N. C.

October 11.

(1).

(2).

THE EVIDENCE.

963. Claim of JAMES HOLMES, late of N. Y.

Claimt. says he made out his Claim on the 6th Jany., 1784, & then sent by the Post to John Delancey at New York, to be forwarded to England, it arrived 10 days too late.

Produces affidt. from John Delancey that the Papers containing the sd. Claim were put on Board a Ship bound for England on 10th Jany., directed to Capt. James Delancey, but Deponent was informed by a Letter from his Bro. that they did not arrive till 6th April.

Is a native of America. Lived at Bedford, Westchester Co., when the Rebellion broke out. Had acted as Lieut. Col. of Militia & Justice of the Peace. At first he sided with the Americans. Commanded a Regiment as Col., the 4th Regimt. raised in Province of New York. On understanding there was an intention to declare Independence, he resigned his Commission at the end of the Campaign, '75. He returned to his farm at Bedford & lived retired. In April, '78, he was taken up on Suspicion of intending to join the Brit. Army. He made his Escape after 2 days Confinement. Went within the Lines at New York. Staid at New York & Long Island till the Fall 1779. He was then

taken Prisnr., being out of the Lines, & was Confined 20 months in Pughkepsie, then made his Escape, got to New York in Aug., '81, joined Col. Delancey's Corps. Soon afterwards served as Lieut. Col. in his Regt, till the end of the War.

He thought at the end of the War his Estates had not been Confiscated. He went into Connecticut to go to England in '84, supposing his Claim had been sent home. But understanding his Claim had been lodged under the first Act, & not being in Circumstances to go to England, he returned to Connecticut, there lived till March, '86. Then went to St. John's, New Brunswick, but returned that Summer to fetch, his Family, but his Wife could not come; he had not settled yet, his Wife and family are in Connecticut. His Wife has a small Property there, but Claimt. has lived lately on a Place belonging to a banishd Loyalist, one apt. MacDonald. His intentions are to settle in Canada, but he has not fixt.

Produces Certificate from Fred. Philips to Claimts. Character, to his having deserted the Cause on their declaring Independence & that he has lost a Considerable Estate.

Beverly Robinson Certifies the same, not from his own Knowledge of Claimt., but from what he has always understood.

Col. James Delancey Certifies to the same effect & that Claimt. joined the Corps of Westchester Refugees under his Command, that had the Command of almost every Party against the Enemy & distinguished himself as a brave & good officer.

Had a farm in Bedford consisting of 273 acres, part by Deed of Gift from his Father.

Produces Deed from John Holmes to Claimt. of a piece of Land in Bedford, since sold, & half a Lot that lies undivided between Grantor & Ebenezer Holmes, dated 1756.

Produces Ebenezer Holmes Quit Claim to the other Moiety in 1765. He gave Land for this Quit Claim. This amounted to 163 acres.

The next, containing 110 acres, was purchased at different times. Produces 8 Different Deeds of Purchase of Small parcels at different Times between 1761 & 1774. The largest parcel was purchased in April, 1774, 73 acres & for £215 York Crcy. Produces Survey Corresponding with the above acct. 10 acres purchased in 1777.

The farm was under good Improvemts, 400 fruit Trees, good Stone Walls, about 200 acres Clear, 40 acres meadow. Tolerable good farm house & Barn & out buildings. Vals it at £1,500 York Crncy.

Produces Valuation by 2 appraisers at £1,500. Produces Certificate of Confiscation & Certificate of Sale.

When he was taken Prisnr. in '78, his Negro & horse were taken, he was a valuable Negro, was taken by a Party Commanded by Major Pauling. The horse was taken at same time, both sold by order of a Committee.

Produces an affidt. that the Negroe & Horse were taken by order of a Committee in 1778, & they appraise the Negroe at £75, Horse at £40, York.

He says greater part of the Debts have been paid in to the use of the State.

Produces Certificates from Gerard Banks, Treasurer. that no Claim was exhibited against Claimts. Estate, but one in a joint Bond for £172 by him & his Bror., further Certificates that public Securities had been paid in Discharging a Mortgage & 5 Bonds for £100 each due to Claimt.

BENJAMIN OGDEN, Wits. :

Knew Claimts. farm at Bedford. Remembers him in Possession, about 260 or 270 acres. It was a very good farm, fully

improved, as much clear as was proper for the farm, good orchards, good Deal of meadow. Vals. it at 14 or £1,500, it used to be reckoned worth that.

Remembers his Negroe & horse being taken from him when he was taken Prisoner. He made his Escape & went into ye Lines with Wits. Thinks he was near Bedford when he was taken Prisoner a second time.

Produces Certificate from Major Murray that Claimt. & his May 24. Family arrived at St. John's from Connecticut 9th March, 1788, & that he produces a Lease dated 19th March, 1788, from Madame Baberty of a House, &c., for a year.

964. Claim of JACOB WERJARS, late of Albany Co.

N. C.

(3).

(4).

(5).

Claimt. says he was at Cataraqui in the fall of '83 & the October 12.

Winter.

(6).

Called again.

(7).

October 22.

Is a native of America, lived at Cooks borough, Albany Co. When the Rebellion broke out joined Burgoyne's Army. Went into Canada after Burg. defeat, servd till end of the War. Produces his Discharge as Seargt. in Sir John Johnson's 2nd Batall., June, '84.

Winter.

Had 235 acres in Cooks Boro, Albany Co. Purchased by his Father a little before the Rebellion. Does not know what his Father gave for it, thinks it was 10s. per acre, besides Improvements. His Father gave him a Deed of it a year before the War. Claimt. is the Eldest Son. His Father now lives in the States, but not near this Place. Near 50 acres Clear, built house, &c. Says it has been sold. Vals. it at £207.

16 Hogs, Wheat, 150 Bushels, farming utensils, taken by the Rebels. Cannot say anything about Horses or Cows.

EPHRAIM WERJAR, Wits. :

His Father had a farm in Cooks Boro of 235 acres, bought Michl. Cookss at the Beginning of War. His Brother lived upon it, supposes his Father gave it to him. The Rebels have got it. Michl. Cook took it again & has sold it. His Bro. lost 16 Hogs

& some Wheat, a considerable quantity, and some utensils. Claimt, says his Father bought it of Bennet & Golding, who lived at New York & they had a Mortgage of all Michl. Cooks Lands. Cannot say when he bought it, says it was before the War. Thinks he paid 10s. pr. acre for it.

His Father also bought the Improvemts. of one Thos. Sisco, ye Tenant. Says his Father bought it for Claimt., but Claimt. had his Deed from his Father. His Father had no Deed from Sisco, but he delivered Possession to Claimts. Father Claimt. says he lived 2 years on this Place, his Father lived 70 miles off. Cook has taken Possession & has sold the Land.

Is told there is no Proof of this Estate being Confiscated or sold as forfeited.

965. Case of EPHRAIM SANDFORD, late of Salem, West Chester, New York.

Claimt. says he is a native of America, lived at Salem, West Chester Co., New York. In '75 he went on Board the Asia to take Refuge, as he had suffered from his Sentiments being known in Favour of Brit. Govnt. In '76 joined Sir Wm. How on Staten Island, went from thence, raised 63 men, with which he joined the Army. Had a Capts. Commission in the Queen's Rangers, served till the Spring '77, when he was superceeded,

afterwards served as Volunteer at Fort Montgomery & other Places. Continued on Long Island & at New York till '83, then went to Nova Scotia & from thence to England. Has an allowance of £60 pr. Ann. from Home. Came from England to New Brunswick in August last.

1776.

Means to settle in this Country.

Produces Copy of his Commission from Sir W. How, Agu.,

Produces Copy of Certificates to Loyalty from Govr. Tryon, Do. from Ed. Winslow, & that he mustered him as Captn. in 1776.

Do. to Services from Major Armstrong. Do, from Major Grimes, & accounting for Claimts. being superceeded, which was owing to accident. A Second Batallion was to have been formed in which Claimt. was to have been a Captn. & he was removed for that Purpose from the 1st Batallion, but the 2nd was not raised & therefore he was superceeded. To same effect from

Capt. McCrea & Major Armstrong & Lt. Col. French.

He has recovered part of his Estate that was not sold, & therefore his Claim is now much less than it stood at first.

Was possessed of 40 acres in Reading, Fairfield Co., Connect.

His Father, Ephraim Sandford, had a Considerable real Estate at Reading. He died 24 years ago, leaving several Children, Claimt. was one of the younger Children. The Estate was distributed & this Lot of 40 acres was allotted to Claimts. Mother in part of Dower, after that to Claimt, as his proportion of his Father's Estate. She died in '77.

This is Certified by Lewis B. Sturges, Clerk of the Court of Probate & Certifies the names of the 3 persons who made such Distribution, who also Certify the same & that it contained 40

acres.

Produces Copy of Conviction & forfeiture.

Produces appraisements at £6 lawful pr. acre by 2 persons. Produces Copy of Deed of Sale by the Treasurer, John Lawrence, of part in '82, the rest has been sold since.

Produces Certificates from Thadius Benedict, appointed admt. on the sd. forfeited Estate of the Sale. Vals. at £244. 17.6.

Had a House & Land at Salem of 50 acres, he lived there. Claims for his Profits. His family were turned off & sent into ye Brit. Lines, but he has saved the Estate. His Bror. has sold it.

Lost Personal Estate. Produces Certificate of the Sale of his personal Estate to amount of £90 by 2 Commrs.

It consisted of household furniture, 3 Cows, 2 horses, 2 yearlings, Hatter's Tools.

His Loss was a great Deal more than the Estimates in the Certificates. He lost 50 Sheep, not sold by Commrs., but embezzled with several other articels.

He produces Certificates that his Estate at Salem was occupied by order of & to the use of the State of New York, & estimating the a/c. at £280. Damage done £50, Timber £20.

Produces Deposition from Ebenezer Brown taken at New Brunswick to Claimts. property at Salem, that he left the same on acct. of his Loyalty & that his personal Estates was sold at Vendue. Do. from Abraham Close, taken at New Brunswick.

(8).

(9).

(10).

N. C.

October 22.

(11).

(12).

Seems a fair man.

October 22.

966. Claim of JOHN W. MEYERS, late of Albany Co.

Claimt. says he resided at St. John's & Isle Au Noix & Du

Chene in '83. On Service resided chiefly at St. John's dur. ye Winter. Is a nat. of America. Lived in Albany Co. When Rebellion broke out joined the Brit. in '77, joined Major Jessups Corps. Staid with Burgoyne some time, but had leave to go after some Recruits. He got to New York, afterwards came to Canada with Despatches, returned to New York & in the year 1780 returned again to Canada where he raised a Company & was joined to Major Jessups Corps, servd till end of War as Capt. to half Pay. Resides at Bay of Quinty.

Had 200 acres in Cohenning's Patent, Albany Co., was to have had a Lease forever, paying 10th Part of Produce. Had the Promise, but there were infants concerned & he could not get the Lease. Went upon it in 1777, Cleared 100 acres, built house & Barn, planted orchard.

Produces an application from one Bat. Rossboone to the Commrs. requiring an appraisement of Claimts. farm as being forfeited among others, offering to deposit 1-3 part of the value. in order as it seems, to purchase under an Act of the State. Vals. Improvemts. at £400 York.

Lost 7 horses, 4 Cows, 5 young Cattle, 30 Hogs, 17 Sheep, utensils, furniture, 140 Bushels Wheat. These things taken after he joined Burgoyne, most of them in '77 & '78.

JOSEPH SMITH, Wits. :

Lived with Claimt. as a Servt. He joined Burg., he went afterwards to New York. He from the first to the last did all he could for the Brit. Govnt. He carried Despatches to Canada. He servd at N. York under Col. Richmoor several months which was draughted into other Regimts. He afterwards raised. a Company in Canada.

Knew his Farm, 100 acres Clear. He was on it 6 years before the War. Knew his Stock, when he went from home they left 7 Horses & a good Stock behind, 4 Cows, 5 young Cattle. The Rebels got most of the things.

Further Evidence in the Case of WM. MARSH. V. Vol. 4, P. 95.

Claimt. produces Certificates from John Collins, D. Surv., dated 6 Sep., 1787, that Claimt., his Wife & 6 Children being entitled as Loyalists to 850 acres.

Had drawn 400 in 8th Township, Bay of Quinty, & is to have a Patent in 12 months.

Claimt. says he has recovered nothing of what was his own Estate, has recovered for Children his Father's Property & got back his Bonds & Notes. Says his Father's Lands were in Dorset, his own in Manchester.