Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for John Abrams
W.16167 (Widow: Hannah)
State
of New York
Orange County
On the third
day of December one thousand eight hundred & thirty eight personally appeared
before the subscriber and for the county aforesaid Hannah Abrams a resident of
the Town of NewBurgh aged seventy-six years who being first duly sworn
allowing 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 7,
1837 entitled “An act granting half pay and Pensions to certain Widows” that
she is widow of John Abrams who was a Private in the army of the Revolution and
served at Fort Independence and New Windsor in the Company commanded by Captain
John Nicoll six months in the year 1776 --& as an artificer in a company
of artificers [craftsman or construction] commanded by Benjamin Homan who belonged
to a Corps of artificers under the command of Captain Thomas Machin as Chief
Engineer. The said John Abrams enlisted in said Company for nine months
and served therein from the commencement of the spring of the year 1775 until
the sixth day of October next thereafter during all which time he worked as an
artificer on the Cheval de Freise which was afterwards sunk between Nicolls Point
and Pollypus Island.
After
Fort Montgomery surrendered to the enemy he joined the Militia to prevent the
enemy from landing on the shore of the river above the Highlands. He was
engaged in said service until the enemy had evacuated that fort and passed down
the river which was about six weeks. He afterwards served three months
at Monbackus on the Indian frontier at the time and in the same Company with
William Mitchell deceased late a Pensioner of the United States as Department
has been informed & believes to be true. The said John Abrams afterward
served three months on the Mohawk River against the Indians under the command
of Major Benscoter or Benscoten. She further declares that she was married
to the said John Abrams on the sixth day of April one thousand seven hundred
and eighty four.
That her husband,
the said John Abrams, died on the fifteenth day of July One thousand eight hundred
and twenty-nine. That she was not married to him previous to his leaving
the service but the marriage took place previous to the first of January one
thousand seven hundred and ninety-four and at the time aforesaid & Deponent
also saith, the Court of Common Pleas now setting at Goshen in & for the
County aforesaid, that deponent lives twenty miles distant from Goshen and is
wholly unable by reason of bodily infirmity to attend said Court. (Signed
with her mark) Hannah Abrams
Sworn to & subscribed
this third day of December 1838 before me. Walter Case Justice
State of New York
Orange County
Personally
appeared before the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in & for the County
aforesaid, Elizabeth Johnston a credible witness to me personal by known and
having been by me duly sworn been acquainted with John Abrams named in the
named affidavit of Hannah Abrams who is his Widow in his lifetime. Deponent
is upwards of seventy-eight years of age & has lived ever since the Commencement
of the Revolutionary War in the immediate neighborhood of the said John & Hannah
except a short time. That deponent lived in Ulster during all which time
last mentioned, deponent was well acquainted with the said John and Hannah. In
the spring of the year One thousand Seven hundred & seventy seven deponent
worked for a man by the name of William Bloomer who lived in the Town of NewBurgh & boarded
some of the hands who worked on the Chevause de Friese which was then building
and was afterwards sunk a way up the river from Nicolls Point to Pollypus Island
was the said John Abrams he belonged to the Company of artifiers and in the
immediate Command of Captain Benjamin Norman, who belonged to belonged to the
Corps of artificers commanded by Captain Martin as Chief Engineer.
The said
John was enlisted to serve nine months according to the best of deponents recollection & belief & actually
served from sometime in the month of April in the year on thousand seven hundred & seventy
seven, until the British landed up the river after the surrender of fort Montgomery
to the enemy which took place in the beginning of the month of October of the
same year. Deponent saw him frequently at work on the Chevause de Friese
as an artificer during the time aforesaid. Deponents first husband Solomon
Dean belonged to the Corps of artificers & worked on the said Chevause
de Friese under the officers aforesaid. After his death deponent married
Samuel Johnson whose widow she now is-- the said Solomon Dean her first husband
died on the fourth day of May 1788--according to the best of deponents recollection & belief. Deponent
was married to Samuel Johnson on the 20th day of April 1790. Deponent
also said that after Fort Montgomery surrender, the said John Abrams turned
out with the Corps of Artificers to repel the invasion of the enemy & prevent
them from landing above The Highlands. The said John Abrams continued
in this service until after the British Fleet had left the Hudson river which
was about six weeks.
The said
John Abrams served on the Indian Frontier three months according to the best
of deponents recollection. Deponent swears that the said Abrams served
on the Indian Frontier at the same time as William Mitchell now deceased. They
belonged to the same detachment, lived in the same neighborhood & were
absent at the same time in service against the Indians at Mombauckus and Lackawak
and elsewhere on the western frontier of Ulster County, as was commonly reported
at the time and deponent believes it was true. Deponent also said that
the said John Abrams served against the Indians on the Mohawk River under the
command of Major Benscoter or Benscoten as was reported at that time & deponent
believes it was true. Deponent also saith that Hannah Abrams, the applicant
for a pension whose affidavit is hereunto assessed is the identical Hannah
Abrams who was the wife, & is now the widow of the said John Abrams,& the
identical John Abrams named in the record of Marriages kept by the Reverend
John Biose deceased formerly officiating Clergyman in the Parish of New Windsor. (Signed
with her mark) Elizabeth Johnston
Sworn to & subscribed
this day of December 1838 before me. Walter Case Justice
I certify
that I have been acquainted with the above named Elizabeth Johnston several
years & have acted in business for her several times and has uniformly signed
her name with a cross as above saying that she cannot write her name. I
believe it true. Walter Case Justice
State of New York
Orange County
Personally
appeared before the subscriber Daniel Bellknap a Credible witness and having
been by me sworn allowing to law doth depose and say that he was well acquainted
with John Abrams in the Revolutionary War & with Hannah Abrams the applicant
for a pension whose affidavit is [?] since that war. The said John Abrams
served six months at Fort Independence near PeeksKill in the year 1776 as a
Private in the company of Captain John Nicoll & [?] for said company
during said term as deponent was informed by the said John Abrams at the time
or shortly afterwards and deponent believes it to be true at the time of building
the Chevaux de Freise from Nicolls Point to Polupus Island.
Deponent
was frequently employed with his fathers team assisting to drive timber for
the Chevause de friese, deponent frequently saw the said John Abrams at work
on the same with other hands and was informed at the time and verily believes
it to be true that the said John worked at building the said Chevause de Friese
about nine months & he believes it to be true. The said John worked
under the immediate direction of Benjamin Norman who was under Capt. Martin
as Chief Engineer. Deponent also saith that the said John Abrams served
also three months on the Mohawk River against the Indians under the immediate
command of Major Bunscoter or Van Bunscoten. The said Van Bunscoten was
under the command of General Schuyler & was by him ordered to attack the
Indians. The Indians were broke & fled & a large reinforcement
was ready to assist Van Benscoten. General Schuyler ordered a halt & next
day ordered him with his detachment to pursue the Indians. The circumstance
above related [?] on the part of Van Benscoten and his party as
deponent was informed shortly afterward by the said John Abrams & others
from this part of the County who were engaged with the said John in that expedition. (Signed
with his mark) Daniel Belknap
Sworn to & Subscibed
this 30 day of December 1838 before me. Walter Case Justice of the Peace
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