Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for Thomas Mighell (Miles)

Donated by Kerry (Miles) Patrick
Mass. 
R 7161

Act June 7, 1832
State of New York
County of Clinton ss
            On this 17th day of December 1840 personally appeared before me William F. Haile, First Judge of the County Courts of said County:  Thomas Mighell (alias Thomas Miles) a resident of Peru in said County aged Eighty Four 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 7, 1832 – that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
            He resided in Cheshire now Adams Mass and enlisted at that place as a substitute for Hezekiah Bower into Capt. Barnes Company Col. Benjamin Simonds Regiment Massachusetts militia for on the first of September 1776 for two months, and served his tour, and was discharged at North Castle N York near White Plains about the first of November 1776 – returned home and in May 1777 he served one month and a few days over under Captain Shubal Wilmorth Col Jackson Major Rossiter in an alarm and went to Albany and Saratoga and was discharged or dismissed at the latter place.  Then returned to Adams and in June of the same year he was called out in an alarm under Captain Samuel Low., Lieut. William Jenkins Col. Simonds Regiment of Massachusetts Militia and marched to St. Croix N York, from thence to Fort Edward NY & Halfway Brooks where we had a skirmish with the Indians and Tories – He served in that town two months short one week.  His Company was mostly discharged at Stillwater NY and he returned home to Adams.  In September 1777 he was called out again under Captain Samuel Low, Col. Simonds Regt Mass Militia and went to Pawlet Vermont and served there and was stationed there until the last of October same year or until after the surrender of Burgoyne – He was discharged at Pawlet with a part of his Company the last of October 1777, having served two months short one week including going and returning.
            He has no documentary evidence and knows of no person living by whom he can prove his services except his sisters, Marcy Ives & Abigal Jeney.  He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.  He further declares that he was born in the town of Killingly in the State of Connecticut on the Eighteenth day of May – in the year Seventeen hundred and fifty-six – He has no record of his age.
            After the revolution he resided in Adams, Mass. until the year 1797 when he moved to Hartford NY where he resided a little over two years when he moved to Wallingford Vermont & resided there till 1808 when he removed to Peru NY where he has resided ever since keeping house this three first years and for twenty nine years last part he has resided with his daughter in Peru aforesaid & now resides in said town.  The names of persons in his present neighborhood to whom he is known & who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services are Richard Heyworth, Nathan Rice (Peru?) – Silas Arnold, Lucius Elderkin, Elisha Button Esq. and all the principal; inhabitants of the town who are acquainted with him.  He has delayed his present application for want of evidence of his services.  (Signed) Thomas Mighell
            Sworn and subscribed to the day and year first above written, and I certify that deponent is unable by reason of bodily infirmity to attend court which sits ten miles from where the declaration is taken, and I declare my opinion after an investigation of the matter and putting the interrogation prescribed by the war department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states and I further certify that it appears to me that Heman (Ganlick?) who has signed the annexed certificate is a clergyman resident in the town of Peru aforesaid and that Lucius Edlerkin Esq. who has also signed the same is a resident of the same town and is a credible person, and that their statement (to find merit?) is entitled to the said Thomas Miles appears to be very old and feeble & has the rheumistism and difficulty in moving about – the said to full credit interlined before signed this certificate – and also the words “except his sisters Mary Ives & Abigal Jeney” interlined.  Wm. F. Haile 1st Judge of Clinton County Courts.

State of New York
County of Clinton
            BE IT KNOWN, that on this thirteenth day of December A.D. 1852 before me the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County and State aforesaid, personally appeared Lucius Elderkin and Achsah Elderkin his wife residents of Perus in said County, and made oath according to law that they are the lawful heirs of Thomas Mighell who was a Soldier in the war of the Revolution, and who has heretofore made application for the benefit of the Pension Act of ____________________  that they are directly interested  as a claimant in said Pension, and makes this affidavit to be filed with such additional evidence or arguments as my Agent may use in prosecuting said claim.
            Countermanding and revoking all Powers of Attorney and authority heretofore given, I hereby constitute and appoint SAMUEL M. KNIGHT of Washington City, my true and lawful Attorney to prosecute the claim of Thomas Mighell for any amount of Revolutionary Pension, or increase of Pension that may be due; and I hereby authorize my said Attorney to examine all papers or documents in relation to said claim, on file in the Department at Washington City or elsewhere to file additional evidence or arguments, and to receive for my exclusive benefit, the certificate which may be issued for said claim, which certificate I wish made payable at the Washington City, D. C. Agency; to appoint one or more substitutes under him for the purposes herein expressed, and to do all things that I might or could do were I personally present.  Hereby ratifying and confirming all that my said Attorney and Agent shall lawfully do in the premises.  Lucius Elderkin,  Achsah Elderkin
            Sworn to, Subscribed, and Acknowledged before me the day and year above written, and I hereby certify that I believe the said Lucius Elderkin and Achsah Elderkin to be directly interested in said claim as set forth and to be the identical party therein alleged.   James R. Reynolds Justice of the Peace

State of New York
County of Clinton
            It is hereby certified that satisfactory evidence has been exhibited before me, Clerk of the Courts of Record of said County that Lucius and Achsah Elderkin the party who has sworn to, and acknowledged the foregoing Declaration and Power of Attorney, is the Identical child of the reputed soldier aforesaid.  I further certify, that Samuel R. Reynolds Esq. before whom the preceding affidavit and Power of Attorney were made and ack(nowleged ????) of so doing, a Justice of the Peace, in and for said County, and that the signature purporting to be his, I believe to be (???)
            In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of Office, this Twentieth day of Dec. 1852  (D. H. Parsons??) Clerk

Letter in pension folder.
October 25, 1939
Mrs. L. Lee Dunlap
80 Ottawa Drive
Pontiac, Michigan.
Dear Madam:
            The date which follow were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, R. 7161, based upon service of Thomas Mighell (alias Thomas Miles) in the Revolutionary War.
            Thomas Mighell (alias Thomas Miles) was born May 18, 756 in Killingly, Connecticut; the names of his parents were not given.
            While a resident of Cheshire (later Adams), Massachusetts, he enlisted September 1, 1776 and served two months as private in Captain Barnes; company, Colonel Benjamin Simonds’ Massachusetts regiment, a part of the time engaged near White Plains, New York; this service was rendered as substitute for Hezekiah Bowen.  Thomas Mighell (alias Thomas Miles) enlisted next in May 1777, and served one month and a few days as private in Captain Shubel Wilmarth’s company, Colonel Jackson’s Massachusetts regiment; he enlisted in June 1777, served as private in Captain Samuel Low’s company.  Colonel Benjamin Simonds; Massachusetts regiment, marched to Fort Edward and was in a skirmish at Halfway Brook, length of this tour one month and three weeks; he was called out in September 1777, served under these same officers at Pawlet, Vermont, and was discharged late in October, after which he returned home.
            He continued to reside in Cheshire, Massachusetts, until 1797, at which time he moved to Harford, New York, and resided for more than two years, then moved to Wallingford, Vermont, and continued to live there until 1808, at which time he moved to Peru, Clinton County, New York.
            Thomas Mighell (alias Thomas Miles) applied December 17, 1840, for the pension which might have been due under the Act of June 7, 1832, on account of his service in the Revolutionary War.  He resided then in Peru, New York.  His claim for pension was not allowed as he did not render service of six months as required by the pension laws.
            The soldier died in 1845, the day not shown, at the home of his daughter, Achsah Elderkin, and her husband Lucius Edlerkin, in Peru, New York.
            The name of the wife of Thomas Mighell (alias Thomas Miles) and the date and place of their marriage were not given.
            In 1840, the soldier referred to his sisters, Marcy Ives and Abigal Jeney, or Jenny;  there are no further data regarding them in this claim.
            In December 1842, the solder’s daughter, Achsah Elderkin, of Peru, New York, was his only surviving child; she had been married then for more than thirty-five years and lived with her husband and family in Peru.
            In 1852, Elijah Button, of Clinton County, New York, stated that he had been acquainted with the soldier’s daughter, Achsah, for more than fifty years.  No relationship between his and the soldier’s family was stated.
            Very truly yours, D. Hiller,  Executive Assistant to the Administrator