Morris County, New Jersey
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Enclosed is my transcription of the request for pension of Abigail Lee widow of William Lee and his Declaration of Service in the Revolutionary War. Submitted by M. Labaugh.
5366 Abigail Lee Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 20 Dollars - Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843. Certificate of Pension issued the 22 day of April 1844 and sent to Lewis Condict - Morristown N.J. Act of March 3, 1843 Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th July 1838, entitled, "an act granting half pay and pension to certain widows" State of New Jersey On this 24th day of March, domini 1840, personally appeared before the Superior court of Common Pleas of the County of Morris, Abigail Lee, a resident of Hanover township in the County of Morris and State of New Jersey, aged 68 1/2 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 July 7th 1835, entitled "an act, granting half pay and pension to certain Widows". I am the widow of William Lee, who was, as I believe, an enlisted Wagoner and team Driver in the army of the United States in the war of the Revolution, and also , a Militia soldier of Morris county New Jersey, performing Military service in defense of his Country in said revolution, for which services he claimed a pension from the United States under the Act of June 7 1832, as I am informed and believe. For the details and particulars and specifications of his revolutionary services, I respectfully refer the Commissioners of Pensions and Secretary of War, to his Declaration and papers now in the files in the Pension office as I presume, after which as I am informed, a pension of Twenty Dollars was allowed him per annum, and wais paid to September last. I was married to the said William Lee, on the 5th day of April 1791, in Sussex county New Jersey, by my Father Jeptha Byram, who was for many years a Justice of the peace in said County, and was in the practice of pronouncing the marriage service, or as it is commonly said, of marrying persons who applied to him as a Magistrate, for that purpose. And my husband, William Lee aforesaid, died at his late residence in Hanover township, Morris County on the 5th day of December last. viz.: in the year of our lord, 1839 and I remain his widow at this day. I 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 and at my father's dwelling in Sussex County. Many years ago, my said husband purchased a large Family Bible, called "Ostuvalet's Bible". in which he entered or caused to be entered upon blank leaves therein a record of our marriage and also the births deaths and marriages of our several children. the same bible contains two blank leaves, with appropriated columns for marriages, births, deaths, etc: etc: In some of these column are entered the family record of my husband's father whose name was Thomas Lee and also my own Father, Jeptha Byram aforesaid, as well as the record of our own family, as will be seen by examining one leaf of said record, cut out from said bible with my consent and which is annexed to this Declaration. I verify believe it to be a true and genuine record of all the marriages, births and deaths which it records, and it is the only original record thereof which is in my possession or within my knowledge. And as the widow of said William lee, I claim an account of his revolutionary services, all the benefits to which by the laws of the United States I may be entitled, as well for his services as a driver of a Team or a wagon in the army of the United States, as for his militia services, when carrying a musket and it is my desire and request to the Commission of Pensions and Secretary of War, that this Declaration and witness in support of my said husband's claim may be reconsidered, for the purpose of enlarging the little annuity allowed him, having understood that for his wagon service in the army, no allowance was granted. It is my belief that my said husband served his Country as a Continental Team Driver or Wagoner for a period not less than 14 months, viz.: for 8 months by enlistment in September 1780, under the command of one Captain or Colonel O'Beak, and Major Gobble or Colonel Gamble, which term of service he fulfilled, and the spring following viz. 1781, he again enlisted for 6 months in similar service, under Joseph Louis, Esq., then a Commissioner or quarter master in the Army at Morris town which enlistment he also fulfilled, as I believe. The service consisted, as I understand, escorting Army stores of various kinds, as clothing, shoes, ammunitions, flour, grain, feed and camp equipage, to and from, Morris town, Easton, Pompton, ? Westpoint and other places, as the want of the army required. I hope to obtain the evidence of one man who I am told is living and who was a wagoner with william lee my husband, in the same service. his testimony was not taken in support of my husband's Declaration as I understand, and perhaps for the want of some such proof, he was not allowed any enumeration in shape of a pension for such service. And I understand, that also the team which my said husband drove, might have been at first provided by his father, and have been originally his property, yet when enlisted into the service of the United States, the whole team of horses was appraised or valued by the proper officers and then became the property of the United states for temporary Army baggage service was at the sole risk of the United States was always fed, shod and kept at public expense, and the driver responsible to his officers or other enlisted men. Under these circumstances, I appeal to the justice and equity of the Commissioner of Pensions and Secretary of War for an allowance fro these 14 months of Wagon services by my husband, in addition to the sum allowed him as a militia soldier. A few months before my husband's death, he was called on by an old comrade in revolutionary service, viz.: William Cook, to give witness in his behalf, who was asking a pension, and it is in part from my husband's disposition there taken is in behalf of said William Cook, and not yet forwarded to the Pension Officer, that I have learned the details of this service, as before stated, a copy of which I propose to annex to this declaration: desiring and requesting the Commissioners to permit the original disposition of my husband taken as evidence of the service of said Cook to be referred to as evidence of this my own claim, as far as in his judgment and in the judgment of the Secretary of War, it may be proper and right in the adjustment of the claim of a poor widow of a revolutionary soldier, who could have no intent to sway his mind, in giving witness of the service of another soldier. Sworn to and subscribed at the Court house in Morris town, in said County on the day and year first before mentioned. Abigail lee Before me, Silas Cook one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas I David B. Hurd, Clerk of Morris County, hereby certify, that Silas Cook, Esq. before whom the above Declaration of Mrs. Abigail Lee was taken and subscribed on the 24th day of March 1840, is one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said county, duly commissioned and authorized and that the signature of his name thereto, "Silas Cook", is genuine. I also certify, that Silas L Condict Esq. before whom the annexed disposition of Lewis Condict and William Cook was taken and subscribed, is a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, duly authorized and commissioned, and that the signature of his name thereto, "Silas L. Condict" is genuine. Witness my Signature and the seal of my office at Morris town this 30th day of March, Domini 1840: D. B. Hurd, Clerk DECLARATION, IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE BENEFIT OF THE ACT OF CONGRESS PASSED JUNE 7, 1832 State of New Jersey On this day tenth day of April 1833 personally appeared, in open court, before the Judges of the court of Common Pleas now sitting, William Lee a resident of Hanover County of Morris and state of New Jersey, aged Seventy 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 enlisted in the army of the United States in the year , with and served in the regiment of the line, under the following named officers: In the month of August 1777 being then a minor, in his 14th year, he first entered the service of the United States in the Company of Militia in Hanover Morris County, New Jersey, as a substitute for his brother Philip Lee, ? than himself, but then in delicate health. Captain James Keen commanded the company. Daniel Gard was Lieutenant and Sylvaneus Seely commanded their regiment. The company was mustered at Morris town in August and was marched to elizabeth town, where it was quartered for one month, near De Haute point. The enemy then were in possession of Staten Island opposite this point and the duty of the troops stationed their was to guard the shores and landing places against the incursions of the enemy and to protect the inhabitants from being plundered and destroyed by the Tories and Refugees. In this service he was detained with his company one month, was then dismissed or relieved by another company, and went home. In the same season and year, he performed two other monthly tours of Militia service, viz.: in October and in the latter part of November and for part of December under Captain Keen. His company was stationed at the same place, and engaged in the same duty as in his first monthly tour. The two last months he thinks he served also in the place of his elder brother, Philip Lee, who was yet in full health. In the following year (1778) he performed tow tours of Militia services of one month each- the first in June, the latter in September. the first month, hi is not certain who commanded his company, but he thinks it was Captain keen. the september tour was under Captain Bailey and both under Colonel Seely. was stationed at the same place and performed the same duty as in his first service, viz.: guard duty. In the latter part of March in the year 1779, while a part of the U.S. Army was at Morris town, he was enlisted or enrolled by his father in the Continental Service in the wagon department, under John Pomeroy, a Forage Master, for the term of two months and served out the term of his engagement in transporting military stores, provisions, clothing and equipage of the Army, from Morris town to Hackensack and Pompton and sometimes flour and grains from Easton in Pennsylvania. He received his orders from Pomeroy and from Colonel O'Beal of the Army and his place of rendezvous was with the Army at Morris town. - He always reported himself to those officers on returning from a trip, and drew his supplies of forage from the public stores. - Late in August following (1779) he enlisted in the Quarter Master's Department of the Continental Army for a period of eight months under Captain or Major Gamible, and continued in that service till late in April 1780. His service was of the same character as that mentioned in his last engagement under John Pomeroy, viz.: transporting with his team and wagon, military stores, provisions and clothing for the army which was quartered for the winter at Morris town, where General Washington had his head quarters at the widow Ford's hours, and where this Deposent often saw him, in company with Colonel Hamilton, General Grees, Knox and others. - He served out the period of his enlistment and was discharged verbally. In June 1780, an alarm was given, and this deponent was again called out for a month tour of Militia duty under Captain Keen, and was marched to Springfield and Connecticut farms, to which place the enemy had advanced in considerable force, and a large body of Militia was collected to repel them. His company was under immediate command of Colonel Seely, and actively engaged in fighting and skirmishing with the enemy who, after burning the villages and churches, retreated to elizabeth town and between that town and the Point, they made a stand, and a sharp action took place, in which the deponent and his company were actively engaged with various success. Sixteen of the enemy, having by some means become detached from the main body,, in endeavoring to make their way back to the main body were taken prisoner by a small party, of which the deponent was one and were sent to Morris ton under a guard. he served out the month - was discharged, and returned home. He was often called out upon alarms, for a period of 2 weeks, sometimes longer and other times shorter periods, and on these occasions, was not stationed at any particular place, but was following the march of the enemy as occasion required. - He was frequently pressed with his wagon and horses to go upon short expositions to transport forage, provisions and stores for the army, besides his tour of duty before described; these occasional trips with his waggon sometimes occupying two weeks, sometimes three weeks or more, and he verily believed that these occasional trips in all amounted to at least six weeks actual and active service. He has performed, as he conscientiously believes at the least, six months of Militia duty and eleven months and a half of service in the wagon department, attached to the Continental Army of the United States for which services, in claim a pension from the United States. The Clergyman of the Parish to which he belongs, is the Rev. Charles Hoover of the Presbyterian Church in Morris town, who is a young man, not exceeding 30 years of age, and has been settled as the Pastor of that church, not quite two years and can know nothing of his Revolutionary services. He refers to Doctor Lewis Condict and Stephen Vail Esq. one of the Judges of this County for his character as a man of truth, both of whom have known him many years. He does not know a single living witness of his services- his neighbours, who were his comrades, having all died, or moved into the new western states and his officers being also dead. He believes that the late Major Gamble, who died some one or two years since in Washington City was the same officer spoken of in this Declaration. 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. Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. Wm Lee We Lewis Condict and Stephen Vail Esq. residing in the township and county of Morris hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with William lee who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be Seventy years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. Lewis Condict, Stephen Vail Isaac Quimby And the said court do hereby declare their opinion, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. Isaac Quimby I hereby certify to the Secretary of War and Commission of Pensions, that for many years I have been the family physician of William Lee, the foregoing Declarant, and am personally well acquainted with him. That he is esteemed to be a man of truth and integrity; and I feel the fullest confidence in the truth of his narrative, as a Revolutionary Soldier. Lewis Condict late a Representative from New Jersey I David Day Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of William Lee for a pension. In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this tenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three. David Day |
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