Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 17,160, Asahel Tuttle, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Tuttle, Asahel
S 17/60
Carded
CONTENTS

Connecticut N o 28,277
Asahel Tuttle of New Haven in the State of Connecticut who was a priv. of arty in the Bomb d commanded by Captain Van Dorn of the Ry t commanded by _____ in the Connecticut line for 8 months 17 days
Inscribed on the Roll of Connecticut at the rate of 34 Dollars 29 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 28 th day of Apr l 1834 and J. Miss New Haven
Arrears to the 4th of Mar. 1834. 102 87 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 th S p 17 14 $ 120 01
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by R. Burdick Clerk. Book 62 Vol. _____ Page 41

27.534 Declaration of Rachel Lut. the widow of for a pension.
25 8. 32 97 34.29

State of Connecticut. } County of New Haven } St. city of New Haven.
On this 25th. day of July 1833. person- nally appeared in open Court, before the court  Probate court of New Haven Probate District in New Haven County. now sitting in said city. Asahel Little, a resident of said city in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, aged 65 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 pas- sed 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 born the 17th. day of January 1767. at New Haven, and has always resided in said New Haven; that there is no record of his birth that he knows of but a record of his Baptism, in the records of the W. Presbyterian Soci- ety in the town of New Haven bearing date Janry. 18. 1767. That when in his fifteenth year, in April 1781. he en- listed for the year as he recollects, as a private, in a company of men or artillery raised for defence of New Haven and its vicinity by authority of the State of Connecticut. stationed at New Haven and about the har- bor, commanded by Capt. Mr. Vandersee of New Ha.

ver; - John Warner and Joseph Peck were lieutenants, John Glop and James Murray were sergeants - that he was part of the time quartered in New Haven, and stationed at Abraham Bishop's corner in New Haven, and the rest of the time in East Haven, east of New Haven harbor, at Fort Hale, - acting as waiter to Lieutenant John Warner, and firing repeatedly at the enemy's boats as they came near shore; that near the first of August 1781. Capt. Vandusen left the company and Capt. John Warner, former lieutenant took command, and the applicant continued to serve through the year as waiter to Capt. Warner - receiving private's pay: that he was in active service the whole time; that he was repeatedly called up at night by alarm to go out for defence. - that on one occasion he marched down to West Haven, when a British armed vessel lay off in the sound, which had sent its boat ashore, but it had left before the company arrived; that he served at least nine months in the company before he was discharged that year or the winter following and he thinks ten months; that he does not remember of receiving a written discharge; that on an old pay roll which has been in the possession of

William Storer of New Haven, he is put down for pay in the year 1781, from sometime in the month of April to August when Capt. Van Dusen left, the pay roll being in Van Dusen's family; that af- terwards in 1782 he repeatedly volunteered with companies in guarding the New Haven harbor in case of alarm, and was often out guarding the har- bor through the night; that he well remembers that the Morrs and Nathaniel Dows were both in the com- pany of artillery aforesaid, at the same time with the claimant, the former of whom has lately deceased; that he is acquainted with and knows to William Bristol, Nathan Smith, David Scaggett, Ralph J. Ingersoll, Wm. J. Forbes, Ichiel Forbes, Laban Smith, William Nix, Abraham Bishop, and Titus Street, and Lincoln Baldwin, who live in his vicinity, and can testify to his veracity and character and their belief - that he served in the revolution; and that he does not know of other evidence to sustain his claim.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pay roll of the agency

of any state. That Martin Parrott who deceas- ed in April last, well recollected his serving as he has stated, and the claimant has often talked with him since the act of June 7, 1832, and intended to make use of him as a witness and deponent; but declarant has been laboring under a severe rheumatism, for the last two years, and has been unable to stand on his feet for months in succession, and was confined all last winter, and consequently unable to attend to his declaration until after said Parrott died, and has lost the benefit of his testimony; that he has made dili- gent inquiry of Laban Smith, Nathaniel Downs, Wil- iam Storer, Marcus Merriman and others, who were in said company at different times and at differ- ent stations about New Haven, - and does not find any one who recollects his service in said company now living nor does he know of any one now living who can bear testimony to his said service; - but the declarant is confident of it as above stated, and has seen his name entered on the pay roll afore- said, when said Storer had it at New Haven one year since, and which is not now in New Haven, but he understands a copy thereof is in the War Department, which will show his name and service in said com-

pany as he claims up to August of 1781, from April when Van Dusen left the command of said company.
Sworn to and subscribed this 25th. day of July A. D. 1853.
Asahel Tuttle
For Harry Crosswell
a clergyman
residing in the town of New Haven, and Ralph J. Burgess. Isaac Townsend. Hezekiah Howe, William H. Ellis Henry W. Edwards. and Caleb Mix —
residing in the same, hereby certify, that we now are and long have been well acquainted with Asahel Tuttle who has subscribed to and sworn to the above declara- tion; that we believe him to be 66 years of age, that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier and to have served in the revolution; that for the last 30 years he has been one of the most active business men of the city of New Haven, and is, and is well

known to be a very very respectable citizen and builder of the town of New Haven, and a man of strict veracity, whose word is entitled to implicit credit.
Sworn to and subscribed } this day and year aforesaid }
Harry Crosswell Isaac Townsend Hezekiah Howe
W. S. Ingersoll Henry W. Edwards Caleb Mix Cyrenus Ellis
And said court of probate do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories subscribed by the ward, postments 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 the Rev. Harry Crosswell is a Clergyman, and his Exchs. Henry W. Edwards, Hon. Caleb S. Ingersoll, William N. Ellis, Isaac Townsend, Hezekiah Howe and Caleb Mix are residents of the town of New Haven, and credible persons, whose statements are entitled to implicit credit.
Chas. S. Ingersoll June 7, P. Court

I, Anthony P. Sanford, clerk of the court of Probate for New Haven Pro- bate District, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the origi- nal proceedings of the said court in the matter of the applica- tion of Asahel Tuttle for a pen- sion. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 25 th day of July A.D. 1833.
Anthony P. Sanford Clerk
2 capt. M. Van Kliefen of New Haven.

17.160
INVALID.
File No. 17.160
Isabel Tuthill
Pr. Rev. Mr.
Act: June 7 th '82
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 381
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I, Silas Mix, of the town and county of New Haven State of Connecticut, hereby certify that, the annexed copy of a pay roll of Capt. Wm. van Deusen, purporting to be of the year 1781. I obtained from Mrs. Martha van Deusen, wife of said Wm. van Deusen deceased, as an original paper of said Capt. van Deusen, upon application made to said Martha van Deusen, for evidence in the matter of Asahel Tuttle for a pension - said Martha van Deusen now resides in Middletown Conn.
Silas Mix.
Sworn to and subscribed the 30th. day of November A.D. 1833; at New Haven Conn. before the court of probate, in open court.
Henry J. Sanford Clerk

Connect. to Det. P. 11 Jan. 7. 32.
Hon. J. A. Edwards. Comm. Press Washington D. C.
(Russian papers A. Little)
Amber 1832
ap. en enld

For 7 days hundred dollars
Yours truly President

N. Haven Jan'y. 7. 1833.
To the Hon. Commr. of Pensions.
Sir. Agreeably to the suggestion of objections by the pension office returning the papers of Asahel Tuttle for a pension, I have obtained the pay roll in his declaration alluded to, by which roll it will be seen that he is is down as he states from April till Aug. 1st. 1780 under Van Dusen until Capt. Van Dusen left. Having obtained the pay-roll only temporarily from Mrs. Van Dusen, widow of Capt. Van Dusen, I would with respect request the department to preserve it that it may be returned.
Your Obt. Servt.
Silas Mix.

Asahel Tuttle
8 th 7 aag private of Artillery
Shiney Present New Haven Col. Ingalls New Haven Co

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
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 subjined 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. These 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 Asahel Tuttle
   Period when the service was rendered. Duration of the claimant's service. Rank of the claimant. Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served. Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service. Proof by which the declaration is supported.   Years. Months. Days.              
I
respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions.

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 } ss. County of }
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 order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d) , with 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 entered 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 and C. D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with , who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 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 days 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 application 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
The original rolls of Capt Van Auerssen's Company are whereabouts where in possession of his son Wm Van Auerssen Esq of Middletown. As the claimant was under military age possible I doubt proof of service is necessary

alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person 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 the 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 traditional 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 inquiry 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 _____. For _____ 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 here 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 fix 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.
[j] 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 as the regiment, company, and line to 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.
[k] 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 in note [j] applies to continental troops only.
[l] This traditional evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[t] 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.