Morrison's Pensions


Pension Application for James Drake

W.7043 (Widow: Charity)
B.L.Wt.26851-160-55
            Declaration: In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
State of New York
Tioga County SS.
            On this sixth day of March personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common [Pleas] now sitting James Drake a resident of the Town of Veteran in the County of Tioga & State of New York 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 as a private under the following named officers & served as herein stated.  That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year one thousand seventy six on the first day of March of said year as a private with Captain Daniel Denton’s (1) company & served in the regiment commanded by one Richmore [Ritzema] was Colonel & Wisenfit [Wiesenfelt] which was Colonel does not know but supposed Richmore was Colonel & Wisenfit was Lieutenant Collonel [sic] in the New York Line & served in said company until the first day of January then next.  The period of ten months at which time he received a written discharge signed by Lieutenant Miller who then had the command of the company, which discharge he wore out by carrying the same in his pocket, during his subsequent service in the army of the United States as a Malitia [militia] man, that he inlisted in the town of Goshen, Orange County & State of New York marched from Goshen to the City of New York from thence to White Plains (2) & he was in the battle at that place from thence to New Jersey & continued on to the State of Pennsylvania then returned to the State of New Jersey & marched to the Battle of Trenton (3) & was in that battle General Washing[ton] marched with the army from White Plains to the battle of Trenton, at which place or near it he was discharged.  He further says that he after the above ten months had expire[d] he served in the service of the United States as a class man as they were called but the exact period or precise time he can not tell, but recollects of his going on three tours of two weeks each the first tour was at the time the chain was drawn to place across the Hudson River, our Captain Beldan had the command of the company who was the only officer he now recollects, two weeks of guarding prisoners from Goshen to Poughkeepsie.  Lieutenant Benjamin Moore (4) had the command of the guard two weeks at the time Claudius Smith was executed, guarding the Goshen Goal.  He served three weeks at the time Kingston (5) was Burnt (which was called Esopus at that time)  Major Decker had the command of the troops, at that place he also served two weeks at Captain Dewitt’s (6) fort on the Neversink, under the command of Colonel Hardenbassack (7) as he was then called, to gard [guard] against the Indians.  He also says that he lived in the Town of Goshen at every time he entered the service, he says that the militia were all put in classes & served two weeks at a tour, in the Town of Goshen at the time of his service and in the Malitia that at these term of services, there were no regular troops with the militia troops.
            He has no documentary evidence & that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service while in the militia [militia].  He hereby relinquishes every 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.
            He further duly swears in open court before the Judges aforesaid that by reason of old age & the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned in the foregoing declaration in the following grades.  For one year, one month and seven days I served as a private and for such service I claim a pension.  He further says that he is not acquainted with any clergyman that resides near him who could state anything as to his service in the revolutionary war.  (Signed) James Drake
            Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.  Green. M. Tuthill, Clk
Letter in the pension folder, replying to a request for information, dated August 7, 1935.
            Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War records of James K. Drake, who resided in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, during the latter years of his life, and Jacob Klock of Tompkins County, New York.
            There is no claim for pension or bounty land on file based upon service in the Revolutionary War of a Jacob Klock, under any spelling of that surname.  The record of James Drake who died in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, has been found: his record is given herein as found in the papers on file in pension claim, W.7043.
            James Drake was born in the year 1755, in Ulster County, New York.  He lived with his parents, whose names are not shown, in Goshen, Orange County, New York, at the time of the Revolutionary War.
            James Drake enlisted March 1, 1776, served ten months as private in Captain Daniel Denton’s company, Colonels Ritzema’s and Weisenfels’ New York Regiment, was in the battles of White Plains and Trenton, and was discharged near Trenton, New Jersey.  He served subsequently on tours of two weeks each as private in the New York troops; one tour in Captain Belden’s company at the time the chains were drawn across the Hudson River, another tour under Lieutenant Benjamin Moore, and again guarding the jail in Goshen.  He enlisted in October 1777 and served three weeks (at the time Esopus was burned) with the New York troops under Major Decker; afterwards, he served two weeks under colonel Hardenburgh engaged against the Indians.
            After his service, the soldier returned to Goshen, New York then lived in Pennsylvania for many years, a part of the time in Luserne County, from which state he moved to Veteran, Tioga County, New York.
            James Drake was allowed pension on his application executed March 6, 1833, at which time he resided in Veteran, New York.  In July 1837, he had moved back to Pennsylvania and resided in Bradford County, he stated then that three of his children were living in Bradford County, but did not give their names, nor the name of their mother.
            He died August 16, 1849 in Wysox, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, aged ninety-three years, ten months and sixteen days.
            James Drake married December 28, 1834 in New York State, Charity Mapes, who was born October 28, 1776; the names of her parents are not shown.
            Charity Drake, the soldier’s widow, laws allowed pension on her application executed January 14, 1850, at which time she resided in Wysox, Bradford County, Pennsylvania.
            In 1853, David Drake of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, stated that he had been acquainted with Charity Drake and the soldier for many years, but he did not state his relationship to the soldier.
            In 1830, David G. Drake, soldier’s brother, was aged seventy years and resided in Goshen, New York.  He referred then to letters which he had written at the direction of his mother to James (Drake) while he was in service during the Revolutionary War.

End Notes—James Drake

  1. James enlisted as a private in Captain Daniel Denton’s Company in Colonel Rudolphus Ritzema’s Third New York Continental Regiment (1776).
  2. The First and Third New York were part of Brigadier General Alexander McDougall’s Brigade at the Battle of White Plains, NY on October 28, 1776.
  3. The Battle of Trenton, NY was fought on December 26, 1776.
  4. Benjamin Moore was Second Lieutenant in Captain Daniel Sweasey’s Company in Colonel William Allison’s Orange County Regiment (Third Regiment or the Goshen Regiment.)
  5. Kingston was burnt on October 13, 1777.  Second Major John Decker was also in Colonel Allison’s Regiment.
  6. Captain Jacob R. DeWitt was in Colonel James McClaughry’s Regiment of Ulster County Militia, Second Regiment.
  7. It is either Colonel Jonathan Hasbrouck or his Lieutenant-Colonel Johannes Hardenburgh, Junr, both were of the Fourth Regiment of Ulster County Militia, Hardenburgh became Colonel of the regiment on February 27, 1779.

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