Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2,878, Samuel Denison, Conn.

SERVICE
Conn.
Denison, Samuel
NUMBER
R. 2878
CONTENTS

State of New York
On this Thirty eighth day of August 1832
Personally appeared before the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the said County of Ontario and State aforesaid Samuel Denison a resident of Seneca in the County of Ontario and State of New York aged sixty some 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 provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832, that he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1780. with Maj. Woodbridge and served in Col. Heman Swift (7th) Regiment of the Connecticut line, under the following named officers.
He enlisted above the place of home in the year 1780 in the Company commanded by Maj. Woodbridge in Col. Heman Swift (7th) Regiment in the Connecticut Line and served in said Line six months - resided at the time of his enlistment in Skybrook County of Middlesex in the State of Connecticut, from which place he first marched to Nelsons Point, where he joined Genl. Washington's Army, and Remained with the Army during the Campaign and during said term of six months, at the end of which in the month or about the first of December of the year, he received a written discharge from Col. Swift (which he has since lost) and returning Home - That he was born in the year 1763. in the Town of Skybrook County of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, where he resided after the war until about the year 1793. When he Emigrated to the State of New York where he has since resided - That he has no documentary evidence of service but is well acquainted with Genl. Jones, whose Certificate is hereto annexed who knew him while in the Service above stated and will Certify to the same. He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity, except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of any Agency in any State - Samuel Denison sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion that the above named Applicant was a revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states - Charles Crane, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for said County of Ontario, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Samuel Denison for a pension - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 28th day of August 1832 - at Canandaigua in said County.

Charles Crane

State of New York } On this 27th day of August 1832 Ontario County ss: } Personally appeared before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting Ezra Jones who on his oath says he is well acquainted with Samuel Dennison who is making application before the said Court for a pension - That he well knew Samuel Dennison when in the service in Capt. Ezra Jones  Major Ezra Jones  the Company in Col. Heman Swifts 7th Regiment of the Connecticut line and knows of his having served in said line six months in the year 1780. Saw him frequently during said term of service and knows him to be the identical Samuel Dennison who served as above stated Sworn to and subscribed the 27th day of August 1832 Ezra Jones - in open Court Charles Crane Clerk of the court of Common Pleas of said County

Samuel Denison's Declaration.
1770
Passaic

Brief N o 7970
Samuel Denison

1792
17 22 June 9. Rev?
BRIEF in the case of Samuel Dinnison of Seneca County of Ontario — in the State of New York — (Act 7th June, 1839.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?
Before a Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he?
69 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.     In 1780 about 1 st June — 6 — As a private Gen. Major Woodbridge Col. Heman Swift  
5. In what battles was he engaged?
none
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service?
Saybrook Connecticut
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?
1 living witness
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
yes
X  Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
James D. Dinnison
Examining Clerk.

In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Samuel Denison , a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his ( or his widow's ) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
R. 2878
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     June 1, 1780 6 mos. Private Major Woodbridge's co. Heman Swift Conn.                                            
Battles engaged in, Residence of soldier at enlistment, Saybrook, Conn. until 1793. Date of application for pension, Aug. 28, 1832. Residence at date of application, Seneca, Ontario Co., New York. Age at date of application, born in 1763 at Saybrook, Conn.
Remarks: there is no family data on file.  His claim was never allowed for the reason that the rolls showed a service of only 5 mos. & 17 days instead of six months required by the pension law of June 7, 1832 under which he applied.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

10 New York 1000 in 7th 1000 in 8th 1000 in 9th 1000 in 10th 1000 in 11th 1000 in 12th 1000 in 13th 1000 in 14th 1000 in 15th 1000 in 16th 1000 in 17th 1000 in 18th 1000 in 19th 1000 in 20th

RECEIVED
2878
P. O. Samuel Dennis
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: List of rejected claims printed in 1852 shows cause of rejection as follows: "He did not serve six months."
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18
1919 Jan. 21. That to Nov. 9. A. Skillen, later in N. file 19504 Simon Skillen. d.

D. McNeil Esq. Phelps, N. York.
Extract
Nov. 23, 1832.
Sir:
X X X X X X X X
Samuel Davison declares for a service in the continental army which by the rolls is less than six months, being 5 mo 17 days + X X X X X
Comm. took p. 227 June 22 - Dec. 9, 1780 = 5 mo. 17 da.

2 Brief  N o 7970
Sam Denison
By died
on rolls 22 June 9 lev.
5. 17 days
2878
David McNeil Agt
Phelps

N o 7970
BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Samuel Dinison which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides?
yes
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides?
yes
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?
yes
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?
yes
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?
yes
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832?
yes
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?
yes
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?
yes
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?
No (as to device of 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 has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? Yes
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office?
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 the 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.
†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 authenticated 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 end 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.