Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 12,150, Abel Belknap, Continental Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Continental Mass.
Belknap, Abel
S12,150
CONTENTS
Carded

10179 8385 New York
Abel Belknap of P'ja in the State of N. York who was a Private in the Comp'y commanded by Captain Nevill of the Reg't. commanded by Col. Hutchins in the N' York line for 20 months
Date of death not on A.B.
Inscribed on the Roll of N. York at the rate of 66 Dollars 66 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 8 th day of Apr. 1837 and due Nov 1 st 1837 Rochester N.Y.
  Arrears to the 4th of Mch '37  $133 32    Semi-ant. allowance ending 1 st S pt '37  33 33     $166 65  
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by C. Stiles Clerk, Book 6. Vol. 4. Page 15

18. 179 old Case Abel Belknap
Adams
Hon. F. Whittelsey

BRIEF in the case of  Abel Belknap  of Riga  in the State of New York  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? a Judge  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? it does so appear  3. How old is he? 78 Years  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.     In 1775 8 As a Private Gen. Col s Israel Putnam } Maf's line Col s Hutchinson }   1776  States that, about the 1 st Jan y 1776. he enlisted for one year under the Officers before named, that he was in the battle at Fort Washington, and there taken Prisoner, and kept as such 6 Weeks when he was paroled, and went home — has no knowledge whether he was ever exchanged — did not again enter the Service.   
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Fort Washington  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Town of Lynden — Maf's  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? No evidence adduced. — States that he was a Pensioner (New York Agency) under the Act of 1818. and was stricken from the Roll on account of property — Certificate dated 17 th Ap l 1820 — Numbered, 17.955.  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? They are not attached according to the Regulations. 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Wm Gordon Examining Clerk.

18179
✓
In the Matter of the application of Abel Belknap for Pension. No. 7 Jan. 1832
Declaration,
H. Ely Atty for Appl t - Rochester. Mass Co. N. York
nom d
20 mo. per
$66.66 -

State of New York } Monroe County ss } On this 27 th day of September Eighteen hundred & thirty two personally appeared before Joseph Sebley one of the Judges of the County Courts in & for the said County of Monroe (a Court having a Seal & Clerk) Abel Pelknapp at his residence & House in the Town of Riga in the said County of Monroe & State of New York aged Seventy Eight Years, who first being duly sworn by said Judge according to law. Doth on his Oath make the following Declar- -ation in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7. 1832 - That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1775 and served in a Regiment (its number he cannot state) of the Massachusetts Line under the following named Officers - viz -
Field Officers
Col. Hudehenson (his Christian name he believes was Israel) Lieut. Col. Holden - his Christian name he does not recollect, nor either the Christian or Surname of the Major of said Regiment - nor any other of the Field Officers thereof -
The Officers of his Company were - Capt. Israel Sturtevant, Lieut. Elephalet Bode - the other Officer of said Company he cannot state - That he enlist- -ed in the Town of Lynn in the State of Massachusetts for the term of eight months; which he served in Boston in the said State of Massachusetts where he was discharged on or about the the particular time he cannot state - That he cannot state whether received a Discharge from written discharge or not
That on or about the first of January 1776 near Boston he again enlisted in the said United

State Service in the Regiment (its number he does not recollect as aforesaid) in the Massachusetts Line for the term of one year and served under the following named Officers - viz. those under which he served his said eight months aforesaid, Except the Lieutenant of the Company, he thinks was changed - leaving this he is not certain. That he served a portion of his said enlistment at Boston, Fort Washington & York Island - that he was in the Battle, at the taking of Fort Washington, which was about the middle of December after his said enlistment - that he was taken at the Battle of Fort Washington Prisoner in New York and put on board of the Prisoner Ship Astria - and kept and detained there at New York for the term of about six weeks - when he was paroled by the Officers of the Enemy - That aforesaid Applicant was paroled and went to the place of his residence; in Lynn aforesaid. From his confinement on board of said ship his health was & ever has been very much impaired thereby - that ever since, he has been almost totally deaf -
That said Applicant was not discharged until near the close of the war; if he was then - the only knowledge he ever had on that subject, was that about the close of the war, the precise time he cannot state - he heard of its being published in the public News points, that the prisoners on board of the said Prisoner Ship, were or had been discharged - That he never received any discharge of his said service -
The reason (as said applicant, then heard) why the Prisoners on board of the said ship Astria were not discharged, was that from their

way not to be changed, was that from their Asia were not to be changed, was that from their
Confinement. They became sickly and unable to perform the service of a soldier and horse, the expression, which said applicant recollects, was used by the Officers of the Army; "that General Washington, would not exchange live men for dead ones" -
That said applicant has no documentary evidence except such as is on file in the Office of the Secretary of War. and that he knows of no person or persons living by whom he could prove his said terms of service or either of them, except persons by the name of Danford and Richardson of the Town of Lynn, State of Mass- achusetts, whose respective affidavits, he procured on his application for a Pension under the Act of the 18th March 1818, now on file in the office of the said Secretary of War, but whether they deposed to the whole or respective terms of service aforesaid, he does not recollect - said applicant does not know. that said witnesses are now living - if they were it would be quite impossible for said applicant to procure them or either of their affidavits on this application that they are older than this applicant -
That he was put upon the Pension Roll under the Act of the 18 March 1818. that his Certificate bears date the 17 Apr 1820 and numbered 17.965 - Registered in Book B Vol 5 pg 96 - that he was at that time has been struck from said Roll on account of property
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a Pension or annuity, except the present. and he declares that his name is not

on the Pension Role/as a Pensioner in the receipt of a Pension/of any agency of any State— Sworn to and subscribed } the day & year aforesaid before } me
That his first application (under the Act of 18 March 1818, was made on or about the first part of the year 1820, as he thinks before one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Genesee—That he then resided, where he now does as aforesaid—That the County, was then Genesee, but now Monroe
Sworn to the day & year of Abel Belknap aforesaid before me
Joseph Sibley
Judge of the County Courts of said County
And I the aforesaid Judge do hereby dec- lare my opinion. That the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states, & that in my opinion he is from ill health to appear in open Court to make his Declaration State of New York— Monroe County } Joseph Sibley Judge &c
Leonard Adams Clerk of the Courts of the said County of Monroe Do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proce- edings of Joseph Sibley one of the Judges of said Courts of said County in the matter of the application of Abel Belknap, as appears from the signature of the said Joseph Sibley thereto respectively subscribed as aforesaid - with which I am acquainted. That he was one of the Judges of said County at the date of the aforesaid proceedings. In testimony
I have hereunto set my hand and Seal of Office this
first day of October 1832 L Adams Clerk

April 25, 1932
BA-J/MLB Quinn
XXXXXXXXXXXX
ABEL BELKNAP
S.12150
Mrs. E. Austin 4225 North Downer Avenue Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter of recent date, relative to Abel Belknap, a soldier of the Revolutionary War.
The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, S. 12150, of Abel Belknap, based upon his military service in the Revolutionary War.
While living in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, he enlisted in 1775, served eight months as a private in Captain Ezra Newhall's company, Colonel Israel Hutchinson's Massachusetts regiment, and at the end of that service, while in Boston, he reenlisted January 1, 1776, served as a private in Captain Ezra Newhall's company, Colonel Israel Hutchinson's Massachusetts regiment, was taken prisoner the middle of November, 1776, at the battle of Fort Washington and was held by the British in New York until January 1, 1777, when he was released on parole, returned home, and was not exchanged until nearly the close of the war.
He was allowed pension on his application executed April 13, 1818, at which time he was a resident of Genesee County, New York, aged sixty-three years.
In 1819 he was living in Riga, Genesee (later called Monroe) County, New York, where he was still living in 1832.
There is no reference in the claim to wife or children.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Assistant to Administrator
Did not use "Israel" as states once by the soldier Per Mass. Soldiers & Sailors - M.P.

I, Ebenezer Richardson make affidavit asay that Abel Belknap enlisted into the company commanded by Capt Ezra Newhall in the regiment commanded by Col. Israel Putnam, some time near the close of the year 1775, for one year. That some time in June 1776 the regiment marched from Boston to Fort Washington in New York - that said Belknap served in said Regiment till the capture of said fort in November following, when he & the said regiment, were taken prisoners & car- ried to the city of New York, where said Belknap was retained a prisoner till the first of January 1777, when he was released on parole - farther saith not the deponent. Ebenezer E. Richardson
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Essex ss. Lynn November 22. 1819
The above said Ebenezer Richardson personally appeared & made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed.
Before me James Gardner, Justice of Peace.
I the said justice further certify that the testi- mony of the said Ebenezer Richardson is valid & worthy to be taken in all cases.
James Gardner

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Witnesseth: Nov. 22 d 1879 I, Ichabod Tucker, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts of said State, hereby certify that James Gardner Esq r is a Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly qualified to ad- minister oaths - That his signature within written is genuine, and that the Seal affixed is the seal of the Supreme Judicial Court.
Attest Ichabod Tucker, Clerk

Rev. Belknap's
Application -
Rev. Belknap's private
Rev. Hutchinson's Regt
May & June 1758 & 1759
13 Dec 1810.
Rev. Belknap's
Rev. Belknap's Application - Rev. Belknap's private Rev. Hutchinson's Regt May & June 1758 & 1759 13 Dec 1810.
Sign - Rev. Belknap
Admitted.

State of New York
Greene County ss:
Abel Belknap being duly sworn cloth depose and say that he this deponent enlisted as a private soldier in to the continental service in the war of the revolution in the month of Novem- ber or December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy five, for one year in a company commanded by Capt Ezra Dovel, in a Regiment under command of Colonel Hutchinson in the Massachusetts line, and this deponent further saith that he served in the said war until some time in the month of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six when he this deponent was taken prisoner by the British Troops at Fort Washington and detained by them at New York until the first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven, at which time he this deponent was discharged from his imprisonment, - And this deponent further saith that his term of service according to his enlistment then being out he never received any other discharge than that of being discharged as a prisoner and being duly discharged as such - And fur- ther that he is now an actual resident of the County of Greene in the State of New York and that from his entire circumstances in life he is an actual

and of assistance from his Government for support - and further that in this disputant has never been placed upon any Russian list in the United States Sworn and Subscribed Abel Belknap before me this 12 th day of April A D 1818
Nathan Parker - Judge of the court at Cam, Ores for future Comity

State of New York } On this thirty fourth day of April in Guern County ss. } the year 1818 before me the subscribers one of the Judges of the court of common pleas of the county of Guern in the State of New York personally appears Abel Belknap aged sixty three years resident in the county of Guern and State of New York who being by me first duly sworn - ac- cording to law, doth on his oath make the fol- lowing declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of congress entitled an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary war, That he the said Abel enlisted in the month of November or December in the year 1775 - for one year in the State of Massachusetts in a company com- manded by Capt. Ezra Tread, in the Regi- ment commanded by Colonel Hutchinson, in the Massachusetts line - that he continued to serve in the said corps or in the service of the United States until the first day of January in the year of our Lord 1777 when he was discharged at the city of New York, from his service as from the affidavit of the said Abel Belknap hereto annexed will more fully appear - That he was in the battle of Fort Washington and that he is in reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his county for support, and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services. — — — — —
Sworn to and declared before me the day and year aforesaid Abel Belknap Harris Parker judge

I Ralph Parker One of the judges of the Court of Common pleas for the County of Genesee in the state of New York as aforesaid do certify that it appears to my satisfaction that the said Abel Belknap did serve in the revolutionary war as stated in the preceding declaration against the common Enemy, and I now transmit the proceedings and testimony taken and had before me to the Secretary for the Department of War pursuant to the directions of the aforementioned Act of Congress. Ralph Parker
And I do hereby further certify that from the oath of John S. S. I am satisfied that the said Abel Belknap is in reduced circumstances and absolutely needs the assistance of the Country for support. Ralph Parker
Genesee County ss. I hereby certify that the Court of common pleas of Genesee County is a Court of record in the state of New York and that Ralph Parker was on the first day of May in the year 1818. One of the judges of the said Court and that the official signatures to the declarations and certificates herewith annexed are his signatures.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed the seal of the said Court this fifteenth day of December 1818.
Simeon Cummings Clerk by Sam l Lake Dep

The affidavit of Joshua Danforth for the use of Abel Belknap, Riga county, Genesee N.Y.

I, Joshua Danforth of Saugus in the county of Es- sex & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, of lawful age, do make affidavit, that Abel Belknap then of Lynn in said county, but now of Riga in the county of Genesee & state of New York, enlisted into the continental army the first of January A.D. 1776 & served, with me, in the company commanded by Capt. Ezra Newhall in the regiment command- ed by Col. Israel Hutchinson, till the surrender of Fort Washington in New York when he, the said Belknap, was taken pri- soner, & remained a prisoner till near the close of the said year 1776. The term of our enlistment was for one year. Joshua Danforth
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Essex ss. Lynn August 2. 1819 Then personally ap- peared the above named Joshua Danforth & made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit, by him subscribed, Before me, James Gardner Just. Peace
I, the said Justice, certify that the above depo- nent is a credible witness. J. Gardner.
9/15/19: Nov. 22. 1819 I certify that the said James Gard- ner Esq. is a Justice of the Peace for said county, and the above is his signature. Atty. Ichabod Tucker, { Clerk of S.S. Court

Reexam
12150 INVALID.
1932 - Apr. 25 - Inst. to Mrs. E. Austin - m. 19.
File No. 12, 150
Abel Belknap Priv Bow War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index: - Vol. A , Page 29
[Arrangement of 1870.]

4225 N. Downer Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin March 12, 1932.
Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D.C.
Sirs:
I would like to know if Abel Belknap received a pension for his services in the Revolutionary War.
He enlisted at Lynn, Mass., in Capt. Ezra Newhall's Company, Col. Mansfield's Regiment.
He was born in Woburn, Mass. May 24, 1754, and died in Chili, N.Y. April 3, 1838.
Thanking you for your information, I am
Yours truly,
Mrs. E. Austin.

16.965 New York.
Abel Belknap
of Riga in the state of N. York who was a private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Hutchinson of the Massachusetts line, for the term of 1 year.
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 13 of April 1810
Certificate of Pension issued the 17 of May 1820 and sent to Roswell Babbitt, Esq. Rochester, Genesee Co. N.Y.
Arrears to 4th of March 1820 - 101. 03 Semi-ann. all'ce ending 4 Sept. 1820 - 40. 00 22 Mo. \frac{10. 4}{30. 31} $229. 03
{ Revolutionary claim, { Act 18th March, 1818. }
Genesee Co. N.Y.