Pension Application

W.17,311 (Hannah Blackman, Widow. Ashel died 10th October 1777. Private.)
State of Connecticut
County of Fairfield. Bridgeport. SS
            On this 7th day of January AD 1837 personally appeared before the Court of Probate and for the District of Stratford in s’d [said] County & State aforesaid Hannah Blackman a resident of the Town of Fairfield in the County of Fairfield & State of Connecticut, aged Eighty eight years—who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on her oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4, 1836.
            That her name before she was married was Hannah Hoyt. That she was married December 21 1763 in s’d Fairfield in that part now called Weston by the Rev’d James Johnson, to Ashael Terrell of s’d Fairfield, that she resided with s’d Terrell in s’d Fairfield in that part now called Weston and remembers that s’d Terrell enlisted in the Spring of 1776 into Capt. Robert Watkins company of Connecticut State Troops for one year and went with s’d Company from s’d Fairfield to the State of New York and served as she understood until April 1777 when he enlisted again into a company of New York State Troops and was killed on the 10th day of October 1777 at Saratoga by a Cannon Ball and from the Deposition of Joseph Seely she fully believes he was in the service at the time he was killed in Capt. Hanson’s Company in Col. Livingston’s Regiment and that he was enlisted in the New York line in the Spring of 1777 during the War remembers that he wrote to her in 1777 that he had enlisted in the York line during the war and remembers a remark he made in the Letter that he thought he would win the horse of loose the saddle also stated in s’d letter that besides his wages he had a Bounty of a number of Acres of Land believes it was 500. Which Land nor his wages in the York line my self nor children have never received.
            That she claims s’d Terrell served 12 months under Capt. Robert Walker in the Connecticut State Troops commencing in the Spring of 1776 and ending in the Spring of 1777 in April and as it appears by s’d Seely’s Deposition that s’d Terrell enlisted in the Your line before his time was out under Walker. Which if he did he probably served his term out with Walker before he joined the York line—and that she claims he served in the York line at least six months.
            She does not know as he had any written discharge in his first campaign, nor has she now any documentary evidence to prove his service his service in both companies was a private soldier, resided in s’d Fairfield s’d Fairfield when he first entered the service and was at Fort Stanwix as she believes where he enlisted for the last service.—
            That s’d Terrel was born September 10th 1739 and was killed at Saratoga October 10th 1777 understood by David Hall one of her neighbours & who was with him (he’s now dead) that s’d that Terrell had just come off from Garrison and sat down on a log when he was killed by a cannon ball from the enemy he & Hall being so near him that his brains flew onto him, and she further states that in the spring of 1776 while her husband was from home in the service their house took fire and was burnt and they were very poor and she had to support herself and family as well as she could. That she was born in s’d Town of Fairfield, May 6th 1748 has resided in said Fairfield since the Revolution has been dependent on her son Israel Blackman for her support for about 28 years and he has lost the use of his right arm, and is not well able to support her.
            That she now states that she is the widow of Nehemiah Blackman who was a Drummer in the Army of the Revolution that she has uniformly understood and fully believes that s’d Blackman who was her second husband enlisted in the Spring of 1775 in the Town of Redding in s’d County into Capt. Reed’s Company in Col. Waterberry’s Regiment for a campaign of seven months to Canada and served said seven months as a Drummer always heard s’d Blackman say that he returned from s’d Northern Campaign he again in November 1775 went in service from s’d Fairfield to New York and was there until March 1776. Cannot say what company he belonged to that she claims he served in this 2d campaign at least four months as a Drummer.
            That in the Summer of 1777 said Blackman went, as she believes in the militia company of s’d Fairfield to Crumponds on the North River as a Drummer cannot say who commanded s’d Militia company at that time at some period during the War s’d company was commanded by Capt. [?] Bennett, does not know whether he commanded at this time or Capt. Joseph Sherwood that she fully believes that s’d Blackman served in this campaign at least one month.
            That in the summer of 1779 said Blackman was in service in the Town of said Fairfield in the Parish of Greensfarms on Long Island Sound (it being theSummer that Fairfield was burnt) cannot say whether he was enlisted or drafted now to what company he belonged but this company belonged to Col. Sam’l Whiting’s Regiment & Gen’l Gold S. [Sellamon’s?] Brigade, the reason more partikulary [sic] that she remembers that he was in service at Fairfield in the summer of 1779 is that it was after she was married to himand it was the same summer & year that her son Asahel Balckman was born who was her first child by said Blackman, who was born July 24th 1779. That she remembers that he served in this campaign three months as a Drummer does not know whether he ever had any written discharge nor has she now any Documentary evidence to prove his services in any campaign, all his service was as a Drummer.
            That she claims her first husband Asahel Terrell served 18 months before he was killed, that her second husband Nehemiah Blackman served 7 months in the year 1775, 4 months in the years 1775 & 1776, 1 lmonth in the year 1777, 3 months in the year 1779.
            That her first husband was born in New Milford Litchfield County State of Connecticut Sept 10, 1739. That her second husband was born in Stratford November 10, 1740 in the County of Fairfield & State of Connecticut, has a Record of her first husband’s age which is annexed, which contains her age and the time she was born, she was born in s’d Fairfield inthat part now called Weston but in the time of the Revolution belonged to the Town of Fairfield, was living in s’d Fairfield when both of my s’d husband’s was called into service and have lived in s’d Town of Fairfield & the Town of Wooberry since the War except a short time she resided in the State of New York and now resides in said Fairfield and she would further state that she had a Record of her marriage & the births of her children by said Blackman which was destroyed by some children of the Barrett’s that lived in the house with her a few years since, which record she well remembers was in the following manner viz (as near as she can recollect)
            Nehemiah Blackman was married to Hannah Terrell the last of November 1778 in the fore part of December 1778, her first child Asahel Blackman, son of Nehemiah & Hannah Blackman was born July 24, 1779, Israel Blackman their son born Sept. 19, 1781, their son Levi Blackman born Sept. 9, 1786, their daughter Patience born May 23, 1789, their son Eli Blackman born May 3, 1794, that the reason she remember that they were married in November or the fore part of December 1778 is there was a snowstorm at the time they was married which covered their Turnips, that she kept hour for s’d Blackman before she was married tohim and they went on horseback accompanied by one of their neighbours James Bennett, Jun’r, to the Town adjoining s’d Fairfield (now Redding) to the House of the Rev’d John Beach an Episcopal Clergyman then settled over the Episcopal Church of Redding & NewTown, and that she was then married to said Clackman at the time before stated by said John Beach in presence of said James Bennett, who is now dead, and is the only person that she can recollect that was present, there were other persons present, who were strangers to her the reason she has not made her declaration sooner is that the Rev’d Mr. Stratton now Pastor of s’d Church and by whom she expected to her marriage by s’d church records has been absent until lately—and she further declares that she was married to the said Asahel Terrell on the 21st day of December (1763) Seventeen hundred & Sixty Three and remained his Widow after his death October 10th 1777, until she again married to the said Nehemiah Blackman in the month of November or December, in the year seventeen hundred & seventy eight that her first husband the aforesaid Asahel Terrell died on the 10th day of October 1777, that she further declares that she was married to the aforesaid Nehemiah Blackman in the month of November or December in the year Sevneteen hundred and Seventy eight; that her husband the aforesaid Nehemiah Blackman died February 10th 1808; and that she has remained a widow ever since that period, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed. And she further states that s’d Terrell & s’d Blackman both resided in s’d Town of Fairfield in that part now called Weston, at the time they entered the service, and s’d Blackman & herself resided in the same Town many years, after the Revolution and that she does not know of any person now living by whom she can make further proof. (Signed with her mark) Hannah Blackman
            Signed in presence of Israel Blackman & Laura Blackman.
            Sworn and subscribed before me Attest. B. L. Nichols, Clerk. Mark Moore Judge.

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