Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2,254, George Cook, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Cook, George
P. 2,254
CONTENTS

Sermon Papers George Cook
181
No 5596.

State of New York County of Ely } ss.
On this 11. day of August, A. D. 1832. Personally appeared before me Wolcott Tynel one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Ely afore said George Cook a resident of the town of Tiendeague, County & State afore said aged Sixty five 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 & served as herein stated. That his officers were Captain Miles, Lieutenant Spencer, Ensigns Pomeroy & Colonel Canfield - he entered the service in the month of April 1783 & left the same in the month of April 1784 after serving one year from the time he entered said service - When he entered said service he was a resident of Middletown Connecticut & entered as a volunteer was engaged in no battle, he joined the regiment at Stamford Connecticut at the old log fort about 2 miles North of the village, his principal duties were to guard the fort & to go out on small scouts between there & a place then called Morrisania where were stationed some British troops under one Delancey - That the number & stations of the guard were as follows: the Camp guard was stationed in the Camp, one sentinel at each redoubt, in all four, one at the guard house door & one at the gate - the bridge guard at the guard house near the bridge about a mile or a mile & a half to the South or South West of the fort - The Stamford guard about a mile or a mile & a half North of the fort - The subaltern guard a little to the South of the fort in a barn - There was a guard shot killed a little South of the fort by one Wolf - That his mate Gabriel by name as he was out on patrol was shot & wounded by another party out on

Patrole likewise was brought to the fort - had no hospital - he was therefore kept in the Doctor's Cookroom, till he recovered - the barber who shaved the officers who was a very short man was usually called forty foot by the soldiers - As soldiers having received their allowance of rum some of them gave it to the barber (as it was not very good) for shaving - he drank himself to death out of it & never looked again.
This applicant with 12 or 15 more men under the command of Lieutenant Spencer were selected out to go up Connecticut river to Fort Haddam (Conn.) to get provisions - they went some time in the last of Autumn of 1783 or the fore part of the December following - Stamford Harbor was frozen over & we had to cut the stock we went with out of the ice & then sailed up to Fort Haddam & took in our provisions & a number of men were frozen in & had to remain there till the river broke up the next Spring when we returned to Stamford when we learnt that had been a mutiny among the soldiers headed by one Sergeant Philips - the cause of the mutiny was the want of provisions & on the officers promising more liberal supplies all returned to duty - Some time in October 1783 as this applicant believes a soldier he thinks his name was Smith went home on a furlough & having over staid his time was tried sentenced to & did receive 39 lashes - he deserted soon after to the British & from them received a commission thinks it was lieutenant in the light horse & went in command on the East End of Long Island & there persuaded those under his command to desert with him - they then killed their horses stole a boat & crossed over to Saybrook (Conn.) & himself came & joined the regiment again received a pardon from the Governor & served in said regiment & was discharged regularly - Long Island & the City of New York were in the possession of the British during this whole term - a regiment of continentals was at said fort when this applicant arrived there but it soon left for West Point - he recollects some other officers of his regiment besides those above mentioned, they are

Major Dona, Adjutant Bull, & Captains Allen, Stod- dard & Granger & Sergeant Major Benedict the regi- ment to which this applicant belonged was state troops & that he was discharged at the expiration of his term (one year in April 1784) by point of firelock. That he received no written discharge, that he has no docu- mentary evidence & knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service. That he was born in Middletown Connecticut in the year 1767- he has no record of his age. He has lived since the Revo- lutionary War at Tiendoyen Eddy County New York- That he is known to Harvey Church & Stephen P. Ballard in his present neighborhood & who can testify to his character for veracity & to their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution--
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State--
Sworn to & Subscribed the day of George Cook year closed before me Wolcott Tyrrell Judge
We Harvey Church & Stephen P. Ballard Residing in the town of Tiendoyen, County of Eddy & State of New York hereby certify that we are well acquainted with George Cook who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be sixty five years of age, that he is reputed & believed in the neigh- borhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revo- lution & that we concur in that opinion-- Sworn to & Subscribed the day of S P Ballard & year closed before me Harvey Church Col Wolcott Tyrrell Judge

And the said Judge hereby declares his opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier & served as he states & the said Judge further certifies that it appears to him that Harvey Church & Shepherd P. Bullard who have signed the preceding certificate are residents of the town of Kinderhook, County of Columbia State of New York & are credible persons & that their statement is entitled to credit - & the said Judge further certifies that the said applicant cannot from bodily infirmity attend personally in court & from present appearances will not be able to attend the sitting of the next court in & for this County of Essex - Wolcott Tyrrell Judge
I Leon and Stow clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Essex Essex state of New York being a court of record do hereby certify that Wolcott Tyrrell Esquire before whom the above declaration on oath is made, is a Judge of this court as aforesaid & that the signature above  purporting purporting to be his, is his genuine signature - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this sixteenth day of August A.D. 1832.
Leonard Stow clerk

STATE OF Michigan } ss. County of Allegan }
BE IT KNOWN, That on the twenty fourth day of August A D., 18 64 before me, the undersigned, the Circuit  County Judge of Allegan County, and State of Michigan , personally appeared Learned Coak who, being sworn according to law, on his oath, depose and say, that he is the Son of George Coak who was a Revolutionary Soldier or Fifer  Reaper , of the State of Connecticut and that he died on the Eighth day of September A. D. 18 49 , and that his mother, named Susannah Coak died in the Twenty Sixth day of March A. D. 18 34 , and that they were married on the _____ day of in the year A. D., 17 73 or 4 in the town of Millie Town and County of _____ and State of Connecticut and he thinks that his Parents were married in the Church and that his mother's name before her said Marriage was Susannah Thayer and further he states that his father was a Fifer in the War of the Revolution he thinks he served under Colonel Mess and Butter But cannot state the Captain's name And that he makes this declaration, in order to obtain the Pension to which his parents, the said George Coak and Susannah Coak were entitled, under the several Acts of Congress granting Pensions to certain Officers, Soldiers, and Widows of the Revolutionary War. and that they never received any Pension to his knowledge
Subscribed and sworn to on the day and year first above written, before me.
Learned Coak
and I do further certify that I have no personal interest in the result of this claim
H. J. Littlejohn  Circuit  County Judge of
the County of Allegan & of the 9th Judicial Circuit of Michigan

No. 5596 George Cook
Enlisted in ap r 83
Rejected
E. Pearson Tiendurga N.Y.

BRIEF in the case of George Cooke of Tienderoga in the State of N. York (Act 7 June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? before a Judge  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? it does so appear  3. How old is he? Sixty five years  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.     In 17  Enlisted in the month of April 1783 and left the same in the month of April 1784   
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Middletown Connecticut  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? By traditionary evidence alone  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? the papers are defective in authentication correct in form & authentication 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Wm Gordon Examining Clerk.

Will Capt. Supt. be kind enough to examine the Rolls of the Connecticut State Troops, & ascertain if Gray Cook's Name is found in Captain Miles Co. Col. Canfield's Regiment - & Supt. G. H. Andrews
2254

Washington City, D.C. Nov. 20th 1852.
I take the liberty of writing you, for the purpose of calling your attention to the application of George Cook for a Revolutionary Pension, which on account of objections raised at the Pension Office, has been hitherto disallowed, and now remains on the rejected or suspended files. In the course of my business (connected with the prosecution of Government claims) I have ascertained the reasons why an admission of this claim has been refused, and would be pleased to undertake a removal of the existing objections, and consequent thereon, an admission of the claim. It may not be known to you, that recent laws of Congress, Decisions, and liberal constructions of the laws, providing for Revolutionary Soldiers, their Widows and Heirs, embrace within their limits very many persons whose claims have heretofore been deemed doubtful or worthless; and also include a vast number of claimants, not originally provided for by law. It is not the practice of the Department, however, to give applicants the benefits of these constructions, decisions or late enactments, nor to re-open suspended or rejected claims, until all the technical objections are removed and the official requirements are fully met. The interposition of an efficient and duly constituted Agent, known and vouched for at the Department, familiar with the obstacles in the case, and representing the claimants interest, is therefore, necessary in every claim.
The hope I entertain of having your claim allowed, and the success that has heretofore attended similar operations of my Agency, justifies me in offering you my services, in the present case at a price far below that charged in similar cases, by others who have lately engaged in the same business. My fee will be one-fifth or 20 per cent of the amount recovered. Many charge one-half of the amount recovered or 50 per cent . In addition to other proofs required in the present case, is that of additional service by the soldier, and which proofs are obtained from sources known only to those having a knowledge of these claims and for which they have to pay. There will be other expenses, including those just named, which in addition to postage, I will have to incur in your behalf should you see fit to entrust me with your business. To guard against actual loss, therefore, I shall expect an advance fee of $25.00 which will be the only charge made until the claim is allowed. If you approve of my terms, you may at your earliest convenience enclose the amount named, together with the enclosed form duly executed on receipt of which I will at once proceed in your behalf and keep you fully informed of the progress of the case. I would state for your information that no money can be drawn on claims of this kind, by any person, except on papers executed for that express purpose by the Pensioner or his or her legal representatives after the claim has been allowed .
You may enquire respecting me at the Pension Office.
Very Respectfully Your Obt. Servt.
J. M. Knight

L. P. Waldo Esq. Washington D.C.

Essex Co. N.Y.
Ticonderoga August 26 th 1853
Dear Sir, I enclose two letters from "S. M. Knight" which will speak for themselves. To the first I sent a duly authenticated Power of Attorney, but without the required fee, assuring him that if he recovered any thing he should have twice the amount of his charge, in answer to which, his second letter was received. As he has referred to the "Pension Office" I thought I would enquire, And also ask "if it is not the practice of the Department to give applicants the benefit of these constructions, Decisions or late enactments " without a "twenty percent" Agent to remove " technical objections "
Several letters have been received in this section from the same and other sources by the heirs of Revolutionary Soldiers indiscriminately all of about the same stamp. I have seen as many as five from a man by the name of Benedict in Ohio promising "valuable information" for the sum of $1. Some have responded to his letters and have been duped by a second letter to send another dollar to some other place and they would receive the promised information but I have never known any person benefitted thereby. These letters are highly injurious as they lead to useless trouble and expense besides keeping the children and heirs excited by false hopes and in a constant "stew". If your Department could do any thing to check or remove the evil complained of I have no doubt it would be a very general benefit
Very respectfully your obedient servant
L. P. Waldo Esq.
L. S. Allen
Commissioner of Pensions Washington (D.C.)

Leicester Aug 18/1832
Hon Lewis Cass.
Dear Sir
The anxiety of the old
Men, Applicants for Pensions is my reason for the following suggestion - I have not required them to state whether state troops or militia or etc - not being required by the instructions - there were no clergymen near those herewith sent - Mrs. B. Warner lives in the north part of the town - near an old clergyman whose name is inserted in his paper - I have sent their own stories in their own language except in a few in particular instances to which they assented - all the officers recollated by them are inserted - and also their Christian names when recollated - some answers or indications have occurred in consequence of accident or other unaccount- able causes - the papers were made out for their state- ment sent to me in most cases - their recollection in some instances was very indistinct - especially Mr. Daniel blank, the old man's faculties were almost gone - his hands trembled so much so that he could not write in most cases the Applicant can not live long - yours very respectfully
E. Pearson
P.S. will you be so good as to notify the owners of the rejection of any should any let them E.P.

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
2254
P. O. _____
George Cook
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____ REJECTED _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Pages: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

Washington Dec 29 1852
Mrs Susan Allen Ticonderoga N. York -
Madam
I am in receipt of yours of the 24 th with Power of Attorney in the claim of "George Cook or Heirs". For the reasons given at length in my communication of the 20 th ultimo I cannot afford to proceed in your behalf without the usual admission fee of $2½ upon receipt of which I will instruct you in what manner you may render me and yourself efficient aid in obtaining proof to be used in establishing this heretofore suspended claims -
Very Respectfully Your Obedt Servt
S. M. Knight

STATE OF Michigan } ss. County of Allegan }
BE IT KNOWN, That on the twenty fourth day of August
A D., 18 64 , personally appeared before me, the undersigned, the Circuit County Judge of
Allegan County, and State of Michigan , — — John Thayer and Ruth A. Thayer
known to be creditable witnesses, who, being sworn in due form of law, doth each for themselves depose and say, that they are well acquainted with the said Learned Cook now present, and, that they verily believe his affidavit to be true: and, that they have been well acquainted with the said George Cook and Susannah Cook parents of the said Learned Cook and positively know that the said George Cook and — — Susannah Cook did always treat, own, and acknowledge the said — — Learned Cook as their legitimate and lawful child, and heir; and that it has always been so understood in the community where the said family have lived; and that there are now living, as they believe, of the heirs of the said George Cook and
Susannah Cook. Reuben Cook Learned Cook and Susan Allen . Said Deponents state that they have often heard the said George Cook tell of his and that they are entirely disinterested. buying a farm in the war of the rebellion and that they lived in the same neighborhood where the said Deponents used for some years and have often heard him say the said Deponents state that they are all interested in this claim
Subscribed and sworn to on the day and year first above written, before me, }
J. J. Littlejohn Circuit Judge
John Thayer Ruth A. Thayer

POWER OF ATTORNEY
For ascertaining whether any increase or arrears of Pension are due the widow or heirs of Revolutionary Pensioners, &c.*
STATE OF Michigan COUNTY OF Allegan
Be it known that before me
H. J. Littlejohn Circuit Judge personally appeared
Leonard Cook aged 52 years, who being duly cautioned and then sworn in due form of law, states that he is the son of George Cook who was a Revolutionary officer in the State of Connecticut and that he died on the 8th day of September 1849 and that his mother, named Susannah Cook died on the 10th day of March 1834
and that they were married on the  day in the year 1773 and that they were residents of Wyndham Town in the State of Connecticut and that they resided there some years, and that he resides in Town of Ganges  Michigan and that furthermore he
BY THESE PRESENTS, constitutes, appoints, and fully empowers and authorizes, irrevocably and with powers of substitution, to H. J. Powell of Williamsport Ohio  H. J. Littlejohn his true and lawful Attorney for him and in his name and stead, to examine into, to prosecute, to demand, and to receive from the U. S. Government and State officers his rights in all and in any manner of claim for increase or arrears of Pension or Land, that may be due him the son of George Cook who died leaving the same undrawn, as in right of law he is may be entitled.
In Witness Whereof, he has on this twenty fourth day of August 1860 hereunto signed his name, and affixed his seal.
Witness: H. J. Littlejohn , Leonard Cook (Seal.) Witness: W. H. Littlejohn
Signed, sealed, acknowledged and sworn to before me; and I further certify that Leonard Cook has always by the community been known as the son of George Cook , deceased, Dated on this 24th day of August 1860
H. J. Littlejohn Circuit Judge of said County J. P.
State of Michigan COUNTY OF Allegan } to wit:
I hereby Certify that H. J. Littlejohn Esq., before whom the
foregoing affidavits and acknowledgment were made, and who has thereunto subscribed his name, was at the time of so doing, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid, duly commissioned and sworn and that his signature above written is genuine.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court for said County Court, this twenty fourth day of August one thousand eight hundred and sixty ,
Henry C. Briggs Clerk.
"date of marriage, and date of death of her husband." or when pension commenced, if a pensioner—and amount of pension.

New York { George Rejected } Cook
10 th Nov. letter to
E. Pearson
Act June 7-1832
Rev. M c Andrew
June 12 1831
To L. S. Allen, Sept. 5/33
S. R. Powell, Sept 24/30
1832