Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14951, Abraham Becraft, New York

SERVICE
NUMBER
New York
Becraft Abraham
S 14951
CONTENTS
carded

8043 New York
Abrahann Beecraft of Ulster in the State of New York who was a Pirate in the Company commanded by Captain Osterhout of the in the New York line for 6 months 27 days
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 22 Dollars 97 Cents per annum to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 11 day of March 1833 and sent to Hon. J. C. Broadhead, M.P.O. N.Y.
Arrears to the 14th of Mar 33 $ 45.94 Pemi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep 33 11 49
$ 57.43
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by G. C. Stiles Clerk, Book E. Vol. 4 Page 15.

Declaration of Abraham Beecraft in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7 th June 1832.
State of New York
Ulster County } ss. On this Eleventh - day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Ulster aforesaid now sitting, Abraham Beecraft a resident of the village of Kingston in said County of Ulster aged eighty one 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 Con- gress passed June 7. 1832.
That he was born in the town of Claverack as it was then so called in that portion of it which has since been set off and designated by the name of Catskill in the County of Columbia and State of New York aforesaid on the twelfth day of February one thou- sand seven hundred and fifty one as he has been informed by his parents and others and verily be- lieves. But that he has no record of his age and knows of none.
That after the lapse of so many years and consequent loss of memory he is unable to recall the particular dates of his services but to the best of his recollection and belief they were rendered at the times as herein after specified But he swears positively that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as a private during the full terms as herein after stated
That shortly after the commencement of the revolutionary war as this deponent thinks and

believe in the fall of the year 1776 he was drafted at Claverack in the County of Columbia aforesaid in a company commanded by John Osterhout as Captain that he proceeded with his said company along the east side of the river Hudson until they came opposite Albany where he crossed with his said company over the river Hudson in a flat bottomed boat commonly called a scow to Albany in said State where they remained one night whence they proceeded to Schenectady in said State and from thence under the command of his said Captain he proceeded to Schoharie and was there stationed with the rest of his said company in a fort in the said town of Schoharie State of New York aforesaid commonly called the Middle fort where he remained in the service of his country as a private for the term of ONE MONTH when he was discharged together with the rest of his said company and returned. But the said deponent received no written discharge.
And the said deponent further states that some time in _____ of the year 1777 at or near as this deponent can recollect he was called out upon an alarm with the rest of the militia to proceed to Stillwater on account of the approach of the British General Burgoyne. That he was a private in the company under the command of the said Captain John Osterhout. That in going to Stillwater aforesaid in his said company and under the command of his said Captain he passed through Kinderhook in said County of Columbia. And that he remained at Stillwater aforesaid as a private under the command of his said Captain in the service of his country for the full term of three weeks when he was regularly discharged with the rest of his said company and returned. But in this service he received no written discharge.

And the said deponent further says that to the best of his recollection about the middle of October in the year 1777 he was again called out on an alarm with the rest of the Militia to prevent the enemy from coming up the river Hudson and he in a company under the command of the said Captain John Osterhout marched from Haverack aforesaid as far south on the east side of the river Hudson as Red Hook landing in the County of Dutchess in the State aforesaid where he remained together with the rest of his company in the service of his country as a private for the term of two weeks when he was regularly discharged and returned home. But he received no written discharge.
And this deponent further states that after remaining home a short time but exactly how long he does not distinctly recollect but thinks it was sometime in November of that year all he was again called out on an alarm to proceed to Fort Stanwix lying about eight miles north of Utica in said State. That he marched to said fort in his aforesaid company under the command of the said Captain John Osterhout and remained with his said company at Fort Stanwix aforesaid serving his country in the capacity of a private soldier for the term of two weeks when he was regularly discharged and returned home with his said company. In this service he received no written discharge.
And this deponent further states that as nearly as he can recollect sometime in September October in the year 1778 the British being expected up the river to turn Fishkill he was drafted in a company of New York Militia commanded by the aforesaid Captain John Osterhout and marched in said company under the command of the said Captain.

2u through the counties of Columbia and Dutchess in said state to Fishkill in said county of Dutchess. Where he remained serving his country under the aforesaid Captain in the capacity of a private soldier for the term of two weeks when he was regularly discharged and returned home - But he received No written discharge
2u And this deponent further states that according to the best of his recollection in the latter part of the Summer in the year 1779 he was called out on an alarm at Claverack aforesaid together with the rest of the militia and the said deponent proceeded with the regiment of militia under the command of the said General Jacob Van Rensselaer in a company commanded by the said Captain John Osterhout to Red Hook in said county of Dutchess where he remained with his said regiment in the service of his country for the term of two weeks in the capacity of a private soldier - when he was regularly discharged and returned home - But he received No written discharge
1u And this deponent further states that shortly after the last mentioned service in the same year he was again drafted in said company under the command of the said Captain John Osterhout at Claverack aforesaid and marched with said company under the command of his said Captain to the place called Stillwater aforesaid as Br Brandt he being at the head of some Indians and Tories was expected down - And he the said deponent remained there in the service of his country in the capacity of a private soldier for the term of one week when he was regularly discharged and returned home but he received No written discharge

And this deponent further states that early in the fall as this deponent believes of the same year as the last mentioned service he was again called out at Clarrach aforesaid on an alarm with the rest of the militia in a regiment commanded by And this deponent marched in the company under the command of the aforesaid Captain John Ostlund in a regiment commanded by General Jacob Van Rensselaer and proceeded to Schoharie aforesaid where the said deponent remained in his said regiment and company serving his country in the capacity of a private soldier for two weeks when he was regularly discharged and returned home. But he received no written discharge.
And this deponent further states that a short time after his return from the last mentioned service he thinks and believes it was about one week he was drafted in a company commanded by the said Captain John Ostlund at Clarrach aforesaid and proceeded with his said company under the command of their said Captain to a place in the town of Livingston in said county of Columbia where he remained serving his country in the capacity of a private soldier protecting the inhabitants for the term of two weeks when he was regularly discharged and returned home. But he received no written discharge.
And this deponent further states that in the early part of the summer of the year 1780 as he thinks and believes he was again called out on an alarm with the rest of his company at Clarrach aforesaid and marched in his said company under the command of the said Captain John Ostlund to the southern part of the town of Schoharie in said state and there he remained in the service

of his country in the capacity of a private soldier protecting the inhabitants from the incursions of the Indians for the term of two weeks when he was regularly discharged and returned home. But received no written discharge -
And this deponent further states that as he thinks and believes in the fall of the year 1780 the militia were again called out on an alarm. And he the said deponent marched from Clarnach (spelled in a company under the command of the said Captain John Osterhout and in a regiment commanded by General Jacob Van Renssalaer. the name of whose Colonel was Henry Van Renssalaer and the Majors name was Jacob Vandubregt and proceeded to Albany aforesaid and from thence to Schenectady and from thence marched along the river Mohawk and when they arrived at a place called Stone Rampy they met with some Tories and Indians with whom they had a skirmish and in said skirmish Colonel Brown a colonel in a regiment accompanying the one in which deponent was was killed. After which they proceeded along said River Mohawk to a fort standing on the banks of said river called Fort Herkimer when they crossed said river Mohawk and soon after their arrival on the opposite shore were attacked by a party of Indians and Tories under the command of Brant and Butte whom they routed and pursued for three days and nights when they returned to the said fort where he remained together with his said company in the service of his country in the capacity of a private soldier for the term of one month when he was regularly discharged and returned home. But he received no written discharge
1 month

And this deponent further says that a short time after the last mentioned service during the same fall the militia were again called out on an alarm and said deponent again proceeded under command of his said Captain John Osterhout in a company of New York Militia and in a regiment under the command of the said General Van Rensselaer to a place called Curyly's Bush on the frontiers as they then were west of Schoharie aforesaid to protect the inhabitants from the incursions of the Indians and he remained there under the said officers in the service of his country in the capacity of a private private soldier for the term of three weeks when he was regularly discharged and returned home - But he received no written discharge
And this deponent further saith that for these aforesaid services as a private soldier in the militia of the State of New York during the revolutionary war in the whole amounting to 7 months & 1 week he is the said deponent claims a pension according to the Act of Congress passed of June 7. 1832
And this deponent further says that he never has received any written discharge and has no documentary evidence of his said services that most of those who served with him during the revolutionary war are dead - that he knows of none who are living and if they are living he is unacquainted with their places of residence and knows not where to find them and therefore he is unable to procure their testimony in his behalf
And this deponent further states that during the whole of the revolutionary war he resided

at Clarrack in the county of Columbia and State of New York. That he has since the Revolution- ary war resided at various places namely Cla- rrack (now Hudson), the town of Acy, village of Nassau, City of Troy and village of Kingston all which places are within the said State of New York. He now resides at Kingston and has resided there for the space of little more than a year. And it was at Claverack aforesaid that he was called into each of these aforesaid service
And this deponent hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll or agency of any state
And this deponent further states that the following named persons in this vicinity are well acquainted with him and can testify as to his vicinity and belief in his services as herein set forth namely Rev Mr Barlow minister in the Baptist Church in this vicinity and John Newhouse and Rudolph Nichols citi- zens of the village of Kingston aforesaid
And this deponent further states that during the whole of his aforesaid services he served in the regiment who was which was under the command of the following named officers viz - Jacob Van Rensselaer General Henry Van Rensselaer Colonel and Jacob Vanderlogut Major and in a company commanded by John O'Leenhardt Captain Abraham Elting Sergeant & Cornelius Van Dusen Lieu- tenant - all of whom this deponent believes are now dead
Sworn in Open Court this day and Year aforesaid
J D Kell First Judge J G Dardenberg John A Deyo } Judges
Abraham his X Becraft mark

20,388 Abraham Bousfield
admd.
How J. C. Bousfield M.C.

BRIEF in the case of  Abraham Becraft of Kingston County of Ulster,  in the State of New York (Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court 2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? 3. How old is he? 81 4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
    Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days. As a Gen.     Drafted Fall 1776. 1 private John Stark   Called out In 1777 21 " ditto alarm   ditto October 1777 14 " ditto do   a short time after 14 " ditto do   Drafted Oct. 1778 14 " ditto   called out summer 1779 14 " ditto do   Drafted 1779 7 " ditto   called out early Fall 1779 16 " ditto do   Drafted a short time after 14 " ditto do   called out Fall 1780 14 " ditto do   the " " " 21 " ditto do   called out summer 1780 14 " ditto do   Fall 14 " ditto do    5. In what battles was he engaged? Stone Arabia 7.5 155 7 147 1/2 
4.27 6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Claverack, New York 7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional evidence 8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Chas. S. Wilson Examining Clerk.
7. March 1830

Reborn
14951 INVALID.
File No. 14951
Abraham Beecraft
Pr. Rev. War.
Act: June 1 th 82
Index: Vol. 1 , Page 35
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Abraham Beecraft Application for a pension
7 mo. 11 out
20388
Com d
Com. 27. ds per

3 We Mansfield Barlow — a clergyman residing in the village of Kingston County of Ulster And State of New York and Reuben Nichols — residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Abraham Beecraft who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be eighty-one 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 &c
Mansfield Barlow Reuben Nichols
Ad Dopes For Judge A G Hardenburgh Abm A Deyo } Judges
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 — Mansfield Barlow — who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman residing in the village of Kingston County of Ulster and State of New York and that Reuben Nichols — who has also signed the same is a resident of the same place and is a cred-

ible person and that their statement is entitled to credit
J Doherty Esq Judge
C G Hartnabugh Abm A Deyo Judges
I Jacob Snyder Clerk of the Court of Com- mon Pleas in and for the County of Ulster do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Abraham Becraft for a pleasure -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this Seventeenth day of December - in the year A. D. 1832.
Jacob Snyder