Pension Application

S.42239
State of New York
Madison County SS.
            Peter Saltzman of Smithfield, Madison County begin duly sworn depose, and says he enlisted into the Company commanded by Andrew Finck in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Van Schaick, in the New York Line. That he enlisted during the war and served until the termination thereof. That he served under Captain Andrew Finck (1) until he gave up the command of the Company to Captain John Pierce (2), that he continued under the command of the said Pierce two or three years and was then turned into the light infantry company in the same regiment commanded by Captain John Bleecker. (3) That he remained in service in the said company until the end of the war and was then discharged a few miles in the rear of Newburgh in the State of New York. That he carried his discharge about with him in his pocket for a few years & that it was at length wholly destroyed by being wetted & worn untill it became entirely illegible. This deponent further says that he is in indigent & reduced circumstance, and needs the assistance of his country for support. (Signed with his mark) Peter Saltzman
            Sworn to and subscribed this 10th April 1818 before me. B. Smith First Judge Mad. Cty.
State of New York
County of Madison SS.
            On this 5th day of October 1820, during the session of the Court of Common Pleas, within and for said County of Madison, said Court being a Court of Record, Personally appeared in open Court, Peter Satlzman aged sixty three years, resident in the Town of Lennox in said County, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare, that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows namely in Captain John Bleeker’s company in the first New York Regiment of Infantry, commanded by Colonel VanSchaick, and that the date of his original declaration was on the tenth day of April 1818, and the number of his certificate is 13744. And I do solemnly swear that that [sic] I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner disposed of my property, or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress entitled “An act to provide for certain persons in trust for me, any property or securities, contracts or debts due to me, nor have I any income, other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed. (Signed with his mark) Peter Saltzman
            Schedule of Property, two pigs, I spider, 2 knives & one fork. [Value estimated to be one Dollar and Eighty one Cents in a later document. Statement signed by the county clerk, Hurd.]
            And I do solemnly swear that I am by occupation a labourer, but from age and infirmities I am unable to do but very little labour—That I have a wife named Sophia, aged sixty years, who resides with me, and who is sick and infirm and unable to do but little labour—that I have also one son who resides with me named John, aged fifteen years, who is out of health, and is unable to do but little labour, and that I have no other family. (Signed with his mark) Peter Saltzman
            Sworn and declared on the 5th day of October 1820 in open court. J. V. N. Hurd, Clk of Madison County

Peter enlisted as a private for “during war” on January 26, 1777 in Captain Andrew Fink’s (or Finck) company (Third Company) in Colonel Goose VanSchaick’s First New York Continental Regiment.
Captain John (Jonathan) Pierce (Pearcey, Pearce, Peray, etc.) was in the Fourth New York Continental Regiment from November 21, 1776 and until he resigned on April 23, 1778. He did not join the First New York. Captain Pearcey served in the New York State Levies from 1781 to January 1, 1784.
Captain Leonard Bleecker was in the Third New York Continental Regiment from November 21, 1776 to January 1, 1781, when the Third New York was consolidated into the First New York. Captain Bleecker was appointed Captain of the Light Infantry Company in 1781 but Peter’s name is not on the muster roll for that company for 1781.

            Captain Fink’s Muster Rolls are in Folder 8, Roll 66, Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783, Series M-246, National Archives, Washington DC.
            Captain Bleecker’s Muster Rolls are in Folder 6, Roll 66.
            Peter was transferred to Captain Charles Parson’s Company in 1779 and was still in this company in 1782, Folder 8, Roll 66.
            Unfortunately Peter was more concerned with proving that he had served, and he did not give many details relative to his service.
            The First New York fought in the Battle of Monmouth, NJ on June 28, 1778 and was in the Yorktown Campaign from September 28, 1781 to October 19, 1781.
            Peter was probably from the Palatine District of the Tryon County (now the Town of Palatine, Montgomery County) as Captain Fink was from the western part of that area (now the Town of Danube, Herkimer County) and had recruited many of its residents from both areas into his company.

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