Pension Application

S.45184
State of New York
Herkimer County SS.
            On this sixth day of May 1822 in open court, to wit, the court of Common Pleas in and for said county, said Court being by law constituted a court of Record, personally appeared, Asahel Alford aged sixty one years, resident in the town of Columbia, in said county who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on this oath declare that he served in the revolutionary war as follows—that he enlisted at Beckit, Mass. For three years as a private in captain Moses Ashleys company in Colonel Moses Regiment of Infantry in Gen. Glover’s Brigade in the Massachusetts Line, on the Continental Establishment—that he served in said company and regiment for three years until he was honorably discharged from the same, at the Highlands, in the State of New York, in the month of January 1779, as deponent believes, that his original declaration was made in September, 1819, but that he is unable to state the number of his pension certificate, which certificate has been lost, as he is informed, and believes to be true.
            And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States, on the 18th day of March 1818;; and that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner, disposed of my property, or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress, entitled “an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land and naval services of the United States in the revolutionary war” passed on the 18th day of March 1818,and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me any property (my necessary clothing and bedding excepted) as securities,. Contracts, or debts due to me, nor have I any income, other than what is continued in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed—
            Two cows of the value of thirty five dollars 35.00
            One axe of the value of 1.50 one razer .25-1.75
            One pr spectacles .25 one common bible .64- 1.00
            On compendium of the bible .75
            One iron pot—on tea kettle & one dish kittle 2.50
            Crockery ware 1.50 one tumbler .12 ½ tinware – 2.00
            Stone & earthen ware 1.00 wooden ware 1.00 -- 2.00 Total $45.00
            My family consists of my wife, Lydia, sixty tow years old, a daughter, Melinda, about thirty years old—a cripple and scarely able to support herself and myself, I am infirm, subject to Rheumatic complaints; and have no occupation but that of a Laborer. (Signed) Asahel Alford
            Sworn 6th May 1822 before me David Holt.
Response in file to letter of inquiry dated September 8, 1938.
            Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Asahel Alford, a pensioner of Columbia, Herkimer County, New York in 1840
            The data which follow are found in the papers on file in the pension claim, S.45184, based upon service of Asahel Alford in the Revolutionary War.
            Asahel Alford enlisted in Becket, Massachusetts, January 1, 1776, served as private in Captain Moses Ashley’s company, Colonel John Peterson’s Massachusetts regiment was at Cedardon the St. Lawrence River where he was taken prisoner, was held about ten days and exchanged: he enlisted January 1, 1777 and served three years as private in Captain Moses Ashley’s company, Colonel Joseph Vose’s Massachusetts regiment and was discharged at the Highlands, New York State. During his service, he was in the battle when General Burgoyne was taken, in the battle of Long Island, and also at Monmouth.
            Asahel Alford was allowed pension on his application executed September 22, 1819, at which time he resided in Sharon, Portage County, Ohio; he gave his age then as fifty-eight years, but did not state the date and place of his birth, nor the names of his parents.
            In May 1822, the soldier had moved from Ohio to Columbia, Herkimer County, New York. His family at that time consisted of his wife, Lydia, aged sixty-two years, and a daughter, Melinda, aged about thirty years; the maiden name of the soldier’s wife the date and place of their marriage and names of any other children are not shown. This pensioner died June 25, 1853; one Alonzo Ellwood was referred to as administrator of the soldier’s estate in 1855.
            In 1819, Elijah Alford was a resident of Sharon, Portage County, Ohio; he stated that he was intimately acquainted with Asahal Alford from his youth and was a near neighbor, but he did not state any relationship between them.

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