Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3,343, Joseph Emerson, Conn.

Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE
Conn.

Emerson, Joseph

NUMBER
R 3.343

CONTENTS

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State of New York
Courtland County} ss
On this 3rd day of October personally appeared in open Court before us the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting Joseph Emerson of Truxton County of Courtland State of New York aged 73 years who after being 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 the 7th [?] that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers & served as hereinafter [paper torn] 

That in the year 1775 he lived in Lyme County of New London state of Connecticut, that in the summer or autumn of the same year he was drafted as a private into Capt Salton Halls Company his Lieutenants name was Shapley, Nathaniel Richards Ensign & John Hallam order my Sergeant all of New London for one month to help repair an old Fort in that town that he served his time out when the company was was dismissed & [??} the next & had no other discharge.

That in the year 1776 he lived in Norwich County & state aforesaid & was enroled in the Militia in Capt. Jacob Putnams Company Colonel Zebdiah Rogers Regiment battle of Norwich, that in the same year he thinks about the middle of July as near as he can recollect the Regiment was ordered out for the defense of the City of New York, that he went through Lyme where his Father lived & his Father took him on to New Haven where he joined his Company & Regiment that he marched with them through Farifield Norwalk & Horse neck in the Town of Greenwich to the said post in Rye where his Regiment was stationed to guard the Millitary stores went think the Regiment was annexed to any Brigade don’t recollect the names o any General officers except Washington & Putnam that they built Barracks for the Regiment

That not long before the Battle at White Plains he was take sick with what was called the camp distemper & sent to the Hospital where he remained until after the Regiment was dismissed he thinks sometime in November following that that he set out on foot for home that on his way was taken with a relaps & got into a kind of Hospital in Stanford where he [strikethrough] again [strikethrough] so far recollected that he again set out for home having an opportunity to go by water & arived safe at his Fathers in Lyme still being very low where he remained a considerable time & was  [?] & served so that he got home to Norwich Sometime the last of January following though not well & did not entirely recover for more than Six months after that his

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Constitution has never been so good since as before & thinks has been not sensable of it for several years past - that he was out several times on alarms for the defense of New London from 2 to 3 days at a time & when burnt by the Trator Arnold he was out 4 or 5 days - that he was born in Lyme March the 14th 1759 as appears on the record in his Fathers Bible & that his Father informed him that it was so recorded on the Tour Records of Lyme - that since the Revolutionary War he lived many years in New London that he has resided a considerable time in Bourdeaux in France & in Savannah in the State of Georgia & did business in Both places he has lived several years in the city of New York, has lived in Lexington Saratoga county & in our hous in Truxton county of Courtland State of New York - 

that he has no documentary evidence of his services nor know of any person that can positively testify to them - that he hereby relinquishes every claim to a Pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any state - that he is acquainted  with [strikethrough] Jeb Setters  ago to look [strikethrough] & many others who he believes can testify as to his character for veracity & their belief of his services as a soldier
Joseph Emerson

Samuel Hotchkiss Jr Clerk

We Timothy Crosby and Stephen Hedges residents of the town of Lexington in the county of Courtland do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Joseph Emerson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 73 years of age. That he is respected & believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of th revolution and that we concur in that opinion
Stephen Hedges
Timothy Crosby

Sworn & subscribed to this day and year aforesaid}
Samuel Hotchkiss Jr clerk

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State of N. York
Courtland County} ss
On the 21st day of May 1833 personally appeared before me Samuel Hotchkiss Jr Clerk of Courtland County Joseph Emerson of the of the Town of Truxton County & State aforesaid & after being duly sworn according to law deposeth & saith; that in the case of Joseph Emerson the names of John Miller & Asa Babcock were inserted that in the declaration were ordered to be struck out by the court & Stephen Hedges & Timothy Crosby to be inserted that in consequence of the erand of business before the. Court & then consequent hurry of the deponent he forgot to do it.

as to the names of the Gen’l officer in Emersons case he can add nothing to declaration see 25th line from the top as marked in the margin - Peter Herrington says that in his tour in 1776 he named to the Court Gen’ls Washington & Putnam, but did not know what Brigade he belonged, which the deponent did not impart them 

in the case of Timothy Crosby the names of Jonathan Perry & Thomas Bewel were erased & Tho’s Berrington & Isaac Kenny inserted by order of court - he says he named to the court Gen’ls Putnam & Warner & that he did not know what Brigade he belonged to, which the deponent recollects but did not impart to them

in the case of Ezekiel Kent the names of John Arnold & David Doty in declaration were by order of court erased & that of [? & ?] were inserted - he says that he named to the court Gen’s Putnam & persons in his tower of 1778 while the deponent [?] to except that of persons that in his tower of 1779 did not recollect the names of any General Officers which he state to the curt while the deponent recollects but did not impart it in declaration - as to reason that the magistrate did not give the credibility in Peter Herrington case of direct proof. See now the Magistrate reasons under his official signature - the deponent further saith that by reason of old age & consequent loss of memory he cannot positively as to the [?] lengths of service but according to his best recollection not less than seven months if allowed for confinement by sickness after the Regiment was discharged if not five months that I served as a Soldier for which I claim a pension - 
tho

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J E affidavit

The deponent further saith that the clergyman had not preached in his vicinity but about three moths & thinking that he would not know any thing of his business did not call on him
Joseph Emerson

Sworn & subscribed before me this 21st day of May AD 1833
Sam’l Hotchkiss Jr Clerk of Courtland County

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State of New York
Saratoga County} ss
on this the 24th Day of August one thousand eight Hundred & thirty [strikethrough] sworn [strikethrough] two personally appeared before me Cornelius J Fonda Justice of the peace Broadstreet Emerson of Saratoga County State of New York who after being duly sworn according to Law deposeth & saith that he is a younger Brother of Joseph Emerson & was young whin the Revolutionary War began, that he has always understood by his parents that Joseph was much in the Service during the War that he has been informed & verily believes that the first year of the war he served one month at New London is a private, that about the time New York was taken by the British the Regiment to which he belonged in Norwich was ordered out for the defence of that place & that he went with it that after the Regiment was released & returned to Norwich his Fathers learned that Joseph was left sick in the Hospitl that to his personal knowledge his Father went after him & could not find him that sometime the last of Nov’r of first of December he returned to his

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Father in Lyme sick & was Doctored & nursed by his mother & so much recovered that he set out for home on he thinks the Latter part of January Following that he has understood & believes that he was out several times in alarms for the Defence of New London, that, he has understood & believes that his constitution has never been as goot since as before that from bible knowt before me he was born the 14th March 1759
Broadstreet Emerson

Sworn August the 24th 1832
[?] 

1832 August
This may certify that for a number of years I have been acquainted with Broadstreet & Dudley Emerson signers to the foregoing instruments having lived in the same Town with them  that they have uniformly sustained the finest character for veracity and respectability that Broadstreet has formerly him a justice of the Peace & Dudley supervisor -

that I have been well acquainted with Joseph Emerson for a number of years, he lived in this town several years & did business as a merchant & as I allways understood & believe to the satisfaction of his [?] & that acquainted with him generally & that he was considered a man of strict verasity
Cornelius J Fonda

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State of New York
Saratoga County}ss
I Thomas Palmer Clerk of the County of Saratoga do certify that Cornelius J. Fonda who has subscribed his name to the jurat in the affidavit of Broadstreet Emerson & Dudley Emerson hereunto annexed, was at the date thereof a Justice of the peace in and for the county of Saratoga;-

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name & affixed the seal of the Court of Common Pleas of the county of Saratoga the twenty eight day of August 1832
Thomas Palmer
Clerk

JE Papers

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14672
Joseph Emerson
Courtland county
New York

disallowed for sickness after discharg 2 mo - leaving only 5 mo

Rejected

5-11-12-16.17
May 9th 1833

P.385

Claimant
Joseph Emerson
Truxton, Ny

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Typed form completed in handwriting

BRIEF in the case of Joseph Emerson of Courtland co. in the State of New York
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

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?

3. How old is he? 73

4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed
6 column table
|Period.| Duration of Service. Years,| Duration of Service. Months,| Duration of Service. Days| Rank. As a| Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.|
|Enlisted In 1775| ---| 1 |---| Private| Capt Saltonstall|
|Enrolled 1776,| middle of July, to last of January following from home, time of service not stated|---|---|---| Capt Perkins, Colonel Rogers|

5. In what battles was he engaged?

6: Where did he reside when he entered the service? New London County, Connecticut

7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditionary

8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Not counted as required

Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
F. Bradford,
Examining Clerk,

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Typed form completed in handwriting

In reply to your request of ---, received --- for a statement of the military history of Joseph Emerson a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his [strikethrough] (or his widow’s) [strikethrough] application for pension on file in this Bureau.  

R.File 3343

6 column table
|DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. | LENGTH OF SERVICE.| RANK | OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. CAPTAIN.| OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. COLONEL | STATE.|

|Summer or Autumn 1775| 1 mo. | Private| Saltonstall | (to repair Fort at New London)| Conn.|
|Middle of July 1776 to sometime in Nov. 1776| --- | --- |Jacob Perkins | Zabdiel Rogers | --- |
Also served several short “alarms” of a few days each, in defence of New London.

Battles engaged in, ---
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Lyme Conn. 1776 Norwich, Conn.
Date of application for pension, Oct 3, 1832.
Residence at date of application, Truxton, Courtland Co., New York.
Age at date of application, born Mch. 14 1759 at Lyme, Conn.
Remarks: after the war he resided at New London, Conn: Bordeaux, France: Savannah, Ga; New York City: & Saratoga Co., N.Y. His younger brother Broadstreet & youngest brother Dudley were alive in 1832.
His claim was rejected on the ground that he did not serve six months as required by the act of June 7 1832 under which he applied.

Respectfully, 

Commissioner

Oct 26/76

d-285C

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Rejected

letter
Claim

of August
 334

Act 7 June 1832

Page 13

19 Aug’t. 1833

Revol. 18
Pa 18

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War Depart
Pension off
19 Aug 1833

Sir 
[strikethrough] the claim of Joseph Emmerson [strikethrough] your claim has been examined & [strikethrough] suspended [strikethrough] disallowed - The time of [strikethrough] his [strikethrough] your sickness after discharge of the Regt cannot be taken into the computation of [strikethrough] his [strikethrough] your service and excluding it, [strikethrough] brings his [strikethrough] reduces your claim [strikethrough] below [strikethrough] to 5 months which is insufficient to entitle [strikethrough] him [strikethrough] you to the benefit of the act of 7 June ‘32

Timothy Crosby was required to furnish a specification of the period & length & grade of each term of service with names of officers & c. by a brief of objections transmitted to you on May 9. Instead of forsaking the required specification, he make an affidavit of an aggregate amount of service - His claim is suspended & his papers [strikethrough] well those of Jos Emerson’s [strikethrough] as well as your’s are place on our files

act 7. June

Jos. Emmerson
Truxton.

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Jos Emerson Letter

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Truxton 22nd May 1833

Sir
Yours of the 9th in is duly read together with the papers therein mentioned I observed the contents and I have done as required as far as practicable which I hope & believe will be satisffactory - The declaration one amended by each [strikethrough] individual [strikethrough] applicants affidavit & all other other explanation ar given by me on my affidavit as far is practicable, I having done their business each affidavit is folded in the original paper respectively, which accompanies this Letter -

Some of my affidavits were processed in Saratoga County about 150 miles from this , & as there is an uncertainty as to the obtaining a pension on account of time of service he think not best to increase that expense until I am informed that, that is the only thing wanting if so I will attend to it - 

I am
Sir 
yours respectfully
Joseph Emerson

J. L. Edwards Esq
Washington

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14672

Joseph Emmerson
N.Y.

5-11.12-16.17

Joseph Emerson
Truxton N.Y.

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Typed document completed in handwriting

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which these answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Joseph Emmerson of Courtland county, N.Y. which requires further proof or explanation

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

II. Did the declaration 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?  yes

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 amout of pension he is entitled? No

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than 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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Typed document completed in handwriting

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 service? No the reason is there had not been any Clergyman in the vicinity but a bout 3 months therefore not thinking he had learned any thing of my case did not apply to him - Joseph Emerson 

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No 

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? yes 

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? 
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?

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?

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? 
5.7  for the 5th- See 25th line from the top of declaration 
** As to the 7th John Miller is mentioned in the 2nd & 3rd line but as they did not come to  H Timothy appear to enter

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
*QUERE V. 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 worn, 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 [in italics] is too in-definite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some 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 that 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 deal 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. 

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 office, should accompany the papers. 

Asa Babcock names are from bottom of declaration Court I got Stephen Hodges Crosby to certify as will by certifications but forgot their names in the declaration
Joseph Emerson

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Rev. Sec
76 So. 4th Ave
Ilion, N.Y.
Sept. 27. 1919

Bureau of Pensions
Washington, D.C.

Gentlemen:-
Have you any record of one Joseph Emerson of Conn. married at Norwich? but later lived in Lyme. Also one Broadsheet or Bridstreet Emerson or Emmerson.

Very respectfully yours
Ethel L. S.  Randolph
(Mrs. Harry S.F.)

Stamp
PENSION
D
SEP 30 1919
U.S.
OFFICE

Page 22

Typed form completed in handwriting

REJECTED

3343
P. O. ---
Joseph Emmerson
Service: ---

Enlisted: ---, 18
Discharged: ---, 18

Application filed: ---, 18

[strikethrough] Alleges: [strikethrough] List of rejected claims printed in 1852 shows cause of rejection as follows: “he did not serve six months.”

[strikethrough] Re-enlisted: [strikethrough]

Attorney: ---
P.O. ---

--- Recognized.  --- Contract
--- Cert. of Dis.  Searched for ---, 18

1919 Oct. 13 History to Mrs. H. S. F. Randolph

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State of New York
Courtland County
Sept. Term 1832

I Samuel Hotchkiss jr. Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said County do Certify that the foregoing contains the original proceeding in the matter of the application of Joseph Emmerson for a pension.

Witness my hand and seal of office this 3rd day of October AD 1832
Samuel Hotchkiss Jr. Clerk

There is a stamped seal.

Page 24

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of this matter & after putting the interrogatories provided by the war department that the above applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states and the court further certifies that it appears to them that Timothy Crosby & Stephen Hodges of the town of Truxton in the said County of Cortland who have signed the above certificate are residents of the said town of Truxton & are credible persons & that their statement is entitled to credit.
William Mattery
Andrew Dickson
Aaron Brown
Joseph Reynolds
Oliver Kingman } Judges of Cortland County Court

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Joseph Emerson Proof

Page 26

State of New York
Saratoga County}ss

On this 24th Day of August one thousand eight Hundred & thirty two personally appeared before me Cornelius J Fonda Justice of the peace, Dudley Emerson of Saratoga County State of New York & after being duly sworn according to Law deposeth & saith, that he is the youngest Brother of Joseph Emerson and was young when the Revolutionary War began that he has always understood by his parents that Joseph was much in service during the War that he has understood & verily believes that the first year of the war he was a soldier in New London, one month that he has understood & believes from the same source that the Regiment belong to Norwich where he lived was ordered out for the defense of N. York & that he went with his Regiment that after the Regiment was dismissed & returned home to Norwich his Father learned that Joseph was left sick in the Hospital, that he personally knows that his Father went after him & returned without him, that from what he has heard from his parents believes he returned to his Fathers in

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Lyme sick & was Doctored & nursed by his mother & so far recovered as to return home to Norwich some time in the winter following & that he was out several times afterwards for alarms for the defense of New London, that he has understood & believes that his constitution is not so good as before his sickness, that from the records in his Bible he was born in Lyme the 14th March 1757 the words one month, inserted before signed
Dudley Emerson

C.J. Zeneda Justice
Signed August 24th 1832