Revolutionary War Pension
John Wooster

Donated by Joanne Murray


Revolutionary War
Declaration for Pension
John Wooster
Series: M805, Roll: 889, File #W26091

Wooster, John and Olive
Service: Massachusetts



New York
John Wooster of Hadley in the state of New York who was a private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Patterson of the Massachusetts Line for the term of one year.
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 10 of December 1818.
Certificate of pension issued the 18 of Jan 18[??] and sent to the Hon. J. W. Taylor, House of Representatives.
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1819 [$] 70.73
Semi-anl. All'ce ending 4 March 1820 [$] 48
[Total] $118.73
{Revolutionary Claim, Act 18th March, 1818}

New York Albany
Olive Wooster, widow of John Wooster, decd. Who died 21 July 1822 of Hamilton in the state of New York. Who was a private in the company commanded by Captain ~ of the Regt. Commanded by Col. Patterson in the Mass line for 2 years.
Inscribed on the Roll of Albany at the rate of 80 Dollars 00 cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1836.
Certificate of pension issued the 25th day of October 1851 and sent to R. W. Young.
Arrears to the 4th of - present
{Revolutionary claim Act July 7, 1838}
Recorded by [Signed] S. R. Weighsman, Clerk
Book D, Vol. 1, Page 539

Know all men by these presents that I, Olive Groff, child of Olive Wooster, deceased, widow of John Wooster, who was a private in the war of the revolution, do hereby constitute and appoint Robert W. Young, Washington City, D. C., my true and lawful attorney for me, and in my name to prosecute my claim to any increase and arrears of pension that may be found due on account of the service of said John Wooster as aforesaid; and I hereby authorize my said attorney to examine all papers and documents [?] my claim on file in the departments at Washington or elsewhere, and file any additional evidence or arguments he may think proper, to ensure the recovery of the same.
        Witness my hand and seal this 6th day of October A.D. 1851. Olive Groff X her mark
Signed and sealed in the presence of
[Signature of witness] John P. Groff
[Signature of witness] Albert Groff

State of New York
County of Hamilton
On this 7th day of October A.D. 1851 before me the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in and for said county, personally appeared Olive Groff and acknowledged the foregoing power of attorney to be her act and deed. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and year last above mentioned.
[Signed] L. Anibale, Justice of the Peace

I, John C. Holmes, clerk of the county court in the county of Hamilton and state of New York do hereby certify that Leonard Anibale before whom the foregoing papers were executed, was at the date of the same a Justice of the Peace in and for said county duly authorized by law to administer oaths; and his name thereto subscribed is his genuine signature.
        In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed my official seal this 8th day of October A.D. 1851
[Signed] John C. Holmes, Clerk

State of New York
County of Saratoga
        On this 10th day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen before me John Prior one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county personally appears John Wooster, aged sixty six years, resident of Hadley in said county, who being by me first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress entitled An Act to Provide for Certain Persons Engaged in the Land and Naval Service of the United States in the Revolutionary War; that the said John Wooster enlisted in a regiment commanded by Colonel Patterson in the company commanded by Captain Ebenezer Sullivan in the Massachusetts line in the latter part of the year 1775 or in the beginning of the year 1776 at Cambridge near Boston. Shortly after his enlistment the said regiment marched for the city of New York and [?] there three or four weeks and then marched for Albany by then a short time and marched again for Lake Champlain; then the said regiment embarked on board of boats and went down said lake to Montreall [sic] arrived at that place some time in may 1776; during this time he continued with the said regiment. Shortly after that time he went with a party of men under the command of Major [Shertram ?] to a place called the Cedar and was then taken prisoner by the Canada Militia and Indians and was kept by them near there one year and made his escape by [deserting ?]. And that he is in reduced circumstances and is in need of the assistance of his country for his support and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said service.
John Wooster X his mark
Subscribed sworn to and declared before me in the day and year aforesaid.
[Signed] John Prior ....

State of New York
County of Saratoga
On this 22nd day of August 1820 personally appeared in open court ... John Wooster, aged sixty seven years, resident in the said county in the state aforesaid, who being first being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare that he served in the Revolutionary was as follows: For the term of three years in the company commanded by Captain Allen in its Regiment commanded by Colonel J. Alden; was transferred into the company commanded by Captain Cobern in the same regiment in the line of the state of Massachusetts.
        That his original declaration was made on or about the tenth day of December 1818 and that his pension certificate is numbered 16359 and is dated the 18th day of January 1820.
And I solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818;... [Signed] John Wooster
Sworn to and declared on this 22nd day of August 1820 before me in open court. [Signed] Thomas Palmer, Clerk...

I hereby certify [?] it may concern that John Wooster and Olive Philpot of the town of Berwick were married by the Rev. Matthew [M?rian] of said town February 14, 1782
Recorded
[Signed] Nahum Marshall, Town Clerk
A true extract as of the records of Berwick; Book 2nd, Page 530
Attest Joseph [Pr?ne] Town Clerk
Berwick July 10, 1837 ...

State of Maine
County of York
[Testimony that the above named person is a clerk of the town of Berwick, York Co., Maine]

State of New York
County of Montgomery
On this twenty first day of August in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty seven, before me, Samuel A. Gilbert Esquire, one of the Judges of the court of common pleas in and for said county, personally appeared Olive Wooster, a resident of the town of Hope in the said county of Montgomery and state of New York, aged eighty five 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 passed July 18, 1836. That she is the widow of John Wooster who was a private in the army of the revolution; That of his services in the war of the revolution previous to February 1782 she has no distinct recollections except that he was in the service about four years; That he was in the Battle of Bunker Hill and that he was at the taking of Burgoyne which facts she learned from her said husband the said John Wooster; That soon after her marriage to him in February 1782 her husband, the said John Wooster, enlisted in the service of his country in the army of the revolution and served under Captain Ebenezer Sullivan according to the best of her recollection about eighteen months; That she does not recollect the names of any other officers under which he served nor the precise times of his enlistment and discharge.
        She further declares that she was married to the said John Wooster on the fourteenth day of February 1782, that her said husband, the said John Wooster, was called John Wooster Jun. As the name of his father who was then living was John Wooster, and who soon after deceased - That her husband, the aforesaid John Wooster, died on the twentieth day of July eighteen hundred and twenty two and that her said husband the said John Wooster was at the time he died a pensioner of the United States, and as she supposes under the law of 18 March 1818, and that she has remained a widower ever since the decease of her said husband the said John Wooster, as will more fully appear by the testimony hereto annexed. Further saith not.
Olive Wooster X her mark

State of New York
County of Hamilton
        On this 15th day of January 1839 personally appears before Jacob Van Arnam, one of the Judges of said Hamilton County courts, Olive Wooster, a resident of the town of Hope, state and county aforesaid, aged 87 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 passed July 7th 1838 entitled "an act granting half pay on pensions to certain widows." That she is the widow of John Wooster or John Wooster Junior (as he was called at the time of their marriage) who was a pensioner of the United States under the Act of Congress of March 18th 1818. She further declares that she was married to the said John Wooster or John Wooster Junior at Berwick, Maine on the 14th day of February in the year seventeen hundred and eighty two by the Reverend Mathew Merian, pastor of the Presbyterian Church; and that her name before marriage to the said John Wooster was Olive Philpot, daughter of Hatable Roberts and widow of Benjamin Philpot; and that their place of residence prior to the date of the said marriage was in the said town of Berwick, Maine. That her husband the aforesaid John Wooster died on the 20th day of July in the year eighteen hundred and twenty two in the town of Hadley in the county of Saratoga and state of New York. That she 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 that she has remained a widow ever since the death of her said husband the above named John Wooster or John Wooster Junior as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed. And that the pay certificate of her said husband, the above named John Wooster or John Wooster Junior was surrendered up at the time when she drew the arrearages of her said husband's pension. And that the said John Wooster her said husband was at the time of their marriage as above stated called John Wooster Junior, and that the said John Wooster or John Wooster Junior as above stated to have been pensioned was the same identical person to whom she, the said Olive, was married as above stated. She further declares that she applied for a pension under the act of Congress of July 4th 1836 in good faith supposing and believing that she was entitled to a pension under its provisions, and as that time proved their marriage by certificate from the town of Berwick, Maine, and to which certificate she would now most respectfully refer the commissioner of pensions for proof of marriage (it being on file in the pension office) and now most sincerely hopes and trusts that anything contained in this declaration inconsistent with the other shall not be construed to extend to corrupt or willful perjury; each declaration being made in good faith according to the best of her knowledge belief and understanding.
Olive Wooster X her mark
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written before me. [Signed] Jacob Vanarnam - - one of the judges of the said Hamilton County Courts...

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
O.W. & N. Div. Revolutionary
April 21, 1897

Madam: -
        Replying to your request for information concerning John Wooster, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, you are advised that one John Wooster, which is believed to be the soldier referred to, made an application for pension on December 10, 1818 at which time he was 66 years of age and residing in Saratoga County, N.Y., and his pension was allowed of one year's actual service as a private in the Mass. Troops, Revolutionary War; a part of the time he served under Capt. Sullivan and Col. Patterson. He enlisted at Cambridge, Mass.
His Widow, Olive, made application and received a pension for the service of her husband as above set forth.

Very Respectfully,
Commissioner
[To] Miss Frances L. Faxon
Oak Park, Ills.

Additional Information

New York Pensioners 1835
John Wooster, Pvt., Saratoga Co., Annl. All. $96; Sums Rcvd. $346.83; Mass Line.
Placed on Roll 18 Jan 1820
Commencement of pension: 10 Dec 1818
Remarks: Died 20 July 1822


 

Last Updated: Wednesday, 14-May-2008 13:35:54 PDT

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