuring a Special act for the relief of mr Hawkins who was a constituent and are probably on file - If so, have the goodness to return them to this office -
  Very respectfully
 OPG Clarke
 Actg Commissioner

George McAdams Esq
Clerk of House of Representatives
Page 35

Rev. Sec  [FD?]   Huntington L.I. Old War and Navy Division
 Dept of the Interior
Washington D.C.

Can you give me any record of a John Hawkins
Zopher   Eleazer   who
served in the Millita [sic] Suffolk Co 1st Regiment Minute Men Under Col. Josiah Smith page 170 in the book New York in the Rev. There is also another John Hawkins and Zopher Hawkins in the 2nd Regiment of inlisted [sic]
Page 36

men under col. Phillip Van Cortland.  There is also a John Hawkins and a Isaac in the 1st Regiment.
 Did any of these John Hawkins ever receive a pension and if so was it granted to them or their wives and if to their wives what was the name   can you give me the names of their father?
 Can you give me the names of the [seven - crossed out] Bartean's who fought in the Rev. there was seven brothers, three were killed in the
Page 37

battle of Bennington
Va. was  one named Nathan and another David.
 The Bartean's came from France as volunteer's on the Rev. War.
  Trusting your records will show me so that I may place these three Hawkins and Barteem's  I remain
 Yours sincerely
 Mrs. L.D Hurd
 Huntington
Page 38

SERVICE
New York
Hawkins, Zopher
NUMBER
S. 46,261
Page 39

New York
[underline] Revo [/underline]
Zopher Hawkins
 Suspended
let. to Jos R Hunting
 28 Oct. 1833
4765
Papers delivered hon A Hunting an see   ab 6 May 1834  Mr Huntington was a Member of Congress from Long Island (which includes Suffolk County) from 1833 to 1834
 Act 7 June '32
Page 40

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.

REJECTED
4765

P.O.: Zopher Hawkins
Service: Consolidated (by Hikox) with Admitted Soldier 46.261

Enlisted: ________, 18
Discharged: ________, 18

Application filed: ________, 18

Alleges: _____________________________
____________________________________
Re-enlisted: _________________________
____________________________________

Attorney: ____________________________
P.O. _________________________________
_____________________________________

________ Recognized.    __________Contra
_____ Cert. of Dis.   Searched for ________, 18

[written sideways]  See our admt Inv. File # 46.261