Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11829, Peter Williams, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
born
Williams, Peter
S 11829
CONTENTS
carded

New York 8243
Peter Williams
of Saratoga in the State of N. York who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Wakeman of the Left commanded by Col. Watrous in the Column. line for 8 1/2 Mts
970
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 28 Dollars 83 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21 st day of March 1833 and Lts H. J. Taylor Ballota Sp
  Arrears to the 4th of Mar. '33  $56.66    Semi-ann. allowance ending 4th of '32  14.16     $70.82  
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Lev. G. Miller Clerk, Book 6, Vol. 4, Page 35

21825
Peter Williams
New York
5
acm d
 35 1/2  68  2666  166  28.3 2 
Hon. J. W. Taylor

BRIEF in the case of Peter Williams County of Saratoga — in the State of New York (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 73  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     Sub — In 1776 — 1 Private Gen. Silliman, Wadsworth   1776 — 3 " Capt. Wakeman, Col. Waterbury   drafted 1777 — 15- " Col. Lewis, Col. Syong, & Sherw.   Militia { 1778 — 2 " Capt. Syong.   { 1779 — 1 " Capt. Wheeler, Col. Abel   at least 1 " Lieut. Burr   " none mentioned  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Fairfield Connecticut  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary, & living witnesses  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? correct 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Chas. Forest Examining Clerk.
He states he was taken prisoner out of his Father's house in 1777 and claims three months service on that account although it does not appear he was in the service at the time,

Peter Williams Pension Papers -
21.8.25
adm d
8 1/2 mo, cri

State of New York County of Saratoga ss
On this twenty-fifth day of December one thousand eight hundred thirty two personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the county aforesaid now sitting Alexander J. Platt a president of the town of Galway in the county of Saratoga aged sixty six years who being first duly sworn according to law doth depose & say that he was born in the town of Fairfield in the county of Fairfield in the State of Connecticut in the immediate neighborhood & within the distance of twelve rods, from the residence of Peter Williams named in the annex- ed Declaration, where he continued to reside till the close of the Revolutionary War. That said Williams was very fre- quently absent from home in the service of the United States but this deponent cannot state the particular times or the length of each service. This deponent was present when said Williams was taken prisoner & knows that he was absent from home about that time about three months. That said Williams was frequently out on short tours wherever an alarm produced it necessary. That he has heard the annexed Declaration of said Williams read & that from his personal knowledge & from the information he received from the neighborhood he has no doubt that the services of said Williams are correctly stated in said Declaration. That he was well acquainted with Capt. Samuel Wakeman Captain Ephraim Syms Col. Abel, Brigadier General Silliman Captain John Sherwood, John Wheeler Captain Brattle Officers named in said Declaration. That he has known said Peter Williams from childhood & known him to be a man of truth & veracity & believes that his statement is entitled to full credit -
Alexander J. Platt
Subscribed & sworn to in open court The 25 th day of December 1832
John D. Palmer Clk, R

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7. 1832 -
State of New York County of Saratoga
ss: On this twenty fifth day of December One thousand eight hundred & thirty two personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Saratoga now sitting Peter Williams a resident of the town of Ballston in the County of Saratoga & State of New York aged seventy three years on the eighteenth day of June last, 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 7. 1832 - That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated - That he was born in the town of Fairfield in the County of Fairfield in the State of Connecticut on the 18th day of June 1759, where he continued to reside till the month of March 1776 - when he entered the service of the United States at the city of New York as a substitute for one Nathaniel Freely Esq. - who belonged to a Company of Militia of which Samuel Wakeman was Captain. This Company belonged to Colonel Waterbury  Hart 's Regiment of Fairfield, Conn. Freely had been drafted for two months - He remained in New York for one month & was engaged in cutting fascines & fortifying the city when he was discharged & went home - About the first of July 1776 - Colonel Lewis's Regiment of Militia being called out he again went to New York in Captain Ephraim Syms company of Militia where he was engaged in building Breast works until the American Army retreated from the city - He belonged to Silliman's Brigade which was the last that left the city - He stopped about ten miles from the city for a few weeks till about the first of October when having served three months he was discharged - About

three weeks previous to his discharge Captain Lyons company having become reduced in numbers he was put into Captain John Sherwoods company. In the month of April 1777 he was drafted into Captain Ephraim Lyons company went to Leipsic Point on Long island Sound where he was engaged in keeping guard for fifteen days. In the latter part of April after the British had landed & while they were marching to Sturibury burning & destroying the public stores he was taken prisoner out of his fathers house. He was taken by the enemy to Sturibury to Ridgefield & back to Conesport where he was taken on board the ship Swan twenty guns. He was stripped of every thing was taken from him except about four dollars in silver. He sailed to New York & was then put on board a small boat taken into New York. He was immediately put into what was called the Sugar House with upwards of six hundred other prisoners where after having suffered extremely from the circumstance of having so great a number crowded together in a small place & being fed on biscuit a great part of which was mouldy & eaten by worms, he was in the month of July for 1 st of August after having been imprisoned at least three months exchanged. Many of his fellow prisoners died during their confinement in the Sugar house & he thinks he owes the preservation of his life to the fact of having had a little money which enabled him to purchase provisions.
His next campaign according to his best recollection was about the first of May 1778. when there was a general call of the Militia for the purpose of guarding the lines along the Hudson River. He belonged to the company of Captain John Wheeler & to the regiment of Colonel Arel. Major Genl. Wadsworth commanded the Connecticut Militia. He marched first to Fishkill on the Hudson River then to Pekkskill thence to Gumb Pond & he stood about that neighborhood keeping guard for two months when he was discharged and went home.

In the month of March 1779 he volunteered & joined a company or part of a company commanded by Lieut Isaac Burr. He marched to Black Rock Harbor in Fairfield where he was engaged for one month in keeping guard. In the month of July 1779 He went on a tour to New Haven - Shortly after to Fairfield where the enemy burnt & plundered it from there to New York. In these services together he was engaged at least one month.
As he lived on the high ground near the Sound where he could see the enemy's shipping almost daily he very frequently was called out on alarms whenever the enemy attempted to land & take off cattle & plunder the inhabitants. He once went as a volunteer under Captain Brewster across the Sound to Long Island with a view of attacking a party of British who had been plundering the inhabitants about Smithtown. He thinks that this tour in addition to the several times he was out on alarms over & above those he has already mentioned would amount to at least two months.
He has no documentary evidence of his services & knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service except the  Lt. Isaac Burr whose affidavit is annexed.
To the interrogatories propounded by the Court the applicant made the following answers
1. He was born in the town of Fairfield in the County of Fairfield in the State of Connecticut on the 18 th day of June 1759 - 2. He has a record of his age in his family Bible at home which he took from his father's family records - 3. When he entered the service he resided in the town of Fairfield in the County of Fairfield State of Conn. After the war he resided in the same place till 1796, when he removed to the town of Wallingford in

the county of Saratoga & State of New York where he has resi- ded ever since and where he now resides.
4. He entered the service the first time as a substitute for Nathaniel Serly who had been drafted for two months, the second time by a general call of the Militia. He was drafted - then taken prisoner by the British next by a general call of the Militia - frequently as a volunteer on short tours whenever an alarm rendered it necessary.
5. The second time he was in New York he saw Genl Washington Genl Putnam, Brigadier General Silliman & Col. Jonathan Cushman He does not recollect any continental Regiments. Nor Militia Regiments except those above stated. The general circumstances of his service are stated above.
6. He received a written discharge when he left York Island in 1776 after the retreat of the American troops from the city. He does not recollect who signed it. It is lost.
7. He is well known to Joshua Alandge Esq. See Esq. Thomas Palmer Esq. Judge James W. C. Esq. Secy. Sam- uel Freeman & Rev. Croodus Babcock Henry Doolittle who can testify as to his veracity & to their belief in his services as a soldier of the Revolution.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a Pension or annuity except the present pension that his name is on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
Sworn to & subscribed in open court The 25. day of December 1832
Peter Williams -
Thomas Palmer
Clerk of the County of Saratoga and
Clerk of the said Court

We Diodatus Babcock a Clergyman residing in the town of Ballston in the County of Saratoga and Henry Doolittle residing in the same town hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Peter Williams who has subscribed to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy three years of age and that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn & subscribed in open court The 25 th day of December 1832
Thomas Palmer Clerk
Diodatus Babcock Henry Doolittle
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 Diodatus Babcock who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman residing in the town of Ballston in the County of Saratoga and that Henry Doolittle who has also signed the same is a resident in the same town & is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit. And the Court also certifies that Peter Williams under S. Platt who has sworn to the annexed affidavit is a credible person and that his statement is entitled to full credit.
Thomas Palmer Clerk of the court of common pleas of the County of Saratoga
do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Peter Williams
for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 25 th day of December 1832.
Thomas Palmer Clerk

Rev. ✓
11829
INVALID.
No. 11829
Peter Williams
Pris. Gen. War.
Act: June 7 th 82
Index:—Vol. A , Page 411
[Arrangement of 1870.]