Todd Braisted gave me David Provost's pension records to post.
It appears David Provost was about 75 at at the time the letter was written.
Bergen Common pleas
State of New Jersey }
Bergen County } ss
On the 31st day of October 1832 personally appeared before the Judges in open Court now sitting being a Court of record so constituted by te laws of the State of New Jersey, David Provost a resident of Pequanonk in the County of Morris & state of N. Jersey afored. aged about Eighty two 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 act of Congress passed the 7th June 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein Stated. That he served one month as a Volunteer under Capt. Gabriel Ogden 10 Jany. 1776 to guard the pass at Pompton furnace to prevent the tories going to New York. In the Month of March 10th 1776 he served one month under Major Doughty and Capt. Layton, a Volunteer guarding near the City of New York and at New York. One Month under Capt. Henry Mandavill, Colo. Ford of Morristown Comdg. Novr. 1776 at the time that General Washington was retreating through New Jersey. One month under Colo. Ford to guard Elizabeth Town in the year 1777 – Capt. Debow comdg. the company. 14th July 1777 served one month under Capt. Mandavill Colo. Seely comg. at Elizabeth Town New Jersey. 1778 I served one month under Capt. Jno. Debow Genl. Winds Comdg. at Hackensack heights, where we had an engagement with the British. I served one month under Capt. Jno. Debow against the Hessians under Kniphauson – had an Engagement with the Hessians 1780. In 1780 Decr. 20th I served one month under Genl. Alexander, or Lord Sterling and made the tour to Staten Island, against the British. April 12th 1781 served one month under Capt. Jno. Debow to guard Newark (New Jersey) against the refugees who had a few days before, burnt the accadamy to the ground. In June 1778 while my Company & regt. lay at Elizabeth town in N Jersey, an Election was held to choose an Ensign, I was duly Elected Ensign of the Company, after which and during the war while in service I served as such. Colo. Seely commanded the regt.. The Company Officers then stood Henry Mandavill Capt, Peter N. Kingsland Lieut. and David Provost Ensign.
I was directed to go to Morris Town to Judge Condit, where I should receive my Commission from Governor Livingston. I did go with my certificate – the Judge was not at home and I did not go again but served as Ensign ever after under my certificate.
I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state at this time.
David Provost
Sworn to & Subscribed the
day & year afsd.
Abr: Westervelt Clerk
Interrogatories by the Court
1st Where and in what year was you born?
answer In New York in the month of Augt. the 21st AD 1750.
2nd Have you any record of your age, and if so where is it?
answer Yes – In the books of the reformed Dutch Church of the City of New York.
3rd Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the revolution, and where do you now live?
answer Pompton Plains Morris County – at the same place except two years at Bloomingdale about three miles from his present residence.
4th How were you called into service were you drafted, or id you Volunteer your service, or serve as a substitute.
answer Volunteered my whole service.
5th State the names of the regular officers, who were with the troops where you served, such Continental and Militia you can recollect and any general circumstances of your service.
answer Don’t remember the regular officers he served with Militia Officers – Colo. Drake, Colo. Seely, and Major Doughty.
6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of [it]?
answer Never recd. a discharge from the army.
7th State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighbourhood, and who can testify to your character for veracity, and good behaviour, your services as a soldier of the revolution.
answer Major Van Gelder, John Mead, Philip Schuyler and Samuel Roomer.
Bergen Common pleas
On the 24th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Judges now sitting, John D Pyatt and William Colfax who being duly sworn according to law doth on their oath declare that they have been intimately acquainted with David Provost who is now applying for a pension since the revolutionary War, that he has always been reputed to be a man of strict veracity and truth and faithfull as a soldier of the revolution.
John D. Piatt
Wm. Colfax
Sworn to & Subscribed the
day & year aforesaid
Abr: Westervelt Clerk
And the said David Provost under oath further states that he is poor, and unable to hire a conveyance to take his witnesses to the Court at Hackensack rising twenty miles – and that the witnesses are all very aged decline the expence of taking their own, or hiring carriges, subjecting themselves also to expence of attending Court. The names of the witnesses are Major Van Gelder, Samuel Roome, Philip Schuyler, John Mead.
David Provost
Sworn to, & subscribed the day
and year aforesaid.
Abr: Westervelt, Clerk
National Archives and Records Administration, Collection M-804, Pension and Bounty Land Application Files, No. W1479, David Provost, New Jersey.
