Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 43088, for George Norton, New York

SERVICE
NUMBER
New York
Norton, George
S 43088
CONTENTS

13,256
New York
George Norton
of Suffolk Co. in the state of New York who was a Sergeant in the regiment commanded by Colonel Livingston of the New York line, for the term of 7 years.
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence the 28 th of September 1818
Certificate of Pension issued the 22 nd of July 1819 and paid to Peter A. Gay Esq. Recorder of the City of New York
Arrears to 4th of Mar: 1819, 5 2 / 3 mo $ 41. 83 Semi-ann. all'ce ending 1 Sep 1819 $ 48 $ 89.83
{ Revolutionary claim, } { Act 18th March, 1818. }
Discontinued
Notification sent 20 Mar: 1823 to Benjamin Fishback Rev. at Schenectady N.Y.

State of New-York, } ss. I, BENJAMIN FERRIS, Clerk of City and County of New-York, } the City and County of New-York, and Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, in and for the said City and County, Do hereby Certify, That PETER AUGUSTUS JAY , Esquire, before whom the annexed affidavits were made, and who hath subscribed his name to the Certificate also hereto annexed, was on the day when the said Affidavit were made, and the said Certificate signed, Recorder of the City of New-York, and a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, called the Mayor's Court of the City of New-York, and duly commissioned and sworn. And further, that the said Court is a Court of Record; that I am acquainted with the hand writing of the said Peter Augustus Jay, and verily believe that the signature of P A Jay subscribed to the said Certificate, is the proper hand writing of the said Peter Augustus Jay.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court, this sixth day
of July 1819
Benj. Ferris Clerk

State of New-York,
CITY AND COUNTY OF NEW-YORK, ss.
I, BENJAMIN FERRIS , Clerk of the City and County of New-York, and Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the said City and County.
Do hereby certify, That RICHARD RIKER , Esquire, before whom the annexed Affidavits were made, and who hath subscribed his name to the Certificate also hereto annexed, was on the day when the said Affidavits were made and the said Certificate signed, Recorder of the City of New-York, and a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, called the Mayor's Court of the City of New-York, and duly commissioned and sworn. And further, that the said Court is a Court of Record of the State of New-York, and that the signature of R. RIKER subscribed to the said Certificate, is the proper hand writing of the said Richard Riker.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court, this seventh day of October 1818
Benj. Ferris Clerk

To the Honorable Richard Piker Recorder of the City of New-York, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, called the Mayor's Court of the City of New-York, which is a Court of Record of the State of New-York,
The Declaration under oath of George Norton formerly a Serjeant engaged in the Service of the United States, during the Revolutionary War, and now a Citizen of the United States, and resident of Suffolk County Long Island State of New-York
Respectfully Showeth, that the said George Norton In his stead a Soldier for and during the Revolutionary war in the Spring of the year 1776 in Capt. Griffins Company in Col. Henry B. Livingston's Regiment called the 4 th New-York of the Continental Establishment and actually continued in the service of my country fighting against the common enemy untill the end of the war, and was honorably discharged from the United States Army by His Excellency General Washington in the year 1783. The discharge is herunto annexed. I was in an action at Red Bank with the enemy 1777. I was at the taking of General Burgoyne . I was in an action at White- Plains in Pennsylvania. I was at Mormon's Battle 28 th June 1778. and lastly I was with General Sullivan against the Indians in 1779. I am now about 63 years of age I was discharged from the Second New-York Regt. as will appear by my Discharge
And this Declaration further representeth that the said George Norton is now a Citizen of the United States, and residing in the County of Suffolk aforesaid,

and is by reason of his reduced circumstances in life, in need of assistance from his country for support;
Therefore he conceives himself entitled to the benefit of the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land and Naval Service of the United States, in the Revolutionary War," approved, March 18, 1818, and requests that your Honor will examine into the truths of the matters aforesaid, certify and transmit the testimony in this case, and the proceedings had thereon to the Honorable the Secretary of the Department of War, to the end that such relief may be had in the premises, as is by law in such case provided. And in support of the facts above set forth, he refers to the Discharge of himself and of James Scats who was with him & hereafter set forth,
Dated, the 28 th day of September 1818
City and County of New-York, ss. George Norton
being duly sworn, says, that the matters by him set forth in the foregoing Declaration, are in all respects just and true.
Sworn the Twenty eighth day of September 1818 before me,
George Norton
P. Pike Recorder of the City of New York
City and County of New York ss. James Scats of the City of New York aforesaid being sworn first do depose and say that I was in New York City in the Revolutionary war. That I was a Non Commissioned Officer and that I well remember the above captioned George Norton in the service under the Continental Establishment the whole of the time from April 1777 until the end of the war that I was the whole the time in the same Regiment with him but under different commanders and I have known him ever since
Sept. 28 th 1818 I sworn before me
James Scats
P. Pike

City and County of New-York, ss. Be it Remembered, That on the Twenty eighth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and Eighteen before me, Richard Riker Recorder of the City of New-York, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, called the Mayor's Court of the City of New-York, which is a Court of Record of the State of New-York, personally appeared the aforesaid George Norton Applicant, and James Scats who was a Non-commissioned Officer in the same Regiment with him and cannot be mistaken and entitled to the fullest credit, who being by me duly Sworn the truth of the facts stated in the foregoing declaration
Whereupon I being satisfied that the said Applicant did serve in the Army of the United States, on the Continental Establishment, in the Revolutionary War, against the common enemy, for the term of nine months and longer, to wit, for the term and in the manner stated in the declaration of the said Applicant; and that he is fairly and justly entitled to the benefit of the Act aforesaid.
Therefore, I do hereby Certify and transmit the testimony in the case, and the proceedings had thereon, as before set forth, to the Honorable the Secretary of the Department of War.
Given under my Hand and the Seal of the said Court, at the City of New-York, the day and year last above written.
R Riker
City of New York ss: George Norton above named being duly sworn saith that he is in reduced & indigent circumstances & needs pecuniary aid of his country for support: That he is now maintained by his children, & has no property except of very trifling value.
George Norton
Sworn Dec 24 June 1849 Before me P. A. Sely

City of New York ss: Jeremiah Petti being duly sworn saith that he is a neighbor of the within named George Norton that he has known him for twelve years last past that he is not reputed to have any property but is maintained by his children of whom the oldest son is a lunatick the second son has been lunatic but is now able to work the youngest being the only other son is about fourteen or fifteen years of age - That the said George Norton is in indigent & reduced circumstances & as this deponent only believes as needs the assistance of his country for support Given the 24 th June 1819 Before me P. A. Jay
Peter A. Jay Esq. Richard Riker Recorder of the City of New York.
[Signature] P. A. Jay
28 th September, 1818.
1776 to 1783.
Col: Livingston regt. New-York Line
City of New York. Sergeant
George Norton
I Peter Augustus Jay Recorder of the city of New York none of the Judges of the court of common pleas called the Mayors court of the city of New York do certify that it appears satisfactorily to me that the within original George Norton is in indigent & reduced circumstances in life and needs the assistance of his country for support. Given under my hand this 24 th day of June 1819.
P. A. Jay
2202

The papers of George Norton to prove a continuance of his pension.

State of New York } County of Suffolk } ss-
On this third day of October 1820 personally appeared in open Court in the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Suffolk in the State of New York being a Court of record and so constituted by an act of the Legislature of the State of New York, George Norton aged sixty four years resident in the Town of Brookhaven in the said County, and the said Court on an examination are satisfied that the said George Norton is insane and incapable of taking an oath, and on the same day and year personally appeared in open Court in the said Court of Common Pleas Elizabeth Norton wife of the said George Norton who being first duly sworn according to law doth in her oath declare that the said George Norton during the last sixteen years has been generally insane and incapable of attending to his business, and that his affairs have during that time been managed and conducted by the said deponent, that there is no committee or other person authorized by law to take care of him, that the said George Norton has received a pension for his services in the revolutionary war, that his certificate is dated the twenty second day of July one thousand eight hundred and nineteen and that the original declaration was dated the 28 th day of September 1818 that the said George Norton was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18 th day of March 1818, and that he has not within that time within the knowledge or belief of the said deponent by gift sale or in any manner disposed of his property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring himself within the provisions of an act of Congress entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war passed on the 18 th day of March 1818. and that he has not nor has any person in trust for him within the knowledge or belief of this deponent any property or securities contracts or debts due to him or any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and subscribed by the said deponent, that the said George Norton was by occupation a cooper, but that in consequence of

his derangement, and of bodily infirmities which were occasioned by his exposures during and in the Revolutionary war, he is incapable of attending to his business, that his family is composed of three sons, the wives of two of them and five grandchildren, all of whom reside with him that two of his said sons are deranged and unable to attend to any business and the other is infirm and can perform no active labor, that this deponent is aged about fifty two years and is infirm, that the eldest son of the said George Norton is aged about thirty one years, his second son about twenty four years, his third son about nineteen years, the eldest sons wife about thirty years, the second sons wife about twenty years the grandchildren are aged respectively six, five, three and one years and the youngest four months and that all the members of his family are dependent upon the said George Norton or his property for their support, and that the said George Norton is in such indigent and unfortunate circumstances as to stand in need of assistance from his country for his support.
Elizabeth her Norton mark
Sworn to and declared in the 3 rd day of October 1820 in open Court before the Judges thereof Charles A. Floyd Clerk
Suffolk County ss. I Charles A. Floyd Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Suffolk do hereby certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed are truly copied from the records of the said Court, and I do further certify that it is the opinion of the said Court that the said George Norton is insane and incapable of taking an oath that his debts amount to seven hundred and fifty five dollars and seventy two cents and that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is three hundred and twenty nine dollars and seventy three cents In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court the 3 rd day of October 1820
Charles A. Floyd Clerk

A schedule containing the whole estate and income of George Norton named in the annexed deposition (the necessary clothing and bedding of himself and family excepted)
He is entitled for his life to the income of the following tracts of land to wit;
150 acres of brush land. 50 acres of brush land 4 acres of cleared land 7 acres of salt marsh 40 acres of cleared land.
All in the village of "Old mans" in the Town of Brookstown. The whole income of all which tracts of land is about seventy dollars. The fee of the said tracts of land is vested in Mary.
Personal estate -
Two cows, three hogs, five pigs, nine sheep, four fowls, six geese, two horses, one cart, one wagon, one plough, one harrow, one sled, four tables, six chairs, six plates, five knives and forks, one tumbler, three bowls, five tea cups and saucers, two pitchers, one tin pepper box, one looking glass, two pots, one bake pan, one pail, one frying pan, one jug, one hoghead, two barrels, two bandboxes, one pair of andirons, one shovel and tongs, one bottle, one Psalm book, the Pilgrims Progress and the life of Joseph, one tobacco box, one jack knife, one old horn, one chest and three milk pails.
The said George Norton owns in all $755,72
Dated the 3 rd day of October 1820
Elizabeth her X Norton mark

Free -
Recd. 10 Mar. 1823.
Hon d . John Caldwell Calhoun Secretary of war Washington City.
John Caldwell

Setauket (L.I.) New York March 3 rd 1823.
Hon ble . John C. Calhoun
Sir
Selah B. Strong Esq r , says, he forwarded the Schedule and other papers of George Norton of the Town of Brookhaven, in the County of Suffolk N York, to you, sometime in November 1820. That no answer has ever been received from you, stating the receipt of the said petition Schedule &c. nor has any pension been granted to him. It is feared that the papers never arrived at your office, or else that your answer must have miscarried.
Be so good, as to inform me whether these papers were ever received by you and why no certificate for pension has been granted - as Mr. Norton is in indigent circumstances with a large family, old & infirm; and he intends to renew his application for a pension at the next term of the common pleas in this county, unless there is some insuperable objection to his obtaining it - Respectfully your Ob td . Serv t Benjamin Thompson

BY HIS EXCELLENCY GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esq., General and Commander in Chief of the Forces of the United States of America.
THESE are to CERTIFY that the Bearer hereof George Washington in the 1st New York Regiment, having faith- fully served the United States 18 months 18 months and being enlisted for the War only, is hereby DISCHARGED from the American Army.
GIVEN at HEAD-QUARTERS the
By His Excellency's
Command,
REGISTERED in the Books of the Regiment,
Adjutant.
THE above George Washington has been honored with the BADGE of MERIT for Years faithful Service.

DNTH
OLD EL MIL

New York Dec. 16th, 1903.
Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:-
Will you kindly furnish me with proof of service of , George Norton , said to be on the Staff of General Putnam in the War of the Revolution , and hailing from Long Island, N. Y.
Also,-- Col. Rutgert Van Brunt , who hailed from New York, residing at Gravesend L. I.
The above is to be used in seeking admission into the Daughters of the Revolution,
Yours truly,
E. H. Heath.
52 Broadway,
New York City, N. Y.

43055
3-068.
(Old No. 3-619.)
Bureau of Pensions.
Geo. Newton
Sept. 28. 1818
Duffolk Co. N.Y. - 63.
76
h. 4
Capt. Griffin
Col. Livingston
Sergt. 7 yrs
But Pickskill, Saratoga White marsh Monmouth Sullivan. Station afraid. Indians

His E CS
May 2. 1904 B.N. Heath NY
43 088
Recy INVALID.
File No. 43 088
George Norton Dez Rev War
Act: 18 th March 18 th
Index:—Vol. 8 , Page 366
[Arrangement of 1870.]

free
The Hon: John Calhoun Secretary of war Washington City District of Columbia

Lebanon, Wednesday Feb. 9 th Oct. 1820
Gen. John Caldwell Calhoun
Sir
Respectfully the purpose of your application to procure a continuance of his pension. The case of this applicant is peculiar and requires some explanation. He entered the revolutionary army at an early period, was soon appointed a sergeant and his conduct in that capacity was so meritorious that he was recommended for, and a commission was issued to him as, an ensign. But unfortunately before his commission arrived he was taken unwell in consequence of his exposure in the service and soon afterwards became disengaged. He afterwards recovered his senses and became an active and industrious farmer and a useful citizen until about 16 years since when he again became disengaged and has continued so with but one or two short lived intervals since that time. No commission of bounty has ever been issued his property being too small to qualify the measure. A commission de lunaticum inquired and the subsequent necessary proceedings are with us very expensive and would exhaust the whole of his estate. His wife has had the care of his person and estate although not by virtue of any legal proceedings. Her affairs are unquestionably correct. The presiding Judge of the Court is well acquainted with the circumstances of this man and his family and entirely agrees with Mrs. Norton in her statements. The real estate mentioned in the schedule the applicant held for life and he can alienate no part of it. His title thereto was valued at 200 dollars. The personal estate at 129 dollars 93 cents. His debts you will perceive are 756 dollars and 92 cents - so that he is clearly insolvent. He derives no assistance from any member of his family except his wife who is an industrious and economical woman. His two other sons are evidently disengaged and have entailed on them expensive families. They have neither of them any property. His debts have been constantly accumulating and that accumulation of itself is sufficient to show that his property cannot support him, particularly as there is no extravagance in

in the family. Upon the whole there are but few cases when a man better deserves to stand more in need of the assistance of his country for his support.
Please to communicate the names of the children kin to me at the P.O.
Yours very respectfully
J. B. Strong