Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for Peter Faling (Failing)
S.9860
Granted pension $21.54 per annum, commencing March 4, 1831.
State of New York
County of Schenectady
On this twenty second day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty four personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County of Schenectady now sitting Peter Failing a resident of the second ward of the City of Schenectady in said County Aged seventy one years and upwards and 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 was born in the then Town of Halfmoon in the County of Saratoga and State of New York in the now Town of Clifton Park in that county aforesaid in the year 1763. That he resided in said Town of Halfmoon until the year 1801, when he went to reside in the City of Schenectady and lived there until the year 1808 when he again removed to Halfmoon aforesaid and resided there until the year 1818. Since which time he has resided in the first and second wards of the City of Schenectady.
When he was called into the service of the United States he resided in the Town of Halfmoon aforesaid.
He entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
That in the year 1775, he was enrolled as a militia man and was a private in the Company whereof Captain Fisher (1) was Captain and Cornelius Failing who was an Uncle to this deponent was Lieutenant and Colonel Van Schoonhoven commanded the regiment.
And this deponent further says that in the year 1776 he was called out in actual duty as a soldier in said Company and was marched to Fort George, and continued on duty as such private soldier for one half month this was in the fall of the year in November that this deponent was then Honorably discharged Captain Hicks (2) had command of the Company that was marched to the Fort.
And this deponent further says that in the year 1777 in the month of September he this deponent was again called out on duty as a private soldier as aforesaid and was marched from Clifton Park or Halfmoon aforesaid to Stillwater in the company of Captain Nanning Fisher aforesaid and Continued to do duty as a soldier faithfully for one month when he was Honorably discharged he had no discharge in writing.—
And this deponent further says that in the year 1777 This deponent was called out on duty as such soldier as aforesaid and was marched in the month of October from Halfmoon to Fort Edward whence he continued to do duty for three weeks the company at this time was under the command of Captain Hicks at the expiration of which time this deponent was Honorably discharged and permitted to return home he had no discharge in writing.—
And this deponent further says that in the year 1777 he was again called out on like duty as such soldier as aforesaid and was marched in the month of November from Halfmoon to Bemis Heights by way of Waterford and the Sprout and continued to do duty faithfully as a soldier for the Term of three weeks when at the expiration thereof he was again discharged and permitted to return home he had no discharge in writing.
And this deponent further says that on the first of August in the year 1778 he was again called into the service of the United States in said war by a draft and that Captain Hicks had the Command of the Company and Lieutenant Failing that the Company was marched from Halfmoon so called to Stone Arabia and that this deponent together with the company to which he then was attached and in the Regiment under the command of one Fonda continued to do duty faithfully for the Term of one month and a half and was constantly either on guard or in the garrison or on Scouts until the latter part of September of the same year making the full period of one month and a half when deponent was Honorably discharged he had no written discharge nor did he ever obtain a discharge in writing.
And this deponent further says that in the month of December in the year 1778, he was called out again in the Company of Captain Fisher and was marched to Ballston. That this expedition which was spent in pursuit of Tories and the Enemy continued from the time Deponent left Halfmoon until the full Term of one half month when he was Honorably discharged he had no discharge in writing.
And this deponent further says that in the year 1779 in June he was again called out on duty as a like soldier as aforesaid and was marched from Halfmoon to Palatine where he continued to do duty for two weeks when he was again discharged and permitted to return home he had no discharge in writing.—And this deponent further says that in the month of September A.D. 1779 he was again called out on duty as a private soldier and was marched from Halfmoon to Schoharie where he continued to do duty as a soldier in the Fort in that Place for three weeks that at the expiration whereof he was discharged and returned home that Cornelius Failing had the command of the Company this time this deponent had no written discharge.
And that subsequent thereto in the month of October 1779 he did like duty at the same place under Captain Hicks for one half month he had no discharge in writing but was Honorably discharged.—
And this deponent further says that in the first part of the month of May 1780. This deponent was again called out on like duty as a soldier as aforesaid that he was marched from Halfmoon to Fort Stanyx [Stanwix] under the Command of Lieutenant Cornelius Failing and that at the fort he was attached to a company commanded by one Peter Vailing that he continued to do duty until the latter part of June making one month and a half of actual duty when he was discharged he had no written discharge.
And this deponent further says that in the month of August 1780 he was again called out on duty as a like soldier as aforesaid and was marched from Halfmoon to Johnstown under the Command of Lieutenant Cornelius Failing the period which this deponent continued on duty as a solider this time was one half month at the expiration whereof deponent was discharged and permitted to return home. And this deponent further says that the foregoing services amounting in the aggregate to seven and a half or a little more were performed by this deponent as above specified and that he claims a pension for the same and this deponent further says that during the Revolutionary war he was often engaged in other services in the United States Army such as going on express and warning men to go on military exploits and going as a waggon master—so called once he went from Clifton Park to Boston with a baggage waggon and deponent verily believes that he has done full six months services not herein before detailed and this deponent further says that he has no other proof living of his services except his own declaration and on the truth of that he asks a pension as above and which will be gratefully received from the Honorable the War Department of the United States.
The following are the names of some of the regular officers which he knew of or who were with the troops where he served, and such continental and militia regiments or companies with which he served, or as he can recollect, viz: Cornelius Failing Lieutenant, Captain Hicks, Major Wemple (3), Major Swits, John Mynderse, Gen. Schuyler (4), Gen. Clinton, Col. Van Rensselaer and some of the above used occasionally to be at his Uncles.
He never received any written discharge from the service.
He has no documentary evidence and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service. [blotted]
The following are the names of persons to whom he is known in his present neighborhood, and who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution, to wit: Rev. Abijah Peck, John Fisher, John Thompson.
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) Peter Failing
Subscribed and sworn to the day and year first aforesaid in open court. John S. Vrooman. Clerk
End Notes—Peter Failing—S9860