Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for Alexander Hubbs
(The handwriting is terrible in this pension. I am not certain I have much of this correct. Check back later for corrections. ajb)
S.13487
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed
June 7th 1832.
State of New York, Town of Charleston & County of Montgomery.
On the thirty
first day of July 1832 personally appeared before me, Henry I Diefendorf one
of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, being a court of record in and for
the County of Montgomery & state of New York in the town of Charleston in
said County. Alexander Hubbs of said town & county a person well known
to [?] aged eighty nine 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 7, 1832—that he entered the Levies of the
United States under the following named officers & served as herein stated—That
in the year 1778 he resided in a place then called Philips Town in the County
of Albany New York & now Stephentown in the County of Renselaer & State
of New York—that he then belonged to a Militia Company whose Capt’s
name was James Magee & John Schmerhorn was his Lieutenant—His
company was called out by a requisition from the state Convention at Albany or
Provisional Congress. (As the deponent thinks they were then called) in
the company this deponent was a sergeant—and went with his company with
the above officers in Col. Killian Van Renselaer’s Regiment & in the
fall of 1775 as the deponent believes (the day of the month nor the month he
is not certain—the event he knows) to Fort Edward by the way of Albany
a distance of about 65 or 70 miles—Then at the Fort commenced making a
breastwork were in that place as near as the deponent recollects 10 or 12 days. From
thence were ordered & went to Fort Ann—distance perhaps 12 miles in
length remained in [?] with the Regt to Fort Edward, there tarried several days
before we returned to Albany was absent with said Regt in the service more than
four weeks but deponent saith it is impossible for him to be certain as to dates. The
event & the service performed with whom [?] nearly the length of [?] aged. He
is positive—After the return of the Regt before the declaration of independence
Capt. Magee resigned and this deponent was chosen by his company Lieutenant & received
his commission from the convention aforesaid—served under the commission
as Lieutenant until after the declaration of independence—In the spring
of 1776 a requisition was made upon his regiment by said convention to go to
Schohaarie to guard the out forts as they were then called in what he with part
of his company were [?] with a part of the company commanded by Daniel Schermerhorn
Capt. There were at the time 3 forts at Schoharie—called the
lower fort—the Middle Fort & the Upper Fort. On arriving at Schoharie
by way of Albany a distance of about 6 or 7 miles & they were joined by a
Regt commanded by Col. Vrooman of Schoharie in the State of New York—They
went to & were stationed at the Lower Fort , an old Stone Church—the
deponent thinks this was in the spring but cannot possibly recollect the day
or the month [?] but is certain of the event with whom he served—The character
of his service—that he acted as Lieutenant under said Commission
and that he was absent from home 4 weeks or more in said service. That
scouting parties were customarily kept out—and that when they were relieved
by the arrival of other troops for the same purpose they returned home by way
of Albany. The Regt to which the deponent belonged was again called out
in the [Spring is crossed out] Fall of 1776. This deponent still acting
in the [?] same commission as Lieut.—His Capt. name was John Schermerhorn. He
Capt. pretended to be sick & this deponent took the commission of the company
in Col. K. VanRensalaers Regt. This call also was on the [?] of the Provincial
Congress to go again to guard the frontiers went from Stephentown as before through
Albany—to the Middle Fort at Schoharie & then went on scouting parties—was
gone from home on this call & in the service 4 weeks or more--& on being
relieved by other troops returned home through Albany. The day or month
it is now impossible for this deponent to recollect, as he has not now any remembrance
or documentary evidence to refresh his recollection. In the Spring of 1777—this
deponent was called on with his company & yet commanding the company, but
under the commission of Lieut to guard the Northern Frontier by the governor
of the state; was victorious most of the time until August of that year & in
scouts & excursions of the Tories-Indians & to restore flock of cattle
which were in the hands of said boys. On one occasion recollects he took with
his company a flock of cattle –near Saratoga from the said boys & delivered
them to the committee at Albany.
He had long
been a member as a subcommittee in his own town—To be safe deponent puts
this time at two a half months. This deponent was there drafted for those
months he believes in the month of August 1777. Does not recollect the
day but believes about the month of August went as lieutenant was joined to a
company—commanded by Capt. Staat’s of Albany—in Col. Wemps
Reg in Genl Glovers Brigade. [?] rendezvous at Albany when the Regt was
ordered to StillWater at Bemis Heights to [blotted] of Genl Gates where we formed
[?] army at that place—Genl Arnold commanded the [?] had a genl battle
in the month of Sept 1777 was in the subsequent battle against Burgoyne and present
when he surrendered his sword—The day after the general battle our brigade
was stationed near the bridge to prevent the enemy from passing & re? for
supplies—Genl Burgoyne delivered up his sword [?] of this deponent about
the middle of October 1777—The deponent served out his 3 months in said
company in which time the enemy burnt & Esopus. On returning we were
ordered to Esopus went down the river on learning that the enemy had returned
we returned to Albany—The 3 months now having expired the deponent returned
to his residence at StephenTown.—The next event service the day or month
deponent did next to wit in 1778, he was called out again by a requisition of
the governor to go with this company to the Upper Fort in Schoharie. Had
the command of the company as Lieutenant (the Capt. Schermerhorn being absent.)
arrived at the Upper Fort the latter part of summer. Was ordered by Col.
Vrooman of Schoharie to take the command of the Fort which he did until he was
relieved by another officer commanding Continental [?] whose name he does
not recollect—scouts were constantly left out—he was in the service
on this last occasion four months or more when he returned by way of Alpenis
house—[?] there marched to a place called Warrens Bush, Tryon County—now
Florida in the County of Montgomery—Caughnawaga was burnt in the spring
of 79—as a private on a general alarm—entered into Capt. Yeomans
Company as a volunteer, in col. Fisher’s Regt—who was scalped and
supposed to be killed but survived—was out on this occasion only 4 or 5
days. Deponent was a this time [?] in consequence of having eaten poisoned
provisions. He was not again called out until the year 1780—When
Sir John Johnson passed through this part of the country & burnt Schoharie
in the early part of the fall of the year. Deponent volunteered with Capt.
Yeoman’s & joined Genl VanRenselaers [blot] troops—as they were
on their way to pursue Sir John Johnson, went on the Mohawk River as far as Fort
Plain & then came up that. The Tories & Indians under Johnson had
gone the deponent returned to Florida in Montgomery Co. aforesaid absent on said
tour about ten days—This deponent was at the Battle of Johnstown as a volunteer
private in col. Willett’s Regt. The enemies forces were commanded
by Ross & Buttler. Was out on this excursion about one week
in the last of October 1781—Then staid at Florida aforesaid—The deponent
saith also that at the time of the taking of Burgoyne at the time he was drafted
as above related—he left the [?] of his wheat crops with two of his neighbors
who proved disaffected—on his return he found all his crops destroyed on
which he obtained a few bushes from the contractor for the use of his family. Which
proved to be poisoned as was supposed by the enemy. Himself & family
became sick in consequence of using it—The consequence was that a son of
his had a leg amputated & this deponent has ever since been [?] & his
[blot] with affects?
The deponent
saith also that in addition to the services above enumerated he was in the service
of his country in the Revolutionary cause as he believes more than half of the
time from 1775 to 1783—so much as to be unable to provide for his family
on alarms, in scouting , [?] acting as a member of a sub-committee who corresponded
with the general central committee at Albany—in traveling back and forth
in the day time & at ? night & surrounded by Tories—Indians & cowboys,
but is fully aware [blotted]of the improbability of his fixing dates & the
indefinite character of his service that it cannot coexist in this application
for his pension.—
This deponent
said further that his commissions & discharges he [?] that he has no documentary
evidence of his services & is not aware of any one living who can testify
to his services except his son whose affidavits is hereto annexed—
That he is
unable to fix the dates of his service more definitely than he has from a memory
defection with age—but that the events to which he has testified appear
to him as clear as ever they did—
The deponent
also relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares
his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
(Signed with
his mark) Alexander Hubbs
Sworn & subscribed before me at Charleston this 31st day of July 1832. Henry
K. Dievendorff
State of New York
Montgomery County SS
We Henry N.
Wycoff, a clergyman of the town of Charleston & County of Montgomery & State
of New York& Elijah Herrick of the same town, county & state hereby
testify that we are well acquainted with Alexander Hubbs who has subscribed & sworn
to the above declaration that we believe him to be 89 years of age that he
is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a
soldier of the Revolution & that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn & subscribed
the day & year aforesaid. Henry N. Wyckoff, Elijah Herrick
Letter included in the pension folder.
April 23, 1927
Charles L. Hubbs
3510 Meade Ave.
San Diego, Calif.
Sir:
I have to
advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim. S.13487,
it appears that ALEXANDER HUBBS, while living in Phillipstown, Albany County,
which was later called Stephentown, Rensselaer County, New York, enlisted and
served with the New York troops as follows:
In the fall
of 1775, for four weeks as a sergeant in Captain James Magee’s company
in Colonel Kiliam Van Rensselaer’s Regiment.
In the spring
of 1776, for four weeks as a lieutenant in Captain Daniel Schermerhorn’s
Company in Colonel Vrooman’s Regiments.
In the Fall
of 1776, for four weeks as a lieutenant in Captain John Schermerhorn’s
Company in colonel Kilian Van Rensselaer’s Regiment.
In the spring
of 1777, for two and one half months as lieutenant, other officers not stated.
From August
15, 177, for three months as a lieutenant in Captain Staats’ Company
in Colonel Wemp’s Regiment; he was in both battles of Stillwater and
surrender of Burgoyne.
In the summer
of 1778, for four weeks as a lieutenant in Captain Schermerhorn’s Company
in Colonel Vrooman’s Regiment.
In the summer
of 1779, for one month as lieutenant, other officers not stated.
In the spring
of 1780, while living at Warrens Bush, Tryon County, New York, he served four
or five days as a private in Captain Yeoman’s Company in Colonel Fisher’s
Regiment.
In 1780
he served ten days as a private under Captain Yeoman.
In October,
1780, served one week as a private in colonel Willett’s Regiment; he
was in the battle of Johnstown.
He was allowed
pension on his application executed July 31, 1832, at which time he was eighty-nine
years of age and was living in Charlestown, Montgomery County, New York.
In 1832,
his son, Samuel, was sixty-seven years of age and was a resident of Charlestown,
New York.
The name
of the soldier’s wife is not given.
Respectfully,
Winfield
Scott, Commissioner.
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