New York State

Albany County

 

        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 United States, under the following named officers and served as herein Stated.

        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 New York and was there not long before New York was taken by the British in the fall of 1776.  He entered the service as a substitute for on Jacob Pier who was drafted at Rhinebeck for 3 months, and served the time out - as he thinks and believes that he went down to guard the lines, but does not recollect the officers name he served under but thinks the Colonel name was Ten Brook, that he quarter in the house of one Delancy - in a place called Monipura as he thinks – In the spring or some part of the season of 1777 he again entered the said service and joined Capt. Craig’s Company at Rhinebeck aforesaid and immediately marched down to Fort Montgomery and joined Col. Humphrey’s regiment and continued at this place doing garrison duty until a short time before that Fort was taken – He was then dismissed and returned home – and immediately after he returned home, he again entered the said service – joined Col. Henry B. Livingston’s Regiment near Albany and marched to Saratoga and assisted in the taking of General Burgoyne then came down with the Army to Albany where he was dismissed in the winter and returned home.  In the month of March 1778 he again entered the said service and joined Capt. Wm James Company in Schenectady and went from there to Albany and was put on board of Battues to carry provisions to Half Moon point that went down to Fishkill in said Company doing duty as a private.  He remained in this company more then eight month and was dismissed – In the Spring of 1779 he was again called into the service and went to Schoharie, he thinks he belonged to Capt. Grote’s Company where he stayed more than three months – that he cannot recollect the other officers names – That he think he was out in the service at other times after this and thinks he went on a an alarm to the North, but cannot particularly recollect  - He is very sure that he was called out and did duty one month at Schenectady in the year 1780.  He thinks he was under Captains Grote – Before the surrender of Burgoyne he remembers that he was out in the service under Lieut. Luke and went to Fort Miller in the State of New York – That he was in the service at this time at least one month – That he never received a written discharge nor has he any documentary evidence to prove his service, nor does he know of any witness he can procure to testify to his service except Paul Nochstraper and Jacob Pier who have made affidavits hereto annexed.  And he further states that he resides 19 miles from the City of Albany where the Courts of Records for the County of Albany are held – That he is very lame and in some anguish wholly unable to travel that distance to attend the Court.

        He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State, That he is now unable to write his name by reason of old age and disease.   

Sworn and Subscribed the day

And year aforesaid                                                                     Francis Shafer (his mark)

Before me J. B. Moore – Judge

Of the Albany County Courts

 

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 New York

Albany County

        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 Albany Courts

 

 

 

 

State of New York

Albany County

        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 Albany County Courts

 

 

New York

Albany County

        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 Albany County Courts

 

 

New York

Albany County

        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.

        He entered the said service at the Town of Rhinebeck in Duchess County in the State of New York a volunteer and joined Capt. John Dewitt’s Company in Col. Humphrey’s Regiment in the month of June 1775 for the term of Five months as a private soldier and served out the said term at New York as he has stated in his said declaration and was dismissed at Rhinebeck in the month of November 1775.

        He again entered the said service at Rhinebeck a volunteer and joined Capt Kips Company in the Spring of the year 1776 and served one month as a private soldier down at or towards New York – he the fall of this year 1776 – He again entered the said service as a substitute for one Jacob Pier who had been drafted and served three months as a private stated in his said declaration at this time.

        He again entered the said service at Rhinebeck aforesaid and joined Capt. Craig’s Company in Col. Humphrey’s regiment a volunteer in the Spring of the year 1777 about the last of April or first of May for the term of Five months and served as he has stated in his said declaration until about the first of October 1777 a private soldier.

        He again entered the said service at Rhinebeck a volunteer and joined Col. Henry B. Livingston’s regiment about the first of October 1777 for the term of three months as a private soldier and was at the taking of Burgoyne and was dismissed at Albany as he has stated in said declaration, in the month of January 1778 – He does not recollect the Captains name her served under at this time.

        He again entered the said service a volunteer and joined Capt. James Company at Schenectady for the term of eight months as a private soldier and served out that time as he has stated in his said declaration and was dismissed near Esopus in the month of October 1778 – Rejoined the said company in the month of March 1778.

        In the Spring of the year 1779 – He again entered the said service at Bethlehem in the County of Albany a volunteer and joined Capt. Grote’s Company for the term of three month as a private soldier and served as he has stated in his said declaration and was dismissed at Schoharie in the month of July 1779 as near as he can recollect.

        He also served one month at Schenectady a private soldier in the year 1780 but he cannot possibly recollect his officer’s name.

        He also well knows that he served one month as a private soldier at Fort Miller under Lt. Luke sometime before the surrender of Burgoyne, thinks it must be in the year 1776, but his recollection is so very poor that he cannot possibly remember each term of his service so as to specify with absolute certainty each and every he served and the officers names he served under.  He well knows that he was in the actual service of the United States in Army Corps, and served as a private soldier Two Years and Six months and for such service he claims a pension.

        He was born at the Town of Rhinebeck in the County of Duchess in the State of New York in the month of July A.D. 1760.  He has no record of his age now in his possession, but there is one at the Church Record in Rhinebeck as he understands and believes.

        He lived at Rhinebeck most of the time when he entered the said service and at Bethlehem aforesaid the other periods of his service and continues to reside at Bethlehem until he removed to his present place of residence in Bern aforesaid, where he has lived for the last 47 years.

        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 – He does not particularly recollect what continental or militia regiment he served with.

        He never received a written discharge nor was he in any particular battle, but at the taking of Burgoyne, the companies and regiment he served in more militia or State troops

        He is known to Isaac Devoe, Col. Jupe Wood, Jacob Allan, Nathaniel Gallup, Albert Gallup sheriff of the Count and others who can testify to his character for veracity and their and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution.

        He has no documentary evidence nor does he know of any person he can procure to testify other than those who have made affidavits hereto annexed,

        He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to any other pension other than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832.

        He is now confined to his house and has severely the use of his legs and is entirely unable to leave his house and is wholly unable to go to court to swear to his declaration.

        He is now unable to write his name in consequence of disease.

Sworn and Subscribed

The day and year aforesaid                                                    Francis Shafer (his mark)

Before me J. B. Moore – Judge of

Albany County Courts

 

 

 

 

 

Transcribed by Charles F. Luke

                               

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