Morrison's Pensions


Pension Application for Thomas Mab

R.6564
            Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832
State of New York
Schoharie County SS.
            On this 7th day of October in the year of our Lord on thousand eight hundred and thirty four personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County & State aforesaid now sitting Thomas Mabb a resident of the Town of Sharon & County and State aforesaid aged 73 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 & served as herein stated to wit—at the commencement of & during the Revolutionary War he resided at Clifton Park in the County of Saratoga & state of New York—that he belonged to a militia company at that place commanded by Capt. Luce or Loosa (does not know how the name is spelt) and Lieut. Henry Banta in Col. Gordon’s Regt—Deponent was a private in all the following services hereafter named—and was enrolled in said company with the consent of his father & performed military duty before he was compelled by law to do so—His services were in such detached periods—he cannot be positive as to dates, but will relate his services in the order in which they were rendered as near as he is able—Deponent says he was for six years of the war so frequently out that he was able to perform very little civil service for that period of time—but can give such description as the department requires only to the following services—Soon after harvest in the year 1776 & deponent thinks in the month of Sept of that year—there was a requisition of Militia to go to Fort George near Lake George on a boat for volunteers—to prevent a draft the deponent with 7 or 8 from Capt Loosa’s Company volunteered at Clifton Park went under said Captain to a place of rendezvous near where they were met by others of the Regt & were formed into a company under a Capt. John Pierce & our Lieut Banta & were marched through to StillWater—Saratoga—to Fort Edward--& then joined other troops & then were marched to Fort George—were first mustered & the company formed at Niskayuna—Schenectady County.  They staid at Fort Edward about 11 days at Fort George from 10 to 12 days—returned to Fort Edward & remained there 2 weeks the distance was from 4 to 6 days march in an embodied corps. Deponent was dismissed at Fort Edward about the last of October of that year as he believes & was from home in actual service as he thinks at least 7 weeks.
            Deponent was at home but few days—when on a like call for militia—he volunteered in like manner at Clifton Park aforesaid& he with a part of his company were marched by a Sergeant to Niskayuna aforesaid the place designated for forming a company & were mustered under the same Capt. Pierce & by him were marched into Saratoga & to near the residence of General Philip Schuyler & were then put under the order of a Capt. of the regular or state service whose name he does not recollect & were marched with about 500 troops from Saratoga to Fort Edward—thence to a place called Scotts patent.  Where it was understood the tories were assembling—The tories fled & we brought away—their cattle & horses some of which had been taken from the Whiggs—thence went with us from deponent’s company—our soldier by the name of Groat, one by the name of Stone & one by the name of Hogadorn all since dead—it snowed & the weather was stormy—Deponent was without provisions in the wilderness at the patent—between 2 & 3 days—In this excursion—They staid near the residence of Genl Schuyler—nearly 2 weeks—on their way up were gone from thence to Fort Edward & the patent a little more than 2 weeks & stopped at Saratoga one week more than 2 weeks & stopped at Saratoga one week on their return & were dismissed & returned home sometime in December as he thinks—after a service of at least 5 weeks—deponent thinks Genl Schuyler or a Col. Schuyler went with the troops to Fort Edward.
            In the spring of 1777 Benjamin Elsworth became our Capt. & in June as deponent believes—on a like call for militia deponent volunteered as before at Clifton Park & were mustered & marched by Capt. Elsworth-through Stilwater-by way of Half Moon to Fort Edward-while absent our Lieut Banta was made known by the tories & afterwards released-where then on & same & doing duty & were dismissed some time in July out at this time at least four weeks & returned home in the early part as he believes of July.  There were regular troops at the Fort—under the general command as he believes of Genl Schuyler our Militia Col. did not go at this time.
            Deponent was at home but few days when his Capt. Elsworth made a call for volunteers & this deponent with about 15 of his company volunteered at Clifton Park aforesaid to go on a scout to a place called Round Lake near Ballston Saratoga County & we were marched by said Capt. After Tories & on account of Rumors of their collecting near that place & were in correspondence with them & said to be collecting at the Beaver Dam in Guilderland Albany County—were out one week – were dismissed & returned home, July 1777
            In one or two days after our return on a like call for volunteers—to go on a scout to the Beaver Dam above mentioned—Deponent with a part of his company & a part of another company in the same Regt—volunteered at Clifton Park aforesaid yet in July 1777—under Capt. Fonda we took a Capt. of the tories at the Beaver Dam—distance from home a day & a halfs journey—Deponent thinks the tories name was Battis were at the Beaver Dam some 3 or 4 days & returned & were dismissed.  [?] the above excursion to Round Lake we took 7 tories & delivered them up to the authorities & they were taken to Albany—was absent on this excursion at least one week.  A little past the middle of July & immediately  on our return from Beaver Dam—on a like call for militia, Deponent volunteered as a private as aforesaid with volunteers & Drafts from different companies of the Regt & were put under a Capt. of said Regt by the name of N. Fisher—Col. Gordon’s Regt & were marched to Skeensborough by way of Half Moon—Stillwater & Saratoga.  In this excursion staid but a few days in a place.  There was great consternation in that Region of Country at this time.  They were dismissed & returned home after an alarm of at least 20 days from home arrived home in the early part of August as deponent thinks between 10th & 12th.  July & Augt 1777.
            Immediately on our return & in a day or two the deponent volunteered—on a like call for Militia at Clifton Park aforesaid & went under Capt. Fisher up the Mohawk by Fort Plank—The German Flatts—to Fort Stanwix—When Col. Gansevoort commanded – Deponent thinks 7 out of his company went with them & staid at the Fort several days & were dismissed & returned home Switts & LightHall were Sergeants & called the Roll—
            They reached home in the early part of Sept. as he believes after having served at least three weeks—Deponent thinks Genl Arnold was at the Fort at the same time & thinks Genl Herkimer was killed but a short time before at Oriskany.
            Sept. 1777 & Oct 2 weeks 2 days.  Towards the latter part of Sept—Deponent again volunteered—thinks as late as the 20th Sept. 1777 at Clifton Park aforesaid under the same Capt. Fisher a Capt of another company but the same Regt to go to Fort Edward—Deponent thinks the main army had left then—for they joined the main army & spent as deponent thinks their time most of it at & near Stillwater & Saratoga—they remained with the army & on out posts—until a short time before the surrender of Burgoyne—When they were discharged & sent home—after an absence of at least 16 days—Deponent thinks—they arrived home about 7th of October from the post that 2 or 3 days before the surrender the deponent was drafted & again went to Stillwater under his own Capt. Elsworth & arrived at Stilwater just after the surrender & arrived at Stilwater Just after the surrender--& in 2 or 3 days the militia of one Regt were dismissed & returned home after an absence of at least 1 week—was drafted at Clifton Park—aforesaid—
            Deponent volunteered or was drafted & is not certain which immediately on his return from Stillwater to go down to the Highlands on the rumor that the British were coming up the North River then Esopus was burnt & some other places—The few that went from Capt. Elsworth’s were marched to Albany by a Sergeant & they were then mustered—Deponent says they were conveyed as far as the Highlands—the British having done their mischief & retreated down the river—they immediately returned to Albany & were then put under a Lieut or ensign by the name of Lighthall as deponent thinks to guard the military stores at that place—Deponent says he was discharged with the rest of the militia of his company on or about the last of November 1777, after having served at least four weeks.  Oct & Nov 1777 -- 4 weeks.
            He says also—that among other soldiers from his company one Elias Groat went with him—since dead—
            He does not recollect the name of his Capt. under whom he was placed on his way down the North River—but thinks it was one in the regular or state service.
            Says he knew Col. VanSchaick & Col. VanRenselaer.
            In the spring of 1778 deponent thinks in May—Deponent was drafted & marched out with parts of the companies under the command of our Capt. Walter Switts at Clifton Park aforesaid to Pownell & Bennington Vermont a distance of two days march they were at a Fort at Bennington & while there sallied out nearly every day on scouts after tories—they took some & returned them to Albany—after having served at least four weeks.  Were dismissed & returned home.  May 1778, 4 weeks.
            In June 1778, 17 days,  on the Alarm at Schoharie—Deponent volunteered at Clifton Park aforesaid under Capt. Fonda – Lay at Schenectady a few days thinks 2 days then went to Schoharie were there on an alarm of Indians & Tories collecting about the place called Round Lake near Ballstown or Saratoga—ordered back, passed through Clifton Park to Round Lake in pursuit of tories & to quiet the alarm—went also to Stillwater—gone both ways from home two weeks & a half at least.
            In August or Sept of 1778 Deponent is not certain which Deponent volunteered again at Clifton Park to go & was marched under his own Capt. Elsworth to Stillwater—Ballstown & Round Lake for tories & Indians—was in service at least 2 weeks and out constantly as the alarms were at this time constant—was dismissed at Stillwater & returned home—
            In Oct 1778-Deponent volunteered at Clfiton Park aforesaid on another alarm at Schoharie  was marched to Schenectady & was then put under a Capt by the name of Yeats as deponent believes of Col Gordon’s Regt. went to the Middle Fort at Schoharie under the command of said Capt. & some of his own company—The noted Indian fighter Murphy was there at the fort there was there come continental Troops -- were at said Fort 5 or 6 days & were then marched by said capt. to Schenectady & were there kept several days to guard the military stores at Schenectady were then dismissed and returned home after a service of at least 20 days as deponent believes.  Oct 1778 2 weeks & 6 days.
            In the summer of 1779 as deponent thinks & certain the last of June or first July—he was drafted with 8 or 10 others of his company & was mustered at Schenectady 12 or 14 miles from Clifton Park—Think he was drafted for 2 months.  Was at Schenectady put under the command of a Capt. Oothout & staid there to guard the military stores 2 weeks – were then marched to the Stone Fort at Schoharie under Capt. Fonda & tarried there two weeks – going out from the Fort nearly every day after tories & Indians – were then marched back to Schenectady & staid 10 or 12 days & thence marched up the Mohawk as far as East Canada Creek—to meet the Indians & tories under Butler as there was an alarm that they were coming down they were then marched back to Schenectady staid 5 or 6 days were dismissed & returned home—Deponent thinks his won Lieut Banta was with them & that they were dismissed in the latter part of August at Schenectady 3 or 4 days before their 2 months was out—having served at least 7 weeks.  July & Augt 1779, 7 weeks.
            In Sept. of 1779 or 1780 which year deponent is not certain Deponent was drafted at Clifton Park to go & was marched under Capt. Fisher to Stillwater & Fort Miller on a scout after Tories & Indians but principally tories—It was rumored they were coming down from Canada—a Capt. or spy by the name of Walter Myers was expected down—
            Deponent was gone from home on this occasion at least 3 weeks.  Sept 1779 or 1780.
            On Oct 1780—Deponet was drafted under a Lieutenant Pierce a brother to Capt. Pierce with Gen. VanRenselaer from Claverack & were marched up the Mohawk to meet Sir Johnson & had a skirmish in a woods of Indians under Johnson escaped—The Militia under Genl VanRenselaer were [?] that they were ordered down to the river under stood a Major or Col. Fisher was with them but does not recollect him—There were a good many killed—They were discharged returned home after at least 3 weeks service.  1780 3 weeks.
            The deponent saith also that on his return he immediately volunteered under is own Capt. Elsworth at his own residence aforesaid at two different times on the months following his said service up the river to go to Ballstown & [?] lake – first 1 week & then immediately for 2 weeks & in the second tour lay at Newtown several days in consequence of the constant alarms from tories & Indians about said Little Lake—it being a place of rendezvous for the tories—deponent thinks was in Nov 1780 in both terms at least 3 weeks.  Nov 1780, 3 weeks.
            The deponent saith also that having seldom served a second time in succession under the same field officers & his services having been for that period—his acquaintance with the field officers was not sufficiently intimate to enable him to name them in the order in which his services were rendered—but he has been during his service the officers named in the body of his declaration & many other whose names he cannot give—nor is he as certain that he has detailed the times of his service precisely in the order in which they happened as he is as to the fact in the places & for the several tours above stated, of which he thinks he cannot be mistaken—Deponent says also that in the years 1779-80-81 he was as constantly employed as in the previous years but on occasions of alarm & for short periods & some times in unorganized corps—that he cannot possibly give an account of them in the order in which they happened except that in the year 1781 he thinks it was at the time of the Johnstown Battle he was then called out & marched up the Mohawk where Butler was killed--but cannot recollect who his captain was nor how long he was out.
            He has therefore declared his Revolutionary services to the very last of his recollection.  The deponent says that by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection he served in the above specified periods as a private not less than one year—one month—two weeks.  For which he claims a pension.  Aggregate 1 year 1 month & 2 weeks as a private.
            Does not recollect that he served with regular troops nor that he was acquainted with regular officers other than in the cases mentioned above—says also, that he served in all the above mentioned periods in a regularly organized corps commanded by competent authority—Was all the time in the field in garrison or marching under orders—had no regular Battles except skirmishes.  & performed no civil duty in the times above mentioned.
            Deponent says he has no documentary evidence nor class he knows of every person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services—
            He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever or a pension whatever or annuity case up to the present.  And declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid in open court.  (Signed with his mark)  John Gebhand J. Clke

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