Pension Application

Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for John Beaty

S14937
State of New York
Orange County SS
            On this third day of September in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of common Pleas now sitting John Beaty resident of New Windsor in the County of Orange and State of New York aged seventy eight years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits 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.
           That deponent belonged to the company of Militia commanded by Captain James Humphrey of the Town last mentioned at the commencement of the Revolutionary War. Silas Wood and James Careg were Lieutenants and said Company which belonged to the Regiment commanded by Colonel James M. McLaughry (1) In which Jacob Newkirk and Moses Phillips were Majors. In the month of August in the year before said deponent was ordered with said company to Fort Montgomery on the North river in the Highlands on a general alarm and remained there one week and thinks he returned.   In the month of December in the same year about the thirteenth day of that month in the year last aforesaid deponent was ordered to New Jersey and with others was one of a detachment under the command of General George Clinton who took the British guard of twenty one at the English neighbourhood. We remained there one month and was then discharged and returned home in the month of March one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven deponent was ordered to proceed with said company to Fort Clinton (2) on the south side of [?] hill opposite to Fort Montgomery on the same side of the river we remained there eight days and were then discharged and returned home. In the same month and year last aforesaid deponent was again ordered with said company to Fort Clinton on an alarm we remained there eight days and then returned home. In the month of June 1777 deponent with said company were engaged in the four months service his company was divided into detachments each of which was bound to serve one month deponent served accordingly at Fort Clinton. In the month of August in the year last aforesaid deponent was ordered to Fort Montgomery on an alarm and remained there ten days and then discharge. In the month of September next thereafter deponent together with said company to which he belonged was ordered to Fort Montgomery. We were there until the day before the battle when a detachment to which I belonged under the command of Captain Lee (3) was ordered across the river to Antoneys Nose, where we remained untill the next morning and then retreated to FishKill. We were under the command of Captain Lee and Major William Fly (4) and William Beaty belonged to said detachment from Fishkill we crossed to New Windsor and the said company was on duty untill the first of November and adjacent to New Windsor as deponent was informed and believes. Deponent was informed and believes. Deponent was taken sick in the service and obtained permission to return home & there he continued sick until the next spring. In the month of August in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight deponent was sent with a detachment to a place called Wunk? on the Indian Froniter while there we were ordered after the Savages and had a battle with them. Captain Graham commanded us and Robert Lample and Adam Embler were killed in the engagement. Captain Newkirk (5) of our Regiment was at Wunks? With us, we staid one month and then returned home. In the month of October in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight we went again to Wunk? Under the command of Captain Tellford and remained there one month and were then discharged. In the month of July in the year 1779 one company was ordered down to the forest of Dean. We stopped a day or two at West Point and were then ordered to the Forrest at [?]. The British were expected to attack West Point in there and we had orders to march without speaking that we might take them by surprise if we should chance to fall in with them. We were gone on this expedition eight days and then discharged Colonel Hardenberg (6) commanded the Militia with whom deponent served. In the month of July next after deponent was again ordered with a detachment to the Indian frontier and remained there one half month. In the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty, in the month of June deponent together with the said company to which he belonged were ordered to West Point on a general alarm and remained there eight days all which facts above mentioned deponent states according to the best of his recollection and deponent also saith that his memory is greatly impaired by old age and he cannot be more particular, but deponent can state with certainty that he turned out on every alarm and that he took his regular tours of duty in the respective detachments which were regularly sent to the frontiers and remained there until relieved or discharged.
            And in answer to the interrogatories specially put to deponent by the court he saith that he was born in the Town of New Windsor aforesaid in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty four but he has a record of his age in his family Bible at home. That he entered the service in the Town of New Windsor lived there at the time and has lived there ever since. That he belonged to Captain Humphreys Company of Militia & was ordered with that company into the service as before related. Deponent can not give a particular account of the regular officers who were with the troops where he served but he thinks he recollects General George & James Clinton & Captain Moody (7) and Bellknap at Fort Montgomery. Colonel McLaughry was there with his regiment or a part o fit. He and Capt. Humphrey were taken prisoners deponent has already stated the general circumstances of his service. That he never received a written discharge—That his is known to William Fly William Beaty, Joseph Beaty, John McMichael and James Boyd who served throughout the war in the same regiment with deponent. Then and now live in the same Neighbourhood with deponent and can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a Soldier of the Revolution.
            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 with his mark) John Beaty
            Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid. Adam Dimmere, Clerk

End Notes

Colonel James McLaughrey of the Second Regiment of Ulster County Militia, First Major Jacob Newkirk on 25 October 1775 Promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and received a commission for said rank dates 23 March 1778. Second Majorn Moses Philips. In 1778 there was only one Major and Philips was the one. They never replaced the Second Major. This was common practice for militia as it was believed that rank was no longer necessary. Captain James Humphrey—8th Company. First Lieutenant Silas Wood, Second Lieutenant James Kerneghan. Ensign Richard Wood. They were all in the Second Ulster.
Remnants of this Fort can still be seen in Bear Mountain State Park, NY. Now at Fort Montgomery there is a visitor center. This site was at one time mined for copper.
Captain Thomas Lee of the Fifth New York Continental Regiment.
It is either Fly [Vly, etc, or Sly]. I haven't found a Major by either name.
Captain John Newkirk of the Second Ulster. A John Graham from the Second ulster is reported as being killed on the 6 of September.
Lieutenant-Colonel John Hardenbergy, Jr. of the Fourth Regiments of Ulster County Militia.
Captain Andrew Moody of the Second Continental Artillery Regiment. Captain John Belknap of the Second Ulster.