Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 4465, for Benjamin Jones, New Jersey
Page 1

(8-1776)

SERVICE

New Jersey             

Jones, Benjamin
Rachel


NUMBER
W. 4465.

____________________

CONTENTS

On Jan 22, 1754 in Kingswood Twp.[Township] Hunterdon Co. N.J
In 1833, res. of West Buffalo Twp. Union Co. Pa.
d. Dec 11, 1836
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5553

Pennsylvania

Benjamin Jones
in the state of Penn. who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Gray _ of the Reg commanded by Col. Beaver in the N.J. line for Private 15 mo_ $50.00

Inscribed on the Roll of Penn at the rate of 50 Dollars ___Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March , 1834.

Certificate of Pension issued the 12 day of Feb 1833 and sent to Hon L. Durant House. Reps

Arrears to 4th of 4 Sep 1832                       $75.00
Semi+anl. allowance ending 11nMar 1833 _ 25.00
                                                                   $100.00

{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832}

Recorded by Vinal Luce  Clerk
Book D  Vol. 6  Page 83
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3533  Pennsylvania    Rachel Jones Widow of Benjamin Jones who died on the 17th December 1836  of Union Co.  in the State of Penn  of who was a private in the Company commanded by Capt Gray of the Regt commanded by Col. Beaver in the New Jersey line for 15 months.    Inscribed on the Roll of Philadelphia, at the rate of 50 Dollars      Cents per annum to commence on the 13th December 1836     Certificate of Pension issued the 16th day of March 1841 and sent and James Merrice, New Berlin, Penn.    Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1840, $ 211.39    Semi=annual allowance ending   4 Mar 41   25.00    $230.39 

[Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section 382    Recorded by Wm C Lanbinger  Clerk Book D Vol.  1  Page 154       
 Reported.
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No. 17507

Benjm. Jones

11 Jan.1833

Obj.t.14.16
Hon G. Sewart

Admitted
15 months E.

$50.

P_ 202
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Brief in the case of Benjamin Jones
of Union Co. in the State of Pennsylvania (Act 7th June 1832.)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?  Common Pleas
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bdily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 78 years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

Table:
Period / Duration of Service/Rank/Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.

1778
1779
1780
1781
cannot recollect distinctly the times ? but he is certain it was at least 2 years

Gen. Dickinson, N.J. Militia
Capt. Gray, Col Beaver
 or Gulick

5. In what battles was he engaged? Monmouth
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service?
7. Is his statement suported by iving witnesses, by documentary  proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary { 4 living witnesses, but not certified to be credible & properly attached to the doct. 

8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentification? and if so, in what respect?
In other respects correct.

I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

D. Brown
Examining Clerk.
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Benjm. Jones

17507
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State of Pennsylvania
of Union County } SS

On this twenty fourth day of September one thousand eight hundred & thirty two before the Honorable the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Union now sitting Benjamin Jones a resident of West Buffaloe Township in the County of Union and the State of Pennsylvania , who was born January 11th 1754 in Kingwood Township Hunterdon County & State of New Jersey as appears by a family record which deponent has seen, and aged seventy eight years, who being sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7.1832
That he entered the service of the United States at the first call of the New Jersey militia, under General Philemon Dickerson, Col. Joseph Beavers, Lt. Col Bonnel & Capt Issac Gray. He was our militia Captain for two years the beginning of the war. The first call was to Amboy Deponent sent a substitute on that tour, The call was for a month_ During the time he belonged to Captain Grays' company , he was often called on to go and fight the British & Tories_ He then moved into Capt. Henry Gulick's company_ Deponent was in the battle of Monmouth in 1778 deponent cannot remember the time he was in service, but can say, he never missed a tour of duty he was called to during the whole war. Deponent was three years in the company of Capt. Christopher Johnson of the New Jersey militia the years 1779, 1780 & 1781, & was with him in camp at Elizabeth Town
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We rendezvoused Springfield at Elizabethtown and drove in the Hessian piquets - Deponent says his memory is too far spent to give the timing and length of each time he was in service but he is certain that he served in all, two years at least as a soldier in the service of the United States in the revolutionary war - Deponent has no documentary evidence, and that he knows of no person except Christopher Johnson, whose deposition is here annexed, whose testimony he can provide , who can testify to his service. Deponent removed from New Jersey to this county about forty five years ago_ Deponent does not recollect any of the officers of the regular army, with whom he served except a Captain Meaker, as near as he can recollect his name, as the above of Springfield, who had the command as driving in the piquets of the Hessians at Elizabeth town. 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     Benjamin Jones Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid} Joseph Stilwell Prothy      We Thomas Hood a clergyman residing in Kelly Township Union County - and John Maclay residing in New Berlin Union County _ hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Benjamin Jones who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration. That we believe him to be seventy eight years of age. That he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the
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revolution & that we concur in that opinion
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid}  
Thomas Hood
John Maclay

Joseph Stilwell Prot

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. & the court further certifies that it appears to them that  Rev Thomas Hood who has signed the preceeding certificate is a clergyman residing in Kelly Township Union County and that John Maclay who has signed the same is a resident in New Berlin and is a credible person and that their Statement is entitled to credit_   
Hugh Wilson
Adam Leight

I Joseph Stilwell Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Benjamin Jones for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of my office this 24th day of September A.D. 1832
Joseph Stilwell Prothy
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5273  Rachel Jones
of Benjamin
Pennsylvania
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State of Pennsylvania
Union County SS}
On this sixteenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty, personally appeared before the Honorable George Schnabel of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the said County & the same Court being a Court of Record Rachel Jones a resident of West Buffalo Township in the County of Union and State of Pennsylvania aged eighty seven years who being sworn according to law doth on her solemn oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4, 1836: that she is the widow of Benjamin Jones , late of the State of Pennsylvania deceased, who was a private in the army of the Revolution, and a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States entitled to receive fifty dollars per annum during his natural life as appears by his pension certificate hereto attached dated February 12th 1833. The said Rachel Jones is unable to specify particularly the services of the said Benjamin Jones in the army of the Revolution; and all documentary evidence of such service, if any existed, were sent with his application for pension to the public office at Washington, Deponent saith that her husband served under Captains John  Sherod and Christopher Johnston and that he was in the Battle at Monmouth New Jersey

She further declares that she was married to the said Benjamin Jones on the seventeenth day of April in the year seventeen hundred and seventy five. That her husband the aforesaid Benjamin Jones died on the eleventh day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred  and thirty six and that she has remained a widow ever since as will more fully appear by reference
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to the proof hereunto annexed
Rachel Jones  her mark

Sworn to & subscribed the day & year first above written before me, & I further certify that the same Rachel Jones cannot from bodily infirmity attend the Court_
G. Schnabel

Union County SS
John Jones being sworn according to law doth depose & say that he is fifty nine years old, that he is a son of Benjamin Jones an United States pensioner whose certificate is hereto attached & Rachel Jones the widow of said deceased and the present applicant, that his father & mother lived together as man and wife ever since his earliest  recollection, till the eleventh day of December one thousand eight hundred & thirty six when he died. That they had ten children, eight of whom lived to maturity and that the family Bible of the said Benjamin Jones, and the entries therein are in the hand writing of the said Benjamin Jones deceased. That the Bible has become worn out and from lapse of time the said family record is scarcely legible. The said paper is hereto attached and is identified as will be referenced to in the certificate 
John Jones

Sworn to & subscribed in open court Sept.18.1840
Samuel Raush

Union County P Joseph Stilwell aged sixty two years being sworn according to law doth depose and say that he was well acquainted with Benjamin Jones deceased & his wife Rachel the present applicant from my earliest recollection & know them to be respected and to live together as
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man & wife, & that they raised a large family of children, who were always respected & esteemed as legitimate children_ 
Joseph Stilwell

Sworn & subscribed in open court Sept.18 1840
Samuel Raush

Union County SS

Adam Meizner being sworn according to law doth depose & say that he has known Benjamin Jones & Rachel the present applicant more than fifty years, and that they lived together  as man and wife up to the time of his death; that they raised a large family of children, who were always esteemed and respected to be legitimate children
Adam Meizner

Sworn to & subscribed in open court Sept. 18.1840
Samuel Raush

Pennsylvania 
Union County SS}
The undersigned Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said county being a Court of Record do certify that the witnesses John Jones, Joseph Stilwell & Adam Meizner, whose depositions are heretofore given, are credible witnesses and that we are satisfied  that their testimony is true and that the said Benjamin Jones ans Rachel Jones were lawfully married. We do further certify that the family record produced & proved by  John Jones is hereto attached & identified by the words " Ellis Lewis Sept.18 1840" on the back written by one of the undersigned. Witness our hand & seals December 18th 1840

Ellis Lewis

Adam Leight
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State of Pennsylvania
Union County SS}
I John P. Gutelens Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Union County, Do Certify that Ellis Lewis and Adam Leight Esquires Judges of the same Court_ The former, President Judge and the latter Associate Judge by whom the written certificate is given, were at the time, and now are duly commissioned and qualified, and in whose official acts as such full faith and credit are due and aught to be given, and I do further certify the signature of Ellis Lewis and A L Leight are genuine_ In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hands and and  office & this seal of the Court, at  New Berlin  this 18th day of December A.D. 1840

John P. Gutelens Prot
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[unreadable]  
[unreadable]  Jones was born in [unreadable   
[unreadable]  Jones was born in [unreadable]  1777 November
[unreadable]  Jones was born in the year 1779 August 5
[unreadable]  Jones was born  in 1781 December [unreadable]  
[unreadable] Jones was born in 1783 December [unreadable]  
[unreadable]  Jones was born in 178? November 17 day
Rachel Jones was born in the year 1789 January 17th Day
[unreadable]  Jones was born in the year 1791 May the 4
[unreadable]  Jones was born in the year 1793 March the 13
4     4    1819    1773     30     28     26
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Revy WIDOW, &c.

File No. 4465
Rachel Jones
Wid.
Benjamin Jones
Pvt. N.J. Line

Act July 4 /36, Sec 3.01

Index: _ Vol. A, Page 377

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 17

Benjamin Jones, Pa. Act 7 June 1832
to what time ?
Pen. Office
Feb 25, 1860

$50 died 1836 to 4 Sep 1836
JH
Page 18


...273
...hel Jones
...Benjamin
...nnsylvania

...Admitted
...rs, 15 months, $50._
Cap Gray Col. Beaver,
N.J. Mila

died 11th Dec 1836

Act 4 July 1836.

James Merrill
New Berlin
Pa.
Page 19

Payments to be made
at Philadelphia Penna
by the Pen U.S. Bank
Agent for paying Pensioners,
in the Agency of
Pennsylvania


Recorded by. Vinal Luce
Clerk in Book D Vol. 6
Page 83
Page 20

WAR DEPARTMENT.
Revolutionary Claim.

I certify that in conformity with the Law of the United States, of the 7th June 1832, Benjamin Jones of the State of Pennsylvania who was a private in the Army of the Revolution is entitled to receive Fifty Dollars and cents per annum during his natural life, commencing on the 4th March 1834, and payable semi-annually, on the 4th of March , and 4th of September, in every year.

Given at the War Office of the United States, this 12th day of February one thousand eight hundred and thirty three

Lewis Cass
Secretary of War.

Examined and Countersigned}
J.L. Edwards
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5273  Dec. 26 1840
Pa
July 4 1836
Rachel Jones


New Berlin
Dec. 23
Pa.


Pension Documents

James L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
Page 22

New Berlin Pa
Dec 22. 1840

James L. Edwards

Dear Sir

Inclosed please find papers of Mrs. Rachel Jones for a pension_ 

Very Respectfully
James Merrill
Page 23

ennsylvania
Union County } SS

Christopher Johnson being duly sworn according to law doth depose & say that he is well acquainted with Benjamin Jones an applicant for pension under the Act of Congress passed June 7. 1832 & knew him well in New Jersey during the war of the Revolution, that the said Benjamin Jones was for three years a member of the company of Militia commanded by this deponent at that time, and deponent knows that the said Benjamin Jones was in the service of the United States in all more than three years during the revolutionary war, as a Militiaman of the New Jersey Militia
Chris Johnson

Sworn & subscribed in open Court Sept.24. 1832

Joseph Stilwell Prot}

Union County SS
I Joseph Stilwell Prothy of the Court of Common Pleas of said County do certify that Christopher Johnson the above named witness is a person of credibility & that full confidence may be placed in his testimony. Witness my hand & the seal of the Court at New Berlin this  15th day of February 1833

J. Stilwell - Prot
Page 24

The applicant Benjamin Jones cannot by reason of the loss of memory state precisely how long he served, and now amends his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words      
Pennsylvania     
Union County} Personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in aforesaid County Benjamin Jones, 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 before and in the following grades, to wit: That while in Capt.Gulicks company Deponent was not less than one year in the service of the United States in the year 1777and 1778. That he cannot state the times exactly, but he verily believes, that for the year previous to the battle of Monmouth he was almost constantly in service as a militia man of the New Jersey Militia. Deponent further states that while in Capt Johnsons company as stated in his declaration he was with him in camp at Elizabeth town, and was repeatedly called out during those three years he was under Capt Johnson but he cannot by reason of old age remember the exact times or the length of each time, but Deponent is certain that he served not less three months during those three years a militia man of New Jersey making the whole one year & three months service that he is certain of, though he still verily believes that his actual service during the war exceeded two years _and for this I claim a pension Sworn & subscribed _ Benjamin Jones
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Before me Febry 1. 1833
John Maclay

State of Pennsylvania
Union County 

I Joseph Stilwell Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Union Do Certify that John Maclay Esq. before whom the foregoing Depositions was taken and sworn to, was at the taking of the said Deposition and still is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the said County of Union, duly authorized and commissioned and that full faith and credit are due to all his official acts. In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and do affix the Seal of the said Court at New Berlin the 5th day of February A.D. 1833

Joseph Stilwell  Prothy
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Office of Geo H. High
      Funeral Director
Telephone 433  2439 Eastern Ave.
Cincinnati. ).  Nov 4, 1899

Hon, Clay Evans Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C.

Would you kindly give me the revolutionary  Services of Benjamin Jones of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and if possible the date of his death and where. I will gladly pay the fee for this service.

Very Respectfully Yours,

Geo. H. High