Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11002, for Epenetus Lounsbury, New York
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New York
Lounsbury, Epenetus
S.11002
Carded
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20.506
New York
Epenetus Lounsbury of Sullivan in the State of N. York who was a priv. of Drag in the Comp. commanded by Captain Delavan of the Regt. commanded by [blank] in the N. York line for Full Com.

Inscribed on the Roll of N. York at the rate of 100 Dollars [blank] Cents per anuum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 15 day of Sep. 1833 and sent to P.T. Hunn Monticello

Arrears to the 4th of Sep. 33 [indent] $230
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar. 34 [indent] 30
[indent] $300

Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by [illegible] Clerk
Book E. Vol. 4 Page 66
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14.128
Epenetus Lounsbury
Sullivan Co. N York

Admitted
Private Dragoons 2 years

May 8 ’33

P T Hunn
Monticello
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BRIEF in the case of Epenetus Lounsbury
of Sullivan Co in the State of N York
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? open Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 77 years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

Period.
Spring In 1778 [illegible]
Enlisted during the
war

Duration of Service.
Years, Months, Days.

Rank.
As a

Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Gen.
Capt. Delavan

5. In what battles was he engaged? none
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Westchester, New York
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? By living witnesses
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentification? and if so, in what respect?
Papers not attached [illegible]

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

Richard Cutts
Examining Clerk.
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I Jesse M Foster Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Sullivan do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceeding of the said Court in the matter of the application of Epenetus Lounsbury for a pension.

In testimony whereof ahead I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this thirteenth day of June in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty three —

Jesse M Foster
Clerk of Sullivan Com. Please
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State of New York
Sullivan County
[torn]Personally appeared before the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Sullivan on the twelfth day of June 1833, Epenetus Lounsbury, and in addition to his former declaration made in the [illegible] October 9th, 1832 being solemnly sworn says that he was born at Stamford Connecticut March 7, 1755, has no record of his age but believing that there is one at Stamford— That by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively to the precise length of his service - that according to the best of his recollection he enlisted as stated in his former declaration, and which is hereto annexed in the forepart of May 1778 and continued in service until in the foreport of the year 1783 the particular month he does not now recollect — That from the commencement of his Service until the expiration of about two years and an half he and his company were in continual and active service guarding the lines in Westchester County and other duties, that the latter part of the term he was not so constantly in service, the [illegible] of the enemy being [illegible] + the services of the company not so necessary; that he was however continued in the company [illegible] the whole of the time; but was permitted to visit his families residence occasionally, That he is known to David Hammond, Peter F. Hume[?], Stephen Hamilton, and many others residing in his [illegible] who can testify as to his veracity + belief of his service as a soldier of the revolution.
And the deponent further says that previous to the above mentioned term of service, he enlisted at Northcastle in Westchester County, on the 5th of July 1776 as near as he can now recollect, in a company of militia, for six months service under Captain Benoni Platt, in Colonel Thomas Thomas Regiment [illegible] Col. [illegible] Hammond, + Major Ebenezer Purdy in Gen. George Clintons Brigade. [illegible]one of the lieutenant's name was Gray - does not recollect the others - Deponent was in service in said Company at the battle of White Plains [illegible]26th or 28th of October 1776 - Then marched to Peekskill - then to [Harrison?] Purchase[?] and was there discharged January 1, 1777. Has no other documentary [service -crossed out] evidence
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of the above mentioned service except the annexed affidavit of facts

Raymond
Epenetus Lounsbury

Sworn [before] June 12 1833 and P T Hunn the said deponent Epenetus Lounsbury to be a credible witness —
P T Hunn JP

Sullivan County NY: [Samuel] Raymond of Neversink in Sullivan County being sworn says that he will know Epenetus Lounsbury — that said Lounsbury enlisted between the 1st + 10th of July 1776 at Northcastle in Westchester County in a company of militia commanded by Captain Benoni Platt and Colonel Thomas, Thomas’s Regiment in Gen. George Clinton Brigade. Deponent was his captain Abijah Gilbert’s Company in the same regiment, + served with said Lounsbury during the time of service which was for the six months — that the said Lounsbury this company also deponent was engaged with battle of Whiteplans in October 1776 and the Company was finally discharged at Harrison Purchase in Westchester County January 1 1777 that said Lounsbury served the whole time per his enlistment until his discharge — 

Samuel Raymond

Sworn before me July 12 1833 and I know the said [illegible] Raymond to be a person of truth + veracity of a credible witness
P T Hunn JP

Sullivan County Clerk office [illegible] I Jesse M Foster Clerk of the County do certify that Peter T Hunn at the [illegible] of the above [illegible] affidavit was a Justice of the peace of the County, that I know the above to be his genuine Signature — witness my hand + seal of office the 12th day of June 1833

Jesse M Foster Clerk of Sullivan County
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We the subscribers do severally swear that we are well acquainted with Epenetus Lounsbury an applicant for a pension under the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832 and do believe him a person of strict veracity and that the statement advanced may be placed upon his affidavit.

Sworn before me Oct 9 1832
John M Baxter
Clerk of Sullivan County
P.T. Hunn
David Hammond
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State of New York, County of Westchester} ss. I, Nathaniel Bayles Clerk of the County of Westchester DO HEREBY CERTIFY, That, Andrew Graham Esq whose name is subscribed to the [struck: Certificate of the] annexed affidavit [struck: of the annexed conveyance, and endorsed thereon], was, on the day of the date of the said [struck: Certificate] affadavit, a Commissioner in and for the said County, residing in the said County, commissioned and sworn, and duly authorized to take the same. And further, that I am well acquainted with the hand-writing of the said Commissioner and verily believe that the signature of the said [struck: Certificate of] affidavit of A. Graham is genuine.

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said County, the twenty eighth day of September 1832

N. Bayles
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State of New York
County of Westchester

Daniel Delavan of said County being duly sworn on his oath saith that he knows Epenetus Lounsbury, formerly of the said County and know him in the revolutionary war and knows that the said Lounsbury (who also has been informed is about making an application now for a pension under the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832) volunteered some time in the spring of the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight in a company of light horse commanded by Captain Samuel Delavan of which company [illegible] Wallace was first Lieutenant and James [Monroe] the second Lieutenant and that said Lounsbury served in said company until the close of the revolutionary war that said company was not attached to any particular regiment that is was a company of Volunteers raised to serve on the line in the said county of Westchester which said county was then partly occupied by British troops and the deponent further saith that said company was commanded by officers appointed and commissioned by the Governor of the State and he further saith that he the deponent served as a volunteer in said company at different times during the revolutionary war, frequently saw said Lounsbury in the service in said company and knows that he served in said company at the time in the said County of Westchester from the spring of 1778 until the close of the war. And the deponent further saith that the officers and privates of the company equipped themselves and served at
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their own expense, and he has no doubt but that said Lounsbury was in actual service in said company during said time, at least two years and a half. The said County was at that time much exposed to the enemy, and the military force thereof required to serve on the lines and protect the inhabitants were obliged to be under arms a great part of the time. And the deponent saith that he is now seventy five years of age and that the said Samuel Delavan was his brother and has been dead for several years. And the deponent further saith that he testifies as to said Lounsbury’s services from his personal knowledge of their own truths, deponent saith
not.

Sworn to and subscribed this 25th day of September 1832 before me

A. Graham Commissioner
Daniel Delavan

I, Andrew Graham, the above named commissioner hereby certify that I am personally acquainted with the above deponent and that he is a credible person and that his statement is entitled to full credit and belief.

Dated Sept 28th 1832
A. Graham
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Epenetus Lounsbury
14.128
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State of New York
Sullivan County

On the ninth day of October 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the said County [Epenetus] Lounsbury a resident of the Town of Thompson in said County aged seventy seven years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits 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.

Deponent enlisted in the spring of 1778 in a company of horse. Samuel Delavan Captain, [Uzal] Wallace Lieutenant, one Mandeville 2nd Lieutenant, + Jacob [Vermilyea] Cornet — but was attached to no particular Regiment — it was a volunteer troop — they provided their own horses + equipment of every kind — enlisted at Salem in Westchester County State of New York where he then lived — the British then was in possession of New York and the lower part of Westchester County — and the County was very much exposed to the incursions of the enemy — the troop was raised + called out by order of the Governor of the State for the protection of the living — deponent was engaged in that service with the troop from the time of his enlistment until peace, in different parts of the County of Westchester —  deponent was not engaged in any battle or skirmish, nor did any particular occurrence take place during the time of his enlistment that he recollects — the duty of the troop was to protect the frontiers of the County of Westchester — The troop was raised to serve during the war, and when peace took place the troop was disbanded + separated at Salem  afterward — deponent received no written discharge. He received no pay whatever during his service, but armed + equipped himself as did the rest of the troop — Does not recollect that there were any regular troops in that part of the County during the time of his service — General (then Colonel) Thomas’s regiment of militia was stationed on the lines during the time of deponent’s service, for the purpose of guarding the frontiers. He truly relinquishes every claim whatever to the pension or annuity except the present declaration that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State — 

Sworn + subscribed the day + year aforesaid

John M Baxter
Clerk of Sullivan Co. Pleas

Epenetus Lounsbury
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We Edward K. Fowler a clergyman residing in the town of Thompson in the County of Sullivan and David Hammond residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Epenetus Lounsbury who had subscribed and sworn to the above declarations that we believe him to be seventy seven years of age. That he is reputable and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution + that we concur in that opinion. He hereby is Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid

John M Baxter
Clerk of Sullivan Co. Pleas

David Hammond
Edward Keaton Fowler

And the said Court do hereby decalre 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 + served as he states — and the Court further certifying that he appears to them that Edward K Fowler who had signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman residing in the town of Thompson in said County of Sullivan + that David Hammond who has also signed the same in a resident of the same place + is a credible person + that their statements is entitled to credit — 

I Jesse M Foster Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Sullivan do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Epenetus Lounsbury for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand + seal of office the ninth day of October one thousand and eight hundred + thirty two.

Jesse M Forster
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Epenetus Lounsbury
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of [Epinetus] Lounsbury Sullivan C N York which require further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? no

V. *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled?
No continued militia service from 1778 to the end of the war known at the Department — applicant must state the date & length of each tour of actual service performed by him.

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? no

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension that the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yes

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes

X. Is the Clerk’s seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yes
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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary services? yes

XII. If the clergyman’s affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?

XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?

XIV. †If the applicant’s name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? yes
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? yes
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as to the regulations direct? yes

XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant’s service? yes

XVI. ‡Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? no

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 1.2 5-7

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long her served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn. deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For –––– year –––– months and –––– days, I served as a –––– For –––– months and –––– days, I served as a ––––; and for such service I claim a pension.
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It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons of the persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.

†QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.

‡QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
[finger pointing right] In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
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Rev War

11.002
INVALID.

File No. 11.002
[Epinetus] Lounsbury
Priv Rev War

Act: June 7th 1832
Index:—Vol. A, Page 228

Arrangement of 1870