James Agin's Revolutionary War Pension Claim, Hunterdon Co, 1832
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Revolutionary War Pension Claim S2029
James Agin
State of New Jersey
Hunterdon County: On this Eighteenth day of August in the year of our Lord
Eighteen hundred and thirty two before the Judges of the inferior court of
common pleas of the county of Hunterdon sitting James Agin a resident of the
Township of Amwell in said county aged seventy three years appeared personally
who having been duly sworn according to law doth upon his oath make the
following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of congress
passed June 7th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the following officers
and served as herein stated viz that in September 1776 he volunteered as a
militia man under Captain David Johns of Amwell and went to --- --- near
Woodbridge in N. Jersey and staid there one month - That in December of the same
year he again volunteered under Captain Joshua Kershow Lieutenatn John Laquear
and Ensign Abraham Williamson was marched to Trenton N.J. remained there a few
days untill the British troops came to Trenton then crossed the Delaware into
Pennsylvania and continued with the company as a scouting party crossing and
recrossing the Delaware river until the battle of Princeton after that he lay
with the company two weeks at Princeton then was discharged and went home - a
few days after the Deponent went out again under Captain Nathan Stout went to
the Raritan quartered one John Perrine's he remained there untill the first of
March making three months in all from the time he first was marched to Trenton -
he then during the same month of March went out again under Captain John Schenck
of Amwell
John Prall Lieutenant to Van nests Mills on the Millstone river in Somerset
county and was there one month during that month's tour the Americans there had
a skirmish with the British and took from them some laded waggons - The American
troops were commanded by Col. David Chambers Lieut. Col. William Chamberlain -
Deponent went out again in the succeeding month of April under Captain John
Phillips to Bound Brook N.J. was there a few days and then was --- to Pompton.
Thence to Paramus remained out one month and was discharged In September 1777
Deponent went out again under Captain David Johns Lieut. George Holcomb was
marched to Paramus and --- one month - In October of the same year he went out
under Capt. John Schenck was marched to Pennsylvania and was at the battle of
Germantown remained out 15 days
In March 1778 he went out again under Lieutenant George Holcomb to Elizabethtown
and remained there one whole month Afterward he went out again upon an al-
under Captain John Schenck to Springfield and remained there twenty days -
toward the last of May 1778 he went under Capt. Schenck to Trenton and laid
there until the British crossed the Delaware at Coopers Ferry - Then went to
Bordentown and continued out untill the day of the Monmouth Battle when his
month expired - Deponent thinks he was out nearly or quite a year altogether -
but his tours of regular service and upon General claims were so frequent and
for so short --- that he cannot now distinctly remember all of them - Those
that are specified above he recollects well and the length of time of most of
them - He recollects the following facts in relation to the battle of Germantown
- That General David Forman commanded a part of the militia there - That part of
the army in which Deponent was stationed was ordered to retreat - where Col.
William Maxwell came to their aid and lost his artillery - a son of Col
Chamberlain was killed there by a cannon ball - Deponent thinks he was a private
soldier at the time - after that battle Deponent was marched to a place called
the --- in Pennsylvania & after remaining there a few days was discharged -
Deponent recollects very well Capt. --- Maxwell the brother of General Wm
Maxwell who it was said at the time belonged to the flying camp - he has
forgotten the names of any officers of the regular army that he knew at the time
Deponent says further that he has documentary evidence of his
revolutionary services - That the following persons have some knowledge of his
engagements in that service viz John Abbott Joseph Boss & Samuel Corwine who
affidavits are hereunto annexed He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension
or annuity expect the present and is not on the pensions roll of the agency of
any State or territory
James Agin
Sworn & subscribed the day and year aforesaid
in open court
Robert K. Reading
one of the Judges of said court
State of New Jersey
Hunterdon County on this twenty ninth day of October in the year of our
Lord one thousand Eight hundred and thirty three before the Judges of the
Inferior Court of Common Pleas of the county of Hunterdon now sitting James
Agin the individual who made the foregoing declaration & having been first duly
sworn according to Law upon his oath doth made the following additional
declaration - That he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer in
the Mililtia --- were performed in that character - That he was called out by
Colonel Chambers in 1776 & served under the captains mentioned in the foregoing
declaration That William Chamberlain was Lieutenant Colonel That he was out half
month which is not set forth in the foregoing Declaration which he now
recollects - keeping guard at Woodbridge over some Stores that were there under
Captain James Stout to whom he was attached took about three hundred weight of
butter from a party that was carrying it to the British - That besides he the
services mentioned in the foregoing declaration he was engaged in the years 1778
& 1779 in carting for the American Army. That the name of the first waggon
master under whom he served was John Oliphant, that he thinks he served under
him at least ten months perhaps more - That then he served under Joseph
Broadhurst as waggon Master for at least four months - Then he served under
Jonathan Higgins as master for about three months - And lastly under Alexander
Thomson as waggon Master for at least eight months or more - That he is
confident that he carted for the army above two years - That he carted
principally from Trenton to Morristown --- Jersey & to Kings Ferry in New ---
also to Pluckamin in New Jersey That he carted flour biscuit & whiskey & other
provisions that he carted boards from Mount Holly in N Jersey to Middlebrook
where Washingtons army then laid That he was not engaged in any civil pursuit
while said service was performed
Deponent says that the following persons have some knowledge of his
services as a carter for the Army viz John Servis & John Abbott, whose
affidavits are hereunto annexed
James Agin
Sworn & subscribed to the day
and year aforesaid in open Court
Geo Henry
Robert K. Reading
Samuel Hill
State of New Jersey
Hunterdon County
On this fifth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and thirty five personally appeared in open court before the Judges of
the Inferior court of common pleas of said County of Hunterdon now sitting James
Agin a resident of the Township of Amwell in the county aforesaid aged seventy
five years and --- who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath
make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the pension
made by an act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 - That he was born in the
county of Somerset in said state and has always understood and verily believes
on the twenty first day of October 1759. That he has seen the record of his age
but at this time is unable to say where it is and that his age was so recorded
in said records That the record was in --- a family bible which was in the
possession of his mother some years before her death which took place about six
years ago.
That he served in the Militia his first tour as a volunteer for the term of one
month in the month of September in the year 1776. That he served this month
under Captain Joshua Kershow and Philip Schenck First Lieutenant. That he
performed this service at a placed alled Thomson farm between Woodbridge and
Amboy in this State. That at this time he was employed --- --- guarding a ---.
That he never -received any written discharge nor has he any documentary
evidence whereby to support his claim. That John Abbott of the said Township of
Amwell was with him during this term who can testify to the same and has already
received a pension. That about the last of November in the year 1776 he
commenced another tour of volunteer service in the states of Pennsylvania and
New Jersey in the vicinity of Trenton New Jersey and served for the term of one
month --- That as soon as one month expired he volunteered for the next next
until the three months was completed with out returning home. That during this
first month of this tour he served under Capt. Joshua Kershow and first
Lieutenant John Laquear & second lieutenant Abraham Williamson - That the
commencement of this tour was about the time the British began their march from
New Brunswick to Trenton He first went to Trenton but left there the morning of
the day the British arrived under the command of Colonel David Chambers & went
over the Pennsylvania shore - He remained there a few days ant then went up the
River to thomas Philips Mill where he remained quartered with his regiment
untill - December - just before he left Trenton his first and second Lieutenant
Laquear and williams resigned and went over and took protection from the British
That about the same time Captain Kershow was also taken sick and John Schenck
took the command as captain. There were no Lieutenants and there appointed to
the company. He crossed into Pennsylvania this time the battle of trenton he
returned into N Jersey the time the army did on a scouting party about which
time his first month expired. But he still continued ou in service under the
command --- of Captain Schenck whose month had not yet expired - He continued
scouting near the lines of the British untill the battle of Princeotn after
which he quarterted in Princeton, after which he quartered in Princeton for
about two weeks in the college. He then left Princeton and marched to
Flemington in this county of Hunterdon and remained there a short time when
Captain Schenck went home and Nathan Stout took the command as captain He then
marched to Raritan int he county of somerset when the second month of his term
expired. That he still remained out under the command of Captain Stout.
And Moses Stout first Lieutenant for another month during this month which was
in February he lay at Raritan keeping guard over a magazine and keeping up a
picket guard until about the first of March when his third month expired And
Captain John Schenck again came out. He then went home a few days. That he
received no written discharge from his officers it not being customary to give
any in the volunteer monthly service in which all his services in the war were
performed. That John Abbot was out with him during this tour or some part of it
which he can testify to - That again in the same month of March 1777 he
commenced tour of one month under Captain John Schenck and Lieutenant John Prall
quartered at Raritan under General Herd during which time a party of British
came near where they were stationed for plunder. The malitia turned out and
engaged them & had a skirmish which he was in when Lieutenant Prall was wounded
in the leg. There were several killed one of whom had --- to his mess named
John Coleman - That he has no witness living that he knows of by whom he can
prove this tour nor has he any other evidence of it
That he served another tour of one month commencing in May 1777 - under the
command of Captain Philips. He lay then just by bound Brook along Bound Brook
Creek in Somerset County with his company who were the only malitia there at
that time There were regular troops there and a company of the British came up
from New Brunswick and had a skirmish with the Americans and took some American
Prisoners. The American army at this time lay above towards Morristown He with
his company Kept guard during this tour That he knows of no person now living
by whom he can prove this Last tour of service - That when he made his first
applicaiton for a pension under the Law of 1832 he proved it by Joseph Boss
Whose affidavit he is informed remains now on file in the pension office at the
city of Washington with his other papers & who has since deceased
That he served another month with months of June and July 1777 under the command
of Captain David Johnes and Leirtenant George Holcombe when his company was
quartered at Paramus above Morristown Keeping up a picket gurard and scouting
parties. Part of the American Armies were --- this time at Morristown in Morris
County. That during this time he went with a scouting party to Hackinsack Ferry
where they had a skirmish with a company of British called green coats - That he
knows of non one living by whom he can prove this term of service nor has he
any other evidence of it - that he served a month and a half commencing in
September 1777 under Captain John Schenck and Lieutenant William Chamberlain
that the commencement of this service was at Elizabethtown New Jersey under the
command of Captain John Schenck. That they kept guard for some time there after
which they left there and marched through Jersey and Pennsylvania to Germantown
in Pennsylvania to the Perk--- Mountain near a place called The Trap. Part of
General Washingtons army lay there also during this tour The battle of
Germantown was fought - he was near the son of Colonel Chamberlain who was ---
and had his leg carried off by a cannon ball - The division of General Maxwell
was obliged to rtreat and lost their field pieces & the American Army was
obliged to retire - The he thinks he can prove this term of service by John
Abbott he has no other evidence of it.
That he served half a month commencing in June 1777 When the British Army
evacuated Jersey and proceeded to Philadelphia by water - There was a great
alarm in New Jersey at this time on account of the British Army attempting to
cross New Jersey to Philadelphia by land: but which project they abandoned as
great numbers of the malitia arose and showed a disposition to oppose them. That
he first went to Sourland Mountain in the county of Somerset And there met the
troops of General Sullivan - That he was under the command of Captain John
Schenck. That he then marched out to Bound Brook Mountain & there remained for a
few days. And then went on to Woodbridge where he remained a short time and then
came on to New Brunswick where he was dismissed and returned home - that there
is no person now living that he knows by whom he can prove this tour -
That he served another tour of one month commencing in March 1778 under Captain
George Holcom and Lieutenant Jacob Runk when he was with his company were
stationed at Elizabeth Town in New Jersey - That during this time he dept guard
along the shore - The British lay at that time on Staten Island opposite to them
- That he can prove this term of service by Samuel Corwine and that he has no
other evidence of it.
That he served another term of one month commencing in May 1778 under Captain
John Schenck. He does not recall his Lieutenant - under the command of General
Dickinson in the county of Monmouth where he followed the motions of the British
army which had just left Philadelphia keeping a watch on them till the battle of
Monmouth when he was discharged and went home - He thinks he can prove this term
of service by Tunis Case (Captain) and that he has no other proof other the
service - That when he was called into service he resided in the Township of
Amwell aforesaid - and has resided in the same Township ever since and that for
the time during which the said service was performed he was not engaged in any
civil pursuit -
That he never received any written discharge nor did he ever receive any
commission in the service That he is known by the Reverend Jacob Kirkpatrick
and General Nathan Price. Samuel Barber a pensioner Solomon Holcomb and John
Hoppock in his present neighborhood can testify as to he character for veracity
and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution - He hereby
relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present
and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any
state -
James Agin
Jn Thompson
John Barton
Jacob J. Young
Judges