Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 22352, for John Swaney, Connecticut

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Swaney, John Abigail
N. 22352
CONTENTS

Dead. See letter to J. C. M. Brockway, April 16. 1838 Letter to Hon S. Dugdale 11 July '38
Connecticut 1804
Abigail Swaney
widow of John Swaney.
Conn. 1814 who died on the — of New-London in the State of Connecticut who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Sill — of the reg t commanded by Col. Parsons in the Connec t na line for 7 months.
Inscribed on the Roll of Connecticut at the rate of 23 Dollars 33 Cents, per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 24 th day of Feb- ruary 1838 — and sent to C. H. F. McCurdy, Lyne.
Arrears to the 14th of Sept. 1837 $151.66 Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Feb 38. 11 66
$163.32
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 3 d }
Recorded by Wm Allison Clerk, Book A Vol. 2 Page 76

Mehitable Swan late of Agawam in the County of New London of State of Connecticut but now residing in East Haddam in the County of Middlesex aged forty seven on oath depose and say that I have lived and still live with my Mother Mehitable Swan widow of John Swan formerly of said Agawam as I have stated in a deposition heretofore given, and that there is no family record of births and marriages in possession of my said Mother or of any one of our family As there never has been any such second to my knowledge, and no entry on any Bible or other book on the subject of the marriage of my Father & Mother or the births of their children. I further testify that my Mother is so infirm and so much in her dotage as to be unable to inform by whom she was married, on any circumstances respecting it which can be relied on. Of the fact of their marriage there has never been any doubt. East Haddam February 7 th 1838 Mehitable B Swan

State of Connecticut - Middlesex County ss East Haddam February 1 st 1838.
Personally appeared Mehitable Brainerd signer of the within deposition - whom I certify to be a respectable person - and made oath to the truth of said deposition before me. and I hereby certify to the informity and delinquy of the within named Abigail Brainerd from my personal knowledge.
W m Marsh Justice of the Peace
William Marsh Esq. above named is, and for more than three years last past has been, a Justice of Peace in and for the County of Middlesex Conn. Washington Feb 10. 1838 Gerrit H. Smith Me. C

I Mehitable B Swaney of Lymne in the County of New London & State of Connecticut aged forty seven years on oath depose and say that my Mother Abigail Swaney widow of John Swaney late of said Lymne deceased is now more than eighty years old and is so infirm of mind and body as to be incapable of doing any business even of taking care of herself. She has lost her memory - and is so far in her dotage that she could make no application for a pension except by her friends; and she could make no declaration which could be relied upon in relation to the service of her husband. Her affidavit on the subject would be perfectly useless & she would not be likely to understand the object of it. I have always understood both from my father & mother ever since I was a child, that she served in the Revolutionary War Mar after their marriage the birth of a child. I know of no record of the marriage & no evidence except the memory of men. And further the deponents saith not Dated Lymne August-15 th 1837. Mehitable B Swaney

State of Connecticut New London County Agree August 15 th 1837. Personally appeared Mehitable B Swaney subscriber to the within deposition and made solemn oath to the truth of the same before me.
Stephen D Peck Justice of the Peace And further certify that the said Mehitable B. Swaney is personally known to me and is a credible witness.
Stephen D Peck Justice of the Peace Stephen D Peck is of who hath signed the above certificate is a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of New London and State of Connecticut.
Saybrook Aug t 15. Th 1837.
Samuel Ingham. M.C.

I John Day of Lynn in the the State of Connecticut, a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States, aged 73 years, on oath depose and say, that in the month of May 1775 John Swaney then of said Lynn enlisted as a soldier in Capt David F. Sill's Company, in Col Samuel H. Dacey Regi- ment, for the term of seven months, and went to Norbury and served the period of his enlistment. My father John Day was a corporal in the same Company and served the same term — John Swaney at the time of his enlistment lived in said Lynn about two miles from my father's house, and continued to live there until his death. He died at Lynn between twenty and thirty years ago — I was well acquainted with him and his wife Abigail Swaney his present widow. They were married as I have always understood before the Revolutionary War — and had one son George Swaney born before the war. He left six children by his wife — They were married as I have always under- stood from them at Boston in Massachusetts — I have heard him in his life time speak of their marriage and often in years past had him relate the particulars of their marriage. They were always reported to have been married.
John Day

State of Connecticut
County of New-London ss
before me June 3 d 1837
Personally appeared John Lay and before me subscribed and made oath to the foregoing deposition — And I further certify that I am personally acquainted with the deponent and that he is a respectable man and a credible witness.
Henry M. Hoskins a Judge of the Superior Court of Connecticut

I James Greenfield of Lynn in the County of Essex and State of Connecticut a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States aged 85 years on oath depose and say that I was well acquainted with John Swaney late of said Lynn deceased. He came to live in said Lynn two or three years before the Revolutionary War. & lived in the house of my aunt. He was at that time married to Abigail Swaney and either when he came or immediately after had a child by her. I know of his enlisting in the month of May A.D. 1775 in the Company of Captain Darius Dill in the Regiment of Col. Simon H. Parsons for a term of seven months, and of his serving out the term at Roxbury. I enlisted in the same Regiment but not in the same Company and was at Roxbury until the first of January A.D. 1776. a period of seven months. During that time I saw said Swaney very frequently and sometimes every day in the performance of our duty. He was discharged together & returned home to said Lynn. When said Swaney passed the remainder of his life & died about thirty three years ago. His widow the present Abigail Swaney has never married again. I was often at my aunt's when said Swaney & wife lived there and soon after they came there I heard them say that they were married at Boston & that she was twenty three years old at the time.
Lynn June 5 th 1837. James Greenfield

State of Connecticut } County of New-London } ss Lync June 5 - 1837
Personally appeared James Greenfield. signed and  swore of the foregoing deposition and made oath to the truth of the same before me - I certify that the deponent is personally known to me and is a credible person
Henry M. Write a judge of the Superior Court of Conn.

I Seth Miner of Lymn in the County of New London and State of Connecticut. a revolutionary pensioner aged 78 years do hereby depose and say. That some time before the Revolutionary War, now about two years previous - John Swaney and his Wife Abigail Swaney, came into the Town of Lymn and settled in a house about a mile & an half from where I lived. He continued to live in Lymn to the time of his death about 23 years since. In the month of May 1775 a Company was enlisted in said Lymn to go to Roxbury under the Command of Captain Dana F. Dill in the Regiment of Col Samuel H Parsons. They enlisted for the term of seven  some months. Among the numbers who so enlisted and who went with the Com- pany to Roxbury was the said John Swaney. I was present at the time of the raising of the Company. I after- wards in the month of December of the same year enlisted myself & arrived at Roxbury on the first of January 1776, on the day when said Swaney was discharged. He then returned to said Lymn where he lived with the said Abigail as his Wife during the remainder of his life. They were always reputed man & wife, & I never heard their marriage questioned. She had a family of children & the said Abigail has for some years past lived with one of them at East Haddam.

She has never married again since the death of her said husband.
Dated at said Lyne June 5 th 1837.
Seth & Betsy
State of Connecticut County of New-London To all Lyne June 5 - A.D. 1837
Personally appeared Seth Allen  Allen , and before me subscribed and made oath to the foregoing deposition - And I further certify, that the deponent is personally known to me, and is a credible witness.
Henry M. Wait a judge of the Superior Court of Connecticut
V. 2590 Abigail Conway Connecticut
Admitted 7 mo. 12. 23. 33/100
Chas. J. McClellan Lyne Conn
The Hon'ble Henry M. Wait who hath signed the foregoing certificates is, and for more than one year last past hath been, a Judge of the Superior Court & Supreme Court of Errors in the State of Connecticut -
Saybrook August 19. Th 1837.
Samuel Hildreth M.C.

Rev WIDOW, &c.
File No. 22.352
Abigail Swaney Widow of John Swaney Pri New Wash
Act: July 4 th 86
Index:—Vol. 14 , Page 268
[Arrangement of 1870.]

June 28-1902 Chas. H. Johnson Easthampton Mass.

22. 352 - 1832 John Swaney
Aug 15, 1837, application of wid, by her daughter Abigail Swaney. Syme Comp. wid over 60 & non compos mentis
May 18, 21 - Syme ct Capt David F. Bell Col. Samuel W. Parsons Died - 7 mos
Mrs. Abigail
Died - 1874
copy of my ef 2661.

W. Allen V. Abigail Swaney Connecticut
Suspended
In letter to Hon. 1837 C. F. McCurdy let 30 Nov 37 D.C. Palmer

Hon J S Edwards.
Sir:
I enclose the application of Widow Abigail Swan, by her Daughter Mehitable Swan, to the deposition of 3 men to the service of her husband. As there should be no delay of the service of marriage (as I hope) it is very desirable for her to be enabled to draw on the 4 th of September, as she will not probably live until March. Yours Attention with much oblige her
As yours &c.
Chas. J. W. C. Wray
Syracuse Co. Connecticut. Aug. 21 st 1837.

Feb 12 In - ok
Swaney
Hon J. S. Edwards
Washington.
Hon. S. Hughes RR

Sims. Conn. Feby. 7 th 1838
Hon J. S. Edwards. Sir.
I send you the additional proof which you directed as far as it is possible to obtain it. You will perceive that there is no general record of marriage at Boston. It is not certain that Mrs Swaney was married there, & if so it is impossible to know by whom. Ministers of justice may by law of Massachusetts perform the ceremony. And I trust it will appear to the Department both unreasonable & impracticable to find out all the Ministers of justice in Boston for some years before the Revolutionary War, & then trace all their records & memorandums, papers wherever they may be scattered through the country. The long cohabitation general reputation number of children bearing the name of the Father & other circumstances in this case without one fact to create suspicion, would by the decisions of Courts be sufficient evidence though thousands were at stake. The amount in this case is small & the claimant very poor & one who can enjoy it but a very short time. May she now hope for a certificate in season for the next payment. I am Chas. H. W. L. Wray

Boston Dec 23 rd 1837
Sir
My father Mr Warren
Sutton has received your letter on the 21 st and desired me to attend to the request contained in it. There is no general recorder of Marriages in Boston but each Marriage is recorded in the particular parish of the Clergyman who performed the ceremony, so therefore, on the receipt of this, you will write me the name of the minister who married Mrs Swaney & I can by that means ascertain the parish & examine the records. Should she not recollect the name of the Clergyman she may perhaps remember

the Church over which he presided -
I have the Honor to be Your obedient servant
Chas J. McCurdy Esq.
Francis L. Lutton

Comptrollers Office
Hartford 15 August 1831
On application for evidence of the services of John Swaney, I have examined the books and papers remaining in this office relating to the Revolutionary War, and find, — in a paper headed
"A Pay Roll of the 1 st Company of the 6 th Regiment raised by Order General Assembly, Colony Connecticut, May 1775," this entry:—
"Time Enlisted" — "Time Discharged &c." — "Months & days in Service"
"John Swaney — May 18 — December 18 — 7 Months."
Which I certify to be a correct extract from the paper mentioned, which is certified by the Committee of Pay Table to be "a true copy" of Col. Sam l Holden Parsons' original Pay Roll and settlement made with "him therein."
Wm Steele Comptroller

Sept 14 add w.d.m.
Hon John the late Sweeney Esq. Esq.
✓ Edward Pension Office Washington D. C.

East Wadsworth Ct. Sept 9. 1837.
Honored Sir
I enclose Comptroller's Certificate in testimony of John Swaney's services, whose Widow has forwarded an application for a Pension, within the last month - with a request that he be annexed to the proofs in her case already in progress of the War Department. Please inform me whether there has been any action on the application ofuldah Cook since the receipt of my letter of August 8. with Certificate of Comptroller enclosed - and what decision has been made if any - and oblige
Hon J. L. Edwards Comm s of Pensions
Your Obed t Serv t John C Palmer

Department of the Interior, BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., June 4 1902
Sir:-
In reply to your communication of a recent date, you are informed that this Bureau is unable to furnish a history of the service of any soldier of the Revolutionary war or of the war of 1812 unless he or his widow was a pensioner or an applicant for pension or bounty land; and that under the rules such a history is furnished only to the soldier's descendants, and to them only when it is desired for historical or genealogical purposes.
The large number of inquiries made on this subject, and the length of time required to make a proper search of the records in each case, will not permit of information being given to any applicant concerning more than two soldiers.
In order that the soldier concerning whom you desire information may be identified, you are requested to furnish as much as possible of the data called for below.
Very respectfully,
Mr. C. H. Johnson Easthampton Mass.
C. S. Ware Commissioner.
Full name of soldier, John Swaney (1743-1810)  Where did he enter service? Not sure, probably Lyme, N. Londond., Conn. (Town, county, and State.)  Under what officers did he serve? An old letter says, under Col. David T. Sill as a soldier in Col. Parsons Reg t 7 months in the year 1775 at or near Boston (Town, county, and State.)  ✓ Place of residence after service, Lyme, New London Co., Conn. (Town, county, and State.)  ✓ Approximate date of death, March 18 th 1810 at Lyme, Ct.  Given name of widow, Abigail Bigelow Swaney (1750-1838)  Did either the soldier or his widow receive a pension? Widow. (A.D.S.)  Additional information, I think my great-grandmother was living at Northampton Mass. when the pension was obtained. She died in 1838.
Signature, Chas H Johnson (Mrs. or Miss to be prefixed if a lady signs.)
Post-office address, including street and number, town, county, and State, } Easthampton Mass.
14554b3m5-1900 Inquiries are for genealogical research.