Pension Application

S.19184
Private in Captain Hodges Company, Col. Van Dyke’s Regiment.
State of New York
Washington county SS.
            On this 12th day of march, one thousand eight hundred and thirty four personally appeared in open court, before John Willard, David Woods, & John Mass, Judges of the Court of common Pleas of the County of Washington and State of New York, holding the said court, Thomas G. Ashton of the Town of White Creek in the said County and State aged eighty one years who being first sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated—That on the 24th of June 1776 he enlisted in a place called St. Croix in the County of Albany and State of New York into Captain Samuel [Rogers?] Company of New York Militia, Col. Vandyke’s regiment for five months—that he marched to Fort George in said State where he staid three months, where he was employed in doing garrison duty and protecting the frontier from thieves, marched to Troy in Albany County, now Rensselaer County, from thence he marched to Fort Ann, in Washington County, where he remained performing garrison duty till his five months enlistment expired.—That in January 1775, he volunteered at the aforesaid St. Croix into Capt. John Van Rensselaer’s Company of New York Militia, and Col. Brott’s Regiment and marched to Johnstown in said State. That he actually served at that time one third of a month, and was employed in disarming Sir. John Johnson and his friends.
            That the last of June or first of July 1777 he volunteered in the town of Cambridge in said County of Washington into Capt. John McHiller’s Company of Militia. Col. VanVoort’s Regiment of New York Militia, and marched to Salem in said County where he remained in actual service as a soldier four weeks, was employed in building a small fort and protecting the inhabitants from the British and Indians—That on the 18th October 1780—he again entered as a volunteer in said Town of Cambridge into Capt. Andrew Thompsons Company, Col. Van Voort’s Regiment of New York Militia, and marched to Fort Edward—thence to Fort George in said State of New York, where he served half a month.
            And that by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory he cannot swear more particularly to the precise length of his services than above, but that under the best recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned in his said declaration, and as is stated before and in the following grades. Viz. For the year 1776 he served five months in the Militia as a private, that for the year 1777 he served one month in the militia as a private—that for the year 1780 he served half a month in the Militia as a private—that for the year 1775 he served 1/3 of a month in the militia as a private – that for the year 1779 he served half a month in the Militia as a private.
            And to the Interrogatories propounded by the said court he answers as follows viz.

That he was born in Ireland in 1752 and came to the United States in 1772.
Has a record of his age in his Family Bible
That he was living when called into service in St. Croix and Cambridge aforesaid.
That he entered the service as a volunteer.
That he knew Genl. Schuyler, Col. McCraken, who belonged to the Regular Army. Was in no battles.
That he did not receive a discharge from service.
That he knows of no clergyman living by where he can prove his services, by reputation or otherwise.
That he is known in his neighbourhood by James McKee, William Nicholson & others.

And he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. (Signed) Thomas G. Ashton.
Sworn and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court. J. S. Leigh Clk.

Copyright © 1998, -- 2008. James F. Morrison and Berry Enterprises. All rights reserved. All items on the site are copyrighted. While we welcome you to use the information provided on this web site by copying it, or downloading it; this information is copyrighted and not to be reproduced for distribution, sale, or profit.