Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 815, Samuel Forker, New Jersey

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Service:
New Jersey

Forker, Samuel

Number: 
S815

carded

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New Jersey 17.207.
Samuel Forker
of Burlington in the State of New Jersey
who was a Sergt in the Co commanded 
by Captain Budds. of the Regt commanded
by Col Taylor in the New Jersey line for 9 mos & 5 day.
11. 12. Legt. 7.00-
7. 23 Private 25.89
32.89.
Inscribed on the Roll of Newberry
at the rate of 32 Dollars 89. Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 10 day of Augt 1833 and sent to Brainard Clark Esq 
Mt Holly, New Jersey
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833, 65.78
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep '33 16.44
$82.22
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by Wm K. Palmer. Clerk
Book E Vol. three Page 111

See letter Sept. 29, 1838, to J. R. Slack-

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9466
17.207.
Samuel Forker
Burlington Co
N. Jersey

Adm 9. Months &
5 days. 1 mo & 12 days thereof as Serg
Brainard Clerk
Mount Holly
New Jersey

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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress  passed 7 June 1832
State of New Jersey
Burlington County

On this 18th day of August A.D. 1832-
personally appeared in open court before the Inferior Court of Common Pleas holden at Mount Holly in & for the County of Burlington now sitting Samuel Forker a resident of Mount Holly in the County of Burlington and State of New Jersey aged seventy three years as appeared by the family bible who was born on the 29th April A.D. 1759 who being first 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 entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated_
 That he was drafted into the service of
the United States in January AD 1777 under General Putman Col. Thomas May Long
Major Hight Captn Joseph Budd Lieutenant Joseph Weaver Ensign Abraham
Parker that they marched from Brandywine
in said County through Trenton to Princeton J City 
then I was at that time out one month in service
That in June 1781 he enlisted at Mount Holly
with Lieutenant David Anderson for six months was marched to Elizabeth town under the command of Colonel
afterway of sept being Sick
Major Hayes
Captain Marmaduke Curtis
Adjutant Thomas Nixon Second part of the time in Sargent point near Elizabeth town, had a number of Skirmishes with the enemy & sometimes with their gun boat  - that he was one with others who during the night boarded a British Guard Ship near Elizabethtown 
the her a number of prisoners. that he was one
with others at the capturing of a Refugee named Captn Thomas Long as a spy at Trimbal Point about four

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miles from Elizabethtown who was tried by a
martial & hanged the next morning as such.
That he was out eleven other different times in
the Revolutionary war Several times between the forgoing stated service & several times after the last mentioned.  Sometime drafted, something as a volunteer & once or twice as a substitute for George Budd, one of which time he marched with Major Joseph Budd to Egg harbor, was at Tinkerton Jct Bission, & also at Walling river that they captured at least nine prisoners
That he was out on under Capt Weaver &
several times under Captains Williams, Dobbins, Jones under Lieutenants John Moscroft
-
That this declarant thereto agree & direct he cannot more fully specify his service, but to the best of his knowledge say that he served during the course of the revolutionary war in all at least ten months as a Soldier & he offers the evidence of John Dobbin Senior of
Hulda Gaskill & of Charles J Hughes to sustain his assertion & knows of no one other whose evidence he can now procure & has  no discharge or Commission
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever
to a pension or annuity except the present & declaring that his name is not on the pension roll of any Agency of any State
Samuel Forker

Sworn to & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid in open Court.
Thos Swaim
Geo W Tucker
Matthew McHenry
Zebedee M Wills

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WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
15th May 1833
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your
claim.

A Statement, shewing the Service of Samuel Forker Burlington Cty N. Jersey
Perioe when the service was rendered
Drafter Jan 1777
June 1781
Duration of the
claimant's service.
1 Month
6 months
9 in all

Rank of the claimant.
pri

Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. 
Capt Budd
Lieut Anderson

Names and Rank of the General and Field officers.
Gen Putnam
Col. Taylor

Battles in which the applicant was engaged.

Country through which he marched.
N. J.

Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period.
73
Brandywine
N. J.
Mt Holly

Evidence by which the declaration is supported
L. Witness
Traditionary

I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J.L. Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions

2 Jers ['2' crossed through]
8 Jers  ['8' crossed through]
1    5 pr
6  3 Serg ["3" crossed through]
8 Serg ["8" crossed through}
7 Serg ["7" crossed through]
14 pr
11 Serg ["11 crossed through]
4 pr
____
23

2
8
3
3
8
7
11
____
42


23
42
____
65

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REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged
in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval service.
4. Indian Spies.
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.

DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory or District of}
County of} ss.
On this    day of     personally appeared (a) before     A.B. a resident (b) of
in the county of     and State, Territory or District of       aged (c)            years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provion made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d)     and served in the
(e) regiment of the      line, under the following named officers:
[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he enered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged,
and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
A. B.
}And then will follow the certificate of the Court.}
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I           of the Court of
do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of
for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this        day of
& c.
If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia. except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the
hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with
and C. D. residing in (the same)
subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be
who has      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 and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
{And then will follow the certificate of the Court.}
And the said Court 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 was a Revolutionary
Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that A. B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the      and that C.D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the
and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I       Clerk of the Court of
do hereby certify that the foregoing
contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the applicacation of
for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal
of office, this     day of     &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his
alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person

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will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?
5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.
6. To a Soldier. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it?
To an Officer. Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
The Court will see that he answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons -one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from
their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates.
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct
proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.

[a]The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
[b]The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
[c]The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
[d]The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
[e]Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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 amount of pension he is entitled. 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 sworn 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 ------; and for such service I claim a pension."
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, is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that 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 shown under what 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.
[f]The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g]The opinion of the Court is always required.
[h]The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[i]The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no public seal of office, the certificate of a Member of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
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 papers 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.
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 claimant's entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well the regiment company, and line in 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 seal of office.
The notes from [a] to [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops, The proof required by rule note [j]applies to continental troops only.
[k] This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[l]If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[m]The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration
R Neuman

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INVALID
Rev War
File No. 815
Samuel Forker
Priv. N. J. Line
Act June 7, 1832
Index: Vol. A, Page 128
[Arrangement of 1870]

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Sept 29
[Postmark ] Sept 27 Mount Holly, N.J.
Conv.
Saml Forker
N J roll

J.L. Edwards Esq
Comr: of Pensions
Washington City
D.C.

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Sept 29
[Postmark ] Sept 27 Mount Holly, N.J.
Conv.
Saml Forker
N J roll

J.L. Edwards Esq
Comr: of Pensions
Washington City
D.C.

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Dep.
I have been applied to by the widow Samuel Forker who was a Pensioner under the act of 7th June 1832 - Will you be kind enough to
inform me whether, in the opinion of the Department the late law was intended to embrace such cases.
very respy
ye obt servt
John Slack
Sept 26-

J. L. Edwards Esqr
Comr. of Pens

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State of New Jersey
Burlington County
Application of Samuel Forker a Revolutionary Soldier for a pension under Act 7 Jun 1832

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State of New Jersey
Burlington County Ss

Personally appeared in open Court to wit in the Inferior Court of Common pleas in of for the said County the same being a court of record John Dobbins Senior who being duly sworn according to law doth depose & say
that he is now aged Seventy two years, that he has always resided in the County of Burlington aforesaid & hath always been acquainted with Samuel Forker the above named applicant for a pension. The said Samuel having been an apprentice to the father of this deponent & that deponent knows from general report at that time that the said Samuel Forker was
frequently out in the service of the United States sometimes as a volunteer & some times drafted. That he believes he was out once for six months & has no doubt from his
recollection that the said Samuel Forker was out a number of times during the war. That this deponent was drafted out for a short period of service with the said Samuel Fork who was likewise then drafted out but from the lapse of time this deponent cant
remember the different years nor the length of service of said Samuel though from his knowledge of the said Samuel he has no doubt but that the statements contained in the annexed declaration of the said Samuel are true. that said Samuel is poor & deserving a pension & is old & diseased.
John Dobbins-

Sworn & Subscribed in open Court aforesaid this 18th day of August AD 1832
Thos  Swaim

Geo. W. Tucker
-
Matthew McHenry
Zebedee M. Will

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State of New Jersey
Burlington County
Personally appeared in open Court to wit in the Inferior Court of Common Pleas holden
Mount Holly in for the said County on this eighteenth day of August AD 1832 the same being a court of Record Charles J. Hughes who being duly sworn according to law doth  depose & say that he is aged Seventy years that he hath always resided in the said County of Burlington that he well remembers
during the Revolutionary war serving the said Samuel Forker the foregoing named applicant in uniform as a Soldier of the continental army,
& knows that from General report at that time the said Samuel Parker did serve in the Army
& to the best of this deponents recollection & belief the said Samuel was in the Service
at one time for six months though from lapse of time this deponent cannot remember the years nor the names of any of the officers under whom Said Samuel served but from his knowledge of said Samuel believe the statements in the preceeding declaration to be true that the said Samuel is old, feeble & diseased with Rheumatism & depends on his daily labor he support
W Hughes
Sworn & Subscribed in open Court aforesaid the day & year first above written.
Thos Swain
Geo. W. Tucker
Matthew McHenry
Zebedee H. Wills

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George Y. Morehouse an Episcopalian Clergyman residing in Mount Holly in the County of Burlington State of New Jersey & Pastor of At. Andrews Church in said town, and Samuel Clark residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with
Samuel Forker who has subscribed to the above declaration, that we believe him to be Seventy three years of age: that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution & that we concur in that opinion
George J. Morehouse
Samuel Clark

Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Thos Swaim

Geo. W. Tucker
Matthew McHenry
Zebedee Wells

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & of after putting the interrogatives prescribed by the war department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary Soldier & served as he states and the Court further Certifies that it appears to them that George Y. Morehouse
& who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the town of Mount Holly as above stated & that Samuel Clark
who has also signed the same is a resident in the same town & is a credible person & that their statement is entitled to credit
I Samuel J. Read Clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Burlington

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In testimony do hereby certify that the foregoing
contains the original proceedings of the
said Court in the matter of the application
of Samuel Forker for a pension whereof I have hereunto set my hand of seal of office
this eighteenth day of August in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred thirty two
Saml J Read

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State of New Jersey
Burlington County Ss

Be it remembered that on the Twenty Eighth day of August AD 1832 personally appeared
before me the subscriber one of the Justices of the peace in & for the said County Hulda Gaskill who alleging herself to be conscientiously Scrupulous of taking an oath & being duly affirmed according to law doth say that she is now Eighty--- years of age & that she resided during the Revolutionary war in said county that she was born in said County near Mount Holly & that he was during said war well acquainted with Samuel Forker an applicant for a pension under the act of Congress of 7 June 1832. That said Samuel now used in Mount Holly in said County &  this affirmant well remembers the said Samuel
Forker left his mothers house in said County as an enlisted Solder in the American service; & it was at that time well knowing thereout the neighbourhood that said Samuel was a soldier in the continental service; but this affirmant cannot from the length of time remember how long said Samuel Forker was out in said service, but she fully believe from the
best of her recollection that he was out at least in all Nine Months six of which he was enlisted in the Regular Service.
---
& that this affiant is so old & infirm that he could not get to the Court of said County
her
Hulda  X Gaskill
mark

Affirmed & subscribed before me the day & year first aforesaid
Matthew McHenry

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I, Samuel J. Read Clerk of the Inferior Court of
Common Pleas in & for the County of  Burlington in the State of New Jersey do hereby certify that Matthew McHenry Esquire the within named Justice of the peace in for the said County & before whom the within
affidavit of Hulda Gaskill was taken was at the
time of the taking thereof & is now a Justice of the peace of said county duly authorized & commissioned to take affidavits & that the subscription of the name of Matthew
McHenry is the proper hand writing of the said Matthew McHenry & that full faith &
Credit  ? to his official acts as Justice as aforesaid
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office the fifth day of September in the year of our Lord
Eighteen hundred thirty two
Saml J Read

I Matthew McHenry Justice of the Peace
as above certified do hereby certify that Hulda Gaskill the within named affiant is a very aged and infirm woman & from the personal knowledge I have of her the was unable from disease & infirmity to appear before the court to testify in the manner of the deposition hereto annexed therefore I have taken her testimony in its present form
In witness whereof I have hereunto set
my hand this fifth day of September in the
of our Lord A.D. 1832
Matthew McHenry

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And I the said Matthew Mc Henry do hereby further certify that the said Hulda Gaskill who took the foregoing affidavit before me a credible person and of that her statement aforesaid, is entitled to full credit- she the said Hulda Gaskill since the taking of the said affidavit having departed this life-
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of May AD 1833-
[signature]
Matthew McHenry

I Samuel J. Read of the Inferior Court of Common pleas, in and for the County of Burlington do hereby certify that the name of Matthew McHenry signed to the foregoing certificate dated 5th September 1832, and also the same name to the preceding dated thirty first of May 1833 are both of them the true and proper hand writing and signatures of the said Matthew McHenry a Justice of the peace duly commissioned as above certified-
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this twelfth day of June AD 1833
James J Read

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9466
Application
of Samuel Forker a Soldier of the Revolution resident of Mount Holly, in the
State of New Jersey for
a pensions &

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State of New July
Burlington County Ss
Personally appeared in open Court, to wit in
the Inferior Court of Common Pleas holden at Mount Holly in and for the said County of Burlington on this Eighth day
of June in the term of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three Samuel Forker the person named in the annexed declaration in order to obtain a
pension under the act of Congress of 7 June 1832, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following statement in order to amend his said declaration hereto annexed, 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 period mentioned below and
in the following grades
1 For one month I served as a private in January 1777 as first set forth in the declaration annexed
2 For six months I served as a private in 1781 as also set forth in said declaration-["In the State Troops" crossed through]
3.  For eight days I served as Sergeant under Capt Joseph Budd & was marked (?) in the treaty of Princeton.
4 For Seven days I served as a Sergeant under command of Lieutenant John Norcross, near Shrewsbury
5. For fourteen days as a private, and substitute for George Budd under Captain John Meyers & was marched near Allentown, & thence through the County toward Brunswick
6 For eleven days as Sergeant under Captain Joseph Weaver, and Major Joseph Budd, I was marched towards the seacoast of Burlington County, Tacketon & Warding river, & we
Captured at least nine prisoners
7. For four days I served as a private under Captain William Dobbin, in the neighbourhood of Border towns.
8. For three days I served as a Sergeant in a company of volunteers under Capt William Dobbins after Refugees, in the County

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of Burlington
9. For five days I served as a private in the country near Allentown, Lieutenant Samuel Gaskill commanded
10. For ten days I served as Sergeant under Capt Joseph Budd & was marched to Princeton
11. For eight days I served as private under Captain William Dobbin immediately after the English evacuated Philadelphia & marched through Mount Holly on their way to New York
We were volunteers & followed the British Army Capturing their Stragglers-- & we entered Allentown as the Brittish  & left it and were then dismissed by General Dickerson we being
title by destitute of provisions, & nearly so of Cloth, & accoutrements
The General telling us that he could not under that circumstance ask us to march any farther this deponent with difficulty reached home, his feet being much blistered
12. For two days I served as Sergeant under Captain Dobbins at & near Jones, Mill in Burlington County and for such services I claim a pension all of the above time I turned out from Mount Holly except the first, which was from Brandywine about 4 miles from Mount Holly.  The deponent cannot now remember any other tours that he was out, but he remembers being told at the close of the
was of himself the saying that he had been out once for each slate, that is thirteen times and the deponent further States, that at the time he made the declaration hereto annexed
he could not state his service with as much particularity as he is now enabled to do upon reflection; that he feels well assured he served for more that he has above set forth, but
from the great length of time which has intervened, & the failure of his memory he is not willing to State more upon oath that
he cannot remember the different respective years, nor the consecutive order of his service, other than as aforesaid. And his Original declaration hereunto annexed having been hastily prepared in order to have the same executed before the Court there on the eve of closing its Session, he prays that this
supplement may be considered a part thereof
Samuel Forker 
Sworn to & subscribed by the said Samuel Forker in open Court the day

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and year first above written
Thos  L. Swaim
Matthew McHenry
Phins. . S Bunting
And the said Court do  hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war Department, that the above named applicant Samuel Forker was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states. And that the traditionary belief that he did so is unusual (?) in his neighbourhood & never has been doubted. And the Court further certifies that the Samuel Forker who has this day made the above supplementary declaration is the same person who  made the original declaration hereto appended before this Court on the 18th August last, And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that George Y  Morehouse who has signed the Certificate annexed to said original declaration of said Forker is an officiating Clergyman of the Episcopal church resident in the town of Mount Holly as therein Stated, and that Samuel Clark who also signed the same is a resident of Mount Holly, and that they both are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit and they further
Certify that John Dobbins & Charles J. Hughes who made the several affidavits annexed to said Original declaration of Samuel
Forker hereto appended are residents of the said town of Mount Holly and are credible persons of respectability & standing, &
that the statements are entitled to full credit. Done in open Court the eighth day of June AD 1833.
Thos Swaim
Matthew McHenry
Phins S Bunting

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I Samuel J Read Clerk of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas in for the County of Burlington in the State of New Jersey do hereby
certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Samuel Forker for a pension. And that Thomas Swaim, George W.
Tucker, Matthew McHenry & Zebedee M. Wills Esquires before whom the annexed declaration of said Samuel Forker on the 18th of August last was made, & before whom the
affidavits of John Dobbins & Charles J. Hughes were taken on same day, & before whom the Certificate of George Y Morehouse & Samuel Clark was sworn to likewise on said day & all of them annexed hereto were at the time of the taking of the said several affidavits Judges of the said Inferior Court of Common pleas duly appointed as the law directs and that the signature to the said  several declaration, affidavits & Certificate are the true and proper hand writing & genuine signatures of the said
Judges, and that the same was done in open Court on the day of the date thereof
And I do further certify that Thomas
Swaim, Matthew McHenry & Phineas S. Bunting are at this time Judges of the said Court of Common Pleas and that the
signature annexed to this foregoing supplementary declaration of said Forker & to the Certificate of the Court thereunder
written are the true & proper hand writings of the said Thomas Swaim Matthew McHenry & Phineas S. Bunting and are their genuine signatures and that the same was done in
open Court by term time to wit in the term of May on the day of the date thereof
In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and seal of office this twelfth day of June in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred thirty three
Saml J Read

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J.S. Edwards, Esq.
Comms of Pensions

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Dear Sir,

I have the honor to return, enclosed, the papers relative to the application of Samuel Forker for a pension.
Forker was only in the State Services of course his name is not listed on the records of the Department. I have added a supplementary declaration and certificates of the character of his witnesses, which I believe is all that was required. The certificate of the magistrate who took Hulda Gaskills  affidavit is placed on the last leaf of the original declaration.
I regret that the papers were not correct in the first instance, & I hope they will now answer if they do not, I will thank you to return them as early as possible, and I will re-draft the whole.
Very Respectfully,
I am yours J
Brainard Clark
Mt. Holly N J June 12, 1833

J.L.. Edward, Esq.