Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14954, Ezra Birdsey, Conn.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Birdsey, Ezra
S.14954
CONTENTS
carded
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9892
Connecticut
Ezra Birdsey
of Fairfield Co. in the State of Conn.
who was a Dragoon in the Comp. commanded
by Captain Hackman of the Regt commanded
by Col. Gould in the Connt.
line for 6 mos & 6 days
(cavalry)

Inscribed on the Roll of Connt.
at the rate of 22 Dollars 68 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 24 day of June
1832 and sent to R. S. Nichols, Clk: Fairfield

Arrears to the 4th of Mar '32 $45.36
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep '32 11.34
                                        --------------------
                                              $56.70
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832}
Recorded by Go. C. Griles Clerk
Book E  Vol. 3  Page 4
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Ezra Birdsey
Drafted Conn.
6 months
24163
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State of Connecticut
County of Fairfield} ss. Bridgeport
On this 31st day of August 1832 personally appeared, in open Court, before the Court of Probate for the District of Stratford now sitting, Ezra Birdsey a resident of Stratford in the County of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, aged eighty four years, who being first 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, viz: In November 1775 by the order of Col. Ichabod Lewis, of Connecticut Militia, I went (with a number of others belonging to the company of Militia to which i belonged) to Newtown in said County (about 20 miles NorthWest of said Stratford) for the purpose of arresting and disarming a large number of tories residing in and about that town, and served faithfully four days, under the direction of Colonel Gould, Dimon & Lewis, whom I found there, and they kept us as busy as we could be night & day arresting the said tories, disarming them & bringing to, & confining them in, a guard house; and I remained there until I was duly discharged bu the said Colonels. The whole of said company were not called out & our Capt was not there.
In the forepart of July 1776, I was drafted to fo to New York with a company of Light-horseman to which I belonged & commanded by Capt Samuel Blackman, under the direction of General Silliman of the Connecticut Militia, and I went and served there (in the city of New York) fifteen days, at the end of which time, the company was dismissed by General Washington. While there I remember that we saw the British fleet down at the hook, and of heading [unk], surrounded by his officers & in presence of the army formed in a hallow square, give this toast "Independence forever-May we support it, and may our children rise p and call us blessed," our whole Regiment was not called out at this time & I cannot remember under what Colonel I served, as we were called out suddenly & the whole Regiment was not there.
About the middle of October 1776, I was drafted with the whole of said company of Light-horse under the same Capt. Blackman and marched to Horseneck, and the Saw-Pitts in the State of New York, where we were stationed, and kept patrolling back & forth, night & day, down towards the City of New York as far as New Rochelle, when I served in said company and under General David Wooster, three months & one week, and until I was discharged in 1767 or first part of January 1777, Genl Heath at Whiteplains.
In 1777, in the month of April, I volunteered & went to Danbury under my brother Capt. Joseph Birdsey, to prevent the British from burnin or destroying the public stores of provisions [unk] within, met & fought the enemy at Danbury, retreated to Ridgfield where I was engaged in the battle & brought off one of out wounded men on my back while the British were firing on our party; and followed the enemy down to Camp in Fairfield and remained there until the enemy embarked & sailed off for New York- in which tour of duty I served one week under Col. Gould & General Wooster who were both killed in battle, and General Arnold(who has his shot under him) when I was duly discharged.
In July 1779 I was ordered suddenly on an alarm to New Haven when the enemy landed at West Haven, and after a skirmish there the enemy
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embarked on board their vessels I quite New Haven, and I was ordered immediately afterwards to Fairfield and Sases-hill, and was personally engaged against the British troops in the battles and skirmishes at these places, and one of our men was shot down by my side & died in my arms. On this tour of duty I served one week under Ensign Enoch Blackman, of the Connecticut militia, and other officers, as I was ordered, but cannot now remember their names. About the middle of June 1778 I was ordered into service by Capt. Elnathan Nichols of the Light horse & militia aforesaid, and went out with ten or 12 of the company, to Horsneck, and served there in patrolling between there & New York two weeks, my Capt Lieut and Ensign were not there, as we were called out under a Sergeant's guard as patrols & served under the orders of General Wolcott. In October 1779, I volunteered and served six weeks against the enemy on the North River under Capt Elnathan Nichols of the Light horse as aforesaid, General Silliman commanded out party until we arrived at Fish-kill, when we were commanded by General Putnam, we followed the British fleet commanded by General Tryon up through a number of towns up the North River (Rhineback &c) Esopus was then smoking in raids, the British fleet then turned back and come down said River, and we marched down after them to Fishkill barracks, and s short time afterwards, I remember distinctly that we were discharged by General Putnam & came home in November. My whole service as above stated was six months & eight days, all which time I served my country zealously & faithfully. I have no documentary evidence to prove my services, & I received no discharge in writing. I was born in New Haven in Connecticut & resides there until I was 9 years of age, when my father removed to Stratford aforesaid, where I ever since resided.
The said Ezra Birdsey hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension toll of the agency of any State.
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Ezra Birdsey

We, Daniel Brooks residing in the town of Stratford and                             residing in the same, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Ezra Birdsey who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 84 years of age; 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 opinion.
Sworn and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
David Brooks
Huntington Tomlinson

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 abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that David Brooks who has signed the preceding certificate, is a resident in the town of Stratford and that Huntington Tomlinson who has also signed the same, is a resident in the town of Stratford and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Fitch Wheeler Judge

I, R S Nichols Clerk of the Court aforesd do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court int he matter of the application of Ezra Birdsey for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office, this 31st day of August 1832.
R. S. Nichols, Clerk

I Fitch Wheeler Judge of the Court of Probate within & for the district of Stratford, certify that the above is his signature and the seal of said Court annexed.
Fitch Wheeler Judge
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I Curtiss Tomlinson of the Town of Huntington in Fairfield county Connecticut (now in [unk]) testify & say that I am well acquainted with Ezra Birdsey the within named applicant now present & that in the summer of the year 1776, Capt. Samuel Blackman's company of Light Horse under the direction of Genl. Silliman of the Connecticut Militia was ordered into service & went to New York. I belonged to said company & went in the same into the United States service & served in said company at New York one months, the said Birdsey was with me & belonged to sd company. He states the time to have been fifteen days in which he was mistaken am since it was more & to the best of my knowledge, one months & more- all the officers under whom we served are dead so far as I know.
I further sau that I was with said Birdsey at Fishkill (at a subsequent period) I was there one month, my impression is that we were and a Capt Samuel Blackman & only me and to say that I know that said Birdsey was in the service at Fishkill on the North River time & dates I cannot state with certainty, except as to the one months service in New York in 1776.
Curtiss Tomlinson

I James Blackman of Stratford Fairfield County Conn. now in Court testify that I was with the said Ezra Birdsey the within named applicant in the city of New York in the summer of 1776 & now the fact that he served as he states, I cannot agree with him as to the time. I am sure that it was more than fifteen days. I belonged to the same company & was in the service at the same time. I further say that I was with said Birdsey under Capt Blackman at Horseneck & Sawpitts in the State of New York in October 1776 we went in October & returned in January following. I further state that I was with said Birdsey & knew that fact that the service as he states except two periods viz. four days at Newtown & six weeks at Fishkill. I know of no officers living under whom we served. I have always lived in sd Stratford neighbor to said Birdsey. I am eighty five years of age. At the last service at New York Genl Silliman had command, in the second at Sawpitts Genl [unk] in Capt Blackman was out Captain and Elnathan Nichols our Lieutenant both dead.
James Blackman
The above deposition of James Blackman & Curtiss Tomlinson sworn to & subscribed in open Court.
Attest- R. S. Nichols Clerk
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I Fitch Wheeler Judge of the Court of Probate within & for the District of Stratford in Fairfield County, State of connecticut, do hereby certify that the said Curtiss Tomlinson & James Blackman the witnesses in support of this application are both credible witnesses & men of fair character for truth & veracity.
District of Stratford
April 3, 1833
Fitch Wheeler Judge



Ezra Birdsey
Stratford Conn.
6 months
24163
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No 24163
Ezra Birdsey Fairfield County
Connecticut

ADmitted
Private dragoons
6 mos & 6 days

R. S. Nichols Clk Fairfield County
Connecticut
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WAR DEPARTMENT
Pension Office
                                     183

Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will show what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.

A Statement, showing the Service of Ezra Birdsey Fairfield County Connecticut

Period when the service was rendered: Served Nov. 1775
Duration of the claimant's service: 4 days
Rank of the claimant: private
Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served: Col Lewis, Gould, Dimon
Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service: 84 years, County of Fairfield, Connecticut
Proof by which the declaration is supported: Traditionary evidence & living testimony, certified credible, paper correct

Period when the service was rendered: Drafted July 1776
Duration of the claimant's service: 15 days
Rank of claimant: trooper
Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served: Capt Blackman, General Silliman

Period when the service was rendered: Drafted Oct. 1776
Duration of the claimant's service: 3 months, 7 days
Rank of the claimant: "
Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served: Capt Blackman, Gen. Wooster

Period when the service was rendered: Vol Apl 177
Duration of the claimant's service: 7 months
Rank of the claimant: "
Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served: Col Gould, Gel. Wooster

Period when the service was rendered: Served July 1779
Duration of the claimant's service: 7 months
Rank of the claimant: --

Period when the service was rendered: Served June 1778
Duration of the claimant's service: 14 months
Rank of the claimant: - -
Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served: Gl Wolcott

Period when the service was rendered: Vol Oct. 1779
Duration of the claimant's service: 1 month, 12 days
Rank of the claimant: trooper
Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served: Genl Sullivan & Putnam


I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS
Commissioner of Pensions
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REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7,1832
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c., Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers
3. Persons engaged in the Naval Service
4. Indian Spies
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will, in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.
DECLARATION
In order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of
County of                             } ss.
On this    day of    personally appeared (a) before             A. B. a resident (b)  of     in the county of            and State, Territory, or District of             aged (c)       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 provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d)   , with    and served in the    (e) regiment of the      line, under the following named officers:

[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period and rank and names of his officers;) the town or country through which he marched. ->This form is to varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who 
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.                A. B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I                of the Court of             do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of                  for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this     day of    &c.
If, on examination of the proper record, the names of the applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers, or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B. a Clergyman residing in the                   and C. D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with                    , who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be           years of age; 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 opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
[And then will follow the certificate of the 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 A. B. who has signed the preceding certificate if a clergyman, residing in the               and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the 
I,              Clerk of the Court of      do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of             for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this    day of   &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witnesses cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration, (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his
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3 
alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted ; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case. 
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia. 
1. Where and in what year were you born? 
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it? 
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live? 
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom? 
5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services. 
6. {To a Soldier {Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it? 
To an Officer. {Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it? 
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. 
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant. 
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons--one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify to the character and standing of other persons giving such certificates. 
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the inquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject. 
Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court. 
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature. 
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure , taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter. 
____________________________________________

 [a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance. 
[b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned. 
[d] The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served. 
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he 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 days, I served as a . For months and days, and I served as a ; and for such service I claim a pension." 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. is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that 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 shown 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. 
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable. 
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required. 
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case. 
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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. 
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 papers 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. 
Proof of Service. 
[j]In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records or department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimant's 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 with the character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office. 
[image of hand with index finger pointing right] The notes for [a] to [j] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia Men, Volunteers and State Troops The proof required by rule is note [j] applies to continental troops only. 
[k] This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases. 
[l]If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact. 
[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.
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Rev War
14954
INVALID
File No. 14954
Ezra Birdsey
Drag. Rev. War

Act: June 7th 1832
Index:- Vol. 1, Page 33
[Arrangement of 1870]