Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14954, Ezra Birdsey, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Birdsey, Ezra
S. 14954
carded
CONTENTS

9892 Connecticut
Ezra Birdsey
Fairfield Co. in the State of Conn who was a Dragoon in the Conn. commd by Captain Mackinac of the Regt. commd by Col. Pula in the Conn time for 6 Mos. & 6 days (Cavalry)
Inscribed on the Roll of Conn. at the rate of 22 Dollars 68 Cents per annum commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 24 day of June 1832 and to Mrs. A.S. Nichols Clk: Fairfield
Arrears to the 4th of Mar: 32 $45.30 Pemi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep: 32 11.34
$56.64
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Per Jan 7, 1832. } C. C. Miles Clerk
Recorded by Book 6. Vol. 3. Page 4

Una Bridbury Bradford Conn. 6 Months
24163

State of Connecticut, } ss. Bridgeport County of Fairfield, }
On this 31st day of August 1832 personally appeared, in open Court, before the Court of Probate for the District of Stratford
now sitting, Ezra Birdseye a resident of Stratford . in the County of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, aged Eighty four years, who being first 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, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers, and served as herein stated. viz -
In November 1775 by the order of Col. Schabod Lewis, of the Connecticut Militia, I went (with a number of others belonging to the company of Militia to which I belonged) to Newtown in said County (about 20 miles Northwest of said Stratford) for the purpose of arresting and disarming a large number of Tories residing in and about that town, and served there faithfully four days , under the direction of Colonels Gould, Dimon & Lewis, whom I found there, and they kept us as busy as we could be night & day arresting arresting the said Tories, disarming them, & bringing to & confining them in, a guard house; and I remained there until I was duly discharged by the said Colonels - The whole of said company were not called out & our Capt. was not there.
In the forepart of July 1776, I was drafted to go to New York with a company of Light-horsemen to which I belonged & commanded by Capt. Samuel Blackman under the direction of General Silliman of the Connecticut Militia and I went and served there (in the city of New York) fifteen days , and at the end of which time, the company was dismissed by General Washington while there I remember that we saw the British Fleet down at the Hook and of hearing General Washington surrounded by his officers & in presence of the army formed in a hollow square, give this toast "Independence forever - May we support it, and may our children rise up and call us blessed." Our whole Regiment was not called out at this time & I cannot remember under what Colonel I served, as we were called out suddenly & the whole Regiment was not there.
About the middle of October 1776, I was drafted with the whole of said company of Light-horse under the same Capt. Blackman and marched to Horseneck, and the Saw-Pits in the State of New York, where we were stationed, and kept patrolling back & forth, night & day, down towards the City of New York as far as New Rochelle, when I served in said company and under General David Wooster Three months & one week , and until I was in 1777 or the latter part of 1776 discharged by Genl. Heath at White Plains.
In 1777, in the month of April, I volunteered & went to Danbury under my brother Capt. Joseph Birdseye, to prevent the British from burning or destroying the public stores of provisions & ammunition, met & fought the enemy at Danbury, retreated to Ridgefield where I was engaged in the battle & brought off one of our wounded men on my back while the British were firing on our party; and followed the enemy down to Compo in Fairfield and remained there until the enemy embarked & sailed off for New York - in which tour of duty I served one week (under Col. Gould & General Wooster who were both killed in battle, and General Arnold had his horse shot under him) when I was duly discharged.
In July 1779 I was ordered suddenly on an alarm to New Haven where the enemy landed at West-Haven, and after a skirmish there the enemy

embarked on board their vessels & quit New Haven, and I was ordered immediately afterwards to Fairfield and Saco-hill, and was personally engaged against the British troops in the battles and skirmishes at these places, and one of our men was shot down by my side & died in my arms. On this tour of duty I served one week under Ensign Enoch Blackman, of the Connecticut militia, and other officers, as I was ordered, but cannot now remember their names. then weeks About the middle of June 1778 I was ordered into service by Capt. Elnathan Nichols of the light horse & militia aforesaid, and went out with ten or 12 of the company, to Horse neck, and served there in patrolling between there & New York two weeks , my Capt., Lieut. and Ensign were not there, as we were called out under a Sergeant's guard as patrols & served under the orders of General Wolcott - In October 1779, I volunteered and served six weeks against the enemy on the North River under Capt. Elnathan Nichols of the light horse as aforesaid, General Silliman commanded our party until we arrived at Fish-kill, when we were commanded by General Putnam, we followed the
The said Ezra Bridsley hereby relinquishes every claim 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 aforesaid.
Ezra Bridsley
We, David Brooks  a clergyman , residing in the town of Stratford and Ezra Bridsley residing in the same, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Ezra Bridsley who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 84 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 and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
David Brooks
Huntington Tomlinson
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 abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that David Brooks who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman , resident in the town of Stratford and that Huntington Tomlinson who has also signed the same, is a resident in the town of Stratford and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
John Mellen Judge
I, R. S. Nichols Clerk of the Land Court do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Ezra Bridsley for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of this 31st day of August in 1832 .
Office,
R. S. Nichols Clerk
I, William Wheeler of the town of Pittsfield within Massachusetts do hereby certify that R. S. Nichols is Clerk of said Court and that the above is his signature to the seal of said Court annexed. William Wheeler
* British fleet commanded by General Byron of through a number of towns up the North River (Rhinebeck etc) Elisha was there smoking in ruins. The British fleet then turned back and came down said river and we marched down after them to Fishkill barracks, and a short time afterwards I remember distinctly that we were discharged by General Putnam & came home in August. My whole service as above stated was six months & eight days, all which time I served my country zealously & faithfully. - I have no documentary evidence.
* to prove my services, & I received no discharge in writing - I was born in New Haven in Connecticut & resided there until I was 9 years of age when my father removed to Stratford aforesaid where I have ever since resided.

3 5. Curtis Toulmin of the Town of Huntington in Suffolk County Connecticut (now in Conn) testify I say that I am well acquainted with Ena Budsay Say she within named Applicant now present & that in the summer of the year 1776. Capt. Samuel Black man & Company of Light Horse under the direction of Genl. Silliman of the Connecticut Militia was ordered into Service & went to New York. I belonged to said Company & went in the same into the United States Service & served in said Company as New York one Month the said Budsay was with me & belonged to said Company - He states the time time to have been fifteen Days in which the said Budsay it was more & to the best of my knowledge one Month & more - all the officers under whom we served are dead so far as I know - I further say that I was with said Budsay at Tishkill (at a subsequent period) I was there one Month my impression is that we were under a Capt. Samuel Blackman - I only mean to say that I know that said Budsay was in the Service at Tishkill on the 11th of June 1776 & also Service at Scituate with company - except as to the Service at Scituate with company - except as to the one Month's Service in New York in 1776 - Curtis Toulmin
5 James Blackman of Snasford Suffolk County Conn. (now in Conn) testify that I was with the the said Ena Budsay the within named Applicant in the City of New York in the summer of 1776. I know the fact that he served as the States. I cannot agree with him as to the time - I am sure that it was more than fifteen Days - I belonged to the same Company & was in the Service at the same time - I further say that I was with said Budsay under Capt. Blackman at Horse neck & Scituate in the State of New York in October 1776 we went in October return to Connecticut - I further state that I was with said Budsay at Tishkill in the Fall that he served as the States except two periods viz four days at Newtown & six weeks at Tishkill I know of no other service under whom we served. I have always lived in the Snasford neigh- borhood to said Budsay. I am eighty five years of age & in the Fall Service at New York Genl. Silliman had command - in the Second. Col. Samuel Blackman Woodbury - Capt. Blackman was our Captain & Lt. Nathan Nichols our Lieutenant both dead - James Blackman
The above Depositions of James Blackman & Curtis Toulmin Subscribed in open Court R. S. Nichols, Clerk

5 Filed & checked & judged of the contents of which are within & upon the contents of Sheffield in Hartford County State of Connecticut Do hereby certify that the said contents were in kind of James Blackman the witnesses in support of this application are both credible witnesses & friends of said claimant for said property Dated at Hartford 3 April 13-1833 - } Filed & checked & judged
From Ezra Bridgman Sheffield Conn. 6 months 24163

No 24163
Ezra Birdsey Fairfield County Connecticut.
Admitted
Private dragon, 6mo to day
\begin{array}{r}
 4 \frac{1}{2} \\
 \hline
 24 - \\
 6
 \end{array}
\begin{array}{r}
 366 \\
 \hline
 21.92 \\
 \hline
 22.68
 \end{array}
R.S. Nichols 6th Fairfield County Connecticut

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
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 show 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, showing the Service of Ezra Binney Fairfield County Connecticut
   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.     Enrd Apr. 1775 - - 4 private Cols. Levis, Gadd, Dison 84 years Traditionary evidence & living testimony   Draftd. July 1776 - - 15 trooper Capt Blackman, General bounty of Certified credible-paper correct.   Draftd Oct. 1776 - 3 7 " Capt Blackman, Gt. Wooten Fairfield   Vol. Apr. 1777 - - 7 " Capt Gould, Gt. Wooten Connecticut   Enrd July 1779 - - 7 - -   Enrd June 1778 - - 14 - - Gt. Wolcott   Vol. Oct. 1779 - 1 12 trooper Genl Sullivan & Putnam   6 6  
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 }
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 records, 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 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 time, 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.
[k] 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.
[l] This traditional evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[m] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[n] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.

Reserve
14954 INVALID
Ann
File No. 14954
Ezra Dirdsey
Abra. Rev. War
Act: June 7 1832
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 33
[Arrangement of 1870.]