Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for Joseph Simpson

S.28879 (Private in Captain Dubois’ Company, Col. Swartwout’s Regiment)
State of New York
Rensselaer County SS.
            On this twenty Fourth day of June 1841, personally appeared before me Joseph Simpson a resident in the County Poor House in & for the County of Rensselaer, who be reason of his great age infirmity is confined in the Hospital & unable to appear in open court to make his declaration known, being sworn says that he is now & has been for more than fifty years a resident of the County of Rensselaer & State of New York, that this Deponent entered upon his one hundredth year the sixth day of last May 1841 & will be one hundred years old on the sixth day of May next 1842, and this deponent doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of congress passed June 7th 1832. 
            That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the spring of the year after the declaration of the Revolutionary War.  This deponent was at that time a resident of Dutchess County in said state & enlisted under Lewis Duboise a Captain in the Army of the United States & continued in the said Army as a private soldier from the commencement of the said Revolutionary War, until the [2nd?] thereof. 
            The first Regiment in which this deponent served was commanded by Colonel Thomas Swartwout.  After two or three years Captain Duboise was made Colonel & commanded the same regiment.  Harry or Henry Duboise was first lieutenant in the company commanded by Captain Duboise. 
            The first battle that he this deponent was engaged in was at Fort Washington.  He was also engaged in a skirmish or battle near [butter?] hill on the east side of the Hudson River ten or twelve men were lost—
            The next engagement or battle he was engaged in was at West Point which did not last long and he was also engaged in a skirmish at King’s Bridge near the City of New York.  In that skirmish this deponent shot a horse out from under his rider.  The horse fell & this deponent then engaged with his rider and dispatched him with his Bayonet—
            Also, he was engaged in a skirmish or battle at Elizabethtown New Jersey and also in some others.
            This deponent was marched north to Montreal & Quebeck remained there several months & then came back again.  This deponent was at West Point off some three years or more, after he enlisted, considered that his home, other postings of the time of his service he was located at various points on the Hudson River & north to Montreal &b Quebeck.
            This deponent served under Major General Arnold until he sold West Point.—General George Washington was the Head General.  Was all the time occupied in the service of the army of the United States & was not employed in any civil pursuit during the war.—
            This deponent was born in Holland and came to the States when he was three years old & has resided in it all the time since, the particular place in Holland he cannot state.
            This deponent has no record of his age but makes his statement from recollection, which he believes is accurate—
            This Deponent resided in the County of Dutchess at a place then called the Hook, where he enlisted.  Since the war he has resided in StephenTown in the County of Rensselaer fifty five years or more and this deponent is now in the County Poor House at the city of Troy in & for the County of Rensselaer in a feeble state of health.
            This deponent enlisted in the service of the United States a soldier in the Regular Army.
            This deponent says that the following are the names of some of the officers under whom he served & with whom he was acquainted.—Captain Duboise, known as Lewis Duboise, 2nd Lieutenant Henry or Harry Duboise, Major Gen. B. Arnold, Col. Thomas Swartwout, Alius VanScutter [corrected in margin to VanBenscouton] was first Lieutenant—
            This deponent has received a discharge from the service from Col. Dubois which he left with his brother, since which he has not been able to find it, and he believes the same Is lost—he never received any commissions in the army.
            This deponent is acquainted with Nathan Howard Jun [?] Deputy Clerk of the county of Rensselaer also with his father Nathan Howard, Claudius Moffitt present member of assembly in & for the County of Rensselaer, also John Babcock Esquire an attorney in the City of Troy.
            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.  Summer eight years ago he made an attempt to obtain a pension but failed not being able to procure testimony of any living witness who was acquainted with him in the army while a soldier.  (Signed with his mark)  Joseph Simpson
            Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid Francis N. Mann, Judge of Rens. Com. Pleas & Counsellor of Court.

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