William Norton in the War of 1812

I find the War of 1812 genealogically interesting since we have ancestors who fought for the American side and others who fought for the British/Canadian side. I recently received a package of records relating to William Norton's involvement in the war from the American National Archives. The package consists of papers submitted by William after the war to claim land and pension rights as a military volunteer during a time of war.  William Norton was the husband of Amaryllis Andrews and the father of Louisa (Norton) Davis, who married Adoniram Davis.  The Davis family, by the way,  were United Empire Loyalists. 

Here is William's application for bounty land, dated April 6, 1852:

"State of New York, Washington County.  On this sixth day of April A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace within and for the County and State aforesaid William Norton aged sixty seven years a resident of the Town of Granville in the county and state aforesaid who being duly sworn according to Law declares that he is the Identical William Norton who was a private in the Company of Artillery commanded by Captain Jehiel Dayton in the Regiment of Artillery commanded by Lieut. Col. Stephen Thorn detached from the second and third Brigades of New York Artillery in the war with Great Britain declared by the United States on the 18th day of June 1812.  That he volunteered on or about the month of July A.D. 1812 for the Term of six months that he with the said Company mustered at Whitehall on the Eleventh day of August 1812 and march (sic) to Plattsburgh and continued in actual service in said War until the 24th day of November 1812 when said Company were allowed by Order of General Dearborn to return home allowing them six days rations to arrive at home making it the first day of December 1812 and making an actual service of three months and twenty days. That said Company were again called into actual service in said War by an Order of Lieut. Col. Pliney Adams to whose Regiment of New York militia the said Company of Artillery was attached being the 154th Regiment of said militia that this declarant mustered with said Company under said Order of Col. Adams on the Eleventh Day of September A.D. 1814 at Whitehall in said County of Washington and marched to Burlington in the State of Vermont, where they were verbally discharged honorably on or about the twentieth day of September A.D. 1814 after having continued in actual service for the Term of thirteen --- days including four days to return home....He makes this Declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty Land to which he may be entitled under the act granting bounty land to certain officers and soldiers of the United States passed September 28th 1850.  (signed) William Norton.

 Under this application, William was awarded a warrant for 80 acres of land.  In 1855 act was passed which made it possible for William to apply for additional bounty land, which he did.  He was awarded another 80 acres, making 160 acres altogether.  It's interesting that the April 1852 application states he is sixty-seven years old, and the application in May of 1855, three years later,  says he is sixty-eight. Was he not keeping track of his age?

William made one more application on the strength of his War of 1812 service, for a military pension, in 1871.  He had to go to Vermont to apply, and he had to swear an oath of loyalty to the United States on top of declaring his service.  Here is part of the application:

"  State of Vermont, County of Rutland.  On this 15th day of March A.D. One thousand eight hundred & seventy one before me a Judge of the County Court a Court of Record within and for the County and State aforesaid William Norton, aged 85 years, a resident of Middle Granville County of Washington State of New York who being duly sworn according to law declares that he is married that his wife's name was Amarillus Andrews to whom he was married at Middle Granville aforesaid on the 25th day of December A.D. 1816 that he served the full period of four months and twenty days in the military service of the United States in the War of 1812...that he was in said service stationed and employed at & in the vicinity of Plattsburgh N.Y. part of the time with his Company & Regiment that for his military service aforesaid he received & had issued to him two land warrants for 160 acres of land in all under acts of Congress.  That in September 1814 he served in the same company & Regiment about half a month being called out for the defense of Plattsburgh..."

William was granted a pension of eight dollars a month, retroactive to February 1871.  His land bounty warrant numbers were 32206-80-50 and 24218-80-55.  William enjoyed his pension for eight more years, dying in 1877 at the age of 92.