Morrison's Pensions


Pension Application for Joseph Earl or Earls

S.12844
State of New York
Montgomery County SS
            On the twenty fourth day of September 1832 personally appeared before John Hand Esquire one of the Judges of the Court of common Pleas in & for the County of Montgomery and State of New York, Joseph Earls aged seventy four 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 under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
            That he entered the service of the United States in a company of Militia commanded by Captain Stephen Lush of Albany Lieut Staats and Lansing called a company of rangers or guards.  Entered in the month of July as he thinks but cannot tell the year thinks it was an Independent Company not attached to any Regiment that he served three months in this company, he enlisted in this company at a place called New Britain now Columbia County  under a recruiting Sergeant & was marched to Albany the greater part of the time was spent at Albany guarding the magazine at that place toward the latter part of this service he with a few others including Lieut Statts went on board a sloop & proceeded down the North river in pursuit of a sloop which had been taken from Albany the party with him overtook the sloop which they were in pursuit of near a place called Fort Washington & took the same which was in Charge of one Wynkoop who was supposed to be a tory they took Wynkoop a prisoner & returned back to Albany with the sloop, after this service ended he served as a volunteer in a company of Militia commanded by Captain Daniel Herrick Lieutenant Nathan Herrick attached to Col Whitney’s Regiment that he served in this company when called upon & remained ready for duty from the time he left Capt. Lashe’s Company until he entered Captain Bostwick’s Company hereafter mentioned while in Capt. Herrick’s Company they marched from New Britain & with all his company & Col. Whiting’s Regiment to Fort Edward up the North river above Saratoga.  General Benedict Arnold & his Brigade were then at Fort Edward the British Army then under Gen. Burgoyne were at Fort George, the Americans retreated from Fort Edward to half way Brook near Col. McCrea’s from thence to Fort Miller with the whole American forces from thence to Saratoga Barracks, between Fort Edward & Fort Miller there was a severe skirmish nearly one whole day, Lieutenant Meeney of Capt. Davis’ Company was killed in that skirmish this deponent stood within four feet of Meeny when shot and assisted in carrying him along to where the army quartered, thinks he was gone in this expedition about two months was discharged at Saratoga Barracks sometime in September before the surrender of Burgoyne, he can only recollect the year of this service by its being the year of Burgoyne’s surrender.  After this he cannot recollect the year, but in the month of July, he enlisted in a company of state levies for three months at New Britain now Canaan Columbia County under the command of Captain Bostwick, one Collender was Lieutenant in Col. Livingston’s Regiment during this time they were marched down the North river to a place which he cannot recollect the name of , but it was on the Jersey shore, and joined that part of the Army under the command of Gen. Malcolm, from thence the whole army under Malcolm’s command marched to Poughkeepsie where they halted about two weeks from thence to Albany encamped on the hill two or three weeks from [?] to Fort Edward cannot tell how long they remained there.  Captain Bostwick’s Company was separated from the army at that place & sent to Palmertown Block House 12 or 14 miles, to guard that place & stayed there till the end of the term, of his three months he was discharged, returned home & attached himself again to Captain Herrick’s Company of Militia, he next year the whole militia then under the command of Col. Waterman were ordered to Bemus Heights, those of the Regiment who had no horses were ordered to press horses, this deponent & many others did so in order to make greater speed & proceeded to that place & returned home.
            While he belonged to Captain Herrick’s Company but whether before or after his service at Bemis Heights he cannot remember.  He with a part of the company were ordered to Fishkill where he remained three months with col. Waterman’s Regiment guarding that place, he does not recollect any farther service in actual during the war his memory has failed him to such a degree that he cannot give dates or anything like an accurate history of these events in their successive order.
            He was born in Dutchess county New York in August 1758 according to the age given him by his parents, but has no record of it, he resided for some years after the war in New Britain from thence he removed to Florida where he has resided more than forty years he never received any written discharge from the service nor has he any documentary evidence of his services, he can prove by Amos Davis of actual service a part of this time but he knows no other living witness to the same he is known in his present neighborhood by the Rev’d Charles Howe and Harman Bussing who can certify to his character.
            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 )  Joseph Earl
            Subscribed & sworn the day and year aforesaid before me, John Hand one of the Judges of the Montgomery County Courts.

Letter dated February 14, 1939, written in response to an inquiry for information.
            Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Joseph Earl who received a pension while residing in Montgomery County, New York.
            The record of Joseph Earl follows as found in the claim for pension, S.12844, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War.
            Joseph Earl was born in the month of August, 1758 in Dutchess County, New York; the names of his parents are not given.
            Joseph Earl enlisted in New Britain (later Canaan), Columbia County, New York, and served as private, nine months, and three months and fifteen days as sergeant in the New York troops as follows—
            From sometime in July “in the year in which the battle of White Plains was fought”, three months in Captain Stephen Lush’s company; two months in Captain Daniel Herrick’s company, colonel Whiting’s regiment, the year of the surrender of Burgoyne; one month in Captain Daniel Herrick’s company, Colonel Waterman’s regiment, no dates given; in 1779, three months in Captain Daniel Herrick’s company, Colonel Waterman’s regiment; from sometime in July, the year of the desertion of Benedict Arnold, three months in Captain Bostwick’s company, Colonel Livingston’s regiment; he was called out at various times on alarms, about fifteen days. He did not state which tours of service as private and which as sergeant.
            The soldier, Joseph Earl, was allowed pension on his application executed September 24, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Florida, Montgomery County, New York, where he had moved “Some years” after the Revolution from New Britain, New York.
            The papers on file in this claim contain no discernible data in regard to family.

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