Pension Application

R.11,238 (Widow: Catharine)
New York & War of 1812
            At a Court of Chancery held for the State of New York at the town of Poughkeepsie in the County of Dutchess on the third day of December One thousand eight hundred and thirty eight. Present Charles H. Ruggles Vice Chancellor of the Second Circuit.
Dutchess County SS:
            Catharine Weaver the widow of David Weaver, deceased comes now here into court and being duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 7, 1838, entitled An Act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows. That she is the widow of said Weaver, who enlisted in the revolutionary Army as a fifer in Colonel Albert Pauldings Regiment in the New York troops, and in Captain Pearsa’s Company; that she does not know the exact time when he enlisted but believes it was near the close of the war to the best of her recollection and thinks it was for nine months, and that he served out his time. She has no knowledge of his having been in battle or engagement; that he lived in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County when he enlisted. That she has no documentary testimony proving th eservice of her said husband in the Revolutionary War. And said deponent further says that he maiden name was Catharine Wiltsie and that she was married other husband the said David Weaver at the town of Poughkeepsie in the County of Dutchess on the thirtieth day of August one thousand seven hundred and eighty three by the Reverend John. H. Livingston then the Pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church in the said town of Poughkeepsie, and that a [minute?] of such marriage was made in the records of the said church as this deponent is informed and believes and as will appear from the certificate and affidavit of Alexander M. Mann the present pastor of the said church hereto annexed. And this deponent further says that she has been informed and believes and charges that her husband the said David Weaver departed this life at Sackett’s Harbour in the State of New York, while in the service of the United States as a soldier, for this deponent says that her husband the said David Weaver in the winter or spring of the year one thousand eight hundred and nine enlisted as a fifer, at Poughkeepsie aforesaid under Lieutenant Killean VanRensselaer in the service of the United States in the regular army for the term of five years, that said David Weaver left Poughkeepsie under and after such enlistment, and deponent has never seen him since but has always understood and believes that he died as aforesaid at Sackett’s Harbour in 1813, and this deponent is informed and believes that the memorandum or registry of his death is among the files of the War department in Washington on this deponent after the close of the late war received, as widow, the back pay due to the said David Weaver at the time of his death, this such back pay was received through the agency for this deponent of Doctor William Thomas. That a son of this deponent who is now deceased was also a soldier in the Army of the United States during the last war, and on his return home to Poughkeepsie after the close of the war, reported and stated to this deponent that is father the said David Weaver died at Sackett’s Harbor aforesaid in the year 1813, that he there saw him dead, and assisted and was present at his burial. And this deponent produces a support of her claim aforesaid, the affidavit of Mathew Tompkins, Alexander M. Mann and William Thomas which is hereto annexed. (Signed with her mark) Catharine Weaver
            Sworn the 3rd day of December 1838 in open Court. Alex. Forbes, Clerk

State of New York
Dutchess County SS
Before me Silas C. Haight a justice of the peace in and for Dutchess County appeared William Thomas late Hospital Surgeon in the Army who deposeth and says that he knew David Weaver formerly of Poughkeepsie and that said Weaver enlisted as a private in a company raised and enlisted by Killean VanRensellear then Lieutenant in the army that he, said Thomas was requested to examine said Weaver by said Lt. VanRensellear to ascertain that he was sound, and that said Thomas did so examine him that in 1813 he, said Thomas then a Surgeon’s mate in the Hospital knew said Weaver at Sacket’s Harbor and that he was then sickly and from this circumstance he has no doubt of his death that said David Weaver had a son named John Weaver who was a soldier in the army during the late war and that said John Weaver died about one year since in this village and this village and this deponent has repeatedly heard said John Weaver say that his father died at Sacket’s Harbor in 1813 and that he helped to bury him and further more this deponent knew said John Weaver to have been a soldier in the United States Army and that he saw said Weaver while a soldier and doing duty at the Harbor about August 1813 that said David Weaver was a fifer and was about fifty years old. And furthermore said deponent is well acquainted with Catharine Weaver and he knows her to be the widow of said David Weaver late of the army and he knows that she has not again been married and that he has know[n] her for more than thirty years and this deponent has lived in Poughkeepsie since 1816 to his knowledge at which time he quit the army. (Signed) William Thomas
Subscribed & Sworn to before em this 28th day of November 1838. Silas E. Haight Justice of the Peace in & for Dutchess County.

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