Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 8,640, for Wright Redding, New Jersey

SERVICE
NUMBER
Redding, Wright.
W. 8.640
CONTENTS

Wright Reading off? & B. Silla's
53 he B. Silla's off? accompanying his - pupus. —

State of New York New York City

January 28th 1862
I George Sherman Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Port  St. Lawrence do hereby certify that James Layne was at whom the preceding affidavits purport to have been taken was at the time an Examiner in Chancery and as such duly qualified to take affidavits to be read in that Court, and further certify that I am well acquainted

with the several hand writing of the said Taylor and also when his signature offered to said affidavits inscribed to be in his own proper hand writing. Given under my hand and seal of office this 4 th day of December 1853. George Thompson-Clk

12016378
Dwight Reading Steuben Co N. York
C. All
113 proof & specification read
Lat Taylor Ag & Paul Han Henry Yates Co N.Y.

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office.
24 Oct 1833
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 subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will show what is necessary to be done. These 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, showing the Service of Bright Blexing Steam Co N.Y.
   Period when the service was rendered. Duration of the claimant's service Rank of the claimant. Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. Names and Rank of the General and Field officers. Battles in which the applicant was engaged. Country through which he marched. Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period. Evidence by which the declaration is supported.   Years. Months. Days.     Sub for the Mother 1774 1 Private Col Jas Cleveland Col J. S. Muskely From Genl Washington Elizabeth Fr a actionary   Onward in Britain 8 Capt Ben Cartoo Major Genl Conquered to the Delaware Liberty   Sub for Hughes 1781 14 alike Lt Genl Genl outfarms near Brandywine 71   6 Major Major Springfield Hamburg   Capt Major Coats   Major Newark   Capt   Col   Genl   Genl   Genl   Col  
I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. 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 } ss.
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 day 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 enquiry 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.
[1] 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 time 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.
[2] The notes from [a] to [e] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in note [2] applies to continental troops only.
[3] This traditional evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[4] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[5] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.
the proof is made by affixing B. Scott -

OP 16378
New York
Wright Redding
Suspended
Set claimant 10 Nov. 1835 do. to Hon. S. Porter June 29. 1836
8640

Shura P. O. Wright Reading Service: _____
Enlisted: REJECTED _____, 18 Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____ _____
Re-enlisted: _____ _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____ _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

War Department Pension Office June 25. 1834
Sir,
I enclose herewith the letter of Mr. Inglis in relation to the revolutionary service of Wright Reading, and have the honor to inform you that I cannot, consistently with the regulations of this office as you will perceive by the 5 th Paragraph of the enclosed Circular, give the information sought for. I enclose the regulations under the act of June 7. 1832 in order that Mr. R. may make a declaration and forward it to this office, when the necessary examination will be made.
I have the honor to be Very respectfully, Your obedt Servant J. L. Edwards
Hon. S. Fowler House of Representatives

Shelton County N.Y. In the matter of Wright Building or Perseverance .
378

State of New York Water County 3.
On this 22 nd day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, per- sonally appeared Henry S. Williams  George  George son of the Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Herk  Franklin Wright, Redding now a resident of the Town of Redding in the County of Herk and State of New York aged twenty one years and upwards according to his exact recollection and being who being first duly sworn, doth on his oath make the following statement or declaration in so far as to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of enr passed Jan. 7. 1832.
That he was born in Essex - County and State of New Jersey - that in the Spring of the war he received his first and last sever, at Elizabethtown he entered the service of the united States in the company of Captain - Joseph Leonard (as he thinks) in the Regiment of Col. Sylvanus Saly, as a substitute for for his Master Thomas Walker a  tradesman by trade tradesman he the said Redding had - them for some years in indent as an apprentice. That in the service he remained doing duty in the army at Elizabethtown for one month

Towards the fall of the same year he was ordered out with the militia to do another turn of duty on his own account, at Elizabeth Town, under the Captain Benjamin Carter and he thinks one Major or Col. Crane was also in command at the same time, and during this term of service which continued for at least three months he was  ched with a detachment from Elizabeth Town under the command of one Col. Atkins, to the Del- aware River in pursuit of the Indians, near to a place called Minisink - and that from this time to the close of the Summer of eleven hundred and eighty one, he continued to reside at Chatham with his friend Master Thomas Walker when not out on duty - that during this period he was constantly subject to military duty and obeying every call that was made on him in common with the other militia of that neighborhood. That during this period time he can remember of being out for short periods very frequently at such points - at the old Ferry at Elizabeth Town at Lockhart's  point - Cranes Ferry - Woodruffs ferry at Newark - That he cannot now remember the particular time he was out at these places nor the names of the officers

under whom he served. - During some of this period however he was under the command of one Lieut. John Roberts - Captain Benjamin Carter - Major Dan- iel Brown - one Major Hays in the Regime- nt of Col. Courllaine - Col. Mulhaysen and General Dickerson & General Hays - And he to the best of his recollection & belief was declared that during this period above mentioned he was once on duty in the service of the United States as a militia man at least eighteen months.
That in the course of the summer of the year nineteen hundred and eighty one (the 1881), he entered as a substitute for one Hargis, Hughes whose Christian name is George after for the term of six months in the com- pany of an Infantry Infantry Thomas Dickerson in a detachment of one Major Gooch. That the troops represented near Hackensack - from this place they marched to a place near Dobbs Ferry on the North River - from this place they marched to a place called the old fort where there was a garrison - from this place the troops were ordered to join General Wayne in an attack of a block-house on Bergen which town is fifteen or twenty miles South In this attack which was unsuccessful Genl. Wayne commanded. - Then they -

Returned to Hackensack - From that place he with a small detachment  the troops , marched to Newark where he done duty a while before his term expired and when expired he was then discharged without any written discharges.
That in September hundred and twenty seven he in New Jersey, was in a skirmish with the British troops at a place called Red Bank  Red Bank opposite Barbers Neck. - after the Battle the English troops? An officer at Schuylkill Mines Genl. Mims Commanded on this occasion.
He was also at St. John  St. John at the Connelicut farms, under General Heald who Commanded the militia and General Dayton who Commanded the regular troops.
He was also about a fortnight afterwards at the attack at Springfield - under the Command of Genl. Greene. - And Col. Eager of the Rhode Island troops was also present. - and That he in the said Redding left the State of New Jersey & settled in the western part of the State of New York upwards of twenty eight years ago, and that he knows of L. D. one now living in the State of New York acquainted with his military service - he does he now knows that he can find any one who is, by going to New Jersey.
That he in the said Redding is so infirm in body to attend in open court

to affirm before I make this declaration - and that Judge Haring living in the County of  Sturminster Newton  in the County of Sturminster in the adjoining County of Yates is much more convenient than any part of the County of Sturminster.
And he hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the pension and he declares that his name is not on the pen- sion roll of any agency in any state.
Signed and subscribed this 22 nd day of September  October 1882
Wright Redding
Henry D Williams
We Samuel Bigelow a clergyman resid- ing in the Town of Tyrone in the County - says that he has been acquainted with the said Wright Redding of Sturminster Newton for a number of years and that he is at the present time residing in the same place.
Hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the said Wright Redding in the above declaration mentioned, that we believe him to be of the age he states, that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we fully concur in that opinion -
Signed & subscribed this 22 nd day of September  October 1882 before us.
Samuel Bigelow
Abner D. D. D.
Henry D Williams

Henry S. Williams
And I am said James  Harris here by declare my opinion that upon the investi- gation of the matter and after finding the interrogatories presented by the War depart- ment that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served in the States, and that his bodily infirmities are such that he cannot without materially end- angering his health attend a court of records in Shelby County. And I do hereby further certify that these the persons signing the preceding affidavit are to me well known that they are persons of credit and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Henry S. Williams
I, David Ramsey, Clerk of the County of Shelby do hereby certify that Henry S. Williams appeared before me on the within proceedings, and that he has been known to me at the time a judge of the County courts of the said County of Shelby, and that I am acquainted with the signature of the said Williams and do affirm his signature offered to me, as being to me in his own proper hand writing. Given under my hand & seal of office at Nashville this 27th day of October 1832. - D. Ramsey