Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 23706, David How, New York

SERVICE
New York
How, David
NUMBER
S-23706
CONTENTS

David How of Ballston in the State of New York who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain White of the Reg't commanded by Col Gordon in the New York line for 10 months —
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 33 Dollars 33 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 20 day of Febr'y 1833 — and sent to Hon M c Taggart No. Reps.
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832 — $49.99 Semi-ann. allowance ending 4 Mar '33 16.66 $66.65
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Ino Cromwell Clerk Book D Vol. 5 Page 145

County of Schenectady ss.
Jellis A. Fonda
at present residing in the City of Schenectady in said County, being duly sworn and examined doth depose and say, that he was during the revolutionary war and is now, well acquainted with David Howe of the Town of Ballston in the County of Saratoga, & referred to in the annexed documents - that this Deponent being in the year One Thousand Seven Hundred and eighty-one, Adjutant in the Regiment of State Troops or Levies of the State of New York commanded by Colonel Marinus Willett, he remembers distinctly that said David Howe served for the term of nine months in the year last aforesaid in said Regiment in a Company whereof Stephen White was Captain, and John Thornton and William Moore Lieutenants - said David Howe being a private in said Company, & further this Deponent saith not.
Subscribed & sworn this 13 th
July 1832, before me James W. Ryley, Judge Schenectady county courts
Jellis A. Fonda

State of New York County of Schenectady
John S. Nooman Clerk
of said County, Do hereby certify that James V. D. Pyley before whom the within affidavit was taken, was at the date of the same & is now a Judge of the Schenectady County Courts and that his signature "James V. D. Pyley" subscribed to the same is his genuine signature. Given under my hand and seal of office this 14 th day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty two
John S. Nooman Clerk
John S. Nooman
of office the 24 th day of December 1832 acting under the authority of the state. Witness my hand and seal the date hereof a true copy of the original of which is now in the hands of the James V. D. Pyley whose name is subscribed to the above certificate, was at the time of signing the same a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in the said County Schenectady
State of New York Schenectady County do 1832 James V. D. Pyley Judge
This twenty ninth day of December
In presence of me Rich. Wetmore my friend
I have reason to believe (entitled to certificate and that his statement as far has been verified and sworn to the above acquainted with Belle A. Fonda who I know to have been the person who forging certificate has been presented to James V. D. Pyley before whom the

James V. Ryley, before whom the foregoing certificate has been subscribed I swear do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Ellis A. Fonda who has subscribed and sworn to the above certificate and that his statement is (as I have reason to believe) entitled to the fullest credit. Witness my hand this twenty ninth day of December 1832 James V. Ryley Judge
State of New York Schenectady County do I John S. Vrooman clerk of the County of Schenectady do certify that James V. Ryley whose name is subscribed to the above certificate was at the date thereof a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in & for said County acting under the authority of this State. Witness my hand and seal of office the 29 th day of December 1832 John S. Vrooman Clerk
State of New York County of Schenectady ss I John S. Vrooman Clerk do hereby certify that James V. Ryley before whom the within affidavit was taken, was at the time of signing the same a Judge of the Schenectady County Courts and that his signature "James V. Ryley" subscribed to the foregoing certificate was true to the best of my knowledge. Given under my hand at the office the 14 th day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two John S. Vrooman Clerk

State of New York Saratoga County ss:
On this Sixth — day of September in the year 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Saratoga in the State of New York Now sitting David How a resident of the town of Ballston in the said County aged Seventy 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.
He was born in the town of Poundridge in the County of Westchester in the State of New York September 27 th 1761. He has no record of his age. He is known to the Captain Nathaniel Booth, the Revered Reuben Sears, James Thompson first Judge, Guert Van Schoonhoven & George Palmer Judges of the County Courts, and the principal inhabitants of the town of Ballston where he resides who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. He has resided in Ballston afore- said ever since the year 1773 where he now resides.
His first for military service was in the autumn of the year 1778 when he was ordered out on an expedition to Palmertown Mountain in the said County for two weeks to man the garrisons which was kept there to defend the frontier. He marched under the command of Capt. Stephen White who was a Captain of Militia in the Regiment commanded by Col. James Gordon (afterwards a Representative in Congress) Jacobus Van Schoonhoven Lieut. Colonel; & served in the garrison two weeks when he was dismissed without a

written discharge by said Captain White who then had command of the garrison. He & his associates were discharged upon being relieved by other drafts or volunteers of the Militia.
His second tour of service was in the same autumn of the year 1778 on the occasion of an alarm on the frontier when he volunteered under the command of said Lieut. Col. Jacobus Van Schoonhoven and marched to Stone Arabia on the Mohawk river opposite Fort Plain where he remained under said command until the alarm was over. He was absent from home on this expedition about fourteen or fifteen days. His Lieutenant was Epenetus White, (afterwards Judge White of Ballston deceased). He was dismissed at Stone Arabia without a written discharge & ordered to return home, by the Lieut. Col. commanding.
His third tour of service was in the autumn of the year 1780 when Ballston was burnt by the expedition of the British & Indians from Canada. Col. Gordon was taken prisoner & carried to Canada. Isaac Stow was killed near Col. Gordon's house. All the whigs able to bear arms in Ballston were called out to pursue the enemy. In the said David Now & others volunteered & marched in pursuit to the Sacandaga Mountains near Lake Depopulation where he & his associates met several prisoners returning home who had been dismissed by the British on account of their inability, through age & infirmity, to march on the retreat. These dismissed prisoners, three of whom were Pearson, Kennedy, & Sprague (the latter a man of Eighty years old) brought from Col. Gordon directions to the party in pursuit of which the said Now was one, not to continue the pursuit, but to return to Ballston as the British officer had put. The

Prisoners captured at Ballston into the custody of the Indians with orders to kill them if they should be attacked. Thereupon the said Now & his associates were ordered back & returned to Ballston. The said Now was under the command of Major Swits of Schenectady who was stationed with a body of militia from that place, at the Mutinghouse near Ballston Lake, when Ballston was burnt. On this expedition he was out about one week .
His fourth term of service was in the year 1781. In the Spring of that year he enlisted for nine months into the company of Capt. Stephen White in Col. Marinus Willets regiment of New York State troops. John Thornton & William Moore were lieutenants of the company. In the said David Now continued to serve in that company & regiment until the full expiration of the said nine months & was discharged at the Killebarrack in the county of Albany on the 31 st day of December 1781 by Lieut. Thornton under whom he had been several days on duty at that place raising wheat by impressment for the army at Fort Plain Fort Stanwix etc. The wheat was transported to Albany & ground at the Patroon's Mill. He received no written discharge. During these nine months his service was chiefly on the frontiers at the garrison at Ballston  La Tige at Fort Herkimer, Fort Plain, & Johnstown. He was in the battle of Johnstown, when his Capt. Stephen White was taken prisoner & carried to Canada. Major Rowley & Capt. Clarke were wounded & several privates were killed.
Fifthly. In the Spring of the year 1782 he was employed as an Indian spy to guide

a corps of three years men under the command of Sergeant William Weed of the Continental Army was through the woods on the Northern frontier along the Sacandaga mountains in search of Indians. He was recommended to this duty by his militia Major, Andrew Mitchell, & volunteered accordingly. He performed this duty to the satisfaction of Sergeant Weed & returned with him to Ballston. He is unable to state precisely the time he was out in this service. It however was not many days.
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 in open Court this day & year aforesaid in open Court.
} David Hove
Thomas Palmer Clerk
We Reuben Sears — a clergyman residing in the town of Ballston aforesaid & Nathaniel Booth residing in Ballston aforesaid
hereby certify that we are well acquainted with David Hove who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy years of age; that he is respected & beloved in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution & that we concur in that opinion. Sworn & subscribed this day & year aforesaid. in open Court
Reuben Sears Nath l Booth
Thomas Palmer Clerk

David How.
10.109
†
10 mo private
adm?
10 mo. priv.
$32.33

And the said Court do hereby declare their 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. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Reuben Lewis who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the town of Ballston in the County of Saratoga & State of New York & that Nathaniel Booth who has also signed the same is a resident in the said town of Ballston the said the credible persons & that their statement is entitled to credit, and that the statement of Ohydeus Scribner hereto annexed is also entitled to credit Thomas Palmer Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Saratoga aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court Now for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this Sixty — day of September in the year of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred & thirty two.
Thomas Palmer Clerk

Thaddeus Scribner of Ballston in the County of Saratoga, and State of New York being duly sworn says that he is well acquainted with the within named applicant David How, and was well acquainted with him during the Revolutionary War. That the said David How entered the service with the Defendant in the Spring of the Year 1781 for the term of nine months in a Company, in which Stephen White was Captain John Thornton & William Moore were Lieutenants in Colonel Marinus Willets Regiment of State of Troops: That the said David How continued to serve in the said Company & Regiment until the expiration of the said nine months sworn subscribed to in open Court the 6 th September
1832
Thomas Palmer Clerk
Thaddeus Scribner

Amended declaration of the before named David How —
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the peace in and for the County of Saratoga, David How who being by me 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. Nor can he swear mention with any more precision, than he has already done in his declaration hereto annexed, the length of his service. That all the services he performed as therein stated were as a private and he only claims a pension as a private —
Subscribed & sworn the 7 th day of January 1833 before me A Goodrich Justice
DAVID HOW
State of New York Saratoga County
I Alpheus Goodrich Clerk of the County of Saratoga do certify that Alpheus Goodrich before whom the foregoing Affidavit was sworn, was at the date of the same one of the Justices of the peace in and for the said County and that I am acquainted with his hand writing and hereby believe his name subscribed to the said affidavit to be his proper hand writing & signature
Witness my hand and seal of office the seventh day of January 1833
A Goodrich Clerk

I have been well acquainted with David Now the applicant, from my childhood. His character for truth & integrity is very fair. I have full confidence in the accuracy of his statements. Jan. 18. 1833
John W. Taylor M. C.
10.109

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Y.Y. 23,706
Washington, D. C., _____, 19_____
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of David How a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Autumn 1778 1 week Pvt. Stephen White James Gordon N.Y.   Autumn 1778 14 or 15 days Lieut Ephraim White Van Schoonhoven   Autumn 1780 1 week Major Smith   Spring of 1781 9 mos Stephen White Major William Miller   Spring 1782 ✓ Indian Spy under Sergt. William Head  
Battles engaged in, Johnstown
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Ballston, Saratoga Co. N.Y.
Date of application for pension, Sept. 6, 1832. His ch. was ab.
Residence at date of application, Ballston, N.Y.
Age at date of application, b. at Poundridge, Westchester Co. N.Y. Sept. 27, 1761.
Remarks: No data as to family
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

Revolution 23706 INVALID.
1913 Dec. 26 Hist. Soc. Miss. Dugald G. Porter V.P.M.
File No. 23706
David How
Rev War
Act: June 7 th 82 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 191
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Thursday, Dec. 18 th 1913.
Mr. L. M. Saltzgeber;
Dear Sir:-
Kindly send me all the data you have on David How of Ballston Spa. N.Y., a pensioner in the Revolutionary War. And oblige
Very sincerely yours,
Mrs. Dugald G. Porter.
1003- Twelfth Ave.
Moline, Illinois.