Pension Application

S.32118
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
State of Illinois
White County
            On this 3rd day of September 1832, personally appeared in open court before the Hon. William Wilson Judge of the White Circuit Court being a court of record now sitting Daniel Bidwell a resident of said County of White and State aforesaid aged 71 years, who being first duly 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 in the militia under the following named officers and served as herein stated. General Schuyler (1), Colonel McCrea, Lt. Col. Remsen, Captain John Thompson, Lieutenant Ebenezer Patrick. That he resided in Stillwater, no county then organized State of New York. That he was drafted in June 1777, that he marched to Fort Edward and remained there one week & then went to Fort William Henry (2) at the head of Lake George & remained there about one month when the army retreated to Fort Edward & remained there three or four days, then retreated two miles to Col. McCrea’s at the mouth of Schuylkill Creek on the West side of Hudson River remained there one week or about that time. That on the afternoon of the day which he left Col. McCrea’s his sister (3) was taken by the Indians and afterwards killed by them at the foot of Frt. Edward Hill. That the army retreated from there to Fort Miller & immediately to Saratoga where he was discharged after a tour of two months. That Col. Putnam (4) was at Fort Edward during the time he was there. That the regulars retreated on the East side of Hudson river & the militia on the West side. That he does not recollect any of the regular officers whatever with him at that time.
            That in August 1781 he enlisted in the State service under Captain Job Wright Lieutenant Pliney Moore 2 Lieut. Hubbell (5). The regiment was commanded by Colonel Willett, Andrew Fink Major. That he remained at Saratoga in camp four months and received a discharge from Captain Job Wright which discharge bears date the 25 of December 1781 and is now at Washington in the Pension office, sent there in November as he thinks 1831. That this tour extended to four months as will appear by reference to that discharge. That during this four months he served as s Sargeant in Captain Wright’s company—
            That under the same officers as above in April 1782 he enlisted for the term of two years and marched from Stillwater to Stone Rawby [Stone Arabia] on the river Mowhawk [Mohawk] that at that place the regiment was divided in different divisions & stationed at different settlements where stockade forts had been built. That he was stationed with seven or eight men between Stone Rawby and Fort Plain & near the river, that he remained there until the month of November of that year, at which time the regulars were relieved at Fort Plain and at Fort Harkaman [Herkimer] 20 miles above, that the regiment was divided and that he was stationed at Fort Harkaman, that Captain Job Wright was commander at that fort during the winter that Colonel Willet took command early in Spring that he remained at that place until the following August or September 1783 when he hired a substitute and returned home. That during the winter he had a furlough for two weeks. Signed by Andrew Fink Major. That when discharged his discharge was signed by Job Wright, Captain of his company. That during this period of about 16 months as he now thinks he was a Sargeant in Captain Wright’s company—That he has no documentary evidence except the discharge now in the department at Washington as he supposes & that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure to testify to his service.
            That he was born in Old Canaan Connecticut April 5, 1761. Has a record of his age at his house in is years after his discharge from service. That he then removed to Berkley County Virginia remained there 18 months then to Beasontown same State County not recollected, resided there and remained. Then resided during one winter at Cheatwater same state county not recollected. That he then removed to Nelson County Kentucky and resided there about ten years from there he removed to Muhlenburg County same state and resided there twelve years, and then removed to White County Illinois where he has since resided. That he was drafted the first tour when in service & that at the other times he enlisted. That he does not recollect any of the regular officers except Colonel Putman or any of the Continental regiments with whom he served. That he rec’d a discharge when his four months tour had expired which was sent to Washington. The he has lost the one he received when he was discharged at Fort Harkaman and also his furlough. He did not receive a warrant when he was a sergeant. That Aaron Williams, Josiah MdKnight are persons in his present neighbourhood & who will testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution.
            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) Daniel Bidwell
            Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. Jas. Ratcliff Clk

April 29, 1931, letter written in response for information.
            You are advised it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S.32118, that Daniel Bidwell was born April 5, 1761 in Old Canaan, Connecticut.
            While a resident of Stillwater, New York, he enlisted and served in the New York troops as follows: from June 1777, two months as a private in Captain John Thompson’s Company, Colonel McCrea’s Regiment; from August 1781 until December 25, 1781 as sergeant in Captain Job Wright’s Company, Colonel Willett’s Regiment; from April 1782, sixteen months as sergeant in Captain Job Wright’s Company, Colonel Willett’s Regiment.
            After the war, soldier lived in Stillwater, New York, five years, moved then to Berkeley County, Virginia, where he remained eighteen months, and moved to Beasontown, Virginia, and lived eighteen months, after which he lived one winter in Cheatwater, Virginia; he moved to Nelson County, Kentucky, where he resided ten years, after which he lived twelve years in Muhlenburg, County, Kentucky.
            He was allowed pension on his application executed September 3, 1832, while a resident of White County, Illinois, where he had moved from Kentucky.
            There are no data relative to his family in the papers in this claim.

Major General Philip Schuyler of Albany, NY Colonel John McCrea of the Thirteenth Regiment of Albany County Militia, Lt-Col. Remsen is unknown, Captain John Thompson and Sergeant (not a lieutenant) Ebenezer Patrick, both of Colonel McCrea’s Regiment. Cornelius VanVeghten was the Lieutenant-Colonel of Colonel McCrea’s Regiment from 1775 to 1783. Captain John Thompson’s Company officers were First Lieutenant Josiah Benjamin, Second Lieutenant John Hunter and Ensign Joseph Row in 1775 to circa 1777 or 1778. On June 22, 1778 Joseph Row was commissioned Second Lieutenant and Isaac Fonda was commissioned as Ensign in Captain Thompson’s Company.
The site of Fort William Henry at Lake George. The fort was destroyed in 1757 by the French and Indians.
Jane McCrea was killed July 26, 1777.
Colonel Putnam is unknown at this time. Israel Putman (Putnam, etc.) was a Major General on June 19, 1775. He may have been referring to Rufus Putnam of the Fifth Massachusetts Continental Regiment.
Captain Job Wright, Lieutenants Pliney Moore and Jesse Hubble in Colonel Marinus Willett’s Regiment of New York State Levies.

Captain Job Wright’s Payroll for 1783 lists Daniel as a private for 8 months. He obtained John McCoy to serve in his place on September 1, 1783. FROM: Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783, Series M-246, Roll 78, Folder 173, National Archives, Washington, DC.

The following was extracted from Descriptive Book No 4 (Colonel Marinus Willett’s Regiment) doc. No. 1105, Special Collections and Manuscripts New York State Library, Albany, NY. Daniel Bidwell enlisted May 31, 1782 for 2 years by class. Born Litchfield, Litchfield Co., Conn. Resided Stillwater, Albany Co., NY when enlisted, age-21, size—6 ft, occupation—labourer, complexion—light, hair—light, eyes—light.