James Agin's Revolutionary War Pension Claim, Hunterdon Co, 1832 File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Donna Evans Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nj/njfiles.htm ************************************************ Revolutionary War Pension Claim S2029 James Agin State of New Jersey Hunterdon County: On this Eighteenth day of August in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and thirty two before the Judges of the inferior court of common pleas of the county of Hunterdon sitting James Agin a resident of the Township of Amwell in said county aged seventy three years appeared personally who having been duly sworn according to law doth upon 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 United States under the following officers and served as herein stated viz that in September 1776 he volunteered as a militia man under Captain David Johns of Amwell and went to --- --- near Woodbridge in N. Jersey and staid there one month - That in December of the same year he again volunteered under Captain Joshua Kershow Lieutenatn John Laquear and Ensign Abraham Williamson was marched to Trenton N.J. remained there a few days untill the British troops came to Trenton then crossed the Delaware into Pennsylvania and continued with the company as a scouting party crossing and recrossing the Delaware river until the battle of Princeton after that he lay with the company two weeks at Princeton then was discharged and went home - a few days after the Deponent went out again under Captain Nathan Stout went to the Raritan quartered one John Perrine's he remained there untill the first of March making three months in all from the time he first was marched to Trenton - he then during the same month of March went out again under Captain John Schenck of Amwell John Prall Lieutenant to Van nests Mills on the Millstone river in Somerset county and was there one month during that month's tour the Americans there had a skirmish with the British and took from them some laded waggons - The American troops were commanded by Col. David Chambers Lieut. Col. William Chamberlain - Deponent went out again in the succeeding month of April under Captain John Phillips to Bound Brook N.J. was there a few days and then was --- to Pompton. Thence to Paramus remained out one month and was discharged In September 1777 Deponent went out again under Captain David Johns Lieut. George Holcomb was marched to Paramus and --- one month - In October of the same year he went out under Capt. John Schenck was marched to Pennsylvania and was at the battle of Germantown remained out 15 days In March 1778 he went out again under Lieutenant George Holcomb to Elizabethtown and remained there one whole month Afterward he went out again upon an al- under Captain John Schenck to Springfield and remained there twenty days - toward the last of May 1778 he went under Capt. Schenck to Trenton and laid there until the British crossed the Delaware at Coopers Ferry - Then went to Bordentown and continued out untill the day of the Monmouth Battle when his month expired - Deponent thinks he was out nearly or quite a year altogether - but his tours of regular service and upon General claims were so frequent and for so short --- that he cannot now distinctly remember all of them - Those that are specified above he recollects well and the length of time of most of them - He recollects the following facts in relation to the battle of Germantown - That General David Forman commanded a part of the militia there - That part of the army in which Deponent was stationed was ordered to retreat - where Col. William Maxwell came to their aid and lost his artillery - a son of Col Chamberlain was killed there by a cannon ball - Deponent thinks he was a private soldier at the time - after that battle Deponent was marched to a place called the --- in Pennsylvania & after remaining there a few days was discharged - Deponent recollects very well Capt. --- Maxwell the brother of General Wm Maxwell who it was said at the time belonged to the flying camp - he has forgotten the names of any officers of the regular army that he knew at the time Deponent says further that he has documentary evidence of his revolutionary services - That the following persons have some knowledge of his engagements in that service viz John Abbott Joseph Boss & Samuel Corwine who affidavits are hereunto annexed He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity expect the present and is not on the pensions roll of the agency of any State or territory James Agin Sworn & subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court Robert K. Reading one of the Judges of said court State of New Jersey Hunterdon County on this twenty ninth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and thirty three before the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas of the county of Hunterdon now sitting James Agin the individual who made the foregoing declaration & having been first duly sworn according to Law upon his oath doth made the following additional declaration - That he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer in the Mililtia --- were performed in that character - That he was called out by Colonel Chambers in 1776 & served under the captains mentioned in the foregoing declaration That William Chamberlain was Lieutenant Colonel That he was out half month which is not set forth in the foregoing Declaration which he now recollects - keeping guard at Woodbridge over some Stores that were there under Captain James Stout to whom he was attached took about three hundred weight of butter from a party that was carrying it to the British - That besides he the services mentioned in the foregoing declaration he was engaged in the years 1778 & 1779 in carting for the American Army. That the name of the first waggon master under whom he served was John Oliphant, that he thinks he served under him at least ten months perhaps more - That then he served under Joseph Broadhurst as waggon Master for at least four months - Then he served under Jonathan Higgins as master for about three months - And lastly under Alexander Thomson as waggon Master for at least eight months or more - That he is confident that he carted for the army above two years - That he carted principally from Trenton to Morristown --- Jersey & to Kings Ferry in New --- also to Pluckamin in New Jersey That he carted flour biscuit & whiskey & other provisions that he carted boards from Mount Holly in N Jersey to Middlebrook where Washingtons army then laid That he was not engaged in any civil pursuit while said service was performed Deponent says that the following persons have some knowledge of his services as a carter for the Army viz John Servis & John Abbott, whose affidavits are hereunto annexed James Agin Sworn & subscribed to the day and year aforesaid in open Court Geo Henry Robert K. Reading Samuel Hill State of New Jersey Hunterdon County On this fifth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Inferior court of common pleas of said County of Hunterdon now sitting James Agin a resident of the Township of Amwell in the county aforesaid aged seventy five years and --- who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the pension made by an act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 - That he was born in the county of Somerset in said state and has always understood and verily believes on the twenty first day of October 1759. That he has seen the record of his age but at this time is unable to say where it is and that his age was so recorded in said records That the record was in --- a family bible which was in the possession of his mother some years before her death which took place about six years ago. That he served in the Militia his first tour as a volunteer for the term of one month in the month of September in the year 1776. That he served this month under Captain Joshua Kershow and Philip Schenck First Lieutenant. That he performed this service at a placed alled Thomson farm between Woodbridge and Amboy in this State. That at this time he was employed --- --- guarding a ---. That he never -received any written discharge nor has he any documentary evidence whereby to support his claim. That John Abbott of the said Township of Amwell was with him during this term who can testify to the same and has already received a pension. That about the last of November in the year 1776 he commenced another tour of volunteer service in the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the vicinity of Trenton New Jersey and served for the term of one month --- That as soon as one month expired he volunteered for the next next until the three months was completed with out returning home. That during this first month of this tour he served under Capt. Joshua Kershow and first Lieutenant John Laquear & second lieutenant Abraham Williamson - That the commencement of this tour was about the time the British began their march from New Brunswick to Trenton He first went to Trenton but left there the morning of the day the British arrived under the command of Colonel David Chambers & went over the Pennsylvania shore - He remained there a few days ant then went up the River to thomas Philips Mill where he remained quartered with his regiment untill - December - just before he left Trenton his first and second Lieutenant Laquear and williams resigned and went over and took protection from the British That about the same time Captain Kershow was also taken sick and John Schenck took the command as captain. There were no Lieutenants and there appointed to the company. He crossed into Pennsylvania this time the battle of trenton he returned into N Jersey the time the army did on a scouting party about which time his first month expired. But he still continued ou in service under the command --- of Captain Schenck whose month had not yet expired - He continued scouting near the lines of the British untill the battle of Princeotn after which he quarterted in Princeton, after which he quartered in Princeton for about two weeks in the college. He then left Princeton and marched to Flemington in this county of Hunterdon and remained there a short time when Captain Schenck went home and Nathan Stout took the command as captain He then marched to Raritan int he county of somerset when the second month of his term expired. That he still remained out under the command of Captain Stout. And Moses Stout first Lieutenant for another month during this month which was in February he lay at Raritan keeping guard over a magazine and keeping up a picket guard until about the first of March when his third month expired And Captain John Schenck again came out. He then went home a few days. That he received no written discharge from his officers it not being customary to give any in the volunteer monthly service in which all his services in the war were performed. That John Abbot was out with him during this tour or some part of it which he can testify to - That again in the same month of March 1777 he commenced tour of one month under Captain John Schenck and Lieutenant John Prall quartered at Raritan under General Herd during which time a party of British came near where they were stationed for plunder. The malitia turned out and engaged them & had a skirmish which he was in when Lieutenant Prall was wounded in the leg. There were several killed one of whom had --- to his mess named John Coleman - That he has no witness living that he knows of by whom he can prove this tour nor has he any other evidence of it That he served another tour of one month commencing in May 1777 - under the command of Captain Philips. He lay then just by bound Brook along Bound Brook Creek in Somerset County with his company who were the only malitia there at that time There were regular troops there and a company of the British came up from New Brunswick and had a skirmish with the Americans and took some American Prisoners. The American army at this time lay above towards Morristown He with his company Kept guard during this tour That he knows of no person now living by whom he can prove this Last tour of service - That when he made his first applicaiton for a pension under the Law of 1832 he proved it by Joseph Boss Whose affidavit he is informed remains now on file in the pension office at the city of Washington with his other papers & who has since deceased That he served another month with months of June and July 1777 under the command of Captain David Johnes and Leirtenant George Holcombe when his company was quartered at Paramus above Morristown Keeping up a picket gurard and scouting parties. Part of the American Armies were --- this time at Morristown in Morris County. That during this time he went with a scouting party to Hackinsack Ferry where they had a skirmish with a company of British called green coats - That he knows of non one living by whom he can prove this term of service nor has he any other evidence of it - that he served a month and a half commencing in September 1777 under Captain John Schenck and Lieutenant William Chamberlain that the commencement of this service was at Elizabethtown New Jersey under the command of Captain John Schenck. That they kept guard for some time there after which they left there and marched through Jersey and Pennsylvania to Germantown in Pennsylvania to the Perk--- Mountain near a place called The Trap. Part of General Washingtons army lay there also during this tour The battle of Germantown was fought - he was near the son of Colonel Chamberlain who was --- and had his leg carried off by a cannon ball - The division of General Maxwell was obliged to rtreat and lost their field pieces & the American Army was obliged to retire - The he thinks he can prove this term of service by John Abbott he has no other evidence of it. That he served half a month commencing in June 1777 When the British Army evacuated Jersey and proceeded to Philadelphia by water - There was a great alarm in New Jersey at this time on account of the British Army attempting to cross New Jersey to Philadelphia by land: but which project they abandoned as great numbers of the malitia arose and showed a disposition to oppose them. That he first went to Sourland Mountain in the county of Somerset And there met the troops of General Sullivan - That he was under the command of Captain John Schenck. That he then marched out to Bound Brook Mountain & there remained for a few days. And then went on to Woodbridge where he remained a short time and then came on to New Brunswick where he was dismissed and returned home - that there is no person now living that he knows by whom he can prove this tour - That he served another tour of one month commencing in March 1778 under Captain George Holcom and Lieutenant Jacob Runk when he was with his company were stationed at Elizabeth Town in New Jersey - That during this time he dept guard along the shore - The British lay at that time on Staten Island opposite to them - That he can prove this term of service by Samuel Corwine and that he has no other evidence of it. That he served another term of one month commencing in May 1778 under Captain John Schenck. He does not recall his Lieutenant - under the command of General Dickinson in the county of Monmouth where he followed the motions of the British army which had just left Philadelphia keeping a watch on them till the battle of Monmouth when he was discharged and went home - He thinks he can prove this term of service by Tunis Case (Captain) and that he has no other proof other the service - That when he was called into service he resided in the Township of Amwell aforesaid - and has resided in the same Township ever since and that for the time during which the said service was performed he was not engaged in any civil pursuit - That he never received any written discharge nor did he ever receive any commission in the service That he is known by the Reverend Jacob Kirkpatrick and General Nathan Price. Samuel Barber a pensioner Solomon Holcomb and John Hoppock in his present neighborhood can testify as to he character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution - He hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any state - James Agin Jn Thompson John Barton Jacob J. Young Judges