Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 868, William Dilts, New Jersey

SERVICE
NUMBER
New Jersey
Dilts, William
S 868
CONTENTS
Carded

Date of death not on A.B.
New Jersey. 17433.
M rs Dills
Resident in the State of New Jersey. who was a Private in the Co. commanded by Captain [blank] of the Reg t commanded by Col. Chapman the New Jersey line for eight months
26 66 2/3
Inscribed on the Roll of New Jersey. at the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum. commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21. day of Aug t 1833 and sent to C. Bartles. Flemington New Jersey
Arrears to the 14th of March '33. 53.32 Semi-ant. allowances ending Sept 33, 13.33
8.66.65
{ Revolutionary Claim, } Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by M rs J. [blank] Clerk, Book 8. Vol. 108 Page 108,

William Dietz Certificates to be sent to C. Brewster
Flemington N. J.
24/1/82

State of New Jersey, Hunterdon County p: On this fourteenth day of August in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred & thirty, two personally appear- ed in open court before the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas of the County of Hunterdon now sitting William Dills now a resident of the Township of Amwell in the County of Hunterdon and State of New Jersey aged seventy eight years five months and seventeen days who being first duly sworn according to Law on his oath testifieth maketh the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th . 1832. That he was born in the said Township of Amwell on the last day of February A D 1754. His age is recorded in his family Bible which is at his home. — lived in the said Township of Amwell when the Revolutionary war took place and has continued to reside in the same place ever since. — That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. — He was drafted in the winter of 1775 as a private in the militia in the said Town- ship of Amwell, was called out in the month of April ensuing under either Captain George Ely or Captain Cornelius Hoppock he thinks the former the other of his company he has forgotten. Corne- lius Stout was Major and David Chambers Colonel. They marched to Staten Island where they had a slight skirmish. They staid there had a short time and re- turned by the way of Elizabethtown when they were discharged. On this tour he served one month. After this the militia of the Township of Amwell were divided into claps and all these claps into two parties so that each party should serve every other month after

from which time he served every time his turn came but once (then hired a substitute) till the battle of Mon- mouth. The first time he served went out after this clas- sification was he thinks in the month of September of the same year under Captain David Jones, the Lt. Lieutenant was out of Capt. Carhart's Company. his name he does not recollect nor the name of the other Company officers, — he thinks Cornelius Stout was then also Mayor. William Chamberlin was Colonel. He on this tour went to Elizabethtown where he was engaged in either guarding the coasts or in scouting parties. He served this time also one month & was discharged Immediately after he returned he was with many others picked out to act as Watermen and went to what was called Old Point below Elizabethtown where he was engaged in tending the boats &c. In this service he was one month. — The next time he was out was in the month of November following when he went out under Capt John Phillips. George Ely was Colonel. He went to the Flaming Star near the Raritan river above Amboy where there were a great many collected. General Howe commanded on this tour he also served one month. — The next time was in the month of January or February when we went out under Captain David Jones. marched to Bound Brook & there quartered. engaged in scouting parties and other military services. George Ely was Colonel. Then served one month. The next time he was out was in the Spring of 1777. the month he cannot recollect David Jones was Captain. Cornelius Stout Mayor The Battalion met at Ranges from thence they marched to New Brunswick from thence straight to

Newark, from thence to Hackensack and from thence to Pompton, thence to Hackensack. George Ely was also then Colonel. There were several alarms but he was in no engagement. At Hackensack he was discharged. But there being an alarm they soon after mustered and marched to Morristown where he was discharged. He was out this time altogether two months. These dis- charges were only verbal. The next time he was out was in the month of June of the same year when there was a general alarm. He met his company at Pen- nypack where several companies met. George Ely was Colonel. John Roekafellow was Lieutenant of his Company. From Pennypack marched through Trenton to Cropp's Creek where under Capt. Jacob Carhart they were engaged in active skirmish. They fired on the flights of the British who returned their fire & pursued them but they took the plank off the bridge and one Capt. Clum fired a field piece on them & killed 14. from Cropp's Creek they went to Monmouth Court House where he was when the Battle of Monmouth took place. He was not in the Battle being placed among the flank- ing parties, to keep look out. After the Battle he was discharged & was not out again. He was out this time more than a month. Cornelius Ely can testify as to my services and Henry Snyder as to my character for veracity & truth. - I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and I do declare that my name is not on any pension roll of the agency of any state
Sworn & subscribed in open Court this 14 th day of August A.D. 1832 David Stout
William M Dils Mark

Hunterdon county ss: Cornelius Myers being duly sworn according to law on his oath saith that he is aged Eighty five years on the Eighteenth day of July last. that he is acquainted with William Dils the within named applicant, and has been acquainted with him ever since he recollects any person knows that the said William Dils was out as a soldier during the war of the revolution. I saw him at the battle of Monmouth. I saw him also at Woodbridge. I saw him march from Answell at several different times. during the revolution. I think I am safe in saying that he was out as a soldier in the revolution for at different times for the term of six months & upwards.
Sworn & subscribed in open court this 14 th day of August 1832
David Stout
Cornelius Myers his mark
We William H. Robeson a clergyman residing in the township of Kingwood in the county of Hunterdon and Henry Snyder a freeholder & Resident of the said township of Kingwood do hereby certify that we are acquainted with William Dils who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be aged seventy eight years that he is reputed and believed in his neighborhood where

he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution. and that we concur in that opinion
William R. Roberson
Sworn & subscribed in open court this 14 th day of August 1832
Henry Snyder
J. Thompson
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the In- terrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the aforesaid named application was a Revolutionary soldier & served as he states. And this court further certify that it ap- pears to them that William R. Roberson of the Township of Haugwood, who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergy- man, resident in said Township and that Henry Snyder who has also signed the same is a resident of the same Town- ship and of a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit. Done in open court August Term 1832.
J. Thompson
Benj. Egbert
George Read
I Isaac G. Farley clerk of the court of Common Pleas of the county of Hunterdon aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of William Dills for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set

my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this fourteenth day of August
AD 1832.
Isaac G. Farlee. clerk
State of New Jersey Hunterdon county ss: I then Barton one of the Judges of the Inferior court of common pleas of the said county do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Benjamin Mayers who has signed the preceding affidavits and that I believe him to be a man of truth & veracity and that his statements is entitled to full faith & credit given under my hand this 10th day of June AD 1833.
John Barton
State of New Jersey Hunterdon county ss. I. Isaac G. Farlee clerk of the Inferior court of common pleas of the county of Hunterdon State of New Jersey do hereby certify that John Barton who has signed the preceding certificate now is one of the Inferior court of common pleas of the said county and that the signature John Barton signed to said certificate is his genuine signature. In
witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of the said court this 10th day of June AD 1833.
Isaac G. Farlee. clerk

June 3, 1940.
Mrs. Samuel E. Bassett 71 Chili Avenue Rochester, New York.
BA-J/ILL Open William Dilts S. 868
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of William Dilts, who served from Hunterdon County, New Jersey.
The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, S. 868, based upon service of William Dilts in the Revolutionary War.
William Dilts or Dils was born the last day of February 1754, in Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey; the names of his parents were not given. He resided there at the time of the Revolutionary War.
In the winter of 1775, he belonged to the Amwell Township militia, was called out in April 1776, served one month in Captain George Ely's company, Colonel David Chambers' New Jersey regiment, during which he marched to Staten Island and was in several skirmishes. From about September 1776 until the time of the battle of Monmouth, he served on different tours of one month each, amounting in all to seven months, as private under Captains David Jones, John Phillips, Gapob Carhart, Lieutenant John Rockafellow, and Colonels George Ely and William Chamberlin; during this period, he was in frequent skirmishes and on frequent alarms.
He was allowed pension on account of his service in the Revolutionary War on his application executed August 14, 1832, at which time he resided in Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New

Jersey, where he had resided always. His name was borne on the pension roll as William Dilts. There are no data whatever pertaining to the family of this soldier.
In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name of person paid and, possibly, the date of death of this pensioner, you should apply to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, this city, and furnish the following data:
William Dilts Certificate #17433 Issued August 21, 1833 Rate $26.66 per annum Commenced March 4, 1831 Act of June 7, 1832 New Jersey Agency.
Very truly yours,
A. D. HILLER, Executive Assistant to the Administrator.

Mr Ditt Ditts
17.4.33
Adn 8 months.
✓
Certificate to be sent to Charles B. Lewis Fleming.
N. S.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of William Ditts 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? No See page 5 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's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? No Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
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 each 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. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
† 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 authenticates 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 ends 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.
¶ In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

MRS. SAMUEL E. BASSETT 71 CHILI AVENUE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
Veterans Administration:
Could you give me the Military War record of William Slitt who enlisted in the war of the Revolution from Hunterdon co. New Jersey and is listed as a pensioner in the "Census of Pensioners" published in 1841. The name is also spelled Slitt - Slitt. Thanks very much.
Mrs. S. E. Bassett,
April 27-1940-

1940. June 3 - Hist. to Mrs. Samuel E. Bassett - J.L.R.
New Year INVALID.
File No. 868
William Ditts,
Pro. N.Y. Univ.
Act June 7, 1832.
Index:—Vol. 2
, Page 96
[Arrangement of 1870.] ✓