Pension Application

R.1661
Captain, New York Line, Willett’s Regiment
            To the Hon. John C. Calhoun Secretary at War of the United States.
            The Petition & declaration of James Cannon of the Town of Cherry Valley in the County of Otsego & State of New York on oath setteth forth.
            That he the said James Cannan in the month of July 1776 received a commission as first lieutenant in Capt. John Eisenlord’s Company in Col. Cornelius Van Dyck’s Regiment of New York Levies, which said Regiment was raised by an act of Congress to reinforce the Continental Army in Canada, in which said company & Regiment, & the said James Cannan served until the thirty first day of December the next [?]; when he was discharged; the said James Cannan on oath further sitteth forth & declares that on the first day of April 1782?, he received another commission as first lieutenant in Captain Elilu Marheles Company in Lieut. Commandant Colonel Marinus Willett’s Regiment of New York Levies & that he served in said company & regiment for the term of nine months & was discharged on the first day of January 178[?] in the year last aforesaid.
            The said James Cannan further on oath declares, that previous to the time of the last discharge, he was told by Lieutenant Colonel Willett that if he would raise a company he the said James should receive a commission as Captain and should be put on the Continental establishment.
            The said James further on oath declares that he accordingly went on the recruiting service and succeeded in raising his company and in the month of September 1782 he received a commission as Captain and that there were four companies more raised & companies were then organized as Independent companies & put under the command of Major Commandant Elias Van Benschoten. Soon after this time and act or resolution was passed by the Congress of the United States for arming, clothing, subscripting and paying the said companies and he the said James Cannan soon after received from the United States for himself & company (as did the other companies) received from the United States, arms, clothing, substinance & pay and these said company were placed under the command of the Commander in Chief.
            The said James Cannon farther on oath declares that he with his company continued to serve the United States until the month of January 1784 when he received his pay in United States final settlement notes signed by Robert Morris, and was discharged.
            The said James Cannan further on oath declares, that he was by necessity compelled to sell these final settlement notes at a great discount & that he has during the last fifteen years sustained heavy [?] Losses and is now by reason reduced circumstances in need of assistance from his country for support.
            The said James Cannan further says that he is advised that by an act passed at the present session of Congress entitled “an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land & navel service of the united States during the Revolutionary War, it is in the power of the Secretary at War to place him on the pension list; and he therefore [?] that he may be placed there accordingly and in duty bound will ever pray. (Signed)n James Cannon
            Sworn to before me this 26th day of March 1818. James S. Campbell one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Otsego and State of New York.

State & City of New York SS.
Marinus Willet of the City of New York a Colonel in the Army of the U. States, During the war of the revolution, being duly sworn deposeth & saith that he well remembers James cannon and knew him as a lieutenant in the revolutionary army. That the said James Cannon acted as first lieutenant in a Regiment of New York Levies commanded by this deponent in the year 1781. That the beginning of from 1782 for the great part of the year 1783, the said James Cannon served as a Captain in a Regiment of New York State Troops that were armed accoutered [?] [?] and paid by the U. States which said regiment was also commanded by this deponent. That he said regiment served under Congress until after the provisional treaty of peace arrived in the U. States & that the said James Cannan continued to service until the 26th November 1783. Marinus Willett.
Sworn before me this first day of September 1881. P. Riker, recorder of the City of New York

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