Morrison's Pensions


Pension Application for James McMasters

S.23790
Continental, Mass.
State of New York
Herkimer County
            On the 1 day of Sept 1832, before me Thomas Wooster a Judge of Herkimer Com. Pleas, came James McMasters, a resident of the town of Russia in the County of Herkimer and State of New York aforesaid aged eighty one 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 provision of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832—That he was born in the town of Palmer, County of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts in the year 1750—Served in the town of WilliamsTown in the State of Massachusetts, at the commencement of the revolutionary war.  And says he enlisted in said WilliamsTown about the middle of April 1875 under Capt. Samuel Sloan, Col. John Paterson, (does not recollect the general’s name) was marched to Boston, was stationed two months there, then, on or about the middle of June 1775, he enlisted into the United States service in the Massachusetts line for nine months, was stationed at the town of Cambridge at [?] No three and served there until the end of the term of nine months, and was then discharged—and on or about the first of January 1776, the said James McMasters declares that he enlisted in the said town of Cambridge under the same capt. And the same Col. for one year in the Massachusetts line remained on the same station till the British left Boston in the spring and was then marched to New York, remained there a short time and was then marched to St. Johns and from there to the City of Montreal, remained there about two months, and then returned to Mount Independence and went in to winter quarters at Mount Independence and remained there to the end of the enlistment it being one year service (was not in a battle at that time).  And further the said James McMasters declares that he enlisted for twenty days at the said town of Williamstown on or about the 15 May 1777 under Capt. Samuel Clark and Col Benjamin Simonds, was stationed at Castleton in the State of Vermont and was discharged and went home and they went on any alarm under some officers went to Poltney and found it was a false alarm and returned back again—and was called again under the same officers to Bennington, was in the Battle at that place, killed some of the [?] but they were too high to kill the Americans and then went home again; and again he was marched under the same officers to Ticonderoga took a small guard of the British and [?] them off and took them to [?] and then went home, and on or about the first day of Sept. 1777 was again called out and went under the same officers to Poultney in Vermont State for the time of thirty days, served out all the time & returned home again.  Burgoyne was there so [?] that he the said James MdMasters was not again called out—and the said James McMasters further declares, that the whole time he served in the said several times and enlistments was two years and about one month—Never had any written discharge does not know of any living witness by whom he can prove any of the actual service by him rendered as before set forth but thinks [?] and Philander McMasters will be able to vouch for his reputation as a soldier and as a man of veracity.  (Signed) James McMasters.
            Sworn and subscribed before me a Judge of Herkimer Com. Pleas.  [signature illegible]

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