Elijah
Towner
Revolutionary War Pension
Application
Contributed by Jackie Towner
Elijah Towner Rev War S11570
State of New York
County of Greene
On this fourth day of June 1833 personally appeared before
Munson Buel, a judge of the court of common pleas of the county aforesaid,
Elijah Towner, a resident of Windham in the county of Greene and state of New
York, aged seventy-four 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
provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named
officers, and served as herein stated-
That in the month of April 1777 he was drafted at Goshen in the state of
Connecticut and was marched to Danbury in said state and from there to Long
Island Sound where he was discharged, served one week. This was at the time Gov.
Lyon burnt Danbury, was not organized into companies and does not recollect the
names of any of the officers except Capt. Timothy Stanley who this declarent was
under, served as a private soldier and received no discharge.
That in the month of September 1777 he was drafted as a private soldier and put
in to a company of militia and marched from Litchfield in the state of
Connecticut by way of New Milford to Fishkill in the state of New York, that
while there Fort Montgomery was taken, served one and a half month, of the
company officers now well recollects Captain Timothy Stanley and Lieut. Gibbs,
was not as he now recollects attached to any particular Regiment, was dismissed
at Fishkill but did not receive a written discharge.
That in the month of May 1780 he entered the service of the United States at
Goshen, county of Litchfield and state of Connecticut as a private in the
Connecticut line for six or seven months which this declarent cannot now
precisely state, believes it to be Bradleys or Swift's Regiment, that shortly
after he enlisted he was sent to Litchfield where he joined a number of recruits
and was sent from there to Nelson's Point on the North River near the highlands
where he was mustered and after remaining there a short time was sent into New
Jersey and was then placed in Swift's Regiment as he now thinks- that during
that summer he was at Lotoway Falls, Peromns, Harriston, Hackinsack and
other places and late in the fall was returned to West Point and was discharged
in the month of December at the Highlands, which discharge is now lost, was in
Capt. Chapman's company whom he well recollects and also Lieut. Buel, of the
Regimental officers well remembers Col. Swift whom he served under some part of
the time also Major Cleft and Adjutant Wilcox.
He hereby relinquishes every claim 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.
That at the time of entering the service at each of the above mentioned
periods he resided at the town of Goshen county of Litchfield and state of
Connecticut, that he has no documentary evidence and knows of no person who can
testify to his services now living - Interrogations propounded by the judge
together with the answers of the declarent thereto.
1. In what year were you born-
At the town of Goshen aforesaid in the year 1758
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so where is it-
I have in my family bible
3. Where were you living when called into service and where have you lived since
the Revolutionary War and where do you now live-
Lived at Goshen, state of Connecticut have since lived at Lexington Greene
County and now live in Windham Greene County
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted did you volunteer, or were
you a substitute; and if a substitute for whom;
The first and second time I was drafted the third enlisted
5. State the names of some of the regular officers, who were with the
troops, where you served; and Continental and Militia Regiments as you can
recollect, and the general circumstances of your service-
Of the Continental Officers recollects Gen. Layfayette and while in the
Jerseys in 1780 remembers being selected by Gen. Steuben with others and put in
to a Regiment of light infantry
6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it
given and what has become of it-
Never received but one written discharge that was from the Continental service
in 1780, does not recollect by whom it was given, which discharge is now lost.
7. State the names of persons in your neighborhood to whom you are known, and
who can testify as to your character for truth and verosity, and their belief of
your service as a soldier of the Revolution-
Ruben Hosford, Ransom Johnson, Sydney Little and Henry Goslee
He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension or annuity except the
present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the
agency in any state.
(signed) Elijah Towner
Sworn and subscribed
The day and year aforesaid
Before me Munson Buel
Judge aforesaid
State of New York
Greene County
On the fourth day of June 1833 personally came before me Munson Buel one of the
judges of the court of common pleas of said county, Elijah Towner of Windham
county aforesaid, known to me as the person who has subscribed and sworn to the
foregoing declaration who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his
oath make the following addition to his declaration. That on more mature
reflection he believes that when he enlisted in 1780 he enlisted
for Bradley Regiment and was shortly after transferred in to a regiment of light
infantry organized for the campaign but that by reason of old age and consequent
loss of memory he is unable to state precisely the length of time he
served in 1780 but is positive it was either six or seven months and that for
the reasons just stated he cannot positively state the name of the Colonel
commanding the regiment into which he enlisted- But that he served not less than
the period mentioned below
For 7 days as a private in the Danbury expedition
For 1 month and 15 days at and near Fishkill in the year 1777
For six months (thinks seven) in 1780 in the Continental Army and for such
service I claim a pension.
(signed) Elijah Towner
Sworn and subscribed to
Before me this day and
Year aforesaid
Before me Munson Buel
Judge aforesaid
State of New York
Greene County
We Ransom Johnson and Henry Goslee residing in the town of Lexington county
aforesaid, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Elijah Towner, who
has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be
seventy-four 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.
Ransom Johnson
Sworn and subscribed
Henry Goslee
The day and year aforesaid
Before me Munson Buel
Judge of the aforesaid
State of New York
Greene County
Ransom Johnson of the town of Lexington county aforesaid being sworn in
due form of hand, on his oath says that he has been well acquainted with Elijah
Towner for twenty years past and that he has during said time often heard Elijah
Towner above named relate his services during the Revolutionary War and further
that his statements previous to the passage of the act of June 7, 1832
correspond those generally in the above declaration and that the said Elijah
Towner is considered a man of truth and verosity.
Sworn and subscribed the
Ransom Johnson
Day and year aforesaid
Before me Munson Buel
And the said judge doth hereby declare his opinion, after the investigation of
the matter, and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the war
department that the above named was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he
states. And the said judge further certifies, that it appears to him that Ransom
Johnson and Henry Goslee, who have signed the foregoing certificate are
residents of the town of Lexington county aforesaid, are credable persons and
that their statement is entitled to credit. And that Ransom Johnson who has
signed the above deposition is a man of truth and verosity
and further that the said Elijah Towner is unable to attend court by reason of
bodily infirmity.
Munson Buel
Judge aforesaid