Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 13671, for Amos Kniffin, New York
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Service; Number
New York; Kniffin, Amos; S. 13671
Carded
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New York 20387
Amos Kniffin
Putnam in the State of N.Y. who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Robinson of the Regt. Commanded by Col. Swartwout in the Militia [illegible] for New York
6	months 6. Day
Inscribed on the Roll of New York [illegible] the rate of 20 Dollars 66. Cents per annum [illegible] commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 5 day of Sept. 1835 and send to Jonathan Morehouse, Carmel – Putnam Co
Arrears to the 4th Sept 33 – 			51   	66
Semi-anl. Allowance ending 4 Mar 34	10	33
$61.98
Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by F. F. Franciosi Clerk Book E. Vol. 4 Page 64
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No. 14513 [handwritten]
Amos Kniffen Putnam Co N York
Admitted Private 6 mo [illegible] days
14
p. 381
May 8 ‘33
Jonathan Morehouse Ck
Putnam Co N. York
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BRIEF in the case of Amos Kniffin of Putnam Co in the State of N. York (Act 7th June, 1832) [typewritten form with handwritten answers]
1. Was the declaration made before a court or a judge? Court
2. If before a judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? [no answer]
3. How old is he? 75
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.; Duration of service.; Rank.; Name of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Drafted in 1776 July; substitute for Saml kniffen; five days as a private; Gen Swartwout Regt; Capt Ebenezer Robinson
5 months; Gen Swartwout [illegible] Isaac Townsend, Capt Ludington
1777 Mar 7 Days; Cap. Waterbury
	June 7 Days; Same Officers
July 10 Days
	Sept 7 Days 
6 Months 6 Days

5. In what battles was he engaged? [no answer]
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Fredericksburg Dutchess Co N York
7. In his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary [crossed out] & living witnesses and traditionary [likewise?]
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? And if so, in what respect? Correct

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

Geo. B. Whiting [handwritten signature] Examining Clerk
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14513
Amos Kniffin’s pension papers – [handwritten]
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State of New York
County of Putnam SS
I Jonathan Morehouse Clerk of the said County do hereby certify that the annexed are the original papers upon which the application of Amos Kniffen for a pension was presented ^ upon which the opinion of the court was given
And I do further certify that it was before me as clerk[illegible] in ope court, that the affidavits of Reuben Ganong, Samuel Hawkins, Benjamin Dyckman & Abraham Everett, being a part of [this?] annexed papers were taken; and that the said Reuben Ganong, Samuel Hawkins, Benjamin Dykeman & Abraham Everett are credible persons. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal of office as clerk of said court this 25th day of May 1833
J Morehouse [handwritten signature]

NB. From this brief which accompanies the papers in the matter it appears that the only objection is the want of a certificate of [illegible].  The court has certified to that fact which it is supposed as sufficient where its witnesses are sworn in open court. 
It is possible that this objection should have been to No 16 at want of a proper authentication. 
The ^above certificate is supposed will apply to the whole case & remove all objections. 
J Morehouse [handwritten signature]
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State of New York
County of Putnam SS
On this fifteenth day of October in the year 1832 personally appeared before the court of Oyer and Terminer and jail deliver in and for said County of Putnam Amos Kniffin a resident of the town of Southeast in the county of Putnam and state of New York aged seventy five years last march who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of congress passed June 7th 1832.  That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated – That about the middle of July 1776 the declarant was drafted out of Col. Ludington’s Regiment in to Capt. Ebenezer Robinson’s company to go to Peekskill to guard that part of the country as those British ships to wit the Roebuck, Phoenix & Rose had got up the river that he at this time served five days. & then came home the officers came home at that time.  The Lieutenants were Nathaniel [Scribner?] & Isaac Townsend – That in the latter part of said July 1776 men were drafted for five months in and abut the south part of Dutchess County in the state of New York that the declarants brother Samuel Kniffen was drafted for said term that the declarant took his brother’s place as a substitute for said five months in Capt. Comfort Ludington’s company, & in Col. [Swartwouts?] regiment that he joined the regiment about the first of August 1776 at Kingsbridge New York that while there the British got possession of New York and the American army retreated to the White Plains in Westchester the declarant & his Capt. Being taken with dysentery, he came home and as soon as the declarant got able returned back with the Captain & joined the Army at Peekskill at which place the army had arrived staid at Peekskill about a week, then went to constitution island opposite West Point staid there a short time then went up & across the Hudson up to New Windsor and was there employed in drawing stone & timber to put in the river to prevent the British shipping passing up the river staid there until the first day of
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January 1777, at which time his time was out and was discharged by his officers – that he had no written discharge, that he served the five months faithfully as a substitute as aforesaid – that in March 1777 that Col. Ludington’s regiment or part of it was called to Peekskill aforesaid in the state of New York & the declarant was one called out to go, that he did go & serve at that time one week at said Peekskill & then was permitted to return home by his officers – that he served in June 1777 one week in the same regiment being militia, & called out the Capt. was Waterbury, served in and about Peekskill & was then permitted to go home by the officers – about the middle of  July was called out again in the same company & regiment to serve in & abut Peekskill principally staid within about four miles of Peekskill the term of service was at this time was [crossed out] ten days or more probably twelve days which the declarant at this time served & was then permitted to return by his officers – that in October of the same year the declarant was called out in the same company & regiment of militia to do duty to guard the county that he went with said company & regiment to Crompond in Westchester County & staid with said company one week & then was permitted to return home – that he has no documentary evidence of his services that he had no written discharge in any case as he recollects

I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state,

He further declares on his oath aforesaid in answer to the interrogations propounded by the court that as to where he was born that he understood from his parents that he was born in New Borough as then called now in Newburgh in the County of Orange [illegible] New York  ^in March 1757 And that he has a record of his age in the family bible in his possession that he lived where called into the service the several times as before stated in Fredericksburg Dutchess County now lives in Southeast Putnam County in the State of New York. That he has not lived in the revolutionary war nor at any time since as to his place of residence more than three miles from the place where he then lived & that he now lives – That he went the
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Five months service as a substitute of his brother Samuel as aforesaid & the other times as a drafted man or as a volunteer.  That he does not recollect the names of his officers either as principal or otherwise more than has been stated in the preceding declaration, and that he has no recollection of receiving any written discharge at anytime of his services as before stated – that the persons in his neighborhood who can testify as to his character for veracity and good behavior and as to his services as a soldier of the revolution are Reuben Ganong of Carmel in said county and Samuel Hawkins of Kent in said county.  Benjamin Dykeman of Southeast in said county and Abraham Everitt of said Carmel.
Amos Kniffen [handwritten signature]
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
J. Morehouse Clerk of said court
State of New York
Putnam County SS
On this fifteenth day of October in the year  1832 personally appeared before the court of Oyer and Terminer and Jail delivery in and for said county of Putnam Reuben Ganong of the town of Carmel in said county of Putnam aged seventy five years the 29th day of September last part who first being duly sworn according to law on his oath testifies and declares that he has been acquainted for more than sixty years with Amos Kniffen & has made the preceding declaration for the benefit of the at of congress of June 7, 1832 that the deponent Reuben Ganong lived within about one mile of the said Kniffin during the revolutionary war, that her served with the said Kniffin seve[?] of the short tours as stated in the preceding declaration and also understood at the time of his the said Kniffin perform--ing the five months service as stated in the preceding declare[*] that he did perform such services – that he believes the
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The said Kniffin to be seventy five years old and that in his neighborhood where he has resided a great many years he is believed to be a person of strict veracity and that the deponent concurs with that opinion. 

his mark [hand drawn X] Reuben Ganong
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
J. Morehouse Clerk of said court

State of New York
Putnam County SS
On this fifteenth day of October in the year 1832 personally appeared before the court of Oyer and Terminer and Jail delivery in and for said county of Putnam ^Samuel Hawkins of Kent and County aged seventy years old last May who being first duly sworn according to law on his oath testifies and says that the depont the last of June or first of July 1776 enlisted into Comfort Ludington’s company & in Colonel Swartwouts regiment for six months.  That he knows that he see Amos Kniffin who has made the preceding declaration serve in the said company for several months – serve in said company & regiment as stated in the preceding declaration as the deponent has every reason to believe that while the deponent was serving in said company the term aforesaid he see the said declarant Amos Kniffen doing duty as aforesaid and that he served faithfully as the deponent verily believes as that the said Amos Kniffen did frequently do service in said company while others in said company did refuse to do their duty or did complain of doing their duty

Samuel * [handwritten signature]

Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
J. Morehouse Clerk of sd court
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We hereby certify that we Benjamin Dykeman of the town of Southeast and said county of Putnam & Abraham Everett of the town of Carmel in said county are well acquainted with Amos Kniffin who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 75 years of age last March that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that [illegible] opinion
Benjamin Dyckman [handwritten signature]
Abraham Everitt [handwritten signature]

Sworn & subscribed as before dated
J. Morehouse Clerk of the court

And the said court do certify hereby and declare in their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations 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 Ruben Ganong Samuel Hawkins, Benjamin Dykeman and Abraham Everett who have severally sworn to the foregoing affidavit and signed the same are residents as therein stated and that they are severally entitled to credit
Charles H. Rubbles Presiding Judge
Frederic Stone
Bennet Bryn[?] Judges

I Johnathan Morehouse Clerk of the Court of Oyer & Terminer & Jail delivery of Putnam County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings in the matter of the application of Amos Kniffin for a pension. – in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office the 16th day of October AD 1832
J. Morehouse [handwritten signature]
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[typewritten correspondence, no transcription needed]
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[typewritten correspondence, no transcription needed]
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[illegible] reply to your request of __________received__________ [illegible] statement of the military history of Amos Kniffen [handwritten] ^Rev. or Wars for the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired [illegible] as contained in his (or his widow’s) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
[typewritten]
Dates of enlistment or appointment. Length of service. Rank. Officer under whom service was rendered. Captain. Colonel. State.
[handwritten]
July 1776; 5 days; Pvt.; Ebenezer Robinson; Ludington; NY
August 1, 1776; 5 mos.; Comfort Ludington; Swartwout
March 1777; one week; - ; Ludington
June 1777; 1; Waterbury; Ludington 
July 1777; 12 days; Waterbury; Ludington
October 1777; 1 week; Waterbury; Ludington
Battles engaged in, [typewritten form]………………..
Residents of soldier at enlistment Fredericksburg Dutchess Co. N.Y.
Date of application for pension, October 15, 1832 [illegible]
Residence at date of application, Southeast, Putnam Co N.Y.
Age at date of application, born in Newburgh, Orange Co. NY, in Mar. 1757.
Remarks: Soldiers name was also spelled KNIFFIN. The 5 months service was rendered as a substitute for his brother Samuel
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[typewritten correspondence from Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions to Mr. G. C. Kniffen, no transcription needed]
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Dec 8 ’98 [left side of page]
G C Kniffen
Bureau of Pens.
1908 Feb 28 [illegible] to Col. G. C. Kniffen B of Pensions
1908, May 20. Hist. to Morris P. Ferris. 
1929 – June 26, 7 dist to Mrs. Nellie J. Gilbert, M.E.E. 
13671 [handwritten right side of page]
INVALID
File No. 13.671
Amos Kniffin
Priv. Rev. War
Act: June 7, 1832
Index: -- Vol. 1, Page 210
[Arrangement of 1870]
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215 Fremont St.
Peekskill NY 
Feb 20, 1929
Pension Office
Washington DC
[Seal cancelation reads Pension Office Feb 23 1929]
Dear Sir, 
Please send me the information of the services of Amos Kniffen of the 7th Regiment Duchess Militia.
Please tell me the Colonel and if it is in Book E Volume Page 64.
I am Nellie Jane Kniffen Gilbert great granddaughter of Amos Kniffen.
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[continuation of handwritten letter]
Please answer me as soon as possible, and oblige [me?] very much
Yours Truly, 
Mrs Nellie J Gilbert
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Request of Morris P. Ferris, Atty at law
Through Col. Kniffin’s desk. 
May 20, 08.
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[typewritten form with handwritten “Yes” answers for Pension Claims, no transcription needed]
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[2nd page of typewritten form with handwritten “Yes” answers for Pension Claims, no transcription needed]
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[3rd, final page of typewritten form for Pension Claims, no transcription needed]