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Sunday, June 8, 2014

Solomon Naughton (Norton) in the Revolutionary War

Solomon Naughton's Revolutionary War pension application specifies several battles he fought in, including the Battle of Still Water and the Battle of Saratoga (probably the second battle, also called the Battle of Bemis Heights), where he would have fought alongside the infamous Benedict Arnold and been present at the surrender of the British General Burgoyne, also known as "Gentleman Johnny".    The handwriting of the main document is not as easy to read as his two brother's pension applications, but most of the main body is transcribable.




"State of Vermont
County of Addison) 
On the 7th day of August A.D. 1832 personally appeared before Silas H. Enison one of the Judges of Addison County Court Solomon Naughton a resident of Shoreham in the county of Addison and State of Vermont aged eighty-one years and upwards who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated (viz) in the ? part of the summer of 1776 he the aforesaid Solomon Naughton volunteered in Capt. Bostwick's Company in Col. Whiting's Regiment in the militia of the State of New York New Canaan in the State of New York where he ? lived, and that he marched from New Canaan aforesaid to Albany from thence to Schenectady and from thence to Johnstown and from thence to Fort Herkimer  and was out on ? tours about one month according to his best recollection and went for the purpose of driving off the Indians and Tories and that they on ?? succeeded in driving out Tories and Indians and took some prisoners while at Albany on sd tour he the same Solomon Naughton saw a Tory hung who had been taken as a (p.o.w.?) but he does not recollect the name of the said Tory--and that after said Tour he returned home to New Canaan aforesaid he again volunteered into the service of the United States into Capt. Bostwick's Company in Col. Whiting's Regiment of the militia of the State of New York and marched from New Canaan         



aforesaid to Albany from there on to Stone Reby [Stone Arabia]  and was there in the battle with the Tories and Indians and that they retreated before our troops, like wise under the command of General Van Rensselar, and that he the said Solomon Naughton was out on said tour about four weeks according to his best recollection and then returned home to New Canaan aforesaid and that in the fall of the year 1776 he again volunteered into Captain Bostwick's Company in Col. Whiting's Regiment aforesaid, and marched to New Canaan aforesaid to Fort George at the head of Lake George in the State of New York for the purpose of opposing the British then marching as it was suspected from Canada under General Burgoyne and after staying at Fort George about a week and learning that the British troops had given up their expedition our troops had orders to return home, and we marched as far on our way home as Still Water and there heard that Fort Schuyler was besieged, we were then ordered to march to that place--but the next day learning that the report was incorrect--we were ordered to return home and did return home to New Canaan aforesaid and that he the said Solomon Naughton was out on said tour about four weeks ? to the best of his recollection and belief, that General Schuyler was his Commanding General--then that in the spring of the year 1777 in the month of May according to his best recollection he the said Solomon Naughton again volunteered into Captain Bostwick's Company in Col. Whiting's Regiment, and marched from New Canaan aforesaid to Fort George aforesaid for the purpose of (moving?) the military stores and to oppose the march of Burgoyne's army there marching or   



about to march from Canada, and that they (moved?) the military stores from Fort George--that is what could be ??? while on the march of Burgoyne's army ......  that like wise driven by the Indians and Burgoyne's troops to Still Water and there made a stand -- General Schuyler was the commanding General -- and that the said Solomon Naughton was at the Battle of Still Water and at Saratoga and the Surrender of Burgoyne he the said Solomon Naughton was taken sick -- he then aft. Saratoga returned home and that he the said Solomon Naughton was out on said tour about five months as he (clearly?) believes according to the best of his recollection -- that he was born at Farmington in Connecticut ....--that he resided at New Canaan in the State of New York during the REvolutionary War--and that soon after the close of the War he moved to Poultney in the State of Vermont and from thence to Shoreham aforesaid where he now resides and has resided for upwards of nine years past, that he has no documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services  He hereby relinquishes his every claim whether to a pension or ???? and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state (signed) Solomon Naughton his mark x
Sworn to and ? the day and year aforesaid before me (signed) Silas H. Jenison Judge of Addison County Court      












































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