Pension Application

S.[illegible]
Private in Captain Welden’s Company
State of New York
Sullivan County SS.
            On the 11th day of June 1833, before the Subscriber a Justice of the Peace for said County, personally appeared Joseph Seaman, who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that—there is no clergyman of any denomination settled in the Town or that adjoining the one in which he resides whose testimony he can procure respecting his age & the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his Revolutionary Services.
            That he was born in the Town of Haverstraw in Rockland County, State of New York on the 29th May 1760 and that the record of his age is containing in Church Book, kept in the Church at Clarkstown in said County of Rockland.
            That the deponent cannot recollect (by reason of old age & the loss of memory) more particularly the names of the Regular officers who were with the troops where he served or the Continental or Militia Regiment or the general circumstances of his services. There is set forth in the declaration accompanying this affidavit. That he is acquainted with John Tappen & John Simpson two of his neighbors in the Town where he resides who are far advanced in life and can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution. (Signed) Joseph Seaman.
            Sworn before me this 11th June 1833. H. R. Ludington Justice of the Peace.

State of New York
Sullivan County SS.
            On this 11th day of October AD 1832, personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said county, being a Court of Record—Joseph Seaman of FallsBurgh in said County and State of New York aged seventy one 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 United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated to wit—
            In February 1778, enlisted in the Continental Ferry Service for one year in a company of 42 men besides officers under Capt’n William Slow, Peter Seaman Lieutenant—served in that company at the Ferry between Stony Point and Verplank’s Point for the term of his enlistment then enlisted again in same service under Capt William Cooley, John Ackerman Lieutenant for one year about the 20th May in 1779 was driven from Stony Point to West Point by a Regiment of the British Army and was then taken from the Ferry service and served there until November as Sergeant on board Gen. Green’s Barge, then returning to Stony Point and served the rest of his time in the Ferry Service until 24 March in the year 1780 when he was discharged—Received a written discharge from Captain Slow after one year’s service which has since been lost or destroyed—did not receive a discharge from Captain Cooley in consequence of a determination of the company not to accept their discharge until they were paid. Major Kearse & Major Hayse were officers in this water service, no other names recollected.
            Deponent resided at Haverstraw in Rockland County on the West Bank of the North River [Hudson River] from the commencement to the close of the Revolutionary War, and from his [creation?] was almost continually under arms as a Militia Man—first in a company commanded by Captain Waldrom and afterwards in a company commanded by Captain Garret Acker—Lieutenant Coe was in an engagement with a detachment of the British Army, the day Fort Montgomery was taken and when the army were on their way to the Fort—that his services in the militia were so constant & bothersome that he was induced to enlist in the Continental Ferry service above stated, and that after the termination of such service was as frequently called out as before it. The whole time employed in such militia service was at least one year according to the best of deponent’s recollection & belief, and at no one time was he out more than two months. Gilbert Cooper was Colonel & John Blauveldt Major in the Regiment to which Capt. Acker’s Company was attached –That he has no documentary evidence of his services, and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to this service--& that there is no settled Clergyman in the Town in which he resides or any of the adjoining towns to testify to his reputation &c.
            He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. (Signed) Joseph Seaman
            Sworn to & subscribed the day & year first aforesaid. Sworn & Subscribed before me the day & year aforesaid. Jesse M. Foster, Clerk of the Sullivan Com. Pleas.

Copyright © 1998, -- 2008. James F. Morrison and Berry Enterprises. All rights reserved. All items on the site are copyrighted. While we welcome you to use the information provided on this web site by copying it, or downloading it; this information is copyrighted and not to be reproduced for distribution, sale, or profit.