Pension Application

W.23393 (Widow: Mary)
Cornelius died 2 Feby 1845.
State of New York
Cayuga County, SS.
            On the 5th day of July 1820, personally appeared in open court, being a court of record for the said county, vis the July Term of Common Pleas, Genl Sessions, Cornelius Ackerson aged 64 years, resident in the Town of Sterling 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: That he enlisted in the New York line for one year, the 12th Febry 1776 under Capt Amos Hulchens in Col. Richmak Regt & was discharged at Springfield State of New Jersey & at the expiration of his time enlisted under the same captain in the 5th New York Col. Dubois Regt for three years & was discharged at Weeks farms near Morristown New Jersey & in the spring of 1780 was appointed Lieutenant in Capt Laurences Company of Levies to reinforce the United States Army & discharged 20th May 1783, date of original Claim 28 May 1818, Pension Certificate No. 6254.
            And I do solemnly swear that 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 engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the revolutionary war,” passed on the 18th day of March, 1818; and that I have not, nor has any person 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.
            And I do further solemnly swear that my occupation is that of a farmer and that I labor at present under a rheumatic complaint to that degree which renders me unable to obtain a livelihood by manual labor and that my family consists of my wife Mary aged 49 years she enjoys tolerable good heath for a woman of her age and that I have five children that resides with me viz Miriam aged 16 years weakly unable to support herself by labor, Lorenzo aged 14 years, Betsey aged 12 years she is inflicted with a rheumatic complaint and Hannah aged nine years and Walter aged five years & that there is a mortgage on my Land all of which remains unpaid of one thousand Collars & interest from the 28th day of Sept 1815 given to Samuel Coe of Rockland County & that the debts which is justly due from me will exceed one hundred & eighty dollars.
            Sworn to, and declared, on the [blank] day of July 1820. Rufus Sheldon
            I, James Glover, clerk of Cayuga County do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of the said court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is 1971, dollars and 74 cents. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said court, on this 5th day of July 1820.James Glover, Clerk of the Court of the County of Cayuga.

Schedule
Of the real & personal estate of Cornelius Ackerson exhibited before the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Cayuga at the July Term of 1820.
Real Estate Consists of
Four hundred acres of land (subject to mortgage, see affidavit) twelve acres under improvement and a Log Hut thereon.
1 old trunk 4, 6 spoons .50, 1 yoke of oxen 40, 1 broken tea kettle .25, 2-5 pail kettles 6.00, 1 chain & yoke 2, 1 churn .50, 2 spinning wheels 3.00, 4 swine 10, 2 old water pails, 1 small pot 0.12, 1 old plow 1, 1 tongs .25, 1 old fry pan .25, 1 hand saw 1.75, 2 earthen pots .38, 3 pt baisins 37 ½, 1 hanner 0.25, 1 pewter platter .50, 1 5 [?] auger 0.25. Bed & bedding all necessary. Land valued at 1000. $1071.74 ½. (Signed) Cornelius Ackerson

State of New York
Cayuga County SS.
            On this twenty fourth day of July 1845 personally appeared before me Mary Ackerson of the Town of Sterling, County and State aforesaid aged seventy four years in October next who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed July 7, 1838 entitled an act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows. That she is the widow of Cornelius Ackerson deceased who was a Lieutenant in the Army in the Revolutionary War who was at his death a pensioner entitled as per certificate in his possession in the folling [following] words to wit: I certify that in conformity of the Law of the United States of the 7th June 1832. Cornelius Ackerson of New York who was a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War is entitled to receive three hundred and twenty dollars per annum during his natural life commending on the 4th of March 1831 and payable semiannualy on the 4th of March and the 4th of September in every year payments under the act of 1919 at the rate of $240, per an. Since the 4th of March 1831 to be [?] given at the Warr [sic] office of the United States this 28th day of June one thousand eight hundred and forty four. Signed Wm. Wilkins, Secretary of Warr.
            [?] and Counter Signed J. L. Edward Comm or Pensions.
            She further declares that she was married to the said Cornelius Ackerson on the 23rd day of February one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine and that her husband aforesaid Cornelius Ackerson died at Sterling append on the Second day of February last past that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage took place previous to the first of Jany seventeen hundred and ninety four viz at the time above stated. (Signed with her mark) Mary Ackerson. Attest to her mark, Dana Underhill, Abner Hollister
            Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written before me. Abner Hollister, Judge of Cayuga Comm. Pleas.

Matthew Ackerson was born Novbr 4, 1690
Richard Ackerson was born Octbr 13th 1728
Rachel Ackerson was born Aprl 29th 1731
Cornelius Ackerson was born Feby 3rd 1756
Mary Ackerson was born Oct 27th 1771
Matthew Ackerson departed this life April the Seventh 1790
Rachel Ackerson Departed this Life Apl 29, 1811
Was married Feb 23 one thousand eighty nine
Rachel Daughter of Cornelius and Mary Ackerson was born Febr 9 in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety
William Ackerson was born July 13th the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety two
Debroarh Ackerson was born Aug 26 1795
Eliza Ann Ackerson was born April 27, 1799
Sarah Ackerson was born Augt 22 AD 1802
Miriam Ackerson was born Feb 8, 1804
Lorenzo Ackerson was born Apl 24th 1806
Elisabeth Ackerson was born Febry 14, 1809
Hannah Ackerson was born Octbr 13, 1811
Walter Ackerson was born February 23 1815
To the Honorable the Legislature of the State of New York in Senate & Assembly convened.
            The Petition of Cornelius Ackerson and Inhabitant of Orange County in the State aforesaid, who has served in the American Army in different Stations. Sheweth.
            That your petitioner was a Sergeant when Fort Montgomery was taken and himself there taken prisoner that after his releasement he served his time faithfully as will appear by the certificate sent herewith signed by Coln’l Philip Cortlandt that your petitioner afterwards was an officer of the levies raised for the defence of this State, that in October 1780 your petitioner was taken prisoner with Capt’n Drake’s detachment near the Oneida Castle and was carried into Canada and there remained a prisoner for the space of two years and five months and then only liberated on parole.
            That your petitioner during his tedious confinement was under the disagreeable necessity of drawing on my friends, I being not otherwise provided for, in order to relieve my then wants. Capt’n Jno. Wood of Goshen being then a prisoner also, advanced your petitioner cash often, the repayment of which it being a debt of honor has been the means of taking all your petitioners property and much damaged his father’s estate also—which renders my family now poor indeed with respect to wealth being obliged to work daily at menial labor for a scanty subsistence for myself and family, that your petitioner has not received any pay for rations whilst as prisoner in Canada nor any bounty lands given him though peace had been concluded before he reached his native country. This circumstanced your petitioner prayeth that the Honorable Legislature will take up his misfortunes in their true light, that they will allow him some satisfaction adequate to his former sufferings to at least put him on an equal footing as the Honorable Legislature has formerly done to others in similar cases of his brother soldiers who fought and stood firm in their country’s cause during the late war, your petitioners prayer being just he rests the issue on the wisdom and integrity of the Honorable Legislature hopeing that they may do as they would wish to be done unto in the premises, which will entitled them to the prayers of their petitioner. (Signed) Corenlius Ackerson
            Signed in present of George Smith, Walter Smith
            NB the above petition I forwarded the last session of the Honorable Legislature but through the means of some papers relating thereunto being not delivered in time, it was not reported. (Signed) Cornelius Ackerson.
            Came before me Cornelius Ackerson formerly a Lieut. In the service of the United States of America and of the levies raised for the defence of the State of New York in the late war who being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that in October in the year 1780, he this deponent was taken prisoner with Captains Walter Vroman & Joshua Drake and others near the Oneida Castle by a party of Sir John Johnston detachment then in the service of the King of Great Britain, that this deponent with the two captains above named with about fifty six others was carried into Canada as prisoners of war that this deponent remained a prisoner of war there for the space of two years and five months before he was paroled. Further saith not. (Signed) Cornelius Ackerson
            Taken and subscribed before me this 7th day of Feby 1794. Walter Smith J.P.

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