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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