Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 17469, for Mingo Pollock, Connecticut
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE NUMBER
[handwritten] brown. Pollock, Mingo W17469 [/handwritten]
[handwritten] Molly [/handwritten]

CONTENTS
Page 2

Connecticut 2091
Molly Pollock 
widow of Mingo Pollock dec?
who died in the year 1798
of Windham in the State of Connt
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain Crosby of the Rgt. commanded
by Col. Brown, in the Grunt
line for 8 months

Inscribed on the Roll of Connt
at the rate of 26 dollars 64 cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 6th day of June
1838 and [illegible] Simon 
Davis, Thompson, Connt

Arrears to the 4th of March 1838 $186.69
Semi-an. allowance ending 4 Sept. " 13.33
$200.02

{Revolutionary claim, 
Act July 4, 1836,
Section the 3.d}

Recorded by [illegible] A. d. dilon Clerk,
Book A Vol 2.d Page 74
Page 3

I, ROYAL R. HINMAN, Secretary of the State of Connecticut, and keeper of the Seal thereof, do hereby certify and make known to whom it doth or may concern,

THAT Simon Davis -- Esquire,
is, and for more than six months last past, ahs been a
Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Windham
in said State, duly appointed, commissioned and qualified, having full power and authority, by the laws of said State, to take the ac-
knowledgement of Deeds and to certify the same; also to admin-
ister oaths to witnesses and to take Affidavits and Depositions out
of Court, and to give certificates thereof, and that full faith and
credit may and ought to be given to the official acts and attesta-
tions of the said Simon Davis in Court and Country.

In testimony whereof, I have, in my capacity of Secretary as aforesaid, hereunto set my Hand,
and affixed the Seal of said State, at th e City of Hartford, in said State, the 5th -- day of
July -- in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven

Royal R. Hinman, Secretary of State
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Molly Pollock
Page 5

State of Connecticut
Windham County [illegible] on this 27 Day of May 1837
Personally appeared before the [illegible] Court of Probate
for the [illegible] of hereupon in the Court of [illegible]
Molly Pollock a resident of Thompson in the 
Court Estate [illegible] aged 84 years
who being duly sworn according 
to law doth on her oath make the following
declaration in order to obtain the benefit
of the provision made by the act of Congress
haped July 4th 1836 and the act explanatory of
said act haped March 3d 1837 that she was married to Mingo Pollock when she was in the 19th year
of her age about 1772, who was a soldier in the
Revolutionary War, several tours of duty the
First in 1776, he enlisted into a company
commanded by Capt Stephen Crosby, for six months, and went to New York, was there at
the retreat out of [illegible] when it was Taken
by the British & served out his time. It was I think [word crossed out] in what was called P[illegible]
Regiment .. he was some of the time in [illegible]
[illegible] Island when Col Sage was said to have
the command - after he came home
Henry Pollock was [illegible] after for one month on
a Tour of duty, & my husband Mingo, went
Page 6

in his room, one month to Providence
State of Rhode Island in Capt Hinsons Company
at the end of said month, other Malitia were
drafted, to supply this place & my husband Mingo was hired & staid another month
it was in 1777. I believe & Genl. Spencer was said to be the General. I have often
heard him tell of seeing Genl. Washington
at [illegible] She further declares she
was married to said Mingo Pollock in 
September about 1772, when she was in the 
19th year of her age. & that her husnband
the said Mingo Pollock died in the
summer season about 46 years of age, but the month & year she cannot remember -
that she was afterwards married to 
Jacob Woodland who died about
12 years, but the particular time she
cannot remember & that she was a
widow on the 4th day of July 1836 and 
she remains a widow as will more fully
appear by the [illegible] hereto [illegible]
[illegible] Simon Davis her
Molly X Pollock.
Jacob Lewis
Talcott Crosby 
Sworn & [illegible] the [illegible]
Written before 
Talcott Crosby Judge of Rebate
Page 7

I, John Nichols Clerk of the Court
Probate, within & for the Districts of
Thompson in the County of Windham
& State of Connecticut, certify that the 
foregoing in the proceedings of said 
Court of Probate in the matters of the
application of Molly Pollock for a 
pension under the provisions of the
Act of Congress, haped the 4" Day of July
[illegible] 1836. In testimony wherein I 
have hereunto set my hand and after
the seal of said Court this 20th Day
of June [illegible] 1837.
John Nichols, Clerk. -
Page 8

I James Green of Thompson in the County of Windham & State of Connecticut aged 84 
years & duly sworn according law do testify
and say that I was born & have
always lived in Thompson aforesaid, in
the time of the Revolutionary War. I was 
out as a Soldier 6 Campaigns - I
have always been acquainted with Mingo
pollock & Molly Woodland, once the sife
of the said Mingo, & who has singed the annexed declaration for a pension for
the services of the said Mingo. Said Mingo
was a Soldier with me in the year
1776, to New York in Capt Stephen Crosby
Company 6 months, when the British took 
New York, the year afterwards. he was with me one month at providence
R Island under Genl. Spencer, as a soldier
in Capt [illegible] Company. I have always
lived not far from the said Mingo Pollock
Page 9

and know that he & the said Molly lived
together as [crossed out word] husband & wife, more than 
50 years ago. & until the time of his death --
they had a large family of children
and the said Mingo died about 40 years
years ago After the death of the said 
Mingo, she was married to Jacob Woodland
was has been dead about 12 or 15 years
as near as I can remember. She the
Molly is now a Widow - I knew
Mingo Pollock before he was married.
Amos Gorcan
Page 10

I Joseph Richardson of Thompson in the County of Windham & State of Connecticut aged 75 years & duly sworn according to law do testify & say that I lived with my father a near neighbor to [2 words inked out] Mingo Pollack & I remember him well before he was married, to Molly Woodland, who has signed the annexed declaration & have always know them both since  when I was about 15 years of age.  I served as a substitute for persons drafted in the militia, two tours of duty at Providence Rhode Island, under General Spencer, and said Mingo Pollack was there as a substitute also, both of said tours, of one month each. once for Henry Pollack & once for a person whose name I have forgotten.  The marriage I did not attend. of the ? Mingo but I remember the dance that they had on the occasion & of going to see them after his wife was brought
Page 11

home which was more than 60 years ago they ever lived together as husband & wife & had a large family of Children the said Mingo died about 40 years ago & the said Molly married Jacob Woodland who has be dead about 12 years or more. & she now is a Widow.
Joseph Richardson [signature]

State of Connecticut
Windham County ss on this 27" Day of May 1837.

personally appeared before the Court of Probate within & for the district of Thompson in the county & state aforesaid.  Amos Greer & Joseph Richardson signed of foregoing Depositions and made solemn oath to the truth of the same by them respectively Subscribed & I further Certify that the said deponents from personal Knowledge are persons of truth & veracity__
Talcott Crosby Judge of Probate
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Jon^a Conver  dep
Page 13

Ik Jonathan Conver of Thompson in the County of Windham & State of Connecticut__aged 76 years and duly Sworn according to law do testify and say that in the Revolutionary War in 1776 I was a soldier 6 months in Capt Stephen Crosby's Company in Col Sage's Regt at New York & in that Mingo Pollack was a soldier of Company during said time.  he was a coulered [sic] man. & served out his time of six months
He is now dead & has been for about 40 years.  he used to live not far from me.  his Widow Molly Pollack is now alive.  I do not know but the Regt might at first been called Putnams Regt__further the deponent said not.

Jonathon Conver
Page 14

[handwritten]

State of Connecticut
Windham County ss. Thompson June 20th 1837. Then personally appeared Jonathan Convese signer of the foregoing deposition and made solemn oath to the truth of the same. and I further certify that from personal knowledge I know the deponent to be a person truth & veracity
Before me Simon Davis Justice of the Peace

I Joseph Joslin of Thompson in the County of Windham State of Connecticut aged 78 years & duly sworn according to law do testify & say that that [duplicate] I have always known Mingo Pollock & Molly his wife (about 60 years age) they went & got married, & came back to the house ^[insert] of my father in which I then & now live [underlined] & had a dance on the occasion as then was the custom at weddings, and ever have resided in my near neighborhood as man & wife. Her husband Mingo died about 40 years ago.
Page 15

[handwritten]

She afterwards married Jacob Woodland who died about 10 or 15 years -
It has always been said Mingo was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. She has always been called Molly Pollock. her first name was Molly Piggen [underlined]. they had a large family by the first marriage. she is now a Widow & has been for more than 10 years passed She is the person who has signed the annexed declaration for a pension. She & Mingo were respectfully brought up & ever sustained a good character. I have no doubt in my own mind as to the fact of their marriage. tho [though] I did not attend it. other than as above stated. than I have that I was lawfully married - myself - & further saith not.  
Joseph Joslen
I further say I was a soldier with him 20 Days on Rhode Island in the Revolutionary War, but what company he was in I know not. he was not in any company.. a more active, springy man I never saw.
Joseph Joslen

State of Connecticut,
Windham County ss. Thompson June 20 1837
Then personally appeared Joseph Joslin signer of the above deposition & made solemn oath to the truth of the same & I do certify that deponent is of undoubted truth & veracity & a near neighbor of mine
Before me Simon Davis Justice of the Peace
Page 16

[handwritten]

V2275V
Molly Pollock
Mingo
Let:
Married 1772
Died 1797
Allow 8 mo per $2hhh
per anm - no deductions
Cont Militia
Capt Crosby
Windham Connt
186.69
Simon Davis
Page 17

[handwritten]

I John Fourtellott of Thompson in the County of Windham & State of Connecticut aged 54 years & duly sworn according to law do certify and say that I have heard my old grandfather, John Jaccobs, an ancient man, who died about 16 years ago, aged 95 years & who used to keep a public house in sd [said] Thompson, say that Mingo Pollock & the wedding party, when he was married called at his house for refreshment, & anecdotes, on & about his wedding. Mingo Pollock I well remember myself he has been dead many years, his widow Molly, now lives near me, & has bottomed chairs at my house
John Fourtellot

State of Connecticut
Windham County ss. Thompson June 20 1837
then personally appeared John Fourtellott Esqr signer of the above deposition & made solemn oath to the truth of the same, & I further certify that sd [said] deponent from personal knowledge is of good truth & veracity
Before me Simon Davis Justice of the Peace
Page 18

I, Simon Davis of Thompson in the county of
Windham State of Connecticut age of 54
years & duly sworn according to [illegible] do
testify and say that I cannot in the
records I have examined find any
[illegible] evidence of the aforementioned Marriage
of Mingus Pollock & Molly Piggin

Simon Davis
[illegible] Subscribed before the Court of Probate
Talcott Crosby  Judge of Probate
Page 19

[handwritten]

Molly Pollock of Mingo
Married 1772. 84 years. died 1797
76. 6 mo Captain Crosby
2 -. Cap Winson
Page 20

[printed form with handwriting]

Rev WIDOW, &c. 
File No. 17464
Molly Pollock
Wid. of Mingo Pollock
Priv. Rev. War
Act: July 4, 1836
Index: - Vol. M, Page 134
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 21

S. Davis
Affidavit [illegible]
Molly Pollock
Case

S. Davis, Esq
[illegible]
Mar 20th
Page 22

[handwritten]

District of Columbia, Washington City
March 20, 1838

Be it remembered, that on the day & year above written personally appeared Simon Davis Esqr. of Thompson in the County of Windham and State of Connecticut, and being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare & say - that he has [illegible lined out] carefully examined the Parish Registers of Marriages in the Town of said Thompson, and Killingly in sd [said] Windham County and after the most careful examination thereof, for the last hundred years & over, he cannot find on either of them. the Record of the Marriage of Mingo Pollock of sd [said] Thompson & Molly Piggen of sd [said] Killingly and further saith not
Simon Davis

Sworn to and subscribed before me the 20 day of March 1838.
J. Wells jr J. Peace
Page 23

[handwritten]

[?] Ct.
Free
May 29 [written vertically]
Hon. J. L. Edwards.
Comss. of Pensions
Washington
D. C.
Page 24

[handwritten]

War Department
Pension Office
March 23 1838

Sir.
I have examined the additional testimony in support of the date of the marriage of Molly Pollack & find it unsatisfactory.
If however, Jo. Joslin will swear positively that the marriage took place before the War or before the service was performed the claim will be allowed
I am respectfully your abt svt [obedient servant]
J. L. Edwards

Simon Davis Esqr.
Present.
Thompson Windham Co. Ct
May 24 1838

Sir, The above is a copy of your communication as per date. Early in April I sent you Jo. Joslin deposition to the effect of which fact he had
Page 25

[handwritten]

not the least doubt. Your early convenient attention to the subject, is requested, as Mrs Pollack can say, " If to eighty, we arrive we rather sigh and groan and live -
Your obt hnle svt. [obedient honorable servant]
Simon Davis
Page 26

[handwritten]

[?] letter to S. Davis
22 March 1838
Page 27

[handwritten]

Washington Mar 21 1838
Sir,
The case of Molly Pollock appears to be suspended for want of sufficient proof of the marriage before the last term of her husbands service in the Revolutionary War. 
Molly in 1837 was called 84 years old. & was [?] born in 1753, & married as she says. when in her 19 year making the marriage in 1772. The first service of her husband was in 1776. in New York & 2 months in R Island in the time of Genl. Spencer which was in 1778.
The evidence of Mollys Marriage before 1778 is first [underlined] her own declaration -
Secondly [underlined] Joseph Richardson who was born & has always lived near them in 1837 at the time he made his declaration swears that they lived together as man & wife to his knowledge more than 60 years making the marriage at least in 1777 [underlined]
3 [underlined] Joseph Joslin, who was in fact the fidler [sic] at the Wedding dance; & a very respectable man & many years, a Representative in the General Assembly of Connecticut Swears [underlined] in 1837 that
Page 28

[handwritten]

that the Wedding dance was more than 60 years before making it at least 1777.
4th [underlined] Mrs Sarah Waren deposition, is laid aside on account of her age 7 or 8 years old, when the fact happened [underlined] which she testifies about. I have known witnesses excluded from testifying in a Court of Law from their being of so young as not to know the nature of an oath. [illegible lined out]
but never because they were not more than 7 or 8 years old, when the event happened. 
The event she testifyes [sic] about was such as to make a lasting impression on her mind, by the sight & holding in her arms a black child [underlined].. a thing [lined out] sight & event one in 20 of the then, or present generation never beheld, it does not appear there was even a male negro in her Town, Pollack the husband came from an adjoining town. Mrs Warren never can forget the event.. She is now the wife of Luther Warren Esqr. one of the first men in Windham County Con. & an Elector of the [illegible] President [?] testimony, confirms .. hath all the others, & places the marriage at least in 1777
Your obt [?] svt. 
S. Davis
Hon J L Edwards
Page 29

[handwritten]

J. L. Edwards Esqr.
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington DC.

[written vertically left side]

July 19
[ink stamp]
2274.5.6
Mass:
4 July '36
3d. Sec: -

[written vertically right side]

84
19 [underlined]
65

1837
84 [underlined]
1753
19 [underlined]
1772:
1837
60 [underlined]
1777
Page 30

John Fisher
def
molly Pollock
Page 31

[handwritten]

I, John Fisher of Killingly in the County of Windham & State of Connecticut aged 82 years & over and duly sworn according to law do testify and say that during the Revolutionary War, I was a soldier in the American Army nearly three years & did duty in five several Regiments, in the first year of the war I was at or near Boston. in Capt John Greens Company three months. the next year 1776. I went to N York in Capt. Crosby's Company was at the retreat out of N York. and served in that year seven months. I know Mingo Pollack a Coloured Man, from Thompkin in S'd [said] County of Windham he was a soldier in both of said Tours of duty with me & belonged to the same Company with me at New York & I think at Boston also & served the same time as I did. I well remember him, as he used on some [illegible lined out] calls of duty .. to have the colic very bad
John Fisher [signature]

State of Connecticut
Windham County ss. Killingly March 7 1838
Then personally appeared John Fisher singer of the above deposition & made solemn oath to the truth of the same and I do further certify that from personal knowledge said deponent is a person of truth & veracity & every where a credible witness
Before me Simon Davis Justice of the peace
Page 32

[handwritten]

Mr. Warrens
let
for
Mrs. Woodland

1836
50 [underlined]
1786
Page 33

[handwritten]

I Sarah Warren of Killingly in the County of Windham and State of Connecticut aged 73 years & over & duly sworn according to law, do testify & say that the Rev'd [Revered] Aaron Brown formerly a Minister in said Killingly was my Grandfather & I was frequently at his house when young & went to school. He brought up a coloured Girl named Molly Peggan who I knew very well when Molly was about 18 years old she was courted by a black man from Thompson and my Grandfather was [?] to having Molly many him & he by means of a ladder used to visit her. unbeknown to most of the family & [illegible lined out] it was said in the time of it that he married her & went to live with him, in Thompson. I well remember I was there & enquired for Molly & was told ^[insert] by my Grandmother she had married a negro, & gone off to Thompson
After Molly had her first child, she made a visit to my Grandfather Browns where she was brought up. & I was there & saw her & her child & it was put into my arms & I held it.
I was not at the wedding & did not see them married but have no doubt of the fact. according to recollection Molly & Husbands name was Pollock 
Sarah Warren

State of Connecticut Windham ss. Killingly March 12 1838 the personally appeared Sarah Warren signer of the above deposition & made solemn oath to the truth of the same and I further certify s'd [said] deponent is a person of credibility & from personal knowledge of the [?] truth & veracity
Before Simon Davis Justice of the Peace
Page 34

[handwritten]

Free
J. L. Edwards
Comss. of Pensions
Washington
.D.C.

[written vertically left side]

Afl.
Molly Pollock
Comm
add proof
Act 4 July '36
Ltewar
Page 35

[handwritten]

I Joseph Joslin of Thompson in the County of Windham & State of Connecticut aged 79 years if I live till next Monday and duly sworn according to law do on my said oath declare & say that I have always lived in the neighborhood of Mingo Pollock & Molly Pollock his widow. who has it is said Petitioned for a pension I remember when Pollock brought her home as his wife & they had a dance at my fathers house on the occasion, I was present - It was before the Revolutionary War, but how long I cannot say. I was a teamster in said War. & left home on that business the 5 Day of March 1777. and from that day to the present have kept a daily journal of events.
It was some years before that time
Joseph Joslen

State of Connecticut
Windham County ss. Thompson the 2nd Day of April 1838. Then personally appeared Joseph Joslin signer of the above deposition & made solemn oath to the truth of the same & from personal knowledge, I know said deponent to be a man of truth & veracity
Before me Simon Davis Justice of the Peace
Page 36

[handwritten]

Thompson April 4 1838

Sir,
Since my return home I have seen [?] Joslin & he immediately gave the annexed deposition, to be use[d] in the case of Molly Pollock. The evidence in this case make[s] Pollocks service 11 months.
I wish you to enclose me the certificate, in all convenient time, as Mrs Molly is very old & very poor
Your obt Servt.
S. Davis