Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 12217, Elisha Bills, New York

SERVICE
New York
★ Bills, Elisha
NUMBER
S 12217
CONTENTS
leaded

6766
New-York
Elisha Bills
of Otsego in the State of New York who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Gilmore of the Regt commanded by Col. VanVortz in the New York line for 8 months
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 7 day of March 1833 and sent to Hon. W. S. Ange
Arrears to the 4th of Mar. '33. $53.32 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sep. '33. 13.33
$66.65
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by G. C. Steele Clerk Book L. Vol. 5. Page 162

Eliza Bills
M. Brown
Atty
1828
By consent of Hon Wm G. Angel
8 mo per
$26.66.

Owego Common Pleas of October Term 1832
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 1832
State of New York Owego County
On this 15 th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Owego being a Court of record now sitting Elisha Bills a resident of the Town of Northville County & State of Ohio aged 84 years next April 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 1832
That he entered the service of the United States in the Revolutionary War under the following named officers, Stearns or  Heaslip  Stearns  or  Stearns  or  Stearns
In the year 1779 as he believes he was a resident of the Town of Cambridge in the County of Washington State of Ohio & in the month of April of that year this deponent volunteered in the militia of the State of New York for the term of three months at Fort Edward in a company commanded by Capt George Gilmore in Col. Ben Mants Regt & who also commanded the Fort he does not recollect his officer except those mentioned but he recollects one Capt Sherwood who commanded a company in the Fort He was not at the Fort during the whole term of service doing garrison duty hunting Tories scouting & so on at the end of his term was discharged & returned home but he never at any time had any written discharge In October following he volunteered again for the term of 3 months

under the same officers at the same place after remaining in the Fort for the term of service about the last of December or first of January he was again discharged & returned home. His duty was mostly the same as before. In March following he again volunteered on an expedition to go to Schenectady on an alarm that the Indians & Tories were in the vicinity. Capt. Gilmore being at the time unwell & unable to do Military duty, the Company to which he was attached elected one Solomon Dine a Captain over the Company for this expedition. He proceeded to Schenectady & remained there about 3 months doing Garrison duty watching the Indians & then returned home. He never received a cent of pay for any of the preceding services. He was frequently called out upon alarms against the Indians & Tories for a few days at a time sometimes a week sometimes more & sometimes less. He marched to Schenectady from Cambridge on foot when the snow was deep & bad travelling. He knows of no person whom testimony he could give to his service nor has any documentary evidence of the same. He was born at Lebanon Connecticut (Hartford = home county) on the 18 day of April 1749. He has a record of his age at home in his Bible & also from his father's Bible money gross since. There is also a record of his age in the town when he was born. He lived there until he was about 25 years of age when he was married & removed to Wilmington in Vermont about 20 miles east of Bennington. When he lived about six years from there to Cambridge New York about two years from there to Pittsfield

Mohawk about 7 years thence to Jones- borough about 7 years more thence to Charlton New York on the Mohawk River about 5 years thence to Milford Ohio in New York about 16 years thence to Hartwick adjoining about 13 years since where he has resided since residence
He in once upon the Dept. to Dea. con Birch to Dionis Randall Esquire & Esq. Samuel Mallon of Hartwick to William Bernard Esquire & Allen Baker of Milford as to his character for truth & integrity He does not recollect the names of any other officers than those heretofore mentioned And he hereby denies his ever claiming whatever except the present to a pension or annuity & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State
Elisha Bell
Sworn & subscribed in open Court the 16 th day of October 1832
Horace S. Thompson Clerk

And the Court hereby declare their opinion after an investigation of the matter after putting the interrogatories presented by the Mother asserting that the said Eliza Bell was a victim of the Revolution. I found them as he states. And the said Court further certify that James Cypher who has signed the certificate unto attachment is a Clergyman residing in the Town of Northfield & that George H. Derbyshire who has also signed the same is a minister of the Gospel. Yours is a credible person & his statement is entitled to credit.
Seth Chase
J. C. Warwouth } Judges J. C. Mason }

Otsego County
Mr James Cuykendall a belligerent residing in the town of Hartwick County aforesaid and G. H. D. by him of the same been long known to certify we are well acquainted with Elisha Bills who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 83 years of age last April, that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion His character for truth and veracity is good Sworn and Subscribed James Cuykendall before me the 18 day of G. H. D. by him October 1832 before me Ariel Thayer Justice
I Horace S. Throp Clerk of Otsego County prior hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings before the same court in the matter of the application of Elisha Bills for a pension And I further certify that Ariel Thayer before whom the same oppressive proceedings to have been to have was at the time of the taking thereof an acting Justice of the peace in and for the County of Otsego duly qualified before me to take the same that I am acquainted with his handwriting and that the foregoing is a true copy to be his own proper hand writing In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 19 th day of October

1832—
Horace Lathrop, Clerk.
I certify that the within papers are authentic
W G. Burgh

adm 2
v. 16 p. 297
Feb 26 35
NY a

BRIEF in the case of  Elisha Bills  County of Otsego  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? S  3. How old is he? 84.  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.     Vol. In 1779 April. " 3 — Private. Capt. Gilmore Col. Vanwart   do. 1779 Octr. Discharged last of Decr. " " " " "   do. 1780 March of first of Jan. " " " Capt. King —   Sundry other times. about 3. " " " — —   not stated  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Washington City. D. C.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? They are not attached to the Clerk's seal. 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. Waugh Examining Clerk.
Feb. 22. 1833.

Pension
12217 INVALID.
Am
File No. 12,217
Elisha Bills Prior Box War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. A , Page 33
[Arrangement of 1870.]