REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION - ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON Contributed by: Samuel Bush (smbush@dcaccess.com) Date Submitted: 18 Jul 2002 *********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ct/ctfiles.htm *********************************************** ************************************************************************ The USGenWeb Project makes no claims or estimates of the validity of the information submitted and reminds you that each new piece of information must be researched and proved or disproved by weight of evidence. It is always best to consult the original material for verification. ************************************************************************ 29.687 Connecticut. ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON of Litchfield in the State of Connecticut who was a private in the Comp. commanded by Captain Douglass of the Connecticut Troops, 1 year infantry, 1 year artillery Inscribed on the Roll of Connecticut at the rate of 90 Dollars per annum... Certificate of Pension issued the 28 day of Jan 1834 Arrears to the 4th of Sep 1834 $15 Sem-anl. allowance ending 4 [ ] 1835 $45 $60 === Declaration of ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON of the Town of Bethlem, Litchfield County State of Connecticut in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. State of Connecticut, County of Litchfield} Ss. Court of Probate within York for the District of Litchfield. On this 10th day of August AD 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Hon. Frederick Wolcott Judge of the Court of Probate in & for said District now sitting - ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON a resident of the Town of Bethlem in said County aged seventy 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 act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the Untied States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. That he was born in East Haven New Haven County & State of Connecticut in the month of January 1754 that he does not know of any record of his age but thinks it probable that there is a record of it in the Records of the Town of East Haven or New Haven. 1st In the month of April or May 1775 I the said ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON being a resident of sd Town of East Haven, enlisted into a Company of State Troops in the War of the Revolution, Commanded by Captain Douglass (I think Wm. Douglass) to serve as a private for the term of seven months & marched immediately to Horseneck in Connecticut & joined the Troops under the command of General Wooster, sd company was stationed a short time at Horseneck & was then ordered to Harlem in the state of New York & were encamped in that place a few weeks & were then ordered to join the American Troops at Ticonderoga & marched immediately under the Command of Col. or General Waterbury & joined General Montgomerys Troops at Ticonderoga, from thence went to Crown Point thence on to Lake Champlain with a view to attack St. Johns, immediately after landing near St. Johns & in the neighborhood of that lace the Troops of which I was one had a Battle with the Indians, we were at this time commanded by General Montgomery soon after this we erected a battery near St. Johns & made an attack upon that place threw Bombs into the Town from the Battery We then went to Fort George & remained there until General Wooster arrived with a new ___ of Troops & the term of service for which I enlisted (viz) seven months herein expired. I was with other belonging to the company Discharged by (if I recollect correctly) a General Order I think then was not any written Discharge given, ISAAC BARNS & EPHRAIM CHIDSEY of the Town of East Haven were both privates with me in the company commanded by Capt. Douglass & served in sd Company with me during the campaign aforesaid. I have no Documentary evidence of my sd service put rely upon the Testimony of These ISAAC BARNS & EPHRAIM CHIDSEY whose deposition are hereunto annexed to support my Declaration to this term of service. I also state that the Deposition of sd. Barnes & Chidsey was by me obtained with a view to apply for a pension in Sept. 1829 & that is the reason why this Deposition forwarded perwith is dated Set. 23d 1829. After performing the aforementioned term of service I returned to my Fathers house in East haven & in the spring following towit in the spring of 1776 (the month I cannot state) I again inlisted (sic) into the service of the United States as a private in a company of State Troops commanded by Captain --- Brackett of New Haven County in the state of Connecticut to serve for a period of six months I was immediately ordered with the rest of sd Company to the City of New York, was stationed in that City a short time & was then ordered & went across to Long Island to Flat Bush, & was encamped at that place a short Time & was then ordered by General Washington with the rest of the American Troops to leave the Island which we did in the night season & had very nigh been taken by the British we were then stationed a short time in New York, Then at Turtle Bay, then at Kingsbridge, from thence we were marched to Horseneck in Connecticut & in the fall of 1776 at Horseneck & at the expiration of six months from the time of my said enlistment I was Discharged I having served the full term of six months as aforesaid my impression is that I had at this Time a written Discharge but of this I am not certain If I had one it has long since been lost & I have not now any thing of the kind in my possession. I have no Documentary evidence of my said service [smudge] best rely upon the Testimony of THOMAS SHEPPERD and EPHRAIM CHIDSEY whose Depositions are hereunto annexed to support my Declaration to this term of service. 3rd. I then returned to my Fathers house in East Haven and remained there During the winter. In the spring of 1777 I again enlisted to serve as a private in Company commanded by Captain --- Wilmot of New Haven at which place I enlisted to serve for the period of one year from the time of my said enlistment. Phineas Bradley was a Lieutenant in said Company. I was immediately after my said enlistment stationed with said Company under the command of the said Captain Wilmont at New Haven & in the neighborhood of said New Haven as a guard & performed duty as a guard during the term of Twelve months from time of my said enlistment and in the spring of 1778 I was discharged whether I was discharged by an order from the commanding officer or had a written discharge I cannot say I have not now any Discharge in my possession neither do I recollect to have had one I have no Documentary evidence of my said service but rely upon the testimony of JESSE LUDDINGTON & Elle GRANNIS who were both members of the same company with me & performed the Tour of Duty last aforesaid in said Company with me upon Depositions are hereunto annexed to support my Declaration to this term of service. 4th. Soon after my Discharge in the spring of 1778 I enlisted at New Haven to perform Duty as a Marine on board a Brig called the General Washington which had been fitted out as a privateer under the command of Captain William Rogers said Brig was at the time lying in port at Boston I went immediately to Boston & went on board sd Brig & immediately went to sea on the 4th Day after we sailed from Boston we next with a British armed vessell carrying 22 Guns (viz) 20 Nine pounders on her main deck & two six pounders on her fore castle, after a short battle with her we captured & sent her to Boston, she was laden with clothing & Chees? [?] for the British army and bound for New York. We then steered for the West Indies & within a few days came across & captured a British vessell laden with between 90 or 100 Puncheons [?] of Rum & sent her to Boston We then went to Martinique & after remaining at that Island a few days, again put to sea & immediately met with a British Brig laden with Codfish & sent her into Martinique, about one week after this the Brig General Washington was Captured by a large armed British ship, I with others of the crew of the General Washington was put in chains & confined in the hold of the British ship & was carried to Barbadoes and was there confined in the common Goal two months, we were then sent to Martinique & then was liberated & sailed in an American vessell for Boston, on our passage home we were again captured by the British and carried into Halifax & I was with others confined in the common goal in Halifax for the term of six months we were then exchanged and went to Boston where we arrived at the expiration of about one year after we first left that Port in the Brig Genl Washington. I have no Documentary evidence of my said service on Board the Brig Genl Washington & of my imprisonment but [smudged word] rely wholly upon my own Declaration to support [ ] the last Term of service aforesaid. The Revd. PAUL COUCH, SAMUEL JACKSON Esqr & NATHAN HAWLEY Esqr - all of whom are residents in said Town of Bethlem to whom I am well known can testify as to my character for veracity and their belief of my service as a soldier of the Revolution. I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity right the present and Declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. ELIPHALET LUDINGTEN === We PAUL COUCH a Clergy man residing in the Town of Bethlem in the County of Litchfield & State of Connecticut and SAMUEL JACKSON residing in said town hereby Certify that we are well acquainted with ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration that we believe him to be seventy eight years of age, That he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concern in that opinion, we do also further certify that the said ELIPHALET LUDDINGTONs character for veracity is good and his declaration in our opinion entitled to credit. PAUL COUCH, SAMUEL JACKSON === I ENOS HEMINGWAY of East Haven Conn. aged 79 years being duly sworn do depose & say that in the summer & fall of the year 1775 I was a member of a Company of United States troops belonging to the Northern Army commanded by Capt. Wm. Douglass in Gen. Woosters Regiment. I was then well acquainted with ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON then of sd East Haven now of Bethlem Conn. I know that he served with me in said Company at the North. How he was discharged from that service I do not now remember. I never heard it intimated a [ ]ted that he deserted [underlined] & if he had deserted I am confident that I should have known & remembered it. He continued to live in East Haven after he returned form the North & married here & if he had deserted it would have been known; but I never heard such a thing suggested. After we had served about six months I remember that several soldiers in our Company left it by direction of our superior officers in consequence of their being sick & unable to do military duty & were sent into the hospital or home & among these was WILLIAM or BILL EVERTON, & the names of the others I do not now recollect. I recollect that EVERTON was one because he belonged to the same mess [?] to which I did After then left I & others continued our military service in said company about a month I then we were discharged. Dated at East Haven this 17th day of September 1834. ENOS HEMINGWAY I LEVI POTTER of East Haven Conn. aged 77 years being duly sworn do depose & say that in the summer & fall of the year 1775 I was a member of Capt. William Dougalss's Company in the northern army in the service of the United States in Gen. Woosters Regiment. I then was acquainted with ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON then of East Haven now of Bethlem Conn. I know that he was a member of sd. Company & served with us at the north. I cannot tell when I [ ] he was discharged but I well [?remember] that several of the members of our Company were sick & unable to perform military service & were dismissed before our term of service (7 months) had expired, so that many of the original members of sd company were sent there to be dismissed with the company generally. Those who left sd company on account of sickness were dismissed by captain Douglass or some other superior officer. No written discharges were given to my knowledge ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON lived in East Haven after his service & I never at any time heard it suspected or suggested that he deserted. WM. EVERTON belonged to the same company. Dated at east Haven the 175h day of Sept. 1834 . LEVI POTTER. === I MAHITABLE BRADLEY of east Haven Conn. aged 74 years do depose say that I am a sister of ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON of Bethlem Conn. & that I remember his returning from the northern army in 1775, & that he at that [underlined] time said he had been dismissed by Gen. Wooster & came home to East Haven with WILLIAM BURTON of sd. East Haven. He came home in much out of health & extremely feeble. I at the time when he came home understood, & have always understood from him that Gen. Wooster dismissed him or gave him liberty to come home. He came home a little while before the other members of his Company (who belonged here) came back. Dated at East Haven this 175h day of September 1834 MEHITABLE her X mark BRADLEY === I JESSE LUDDINGTON of East Haven aged 77 years being duly sworn do depose & say that I am brother to ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON of Bethlem Conn. & that he was a soldier in the Northern Army in the year 1775 in the United States service, & that I remember that in the latter part of that year he & one WILLIAM EVERTON of sd. East Haven returned to sd East Haven (when sd ELIPHALET then lived) from said army, both sick; my brother was very feeble & his health much impaired. I understood at the time & have always understood that they had permission to come home in consequence of their being out of health & unable to perform military duty. Dated at East Haven the 17th day of Sept. 1834. JESSE LUDENTON === I ISABEL TALLMADGE of the town & county of New Haven, Conn aged 64 years being duly sworn do depose & say that I am a dughter of WILLIAM EVERTON formerly of East Haven now deceased; that he died about twenty one years ago, & that he was during the early part of the revolutionary war a soldier in the United States service in the northern army. I remember that he returned from the northern army to his home in East Haven much out of health, that he was very pale & feeble & with difficulty reached home & that he was sick for a considerable length of time after his return. At that time, & after for years before his death I heard my father spoke of his service at the north, of being at St.. Johns, & of the hardships that he then endured. He said that he was taken sick at the north & of being sick in the hospital at Fort George, that in consequence of his sickness he was dismissed by some officer & permitted to return home as being unable to perform military duty, that he did return & well recollect his speaking of passing through Albany on his way home Someone returned to East Haven with him but who I cannot with certainty remember. This person my Father spoke of frequently. He said that he was sick with him & was dismissed, came home with him on account of their sickness, That his companion not being so feeble as my father was supposed to be [ ]. I have often heard my Father speak of ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON & of their service together at the North but whether said LUDDINGTON was the person who came home with my Father I cannot with certainty remember, but my impression is that he was Dated at New Haven this 18th day of Sept. 1834 ISABEL her X mark TALLMADGE === I ELIPAHLET LUDDINGTON of Bethlem in the County of Litchfield & state of Connecticut being duly sworn do depose and say that I have made my Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1834 before the Hon. Court of Probate, within the District of Litchfield Connecticut, In said declaration I stated that I served as a private soldier one year (viz) from the spring of the year 1777 to the Spring of 1778 in New Haven Conn. in a Company of state Troops commanded by Captain Wilmot I now further state (what I think I did not state either in my sd original declaration nor in any subsequent amendment thereto) That said Company was a Matross or Artillery Company and that I served through said year as an Artillery man in said Company and for such service as a Artillery man I claim a pension For proof that it was a artillery company I refer to the accompanying Deposition of JESSE LUDDINGTON and STEPHEN BRADLEY and also to a pay Roll of Captain Phineas Bradleys company said to be in the Pension officer at Washington said Phineas Bradley tho a Lieutenant in Captain Wilmots Company, afterward as I am informed and as I believe commanded the same Company The reason why I did not state that Captain Wilmots Company was an _artillery_ Company in my Original declaration (if indeed I did not) was because it did not occur to me that it was material either for fixing the amount of Pension or for any other purpose. I also stated in my original Declaration that I enlisted into a Company of state Troops in the commanded by Captain Wm. Douglass in the spring of 177t to serve as a private soldier for the term of seven months That I went immediately to Horseneck in Connecticut & was put under the command of General Worcester That soon after I was ordered to Harlem in the state of New York & after remaining at that place a few weeks sd Douglass company was ordered up the Hudson river under the command of General Waterbury. I would now further state that I together with the Company to which I belonged (viz) Capt. Wm. Douglass Company were Taken out of General Woosters Regiment or brigade at Harlem & placed in general Waterburys Regiment & Marched to he North[?ren] as by me before stated and that general Wooster did not accompany us but remained at Harlem and it is my present impression and belief that he remained with a view of raising additional men & I am very confident he did not arrive at Fort George until the next fall & about the time that my tour of service expired I would further state that at the Time of the expiration of the seven months for which I enlisted I was not with the company to which I belonged but was sick in the Hospital at Fort George also a man who belonged to the same company was sick with me at the same place by the name of WM. EVERTON & we were both Discharged at Fort George by General WOOSTER and we being sick and unable to travel general Wooster procured a man to carry myself & EVERTON in a Wagon to Albany General Wooster had just arrived at Fort George with recruits & after Discharging myself & EVERTON & procuring the means for our transportation to Albany, he then as I was afterwards informed proceeded to St. Johns with his recruits at which place the rest of Captain Wm. Douglass company were Discharged and it is owning most likely to the circumstance of my being separated from that company in the manner aforesaid that my name does not appear on the list of Discharge soldiers who served in the Northern Army in 1775, in the Comptrollers office in Hartford, I am not mistaken in relation to the Tour of Service performed by me at the Time last informed as set forth in my original Declaration and I served as before stated on this Tour of Duty the full term of seven months as stated in my original Declaration Dated at Bethlem this 16th day of April 1834 ELIPHALET LUDINGTON === State of Connecticut, Litchfield County} Litchfield 11th October 1833 Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in & for the County of Litchfield ELIPHALET LUDDINGTON of Bethlem in the county aforesaid who being duly sworn deposeth saith "That on the 10th Day of August 1832 he made his Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 before the Honb. Court of Probate in & fore the District of Litchfield in sd county and that in sd Declaration the Deponent stated that he served as a private in a company commanded by Capt. __ Wilmot & that he was stationed with said Company at New Haven & in the neighborhood of New Haven as a guard & that he performed Duty as a guard during the Term of twelve months for further particulars he would [?now] refer to his Original Declaration above mentioned to his affidavit Dated the 15th June 1833, and in order to explain more fully in relation to the above mentioned Tour of Duty & in order to must the objection made in the accompanying Letter from the Honl. I. L. EDWARDS Dated 20 September 1833. The Deponent further saith That the said Company to which he belonged commanded by the sd Capt. Wilmot was stationed at & near New Haven as a guard in the manner stated by the Deponent in his Orignial declaration, but that said Company was at times divided & a part of the company performed duty in that part of New Haven now called East Haven in a Fort Then called Black Rock Fort, now I believe known by the name of Fort Hale situated on the easterly side of New Haven Harbour at a place called Morris Cove The other part of the company performed duty in the city of New Haven & in the suburbs of the City as Sentinels or Guard & the deponent for the saith That he has no recollection that sd company or any part of the same were employed During the year in which he belonged to sd company (viz) 1777-8 in any Different service than by him before mentioned, but That it is possible as Troops stationed upon the Coast during the Revolutionary War were often called upon to perform different services & parts of companies were sometimes taken to perform Duty in some respects Different form other parts of the same company that this might have been the case in some instances with the Company under the Command of Capt. Wilmot, but that he feels the fullest confir[ ] that the statement made by him in his original Declaration aforementioned & in his affidavitt Dated June 15th 1833 in relation to the services of the Deponent is correct & he is wholly unable to account for any discrepancy which may c[ ]t between his own & the Declarations of ELLE GRANNIS & JESSE LUDDINGTON unless it has arisen from the circumstances mentioned by the Deponent in the affidavitt & further the Deponent saith not. ELIPELET LUDINGTON (sic) Dated 11 October AD 1833 I ELIPHALETE LUDDINGTON of Bethlem Conn. aged 80 years being duly sworn do depose & say that I made application in the year 1832 to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 & that I therein claimed a pension for services in the northern army in the year 1775 As to that tour of service I cannot add to what I said in my supplement to sd application made I think about 10 months since I still insist & declare that I was sick at Fort George & my commander Gen Wooster came form below & found me & WM. EVERTON sick at sd. fort & that he told us that if we went back to St. Johns where our company was, it would be of but little use as our term of service (7 months) had nearly expired, & that he then & there gave me & sd EVERTON permission to ho home & find a waggon to carry us to Albany. I _never deserted_ the service of the United States but served truly & faithfully at all times till dismissed by my Superior Officers. The officers under whom I served in 1776 were according to my best recollection the following viz Col. William Dougalss, Lt. Col. Arnold; Major Potter, Capt. Jacob Brackett, Lieut. Israel Potter, & I think Ensign Mansfield, but in consequence of old age & loss of memory, I may be mistaken as to some of their names, tho I believe I am correct. Dated at Bethlem this 20th day of Sept. 1834 ELIPHELET LUDINTON ===