Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 17506, for Wilson Hurd, Connecticut

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Hurd, Wilson
S.17506
CONTENTS
carded

Connecticut 28.456
Order to pay 28 Sept 1837.
Trilton Sturdivant of New Haven in the State of Conn who was a Pr. in the Regt commanded by Captain _____ of the Regt commanded by Col. Babe in the Conn line for 12mo: 14 days -
Inscribed on the Roll of Connecticut at the rate of $1 - Dollars 55 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 15 day of June 1832 and Alfred Blackman , Humphreyville - C.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1831 124.65 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept. - 20.78 $145.43
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Chas. Rice Clerk Book E Vol. 2 Page 17

3657 Wilson Hurd's Declaration

I have no documentary evidence of my service. I was born in the town of Monroe as it is now called, in the county of Fairfield & state of Connecticut, on the 8th day of February A.D. 1763, and am now in my seventieth year of age. I lived in said town of Monroe until I was eight years of age, when I removed to Newtown in said Fairfield County, and remained an inhabitant of said Newtown till the month of July 1784, when I moved to Derby, in the county of New Haven & State of Connecticut, where I still reside.
I have a memorandum of my age in my bible, inserted by myself, about eighteen months ago. Inserted from traditional account, all my service narrated above, was performed as I believe in the State troops.
I am acquainted with John S. Wheeler Esq. John H. De Forrest Esq. Rev. Ashbel Baldwin and numerous others in my neighborhood, to whom I would refer the Court for evidence.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to any pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State, except that of the State of
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Wilson Hurd
Attest - Sally Sanford Clerk
We, Ashbel Baldwin a Clergyman, residing in Oxford in New Haven County and Nathaniel Johnson residing in said Derby - hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Wilson Hurd who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration; that we believe him to be sixty nine 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 day and year aforesaid.
Ashbel Baldwin
Attest Sally Sanford Clerk
Nathaniel Johnson
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 Ashbel Baldwin who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in said Oxford and that Nathaniel Johnson who has also signed the same, is a resident in said Derby and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Col. A. Pugsley, Presiding Officer
I, Sally P. Sanford Clerk of the District Court of Connecticut do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Wilson Hurd for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office,
this 13th
day of August
1832
Sally Sanford Clerk

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
State of Connecticut, } ss. Derby August 4th 1832 County of New-Haven, }
On this fourth day of August A.D. 1832 personally appeared, in open Court, before the Probate Court of New Haven District, at Derby William D. S. Smith now sitting, Witnes a resident of Derby
in the County of New-Haven, and State of Connecticut, aged sixty nine 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 herein stated:— I volunteered about the middle of the month of September 1779, when I was in my sixteenth year of age, from the town of Newtown in the County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, to go to old Stratford and served for the term of two weeks, on Long Beach, in said Stratford, in the county of Fairfield, to keep guard. This service was performed I recollect at the time of threshing rye to obtain seed for sowing, which was formerly done in the month of September. The troops were not organized, and for this reason, I cannot remember any regular officer, who served on this tour. While I was there I boarded with one Abraham Tomlinson of Stratford, who was supplied with stores by one Burton, employed to provide meat for the guard. In this service I was engaged two weeks, & returned home to said Newtown.
In the same year, in the month of October, I volunteered from said Newtown, in the company of Jacob Dotsfield, Captain, & went to Norwalk in said Fairfield County, and lay on guard, down at the creek, for the term of two weeks. The name of the drummer of our company was Richard Bennett, our services not being wanted longer at Norwalk, we proceeded thence to a district then called Middlesex, between Stamford & Norwalk and remained there on guard two weeks, making in the whole one month from the time I left home in October. I do not remember any field officers here, and cannot say that any were present at this time. I should say we had not more than one company of soldiers on this tour, in which nothing remarkable occurred.
Sometime during the month of November 1779, I entered the service, as substitute for Abijah Lewis then of Monroe, in the County of Fairfield, but now dead, in the company commanded by Captain Thorp, and Lieutenant Jarvis and Sergeant William Barr, and served in said company at Blackrock in the town & county of Fairfield, in a fort which then had 6 or 8 pieces of cannon mounted in the same, and I served at said Blackrock according to the best of my knowledge & belief for the term of one month.

In the latter part of the month of February 1780 I entered the service at said Newtown as Substitute for Noah Howe  Burr late of said Newtown deceased, who was draughted for two months I think, in the company of Captain Wildman of Danbury of D r Fairfield County, & Sergeant Stone of said Danbury, and served in said company under command of Colonel John Mead who was taken prisoner by the British during this service and served in his Regiment at Horseneck, in Greenwich in the D r County of Fairfield for the term of one month , When, on the arrival of Colonel Bazeliel Beebee's Regiment from Farmington at said Horseneck, I enlisted at said Greenwich, in the company commanded by Captain Jesse Bell, of Stamford, Connecticut, Lieutenant Adams Barlow of said Danbury, orderly Sergeant Smith. The Ensign of said company I never knew, as he was shot through the shoulder, in a skirmish with the British the day of my joining the regiment in said company. He went home immediately after he was wounded, and his place was never filled, to my knowledge, by another. This company belonged to the Regiment of Colonel Bazeliel Beebee, commanded by himself with Major Shipman & Adjutant Henry Bull, of Milford, - Captain Lewis of Salem as it is now called, was select Captain of this Regiment, Captain Curtis of Farmington, & Captain Olmstead of Ridgefield, together with Captain Wildman, commanded the four companies of Col. Beebee's Regiment. I saw in this town the Regiment of Colonel Canfield from New Milford, in which was the company of Captain Iabez Botsford from D r Newtown. I saw also in said service at Horseneck, the Regiment of Colonel Wells, who was taken prisoner while I was there, by the British, with five of his Captains, on Thanksgiving day night, I remember in the month of November . On this day our Regiment had struck their tents for the first time, & put up in private houses. At four o'clock in the morning the alarm was given, and our Regiment rallied. One man by the name of Stanliff belonging to our regiment was killed and several were wounded. The British consisting of about 150 or 160 part of them called "light boys" were soon routed & fled. While we were on this service, a party consisting of about 24, commanded, as I think, by one Lieutenant Phelps, went down towards Morrisy, as the place was pronounced, & through New Rochelle, Rye, down to Merinack, when we came to a place where three roads met, and were divided into two parties, and concealed ourselves for the purpose of surprising a party of British "cow boys" as they were called, who had been in the interior upon a plundering expedition for cattle. About midnight, they arrived with a drove of cattle, consisting of one pair of fat oxen, five cows, 3 or 4 young creatures, and twenty sheep. I was concealed in the left division. The right division fired upon them first, soon after which, I faintly perceived a man near me upon horseback, and fired at him, upon which he dropped a silver mounted musket, which I took and delivered up to the officers. I do not know whether I wounded the man or not. We took the cattle & sheep some of which were reclaimed by the owners and some sold. This company was called a company of rangers. We were discharged from this service sometime in the month of December. I know of no man, living, who was with me in service. I knew of several 4 or 5 years since, but they are all dead.

In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Wilson Hurd a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau. S. F. 175-06.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Sept 1779 2 wks. Pri. Names of officers not remembered Conn.   Oct. 1779 1 mo. Jabez Botsford -   Nov. 1779 1 " Thorp. -   Feb. 1780 10 " { Wildman Jesse Bell { John Mead Bezaleel Beebe  
Battles engaged in, _____
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Newtown, Fairfield Co. Conn.
Date of application for pension, Aug. 4, 1832. His cl. was al.
Residence at date of application, Derby, New Haven Co. Conn.
Age at date of application, { Feb. 8, 1763, Monroe, Fairfield Co. Conn.
Remarks: {
Names of his parents not stated. There is no data relative to family.
He died March 2, 1853.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.
(Date of death taken from Agency Book.)

17586 INVALID.
File No. 17586
Wilson Hurd
Pre Civil War
Act: June 7" 32
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 436
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Apr. 2-1901 Chas. B. Gilbert New Haven
1915, Apr. 26. History to Frank G. Bryson. L.W.
1915, July 20. History to Minott L. Osborn. L.W.

Wilson Lunds
Adams pn 12mo 14 days $44.55 5.6.11.12
E. A. Ingersoll
P. 118.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Wilson Heard which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? 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? 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 VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? No VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? 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?

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?
It does not appear that the clergyman resides in his vicinity
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
No reason for not procuring the certificate of the clergyman of the town in which he lives
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?
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?
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
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.

J. L. Edwards, Esquire, Comm ee of Pensions Washington D. C.
Wm. Lloyd Comm.

J. L. Edwards, Esquire, Comm ee of Pensions Washington D. C.
Wm Lloyd Comm ee .

Humphreysville (Conn.) June 6 th 1834
Sir, Herewith, I return to your Office, the documents of Wilson Hurd, applicant for a pension. I send also some communications from Hon d Elisha Phelps Comptroller of public accounts in this State, which it is presumed, will be satisfactory & conclusive evidence of the service of Col d Beebe, Reg t at the time stated by the applicant. He is also corroborated in the details of his other services, by the statements of Col d Phelps. I am Respectfully Yr obed t Serv t -
J. L. Edwards, Esq r Alfred Blackman - Comm te of Pensions -
Yrs. Please reply to me, at the Office "Humphreysville" Connecticut

J. L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions

New Haven May 28 th 1834.
Sir
Mr Wilson Hurd called upon me this day, regarding his military services in the army of the revolution. From his narrative of the incidents  memorable  period  that  at  the  places where he served, & his officers, has produced upon my mind, a strong conviction that his claim for a pension is well founded. He informed me, that he had received a communication stating that Col. Dube's regiment was not in service in 1780, as was alleged in the application for a pension. If I am not much mistaken in my recollection, two regiments were raised & served in the year 1780, & commanded by Col. Dube & Col. Dube Dube, & that Jesse Dill was appointed by the General Assembly a Captain, & served in Dube's regiment.
And I think, I am not mistaken in saying, that Col. Dube did not serve in 1781. In the fall of 1780, he was appointed to command

a regiment then ordered to be raised, also serve in 1781; but he did not serve that year, the command of these troops being confided to Brigadier Genl. Waterbury. This corps was called Waterbury's Brigade. I am confident that Capt. Bell was not appointed a Captain in this brigade, & I believe he did not serve in it.
Mr. Hard stated to me, that he served in Capt. John Hotchkiss, Capt. Throop, & Capt. Wildman's companies previous to his service in Capt. Bell's company. I recollect that payrolls of Capt. Hotchkiss & Capt. Throop's companies are charged to the United States upon the books of the Pay Table. I cannot distinctly recollect, whether any payroll of Capt. Wildman's company is also charged or not; tho' I have an impression that such is the fact. The documents containing this evidence are at Hartford, & what I now state is from recollection merely.
I am very respectfully Yours J. Phelps

W Blackman

Comptroller's Office May 16 th 1834.
I Eliza Phelps Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Connecticut do certify that the pay roll of Capt. John Botsford's company is charged to the United States under date 31 st of August 1779. No pay roll pay or other roll of his company has been found, or evidence showing when or how long they served.
That under date January 4 th 1781 the pay roll of Capt. Ephraim Thorp's company as per records is also charged to the United States; but no roll of his company has been found, or evidence showing the duration of service, or when rendered.
And that the pay roll of Capt. Jesse Wells company "Weber Regt" is also charged to the United States under date January 24 th 1782. But no roll of this company has been found, or evidence showing how long it served.
N.B. Col. Buel was appointed to command the Regt ordered to be raised in Nov 1780, but was commanded by Genl. Waterbury.
E. Phelps

See
I am now at New Haven, & therefore cannot have access to the records of State of the the documents in the Comptroller's Office. But I am confident in my recollection, that the General Assembly of Connecticut, ordered two regiments to be raised the beginning of the year 1780, & to serve, I think, until January 1781. Colonels Wells & Beebe were appointed to command them, & Jesse Bell was appointed one of the Captains, & served in Beebe's regiment.
And that in Nov r or Oct r 1780, a reg t was ordered to be raised & to serve until Jan y 1782, & Col. Beebe was appointed to command it. But in February 1781, this reg t was augmented and reorganized, & subjected to the command of a Brig. Gen t , who I appears by the books was Genl. Waterbury.
I believe that no evidence exists that Col. Beebe was in service in 1781, & that evidence does exist, that Col. Beebe & Wells were in service in 1780. This statement I make from recollection. My former certificates, some of them, may be referred to, for authentic information. Yr de l O. Phelps

Wilson Hunt
Supplemental instructions
Suspect.

State of Connecticut, } ss. New Haven New Haven County }
On this 3 rd day of September 1833 personally appeared, in open Court, before the court of Probate for the District of New Haven, at New Haven
now sitting, Wilson Hurd a resident of Dutly in the County of New Haven and State of Connecticut, aged 70 years, who being first sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the
Supplementary following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832, to his original Declaration being dated the 4th of August 1832, & certificate on the 15th August 1832 That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers, and served as therein
stated, and that during all the service therein set forth, he served as a private .
That he cannot give the names of the officers under whom he served with more particularity, in the first three terms therein enumerated and declared upon, because there were no Field officers present at any time during said service, nor were the troops at the time the declarant has spoken of regularly organized. In the remaining terms of service upon which the declarant claims a pension, he has given the names of all the officers under whom he served, which the declarant now remembers. The declarant was only sixteen years of age, or thereabouts, when he served in the Rev- olutionary war, and had but little opportunity to become acquainted with the officers or learn their names.
The Reverend Asahel Baldwin who gave his evidence in my original declaration as to his belief respecting my age, & the general belief in his neighborhood relative to my Revolutionary service was then & still is the nearest Clergymen residing in my vicinity. His residence is between two & three miles from me. And I have regularly attended his church for more than two years last past. I am as well or better acquainted with him and he is probably with me than any Clergymen living. He is about six years older than me, and is better acquainted with the service & character of my service as a Revolutionary Soldier, than any other Clergymen. I know I live eight miles from the Clergymen of Derby, and am well acquainted with him, but he is little acquainted with my character as a Revolutionary Soldier.
The declarant further makes the following affidavit - "Personally appeared before me the undersigned Judge of the court of Probate for the District of New Haven, as aforesaid, Wilson Hurd, who being duly sworn deponeth & saith, that, by reason of old age & 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, & in the following grades - For one year and fourteen days I served as private; for such service I claim a pension.
Wilson Hurd.

The said _____ 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 the agency of any State. Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
We, _____ a clergyman, residing in the town of and _____ 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 day and year aforesaid.
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 abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the town of _____ and that _____ who has also signed the same, is a resident in the town of _____ and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Chas A. Ingalls Clerk of Court
I, Smith P. Sanford Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of New Haven do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the supplemented application of Wilson for a Pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of _____ Office, this 30th day of September 1833
Smith P. Sanford Clerk