Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 22,711, Martin Curtiss, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Conn.
Curtiss, Martin
S. 22,711
Curtis or
CONTENTS

let to Hon. G. P. Marsh age 16 3/4 1846 let F. D. Isham, May 25/52, 1852
691
Vermont
Martin Burtis
of New Haven Ct. in the State of Vermont who was an Ensign in the Company commanded by Captain Groot — of the reg d commanded by Col. Swift in the Connecticut line for 4 years from 1776
Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont at the rate of 21.00 Dollars — Cents per ann. to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 10 day of October 1832 — and sold to Stephen Haight. Present,
Arrears to 4th of September 1832 $360. — Semi-annual allowance ending 4 March 1833 120. —
$480. —
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J. Allison Clerk, Book D, Vol. 4, Page 51

State of Vermont } On this 11 th day of August A.D. 1832 District of New Haven } Personally appeared in open court before the court of Probate now sitting at Monkton, county of Addison & State of Vermont being within and for the District of New Haven Martin Curtis a resident of Monkton county of Addison & State of Vermont, aged eighty six 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 Congress passed June 7 th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
On the fall of 1775 or -76 I enlisted at  I cannot say which I went to New York & soon crossed over to Brooklyn. Long Island & there remained during the winter following under the command of Colonel I think Canfield, after my term of service was out at Brooklyn. General whom name I do not recollect told us our time was out & we could go if we wished, but expressed a wish that we should remain in service a few days till other forces should come & supply their places. I was one of the number that staid for that purpose a few days & then returned to Kent Litchfield county State of Connecticut, which was in the spring following according to the best of my recollection. Soon after my return to Kent aforesaid I enlisted into Captain Crouch's Company, in the Regiment of Colonel I think Heman Swift & Marched to Stamford Borough, served there eight months, & afterwards I received an Ensign's Commission in the spring of 1777 was called to Cones & served there six weeks as Ensign, afterwards I marched to Hornbeck under Captain Studdervant Colonel Canfield's Regiment and remained there according to the best of my recollection three months Afterwards I recollect I served & had the charge of a company who were employed in transporting for a Military Store regiment an enlistment of the United States from Kent aforesaid to Troops stationed as I think somewhere on the West side of North River. I further say that I served as a soldier & a commissioned officer of the Militia of the State of Connecticut for the space of six years & I verily believe I was in regular service more than four years of the said six years, & that about four years of the said six years I held a commission of an Ensign, & I further say that I am old and infirm both in body & mind & that I recollect but very few of the officers under whom I served, but very few of the particulars relating to my service & I have no documentary evidence of my service except my commission as ensign, which is herein enclosed. I hereby relinquish all claims whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declare that my name is not on the pension roll of any State. I was born in 1746 in the town of Kent State of Connecticut now called Vermont I do not know that I have a record of my age, do not know that I have any discharge from service. Have lived in the town of Warren Conn. Bristol & Monkton Vermont since the Revolution. Dan Stone, Daniel Collins, Nathan Collins of Monkton are acquainted with me now, should be submitted before me John Parker
We Johnson Finney, Arza C. Dean residing in Monkton county of Addison & State of Vermont, here by certify that we are well acquainted with Martin Curtis, who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be eighty six years of age that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood in which he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, & that we concur in that opinion written & subscribed before me John Parker Johnson Finney Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, & after putting the all interpretations pursuant by the War Department, that the above named applicant, was a Revolutionary Soldier, & served as he states, and the court further certifies that it appears to them that the said Johnson Finney & Arza C. Dean are residents of the town of Monkton

That the county & state aforesaid, & that they are persons entitled to credit
I John Packer Register of the court of Probate within for the District of the State of Vermont, do here by certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the court in the matter of the application of Martin Curtis in a petition.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 11 th day of August A.D. 1852
John Packer Register

House of Representatives April 14 1846
Sir
The heirs of Martin Curtis, an Engineer in the Army of the Revolution, and lately a Pensioner under the act of 1832, have been informed that arrears were due him under some of the acts for the relief of revolutionary soldiers, and suppose that evidence to that effect is to be found in the files of your office. I am requested to inquire whether any papers or records in the Pension Office show that any thing was due to that officer beyond his pension.
I am, Sir, respectfully yours
Col G Edward { Commr of Pensions }
George B. Marsh

Martin's Courtship Printed Act 32. V. 1841
Et by Made Feb-51

Columbia Point V.D. Crown Point N.Y. Aug 17. 1850
To Hon. G. H. Edwards, Comd of Provisions. Sir,
I am truly gratified to correspond with W. G. Wade of Rose N. Y. relative to the claim of my father Ensign Martin Curtis of the C. V. Line, to having bond for services in the Revolutionary war, as he is the Attorney to investigate said claim, & also to any claim my father may have for pension —
I am Sir, Respectfully Chas. S. Smith Martin Curtis

North Frederickburg, Va. May 18, 1832.
Sir:
Martin Curtis drew a Pension for services in the Revolutionary War. He was an ensign. He died about the spring of 1835.
Are His Children, still living, (his wife having died before he did,) entitled to anything from government, arising from any arrears of pay, if any, due their ancestor, or from any other source?
The heirs of Curtis tell me that, one sometime ago of them received, a letter from the Department at Washington, stating that there were 7000$ + more, due them, which would be paid at the receipt of legal proof of their heirship .
You say that it is necessary to know the Regiment & Company one served in, before you can inform me whether he is entitled to a pension. Owing to length of time, absence of witnesses, &c. &c. it is quite impossible to ascertain this in but few cases. Is there not a general index to the army list alphabetically arranged wherein the names of all the officers & soldiers are kept which will direct in what company & regiment any particular one was enrolled?
J. L. Harrell Esq. (Commissioner of Pensions)
I am Your humble servant F. D. Isham

Resolution
22 7/11
am
INVALID.
File No. 22 7/11
Martin Curtis
Foreign Rev Mass
Act: June 7 th 82 nd
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 98
[Arrangement of 1870.]

22711 JONATHAN TRUMBULL, Esquire, Captain-General, and Commander in Chief, of the State of CONNECTICUT, in AMERICA.
To Martin Carli's Gent. GREETING.
YOU being by the General Assembly of this State accepted to be Ensign, the ninth Company or Trainband in the 1st Regiment in this State Reposing special Trust and Confidence, in your Fidelity, Courage, and good Conduct, I do, by Virtue of the Laws of this State, me thereunto enabling, appoint and impower you to take the said Company into your Care and Charge, as their Ensign carefully and diligently to discharge that Trust; exercising your inferior Officers and Soldiers in the Use of their Arms, according to the Discipline of War; keeping them in good Order and Government; and commanding them to obey you as their Ensign for the Service of this State. And you are to observe all such Orders and Directions, as from Time to Time you shall receive, either from me, or from other your superior Officer, pursuant to the Trust hereby reposed in you.
Given under my Hand, and the Seal of this State, in Hartford the 31st Day of May Anno Domini, 1777
By His Honor's Command,
George Wyllys Sec'y.
J. Trumbull
CURTISS, MARTIN (CONV) S-22711

The Hon Secy of War
Washington

Markton 04 August 29 o 1832-
Sir
I herewith inclose you the papers in the case of Martin Curtes praying for a Pardon The Affidavit of the Minister would have been sent had he been a member of the Town for any length of time I have sent my own Affidavit and have only to add that I am acquainted with all the Jurors who have been sworn in the case and assure you that they are intitled to one dit
I am with much respect yours
Abt Lent Stephen Haight

Johnson Jimmy affidavit

I Johnson Finney of Monkton in the County of Addison and State of Vermont of lawful age do testify and say that for the first 12 or 14 years of my life I lived in the State of Connecticut in the immediate vicinity of Capt Martin Curtis and more than 40 years have lived in the State of Vermont and the greatest part of the time in the neighborhood of said Curtis and have been intimately acquainted with him have frequently heard him and my father in his life time and many others of our neighbors conversing on the subject of the Revolutionary war and related common stories which took place while they were out together in the service at New York at Brooklyn at Skaneateles at Hornell at Danbury at Old Fort Independence and various other places which they named and always understood said Curtis was out in the service at different times and different places for a considerable portion of the revolutionary war to the amount of more than two years as a soldier or non commissioned officer and company officer I do not recollect the length of time which was talked of that he would after receive his commission but should think nearly or quite one half of said term of two years I well recalled of his being Ensign Lieut & Capt in the Militia in the town I lived in when a boy always heard him spoken of a brave officer and soldier he has always sustained the character of an honest citizen and no doubt remains in my mind of his having done the service as above stated and further say not
Ullrich Haven District p August 11 th 1832 Johnson Finney personally appeared & made solemn oath that the above affidavit signed by him is true Before me John Parker, Judge

Stephen Baughman Affidavit

I Stephen Haight of Manchester County of Addison and State of Vermont of lawful age Testify and say that I have been personally acquainted with Martin Curtis of this Town formerly of Rut in the State of Connecticut and have held frequent conversations with him relative to his services as an Officer & Soldier in the Revolutionary War and have no hesitation in saying that his story has been uniform he has always said that he served more than two years And I further say that he applied to me formally to procure for him a Pension and the only reason why I did not apply for him as one from a conviction on my mind that he belonged to the State Troops and Militia and not from any I see that he had not served the time required by the Act under which his application would have been made nor have I any doubt but that he is intitled to a full Pension under the late law on the subject I further say that the said Curtis has always sustained the reputation of an honest upright beloved and further say not
Stephen Haight
Sworn at Manchester this 7 th day of July 1832 before Johnson Dinnys Just Peace

I Solomon Carter of Mankton County of Addison and State of Vermont of lawful age testify and say that I am well acquainted with Martin Curtis of said Mankton and have been ever since my childhood I further testify and say that the said Martin Curtis enlisted and went to New York in the fall of 1775 or 1776 and as I always understood and remained there and at Brookline during the winter following and I further say that he returned early in the Spring to Kent in the State of Connecticut and very soon after he enlisted under Capt. Batch in Col. Heaman Swift's Regiment and marched soon after for Pheasantkill in the State of New York and did not return until late in the fall after I frequently heard from him during the summer and have no doubt that he served faithfully as a soldier during the whole campaign I further testify and say that I served under him at Camps he then being an Ensign in the Company commanded by Capt. Sturdivant I was drafted and served forty five days this service was performed in the year 1777 according to my best recollection I further testify and say that I served with him at Hosenick two months in the year 1778 he was at that time an Ensign in the Company com- -manded by Capt. Fuller Col. Campfield's Regiment I further testify and say that the said Martin Curtis was often called into the service at other times than those above stated I recollect that he was absent during one winter and usually believe that he was in the service during the Revolution more than two years and I further say that he was as brave an Officer as any one that I ever have been acquainted with and further say not Solomon Carter

The within Affidavit sworn to at Montpelier this 7 th day of July 1832
before me Johnson Finney Just Peace
I certify that I am well acquainted with Solomon Carter the within defendant and that he is a man in whom I have full confidence as a man of truth and veracity Johnson Finney
State of Vermont
Addison County ss
I, Samuel Swift, Clerk of the County Court for the said County of Addison, do hereby certify that Johnson Finney Esquire, before whom the within affidavit of Solomon Carter was made, and before whom the annexed affidavit of Stephen Haight was made was at the time a Justice of the peace for said County and his name severalty sub- scribed thereto is a true subscribed of the peace his own signature.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court this 13 th day of August 1832.
Samuel Swift, Clerk
Solomon Carter Affidavit