Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for Moses Nelson

R.7586 (Widow Dolly)
S.20159
State of New York
Oneida County SS

On this 11 th day September 1832 personally appeared in open court in the court of Common Pleas of Oneida County now sitting Moses Nelson, a resident of said county and state, aged Sixty Seven 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 service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated: That he was born at Cherry Valley NY Jany 1765. Has no record of his age. Resided at Cherry Valley when he entered service. Since was have lived at Currysbush N.Y. Stillwater N.Y. Plainfield N.Y. Camden N.Y. now Westmoreland Oneida County. That he enlisted at Cherry Valley about 20 th March 1780 in Captain John Denny's Company for one year.—Duncan Campbell Lt, in said compy—and marched to Fishkill Landing and then served and in that [?] until about October 1781 when he was discharged at FishKill having served as best of this deponents recollection eleven months.—

And this deponent says that in March 1781 he was taken prisoner by the Indians at Cherry Valley and was carried to Niagara and remained a prisoner for two years with said Indians and with the British most of the time. When discharged from service this deponent recd a written discharge signed by Capt Denny [?] was discharged when he was taken prisoner by the Indians. He refers to the annexed [next line not legible]

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity but the present & declares that his name is not on the pension list of the agency of any State. (Signed) Moses Nelson

Sworn & Subscribed on the day & year aforesaid. JB Read Deputy Clerk

State of New York
Otsego County SS

John Thompson of Cherry Valley of said County aged seventy four years says that before the war of the revolution he knew Moses Nelson who lived in Cherry Valley aforesaid that he well recollects that in the year 1780 the said Nelson enlisted under Capt. John Denny, Duncan Campbell Lieutenant for one year & served eleven month & was discharged at Fishkill on the North River NY [Hudson] & places near to it. That this deponent served the same time with the said Nelson & was discharged at the same time with him. This deponent also well recollects that the said Nelson was in the year 1781 taken prisoner by the Indians at Cherry Valley aforesaid as this deponent was on fifty or sixty rods of him at the time he was taken.

That this deponent was informed at the time & believes that the said Nelson was detained as a prisoner for two years & further saith not. (Signed) John Thompson

Sworn & Subscribed this 28 th day of August 1832 before me, James O. Norse First?

In a letter regarding an inquiry the following was written.

I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim R. 7586 it appears that Moses Nelson was born at Cherry Valley, New York in January 1765.

While living in said town he enlisted March 20, 1780 and served eleven months as a private in Captain John Denny's New York Company. In March 1781 he was taken prisoner by the Indians at Cherry Valley and held two years in captivity.

He was allowed pension on his application executed November 11, 1832 while a resident of Westmoreland, Oneida County, New York. He died at Plainfield, Otsego County, New York August 11 or 12, 1845.

Soldier married at Stillwater, Saratoga County, New York November 16, 1787, Dolly (Maiden name not stated); she was a resident of Rome, New York in 1846 aged seventy-nine years. Their oldest child, Eunice, born September 23, 1789 married James Hays, names of other children not stated.