On this 18th
day of July 1832 personally appeared before me Joseph B. Moore a Judge of the
County Court of the County of Albany and State aforesaid Francis Shafer a
resident of the Town of Bern in the county of Albany and State of New York aged
72 years and upward, who being duly sworn according to law doth on this oath
make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of
Congress named June 7, 1832. That he
entered the service of the
That he entered the
said service under Captain John Dewitt for five months time in the year 1775 –
he thinks in the spring on that year, at Rhinebeck in the County of Duchess
where he then resided, that he was marched down to New York and was engaged in
building a Fort and then back to Rhinebeck and did the duties of a private in
the said company during the said time of five months and was then
discharged. In the same year or some
part of the next year he again went into the service and joined Captain Kipis
Company and served one month and was then discharged, during this time he was
again ordered to
Sworn and Subscribed the day
And year aforesaid
Francis Shafer (his mark)
Before me J. B. Moore – Judge
Of the
And I the said Judge do hereby declare my opinions, after the
investigations of the matter, and after putting the inventories prescribed by
the war Department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier
and served as he states, and I do further certify that I am acquainted with
Nicholas A. Van Schaick who has made an affidavit hereto annexed and that he is
a credible person and that his statement is entitled to full credit and belief
– And I further certify that the said applicant
is entirely unable to attend the court by reason of bodily deformity
J.B.
Moore – Judge
State of
Paul Nochstraper
residing in the town of Bern in the County of Albany and State of New York aged
71 years and upwards being duly sworn deposes and says that he well knows Francis
Shafer the soldier who has subscribed and sworn to the declaration hereto
annexed, that he knew him well in the Revolutionary War, and this deponent
further says that the said Francis Shafer did serve as a soldier in the said
war – That he frequently saw the said Shafer while in the said service, That he
was with the said Shafer at the surrender of Burgoyne and well knows that the
said Shafer belonged in the Army at that time, That he well knows that the said
Shafer did serve as a soldier at other times and in other places as mentioned
in said declaration – That he this deponent saw him in the service at Schoharie
and at Schenectady and understood at the time and believes that he was at Fort Montgomery and the other
places mentioned by him in his said declaration – That it was well understood
at the same time that the said Francis Shafer was a good soldier and that he
served as a soldier most of the time from the commencement until the close of
the Revolutionary War and was very much devoted to the interest of his country
– That the said Francis Shafer is a man of strict integrity and veracity and
that he this deponent verily believes that the fact and circumstances stated in
the said declaration by the said Francis Shafer to be substantially true.
Sworn and Subscribed this
18th day of July 1832
Paul Nochstraper
Before me
J.B. Moore – Judge
Of
State of
Jacob Pier residing in
the town of Knox in the county of Albany and State aforesaid aged 80 years
being dully sworn deposes and says, that he well knows Francis Shafer the
solider who has subscribed and sworn to the declaration hereto annexed, and
that he knew him in the Revolutionary War, And this deponent further says that
he is the same person mentioned in the said declaration by the said Shafer who
employed him to serve as a substitute – That he this deponent was drafted to go
into the service for three months at the town of Rhinebeck in the county of Duchess
in the fall of 1776, and that he was excused from going into the said by
procuring a substitute that he this deponent did procure the said Francis
Shafer as a substitute and that he the said Shafer did perform the said service
of three months as he has stated in his said declaration – That he is not particularly
acquainted with the other services alleged to have been performed by the said
Francis Shafer in his declaration, but that he this deponent knows that the
said Shafer as a man of integrity and veracity and verily believes the fact and
circumstances stated in the said Shafer’s declaration to be substantially true.
Sworn and Subscribed this
18th day of July 1832
Jacob
Pier
Before me – J.B. Moore – Judge
Of
Nicholas A. Van
Schaick residing in the town of Bethlehem in the County of Albany and State of
New York aged 71 years and upwards, being duly sworn deposes and says that he
well knows Francis Shafer the soldier in the declaration mentioned hereto
annexed and has been acquainted with him 42 years, and this deponent further
says ever since his acquaintance with the said Francis Shafer he has understood
that he was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, that he has frequently heard
the said Shafer tell of being in the service in the said War a great many years
ago and verily believe that he did serve in the Revolutionary War as a soldier
and this deponent further says that the said Francis Shafer is a man of
integrity and veracity and that his statement is entitled to full credit belief
– and this deponent further says that he well knows Paul I. Nochstraper and
Jacob Pier who have made affidavits hereto annexed that they are reputable men
and are entitled to full credit
Sworn and Subscribe this
18th day of July 1832
Nicholas A. Van Schaick
Before me J.B. Moore – Judge
Of
On this 20th
day of November 1832 personally appearing before me Joseph B. Moore a Judge of
the County Court of the County of Albany Francis Shafer a resident of the town
of Bern in the said count aged 72 years and upwards who being duly sworn
according to law doth on his oath make this further and additional 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 and served as herein stated and as he has stated in his declaration
hereto annexed made on the 18th day of July 1832.
In the Spring of the
year 1779 –
General Clinton,
General Washington, General Gates, General Arnold, General Sullivan, General
Ten Broeck and other whose names he does now recollect (missing line) more with
the troops where he served –
Sworn and Subscribed
The day and year aforesaid
Francis Shafer (his mark)
Before me J. B. Moore – Judge of
Transcribed by Charles F. Luke