Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for Reuben Ayres

W.1797
B.L.8016-1690-55
State of New York
County of Westchester SS.
            Elizabeth Ayres of Poundridge County and State aforesaid being duly sworn according to law says that she is eighty one years old on the 4th day of last September and that she is the widow of Reuben Ayres deceased who was called Reuben Ayres Jr. during the Revolution and until his father’s death and that her father is called Reuben Ayres died in the year one thousand eight hundred and five and after his death her husband Reuben Ayres left off the Jr. and was known as Reuben Ayres.  And that her husband Reuben Ayres served under Capt. Saml Lewis as she has often heard him say and that her husband Reuben Ayres and Capt. Lewis lived near neighbors in and during the Revolutionary War, and not half a mile a part.  And she further says that she [?] to state in her declaration taken before Judge Hand in October 1846 that her husband was called Reuben Ayres Jr. in the War of the Revolution for the reason that he had so long been called Reuben Ayres that she did not think of the Jr. at this time.  She further says that her husband died in this town on the twenty fifth day of February one thousand eight hundred & forty four and was born Nov. 8th 1765.  And she never [?] her application for the pension due her husband under Act 7th June 1832.
            She also makes a declaration under the Act of Congress July 29th 1848, for the benefit of widows, she declares that she is in the widow of Reuben Ayres deceased who was called Reuben Ayres Jr. in the war of the Revolution and served under Capt. Lewis and that her said husband died on the twenty fifth day of February one thousand eight hundred and forty four in the town of Poundridge County and State aforesaid and left her a widow.  She further declares that she was married to Reuben Ayres in the month of April one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven in the town of Poundridge County and State aforesaid by the Rev. Mr. Benedict Presbyterian Minister.  She further says that she has a family record of the age or births of her first and second husbands and her first and second marriage and the births of her children which is a true and correct record and that it has been written more than thirty eight years and she thinks forty and was written by an old school teacher who is now dead.  She further says that she was called and was the widow Elizabeth Seely when she married Reuben Ayres and that he was her second husband and that she has not intermarried but remains the widow of Reuben Ayres and that her maiden name before marriage was Elizabeth Lounsbury.  She further says that the reason that her reason that her husband gave for not applying for a pension was that her could live without it.  (Signed with her mark)  Elizabeth Ayres
            Subscribed and Sworn to before me this 24th day of May 1849.  William Lockwood.  Justice of the peace.

State of New York
County of Westchester SS.
            Ezra Lockwood of the Town of Poundridge County and State aforesaid being duly sworn according to law says that he is seventy one years old and that he was born in this town and has always resided in this town and was former Judge of said County for twenty nine years.  And that he well remembers Reuben Ayres Jr. as he was called during and after the Revolutionary War, until his father Reuben Ayres died and after that he was called Reuben Ayres and this deponent says that Reuben Ayres Jr. married the widow Elizabeth Seely and that he was a soldier in the War of the Revolution and served under Capt. Saml. Lewis he fully believes and has always so understood and that he has never heard it doubted and that it is universally believed in the neighborhood that he was a soldier in said war and that he has heard Thos. Patts and Nathaniel Hoyt both say that Reuben Ayres Jr. as he was called then served in the same company with themselves under Cap. Saml Lewis Col. Ceam’s Regiment and that Thos. Patts and Nathaniel Hoyt were both pensioners and both now dead he further says that Reuben Ayres Jr. married the widow Elizabeth Seely in this [?] in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven and that he well recollects the time, he was not present at the time but knows by general report that they were married by the Rev. Mr. Benedict, Presbyterian minister and that they lived together as husband and wife and were very respectable people and raised a family and both of them church members and Reuben Ayres was a deacon of the church for many years before his death and that he died in this year town in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty four and [?] a widow viz Elizabeth Ayres who now resides in said town.  Deponent further says that the family record purporting to be the record of Mrs. Elizabeth Ayres is in the hand writing of Ezekiel Osborn and that Osborn was an old school teacher and is now dead and died thirty five or forty years ago and he fully believes it to be a correct family record.  (Signed) Ezra Lockwood
            Sworn and Subscribed before me May 24, 1849.  William Lockwood, Justice of the Peace.

A Family Record
Mr. Elisha Seely was born July 8th 1767 and was married on Jan. 3d 1788, to Miss Elizabeth Lounsberry; she was born Sept. 4, 1767.
The following is an account of their children viz.
1st Elizabeth Seely was born Jan 19th 1789 & died March 10th 1794 aged 5 years, 2 months.
2d Patty Seely was born Oct 3d 1790.
3d Rhoda Seely was born Dec 27th 1792.

2d family record.  Mr. Reuben Ayres was born Nov 8th 1765 & was married to the widow Elizabeth Seely on April 1797.
Next follows an account of their children.
1st Mary Ayres was born Feb 14th 1798.
2d Elizabeth Ayres was born Feb 7th 1802.
3d Phebe Ayres was born July 16th 1808.
            Memorandum
            Alfred Ayres was born on Feb 26th 1800.
            Lyman Clawson was born on June 1st 1805.

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