Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2,365, Garret Cownover, New Jersey

SERVICE
NUMBER
New Jersey
Cownover, Garret Lydia
P. 2,365
CONTENTS

State of Kentucky Fleming County
On this the 20 th day of March 1844 Personally appeared before me Lawson Montgomery an acting Justice of the peace in & for the County & State aforesaid Mrs Lydia Cownover a resident of Kentucky in the County of Fleming aged Eighty five years who being first duly sworn according to Law & after an her Oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by an act of Congress passed July 4 th 1836 section 2 nd supplementary to the act of 7 th June 1832 for the relief of certain surviving officers & soldiers of the Revolution to wit that she is the widow of Garret Cownover who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution and served as a militia private from the commencement of the war to the close of the same, he belonged to Colonel Hires Regiment of Militia Samuel Stout was his Captain who mustered him into service in the year of seventeen hundred and seventy six in Middlesex County State of New Jersey This is the County in which he was raised & was about twenty two years of age at that time, William Cownover (his brother) was his first Lieutenant. She further declares that her husband was in several battles during his service to wit he was in the engagement & took & routed a band of Tories in a fort near to New Brunswick, was at the taking of a British Ship (under) near Staten Island, He defended & kept possession of the fort when the British landed and got possession of the city of New York, He was in the engagement

with the British at New Brunswick and drove them back to three Ships, He crossed over the Pennsylvania Line to join with a part of General Washington's Troops, but took sick by exposure & returned home where he lay about three months in which time there were two battles fought at Trenton & one in Princeton. He was not in the battle in Monmouth (which was fought on Sunday 6 or 8 miles from Haverstown & she thinks it was on the 28 th June and drove the British back to three Ships) having that day to bury his father who was killed by lightning. She further declares that she was married to her s d Husband Garrett Cownover in the summer of Seventeen hundred & Seventy six in Middlesex County, lived there about one year after marriage then moved to Monmouth where they resided to the close of the war & in 1788 moved to Kentucky & that she had three child- ren at the close of the war, and that her said Husband Garrett Cownover died on the 28 th March Eighteen hund- red & twenty six, she further declares that she has no document- ary evidence in support of her claim having lost all those papers & family record by getting wet in a boat in moving & that she knows of no one on earth by whom she can prove his service & that her said Husband had 4 Brothers three of whom served in the war & one with him but they are all dead, she further declares that she would have applied long since for the benefit of the s d act but did not know that it would embrace her case her Husband having died before the Law part.
That she has never since the death of her said

Husband intermarried but still continues his widow She further respectfully prays that her claim may be allowed & the certificate of allow- ance with all correspondence respectively directed and sent to William Irabed of Columbia Kentucky sworn to & subscribed the day of Lydia Conover and year aforesaid before me Interlined before signed Lawson Montgomery J.P. A.C
I. Lawson Montgomery one of the acting justices of the peace in and for Adair County, Kentucky, do certify that the Declarant, is personally known to me and known to be the the widow of Darrel Conover & a Lady of known respectability & pious Christian for many years, & I have no doubt of the truth of her statements & she is a Lady of uncommon good sense & recollection of her age and the fullest credit is due all her statements and she is unable to appear in court by reason of bodily disability. Given under my hand This 20 th day of March 1844 Lawson Montgomery J.P. A.C
State of Kentucky } County of Adair } ss.
I William Caldwell Clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid do hereby certify that Lawson Montgomery whose name appears to the foregoing

certificate is as justice of the peace for said County as therein stated and that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court this 1 st day of April 1844.
Wm Caldwell, C.A.C.C. by Junius Caldwell D.C.
At a County Court held for the County of Adair Set at the Courthouse in Columbia on Monday the 1 st day of April 1844 - It is Ordered to be certified recorded that the proceedings in the matter of the application of Mrs. Lydia Knowles for a pension before Lawson Montgomery Esq. on the 20 th of March 1844, & the same are now submitted to the Court and sanctioned by the Court. It is further Ordered to be certified that the said proceedings are entitled to as full faith and credit as though they had been made in Open Court.
I William Caldwell Clerk of the County Court for said County do certify that the foregoing order is truly transcribed from the records of said Court.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court this 1 st day of April A.D. 1844.
Wm Caldwell C.A.C.C. By Junius Caldwell D.C.

State of Kentucky County of Adair
At a County Court began and held for the County of Adair at the Courthouse in Columbia on Monday the first day of April 1844
James Page, Lawson Montgomery Present by John H Taylor Esqr.
Personally appeared in open Court Peter Cownover a resident of said County who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath making the following Statement & Voweth That he is sixty years old past, that he is the son & 4 th child of Garret Cownover (now deceased) & Lydia his wife (now his widow) who hath made application as the widow of said Garret Cownover deceased for a Pension by Declaration the 20 th day of March 1844 before Lawson Montgomery Esqr. a Justice of the Peace of said County & that he has examined the contents of his said Mothers Declaration - that he has often heard his said Father Garret Cownover detail every circumstance named in said declaration and many other things in relation to his services in the Revolutionary war - that he served as a militia Private from the commencement to the close of the war alternately he thinks two or four weeks in the army & two or four weeks at home - said Garret Cownover and his brother Levi Cownover aided in this manner alternately at home and in the army as their services were required during the whole seven years - That his said Father Garret Cownover died the Twenty eighth day of March eighteen hundred & twenty six - He further states that he has frequently heard his Uncle Levi Cownover (who was a pensioner on the Kentucky agency at Lexington at the rate of $96.00 per annum) say that his said Brother

Garret Connover was a Militia Private from the commencement to the close of the war of the Revolution and that their residence was in Middlesex County New Jersey, where they were raised, all of which statements of his father Garret Connover and uncle Levi Connover he fully believes to be true - That his said Mother Lydia Connover has never intermarried since the death of her said husband Garret Connover but is still living & continues his widow Subscribed & sworn to in open Court as before stated. - The words "or four" "or four" interlined before signing. Peter Henson
State of Kentucky County of Adair 3 d Set
At a County Court began and held for the County of Adair at the Courthouse in Columbia on Monday the 1 st day of April 1844
Peter H Connover a Citizen of this County this day in Open Court Subscribed & made Oath to an affidavit in Relation to the Services of Garret Connover dec d as a Soldier in the Revolutionary war which is ordered to be Certified
It is further ordered to be Certified that said Peter H Connover is and has long been personally known to the Court that he is a man of high respectability - as an honest industrious farmer of this County and is and has been for several years a member of the Baptist Church and a deacon in said Church and that full faith and Credit are due to his statements on oath so far as this Court is informed or believes

State of Kentucky County of Adair 3 rd set
I William Caldwell Clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid do hereby Certify that the foregoing Order is truly Copied from the records of said Court in my Office and that the foregoing affidavit is the identical one refered to in said Order
By testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court this 1 st day of April 1844 and 53 rd year of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Wm Caldwell C.C. By James Caldwell D.C.

State of Kentucky: Adair County Sct:
On this the 24 th day of January 1845, personally appeared before me, Clayton Miller, an acting Justice of the peace; in and for said County: William McNeely a Citizen of said County, aged Seventy two years old on the 21 st day of March last, (1844) who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following statement (to wit), that he did, on the 4 th day of January 1803, marry the eldest daughter (she being the eldest child also) of Garrett Cownover, who was reputed as a soldier of the revolutionary war. Said McNeely states on oath, that he the said McNeely heard Levi Cownover, who was a brother of said Garrett Cownover, say that said Garrett Cownover, was a soldier in the war of the American revolution, who both served in said war, and were militia-men in the State of New Jersey. Said McNeely also states on oath that he has often heard said Garrett Cownover, speak of different battles that he, the said Garrett Cownover, had been in, during said war; and especially of one very severe battle, that he was in. Said McNeely further states, that said Garrett Cownover's eldest daughter and child whom said McNeely married, was, agreeable to the information of her father and mother, born on the 21 st day of May 1778; and that they further informed him, that they were married about two years, before the said child was born.
Sworn to and subscribed, the 3 rd day and year aforesaid, before me.
Clayton Miller, J.P.
William McNeely
I do hereby certify, that the above deponent is and has been known to me, for and during the last forty years, and that he is a man of truth & veracity; and that he is the County Surveyor of Adair County Ky, and has been the Surveyor of said County ever since this County which was established by the Legislature of Ky, in the year 1802; was organized in the year 1803,

and that full faith and credit are, and should be given to all his statements. In witness whereof I do hereunto subscribe my name, the day and year aforesaid.
Clayton Miller W.P.H. 11 11
State of Kentucky County of Adair
I William Caldwell Clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid do hereby certify that Clayton Miller whose name appears to the foregoing certificate is the a justice of the peace for said County and that the foregoing signatures purporting to be his are  is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 25 th day of January A.D. 1845.
W m Caldwell Clerk
Note - the words "clerk" - "is" erased and the word "are" interlined before signing
Test W m Caldwell Clerk

State of Kentucky County of Adair Dct.
John Cownover a citizen of the County aforesaid makes the following Statement on oath, to wit, that he is forty nine years of age past that he is the Son and 7 th child of Garret Cownover (now deceased) and Lydia his wife (now his widow) who hath made application as the widow of said Garret Cownover deceased for a Pension by Declaration the 20 th day of March 1844 before Lawson Montgomery Esq. a Justice of the peace of said County and that he has examined the contents of his said Mothers declaration — That he has often heard his said Father Garret Cownover detail every Circumstance named in said declaration and many other things in relation to his services in the revolutionary war — except that statement about driving the British back to their ships at the fight at New Brunswick, he recollects to have heard his said father speak of the said Battle, and that he served as a militia private from the commencement to the close of the war, alternately he thinks four weeks in the army and four weeks at home — said Garret Cownover his brother Levi Cownover served in this manner alternately at home and in the army as their services were required during the whole seven years — That his said Father Garret Cownover died the Twenty eighth day of March eighteen hundred and Twenty Six — He further states that he has frequently heard his uncle Levi Cownover (who was a pensioner on the Kentucky agency at Lexington at the rate of $96.00 per annum) say that his said Brother Garret Cownover was a militia private from the commencement to the close of the war of the revolution and that their residence was in Middlesex County New Jersey, where they were raised, and that if his Brother Garret was living they could prove each

each others services for seven years, all of which statements of his said Father Garret Cownover and his said Uncle Levi Cownover he fully believes to be true - That his said Mother Lydia Cownover has never intermarried since the death of her said husband Garret Cownover but is still living and continues his widow - And that his said Uncle Levi Cownover is also now dead having departed this life on the - day of January in the year 1837. The words two "two" erased and the words "four" written above in two places before sworn to. - Subscribed and sworn to in open Court April 1 st 1844. John Cownover
State of Kentucky } County of Adair }
At a County Court began held for the County of Adair at the Courthouse in Columbia on Monday the 1 st day of April 1844 - John Cownover a citizen of this County this day personally in open Court subscribed & made oath to an affidavit in relation to the services of Garret Cownover deceased as a soldier in the Revolutionary war which is ordered to be certified - It is further ordered to be certified that said John Cownover is and has long been personally known to the Court, that he is a man of high respectability as a candid honest & industrious farmer of this County and that full faith & credit are due to his statements on oath so far as this Court is informed or believes. -
William Caldwell Clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid do hereby certify that

the foregoing order is a said Court in my affidavit is the iden order - In testi
tes Seal de S. = 1. 21
pled from the records of and that the foregoing order referred to in said whereof I have hereunto hand and affixed the said Court this 1st April A.D. 1844 and year of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Mal Caldwell C.C. By Jerimiah Caldwell
The words "perona copy of the order before Test
& "faith" erased from the foregoing certifying Mal Caldwell H. H. H.

11167 April 11 1844
16
Sylvia Conner w.d. of 4 May 1836 Garret
Hon G. A. Caldwell House of Reps

State of Kentucky County of Adair } ss
Jackson Cownover a citizen of said County makes the following Statement on oath (Sworn) That he is Twenty nine years old past, that he is the son of Levi Cownover deceased who was the Brother of Garret Cownover deceased whose widow Lydia Cownover hath made application for a Pension by Declaration the 20 th day of March 1844 before Lawson Montgomery Esq. a Justice of the Peace for said County - That he has frequently heard his father Levi Cownover (now deceased) (who was a Pensioner on the Kentucky agency at Lexington at the rate of $96. per annum and who died on the January day of February  1837 eighteen hundred & thirty seven) say that his said brother Garret Cownover was in the service of the United States seven years or during the whole war of the revolution him and his brother alternately he thinks four weeks in the army and four weeks at home, or short tours, in that way relieving each other during the whole war - But does not recollect who the said were their officers -
The words & figures "February 1837" erased & "January" written above and the words "two" erased & the words "four" written above in two places before signing Subscribed & sworn to in open Court April 1 st 1844 Jackson his Cownover mark
State of of Kentucky County of Adair } ss
At a County Court began and held for the County of Adair at the Courthouse in Columbia. On Monday the 1 st day of April 1844. Jackson Cownover a Citizen of this County this day in open Court Subscribed and made oath to an affidavit in

relation to the services of Garnet Connover dec d as a soldier in the Revolutionary war which is Ordered to be Certified. It is further Ordered to be Certified that said Jackson Connover is personally known to the Court and that he is a farmer of this County of high Respectability as a man of Candor honesty and industry and that full faith and Credit are due to his statements on oath so far as this Court is informed & believes.—
I William Caldwell Clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid do hereby Certify that the foregoing Order is truly Copied from the records of said Court in my Office. And that the foregoing affidavit is the identical one refered to in said Order.
In testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court this 1 st day of April A D 1844 45 th year of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Wm Caldwell C. A. C. By Junning Caldwell I. C.

State of Kentucky County of Adair
David Cownover a citizen of Said County makes the following Statement on oath (Sowit) that he is fifty three years old Past that he is the Son of Levi Cownover deceased who was the Brother of Garret Cownover deceased whose widow Lydia Cownover hath made application for a Pension by Declaration the 20 th day of March 1844 before Lawson Montgomery Esq: a Justice of the Peace of Said County, — That he has frequently heard his Uncle Garret Cownover State that he was a militia Private Soldier in the war of the Revolution and served during the whole war — and that he often heard his father Levi Cownover (now deceased) (who was a Pensioner on the Kentucky agency at Lexington at the rate of $96 00 per annum and who died on the February  January day of Eighteen hundred and thirty Seven) say that his Said Brother Garret Cownover was in the Service of the United States seven years or during the whole war of the Revolution him and his Brother alternately he thinks two  four weeks in the army & two  four weeks at home or short tours in that way relieving each other during the whole war But does not recollect who they Said were their officers — The words "two" erased and the words "four" written above them — & the word February erased and the word "January" written above before sworn to.
Subscribed & sworn to in Open Court April 1 st 1844. Garid Cownover

State of Kentucky County of Adair B. S.
At a County Court began & held for the County of Adair at the Courthouse in Columbia on a Monday the 1 st day of April 1844 — David Cowen a citizen of this County this day in Open Court Subscribed and made oath to an affidavit in relation to the services of Garret Cowen deceased as a soldier in the Revolutionary war which is Ordered to be certified — It is further Ordered to be certified that said Daniel Cowen is & has long been personally known to the Court, that he is a man of high respectability as a candid honest and industrious farmer of this County & is and has been for several years a member of the Baptist Church & that full faith & credit are due to his statements on oath as far as this Court is informed or believes. —
I William Caldwell Clerk of the County Court for the County aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing Order is truly copied from the records of said Court in my office and that the foregoing affidavit is the identical one referred to in said Order
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this 1 st day of April A.D. 1844 & 33 rd year of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
W. Caldwell C.C. By Jonius Caldwell D.C.
The word "David" interlined in the above order before Certifying —
Test Jonius Caldwell D.C.

Hon of Rep.
Apr. 18 th 1844
Dear Sir
I send you herewith the certificate of the clerk of Madison County New York I say - in relation to the claim of Mrs Lydia Cannon which I enclosed you a few days since - This certificate came to hand since you sent you the papers and you will perceive by it that no records of marriage are preserved in that county of a date prior to 1795
Respectfully
Your obt. servt. Geo. A. Baldwin
Hon. J. L. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions

Washington City
July 3 rd 1845
Sir
I send you herewith additional proof in the case of Mrs. Cawmover. The witness W m M c Neely now is and has been for 40 years the principal surveyor of my County, and is a man of integrity both as a public officer and private citizen. Mrs. Cawmover is herself a most excellent and pious old lady, and her whole family are worthy and valuable citizens. The utmost reliance may be placed in the justice of her claim and the honesty with which it is presented. I hope the proof will now be sufficient and that you will send me a Certificate
Respectfully
Your att servt
Hon. J. L. Edwards
Geo. H. Calhoun
Com r of Pensions

1844 Letter to Hon. G. A. Caldwell May 29. 1 " to Same Feb 11. 1845
Lydia Cunnover
2365

2360
P. O. Sylvia Connover
Service: wid. of Garret
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: REJECTED _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
Recognized. _____ Contract
Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

State of New Jersey Middlesex County } I Nicholas Boorsem Clerk of the County of Middlesex aforesaid and of the Superior Court in sd County do hereby certify that I have examined the rec- ords and files remaining in my office and do not there find any record or files of Marriage Licenses, Marriage bonds, or Certificates of the publication of Banns, nor any other entry record or files relating to Marria- ges before the year 1795
In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my Name and affixed the Seal of said County this 16 th day of April 1844
N Boorsem. C.M.

Columbia Jan y 26 th 1845
Dear Sir
Enclosed I send you the affidavit of W m McNeely in the case of M r Connover who made Declaration & application for a pension Last April & who was rejected for the want of proof of date of marriage. The affidavit of W m McNeely is deemed sufficient & I doubt not will be by the department, but as it respects proving different Tours she cannot neither can she specify the particular or different Tours for she says that her Husband Garret Connover was and his Brother Levy lived together & their service was equal they served Tour about, when Levy was out on duty Garret was at home & when Levy came home Garret went out & so on during the whole war. This she has stated on oath & still affirms & if the records of the army or war Books will not prove her Declaration, she knows of no one now living by whom she can prove her statements, she still prays that her claim may be allowed,
Dear Sir your knowledge of the character and high sense of honour of the whole family & especially the superior good sense & Christian character of the old Lady I hope & doubt not will elicit your aid in this matter for she is deserving as well as kindly all of which you will lay before the proper Department
I am dear Sir
Yours obediently W m Habab
Hon G. C. Caldwell House of Representatives