Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 11107, John Walton, Conn. Privateer

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn. Privateer
Walton, John Mary
R. 11107
CONTENTS
[Faint, illegible handwriting on the left side of the CONTENTS section]
[Faint, illegible handwriting on the right side of the CONTENTS section]

Know all men by these presents that I William Beckman of Schoharie Co State of New York, who have intermarried with a daughter of Mrs Mary Walton who was the widow of John Walton a soldier of the Revolution, hereby constitute and appoint Isak G Kennedy my attorney and agent for me and in my name and in my behalf to demand and receive from the Govt of the United States any and all proper information respecting the services of said John Walton dec d and to examine into the records & proofs connected with the case that he may be enabled to arrive at a full & perfect understanding thereof with a view to the prosecution of said claim to the heirs & legal representatives of said John Walton of whom I by virtue of my intermarriage with his daughter am one as witness my hand & Seal this day of March 1854
Witness Marcus Struberg
William Beckman

Cobleskill March 29 th 1854
Dear Sir
Your letter of March 1 st was not received by me until the 15 th Inst. I was from home attending a Commission to ascertain compensation to owners of land taken by the Albany & P'keepsie Branch R. R. Company I send you the paper, & would say to you if the papers are, not on file of the pension office referred to in my former communication, there would be of no great chance to make out the services of John Walton, as a soldier, in the Connecticut line & he also served as a prisoner & was taken prisoner I understand that Congress have made no provisions for those in that branch of service, as he died before my marriage the Widow lived in my family for twenty years & died at my house, yet it would be difficult for me, to find, proof in Connecticut, as I am unacquainted with any one, now living, that knows that John Walton, was a soldier & did service, I therefore think every thing depends upon finding the papers sent to the pension office - William Beckman
John Walton served in the State of Connecticut as a private, I think he served in Capt. Belcher's Company the papers on file of found will show all about it, he left eight children, my wife is the youngest surviving & was fifteen

when her father died, most of the children died without having any children & four of them were never married, there are but two now living. In haste I am yours with respect &c - J. G. Kennedy Esq. Wm Beckman
PS direct to me at Gardnerville Schuylkill Co. NY - I send you the power of atty as you desired - yours Truly Wm Beckman
Wm Beckman
Heirs of John Walter solicitors
Rev in Co. + devise -
J. G. Kennedy Present

State of New York Schoharie County ss
On this twenty fourth day of January in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty personally appeared before me the undersigned one of the Judges of the court of Common Pleas in and for the aforesaid County of Schoharie Mary Walton a resident of the town of Shurton in the County of Schoharie and State of New York aged seventy three years on the thirty first day of May last who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed July 7 1838 entitled "An act granting half pay and pension to certain widows," That she is the widow of John Walton who died at Cherry Valley, Otsego County in said State of New York on the twenty third day of April 1812 and that her said husband was forty nine years six months and three days old at the time of his death as appears in the family record now in her possession and that she has remained a widow ever since the death of her said husband. She further declares that she was married to her said husband John Walton January 29 th 1784 in the town of Preston now called Griswold New London County in the State of Connecticut, that before and after her marriage she was called Polly by her parents and neighbours, but her parents always wrote her name Mary & that she has since her marriage always wrote her name Mary Walton to

all deeds and releases executed by her both before and since the death of her said husband John Walton, that she was acquainted with Nathan Belcher of the town of Preston New London County State of Connecticut (now called the town of Grisel) both before and after her marriage and that the said Nathan Belcher al- -ways called her Polly, and that her fa- thers name was Honor Blight, that she was informed by her Uncle Joseph Blight before her marriage, that John Walton (her husband) had been in the service, during the Revolutionary war as a fifer that her said husband John Walton, besides serving in the Army, was engaged in the priva- teering service, and, was a prisoner at New- York, six months, whether this was, before or after her service in the Army she does not recollect, that she left Connecticut the same year she was married & moved to Vermont, & from Vermont to the State of New York, that her husband John Walton during his residence in Cherry Valley Ot- sego County State of New York, held sev- eral offices civil and military, and that he, was Post Master at Cherry Valley at the time of his death that, she now resides with her daughter, the only daughter living who, married, William Beckman Junr in the year 1816, and in the year 1817 she went to live in said Beckmans family & has lived in his family ever since, that her daughter and husband are both living and reside in Sharon Schenectady County in a small Village called Busville, she fur- ther declares, that from old age and bodily infirmity, and extreme debility she is
6639

State of New York Schuylkill County ss
Mary I. Beckman
On this 24 th day of January one thou- -sand eight hundred and forty person- ally appeared, before me the undersigned one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Schuylkill and State of New York Mary I. Beckman in her  aged "forty fourth" years his being duly sworn, deposes and saith, that, Mary Walton her mother has lived with him ever since 1817, that she was married to William Beckman Jun- -ior in the Spring of 1816 & that she resides with him husband at Coersville, in the town of Sharon County of Schuylkill & State of New York, that his father, was, Post Mas- -ter at Cherry Valley Otsego County at the time of his death, that his father's name was John Walton & his mother's name Ma- -ry Walton, but that his relatives generally when they came to visit her called her Polly and that his mother has remained a widow ever since the death of her husband John Walton the father of this deponent, and this deponent, always understood, both be- -fore & since the death of his father, that he did service in the Revolutionary war & further saith not -
Sworn & subscribed before Mary I. Beckman on this 24 th day of Jan- -uary 1840 -
Robert Eldredge Judge of Schuylkill Common Pleas
I certify that I am acquainted with Mary I. Beckman wife of William Beckman Junior and that she is a creditable witness January 24 th 1840 - Robert Eldredge

not able to attend court, personally that the Court house is twenty two miles from her residence, & that for the last three years, she has not been from home the dis- tance of one fourth of a mile, and that she believes that her said husband did serve in the war of the Revolution - Sworne and subscribed on the day and year above written before me mary walton
Sworne & subscribed before me this 24 th Day of Jan- uary A D 1840 before me Robert Eldridge, Judge of Schoharie common Pleas
State of New York } Schoharie County ss } Robert Eldridge one of the Judges of the Court of Com- mon, Pleas in and for the County of Schoharie do certify that the above- named Mary Walton by reason of bo- dily infirmity is unable to attend any Court of Record in the County of Scho- harie, for the purpose of making the above declaration, and deposition Dated this 24 th day of January 1840
Robert Eldridge Judge
State of New York } County of Schoharie ss 3 rd . William C. Wetton Clerk of the said County do certify that Robert Eldridge Esq. before whom the preceding affidavit purports to have been sworn, was at the date of the same a Judge in and for the said County. And that I am acquaint- ed with his hand writing and rightly believe his name subscribed to the said affidavit to be his proper hand writing and signature. Witness my hand and seal of office, this 7 th day of February 1840 William C. Wetton Clerk,

I William R. Jewett pastor of the Church of Christ in the First Congregational Society in Griswold formerly Preston, in in New London County, State of Connecticut, and successor in the pastoral office to the Rev. Levi Hart, now deceased who in the year 1784 as appears by the records of said society was pastor of said Church. Do certify that in the Record Book of the marriages in said society I find the following entry viz., " Scanten hundred eighty four January " twenty ninth John Walton and Mary, " Elift both of Preston, and that it is a true copy of the record with the exception of the date which is expressed on the record in four arabic figures as follows viz. " 1784. Jany 29. John Walton & Mary " " Elift both of Preston "
I William R. Jewett above named before and say that I hold the office of Pastor of the First Congregational Church and Society in Griswold, formerly Preston in the County aforesaid and that the above

is a true extract from the records of said Church with the exception of above named as certified by me.
Griswold July 1 st 1889.
William R. Jenett. Pastor of the 1 st Cong. Church of Griswold Conn.
State of Connecticut New London County ss. Griswold July 1 st 1889.
Then personally appeared before me Samuel C. Morgan a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of New London the Rev. William R. Jenett, who signed the foregoing affidavit in my presence , a person to me well known as a credible witness and whose statement is entitled to credit and made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing certificate and affidavit by him signed in my presence as
Samuel C. Morgan Justice of the Peace

I Nathan Belcher of Griswold in New London County State of Connecticut now in my eightyeth year of age do depose and say that I was well acquainted with John Walton formerly of Preston in said County while a boy and during the Revolutionary war. I will recollect that he was a fifer in the Company of State Troops of the State of Connecticut commanded by my father Capt. William Belcher then of said Preston in the year 1776. That in the spring of the year 1776 I went as a writer to my father for the Campaign to New York and was in the Orchard fight so called in which I was wounded, the said John Walton was a member of said company during this Campaign - and was with us during the whole time. According to my recollection at this time, we left home some time in May 1776 and was discharged about the time of the battle at Trenton the last of December. We were in the service in this Campaign about seven months. Our company was attached to the Regiment commanded by Col. Selden of Lyme in said State of Connecticut. I knew the said John Walton at after the aforesaid service and while he lived in said Preston, and was acquainted with his wife, who was Polly Clift, before and after their marriage. Mr. Amos Clift the father of the said Polly resided within a mile of my father's

and I well recollect the time of the marriage of the said John & Polly though I was not present at the wedding - at Griswold June 15 th 1839 -
Hon J. H. French H.R.
William Bullock Nathan Bullock
New London County ss. Griswold June 15 th 1839.
Then personally appeared before me Samuel C. Morgan a Justice of the Peace for said County Nathan Belcher as known to me well known as a credible witness and made solemn oaths to the truth of the foregoing deposition by him signed in my presence -
Samuel C. Morgan Justice of the Peace.
State of Connecticut County of New London } ss I John D'Witt Clerk of the County Court in and for said New London County do hereby certify that Samuel C. Morgan Esq before whom the foregoing and annexed deposi- tions of Rev. Wm. A. Jewett and Nathan Belcher Esq were taken, was at the several dates thereof and still is a Justice of the peace for said New London County and that his signatures thereto affixed are genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of said County this 5 th day of Oc- tober A.D. 1839
John D'Witt Clerk (u)

REJECTED
11.107
P. O. _____
Mary Walton
Service: Com. John
Enlisted: _____, 18 .
Discharged: _____, 18 .
Application filed: _____, 18 .
Alleges: _____ _____
Re-enlisted: _____ _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____ _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.

✓ New York
Mary Walton
let to Hon. J. H. Duer 18 Feb. 1840
to Mr. Beekman 11 Aug. 1840
Let. J. C. G. Hamdy
" Aug. 25/54
1858. Mich 2. Let to Hon. C. B. Cochrane
11107
Set July 1838

June 24 June 22 nd June 22 nd June 22 nd
W. Yak Adoprow Eliz Henry
Wm L J. S. Edwards
free
Commissioners of Pensions
Washington
D. B.

Lewsville NY June 20 th 1840
Hon ble J. L. Edwards
Sir I enclose you A Mc Nellis Supplementary Affidavit of the services of Wells Henry in the Revolutionary war and also affidavits, of the time of his death I hope they will be sufficient to entitle Mrs Henry to a pension, I have not devoted any time to the pension law and have been induced, by the extreme poverty of Mrs Henry, to assist her, (and two others) in getting on the pension list the great difficulty in procuring proof for widows, after a lapse of so many years and they not knowing, who, were the com- =panions of their husbands in arms, and the number now living (even comparatively small) renders the difficulties in many cases insurmountable.
In the case of Nancy Gary Widow of Gilbert Gary deceased, upon my in- your communication of the 18 th of April, that you want the best attain- =able evidence, of the death of Gilbert Gary her husband, I thought I am still strong- ly impressed, with the belief, that affida- =vits, of the death of her husband was forwarded, with her declaration, the affidavits intended to be furnished was the affidavits of Salmon Drake & wife at whose house Gilbert Gary died, Mr Drake has left this place, & gone into Otsego County NY the aside, I would enquire whether those affidavits have been received, & if they have and are not sufficient, what evidence will be required Mr Gary died at this place, and it is a fact well known to all the inhabitants of Lewsville, I frequently visited him

in his last sickness and saw him after his death he died at Mr Dawkas about forty rods, from my house, if the affidavits of Mr & Mrs Drake have not been received at your office, I can procure the affidavits of a dozen persons in the neighbourhood or I can send to Otego and procure the affidavits of Mr Drakes family in which Gilbert Garry died, - -
In relation to Mary Walton Widow of John Walton deceased (You informed Col Prentiss before in Congress, who transmitted the same to me,) That Nathan Belcher affidavit states that the claimants husband entered the service in the month of May 1776 in Capt Belchers company Col Seldens Regiment, and continued therein until the last of December following, that, the law authorizing, that Regiment to be raised, was not passed until the 9 th of June 1776 and was to continue in the service until the 25 th of December following unless sooner discharged you further state that immediately after the battle of White Plains, that a large portion of the Connecticut militia raised under the law referred to was discharged, which was on the 24 th of October & that in view of further investigation the witness Nathan Belcher should state definitely, when the service in question commenced, and when it terminated, whether this can be complied with is a matter of doubt I have understood that Nathan Belcher was dead & I do not know of any other living witness at present I have been informed, that Col Seldens Regiment, was organized before the passage of the law, and tendered their services & that, the law, was passed, immediately after the service of the Regiment, was tendered, but

I do not know whether this can be relied on, I would take the liberty with differ- ence to enquire, whether the enlistment Roll is not in the Secretarys office and whether (if so) it does not appear from the Roll what time John Walton, did enter the service, & I also suppose that the time, the several Individuals, were dis- charged, would be returned to the war office I could procure considerable authenti- ary evidence if it would help the case of Mrs Mary Walton, The Hon- L D. Hammond & many others, in Ohio County, know some thing about the matter Mr Walton in his life time, stated what service he, had been in, & he was a man of considerable Character & Standing after the war filling several offices, both Ci- vil & Military, After his discharge from Col Seldens Regiment, he entered into the service as a private, & was taken pri- soner twice, and was a prisoner on board the Prison Ship at New York a long time but I am aware that, those engaged in that service are not entitled to pen- sion, & therefore is a matter of no con- sequence, one by to show, that he was zealous, in the cause of his Country The Hon John H. Nephew Representative in Congress I believe knew him at all events knows what his character was and if his John Waltons declarations made thirty five years ago could be used there would be no difficulty in the case of his widow, Respectfully your Obedient Servant William Bateman Esq

House of Reps July 15, 1840.
J. L. Edwards, Esq.
Sir:
The enclosed papers reached me by last night's mail, and I send them to you for examination, with a request that you will give them your earliest attention otherwise.
Very respectfully, Your obedt. Servt.
Wm. H. Prescott