Depositer, John

Pension Application for John Depoister
submitted by Julie Miller

DECLARATION

In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832.

State of Indiana
Warrick County on this seventh day of October in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Samuel Hall and Zacharich Skelton and John Hart, Judges of our Warrick Circuit Court non sitting John DePoister a resident of Posey County in said state aged seventy nine years who having first duly sworn deposes according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832 that this applicant was born in Kent County in the state of Delaware in the year 1754 that he lived there until after the war & that while living there in the latter part of the year 1775 he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer under Captain Jonathon Caldwell in the First Delaware Regiment for twelve months George McCall was the first Lieutenant 
_ _roused at the town of Dover in the same county where there were five other companies belonging to the same Regiment commanded by Captain Stadman (the oldest captain) Darby, Adams, Joseph Vaugn and Hall that an order was issued from the lower part of the state calling for troops. This applicant with the troops at Dover were marched to Lewis Town on the bay to defend the town and adjacent county from the depredation of several coasting vessels our Colonel was Dr. Haslet our Lieutenant Colonel by the name of Bedford Major McDonaugh was stationed some time at Lewis Town from thence were marched through the state to Wilmington for the same purpose there was an
engagement between the Roebuck Thienpool and some sawbucks from Philadelphia while we then left from this place were marched to New York through Philadelphia were we joined the troops under Washington was crossed over to Long Island and there under the command of General Sterling was engaged in the battle on the left of us was General Sullivand from the quarter we heard the first firing we were attached but stood our ground until General Sterling got orders to retreat had much difficulty in doing so from a creek we had to cross our retreat was covered by Col. Smallwood's company of Rifleman. General Sterling in trying to rally the men to attack a party on our flank had his horse shot under him & was taken prisoner Crossed the Past River and was stationed a short time neighborhood of New York treated thence to the White plains were the British made an attack upon the Americans retreated to Newark from thence to Brunswick Princeton & to Trenton here the Army under General Washington crossed the Delaware and this applicant having stained his ankle and having been much weakened by the camp fever was upon the sick list and went on with sick and wounded to Philadelphia from thence he was moved with a number of the invalid to Wilmington here he was discharged having served his full tour of twelve months, about the time understood that Col. Hastal was killed in New Jersey and this applicant declared that he was not during said twelve months engaged in any avail pursuit or employment but was in the service of the United States with exception of the time total two months when he was sick and unable to do duty.

This Declarant as has been stated lives in the county of Posey and on the 29th day of August made his Declaration before the circuit court of the county in this year but owning to certain objection which appear by references to the prescribed letter of J. L. Edwards No 24366 paid and owing to the great expense this applicant would be put to in order to procure the attendance of two witnesses this applicant has since described living in the said county of Warrick this applicant has no documentary evidence by which he
can prove his services nor does he know of say other or further witnesses by whom he can establish his said services.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state.

Sworn to and subscribed in open court the day and year aforesaid JOHN DEPOYSTER (signature)
John A Graham CCK

Whereupon the said court now here propounded to the said John Depoister the interrogations required by the regulations of the War Department to which said interrogations the said John Depoister answered I under oath as follows. I was born in Kent County Delaware in the year of 1754 I have no record of my age I was living in Kent County in the state of Delaware when I entered the service shortly after the Revolutionary War I moved to North Carolina from thence I moved to Butler County in the state of Kentucky where I lived until last December a year ago from thence I moved to Posey County where I now live I volunteered for twelve months under Captain Caldwell I recollect the names of General Putman Lee and McDowell besides the officers named in the preceding declaration Col. Morgans rifle corps from Virginia and
Smallwoods Regiment of Maryland Riflemen the circumstances of my service I have already stated as fully as I can do

I received a printed discharge from Captain Caldwell but is was burned in my house in North Carolina the same time lost all six paper by the fire I suppose it was signed by Caldwell but I at the time paid so little attention to it that I retain no distince recollection on the subject I have been a long time acquainted with several who live in my present neighborhood all of whom would cheerfully testify unto my character for veracity and his belief of my having been a solder of the Revolution among others Jonathoan Robinson and George Baker have done so as may be seen by reference to the Examplication of my former Declaration now shown to the Court and as is shown to one of the Judges of this Honorable Court but from the distance I live my poverty I was not able to procure their attendance there is no clergyman living in my his immediate neighborhood. 

JOHN x Depoyster
Sworn to and subscribed in open mark court the day and year aforesaid
John A. Graham CCK

State of Indiana}
Warrick County}

Personally appeared in open court Daniel Hudson a resident of Boon Township in said county of Warrick in the State of Indiana age seventy years who being first sworn upon his oath doth depose & say that in the spring of the year he thinks March of the year 1776 he recollects having seen the above named John Depoister in Kent County in the Sate of Delaware where this Deponent then lived that he was at that time a soldier in the company of Captain Caldwell that this deponent lived about seven miles from where the said Depoister lived in the same county before he entered the service - Than this deponent well recollects that the Delaware Blues were raised in Kent County to which Caldwell's Company belonged - that this Deponent believes Dr Hastol lived in Kent or Sussex County and further this Deponent said not.

Sworn to and subscribed DANIEL HUDSON (signature)
the day and year aforesaid
John A. Graham CCK