Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 23,758, for Samuel Lawrance, New York

SERVICE
NUMBER
New York
Lawrance, Samuel
S 23,758
CONTENTS

24.417 New York
Samuel Lawrance of West Chester Co in the State of New York was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Drake of the _____ commanded _____ in the (N.Y. and me for Henry?
and on the Roll of New York at a rate of 50 Dollars 00 Cents per annum. commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 16 day of December 1833 and sent to Hon: A. Ward. H. Reps.
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833. $200.00 Fem-ant. allowance ending March 34. 40.00
$240.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk, book _____ Vol. 4 Page 105

14528. Application of Samuel Laurence for a Pension
accts 24 mops 80 $
Leal Seal at 8m
Mr Ward
to name in remembrance of my name & service at office this 29th day of May 1833 Charles

State of New York Westchester County } ss on this third day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally ap- peared in open Court, before the Court of Common Pleas of the said County of Westchester Moses a Resident Tillingh. Samuel Laurence of the Town of South Salem in the said County of West- chester aged, seventy two years on the twenty third day of January 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 th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated, viz
That in or about the first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight this Declarant enlisted at Crownpond in the said County of Westchester (in a Com- pany of New York State Troops commanded by Captain John Drake) as a private for nine months, and faithfully served as a private in said Company during the whole time of his said enlistment, till about the last day of December in the year of our Lord 1778 this Declarant
9 mo

was regularly & honorably dis- -changed at Youngs House in the said County of Westchester by Lieutenant Mr the Van Wart then the Commanding officer of said Company. That the aforesaid Company belonged to Col Morris Grahams Regiment in the said County of Westchester and were employed while this Declarant served therein as aforesaid, till the fall of the same year as a Guard on the American Lines at White Plains Turkey Hos & other places in the said County of Westchester and Late in the fall of that year Declarant with his said Company removed to Youngs House aforesaid where they continued to guard the Lines & go out on scouting parties till Christmas eve of that year when said Com- -pany was attacked at said House by a Detachment of British Refugees commanded by one Major Baremore, which took said House and  and Capt Daniel Williams of said Graham Regiment Joseph Youngs & several others prisoners & killed several men. That this Declarant afterwards at Bedford in the said County of Westchester, on or about the first of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty (as near as this Declarant can

now recollect or states enlisted as a private in a Company of Volunteers commanded by Cap n Richard Tackett, and Lieutenant William Mosher for the period of six months and this declarant faithfully served as a private in said Company during the whole of his last mentioned enlist- ment of six months, and was honorably discharged at Wright Carpenter's, House in the Town of North Castle in the said County of Westchester. That said last mentioned Company while this Declara- nt belonged to it as afore- said was employed within the said County and on the American Lines in the same County as a Guard and to protect the Americans and their property above the Lines. And this Decla- rant further states. That after- wards, and about the first day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty two he this declarant enlisted at Middle Patent in the said County of Westchester as a private in a Company of Service commanded by Cap n Thomas Hunt in Col c Frederick Weisenfels Regiment, and in which Company he served

9 Fifth said Samuel Youngs were Lieutenants) for the space of nine months and this Declarant faithfully served in the said last mentioned Company during the whole of his last men- tioned enlistment of nine months and was honorably discharged at Bedford in the said County of Westchester on or about the first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & eighty three and this Declarant further states that the said last men- tioned Company while this Declarant served in it, as aforesaid, was stationed and employed during the whole of his said last mentioned enlistment on the American Lines in the said County of Westchester.
And this Declarant further states that this Decla- rants father Samuel Lawrence of South Salem in the said County of Westchester, during the Revolutionary war was a Lieutenant and part of the time a Captain of a Company of Militia within the said County of Westchester, and this Declarant served in the Militia at various times during the Revolutionary war for short periods of time.

and was in the winter of the year of our Lord 1777 down at Valentine, killed in the said County under Col d Nicholas Fish and on their return this decla- rant was present in the service at the attack on Wards House in said County where one Lieutenant Paddock belonging to the American Troops was killed.
And this Declarant further states That he was born on the 23 rd day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty at New Canaan in the State of Connecticut as appears by the Records of this Declarant age in a family Record this Declarant has at his Resi- -dence - but which he can - not now produce in Court and he further states That he was born at New Canaan aforesaid and when eleven years of age he removed with his father to South Salem aforesaid where this Declarant has ever since resided and still resides - and where he resided at the several times he enlisted and entered the American Service as aforesaid. That he always volunteered. That he never Received a Mitten.

Discharge from the service neither has he any Documentary or written evidence of his aforesaid enlistment, services or Discharges.
And this Declarant further states. That John Brown now of the Town of South Salem in the said County of Westchester, belonged to the aforesaid Company of Captain John Dick the and served with this Declarant in said Company during the whole of his aforesaid enlistment and service of nine months in said Company and can testify to the same. And this Declarant further states. That Solomon Miller now of the Town of South Salem aforesaid belonged to Cap t Richard Sackett's Company, and served with this Declarant in said last mentioned Company during his aforesaid enlistment and service of five months therein as aforesaid and can testify to the same. and he further states. That Samuel Young Esquire now of the Town of White Plains in the said County of Westchester, served as Second Lieutenant, in Cap t Thomas

Hunts Company, with this Declarant during his aforesaid enlistment & service of nine months in said Company as above stated and can Testify to the same.
And this Declarant further States That he is known in his present neigh- -borhood to Solomon Head and Thomas Head both of the Town of South Salem aforesaid who can Testify as to the Declarants Character for veracity, their belief of his age and of his services as a soldier of the Revolution. And this Declarant 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 & subscribed } Samuel Lawrence the day & year aforesaid in open Court.
M. Dayliss Atty

State of New York Westchester County } ss. On this third day of October in the year of our Lord 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas of the said County of Westchester now sitting at Bedford in the said County. Samuel Young of the Town of White Plains in the said County. John Brown & Solomon Mills both of the Town of South Salem in the said County who being each first duly and severally sworn ac- cording to law do on their oath depose and say that they are each well ac- quainted with Samuel Lawrence who has made & signed the preceding Declaration, and that they have each heard the preceding Declaration of the said Samuel Lawrence read, and understand the contents thereof, and verily believe the preceding Declaration of said Lawrence to be true.
And the said John Brown for himself severally saith. That he served as a private in Capt n John Grakes Company with said Declarant Samuel Lawrence, during the whole of his first enlistment of nine months, set forth in the preceding Declaration and

This Deponent well recollects That said Samuel Lawrence did serve in said Company and was discharged as he has stated in his preceding Declaration.
And the said Solomon Mills for himself severally saith That he served as a private in Capt n Richard Sacketts Company for the six months stated by said Samuel Lawrence in his preceding Declaration and well recollects That said Samuel Law- -rence did serve in said Last mentioned Company for the said six months as he has stated in his preceding Declaration.
And the said Samuel Conings for himself severally saith That he served as second Lieutenant in Capt n Thomas Hunts Company for nine months stated in the preceding Declaration of the said Samuel Lawrence and well recollects That the said Samuel Lawrence served the said nine months in said Last men-

turned Company and was discharged wherefrom as he has set forth in his preceding declaration - Sworn to & subscribed { Samuel Young the day & year aforesaid John B Brown in open Court - } Solomon Mills N. Bayles Clk
Westchester County - ss. I Nathaniel Bayles Clerk of the said County before whom the preceding affidavit was sworn and subscribed. Do certify that Samuel Young John Brown & Solomon Mills - who signed made said affidavit are each known to me & are each credible persons to their state- ment is entitled to credit N. Bayles Clk
We Solomon Mead and Thomas Mead both residing in the Town of South Salem in the County of Westchester and State of New York hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Samuel Laurence who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy two years of age. That he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion and we also certify that the said Samuel Laurence is a man of truth & veracity in whose statements full faith may be placed Sworn to & subscribed { Thomas Mead in open Court this } Solomon Mead 3 rd day of October 1832
N. Bayles Clk

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 abbor named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies That it appears to them That Solomon Mead and Thomas Mead - who have signed the preceding Certificate are each of them Residents of the Town of South Salem afore- said and are Credible persons and their statement is entitled to Credit
I Nathaniel Bayles Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Westchester in the State of New York, do hereby certify That the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the appli- -cation of Samuel Sherreice of the Town of South Salem in the said County of Westchester for a pension In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this third day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
N Bayles Clerk

State of New York } ss. I Stephen Saunders a Clergy Westchester County } man residing in the Town of South Salem in the said County of Westchester hereby Certify That I am well acquainted with Samuel Lawrence who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration. That I believe him to be seventy two years of age on the twenty third day of January A.D. 1832 That he is reputed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that I concur in that opinion, and I do hereby further Certify That the said Samuel Law- rence is a man of truth & veracity and of good moral character  Sworn & subscribed in open Court this 29 th day of May 1833 M c Bayles Ck      Stephen Saunders
And the said Court Certify That it appears to them That Stephen Saunders who has subscribed to the foregoing Certificate is a Clergyman in the Town of South Salem in said County and is a credible person and that his statement is entitled to Credit — Nathaniel Bayles Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the said County of Westchester do certify That the foregoing is the original proceedings of said Court in support of proof of a Clergyman to the within application of Samuel Lawrence. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of Office this 29 th day of May 1833 M c Bayles Ck
14058 Application of Samuel Lawrence for a Pension
second 24 m p u 80 3/4
Seal hereon sent
Mr Ward

Samuel Lawrence
BY
REQUEST A DESCENDANT FOR INFORMATION.
Full name of soldier- Samuel Lawrence. Place of residence before service- Yonkers N. Y. " " " " after " " " " Date of Death- November 26th XXXX 1834 Name of Wite--- Abigail Fell Lawrence died 1828. I think that he received a pension or a land bounty. He was a Cap't in N. Y. State Militia ( 3rd Regiment West. Co. Militia) Was breveted major after war. ( The above military record is only a presumption )
ELIHU BOND
Full name of soldier- Elihu Bond. Place of residence before service. between Elizabeth  E. town & Newark N.J. " " " after " " " " " " Date of death - 1840 aged 84yrs. Name of wife. Phoebe Price Bond. My records say that he received a pension and that his house which was situated near Elizabethtown on the road to Newark N. J. was used as a guard house during the war. All of which is respectfully requested.
Gungnir
Barbuston Bldg. Fourteen St.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., _____, 19____
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of _____ 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.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     March 1777 1 yr. Pvt. Nicholas Fish N.Y.   April 1779 2 mos. John Drake Morris Graham   May 1780 6 mos. Richard Sackett   Nov. 1782 9 mos. Thomas Hunt Frederick Weynfeld  
Battles engaged in, _____
Residence of soldier at enlistment, _____
Date of application for pension, _____
Residence at date of application, _____
Age at date of application, _____
Remarks:
Soldier stated that his father Francis Lawrence was a Lieut. and Capt. of Westchester Co. militia. No other family data. The above noted is the only soldier of that name N.Y. Troops etc.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

Indianapolis Indiana 654 W. H. Woodruff Place May 6 th 1914.
Pension Office
Will you please send me any record that you may have of Samuel Lawrence who was placed on the Pension Roll January 1833. Westchester County New York. Does the record

mention his wife or children And oblige Mrs A. H. Thomas

Provisions
23 1/2 58 INVALID.
File No.
23,758
Lawrance
Samuel Lawrance
Rev War
Act:
June 7 th 82
Index:—Vol.
9
, Page
28
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Ex by W. J. Raymond Ivytown, N.Y., Feb. 14, 1894
Sept. 26 99
G. H. Rigby,
Yonkers, N.Y.
1914 May 11 Hist. to Mrs. A. D. Thomas.

Saint Lawrence
Mr Ward

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Samuel Lawrence 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? Yes IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes 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? Yes VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes 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? No
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No
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? Saying he has
XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? Yes to
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? Yes
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? Yes
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? Yes
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 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 three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state 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 shewn 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.
†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 authenticates 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 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.
¶ In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, 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.