MILITARY Pension; John Finton / Fenton; Seneca co., NY submitted by Judy Baker (judekb @ frontiernet.net) ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.org/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.org/ny/nyfiles.htm Submitted Date: December 6, 2003, 3:48 pm This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/nyfiles/ File size: 21 Kb ************************************************ Affidavit of John Finton/Fenton for Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Dated 21 May 1830 State of New York County of Seneca I John Finton aged over seventy five years, the exact years of my age I will not say certainly but I am over seventy five. I do upon oath testify and declare the above and also that I served in the war of the revolution more than six years in the whole but I cannot state my enlistments. My memory has of late years become so scattered and frail. I think I served at first in short enlistments, first in a Regiment commanded by Col. Ephraim Martin & a Company commanded by Capt. Edward Martin of New Jersey in the Jersey troops. I think this time it must have been state militia for I continued but about a month in that corps and was a corporal. I then enlisted into an independent company commanded by Capt. Wolverton attached to the Jersey line. I was transferred into that Company and served as orderly sergeant. I think our time of service in this corps was nine months. Whether I enlisted for that time I cannot certainly remember. I also served after that in the Continental line of the Jersey troops until the close of the war which was four years or more steady service over what I mentioned above in which time I was more than a year in the corps of artificers as much as two years I think, as a blacksmith. I helped make two chains to throw across the north river at West Point. I worked at the chains at Sterling Forge. I served each and all of my enlistments the full time out and the last time I served till the peace was proclaimed and was discharged honourably with the rest. I think the last service immediately before my discharge was at least four years steady service in the Jersey line of Continental troops. I cannot remember the term of my enlistment. I served during war and was discharged at the peace, but cannot remmember whether my time was out or not. My discharge I have lost. It was signed by Gen. Green or Gen. Washington. I do not now recollect the name of my Colonel or Colonels under whom I served or whether I received certificates for the reward of eighty dollars to which I have heard I was entitled under a resolve of Congress passed the 15th of May 1778. I did not receive any money under that resolve I think. I distinctly recollect I served as private soldier & artificer on the Hudson or north river, on Long Island, in the City of New York, at and in the neighbourhood of West Point, and in New Jersey for four years or more in the Jersey line of Continental establishment and was regularly discharged at the close of the war. And I further declare that I was not on the 15th day of May 1828 on the pension list of the United States to my knowledge. I now reside in the town of Romulus in the County of Seneca and State of New York, where I have lived about thirty years last past. My name is sometimes spelled with an i (Finton) and sometimes with an (e). My father always spelled it with an (e). Witness my hand this 21st day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred & thirty. Sworn to & subscribed this signed/ John Finton 21st day of May 1830 before me Stephen R. Miller a Justice of the Peace for the town of Romulus Seneca County State of New York County of Seneca Before me Stephen R. Miller a Justice of the Peace of Romulus in & for the County of Seneca State of New York personally appeared this day John Green and Haynes Bartlett of the said County & residents of the same town, well known to me, to be citizens of respectability and truth, who did severally make oath, that they have been townsmen of John Fenton by whom the foregoing declaration was subscribed and known him for twenty-five or thirty years past and that he is believed by us to have been a soldier in the army of the revolution. I the said Justice certify also that I have known the said Fenton from my earliest age and know him to be generally reputed an honest man, and that lately he has appeared to be failing in memory and mental energy. Given under my hand at Romulus this 21st day of May 1830 Signed by the witnesses John Green signed/Stephen R. Miller -- Justice of Haynes Bartlett the Peace Affidavit of John Finton/Fenton for Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Dated 24 May 1830 State of New York County of Seneca I John Finton aged over seventy five years, a resident at this time in the town of Romulus in the County of Seneca and State of New York, do upon oath testify and declare, that I served as a soldier in the army of the revolution in the Jersey troops more than six years, as a private, corporal and sargeant, for four years immediately before the close of the war in the Jersey lines of the Continental army, but I cannot now remember the exact terms of my enlistments. I suppose the last three or four years must have been for during war for I was honourably discharged at the close of the war. I lost my discharge a great many years ago and I cannot remember who signed it, but it was signed I think by Gen. Green or Gen. Washington. I served a part of the time under arms in the field and a part of the time as an artificer (a blacksmith) making the chains to put across the north river at West Point. I do not now remember the name of the Colonel. It might have been Cummings, but I served under so many strange officers I cannot remember their names, and when I worked as an artificer, I did not see the field officers I belonged to very often. My memory has failed me so I cannot be particular. I well remember I served on the Hudson river, Long Island, in the City of New York, retreated with our army from the City when the British took it. I also served in New Jersey and at West Point. I was at least four years in the Continental Service in the Jersey line and was regularly discharged at the close of the war. I further declare, that I have never received a warrant for the Bounty land promised me on the part of the United States, nor have I ever assigned or transferred my claim in any manner whatsoever. Therefore know all men by these presents, that I John Fenton aforesaid do hereby constitute and appoint Joseph Watson to be my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name to demand and receive from the Secretary of War of the United States, a warrant for the quantity of land due to me as aforesaid and my attorney is hereby fully authorized and empowered to constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or attorney under him for the special purpose above expressed. Attest Stephen R. Miller signed/ John Finton Seneca County I Jonas Seeley of Romulus in the County of Seneca State of New York aged over forty-five years one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas for said County, do upon oath declare that I have been long acquainted with John Fenton who has subscribed the above declaration in my presence and well know he is the identical person he therein represents himself to be, not that I know anything of his military services of my own knowledge. His memory and mind have of late years become very frail, but he has always sustained the character of an honest man, and I do believe he has performed the military service above expressed. signed/ Jonas Seeley Attest Stephen R. Miller Seneca County Before me Stephen R. Miller one of the Justices of the Peace of Romulus in and for the County of Seneca personally appeared the above named John Fenton subscriber to the foregoing declaration and in my presence acknowledged the power of attorney thereto subjoined[?] to be his free act and deed. And likewise personally appeared the Hon. Jonas Seeley, one of four Judges, who hath subscribed the above certificate of identity, both to me well known to be men of respectability and truth, and made solemn oath to the truth of the depositions by them respectively subscribed this 24th date of May 1830. signed/ Stephen R. Miller, Justice Peace In testimony that the above written Stephen R. Miller was a magistrate authorized to administer oaths and take acknowledgements &c in the State of New York at the above date and that his name there subscribed appears to me to be his usual signature, I have hereunto affixed the County Seal and subscribed my name and quality, at Romulus in the County of Seneca this twenty fourth day of May 1830. I also certify that I personally know the said John Finton and have always understood him to be a man of respectability and truth and I further certify that I know the aforesaid Jonas Seely to be one of our Judges & an old and respectable inhabitant of said County. signed/ Mather Marvin Clk Affidavit of Matthew Bennett Dated 25 February 1831 State of New York Ontario County SS Matthew Bennett of Geneva being duly sworn says; that this deponent is now in the eighty third year of his age; that during the revolutionary war this deponent lived in the town of Warwick in the county of Orange; that this deponent served in the said war from time to time during its continuance in the militia & this deponent says that he was & is well acquainted with John Finton who resided in the said town of Warwick, who is a few years younger than this deponent; that the said John Finton served in the revolutionary war, as this deponent has always understood and surely believes & during the whole period of the said war; that this deponent saw the said John Finton in actual service in the said war very often; that this deponent has seen & conversed with the same John Finton this day & he now resides as the deponent understands in the town of Romulus in the county of Seneca. Signed/ Matt D. Bennet Sworn & subscribed before me this 25th day of Feb 1831 Signed/Nathan B. Kidder One of the Justices of the Peace in the County aforesaid The undersigned your Friend & Neighbor in our younger days - now lives in the town of Romulus near to J. Finton and has for 23 years past and have always understood he was in revolutionary army. I also am acquainted with the above Mat Bennet a worthy man. J Finton has applied for a pension. Please to hand this over to the proper person. Yours ___ Wm. W. Folwell Affidavit of John Finton/Fenton for Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Dated 9 July 1831 Romulus, Seneca Co. State of New York, July 9, 1831 I John Finton do certify that I am the soldier who served in the revolutionary war and whose name is found on the war records. It may be written Fenton as my Father wrote his name. I also certify that I presented a deposition last winter of Mathew Bennet a respectable man who said he served with me some years and thinks I served through the war. This certificate was sent to Saml D. Ingham with a request to hand it to the proper officer of the department. I am afraid that deposition was not handed in as our Congressman Mr. Halsey could not find it and he thinks it was not there when Congress adjourned and further I am the same John Finton who has been applying for the last seven or more years all which is true to the best of my recollection. Signed/ John Finton State of New York On the 9th day of July 1831 before me Stephen R. Miller Seneca County, a Justice of the peace of said county personally came John Finton to me known as the person who made and subscribed the foregoing certificate and he being duly sworn by me says the facts by him set forth in said certificate are in all respects correct and true. Signed/ Stephen R. Miller - Justice peace Affidavit of Mathew Bennet Dated 22 January 1834 State of New York Ontario County I Mathew Bennet being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he was a soldier in the revolutionary war in the militia of the State of New York, and that he was a soldier on duty the next year after the taking of New York and was stationed near the City of New York on the Jersey side of the River in the State of New Jersey and that the Division to which he was attached was under the command of General Weimer [?]. That he was acquainted with John Fenton, that he was a soldier at the same time that he was. That he belonged to the same regiment with him but can't say whether he belonged to the same company or not. That the said John Fenton was in actual service and so this deponent believes from the best of his recollection (being now above eighty four years old) the said John Fenton was in the army above six months and they were in several skirmishes when on scouting parties and the said Mathew Bennett further says he knows that he saw the said John Fenton on duty on Stratton [Staten?]Island. his Subscribed & sworn Signed/ Mathew X Bennet Before me the 22 January 1834 mark Signed/Eurotas Hastings, JP Affidavit of John Finton/Fenton for Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Dated 24 July 1837 State of New York County of Seneca On this 24th day of July 1837 personally appeared John Finton a resident of the Town of Romulus in the County of Seneca & State of New York aged eighty five years on the 8th of May last 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 May 15th 1824. That he entered the army of the United States in the year 1776 under Capt Blair at Warwick as a volunteer and served 2 months. I next served one month in the city of New York under Col. Martin, cannot recollect my other officers. I next volunteered under Col. John Haythorn [?]. We marched to a place called the English neighborhood in New Jersey where we expected an engagement but it did not take place. I continued in this detachment about 3 months. I was in the army in the city of New York when it was taken by the British & evacuated by the American Army. I also served under a Capt. Wolverton 9 months or more at various places on the these lines [?] between the armies and served as orderly sergeant. I was in the battle of Fort Montgomery. I being a blacksmith, I assisted in making the great chain that was streched [stretched] across the North River. I also helped to get the cannon up the mountain to Fort Put above West Point. I enlisted in the New Jersey Line. I was born at Deer Park in the year 1752. It was at that time a wilderness land in the western part of Orange County. At the commencement of the war, the people of the back town mostly left their homes to get nearer the North River for safety. I was frequently out on scouting parties against the Indians and had several skirmishes with them in the region of Peenpack on the Delaware. I was about 24 years of age when I first entered the army at the beginning of the war, was frequently transferred from one detachment to another during the revolutionary war at the end of which I was regularly discharged and have long since lost that discharge. I received in 1830 a land warrant for bounty land for 100 acres but did not get located that I know of or have I ever received from the United States or any of the individual states any pension for service rendered during the revolutionary war. At the conclusion of the war I settled in the County of Orange in this state and remained in said county until 1804 when I removed to my present residence in the Town County & State aforesaid. Once [?] 6 or 8 years since I made a declaration which I supposed sufficient that was filed in the pension office at Washington. I never [k]new why my claim was not answered until lately since which time my health light and memory have failed me much. his Subscribed and sworn to John X Finton this 24th day of July 1837 mark Before me Jonas Seely one of the Judges of Seneca County Common Pleas The reason of the above named John Fenton not appearing in open court is his total inability to be removed to any court of record holden in said county. I have been acquainted with and a neighbor to Mr. John Fenton for the past thirty three years who has during that time sustained the character of a moral man & good citizen and believe that he is what he claims to have been a soldier of the revolution. He is at this time so much deprived of eye sight as to be unable to write his name, therefore made his mark in my presence. Signed/ Jonas Seely one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for Seneca County State of New York Seneca County I William A. Strong, Clerk of said county, do hereby certify that Jonas Seely Esquire before whom the foregoing deposition & affidavits were certified was at the date of said depositions a Judge of County courts in and for the County of Seneca, duly commissioned and qualified. And I further certify that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of said Judge and verily believe that his several signatures to the deposition and certificates annexed are genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said county this 25th day of July 1837. Signed/ Wm. A. Strong Clerk Cyrus D. Hanks Dep. Clerk We have been acquainted with and near neighbors to Mr. John Finton for thirty years or more who has during our acquaintance with him sustained the character of a man of truth and veracity and is reputed to have been a soldier of the revolution. Sworn to and subscribed July 24, 1837 Signed/ Wm. W. Folwell before me Jonas Seely John Sayre one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for Seneca County. Affidavit of David Depue Dated 23 December 1837 Seneca County State of New York SS David Depue of Romulus in said County being duly sworn says that he first became acquainted with John Finton in the year 1776 when this Deponant and said John Finton were in the continental army in the State of New Jersey. Said John Finton was then serving under Captain John Martin, Lieut Col. Syms & Col. E. Martin. This Deponant served in the same Reigment under Captain Joseph Harkin [or Haskin?]. We marched from Sussex County New Jersey to New York. We were also together on Governor's Island, when the army been fortifying that place and returned with the said Finton to New York. After we had served our term at New York and returned home, said John Finton enlisted into the continental army under Captain Wolverton, where he served nine months. This Deponant further says he saw said John Finton's name on the roll of enlistment of the said Capt. Wolverton after he, said John Finton had served his nine months under Wolverton and had returned home; this was in the winter of 1777 as this Deponant recollects, being seventy nine years old the 6th Day of January next, and further this Deponant says he knows that the said John Finton served both of the above mentioned terms in the continental army in the New Jersey line. And further this Deponant says he does not recollect of seeing said John Finton but once after he returned from serving under Capt. Wolverton in 1777 until he saw him in the town of Romulus in said county of Seneca about thirty years since and knows him to be the same John Finton he saw in the continental army in New Jersey and in the city of New York and has for the last thirty years been well acquainted with the said John Finton and knows him to be the same John Finton who applied for and received bounty land for his Revolutionary service, the certificate for said land being dated July 25th 1837 and further this Deponant saith not. Date Romulus December 23rd 1837 Signed/ David Depue Subscribed & sworn before me this 25th Day of December 1837. Signed/ Wm T. Johnson Justice of the Peace I further certify that the within named David Depew is a man of truth and veracity and know him to be the man named in the within instrument. Signed. Wm T. Johnson J of P I hereby certify that I have been acquainted with David Depue and have resided in the same town with him since the year 1794. He sustains the character of an honest industrious man. Romulus Dec 24th 1837 Signed/ Jonas Seely I certify that the within named John Finton applied for bounty lands for Revolutionary services some time since and has recently received revolutionary bounty land scrip issued under the Acts of the 30th of May 1830 & of the 13th of July 1832 No. 10160 & 10151 bearing date 25 day of July 1837 and that he is the same man that now claims a pension under the Acts of Congress for the relief of Revolutionary soldiers. Signed/Jonas Seely Revolutionary War Pension File R3494 and BL Wt 1627-100, John Fenton/Finton, New Jersey and New York from the National Archives and Records Administration as photocopied by R. M. Cousins, Archives Researcher, and in possession of Judy Baker. Transcribed by Judy Baker on 24 November 2003.