Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 19,190, Alexander Dorchester, Continental (Conn.)

Page 1

(8-1776)

SERVICE

Continental (Conn.)

Dorchester, Alexander
                     Anna

NUMBER
N. 19,190

Page 2

State of New York}
County of Jefferson} Js

Alexander Dorchester being duly sworn saith, that he is a resident Citizen of the United States, to wit
of Houndsfield in the County and State
aforesaid, and that he is in consequence
of his reduced circumstance's in life
in need of assistance from his country
for support.
That he enlisted in the army of
the United  States on the continental
establishment for the period of three [illegible] in the year 1777 and served [illegible] commanded [illegible] [illegible] in a
Regiment [illegible]
Saml B. Webb [illegible] the [illegible] Line after the[illegible]  years he receive [illegible] [illegible] is hereunto annexed.
He [illegible] in the [illegible]
[illegible]
Sworn this 13th day
of April 1818 before me
Alex Dorchester
Elijah Field Junior one of the

Judges of the Court of Common pleas
of the County of
Jefferson  
Note. The word Binkley above obliterated by the seal in annexing the applicants discharge
[stamp] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES]

Page 3

I hereby relinquish all claim to
any & all pension or pensions
granted to me by the United
States prior to the 18th March
1818
Alexr Dorchester

Page 4

Albany 2,327

Anna Dorchester
widow of Alexander Dorchester
Conn.
who was a pensioner under the Act of March 1818
and who died on the ___ January 1823
of Jefferson Co. in the State of N. York
who was a Private in the ____ commanded
by Captain ___ of the Regs. commanded
by Col. ? in the Con.
line for 2 years
=
Certificate of Pension issued the  11th day of April
1839 and sent to Adriel Ely
Matertown, NY.

Page 5

9755

New York. R

Alexander Dorchester, of Jefferson Co. in the state of N. York, who was a private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Sam B. Webb, of the Conneticut line, for the term of three years. 1777-

Inscribed on the Roll of New York -
at the rate of 8 dollars per month, to commence on the 13 of April, 1818

Certificate of pension issued the 23 of April 19, and sent to Elijah  Field, jun. judge, Sackcetts Harbour, N. York

Arrears to the 4th of March, 1819
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4 Sept, 1819

10 mos. 18/30}
                4/31}

85.83+48=$133.83

{Reevollutiionary

Page 6

Alexander Dorrchester

9755

23 April, '19

Page 7

STATE OF NEW YORK
JEFFERSON COUUNTY, ss.

On this sixth day of July 1820 personally appeared in open court, being a court of record by a law of said state for the said county Alexander Dorchester aged sixty years, resident inn Hounndfield in said county, who being first duly sworn accordinng to law, doth, on his oatth declarre that he served in the Revolutionary War, as  follows:

Page 8

State of New York
Jefferson County, on this 24th day of August 1838 personally appear before the Surrogate's Court of the County of Jefferson this day in session of Watertown
in the County aforesaid Anna Dorchester a resident
of the town of
Houndfield in the County aforesaid
aged Seventy seven 18 July 1838, who first 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, passed July 7 1838 entitled an act granting
half
pay and pensions to certain widows. That she
is the widow of Alexander Dorchester, who
was a private in the continental Line of the army
for three years and was a pensioner under the
Law of 1818 on the rolls of the New York agency
and
dew his pension to his death
She further declares that she was
married
to the said Alexander Dorchester in the month of
May 1783) the precise of the day of
the month
I do not recollect, but it is
one
a family record
in my possession at home. It was May Seventeen hundred
and Eighty three: that her husband the aforesaid
Alexander Dorchester died in the month of January
Eighteen hundred and twenty three; that she was
not married to him prior to his leaving the service
but the marriage
took place previous
to
the
first of January seventeen hundred
and
ninety four
viz: at the time above stated
.Anna Dorchester
Sworn to & subscribed on the
day & year above with by me
Benjamin Wright Surrogate
of the County of Jefferson N.Y

Page 9


State of New York
Jefferson
County
On this 24th day of August 1838
personally appeared before the Surrogate
of the County aforesaid John M. Phelps of
Houndsfield in the County aforesaid
who first
being duly sworn according to law doth on his
oath say that he was well acquainted with
Alexander Dorchester who was a pensioner
of the North States and resided in the town of Houndsfield:
that this deponent was present at his [crossed out death] and burial
and helped to lay out after he died: that the said Alexander
Dorchester died in the month of January or Feb
my
Eighteen hundred twenty three, thinks it was
Janay - that at his death he left a widow
whose name is Anna Dorchester that the said
Anna never since married but remains
the widow of said Alexander Dorchester
Sworn to subscribed on the day aforesaid
 above written.
before me -[illegible] as follows and "and helped to lay him out at his death
---

John M Phelps

Benjamin Wright Surrogate of
I certify the above named
deponent to be credible
P Wright Surrogate

Page 10

This may certify that on this 24th day of August
1838 at a surrogate's court held in and for
the county aforesaid, came Anna Dorchester
& John M Phelps aforesaid and made
solemn oath to the truth of their several
Depositions as aforesaid
the testimony whereof I have
hereto set my hand and
affixed the seal of the Court
of Watertown on the day &
year aforesaid
Benjamin Wright Surrogate of the
County of Jefferson N.Y.

Page 11

Anna Dorchester 1546
2327
application for a Pension
[illegible] July  7-1893
Adrid Esq
Waterton NY Agent
Admitted
Private 2 years

Adrid Ely E
Waterton
New York

Page 12

FAMILY RECORD.
Alexander Dorchester born June 8th 1760.
Miss Anna Cowles born July 18th 1761.
Mr and Mrs Dorchester married May 29th 1785.
Guy Dorchester born Jan. 27th 1784 & died May 1st 1784.
Delia A. Dorchester born July 6th 1785 & died May 17th 1810.
Hooker Dorchester born May 8th 1788 & died April 6th 18[ILLEGIBLE]
Harriot Dorche^ster born March 7th 1791 & died Sept 17th, 1796
Nancy Dorchester born Jan. 21st 1793, & died Aug. 31st 1794
Harriot Dorchester 2nd born Sept. 6th 1795 & died May 23d 1796
Clarissa C. Dorchester born June 17th 1797 and died May 6th 1801
Alex G Dorchester born Jan 25th 1803 and died August 19th 1808
Aaron Buell script
September 6th 1811

Page 13

State of New York
Jefferson County  On this 12th day of November 1838
personally appeared before the subscriber a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid Henry C Dorchester of Hounsfield in the County aforesaid who first being duly sworn according to the law doth on his oath say that he is about twenty one years old
and a grand son of Alexander Dorchester of [ILLEGIBLE]
[ILLEGIBLE] deceased, that he has always lived in the
family of the said Alexander Dorchester until within
the last two years, in which he has been absent a part 
of the time; that he has from his earliest knowledge
known this sheet as the family record of the aforesaid
Alexander Dorchester; that it was kept hanging in 
a frame from which he this day took it & further
says not Henry C. Dorchester
Sworn to & subscribed on the day
& year first above written before me
Manus W Gilbert Justice Peace

Page 14

STATE OF NEW-YORK,
Jefferson County Clerk's Office
I PELEG BURCHARD, Clerk of said County, do hereby
Certify, that Marinus W. Gilbert Esquire before
whom the annexed affidavit purports to have been sworn,
was at the date of the same a Justice of the Peace
in and for the said County, commissioned and sworn, and duly
authorised to take the same--- and further, that I am well acquainted
with his hand writing, and verily believe his name subscribed to the same to
be his proper hand writing and signature.
Witness my hand and seal of said county, this Twelfth day
of November in the year 1838
day
P. Burchard Clerk.

Page 15

Ezekiel Cowles of Farmington, Hartford County, State of Connec
-ticut, of lawfull age, testifys & says, that he has kept the records of his
Fathers family, (as well as that of his own,) of all the Births, Marriages,
& Deaths, that have taken place in sd family, for more than fifty
five years, (he the Deponent being now about eighty two years of
age,) & that he has transcribed all the records of sd family;
of the above sd events, which had transpired in sd family, previous
to his the Deponent's keeping sd records, & the Deponent further says,
that the Widow Anna Dorchester is a sister of his, & was a member 
of sd family, & the Deponant finds, on reviewing the sd family records,
the two following facts viz, that, "Anna was Born 18th of July 1761"
eighteenth of July seventeen hundred sixty one, & that," Anna
Married Alixander Dorchester, May 1783" seventeen hundred eighty
three, & the Deponent further says, tho he has not a distinct recolection
of seeing the Marriage of sd Alexander Anna ^ when it took place, nor of recolecting
the ^ person who performed the ceremony, yet he the Deponant, has
every posable reason to believe, that he must have been present at
that time, on that occation, & that it took place at his Fathers
house, & that the ceremony was performed by the Revd Timothy
Pitkin, & the Deponant is lead to this conclution, from the fact
that he has assertained, that it accured during the Ministry of the
Rev Mr Pitkin, & the Deponent further says, that after ^ a thorough
examination of the records of the town Clerk of sd town, as well as
those of the Church, over which the Revd Mr Pitkin was
Pastor, no trace of the Marriage of sd Alixander & Anna is found
recorded in either of sd records, yet, the Deponent has ^ no hesitation
in saying, his records of the facts aforesaid are correct, from the
fact of finding them thus recorded, in his own ^ hand writing, & that
of the Marriage, done at the time it took place: & the Deponent
further says, that in a few years after the Marriage of the sd
Alixander & Anna, they removed from this Town to
Richmond Massachusetts, where they resided several years

Page 16

from thence they removed to Westmorland New York, where they
resided several years, from thence (by reputation the Deponent
learned ) they removed to, or near Sacket's Harbor in sd N York,
where as it is said the sd Dorchester Dyed, the fact of their living
in the two first named places, is to the Deponent known as he visited
the family at each of sd places, while they were residing their --
...And further the Deponant sayeth not -
Ezekiel Cowles
Probate Office Farmington September 3d 1838
Personally appeared Ezekiel Cowles signer of
the above Deposition & made oath to the truth
of the same before me. I also certify
that the said Ezekiel Cowley is respectable
character & entitled to full credit
Egbert Cowles Judge
I hereby certify, that the above named Egbert Cowles is Judge
of Probate for the District of Farmington, State of Connecticut,
& that the above is his genuine signature
Attest Ezekiel Cowles Clerk of sd Court

Page 17

William Cowles of Farmington, Hartford County, State of Connecticut,
being of lawfull age, testifys & says, that he was knowing to the Marriage
of his Sister Anna Cowles, (now the Widow Anna Dorchester,) to Alixander
Dorchester, tho the Deponent has no data, by which he can name the
day of the month, the month, or the year when sd Marriage took
place, yet their is one fact, of which the deponent is certain, viz, that
he was present at the time, & witnessed the marriage of his Sister Anna,
to the sd Alixander, & that it took place at his Fathers house, & that
he has a distinct recolection of the particular room in sd house, where
the common took place, & the particular part of the room they stood,
while it was performed, the deponant says, he was at that time about
fourteen years of age, tho he cannot say with certainty, who married
the said Alixander & Anna, yet he verily believes that it was the
late Revd Timothy Pitkin.....And further the Deponant
sayeth not - William Cowles
Probate Office Farmington September 3d 1838
Personally appeared William Cowles signer of the
above Deposition & made oath to the truth of the
same before me - I also certify that the said
William Cowley is respectable in character & entitled
to full credit.
Egbert Cowles Judge
-
I hereby certify, that the above named Egbert Cowles is Judge
of Probate for the District of Farmington, State of Connecticut, &
that the above is his genuine signature
Attest Ezekiel Cowles Clerk of sd Court

Page 18

Alexander Dorchester of Webbs Regim having served
three years the term he engaged, is hereby honorably
Discharged from the Army of the United States
Given at Quarters near Morris Town 20th March 1780
Eben [EBENEZER] Huntington Lieu Comm'd
DORCHESTER, Alexander
(CONT., Conn.) W-19190

Page 19

Elijah Field Junior one of the pages of the Court
of Common pleas of the County of Jefferson in the
State of New York, that on this thirteenth day
of April 1818 it has been made to appear, to my
Satisfaction by the preceding affidavit that
Alexander Dorchester therein named, did serve
in the revolutionary war, on the continental estab-
lishment, against the common enemy for the period
of nine months or longer, and that he served in
the capacity of a private Soldier-
Elijah Field Jr
Clerk's Officer
Is Justify that Elijah Fields [ILLEGIBLE]
was on this thirteenth day of April
Jefferson County first a Judge of the Court of Common
N. York Pleas in and for the County of Jefferson
sane and duly qualified to act as such
April 17th 1818
Benjn Skinner Clerk of the
County of Jefferson N York

Page 20

Alexander Dorchester
13ap.18 private
77 three years
Sam 13 Webb [ILLEGIBLE]
Connecticut line
Granted the [ILLEGIBLE] cer
tificate of the reduced
circumstances of the party

I hereby certify that I am personally acquainted
with Alexander Dorchester the within named applicant
and that he is to me well known to be a person in
indigent and necesitous circumstances and absolutely
requires relief from his government for support.
Sackets Harbor
April 7th 1819. Elijah Field Jr Judge of the
Court of Common pleas in and
for this County of Jefferson
DORCHESTER, ALEXANDER
(CONT., CONN.) W-19190.

Page 21

Rev
WIDOW, &c.
No. 19190
Anna Dorchester
Widow of
Alexander Dorchester
Dis Rev War
Act: July 7th 38
Vol. A, Page 189
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Page 22

Watertown Jefferson County
N York Sept 10 1838
Sir
I herewith have sent the application
of Mrs Anna Dorchester, with the necessary
proof, an applicant for a pension under the
act of July 7. 1838
Yr obd servant
Adriel Ely
JL Edwards Esq
Com of Pensions Washington

Page 23

Left side written sideways: 
Ny. Nov 19
Add proof
Army Dorcheste {last letter missing]
7 July No 1,546
Faded stamp over in black ink: [Illegible] TERTOR

[Illegible] stamp in black ink on right corner

I.L.Edueasds [Illegible]
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington

Page 24

[written sideways on envelope]
380 -111
383 111111
381
11111
376 111
 377 [paper bent]
376

crossed out 391 387]
381-
378
369
374
369

J.L. Edwards Com. of Pensions
Adriel Ely, Esq
Watertown 
N. York
{stamp} [illegible] D.C. NOV 1
379 
376
378
[crossed out 375]
c
b
6 L
8 [illegible]
May 377
[illegible] 377
[illegible] 277 
[illegible] 374
[illegible] 374
[illegible] 374
C Li B
[illegible]
[illegible]
[illegible] 367
[illegible 372
[illegible] 367

Page 25

Watertown Nov 12 1838
Sir
herewith I send you the family 
record of Alexander Dorchester
[required] by your letter of the first and
in the care of Anna Dorchester widow of
the said Alexander.
I am respectfully 
Yr Ob Sevt
Adriel Ely 

J. L. Edwards Esq
Court of Pensions
Washington