02/22/2026
So much detail in Uncle Ben’s pensions file!
🇺🇸 1st : Where and in what year were you born?
Answer — “I was born in Middlesex County and State of New Jersey on the 11th day of February 1763“
🇺🇸 2nd : Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?
Answer “I have no knowledge of any record of my age; — but was told by my father in his lifetime, and by a sister much older than myself, that I was born as I have stated above”—
🇺🇸 3rd : Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary War, and where do you now live?—
Answer — “I was living at Basking Ridge, Somerset County, New Jersey when called into service; and remain there until one year after the Revolutionary War, when I removed into Essex County in said State of New Jersey. I there lived until the year 1790 and then removed to Hamilton County, Ohio, where I have lived ever since except a mere temporary visit to Indiana and other places“
🇺🇸 4th : How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? — And if a substitute, for whom?
Answer — I volunteered and served as a volunteer “Minute Man“ as stated in my declaration; — and never was drafted or a substitute. —
🇺🇸 5th : State the names of some of the Regular Officers who were with the troops, where you served; — such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service. —
Answer — “I know of no regular officers who were with the troops where I served; nor do I know of any Continental Regiments being with me where I served; but recollect seeing Generals Washington and Lee, the former passing near Morristown, New Jersey and the latter when he was taken prisoner at Mrs. White’s Tavern at Basking Ridge, Somerset County in said State.”
🇺🇸 6th : Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it? —
Answer — “I never received a written discharge; — but was permitted to return home when my terms respectively had expired.“
🇺🇸 7th : State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Answer — “I am known in my present neighborhood and have been known for a number of years by General Findley, (now in Congress), Peter Mills of Cincinnati, William Ruffin and Robert Lytle, Esquire, (also in Washington) member of Congress-elect. And numerous others who would vouch for my character for veracity and answer that they believed that I had been a soldier of the Revolution. — But I merely refer to General Finley and Robert T Lytle Esquire as they are now within the distance which puts it in the power of the War Department to consult them upon the subject —
Benjamin Flinn
Sworn to and subscribed before me in open Court
February 23, 1833
——
State of Ohio
Hamilton County SS
On this 22nd day of February, 1833 personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas of said County of Hamilton and State of Ohio, now sitting Benjamin Flinn, a resident in Colerain Township in the said County and State, aged 70 years. The 11th day of this present month, 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 past June 7th, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. “I went from my residence in Basking Ridge, Somerset County, New Jersey to Woodbridge, Middlesex County in said State of New Jersey and there volunteered in Captain Matthew Freeman’s Company of Minute Men this was in the month of March 1781 that the term from which he then volunteered was twelve months — that there was no regiment in which said Company was attached, or at least none which is now recollected by said applicant — that in two or three months after he had joined said Company, Captain Freeman resigned and was succeeded by Captain (but until then Lieutenant) Asher Fitzrandolph — that upon said Fitzrandolph taking the command of said Company, about the 1 st June 1781, the said applicant was appointed an orderly Sergeant in said Company and continued an orderly Sergeant until the end of the war and the return of peace — that the duties which devolved upon said Company were those of guarding the lines, going out in scouting parties and frequently crossing to Staten Island to take British prisoners, and they did take several of them almost every time of going there — that he does not recollect that any regular officers were ever with said Company in the service — that during said period, he however recollects that in one of their excursions to Staten Island, they were joined by Capt Shaler of N. Jersey Militia with part of his Company — that said Company to which said applicant was attached was engaged during said period of 12 months in several skirmishes with the enemy. The first near Woodbridge, in which the British party were driven to Staten Island; — the next at a place called “Blazing Star“, where the British were repulsed and some cattle taken by them and the Refugees with them were retaken and the Marauders driven to Staten island; — the said applicant was also in the skirmishes at Amboy and on Raritan River, as also on Staten Island, that on one occasion the British drove the Company of Minute Men above referred to; — that during this term of twelve months, the said applicant was taken prisoner by a party of enemy, at the said “Blazing Star“ and remained with the them a prisoner three weeks and four days, when he was exchanged — that he immediately resumed his duties in said Company to which he belonged, and after the twelve months expired he again volunteered in the same Company of Captain Fitzrandolph and continued to perform similar duties to those before stated until the return of peace; — making nearly three years from the time of his first volunteering as before stated — that after the capture of Lord Cornwallis in October 1781 — The enemy relaxed the vigor with which they had previously carried on the war — and consequently the duties which devolved on said “Minute Men“ were not so arduous as they were before that period. But it was not until the fall of 1783 that peace was entirely restored; — that the said applicant was then permitted at said town of Woodbridge, New Jersey to return home and resume his usual occupation. —
That he has no documentary evidence and that he knows of no person except Joseph Coddington of Warren County, Ohio, now in Court, who served with him the whole time above mentioned, whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the Agency of any state.
Benjamin Flinn
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Daniel Gano Clerk
----
We, William Burkart, clergyman, residing in the said County of Hamilton and said State of Ohio, and Joseph Coddington, residing in the County of Warren in the said State last named, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Benjamin Flinn who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; — that we believe him to be 70 years of age; — that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion; — and the said Joseph Coddington further states that he personally knows that Flinn’s statement is entirely correct, he having served with the said Flinn during the terms mentioned in his said declaration, and known him ever since he was a boy.
William Burke [Burkart]
Joseph Coddington
Sworn to and subscribed in open Court, July 23, 1833
Daniel Gano Clerk of the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matters and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War
Department that the above named Affiant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states; — And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that William Burke [Burkart ] who has signed the proceeding certificate is a clergyman, resident in said County of Hamilton and State of Ohio, and that Joseph Coddington, who has also signed the same is a resident in the County of Warren. (but formerly in said County of Hamilton) and said said State of Ohio, and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Daniel Gano Clerk
The interrogatories put to the said applicant by the said Court and his answers to the same are as follows; —
🇺🇸 1st : Where and in what year were you born?
Answer — “I was born in Middlesex County and State of New Jersey on the 11th day of February 1763“
🇺🇸 2nd : Have you any record of your age and if so where is it?
Answer “I have no knowledge of any record of my age; — but was told by my father in his lifetime, and by a sister much older than myself, that I was born as I have stated above”—
🇺🇸 3rd : Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary War, and where do you now live?—
Answer — “I was living at Basking Ridge, Somerset County, New Jersey when called into service; and remain there until one year after the Revolutionary War, when I removed into Essex County in said State of New Jersey. I there lived until the year 1790 and then removed to Hamilton County, Ohio, where I have lived ever since except a mere temporary visit to Indiana and other places“
🇺🇸 4th : How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? — And if a substitute, for whom?
Answer — I volunteered and served as a volunteer “Minute Man“ as stated in my declaration; — and never was drafted or a substitute. —
🇺🇸 5th : State the names of some of the Regular Officers who were with the troops, where you served; — such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service. —
Answer — “I know of no regular officers who were with the troops where I served; nor do I know of any Continental Regiments being with me where I served; but recollect seeing Generals Washington and Lee, the former passing near Morristown, New Jersey and the latter when he was taken prisoner at Mrs. White’s Tavern at Basking Ridge, Somerset County in said State.”
🇺🇸 6th : Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it? —
Answer — “I never received a written discharge; — but was permitted to return home when my terms respectively had expired.“
🇺🇸 7th : State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Answer — “I am known in my present neighborhood and have been known for a number of years by General Findley, (now in Congress), Peter Mills of Cincinnati, William Ruffin and Robert Lytle, Esquire, (also in Washington) member of Congress-elect. And numerous others who would vouch for my character for veracity and answer that they believed that I had been a soldier of the Revolution. — But I merely refer to General Finley and Robert T Lytle Esquire as they are now within the distance which puts it in the power of the War Department to consult them upon the subject —
Benjamin Flinn
Sworn to and subscribed before me in open Court
February 23, 1833
Daniel Gano Clerk
I, Daniel Gano, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of said County of Hamilton and State of Ohio, do hereby certify that the foregoing contain the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Benjamin Flinn for a pension — in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this 23rd day of February 1833.
Daniel Gano Clerk
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