Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 20,085, for John Thornton, New York

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
New York
Thornton, John Ann
N. 20,085
CONTENTS

Willetts 1043
New-York.
John Thornton, Lieut. New-York line 4 1782 2 years
In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War.
Inscribed on the Roll of New-York at the rate of twenty Dollars per month, to commence on the 11 th of April, 1818.
Certificate of Pension issued the 18 th of June, 1818. and sent to the care of John Yates, Esq; judge, Schenectady, N. York.
Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1818. $: 96. -
Service and allowance
4 months, 24 30 $: 96. -
{ Revolutionary claim, } { Act 18th March, 1818 }
Not Continental
Willetts Reg d
Schenectady, Schenectady
Let to V. Freeman, Nov 14. 1837

Albany N.Y. 2 Anna Thornton widow of John Thornton dec d who died on the 22 d March 1819 of Schenectady in the State of N.Y. who was a Lieut in the Company commanded by Captain _____ of the Reg t commanded by Col. Millet in the N.Y. Militia line for 2 years
Inscribed on the Roll of Albany N.Y. at the rate of 320 Dollars _____ Cents per annum, commence on the 14th day of March, 1838
Certificate of Pension issued the 28 th day of Aug t 1838 and Lieut Giles F. Yates Schenectady N.Y.
Arrears to the 14th of March 1838 $640.00 Semi-annual allowance ending 24 Sept., 160.00 $800.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1838, Pension the }
Recorded by N.H. Adison Clerk, Book 4 Vol. 2 Page 106

In the matter of the applica- tion of Anna Thorn- ton, widow of Lt John Thornton under the act of 7 th July 1838. 
Declaration
Aug t 6: 1838- Married 1789 New 1819 15 years old 7 July 1838 Part 2 of p 32 open am. from Mar. 14 1836
Agent
Giles F. Yates
Schenectady N.Y.

DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, of the 7th July, 1838, entitled "An act granting half-pay and pensions to certain widows."
State of New York, ss:
On this second — day of August 1838, personally appeared before the undersigned First Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Schenectada in said State, Anna Thornton a resident of the City of Schenectada in the county of Schenectada aged seventy-one years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed July 7, 1838, entitled "An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows." That she is the widow of John Thornton who was a Lieutenant in the Regiment under command of Col. Marinus Willett in the war of the revolution during (as this declarant believes) the years 1780 1781 1782 & 1783. That said John Thornton during his lifetime received an annuity of $240 per annum under the act of 1800 March 3, 1818, and served as will appear by reference to the documentary evidence (as this declarant has been informed and believes to be true) now on file in the Department of the Secretary of War of the United States —
She further declares, that she was married to the said John Thornton on the ninth — day of March in the year seventeen hundred and eighty nine; that her husband, the aforesaid John Thornton died on the twenty second day of March 1819; that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January, seventeen hundred and ninety-four, viz. at the time above stated, as will appear from the certificate hereto annexed.
Anna Thornton
Sworn to and subscribed, on the day and year above written, before me - and I the said Judge do hereby certify that said declarant Anna Thornton , cannot from bodily infirmity attend Court. — J. W. Jones First Judge of Schenectady County

STATE OF NEW-YORK, SCHENECTADY COUNTY, } fs. CLERK'S OFFICE,
11 June 1838
I, William W. Broadway Deputy Clerk of said County
Do Hereby Certify, That Samuel M. Jones, whose name is subscribed to the certificate of proof or acknowledgement of the annexed instrument and thereon written, was at the time of taking such proof or acknowledgement the First Judge in and for said county, dwelling therein, commissioned, sworn and duly authorized: And further, that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of said S. M. Jones and verily believe that the signature to the said Certificate of Proof or acknowledgement is genuine.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have set my hand and affixed the seal of said County, the fourth day of August 1838
W. W. Broadway Deputy Clerk.

The deposition of John I DeGraff of the city of Schenectady in said County & State, who being duly sworn, saith, that he has been for the last thirty years well acquainted with Anna Thornton the Declarant mother named, and knew her previous to the death of said John Thornton, that said John Thornton died about nineteen years ago, and that since the day of his decease the said Anna Thornton has remained single and unmarried, and that she is still unmarried
John I DeGraff
On this 6 th day of August 1838, personally appeared before me the undersigned John I DeGraff above named to me well known, who made oath, that the facts set forth in the foregoing deposition by him signed are true; & I certify that he is a credible witness.
J. W. Jones, Esq. Judge of Schenectady County
STATE OF NEW-YORK, SCHENECTADY COUNTY, } ss. CLERK'S OFFICE,
I, William W. Weddway Deputy Clerk of said County
Do Hereby Certify, That J. W. Jones before whom the annexed affidavit of John I. DeGraff for parts to have been sworn and thereon written, was at the time of taking such affidavit the first Judge in and for said County, dwelling therein, commissioned, sworn and duly authorized: And further, that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of said J. W. Jones and verily believe that the signature to the said Certificate of proof or acknowledgement is genuine.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have set my hand and affixed the seal of said County, the Sixth day of August 18 38
W. W. Weddway Deputy Clerk.

State of New York — County of Montgomery ss
I, Abraham Van
Horne, having the custody of the records of marriages solemnized by the pastors of the Reformed Dutch Church of Caughnawaga (now Fonda) do hereby certify, that on an examination of said Record, I find that John Thornton , was on the ninth day of March (1789) one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine, joined in marriage to Anna Clyde by the Reverend Thomas Remeyne then pastor of said Church.
Subscribed and sworn to before me Jacob Graff pastor of the Reformed Church October 13 th 1837
I Jacob Graff do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with the Reverend Abraham Van Horne above named, and know that he has the custody of said Record as above stated. That he appeared before me this 13 th day of October 1837, and made oath, that the facts set forth in the above

certificati by him signed, are true, & that he is a gentleman of veracity & credibility. Jacob Graff Justice of the Peace
State of New York Montgomery County Clerks office.
vs. V. George D. Ferguson Clerk of Montgomery County aforesaid, do hereby
Certify that Jacob Graff, before whom the foregoing affidavit of Abraham Van Horne purports to have been sworn, and whose name is thereto subscribed, was on the date of the same a Justice of the Peace in and for said County. And that I am well acquainted with his hand writing & truly believe that his name, subscribed to said affidavit & to the foregoing Certificate of Character of said Deponent is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of my office this 13th October 1837.
Geo: D. Ferguson.
Thornas

Lieut. John Thornton Appl n for Pension
Bored.

( Declaration of John Thornton )
State of New York } County of Schenectady } ss: John Thornton, former- -ly a Lieutenant in the service of the United States, now a resident of the City and County of Schenectady in the State of New York, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, That in the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty One during the war of the revolution, he was appointed a Lieutenant of levies for Nine months service, raised from the New York Militia to com- -plete a Regiment commanded by Colo- -nel Marcus Willett. That he was at- -tached to a Company commanded by Captain Stephen White in said Regiment, and that he served as Lieutenant for the full term for which those levies were raised. That in the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Two, he again served as Lieutenant in Captain Grey Youngs Company of levies as aforesaid in the Regiment aforesaid, untill sometime in the summer of that Year, when by order of Colonel Willett he was attached to a Company commanded by Captain Peter B. Teice, of said Regiment; whose Company

was in service by enlistment for the term of Three Years in That in the month of October One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Three, he was detached from the said Regiment and took command of Fort Stanwix in the State of New York, and continued in command of said Fort un- =til the Tenth day of May One Thousand Seven Hundred & Eighty Four, when he was relieved - That after the Peace in One Thousand Seven Hundred & Eighty Three, the said Regiment was reduced to a Battalion and was commanded by Major Elias Van Bun- =scoten, and were all discharged except this Deponent and his command at Fort Stan- =wix, he thinks on the Fifth day of January, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty four, at Schenectady aforesaid - That after this Depo- =nent was relieved in his command of Fort Stan- =wix, he went to Philadelphia and was dis- =charged from service and paid off by John Pierce Pay Master Genl. of the U.S. Army on the First or second day of July One Thou- =sand Seven Hundred and Eighty Four, except some small arrearages, which were paid him by Capt Howell about the 1700 or 1709 the Twentieth of December of that Year. This Deponent further says that he

served in the war of the rebellion the full term of Nine months in the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred & Eighty One, And from the time he entered the service again in One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty Two untill the close of the war, and untill the time of his discharge in July One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty four — And that he is by reason of his reduced circumstances in life, in need of Assistance from his Country for support. — And further this Deponent says, that he has never received any Pension or had any allowed him for his Services aforesaid by the Laws of the United States — And that he is now about Sixty five Years of Age — And further he saith not in this —
Sworn before me this 26 th day of March 1871
John Morton
John Yates one of the Judges of the
Court of Common Pleas for the County of Sherrill

State of New York } County of Schenectady } p.
Ellis A. Fonda of the City and County of Schenectady being duly sworn deponeth & saith, that he was during the war of the revolution adjutant of the Regiment of New-York State Troops on the Continental establishment under the command of Colonel Marinus Willett. That said Regiment was raised by enlistment for the term of Three Years. That he served as adjutant as aforesaid until the Second Day of November 1782, when he was promoted to a Captaincy. That he has for many Years been personally acquainted with John Thornton, who has made oath to the foregoing Affidavit & subscribed the same. That the said Thornton was a Lieutenant in the said Regiment, that this Deponent has a personal knowledge of the facts in relation to the service of the said Thornton as set forth in his affidavit above, and knows them to be true. And further says not
Sworn before me this 11 th Day of April 1810
Ellis A. Fonda
John Yates
one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Schenectady

I John Yates one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Schuylkill, do hereby certify that John Thornton, and Elias H. Fonda, to me person- ally known, appeared before me on the days above written, and respectively made oath to the several facts set forth in their respec- tive Affidavits, and subscribed the same in my presence - That they are Credible wit- nesses - That the said John Thornton made declaration under oath before me of the several facts in relation to his service as set forth in his Affidavit above - From which facts & proofs I do certify that it ap- pears to my satisfaction that the said John Thornton did serve as a Lieutenant in the revolutionary war, as stated in his preceding affidavit for declaration, against the common enemy, and that he is entitled to the provisions of the Act of Congress granting pensions, passed March 10 th 1818 - And I now transmit the proceedings & testimony taken & had before me to the Secretary of the Department of War pursuant to the directions of the said Act of Congress - 11 th April 1818
John Yates

State of New York County of Schenectady
In testimony that John Yates before whom the foregoing affidavits of John Thornton & Ellis A. Fonda were taken, and who signed the foregoing Certificate was on the days therein mentioned one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Schenectady, that the above are his signatures, I subscribe my name and affix the seal of the said Court of Com. Pleas - this 17 th day of April 1810
Ellis A. Fonda Clerk of the County of Schenec- tady

Reg WIDOW, &c.
File No. 20085
Anna Thornton
Widow of
John Thornton
Ex Rev. War.
Act: July 7 th 1838
Index:—Vol. M , Page 272
[Arrangement of 1870.]

35700 Nov 13 1887
Pension Office.
M c Thornton N.Y. 1 st Oct 8

New York - November 6th 18-1887
Will the Honorable Secretary of War, be pleased to cause a copy of the documents in the matter of the application of John Thornton , late as sergeant in the New York line of the Army of the revolution, under the acts of the 18 th of March 1818 on which he obtained his pen- -sion of $20. per month - Certe- -ficate dated the 18 th of June 1818. Be pleased to address the Widow Ann Thornton Care of Folney Foreman Schenectady N. Y.

To J. L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions Washington D.C.

In the matter of the application of Anna Thornton , widow of John Thornton , late a Lieutenant in the army of the revolution deceased, under the act of 7 th July 1838.
J. L. Edwards Esq Commissioner of Pensions Sir:
I send herewith for your decision the application of Anna Thornton in the above matter. It is stated in her declaration that he (said John) received a pension under the act of 18 th March 1818. He did so, but was not continued on the Pension roll for the reason that his service was not in the Continental line. I take it for granted that proof of his service can be obtained from the records at Washington as well as from the documents accompanying the application in his own behalf. Examination of his services was made last winter on the requisition of a Committee of Congress. I mention these facts, thinking they may aid in the investigation of her claim. Very respectfully your Ob t Serv t
Schenectady Aug t 6 th 1838.
Giles F. Young

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Thornton, John GRADE Private "in the Artillery" LINE Pennsylvania
WARRANT NUMBER 10518 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED July 24, 1792 to not shown
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.