On June 7, 1832, Congress passed a new supplementary Pension Act for Revolutionary soldiers. For the first time, veterans who served at least six months in not just the Continental Army, but State militias, would be allowed a lifetime pension for their service. So many New Jersey militiamen applied under this new Act, that John Blowers (S.2381) and Daniel Skellinger (S.4844) would refer to it as “the militia pension law.”

What was the New Jersey Militia?

During the War for Independence, the New Jersey Militia was the military body organised and regulated by the New Jersey State Legislature for the defense of the State against the operations of the British army and its local Loyalist allies. Because New Jersey was the primary combat theatre for much of the war, the Jersey militia was constantly employed supporting the operations of General Washington and the Continental army. The militia also augmented the ranks of the regular army, either through raising additional short-term units like the five regiments of Nathaniel Heard’s Brigade of “5 months men” attached to Washington’s army during the summer and autumn of 1776, or by drafting men for nine months service directly into New Jersey’s Continental regiments - most notably in May 1778 just before the Battle of Monmouth.

All men between the ages of were liable for service. Enslaved men were barred from service, though some free black men, such as Jacob Francis from Hunterdon County, did serve under arms.

How Many Militiamen Were There?

The institution of the Militia - the armed body raised from the citizenry for the defense of the community - existed since the very beginning of the Colony of New Jersey, overseen the Colonial Assemblies and Royal Governors. Barely a year before the outbreak of war, on March 28, 1774, Governor William Franklin estimated that “[t]he Number of Men capable of bearing Arms in the Militia are reckoned at about 20,000; but there are not above half that Number who are regularly mustered and trained according to Law.” He noted that, particularly in West Jersey (modern day Warren, Hunterdon, western Somerset, Mercer, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland, Atlantic, and Cape May counties), “the great Number of Quakers… are the principal Cause of the Militia Law not being properly executed there.”

When war came to New Jersey, pool of available men to be mobilised into the militia was reduced by Loyalists either enrolling in Provincial regiments or simy refusing to serve.

Even at the time, it was impossible to know how many militiamen were in the field across the State at any given time.

It would not be until 1872, when then Governor… ordered William Stryker, the Adjutant General, to make a list…

How Many Militiamen Applied for a Pension?

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Were there any militia veterans who survived and did not apply for a pension? In a smaller survey of 600 pensions, there were 2,173 spearate individuals who acted as a witness to either the veteran’s character or their service during the war. Of these witness, 73 were fellow soldiers who did not apply for their own pensions.

Militiamen Per County

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Ranks

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Other ranks include: Adjutant (2); Artificers (2); Assistant Commissary of Hides (1); Issuing Commissary (1); Assistant Deputy Quarter Master General (1); Brigade Quarter Master (1); Deputy Quartermaster (1); Quartermaster (3); Forage Master (2); Express Rider (3); Conductor of Teams (1); Wagon Master 91); Teamster (5); Surgeon (1); Surgeon’s Mate (1); and Hospital Steward (1).

 Length of Service

Some split between two or more ranks.

 Substitutes

Complicated nature of New Jersey with Loyalists….. James Boylan (R.1106) from Bernardstown, Somerset County served as a substitute for his uncle James Ross, “who had been drafted and as he was a Tory in his principles procured him to take his place.”

The father of Abraham D. Banta (S.6575) “in the year 1779 his father was so much annoyed and infured by the British and the Tories, that he made an agreement with one Corenlis Losier, a Tory, that if he he said Losier would exchange his farm at Paramus, he his father would exchange his farm at Hackensack and also furnish a substitute during the whole war for the sons of the said Losier, to wit, John and David: that the agreement was struck, and his father moved with his family to Paramus where he lived three years: during which time he served as a substitute for the said two sons and for his own duty, under Captains Demarest at New Bridge, Ward at Schrawlinburgh, Romaine at the Liberty Pole, English Neighborhood, Hyler at Closter and Blanch at Harington.”

 When Applied

Ages At Time of Application 

 How Many Times Applied?

64% of veterans only had to apply once, 31% applied twice. Stephen Lyon, S.4589 applied 6 times.

 A Highly Mobile Generation

 How Long Take to Have Certificate Issued?

68% of veterans received their pension in under a year.

 Rates of Acceptance

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 How Much Money Did the Veterans Recieve?

CHANGE FOR 1832 - Pensions under the Act of 1818 were set at $96 per year, disbursed in semi-annual payments of $48 on the 4th of March and the 4th of September. for enlisted men, or $240 per year, or 2 payments of $120 for commissioned officers.

 As with the 181 pensions, the first payment a veteran received after a veteran’s application was approved included an arrears which was calculated from the day the veteran was inscribed on the pension roll (typically the date of their initial application) to the date the semi-annual payment would have been disbursed before the certificate of pension was issued.

Annual Payment

 As with the 181 pensions, the first payment a veteran received after a veteran’s application was approved included an arrears which was calculated from the day the veteran was inscribed on the pension roll (typically the date of their initial application) to the date the semi-annual payment would have been disbursed before the certificate of pension was issued.

How Long Did 1832 Live After Pension?

“That having been encouraged not to do so, he prays Government to look favorably upon his claims and grant him something to relieve his wants and give him comfort in this Autumn of his Earthly existence, that he may close his eyes in gratitude upon a nation upon whose altar of Freedom he has devoted many of the best years of his youth.”
- Joseph Potter, April 10, 1848, Pension R.8373.

Like 1818, quote needing money for declining years, waiting until too feeble to work.