Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1,947, David Church, New York

SERVICE
New York
Church David or Shirts.
NUMBER
R. 1947
CONTENTS
[Blank lined area for entries]
[Blank lined area for entries]

33855
David Church Declaration for a Pension.
47

State of New York Columbia County Deed of - Jacob Epelstyn, of the town of Claverack in said County, being duly sworn says that he knew, and was well acquainted with David Shirts, before the Revolutionary War as well as during, and after the Close of the War, that he formerly Resided in the town of Claverack in said County, near said Deponents, and that in the Year 1777, thinks the fore part of June, the Militia were called out and marched from Claverack to Fort Edwards. said Deponent went as one of said Militia under Capt. Peter Bortle and said Deponent Father Richard Epelstyn Commandant Major and said David Shirts went and was there at the same time and Belonged to the same Company with said Deponent, and after about one month said Deponent Returned home to attend to harvesting, and when he went home, he left said Shirts doing as usual Duty at Fort Edwards. said Deponent did not Return to the Army nor has he any knowledge of, nor does he believe that said Shirts Returned home or left doing Military Duty until after the Surrender of Genl Burgoyne but how long he Stayed, or precisely when he Returned home said Deponent does not recollect, and further saith not - Subscribed and sworn to at the City of Hudson the 26 th day of August 1836. Jacob Epelstyn before me -
James Rowley - Commissioner of DEEDS
I James Rowley, Do hereby Certify that I am well acquainted with Jacob Epelstyn - the above Deponent, and say that he is a man of Truth and Veracity and first Standing in Society and that his Statement is entitled to Credit -
James Rowley

Columbia County ss. Jacob Moul of the Town of Ghent in said County being Duly Sworn, Says That according to the best of his Recollection, he said Deponent knew, and saw David's Shirts at Schoene- -berg in the Year 1779 he thinks in the month of June- he, said Shirts, was then, and there doing Military Duty in the Service of the United States, Subscribed and Sworn to this 26 th day of August 1836 before me. — Jacob Moul
James Rowley Commissioner of DEEDS
I James Rowley Do hereby Certify that I am well acquainted with Jacob Moul the above Depo- -nent know him to be a Man of Respectability — and Say, further he is a Man of Truth and veracity, and his Statement is entitled to Credit —
James Rowley
State of New York Columbia County ss. I James Storm Clerk of Columbia County aforesaid & Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said County do hereby certify that James Rowley before whom the foregoing affidavits & certificate were taken & subscribed to the prece- ding affidavits and certificate was at the time of the date of said affidavits & certificate a Com- missioner of Oaths in & for said County, duly sworn & duly commissioned to take the same And further that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of such Commissioner & truly believe the signature of the said James Rowley before whom said affidavits were taken & the certificate accompanying the same is genuine.
In testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the Seal of said County & Court this 26 th day of August A.D. 1836
James Storm Clerk of Co- lumbia & of the Court of Common Pleas of said County

State of New York County of Rensselaer ss
On this Twenty Second day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty six personally appeared before George R. Davis — one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County and State aforesaid David Church a resident of the town of Watervliet in the County of Albany and State of New York aged Eighty Seven 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. 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated viz. That he was drafted in a Company of Militia commanded by Captain Michael Horton in Colonel Van Rensselaer's Regiment as a minute man and was stationed at Claverack in the County of Columbia and State of New York and its vicinity for at least two years, and thinks for a longer time. That his principal duty was to stand guard and as a Centinel in that place. That he frequently went out on alarms. That at one time he went from Claverack to Fort Edward. North in a Company of Militia under the Command of Captain Peter Sottle, Richard Esselstyn Major, at that time he was in the battle and at the taking of Burgoyne, he thinks he must have been gone at that time at least five months, he don't recollect the time but supposes it must have been in the year 1777. he then returned to Claverack again, at another time he went in a Company of Militia commanded by Captain Peter Schuyler up the North river to Fort Stanwix and vicinity, the Indians having made an attack upon Fort Stanwix and they there had a battle in which he this Declarant was wounded in the thigh with a grape shot from the effects of which he has never recovered entirely. That he was at Schenectady Schoharie and vicinity until Fort Washington was taken and then returned to Claverack again that he was gone that time he should think at least three months. The year

nor the time of year he cannot recollect, after that time he returned to Claverack again. And at another time he went from Claverack in a Company of Militia (the Cap- tains name he does not recollect,) to the Highlands on the North River on an alarm was gone three weeks, then returned to Claverack again. The year nor time of year he does not recollect that he was then ordered to carry despatches to Gov. Clinton and rode night and day while engaged in that business. was in that service he should think at least three weeks. That the several times to which he has alluded as having gone on alarms he thinks he was drafted, but it might have been some of the times he volunteered, that he always stood ready to do service whenever called upon or ordered by his Commanding Officers. That he was wounded in the ankle as well as his thigh at Fort Stanwix. That he knew General Washington and General Green. That he is so old and infirm that he cannot recollect many particulars in relation to his Ser- vice, that what he has related according to the best of his knowledge, belief and memory is correct. That he was born in Claverack in the year 1749. on the 8 th day of May. That he has had a record of his age on a loose piece of paper in a Bible, which paper has been lost a number of years. That he lived in Claverack Columbia County when called into service, that since the Revolutionary War he has lived at Redhook Dutchess County State of New York - and at Waterford Saratoga County in said State and at Watervliet where he now resides. He thinks he entered the service as above mentioned in his Declara- tion. That he cannot recollect any more of the Regular officers, Regiments or general Circumstances of his service than what he has above stated. That he has received a written discharge from service but it has been lost a great many years. That he is known to John Schuyler, Thom- as, Eutaw, Rev. Mr. Bronck, Philip Schuyler, Reuben Schuyler and others in his present neighbourhood, and who can testify to his character for veracity and their be- lief of his services as a Soldier of the Revolution. That he
knows of no person who can testify to his service whose tes- timony he can procure except Jacob Esselstyn and Ja- cob Elloul herunto annexed. He hereby relinquishes ev- ery 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. That he this Declarant is a high Dutchman, and that the Dutch of his name is Shirts and in English Church - that he goes by both names that all the old people (and especially the Dutch)

who can testify to his character for veracity and their be- lief of his services as a Soldier of the Revolution. That he
knows of no person who can testify to his Service whose tes- timony he can procure except Jacob Esselstyn and Ja- cob Stout he unto annexed. He hereby relinquishes ev- ery 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. That he this Declarant is a high Dutchman and that the Dutch of his name is Shirts and in English Church - that he goes by both names that all the old people (and especially the Dutch) call his name Shirts and others call him Church. That he has no family but his wife (who is eighty four years of age) that they never had any children but have always got a comfortable living until within a few years since which time and now are very poor and destitute and receive a great portion of their living from Inhabitants of the City of Troy living on the opposite bank of the Hudson Ri- ver from the City of Troy and directly opposite to said City that he and his wife have often talked about trying to get his Pension since 1832 but living in a great measure se- cluded from business people did not know what the requi- rements were but supposed he should have to prove all of his Service by some person that was with him in order to get a Pension (and knowing he could not do that) he thought he could not get one and especially of late years his mem- ory has failed very much and cannot remember particularly in regard to his Service as he used to. All these Circumstan- ces besides a few ineffectual efforts from some person who have undertaken to get his pension for him have kept him from making a proper application for his Pension before this. That he has been a Sexton to the Baptist Church where he resides a number of years which gave him some means of support until a few years past he has become so old and decrepited he can scarcely get out of his own yard therefore cannot do any thing for his support. That he expected to have procured some testimony of his Service from one Peter Snyder who has been in the town of Waterlick until within a few months past and where he said Snyder now is he cannot tell neither does he know but the report in the neighborhood is

that he is dead - that he has made repeated enquiries for said Snyder within five or six months, and the most information he can get about said Snyder is, that people suppose he is dead. Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid David Church
Geo R Davis Judge of
Rensselaer County Courts
And the said Judge do hereby declare my opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states
Geo R Davis Judge of
Rensselaer County Courts
We Robert Bronk a Clergyman residing in the town of Watervliet County of Albany and State of New York and A. S. Blackman & Enoch Burrows residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with David Church who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration that we believe him to be eighty seven years of age, that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn and subscribed the day A. S. Blackman and year aforesaid Enoch Burrows Robert Bronk
Geo R Davis Judge of
Rensselaer County Courts
Robert Bronk sworn & subscribed before me this 27th day of December 1836.
Walter H. Hunt Just. Commissioner
And the said Judge do hereby certify that it appears to me that Robert Bronk who has signed the preceding Certificate is a Clergyman resident in the town of Watervliet and that A. S. Blackman & Enoch Burrows who has also signed the same are residents in the town of Watervliet aforesaid and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to Credit.
Geo R Davis Judge of Rensselaer County Courts
And the said Judge do hereby certify that I know the above named Robert Bronk (although not sworn by me) to be a Clergyman of the town of Watervliet in the County of Albany a person entitled to full credit.
Geo R Davis Judge of Rensselaer County Courts
State of New York Rensselaer County ss.
Henry R. Bristol Clerk of the County of Rensselaer Do hereby certify that George R. Davis Esquire before whom the above declaration purports to have been made and sworn, and by whom the above Certificate purports to have been signed was on the day of the date thereof a Judge of the County Courts of

are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to Credit.
Geo R Davis Judge of Rensselaer County Courts
And I the said Judge do hereby Certify that I know the above named Robert Bronk (although not sworn by me) to be a Clergyman of the town of Watervliet in the County of Albany a person entitled to full Credit.
Geo R Davis Judge of Rensselaer County Courts
State of New York Rensselaer County ss. Henry R. Bristol Clerk of the County of Rensselaer Do hereby Certify that George R. Davis Esquire before whom the above declaration purports to have been made and sworn, and by whom the above Certificate purports to have been sworn and signed was on the day of the date thereof a Judge of the County Courts of the County of Rensselaer aforesaid. And further that I am well acquainted with his hand writing and verily believe his signature, subscribed above are genuine. And also Certify that Nathan Howard Esq. before whom the above Certificate of Robert Bronk purports to have been sworn was on the day of the date thereof a Commissioner of Deeds, in and for said County. And that I am well acquainted with his hand writing and verily believe his signature above subscribed to be genuine.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and affixed the Seal of said County this 27 th day of December A.D. 1836. Henry R. Bristol Clerk

REJECTED
1947
P. O. _____
David Church
Service: _____ or Shirts
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

David Church
Myork , ad 7 June
1832. Susp?
See letter to N Howard, Esq,
April 27 1837
to same 16 Dec. 1839 E.

Alavid Church or Shirts - Claim?
Michael Horlon Capt. two yrs at Claverick his home
Peter Bortle - 5 yrs - 77
- Peter Schuyler - 3 -
carrying dispatches.

Jan 2 o '37
Ms
The Secretary of War Washington D.C.
N. Howard Jr. Res't
Revolutionary Claims
London Eng

Nathan Howard Jun r Troy N.Y. Agent
Nathan Howard Jun r Troy N.Y. Agent