BILLINGS STARKWEATHER REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION APPLICATION, HUME, ALLEGANY COUNTY, NEW YORK Contributed by: Jill Nick (jjsnick@ncweb.com) ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** Pension Application File S23434 - National Archives State of New York Allegany County [85 or ss]. On this 29th day of October 1835 personally appeared before the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the said county of Allegany Billings Starkweather a resident of the town of Hume in the said County of Allegany 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 7, 1832 viz: I was born in 1761 [unreadable, may be 1764} in Preston state of Connecticut. There was a record of my age in the family Bible which was burned in John Starkweather's house and I do not know of any record now to be found of my age - during the War of the Revolution I lived at Shaftsbury in the county of Bennington state of Vermont. In the year 1777 I think it was I enlisted under Captain Hutchins who commanded a Militia Company. I enlisted as a Captains Waiter. Black was lieutenant of the company. Colonel Brouson [unsure of spelling] commanded the Regiment - We went from Shaftsbury to Rutland and reconnoitered on the frontier. We had several skirmishes with the Indians - I enlisted for three months and served my time out and was regularly dismissed and had a written discharge from said Captain Hutchins which was also burnt in the house of said John Starkweather when his house was burnt in Saratoga County about 37 years ago - In the last year of the war I enlisted under Captain Starks for one year as a private soldier. Captain Starks was captain of a Militia Company and Prentice was Lieutenant. We went to Castleton where the berruant troops were stationed. Colonel Fletcher commanded our Regiment. Enochs was General, Hetts was Regiment Major - We built a breastwork and kept out scouts and patrols. I served at this time eleven months and nine days to the best of my recollection. It was a few days over Eleven months to my certain knowledge when peace was proclaimed and the troops were discharged. I received no written discharge at this time - After the war of the Revolution I continued to reside at Shaftsbury about twenty eight years. From there I moved to Northfield State of New York where I resided three years from there to Gallaway where I resided about three years from there to Plainfield where I resided two years from there to Brookfield where I resided about one year from there to Hamilton where I resided four years, from there to Onondaga where I resided about four years, from there to Bethany where I lived one year from there to Belfast where I lived about ten years from there to Hume where I now reside. I have resided about three years. There is no documentary evidence of my service that I know of. John Starkweather of Bethany in Genesee County New York is a living witness who is knowing to my services. I hereby relinquish all claims to any other pension than the one under the act of June 7, 1832 There is Judah Babcock a clergyman and Elijah Scott another respectable citizen of my neighborhhod who will testify as to their belief respecting my age and the general belief in my neighborhood relative to my revolutionary services. My name is not on the Pension list rolls of any agency in the United States. His Billings X Starkweather Mark Sworn to subscribed The day & year aforesaid J.W. Thenman Clk We Judah Babcock a clergyman residing in the town of Hume in the county of Allegany and Elijah Scott residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Billings Starkweather who has subscribed to whom to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy four years of age, that he is reputed He lives in the neighborhood where he resides to have been in a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion. Judah Babcock Elijah Scott Sworn to subscribed the day & year aforesaid J.W. Thenman, Clk And to said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War department that the above named applicant was a soldier of the revolution and served As he states and the court further certifies that it appears to them that Judah Babcock who has signed the preceeding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the town of Hume and that Elijah Scott who has also signed the [unreadable]is a resident In the town of Hume aforesaid & is a credible person And that their statement is entitled to credit. John Collins Daniel S. Gilman - Judges William Willett Larrabee I, Judson W. Thenman clerk of the clerk of the court of Common Pleas of the county of Allegany do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceeding of the Said Court in the matter of the application of Billings Starkweather for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereby set my hand and seal of Office on this [unreadable]day of October 1835. J. W. Thenman, Clk