Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for Matthew Copley
S.30342
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Hampden
On this eighth
day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Judge of the
Court of Probate for said county now sitting Matthew Copley a resident of West
Springfield in the County of Hampden aforesaid & state of Massachusetts aged
eighty years who first 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 7th 1832.
That he entered
the service of the United States under the following named officers & served
herein after stated. That in the summer of the year 1776 he enlisted into
the service for the term of five months, he thinks it was in July, into a company
commanded by Sam’l Flower of said West Springfield, Chapin was Lieutenant
and one Miller was Ensign.
That he went
immediately to Ticonderoga & remained there for five months and was discharged
sometime in December. That while at Ticonderoga the company was employed
in building redoubts, clearing the surrounding country of the brush that the
Indians might not approach as unseen. That he had no other service to perform
this campaign except that which was performed at or about the fort at Ticonderoga.
That he was
born in the State of Pennsylvania on the 28th February 1752 at a place situated
not very remote from that in which Genl Braddock was defeated--that his father
has told him that he was driven off by the Indians, that he was very young when
his father left Pennsylvania & came to Suffield [?] in Connecticut
that about the year 1774 he removed with his father’s family to the immediate
neighborhood in which he now lives which then constituted a part of the Town
of Werofield [?] but has since been converted to West Springfield. That
the only record of his birth of which he has any evidence is the one made by
his father on the title page was his Bible which is now in the possession of
his brother Benjamin.
That when
he entered into the service during the Revolutionary War, he lived in the Town
of West Springfield & ever since made it his home there still—though,
having no family, he has frequently labored in other towns and passed several
[?] in various other places.
That in every
instance of Revolutionary service he entered voluntarily. That he does
not recollect having ever received a written discharge.
The said Matthew
aforesaid did on that very soon after his return from the service above mentioned & in
the month of December 1776 he again enlisted for the term of three months, under
Capt Nathan Rowley of this town, and marched through Bennington to Skenesborough
where they crossed the lake on the ice to Ticonderoga. That Capt Rowley’s
Company was stationed on board some vessels on the lake, which were froze in
between the fort and Mount Independence. That they performed garrison duty
on board the vessels for nearly or quite the whole time—that he remained
there till the period of his enlistment had expired which must have been as late
as the better part of March as the ice had then nearly or quite disappeared in
the lake—that Colonel Robinson of Granville, if he recollects right was
his colonel. That his brother Benjamin Copley & John Egleston of the
town were both with him in this last mentioned service—we all enlisted
at the same time, marched together & returned together.
The said Matthew
further declares, that in the month of June 1780 he again enlisted for the term
of three months under Capt. Levi Ely of this town to go up the Mohawk Rivers
for the purpose of protecting the inhabitants on the frontiers against the incursions
of the Indians. That Fowler & Stiles, were lieutenants in one company. Brown
of Pittsfield in this state was colonel—that we were employed some part
of the time in guarding the public stores in their transportation to the troops
at Fort Stanwicks. That
on or about the last day of the time for which he had enlisted, they were attacked
by the Indians & defeated—that Col. Brown was killed, & also Capt
Ely & nearly twenty of his company—this battle took place not far
from the 10th October & that immediately after the battle he was discharged & returned
home. That there was a large number of young men from this town—that
engagement & were [?] [?] in? H” from this town, then in any other
battle during the war—that for it [?] of this [?] was with [?] on this
tour of service from the commencement of their march till after the engagement.
The said Matthew
Copley further declares that in the spring in the year 1777 he enlisted as a
marine on board the Brig Hazard Commanded by Capt Smith. That the Brig
sailed from Boston carried 36 guns. That they took one prize & sent
her into Boston & that he received his share of the prize money. That
he enlisted for six months & that the ship returned into port some time in
the fall & that after the six months were out he was discharged. He
recollects that when he was returning home the farmers were engaged in their
[?] harvest. That he cannot [?] the name of any other [?] on board except
the captain, nor does he know whether any [?] is now living.
The said Matthew
states that he is well known & Roland Burbanks Esq., Alford Flower Esq.,
Samuel Palmer, Frederick Palmer & Uriah Loomis, who can testify to his character
for veracity & to the belief of his services as a soldier in the Revolution.
Here hereby
relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declared
that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Sworn to & subscribed
the day & year aforesaid.
(Signed with his mark) Matthew Copley