Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2,919, Francis De Witt, New York

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[handwritten]

New York.
DeWitt, Francis
R. 2.919

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State of New York ~
County of Onondaga ss - On this twenty seventh day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty four, personally appeared in open court before the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Onondaga now sitting at the Court House in the village of Syracuse in the said County Francis DeWitt, a free man of color and a resident of the town of Skaneateles in the said County and State, aged eighty seven years, who being first duly sworn according to law, does on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7. 1832. viz
That in May and he thinks in the third year of the Revolutionary war, he entered the service of the United States as a Ranger for about three years under Captain Jacob DeWitt, then of Ulster County in the said State, and served in a company of Rangers for about three years thereafter - That their duty was to scout on the back frontier then harassed by the Indians and tories - That James Bull was Lieutenant and he believes John English the Ensign -
In that year, he believes 1777, a fort was built of pickets, around Capt. Jacob DeWitt's house, which was a place called Peen Pack on Neversink River in the precinct of Mamakating, to protect the neighborhood from the incursions of the Indians and tories; and Capt DeWitt's Rangers when not called out, were engaged in protecting and defending this fort and other forts of a similar kind on the Neversink; and this deponent at such time was stationed

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at Fort DeWitt ~
The first season he enlisted he and his company went into Cochecton on the Delaware on a scouting expedition and were there two or three weeks - 
Also the same season encamped at Mongaup on the Delaware ~
They were also ordered out and sent the same season to Ramapo and Katyack and were gone till winter set in -
The next year this deponent with the Rangers was out in the back country lying on the Delaware, and our troops there had a battle with the Indians and tories at the Beaver Brook - Deponent was present but Daniel Van Vleet now of Owasco in then County of Cayuga was there, and the father of James Terwilliger hereinafter named, was killed - Several companies were engaged among others he remembers Capt Jones and Woods and Capt Wood was taken prisoner - Col. Thuston commanded our troops, who were defeated and fell back to the Neversink ~
In 1778 Capt. afterwards Col. Newkirk of the militia commanded Fort DeWitt, which was attacked by the Indians and tories while this deponent was stationed there. This deponent was wounded in the leg with a bullet at this attack - 
This deponent remembers lying awhile on Croton River while ordered out with the Rangers; and also of lying between Newburgh and New Windsor while Gen. Washington was there
He was on constant duty while at Fort DeWitt on guard or escort. - When the Rangers were at the forts, they were ordered out frequently in squads of 10 to 15 as scouts

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and spied to look out for and follow the tracks of the Indians. And this deponent was sent out very often as one knowing the woods - In 1779, Capt. Wood commanded Fort DeWitt & the troops there. The company of Rangers was broke up and the men turned into other companies in the month of October, he thinks three years after he commenced with them. This deponent then went into a militia company and served in that till the war closed. Capt. Abraham Cuddeback commanded it. King and Harden were Lieutenants and Samuel DePuy was ensign -
This deponent further declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State -
That he is unable to take any witnesses to the Court now sitting, & can produce none but those who volunteer to attend for him; that he resides 20 miles from the place where the Court is now sitting ~
In answer to interrogatories propounded by the Court, pursuant to the instructions of the War Department, the deponent says ;
1. That as he has always heard & believes he was born eighty seven years ago last December on the fifteenth day, old style, at the Napenaugh Kill in the County of Ulster and State of New York.
2. A record of his age was made in the Dutch family bible of Capt. Jacob DeWitt in whose family deponent was born & bred. That bible he is informed & believes is in Marbletown, Ulster County. 
3. When he first enlisted in the war he was living at Peen Pack in the then precinct of Mamakating and County of Ulster & State of New York. He also lived there after the war. About 35 years ago he came to Onondaga County, and then lived in Manlius about four years - He then lived about three years in Genoa, Cayuga Co.

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and has ever since lived where he now lives in the now town of Skaneateles.
4. He entered the service as a volunteer ~
5. Of the regular officers who were with the troops where he served, he recollects Gen. James Clinton, Col. Van Cortland, Major afterwards Col. Fish, Col. James McCloughry. Recollects McCloughry’s regiment well ~ He has above stated, he says, the general circumstances of his services ~
6. He received a Certificate of his faithful service which his second wife burnt up some years ago in a quarrel where he now lives.
7. He says he can name many persons to whom he is know in his present neighborhood, & who can testify as to his character for veracity & their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. He names David Van Vleet of Owasco (adjoining Skaneateles.) Widow Van Auken of ditto, (whose life deponent saved when Fort DeWitt was attacked by the Indians in 1778.) Mrs. Jane Cuddeback of Skaneateles, who was the daughter of Capt. Jacob DeWitt. He also names John DePuy, Benjamin DePuy, Cornelius Wallace, James Terwilliger. He says they all know of his services in the Revolutionary War. He also names Solomon Davis, Richard Tallcot, Augustus Kellogg, Lewis H. Sandford of Skaneateles

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State of New York}
Cayuga County} ss. Harriet Dewitt of the County of Onondaga being worn days that she is the widow of Francis Dewitt who made application for a Pension under the act of 1832 his claim was suspended & ^[insert] he died on the 14th day of December 1837.
Harriet her X mark Dewitt ['x' placed between first and last name]

Know all men by these presents that Harriet Dewitt do hereby constitute & appoint G. C. Ames Esqr of Washington my true & lawful attorney for me & in my name to ask for an examination of the papers filed by my late husband Francis Dewitt in support of his claim to a Pension & to establish my claim to the said Pension 
Witness my hand & seal this 4th day of July 1837 In presence of 
Aaron Murphey  Harriet her X mark Dewitt 

State of New York}
County of Cayuga} ss.
on this 4th day of July 1851 before me came Harriet Dewitt above named & acknowledged the foregoing power of attorney to be her act and deed
Harvey Heath Justice

Harriet Shields married Francis Dewitt

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State of New York
Cayuga County Clerk's office ss I hereby certify that Harvey Heath was at the time of taking the foregoing affidavit a Justice of the Peace in & for Cayuga County and duly authorized to act as such
and that the previous is his genuine signature -
Given under my hand and the seal of the County Court of said County this 5th day of October 1852
E B Marvin DepClerk
Cayuga Co 
Harriet Dewitt [written vertically left side]
Francis [Harriet crossed out] Dewitt
NY
Act of June 1832
G C Ames Present [written vertically right side}

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Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873. [crossed out]

REJECTED [ink stamped]
2.919
Francis DeWitt

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New York
Revo.y
act of June '32 [underlined]
Francis DeWitt
Suspended [underlined]
let to Hon W. Taylor
July 30. 1834
See detached rolls of Capt Cuddeback

J H. Bartich Oct 1 1832

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Auburn July 24, 1852

Dr Sir,
I am requested by Harriet DeWitt of Skaneateles County of Onondaga, N. Y. to ascertain whether a Pension has been allowed to her or not. She is the widow of Francis DeWitt, and his application was made something like a year ago, by one Aaron Murfey of Milan Cayuga County N. Y. her husband was a soldier of the Revolution - Mrs DeWitt has heard nothing from Murfey for several months; he will not answer any letters that are written to him on the subject, and it is for the reason that she can learn nothing from him that she requested me to make the inquiry for her of you, Your early attention to the above is earnestly desired -
Yours Respectfully
J H Bostwick
Jas E Heath Esqr.

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We James Terwilliger - and Lewis H. Sandford residing in the town of Skaneateles in the County of Onondaga, herby certify that we are well acquainted with Francis DeWitt who has subscribed and sworn tothe above declaration, that we believe him to be eighty seven 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 & subscribed the day & year first aforesaid} 
James his X mark Terwilliger ['x' placed between first and last name]
Lewis H. Sandford
John Watson First Judge of Onondaga County

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State of New York:
Onondaga County ss. Benjamin DePuy of the town of Salina in the said County being duly sworn, deposes and says as a witness in the said Court of Common Pleas above mentioned, that he is in his seventieth year. That at the Beginning of the Revolutionary War, he knew Francis DeWitt, colored man, above named, who the resided at Peen Pack ^[insert] in the then [now crossed out] ^[insert] precinct of Mamakating - in the then County of Ulster, and State aforesaid. That this deponent then lived about a mile from him. That the said Francis DeWitt helped to defend Fort DeWitt, erected as stated by him, and deponent knows that he served in the Rangers under Captain Jacob DeWitt. - The Rangers were gone a considerable time to Ramapo when Francis DeWitt went with them ^[insert] he heard That he was frequently out on scouting parties, and as deponent then heard and believed and still believes, the said Francis DeWitt from early in 1777 tot he end of the war was constantly in the service - Deponent lived at Fort DeWitt, & deponent went from there to Fort Gumaer which was [illegible crossed out] ^[insert] before both the others. In that year the Indians & tories destroyed that country ^[insert] on the Neversink and attached Fort DeWitt then under Captain Neukirk who had some of the nine months militia with him. The attack was kept up four or five hours and deponent saw the said Francis DeWitt there as a soldier and fighting bravely the whole time. Deponent heard at the

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time and has no doubt of it, that the said Francis DeWitt and another man, while stationed at Fort DeWitt, turned out and with great difficulty and danger rescued from the Indians a soldier who was passing between Forts DePuy and DeWitt -
that the country where those forts were, was the frontier, and thinly [?]; and for several years of the war, was much distressed by the incursions of the Indians and tories - and depended principally upon themselves for protection in their forts aided by the Rangers and occasionally the nine months militia - That this deponent has received a certificate for a pension the present year. 
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid.}
in the then precinct of "interlined & "now" struck out - Also "above" struck out and "below" both the others inserted -. Also "on the Neversink" interlined before signing - Also "as he heard"
R. L. Hess clerk of Onondaga County
Benj'm DePuy

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State of New York:
County of Onondaga ss. - James Terwilliger of the town of Skaneateles in the said County, being duly sworn in the said Court of Common Pleas, deposes and says, that he knew the above named Francis DeWitt, colored man, before the Revolutionary War, and then lived at the same place - Knew him during the whole of the war, and knew that he went out with the scouts and Rangers several times, and the internals was standing sentry  at the Forts above mentioned on the frontier.- Knows that from the year 1777 till near close of war the said Francis DeWitt was nearly all the time engaged at the Forts, in the Rangers and as one of the militia; and heard and believes he served constantly during all that time. -
Deponent heard of the above circumstance stated by Benjamin DePuy, of the said Francis DeWitt's rescuing a man from the Indians, and also heard of his saving the life of Esther Van Auken now of Owasco in Cayuga from the Indians and tories with great hazard when Fort DeWitt was attacked in 1778. 
- Deponent was some of the time at Fort DeWitt during the war. 
Deponent's father was killed in a battle between the tories & indians & the militia and rangers, in the back country on the Delaware; and he then heard and has no doubt the said Francis DeWitt was engaged in that battle [and was wounded crossed out] "and was wounded" struck out
Sworn and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid - }
James his X mark Terwilliger ['x' placed between first and last name]
R. L. Hess clerk of Onondaga County

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State of New York ~
Onondaga County ss. Cornelius Wallace of the town of Pompey in the said County, being duly sworn as a witness in the said Court of Common Pleas above mentioned does depose and say, that he is in his seventieth year. - That during the Revolutionary war he was a soldier in the Forts on the Neversink River at a place called Peen Pack in the precinct of Mamakating in the County of Ulster, which was then on the frontier of the settlements West of Hudson River.- That during the year 1777, the inhabitants of that neighborhood put up three Forts on that River and went into them for their safety, and all the ^[insert] male inhabitants who were old enough, while there were engaged for several years in defending them against the Indians and tories.- The upper fort was called Fort DeWitt.- This deponent was brought up in the neighborhood, and has known Francis DeWitt, a colored man, now of Skaneateles in the said County of Onondaga, a colored man, ever since deponent was a boy - That he knows that the said Francis DeWitt served under Capt. Cuddeback in the militia in defending the said Forts for the two or three last years of the revolutionary war and was constantly engaged in the service during that time, being mustered in the company and standing guard like the others. And this deponent who was at Fort Gumaer (the lower fort,) and was a boy in the early part of the war, heard and has no doubt that the said Francis DeWitt previously to his being under Capt. Cuddeback

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was in the Rangers under Capt. Jacob DeWitt ~
And that this deponent has received a pension for his services in said war 
And further this deponent says not.
Subscribed & sworn the day & year first aforesaid ~}
Cornelius his x mark Wallace ['x' placed between first and last name]
R. L. Hess clerk of Onondaga County

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State of New York ~
Onondaga County ss. Solomon Davis of the town of Skaneateles in the County of Onondaga, being duly sworn, deposes and says, that he is aged sixty years and upwards.- That the knows Francis DeWitt of the said town, a colored man, and has known him ever since this deponent was a boy - That this deponent when he was a boy lived near Captain Jacob DeWitt's with whom the said Francis DeWitt then lived, about a mile and an half distant.- That this deponent has no doubt that the  said Francis DeWitt is at least eighty seven years of age; and this deponent further says that the said Francis DeWitt is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a  revolutionary soldier, and this deponent concurs in that opinion ~ And that such has been the reputation for a great many years past to this deponents knowledge. And further this deponent says not ~
Solomon Davis [signature]
Sworn and subscribed the twenty second day of May in the year 1834 before me.}
J. M. Allen
Judge of Onondaga County Courts

State of New York:
Onondaga County ss. Richard Tallcot, of the town of Skaneateles in the County of Onondaga, being duly sworn, deposes and says; that he knows Francis DeWitt of the said town, a colored man, &

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has known him for many years past. That this deponent believes the said Francis DeWitt is of the age of eighty seven years at least.- That the said Francis DeWitt is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he lives to have been a revolutionary soldier, and that this deponent concurs in that opinion.- And that this deponent resides within a mile and an half (or there abouts,) of the said Francis DeWitt ~ And further this deponent says not ~
Rich'd Tallcot [signature]
Affirmed and subscribed the twenty [second crossed out] ^[insert] sixth day of May in the year 1834 before me,}
Lewis H. Sandford
Supreme Court Commissioner in & for Onondaga County ~

State of New York ~
Onondaga County ss. I, Reuben L. Hess, Clerk of the said Couty, do hereby certify, that at the date of the within deposition of Solomon Davis, James M. Allen Esqr was and he still is a Judge of the said Court of Common Pleas, and that the signature "J. M. " Allen, Judge of Onondaga ^[insert] County Courts" annexed to the said deposition, is the genuine signature of the said James M. Allen. I also certify that at the date of the above deposition of Richard Tallcot, Lewis H. Sandford was & he still is a Supreme Court Commissioner in the said County, appointed & authorized to do the duties of a Judge of the said Supreme Court of said State at chambers, & that the signature "Lewis H. Sandford" there to annexed is his proper and genuine signature. Witness my hand & the seal of the said County & Court of Common Pleas, the 27th day of May 1834. R. L. Hess Clerk

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And the said Court of Common Pleas 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 Francis DeWitt, was a revolutionary soldier and served as the states ~
And the said Court further certifies that it appears to them that Benjamin DePuy ^[inset] Cornelius Wallace and James Terwilliger who have signed the preceding depositions reside as stated in their said depositions, and are credible persons and their statement is entitled to credit. Also that Solomon Davis ^[insert] James Terwilliger, Lewis H. Sandford and Richard Tallcot who have made and signed the respective depositions next preceding, are residents of the town of Skaneateles in the County of Onondaga, and also credible persons, and their statements are also respectively entitled to credit. And that they reside in the immediate neighborhood of the said applicant ~
John Watson}
David Munro -} Judges
J. M. Allen

I, Reuben L. Hess, Clerk of the County of Onondaga & of the Court of Common Pleas of the said County, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Francis DeWitt for a pension.- In testimony

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whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the said Court of Common Pleas, (being the seal of my office) the twenty seventh day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty four.
R. L. Hess Clerk

[written vertically bottom of page]
of New York ~
Com. Pleas ~
matter of 
[app]lication of 
[Franci]s DeWitt. 
[for] a pension ~
[pr]oceedings ~
31.299

[written vertically crossed out]
H. Sanford of 
les Agent for 
licant

Taylor
919