PENSION: John J. Best; Taghkanic, Columbia co., NY Submitted by Donald E. Lampson (dlampson @ earthlink.net) ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** State of New York} } Ss.: Columbia County } On this 21st day of August in the year of our Lord 1833 personally appeared before J. W. Fairfield one of the Justices of the Justices Court of the City of Hudson of this County of Columbia & state aforesaid, John J. Best, a resident of the town of Taghkanic in the County of Columbia, State of New York, aged seventy seven years, who first being duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress dated June 7th 1832. This Declarant, John J. Best, being duly sworn says that he entered the Service of the United States in the Revolutionary War under Captain Peter Gassback as Captain, Samuel Ten Broeck as Lieutenant, Bartel Hendricks as Ensign, and Thomas * * * as Orderly Sargent. This Deponent believes it was for nine months and the time expired sometime in the Winter of 1777, recollects that the (hopps lay a part?) & this time to Fishkill and a part of the * * * at Colonel Van De Burghs at or near the mills of *** *** where were public stores to guard & protect. The Colonel of this Regiment this Deponent thinks was Colonel Livingston, and Drick Jansen and Samuel Ten Broeck were first and second Majors. This time of service in 1776 & 1777 & to the latter part of the Winter of 1777 was nine months as a soldier in the Service of the United States. This Deponent further says that he was again in the United States service from about first of April 1777 until the first of August of this same year. Served under Colonel Hay. Henry Pulver was Captain and John Stall was Lieutenant. And this Deponent further says that he also lay at Peekskill(?) In the Fall of 1777 two months. The term of service in 1777 was six months as a soldier of the Revolution. This Deponent further says that he served in 1778 he thinks and believes under Captain Leonard Ten Broeck, marched to West Point and lay there in the encampment, is certain he was there one month. The exact time he cannot state. Recollects of seeing General George Clinton. That he commanded the troops. This deponent thinks this deponent Served under Captain Leonard Ten Broeck. This he recollects of seeing of the Great Chains that lay across the Hudson River at the time. That this deponent was at West Point. The active duty that this Deponent did in the United States Service in 1778 was three months. This Deponent says that the active duty that in the service of the United States in 1779, 1780, & 1781 was at least two month each year in patrolling the road and guarding public stores in and about Major Drick Jansen's who kept the public stores at Clermont near Colonel Livingston's, and during the time above mentioned and as to this deponent's recollection engaged in no civil **** or ****. This Deponent further says that he performed a part of the services at Stillwater, *** *** at Fort Edward, at Saratoga, and under Colonel Hay and the other officers named by this Deponent in 1777 from April to August. Recollects that he served under General Schuyler. Was at his house at Saratoga. This Deponent assisted in the grain, drove horses through wheat field & grain, and pulled the Indian Corn by the roots.That this Deponent recalls seeing General Gates at Stillwater who commanded this Deponent further. Says that he was at Peekskill and Fishkill, at Fort Montgomery and at West Point, and also lay a part of the time at Pockquayack, so called. And this Deponent says that from old age and the consequent loss of memory and from his extreme debility and bodily infirmity he cannot more distinctly state the times of his service as performed by him during the Revolutionary War more fully than he has heretofore stated *** ***, but says that he is confident he performed the following times of service in the following grade, viz. He says he served as a private soldier during the Revolutionary War for the term of two years and for such service he claims a pension. He also hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except for the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any state. To the following interrogatories this Deponent answers as follows -- 1. Question: When in what year were you born? Ans: I was born in Clermont, Columbia County, in 1756 on the 7th of March, then called Albany County. 2. Question: Have you any record of your age and where is it? Ans: I have no other record of my age than my recollection. 3. Question: Where were you living when called into service? Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and Where now/ Ans: I resided in the town of Clermont Columbia County during the war. Then I resided since the war in Taghkanic. 4. Question: How were you called into service. Were you drafted. Did you volunteer or were you a substitute. Ans: I always went for myself. I enlisted for nine months, but the other times I volunteered as a Soldier. 5. Question: State the names of some of the regular officers who with the troops when you served., such Continental and Militia regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service. Ans: I would state General Clinton, General Schulyer, General Gates, also General Putnam at West Point or the Highlands, also Colonel Hay, also Colonel Van De Burgh, also Colonel Livingston, Major Jansen, Major Ten Broeck, Captain Gassback, Captain Pulver, Captain Ten Broeck, and for more full details of my service I would refer to my declaration. 6. Question: Did you ever receive a discharge from service, & if so by whom was it given & what has become of it? Ans: I did not receive any discharge in writing but ones I received from Colonel Hay. I was always regularly discharged from the service by my other officers. The discharge I received from Colonel Hay is lost and destroyed. 7. Question: State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood & who can testify to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. Ans: (Difficult to make out the answer.) /s/ John J. Best Sworn and Subscribed this Day and year and aforesaid Before me. (Signature & title illegible. ____________________________________________________________ (NOTE: His estimate of when he served with the Army under Colonel Hay is off. He was 77 when he made this Declaration and does state he has problems with his memory. He clearly served longer than his estimate in the campaign against Burgoyne in 1777. While he says he served from April 1st to Aug.1st, he also says that he saw General Gates at Stillwater. The American Army did not march north to Stillwater until Sept. 9, 1777, and Gates did not assume command of the Army until August 19, 1777. - See: Richard M. Ketchum, "Saratoga", pp. 345-347. Obviously he served until sometime after September 9, 1777. He must have returned home after the balance of the Regiment marched north to the Army on September - See: Sabine, "Memoirs of William Smith". His service was with the men from the Regiment drafted to serve under Col. Udny Hay who was in charge of the Army's supply wagons. Wagons were drafted from Livingston Manor along with men from the Militia Regiment to serve as drivers and guards for them in the Spring of 1777. Starting in August 1777 periodically a few of the men were sent home although the wagons were kept, according to the Memoirs of William Smith, The Public Papers of George Clinton, and various pension files of men in the 10th Albany Militia Regiment.) _____________________________________________________________ State of New York} }Ss.: Columbia County } James Decker of Taghkanic being duly sworn says that he is aged seventy four years of age. That he is intimately acquainted with John J. Best who has subscribed and sworn unto the preceding Declaration. That he has known the said John J. Best for sixty years. This Deponent has a distinct recollection of seeing said Best in the United States Service at the same time that this Deponent was in the Service. This Deponent and said Best were soldering *** *** nine months under Captain Peter Gaasbeck, and Samuel Ten Broeck was Lieutenant, Bartel Hendricks was Ensign and **** **** was orderly Sargent as stated by said Best in his declaration. And this Deponent says that he recollects that the troops under Captain Gaasbeck were marched from Pockquayack, so called, near Colonel Van De burgh's east of Fishkill to David Minklar's in Clermont and were there discharged at the Expiration of the nine months service for which time the troops were enlisted. This Company of Rangers was composed of fifty four privates and the usual number of commissioned and non commissioned officers. The Colonel & Majors are correctly stated in said Best's Declaration. This Deponent further says that he recollects that Henry Pulver was Captain of one of the Companies in the Revolutionary War and also that Leonard Ten Broeck was a Captain of one of the Companies, and that said Best served under them on the expedition to Fort Montgomery or West Point, as this Deponent then understood and believes, but the exact this Deponent does not recollect. He thinks it was in 1778. This Deponent further says that said John J. Best was during the Revolutionary War a good Whig and was zealous in the Cause of his Country, and he has no doubt but that Best performed the services so stated by him in Declaration. This Deponent further says that he resides in the same neighborhood with said Best. That said Best has been unwell for two or three years and is now and has been for some time confined to his room from disability and bodily infirmity, and therefore cannot attend Court to make his Declaration. his James X Decker Mark Sworn & subscribed Before me this 2 Day Of April 1833 /s/ (Signature illegible.) Commissioner of Deeds. ____________________________________________________________ State of New York} }Ss.: Columbia County } Samuel Ten Broeck of the Town of Livingston in the County of Columbia & State of New York being duly sworn * * * * * * * * and declare that I am well acquainted with John J. Best applicant for a pension and have known him from infancy. He was born within one mile of the house where this deponent resided at that time in Clermont in said County. And I do certify that I believe said Best to be of the age stated by him in his Declaration. That he is reputed and generally believed to have been a soldier of the Revolution & I do concur in that Opinion. I do further certify that I was a Major in the Revolutionary war in what was called the Manor Regiment. The Colonel was Peter R. Livingston and Drick Jansen was Second Major. I do also remember that Henry Pulver was one of the Captains in the Regiment under my command and Leonard Ten Broeck was also a Captain in active service during the said Revolutionary war. I also Certify that I well remember the Peter Gaasbeck of Clermont and that said Gaasbeck during the war at the time mentioned by said Best in Declaration raised a Company Called "Rangers" who did active duty. The exact time they did duty this deponent does not recollect, but thinks that it was for the time mentioned by said Best in his Declaration. Said Gaasbeck marched his troops south as this Deponent understood to Fishkill. This Deponent recollects that Captain Leonard Ten Broeck marched his Company to West Point, but how long this Deponent **** **** how long that said Company was absent on said Expedition. This Deponent further says that he marched his Regiment to join the Northern Army at Stillwater & also at Saratoga, and at Fort Edward was with his troops, and is confident that said Best was in active duty in the years mentioned by said Best and was in the different Campaigns mentioned by him. This Deponent distinctly recollects that the Captains mentioned by said Best served under this Deponent. The Deponent also says that his Regiment did much active duty in 1779, 1780, & 1781 in and about the towns of Clermont, Livingston & Germantown, and is certain that such active *** the Service of the United States amounted over two months each tour, but from the extreme age of this Deponent and the consequent loss of memory he cannot recollect **** as he formerly could all the various Expeditions in which the Regiment was engaged. This Deponent says that he is aged eighty eight years of age, or will be eighty eight years of age on the 5th of October next. And Further Says that Leonard Ten Broeck who was Captain under this Deponent during the Revolutionary way was a brother of this Deponent and is still living. And this Deponent says that said John J. Best is a man of fair character and is a member of the same church with this Deponent in full standing and always has been very, a very exemplary man in his walk through life. /s/ Samuel Ten Broeck Sworn & subscribed before Me this 14th day of August 1833. /s/ Peter R. Livingston, Just., Peace ____________________________________________________________ State of New York} }Ss.: Columbia County } Leonard Ten Broeck of the town of Livingston in the County of Columbia and State of New York, being duly sworn, says that he has heard the Declaration of John J. Best hereto annexed read over and says that he recollects that Peter Gaasbeck commanded a company **** **** **** called Rangers and this Deponent recollects that they marched to Fishkill and they lay there a part of the time **** East of Fishkill as this Deponent then understood and this Deponent understood and believes that the said John J. Best was one of these soldiers in said Company and served for the period for which he was enlisted. And this Deponent also recollects that **** Henry Pulver was a Captain in the Revolutionary war and believes that said Best belonged to his Company and also believes that he served north with the American troops in 1777 at Stillwater and at Saratoga for the period mentioned by him. And this Deponent says that said Best also served under this Deponent in an Expedition to West Point in 1778 as this Deponent was called out for three months and marched to West Point. General Clinton commanded on this. Deponent believes how long this Deponent lay at West Point with his troops he cannot exactly state but thinks and believes that he was discharged before the time had expired. He thinks between two & three months, and is not certain, but the time expired before he reached home with his troops. This Deponent was Captain. And this Deponent says that Peter R. Livingston was Colonel of the Regiment and Samuel Ten Broeck, Now General Ten Broeck, was then a Major, and Drick Jansen was a Second Major of said Regiment as stated by said Best. This Deponent is certain that said Best performed the time of service stated by him in his Declaration hereto annexed, but from the age of this Deponent and the consequent loss of memory and the time that has elapsed since the Revolution he cannot state fully the particulars of the various Campaigns or other services performed by said Best, but this Deponent says that he knows that said Best was a good and zealous Whig and was active in the service of his Country. This Deponent is now upwards of eighty years of age and has known said Best from his infancy as he was born and brought up within one mile of this Deponent, and this Deponent has ever since lived in the same neighborhood with said Best, probably 4 to 6 miles apart, and has seen him generally as often as once a week ever since he has resided in Taghkanic. This Deponent says that said Best has always, and does now, sustain a fair character for truth & veracity, honesty and integrity, and his statement is entitled to full credit and belief, and this Deponent says that said Best is a member of the same church with this Deponent in full standing and always has been considered in the Church to which he belongs an * * * * from his moral worth and high respectability. This Deponent says that Best is correct as stated by him or as near as this Deponent can recollect. And this Deponent says that he is a brother of General Samuel Ten Broeck whose affidavit is hereto annexed and says that he is Samuel Ten Broeck above referred to as Major in the Revolution in the same Regiment to which this Deponent belonged. This Deponent says that Best is quite infirm and * * * * having been confined for some time, and is now confined to his house and is unable to attend Court to make hie Declaration in open Court. And this Deponent says that Samuel Ten Broeck was a Lieutenant under Gaasbeck and another Samuel Ten Broeck who was the Major in said Regiment. /s/ Leonard Ten Broeck Sworn to & subscribed before Me this 14th day of August 1833. /s/ Peter R. Livingston Just. Peace (Certifications omitted.)