Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 4389, Benjamin Gunsolley, New York

SERVICE
NUMBER
New York
Gunsolley, Benjamin
R. 4389
CONTENTS

State of Michigan
Shiawassee county } to James Gumbolley of Caladonia in said county being duly sworn deposes and says that he is aged forty seven years and is the son of Benjamin Gumbolley whose ap- plication for a pension is hereto an- nected. Deponent further says that when a boy and from that time to the present he always understood and it was generally understood and believed in the neighborhoods where he lived that said Benjamin Gumbolley was a Revolutionary soldier That he never heard it questioned or doubted. Deponent further says that about eighteen years ago the said Benjamin Gumbolley had his house burned and all or nearly all its contents. That he deponent heard frequently from about the time of indeed being & beginning speak said fire of having his discharge burned in his house - and deponent from what he knew of his father and what he then heard him and others say never doubted that he had such discharge and that the same was destroyed by said fire
Deponent further says that when about ten years old he lived with his father in the town of Phelps Ontario county New York except he depo- nent remembers being at the house of one Anthony Van Auken

in said war of Phelps at which time the said Van Auken in a conversation with one Charles Roye stated that he said Van Auken was in service in the Revolutionary war with his father. That from that time to the present the remarks of people have been uniform that said Ben- jamin Gumbally was a soldier in said war
And further deponent saith not known this 3 d day of July 1857 before me James Gumbally Ira Merrill Justice of the Peace
I certify that said James Gumbally is a reputable man & a man of truth & veracity Ira Merrill Justice of the Peace
James Gumbally State of Michigan } Shiawassee County } I do hereby certify that Ira Merrill Esq whose name appears to the above proof & certificate was at the date of the same a Justice of the Peace in & for said County, duly qualified, & that his signature thereunto is genuine
In testimony whereof I do here- unto affix my name & the seal of the Circuit Court for said County at Lansing this 8 th of July A.D. 1857
Elmer F. Wade Clerk

State of New York
County of Ontario ss. John Van Auken of Phelps Ontario County & State aforesaid being duly sworn deposes and says that he is Eighty four years of age, that in the time of the Revolution he was a Resident of Northampton County State of Pennsylvania & on the Banks of the Delaware River, that he was in the service of the United States during said Revolution as will appear by his papers on file in the War Department, that he is a Pensioner of the United States for said service.
That he is well acquainted with Benjamin Gunsally an old man now a Resident of the County of Shiawassee State of Michigan That he has been acquainted with said Gunsally ever since & during the Revolutionary War. That in the time of the said Revolutionary War. The said Benjamin Gunsally lived on the New York side of the Delaware River in the County of Orange, it being then upon the then Indian Frontier, which was the most of the time of the Revolution infested by Indians. That at one time during said War. he saw the said Gunsally in the Fort, Called Keykendalls Fort on the said Delaware River. doing duty as a Soldier. Saw him several times doing duty as a soldier during the said War. That he understood that the prominent Officers who commanded the Militia to which said Gunsally belonged was Capt William Westfall & also one Capt Mous Cortright, there being at that time several picket Forts or Block Houses Erected for the Protection of the Inhabitants on said Frontier & that all the able bodied Militia were man or left in service during said War. That the said Gunsally was a good & faithful soldier & served an

private soldier, but in what Regiment he could not state nor can he state what the name of the Col was. He could not state the precise year or the Months, or the Number of Months or years the said Gunsally served as aforesaid. But as near as he can now remember the said Gunsally was like the Appearance of Most of the inhabitants in actual service in said Revolutionary War, the whole time of the Continuance thereof -
John Van Curen
Subscribed and sworn This 13 th day of May A D 1857
Before me - William Hildreth
Justice of the Peace of Ontario County
Ontario County ss. I William Hildreth a Justice of the peace in & for said County, do hereby certify that I am acquainted with John Van Curen who subscribed his name to & who made the foregoing affidavit that he is a man of good Moral Character & his Statements therein are entitled to credit -
Dated Phelps May 13 th 1857 -
William Hildreth JP

State of New York ss. Ontario County Clerk's Office
I, Reuben Murray, Jr., Clerk of said County, Do Hereby Certify, That William Hildreth Esquire, before whom the annexed instrument was subscribed and sworn, was at the time the same purports to have been so subscribed and sworn, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, duly elected, sworn and authorized to act as such. And further, that I am well acquainted with the hand-writing of such Justice and verily believe his signature subscribed to the jurat of said affidavit, to be genuine.
at the
In Testimony Whereof, day of May
I have hereunto subscribed my name, and affixed the Seal of the said County, this 14th 1851.
Reuben Murray Jr Clerk
at the

Benjamin Gensdley
No 38.224
Benjamin Gensdley
Mich.
Oct 7 June 1832
Agent
A Gould overseer Miles
A Gould

State of Michigan Shiawassee county 3 d on this 4 th day of Jan AD 1851 before the county court for Shiawassee county being a court of Record personally appeared in open court Benjamin Gurnsey of Caledonia in said county aged thirty two. — years who being duly sworn and examined in and by said court makes the following declaration in order to obtain the Benefits of the Act of Congress passed in —
1832 for granting Pensions to certain officers and soldiers who served in the war of the Revolution
That at the commencement of the Revolutionary war he resided near a place called "Mama cat- ting" in the county of Orange in the State of New York
That previous to the declaration of Independence he was enrolled in the company of Militia or State troops commanded by Captain William Westfall in the Regiment commanded by Col Levi Paulding
That during the whole of the war of the Revolution he continued a member of said Company and was in actual service at the times and in the manner hereinafter stated
That during the Summer Season viz: from the first of April in each and every year from & including the year 1776 until and during the year 1780 he was in actual service until late in the fall a term of eight months or about that as a member of said company
That his said services was as one of a scouting — party organized in each year for the purpose of guard- ing the lines against the hostile Indians
That the "lines" so guarded extended from a place called "Hoback" to "Germantown" a distance of twelve

miles in the country or orange
That said Scouting parties were not under the immediate command of said Captain Westfall but usually under the direction of inferior officers or other persons called "guides" who were well acquainted with the country and the habits and manner of warfare of the Indians
That during the two first seasons said party was under the direction of James Chambers & John Sturge as "guides" That after this other men of the party acted as guides that Anthony Van Arken, Harman Rosecrants, Garret Van Arken, David Bricker, Elias Gaykendall, William Goff, William Ellsworth, John Ellsworth, Rosecrants Goff & John Goff were amongst the men that were engaged with him in said service
That during the said eight months or about that in each year he was in actual service all the time
That he engaged in no other business and did no other business during the time above stated
That from about the month of December to the month of April following in each year he remained at home then being then no danger from the Indians as was supposed He further says that during the said war he was in the Battle of "Owanusink at Beaver Brook" with the Indians under Brant
That he saw Col. Tusten who was killed in said Battle who was killed in said Battle that he saw said Col. Tusten lying dead on the ground that he also knew Captain Tyler who was also killed
That about the first of April 1781 he went again into service and was stationed in the fort at Patankat or Hanastarow, and continued to serve there in said Fort until the fourteenth day of November 1781 a term of seven and a half months, that he was discharged this year soon after the news of the taking of Cornwallis

was received That he received a written discharge from This term of service signed by Col Levi Paulding (which said discharge was written by Sergeant Thomas Murphy) That during This term of Service he was under the command of Capt Moody of the regular Army who had the command of said Fort. That he was drafted at This time to serve at said Fort
That his house was burned about eighteen years ago and his said discharge and all his other property therein was destroyed - That he did not leave any during This year term of service - that he served all the time as a private soldier. That he has now no dis- charges or other evidence of his service except the affida- vits of those who saw him and the affidavits of those who have long known him and understood him to have been in service
That a great many years ago he applied to a lawyer to get a pension for him but was told that he could not get one unless he would make oath that he was worth no prop- erty - that he was not willing to make said oath and gave up all idea of making application - that it is not many years since he was first informed that a law had been passed to give him a pension - that he was then old and had no one to take an interest in the matter un- -till lately when he came to live with his son James Gansley who has undertaken to get it for him
He relinquishes all claim to a pension except the present and hereby declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any State or Territory
Given to in open court of witness the day & year first above written
Ebenezer F. Wade Clerk
Benjamin his Gansley mark

State of Michigan } Shiawassee county } I Hiram Smith of said county a minister of the gospel do hereby certify that I am acquainted with Benjamin Gunsolley described in said who has made & sworn to the foregoing declaration - that I have made inquiry of the people in the neighborhood in which he lives and from information derived from such inquiry I am satisfied that he is agreeably to years and service as he has stated in said declaration } Given this 4 th day of } Hiram Smith June 1851 in open } court E.F. Wadsworth
State of Michigan } Shiawassee county } We the undersigned citizens of the county of Shiawassee do hereby certify on oath that we are acquainted with Benjamin Gunsolley who has sworn to the foregoing declaration that he is situated in the neighborhood in which he lives to have been a soldier of the Revolution to be of the age and to have served as stated in said declaration and that we concur in that opinion } Given this 4 th day of June } E.P. Young 1851 in open court } E.F. Wadsworth } Samuel Beatie
State of Michigan. In Shiawassee County of June Term one thousand eight hundred and fifty Present Hon A.B. Chipman Judge Personally appeared in open court one

The fourth day of June AD 1867 before said Court being in court of record the above named Benjamin Gumbelley and was examined on oath and stated that the matters stated in the foregoing declaration by him signed are true and from such examination the Court are satisfied that the said Benjamin Gumbelley was a soldier of the Revolution and served as he stated. It is made to appear to the satisfaction of said Court that Hiram Smith who has signed and sworn to the foregoing certificate is a minister of the gospel, and that he and the above named E. V. Young Samuel Beattie who has signed and sworn to the above certificate are men of truth and veracity. In witness whereof the Court has caused its seal to be hereunto affixed and the signature of the Clerk to be hereunto signed.
Ebenezer F. Wass Clerk

Benjamin Gunvalley March - Oct 1832
Hannah Parson Joseph -
original
2 East Cincinnati Washington J. H.
C. P. Hark
Col.
FREE

FREE
Col.
Hald.
sons of Nubians. Washington. D.C.

FREE
Hannah Purvis and Joseph M. Appleton
Benj t Gundersley clerk for the
Rev. Joseph M. Appleton of Providence, R.I. Washington D.C.

John Cole Ann Arbor

No 38.224
Benj: Gunsolley
Wick.
Act 7 th June 1832
To A. Gould. Oct 23 rd 1851
J. H. Nortwill, April 16/55. " " same, May 9/55.
4589

REJECTED
4389.
P. O.
Benjamin Gamsolley
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

Owosso July 3 1851
Hon J E Heath Sir
Enclosed is the application of Benjamin Gumbally for a pension under the act of 1832
Will you please give it an examination and communicate the result to me
Yours Very Resp'y
A Gould

James Gunnolly
Form of Attorney
J. H. H. H. H. Subscribed

Thomas N. Hartwell of Detroit Michigan is hereby appointed to my sole to procure for me the Pension money to which I may be entitled as one of the heirs of Benjamin Gunsolly a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 1 st day of May - A.D. 1855 at Comm. Shiawassee Co. Mich. Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of
James Gunsolly
J. H. Beach J. W. Wait

Detroit April 6 1855
Dear S. R. Waldo
Sir Please inform me at your earliest convenience whether Hannah Parsons & widow of Joseph Parsons a Revolutionary Soldier has ever filed her Application for a Pension and if so give a Certificate issued to whom such by the Department.
Also whether the Application of one Samuel a Revolutionary Soldier has ever been recd at the Department and whether Certificate is issued. If no Certificate has been issued in either case please inform me how each case stands, and what further proof is required.
Yours Respectfully J. H. Hartwell

Detroit May 2 1855.
Hon L. P. Wells
Sir.
60 Enclosed please find Power of Attorney giving me authority to act in behalf of heirs of Benjamin Mussely and Joseph Pison soldiers in the Revolutionary War as instructed in your favor of the 16 th ult.
I am Sir
Respectfully
Your obed servt
D. N. Hartwell