Location: Albany, New York

Copied from http://www.revwarpensions.com/simpkinsrobert.pdf on 17 Nov 2023:
Pension Application for Robert Simpkins S.14463 Soldier’s Widow, Prudence Simpkins was pensioned as former widow of George Thomas, New York. W.19035 Robert was a private, Captain Lane, Col. Luddington. State of New York Albany County SS. On this 8th day of August 1832, personally appeared before Joseph B. Moore, a Judge of the County Courts, of the County of Albany and State aforesaid Robert Simpkins a resident of the town of Westerlo in the County of Albany and State of New York aged 83 years and upwards, 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 June 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. He resided at the commencement of the Revolutionary War in the then town of Frederickstown in the County of Dutchess and State of New York and continued to reside there until about six months before the final termination of the war when he removed to New Marlborough which as he believes was in the State of Massachusetts. In the fall of the year 1775 or in the spring of the year 1778 he was called into the said service and belonged to Capt. George Lane’s company and Colonel Luddingston’s regiment of Militia and went on the lines along the Hudson river, but does not know how long he was out at this time before he returned home, during the year 1778. He was frequently called out in the said company and regiment, and went to Sifhkill, Peekskill and other places along the lines and was out on scouts a number of times, but cannot possibly tell the number of times nor all the places he went to, this year, he was so frequently called into the service—in the spring of the year 1777 he was called into the said service, in the said company and regiment to go to Danbury and marched towards that place, and when on his way there, the company was stopped and was told that the British had burn Danbury and had returned to the shipping. He was at one time (and he thinks this same year) drafted for one month at Frederickstown, aforesaid and was put under the command of a Lieut who was a Continental officer, but does not know his name, that he was placed on centinel [sentinel] duty and kept guard during the whole of this month. He was also called out during the next year and in every year until the close of the war, he was often times classed and had to go into the service for his class, and was frequently drafted and held to service to go as a minute man from year to year until the close of the said was—He recollects that he was stationed at Peekskill at the time one Edward Palmermas being a spy at Adler Hill in Westchester county as he believes, at the time Major Andre was hung he was also in the said service but does not distinctly recollect the place, what he was frequently with and saw a number of the Continental officers, and was near the Continental Army at one time at Peekskill, land at other places, he frequently saw Genl. Putman & knew him and once saw Genl Washington, & knew him and one saw Genl Washington. He recollects that one time the British Light Horse came up to a place called Crumpond and burnt a Meeting House near that place, during the last years of the said war he was out night after night watching cowboys and on scouts, and when at home at night was obliged to sleep with his gun at his bedside. He was frequently out after a cowboy by the name of Montross, who was hung shortly after—and at one time raised his gun to shoot him—that he was continually held to service during almost the whole of the Revolutionary War, and was in the said service as a private soldier more or less in every year, in the Highlands, along the lines, near West Point, Stoney Point, and all the principal places along the Hudson’s River. He was at one time sent by his officers to Stoney Point, after a Continental soldier who it was supposed had deserted. – He was out after cowboys at one time under an officer by the name of Major Andrew Hill in the Highlands—He is now very old infirm and diseased, and has lost much of his recollection and cannot possibly enumerate all and every time he was out in the said service and every place he went to a post, he is positive that he was in actual service as a private soldier, more than one year. During the continuance of the said war that living near the lines, he was continually held to service and when he was no out in actual service, he was employed at home watching cowboys & Tories and was continually harassed and in fear of them, until the close of the war. He never received a written discharge nor has he any documentary evidence nor does he know of any person he can procure to testify to his service—That he resides 27 miles from the city of Albany where the courts of record for the County of Albany are held, that he is wholly unable to go that distance from his home to attend the court by reason of bodily infirmity. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. (Signed) Robert Simpkins. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me. J. B. Moore Judge of Albany County Courts. Letter dated November 17, 1939 Reference is made to your letter in which you request the record of Robert Simpkins, a Revolutionary War soldier of New York. You are furnished herein the record of the only Robert Simpkins found in the Revolutionary War records of this office. The record has been found of a George Thomas which will be of interest to you in your research. His record, also, is furnished herein. Robert Simkins S. 14463 The data which follow in regard to Robert Simpkins were obtained from the papers in pension claim, S. 14463, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War. Robert Simpkins was born March 31, 1749, in Phillipstown, Putnam County, New York, The names of his parents are not shown. While residing in Frederickstown, Dutchess County, New York, he enlisted in the fall of 1775 or the spring of 1776 and served at various times until the close of the Revolution, amounting in all to one year, one month, one week, as private under Captains George Lane and Drake, Major Andrew Hill and Colonel Luddingston in the New York troops. During his service he was in the battle of White Plains. About six months before the end of the war he moved to New Marlborough, Massachusetts, where he lived six months, then moved to Oblong, New York, remained there three years, thence to Westerlo, Albany County, New York, and while living there was allowed pension on his application executed August 8, 1832. He died June 12, 1835. In 1835, while residing in Westerlo, New York, Robert Simpkins stated that he had lost his wife. He referred also, to children but did not state the name of his wife or of his children. George Thomas. W.19035 You are furnished herein the record of George Thomas as found in the claims for pension under File W.19035, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War. The date and place of birth of George Thomas and names of his parents were not given. George Thomas enlisted in the fall of 1778 or 1779 in Dutchess County, New York, served as private in Captain Johnson’s company, Colonel Lewis Duboy’s New York Regiment, and was discharged at West Point after having served three years for which he enlisted. The soldier was allowed pension on his application executed May 4, 1818, at which time he was a resident of Westerlo, Albany County, New York. In 1820, George Thomas was still living in Westerlo, New York. He died August 27, 1822, in Ballston, Saratoga County, New York. George Thomas married in the fall of 1776, near Cold Spring in Dutchess County, New York, Prudence Wood, a resident of Nine Partners same county and where she remained during her husband’s service in the Revolution. Prudence Thomas, widow of George, married October 10, 1833 in Westerlo, Albany County, New York, Robert Simpkins also a soldier and pensioner of the Revolutionary War, who died June 12, 1835. Prudence Simpkins, widow of Robert Simpkins was allowed pension on account of the Revolutionary War service of her former husband, George Thomas, on her application executed April 26, 1845, at which time she was aged eighty-three years and a resident of Albany, Albany County, New York. The following names of children of George Thomas and his wife, Prudence, are shown in the claims; Phebe, first child, who later married Briggs Sherman. Cornell , second child who died prior to 1843. Elizabeth, third child born September 11, 1782, married Henry Lomis or Lohnes born Jan. 1, 1776; date of his death now shown she married later William West and in 1843 was living in Durham, Green County, New York. Mary, tenth child, born October 2, 1801; living in Albany, NY in 1843, when she signed Mary Thomas. The following names of children of Henry Lomus or Lohnes and his wife, Elizabeth (daughter of George Thomas) appear in the claim, also; Faney Lonus, born June 24, 1806 Henry Lonus or Lohnes, born November 13, 1809 Eliza Lohnes born October 15, 181 Isaac Lohnes, born October 3, 1813. The following data, also, are shown in the family record of Henry Lonus or Lohnes and his wife, Elizabeth but their relationship was not designated. Olonso Davis born January 8, 1820 Alban born March 15, 1822 Hariet Davis born April 20, 1824. Prudence Simpkins, former widow of George Thomas, had a younger sister, Mary, who was born July 24, 1761, married in January, 1779, one ____Dewell, and in 1843 was living in Saratoga Spring, Saratoga County, New York.
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