Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 8247, for Moses Pierson, New Jersey

SERVICE
NUMBER
New Jersey
Pierson, Moses
R 8247
Indian War
CONTENTS
[Ruled lines for entry]
[Ruled lines for entry]

29821
Moses Piersons application for a Pension
State of Indiana
Hon R M Johnson

State of Indiana County of Vigo
I Sit
on this 10 th day of February in the year one thousand Eight hundred and thirty four per- sonally appeared in open court before me Robert Wackett Comprising the court of probat for said county, none sitting it being a court of Record for said county — Moses Pearson a Resident of the county of Vigo and And State of Indiana 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 the 7 th 1832 that he Entered the Service of the united States under the following named officer and served as Herein stated he the said Moses Pearson enlisted under the command of Captain Henry Southard who Belonged to the quartermaster department in the county of Somerset State of New Jersey the month and year he cannot now particularly Remember but thinks It was some time in the summer of 1778 that he Drove a waggon under the command of said Henry Southard For the benefit of the army untill General Greene Which he thinks was a little over two years he states That Joseph Louis was the quartermaster under Immediate command he acted during his service he States that there was sixteen waggons Belonged to their Company he states that he was in the Rear of the Army in Storming of point Stony with his waggon he States that when Stony point was taken By the

British that he was also there and came very near being Taken Prisoner by the British troops he states that the Cause of his entering the army so young was that his Mother died and his father broke up housekeeping and went from New Jersey to the Redstone country in the state of Pennsylvania and left him in New Jersey in the time of the war he states that he was very expert in the Managing of Horses and that he was persuaded by Captain Southard to enlist and he would put him To Drive Waggons he states that he knows of no person Whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his Service he states he was born in the county of Somerset State of New Jersey on the 9 th day of June in the year 1765 he states that when he was called into Service he lived in the county of Somerset State of New Jersey he states at the close of the war he went to Kentucky and enlisted one year under Captain Platts to go against The Shawnee Indians and he helped to build a large Fort at a place on the Wabash then called Post That after his term of Service expired that he returned to Kentucky and there married and lived until the year 1800 at which time he moved to Vigo county State of Indiana and has lived there ever since he states That he is known to Isaac W. Denman
A Clergyman and Benjamin Crouchman President In his present neighbourhood who can testify as to his Character for morality and their belief of his Service As a Soldier of the Revolutionary war he hereby Relin- quishes every claim what ever 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
Moses Pierson
We Isaac W Denman a Clergyman Residing in The county of vigo and State of Indiana & Benjamin Kercheval are Residing in the same county do hereby Certify that we are well acquainted with Moses Pierson 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 to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Isaac W Denman
Benjamin Kercheval
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 Isaac W Denman Who has Signed the preceding certificate Is a Clergyman Resident in the county of vigo and that Benjamin Kercheval Who has Signed the same is a Resident in the same county of vigo and is a credible person and this statement is Intitled to Credit
Robert Hoggatt Probate Judge

State of Indiana } County of Vigo } Set
I Curtis Gilbert clerk of the court of and circuit Probate for said county do hereby certify the foregoing con- tains the original proceedings of the said last court In the matter of application of Moses Pearson for a pension
Vigo Probate court Seal
In testimony whereof I have hereunto no other seal having as yet been provided set my hand and Seal of office the 10 th day of February 1834 and In The 18 th year of the commonwealth
C. Gilbert
2982
Moses Pearson apply claim for a pension
State of Indiana
Hon R. M. Johnson

29.821
Heads Pension
Medical
I most sincerely regret that I cannot obtain a Pension in his case without at least one witness knowing of the service proving it even a female who could prove that he was, in service & that she knew he was in the revolutionary war for a year or two would enable me to get the Pension
Dear Mr. Johnson Sir

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
March 8, 1834
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: } ). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A Statement, shewing the Service of Moses Pierson
   Period when the service was rendered. Duration of the claimant's service. Rank of the claimant. Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served. Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service. Proof by which the declaration is supported.   Years. Months. Days.     1778 2 Wagoner Henry Southard Dr. Master. 69 M. J. Traditionary   Unless the applicant can prove that he belonged to the continental establishment and served as such, his claim cannot be allowed.  
I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JAMES L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c., Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
 1. The Regular Troops.  2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.  3. Persons employed in the Naval Service.  4. Indian Spies. 
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will, in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.
DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of } ss. County of }
On this day of personally appeared (a) before A. B. a resident (b) of in the county of and State, Territory or District of aged (c) 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 provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d), with and served in the (e) regiment of the line, under the following named officers:
[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
A. B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I of the Court of do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this day of &c.
If, on examination of the proper record, the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the and C. D. 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 days and year aforesaid.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
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 A. B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, Clerk of the Court of do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this day of &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration, (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his

alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
 1. Where and in what year were you born?  2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?  3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?  4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?  5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.  6. { To a Soldier. } Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it? { To an Officer. } Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?  7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. 
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons—one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify to the character and standing of other persons giving such certificates.
The traditional evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the inquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.
[a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
[b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
[d] The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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. 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 that 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 shown 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.
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required.
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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.
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 papers 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.
Proof of Service.
[j] 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 claimant's 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.
The notes from [a] to [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in note [j] applies to continental troops only.
[k] This traditional evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[l] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.

Ms - 29.821 Moses Pierson Indiana
Rejected
See letter 29 th Janus 1838 Rev J. Ewing, do. 31 st Jan 1838. Same Feb 17. 1838.
kept to copy 8217
W. B. Hester ack d Jan 1838

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1872.
REJECTED
8247
P. O.
Moses Pearson
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contr
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

No. of Rep! Jan. 27. '38
Sir,
The inclosed papers have been forwarded to me by Mrs Pierson, relict of Moses Pierson Dec d of my list! — She informs me that Mr Pierson died about ten or fifteen days after the date of the original proceedings in court, and previous to their return by Col t Johnson to whom the record had been forwarded, which occasioned delay in perfecting the testimony. I am personally acquainted with the witness Moses Riggs — he is an upright man of unblemished repute — an elder of the Baptist church. The pittance to accrue to the old woman, from '31 to the time of her husband's death in Feby. '34, however small is important to her.
Most Resp t y r obed t Serv t M c Eveng
James L. Edwards Esq.

Mr. J. Irving AR

State of Illinois County of Pike
Personally appeared before the undersigned Clerk of the Circuit Court of said County Moses Riggs and Isaac T. Riggs, well known to me to be persons of truth & veracity, who after being duly sworn on their oaths do say, that they were personally acquainted with Moses Pierson of Vigo County Indiana, whom they know as applicants for a pension for services in the Revolutionary War. They further state that said Pierson, was raised by their father in Somerset County, Kentucky, and they state further, that they know that said Moses Pierson, was engaged in the service of the United States, as a waggoner, during the Revolu- tionary War, three seasons, during the years 1777, 1778 & 1779, and that he was about 13 years of age at the time of his first entering the service, and further they say, nothing
Moses Riggs Isaac T. Riggs
I, James Davis, Clerk of the Circuit Court of the County of Pike, State of Illinois do hereby certify that Moses Riggs & Isaac T. Riggs this day personally appeared before me and was by me duly sworn to the above affidavit & that they subscribed the same in my presence Given under my hand & the seal of said Court, at Pittsfield the fifth day of July eighteen hundred and and thirty six.
James Davis, Clerk, " " "

In - at Jan 31
1852.
James E. Edwards
Livingston
LA
Pension office
U.S.

Hoof Reps June 30 '38
Sir,
I was acquainted with Moses Pierson for many years, and the evidence of Miss Riggs, taken in connection with his declaration, had left no doubt on my mind, that he acted under military obligation, and in a military capacity, during the Rev. war - I would most respectfully ask a review of the case. I know the old woman is unable to search for other evidence, and I should be wanting to her, as well as to my own convictions, were I not to represent the claim as I believe it. If, after a review, the application must be rejected by you, please transmit the papers to me, and this will serve as a receipt for the withdrawal.
Very Truly Yrs. & J. H. M c Living
Larry L. Edwards