Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 648, Aaron Beach, Mass. Vt.
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Mass.      Beach, Aaron   R. 648
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State of New York
Niagara County
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in & for the said County Aaron Beach who being duly sworn deposeth & saith that by reason of old age & the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear position as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and the following grades
For one year and fifteen days I served as a private soldier-
For two years and three months I served as an Ensign, and for such service I claim a pension-
And the said Aaron Beach doth on his oath aforesaid make the following declaration in additional amendment of his former Declaration to which this is annexed that on the thirteenth of August 1777 when he entered the services of the United States the first time he was living in the Town of Williamstown in the State of Massachusetts-
The declarant entered the United States or vice at each time as a volunteer-
The declarant recollects that Col. Seth Warner with his Regiment was in the action at Bennington but not at the commencement of the action 
Some of the persons to whom I am known in my present neighbourhood & who can testify as to my character for veracity and their belief of my services as a soldier of the revolution are 

Andrew Sutherland of Cambria, Hiram Mrs Nick formerly of Cambria but now Sheriff of the County of Niagara residing at Lockport, George A Neal of Cambria, Charles Molyneaux of Cambria, Davies Shaw of Cambria & William Mollyneauix of Cambria
                                                                                                 Aaron Beach
Subscribed and sworn before me July 22d 1833-
                        Joseph Center Justice Peace
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State of New York
Niagara County

Cornelius Mars a Clergyman
residing in the Town of Lewiston in said County
and five or six miles distant from Aaron
Beach of Cambria to whose declaration this
certificate is annexed, do hereby certify that I 
am well acquainted with the said Sarah
Beach who has subscribed & sworn to the
annexed declaration, that I believe him to
be about seventy two years of age and that
he is reputed & believed in this neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that I concur in that opinion-
Cornelius Mary
Subscribed & Sworn
before me July 22d 1833. 
Joseph Center Justice Peace
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Aaron Beach
Declaration for pension
A
23883[ ] 2
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State of New York
Niagara County S. Philip Beach of the Town of Cambria in said County being duly sworn says that he is a younger brother of Aaron Beach who has signed the declaration hereunto annexed. That this deponent remembers of hearing at the time that his said brother was in the war of the Revolution. that he was taken a prisoner & carried into Canada & kept till about the close of the war when he remembers that the said Aaron Beach returned [Illegible] this deponent on he's return & of hearing talk of his [illegible] after he's return.
Philip Beach
Sworn & subscribed to before me in open Court this 14th day of September 1822
Henry Finley the
Court of General Sessions of The Peace of the County of Niagara
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State
No
15
of New York
and County ss: On this fourteenth day of September 1832
personally appeared in open Court before the Judges
of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace now sitting
Aaron Beach a resident of the Town of Cambria in
the County of Niagara & State of New York aged
wenty one years & upwards who being first duly
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
under the following named officers & served as he
stated-
That in the fore part of July 1777 & immediately and
hearing that Ticonderoga was given up to the
British, the applicants father applicant & the rest of his
family moved from Rutland in Tennant
where they then lived to Williamstown in
the County & State of Massachusetts. That
are the thirteenth of August 1777 according to the best
of his remembrance & belief he entered the United States
service as a volunteer under Capt. Jude
Williams of Williamstown aforesaid who was a
militia officer, the Lieuts name was Davis
does not recollect his christian name on the
name of the other company officers. He march
in Capt. Williams company from Williams
town to Bennington in Vermont & arrived
there a few days before Bennington Battle. Capt.
Williams Company under Col. or General Star
A
he command & was in the battle, Capt. Williams
had one of his soldiers killed & two wound
in the action, he does not remember their
names as the company were mostly strangers
to him. After the action Capt. Williams Com
and was employed in taking care of the
bounded & guarding the prisoners for same
time then in guarding same of the prison
from Bennington to Williamstown & this
applicant with a part of Capt. Williams
company continued to guard the prison
in from Williamstown to Pittsfield & then
he returned home to Williamstown. He
does not remember the day he left the services
but he believes he was in the United States
service at this time at least half a month
He received no discharge-
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In the winter of 1778 he moved with his father’s family from Williamstown to Rutland in Vermont & in the forepart of May 1778 he enter the United States service as a volunteer militiaman for six months under Capt. Hutchins, the militia officer from Bennington as he believes, his Christian name he does not recollect. At the time he so entered the service he resided in the Town & County of Rutland & State of Vermont. He marched with Capt Hutchins company from Kirtland to Castleton about twelve or fourteen miles from Rutland towards Skenesborough Landing. He was stationed at Castleton where there was a small fort, till his term of six months expired In the month of November 1778 while he was at Castleton. 
At the time his six months tour had expired Capt. Samuel Allen from Linmoth in Kirtland County a militia officer was a raising a company of volunteer united. The applicant Volunteered under him for the term of six months & marched to the Town of Pittsford in Rutland County & was stationed at a small fort in that town under the command of May Ebenezer Allen, a militia officer where he received & performed duty in Capt. Allen’s 18 company till somtime in May 1779 when his term of six months expired.  to her he was dismissed & returned home to Rutland. He received no discharge nor does he remember the day he left the service. There were some others companies of militia at Pittsford occasionally while he was there but he does not remember of being attached to any Regiment nor of having any other Field Officer except Maj. Ebenezer Allen. Their time was chiefly spent in sealing and picking up Tories protecting the inhabitants. 
In the spring of 1780 the Committee of Safety of the Town of Rutland prepared to applicant that if he would again enter the service they would prove him an Ensigns commission from the Governor of Vermont & he consented while in the month of May 1780 according to the best of his remembrance & belief he


(Add'l names: Samuel Allen, Ebenezer Allen, Ebenezer Allen, Hutchins.
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received an Ensigns commission signed by Thomas Chittenden Governor of the State of Vermont. William Smith was Captain James Fales was Lieutenant. The company was volunter from the militia was principally raised before he received his commission. He entered the service of the United States as an Ensign in the militia in the month of May 1780 according to the best of his embraced belief & was stationed the Fort in Pittsford in Vermont, when he so entered the service as aforesaid he resided in the Town of Rutland & State of Tennant, Capt Hut his commanded the Fort & their time was herly occupied in scouting a protecting the inhabitants from the inventions of the Rich Maj. Whitmink was commandant at the Fort a part of the time, he was a militia officer same time in the month of October 1780 applicant went on a seat with three of his soldiers from the past in Pittsford to the East shore of Lake Champlain & crossed over to the west side of the Lake near Putnams Creek & traversed the country west of the Lake several days he sent two of his party up the Lake & he with the other proceeded down the Lake to see what discoveries they could make - The second night after he had separated his party, it was a cold ring night & the soldier with him part back into the wooles from the Lake & kindled a fire same time in the night, he thinks meanly midnight a party of Tories & Indians with two officers to it by the name of Furguson & an Ensign by the name of [illegible] came & took prisoners conveyed to St Johns in Canada. He was kept in close confinement at K. Johnston the spring of 1781 according to the best of his remembrance & belief & there he was conveyed to Chambly & there he was again put in close confinement with other American prisoners & kept till August 1782 as he believes, where he was exchanged with the
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others American prisoners & returned by land to St. Johns & there were put aboard of British Vessels & brought to Mount Independence on the East side of Lake Champlain & these landed & he returned home to Rutland. He believes there were no American officers in prison with him at L Johnson Chambly during his imprisonment he was repeatedly solicited to enter the British service & bright prove pets of the future were held out to due his compliance, but on his indignantly refusing he was in the threatened and often felt their severity, influenced as he believes to rebuke & humble his republican obstinacy. The next day after he was taken prisoner & while the party were passing down the Lake in about an American who had been taken at Bethel in Vermont & carried to Canada & imprisoned & had made his escape & been wandering in the woods till he was exhausted with hunger, this man came to the shore & gave himself up & was taken into the boat & carried to St. Johns & became a fellow prisoner with the declarent till they were exchanged in August 1782. His name was David Stone. He was a true American other named might be mentioned who were in prison but it is believed unnecessary. He does not remember the day he was exchanged, but he says that from when he entered the service of the United States as an ensign which was in May 1780 as he believes till he was exchanged which was in August 1782 was two years & about three months according to the best of his remembrance and belief. He never received any discharge, his ensigns commission he preserved till about five years ago when his house was burned & with it his Ensign's commission above mentioned with other papers which were in a chest were all consented. He has no complementary evidence he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services except Philip Beach whose affidavit is hereunto annexed He was born in the Town of Pencipany in the County of Morris & State of New Jersey the tenth of June 1761 according to the best of his information and
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belief. He has no record of his age. After the close of the Revolution he continued to reside in Rutland in Vermont about two years & then went into Whiting in Addison County & State of Vermont where he resided four or five years & then moved into what is now the Town of Wheatland in the County of Mannan - State of New York where he resided about two years & returned to Whiting in Vermont where he resided till about the year 1810 when he moved into the Town of Cambria in the County of Niagara & State of New York where he now resides- He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the age by of any State- 
Sworn to & subscribed by Ann Bouch in open Court this 14th day of September A.D. 1832 
Clerk of the Court of Genesee of Same of Niagara County
Ansel Southerland of Cambria in the County of Niagara & Hiram McNeill in said County Sheriff, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Aaron Beach who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be about seventy one years of age that he is reputed believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution that we concur in that opinion- 
Sworn to & subscribed before me in open Court Andrew Sutherland of September 14th 1832 father Clerk of the Court of [illegible] [
Sheriff [Illegible]e of Niagara County 
Hiram McGill 
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories presented by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier & served as he states and the court further certifies that appears to them that
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Cambria & [illegible] [illegible] of Lockport are both credible persons & that their statement is entitled to credit.
Henry Caitlin, Clerk
G. McCollum
B. Alford
[Illegible] Hathaway
Members of the Court in Attendance

G. McCollum Sworn Members of the Court in attendance and I Henry Caitlin Clerk of the Court of General Sessions do certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Aaron Beach for a pension- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this fourteenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
Henry Caitlin 
Clerk of the Court of General Sessions of Niagara County
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State of New York
Niagara County }ss: Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in & for the said County Aaron Beach who being duly sworn doth on his oath make the following declarations in addition & amendment of his former declarations to which this is annexed, That on the first day of May 1778 (as he believes) he entered the United States Service as a volunteer militia man under Capt. Hutchins a militia officer from Bennington his christian name he does not recollect nor the names of the other company officers. Declarant with Capt. Hutchins company was stationed at a small Fort in Castleton where he remained & performed his military duties in Capt. Hutchins Company until the first of November [margin note: 6] 1778 when his term of six months expired - The latter part of October 1778 a little before his term of six months expired & while he was at Castleton in Capt. Hutchins Company there was an alarm on account of supposed danger from the Enemy & a considerable of a number of the militia of the State came to the Fort at Castleton a Col. James Cleghorn or Claggen & Maj. Ebenezer Allen both militia officers of Vermont were there, and this declarent on the first of November 1778 (as he believes) his term of six months having expired under Capt. Hutchins, he volunteered under Capt. Samuel Allen from Tinmouth in Rutland County a militia officer for the term of six months & was marched to Pittsford in Rutland County & was stationed at a small Fort in Pittsford under the command of Maj. Ebenezer Allen & declarent remained at Pittsford & performed his duty in Capt. Samuel Allen's company until the first of May 1779 when he was permitted to return home - 
On the first day of May 1780 (as he believes) he entered the service of the United States as an Ensign & was stationed at the Fort in Pittsford. Maj. Whitcomb (his christian name is not recollected) commanded at the Fort at Pittsford & was present at the Fort a part of the time & when Maj. Whitcomb was absent Capt. Hutchins commanded 
In October 1780 declarent was taken prisoner
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by the Enemy carried to Canada & kept a prisoner in Canada till the eighth of August 1782 (as he believes) when he was exchanged & returned home to Rutland in Vermont - 
/a/Aaron Beach
Subscribed and sworn before me March 8th 1834. /s/Joseph Center JP
State of New York 
Niagara County ss} I Joseph Center a Justice of the peace in & for said county do hereby certify that I am acquainted with Aaron Beach who has subscribed the affidavit and that he is a man of truth & veracity
March 8th 1834 - /s/Joseph Center JP
State of New York
Niagara County} ss: I Henry Catlin Clerk of the County of Niagara & of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace in & for said County do hereby certify that Joseph Center before whom the foregoing declaration of Aaron Beach, in addition & amendment of his former declarations, was sworn to on this eighth day of March instant, a Justice of the Peace in & for said County of Niagara - 
And I do further certify that I have seen the said Joseph Center write & am acquainted with his hand writing & that the signature to the Jurat of the said foregoing declaration of the said Aaron Beach is his won proper hand writing & signature - 
[court seal affixed] In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office this tenth day of March A. D. 1834 - 
/s/Henry Catlin Clerk
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Geo. C. Ames - see his letter filed in nthe case of Elizabeth Ackerson N. Y. 
Act 36 - rejected.
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State of New York
Niagara County } On this Eighth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and fifty one personally appeared before me S. Cady Murray a Justice of the Peace of the Said County of Niagara Olivia Beach a resident of the Town of Cambria in the Said County of Niagara and State aforesaid aged Sixty ['years' crossed out] three years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832 and all subsequent acts granting pensions to Revolutionary officers and soldiers and their children and heirs that She is the Child and daughter of Aaron Beach who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War - That she has been informed by the Said Aaron Beach ['and heard him say' crossed out] and believes and therefore alleges that he Served as a private or soldier in Said War one year in two tours of Six months each in Captain Allen and Captain ['and' crossed out] Hutchins Companies and that he served as Ensign two or three months in the year 1779 or 1780 and while he was Such ensign he and others were on a Scout and was taken prisoner of War and detained
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as such prisoner about two years ['and were' crossed out] and was exchanged by the Government near the close of the War, - 
That her father, the Said Aaron Beach died on the Seventeenth day of June in the year of our Lord one  thousand Eight hundred and forty Six at Cambria aforesaid - 
She further declares that the Said Aaron Beach left a widow when he so died who is now deceased and died March 13th 1849 - 
That there are now living who are the Children of the Said Aaron Beach and now reside in the Said County of Niagara whose names are as follows - Moses Beach now residing in Newfane in said County aged 52 years - your Declarant the aforesaid Olive Beach - Sophronia Beach aged 49 years and Rachel Beach 47 years who all now reside in the said Town of Cambria and Maria Scott aged 45 years who resides in Cambria aforesaid and the above are all the Children now living of the Said Aaron Beach
She further declares that the Said Aaron Beach made application for a Pension in the year 1832 or 1833 and failed for some reason unknown to the declarant - 
She further declares that she makes this declaration in behalf of herself and the rest of the above named children of the said Aaron Beach
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to obtain the amount of Revolutionary pension to which the Said Aaron Beach was entitled from March 4th 1831 to June 17th 1846 on which day he died - 
Your declarant further states that she has frequently seen the said Aaron Beach's Ensign Commission Signed by the Governor of the State of Vermont, Chittenden she believes bearing date before the close of the War of the Revolution and she believes it was dated in 1779 or 1780 but what month She does not remember - which Commission was destroyed by fire when his house was burned in the Spring of 1828 at Cambria aforesaid - 
She further declares that when her father resided in the Town of Whiting in the State of Vermont which was more than forty years ago a man by the name of Stove came to their house and stated that he and the Said Aaron Beach were prisoners together at St Johns and some other place in Canada about two years and She heard him and the Said Aaron Beach talk their imprisonment all over and how they suffered while prisoners in Canada together - 
/a/Olivia Beach
Subscribed and Sworn to this 8th day of July 1851 before me }
/s/S. Cady Murray Justice of the Peace
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Know all men by these present that s'd Olive Beach of the Town of Cambria in the County of Niagara and State of New york do hereby constitute and appoint Moulton Farmburn and John B. Skinner 2d of the Town of Attica in the County of Wyoming and State aforesaid my true and Lawful agents and Attorneys ['to' crossed out] to obtain a Revolutionary Pension for me & Moses Beach, Sophronia Beach, Rachel Beach and Maria Scott of the Said County of Niagara Children of Aaron Beach deceased for Revolution Services rendered and performed by the Said Aaron Beach in  his life time in the War of the Revolution
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal on this 8th day of July A.D. 1851 - 
/s/Olivia Beach
State of New York
Niagara County ss - On this Eighth day of July in the year 1851 personally appeared before me, S. Cady Murray a Justice of the peace of Said County the above named Olive Beach well known to me to be the person described in and who has executed the above power of Attorney and acknowledged that She ['acknowledged' crossed out] executed the same which I certify - 
And I further certify that that the said Olive Beach made and took an oath that she is directly interested as one of
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the Claimants to the pension mentioned and set forth in the Said power of Attorney executed by her - 
State of New York,
Niagara County Clerk's Office, }ss. I Certify that S. Cady Murray before whom the annexed Instrument in writing was proved or acknowledged, was, at the time of taking the same, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, duly authorized to take the same; and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing, and verily believe the signature to said certificate is genuine; and that the annexed instrument is executed and acknowledged to the laws of the State.
[court seal affixed] IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed my official seal, at Lockport in said county, this 9" day of July 1851
/s/H. A. Cook Deputy Clerk of Niagara County. 
Clerk absent

Geo. C. Ames - see his letter filed in the case of Elizabeth Ackerson N. Y. 
Act 36. rejected.
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the Claimants to the pension mentioned and set forth in the Said power of Attorney executed by her -
[court seal affixed] /s/S. Cady Murray

Geo. C. Ames - see his letter filed in the case of Elizabeth Ackerson N. Y.
Act 36. rejected.
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[typewritten letter]
F.W. Rev. War Section
own

March 1, 1918

Mrs. S. W. Barnes, 
418 North Avenue,
Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Madam:
In response to your letter of the twentieth ultimo, you are advised that in the claim R. File No. 648, Rev. War, it appears that Aaron Beach was born June 10, 1761, at Parcippany, Morris County, New Jersey.
He alleged that while living at Williamstown, Massachusetts, he enlisted in August, 1777, in Captain Jude Williams' company, Massachusetts Militia, was at the battle of Bennington, and served about fifteen days.
While residing at Rutland, Vermont, in 1778, he served under Captain Hutchins in the fort at Castleton, and under Captain Samuel Allen in the fort at Pittsford.
In 1780, he became Ensign of Captain William Smith's company, Vermont Militia, and was engaged in scouting and protecting the inhabitants from the enemy.
On September 14, 1832, while a resident of Cambria, Niagara County, New York, he made an application for pension, but the claim was not allowed as he failed to furnish sufficient proof of six months actual military service, as required by the Act of June 7, 1832, under which he applied.
He died June 17, 1846, at Cambria, New York. In 1851, the following children were referred to: Olivia, 63, Moses, 52, Sophronia, 49, Rachel, 47, and Maria Scott, 45 years of age.
Very respectfully, 
/s/G M Salzgaber
Commissioner.

[margin note: The statement relative to his capture and imprisonment is not included, as it occurred while he was not engaged in regular military duty.]
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[verso]
1918, ['Feb 1' crossed out] Mch, History to Mrs. S. W. Barnes. FW

[recto]
Ex'r INVALID.
No. 698 REJECTED
['Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1973.' crossed out]
Aaron Beach 
P. O. [blank]
Enlisted: [blank], 18[blank]
Discharged: [blank], 18[blank]
Application filed: [blank], 18[blank]
['Alleges:' crossed out] The printed list of 1852 gives cause of suspension as: ['Re-enlisted:' crossed out] "The entire service fairly established does not exceed 30 days - the depositions being as vague and uncertain."
Attorney: [blank]
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Aaron Beach 
[illegible]
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State of Michigan
County of Monroe ss. I Walter W Prentice a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with George Alford of Monroe in this County and who has Just returned from a Visit to his friends in Niagara County in the State of New York and have so acquainted with him for the last twelve years or more
And that he is a man of good character for truth and veracity and his Statements are entitled to full credit, and belief and can and ought to be implicitly relied on 
Given my hand at Monroe in the State aforesaid this 30th day of April AD 1844 
/s/W. W. Prentice Just Peace of said County
STATE OF MICHIGAN,
COUNTY OF MONROE, } ss.
I, CARLOS COLTON, Clerk of the County of Monroe, do hereby certify that Walter W Prentice Esq is a Justice of the Peace in said County, duly elected, and qualified.
I further certify, that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of the said Justice and verily believe his signature to the instument hereto annexed, is genuine.
[court seal affixed] In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court for said county, at the city of Monroe, this 30th day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty four
/s/Carlos Colton Clerk.
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Beach
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[handwritten letter]
House of Representatives
Dec 16. 1843

Col. J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions.

Sir.
Major Aaron Beach of Cambria N. Y. applied to the War department for a Pension, some years ago, under the act of 1836. It seems that his papers were considered in some respect deficient, but I was informed in what particular. I have received from him the enclosed papers which go to shew that he must have been in the Revolutionary service.
Allow me to ask that you will examine these documents in connection with the papers on file, and if the whole are not sufficient please inform me what further will be necessary to entitle him to a Pension under either act of Congress. Justice requires me to add that Major Beach is one of the most upright and respectable citizens of our country. 
Respectfully, Your obed. Servt
/s/W. Hunt 
P. S. I understand his name is on the Roll, which shews that he must have been in service
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Additional papers in the care of Adam Beach's claim for Pension

A.H. (illegible)    for the applicant
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State of Vermont
[state seal affixed]
Secretary of State's Office
Montpelier April 12th 1844.
I hereby certify that there is on file in this Office a paper purporting to be "A Pay Roll of Capt Samuel Williams' Company of Militia in Col'l Eben'r Allen's Regiment for going on several alarms in October and November 1780"; on which Roll is the name of "Aaron Beach," with an allowance for seven days service as a private.
Also, "A Pay Roll of Capt Samuel Allen's Company of Volunteers raised by order of Brig. Gen. Allen commencing the 13th day of October 1780 and ending the 4th day of Nov. 1780, inclusive, the money being due from the State of Vermont"; on which Roll is the name of "Aaron Beach" with an allowance for 23 days service as a private.
Said Pay Rolls are duly authenticated.
I further certify, that the Revolutionary Pay Rolls and papers in this Office are supposed to be incomplete.
In testimony whereof I hereto set my hand and affix the Seal of this Office this 12th day of April A.D. 1844.
/s/Ferrand F. Merrill
Deputy Sec'y of State
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State of New York
Niagara County Ss. } I James Edmunds of said County being duly says that he is in his Eightieth year - and during the Revolutionary war resided in the town of Clarendon in the County of Rutland & state of Vermont and during the last four years of the Said Revolutionary war this deponent was a soldier in the American army and this deponent further says that he was aquainted with the family of Aaron Beach & that he at that time Lived in the town of Rutland & the same county of this deponent which at that time was a frontier place and all was obliged to go and was obliged to be at all time ready - and further this deponent saith 
/s/James Edmunds
Subscribed & sworn September 13th 1841 before me 
/s/Daniel Seaman Justice of the peace }
I hereby certify that I have acquainted with James Edmunds who made the foregoing deposition for the last thirty years and that he is a man whose character for truth & veracity is good and whose statements are entitled to full credit & belief
/s/Daniel Seaman Justice of the peace
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State of New York
Niagara County ss Silas Mead being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that he is in his eightieth year and was a soldier during the last year of the Revolutionary war. That during a portion of the time said war continued he resided in the County of Rutland in the State of Vermont and was intimately acquainted with the family of Aaron Beach and that said family were active partizans on the side of the whigs during said war. And this deponent further saith that two of the brothers of the said Beach were actually engaged in said war as soldiers, and from the location of Rutland, it being a frontier post, and the necessity which existed of every man residing on the frontier, being armed, and constantly liable to be called into actual service, he has no doubt that the said Aaron Beach was in actual service during a portion of the time said war continued. And this deponent further saith that he has been acquainted with the said Aaron Beach during the whole time from the close of the said war until the present time, and has constantly understood from the said Beach that he the said Beach was in actual service in the American Army during a portion of the time said war continued, and that the said Aaron Beach has always sustained, and does still sustain a fair character for truth and veracity, and further this deponent saith not. 
/s/X his mark Silas Mead
Subscribed and sworn before me this 15th day of September 1841
/s/Francis O Pratt J.P.
I certify that the reason why Silas Mead made his mark instead of signing his name to the above affidavit is that he is blind and cannot see.
/s/Francis O Pratt
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I further certify that have been acquainted the Silas Mead who made the foregoing affidavit for more than fourteen years last past and that his character for truth & veracity is good and his statements entitled to full credit and belief
/s/Francis O. Pratt, Justice of the Peace
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State of New York
Niagara County ss
George Alford of Monroe in the State of Michigan being duly affirmed says that he is now Eighty years old and upwards that he  now resides when at home in the State of Michigan, that he is now acquainted with Aaron Beach of Cambria in the County of Niagara and State of New York. that he knew said Beach before and during the Revolutionary War. that said Beach then lived in Rutland in the State of Vermont. this affirmant was well acquainted with said Aaron and all his fathers family at that time, this affirmants family and said Beachs family lived in the same neighbourhood, then being but one farm between them. the Beach family afterwards - removed into what was called East Rutland some five or six miles from this affirmants residence - This affirmant was in the Revolutionary War. he was in Castleton Fort and in the Fort at Pittsford and other places. but he has not at this late day any distinct recollection of Seeing the said Aaron Beach in actual Service in the Revolutionary war. he recollects that the whole Beach family were true subjects to the United States Government in the time of the Revolutionary War. And he knows that all such living on the frontier as they did at that time were obliged to time out in the defence of the frontier and to protect it from the British and Indians and most if not all were then old enough to bear arms & who did not go over to the enemy with a great many from a distance did time out and defend and protect that frontier, and when not actually wanted in the fort were permitted to go home as finally those who lived near and stand as minute men to turn out
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again on a given Signal the firing of a Cannon and in this way was engaged during the whole period of the War - it  is this affirmants from conviction and belief that the said Aaron Beach was engaged in the Revolutionary War in Vermont aforesaid from all the circumstances in which he was then placed known to this affirmant and from Statements and incidents Connected with the Service at that time related to this affirmant by Said Beach Satisfies this affirmant beyond a doubt that Said Beach must have been in the Service at that time
/s/George Alford
Subscribed & Sworn to before me this 24th day of April 1844
/s/Lloyd Smith Justice of the Peace
I hereby certify that I have no personal acquaintance with the said George Alford who made the foregoing affidavit before except that formed by his Short Stay among his friends have at the time but I have examined Moses Gable and Elijah Hathaway both of Lockport in this County, with both of whom I have been acquainted for more than fifteen years & know them to be men of good character for truth and veracity & whose statements are entitled to full credit & belief & they state they have been acquainted with the said George Alford from thirty to fifty years and that his character for truth & veracity is good & his Statements entitled to credit & belief from their statements under oath & my short acquaintance with the said George Alford I have no hesitation in Saying his Statements are worthy of full credit and belief
/s/Lloyd Smith Justice of the Peace
Page 34

State of New York
Niagara County ss. 
Jeremiah Needham of Lockport in Said County being duly affirmed says that he is now more than forty Seven years old, that he knows Aaron Beach of Cambria in Said County and has known him from his earliest recollection, that he first knew said Beach and his fathers family in Vermont. this affirmant was born within a few miles of them and has known them ever Since he became old enough to know and recollect any person or thing - which is more than forty years and he now recollects of hearing as long ago as said last mentioned time many of the facts and incidents of the Revolutionary War. which transpired along the Vermont frontier and other places. and he also recollects of hearing when he was a mere boy and as many as thirty five or forty years ago different persons with whom he was well acquainted and who were well acquainted with said Aaron Beach and who lived in the time of the Revolution and who most of them if not all took a part therein, tell and relate many of the facts incidents and circumstances connected with said War and of the Said Aaron Beach being in said War. in the Service of the United States - of his being in the Fort at Pittsford and the  fact of his having assisted in building that Fort, and of his turning out at different times to protect and defend the Vermont frontier and of going on Scouting or patrolling parties & of his being taken prisoner while out on one of those Scouting excursions with a man by the name of Stevens and another by the name of Burk and that one of them by some means got away & escaped and they then was taken to Canada as a prisoner with said Aaron Beach and was then liberated on Joining the British forces in some way and that the said Aaron Beach was there detained as a prisoner of War for a long time and until he was exchanged in or about the year Seventeen hundred & Eighty three
Page 35

and also many incidents & circumstances connected with his imprisonment in Canada such as the attempt on the part of the British to get him to join them & take the oath of allegiance and his firm resistance and many other similar circumstances, and he has no doubt but he has heard the said Aaron Beach - as long ago as the time to which he alludes relate all those facts and others relating to the War. but he cannot now distinguish the relations made by said Aaron from those made by others - he knows he heard others relate them & presumes he has said Beach and he further states that at that time in the Section of the State of Vermont where this affirmant & said Beach resided in Rutland along the Frontier. the facts above related of said Aaron Beach having served in the Revolutionary War. and having been taken prisoner & taken to Canada and there detained for a long time were as this affirmant believes universally believed and as much a part of the history of the War as the fact of the War itself and from that time until the present. the fact of his having been so engaged in the war & having been a prisoner as aforesaid has never been doubted to this affirmant's knowledge or belief - this affirmant further says that most if not all those persons to whom he alludes as having related the facts above stated in relation to said Beach's being in the War &c are now dead and further says not 
/s/Jeremiah Needham
Sworn to before me this 2nd day of May 1844- 
/s/A T Prentice Justice of the peace
I hereby certify that I have been acquainted with Jeremiah Needham who this day appeared before me & subscribed & sworn to the above deposition for a number of years last past. Some eight or ten or more and that his character for truth & veracity is good; and his statements entitled to full credit and belief
/s/A T Prentice Justice of the peace
Page 36

State of New York
Niagara County clerks office ss. 
I Edwin Shepard Depy clerk of said County and of the Court of Common Pleas of said County do hereby certify that Daniel Seaman Francis O. Pratt Lloyd Smith and Alonzo T. Prentice before whom the foregoing affidavits were respectively taken as above set forth were at the time of taking the same Justices of the peace and each of them was  a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid Elected and Sworn and authorized by the Laws of said State to act as such, and that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of each of said Justices and that their signatures above written purporting to be theirs are genuine
In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my name & affixed the Seal of said County and of the Court of Common Pleas of said County this Second day of May one thousand eight hundred and forty four.
/s/Edwin Shepard Dept Clerk Niagara County
Page 37

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, April 23d 1844
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents, relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, ['it appears that' crossed out] the name of Aaron Beach does not appear - 
[commonwealth seal affixed] In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written. 
/s/Wm Tufts Depy
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Page 38

Benjamin Foster of Covington in the County of Genesee Deposeth and Saith that he was acquainted with Aaron Beach in the revolution he was well acquainted with ['with' crossed out] the family and partickerly with a Brother of the Said Aaron Beach who was older and in the service at the same time he & say that he saw him Aaron Beach in the service at different times does not recollect the officers that the said Aaron Beach served under allso that the said Aaron Beach was missing and it was asserted and generaly believed that he the said Aaron was taken a prisoner and carried to Canada and at the Close or near the Close of the war the said Aaron Beach did return this deponant cannot tell the time that he the said Aaron Beach was Missing but thinks it to be more than one year and that this deponant has been acquainted generally with him ever since that time and has allways considered him a Man of truth and veracity and believes he has ever been considered so where he has resided 
/s/Benjamin Foster
This may certify that I am acquainted with  Benjamin Foster this deponent & he informs me that he is know more than eighty years of age and his standing for truth and veracity is good and his Name is on the pention US Roll and he the said Benjamin Foster appeared before me on the 9th Day of August 1834 and made oath to and subscribed the above
/s/Chauncey Potter Justice
Page 39

State of New York
County of Genesee }ss. I, Timothy Fitch, Clerk of said county certify, that the within named Chauncey Potter before whom the within affidavit purports to have been taken and made was at the date of taking the same ['and' crossed out] a Justice of the Peace in and for said county. And that his signature to the within affidavit is genuine - 
[court seal affixed] In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the court of Common Pleas of said county this tenth day of September 1834.
/s/Timothy Fitch Clerk By B. Pringle Dep. Clk.
Page 40

State of New York
Niagara County ss } On this 17 September 1835 - Benjamin C Foster sworn before me Nathan Dayton First Judge of Niagara County Courts who being first duly sworn deposeth and saith that he was sixty four years old last March - that he now resides in the town of North East Erie County Pennsylvania - that during the revolutionary war he resided with his fathers family in the town of Rutland County of Rutland State of Vermont - That he the said Benjamin C Foster was then well acquainted with Aaron Beach, who now resides in Cambria, Niagara County, New York - That his father resided near the family of the father of said Aaron Beach who then lived in said town of Rutland - and was well acquainted with them all - that said Aaron Beach at that time made his father's house his home, whenever he was not away from home in the service of the United States or in some way engaged in the war as deponent understood it at that time - This deponent understood at the time from the family that said Aaron Beach was stationed at a sort of out post at Pittsford  about eight or nine miles north of Rutland for several months - thinks for nearly a year as a militia man in the service of the United States - and this deponent frequently saw a Captain Allen who was said to be an officer stationed at Pittsford - but this deponent was not at Pittsford during the time.
He was very young and cannot fix the time when said Aaron Beach was at Pittsford except that he recollects it was previous to the time when it was said that said Aaron Beach was taken a prisoner and carried to Canada - This deponent remembers that when
Page 41

he was about eight or nine years old he heard it reported in this neighborhood and family of said Aaron Beach's father - that said Aaron Beach was taken prisoner by a scout composed of tories and indians ['British troops & indians' crossed out] - and carried to Canada - It was stated that said Aaron Beach was so taken prisoner while engaged with some others in a scouting part of Americans on the west side of Lake Champlain. 
This deponent remembers that said Aaron Beach was absent from that time for about a year and a half - when he returned and deponent afterwards frequently saw him at his fathers. - It was said by him and his family immediately after his return that he had been kept a prisoner by the British in Canada and had in some way been liberated but deponent does not know whether it was by exchange or otherwise - Thinks he at that time understood at the time that part of the [illegible] had been exchanged and part made them escape - but cannot recollect the particular manner in which Beach got away.
This deponent was well acquainted with said Aaron Beach for twenty years afterwards and has seen him occasionally since every three or four years - This deponent is nephew(?) to Benjamin Foster of Covington Genesee County N. York and further saith not
/s/Benj'a Foster
Subscribed & sworn before me this 17 Sept 1835
/s/N Dayton First Judge of Niagara County Courts
Page 42

State of New York
Wyoming County ss - 
Wanton Burlingame of the Town of Attica in the County and State aforesaid, being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he is Eighty nine ['Eight' crossed out] years of age and upwards and that he resided in the Town of Shaftsbury in the County of Bennington and State of Vermont during the Revolutionary War and for many years afterwards and he served as a private four seasons in the Revolutionary War and he believes he commenced in the Spring of 1778 and he served about two years as a private in said War and he proved 18 months of such service for which he receives a pension 60 Dollars per annum - He served at Rutland Pittsford, Castleton - Fort Ann and its vicinity in Vermont and during all of said service he served a great share of the time in Scouting and watching the movements of the British & tories 
His officers he believes were Noble, Alle and Tuttle - and he remembers Capt'n Smith but he was not under him as he knows of  - Deponent knows that he enlisted for 6 months in the Spring of the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty and arrived at Rutland, Vermont in the month of April or May of that year and soon after Deponent arrived at Rutland an election was had at Rutland by the Citizens of that place
Page 43

to choose officers to command the Soldiers in said War; and Deponent was present at the said Election; and at the Said Election one Aaron Beach who was then residing in the said Town of Rutland was chosen to the Office of Lieutenant or Ensign; and Deponent knows that he was chosen Captain and the said Aaron Beach immediately thereafter joined the Army there at Rutland as an officer and Deponent became very well acquainted with the Said Aaron Beach during the Summer and fore part of the fall following; and the Said Aaron Beach was a very active man and a part of the time he acted in the Commissary's department for he frequently dealt out provisions to the troops but he did duty all the time as an officer in a militia company and Deponent Saw the Said Aaron Beach at Pittsford that season and in the fore part of the fall - 
Deponent further saith that the Said Aaron Beach was an officer all the time either Ensign or Lieutenant and in September or October 1780 the Said Aaron Beach as such officer left Pittsford and started on a Scout towards Lake Champlain at which time he had a few men under him and he was the officer who commanded the said Scouting party - And after the said Aaron Beach started on the said Scout
Page 44

Deponent saw no more of him during the Said War; but soon after the said Aaron Beach so started on the said Scout, this Deponent heard that the said Aaron Beach was captured and taken prisoner of war by the British and conveyed to Canada - Where the said Aaron Beach and his party so started on the said Scout they were around and provisioned for a Scout
/s/Wanton Burlingame
Subscribed and sworn to this 12th day of August 1851 before me } 
/s/Elisha Smith Justice of the Peace
I do hereby certify that the above named Elisha Smith before whom the above affidavit was made and taken and who has thereunto officially subscribed his name was at the time of so doing a Justice of the peace of the County of Wyoming in the State of New York duly commissioned and sworn and authorized by Law to administer oaths and his Signature there is genuine - 
I further certify that I am well acquainted with the above named Wanton Burlingame who has subscribed and sworn to the Said Affidavit hereunto annexed and have been well acquainted with him for more than thirty years last
Page 45

past- that he is a very honest and upright man and possesses and ever has possessed a good character and is reputable for truth and veracity -  ['he is a man of good [illegible] and' crossed out] I know not but he has retained his mental faculties to the present time and I place full confidence in his Statement - 
/s/Harvey Putnam Late M.C. - N.Y. -
Page 46

State of New York
St Lawrence County ss: On this first day of October 1835 personally came before me Isaac Read one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the aforesaid County Isaac Buck of the Town of Potsdam in the aforesaid county, to me well known, and being by me duly sworn deposes and saith that he the deponent is seventy two years of age; that he served as a soldier during the revolutionary war in the Vermont troops, ten months in the year 1780 at Pittsford and Castleton; that during the revolutionary war and afterwards he was well acquainted with Aaron Beach formerly of Rutland Vermont, and now of ['Lockport' crossed out] Cambria, in the State of New York: that he knows that the said Aaron Beach and two of his brothers were engaged in the service of the country during the revolution. In the year 1780. (some time in the fall of the year) whilst the deponent was stationed at Pittsford, a company of part of a company marched to the fort at Pittsford, to reinforce the troops there, under the command of Capt. Allen, and the deponent believes, and has no doubt, that he there saw the said Aaron Beach serving as a soldier under the command of said Capt. Allen.
The deponent had also no doubt that afterwards saw the said Aaron Beach in the service at Castleton, where he well recollects the said Beach's
Page 47

company's company was stationed. The deponent from his age & consequent failure of memory cannot state positively the different places & times wherein he saw the said Aaron Beach in the service, but has no doubt that he did serve during the revolutionary a number of different periods, and further says it was well understood in the neighborhood of the family of the said Beach, that his father and himself & brothers were devoted to the cause of independence & at different times, were all in the service. 
The deponent, can testify positively to the identify of the said Aaron Beach, because in the fall of the year 1782 the deponent & the said Aaron Beach went over to the Wilderness on the New York side of Lake Champlain to trap furs for a few weeks, where they were surprised at their hunting camp by a party of tories under the command of a Brittish Lieutenant. The Brittish Lieutenant inquired of us for which party we were, to which Beach answered we were "for Congress"; upon which they took us prisoners to St Johns, at which place the deponent was paroled, and the said Beach was taken a prisoner down to Lorel (Laurel) & kept several months until he was discharged. 
/s/Isaac Buck
Subscribed and sworn to before me the day & year aforesaid
/s/Isaac Read Justice of the Peace
Page 48

State of New York
County of St Lawrence ss: I the before named Justice of the peace, do certify that I am well acquainted with the before named Isaac Buck & that he is a man of undoubted veracity & integrity. 
Dated this 1st day of October 1835
/s/Isaac Read Justice of the peace

State of New York
St Lawrence County}ss: I Alvin C Low Clerk of the said County do hereby certify that Isaac Read before whom the foregoing affidavit of Isaac Read purports to have been made and whose name is subscribed to the preceding certificate was at the time of taking the said affidavit, and date of the said certificate a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid duly elected and sworn. And further that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of the Said Justice of the Peace and verily believe that the signatures to the said affidavit and certificate are genuine 
[county seal affixed] In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the said County this 1st day o f October 1835
/s/A C Low clk
Page 49

State of New York
Niagara County ss - Aaron Beach of Cambria. Niagara County being duly sworn saith that he is the same person referred to in the annexed affidavit of Isaac Buck hereunto annexed - that the hunting or trapping party mentioned in said Bucks affidavit was the same scouting party, mentioned in the declarations of this deponent before the General Sessions Court for Niagara County on the 14th September 1832 - That when the said scouting party was sent out it was thought advisable to represent that their object was to trap furs & hunt for game - but that in truth the only object of said expedition and all engaged us it was to act as a scouting party - That said Buck is mistaken in supposing that this took place in 1782. & that in fact it happened in 1781 - 
That by some mistake in ['his' crossed out] deponents declaration of September 1832 It is stated to have happened in 1780 - 
This Deponents, thinks it was the mistake of the Court in taking down the minutes - as the deponent then intended to be understood that he was taken prisoner in the year 1781 while engaged in the scouting party - That this deponent had the command of said scouting party - He well recollects said Isaac Buck who was taken prisoner with him, and that they were taken together to St. Johns - after which said Buck was no longer with him - but this deponent remained a prisoner about a year and nine months and was then discharged on an exchange of prisoners in 1783 and not in 1782 as stated by mistake in his declaration of 14th Sept 1832
/s/Aaron Beach
Sworn this 21 Oct 1835 before me
/s/Nathan Dayton First Judge of Niagara County Courts
[margin notes: Aaron Beach Hon. Mr. Dayton Lockport N.Y. } Present]
Page 50

State of New York
Niagara County ss - Solomon C. Wright of Newfane in said County being duly sworn doth depose and say that he is well acquainted with Benjamin C. Foster who as this Deponent is informed and believes now resides in the Town of North East in the County of Erie and State of Pennsylvania - This Deponent says that he has been acquainted and well known said Benjamin C. Foster for about six years last past - that said Foster resided in the neighbourhood of this Deponent for about two years, and for several months resided in the same house with this Deponent: this Deponent believes said Benjamin C. Foster to be a man of truth and veracity, and has never had the integrity and good character of said Foster been in any way called in question or doubted and he fully believes him to be a man in whose word or affidavit the fullest confidence may be placed, and further this Deponent saith not 
/s/S. C. Wright
Sworn and subscribed this 10th day of December 1835 before me.
/s/August A Boyce a commissioner of Deeds in & for Niagara County
I certify that the above named A A Boyce was at the time the affidavit was taken a commissioner of deeds and as such authorized to take affidavits in the county of Niagara NY
/s/N Dayton First Judge of Niagara County Courts
Page 51

S. C. Wright's Afft
I certify that Nathan Dayton within named is well known to me to be the person who presents me these papers and as having held the office and discharged the duties of First Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Niagara in the State of New York at the date when his signatures and certificates to the within and annexed affidavits appear to have been sworn before him. Dated Washington 5 March 1836
/s/Silas Wright Jr.
Page 52

Hon. Washington Hunt
Mem Congress
Washington City
Page 53

[handwritten letter]
Lockport May 2, 1844.

Hon. W Hunt
Sir.
at your suggestion Mr. Beach came to me to assist him in substantiating his claim for a pension - I have sent to Montpelier & Boston and the result will be seen by the enclosed papers. from the records in Vermont one important fact is established to wit that Mr Beach was in the Service this fact once established the next point is to show how long he was there - not knowing what his old papers were I know nothing of his claim save what he has informed me in Several Conversations with him and from the papers, I now enclose to you these are first two affidavits You sent back to be authenticated Certificate from the Secretary of the State of Vermont of one months pay found on 2 different pay Rolls - the affidavit of George Alford and the affidavit of Jeremiah Needham - this last shows what has said and universally understood in relation to Beach's Serving in the War and of his having been a prisoner in Canada Some forty years ago who those who knew him then and who knew all about it, and which was at a time when there was no object in disguising facts. as there was no pension provided to such & no expectation of any. and therefore the truth undoubtedly was told - this of course is not as good evidence as if it came from some one
Page 54

[handwritten letter]
who was with him & knew the fact from personal knowledge but those men are most if not all dead and gone - and then this comes from one who heard those old heroes who knew all about the war relate facts for there was then no enducement to state falsehood and if they had it was then easily disproved - I regard this as very strong - then the afft of George Alford & others of the Situation of the frontier and of the fact that all comparatively speaking who resided on the Vermont frontier were in actual service altho - they neither enlisted or were drafted the Country was new & inhabitants scarce & for the general safety of all the embodied themselves and defended the frontier for a long time without any distinct military organization & hence arises the difficulty in finding Run & pay Rolls &c. and there as I understand there was no state Government organized at that time in Vermont & there with regard to Mr Beach as I understand he was taken prisoner in 1781 & remained so until exchanged in 1783. this would of course account for his absence from the pay Rolls, &c Mr. Beach always said that nothing would be found at Boston as his father and removed his family into Massachusetts at Williamstown at a time when that Section of Vermont where he lived was overrun or [illegible] to be by the British a little Before Bennington Battle - and altho - the family remained there some two years I think & that he went from there to the Battle of Bennington still he thought they would be considered as inhabitants of Vermont upon the whole I am most firmly convinced that Mr Beach ought to have a pension but whether the papers will
Page 55

[handwritten letter]
prove satisfactory or - ['I' crossed out] not I cannot tell - If not I do not see how Mr Beach can do more at this late day - if any of his old Company were still living he has not the means of finding them out. - not even the means of defraying the necessary disbursements in the preparation of the enclosed papers. - feeling a strong reliance on the Justness of his claim I have borne them for him with one single exception - 
Please examine the papers Yourself that you may see what they prove then present them& take such measures personally on the furtherance of the claim as you think its merits demand and your duty to your Country - require or permit - one word further George Alford was a Stranger to our Justices here he was on a visit to his friends and you will see how his character for truth or is certified he has now gone home to Monroe Michigan and will there procure a certificate of his character from some one of the Justices there & forward it to me & when Received I will forward it to you the course taken is the best I could take under the circumstance - 
I received your favor of the 27th of April I do not wish to press the claim of Mrs. Whittlesey unreasonably but the papers were presented some time last fall and then some additional papers I should think in January and from a letter I received from Col Edwards I did not know but I should be obliged to send to Boston for proof of the alledged Service of her husband under Col. John Prince - but as he was a pensioner the evidence is at Washington & I was in hopes it could be dispensed with and wanted to be informed on that point so.
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[handwritten letter]
that if any thing more was wanted I could get it without delay. I will endeavor to wait patiently however & learn the result. - as soon as you can learn any thing in relation to either hers or Mr. Beach's please advise me at once - 
Sir I am happy to acknowledge the receipt of interesting public documents from you for which please accept my thanks &c.
I am Very Respectfully Your &c.
/s/A. H. Moss

Hon. Washington Hunt
Mem Congress
Washington City
Page 57

State of New York
Niagara County }ss: Philip Beach of the Town of Cambria in said county being duly sworn according to law doth (in addition to his former affidavit taken in open court before the court of General Sessions of the peace in & for the county of Niagara on the fourteenth day of September 1832 and annexed to the former declaration of Aaron Beach bearing the same date, and to which said former declaration this affidavit is now annexed) depose & say that at the time refered to in his said former affidavit he this deponent resided with his father in the Town of Rutland in the State of Vermont and this deponent recollects of hearing it talked of in his father's family by their neighbours soon after the said Aaron Beach had returned from his imprisonment in Canada, that he the said Aaron Beach was an officer while he was such prisoner - 
And this deponent further says that the said Aaron Beach has often conversed with this deponent & with other persons in his hearing, since the close of the Revolutionary War on the subject of his, the said Aaron Beach's services in said War and particularly on the subject of the said Aaron Beach's having been taken a prisoner & carried to Canada during the said war, and in all such conversations from the close of said War up to this time, this deponent has uniformly understood from the said Aaron Beach that he the said Aaron Beach was an Ensign in the United States serving when he was taken prisoner a part of the time at St Johns & a part of the time at Chambly and that he remained a prisoner nearly two years & until about the close of the War.
And this deponent further says that from what he has heard said in his father's family and from what he has heard the said Aaron Beach, say at different times since the Revolutionary War and from his
Page 58

own recollection at the time he does verily believe that the said Aaron Beach was an Ensign in the Revolutionary War & that he was taken prisoner while he was in the service of the United States as an Ensign & carried to Canada & detained as such prisoner for nearly two years - 
And this deponent further says that he believes the said Aaron Beach to be a man of truth & veracity & that his declarations are in the opinion of this deponent entitled to credit
/s/Philip Beach
Subscribed & sworn before me July 22d 1838.
/s/Joseph Center Justice Peace

State of New York
Niagara County ss: I, Joseph Center a Justice of the peace in and for said county do hereby certify that I am acquainted with Philip Beach Aaron Beach and Cornelius Mars - being the same persons who have respectively this day made and subscribed the affidavits before me, as appears by the annexed - and I said Justice do further certify that each of said persons ['are' crossed out] is of respectable standing and reputed in their respective neighbourhoods to be men of integrity and veracity - 
Dated July 22d 1833. /s/Joseph Center J.P.
Page 59

State of New York 
County of Niagara ss. Chapman Hawley of Lewiston in the county aforesaid aged over seventy three years, being duly sworn according to law doth depose and say that he is acquainted with Aaron Beach of Cambria in the county aforesaid and an applicant for a revolutionary pension and has been acquainted with him for the preceding fifty nine years - that at the commencement of the Revolutionary war as well as this deponent as the said Beach ['had' crossed out] resided in the State of Vermont in the Town of Rutland - that at the time when General Burgoyne invaded that State ['the' crossed out] the families to which said Beach and this deponent belonged removed from Rutland aforesaid, the family of said Beach to Williamstown in Massachusetts and the family of the deponent to ['the' crossed out] Cornish in New Hampshire - thus deponent went into the service and did not again see said Beach till the close of the war as he can now recollect - after the taking of Burgoyne the said families moved back to Rutland and this deponent was there for a short time - but ['this deponent' crossed out] did not then see said Aaron Beach ['there' crossed out] - shortly after the close of the war this deponent was again at Rutland when this deponent learned from some of said Beach's connexions or others that he had been taken prisoner by the British and detained for a space of about ten years and that he had been released and had got home again - this deponent further saith that he verily believes said Aaron Beach was in the service of the United States and was taken prisoner and detained as above specified.
/s/Chapman Hawley
Sworn to and subscribed this 16 day of June 1833. Before me /s/R. Fleming Justice of Peace
Page 60

State of New York
Niagara County ss } I Robert Fleming a justice of the peace in and for said county do hereby certify that I am personally acquainted with Chapman Hawley being the same person who did on the 16th day of June  1833 subscribe and swear to the foregoing affidavit before me and that the said Chapman Hawley is of respectable standing and generally reputed to be a man of truth and veracity 
/s/R. Fleming Justice of Peace

State of New York
Niagara County }ss. I Henry Catlin Clerk of the county of Niagara of the court of General Sessions of the Peace in & for said County do hereby certify that Joseph Center before whom the annexed additional declaration of Aaron Black and the annexed certificate of the Rev. Cornelius Mars and the annexed additional affidavit of Philip Beach, were severally & respectively sworn to on the 22d day of July 1833 and who made & subscribed his annexed certificate bearing date the same day, was on the 22d day of July 1833 a Justice of the Peace in & for said County of Niagara - And I do further certify that I have seen the said Joseph Center write & am acquainted with his hand writing and that the signatures to the Jurat of the said annexed additional declaration of the said Aaron Beach & to the Jurat of the said annexed certificate of the Rev. Cornelius Mars & to the Jurat of the said annexed additional affidavit of the said Philip Beach & to his said annexed certificates are severally & respectively his own proper hand writing & signatures - 
And I do further certify that Robert Fleming before whom the annexed affidavit of Chapman
Page 61

Hawley was sworn to on the 16th day of June 1833 and who made & subscribed his annexed certificate was on the said 16th day of June 1833 and from thence hitherto has been & still is a Justice of the Peace in & for said county of Niagara - 
And I do further certify that I have seem the said Robert Fleming write & am acquainted with his hand writing & that the signatures to the Jurat of the said annexed affidavit of the said Chapman Hawley and to this said annexed certificate are severally & respectively his own proper hand writing & signatures - 
And I do further certify that the annexed original declaration of the said Aaron Beach & the certificate of Andrew Sutherland & Hiram McNeil & the declaration of the Court & the affidavit of Philip Beach here all annexed together on the 14th day of September 1832 when the same were executed by the said Court & when I made my certificates & affixed my seal of office thereto - 
[court seal affixed] In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affix my seal of office this Eighteenth day of September A.D. 1833.
/s/Henry Catlin Clerk
Page 62

Know all men by these presents that I Olivia Beach of the Town of Cambria in the County of Niagara and State of New York daughter of Aaron Beach deceased who died June 17, 1846 have constituted and appointed and by these these present do constitute and appoint George C. Ames Esquire of the City of Washington my true and lawful Attorney and Agent for me and in my name to prosecute the claim for a pension to which I am entitled as the daughter and child of the Said Aaron Beach deceased for the Revolutionary Services of the Said Aaron Beach rendered and performed by him in the War of the Revolution and I am directly interested in the said claim for such pension - 
[court seal affixed] In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Tenth day of October in the year 1851 - 
/s/Olivia Beach

State of New York
Niagara County ss - On this Tenth day of October in the year 1851 personally appeared before me S. Cady Murray a Justice of the peace of Said County the above named Olivia Beach well known to me to be the person described in and who has executed the above power  of Attorney and acknowledged that she executed the Same which I certify - And I do further certify that she made oath before me that She was directly interested in the claim for a pension set forth in the said power of Attorney
/s/S. Cady Murray Justice of the peace
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State of New York
Niagara County Clerks office } ss - I, Geo W Gage Clerk of said County do hereby certify that S. Cade Murray before whom the within power of Attorney was executed and acknowledged and who has thereunto officially subscribed his name was at the time of so doing a Justice of the Peace of Said County duly commissioned and sworn and authorized by Same to administer oaths; and that I am acquainted with the hand writing of the  said Justice and that his Said Signature thereunto is genuine - 
[court seal affixed] In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official Seal this 11th day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and fifty one. - 
/s/Geo W Gage Clerk By H. A. Cook Depy
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Stamp....Illegible


25
J. H. Chapin, Esquire
Lockport, Niagara County
New York
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Montpelier, Feb.13.1834.T.H. Chapin, Esq. 
Dear Sir, I see your requesting information in relation to the revolutionary services of Mr. Aaron Beach. __I regret to state that there are no pay-rolls, or documents of any kind, in this office, in relation to the subject.___ It would afford me great satisfaction to be able to assist you in substantiating the claims of this venerable man. ___ But although much inquiry and examination have been made, no documents have, as yet, been found, in any department of the government.___ nor is it ascertained whether any records were made, at the time. I am respectfully your obt servt.  Timothy  Merrill
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[labeled "Copy"]
Oct. 18, 1851.
Geo. C. Ames, Esq.
Sir: The papers in the case of Aaron Beach, dec'd, N.Y., Act June 7, 1832, have been examined but no different evidence is found to authorize an allowance, The declarant set forth two tours of 6 mos each as a Private soldier in '78 & '79 but produced no evidence of it except a few affidavits of a general character to show that he was reputed to have been in the service and a certificate from the Secretary of Sate of VT showing pay for 30 days since. He also stated that taken prisoner in 1781 and detained in Canada for two years. This was during the time he was in service s a Lieut. None of this is proved but on the contrary one of the witnesses, Isaac Read, declared that in the fall of 1782, while Beach and himself were in the wilderness on the N.Y. side of Lake Champlain, trapping for furs, they were surprised at their hunting Camp by a party of Tories under the command of a British Lieutenant, and taken prisoners and carried to Saint Johns tc. From this  (over)
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statement it would appear that Beach was not in the service when taken prisoner and consequently could not be allowed a pension for the time he was in captivity. There is no evidence of any kind to prove he ever held the rank of Lieut. and no reliable testimony to prove more than 30 days since as a Private, Very [illegible] John Wilson, for Court of Pensions
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[handwritten letter]
War Dept Pension Office
Mar 15 36

Sir
I have the honor to inform you that the case of Aaron Beach has been again examined with the benefit of the additional depositions left by you - 
He claims for 6 mo service in 78 under Capt Hutchins - 6 mo in 78 & 9. under Capt. Allen and from 1st of May 1780 as an Ensign to Oct. 80 when he was taken prisoner - 
['The' crossed out] In my letter of 14 apl '34 to Mr. Chapin, he was informed ['that there was some' crossed out] (probably from some error in the dates of the two first terms) that the Dept. has no information of a force composed of 6 mo more in Castleton & Pittsford prior to 1780 - If there were such a force there Lt. Hall now & then residing in Castleton would furnish evidence of it - one of his witnesses (all of whom merely declare that they saw claimant in service or heard of his being in service) would seem to give 1780 as the date of the service in question - 
The alleged service as Ensign is wholly well-supported by any proof and it does not escape observation that it was at the period of his alleged service in that grade that he was
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taken prisoner which Isaac Buck deposed occurred while they were trapping for furs as he was not in service at the time of his being taken prisoner he has no claim founded on his captivity. 
[margin notes: Nathan Dayton 15 March 1836 Hon Nathan Dayton Lockport N. York]
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[handwritten letter]
House of Representatives
May 6, 1844

Sir 
I enclose certain additional papers in support of the application of Aaron Beach for a Pension with a letter from Col. A. H. Moss on the same subject. The certificate showing his name to be on the Vermont roll will probably be held sufficient. I can only ask that you will decide the case as early as your duties will permit. 
Very respectfully &c &c 
/s/W. Hunt

Col J. L. Edwards
Com'r of Pensions
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Washington  October 30 1857
James E Heath Esq
Sir Enclosed you will please find additional evidence in support of the claim of Aaron Beach. Walter Benlegham is a pensioner and a highly respectable Citizen and I hope his statement will be sufficient to remove the objection to the admission of Beach's Claim  Very Respectfully Your Obt Sert Geo C Ames
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[addressed envelope]
[postmark: WASHINGTON CITY D.C. MAY 11]
FREE
Col. J. L. Edwards
Com'r of Pensions
[margin notes: Mr. Wilson May 13 44 addl pff Aaron Beach other papers rec'd May 7th W. Hand M.C. Hon W. Hand H.R.]
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[handwritten letter]
House of Reps
May 11.1844

Sir,
I have received the enclosed in addition to the papers which I sent you a few days since in support of the claim of Aaron Beach to a Pension. 
In haste, Very respectfully &c
/s/W. Hunt

Col Edwards.
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Hon W. Hunt Decem 22 1843
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[handwritten letter]
[margin note: 248]
Pen Off 
Dec'r 22nd '43

Sir
I have the honor to return you the papers enclosed in yours of 16 inst in the case of Aaron Beach that they may be duly authenticated & the credibility of the witnesses certified - 
Since the last action upon his case it is ascertained that there are rolls at Boston & at Montpelier of all the service rendered or captivity endured by the citizens of those States of Mass & Vermont - He should make a brief statement of his service under the authority of each state & forward it to their respective Secretaries

W. Hunt
HR
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June 24. 44
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Pension Office  24, June, 44
Sir. The papers in the case of Aaron Beach claiming a pension is due the Act of June 7th 1832 have been examined and filed as amended. the entire service established does not exceed thirty days, the depositions being too vague to prove anything further than that he served. Under the testimony as it stands, at present the claims must be disallowed. 
Honble W. Hunt    23223
Lockport, N.Y.  Act 7th June '32
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[handwritten letter]
[margin notes: 85 106]
Pens Office
Jan'y 9. 1831.

Sir:
The statement of Walter Burlingame, who was not with Beach when he was captured, cannot avail to overshadow the evidence of the witness who was with him at that time. The other service testified to by him does not amount to 6 months.
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Stamp:
PENSION OFFICE
U.S.
O
Feb 23 1918
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                    Top..Handwritten in Pencil: Rev Sec



                    418 North Ave. Grand Rapids, Mich.
                                       Feb. 20, 1918
Commissioner for Pensions of the Rev.
Dear Sir;  will you kindly give me all the information in regard to the application and payment of the pension of Aaron Beach who served as private in Vermont Militia and died at
at Cambridge N. Y. our family have it that he was born 1761 died 1846
but others have it he died 1849 and we hope your records can prove which is right
yours sincerely
Mrs.  S. W. Barnes