Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 974, Cornelius D Board, New Jersey

SERVICE
NUMBER
New Jersey
Board, Cornelius D.
R. 974
CONTENTS
Blank lined area for contents entry
Blank lined area for contents entry

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832
State of New York } County of Genesee } §
On this tenth day of June one thousand eight hundred and thirty four personally appeared in open court before the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Genesee aforesaid now sitting Cornelius D Board a resident of the town of Warsaw in the County of Genesee and State of New York aged Seventy years the twenty eighth day of January last 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 7 th 1832 That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated namely That this Declarant in the month of May seven- hundred and seventy eight (the precise day of the month he cannot recollect) joined as a volunteer private a Company of Militia then called out for service under the command of Captain Joseph Board Lieutenants John Deaphree and Grant Van Alstyne . That the said Company belonged to a Regiment of Militia under the command of Colonel Anthony Dey Major Richard Dey and Hermanus Hutches and was composed in the County of Bergen in the State of New Jersey This Declarant at the time of his joining the said Company resided in the town of Saddle River in the County and State last aforesaid This Declarant proceeded with the said Company in his capacity of volunteer private to Smith's Cove in the State of New York in pursuit of a body of Cow Boys who had made an incursion in the neighbourhood of Bergen County The said Company were accompanied upon this service by a Company of Regulars or Militia from the American Army the most of the men (if not all) were from South Carolina We did not succeed in bringing them to action and after an absence of one week in service this Declarant returned home with his Company and was discharged from this service. About three weeks after this time this Declarant went as a volunteer in the said Company and as a private from the town of Saddle River to the Ramapo Mountains in pursuit of a Company

of Cow Boys and Succeeded in Recovering a quantity of Booty they had taken Consisting principally of arms provisions and household goods and returned home after an absence of one week. From which last mentioned time This Declarant remained in the said Captain Boards Company until the next winter.
Captain Boards Company consisted at that time of twenty eight individuals among whom were some Blacks (that number being all that could be mustered in the place) through the season of seventeen hundred and seventy eight (and subsequent seasons as will be hereafter stated) it was necessary to keep up a constant guard each night in order to protect our families and ourselves from the depredations of the Cow Boys which was done in this manner Captain Boards Company (to which this Declarant then belonged as a private) would assemble according to orders from him just after sundown upon the heights and keeping themselves and their Station concealed as much as possible would remain under arms through the night those not engaged on sentry or on patrols sleeping on their arms until it came their turn to relieve those on guard and keeping out Sentinels and Patrols through the night then returning to our ordinary business in the morning on one occasion during this season this Declarant while on duty as Sentry challenged and caused to be arrested two Deserters who were attempting to make their escape from the American Army to the British. This Declarant at that time understood that both had broke jail from Morristown where they were confined one on a charge for Murder the other for Desertion the one charged with Desertion was named John Robison the Name of the other he does not recollect. They were sent under guard the next day to Morristown. This Declarant continued in service keeping guard nights until the next winter had set in and completed his service in keeping guard.

to be five months service namely from the tenth day of July to and until the tenth day of December in the year last aforementioned which is according to the best of this Declarants recollection. This last mentioned service was all performed in the town of Saddle River aforesaid. During the Season of seventeen hundred and seventy nine from the first day of April to and until the first day of December then next (according to this Declarants best recollection) This Declarant was engaged in service as a private under Captain Board in keeping guard in the same manner as is above stated. The inhabitants of Saddle River were the most of them in the British interest (times) which made it necessary for us to be extremely vigilant and which was the cause of the small number of Captain Boards Company. During this Season a Company of British (Cow Boys) having attacked the Conniperry's guard of General Erskine at Ringwood in Bergen County in General Erskine's absence and taken a quantity of Negroes Horses and Cattle They were pursued by Captain Boards Company (with whom this Declarant was as a private) to the Ramapo Mountains and the Negroes and Horses retaken. This Declarant computes his service in the Season of seventeen hundred and seventy nine to be eight months service.
As near as this Declarant can recollect the first day of May seventeen hundred and eighty this Declarant marched with the said last mentioned Company under Captain Board to the Lines at Hackensack Captain Board with part of the Company returned home this Declarant was drafted into the Company of Captain John Blanch. There was at that time three Companies belonging to the Regiment under Colonel Dey at Hackensack to wit Captain Blanch's Company Captain Flyler's Company and Captain Van Buskirk's Company. There was no field officer then out but Captain Blanch had the Command. after this declarant had remained

in service at Hackensack about a fortnight Captain Blanch's Company and Captain Hughes Company marched to surprise a Block house near Fort Lee which was a place of refuge to the Cow Boys the Block House was composed of two Redoubts and mounted four Cannon two on each Redoubt. The British were then engaged in building the Block house we reconnoitred the Block house and finding it well manned and that we had not sufficient force to make an attempt upon it Captain Blanch determined to retreat which was done we were pursued by the British a Party throwing themselves between us and our Camp at Hackensack at a place called "The sign of the three Pigeons" we had a Skirmish with the Party in our front and drove them taking one British Ensign & six privates prisoners. About half a mile further on we had another Skirmish with the same party in which four of the enemy were killed and one man of Captain Hughes Company was wounded we defeated them and succeeded in getting into Camp a little after sundown. This Declarant remained at Hackensack six weeks on duty when being relieved he was discharged and returned home in the latter part of June in the year last aforesaid from which time This Declarant resumed his station as a private in Captain Boords Company and continued in service in said last mentioned Company in keeping guard in the manner above mentioned as near as he can recollect one month and until the latter part of July following when he went out as a volunteer Private under Captain David Hackensack after being on duty there about four weeks he went with Van Riper to On Pegasus to the Salt Meadows about five miles distant where we had understood that a party of British were collecting some cattle to embark aboard two vessels for New York. Our Company arrived at the Salt Meadows in season to prevent the embarkation of the cattle and we recook about eighty head. we then

returned to Hackensack where this Declarant remained on duty (on the lines) as a private seven weeks and three days and until about the middle of September when he was discharged and returned home to Saddle River from which time until about the middle of December this Declarant did duty at home in keeping guard at night until about the middle of December then went and for a period of not less than three months as a private under Captain Board - At the time of the Skirmish near the "Three Pigeons" one John Bony called "Jack the Regular" belonging to the Cow Boys (Kippagus) a noted character one who boasted that he had killed forty eight Persons was killed - During the season of Seventeen hundred and eighty one This Declarant remained at Saddle River and did duty through the whole of that season from about the middle of April to the first of December a period of not less than seven and a half months as a private under Captain Board His duty during this season was in keeping guard nights in nearly the same manner as is hereinbefore described
This Declarant was also engaged in the same service in the same manner as is last above stated as a private under Captain Board during the whole of the season of Seventeen hundred and eighty two in the town of Saddle River aforesaid namely from the first part of April to and until the middle of December a period of not less than eight months
On the second day of January Seventeen hundred and eighty three This Declarant was called out in and with Captain Boards Company to go on the water in long Boats on the narrows between Bergen point and Staten Island to watch for and take if possible a British Vessel. We did not succeed - and returned after an absence of two weeks This Declarant was a private on this service and was then discharged.

This was the last service of the Declarant there being proclaimed the next April -
This Declarant knew among the Regular Officers General Knox Colonel Barber and Colonel Ogden of the Jersey line Major Cummings also of the Jersey line also Colonel De Hart and Captain De Hart both of the Jersey line and did duty with a Regiment of the Connecticut line which we called "The hairy Coats"
This Declarant was born in the year Seventeen hundred and sixty four the twenty eight day of January at Saddle River in the County of Bergen and State of New Jersey
That he has a Record of his age copied from a Record kept by this Declarants father that it is contained in a Book at this Declarants house That the Record kept by this Declarants father is in the possession of a Brother of this Declarant who resides in the State of New Jersey
That he was living at Saddle River in the County of Bergen aforesaid when called into the service and immediately after the Revolutionary War went to Morristown in the State of New Jersey remained a little more than a year then returned to Saddle River remained at Saddle River until September seventeen hundred and ninety. Then removed to the town of Fairhaven County of Rutland and State of Vermont remained there three months then removed to the Castleton in the same County and remained there until the month of May eighteen and eleven and then removed to Olean in the County of Cattaraugus in the State of New York and remained there until the month of April eighteen hundred and sixteen then removed to the town of Rushford in the County of Allegany and State last aforesaid and remained there until in the Spring of the year eighteen hundred

and twenty three then removed to Centerville in the same County and remained there (except a few months residence in Pike and Eagle in said County) until the month of September eighteen hundred and thirty one then removed to the town of Warsaw in the County of Genesee and State of New York where this Declarant now resides.
This Declarant volunteered when he first entered the Service afterwards was drafted as is herein-before stated.
The names of Officers have been hereinbefore stated.
This Declarant did not at any time receive any written discharge but was discharged verbally by his Captain.
This Declarant is acquainted among others with the Rev. Ezra Scovell a Clergyman and Judge Samuel M c Whorter of Warsaw of said County of Genesee who can testify as to this Declarants Character for truth and veracity and their belief of his services as a Soldier of the Revolution.
And this Declarant further declares and on his oath says that he has no documentary or other evidence that he has made diligent enquiry for persons who knew of his services herein-before detailed but as yet has not been able to find any witness.
He hereby relinquishes every claim or demand whatever 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 first above written in open Court.
T. Fitch Clerk
P. D. Board

We Ezra Seouel — a Clergyman residing in the town of Warsaw in the County of Genesee and State of New York and Samuel M c Whorter — residing in the same place hereby Certify that we are well acquainted with Cornelius D Board who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood 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 first above written
Ezra Seouel.
Samuel M c Whorter
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories presented 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 Ezra Seouel who has signed the preceding Certificate is a Clergyman resident in the town of Warsaw in the County of Genesee aforesaid and that Samuel M c Whorter — who has also signed the same is a Credible person and their statement is entitled to credit.
Isaac Wilson S. Cuming William Mitchell Judges of Common Pleas
I, Timothy Fitch, County of Genesee in the State of New York do hereby Certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Cornelius D Board for a pension In testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and seal of office this tenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty four.
T. Fitch Clerk

This Bureau can furnish the military record of only such Revolutionary soldiers as were pensioned or whose widows were pensioned for their services.
Such of the original muster and pay rolls of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 as are now in the possession of the Government are on file in the Record and Pension Office, War Department. Original rolls and other records pertaining to service in the Revolutionary War may also be found on file in the archives of many of the original States.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
WASHINGTON, D. C.,
O. W. &amp; N. DIV.
REVOLUTIONARY.
February 23, 1897.
Sir:-
Replying to your request for information concerning the military records of John and Cornelius Board, soldiers of the Revolutionary war, you are advised as follows:
John Board made an application for pension on November 5, 1835, at which time he was 84 years of age and residing in Fauquier County, Virginia. In his declaration he alleges that he enlisted and served under Capt. Shryock, 44th Md. Regt. Revolutionary war.
His claim was rejected, however, on the ground of insufficient proof of service alleged.
Cornelius Board made an application for pension on June 10, 1834, at which time he was 70 years of age and residing at Warsaw, N. Y., In his declaration he alleges that he entered the service in the month of May, 1778, and served a tour under Capt. Joseph Board. That he again enlisted and served as a private under Capt. Board until the following winter (1778.) In May 1780 he all enlisted and served under Captains Blanch and VanBuper until the following June when he returned home and again entered Capt. Board's Company.
His claim was rejected, however, on the ground that the alleged service under Capt. Board was literally a patrol duty which furnished no ground for a claim; and, that his service under Captains Blanch and VanBuper did not amount to six months, as required by the Act of June 7, 1832, under which the claim was filed.
Very respectfully,
First Deputy Commissioner.
E. A. Beekman, Esq.,
Clerk, Committee on Pensions, United States Senate.

Feb 23 95 statement to E A Beckman Com on Pension Mss. see Reg. 975 In B
Ex'r.
INVALID.
REJECTED
Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
999
P. O. Cornelius D. Bount
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____

Pike Allegany Co. N.Y. July 9 th 1838
Sir
Enclosed I forward to you the papers of Cornelius D Board an applicant for a Pension under the act of Congress of June 7 th 1832
Hon. J. L. Edwards Committee of Pensions
Yours very respectfully
Benson Owen
BOARD, CORNELIUS D. (N.J.) R 974

July 17 1871
1871
Black Mt July 9
Hon. J. L. Edwards
Gen'l of Pensions
Washington City
D.C.
Gen

New York
Warmkins & Board
Rejected
See letter to
Renson Owen
Pike N.Y.
20. Aug t 1834
974