Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2,358, William Couch, Conn.

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[This is the pre-printed coversheet that is in tabular format.]

(3-1778)    [A star is over the second column]
SERVICE    [No column heading]  NUMBER
Conn.         Couch, William (colored)  R 2,358
[Blank]        Freeman

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[This is a pre-printed form. The top line is crossed out.

2358  [There is a "REJECTED" stamp next to the file number.]
P.O.
William Couch
Service: or Freeman

Enlisted: [blank], 18 [blank]
Discharged: [blank, 18 [blank]

Application filed: [blank], 18 [blank]

Alleges: [blank]
[blank]

Re-enlisted: [blank]
[blank]

Attorney: [blank]
P.O. [blank]
[blank]

[blank] Recognized, [blank] Contract
[blank] Cert. of Dis.  Searched for [blank], 18 [blank]

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Connecticut Choral
William Couch or Freeman 
2358
Suspended
[illegible] January
6.1804
[illegible]
Act. June 7, 1832

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COPY 
Jan. 6, 1834
Letter to Hon. Gideon Tomlinson

The claim of William Couch or Freeman alleges that he was born in 1765 and enlisted as a teamster 6 months in 1776. The details of service stated do not render it very probable that the claimant was enlisted and the fact of his being but eleven years old render it altogether unlikely that he would have been mustered into service as stated. The claim has been rejected. The papers are placed on file.

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State of Connecticut
County of Fairfield } ss. On this 8th day of October 1833
personally appeared in open Court before the Court of
Probate for the district of Fairfield in said County and State
William Couch or Freeman a Colored man a resident
of the said district and State aged sixty eight 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 act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.
That he enlisted in the service of the United States under the
following officers [rest of sentence unreadable].
The declarant says that he was born in Fairfield in
Connecticut in the year 1765, that he has resided
most of the time since in said Fairfield and a part of
the time in [illegible] in said State. He says he
has no record of his age, the record which was
made of it in the family Bible having been
carried by some one of the Family, [illegible]
part of the county. The applicant says that he
went into the Team Service for six months
in the year 1776 and drove a Team during the
months of October, November, & December of that
year and also during the months of January,
February and March of 1777. The Teams under
the direction or command of Capt Stephen
Guire of Fairfield were imployed [sic]
to carry provisions and stores from [illegible]
and the sea Coach to Danbury and to General 
Huntington to Parsens Migacles which were

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Stations at Redding in Connecticut under the
command of General Putnam during the Winter
before mentioned in the winter of 1776 & 1777.
The declarant says he served until the six months
the period for which he was engaged and that was
his only business for that time and although he
was quite young yet he was thought competent
at the time to perform it and [illegible] actually
[The rest of the sentence is unreadable due to crossed out portions and tiny inserted text.]
He says he is acquainted with Mr. Isaac Bronson.
Hon. Gideon Tomlinson, Walter Bradly, Nathan 
Bradley, [illegible] merchants & others who can
certify [illegible] his character that he hereby
relinquishes every claim whatever to a Pension
or annuity except the present and declares
that his name is not on the Pension Roll of
the agency of any State.
[signed with the note "his mark" and an "X"] William Crouch or Freeman
Sworn to and subscribed
on the day and year
aforesaid before Daniel Hill
Judge of the Court of
Probate for the district aforesaid.

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State of Connecticut ss. for District of Fairfield October 9th 1833
Mr. Walter Bradley of the Town and County of Fairfield
and [illegible] Connecticut of Fairfield of Lawful age do hereby certify
and say that I am well acquainted with William 
Couch or Freeman and believe him to be
sixty eight years of age and also believe him
to be [illegible] a man of truth and that his
testimony is entitled to credit.
[signed] Walter Bradley
Sworn to and subscribed on
the Day and year aforesaid
before David Hill Judge
of the Court of Probate for the
[illegible]

State of Connecticut for District of Fairfield October 9th, 1833
I Nathan Bradley of the district and state aforesaid
aged eighty five years do certify and say that I am
well acquainted with William Couch or Freeman
that I believe him to be sixty eight years of age
that he is a man of truth and that his testimony
is entitled to full credit. [signed] Nathan Bradley
Sworn to and  subscribed on the
day & year aforesaid
before David Hill Judge
of Probate Court for the district aforesaid.

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And the said Court hereby declares its opinion after the
investigation of the matter and after putting the
investigations proscribed by the war Department that
the above foregoing named Applicant was a
revolutionary Teamster and served as he states.
And the Court further certifies that it appears to
the said Court that Walter Bradley and Nathan
Bradley, the persons who have subscribed and sworn
to the three preceding Certificates Residents of
the said District of Fairfield are credible Persons
and that their testimony is entitled to credit.
[signed] David Hill Judge of Probate

I David Hill Junior Clerk of the Court of Probate for
the District of Fairfield in Connecticut aforesaid
do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the
original proceedings of the said Court in
the matter of the application of William
Couch or Freeman for a pension. In testimony
whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office
at Fairfield aforesaid this 12th day of November A.D. 1833
[signed] Daniel Hill Ju Clerk [A seal is affixed next to the signature]

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Service: Conn. 
Couch or Freeman, William (colored)
Number: R. 2,358
Contents

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State of Connecticut for District of Fairfield November 12th, 1833
I Daniel Hill Judge of the Court of Probate for the
District aforesaid do hereby certify that Ned Freeman
who has subscribed and sworn to the preceding Deposition
is for any thing that appears to the contrary a
man of truth and that his testimony in this case
is entitled to credit. [signed] David Hill Judge of Probate

I David Hill Junior Clerk of the Court of Probate
for the District of Fairfield aforesaid, do hereby
certify that David Hill who has subscribed
the preceding Certificate is Judge of Probate for
the District of Fairfield in Connecticut and that 
the foregoing signature of his name is his genuine
signature. In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and the Seal of Office at Fairfield
aforesaid this 12th day of November A.D. 1833.
[signed] David Hill Ju Clerk  [A seal is affixed next to the signature]