Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 12136, Josiah Bennit, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
bennit
Bennit Josiah
S12136
CONTENTS
barded

9125 Connecticut
Josiah Bennett
Danbury in the State of Conn who was a Pri in the Conn commanded by Captain Nash of the Reg commanded by Col. Walker in the Conn State Troops - 8 mo
Inscribed on the Roll of Conn
the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum, commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 28 day of March 1833 and sent Edward Taylor Danbury Conn
Enrars to the 14th of March 33 $ 53 32 Pemi-ant. allowance ending Sep 1. 1833
$ 66,66 2/3
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by E. D. Burrough Clerk, Book 6 Vol. 3 - Page 3

State of Connecticut, } ss. County of Fairfield, }
On this 28 th day of July 1832 personally appeared, in open Court, before the Court of Probate for the District of Danbury - the said Benjamin D. Bennett, now sitting as a Judge in said Court, the same being a Court of Record
now sitting Benjamin D. Bennett a resident of Danbury — in the County of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, aged sixty eight 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,
That on the 12 th day of April 1781 one Benjamin Redfield then of said Fairfield in the said County, enlisted for the term of nine months in a company of Connecticut State Troops, commanded by Captain Thomas. Said company was a Regiment which was commanded at the time by Colonel Walker. Said company was in said County. The said Regiment was distributed in small detachments along the shore of Long Island and in said Fairfield County. Said company was Captain. Said company was stationed at Greenwich at some time, and Green's Farm, and in the said said Fairfield. The said Redfield enlisted as a Private soldier and served in the said company until about the time in the early part of the month of May following then being out of the company, he enlisted the said Benjamin D. Bennett at some time the remainder of his said term and his honorable discharge. That he immediately entered the said service as a Private soldier and served in the said company Captain. Said company was under his command as a guard at Green's Farm, the remainder of the period for which the said Redfield enlisted as aforesaid, and until the first day of January 1782. and as the said last mentioned day was divided no further discharge was given him. The period of his said service was about

eight months. but he can't recollect the day of said month, saying that he entered the service - said field did not far from said place of service - During his said service, he was engaged in no battle - but the duty of said service being to protect the persons and property of the inhabitants at Green Farms and in the vicinity against attacks from small plundering parties of British au- tories which frequently came there from Long - Island, he was often engaged in skirmishes with such parties - The other officers of said company were commanded by said Captain which were Jonathan Swift and David Green man more than he can recollect
That he was born in said Fairfield and resided there at the time of entering the said service. That he has no record of his age but from the information he received of his Parents in their life time he believes he was born on the 28th day of April 1764. - And that he always continued to reside in said Fairfield until the month of April 1781 when he removed to said Danbury where he has more since resided
That he has no documentary evidence and knows no person who's testimony he can produce, who can testify to his said service, excepting those persons who are affidavits are now presented, and are hereunto annexed -
Josiah Bennett

The said Josiah Bennett 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.
Josiah Bennett
We, Harry Starr a clergyman, residing in the town of Dumfries , and Daniel B. Cooke residing in the same, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Josiah Bennett who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be sixtyeight 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.
Daniel B. Cooke
Harry Starr
Levi Osborn
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 Harry Starr and Levi Osborn who has signed the preceding certificate, are clergymen, resident in the town of Dumfries and that Rev. Daniel B. Cooke who has also signed the same, is a resident in the town of Dumfries and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Attest Edward Saylor clerk
I, Edward Saylor Clerk of the Mid-District of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Josiah Bennett for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of my said Office, this 28 th day of July 1832.
Attest Edward Saylor clerk

State of Connecticut } Fairfield County } ss
I Reuben Booth of Danbury in the said County of Fairfield Judge of the Court of Probate for the District of Danbury in said County do hereby certify and make known to all whom it may concern that Edward Taylor who hath signed a certified the foregoing proceedings of the said Court of Probate is clerk thereof and was clerk as aforesaid at the time of signing and certifying the same that the signatures above written and all the signatures hereunto annexed attesting the proceedings of the said Court purporting to be the signatures of the said Edward Taylor are in his proper hand writing, and that full faith & credit are due to his official acts as such clerk
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Danbury aforesaid this 28 th day of July 1832
Reuben Booth Judge of the Court of Probate for the District of Danbury Connecticut

State Connecticut Fairfield County ss. N. S.
on this 20th day of December
1832 personally appeared in person James Blake the bearer of this Certificate for the District of Columbia now residing at Washington in the said County and State, the known being a servant of mine, I believe knowest a resolution of said James being aged sixty eight years who being first fully known according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration, his place of birth in original declaration made before said Court on the 28th day of July 1832 in order to claim the benefit of the Act to provide for pensions June 7th 1832.
That being required to state more precisely than in said original declaration is stated the length of his service and the different periods in which he served in that he entered the service of the United States at stated in his original declaration - and the said state of Connecticut Redfield in the Regiment of Connecticut State Troops, commanded by
Colonel Walker, in the campaign wounded by Captain Mearns in the War and that he so entered as a Private soldier on the first Monday of May 1781. Having stated in his original declaration that it was "in the early part of said month of May" he is now enabled by the power of entering the said service more definitely than in his said original declaration by recalling that it was on the day of training the militia of said State of Connecticut, in

the spring of the year, while there was, and ever since has been, a great dearth of the spring in such places. And he further said that from what he had seen of May, he continued to have nothing of interest to show, as the harvest was of private interest until the first day of November 1882, and that was shown by some evidence on a single day, during the year 1882.
• Measured by me & Andrew in open court - W. Edward Taylor clerk
Joshua Bennit
Edward Taylor Clerk of the Peace for the County of Middlesex to the Right Hon. the Lord Teynham, Chairman of the Justices of the Peace for the said County. Whereas the said Justices at their Quarter Sessions held at Oxford on the 28th day of November last did order that the sum of £100 be paid out of the said County into the hands of the said Edward Taylor Clerk of the Peace for the said County to be by him paid over to the said Justices or their successors in office for the time being to be by them applied towards the expenses of the said County. And whereas the said Justices at their Quarter Sessions held at Oxford on the 20th day of December last did order that the sum of £100 be paid out of the said County into the hands of the said Edward Taylor Clerk of the Peace for the said County to be by him paid over to the said Justices or their successors in office for the time being to be by them applied towards the expenses of the said County. Now know ye that the said Edward Taylor Clerk of the Peace for the said County has received of the said Justices the sum of £100 for the said County. Witnesseth my hand and seal this 20th day of December 1832. Edward Taylor Clerk

March 23, 1939.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
BA-J/CC On Josiah Bennit S.12136
Mrs. Grace O.L.Mershon Box 449 Princeton, New Jersey.
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Josiah Bennit of any spelling and Jonathan Royal both of Connecticut.
There is no claim for pension on file based upon service in the Revolutionary War of a Jonathan Royal. The Revolutionary War record of Josiah Bennit(Bennett) as found in pension claim S.12136, is furnished you herein.
Josiah Bennit was born April 28, 1764, in Fairfield, Connecticut, names of his parents are not shown.
Fairfield Co., While residing in Fairfield, Connecticut, Josiah Bennit enlisted first Monday of May 1781, served as private in Captain Thomas Nash's company, Colonel Walker's Connecticut regiment, was in several skirmishes and was discharged January 1, 1782.
After his discharge from the service he returned to his home in Fairfield, Connecticut and remained there until 1816, when he moved to Danbury, Fairfield County, Connecticut.
Josiah Bennit was allowed pension on his application dated July 28, 1832, while still a resident of Danbury, Fairfield County, Connecticut.
There are no family data shown.
In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, the name and address of person paid and possibly the date of death

of Josiah Bennit, you should address the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city and cite the following data:
Josiah Bennit Certificate #9125 Issued March 28, 1833 Rate $26.66 per annum Commenced March 4, 1831 Act of June 7, 1832 Connecticut Agency.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator.

N o 3039
Please direct to Edward Taylor Esq Clerk of Probate Durham Co. Durham

Moses O. Banks of Ridgefield in the County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut aged sixty eight years being duly sworn to depose and say that Deborah Bennett house of Winsted in said County on or about the 10 th day of May 1781 entered the service of the United States in the company of Connecticut State Troops commanded by Captain Thomas Hassan said Company of Artillery belonged to the Regiment commanded by Colonel Wolcott. The said Bennett so entered the said service as a Private Soldier and as the substitute of one Jeremiah Redfield who had enlisted on the 10 th of April previous for nine months and as the said Bennett served therein from the time he so entered until the 10 th day of January following as a Private Soldier at Compaug and Green farms in Fairfield in said County where said Company was located as a guard enlisted in the said Company on the same day said Redfield enlisted and served therein at said Compaug and Green farms the whole period of nine months and well knew the said Bennett in the said service.
Moses O. Banks
July 28 th 1832 Sworn & subscribed in open Court and the said Court of Probate certifies that the Deponent is a credible witness & sustains a good character for truth.
Albert Edward Gay Clerk

I Stephen Allen of Danbury in the County of Fairfield and State of Con- necticut aged sixty eight years on July the second day of the year 1781 in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty one I have been in the said County of Fairfield for the term of nine months in the company of the troops commanded by Captain Thomas Mather stationed as a guard at Green's Farms and Compt in the town of Fairfield in said County. He entered the said service and served therein as a Private Soldier until about the 10 th day of May following, when he was joined by the said Captain Mather and said Danbury & some the re- mainder of his troops in substitute said Bennett served at Fairfield & at Green's Farms from said 10 th day of May and long as continued therein, and until the 12 th day of July following, when he was taken Prisoner & carried to New York and detained until January 1782 - but I believe under the terms of said capitulation and that he served the whole period for which said Redfield enlisted and until the 10 th day of March of January 1782 - about eight months said company commanded by Captain Nash belonged to the Virginia Continental State Troops, was commanded by Colonel Walker as Colonel - I enlisted in the same company at the same time said Redfield enlisted
Stephen Allen

July 28 th 1832 Sworn & Subscribed in open Court and the said Court of Probate certifies that the Deponent sustains a good character for truth and is a credible witness
Attest Edward Taylor Clerk

London Second
5
E Taylor
11
1/35.

3039
BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Josiah Bennett which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides?
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides?
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served?
V. * Has he mentioned 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? Services not precisely stated. It should appear whether his service was continuous or periodical during the term stated
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832?
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal?

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? XIV. † If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? And is the official character and signature of the magistrate certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
 EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. 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 the 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.
QUERE XIV.  Proof of Service.
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 claimants 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.
QUERE XVI.  Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end 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.

Please direct to Edward Taylor Esq. Clerk of Probate - Danbury Conn. -
admit
8 th private
$ 26.66

I, Moses O. Banks of Redfield in the County of Randolph, and State of Connecticut aged sixty eight years being duly sworn to before me and say, in addition to my affidavit made before the Court of Probate in the District of Danbury on the 28 th day of July 1832, in behalf of Moses Banks of Danbury in said County, that from the time the said Moses entered the service of the United States in the Regiment of Connecticut State Troops as a man in Colonel Walker in the Company commanded by Captain Thomas Mack, he continued to serve therein as a private soldier until the first day of January 1832 - He was not at any time thereafter the said service, during the said term. As stated in my affidavit of the 28 th of July said Moses entered the service about the 1 st day of May 1831, in Danbury received the pay for the month. Thereafter Redfield for where he served as a substitute, and who was taken sick at that time, continued in the until until the winter following when he died - And that after said Moses entered the service as the substitute he did not receive the pay for said month or term of the service - Moses O. Banks
State of Connecticut County of Randolph ss. District of Danbury - Moses O. Banks - on this 20 th day of December 1832, personally appeared Moses O. Banks, the above named, and acknowledged the foregoing description and made oath to the truth and subscribed the same - and said upon oath that the foregoing is a true and good account to the best of his knowledge and belief. Attest: Edward Saylor Clerk

Allen, 28, 1902 Mary E. Rootwell & Meriden Conn
1919 Oct. 4, History to Mrs. F. J. Doubleday - aut.
1928. June 25 - visit to Doubleday data to class. R. Hall see letter in Samuel Steel file
1939 - Mar. 23, visit to Mrs. Grace O. L. Meriden cc
Rev. W. W.
12136 INVALID.
File No. 12, 136
1. Sarah Bennett 2. By Rev. W. W.
Act: June 7 th 1932
Index: - Vol. A , Page 28
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Cortland Sept-17. 1919
Rev Sec
Pension Office
Washington D. C.
Dear Sir's
I have a record of Josiah Bennett S12136 the only one of my family Bennett Conn. born P 2 65-0 Conn Pensioners of 1882, Residents of Fairfield Co. Conn.
Also, Josiah Bennett from Durham Conn. Which one of these Pensioners served for a time, as substitute for his father in the Rev. Wars?
Yours resp't - Mrs. F. J. Dowdley 44 Portway St. Glenshaw N.Y.

Box 449
Princeton N.J.
Feb. 11, 1939
Veterans Administration Washington D.C.
Dear Sirs:
I should like very much to know if you have any records concerning Josiah my only one Bennit (spelled in any of its variations), and Jonathan O'Royal, both of Conn. during the Revolutionary War.
Thank you for the favor. Yours very truly,
(Mrs.) Grace L.O. Mershon

Rev. and 1812 Wars Section.
acc
June 25, 1928
Charles R. Hale 33 Capitol Ave. Hartford, Conn.
Sir:
I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim S. 12136, it appears that Josiah Ben- nit was born April 28, 1764 in Fairfield, Connecticut.
While residing at said Fairfield, he enlisted in May 1781 and served until January 1, 1782 as a private in Captain Thomas Nash's Company, Colonel Walker's Connecticut Regiment.
He was allowed pension on his application executed July 28, 1832, while a resident of Danbury, Fairfield County, Connecticut.
Jobstace data mcy

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., _____, 19_____
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Isaiah Bennett a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     May 1781 Jan 1782 Col. General Rains General Conn.                                                   
Battles engaged in, _____
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Fairfield, Fairfield Co. Conn.
Date of application for pension, July 21 1862. This pension was allowed
Residence at date of application, Hartbury, Fairfield Co. Conn.
Age at date of application, April 28 1862 in Fairfield Conn.
Remarks: There is no data on file as to his family.
Soldier signed as Bennett and this is the only War Pensioner named Isaiah Bennett under any spelling of that surname found in the records of this Bureau.
Respectfully,
OK
Commissioner.