Pension Application

R.1033
State of New York
Onondaga County SS.
            On the 28th day of July 1834 personally appeared in open court before the vice chancellor of the 7th Circuit of said state at a court of Chancery now sitting at Onondaga in said county, John J. Bust a resident of the town of Elbridge in the County of Onondaga & State of New York aged seventy 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 provisions made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
            That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers & served as herein stated he joined the company of ranger under Captain Gray at the middle fort in the County of Albany now county of Schoharie & State of New York, the thirteenth day of May 1780. That he resided in said County of Albany in what was called Schoharie but now called Middleburgh in the County of Schoharie & State of New York—said company was in Colonel Vrooman’s Regiment of Militia of the State of New York. The Lieutenant Colonel’s name is not recollected the Major’s name was David Becker who had been formerly a militia captain & was promoted to a Major before this deponent joined said regiment.—Captain Gray’s Christian name is not recollected our Lieutenant’s name was Peter Swart & our ensign’s name was Becker & I think his Christian name was John but am not sure. He was cousin to Major David Becker above named. This deponent with Capt. Gray’s Company was stationed in the said Middle Fort. Where this deponent continued until discharged except when out on scouting excursions after Indians & Tories who were hanging about that section of County & near the fort—a great part of the time we were engaged in these scouting parties---we were one month with Captain Gray’s Company as far as Albany with the expectations of going to Stony Point, Captain Hale’s Company from the said [?] went with us & we were under command of Major David Becker & Capt. Talbout the first of September 1780 for Albany & Stony Point after reaching Albany we tarried there but one night & were ordered back to said Fort where we immediately returned. This deponent was a volunteer & served at said Fort in the same company till the war closed & this deponent was discharged at the Middle Fort in the month of October 1783 by Colonel Vrooman who then had the command of the said Fort during this deponents continuance in the said company. The Town of Schoharie was burned by the Indians—there was a battle fought by a party from the Fort in which this deponent was engaged with the Indians on their approach, but in consequence of the vast number of Indians & Tories & the handful of men we had to oppose Colonel [?] ordered all to retreat to the Fort where we were till the Town was burned & the Indians & Tories dispersed, they render no attack upon the Fort except to fire a few guns & mortar some shells—
            This deponent’s company were rifle men & wore white frocks and trowsers when on parade but when in the woods wore the common dark & our company were called rangers—There was no regular continental troops stationed near said Fort during the time this deponent was stationed there, but a short time previous Colonel Butler had the command of the Fort.
            This deponent has no documentary testimony or evidence by which to establish his claim, this deponent received from Colonel Vrooman’s a discharge in writing & which this deponent soon after lost & has never since seen. Colonel Vrooman took this command of the Upper Fort of Vrooman’s Land now the Middle Fort, the whole of the troops at the three forts & from the blockhouses were assembled at the Middle Fort & colonel Seely? & colonel Vrooman discharged the whole of the troops at the same time & this deponent thinks his discharge was signed by Colonel Vrooman—This deponent has for some time been trying to get some person who knows of his services & has lately found Baum Barker, John Bellinger & Jeremiah Link, Barker & Link live in Middleburg & Bellinger lives in Sharon in said County of Schoharie & whose affidavits this deponent intends to get for the purpose of showing a part of the time of this deponent’s service.
            This deponent should long since have applied for his pension but owing to his infirmity by means of old age, this deponent was unable to go to Schoharie for the purpose of finding evidence till this season when he found said persons alive & this deponent employed an attorney then to procure the missing papers to obtain this deponent’s pension & was informed by him that this deponent must apply for the same in the country where this deponent resided.
            This deponent was born in Schoharie aforesaid & resided there from the day of his birth which was on the 14th day of May 1764 till this deponent arrived at the age of twenty six years when this deponent removed to the town of Cortright in the County of Otsego, in the State of New York & this deponent resided there for ten years when this deponent removed to the town of Camillus now town of Ellendon in the County of Onondaga where this deponent now resides & has ever since resided.
            This deponent has a record of his age in his father’s bible at Schoharie which is now owned by some of this deponent’s brothers & which this deponent does not recollect.—
            This deponent was Christened & his name & age recorded at the church records in Schoharie but this deponent presumes they were destroyed at the burning of Schoharie as the church & private dwellings were all consumed by the Indians & Tories in the Revolutionary War at the time above mentioned—On the death of this deponent’s father his family bible was given to one of this deponents brothers.—That deponent resided at Schoharie aforesaid at the time he entered the service of the United States & this deponent served in the army of the United Sates from the time he entered the service. The 20th of May 1780 to the month of October 1782, when this deponent was discharged—This deponent gives the names of the following persons who reside in the neighborhood of this deponent & who can testify to this deponent’s reputation & to their belief of this deponent’s serveice as a revolutionary soldier to wit, Judge David Munro, Judge Timothy Brown, Judge Charles J. Merriman, Stephen Finch Esquire, Michael Redman, Colonel Zirah? Shepherd Dawson Isaac Hill Charles T. Tall, Esquire Jonathan Thornes Gaylord N. Sherwood Grover Lowinium & John Larkin Esquire.
            This deponent is unable to procure a clergyman to attest to this deponents character because there is no one residing near this deponent with whom this deponent is acquainted. The clergymen who preaches near this deponent are mostly circuit preachers & with whom this deponent is unacquainted.
            This deponent thinks he shall be able to procure the affidavits of the said Becker & Bellinger & Loucks & have the same forwarded with this declaration in a few weeks.
            This deponent hereby relinquishes ever claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. (Signed with his mark) John J.Bust.
            Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid. Daniel Moseley, Vice Chancellor.

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