Pension Application

S.19186
Conn., New York, RI.
Declaration: In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832.

On this 22 nd day of January AD 1836, personally appeared before me the undersigned one of the Judges of the County Court within and for the county aforesaid—James Austin a resident of Highgate, county of Franklin and State of Vermont, aged seventy seven who 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 passed June 7 th 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein after stated—

In the year 1775, about the 20 th of April he was selected with many others out of a company of Militia in the town of Richmond Rhode Island to stand as a minute man to be ready at a moment warning, and accordingly in about seven or eight days thereafter was called for, and marched under the command of Capt. Barker & Lieut. Thomas Sweet, to Cambridge, where he stayed three weeks, and then had leave to return home, and on his return while at Providence, the company was ordered back to Roxbury where they stayed eight or nine days when about forty of the company was dismissed from their then present duty, still to be ready as before; and in the month of June following was again called for, and marched to Cambridge where he remained until the night before the engagement on Bunker Hill when the company to which he belonged was ordered onto the hill, where they remained on fat[blot]gue during the night, and left about day light the next morning, was not in the action, but remained at Cambridge doing duty as a private until the first of July, and was then dismissed. Served two months.

In Augt. following he volunteered and went with Lieut. Sweet (before named) as a boatman to assist in bringing of sheep from Block Island in Long Island Sound, and continued in the boating business about six weeks and was then dismissed.

Again on the last of December or first of January 1776, he enlisted for twelve months and served under Capt. Samuel Phillips Lieut. Paul Harrington and Ensign Benjamin West in the Regt commanded by Col. Richmond and Lieut. Col. Gideon Hoxey, marched from Richmond R. I. to south Kingston, from thence by water to the Island of Connanient (now Jamestown) below Providence where he remained until about the first of April from thence to New Port, where he believes he stayed about three weeks from thence to Fort Island, where he stayed until about the last of June, at which time he was exchanged on account of his being a Mechanic, was put into Capt. Elijah Robinsons Company in Col. Motts Regt., marched from Fort Island to Summers & from thence to Enfield Con. Where the company was mustered, and ordered to Bennington Vt. From thence to Skeensborough N.Y. where he was employed among the Artificers, in building Row Gallies, building at that place twenty eight days under the superintendence of Gen. Waterbury. From Skenesborough to Mount Independence where he was again employed on the gallies particularly on one called the Trumbull, and after the Trumbull was finished he went on board of sd [said] boat and joined the fleet then lying near Crab Island in Lake Champlain, and in about eight or ten days they were attack by the British fleet and during the action one of the yards were cut asunder and fell upon his right shoulder, which rendered him unfit for duty was put on board of a gondola with others and sent back to Mount Independence where he remained until the fifteenth or twentieth of November when most of the companies times were out and the soldiers belonging to Capt. Robinsons company were all discharged and were said at Albany. Served ten & a half months. In the month of December following he volunteered at Ashford Mass. for three months and served under Capt. Robinsons and Lieut. Mills.

Marched from Ashford to Lainsborough was carried from thence in Sleighs to Albany and from thence proceeded to the Delaware River and there joined the main army soon after recrossed the Delaware and proceeded to Trenton was in the engagement at that place and remained with the army until the fore part of March 1777 when his time expired, having served three months.

In May 1777, the Militia were called for to guard a place called Boston neck in South Kingston R.I. He was one that was detached to some at that place under Capt. John Clark in Col. Sands & Potter Regt. Those troops were called out to serve six months that is fifteen days at a time, and at the end of fifteen days they were releaved by other troops for the same length of time. At this time the declarant had four brothers subject to Military duty, and he served as a substitute for one of them viz, David Austin which kept him in service until October. Served in this campaign six months.

Again in the month of May 1778, he enlisted (he believes) for nine months and served in Capt. Benjamin Hoping, Lieut. Fink in the Regt commanded by Col. Tapham, Majr Saml Phillips & Adjutant Handy in Gen. Cornells Brigd., marched from Greenwich R.I. to Bristol and from thence to Tiverton where he was stationed until August and then crossed on to Rhode Island to Butt's? Hill Fort and remained on the Island until it was evacuated by the Americans. That during the action he was wounded by the explosion of a shell which confined him in the hospital about six weeks. After the Island was evacuated the company to which he belonged returned back to Tiverton where they stayed until March 1779.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except his present pension granted him under the Act of April 10 th 1806 and May 24 th 1828, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state only on that of the agency of the State of Vermont. (Signed) James Austin.

I was Born in Richmond State of Rhode Island on the 19 th day of September 1758 and there is a record of my [birth] at Richmond, have seen so record my self.

I was a resident of Richmond when called into service and, returned there after the war; and removed from thence soon after my return home to Steventown N. York where I lived 7 or 8 years, removed from thence to Wesford Vt. And from thence to Highgate where I low live.

During the time I was in service I became acquainted with the following named officers viz Capt. Benjamin Gorton, John Clark, Oliver Clark, Majr. Dailey, Col. Dier, Capt. Barner, Majr. Banx, Capt. West and Capt. Bull of the Artillery, Capt. Wallis & Sharp, Majr. Courtlant, Gen. Waterbury, & Arnold, Capt. Stoddard, Col. Lawrence Lieut. Col. Flune, Gen. Green & Camell, Capt. Babcock, and Capt. Toaffin.

I received two written discharges while in service one of which he believes was sent to the War Office by Judge Brayton about the year 1818 or 17 at which time I made an application for a pension, and the other was burned when my Dwelling House was destroyed by fire. The following are the names of persons to whom I am well known in my neighborhood who can testify as to my character for veracity and their belief of my services as a soldier of the Revolution. Dr. Bradley, Cliphalet Albee, Jesse Cutlen Dr. Cutler, John Bar Judge Sax and Enos C. Brown Esqr. (Signed) James Austin.

Be it known that at a Probate Court holden at Probate Office in St. Albans in said district of the 25 th day of April AD 1838, Present William Bridges, Judge Personally appeared before said court James Austin of Highgate in the County of Franklin and State aforesaid, and being first duly sworn according to law, did on his oath make the following supplementary and explanatory Declaration.

That his sixth term of service of three months under Capt. Elijah Robinson was performed in the year 1776. That Captain Robinson did not belong to Massachusetts but was a native of Strafford in the State of Connecticut, and belonged to the Connecticut troops, and the reason why he joined Captain Robinson's Company in Ashford in the State of Massachusetts was, the applicant had stopped at the house of his uncles who then resided in Ashford also to stay a few days while on his way home from Ticonderoga. That during the time he was at his uncles aforesd [aforesaid] Capt. Robinson came through Ashford on his way to Albany. The applicant there joined said Robinson company and served therein three months.

The applicant further states that during the time he was in Colonel Topham's Regt in the year 1778, he was detached from a Regiment and put into Colonel Lawrence's and Flewreys Regt and taken on to Rhode Island, and served in said Regiment one month. When he joined Col. Lawrence's Regiment. Col Tophams Regiment was stationed at East Greenwich, and after the Island was evacuated, he again joined Colonel Topham's Regiment then stationed at Tiverton.

The applicant fully believes that he served eight months in Col. Topham's Regiment and is positive that he served one month in Colonel Lawrence's Regt. (Signed) James Austin.

Sworn and Subscribed the day & year above written before me William Bridges, Judge. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of sd [said] court. Wm. Bridges Judge of Probate

In reply to the personal inquiry of May 16 th , you are advised that in the claim of James Austin, Sur. File No. 19,186, Rev. War, it appears that he was the son of Joseph Austin, and was born at Richmond, Rhode Island, September 19, 1758, and while a resident of that place, enlisted as a Private, April 1775, and served seven or eight months under Captains Samuel Phillips, Thomas Gordon, and Barber and Colonel Richmond, in the Rhode Island Troops.

On the last of December, or 1 st of January 1776, he enlisted and served under Captain Samuel Phillips and Colonel Richmond, and the following June, was transferred into Captain Elijah Robinsons' company, Colonel Mott's Connecticut Regiment; he was employed at Skenesborough as an Artificer in building row gallies and when one of the, the Trumbull, was finished went on board and joined the fleet near Crab Island on Lake Champlain where they were attacked by the British and he was injured in the right shoulder, and was discharged November 4, 1776.

December, 1776, he volunteered under Captain Elijah Robinson and was in the battle of Trenton, served three months.

In May 1777, he enlisted and served under Captain John Calrk and Colonels Sands and Potter, six months.

May, 1778, he enlisted in Captain Benjamin Heppin's company, Colonel John Torpham's Rhode Island regiment, was detached from said regiment and put into Colonel Lawrence and Flewrey's regiment one month, and was in the battle of Rhode Island, where he was wounded in the right leg, hip and thighs; he returned to Colonel Topham's regiment and was discharged March 1779.

In the spring of 1780, he enlisted in Captain Tew's company Colonel Green's Rhode Island regiment and served eighteen months; and the whole of the last year of the War, he was in Captain Harris' company in Colonel Willett's Regiment.

He was allowed pension on an application executed April 8, 1818, while a resident of Highgate, Franklin County, Vermont.

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