Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for Benjamin Bevens (Beavins, Bevins, etc.)
W.16189
State of New York
Schoharie County
On this
28th day of March one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine personally
appeared before Harvey Watson one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas
of the County of Schoharie and state aforesaid, Elisabeth Bevins, now an inmate
of the Poor House, situate at Middleburgh, in said county and state, aged eighty
one years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on her oath,
make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision
made by the Act of Congress, passed July 7, 1838, entitled “An act
granting half pay and pensions to certain widows.”
That she
is the widow of Benjamin Bevins, late of Schoharie, deceased, who was a private
soldier of the Revolution as she always understood and believes, and she also
understood and believes that he served in Capt. Bleecker’s Company, in
Col. Van Schaick’s Regiment (1) and she further understood and believes
that he was an enlisted soldier but whether he ever informed her it was for
during the war or a term of years she has forgotten, but she is confident he
served to the end of the war, she thinks he served more than three years during
the war, but how many other companies and regiments he served in than the ones
above told, she cannot state, nor does she recollect the time when he first
entered the service nor the names of any other of his officers, of any he had.(2)
She further
declares that she was married to the said Benjamin Bevins in the City of Schenectady,
in the winter of seventeen hundred and eighty five and she believes it was
in February of that year, and that her husband the aforesaid Benjamin Bevins,
died more than twenty years ago, but what year he died in, she has forgotten;
that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage
took place previous to the first of January, seventeen hundred and ninety four,
viz, at the time above stated.
(Signed with her mark) Elisabeth Bevns
Sworn to
and subscribed on the day and year above written before me.
Harvey Watson, one of the Judges of Schoharie County Courts
State of New York
Schoharie County
Jacob Enders,
of the Town & County of Schoharie being duly sworn, saith that he was well
acquainted with Benjamin Bevins, in the Revolutionary War and up to the time
of his death. That the said Bevins was a soldier of the Revolution that
he enlisted for a term of years or for during the war but which of the two
this deponent has forgotten.
That the
said Bevens came home on furlough before his services ended and stayed at this
deponents house, a short time and returned again to the service as this deponent
believes; that he saw no more of him till the close of the war, and understood
and believes that he remained in the service till he was discharged, but this
deponent doesn’t know what company
or companies said Bevins belonged to, but believes he belonged to Capt.
Bleecker’s Company in Col. Van Schaick’s Regiment at the time
he was discharged. That he has do doubt but the said Benjamin Bevins
was in the Revolutionary service for more than two years during the war.
That this deponent is well acquainted too with Elisabeth Bevins, widow
of the Said Benjamin Bevins, deceased.
That before she was married her name was Elisabeth Van Dyck, that this
deponent attended the wedding which he thinks was in the winter of 1785
for he recollects it was the same evening his first child was born.
That this said Elisabeth Bevins, has remained the widow of the said Benjamin
Bevins and ever since his death which was more than 20 years ago.
(Signed with his mark) Jacob Enders
Sworn & Subscribed
before me the 1 day of October 1838. Hesekiah Manning Com [?] of Deeds
State of New York
Secretary’s Office
I certify
that it appears by the Military Register in this office that on the 8th of
February 1781, Benjamin Beavans enlisted in the First New York Regiment and
was mustered to May 178? (cut off). The name of his captain is not given
nor the term of his enlistment. This entry will be found in the register
under the letter B. after Colonel Malcom’s Regiment.
And I further
certify that it appears by the balloting book in this office that Benjamin
Bevens was a private in the First New York Regiment and that a lot of 600 acres
of land in the Military Tract was granted to him for his services. See
printed balloting book page 25, see also page 85 of the same book, Connolly’s
original return of the First Regiment, Capt. Leonard Bleecker’s Company
of Light Infantry. Benjamin Beavins returned as a private.
Arch. Campbell Dep. Secretary
Albany April 3, 1839.
End Notes