Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 787, Garret Wikoff, New Jersey

SERVICE
NUMBER
New Jersey
Wikoff, Garret
S 787
card
CONTENTS

17035-
New Jersey
Garret Wikoff
of Monmouth Co in the State of New Jersey who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Henderson of the Regt: commanded by Col. Schenck in the N.J. mili- tia for 2 years.
Inscribed on the Roll of New Jersey at the rate of 80 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 12 day of July 1833 and sent to
J. M. Hartshorne Esq. Freehold.
Arrears to the 14th of March 1833 $160.00
Semi-ant. allowance ending 24 Sept - 40-00
$200.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk, Book E Vol. 3. Page 135

Pension Office Rec'd 9 th Aug 1855
F. H. Davidge Ex alumnis
Series informa tion Rec of G. G. Nichoff
Mr Randall

Pension Office
Aug 29 th 1857.
Will the Third Auditor have the goodness to state up to what time Garret Wolkoff, a revolutionary pensioner as a private Act of June 1832 has been paid and at what time he died, if any such information can be found in his office. (New Jersey).
Sick May 10 th 1857. from sign post to that day. 3 Walnut St. Office Aug 29 th 1857.
Respectfully J. H. Dridge Examiner

At a court of Common Pleas holden at Freehold in and for the County of Monmouth and State of New Jersey of the Term of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two. Present.
John Patterson } and others John Braden } Esquires. John W. Davison } Judges.
Declaration of Garret Wykoff in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7. 1832.
State of New Jersey } County of Monmouth } ss:
On this thirty first day of July Anno Domini eighteen hundred and thirty two. personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the inferior court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Monmouth and State of New Jersey now sitting Garret Wykoff a resident of the Township of Freehold, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, aged seventy four years on the fourteenth day of May last past, 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 in the summer of 1775 he enlisted for one year under Captain John Hen- derson, as a minute-man, subject to be called out at any moment - and was actually out a number of times, but can't recollect how long - James Vanderwaer was first Lieutenant and Elisha Walton was second Lieutenant of said company - the Field officers then were Col: Schenck and Lieutenant Colonel Forman - That after the expi- ration of that time, and sometime in the month

of August 1776, he entered the Militia and served one month under Captain Thomas Hunn, and one month as substitute for his father under Captain Kenneth Hankinson, and then the next  another month under the said Captain Hunn, and the next as substitute for his father again under Lieutenant John Schenck acting as Captain, making in the whole four months, two of which was as substitute for his father - That the Field Officers were Major Asher Holmes afterwards Colonel, Colonel Hendrickson & General David Forman - That sometime in the month of December 1776 the militia of this county were commanded to lay down their arms, (the British and Tories having obtained the ascendancy) but they resumed them again soon after the Enemy were routed at Princeton - That sometime in the month of January 1777 he again entered the Militia and went out under Captain Hunn and marched down to the Highlands of Middletown and was there stationed as guard - That on the 14th day of February 1777 a party of the enemy landed on the shore and cut off the guard, and this applicant together with about seventy other persons were taken prisoners and carried on board of a sixty four gun ship then lying near Sandy Hook on board of which  where he remained three days and three nights closely confined under her hatches - That he was then taken together with his comrades, to New York and imprisoned in the Old Sugar House as it was then called - That he remained a prisoner to the Enemy until the seventh day of August A.D. 1778, being about one year and almost six months, part of the time closely confined, and part of the time he was permitted to go on Long Island upon parole - That he was then exchanged and returned home - That he was immediately called out in the Militia again and served his regular term of service during the whole war remainder of the war never having once been fined, or hired a substitute - That his Company Officers were Captains John Schenck, John Walton, Samuel Carhart, David Gordon, James

Wall, Junis G. Vanderveer Stephen Fleming and some others whom he cannot recollect - That he resided when he entered the service in the Township of Freehold in the County of Monmouth and State of New Jersey - That he served under the monthly drafts or calls as they were then termed & never served as a substitute except as above mentioned - That he was engaged in a skirmish at Red Bank and he flanked the Artillery at the time of the skirmish with the fifteen hundred British & Tories near Vandon's Mill, now Ely's - That he marched principally along the shores of his native county guarding them from the ravages of the British and Tories - That he served with no continental regiments or companies - That he recollects the names of Colonel Andell & Colonel Beatty who were prisoners at the same time he was; he also recollects Major John Burrows and General Mearfield - That he received a Lieutenant's Commission in the latter part of the war which is now lost & has no other documentary evidence of his service - That he can procure the testimony of
Barnes I. Smock - and others if necessary, who can testify to his service - 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 any State the Agency of any State.
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid in open court { John Hull John Haddan John Watson
Garret W. of
State of New Jersey } ss County of Monmouth } ss
Barnes I. Smock, Joseph Vanclief and John Huldehart being duly sworn upon their several and respective oaths certify that they are well acquainted with Garret Wykoff who had signed and sworn to the above declaration that they believe he is of the age and that he

served as therein stated - and that have heard and believe that he was taken prisoner & remained a prisoner as he has above stated - that he is not only reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, but he is known to have been a Revolutionary Soldier - that we have seen him in the service more or less during the whole war except when he was prisoner - that he is a respectable and credible person and that his declaration is entitled to credit -
In presence of subscribed in open court the day & year aforesaid John Muce John Haddad John Patterson
Barnes J. Smock Joseph Vanclief John Holshart
No 6157
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 stated. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Barnes J. Smock Joseph Vanclief and John Holshart who have sworn to and subscribed the preceding certificate, are surviving Soldiers of the Revolution, resident in the said County of Monmouth, and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.
John Patterson John Haddad John M. Davis
I Daniel H. Ellis clerk of the court of common Pleas of the County of Monmouth and 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 Garret Wikoff for a pension. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this thirty first day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
D.H. Ellis Clk

From the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim S. 787 , it appears that Garret Wikoff was born May 14, 1758 in Freehold Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey.
While residing in said place he served from the summer of 1775 or 1776 to 1782 at various times as a private in the New Jersey Troops, under Captains John Henderson, Thomas Hunn, Kenneth Hankinson, John Schenck, John Walton, Samuel Carhart, David Gordon, James Wall, Tunis G. Vanderveer, Stephen Fleming, and Colonels Schenck and Hendrickson, he was in a skirmish at Ramsen Neck, and served in all about two years. He was taken prisoner near Sandy Hook, February 14, 1777 and held in the Old Sugar House in New York, until exchanged, August 7, 1778, after which he soon returned to the army.
He was allowed pension on his application executed July 31, 1832, while a resident of Freehold Township, New Jersey. He died May 10, 1850. No family data.
Very truly yours,
WINFIELD SCOTT Commissioner.
1 o of this letter in Rev. D. Joslin's Vern Sheet S. 7784
See

Ganet W. choff
$80 per ann.
J. M. Hartshorne Esq r Freehold N. Jersey

Amendatory affidavit of Garret Wikoff to his original Declaration made July 31 st 1832 in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832.
State of New Jersey } Monmouth County } ss:
Personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in & for the County and State afore- said Garret Wikoff who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he is the identical Garret Wikoff named in the original Declaration for a Pension numbered 4187. by the War Department, and that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positive as to the precise length of his Service but according to the best of his recollection he entered the Service at time, and served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades: that he entered the regular militia of New Jersey in the month of August (the day he cannot state) in the year 1776, and served therein one month under Capt. Thomas Hurn at Long Branch begin- ning in August and ending in September same year: that he recollects no person now living except John Hulshart who served the above tour with him: that he served in the same, one month under Captain Hankinson at Deal on the sea shore in Shrewsbury as substitute for his father, beginning in September and ending in October same year: that he served another month under the said Captain Hurn guarding the shore as aforesaid, beginning in October & ending in November same year: that he served another month as substitute for his father under Lieut. John Schenck guarding the shore as aforesaid, beginning in November and ending in December same year: he recollects of no survivors of the last named tour: that for reasons mentioned in his declar- ation he was out of service until the latter part of the month of January 1777, when he entered again and served under the said Capt. Hurn at the Highlands near Sandy Hook until the 14 th day of February 1777, when performing his duty as guard about day light on the morning of that day he was taken prisoner and remained such to the

enemy for the time mentioned in his Declaration: that the survivors of the said tour of imprisonment are Tunis Vandermeer (who now lives, or did live the last he heard of him, somewhere in the western part of the State of New York, & that it is impossible without the greatest difficulty to obtain his affidavit, not knowing exactly where he resides) and Matthias Hulke who was prisoner a part of the time, and whose affidavit he will, if possible obtain: that after his return from imprisonment he entered the said service again, under Capt. David Gordon & Lieut. Saml. Forman and served under said Officers one month guarding the shores of Shrewsbury, beginning in September (the day he cannot state) in the year 1778 and ending in October following: no survivors: he served another month under Lieut. Vandermeer acting as Captain, at Colts Neck in Shrewsbury aforesaid, commencing in November and ending in December same year: that James Tetman served this tour with him, but does not know exactly where he lives: that from and after this time he thinks that the Militia of his district being some distance from the shore were not called out so often as in the beginning of the War: that David Gordon was the Captain of the Company to which he belonged and that he served in said Company under said Captain guarding the shores of Monmouth County, at least four months or tours in each of the years 1779 & 1780 and at least three months or tours in the years 1781 & 1782, but the particular day that each month or tour of service commenced or ended he cannot now recollect, but he is positive that each tour of duty was at least one month in length, and that he served at least four such tours in each of the years 1779 & 1780 and at least three such tours in each of the years 1781 & 1782: that is to say, in the year 1779 he served at least four months: in the year 1780 he served at least four months: in the year 1781 he served at least three months: and in the year 1782 he served at least three months: that all his service was performed in the grade of a private: that his first tours of duty and imprisonment he recollects very well because war was then a new thing to him, and the effects made a lasting impression upon his mind, but when

two or three years had passed, and all its horrors had been seen and felt, he turned out and performed his regular tours of duty as a matter of common occurrence and therefore and therefore they did not make the same impression upon his mind as at first: that parties of the British and Tories frequently landed on the shore for the purpose of stealing cattle and horses and whatever else might be of advantage to them, and at such times the Militia were all warned out by the firing of the "Alarm Gun" which was called an alarm: that these alarms were frequent and that he served a number of tours of three or four days, and sometimes a week in length until they were driven off: that at these times he served under different Captains whose names are mentioned in his Declaration, when not on his regular tours of service, but the particular times he cannot recollect, they being very irregular: For this service he makes no claim but claims a pension only for his regular tours of service and imprisonment as above mentioned: that he was born in Freehold Monmouth County New Jersey on the 14th day of May 1758. and has resided there ever since: that he has a record of his age transcribed from his father's bible into his own many years ago: that he is known to the Rev d Samuel A. Van Frankin and James M. Hartshorne in his present neighborhood, who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution: that he served with an embodied Corps called into service by the Authority of the Laws of this State: that he served in field and not in garrison: and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit:
Sworn to and subscribed this 2 nd day of July 1833 before me Justice as above mentioned Garret Wikoff John M c Clure
We Samuel A. Van Frankin a clergyman residing in Freehold Monmouth County, New Jersey, and James M. Hartshorne, residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Garret Wikoff who has signed the above.

Affidavit, that we believe him to be seventy five years of age: that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and to be a man of good character for truth and veracity and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and subscribed this 2 nd day of } Sam l H Van Klief July 1833 before me Justice as aforesaid } James M Hartshorne John M ll
State of New Jersey Monmouth County } ss. Mathias Fulse being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he is a surviving soldier of the Revolution aged seventy seven years: that he well acquainted with Garret Wikoff who has signed and sworn to the foregoing affidavit: that he knows the said Garret Wikoff was taken prisoner by the British at Sandy Hook in the month of February 1777, this Deponent being taken at the same time with the said Garret Wikoff: that this Deponent was remained such prisoner un- til the month of May 1778; He then left the said Garret Wikoff a prisoner still on Long Island upon his par- ole, and has always understood that the said Garret Wi- koff remained such prisoner on his parole sometime after this Deponent returned: that he several times afterwards saw the said Garret Wikoff in the militia of Mon- mouth County during the said war: and verily believe that he was a good whig and soldier. Sworn to and subscribed this 2 nd July } Mathias Fulse 1833 before me Justice of the Peace in and for the County & State aforesaid }
John P. Van Pelt And I the said John P. Van Pelt Justice as aforesaid do hereby certify that it appears to me, that Mathias Fulse is a surviving soldier of the Revolution residing in the said County of Monmouth; that he is a credible person and that his statement is entitled to credit: In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand July 2 nd 1833 John P. Van Pelt

And I the said John Hull Justice of the Peace and Judge of the Superior Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, do hereby certify that it appears to me, and I know the fact to be so, that Samuel A. Van Frankin who has signed the annexed certificate is a Clergyman resident in the Township County and State aforesaid, and that James M. Hartshorne who has also signed the same is a resident in the same place, and that he is a credible person. And that their statement is entitled to credit. And further that I am well acquainted with the said Garret Wikoff who has signed and sworn to the annexed Affidavit: that that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that I concur in that opinion. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this second day of July A.D. 1833. the words "of the Revolution" first interlined.
John Hull
I Daniel H. Ellis Clerk of the Superior Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, do hereby certify that John Hull before whom the annexed affidavit of Garret Wikoff and certificate of Saml. A. Van Frankin & James M. Hartshorne were sworn to and subscribed, and who has signed his name to the jurats thereof and to the above certificate is now and was at the dates thereof duly enrolled in my office as a Judge of said Court and Justice of the Peace in and for said County, and that John P. Van Pelt before whom the annexed affidavit of Matthias Hable was sworn to & subscribed, & who has signed his name to the jurat thereof and to the certificate following it, is now and was at the dates thereof enrolled in my office as a Justice of the Peace in and for the said County: and that they are both duly commissioned and sworn into office as such, and that full faith and credit are due and ought to be given to all their official acts as such. And further that the signatures "John Hull" and "John P. Van Pelt" signed to the said proceedings are severally and respectively the true hand writings and genuine signatures of the said John Hull and John P. Van Pelt. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal of Office this eighth day of July eighteen hundred and thirty three.
D. H. Ellis Clk.

1920, Aug. 19 Hist. to Mrs. Alice R. Stark. Eu. 1928. May 26. Hist. to Hon. John C. Speaks Aug.
Rev. A. C. ...
INVALID.
File No.
784
Garret Wickoff Pro. N. J. Lines
Act:
June 7, 1832.
Index:—Vol.
a , Page 406
[Arrangement of 1870.]
✓

JOHN C. SPEAKS 12TH DISTRICT OHIO
Congress of the United States House of Representatives Washington, D. C.
May 24, 1928.
Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D. C.
My dear Sir:
With reference to your letter of May 21st, relative to the Revolutionary War records of Jacob Van Fleet and Garrett Wickoff, I desire to furnish the additional information.
The Christian name of Mr. Van Fleet is Joshua, instead of Jacob, as stated in my previous letter. It appears that he enlisted in the Continental Army from Minisink, New York, but that he later lived in Big Island, Marion County, Ohio. It is stated that he drew a pension and died about 1848.
It appears that Garret Wycoff lived in Freehold Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, in 1840. My constituent, in whose interest I am writing, is of the impression that he drew a pension.
I shall appreciate it if you will have a further search made in these two cases.
Very respectfully,
John C. Speaks,

St Peter Minnesota 22 July 1920 Dear Sir -
Will you please send me copies of the Revolutionary pension papers of Garret Wickoff of Monmouth Co New Jersey and of Col Auke Wikoff of the 3 Reg. Monmouth Co Militia New Jersey Militia also James Galloway born in Lumberland Co Pa. & recd his pension in Ohio on private Pa line. Please send to Mrs Alice R. Stark St Peter Minnesota.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., Aug. 18, 1920.
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Garrett Wikoff a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau. S. 787-
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT, LENGTH OF SERVICE, RANK, OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Summer 1775 to 1782 Col. John Henderson Schuyler N.J.   Revised at various times 2 years in all. 2nd Thos. Hunt, Kenneth Hendrickson   2nd Hankinson, Jno. Schenck,   Jas. Walton, David Car-   hart, David Gordon, Jas.   Wall, Tunis G. Vanderbeek,   Stephen Fleming.  
Battles engaged in, Skirmish at Ramsour Neck.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Freehold Twp. Monmouth Co. N.J.
Date of application for pension, July 31, 1832 His el. al.
Residence at date of application, Freehold Twp. N.J.
Age at date of application, 6 May 14, 1758 in Freehold N.J.
Remarks: He died May 10, 1850 - There is no data on file as to family.
near Sandy Hook He was taken prisoner Feb. 14, 1777 and confined in New York until Aug. 7, 1778 when he was exchanged and returned home - Old Sugar House
Respectfully,
Commissioner.