Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 7224, for Joshua Mersereau, New York
Page 1

(3—1776)

Mersereau, Joshua

SERVICE
Continental
New York
Sea Service and Va.

NUMBER
S7224
B.L. Wt. 3792-160 '55

CONTENTS
Son of Joshua & brother of John L. S7217
Page 2

33.301

Pennsylvania, Phila

Joshua Mersereau [illegible]
of [blank] in the State of [blank]
Seaman and Asst Commser
who was a [blank] in the [blank] commanded
of Prisoners —
by Captain [blank] of the [blank] commanded
by [blank] in the Revolution
Continental, 
New York, 
Sea Service,
& Va.
6 mos. Seaman
line for 17 " [mos.] A.C. of Prisoners
Increased from $39.40

Inscribed on the Roll of Philadelphia
at the rate of 339 Dollars 50 Cents per annum.
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 9th day of July
1856 and Sent to
M. E. Kenuagh
Present

Arrears to the 4th of [blank]
Semi-annual allowance ending [blank]

{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by G.T. Getty Clerk,
Book A. Vol. 1. Page 73



Fanny C. Kelsey, July, 27/59
John F. Potter Chairman &c
(with "Books of accounts"
&c. filed in connection with
this case) Apl. 10/60
Same June 25/60
Not sent for reasons assigned 
in enclosed envelop —

Paid -
Page 3

155.244

Act March 3.
May 31. } ss

Joshua Mersereau, Asst. Com.
Pair. 1778, Sea. Bi. So. Carolina: in 1782.

A Seaman in the Ship of War
"South Carolina"

1 Revy. War - 

Pensd. Act 7. June 1832.
Admit 160 Acres Aug: 14" 1855.
Boynton.

3792 iss Aug 17/55

W. E. Kennaugh,
Present
Rev W.
Page 4

H. Service.

No. 33.301
Navy
Pennsylvania
File 7224

Name: Joshua Mersereau
Rank: Seaman Comp'y: [blank]
Ship "South Carolina"
Rev War

Army & Navy = N York State Agency.

RATE PER MONTH, AND DATE OF COMMENCEMENT.

1st Issue. { [blank] Comm'g [blank]
2d Issue. { [blank] Comm'g [blank]
3d Issue. { [blank] Comm'g [blank]

DATE OF CERTIFICATE, AND TO WHOM SENT.

1st Issue. { [blank] Sent to [blank]
2d Issue. { [blank] Sent to [blank]
3d Issue. { [blank] Sent to [blank]

Act 14th July, 1862, Bk. G., Vol. [blank], Page [blank]
Registering Clerk: [blank]



Oct. 8, 1904 - Hists to D. W. Locke - Bucym O
1908 Aug. 21. Hist. to John D. Mersereau. AW.

1909 Feb. 9. Account book of Joshua Mersereau
sent to Library of Congress by order of Secty of Interior J.R. Garfield

1910 June 24. Hist to Miss Elizabeth B. Sallerthevade

1919 December 4. History to Helen E. Bentley AW

1930 May 8. Photos mailed to Mrs. R.W Poindexter Jr. 
& Fin. Hist. utfd. A.W.Y.
Page 5

Declaration for a land Warrant,
Agreeably to Act of Congress of 3 March 1855.

State of Pennsylvania
County of Tioga } ss.

On this 3d day of May as One thousand Eight hundred and fifty five personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace within and for the county and state aforesaid Joshua Mersereau aged ninety five years a resident of Tioga County and state of Pennsylvania who being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical Joshua Mersereau who served in the War of the Revolution 1st as a assistant Commissary of Prisoners in 1778, and afterwards served as a seaman on board the Frigate "South Carolina" in 1782 which service is more fully set forth in his Declaration and Evidence now on file, and upon which his pension was granted agreeably to act of Congress of the 7th June 1832. That he was in active service in the War of the Revolution for many years and was finally taken Prisoner by the Enemy by the Captain of the "South Carolina" and afterwards released by the Treaty of Peace. For a full statement of which, he refers the Commissioner of Pensions to the papers and Evidence now on file in his Department, Among the Admitted Claims, [continued]
Page 6

[continued] for services rendered during the Revolutionary War, per Act of 7th June 1832.

He makes this Declaration for the purpose of obtaining the Bounty Land to which he may be entitled under the act approved March 3, 1855. He also declares that he has not recieved a Warrant for Bounty Lands under this or any other act of Congress. Nor made any other application Therefor

Joshua Merereau



We Levi Bigelow and Able Humphrey residents of Tioga County, in the State of Pennsylvania upon our oaths declare that the forgoing Declaration was signed and acknowledged by Joshua Mersereau in our presence and that we believe from the appearance and statements of the applicant that he is the identical person he represents himself to be

Levi Bigelow
A Humphrey



The foregoing declaration and affidavit to me sworn to and subscribed before me on the third. day of May in the year above written and I certify that I know the affiants to be credible persons, that the Claimant is the person he represents himself to be, And that I have no interest in this Claim.

C. H. Place Justice of the Peace
Page 7

Quit

State of Pennsylvania
County of Tioga } ss.

I John F. Donaldson Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of. Tioga and state of Pennsylvania do hereby certify that Carpenter H. Place before whom the above aforegoing affidavits & acknowledgment was made & taken was at the time and is now an acting Justice of the Peace in & for said County duly Elected & Commissioned as such and authorized by law to take proofs & acknowledgments of instruments in writing, And also that I am acquainted and the hand writing of the said Justice & verily believe the signature above purporting to be his is in the proper hand writing of the said Justice, In testimony where of I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office this 4th day of May AD One thousand Eight hundred & fifty five

J. F. Donaldson, Proth'y.
Page 8

State of Pennsylvania
Tioga County } ss.

Levi Bigelow of Tioga County and State aforesaid being duly sworn, deposes and says that he is Sixty nine Years of age, and has been acquainted with Joshua Mercereau, ever since Eighteen hundred & Sixteen, from that date to Eighteen hundred & thirty four, the said Joshua Mersereau lived in Guilford, Chenango County, New York, this deponant resided in Bainbridge in said County about Six Miles from said Mersereau, this deponant was also acquainted with his Brother John S Mersereau, up to the time of his death, this deponant always understood and believed, that Joshua Mersereau & John S Mersereau were men of Truth and veracity, the said Joshua Mersereau before he was bowed down by age and infirmity was full six feet high, weighed over two hundred and fifty pounds, this deponant has always understood, and never hear it doubted, that Joshua Mesereau served in the Revolutionary War, that this deponant was well acquainted in the Town of Guilford Chenango County New York, and that vicinity, and never knew any other person by that name in that vicinit (except his Son Joshua Mercereau Junr). - This deponant being informed that the said Joshua Mercereau was at his Son's James G Mercereau, in this Town on the 18th Instant, called to be that Noble Speciman of our Race. Although bent forward by age & infirmity and a good deal immaceated, he shows the marks of his noble nature. I asked him several questions to test his memory, of late events. I found his memory nondiable - but events that took place, in his Younger [continued]
Page 9

[continued] days, during the Revolutionary War, and for Years after, his memory was very correct, he gave a clear and minute amount of his services in the Revolutionary War of the Officers men and places, the movements of the Army, has captured & imprissonments in the South Carolinea, his heights, & weight at diferent times. that at the age of Seventeen he was six feet in height & weighed over two hundred said he was the largest man in his Company (except one, naming him) I asked how he got the Appointment of Deputy Commissary. when only seventeen Years of age, he replied promptly "I was assistant Commisary of Prisoners, :my Father was Commisary of Pensions, and had confidence in my entigrity and appointed me his assitant

It was understood, that the said Joshua Mercereau built the first Saw Mill on the waters of the Susquehannah in the State of New York, he was asked what year that was, he replied, I did not get them started the first Year which was in 1788. that Commenced building my Mill I was disappointed in a Mill wright and had to go all the way to Pookiepsee on the North River for a Mill Wright and I got a Man by the name of Brown. took him into Boat and Rowed him up the river, & then took him across the Country to Guilford, and finished my Mill in 1789 & made boards & sold them to the settlers as fast I sawed them, he answered severally other questions proposed to test the accuracy of his Memory, several things that occured during the Revolutionary War. with with minutings, which altho Joshua Mersereau is Ninety five years of age, I think his memory on those early. events reliable, = and I have no doubt but thatthe said Joshua Mecereau [continued]
Page 10

[continued] served in the Revolutionary War and this deponant further says not

Levi Bigelow

Sworn & Subscribed
this 29th day of December
AD 1854 Before Me

C. H. Place J. P.



Tioga County ss.

I John F Donaldson, prothonolary of the court of Common Pleas of Tioga County, Pennsylvania, do certify that C. H. Place Esq. is and was the date of the above affidavit an acting Justice of the peace in and for said county, duly authorized by law to administer oaths and further that the above signature purporting to be his, is genuine. - In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office, the 2nd day of January 1835.

J. F. Donaldson, Prothr'y
Page 11

35,132

In matter of 
application of
Joshua Mercereau
for pension

Declaration

3
Page 12

State of New York
County of Steuben } ss.

On this fifth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty, personally appeared in open Court, before the Court of Common Pleas of said County of Steuben now sitting, Joshua Mercereau a resident of the town of Lindly in the County of Steuben and State of New York aged Eighty years, who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832: That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated - That he entered the service of the United States in the month of August seventeen hundred and seventy five as a recruiting officer with the uniform of an Ensign, to enlist men for the New York State Troops for Capt. Jacob Cheeseman's Company under General Montgomery, and served until some time in the month of November there following, as such recruiting officer as aforesaid, in December of the same year I served as a volunteer under Lord Stirling in an expedition to disarm the Tories on Long Island, about Eight or ten days. In April seventeen hundred and seventy six, I became a volunteer in a Corps of Virginia Rifle Men stationed on Staten Island, commanded by Major Stevens, Captain Otho Williams, and Lieut Abraham Shepard, in May of the same year, the Corps above mentioned took eight prisoners from a tender of the Asia Man of War which had approached the shore, from the time I left the corps on Staten Island, on the 11th July in the same year, I was employed by General Washington in company with my Father and Brother in obtaining information of the intended movements of the enemy, and served in that capacity until the defence of Quachirrie bridge, joined General Washingtons army at Newark and retreated to Brunswick, about the first of December we retreated to Princetown and thence to Trenton and crossed the Deleware after crossing the Deleware, I was ordered with my Father to examine the River and bring off all the boats from the Jersey shore [continued]
Page 13

[continued] to prevent the British from pursuing & was engaged in that capacity for some days. I was at the taking of the Hessians in December seventeen hundred and seventy six and at the battle of Princeton in January seventeen hundred and seventy seven. I was engaged the remainder of the winter after the battle of Princeton in purchasing horses for teams and light horse for General Miflin. I also purchased some for General Lafayette. In May seventeen hundred & seventy seven, I repaired to the camp of General Washington. I was engaged under Lord Stirling in defence of his baggage which was attempted to be but off, by an attack of General Howe on Lord Stirling's division - In October seventeen hundred and seventy seven, I took charge of some public stores to be conveyed to Rutland and Boston, by order of General Miflin who I think was then Quartermaster General. I continued an assistant commissary until April 1779, about this time I repaired to Elizabeth town, New Jersey and made arrangements for obtaining the Royall Gazette from New York for General Washington and Mr Gerard the French Minister at Philadelphia & succeeded in obtaining said Gazette. In the winter of seventeen hundred and eighty I was in Lord Stirlings expedition to Staten Island and was appointed a Guide to Col Hazens division, on a circuitous rou to take possisition on the east and south of the Fort on Staten Island then called Fort Richmond.

I was engaged in the attack on the blockhouse in which about Ffty prisoners were taken. In February following I was one of about twenty soldiers who captured Col Jones and some four or five of his guard. In the summer following the capture of Col Jones, that is in the summer of seventeen hundred and eighty, I was engaged under the command of Captain John Story in attempt to capture a British Colonel stationed on the south side of Staten Island. I was a volunteer in this affair as also given. the capture of Col Jones, under the command of Capt James Patten. In the fall of seventeen hundred & eighty I was engaged on the lines near Elizabethtown in getting information, and was confined by [continued]
Page 14

[continued] sickness for some months. In the summer of seventeen hundred and eighty one I was engaged in the defence of Brunswick which was attacked by the enemy - In the spring of seventeen hundred & eighty one I was engaged in the defence of Rockway under the command of Col Marsh

In May seventeen hundred and eighty two, the ship South Carolina having arrived at Philadelphia from Holland under Commodore Gilland, John Joiner Captain, I was engaged as a carpenter on board of this ship at the time above stated & performed the duties of such station until she was repaired, which was in Dec of the same year.

I joined the Crew of the ship when she sailed which was on or about the twenty first of December same year, we were chased by three British Ships, the Diomede, the Aystrich and the Quebec, we were captured, and in the battle I received a wound in my leg which has never since healed, I was conveyed with the rest of the Crew of the South Caroline, to New York, and put on board of the Scorpion prison ship. On or about the last of January I was permitted to retire on parol and remained a prisoner in that situation until peace was ratified by treaty in seventeen hundred and eighty four - 

I entered the service while I resided at Elizabethtown in the State of New Jersey, as a volunteer, and was acquainted with all the officers mentioned above (and several others - and had a written license from General Washington, to pass all guards &c without prevention. That I was engaged in the service of the United States by the various capacities above mentioned, from the time of that I entered the service in seventeen hundred and seventy five until the treaty of Peace, and that I have no documentary evidence of my revolutionary service - 

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid (all erasures and interlineations made before signing).

Joshua Mersereau

Wm Hamilton Clerk
Court of Com Pleas of Steuben County
Page 15

We, David Harrower a Clergyman residing in the town of Lindley in the County of Steuben and State of New York, and Abner Thurber of the same place, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted wit hJoshua Mersereau, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be Eighty years of age; that he is reputed and beleived , in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution; and that we concur in that opinion -

David Harrower
Abner Thurber

Sworn & subscribed the 26 day
of June AD 1840. }

(The words "a Clergyman" interlined before signing)

Sylvester Smith,
Judge of County Court



And the said Court, do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.

And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that David Harrower who has signed the preceeding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the town of Lindley County of Steuben and State of New York, and that Abner Thurber is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit - 

J J A Leland First Justice of said Court.
Sylvester Smith, one of the associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for Steuben County
Lazarus Hammond associate Judge of Steuben County —
Page 16

Answers to the interrogatories propounded by the Court of Common Pleas, of Steuben County, to Joshua Mersereau June 5th 1840 - 

I was born in the town of Northfield in the County of Richmond on Staten Island, and according tothe best of my knowledge & belief of June seventeen hundred and sixty one. I have no record of my age.

When called into service I resided in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, and since the revolutionary war I have resided in Staten Island, in Guilford, Chenango County, New York and I now live in the town of Lindley, Steuben County and State of New York. I entered the service of the United States as a volunteer. I have seen and was acquainted with the following officers viz. General Washington, General Lafayette, General Putnam, General Miflin, General Heath, General Sullivan, General Dayton, Major Crane, Captain Cheeseman, Colonel Ogden, Major Stevens, Colonel Biddle, Col Marsh and Col Hazen, and have served under the most of them at various times - I was engaged the greater part of the time, in secret service, by the Command of General Washington & other of my Superior Officers, iin obtaining and furnishing to our army necessary information concerning the movements of the British - I have never received a discharge from the service, being, as stated in the accompanying declaration, captured at the ship [continued]
Page 17

[continued] South Carolina, and at the time of the end of the war, a prisoner on parole, and necessarily liberated by the final Treaty of Peace. The following persons in the neighborhood where I now reside, can testify to my character, for veracity, and their belief of my services as a Soldier of the Revolution. Viz. John W. Fowler, Abner Thurber, Gustavus A. Rogers, Edward Howell, Reverend David Hammel, John Storms, Benjamin Harrower, James Ford, and many others, both in Lindly and in Chenango County where I formerly resided - one of above is the Hon Johhn H. Clark, member of Congress =

Joshua Mersereau



And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting to the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states - And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that David Hanover who has signed the preceeding certificates is a Clergyman resident in the Town of Lindley in the county of Steuben & State of New York, and that Abner Thurber is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I, William Hamilton, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Steuben County, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Joshua Mersereau for a pension, and also that every erasure, interlineation, and alteration in said proceedings was made before the same were had and executed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and seal of Office this fifth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand wight hundred & forty -

Wm Hamilton Clerk
Steuben Com. Pleas
Page 18

Record Division.

June 24, 1910.

Mrs. Elizabeth B. Satterthwaite,
of 52 North Stockton Street,
Trenton, N.J.

Madam;

In reply to your letter without date, which was received the 14th instant, you are advised that from the papers on file in this Bureau it appears that Joshua Mersereau was born at Northfield, Staten Island, New York, June 8, 1761, [note in margin: "14 years old?"] and was living in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, when he entered the service in August, 1775, as a recruiting officer for the New York State troops for Captain Jacob Cheeseman's company, under General Montgomery, and served till the following November. In December 1775, he was under Lord Stirling in an expedition to Long Island for seven or eight days. From April to July 1, 1776, he served under Captain Otho Williams in Major Steven's corps of Virginia Riflemen. He was an employed by General Washington in obtaining information of the enemy's movements; he was in the battles of Trenton and Princeton; the remainder of the winter he purchased horses for Generals Mifflin and Lafayette and in May 1777 was engaged in guarding baggage under Lord Stirling. From October 14, 1777 to April 28, 1779, he was assistant Commissary of Prisoners under his father Joshua Mersereau who was Deputy Commissary of Prisoners, and General Mifflin Quartermaster General. In the winter of 1780 he was guide to Colonel Hazen's Division, in Lord Stirling's expedition to Staten Island and was in an engagement at a blockhouse. The following February he was under Captain [continued]
Page 19

[continued] James Patten when he captured Colonel Jones. In the Summer of 1780 he was under Captain John Story in an attempt to capture a British Colonel. In the fall of 1780 he was engaged on the lines near Elizabethtown. In the Spring of 1781 he was under Colonel Marsh at Rahway. In the Summer of 1731 he aided in the defence of Brunswick. In May, 1782, he was engaged as carpenter and seaman on the ship "South Carolina" under Captain John Joiner and on December 21, 1782, they were in battle with and captured by the British ships Dionede", "Austrich" and "Quebec", he was wounded in the leg and confined on a prison ship "Scorpion" in New York, until paroled the last of January and remained on parole until the ratification of the Treaty of Peace.

He was allowed pension (Sur. File No. 7,234) on an application executed June 5, 1840, while a resident of Lindley, Steuben County, New York. In 1858 he lived in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, with his son James G., and he died January 30, 1857. In 1879 his son Theodore L. resided in Lindley, Steuben County, New York, and at that date he had two widowed daughters living, their names and the name of his wife are not stated. His sons Joshua and John G. are also referred to.

The above noted is the only Joshua Mersereau found on the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau.

Very respectfully,

Commissioner.
Page 20

W

3—397.
(Old No. 3—399.)

O. W. and N. Div Division
J. S. C., Ex'r.

Surv. File No. 7224
Joshua Mersereau Jr.
Rev. War.

Department of the Interior,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
Washington, D.C., August 1, 1906.

SIR:

For use in the above-entitled claim for pension, you are requested to furnish this Bureau with a report in the case of Joshua Mersereau Jr. a soldier of the Revolutionary War pensioned under the Act of June 7, 1832 by certificate No. 33,301 issued, April 18, 1855, Philadelphia Agency, showing date of death, date of last payment, and to whom pension was paid.

Very respectfully,
J. C. Davenport
Acting Commissioner.

THE AUDITOR FOR THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT,
Treasury Department 0-2

OFFICE OF AUDITOR FOR 
INTERIOR DEPT.
AUG 3 [illegible]
Pension Division

[date stamp as follows:]
PENSION
OFFICE
H
U. S.
AUG 8 1906

James G Mersereau Adm
Died 20 Jany 57. Pd act apr '38 in June 19. '68
OCN. W E Kennaugh.
Page 21

[letterhead]
OFFICE OF AUDITOR FOR INTERIOR DEPARTMENT

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Washington, Aug. 7, 1906.

The Commissioner of Pensions.

Sir: In reply to your letter of Aug. 1st inst. in case of Joshua Mersereau, Jr. Certificate 33.301 Philadelphia Agency, Inc. Act of June '32 Roll, you are informed that, according to the latest account rendered by the U. S. Pension Agent, the records of this office show last payment to have been made at #339.50 per annum to 20 Jany. 1857. in June 1858. and was paid to James G. Mersereau, Adm. Pensioner died 20 Jany. 1857.

OFFICE OF AUDITOR FOR
INTERIOR DEPT.
AUG 20 1906
Pension Division.

Letter herewith returned. 
Respectfully,
G P Dunham
Acting Auditor.
E

Deputy Auditor

[date stamp:]
PENSION OFFICE
O
U. S.
AUG
21
1906

[date stamp:]
PENSION OFFICE
[illegible]
U. S.
AUG
8
1906

REPLY SHOWING PAYMENTS.
Pension Division.—Form 3577.—Ed. Nov. 26-04—3,000.
Page 22

W

3—050.

O. W. and N. Div. J. S. C. Ex'r.

Department of the Interior,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,

Washington, D. C., Aug. 17, 1906

Respectfully returned to The Auditor for the Interior Department, inviting attention to the discrepancy between the date of soldier's death and the date of last payment of pension, on attached report.

Surv. File 7224
Joshua Mersereau Jr.
Rev. War.

J.C. Davenport
Acting Commissioner.
0—4



[time and date stamp indicating approximately 9:00 a.m.]
OFFICE AUDITOR INTERIOR DEPT.
AUG 20 1906
A.M. 9 | 12 | 2 | 4 P.M.

[stamp of receipt]
O. W. & N. DIVISION
AUG 21 1906
RECEIVED
Page 23

52 N. Stockton St
Trenton NJ

To the Commissioner of Pensions

Kind Friend

Will thee kindly give me a statement of the war service of the Joshua Mersereaus — Joshua the 1st died in about 1769 — the 2nd in 1804 — the 3rd in 1857. The home of the Mersereau family was in N.Y., Pa & N.J. —

Thanking thee in advance for all Trouble —

I remain thine
E B Sallerthwaite.
Elizabeth

JUN 16 1910
Page 24

REVOLUTIONARY SERVICE.
O. W. & N. DIV.

MEMORANDA.

Please supply as much as possible of the 
data called for below.


Full name of soldier:
Joshua Mersereau

Place of residence before service:
(Town, county, and State, if possible.)
[blank]

Place of residence after service:
(Town, county, and State, if possible.)

1802
Date of death (as near as possible):

Christian name of widow:
[blank]

Did either he or his widow receive a pension?
[illegible]

Remarks:
[blank]

Your name and address:
D W Locke
Bucyms, Ohio

CHIEF'S DESK
Old War and Navy
Division
OCT 6 1904

6—870
Page 25

Chas A Ulmer M.D.
Medical Dir
Page 26

AUG 5 1908

JOHN DANIEL MERSEREAU
449 NORTH MADISON AVE.
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA

Hon. Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C.

Dear Sir: - I want to get the Revolutionary Service of the following

Joshua Mersereau - Staten Island N.Y.
Born Staten Island Sept 26 1728
Died Union N.Y. June 10 1804.
Married Sophia LaGrange.
Was Deputy Commissary of Prisoners under Gen Elias Boudinot Headquarters Rutland (near Boston) Mass & Elizabethtown N.J. - Service during war. - 
After war moved to Tioga County N.Y. and rc'd land grant from Gov. or state (?)

Joshua Mersereau Jr. (his son) Staten Isalnd N.Y.
Born Staten Island. 1758 Died Tioga Co Jany 20 1857
Married Dinah Garrison or Garretsin.
Served with his father was guide for Lord Sterling's Expeditions against Fort Richmond 
Prisoner on the Scorpion in New York Bay
With his father after the [continued]
Page 27

AUG 5 1908

[continued]

2.

war to Susquehanna Valley near Unadilla N.Y.
He also had land grant. - 

Kindly give me what record you have of these two and description of land grant if you have it 

also

Harmonus Garrison or Garretson Staten Island
Born Apr 1732 Died July 3 1813.
Married Antty Simonson 1759.
"NY State Militia"

Please let me know charges. 2 note memorandum that a quantity of family papers were sent Pension Department 50 years ago

Respectfully
J.D. Mersereau.

[stamp of receipt:]
PENSION OFFICE
U. S.
AUG
10
1908
Page 28

Rev Sec
Government Hotels Src
Building I-K
Washington, D.C.
November 25/19

Pension Office
Washington, D.C.

[stamp of receipt:]
PENSION OFFICE.
U. S.
K
NOV 26 1919

To whom it may concern:

Will you kindly tell me if you have on your pension rolls connected with the War of the Revolution the names of either John or Joshua Merce[reau]

Joshua rendered valuable services as Deputy Commissary General of Prisoners during the War of the  Revolution. It is thought that John was a soldier.

I should consider it a great favor if you would enlighten me in regard to this matter.

Very truly yours,
(Miss) Helen E. Bentley

I called for more data for the John as I did not Record which he would
Page 29

Record Division.

August 21, 1908.

Mr. John Daniel Mersereau,
of 449 North Madison Avenue,
Pasadena, California.

Sir:

In reply to your letter dated the 5" and received the 10" instant, you are advised that from the papers on file in this Bureau it appears that Joshua Mersereau was born at Northfield, Staten Island, New York, June 5, 1701 and was living in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, when he entered the service in August 1775 as a recruiting officer for the New York State Troops for Captain Jacob Cheeseman's company under General Montgomery and served till the following November. In December 1775 he was under Lord Stirling in an expedition to Long Island for 7 or 8 days. From April to July 1, 1776, he served under Captain Otho Williams in Major Steven's corps of Virginia Riflemen. He was then employed by General Washington in obtaining information of the enemy's movements, he was in the battles of Trenton and Princeton; the remainder of the winter he purchased horses for Generals Mifflin and Lafayette and in May 1777 was engaged in guarding baggage under Lord Stirling. From October 10, 1777 to April 28, 1779 he was Assistant Commissary of Prisoners under his father Joshua was born Commissary of prisoners, and General Mifflin Quartermaster General. In the winter of 1780 he was guide to Colonel Hazen's Division, in Lord Stirling's expedition to Staten Island and was in an engagement at a blockhouse.
[continued]
Page 30

[continued]

The following February he was under Captain James Patten when he captured Colonel Jones. In the summer of 1780 he was under Captain John Story in an attempt to capture a British Colonel. In the fall of 1780 he was engaged on the lines near Elizabethtown. In the spring of 1781 he was under Colonel Marsh at Rahway. In the Summer of 1781 he aided in the defence of Brunswick. In May 1782 he was engaged as carpenter and seaman on the ship " South Carolina or Captain John Joiner and on December 21, 1782 they were in battle with and captured by the British Ships "Diomede", "Austrich " and " Quebec", he was wounded in the leg and confined on a prison ship "Scorpion" in New York until paroled the last of January and remained on parole until the ratification of the Treaty of Peace.

He was allowed pension (Sur. File No. 7224) on an application executed June 5, 1840 while a resident of Lindley, Steuben County, New York. In 1855 he lived in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, with his son James G. and he died January 30, 1857. In 1879 his son Theodore L. resided in Lindley, Steuben County, New York, and at that date he had two widowed daughters living, their names and the name of his wife are not stated.

His sons Joshua and John C. are also referred to.

The Revolutionary War records of this Bureau fail to show that claims were ever filed on account of [illegible] Joshua Mersereau Deputy Commissary of Prisoners, or Harmonus Garrison or Garretson. 

See negative slips

Very respectfully,

Commissioner.



data as to sons Theodore L. John G. and 2 daughters taken from Bounty Land Claim -
Page 31

AW

IN REPLY REFER TO
Rev. War Section.

3—1864
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF [illegible] 
WASHINGTON December 4,

Miss Helen E. Bentley,
Government Hotels, Bldg. I-K,
Washington, D. C.

Madam:

In reply to your letter of the 25" ultimo, you are advised that this Bureau is unable to furnish the history of a soldier of the Revolution, unless a claim for pension or bounty land has been made on account of his services and a careful search of the records fails to show such a claim on file for any Joshua Mersereau, other than Survivor File No. 7,334, whose history is herewith enclosed, the son of Joshua Mersereau the Deputy Commissary of Prisoners referred to by you.

In order to make a proper search of the records in your behalf for John Mersereau, you are requested to furnish as much as possible of the following data in regard to him; approximate dates of birth and death, places of residence at enlistment and after service, rank during service and given name of widow.

Very respectfully,

Acting Commissioner.
Page 32

Pen Rev. & 1812
CRC

1-681

SUBMIT IN DUPLICATE.

PHONE Branch 476

All inquiries regarding this job should refer to Requisition No. 42645

Requisition for Duplicating, Addressograph, Photostat, and Blue Print Work.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
WASHINGTON

April 25, 1930.

CHIEF, Division of Publications,
Room G 139.
Please furnish work specified below.

Bureau ordering   Pensions
Deliver to Room No. 5033

(ALL COPY FOR DUPLICATING WORK SHOULD BE PLAIN AND WRITTEN IN ELITE TYPE, EXACTLY LINE FOR LINE AS IT IS TO APPEAR ON FINISHED JOB.)

Title and description of job
photostatic copies of 55 pages from Revolutionary War claim of Joshua Mersereau, N.Y. Troops, S.7224.

No. of copies   1 of each

Shall for be kept standing? [blank] days

For further information see Mrs. Finch
Room No. 5033
Phone No. 541

Approved:
AD Wilkinson
Chief Clerk of Bureau
G

Margaret MH Finch
Chief of Division.

NOTE: No order made "SPECIAL" unless statement showing necessity is written below and approved by Chief Clerk of Bureau ordering



CHECK WORK DESIRED

Duplicate

Multigraph
single or double space?
Facsimile signature?

Mimeograph
one side or both sides?
Facsimile signature?

Folding 
one or twice?

Assembling
Stapling
Once? Twice? Side? End?

Electronic typewriter
Fill in address?
Dated?

Addressograph from lists

Envelopes, size
Proof list
Labels (submit sample)
Fill in letters
Cards, size
Pay rolls
Corrections
Tabulation sheets

Photostat X
Size actual
Official use?
Repay? Yes $8.25

Blue Print
Size
Official use?
Repay? $

(see 3 "aud. reports attached)

Remarks

(OVER)

[stamp]
DIVISION OF PUBLIC [illegible]
RECEIVED
APR 2 1930
DEPT OF THE INTERIOR
Page 33

NOTE: Routine changes of addresses may be made on this blank without [illegible] reference through or initialing of chiefs of branches or chief [illegible] bureaus.

192_
(Date)

INDICATE BY AN X IN PROPER SQUARE ACTION TO BE TAKEN.

| | Make new addressograph plate }
| | Change present addressograph plate } On list_____
| | Destroy present addressograph plate }

as follows:

Now reads
1
2
3
4
5

Should read
1
2
3
4
5

FOR USE OF DUPLICATING AND ADDRESSING SECTION

ADDRESSOGRAPH
The above change was mad __________ 192___ .
Operator __________

MULTIGRAPH
Operator __________ Date __________ Type set by __________ Date _____
Remarks: __________

MIMEOGRAPH
Operator  __________ Date _____ Cut by __________
Remarks: __________
Page 34

List of pages to Ms R.W. Poindexter:

John LaGrange's affid. Jan. 10, 1855 - 7 pages
Levi Bigelow affid. Dec. 29 - 1854 - 3 "
Registers Office, N.Y. July 31, 1790. - 1 "
Moses Stockwell's affid. Feb. 16 - 1855 - 2 "
List of Off. of the Frigate SC, "Com. Gillen" etc. - 1 "
Soldier's acct. current from June 1 1779 - Mar. 31 - 1790 - 1 "
Compt. Gen's. ctf. Jan. 11 - 1855 1 "
Wm. E. Kennaugh Affid. June 30 - 1856 - 2 "
Sol. statement of service when 97 & blind & W.E. Kennaugh's ctf. - 3 "
Treas. Dept. Register's Off. Nov. 4 - 1855. - 2 "
State Dept. report, Aug. 5 1850 - 1 "
"   "   ctf. Mar. 31 - 1862 - 3"
"   "   report Aug. 8 - 1850 - 2 "
Letter of Count DeChoiseul, Consul of France to His Excellency the Governor 9-15. - 7 "
Sol. acct. July 31 - 1790 (Treas. Dept. Jan. 23 - 1845) - 1 "
Treas. Dept. Aug. 7-1906, last payt. - 1 "
Sylvester Smith & Elijah D. Wells Affid. 12/22/54 - 4 "
John L. Mersereau's affid. May 15 - 1840 - 2 "
Abijah Hunt's affid. Oct. 30 - 1832 - 2 "
Sol. clm. for pen. June 5 - 1840 - 6"
Power of Atty. dated Oct. 10 - 1854, signed by sol. - 1 "
Sol. Ctf. jacket, issued July 9 - 1856, No. 33301 - 1 "
Page 35

Army & Navy
Revy INVALID.

File No. 7224
Joshua Mersereau
Seaman
U.S. Ship "South Carolina"
Rev War

Act June 7 1832
Index: Vol. 5, Page 42

[Arrangement of 1870.]
See Bounty Land. 3792-160-55



1909 Feb. 9 Account book of
Joshua Mersereau 
sent to Library of Congress 
by order of [illegible - possibly J.R. Garfield?]
Secty Inte
Page 36

1. "Brief" furnished Commissioner.
2. Original Declaration of Mersereau.
3. Record evidence of Commissary service Treasurs Certif.
4. Parol evidence of Commissary service.
5. Record evidence of "sea" service
6. Proof testimony of "sea" service.
Page 37

No. 155244

ACT OF MARCH 3, 1855.

Received May 31st, 1855

Joshua Mersoriau

Rev War.

Warrant .3792-160-55

W. E. Kennaugh
Present.

See Rev. War pension
Sur File. 7224

See Rev. War Pension
Sur File 7224.
Page 38

Read from Jan. 13. Campbell Esq of
Charleston South Carolina
Jany 8. 1855

JW Crockett
(see his letter)



LEGIONAIRES DE LUXEMBOURG.

LETTER
OF
COUNT DE CHOISEUL,
CONSUL OF FRANCE.

TO
HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR.

COLUMBIA, S.C.:
R. W. GIBBES & CO., STATE PRINTERS.
1853.
Page 39

LETTER.

CHARLESTON, NOVEMBER 25, 1853.

To His Excellency John Laurence Manning,
Governor of the State of South Carolina:

SIR :—The undersigned, Consul of France for the States of North and South Carolina, and Georgia, has been again specially instructed by his government to renew his application to the State of South Carolina on behalf of the Legionaries de Luxembourg, being French subjects, who served on board the Frigate South Carolina while in the commission of the State in 1780.

He has had occasion to make similar applications heretofore, and has always addressed your Excellency's predecessors. This channel of communication has been deemed by him appropriate, and as he has the satisfaction to believe that it has been approved, he therefore adopts it upon this renewed occasion.

He begs your Excellency's patience whilst he endeavors to state as briefly as possible the history and nature of the claim he is instructed to urge, and which he hopes may receive a favorable consideration.

By the treaty between the State of South Carolina, represented by Commodore Alexander Gillon, and the Chevalier, afterwards Prince De Luxembourg, made at Paris on the 30th day of May, 1780, the Chevalier De Luxembourg ceded to the State of South Carolina the use of the Frigate L' Indien, afterwards called the South Carolina, with her armament and equipage for the term of three years, to be commanded by Commodore Gillon, under the commission of the State of South Carolina, to be employed in cruising against the common enemy of France and of the said State, and in no other way. It was also agreed that all prizes made and all sums received, and in general all benefits gained by said Frigate, should be sent to the most convenient ports of France, and consigned to the Sieur LeGrand, banker in Paris.

"And in case it should be impracticable to send such prizes to France,

1

[continued]
Page 40

[continued]

4

then the persons to whom they should be intrusted should be bound forthwith to remit or account for the produce thereof, to the said Sieur Le Grand, at Paris, agent or banker to receive and divide the same in France, according to the maritime laws of South Carolina."

It was also further stipulated as follows, "The nett produce of all prizes and ransoms to be made during the course of the said cruizes shall be divided between the State of South Carolina, the Chevalier De Luxembourg, and the crew of the said ship, in such way, as that the crew shall receive the one half, the State of South Carolina the one quarter, and the Chevalier De Luxembourg the other quarter."

This treaty went into effect, and the Ship L' Indien, taking the name of the Frigate South Carolina, was fitted out, and manned in part with a marine corps, or complement of men enlisted in France consisting of French subjects. This corps was known as the "Legion De Luxembourg." The interests and rights of these Legionaries the undersigned is instructed to urge upon the State of South Carolina.

He is aware that there were other persons who served on board the frigate, who were American citizens, and whose just claims he has understood have long since been paid by the State, but he represents only the claims of the Legionaries, who were enlisted in France and were French subjects. After cruising successfully for some time, and taking a great number of prizes, the frigate was finally captured by the enemy, The prize money, however, instead of being remitted to the Sieur LeGrand in Paris, the banker or agent agreed upon by all parties, who was to receive and distribute the same in France, was received by the State of South Carolina and deposited in her Treasury. It was never remitted or accounted for to the Sieur Le Grand in Paris, according to the express terms of the contract. It remained a mere deposit in the Treasury of South Carolina. It was a sacred trust, voluntarily assumed by the State not authorized by the terms of her contract, nor by the wishes of the other contracting parties.

No complaint is intended to be made or renewed at this late day, that one of the parties to the contract took possession of the whole trust fund, made herself a trustee for the others, and substituting herself for the common banker and agent, claimed to distribute the fund in South Carolina instead of Paris. The circumstances under which this was done are not known to the undersigned, but he doubts not they were such as were satisfactory to the State at the time, and intended for the benefit of all the parties. [continued]



[continued]

5

But the attention of your Excellency, and of the General Assembly of South Carolina, is particularly invited to this fact, because the undersigned is fully impressed, that all the difficulty, delay, and suffering in this matter which has happened to the unfortunate Legionaries and their descendants, have grown out of it.

The State of South Carolina had an undoubted right to one fourth of the fund. No injury could have happened to any one by her retaining it. The other three-fourths belonged to French subjects residing in France. It had been agreed that it should be paid to them in Paris, and they had agreed upon a particular person to receive and distribute it. If the State of South Carolina had remitted to France that portion which belonged to French citizens, and retained that which belonged to herself, she would have been free from all responsibility, and from the continued importunities of claimants, commencing as far back as her acknowledged existence as a Commonwealth, and still persisted in to this day, after the lapse of more than seventy years.

There has never been any doubt of the facts of this claim, nor of its justice, nor of the indebtedness of the State to the claimants. All this has been uniformly admitted by continuous Legislative Acts, nor has it ever been alleged that they have been paid. On the contrary, it will appear by reference to the proceedings of the General Assembly in 1824, in consequence of a communication from the charge des Affaires of France at Washington upon this subject, that all other claimants under the contract with Commodore Gillon, the Prince De Luxembourg -- the American seamen, -- the French Government -- all, except these unfortunate French seamen, had been paid their just claims.

Among the many records in proof of the justice and merits of this claim, which appear in the public proceedings of the General Assembly of South Carolina for the last seventy years, your Excellency is especially referred to the report of the Comptroller General in 1804; to the report of a Committee of the House of Representatives in 1807, and the resolutions adopted thereon, wherein these claimants are declared to be the immediate creditors of the State and ought to be paid by the State," and in which the Committee express the opinion which was adopted by the Legislature, "That the Legislature is bound to bring to a close a business which originated in the struggle for independence; which has since 1784, occupied the attention of the Legislature at almost every session, and the delay whereof has already, though necessary, been no doubt grievously injurious to the individuals really entitled to the claims in question." The [continued]
Page 41

[continued]

6

General Assembly did at that time make provision for the settlement of these claims, which was doubtless intended and considered to be effectual, "So that in the language of their Committee, "no future application to the Legislature might be necessary."

But unfortunately, as the undersigned may be permitted to remark, the Legislature in making provision for its just and honorable intentions, instead of paying the amount deposited in its Treasury over to the banker in Paris, according to the original contract, directed the claimants to prove their claims in the Courts of South Carolina. And here your Excellency will presently see, that the grievously injurious delay" spoken of was naturally prolonged by the attempt to distribute through the Courts of South Carolina prize money among French seamen, residing in France. The claimants, it may be reasonable to concede, were persons of humble station in life, poor and ignorant. They were too poor and the claim of each was too trifling to afford the hope of carrying on law suits separately in a foreign country, where, if successful, the full amount of the recovery of each could scarcely equal the necessary costs, without considering the other contingencies of almost equal necessity. They could not attend in person with the proofs of their separate identity.

The result was inevitable. Agents and Attorneys of doubtful authority, and Syndics of questionable creation, immediately set up and urged their conflicting claims, and the time and justice of your Courts were wearied, not with the investigation of the merits of the claims or the claimants, but with the contentions of those, who coveted the honor or profit of representing these unfortunate men. This continued for a period of twelve years till 1819, when some decrees of the Courts were obtained, and then, the matter again came before the General Assembly. It then appeared to a Committee of the House of Representatives, that the powers of Agents, Attorneys and Syndics were so doubtful, and so much tainted by irregularities and frauds, that it was not deemed advisable or in furtherance of justice to direct payment of any of them, and the Committee recommended accordingly. Their recommendation was adopted by the General Assembly. The undersigned does not, after a careful investigation, express any doubt of the wisdom and propriety of the course adopted. It summarily ended all claims through the intervention of Agents, Attorney and Syndics, whether fictitious and fraudulent or valid and authentic.

Under these circumstances, there being no further hope to the claimants through the agency of individuals, they naturally turned their importu- [continued]



[continued]

7

nities to their Government, to whose protection their rights seemed to be remitted, by the course the State of South Carolina found it necessary, consistent with justice, to pursue. The French Government listened to their appeal, and accordingly her Charge des Affaires, under instructions, applied in 1824 to the State of South Carolina, and proposed that she should transfer to France the funds remaining due to the Legionaries de Luxembourg, in order that the rights of conflicting claimants might be investigated and decided in the Courts of France."

This proposition was referred to a Committee of the Senate of South Carolina, who reported thereon which report was adopted by the Senate and concurred in by the House of Representatives, and thereby became an an authentic public act of the State of South Carolina.

This Report sets forth and your Excellency will pardon me for bringing it to your attention that the Luxembourg claim has been fully discharged with the exception of what may be due to the Legionaries aforesaid, subjects of France; and inasmuch as they have, by their powers of Attorney, transmitted to this State, appointed Agents to prosecute their claims here, who have been recognized by judicial and legislative acts; and inasmuch as it would not be proper to remove those applications to the Courts of France, the evidence in relation to them having been brought to this country, with much labor and expense, the Committee recommend that the State of South Carolina do decline the proposal of the Government of France, and that the Governor do communicate this resolve to the Secretary of State for the information of the French Minister at Washington."

Your Excellency will here pardon, it is hoped in view of what has been said before, the remark that it does seem to the undersigned to be a rare hardship in the course of justice, that these poor and unfortunate claim ants being continuously admitted to be entitled to a trust fund deposited in the Treasury of the State, and being denied its possession in 1819, because their powers of Attorney and Agency were of suspicious and doubtful authenticity, should in 1824 he refused their request to have the fund transferred to France, in accordance with the express terms of their contract, upon the special objection that these condemned powers of Attorney and Agency were in South Carolina. It will be borne in mind, it is hoped, that the Legionaries never came into the Courts of South Carolina of their own choice. They did not enlist in the service of the State, nor fight in her battles in the struggle for her independence, upon the agreement that they should seek for generation after generation, their admitted [continued]
Page 42

[continued]

8

just reward, through the Courts of a foreign country. They were invited, nay compelled to do this, by the authoritative action of South Carolina.

The undersigned has no information as to the amount of their claims nor is it material to his present purpose for him to make that inquiry. It more properly belongs to South Carolina to do this. With her the funds are deposited, and he will be entirely satisfied when the proper time arrives with her account and statement of the amount. He may however remark that he has seen no evidence that the sum claimed is large. His present purpose, and he is so instructed by his government, is respectfully to ask that this old and meritorious claim may receive a serious consideration, and to renew in substance the proposition of his government made in 1824, that the funds, whether more or less, may be transferred to France according to the stipulation of the treaty to which the State was a party, a copy of which he has the honor herewith to transmit to your Excellency, and under her indemnity that the Government of France may have the supervision of its distribution among the parties to whom it rightfully belongs. This proposition, even if there were no contract to that effect, is in conformity with the established usage of nations and states. No objection was raised to the propriety of the proposal in 1824. Indeed at that time the government of the United States was strenuously urging, in behalf of their citizens, upon France, a proposal precisely similar, which was finally acceded to, and large claims were in consequence subsequently paid by France into the treasury of the United States for the use of their citizens, and in the benefits of which it is believed the citizens of South Carolina largely participated.

It is earnestly, but most respectfully requested that the decision of 1824 may be deliberately reviewed. If this shall be done, the undersigned has an unshaken confidence that the final decision will be coincident with right and justice. He has for more than twenty years enjoyed an official residence in South Carolina. He has mingled with her people in social and private intercourse, and marked her public character with increased and settled attachment. He would fail to do himself justice, if he did not avail himself of this grateful opportunity, to express his conviction that there is no people or commonwealth more sensitively watchful of the claims of public and private justice, good faith and the inviolability of contracts.

He has the honor to offer to your Excellency the assurances o spectful consideration

X. DECHOISEUL.

[continued]



[continued]

9

TRANSLATION.

A copy of the contract made in Paris, on the 30th May, 1780, between Commodore Gillon and the Prince of Luxembourg, before Raffeneau and Semilliard, Notaries in the said Paris.

Before the undersigned Notaries, in Paris, were present,

Alexander Gillon, Commodore of the Navy of South Carolina, in America, usually residing in Charleston, but at present in Paris, Hotel des Baines d'Orleans, Rue de Richelieu;

Acting and stipulating in the name of the State of South Carolina, one of the United States of North America, in virtue of a resolution of the said State,) dated twenty-eighth of March, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, and in execution of a special commission given to him in consequence, by His Excellency Rawlins Lowndes, President and Commander-in-Chief of the said State, dated in Charleston on the seventh of July, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight, signed "Lowndes" on the fold and below, by order of His Excellency, signed "Jn. Huger," Secretary; sealed with the great seal of the said State, authenticated as well by Mr. Franklin, Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to France, on the twenty-seventh of September, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine, as by the Commissioner of the Congress of the said States, on the twenty-ninth day of September and tenth of October, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine, the original of which (Commission,) written in the English language, was presented to us by the said Gillon, together with a translation thereof, made in Paris by Mr. Delefridor, former Secretary Interpreter to the Department of Foreign this which he has authenticated yesterday, and which has been controlled this day in Paris by Lezan; which two documents are annexed to the minutes of these presents, after having been certified by the said Gillon, and signed and rubricated in presence of the undersigned Notaries.

The said Gillon, acting and contracting moreover in his own name, and guaranteeing, in his own individual name, the execution and fulfillment of the dispositions of the contract on the one part,

And Anne Paul Emmanuel Sigismond de Montmorency de Luxembourg, residing Hotel Montmorency, Tingry Rue de Varenne, as grantee for three years of the ship L'Indien, belonging to the King, according to the petition which the said Luxembourg presented to that effect, (to which petition, the King added his approved "Bon,) which "approved" is moreover authenticated by Mr. Sartine, Secretary of Navy for the State Department, on the first of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty. The said petition remains annexed to the minutes of these presents, after having been signed and rubricated by the said de Luxembourg, in the presence of the undersigned Notaries, on the other part

The said parties have declared as follows: Commodore Gillon, that the State of South Carolina, by its Decree or Resolution of 28th March, 1778, has resolved to build or to purchase three frigates or ship-of-war in foreign ports, and to cause them to be there equipped for its greater [continued]
Page 43

[continued]

10

safety and defence against the depredations of the enemies of the United States of America; that to this effect he has forwarded to Europe merchandise, produce and domestic fabrics, to the amount of five hundred thousand pounds that a part thereof has been taken by the enemy on the voyage, and that the remainder has not been sold to advantage; that foreseeing that its purpose might be retarded or frustrated, the said State has resolved that the public faith of the said State should be pledged to the reimbursement, at a certain period of such sums of money, in capital and interest, as might be borrowed in Europe, for the purpose of supplying and making up the deficiency which might exist after using the appropriation granted for the equipment of the said three frigates, and that Mr. Lowndes, Commander-in-chief of the State of South Carolina, who, in virtue of his office is charged with the execution of the said Decree or Resolution of the State, wishing to supply the deficiency accruing from the merchandise and produce, had commissioned Commodore Gillon, with the advice of the Privy Council of the said State, to negotiate in favor of the same State with any foreign Power or State, or with their subjects, a loan sufficient to supply the whole deficiency which might exist in the said sum of five hundred thousand pounds granted for the purpose of procuring the said frigates, and has declared that thereby the public faith of the said State was pledged to the reimbursement, to any Power State, Company, or foreign individuals, of all sums of money which might be borrowed by the said Commodore Gillon, to the ends aforesaid, and also the interest of money so borrowed,) on the terms and conditions stipulated and agreed upon by the lenders and the said Gillon; the same to be stated and expressed in a special manner, by a document to be signed by him, and to be sealed with his seal which document, so signed and sealed by him, should henceforth, at all times, bind the said State to the fulfillment of the conditions and stipulations therein contained and specified. The said Gillon, moreover, declared that in borrowing, for the the space of three years, a frigate or ship of war for account of the said State, he would the sooner fulfill the views of the State.

And the said de Luxembourg declared that by his said petition to theKing, he has asked for the grant, during three years, of the ownership, or rather use of the ship Indien, together with her cannons, sails and apparel, now in the port of Amsterdam; engaging to take that ship out of port, and to arm it, without asking for any sailors, and without claiming any indemnification in case that he should not be able to take it out of port, or that it should meet with damage.

Then said de Luxembourg has, moreover, declared in his petition, that relying on the goodness of the King, he hoped to be allowed to purchase the said ship, after the expiration of the three years, if the cruises in which it might be engaged should not be finished. In this conjuncture Commodore Gillon has proposed to the said de Luxembourg, to take into the service of the State of South Carolina the aforementioned ship, L'Indien, and to cede to him the use of the said ship; offering to equip and arm it at the expense of South Carolina, and to employ it, during three years, in the defence of the said State, against the depredations of the enemies of the States of America, who are the King's allies, and whose enemies are also the King's enemies; which proposal has been accepted [continued]





[continued]

11

by de Luxembourg; and as the parties wish to establish authentically the several conditions, which they have already made on the subject, they have agreed upon the following:

ART I. The said de Luxembourg has ceded, given up and abandoned to the State of South Carolina, one of the United States of North America, the use of the ship called L'indien, being at present in the Port of Amsterdam, with all her rigging, guns, &c., according to the respective accounts thereof, which will be delivered to Mr. Gillon in giving him possession of the said ship, and this during three years, to be computed from the day of the delivery of the ship to Mr. Gillon, which de Luxembourg will cause to be made immediately, for the service of the said State of South Carolina.

ART. II. Commodore Gillon, in his said quality, has promised and bound himself to get the ship out of the Port of Amsterdam in the space of six weeks, and out of the road of the Texel in the space of three months from the day of his taking possession of her during which time he shall be obliged to fit her out, and to man her, and to maintain her, in the same manner, during the course of her cruises, the whole at the expense of the said State, which shall be entirely responsible for all the damages and costs of the said ship, in the same manner as if she belonged to the said State.

ART. III. The said Mr. Gillon will take and keep the command of the said ship, during the said three years, according to the orders which he says he has received from the said State; and in case of sickness or death, his place shall be supplied by another officer of and appointed by the said State.

ART IV. The said ship shall not be employed in any other way than in cruising such seas as the said State shall choose, against the common enemies of the King and the States of America, and taking, if possible, their ships, vessels and property of what kind soever it may be.

ART V. All prizes made, all sums received by way of ransom, and in general all the benefits and advantages gained by the said ship, against or from the enemy, shall be sent to the most convenient ports of France, and consigned to Mr. Gerard, banker in Paris; and if circumstances shall render it impracticable to send these objects to France, the persons to whom they shall be entrusted shall be bound forthwith to remit, or account for the produce thereof, to the said Grand, whom the parties have chosen to receive and divide the same in France, according to the maritime laws of the State of South Carolina.

ART. VI. The nett produce of all prizes and ransoms to be made during the course of the said cruises shall be divided between the State of South Carolina, the said de Luxembourg, and the crew of said ship in such way, that the crew shall receive one half the State of South Carolina one quarter, and the said de Luxembourg the other quarter.

ART VII. Should it happen, contrary to the stipulation of the preceding fourth article, that the said ship shall be under the necessity of conveying any vessels or fleets, belonging to the United States, or be employed in any other operation for their service in that case, an indemnification shall be made to the said de Luxembourg in such manner as equity and justice may dictate to the State of South Carolina

ART. VIII. The said Mr. Gillon, in his quality heretofore mentioned, [continued]
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[continued]

12

has bound the said State, at its own expense, to send back the said ship, at the expiration of the three years before mentioned, to the port of Orient, where the said de Luxembourg shall receive her, in the situation in which she may then be furnished, however, with all her artillery; therefore if any of the guns shall be wanting, they shall be replaced by the said Mr. Gillon, or paid for in money to the said de Luxembourg, according to the estimate of experienced persons.

ART IX. If peace or any other circumstance should induce the said State to return the said ship before the expiration of the said three years, it shall be equally done at the expense of the said State, unto the Port of Orient, as mentioned in the preceding article.

ART 10. The present "treaty" being made on the following conditions, viz: In case the said ship shall be safely returned to the Port of Orient, as mentioned in the 8th and 9th articles preceding:

1st. A fourth part of the clear benefit arising from all prizes, ransoms and other advantages as stipulated in the 5th and 6th articles of this treaty.

2d. The sum of one hundred thousand livres, which the said de Luxembourg acknowledges to have received from the said Gillon, in letters of exchange, with which he is satisfied, and for which he has given his receipt and discharge to Mr. Gillon, for the State of South Carolina. And in case the ship should unfortunately be taken by the enemy, or perish at sea,

1st. The fourth part of the clear benefit of all prizes, ransoms, and other advantages, as mentioned in the 5th and 6th articles of the present treaty.

2d. And the sum of four hundred thousand lives, including the said hundred thousand livres. As to the remaining three hundred thousand livres, Mr. Gillon, in his said quality, and in his personal name, has promised the payment thereof, in specie to the said de Luxembourg, through the hands, and upon the receipts of the said Sieur Grand, before the expiration of the said three years, without any interest until that time.

ART. XI. For the guarantee and payment of the said sum of three hundred thousand livres, within the time before mentioned, the said Sieur Gillon has pledged the public faith of the said State, and has pledged and mortgaged generally all its property, domains, possessions and revenues. as well as his own, both present and future, in solido

ART. XII. The said Mr. Gillon, in his own personal name, has promised and obliged himself to cause the present treaty to be ratified by the State of South Carolina, in the space of nine months from this day; nevertheless, the want of ratification shall not impede its execution; the said de Luxembourg reserving to himself the right to notify these presents to the said State, through the Minister of France to the United States.

It is thus that the whole has been agreed and settled between the parties, who, for the execution of these presents have elected domicile, the said de Luxembourg, at the hotel of Luxembourg Fingry; and the said Mr. Gillon, in the residence of the said Mr. Grand, Rue Montmartre, at which domiciles, &c., notwithstanding, &c., promising, &c., pledging each one for himself, the said State of South Carolina, &c., the said Mr. Gilinside

Done and passed at Paris, in the office, the thirteenth day of May, 1780, before twelve, and the parties have signed the present minute and two [continued]



[continued]

13

copies thereof, on each of which three intruments of writing the parties have caused to be affixed the seal of their arms, after which each has taken and kept possession of his copy, signed thus: signed A. Gillon, on the side a seal bearing for cypher A. G. Montmorency Luxembourg, and next to it his seal. Raffemand and Semilliard, Notaries.



Follows the tenor of the documents annexed —

The Count de Luxembourg begs your majesty to have the goodness to grant to him, for three years, the property of the ship l'Indien, with her guns, sails and rigging, engaging to get her out of the port of Amsterdam, and to arm her without asking for sailors, and without claiming any indemnity in case he should not get her out of port, or that any damage should happen to the ship. He also hopes, from the goodness of your majesty, that he will be allowed to purchase the ship at the end of the three years, if the cruises in which it will be engaged be not terminated. The Count de Luxembourg is the more encouraged to make the request of your majesty, that it will be as advantageous to the State as it may be to his fortune.

There is written in the King's hand—(Bon) (approved.)

For "ampliation" of the Bon (approved of his majesty, at Versailles, this first day of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty. Signed De Sartine.

From his excellency Rawlins Lowndes, Esq., President and Commander-in-Chief of the State of South Carolina.

To all Kings, Princes, States and potentates and to all whom it may concern, greeting:

Whereas the State of South Carolina has resolved, for its greater safety and defence against the depredations of the enemies of the States of America, to cause to be built or bought three frigates or ship-of-war, in foreign ports; and that for that purpose, the State has caused to be bought and sent to Europe, merchandise and articles of produce of its soil and manufactures to the amount of five hundred thousand pounds, legal money of the said State, in order to enable it to treat in those foreign ports, and to complete the equipment of the said ships of war as soon as possible: But whereas the risks and dangers of the sea, as well as the enemy, can prevent the said merchandise from reaching safely the ports to which they are sent, or that the accumulated expenses of their conveyance in this time of war, in case of their arrival, might reduce the amount of net produce to a sum insufficient for the service to which it is destined, in which cases, or in either of those stated, the intentions of the State might suffer considerable delay, or be entirely frustrated; the Legislative power of the State of South Carolina, in order to supply the means of fulfilling the good views and intentions of the said State, and insuring their execution by effecting the equipment of the said frigates and their despatch with the greatest celerity, has determined, in its sitting of the twenty eighth day of the month of March last, that the public faith of that State "be pledged and is hereby pledged," for the re-imbursement, at a fixed time of the capital and interest of the sums of money whatsoever, which may be borrowed in Europe, to supply or fill the deficiency or failing of that granted for the fitting out of the frigates to be built or bought for the service of the said State. [continued]
Page 45

[continued]

14

Now, be it known to you, that by the advice of the Privy Council of this State, I have named and appointed Commodore Alexander Gillon to negotiate in favor of this State, with any power and foreign State, or with their subjects, a loan sufficient to supply the entire amount of the deficit which may be found in the above mentioned sum of five hundred thousand pounds, granted for the purpose of procuring the said frigates; and the public faith of that State is engaged by the presents to reimburse to all Powers, States, Companies or foreign individuals, all and each of the sums of money, which may be taken as loans by the said Commodore Alexander Gillon, for the purpose above specified, as well as the interest on the said sums, according to the terms and conditions agreed upon and stipulated between the lenders and the said Alexander Gillon, which will be expressed and declared in a special manner, in an instrument of writing signed by him and sealed with his seal, which said instrument of writing, bearing this signature and seal of the said Commodore, will bind henceforward, and at all times, this State to the fulfillment of the contents thereof, according to its tenor and the conditions and conventions therein specified.

In testimony whereof, I have signed below, with my hand, and caused the great seal of the said State to be affixed, at Charlestown, the 17th day of the month of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight. Signed: Lowndes. Beneath is written: By order of His Excellency. Signed: J. Huger, Secretary.

On the back are the three following "legalizations:

I certify by these presents that the signature of the herein enclosed powers, given by the Assembly and Council of the State of South Carolina to Commodore Gillon, Esq, is in the hand writing of His Excellency Rawlins Lowndes, Esquire, President of the said State of South Carolina, and that the seal affixed to it is really the seal of the said State, and that, consequently, faith is to be had to those powers.

Given at Passy, near Paris, the 27th day of September, 1779. Signed: B. Franklin, Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of North America in France.

I certify that the signature of the powers herein contained, given by the Assembly and Council of the State of South Carolina to Commodore Alexander Gillon, Esquire, is in the handwriting of His Excellency Rawlins Lowndes, Esquire, President of the said State of South Carolina, and that the seal affixed to it is really the seal of the said State, and that faith must be had to those powers Given at Paris, the 29th day of September, 1779, and sealed with the seal of my arms. Signed: Arthur Lee, Commissary Plenipotentiary of the Congress of the United States of America.

I certify by the presents that the signature of the powers herein contained, given by the Assembly and Council of the State of South Carolina to Commodore A. Gillon, Esquire, is in the hand-writing of His Excellency Rawlins Lowndes, Esquire, President of the said State of South Carolina, and that the seal affixed to it is really the seal of the said State, and that, consequently, faith must be had in the said powers. Given at Frankfort-on-the-Main, in Germany, under my signature and the seal of my arms, this tenth of October, 1779. Signed W. Lee, Commissary of the Congress of the United States of North America.

[continued]
Page 46

[continued]

15

I, Michael Julien Mathieu De Legidor, formerly Secretary Interpreter at the Department of Foreign Affairs, certify that the above copy is a true copy of the originals in the English language exhibited to me, and returned at Paris, this 29th of May, 1780, thus signed: Mathieu De Legidor.

Controlled at Paris, the 30th May, 1780. Received fourteen sols: signed Lezan, with a rubric.

In the fifth year of the French Republic, one and Indivisible, the twentieth day of Ventose collation of the presents was made by the notaries public, in the Department of the Seine, undersigned resident in Paris, on the minute of the said Act of Treaty, of which the preceding is a copy, and on the documents annexed to it, the whole in the possession of Citizen Bretal De Lagrange, one of them successor to the Citizen Semillard, formerly a notary.

Signed,
Poullier.
Bretal De Lagrange.

Certified as a true copy, taken of an authenticated copy to be submitted by Mr. Dantheran, to whom I have returned it, at the bottom of which copy are the "legalizations" of the President of the Civil Tribunal of the Department of the Seine, of the 29th Messidor, ninth year of the Republic; signed Berthereau. Lower down that of the Minister of Justice, dated Paris, the 4th Thermidor, ninth year; signed Abrial. And still lower that of the Minister of Foreign Relations, dated Paris, 9th Thermidor, ninth year; signed, Charles Maurice Talleyrand, and countersigned by the Chief of Division, D ' Hermond, with the seal in the margin. At Columbia, South Carolina, the 30th of November, 1807. The Consul by Interim of France residing in Charleston.

Signed,
CHANCOGNIE.
Columbia, December 2, 1807.

I have compared this at the request of Mr. Chancognie with the original, duly authenticated, and find it a true copy.

Signed,
THOS. LEE.
Page 47

p 203 - Sep 76 - To my two boys 2 1/2 mos to repair the wat p To rations per Do,

" 204 Mch 77 - My boy 18 mos at #6. more to able - #126

" 216 Aug 23 - Brig Chance   Joshua's apr 8/4 - 

" 219 U S to Joshua Mercereau Dept ten of Brig can 
Dec 1777 —

p 222 Mercereau Travelling expenses from Boston to Philadelphia
[illegible] al campber - to Virginia towns, Charlotte, [illegible], Orange, Fairview, [illegible] - 2 -

Provision deliver from Feb 6 to June 30 1778
" Jun 30 " Sept 27  "
" Sep 27 78 to Feb 28 1795
" Sep 20 "

Joshua Mercereau Rc. Travelling expenses excertins prison oSep 1778 (US Cash Buck)

July 26 75 - John Mercereau svo a home for the U Sc ofcer,  receipt for by Joshua Mercereau his letter.

DR
Page 48

  12
    6
----------
6 | 240
    --------
         40


  12
    2

  24
    6
----------
  30


  17 1/2
    8
-----------
  136
      4
------------
  140


8 mos $30
8     "   $35 - 


  120
  140
-----------
 $260
     26.66
------------
  $286.66


  286.66
          75
-----------
 143330
 57332
------------
  7166,50
Page 49

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
DEAPRTMENT OF STATE,

To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting:

I Certify, That the paper annexed is a true copy (with immaterial variations in the orthography of a few of the words) of a document existing among the Revolutionary Archives in this Department.

In testimony whereof, I, William H. Seward, SECRETARY OF STATE of the United States, have hereunto subscribed my name  and caused the seal of the Department of State to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington, this thirty-first day of March, A. D. 1862, and of the Independence of the United States of America the eighty-sixth.

William H. Seward.
Page 50

V. 450 - Vol.

copy
No 41. - vol 6. M.

His Excellency the President of Congress, in Congress assembled.

The Memorial of Joshua Mersereau, late Deputy Commissary General of Prisoners humbly sheweth [illegible] at the time when your memorialist was in office, his bounty was very extensive, which obliged your memorialist to [illegible] great expense in travelling to the different parts of all the [illegible] states, frequently for the purpose of securing providing for, and exchanging the prisoners there under your [illegible] care, and which obliged your memorialist to emp[loy] his son John Mersereau and others, as Assistants, which your memorialist paid for these services while in [illegible] England. The Auditors of Accounts say they [illegible] allow the travelling expenses of your memorialist, or [illegible] for John Mersereau's services, as they were not autho[rized] by Congress to pay any that had not an appointment Deputy from the Commissary General, though he [illegible] service, and for less pay and by order from the Comm General of Prisoners. The great hardship your Memorialst has laboured under during this contest, by receiving his pay and disbursements which still due from June, 1779, the heavy losses he has susta[ined] while devoting his whole service to obtain and [continued]
Page 51

[continued] port the glorious cause he engaged in, induces your memorialist to hope that Congress will give your Memorialist such redress as to them, in their wisdom shall seem just and equitable, by directing the Auditor to pay his travelling expenses, with the wages [illegible] John Mersereau, or give him such other relief as [illegible] seem most advisable, and your memorialist will as in duty bound ever pray.

(signed) Joshua Mersereau



Richmond County,
State of New York
March 3d. 178.
(G.C.)
Page 52

Dr. Joshua Mersereau late Deputy Commissary of Provisions. his account in specie    6r

1790
July 31. 2146. To Sundry .......... $2634.86

1790
July 31. 2146. By Salaries & Expenses .......... $2634.86



Treasury Department
Registers Office Jany. 23 1845

I Certify the above to be a true transcript from the Records of this office

F.S. Smith Regr.
Page 53

Quit



Treasury Department
Registers Office Aug 16. 1842

The within is an extract from the Revolutionary Records in this office - 

F.S. Smith 
Regr
Page 54

Registers Office New York 31 July 1790

Salaries & Expenses of Land & Naval Commissary's of Prisoners
In specie     Dr

To Joshua Mersereau late Depy. Commy &c. by as of delts.

For two thousand six hundred thirty four dollars & 86/90 viz
is 21 mo. at $50 pmonth as per statement $1.050

For the Balance of his account of Subsistence
for the above mentioned time . . . . 119.30   1.169.30

For the pay of his assistant from 1 June 1779.
to the 23 Decem 1780. at $40 pmo as pr statement  750.60

For the balance of his account of Subsistance
for the above mentioned time . . . . . 113.30   8.62  "

For the amount of Sundry Expenditures for
his Department $291.84

For detto    Escorting prisoners of war   152.41

For the amount of an account of Expenses
agreeably to a resolution of Congress of 4 Sep.
1786. Payment   157.21

dollars 2.634.86
Page 55

Agreeably to the provisions of the Act of Congress of 3d March, 1855, granting Bounty Land to the surviving Officers and soldiers of the Revolution (their widows minors heirs,) who had served in the. Land or Naval Forces for 14 days, and who had not been provided for by any previous act, —

Joshua Mersereau filed his application for Bounty Land on the 1st of June, 1855, and in his sworn Declaration stated, that he claimed the benefits of said Act of Congress in consideration of his services, 1st as a Deputy Commissary in the War of the Revolution, and referred the proper Officers of the Government to the Record evidence then on file in his Pension Account, then in charge of the Commissioner of Pensions.

The Act granting Bounty Land then required that the party applying should produce record evidence to sustain his Declaration otherwise he could not be embraced in its benefits. This Record Evidence, therefore, that he served as a Deputy Commissary was sought for and found by the Commissioner, and it being deemed sufficiently satisfactory to his mind that the applicant [continued]
Page 56

[continued] did serve as he stated, that on the 17th August, 1855, he issued to the claimant Bounty Land in the following manner, and thereby virtually admitted the claimant's right to all the benefits accruing from said Record evidence.

Form of Land Certificate issued to Joshua Mersereau:

"Act of 3d March, 1853.
"160 Acres.
"Joshua Mersereau, Assistant Commissary
"Revolutionary War.
"Issued 17th August, 1855 — No 3.792.

(signed) J. Minot"

{seal of Interior Department}

The Pension Office, when requested that this Record Evidence which had been deemed satisfactory in the claimants application for Land, might now be received and admitted for the increase of pension due the claimant as an Assistant Commissary, refused the application, and stated verbally that the issue was made to him as an Assistant Commissary was by mistake.
Page 57

Mr Sperry
For papers 
Col
Page 58

PENSION OFFICE,
May 31, 1855.

SIR:

The claim of Joshua Mersereau No. 155244 for Bounty Land under the Act of March 3, 1855, has been received, and will be attended to in its turn. It is therefore respectfully requested that every applicant will wait a reasonable time before making application to know what has been done in relation to his or her claim. All applications will be disposed of as fast as the nature of the business will admit, and immediate notice given to the parties, or their agents, who are requested to furnish the No. of the application, and the act of Congress under which the claim arises, in all their communications.

I am, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
L. P. WALDO,
Commissioner.

W E Kennaugh Esq
Present
Page 59

Pension

In May 1782. the ship South Carolina having arrived at Philadelphia from Holland under Commodore Gillard, John James Captain. I was engaged as a carpenter on board of that ship at the time above stated and performed t he duties of work & which until she was repaired, which was in September of the same year.

I was one of the Crew of the ship when she sailed which was on or about the twenty 1st of December same year. We were [illegible] by their British ships, the Diomede, the Austrich and the Quebec, we were captives, and in the battle I received a wound in my leg which has never since healed. I was conveyed with the rest of the crew of the South Carolina to New York, and just on board of the Scorpion prison ship on or about the last of January I was permitted to retire on pact and remained a prisoner in most relations until peace was ratified by treaty in 1784. —

"The board of treasury having requested the directive of Congress, relation to Prisoners of the [illegible], who were taken prisoner, and returned by the enemy, in their parts, a who made their escape, be allowed key to the time of their return home.

May 15. 1777

[continued]
Page 60

[continued] Continental Officers in the land service are to receive pay so long as they remain officers of the U.S. troops they may have been captured or parolled.—

Officers of the flying troop or militia, who have been in may be admitted to men's parte are to be paid for so long a time in the [illegible] under their caputive one as and mite service. Jany. 19. 1778. Journals Cong. Vol. 2, 41.0
Page 61

Journals of Congress
4th Volume.

(12)



1840
    80
-------
1760
1782
-------
. . 22
Page 62

Joshua Mersereau. N.Y. Act 1832.

See Journal of Congress Vol. 4 page 694.

"Resolved, That the Comptroller, in settling the account of Joshua Mersereau, be directed to pass to his credit, all such necessary sums of money as may appear to have been disbursed by him in. the hire of John Mersereau, as an assistant, while acting as deputy commissary of prisoners.

"Resolved, That the Comptroller be."
Page 63

Tioga Co Penna
Page 64

Brief in the case of Joshua Mersereau.
Tioga County and State of Pennsylvania.
act 7th June 11832.

Claim, ("original,")

Proof exhibited, (if original.)


Is it documentary, traditionary, or supported by rolls? If either, state the substances.

Joshua served nine months and twenty six days as a Seaman on board the Frigate South Carolina, proved by John L. Mersereau: Abijah Hunt (who was a pensioner for the same service), and by the certificate of the comptroller of South Carolina, to.
His identity is proved by Levi Bigelow, Abijah Hunt, John La Grange &c.

Charles H. Rhett.
Examining Clerk.

Name and residence of Agent
W. E. Kennaugh Esqr.
Present.
Page 65

Pension Office,
June 25. 1860.

Sir, I herewith return the "Documentary Book and accompanying papers belonging to the claim of Joshua Mersereau" which were sent to your committee with my letter of the 10th of April last, and which were received at this office this day, having been returned, as stated in your letter of Saturday, by mistake.

Very respectfully, &c,
G Whiting
Commissionoer.



Hon. John F. Potter,
Chr. Come. Rev. Pensions,
House of Reps. }
Page 66

Pension Office, June 25/60

This letter and the book and paper referred to in it were not sent, for the reason that the request of the committee was not received and distributed until after eleven o'clock and it was perceived that Congress had adjourned at 12 o'clock and consequently before the package could reach the House — 

It was deemed safer by the Commissioners to keep the book and papers in possession of the office until they should be again called for when Congress meets, than to risk them at this moment of confusion. — Safe for the interests of the parties of whose instans they were desired - and for the government

RD
Page 67

Com. Rooms, Rev. Pensions
April 9th 1860.

Geo. C. Whiting Esq.
Com. of Pensions

Sir:  In the case of Mary Reese, of Madison Co. N.C. will you please forward the Committee the papers in your office in relation to this claim together with the reasons for its rejection.

The Committee have also an application of the Heirs of John V. Mersereau, that the amount of pension due their Father during his life time may be paid them. The documentary evidence in support of their claim, it is stated, is now filed in your office, in the [continued]
Page 68

[continued] admitted claim of Joshua Mersereau, jun. who served as an Assistant Commissary in the Revolutionary War, and who was pensioned under Act of 7th June, 1832.

 Please forward whatever evidence appears, as to the precise time of John Mersereau's service as an Assistant Commissary.

Very Respectfully
Your Obt Serv
Arthur W. Fletcher Clerk
per order of the Chairman



St Geo. C. Whiting
Com of Pensions
Washington
D.C.
Page 69

Please report to me
The facts to me —
J.M
Page 70

Washington, Sept. 24, 1855

Josiah Minot. Esq.
Com. of Pensions

Sir: The claim of Joshua Mersereau, and Assistant Commissary, Revolutionary War, now pending under Act of 7th June 1832: I beg leave to file, as additional material evidence, and which was not before your predecessor, (Hon L. P. Wlado,) at the time the last decision was made, Land Warrant No. 3.792, issued on the 17th August, 1855, to "Joshua Mersereau, Assistant Commissary, Revolutionary War,"

The claim now pending is for the pension due as an Assistant Commissary; &c. [continued]
Page 71

[continued] the evidence upon which the Land Warrant was issued, and which the Department deemed satisfactory and conclusive, the claimant conceives should be now received and admitted as material evidence, the Department having given its official [illegible] to the character and nature of the evidence

I have the honor to be, Sir,
Very respectfully
Your ob't serv't
W.. E.. Kennaugh
Page 72

Department of State.
Washington, Augt. 5, 1850.

J. L. Edwards, Esqr.
Commissioner of Pensions.

Sir,

In reply to your letter of the 20th. ultimo. I have to inform you, that the examination made of the "Washington Papers," furnishes no "evidence of the service of Joshua Mersereau, of New York, in the Commissary or Quarter Master's Department in the War of the Revolution."

I am, Sir, respectfully,
Your obedient servant.

Danl Webster
Page 73

Department of State.
Washington, Augt.. 8. 1850.

J.L. Edwards, Esquire,
Commissioner of Pensions.

Sir,

Since the letter of the Department of the 5th.. instant, in relation to Joshua Mersereau, was addressed to you, the following information has been found.

In a paper of the Revolutionary files, dated "Treasury office, December 7. 1778 - the Committee on the Treasury beg leave to report the following Resolutions" —

"That upon the application of the Board of War and Ordnance, a Warrant issue on the Treasurer in favor of Joshua Mersereau, Commissary of Prisoners in the State of Massachusetts Bay, for four Thousand Dollars; to be charged," etca..

"That upon the same application, another Warrant [continued]
Page 74

[continued] "Warrant issue on the Treasurer in favor of the said Joshua Mersereau, for sixteen Hundred and ninety seven Dollars and 40/90 ths, to be charged," etca,,.

The Indexes of these papers are so imperfect, that no care in search would have discovered this information, but fir its accidental presentation.

I am Sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient Servant,

David Webster



S. File 7,224.
Joshua Mersereau Juns_
N.Y. Va. Sea Service, Com. Dept.
Page 75

33.301

"Pennsylvania   Phila"

Joshua Mersereau,

in the State of [blank]
who was a Seaman in the [blank] commanded
on board Ship S. Carolina
by Captain [blank] of the [blank] commanded
by [blank] in the Revolution
line for 6 months & 26 days.

Inscribed on the Roll of Philadelphia,
at the rate of 39 Dollars 40 Cents per
annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 18th.. day of 
April 1855. and Sent to
W.E. Kennaugh,
Present

Arrears to the 4th of [blank]
Semianl. allowance ending [blank]

{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by G.T. Getty Clerk
Book E. Vol. 5. Page 42



WE Kennaugh
Sep 5 1855

To same

Sept. 28. 1855
Secy Intr Mr 8 1853
same Mch 7 1856
Decisions affirmed
Aug see letter to 
WE Kennaugh Apl 3 1856



Mersereau, Joshua
Con-NY-Sea Ser. & Va.
S7224



[circular stamp reading as follows:]
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES
Page 76

p. 85

Washington July 9/50
Th. Simpkin

Asks that the commissioner of Pensions be directed to set it an examination of the Washington Papers in the State Department to establish the services of Joshua Mersereau, as Commissary during the Revly. War.

JW Ames

Refd. to Comm of Pensions

Dep. Interior
July 17. 1850 }



Mr. Heath is one of my constituents &  I should be glad to oblige him, but as he has corresponded with R. Simpkin of this city. the Secretary of the Interior will please regard Mr. Simpkin to the writer of this letter

H. S. Conger
Page 77

Washington, D.C.
July 9th, 1850.

Sir, 

Mr. Harvey Heath of New York desires me to call up the case of Joshua Mersereau, who made an application under the Act of 7th June 1832, from New York and was rejected. He now desires me to ask the Commissioner of Pensions to address a letter to Hon. Secretary of State for an examination of the Washington Papers for proof of the said Joshua Mersereau's service as a Commissary in the Revolution, and that the case may receive the benefit of such examination if the service can be established.

I have the honor to be
for with great res
Your obt st

Hon Tho Ewing
Secy of the Dept. of the  Interior
Page 78

Dec 15. '47
Gage
Mersereau
Baker
D6



Hn D Rumsey, Jr.
ND
Page 79

Ho. Reps. 15 Dec 1847

Com. of Pensions

Sir.

Ludinda Hamlin married Elijah Gould in July 1792. Her husband she was in the revolutionary service at Scoharrie in the State of New York & at other places. She is unable to state the names of the officers. Please examine whether the records furnished ncy evidence of the services of Elijah Gould sufficient to enable his widow to draw a pension.

Joshua Mersereau in 1840 made application for pension under the act of June 132 - What is the situation of that application & what further is necessary on his part?

Same wi Baker made a similar application several years since made same act & I desire to learn how his case stands - 

Very Respy
Yr Obt Servt
D. Rumsey Esq
Page 80

Washington, Feb. 7, 1855

Hon L. P. Waldo,
Com. of Pensions

Sir: I have received your letter of the 1st of Feb. inst. I know noting of the papers about the Count de Choiseul to which you refer. I called on OMr. Westcott this morning to ascertain what they were. The Frigate South Carolina was in the "public naval service" and was a part of the "public naval force" of the United States in the Revolution, and was so regarded then and since, and Pensions have been granted to persons who served on board of her, and amongst them, one to Abijah Hunt, as a Midshipman. Enemon's semi=official book of the American Navy, published by authority of the Department and all the Revolutionary Naval documents, show this. Mr Westcott says the De Choiseul pamphlets does not show differently, as far as he recollects it, and that it is a statement made to obtain a claim. by De Choiseul on South Carolina, and it is, I learn, an exparte statement, which should not prejudice a third party. I shave never seen it. As to Mr Mersereau's name being on the Rolls of this ship "Jos," and not "Joshua," I am surprised at such an objection by any man who knows that this is the abbreviation [continued]
Page 81

[continued] as well for "Joshua" or "Joseph," and the idea of a sailor's name being in all cases spelt correctly by a Clerk of the ship, is really strange.

All I want in this case is for the whole truth to come out. I desire, if I cannot get this claim allowed by the office, to place is before Congress at this session, and I intend to advertise for proof for and against it, as I suggested. I will myself furnish and pay for a copyist to copy those the papers of which I have not copied, to have them printed for Congress and my own use. If you are averse to certifying them, I shall not insist on that.

I am satisfied if the correspondence of Gen. Washington in the State Department, and especially his accounts for contingent expenses, and his letters to his officers, under whom Mr. Mersereau served, are fully examined in the case, satisfactory evidence may be found of his application being founded on legal service, as he has sworn. I prefer that you should apply for it, I want nothing that is not fair and right, and if evidence is found there against him, I am willing it should come out.

You do not notice in your letter the citations I referred you to. I herewith enclose you two depositions of identity, &c. just received, - one of Judge John Le Grange, of New York, and of Judge [continued]
Page 82

[continued] Bigelow, of Pennsylvania, which I pray you read for yourself. I am persuaded if you would find time to carefully read all the papers for yourself, you would have no hesitation about the case.

Please give me an answer to my request to=day if you can.

Very Respectfully
Your ob't serv't
W.. E.. Kennaugh
Page 83

To Mr Harlen
The Secretary of The Interior,

Im to one of am Joshua Mersereau, an applicant for a pension under the Act of Congress 1832, & an assistant commissary in the war of the Revolution a service by him and against the claim your Commissioner of Pensions.

In this decision the applicant thinks there is error, & he [illegible] progress an appeal to you [continued]
Page 84

[continued] Department.

Hoping that the [illegible] which I granted, I am [illegible] a day since from to hearing or may send concerning , he is your [illegible]. Sire?

Joshua Mersereau
by Richard Johnson
his Counsel.

& act.
2 him 2 '55.
Page 85

Reverdy Johnson
Baltimore _ Maryland
November 2d 1855

Appeals from the decision
of the Commr of Pensions
on behalf of Joshua 
Mercereau, an applicant
for Pension as Asst Commissary 
under Act of 7th June 1832

Respectfully referred to
the Comm of Pensions
for a Report

Dept Int
Nov 30/'55 }

Geo C Whiting
Chp Clk

Cole

[illegible]

3 Mo. 1855,
Page 86

& act. 2 Au ? 55

My office;

I suppose it was sent your letter in your hands next to full in preparing for to your applicant of Congress, to him to appeal pages in the accompanying papers some time in Dec?

If so, I will ask you to [illegible] it up on same [continued]
Page 87

[continued] day in that hand, that may be [illegible] to you - 

Can I do so? An ans in reply, will oblige,


In  priv, I obet. servt.
Reverdy Johnson

House
Mr M Checan

Week 2
Page 88

Department of the Interior
Washington March 3 1856.

Sir

For the satisfaction of the Hon Reverdy Johnson, the Attorney in the case of Joshua Mersereau, I herewith return the papers connected therewith; together with his argument, for your opinion thereon, as well also upon the new facts, presented in the papers accompanying it.

I am, very respectfully,
Your obet Servt
R McClelland
Secretary



Hon J Minot
Comms of Pensions }
Page 89

Copy of the
report of the
Secretary of the
Interior.
Page 90

Copy

Department of the Interior
Washington, April 2d 1856

Sir

Your decision in the case of Joshua Mersereau, a claimant for increase of Pension as Assistant Commissary of Prisoners, in the War of the Revolution, has been fully affirmed.

The papers accompanying your reports thereon, are herewith returned to your office.

I am very respectfully
Your Obdt Servt
Signed / R McClelland
Secretary



Hon J Minot
Comms of Pensions

original filed with the Commissioner
Page 91

Washington, June 16th 1836.

Hon. Jas. Minot
Com of Pensions

Sir: I herewith transmit additional evidence in the claim of Joshua Mersereau as Deputy Commissary of Prisoners, under the Act of 7th June, 1832.

By examining papers marked Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, enclosed in the old Account Book, the name of Joshua Mersereau, jun. will appear, with the amount of monthly pay rations, &c. all agreeing with the original Declaration made by the claimant.

His Father, Joshua Mersereau, sen. served as Deputy Commissary General, and his Brother John served also as an Assistant. His Brother John testifies that in 1778, he found the present claimant at Rutland serving as Deputy Commissary of Pensions.

I have your permission to withdraw the several papers filed which are not deemed material to the present claim.

I am, Sir,
Very Respectfully
Your obt servant
W E Kennaugh
Page 92

N. York City July 21st 59.

Sir

I have recd. your answer to my note, and thank you for your early attention

I am anxious to know if there has been a pension obtained for Joshua Mersereau within the last three years - and if so, the amt. recd. also if there has ever been any thing done about a pension for John L. Mersereau - brother of Joshua (both now deceased) if so. what has been done. if nothing, and the amt. of his brother's has been recd. I would like to know what changes in law (if any) is to be acted upon by Congress in favor of Pensions to the heirs of Revolutionary Officers and soldiers before any thing can be done for the heirs of John L. Mersereau.

[continued]
Page 93

[continued] after receiving from you. the desired information. I can better explain my reasons for making this request - 

With true Respect
Fanny C. Kelsey
Staton Is



Geo C Whiting Esq.
Washington DC. }
Page 94

Committee Room
Revolutionary Pensions
23d Jun '60

Dear Sir - 

The Documentary Book & accompanying papers belonging to the Claim of Joshua Mersereau. a pensioner as Act of 7th Jun 1833 was this day sent by you by mistake. Please return the same to the Committee by [illegible] mailing them

Yours Truely
Jno F. Potter
Chairman

Attn: Geo C. Whiting
Com of Pensions



This book has not been received
Page 95

STATE OF NEW YORK,
Chenango Co. Clerk's Office, } ss.

I, ALFRED PURDY, Clerk of said county, DO HEREBY CERTIFY that Levi Bigelow Esq whose name is subscribed to the certificate of the proof or acknowledgement of the subjoined instrument, and thereon written, was at the time of taking such proof or acknowledgement, a Judge of the Court of Common pleas in and for said county, duly authorised to take the same, and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing, and verily believe his signature to the said certificate of proof or acknowledgement to be genuine.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said county this 2nd day of October A.D. 1840

A. Rudy Clerk
By H. C. Rexford Dep Clerk



I Josiah Bidwell a Justice of the Peace of the town of Sterling do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Abijah hunt in the annexed affidavit named and that he is a man of truth and veracity and entitled to credit as a witness

Dated Sterling August 11th 1840 Josiah Bidwell Justice



New=York State,
Cayuga County, } ss.

I, WILLIAM RICHARDSON, Clerk of said County, certify that Josiah Bidwell Esq. was, on the 11th day of August 1840 a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, duly qualified: And that I knew his hand writing, and believe the signature on the annexed instrument, purporting to be his, is genuine.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed the seal of said County, and set my hand this 29th day of August 1841

Geo Warren Foster
Dep Clerk
Page 96

FREE

[postmark]
BATH N.Y.
NOV
24



Nov 30 1840

N.Y.
Joshua Mersereau
Act 1832



J. L. Edwards Esq
Comm of Pensions
Washington 
DC
Page 97

New York. Steuben Co
Bath 24 Nov 1840

D Sir

Enclosed I hand you the declaration of Joshua Mercereau, to obtain a pension for him also the affts of Niessn Hunt & Mercereau as to his revolutionary services - I think you will find the papers correct & the proof abundant - 

Allow me to solicit your earliest attention examining these papers

Yours truly
R Campbell Jr



Edwards Esq
Coms of Pensions
Page 98

Lindley H. Decreet 1839
Steuben Co. N.Y.

Dear Sir

The old acct Book of my Father which you kindly forward to me with the enclosed letter came duly no hand

I was much pleased to receive the Old Relic though it is not of much use only as a memento of the long past

Yours Respectfully
T.L. Mersereau
Page 99

Philadelphia, May 29/55

Hon. L. P. Waldo
Com of Pensions.

Sir: I herewith transmit the Declaration of Joshua Mersereau for Bounty Land agreeable to the late Act of Congress.

For proof of service reference can be made to his pension papers, now on file per Act of June, 1832. for Pennsylvania.

Very Respectfully
Yours
W.. E.. Kennaugh

Direct the Warrant to me at
Washington City.
Page 100

File No.. 33.301
Navy Claim

Bounty Land Certificate
No. 3972-160 acres 
Act of 55 -

John Mersereau
& seaman on Board
U.S.S. "South Carolina"

Letter & receipt for
Book to be filed
with claim on
Dec 13. 1879.

Evans Clk
Page 101

N.O.W. and B. L. Div
W.B.C
MAG

Department of the Interior.
PENSION OFFICE.

Washington D.C. Nov. 18. 1879

Dear Sir

Please furnish this Office with the names and present Post Office address of some of the descendants of Joshua Mersereau - late a Soldier in the Revolutionary War.

Mr. Mersereau made application for pension in 1840 and a large Account Book - containing "Documentary Evidence" was filed in this Office in Evidence, by W. E. Kennaugh Esq. attorney for claimant. The Book was forwarded to the attorney in this city by Theodore Mersereau who resided in or near your Town and within the delivery of your office in 1860.

Please return this letter with your reply in the enclosed envelope.

Very respectfully
Commissioner

Post Master
Lindley Town
Steuben Co.
N.Y.



Theodore Mersereau was a Grandson of Joshua Mersereau
Page 102

[partial stamp visible as follows:]
[DEP]T OF. THE INTERIOR
DEC 
12
1879
PENSIONS OFFICE.



Evans

RSC
Page 103

NAW

Department of the Interior.
PENSIONS OFFICE.

Washington, D.C. Dec 1. 1879

Dear Sir

I herewith transmit to your address the old Acct Book which was forwarded to this Office by your time-honored Father. to be filed in evidence - when he made application for pension in 1846.

Please acknowledge the receipt of the Book and return this letter with your reply.

Very Respectfully
Commissioner

Theodore L. Mersereau
Lindley Town P.O.
Steuben County
N.Y.
Page 104

Affidavit of John L Merserea[u]

John L Mersereau formerly of Guilford County of Chenango and state of New York and now of Tioga Township Tioga County and state of Pennsylvania on his solemn Oath doth depose and say that to the best of his knowledge and belief, the British Fleet with Troops Came to Sandy Hook in July 1776 as stated in the accompanying declaration of Joshua Mersereau

That deponent retreated with said Joshua, and that said Joshua was during t hat summer and fall engaged in various ways in the service of his Country 

When the British came to Newark New Jersey said Joshua retreated with the army in Company with said Deponent to New Brunswick. when our army began their retreat towards the Delaware, we parted said Joshua to continue with army and said Deponent for tother purposes to remain. In the winter of 1778 said Deponent found said Joshua at Rutland Mt. acting as assistant Commisary Prissioners. In April said, Joshua quit that department and started for New Jersey. In the summer of 1779 Deponent saw said Joshua in Philadelphia. Said Deponent did not see said Joshua again until April 1783 when said Joshua informed said Deponent he had been taken prisoner and was then on parole. The meeting was in Elisabeth Town in New Jersey. said Joshua also infor [continued]
Page 105

[continued] med said Deponent that said Joshua had been wounded in the leg on board the South Carolina and which wound said Deponent knows to have been very troublesome to said Joshua ever since. And also that said wound has been a cause of lameness to him ever since. and further saith not

J L. Mersereau

Sworn and subscribed before me this 15th day of May AD. 1848
C. H. Place J peace



State of Pennsylvania
Tioga County } ss.

I, C. H. Place the Justice of the Peace before whom the above affidavit of John L. Mersereau was taken, do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with the said John L Mersereau & believe him to be entitled to full credit.

C. H. Place J. peace



State of Pennsylvania
Tioga County ss. }

I John H Donaldson prothonotary of the court of Common Pleas of said county Certify that C. H. Place, Esq. is a magistrate as above and that the signature purporting to be his, is genuine. - In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal of office at Wellsboro, the sixteenth day of May A.D. 1840. —

J. F. Donaldson, Prothy.
of Tioga County
Page 106

Joshua Mersereau's
Acct. Current
from 1st June 1779 to
31st March. 1780



Quit
Page 107

[text taken from ledger book]

Joshua Mersereau Dep: Com.' Genl. Pris Acct. Current, With John Betty Esqr Com. Genl. Pris/ for the United States

1788
March 31 - 

To my Wages from 1 June 1779 is 10 Months 24 Days
at 50 Dols. & subsistance 30 is olo — . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260  11  6

To John Mersereau, Wages 10 months 24 days at 60 Dols 195  9  4

Thos. Burges as a servt. 10 months at 30/- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 0 -

To Disbursements as pr. bills A Wanshen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75  15  6

To Expenditures as pr. bill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85  7  8 1/4

L 632  4  0 1/4



Contra    Ctd.
Jan. 1780
by Cash 2000 Slts in L 600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20  13  9

by ballance Due . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611  10 3 3/4

L 632  4  0 1/4



[illegible] Excpt - Joshua Mersereau
Page 108

Sir:

Your letter of the 24" Ulto: is before me. in reply You are informed that. upon
Page 109

Pen Act 32 Pa.
Page 110

[left margin of page is missing]

35,132

Joshua Mersereau
N.Y.

Kennaugh Nov 11 1854
Same Nov 14 1857
Do  :  22 1814

G. Hastings 17 Jany. 1855.
E. Kennaugh Feb. 1/55.

letters see inside env -

th June 1832
Page 111

Rifle regiments

Hon Reverdy Johnson
lee these finishes
all of amt. - let
and be made out
& presents same - 

Feby 27/56
Page 112

Proceedings Continental Congress, July 9, 1776:

"The Board of War brought in a Report, That Abraham Sheppard be appointed Captain of the Virginia Rifle Company, &c."



Proceedings Cont. Cong. June 27, 1776:

Resolved, That six companies of Riflemen, in addition to the tree companies now at New = York, be raised, and the whol regimented; and that a commission be granted to Capt. Stepenson to be Colonel of said Regiment of Riflemen, which is to be inlisted for 3 years, unless sooner discharged by Congress: That the eldest Moses Rawlings, from Maryland, lately of the Rifle Companies. be Lieutenant Colonel, and the Captain of the other Company Otho Holland Williams, Major of said Regiment. That 4 companies of said Riflemen be raised in Virginia, and 2 in Maryland
Page 113

Joshua Mersereau
Penna

Inc. June 7 1832

8 mos L. C. Pris }   120
"   "   "   "   "   195.50
6  " Seaman     24
_________________________
$339.50

A year from 4 Mch 1831

Deducting $39.40



Certh
W E Kennaugh by
Percent
Page 114

Affidavit of
John L Mersereau



4.
Page 115

A case of appeal
from Coms. Pensions,
 Hon. Reverdy Johnson
wishes it to rest on 
Coms. report, until
he can file assignment
& as he is very busy - 
wishes true,  - No objection
to it -

Note
Nov 9/55 -
Page 116

Joshua Mersereau.
Pa.

Admitted.
Act 7th June 1832.

9 mos. 26 days Seaman. $39.40
from 4th March 1831.



Pay Joshua Mersereau.



Certificate to,
W.E. Kennaugh Esqr.
Present.
Page 117

Joshua Mersereau, pensioned Act
of 7th June, 1832, Penn.

Com Room Sep 8th 1855
Page 118

Joshua Mersereau, now 97 years old, being blind, and unable to sign his name, or appear in Court, gives the following, in addition to his former declaration:

"That he entered upon the duties of Assistant Commissary of Prisoners, and received an apointment as such, on the 14th October, 1777, and that he was stationed at Rutland, Massachusetts, and that he was connected with, and remembered the following persons, while so discharging the duties of Assistant Commissary:

"Dr. Frink
"Zachery Gates } Selectmen of the Town of Rutland, Mass. where he was stationed

"Col. Davis
Capt. George } Assistant Commissary at Rutland.

"Capt. Dickey
"Robert Pope } Ass. Commissary of Prisoners at Boston, Mass.

"Also recollects Robert Dunn, who served as a Teamster or Waggon Master, and whom he recollected meeting in New - York City after the War.

"That his service as Assistant Commissary terminated on the 28th day of April, 1779."

He also gives the following list of prisoners [continued]
Page 119

[continued from previous page: He also gives the following list of prisoners] who served with him on board the Continental Ship South Carolina, and taken prisoners in 1782.

List of Officers of the Ship South Carolina in May, 1782:

"Commodore Gillon
Capt. John Joiner
— Maston, 1st Lieut.
Wm White, 2d do.
— Fitzgerald, 3d do.
— Bull, 4th do.
Thos. Aldrich, Sailing Master.
— Robinson, do. Masters Mate.
— Hicks, 1st Mate
— Hamilton 2d do.
Abijah Hunt, Midshipman
John Laborte, do.
Wm. White, do.
— Dana, do.
— Langdon, Gunner.
— Porender, Boatswain
— Marshal, 2d do.
— McFairland, 3d. Surgeon's Mate

I certify the foregoing dates and names to be correct List as detailed by Joshua Mersereau in July, 1854, in conversation

(*pensioned 1832, N.Y.)

[continued]
Page 120

[continued] with him concerning his Commissary service, and also his sea service; having copied them at the time, in pencil mark, the original of which is now in my possession; His extreme age prevents his attendance at the Court in order to make this addition to his former Declaration.

W.. E.. Kennaugh
Page 121

Know all men by these presents That I Joshua Mersereau of the Town of Lindley and the County of Steuben, and State of New York being now in my ninety fifth year do here by authorize constitute and appoint W. E. Kennaugh of the City of Washington my true and lawful Attorney for me, and in my name to Examine into and investigate into certain papers filed by me with the commissioner of Pension for services rendered by me during the Revolutionary War which said claims I presented agreeable to the provisions of the act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832 and which remains suspended and which has now been allowed and I do hereby full constitute my said Attorney to act for me in the [illegible] and to prosecute my said claim by presenting such additional testimony as the Department may require in order to a final settlement of the same Given under my hand and seal this 10th day of October 1854

Joshua Mersereau
Page 122

Quit

Steuben County ss.

Before me Eber Scofield Esq. one of Justices of the peace of said County came Joshua Mersereau well known to me to be the person described in and who executed this paper in my presence for the puposes there in set forth on the 10th day of October 1854.

Eber Scofield Justice
Page 123

STATE OF NEW YORK,
STEUBEN [illegible] OFFICE; } ss.

I, Charles W. Campbell, Clerk of said County, do hereby certify that Eber Scofield Esquire whose name is subscribed to the Certificate of the proof or acknowledgment of the annexed instrument, and thereon written, was, at the time of taking such proof or acknowledgement, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, dwelling therein, elected and sworn, and duly authorised to take the same; and that I am well acquainted with his hand-writing, and verily believe that the signature to said certificate of prof or acknowledgement is genuine.

[seal affixed]

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name, and affixed the Seal of said County, at Bath, therein, this 17th day of October 1854.

C W Campbell CLERK.

Quit
Page 124

Brief in the case of Joshua Mersereau Jun;
County and State of Pennsylvania
act June 7 1832

Claim, ("for increase.") This claim has been pending for a number of years before This office. In 1846 - he claimed a pension for his alleged service and variety of grades, as private, spy, ensign, purchaser of horses under Miflin and as Assistant Commissary from Octo 1777 to April 1779 - His services as seaman on board the ship S Carolina were discharged in 1855 on the books of the Comptroller of S. Carolina. for which he was allowed a pension of $34.40 a year by Mr Waldo late Commissioner, None of his other alleged services was allowed because the proof was clearly insufficient when an appeal was taken from the occasion of this office by Hon Reverdy Johnson on the nature of the claim with the character of evidence on file and the reasons which induced this office to refuse any larger stipen was fully set forth in a letter to the secy of the Interior of the 8th of November 1855.

There is now placed on file in this office an number of original papers such as letters, orders, receipts, accounts, &c. evidently made during the Revolutionary War, which singularly confirms many of the statements made by Mersereau in his claim for pension. I will ad some of them - He says to purchase horses for the use of the army's Often a paper dated July 26 1779 where John Mersereau was a horse for the use of the U S which was receipts for by Joshua Mersereau his brother (John L Mersereau his brother is a witness in his case) - He says that after Genl Washington crossed the Deleware River, he (Washington) ordered him (Mersereau) to bring off the boats from the Jersey shore. I find a charge made by Joshua Mersereau sent for his two [illegible] 2 1/2 months, repairing boats, - though the claimant does not expressly declare that he was assistant Commissary of prisoners.

His witnesses do, and they declare that his father Joshua Mersereau was Assistant Commissary General of Prisoners. I find upon these books & list a charge upon to Mersereaus account against the U.S. for the traveling expenses of Joshua Mersereau Jun. in escorting prisoners. the charge is made Sep 1778. - In his declaration he says he was made Assistant Commissary October 1777 & served to April 1779 - On the books of Joshua Mersereau Assistant Commissary. Genl. of Prisoner I find Joshua Mersereau was paid his wages at $30 a month from 1 Nov 1777 to 29 June 1778 & for 3 months from July 1778 at $35 per month, & again from 1 October 1778 to March 1779 at $35 a month - Now these services exactly are the time he claims to have been in the Commissary service - He says he ever in service from Oct 77 to Apr 79. here in find him paid from Nov 77 & same running to Mch 79 - These books do not designate his grade, but he claimed commissary services at this time. his witnesses declare he was Assistant Commissary at the time & under his father, and they pay allow an increase services of a grade as high as he claims to have served in - This seems to me to be moral endurance of the highest character among in now to confirm statements which seems very truthful before

Thornton Triplett
Examining Clerk.

Name and residence of Agent
W.E Kennaugh Esq 
Present
Page 125

Joshua Mersereau, jun. Deputy Commissary of Prisoners.

See Accounts marked 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Page 126

List of Officers of the Frigate South Carolina,
as given in conversation by Joshua Mersereau

Commodore *Gillen
1st Lieut. Marston
2d do. White
3d do. *Fitzgerald
4th do. Ball
Sailing Master, Thos. Alrich
1st Mate, *Hicks
Master's Mate, *Robinson
2d Mate, Hamilton
Midshipmen, Abijah Hunt
do. *Laborteax or Laborte
do Wm White
do — Dana
Surgeon's Mate 3d — McFarlan
Gunner, — Langdon
Boatswain — Pounder
do. — Marshall

*Those names marked with an asterisk appear upon the official Rolls in the rank which Mersereau. Abijah Hunt does not appear, although a Pensioner.
Page 127

I Abijah Hunt, now seventy years of Age and rising of State of New York County of Ciuga and Town of Sterling of sd State do Certify that I have been personally acquainted with Joshua Mersereau Now of the County of Shenango Town of Gifford State of New York for rising fifty years that in the Summer of 1782 I found him on board of the ship South Carolina of forty Guns Commanded by John Joiner and was Carpenter of said Ship that I was on board of sd ship and mad one of her Crew in Capassity of Mid Shipman of the first Class that we remained in the River Deleware but returned two or three Months when was put to sea and abt. twenty hours after leaving the Capes of Delware was Captured by a Ship of fifty-six guns and Two Frigates belonging to his Britanich Majesty that the said Ships with said S. Carolina Frigate Rounded to the Part of New York that on over Passage thereon having a Head wind for two Days the Carolina being the best Sailor on the Wind was nearly out of sight of or convay it being Casey weather at a time when the Hands were aloft Resfrig the Top parts, it was Proposed to me by the aforesaid Joshua in Comfort with the other Prisoners on bord. To them pt the recap there [continued]
Page 128

[continued] of said ship he asked me if there were any Amies at my Command and whether if we Succeeded in our Enterprise whether I could take the ship into Port to both of which Propositions I replied in the affirmative he requested me to stand ready at the word to send out the said army with thine By much fixed and I so stated by the Arn Cherk he the said Joshua looked up to see if all was now right when un attended the companion was dashed down and Lastened  which inded the Enterprise

The Next Day we got up to New York where was helpt on board after arrived two or 3 Days and then Since he onboard a Guard Ship Cayug opposite to New York in the Wallsboughor Cove on Long Island was detained there seven Days when we was  taken out on Parrole of Honour and was Allowed? to go Home to the State of New Jersey and there remained. untill the Definitive Treaty of Peace tooken Place I further testify that the aforesaid Joshua Mersereau I would adjudge by me [illegible] of him and by what know Appears to be Seventy one or two years of Age and further saith not

Abijah Hunt

Sworn to this 30th day of 
October 1832 Before Me
Levi Bigelow A Judge of Chenango Court/pleas
Page 129

[text below within brackets is text in left-hand column of printed page]

Mercereau's Statements

June 5 1840 Joshua Mercereau Declares that he entered the U S Service in Aug 1775 as a recruiting officer under the Uniform of an Ensign to enlist men for the N York State troops for Cat Jacob Cheesman and served until the following November, [about 3 months] === In December 1775 was a Volunetter under Levi Stirling to disarm the tories on Long Island service 8 or 10 days [8 to 10 days] === In April 1776 was a Virginia Rifleman on Staten Island under Cap Otho Williams (Otho Williams was a Maryland Officer) served to 1 July 1776 [2 or 3 months] === Was then employed by Genl Washington to obtain information as to the intended movement of the enemy, so served until the defence of Trackinac bridge, there joined Genl Washington's Army and (seems to have) continued until the battle of Princeton Jan 7 1777. [6 months] === The remainder of the winter he was engaged in purchasing horses for Generals Mifflin and Lafayette === In May 177 he repaired to Genl Washington's Camp, and was engaged under Lord Stirling in Defence of his baggage against an attack made by LowHowe. === In October 1777 he took charge of some public stores to be conveyed to Rutland and Boston and continued [continued]

[Paper Marks 3]
Page 130

2

[continued] as assistant Commissary until April 1779. In the Winter of 1780 he was in Lord Sterling's Expedition to Staten Island and was appointed a guide to Col Hazens Division destined to Fort Richomnd [17 months] ===In Feby 1779 was one of about 20 who captured Col Jones === in the summer of 1780 he was engaged with Col Story in an attempt to Capture a British Officer on Staten Island [He was born 8 June 1761.] === In the fall of 1780 he was engaged on the lines hear Elizabeth town in geting information =In the Summer of 1781 he was engaged in the defence of Brunswick === In the Spring of 1781 he was engaged in the defence of Rahway = In May 1782 he was engaged as a Carpenter on board the Ship South Carolina and scontinued in that capacity until she was repaired in Sep 1782. He was one of the crew wehn she sailed in Dec 1782 and was on board when she was captured, In Jany 1783 he was paroled and was on his parole at the ratification of the treaty of Peace,

Evidence Added

[continued]
Page 131

[continued]

May 1840 John L. Mercereau declares that during the Summer of 1776, Joshua Mercereau was. engaged in various ways in the service of his Country, he and deponent retreated from Newark to New Bruinswick N Jersey when the British came to Newark - there they parted Joshua to remain with the army - 

In. the Windter of 1778 deponent found Joshua at Rutland acting as assistant Commissary of Prisoners. In April (1779 I suppose) Joshua quit that Department and started for New Jersey. In Summer of 1779 saw Joshua in Philadelphia and saw him no more until April 1783 and was there on parole. [Paper marked 4]

October 1832 / Abijah Hunt saw that in the summer of 1782 he found Joshua Mercereau on board the ship South Carolina as a Carpenter, &c. (His statement agrees with Mecereau's, Hunt was pensioned under the act of 1832 fir service on board the Ship South Carolina as Mid-Shipman) [Paper marked 5]

[continued]
Page 132

4

[continued]

Dec 1778 / Warrant issues on Treasury in favor of Joshua Mercereau Commissary of Prisoners in the state of Mass By for $4000 - also for $,1600. (Evidence on Feb at State Department)

Jany 1855 John La Grange among other circumstances recollects hearing Joshua Mercerea Senr. say that while he was Commissary of Prisoners his son, who is the present applicant Joshua Mercereau Jun. was his assistant. [Paper marked 6]

Nov 1854 The books at the Register's Office show that Joshua Mercereau was a Deputy Commissary of Prisoners and accounted as the Treasury for certain sums of money amounting to $8.000 This settlement was made in 1791. [Paper marked 7]

Jany 1855 The books of the Comptroller of South Carolina show that a Jos Miserau was a seaman boaord the ship S. Carolina [Paper 8] [continued]
Page 133

[continued]

9 months & 26 days (for This he has been pensioned)

This completes the testimony in the case, — It is now intended t hat the case ought to be allowed for any service claimed besides that on board the ship So Ca and as assistant Commis [remainder of page is missing]
Page 134

Joshua Mersereau
of
Pennsylvania

For the Commissioner

(1)

Triplett
Page 135

Steuben C. Court
In Matter
of
Joshua Mersereau
Aff

N Y - Jun 1832

(11)

When [illegible] Cpy
Matter of J Mersereau

W E Kennaugh
Present

Filed Decr 22. 1854
Page 136

State of New York
Steuben County Court ss }

Be it remembered that on this 22d day of December A.D. 1854 personally appeared in open Court before the said Court Elijah D. Welles of Lawrenceville in the State of Pennsylvania by profession a Clergyman and Sylvester Smith of Painted Post in Said County of Steuben Gentlemen and the said Elijah D Wells for himself says an deposes on oath that he is of the age of fifty four years, that in the year 1826 or 1827 this deponent first knew Joshua Mersereau by reputation, that this deponent there & for a few years personaly resided at Oxford Chenango County New York & the said Joshua then resided in the Town of Guilfoord an adjoining town in said County, that on or about the year 1829 or 1830 this deponent became personally acquainted with the said Joshua and in the year 1831 this deponent removed to his present residence & the said Joshua Mersereau removed to his present residence in Lindley Town Steuben County in the year 1833 and that since that time this deponent has seen said Joshua frequently in the course of each year, that he resides now about these & a half miles from this deponents residence - And the said Sylvester Smith says he is of the age of Sixty five years, that in the years 1808 this deponent resided at Masonville in Delaware County New York distant about Eight Miles from Guilford Chenango County where the said Joshua Mersereau resided. that about the year 1805 this deponent first new by reputation the said Joshua Mersereau and became personally acquainted with him about the year 1808. that [continued]
Page 137

[continued] this deponent resided in Delaware County aforesaid until the year 1835 when he removed to his present residence at Painted Post the town adjoining the Town of Lindley where the said Joshua has resided since the year 1833 or thereabout - And these deponents each for him self says that they knew Joshua L. Mersereau in his life time and for many years previous to his death, that he was always reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resided to have been the brother of the said Joshua Mersereau, that he the said John was always esteemed by the community in which he lived to be an hones, upright person and in all reports entitled to full credit - and these deponents further say that directly after becoming acquainted with said Joshua Mersereau, they learned that the said Joshua Mersereau had been a soldier in the Revolutionary War, that he was reputed to have been engaged in the War of the Revolution& that since then if these deponents ever heard free any sources whatever any doubt expressed but that he had been a soldier in the Revolution - And these deponents say and each for himself says that often during their acquaintance with said Joshua they have had conversations with him upon the subject of said Revolution & the various incidents thereof and his connection therewith and that uniformly in such conversations the said Joshua has detailed to these deponents very necessary of the scenes of the revolution, with a clearness, distendous and neccectetee of that in the opinion of these deponents [continued]
Page 138

[continued] could have been done only by an actor in [illegible] personally familiar with the scenes he detailed. And these deponents further say that during the whole of the period of this acquaintance with the said Joshua he was uniformly esteemed and reputed to be an upright and honest man in every respect worthy of credit - And these deponents further say that in personal appearance the said Joshua Mersereau was a man ever six feet high, large boned and broad shouldered in the opinion of these deponents must have weighed while middle aged as much or more than two hundred & fifty pounds, and judging from his appearance during the time these deponents have known him these deponents are of the opinion that at the age of seventeen the said Joshua may have been of as such a score therein the average size of a full grown man - And these deponents further say that it was generally understood and reputed and believed at Guilford aforesaid that the said John & Joshua Mersereau came from Staten Island to Guilford and that they have never known or heard of any other Joshua Mersereau save a son of the one above referred to who was snamed Joshua after his father and who has been dead many years - 

Sylvester Smith
Elija D. Wells



On this 22nd day of December 1854 the above named Elijah D Welles and Sylvester Smith personally appeared in open court in the County Court of the County of Steuben & State of New York [continued]
Page 139

[continued] and made oath to the truth of the Statements made in foregoing declarations by these subscribed - And the said court certify that the said Elijah D. Welles and Sylvester Smith are credible witnesses and that the statements by them made as aforesaid are entitled to full credit - 

In witness whereof the said Court has caused there presents to be signed by their clerk and sealed with the Seal of said Court on the day & year above written - 

C. W. Campbell, Clerk
Page 140

Deposition in the claim
of 
Joshua Mersereau
per Act of 7th June, 1832.



Wm. E. Kennaugh
Page 141

District of Columbia
County of Washington }

On this 30th day of June, 1856, personally appeared before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in and for the District and County aforesaid, William E. Kennaugh, a resident of said District and County aforesaid, who being duly sworn according to law doth depose and say: That he is well acquainted with Joshua Mersereau, of Tioga county, Pennsylvania: That he visited said Mersereau on  or about the 23d of May last and that he then resided with his son Jas. G. Mersereau, about one mile from the village of Tioga. That he remained with said Joshua Mersereau until the 29th ultimo, and although the said Mersereau was blind, by reason of old age, yet he enjoyed good health, and conversed freely concerning the service he rendered his country during the Revolutionary War. That deponent beleives said Joshua Mersereau is still living not having heard of his decease;  and that had he died, he (deponent) would have been informed of the fact by his family. That this said Joshua Mersereau, of Tioga County, in the State of Pennsylvania, is now a Pensioner under the Act of Congress of 7th June, 1832, and that he [continued]
Page 142

[continued] is the identical person who is now an applicant for an increase of pension for his service rendered during the Revolutionary War as a Deputy Commissary of Prisoners. That the papers presented as additional evidence consisting of the Army Accounts, Receipts, &c. of Joshua Mersereau senior, Dep. Com. General of Prisoners, were found at the residence of Theodore Mersereau, grandson of Mersereau, Senior, near Lindleytown, in the State of New = York. And futher deponent saith not.

W..E.. Kennaugh

Sworn to and

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year above written.
Paul Stevens JP
Page 143

Washington oJan. 26 / 53

Hon. L. P. Waldo
Com. of Pensions

Sir: In the case of Joshua Mersereau you have received information, as I learn from Mr Westcott, that Mr. Mersereau's name is on the Rolls of the Frigate South Carolina, as he has stated. Mr. Westcott has informed a friend that he left the papers with you to that effect, certified by the Secretary of State of the State of South Carolina. Mr. W. is not concerned in this case as Attorney or Agent, and his aid has been accidental, and indeed I do not know what he has done.

By reference to 5th series, vol. 1, American Archives, page 121, you will find where Governor Tryon, the Tory Governor of New = York, offered a reward for one of the Mersereau family, dead or alive. This was in July, 1776. So also at page 369, (July 1776,) same book, another one of the Mersereau family gave secret intelligence to Gen. Mercer, (who writes so to Gen. Washington,) of the Enemy on Staten Island; and Vol. 4. Series 5, you will find that Peter Mersereau is one of the Whig Committee for Richmond County, Staten = Island, Dec. 1. 1775 *(See Index.)

They were all leading Whigs, and if a strict examination of all the old Rolls, Books, and memorandums in your office is made, of the Corps in which he served, and his Brother, you will find their names.

The old man will soon die. He is now nearly a hundred years old. Every days delay in his case is cruel. To cause [continued]

*Note. See also at pages 638 & 653, Vol. 3, 5th Series, Gen. Greene writes to Gen. Washington and President Hancock, Nov. 1776, of like information from them.
Page 144

[continued] the speedy allowance of his case, I have concluded to publish his application and the evidence in extense, in a New York Newspaper, and call upon the descendants of Officers and Soldiers of the Revolution, to furnish proof, if they can find any to sustain it, or if they can, to disprove it; and if they answer the call, I will then either submit the case to Congress, or ask your further attention to it.

I desire a copy of his application certified, and of Abijah Hunt's testimony, to publish as above stated. The publication will show his friends only desire the truth to come out.

Yours Respectfully
W.. E.. Kennaugh
Page 145

State of New York
Broome County ss:

John Le Grange of the town of Vestal in the said county of Broome being duly and publicly Sworn deposes and says, That he was born at Elizabethtown in the State of New Jersey on the first day of May AD 1771 and continued to reside there until the twenty fourth year of his  age when he removed to the said town of Vestal which was then a part of the town of Union in the county of Tioga;

That deponents mother was a sister of Joshua Mersereau Senior, commonly called Judge Mersereau, of Staten Island and of John Mersereau of the same place, and the wife of the Said Joshua was a Sister of Deponents father;

That the Said Joshua had his Sons John La Grange Mersereau & Joshua Mersereau who were Some ten years older than deponent and were known to him from his earliest recollection; that deponent knew the Said John L. who is now dead until the close of his life, and now is and from infancy has been well acquainted with the Said Joshua Mersereau the younger; that the said Joshua Junior left Staten Island and removed to the Unadilla Forks some years previous to deponents Settling in this state; that he resided there quite a number of years and then changed his address to the Tioga river at a place called Lindley town; that deponent visited him [continued]
Page 146

[continued] him at his residence at each of said places;

That deponent has always enjoyed good health and now has a clear recollection of many events which occurred during the Revolutionary War; that deponent knew the Said Joshua junior during that War and wll recollects that it was then understood that the Said Joshua junior and one Abijah Hunt a young man living in Elizabethtown had been taken prisoners by the British forces; that deponent recollects that the said Joshua junior and the Said Hunt Stopped at the house of deponent's father after they had been exchanged. that the Said Joshua told deponents mother that he (the Said Joshua) was very busy and that she sent family the barn to bathe &c.; that the Said Joshua junior was then a young man of large size, that he was full six feet in height and must have weighed about two hundred pounds, and the said Joshua junior has always been a man of extraordinary size and uncommon personal strength;

That deponent knows that Joshua Mersereau Senior acted as Commissary of Prisoners during Said War; that he recollects Said Mersereaus coming to Elizabethtown from Philadelphia in advance of a company of British prisoners who were to be exchanged at Elizabethtown, for the purpose of procuring provisions for them; that deponents father told him (Mersereau) that Abraham Wruan's a son in law deponents father would [continued]
Page 147

[continued] be a good person to assist him in procuring provisions, that he employed Werans for that purpose and Werans went to Springfield to purchase young cattle and deponent then a boy went with him to aid him in driving the cattle home, that Said Mersereau gave Werans a certificate authorizing him to purchase provisions on the credit of the Congress, that past as remains and deponent were starting for Springfield Mersereau asked Wrians if he had any money to pay for the provisions if he could not get them on credit, Werans said he had not; and Mersereau thereupon took from his pocket a purse of gold and gave to Wirans a number of pieces and said, "if you cant get them on credit you must get the at any rate";

That deponent was present at an interview between said Wirans and s Judge  Mersereau in the year 1803 at the Judge's residence in the town of Union, aforesaid when said Wirans applied to the Judge to assist him Wirans in obtaining some relief from the Legislature of New York on account of his Revolutionary Services; that said Wirans there gave the Judge his papers relating to the Said Services and among them was the above mentioned certificate given by said Mersereau to said Wirans authorizing the latter to purchase provisions as aforesaid on credit; that the Judge when he first looked at said 'certificate said that he did not recollect giving it, & that deponent hen related to him the circumstances [continued]
Page 148

[continued] under which it was given and the Judge then said, 'I recollect it now, but having hd my son Joshua as an assistant I suppose is. the reason of my having forgotten it"; that much other conversation passed at the time between the Judge & said Wirans in relation to the parts which they severally acted whilst the Continental army was retreating through New Jersey, and also in preventing the British forces from crossing the Delaware river;

That Said Mersereau had been previously a member of the Legislature of New York; that he died the next Season without again attending. the Legislature and the Season following that his house and papers were burned;

That Said Winans was, as deponent has always understood, a member, of a company of artificers at Sea and commanded by Captain Caleb Bruen of Newark New Jersey, one of the [illegible] companced at sea in that State, that deponent has Serve in the archives at Washington a letter from     General Washington to Lord Stirling requesting herin to raise such a company, and another letter from Lord Sterling to said Bruen directing him to raise such a company; that said Wrinans had quit the Service before deponent became acquainted with him altho' deponent recollects seeing the wourds drafted which he had received in a Skirmish at Tremley's Point; that a pension was granted to the widow of Said Winans about [continued]
Page 149

[continued] the winter of 1846 & 7.

That deponent recollected an interview between General Washington and John Mersereau the brother of the Judge when the General was passing through Elizabethtown in the year 1789 on his way to New York; that the said John was standing near the bow of the barge on board of which the General was about to be conveyed to New York and the General was standing on the dock ready to step to the vessel; that the barge had swung out so far that the General could not go aboard and the said John ordered the barge to be pulled to the dock, that as soon as Washington heard the voice he seemed to recognize it and walked to Mersereau and took him by the hand and talked with him a few moments, tears filling the eyes of both of them as they met;

That deponent was well acquainted with the families of the Mersereaus living near Elizabethtown and on Staten Island up to the time of his coming to this county; that deponent up to that time had only known four persons by the name of Joshua Mersereau who were the father and son above named; the third a son of the said John Mersereau who died in 1806 and was younger than the said Joshua junior, and the fourth a Son of Paul Mersereau who was about deponents age;

That the said Judge always spoke in the highest kind of the ability and integrity of his son Joshua and four [continued]
Page 150

[continued] the facts that the said Joshua Junior was a man grown during the Revolutionary War, that his father stated in 1803 that he had acted as his assistant Commissary, that deponent has understood that he so stated for more than fifty years without once having heard the Statement contradicted when there were those living who would have done so if it had been untrue, deponent has no doubt that the said Joshua Mersereau now living at Tioga Tioga County Pennsylvania is the Son of the Said Joshua Mersereau who was acting Commissary during that War. - 

Sworn and Subscribed to
before me in open court
this 10th day of January 1855 }

Charles Mason
John LaGrange
Justice Sup Court



State of New York
Broome County ss:

I. Erasmus D. Robinson Clerk of the said county and of the Supreme Court in and for said county do certify that Charles Mason Esq before whom the above affidavit purports to have been taken is one of the Justices of Said Supreme Court and that Said affidavit was Sworn to and Subscribed by Said deponent and Said Justice in open court and in my presence at the Court House in the [continued]
Page 151

[continued] village of Binghamton in Said county this 10th day of January A.D. 1855.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official Seal at Binghamton aforesaid this 10th day of January A.D. 1855. -

E.D. Robinson Clerk

[seal affixed]
Page 152

Bath Decr. 26th 1854

Hon. Mr. Hastings

Dear Sir

This will be handed you by W. E. Kennaugh Esq. who has in charge the application of Joshua Mersereau Esq. for a pension, for services in the War of the Revolution, Mr. Mersereau is an old friend and neighbor of my Fathers, with whom I have been well acquainted from my earliest recollection of men which is fifty years, and I have no doubt but that his statements, and also those of his Brother Jno. S. Mersereau with whom I was equally well acquainted are entitled to the fullest credit. Mr. M. was formerly a man of substance, but is now poor and very aged, and if you can render any assistance to him in this matter, it will be duly appreciated by a worthy old man, one of a class who have now nearly passed away from us, and will also be considered by one as a personal favor.

I am Sir yours truly
G A Rogers
Page 153

30) 400 (13
         30
------------
       100
       -90
------------
          10



    26
    13
------------
    78
  26
------------
  338
31



      36.- 
        3.40
------------
    $39.40
            24
------------
     15760
  * 7880
------------
     945.60
Page 154

Comptroller Generals Office
Columbia So Ca January 11th 1855.

It is hereby certified that from a Portage Bill Book of the Ship of war "South Carolina" on file in this Office it appears that "Jos" Miserau" served as Seaman on Board of said Ship; that he enlisted July 26th 1782, that he was discharged 21st May 1783, remained 9 months and 26 Days in service, was advanced the sum of #7..0..5.. Sterling and that a Balance was due him to the amount of #35..10..8.. Sterling, the whole amount of wages and accounts being stated: # 42..11..1..

For Comptroller General
P.S. Jacobs
Deputy

(no seal of office.)
Page 155

Case of Joshua Mersereau

Certificate of the
Comptroller of South Carolina.

"Jos Miserau."

(13)

5
Page 156

Comptroller Generals Office
Columbia January 11th 1855

Dear Sir.

The enclosed certificate is all I find in the name of a "Jos. Miserau" You perceive that the given name is not in full, neither is the surname spelt as you wrote me, viz "Joshua Merserau" but very often does such cases occur, and for this reason I thought it might answer your purpose.

With highest respect
yours sir
P.S. Jacobs
Dep Comp Genl



Jas B. Cambell Esq
Charleston S.C.
Page 157

Pension Office,
Nov. 11th 1854

Sir:

I have very carefully re-examined all the papers in the case of Joshua Mercereau of N.Y. together with the additional evidence now filed by you, and have to report my convictions of the invalidity of the claims, for the reasons which follow: His whole statement of his service is given a manner remarkably confused for a man of his evident intelligence, if he really did serve as he alledged, From the commencement of his service in 1775 to his appointment in the commissaries Department in 1777, he does not seem to have served in any regularly organized Corps. He enters the recruiting service in 1775 (rather early for recruiting service) in the uniform of an Ensign. In three months he is a volunteer private under Lord Sterling, in an expedition which lasted ten days. A few months later he is a Virginia Rifleman. Now he is made a spy by General Washington; after so serving for a short time, he joins General Washington's army. He does not inform us in what grade or under what [continued]
Page 158

[continued] subordinate officers, soon after he is purchasing horses for General La Fayette and General Mifflin. Directly, he is a private under Lord Stirling. For a few months after he is acting as Deputy Commissary under General Mifflin Q.M. Genl, in which capacity he declares he remained from October 1777 to April 1779. When he again becomes a private under Lord Stirling, and is appointed a guide to lead Col. Hagens division to Richmond Fort on Staten Island, Soon after we find him wit h twenty others capturing a Col Jones. Then as a volunteer under Captain Story to capture a British Colonel. He does not enlighten us as to the success of this adventure. Now he is "on the lines" to obtain information, Now he is defending Brunswick and now Rahway, and lastly he is a carpenter on board the Ship South Carolina, where he ends his adventures by being taken a prisoner together with the officers who so ingloriously yielded up that noble Vessel without a struggle.


To this narrative there are several objections, to my mind. - It is singularly disjointed. He rarely condescends to enlighten us as to the subordinate officers under whom he served. He changes his grade from officer to private and from private to officer, and his locality [continued]
Page 159

[continued] from land to sea, with as much facility as though he had been endowed with the wonderful properties of a Proteus, and was ubiquity itself. - He was born in New Jersey, entered service in New York, soon joins a corps of Virginia Riflemen, again returns to service in his native north and ends his career upon the sea. Is it not remarkable that history has been silent in relation to the services of a man of such remarkable versatility of talent? This silence on the part of historians would not be so ominous if he had slowly fought his way from rank to rank. But agreeably to his own statements when the Ship South Carolina surrendered and when his services closed, he was still in his minority, being but 19 years old, having been born in June 1761. Now I confess that, to my mind, it is almost incredible that a boy of a little over 13 years of age, should have been appointed a recruiting office in 1775, but that a lad of 16 should be taken from the ranks, and made a Commissary of Prisoners, in another state than his own surpasses my power of credulity - I would also, remark that as far as his statements can be compared with the rolls of this office, they are discredited. We have a complete roll of the men on board the South Carolina when she surrendered, [continued]
Page 160

[continued] but his name is not found. - I am bound to conclude that he and the Commissary of Prisoners, shown by the Records furnished by you, are different men. Surely a boy of sixteen years of age could not have been appointed to such a station.

There is not a shadow of proof in support of the service which he alledges he rendered before his appointment in the Commissary Department. I cannot believe that he was the commissary and his allegations of service on the South Carolina is discredited by the rlls. The case is, therefore rejected.

I am respectfully
Your Obt Servt
SP Waldo
Commissioner.

(2)



W. E. Kennaugh Esq
Present
Page 161

Joshua Mersereau,

Declaration made June 5. 1840.

Says he was then 80 years old This would make him Bo. in 1760, But inanswer to the interogatories profound by the Court of Common Pleas Jan 5, 1840 he says, "I was born in the town of Northfield in the County of Richmond or Staten Island, & ending to the best of my knowledge & belief on the 8th of June 1761. -

First entered service in he month of August 1775. -

He was then 14 years & 2 months old. - 

He says he then resided in Elizabethtown in N Jersey. In Dec. 1776 (15 years old) served as a volunteer under Lord Stirling

In April 1776 was a Volunteer in a corps of Va Rifles, stationed in State Island, & here he was employed  with his father & was in getting information &c.

In 1776 Dec was at the taking of the Hessians, made at the Battle of Princeton in 1777. Was engaged the last of that winter in protecting towns [illegible] & assistance (now then in his 17th year not 16 until June 8, 1778) 

Oct. 1777. (16 years & 6 mo old) took charge of fathers stores then - Continued assistant commissary until April 1779 - (now just 18 years old until June 1779) About this town refered to Elizabethtown N Jersey &

1780 winter in said [illegible] office

over [continued]
Page 162

[continued] since the Revolutionary war I have resided in Staten  Island in Guilford, Chenango County New York now in seventeen eighty seven

be known 1783 he was 22 years old - 

He says he was under Mifflin who was in his Quartermater Department. My certificate is given to a man who was Commissary of Prisoners - 

Joshua Mersereau was of [illegible]
Page 163

State of New York
Chenango County } ss.

Moses Stockwell of Bainbridge in the aforesaid County, being duly sworn, deposes and says, that he was Eighty Five Years of age on the Fourth February last past, that in April 1791, he moved into Bainbridge, where he now resides, that at that time there was but a few inhabitants in that vicinity, that he was well acquainted with Joshua Mersereau. that he then resided in the Town of Guilford in said County about five Miles, North of this deponent, the said Joshua Mersereau is about ten Years older than this deponent. that he continued to reside in Guilford aforesaid untill 1834, when he removed to Steuben County New York, to live with his children the said Joshua Mersereau, was a large man full six feet in hight. and weighed about 180 lbs this deponent, has been well acquainted in the Town of Guilford since 1791. and has never known, any other Man in that Town by the name of Joshua Mersereau (Except his son Joshua Mersereau Jun.) this deponent further says that he was well acquainted with John S. Mersereau, the Brother of said Joshua Mersereau, before his death, and he & the said Joshua Mersereau, were both men of truth & veracity, and this deponant has often heard that said Joshua Mersereau - never [illegible] over. his services & suffering, in the Revolutionary War, and he never doubted the truth of his statements, nor did he ever have it doubted. And as far as this deponant [continued]
Page 164

[continued] has known public Senteiment, Joshua Mersereau was considered a Revolutionary soldier

and this deponent further says Abel Stockwell the father of this deponent resided at Springfield, in Massachusetts before he removed to the state of New York and while at Springfield his said father entered into actual service at the age of sixteen years in the asd French and English War. & futher says not.

Sworn to before me this
16th day of February 1855
Theodore B. Fairchild
Justice of the Peace

Mr S
Moses Stockwell
x
his mark



Joshua Mersereau
Pa - & 1832

(14)



W.E. Kennaugh
Present
Page 165

STATE OF NEW YORK,
Chenango County Clerk's Office, } ss.

I, Thomas Milner, Clerk of said County, DO CERTIFY, That Theodore B Fairchild, Esq., before whom the annexed instrument was proved or acknowledged, was, at the time of taking such proof or acknowledgment, a JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, in and for said County, duly authorized and qualified to take the same. And further: That I am well acquainted with his hand writing, and verily believe the signature thereto, purporting to be his, is genuine; and that the said instrument is executed in accordance with the Laws of the State of New York.

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed my official seal, at Norwich, this 17th day of February 1855

SA Purdy Dep Clerk.
Page 166

Joshua Mersereau
N.Y. = sus 1832


W. E. Kennaugh
Present
Page 167

Washington Nov. 5, 1854

Hon. L. P. Waldo
Com of Pensions.

Sir: I herewith transmit a Power of Attorney from Joshua Mersereau of Lindley town Steuben Co. New = York with whom I am personally acquainted. He is now in his 95th year, and blind; He made application for a pension in 1842, as a Revolutionary Soldier, and his application remains upon your List of suspended  claims. I have to request that the claim may be examined, and the objections stated.

I have the honor to be, Sir,
Very Respectfully
Your obt servt
W.. E.. Kennaugh
Page 168

Certificate fo the
Secretary of State
August 8. 1850

Warrant for $4.000 to be
issued under Res. dated Dec.
7. 1778. —

(10)
Page 169

Treasury Department
Register's Office
November4, 1854.

Sir,

In compliance with the request contained in your letter of this date, I have to state, that the following in an extract from the state of the Accounts of Elias Boudinot Esqr. as Commissary General of Prisoners, being in his account in Old Emissions with the United States, to wit:

"By Joshua Mersereau late Depy. Commissary of Prisoners for the following sums which was charged to Mr. Bondinot's account and for which the said Mersereau has accounted for on settlement of his accounts at the Treasury, viz: 

1778 March 27, a warrant for Dollars 4,000
" december 7, ditto " 4,000
---------------------------
8,000

By this sum charged to his account on the books of The Treasury, as so much paid to Mercereau on settlement of his account by the board of War which ought now to be passed to the Credit of Mr. Boudinot, the same having been accounted for by the said Mercereau        111.44"

Very Respectfully
Your Obt. Servt.
F Biggs Register



W. E. Kennaugh Esq.
Present }



Account from which this extract is taken 
dated at Auditor's office, March 4, 1791 - 
Comptroller's Office April 11, 1791. 
Nov. 8/04,
C.D. Jones as to Paper
Page 170

Lindleytown Steuben Co N.Y.
Nov. 27, 1879

Commissioner Pensions

Joshua Mersereau
Died in Early 1857
one son, Theodore. L. Mersereau
Now gets his mail and lives 
in this town has a family of 
two sons 1 daught. is a Farmer 
is about 70 years. is Probably the
your part. James G Meserau
Live at Tioga Village, Tioga Co. Pa 
is some what older then J. L M.
one son John G. Meserau survives
the Father two daughters also 
living, around, one widow

Yours truely
Hiram Middlebrook
P.M.
Page 171

Joshua Mersereau says that i nMay 1782 he was engaged on board the Ship South Carolina as a carpenter, and performed Duty as a carpenter until she was repaired which was in September 1782. He was one of the crew when she sailed which was about the 21st Decr 1782. She seems to have been captured immediately without resistance, though he says he received a wound in the engagement which has never since healed. That he was put on board the Scorpion prison ship upon his arrival at NY, that on or about the last of January 1783, he was paroled and continued on parole til the final ratification of peace in 1784,

Abijah Hunt says that in the Summer of 1782 he found Mercereau on the Ship S.C. that Mercerea was a carpenter on ship, and that he Hunt was a midshipman on her; that they remained on her 2 or 3 months when she set sail and in 20 hours was captured (The rest of the statement substantially the same as mercereau,

John L Mercereau saw Joshua in 1783 who told him (John) that he was then on parole having been taken prisoner as above - 

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Page 172

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Admitting that he was in the position assigned him and alleged by himself on the S.C. was his service as carpenter repairing the ship previous to her sailing military? May he not have been employed in a civil capacity and may not this account for his name's not being on the Roll of those who recd slips in Nov 1782 prior to her sailing? 

The Cruize of the ship was only intended to last 3 months, she was captured in 20 hours after sailing. He was paroled before the 3 months expired, (in a few days) could very [illegible] if he had not been paroled for a person of years entitled him to a pension for a longer period than his enlistment? I doubt it,

Triplett

Case of Mercereau