Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 28,842, for John Pelton, Connecticut
Page 1

(3-1776)
service.   number
Conn.   Pelton, John.   S.28.842
Page 2

New York  32007
John Pelton
of Livingston in the State of N York
who was a Pri in the Comp. commanded by Captain Robertson of the Regt commanded by Col. Ely. in the Conn line for 8 months
Inscribed on the Roll of Albany at the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum, to commence the 4th day of March 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 4 day of Jany 1843 and Sent to Hon. John Young. H. Reps
Arrears to the 4th of September : 42   306.59
Semi-annual allowance ending 4th M : 43  13.33
_________
320.92
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by Theo. L Moody, Clerk,
Book E. 2  Vol. 4 Page 55

Reported

26.66
112
26 66
20 66
13 33
______
306.59
Page 3

In reply direct to Isaac L. Endress Dansville - Livingston Cy - N York -
Page 4

[ribbon]
In the matter of John Pelton a claimant for a pension under the Act of Congress- passed June 1832
Livingston County State of New York } ss:
On this twenty fifth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting John Pelton a resident of the Town of Conesus, or there about, County & State aforesaid aged seventy five years who being 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 7th 1832
That he the said John Felton was born on the 9th of March in the year seventeen hundred & fifty eight has no record of his age, but has frequently seen the record thereof in Father's family Bible - was born at Chatham, Hartford County, Connecticut - and was residing there when about the tenth (10th) of May (year forgotten) he was drafted to serve as a private in the Militia of Connecticut, and was march'd to Say-brook at the mouth of Connecticut River - the duty of the Company was to keep vessels from going up and down the river without a pass - Dart, Captain - Samuel Aikin, Ensign - there was only one company of militia stationed here and the names of the Lieutenants this deponent has forgotten - served out the two (2) months for which term he was drafted, marching forward and backward over the Country, to keep the British boats from Landing, and property being destroyed - was dismissed and returned home about the 10th of July has no testimony of these two months service other than this his own affidavit - remained at home all the remaining summer and winter except when alarmed out to defend New Haven - 
The following year thinks the year seventeen hundred and seventy six this deponent was drafted about June
Page 5

first to serve in the militia at Horseneck for three (3) months - Captain's name he has forgotten - Lieutenant Samuel Aikin - has forgotten names of all the other officers - were stationed about six miles from the British Army - there were about five hundred men of the militia - The British Army were stationed about six miles off and the American regular troops about twelve miles distant - the American Army consisted of about three thousand men - a battle was expected every day but there was none had - does not recollect the name of the officer who commanded the regular troops - was dismissed at the end of his term of service and returned home - has no testimony of this service other than his own affidavit -
On the first of April in the following year - the year seventeen hundred and seventy seven - this deponent enlisted into the Connecticut State troops as a private - Robertson, Captain - 
West, Lieut'nt - Lieut'nt Aikin was here as Ensign again - Ely Col'nel - served nine (9) months - marched to New London and built Fort Grotton, and remained in the Fort till the latter part of October - was then march'd to Rhode Island and made an attempt to go and take Newport - in this attempt there was an army of twenty thousand men employed Gen'l Spencer commanded - recollects no other officer than Spencer, and him he remembers because he was much abused by the men for not going on to take the fort - they reckoned he was a coward - the British Army at Newport consisted of three thousand (3000) men - came back to Norwalk where this deponent's company was dismissed about the tenth of January their term of service having expired about the first (1st Jan'y) - in
Page 6

further proof of the service of this campaign this deponent offers the affidavits of Moses Pelton and Ebenezer Higgins - returned home to the territory of War
In the year seventeen hundred and seventy eight about the middle of July was drafted to serve in the militia for two months - march'd to New Haven there was only this one company there to defend New Haven - and the country was quiet - has forgotten the names of all the officers, at the end of his term of service was dismissed and returned home where he remained during the Fall and Winter - In the Summer of seventeen hundred and seventy nine on an alarm was called out to Guilford & Brantford - the British came in with their boats four or five at a time - continued there a fortnight or three weeks - In addition this deponent declares that during five years, whenever he was not drafted for a particular service, he all the time acted as a minute man - was called out several, a great many times of alarms, similar and of less import sometimes with that of Guilford & Brantford - as that he could scarcely work at all on the farm and every summer was away the quarter of the time - is certain that he was in a actual service (abroad from his home) 2 years - he is certain as to actual time engaged, counting the alarms - His Father used to say this at the end of the war -
And further this deponent says that served at the time as a private - that he has no documents whereby to to substantiate his service and no other affidavits than those afore-mentioned nor does he know of any one whom he could procure to testify - after the war  he remained at home in Connecticut three or four years then moved into the Town of Lime, County of Grafton State of New Hampshire - resided there about twenty
Page 7

one years - moved in to the Town of Aurelius, County of Cayuga State of New York where he lived fourteen or fifteen years - and then came into the Town of Conesus, County of Livingston, New York State where he has resided upwards of ten years.  For his character as a citizen he offers the certificate of Elder Fowler, and Uriel Clergymen of [BLANK] and further this deponent hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to any pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.  
signed   John Pelton

Sworn to & subscribed the day
& year aforesaid in open court
signed    S G. Haven Dep. Clk

We Josiah Fowler & Uriah Linbarker residing in the Town of Conesus County of Livingston & State of New York hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Pelton who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe hm to be Seventy five years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood (sic) where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn & subscribed the day 
& year aforesaid before me
signed   Josiah Fowler
signed  Uriah Limbarker

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after
Page 8

putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he stated.  And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Josiah Fowler who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the town of Conesus and that Uriah Limbarker who has also signed the same is a Respectable citizen of said Town and are credible persons and their statement is entitled to credit. 
signed   S G Haven Dep Clk

I Chaunsey R. Bond Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Livingston State of New York do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of John Pelton for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this (illegible) day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty two. 
signed  Chauncey R. Bond Clk
by S G. Haven Dep Clk
Page 9

the matter of the application of 
John Pelton for
pension - Act June 1832-
12. 839
Page 10

State of New York }
Livingston County } ss:   Personally appeared before me, the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in aforesaid County John Pelton a resident of the Town of Conesus County & State aforesaid, who being duly sworn deposeth & saith - that in a certain declaration made the twenty fifth day of September in the year eighteen hundred and thirty two he has stated his services in the war of the revolution - that in said declaration he has stated the names of as many of his officers - as he can now call to his remembrance- that he had accompanied said declaration with all the evidence which he could procure (as in the said declaration was heretofore stated)- and this deponent now adds that he knows of no other evidence which he could procure to substantiate his declaration.  The evidence referred to was the affidavits of Moses Pelton & Ebenezer Higgins.  And this deponent says that in regard to the periods and length of his several terms of his service they were to the best of his recollection not less than the following - to wit - in the year 1775 as a private in the Militia of Connecticut he served two months (2 months) - in the year, 1776 I served in the militia of Connecticut as a private three (3) months- in 1777 served as a private in the Connecticut State Troops nine (9) months - in the year 1778 I served as a private in the militia of Connecticut two (2) months.  In addition to the service just specified I acted during five years in the capacity of minuteman- and was a great many times called upon for service in such capacity - but the particular length of each such service in the field as minute man I can not now state.  And for such service I claim a pension - and further this deponent says that it is now out of his power with any greater certainty to detail the particulars of his service in the war of the Revolution, and it is out of his power to gibe any further evidence in corroboration of his
Page 16

J. L. Edwards Esq Commissioner of Pensions Washington D. C.
Page 23

Washington City 25th Dec 1843
Dear Sir
Will you be kind enough to furnish me the information required by the Enclosed
Respectfully
J Young