Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4605, Elijah Harger, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn
Harger, Elijah Hardyear, or
1P. 4605
CONTENTS

9646
Elijah Harger
-
Reply to A Blackman
H. Miller 1821

State of Connecticut } ss: Southbury 25 th County of New Haven } July A. D. 1832
In this 25 th day of July A.D. 1832, Personally appeared before the court of Probate in the District of Woodbury now in session in said Southbury in New Haven County in said District of Woodbury - Elijah Harger, sometimes called Hargreave a resident of Oxford in the County of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, aged sixty eight 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 7 th , 1832, That he enlisted in the army of the United States on the first day of June in the year 1780. and served in the regiment of Col. Isaac Sherman of the Continental line, under the following named officers - in the Brigade of General Samuel H. Parsons, He believes the Captain of the company in which

He served was named Comstock; That he remembers one Captain Sanford in the same regiment, and thinks his name was Elihu Sanford; That he remembers at this day no other officers who served in his company; That he served under no more than one term of enlistment, and that he was discharged at the Highlands, in the State of New York, at the end of six months, from the time of his enlistment. That he enlisted in the town of Hartland then in Litchfield County in the State of Connecticut, to serve for the term of six months, and joined the Army at Nelson's Point in the State of New York, and marched from thence to Kings ferry, and crossed the North River, by "Stoney point fort" into the State of New Jersey, and does not remember the place of the first encampment. but thinks it was the place where Andre was hung. That they encamped once in a place then called the "English Neighborhood", and afterwards, they encamped at a place called To-ta-way. and remained at this last encampment till near the last of November 1780. and thence returned with the Connecticut troops

To the highland, a little above west-point, and there put up for winter quarters, where I received my discharge. I remember the Leather Caps Regiment commanded by Col: Meigs, who were considered the best regiment of men among the Connecticut Troops. I remember to have seen General Lafayette and Genl: Washington. I saw them in New-Jersey, but forget the name of the place where I saw them. I know it was at the place where Smith was under guard, who was suspected of having harboured Andre. I think I was one of the guard over Smith. I was out upon guard, when Andre was hung, at Dobb's or Dobson's ferry with three companies of guard.
I received my discharge of Col: Isaac Sherman; my father took it from me, immediately after I returned home, for the purpose of drawing pay for my services, when I was in my seventeenth year of age, since which I have never seen it. I know of no man now living who is acquainted with my personal services. Ezra Foot and John Durand were in Col: Meigs Regiment, and saw me in service, they are both dead. I was born in Oxford

in New Haven County, in the State of Connecticut, on the 14 th day of July 1764, but do not know of any record of my age - After my discharge I returned to said Hattland, and resided there about one month, whence I went to the town of Granville in the State of Massachusetts, and resided there permanently about seven years, from which place I moved to Oxford, where I have resided ever since - I am acquainted with Captain Nathaniel Wooster, Abijah Hyde, Lemuel Beardsley, Philo Hinman, Rev. Abram Brown and numerous others in the town of Oxford.
He hereby relinquished every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity Except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State.
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Robt Phelps kins of Probate District of Woodbury
Elijah Harger

And the said court, do hereby declare their opinion, that the above named applicant, was a revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states —
H. B. Phelps Mayor of Probate for District of Woodbury I Nathan Preston, Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of Woodbury, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court, in the matter of the application of Elijah Harger, for a pension —
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this third day of September A.D. 1832.
Nathan Preston Clerk

9646
Elizah Harger
Report see letter to Chairman June 11 th 1833 +
En P. in July 1780 at 9 o'clock 1780 R
Chairman Oxford County

BRIEF in the case of  Elijah Harger County of New Haven in the State of Connecticut (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? of court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 68 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.     1 June In 1780 6 As a Private Gen. G. H. Sherman  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Litchfield Conn  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? He is our declaration  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? correct 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Nicholas Catto Examining Clerk.

Nov 15-1900 J Albert Smith mustered in.
Lists of 1861-65 and 1866-70
RELOCATED
4615
P. O. _____
Elijah Hoarger
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contr
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18
ict.

Elijah Harger Concurrence det 7 th June 1832
Rejected In let. Her No Claimant June 12. 1833
4605

THE WINSTED SAVINGS BANK,
WINSTED, CONN.
INCORPORATED 1860.
JOHN HINSDALE, PRES.
GEO. S. ROWE, TREAS.
LORRIN A. COOKE
Feb. 28 th , 1900.
Pension Bureau,
Department of Interior, Washington, D. C.
Gentlemen;
Kindly tell me if you have enlistment rolls of Col. Canfield's Militia Regt, at West Point 1781.
Also. 8 th . Regt Conn Line.
I wish facts about Jedediah Harger in 1st, and Elijah Harger in 2 nd .
Please tell your charge for furnishing facts given on rolls.
Yours truly, J Albert Smith.

Elijah Harger

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Elijah Hoagler New Haven 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? Yes

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? 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.