Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for John Brooks
W.10451 (Widow Orilla Pension awarded to John was $80.00 per annum. Pension awarded to Orilla $96.00 per annum. She gave her deposition in the State of Missouri, Adair County, June 4th, 1868 and said she was 71 years of age. She married John Brooks at Huron County Ohio on the 5th day of February 1838 and that he died on the 22nd day of Sept. 1846.)
State of Ohio, Macon City Agency
Huron County SS. Norwalk
On this 6th day of March A.D. 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas within & for said County now sitting John Brooks a resident of Florence in said County aged seventy seven—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. That on the 3d day of March A.D. 1776 the declarant, then living in Peenbeck, Ulster County State of New York, enlisted into the Army of the United States into a company commanded by Captain Cornelius Hardenberg (1) & in the third New York Regiment Commanded by Colonel Rudolphus Ritzema’s in the Continental Line He enlisted for one year. Edward Lounsbury was first Lieutenant James NewKark was second Lieutenant was second Lieutenant & Jeremiah Clark was Ensign and that Alexander McDougall was Brigadier General (2) of the Brigade in which he served, that they went from Peenpack after he enlisted & marched by Land to Esopus in the State of New York and from thence by water to New York—that he was one of the American Army who retreated from Long Island—was wounded at Flatt Bush (3)—that he staid on York Island until sometime in the following October, evacuated York Island about the time Fort Washington was taken—that he then marched to the White Plains (4)—was there in a Battle & wounded in his right arm—after he was wounded he [?] a Furlough. He went home to PeenBack was about four weeks when he returned to the Army about the 4th of December 1776. He then went to Trenton, (5) [?] in taking the Hessians & was then dismissed. That about the middle of April A.D. 1777 he enlisted into the Militia in a company commanded by Captain James Tillford (6) in a Regiment commanded by Colonel John Snyder (7), William Faulkner was Major and James Clinton was Brigadier General of the Brigade. He enlisted for eight months then living at said Peenpack That he went from thence to Fort Clinton about eighteen miles below West Point—that he was orderly Sergeant and assisted in Building Redoubts below Fort Montgomery—That he kept Garrison & staid there until Fort Clinton and Fort Montgomery were taken—That he escaped in the Dark from Fort Clinton and joined his Company at NewBurgh. That he continued until the 7th of December of the same year, when he was dismissed. That he in fact served nine months under said last Enlistment. There were in the same regiment Captain John Felter, a Captain Rose (8), Lieutenant John Stockier &c &c. The declarant returned to Peenback and then served on the Frontier in Fort Denpay that he went from the Fort to Beaver Creek where he found Brant and his Indians under his command—and he engaged in a Battle with them and there received three different wounds by Musket Balls, Buckshot & Swords—one of which broke his right thumb which he always since been a useless To him—After the last mentioned time viz in the year 1779 (9)—he continued in service—untill April A. D. 1780 when he was discharged which discharge was burnt in his home at Neversink which was accidentally burnt. That he has no Documentary Evidence & that he knows of no person who can testify he can procure who can testify to his service.
He also kept Garrison in Dewitts Fort from about the year 1780 to the time of the peace. When he served at Beaver Creek against Brant & Col. Hathorn was Colonel of the Regiment, James Thurston (10) was Lieutenant-Colonel who was killed in the battle. Thomas Dewitt (11) was Major & Brazilla Tyler (12) was captain who was also killed. He was appointed Ensign under Captain Tyler before said but I [?] an Ensigns Commission & after said Tyler’s death he received a Lieutenants Commission for which he served as Lieutenant until the close of the War which two commissions were burnt in his house in the Township of said Peenback. That he was born in Ridgefield, Fairfield County, State of Connecticut in the year AD 1755 he has no record of his age.
That when he served at Fort Montgomery the officers besides which he has mentioned there were Major Lewis Dubois, Capt Black of the Artillary Capt. Chambers, Capt Rose & Lieut. Tom Rose. The Declarant says that the Rev. Joshua Phillips & Elijah Bibbs can testify respecting their belief of his Revolutionary services & his character for veracity.
In 1776 he served six month in taking St. John under General Montgomery from 1776 to 1777 he served one year at New York White Plains & Trenton after this he served at Fort Montgomery eight months—In 1778 he served eight months from Fort Stanwix to Orange County & was on frontiers under Capt. Felter in 1779 he served at PeenBeak & on the Frontiers & sent during his other services his is certain that he served in the revolutionary War not less than five years as a private Soldier, Ensign & Lieutenant. That since the Revolutionary War he lived in Said PeenBeak seven years. He then lived ten years in [?] Sullivan county and state of New York He after then lived in Pompey in Onondaga County in N. York from thence removed to said Florence at his present residence in [?].
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and swears that his name is not on the Pension roll of the agency of any state on that of the [can’t read several words] the state of Pennsylvania at Pottsburg [can’t make out the rest] (Signed) John Brooks
Sworn in open court March 6th “AD 1833. D. Gibbs Clerk HCR
Letter of inquiry in file dated January 4, 1928
I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension Claim, W.10451, it appears that John Brooks was born, December 4, 1755, at Ridgefield, Fairfield County, Connecticut.
While a resident of Peenpack, Ulster County, New York he enlisted and served with the New York Troops as follows:
In 1775, six months, was at the taking of St. John’s in Canada.
From March 3, 1776, one year as a private in Captain Cornelius Hardenbergh’s Company in Colonel Rudolphus Ritzema’s Regiment; he was wounded in action at Flatbush, Long Island, sustained gunshot wound of right arm in the battle of White Plains and was in the battle of Trenton.
From about the middle of April, 1777, he served nine months as orderly sergeant in Captain James Tillford’s Company, in Colonel John Snyder’s Regiment.
In 1778 he served eight months under Captain John Felter.
From July, 1779, he served as ensign in Captain Brazilla Tyler’s Company, Colonel Hathorn’s Regiment, was in an engagement with Colonel Brandt at Beaver Creek in which he sustained three wounds of the right arm, a wound of the left hand and left arm; he served as a lieutenant from May 1780 until the army was disbanded.
He also served under Captain Abraham Cuddeback and Colonel James McClaghry, dates and length of service not stated.
On account of disability resulting from the above mentioned wounds, he was pensioned from January 1, 1777, under the Act of June 7, 1785.
In March, 1833 he was a resident of Florence, Huron County, Ohio.
He died, September 22, 1846.
The soldier married in Huron County, Ohio, February 5, 1838, Mrs. Orrillia or Orrilla H. Hancock, who was his second wife. She was allowed pension on her application executed June 4, 1868, at which time she was seventy-one years of age and her post office address was Kirksville, Adair County Missouri.
In 1876 she resided in Lorain County Ohio.
This is the only John Brooks who lived in Connecticut, New York, and Huron County, Ohio, that is found on the Revolutionary War records of this bureau.
The names of his first wife and his parents are not give.
End Notes—John Brooks W.10451
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