Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 23782, for Gurdon Mack, Connecticut

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
SERVICE Comm.
Wack, Gordon
S. 23782
CONTENTS

6416
New York
Gordon Mack
of Canandaigua in the State of New York who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Burr of the Regt. commanded by Col. Smith in the Connecticut line for 9 months.
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 30 Dollars — £ per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 1 st day of March 1833 — and sent to Hon. S. Dickson 40 Rep.
Arrears to the 14th of Sept 1832 $45. Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Mar 33 15.
$60.
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Job Burnworth Clerk, Book 2 Vol. 5 Page 175

9212 Gordon Mack
The Service not set forth as the regulations require disallow-
abmtd 9 mo. pri
30 $.
Thomas Beals
Agent
Canandaigua

State of New York Ontario County } ss:
On this twenty eighth day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the County Court now sitting Gordon Mack a resident a resident of the town of Canandaigua, County and State aforesaid aged Seventy three  four 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 7. 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as here in stated.
1 st At Hartland in the State of Connecticut he enlisted for six months in Captain Bradleys Company in Colonel Smiths Regiment on or about the first day of June 1777 and was marched to Stamford and done duty there and at Horse Neck and at Danbury. was sick at Danbury and was carried to the Hospital there under the care of Doctor Foster until discharged at the end of the term when his Brother Zebulon Mack came for him and took him home. 2 d The next spring in Captain Burrs Company at Simsbury went to Stamford again and there served for three months as before at that place and Horse Neck and other towns on the frontier of Connecticut, dont remember the Colonels Regiment, after his time was out went home 3 d After this he entered the service again, but in consequence of the infirmities of age, he cannot remember his Officers names. He was on duty at West Point and worked on the Fort. He was on guard when General Burgoyne's Army was marched through part of Connecticut on their way to the North River, when the Prisoners were given up. He has done duty at Fishkill and Peekskill. Was once stationed at White Plains and was ordered to Fort Montgomery but

did not get there until after the Fort was given up, and then ordered back to White Plains.
He cannot say what year this service was done nor how long he was out in each Campaign but he served in all more than two years.
He saw General Washington at White Plains. He cannot say He knows he was in the service and Daniel Ensign served with him.
He has no documentary evidence. Was born in Lyme in Connecticut on the 4 th March 1757. He has no record of his age, lived in Hartland until he removed to Canandaigua about twenty two years ago.
He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension except the present and declares his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State. Sworn and Subscribed to the day and year aforesaid in open Court. He knows Jonathan Mack & Daniel Ensign.
~ We Jonathan Mack & Gordon Mack Daniel Ensign both residing in the town of Canandaigua — in the County & State aforesaid, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Gordon Mack who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy three years of age that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resided to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Subscribed and sworn the day and year aforesaid in open Court. Daniel Ensign Jonathan Mack
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 Jonathan Mack and Daniel Burzigo who have signed the preceding certificate both reside in the town of Canandaigua, are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to Credit.
I, Charles Crane, Clerk of the said Court, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Burdon Mack for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal off office, this first day of September A. D. 1832.
Charles Crane

No. 9212. Gordon Mack
adm e 45. 12 17
30 Nov. '32
P.M.
Thos. Beals Canandaigua N.Y.

BRIEF in the case of Gordon Much of Canandaigua in the State of N. York (Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? in open Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? Seventy three years
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.     June In 1777 6 Private Col. Smith Connest le   Spring of 1778 3 " Capt. Burn ch   States that he afterwards re-entered the service but is unable to specify the periods he served - alleges that, "he served in all more than five years."  
5. In what battles was he engaged? None stated.
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Hartland - Connecticut
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional evidence alone
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? the papers are correct in form and authentication
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Wm Gordon Examining Clerk.

Rejection
23782
INVALID.
File No. 23,782
Gordon Mack
Rev Rev War
Act: June 7 th 82 nd
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 203
[Arrangement of 1870.]

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Gordon Mack which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? no V. * Has he mentioned 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? no detail of each tour required VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Not all. VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yes VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yes

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? Has not obtained the evidence of a Clergyman but has adduced the testimony of two credible persons XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? None XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? yes XIV. † If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? the Court certify that the interrogatories were put to the applicant - but not embodied in the declaration
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. 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 the 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 three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
QUERE XIV.  Proof of Service.
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 claimants 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.
QUERE XVI.  Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end 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.

State of New York Ontario County ss
In the matter of Gordon Mack application for a pension
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a justice of the Peace in and for said county, Gordon Mack who being duly sworn according to law deponeth and saith that the reason he did not have a clergyman to support his application for a pension before the County Court on the 28 th August 1832 was, that in the Society where he resides, the clergymen are of the Methodist order and not local but itinerant, and he could not have any that knew his history - He is required to give a more perfect detail of his service, which he will do, and to answer the interrogatories prescribed by the War De- partment - He now saith that under his first head detailing his service in 1777 that he voluntarily enlisted and before his term of six months expired, he was taken sick at Fishkill, and was removed to Danbury, and put in the hospital and remained there until late in the fall, and after his time was expired, when his brother Zebulon Mack came and carried him home to Hartland - under his 2 d head in the spring of 1778 he was drafted in Captain Barr's company, at Simsbury, and was marched to Stamford and New York where he was stationed as a frontier guard - Colonel Sturgis Regiment was out at the same time, and he knew him - under his third head he now says that he was on duty at Pickskill at the time the news of the capture of General Burgoyne was received there, and there were great rejoicings on that account, but in consequence of the infirmities of age and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot give a detailed account of his several tours, but he does say that he served and was bound to the service more than two years - He has no documentary evidence, nor never had any - He has now answered the several interrogatories prescribed by the War Department - and says he served under his first head not less than six months - and under his 2 d head not less than three months, as a private soldier, & not being able to support his service as under his 3 d head he hereby relinquishes any claim for such service, and only claims a pension for nine months -
Sworn to and subscribed this
Gordon Mack
28 January 1833 before Henry
J.P.

State of New York Ontario County } ss
In the matter of Gordon Mack's application for a pension
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a justice of the Peace in and for said county Daniel Ensign and Zebulon Mack who being sworn according to Law, deposed and saith that they were residing in the town of Hartland, State of Connecticut in the year 1777 and well knew Gordon Mack the within named and the said Daniel Ensign saith that he served with the said Gordon Mack in Captain Bradley's company in 1777 for six months, at Stamford, Housenick and Pittsfield, and that a short time before his time expired the said Gordon Mack was taken sick and was moved to the Hospital, and he did not see him after- wards.
And the said Zebulon Mack saith that late in the fall of 1777 he went to Danbury where the said Gordon Mack was sick and in the Hospital and he got permission of the surgeon at the said Hospital to remove the said Gordon, and did remove him to Hartland where he then lived - and this deponent further saith that he knew that the said Gordon Mack was devoted to the service, and once he hired him for three months as his substitute in Captain Buchnell's Company, and he knows that he served, but he was not with him - and the said Daniel and Zebulon do further say that they have no doubt that the said Gordon served as he states and they have never heard it questioned or doubted.
Sworn to and subscribed
this 28 day of January.
1833 before me.
Henry Chapman JP
Daniel Ensign
Zebulon Mack his mark
I certify that the above names Daniel Ensign and Zebulon Mack are credible persons. Henry Chapman JP

State of New-York Ontario County ss. 3 I, Charles Crane, Clerk of said County, do hereby certify that Henry Chapin, whose name is subscribed to the certificates of the affidavit of Zebulon Mack and the affidavit and char- acter of Zebulon Mack and Daniel Ensign, (all upon this sheet written,) was at the date thereof, a Justice of the peace in and for said County; And that I am well acquainted with his hand writing, and verily believe the said signatures to be his proper act and deed. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this twenty-eighth day of January A. D. 1833-
Charles Crane