Pension Application

S.11294
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
State of New York
City and County of New York SS.
            On this twelfth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty tow personally appeared before the Justices of the Court of General service of the Peace, in and for the city and County of New York, now sitting Matthias Riker, a resident of the City in the County and State of New York, aged seventy six years, who being first 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 was born September 10th 1756, at Rockland County of Rockland, and State of new York, that after his birth and before the Revolutionary War, a division line was run between the State of New Hersey and New York, by which Rockland is now in Bergen County, State of New Jersey, about one mile from the line that the above record of his age is in the family Bible now in the possession of his sister-in-law Maria Blauvelt, that he was living at Rockland when the war commenced and in the second year after the peace came to the City of New York where he has resided over since.
            That he entered the service of the United States under Captain Harings in the year 1776, when he with his company marched from Rockland to Harsiming, where they laid when the enemy were landing at Staten Island. That they went over to the City of New York where they staid two or three weeks. That there were two or three other companies with their captains, at New York, but he forgets their names. That he also met there a great number of Continental troops, but he has no recollection of the names of their officers. That he had his Major and Colonel but has forgotten their names, that being discharged he went home to Rockland.   That he does not recollect the month he enlisted his services, but that he served therein a period of about six weeks.
            That not long after he returned Captain Blauveld of Old Tappan and Colonel Dey the commander of the Regiment, that the brother of the Colonel was the Doctor of the Regiment, that they came down to the City of New York with many other companies, of which he recollects only that of Captain Marinus. That they remained there about a week when they went to Brooklyn, which was the headquarters of the American Troops, that he was in the first engagement at Long Island, at Flat Bush, commanded by General Putnam, whom he saw several times, that they had to retreat with great loss, that the order was every man should make the best of his way. That he retreated through the woods and saw the Pennsylvania Troops taken, that having reached Brooklyn, he was about the last that went over to New York. That on his retreat, he was wounded in the knee by a ball. That continuing under the same Captain, he was ordered to Fort Washington, that he dragged along to that place and recovered as the thinks, about a month. That while there he saw the British shipping pass up the River and recollects the Ship Ehanix? That before any attack was made upon the Fort, he was used with the camp sickness and had gone to Haverstraw where he did not remain long as he soon after received a permit from the physician Doctor Dey to go home to his father’s at Rockland. That he was not long there, when he went to join his company coming from the New York side, at Kings Ferry, to the New Jersey side on their way to Hackensack that his time however was so near up and expired that he did not join them.
            That he went home and staid about a fortnight when an order came from the Continental officers, that so many new should be rushed by each state that he enlisted under Captain King when he went at Tappan where he got his company together that he had no superior commander, to the best of his knowledge, that he, with his own company and many other companies amounting to 50 or 60 men as he thinks marched to NewBergh. That he with the others were engaged in sinking Cheraux de fices in the North River, that he assisted in running the iron chain extending from Fort Montgomery across the river [?] being erected on each side. That he did not enlist for any particular time but remained in this service about three months, as he thinks. That he saw no continental officers, that he got discharged and received his pay in Continental money at the rate as he thinks of nine dollars per month, that he went home to Rockland.
            That he got married, and removed to Clarkstown, County of Rockland, State of New York, about one year afterwards that at Clarkstown he was pressed into the Continental service, to go to Stoney Point, about forty miles above Rockland which General Crayee? had taken, that he was under the command of no captain, other than a pressmaster, whose name he forgets. That he went with his horses and took off the wounded and the cannon, that he took the cannon to a place called Smith’s Clove, that all the troops were laying there, that he saw General Crayee? That he was discharged and went home to Clarkstown.
            That he did not enter the service after he was married, except as a volunteer under Captain Hogancamp, who lived at Greensubh. That he frequently assisted the militia in Bergen County when they were attacked and plundered by the Refugees, but was never in any engagement except a skirmish at the English Neighborhook when Captain Blanch took some prisoners.
            That he has no documentary evidence and never received any written discharge.
            That all his captains to the best of his knowledge and belief are now dead but that Gerardus Riker and Stephen Hadley can testify to his actual services.
            That he is known to the Reverend George Dubois, of whose church he is a member and to John E. Rome, both citizens of his neighborhood who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution.
            That 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. (Signed with his mark) Matthias Riker
            Sworn and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court. Richard Hatfield, Clerk.

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