George Horton

Revolutionary War Patriot Profile

  • Revolutionary War Patriot

    Patriot Summary

    George Horton (1761-1835) served in the Pennsylvania militia as a private in the Class 2, 7th Company, 5th Battalion, commanded by Captain Henry Shoemaker. George Horton was born in Dutchess County, New York on March 23, 1761. He married Elsie Shoemaker and they had three children, two daughters and a son. They arrived in Michigan in 1825 and later settled in Avon Township outside of Rochester. George Horton died October 28, 1835, and is buried in the Mount Avon Cemetery in Rochester, Oakland County, Michigan. SAR Patriot Number P-185090 DAR Patriot Number A058612 Find-A-Grave Number 91974284

    From the History of Oakland County, Michigan by Thaddeus D. Seeley (1912)

    Another Revolutionary soldier to settle as neighbor to Nathaniel Baldwin and James Graham, was George Horton. He gave his military service in Pennsylvania, enlisting in May, 1780, when nineteen years of age, in Captain Shoemaker’s company, Pennsylvania troops. He was in no pitched battles, but participated in several skirmishes with the Indians. He served until September, 1783.

    Mr. Horton emigrated from Northampton county, Pennsylvania, to Canada in 1809, where he settled first at Port Colborne. In 1820 he moved to Yarmouth, Elgin County, Ontario, and in March, 1825, arrived at Detroit, and came to Avon township, settling about two miles south of the village of Rochester. He seems to have lived with his son-in-law, Cornelius Decker, who located on section 21. His son, Benjamin Horton, took up land on section 22. There were about twenty people who came from Canada at this time, the heads of the families being all related to George Horton. Mrs. Elsie Horton, wife of George Horton, was buried in the Rochester cemetery, in February, 1827. He died in 1835, the exact date being unknown, but his last pension was paid March 4, 1835.

Pension Records

  • Page 1

    Page 1

    SERVICE NUMBER
    Penn. Horton, George S.29232

    Born Dutchess Co N.Y.
    CONTENTS

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    [partially obscured] 0102
    New York [crossed out]
    Michigan Territory

    George Horton

    Tioga ___ in the State of New York
    [obscured]he was a Private in the company command Captain Shoemaker of the Regt command Col Chambers in the Pennsylvania [obscured] for 3 years

    Inscribed on the Roll of New York
    in the rate of 80 Dollars [long dash] Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1834.

    Certificate of Pension issued the 15th day of December1832 and sent to J Robin-son Elmira Tioga Co N.Y

    Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832 [dash] $120.00
    Semi=anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 33 [dash] 40.00
    [line indicating equation]
    $160.00

    [In brackets bottom right]
    Revolutionary Claim
    Act June 7, 1832

    Recorded by [signature] Jno Cromwell clerk
    Book D Vol. J Page 127


    Right page, handwritten sideways:

    May 18, 1833 transfer to Michigan TY: and certif sent to Ellis Doty

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    No. 10,230 [underlined]
    George Horton


    admitted

    James Robinson
    Elmira
    Tioga Cy
    New York

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    No. 10230

    BRIEF in the case of [typed] George Horton of Tioga County [handwritten] of [typed] Tioga [handwritten] in the State of [typed] New York
    [handwritten]
    (Act 7th June, 1832.) [typed]

    [typed form]
    1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?
    [handwritten] Before a Court

    [typed form] 2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?

    [typed form] 3. How old is he?
    [hand written] Seventy one years - 71

    [typed form] State his service, as directed in the form annexed,

    [table with 4 columns, Period. Duration of Service with Years, Months, Days. underneath Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.]

    Enlisted in the Spring in 1780 until the latter end of 1783 [handwritten]

    3. 8. ---- [handwritten under Years, Months, Days, second column]

    As a private [handwritten]

    Gen. [typed] Col. John Chamberg Regt Pennsylvania [illegible] Capt Henry Shoemaker's company. [handwritten]

    [typed form] 5. In what battles was he engaged?
    Not Any [handwritten]

    [typed form] 6. Where did he reside when he entered the service?
    Lower Smithfield, Northampton Co. Pennsylvania [handwritten]

    [typed form] 7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?
    By living witnesses, as to his service, His tradition is supported by the affidavity of a Clergyman and another respectable citizen of the same town, whose credibility is verified by the Court. [handwritten]

    [typed form] 8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
    No [handwritten]

    [typed form] Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned

    [signature] Chas. G Wilcox [typewritten] Examining Clerk.

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    [handwritten top of page] apt. for Transfer

    [circular stamp] DETROIT MICHIGAN MAY 1

    [handwritten address]

    J. L. Edwards Esq.
    Pension office
    City of Washington

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    County of Wayne:
    On this 29th day of April 1833
    before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the
    Peace for said county of Wayne personally
    appeared George Horton, who on his oath de-
    clares that he is the same person who formerly
    belonged to the company commanded by
    Captain Shoemaker, in the Regiment commanded
    by Colonel Stroud in the service of the United
    States; that his name was placed on the pension
    roll of the State of New York from whence
    he has late removed; that he now resides
    in the Territory of Michigan where he intends
    to remain, and wishes his pension to be there
    payable in future. The following are his
    reasons for removing from the State of
    New York to the Territory of Michigan
    (viz) his children live in said Territory, and he
    wishes to be with his Children.
    Sworn & Subscribed to before
    me the day & year aforesaid. George Horton
    J. Kearsley

    Territory of Michigan and
    County of Wayne SS: I Isaac S. Rowland Clerk of
    the court of the county aforesaid certify that Jonathan
    Kearsley is a Magistrate as above, and that the foregoing
    & following signature purporting to be his is genuine.
    In testimony whereof, I have hereunto
    affixed my seal of office and subscribed
    my name this thirtieth day of April in
    the year one thousand eight hundred and
    thirty three.
    Isaac S. Rowland
    Clerk

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    Territory of Michigan
    County of Wayne SS: Personally appeared before me
    the undersigned Justice of the Peace in & for the
    county aforesaid John P. Sheldon who on oath
    saith, that George Horton who has taken the
    oath aforesaid, is the identicle person described
    in said Affidafit.
    Sworn & subscribed before me Jno. P. Sheldon
    this 29th day of April 1833

    J. Kearsley
    Justice of the Peace
    Wayne County M.T.
    County of Wayne SS: I certify that John P. Sheldon
    the witness above is a person of truth & veracity
    Detroit April 29th 1833.
    J. Kearsley
    Justice of the Peace
    Wayne County M.T.

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    Page 8

    Pension Agency
    Detroit April 30th 1833
    Sir
    The foregoing application is submitted
    for your disposition, and the result you will
    please make known to me.
    Respectfully,
    E. Doty
    P.A.

    J. L. Edwards Esq.

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    Page 9

    George Horton
    Declaration
    10.230

    admitted
    3 years
    _______________
    80 [illegible]

    Direct to the Care of
    James Robinson
    Agent
    Elmira, Tioga Co.
    New York

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    At a Court of Common Pleas holden at
    the Court House in the Village of Elmira
    in and for the County of Tioga Commencing
    on the fourth day of September 1832.
    Present Hon. Grant B. Baldwin first Judge, John
    N. Drake Darius Bentley Joseph L. Darling & Elijah
    Shoemaker Esqrs. Judges.

    State of New York
    TIoga County
    On this 4th day of September
    1832 personally appeared in Open Court before
    the Judges aforesaid being a Court of
    Record because made so by the Constitu-
    tion and Laws of the State having by Law
    & Clerks [illegible] Seal, Now Sitting, George
    Horton a resident of the Town of Tioga in
    the County of Tioga and State of New York
    aged Seventy one years the twenty third
    day of March last 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 named officers and served as
    herein stated. - That he enlisted in the
    Spring of 1780 in the company commanded
    by Capt. Henry Shoemaker for the term of
    during the War. This company was under
    the General orders, during a part of the
    service, of Col. John Chambers, who, for
    some reason or other, was called a
    [illegible] Lieutenant. He continued in the
    service till the latter end of the year
    1783, when he was discharged having been

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    upwards of three years and eight months
    in the service. The nature of his service was
    Garrison duty, assistance in repairing some
    of the old Forts and in the erection of some
    New ones along the Pennsylvania side
    of the Delaware River - at the time he
    enlisted Captain Henry Shoemaker had
    been in this service some years but
    the ranks of his Company had become
    very much thin'd by reason of the
    espiration of their enlistments and there
    were not at this period a sufficient
    number of Troops in this service to man
    the line of Fortifications upon the
    delaware to protect the persons and
    property of the inhabitants - At this crisis
    a Message was sent by the People on this frontier
    to Gen. Washington by Capt. Alexander
    Patterson who brought us word from the
    Commander in Chief that we must raise
    as many troops as possible for during the
    war and he would furnish such further
    aid as his circumstances would permit
    This induce many to enlist and two
    companies were sent to our assistance
    one company of nine months troops and
    Captain Phillip Shrouders company of
    three years men; also Capt. Hoover's com-
    pany from the Jersey side of the River -
    we were also furnished with an
    additional supply of Lead, camp kettles
    and other munitions being already supplied
    sufficiently with powder-

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    Page 12

    By this timely aid we were enabled to
    man the Forts, repair some old ones and
    erect some new ones. through the service
    aforesaid this deponent always took his
    regular turn on sentrys, guards and scouts
    till the time of his discharge after the Close of
    the war - That he has no documentary
    evidence of his services in his possession -
    That he has two living witnesses by whom
    he can prove them Samuel Shoemaker
    and Benjamin Brink.
    And in answer to the several interrogatories
    put to him by the Court he says that he
    was born in Phillips Town, in the County of
    Dutchess and State of New York on the
    twenty third day of March 1761 - that he
    has a record of his age in his fathers family
    Bible which for fear it would become
    obliterated he many years ago transferred
    or copied into his own Bible in the [illegible]
    of which he has full faith - That when he
    entered the service he lived in the
    Township of Lower Smithfield in the
    County of Northampton and State of
    Pennsylvania. After the Close of the war
    he continued to live at the same place
    several years - then lived a few years
    in Mamacotten, County of Ulster Then at
    his present residence in Tioga where he
    has lived to the present time with the
    exception of an excursion to the
    Michigan Territory - That he entered the
    Service as one of the Volunteer Militia

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    Page 13

    That in addition to the officers and Troops
    already mentioned he knew and was
    acquainted with Col. Bond and the Troops
    under his command or some of them who
    were stationed on the Jersey side of the
    River - That he never received and
    other discharge than a verbal dismission
    form the service - That he would defer
    to Col. John Henry of Elmira in the
    county of Tioga Captain Samuel Shoe-
    maker of the same place and to Elijah
    Shoemaker Gamaliel H. Barstow and Eman-
    uel Coryell of Tioga aforesaid-
    of the Town of Tioga in said last mentioned
    county as persons who are well acquainted
    with his reputation for truth and veracity
    and who can testify to this belief in
    the truth of the foregoing declaration
    That he hereby relinquishes every claim
    whatever to a pension or an annuity
    except the present and declares that
    his name is not on the pension roll
    of the agency of any state -
    Sworn to & subscribed-
    the day & year aforesaid George Horton
    Green M Tuthill Clk

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    Page 14

    We Simeon R. Jones a clergyman resident
    in the Town of Southport and John Miller
    of the same place
    hereby certify that we are well acquainted with
    George Horton who has subscribed and sworn
    to the above declaration; that we believe him
    to be Seventy one 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 - Simeon R. Jones
    Sworn and subscribed John Miller
    the day & year aforesaid
    Green M. Tuthill Clk

    State of New York
    Tioga County
    Samuel Shoemaker of Elmira County
    and State aforesaid aged Seventy years and
    upwards being duly sworn doth depose and
    say that George Horton, who has subscribed
    and sworn to the foregoing declaration enlisted
    in the Spring of 1780 in the company of
    Capt. Henry Shoemaker in the County of North-
    hampton in the State of Pa for the term of during
    the war, and at the time of his enlistment Col.
    John Chambers commanded - This deponent
    was Lieutenant of the same company till
    some time in the fall of that year and well
    remembers that this said Horton served
    in the said company up to the time last
    mentioned and understood that he continued
    in the service till the close of the war in the fall
    of 1780 and has no doubt of that fact -
    Sworn & subscribed Saml Shoemaker
    this 4th day of Sept 1832
    before me-
    Green M. Tuthill Clk

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    Page 15

    State of New York
    Tioga County
    Benjamin Brink of the
    Town of Elmira in the County and State aforesaid
    aged Sixty Nine years and upwards being
    duly sworn according to Law doth depose and
    say that George Horton who has subscribed
    and sworn to the foregoing declaration enlisted
    in the company of Capt. Henry Shoemaker
    under Col. John Cambers in the Spring of the
    year 1780 for the term of during the war, and
    served therein till in the fall of 1783 when
    the Company were dismissed. That he this
    deponent served in the same company during
    all of the same time but at times were stationed
    in different posts from each other -
    Sworn & Subscribed Benjamin Brink
    this 4th day of Sept 1832
    before me
    Green M. Tuthill Clk
    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 certifies that it appears to them
    that Simeon R. Jones who has signed
    the preceding certificate is a Clergyman
    resident in the Town of Southport in
    the County of Tioga and State of
    New York and that John Miller
    who has also signed the same is a

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    resident in the same Town and is a
    credible person and that their
    statement is entitled to credit-
    And the Court futher certifies that
    Samuel Shoemaker and Benjamin
    Brink whose affidavits are hereto
    annexed are credible persons and that
    their statements are entitled to credit
    J. B. Baldwin
    First Judge

    I Green M. Tuthill Clerk of the Court of
    Common Pleas aforesaid do hereby certify
    that the foregoing contains the original
    proceedings of the said Court in the
    matter of the application of George Horton
    for a pension -
    In testimony whereof I
    have hereunto set my
    hand & seal of Office
    this 8th day of Sept. 1832
    Green M. Tuthill

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    Page 17

    O. W. and N Division 3-525
    [illegible]
    Serv. File 29.232
    Rev. Mar.

    Department of the Interior
    Bureau of Pensions
    Washington, D.C.,

    In reply to your request for a statement of the military history of George Horton, a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his [crossed out] or his widow's [typed] application for pension on file in this Bureau.

    [Table]

    [Column 1] DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.
    [Handwritten] Northampton Co Pa
    Sp 1980
    to
    fall 1783

    [Column 2] LENGTH OF SERVICE.
    3 yrs 8 mos.

    [Column 3] RANK.

    [Column 4] OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
    [Sub-Column 4-1] CAPTAIN.
    Henry Shoemaker
    [Sub-column 4-2] COLONEL.
    John Chambers

    [Column 5] STATE.
    Pa.

    [Ends column, returns to form]
    Battles engaged in, [blank line with check mark]

    Residence of soldier at enlistment, [Handwritten] Lower Smithfield Twp. Northampton Co., Pa-

    Date of application for pension, [Handwritten] Sept. 4, 1832 - Allowed.

    Residence at date of application, [Handwritten] Tioga, Tioga Co., N.Y.

    Age at date of application, [Handwritten] B. Phillipstown Dutchess Co., NY. Mch 23, 1761.

    Remarks, [check mark] [Handwritten] In 1833 soldier removed to Michigan to live with his ch. whose names are not mentioned.

    Very respectfully,

    20581b3m11-05

    Commissioner.

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    29 232
    Revy INVALID

    File No. 29,232
    George Horton
    Ser Rev War

    Act: June 7" 32"
    Index:-Vol. 2, Page 192

    [Arrangement of 1870.]

    [Handwritten] 1906 Aug 29. Hist. Co
    Thos. D. Horton
    1910 July 6 Mrs. A. B. Avelyth of date of death is not stated. Apply to Auditor [illegible] Letter in S.f. 34687 Joshua Chamberlain.

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    [Handwritten] Aot

    3-871

    RECORD DIVISION.

    Department of the Interior,
    BUREAU OF PENSIONS.

    Briefed by A. Weir D L 8/6'/10

    Claim No.

    Certificate No.

    Claimant

    Soldier [Handwritten] George Horton

    Service [Handwritten] Pa.

    Additional Service [Handwritten] Rev.

    No. claim, State records , 191

    No claim, combination records , 191

    REMARKS:

    [Handwritten] Serv. File No. 29232
    [Handwritten] (No others)

    [Handwritten] No Wid. NO.
    [Handwritten] [ditto mark] Rej.

    6-1944 Chief Division

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    Ballard Wash Aug 19/06
    Commissioner of Pensions

    Dear Sir
    Have you any record in
    your Office of George Horton
    drawing a pension for service
    in the Revolutionary War from
    May 1780 until Sept 1783
    he was in Captain Henry
    Shoemakers company Pennsylvania
    troops
    I am his grand son
    and I would like to know

    Yours Resp.
    Thomas D. Horton
    1212 4th Ave
    Ballard
    Wash
    [stamped U.S. PENSION OFFICE AUG 27 1906]
    [stamp partially obscured bearing date AUG 27 1906]

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    Record Division

    July 6, 1910.

    Mrs. A. B. Avery
    101 Lawrence Street,
    Pontiac, Mich.

    Madam:
    In reply to your letter dated the 23rd and received the 27th ultimo,
    you are advised that in the claim of George Horton, Sur. File No. 29,232,
    Revolutionary War, the date of his death is not stated.
    For date of last payment of pension and probable date of death, ap-
    plication should be made to the Auditor for the Interior Department, U.S.
    Treasury Department, citing the following data: George Horton, Certificate
    No. 3, 152, issued December 15, 1832, under Act of June 7, 1832, at the
    Michigan Agency.
    Very respectfully,
    Acting Commissioner

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