On behalf of John Kaple:

Robert C. Lansing, a neighbor in the Town of Decatur, Otsego County, New York

Justis Lewis, a neighbor in the Town of Decatur, Otsego County, New York

State of New York Otsego County      On this fifteenth day of October A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of Common Pleas in and for the County of Otsego Now sitting, John Kaple, a resident of the Town of Decatur in the County of Otsego and the State of New York aged eighty-two 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 7th, 1832 – That he entered the service of the United States under the following officers and served as herein stated – That in the month of May 1776 he the said John Kaple enlisted as a Volunteer in the Company of State Troops under the Command of Eliphalet Buckley of Colchester in the County of New London, Connecticut. The first Lieutenant was a Man by the name of Harvey and the second Lieut. Johnson, and Ensign Spencer – Capt. Buckley's Company [joined?] a Regiment commanded by Col. Wolcott, Lieut. Col. [Smith??], & Mayor Ely. And the said John Kaple do saith that he resided at East Haddam in the County of New London at the time he enlisted into Capt. Buckley's Company as above stated, that he went from East Haddam to Colchester and there enlisted into said Company for the term of Six Months Service and went into Actual Service under said enlistment in said Company and Regiment the fore part of May 1776 and continued in the Service for the fall period of his enlistment, and was stationed at New London for the purpose of guarding the Place and was engaged in building Fort Trumbull and so far completed said fort during the six months service, that something like seventeen [??] were [mounted?/mourned?] during said June – while at New London he, the said John Kaple, volunteered with a small body of troops to go on to [Longfellow?] for the purpose of surprising some Tories[sic] and to bring off some stock, but were discovered by a British [soldier?] and compelled to return to New London. At the expiration of the six months service the said John Kaple was discharged by his officers and returned to his family then residing at Lebanon in the County of Windham Connecticut to which place his wife had removed during his absence in the service as above stated [and?] that he did not receive any written discharge from said service, but was verbally discharged by his officers at the expiration of the term of his enlistment.      And the said John Kaple further states that some time the latter part of the month of August 1778 he was drafted by Major James Clark, of Lebanon, Windham County, Connecticut at which place he the said John Kaple then resided [as?] a neighbor to the said Major James Clark and the said John Kaple also states that he immediately marched under Major Clark from Lebanon to Providence in the State of Rhode Island at which place he was attached to a regiment of Militia commanded by Col. Ely from Lyme New London County Connecticut. The said John Kaple further states that he well recollects that that troops arrived at Providence the same night that the American Army retreated from New Port Island under the command of Gen'l Sullivan and that he the said John Kaple belonged to a Company commanded by one Capt Smith – The name of the officers belonging to the Company and Regiment above stated he cannot now recollect further than [above Act forth??] – At this time while he the said John Kaple was stationed at Providence, [Capt? Lieut?] Glover was stationed at that place with a Brigade of Continental Troops – and there was one other Brigade of Continental Troops stationed at that place at the same time == And the said John Kaple further states that he was in Actual Service as a Soldier at this time for the period of about two months – the precise length of time he cannot now recollect, but is very confident that it was not less than two months – and was then [des---ped] and returned home to his family in Lebanon where he then resided. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~      And the said John Kaple further declares and states that at the time of the burning and destruction of New London by [?????] he volunteered under Capt Andew Waterman of the town of Lebanon and Lieutenant Abel, and Ensign Bigelow and forthwith marched from Lebanon to New London, and at that place Capt Waterman's Company joined a Regiment of Militia Commanded by Col Jeremiah Mason from the Town of Lebanon – And the said John Kaple also states that Capt Watermans Company arrived at New London the next morning after the place was destroyed. And that he the said John Kaple was there stationed and [remained?] in Actual Service in the said Company and Regiment above stated for the period of about four or five weeks = and was then dismissed and returned home to Lebanon the place of his residence = And the said John Kaple further declares and states in manner aforesaid that he has no knowledge of any person now living by whom he can prove any part of his Services as a solider in the War of the Revolution, And also that he has no documentary evidence in his possession or power to prove the same – And also that he was born in the year 1750 in the Town of Stonington in the State of Connecticut = And also that he now has in his possession the Ancient Record of his Age which was kept by his father in his family Bible – that he the said John Kaple since the Revolution has resided in New Lebanon in the County of Columbia in the State of New York, Also in the Town of Warren in the County of Herkimer and about thirty years since he removed to the same neighborhood where he now lives and where he has ever since resided except for four or five years that he lived with his son in the Town of Westford within a few miles of his present place of Residence – Also the said John Kaple states that he did not at any time receive a discharge written discharge from the Service and that he the said John Kaple has resided in the neighborhood of Justus Lewis, Robert E. Lansing, and [David?] Waterman Esquire in the Town of Decatur [??] and for many years and that they are both at this time [nigh/high?] neighbors to him and well acquainted with his Character for truth and veracity – And the said John Kaple also states that there is no Clergyman who is acquainted with him now residing in his neighborhood and the said John Kaple hereby relinquishes every claim whatsoever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency in any State ---- Sworn to & subscribed the day    )    /s/ John Kaple And year aforesaid -----               )        /s/ Horace Lathrop, Clerk  Robert C. Lansing and Justus [sic] Lewis both residing in the Town of Decatur in the County of Otsego and State of New York hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Kaple who has subscribed and [?] to the above declaration that we believe him to be eighty two years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resided to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion -- And also that he sustains a good character for truth and veracity ------ Sworn to & subscribed the    )    /s/ Justis Lewis day and year aforesaid         )    /s/  Robert C. Lansing And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states – And the Court further certify that it appears to them that Col. Robert C. Lansing and Justis Lewis who have signed the preceeding [sic] Certificate are Residents in the Town of Decatur in the said County of Otsego and in the neighborhood of the said applicant, and that they are credible persons and that their statements are entitled to credit --     /s/ J. O. Moss     }     /s/ S. Begel [?]   } Judges     /s/ Seth Chase   } State of New York Otsego County – [?]    I, Horace Lathrop, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in for the County of Otsego as aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings in this matter of the application of John Kaples for a Pension. In the testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hands & seal of Office this 18th day of October 1832.     /s/ Horace Latrhop, Clerk(2)

John Kaple, Court of Pleas, Oct. 15, 1832, page 1 John Kaple, Court of Pleas, Oct. 15, 1832, page 2 John Kaple, Court of Pleas, Oct. 15, 1832, page 3 John Kaple, Court of Pleas, Oct. 15, 1832, page 4

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Endnotes

2. John Kaple, complete Pension Application file, No. S-13593 (Washington: National Archives), Court of Common Pleas proceeding, October 18, 1832.