Jason Newton's Revolutionary War Pension Application

Jason Newton's Pension documents review his military experience, including a description of the instance when he saw George Washington.

Jason Newton's Revolutionary War Pension Application, pp 3 & 4

Transcription:

 

STATE OF VERMONT,

Rutland County

On this 6th day of July, A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open court before the judge of the Probate court of Rutland Dest now sitting, Jason Newton a resident of the County of Rutland and State of Vermont, aged 70 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 June 7, 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. At the breaking out of the Revolutionary War I lived at New Providence, county of Berkshire, State of Massachusetts. In 1776 my uncle was drafted, to an alarm, and I took his place as a substitute and was attached to Capt. Low’s Company, in Col. [Benjamin] Simonds Regiment of Militia. We marched thru Bennington to Castleton where we remained a few weeks according to my recollection. I served over a month in this town. In 1778, in May, I enlisted into the army to fill a vacancy, & we marched to Fishkill and after passing muster went to White Plains, & was in Capt. Cleveland’s Company I think, but I do not recollect the Col., in Learned’s Brigade for a short time, and was soon after attached to Col. (Daniel) Morgan’s Corps of Rifle Men, and was out with him [ ] through the summer & fall until we went into winter quarters at Poughkeepsie. I was discharged at West Point 1779, having served nine months. I believe my discharge was signed by Gen’l Washington but I have lost it. In May 1779 I again enlisted at Lanesboro, Mass into Maj. Cogswell’s Company, Col. (Joseph) Vose’s Reg’t of the Massachusetts & served in said Regt as an orderly Corporal until [ ] March 1780, & was discharged at the Highland, State of N. York, below Fishkill, by Col. (Joseph) Vose, but have lost my discharge. In 1781 I volunteered to substitute in Capt. Sam’l Clark in Col. Willett’s Reg’t. I was under Maj. (Aaron) Rowl(e)y’s command. I served four months in said company as a Sergeant. We performed duty as scouts on the Mohawk River, & built a blockhouse at Fort Plain near [ ]. I further served about six weeks as a substitute for Sam’l Newton whilst he went home, in Capt. Miller’s Company, in Col. [Joseph] Vose’s Reg’t, & a short time before I went on duty on the Mohawk River as above stated. I was at the Battle of Johnstown. I was born at Lanesboro, Mass on the 7th of Jan’y 1762. I know of no record of my age. I came to Ira where I now live in the County of Rutland fifty years ago last March & have lived there ever since. The first time I saw Gen’l Washington he was walking on the walls of the Fort [ ] Peekskill, dressed in a long blue [ ] with other officers in full dress. I asked “What plow jogger* that was, with our officers”. I was replied to with an oath, “Don’t call him a plow jogger, it is Gen’l Washington”. I am known to most of the people of Ira where I live. I have no documented evidence except the depositions of Lt. Hall & John Chance, which accompany this. There is no clergyman residing within four miles of me, & he has been there but a few months.

 

Legend: [illegible] (add’l information)

* "plow jogger" was a derogatory term for a farmer

 

This document was brought to my attention by, ______., found at HeritageQuest. It was transcribed June 2007 by Teresa Mercier.

Done