Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 8,337, for Elijah Porter, Connecticut

SERVICE
NUMBER
born
Porter, Elijah Herrington Anna or Harrington.
R. 8337
CONTENTS
Former widow

N o . 14. 524
Sunnah Porter, m d of Elizabeth -
N. Y.
Set 7 July 1838 -
L. A. Dury

State of New York County of Otsego ss.
On this Seventh day of October 1851. personally appeared Anna Harrington formerly Anna Porter Subscriber County Judge of said County, Anna Porter resident of the town of New Lisbon in said County aged eight three years who being first duly sworn doth make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of 7 th July 1838 and the acts subsequent thereto -
This declarant states that she is the widow of Elijah Porter deceased - that the said Elijah Porter was a native of the town of Mans- -field in the State of Connecticut - that he was the son of Nathan Porter - that he, the said Elijah Porter, was (as this declarant has been informed & believes) a soldier in the war of the revolution - that he served on two different tours - one of about eight months & the other of about five months in the years 1778 - and 1781 -
This declarant further states that her maiden name was Anna Stanhope - that she was married to the said Elijah Porter on the 8 th day of July in the year 1792 - and that she had one child born after said marriage & before the year 1794 - whose name was Electa Porter who was born on the 16 th day of June in the year 1793 - as appears by the annexed family record - Declarant states that the an- -nexed is the original family record of her said husband - prepared under his di- -rection a great many years ago - soon after their marriage, and that it con- -tains a true statement as to the time

of her said marriage & the birth of her chil- -dren - that the leaf containing the said record is taken from the family bible which since the death of her said husband has been in her possession - that it contains the record of the births & marriages of both her children & her grandchildren -
Declarant states that she was married to the said Elijah Porter in the town of Baching- -ton in the State of New York -
Declarant further states that the said Elijah Porter died in the year 1816 that after his death she again married a man by the name of Benjamin Harrington and that the said Benjamin Harrington died on the 21 st day of March in the year 1826 and that since his death she has not again married -
Sworn & subscribed to the day & year first } Annet Harrington above written Before me }
Jamies Drake
Co Judge of Otsego N.Y.
I hereby certify that by reason of old age & bodily infirmities the above named declarant has not again married is unable to appear in Open Court - I fur- -ther certify that satisfactory evidence was ad- -duced before me that Elijah Porter above named died in the year 1816 that after his death the above named declarant married a man by the name of Benjamin Harrington - who died on the 21 st day of March in the year 1826 & that since the death of the said Benjamin Harrington she has not again married -
Jamies Drake Co Judge of Otsego

Family Record.
MARRIAGES.
Elizah and Anna Porter Was Married Sunday July the 8. 1792
Etty Porter Was Married To Orren Hale October the 22. 1809
Betsey Porter Was Mar- ried To Ripley Walker August the 22. 1818
Sally Porter Was Mar- ried To Lemariah Pratt Jan. December the 23. 1819
Asahel S. Porter Was Married To Adeline Shaw August the 7. 1820
Lavinia Porter Was Married To Percy Stearns May the 2. 1824
Egbert C. Porter Was Married To Sarah Hume March 7. 1835
MARRIAGES.
Emily Hale was mar- ried to Amos D. Gompkins January 12 th 1840
Mary Hale was married to James Cobb December 1840
Olimenia Walker was married to Ezra Marlett August 25 th 1841
Elijah P. Walker was married to Susannah Marlett March 7 th 1842
Wm H Pratt was married to Abby D. Beebe March 4 th 1845

Family Record.
BIRTHS.
Elijah Porter Was Born Thursday January 4, 1763 Anna Porter Was Born Thursday September 8, 1768 Electy Porter Was Born Monday June the 16, 1793 Betsey Porter Was Born Sunday October the 26, 1794 Rachel S. Porter Was Born Monday September 26, 1796 Eleazer Porter Was Born Thursday January 24, 1799 Patty Porter Was Born Monday March the 5, 1800 Sally Porter Was Born Tuesday October the 12, 1802 Lucina Porter Was Born Sunday June the 2, 1805 Eglert O. Porter Was Born Tuesday February the 23, 1808 Amanda Porter Was Born Tuesday August the 7, 1810
BIRTHS.
Mary Hale Was Born 26 of February 1824 Emely Hale Was Born May the 6 1816 John Hale Was Born April the 30 1825 Albert Hale Was Born April the 7 1827 Oscar Hale was born August the 31, 1829  Stephen Hale Born July the 31, 1834 Eljah P Walker was born December 12 1820 Clymene Walker was born May 6 1824 Alberto Porter was born April the 11 1824 Eljah M Porter was Born August the 30 1826 William Pratt was born December the 30 1821 Freeman Pratt was born November 19 1825 Egbert Pratt was born August the 22, 1827 Edward Pratt was born May 25 1829 Amanda Pratt Born Nov 3 1834
Albert Pratt born July the 5 1840

State of New-York. OTSEGO COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE.
I, SAMUEL NORTH, Clerk of said County, do hereby certify, that James Hyde Esquire, was, on the 7 th day of October 1851 — a Judge  Justice of the Count  Peace in and for the said County of Otsego, duly authorized to act as such, and that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of the said Judge  Justice , and that his signature to the annexed instrument is genuine.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and official seal of the said County, at Cooperstown, this 8 th day of Oct 1851
Samuel North CLERK.

State of Connecticut Comptrollers Office Hartford Oct. 28 th 1851
I certify, that on application for evidence of the service of Elijah Porter, in the war of the Revolution, I have examined the Books and Documents, remaining in this Office, relating to that war, and find the name of Elijah Porter in a Pay Roll under the following heading viz, "Pay Roll of George Pitkin Capt. & Lieut. Col. of 2 nd B o in the 8 th Regt." and opposite said name are the following entries viz, "Rank Drummer / Time of enlistment May 22 d 1778 / Day dismissed Dec. 20 th 1778 / Months & days 6 mo. 28 days." I find the name of Elijah Porter also, in "Haskells Receipts," in an account under the following heading viz, "The United States Dr. To the State of Connecticut for the Pay of sundry Persons who joined the Fifth Regiment as Short Levees in the year 1781," and opposite said name are entries

as follows, / When entered the service July 25 th When discharged Dec r 12 th / Time in service 4 mos. 27 ds. Amt. of Pay £ 9. 16. 1
R. G. Pinney Comptroller by Geo. Robinson Clerk,

State of Connecticut
Windham County ss. David Porter being duly sworn says, that he resides in Mansfield Tolland County, Connecticut & has resided there all his life - that he is the son of Nathan Porter who lived in Mansfield aforesaid until within about five years of his death when he removed to Burlington to the house of his son Elijah, the brother of deponent - where he died some where about sixty years ago - Deponent further says that Elijah Porter the brother of this deponent, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war - that he enlisted and served in a company under Colonel Durfee of Hampton at two different times - between the years seventeen hundred and seventy eight and seventeen hundred and eighty one - that at the time of his enlistment the said Elijah resided with his father in Mansfield aforesaid, on which place he returned after the war - & not long after the war, the exact time deponent can not now state removed to Burlington in the State of New York, that deponent remembers perfectly well the first time when his brother went into the army and that he was engaged in the service as deponent believes about three months - that at that time he went to the State of Rhode Island - and that the second time he was gone was engaged in the service was about eight months - at Horse neck - and part of the time the said Elijah was in the same company with his father Nathan. Deponent further says that he is now seventy nine years of age - and that his brother Elijah was eight years older than deponent - and that he died at Burlington aforesaid more than fifty years ago leaving a wife Anne Stanhope, and two children - girls

neither of whom deponent has seen since, but has heard that after the death of his brother Elijah, his said wife and children moved from Burlington to some place which deponent can not now recollect.
David Porter
Windham County ss Windham May 20 th 1851
Personally appeared before me David Porter who hath subscribed the foregoing affidavit and made solemn oath to the truth and correctness of the same. J. H. Carpenter Justice of Peace
And I also hereby certify that according to my best knowledge and belief the said David Porter is a respectable, upright and credible person whose word may be relied upon.
J. H. Carpenter Justice of Peace

STATE OF CONNECTICUT.
I, JOHN P. C. MATHER, Secretary of the State of Connecticut, and Keeper of the Seal thereof, do hereby certify and make known to whom it doth or may concern, That Saius H. Carpenter is, and since the fourth day of July last past hath been a Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Windham in said State, duly appointed and commissioned, — having full power and authority by the laws of said State, to take the Acknowledgment of Deeds and to certify the same; also to administer Oaths, to take Affidavits and Depositions out of Court, and to give Certificates thereof; and that full faith and credit may and ought to be given to His official acts and attestations.
And I further Certify, That I believe the foregoing signature of the said Saius H. Carpenter to be genuine.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the Seal of said State, at Hartford, this 22 d day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fiftyone.
John P. C. Mather Secretary of State.

N o 14.524
Anna Porter wid: of Elijah N.Y.
Act 7 July 1838
R. M. Dury Feb 3 rd 38. Letter J. J. Coombs Feb 4 th 38
8337

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
S 337
Ques
P. O. Anna Porter
Service: _____
Enlisted: REJECTED _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contr
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

Canandaigua, N.Y. Nov. 11. 1851.
Sir:
Herewith is presented the claim of Anna Porter widow of Elijah Porter dec d under act 7 th July 1838.
The proof of service, marriage, & identity it is submitted, is conclusively shown - in the case -
Very respectfully Your obt Servt -
L. M. Drury
J. E. Heath Esq Comm d of Pensions Washington
D.E.

Mr Dury wants me to examine papers
J. J. Coombs

Pension Office July 3 rd 1852.
Sir: The claim of Anna Porter cannot be admitted without positive proof of her husband's service. The witness now introduced, was but 6 years old in 1778, and his recollection of particular transactions performed at that time, cannot be relied on. The reason for the delay in the application should be stated.
Very Respectfully Your Obedt Servt J. Wilson
For Commr of Pensions
J. M. Drury, Esqr. Canandaigua, New York

Canandaigua
Feb. 7. 183-2
Dear Sir:
I have this morning recd the enclosed certificate letter. and I desire you to examine this claim & take an appeal or have a re-examination of it at the office.
To say that a claim cannot be admitted without positive proof of service from a living witness is generally, equivalent to a rejection of the claim. and is in the face of decisions that have again & again been made and are daily made.
As long ago as 1832. in the rules regulating the applications for pensions. it was said to require  produce positive proof of service service from the applicants
by a contemporary survivor. would after the lapse of so many years. be to deprive many of the benefit of the law "etc. If this rule had any force 20 years ago it has ten fold more force now when there is scarcely one of the soldiers living -
But you know the rule laid down in the letter enclosed. is not the rule of the office.
Nevertheless, there is such testimony in this case on file. and I did not doubt it would be deemed sufficient. The case has been a

long time in my hands. and I could not find the proof until I heard that a Brother of Elijah Porter was now living - I sent for his testimony & the person who took it declared that the witness stated the facts with great clearness & precision -
If they won't take his testimony "neither would they believe though one were to rise from the dead" -
I hope you can procure a reversal of that decision -
In the case of David Trumbell which you spoke to me about. I learn that the parties have made some engagement with Mr Rockwell to prosecute it. If he should not succeed. I have the assurance from old Gov. Trumbell. one of the heirs that it shall come into my hands -
Yours truly
L. M. Downy
J. J. Combs ss Washington D. C.