[undecipherable] [Endorsements: ABC / [undecipherable] / SAW / John Halsted / enclosing 2 papers respecting / him as a [undecipherable] / him as a [undecipherable] / [undecipherable] as a Refuge — Received 14 April 1800 — To the Hon. the Secretary of War / Philadelphia] Perth Amboy April 2^d 1800 Sir I have the Honour to enclose the Depositions of Col. Aaron Burr and Matthias Halsted respecting my residence in Canada &c — And also at the request of M^r John Dyer Mercer my Deposition respecting his residence in Canada &c. I some days since transmitted you an estimate of my lofses &c as a Refugee from the British Province of — to be informed of the receipt of them and the enclosed papers will afford great Satisfaction. I have the honour to be very respectfully, Sir, your most obedient Servant John Halsted The Hon.^ble the Secretary of War [Endorsement of deposition wrapper: "[undecipherable] of John Halsted [undecipherable] residence in Canada, &c &c"] Matthias Halsted of the City of Perth Amboy in the State of New Jersey, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that he was in Quebec in the British Province of Canada, in the Years one thousand seven hundred and forty eight, and one thousand seven hundred and seventy one. That he there knew John Halsted, and that he resided with his family in Quebec in both the abovementioned Years, and was engaged in the flour manufactory, and occasionally in commercial business, in full and general credit. That this deponent has reason to believe and does believe, the said John Halsted was the greatest and last manufacturer of Flour in the said Province, and was generally so esteemed and reputed in Quebec and its vicinity; and that the business was a lucrative one. That this Deponent was in the constant habit of writing to, and receiving letters from the said John Halsted during his residence in Canada. That this Deponent did receive several letters from the said John Halsted, dated at Quebec in the Years One thousand seven hundred and seventy five and One thousand seven hundred and seventy six, with other things in every of which mentioning his family: from which this deponent has reason to believe and does believe, the said John Halsted continued to reside with his family, in Quebec intill the Year One thousand seven hundred and seventy five, and afterwards in its Vicinity and the Vicinity of the American Army, then before Quebec, intill the retreat of the said Army in May One thousand seven hundred and seventy six. That this deponent saw the said John Halsted with his family in New Jersey, in the Year one thousand seven hundred and seventy six; where to this deponents knowledge; he and his family, resided during the remainder of the American revolutionary War. And that neither he or his family, did return to, or reside afterwards within the British Dominions prior to the twenty fifth day of November One thousand and seven hundred and eighty three. Subscribed and sworn to in the County of Middlesex in the State of New Jersey this first day of April 1800 Before Ja^s. Manning, First Judge of the Courts of Common Pleas in the County of Middlesex in the State of New Jersey —— Matthias Halsted [Wrapper endorsement: AW N.^o 1 — Perth Amboy 24^th March 1800 — John Halsted — Inclosing and acertifying his [undecipherable] as a Refugee from Canada, and Stating his case, Signed by himself — Received 31 March 1800] Perth Amboy March 24^th 1800. Sir, I herewith transmit, agreably to the act, entitled, "An Act for the relief of the Refugees from the British provinces of Canada and Nova Scotia". An account of my lofses, Services, Sacrifices and Sufferings, as a Refugee from the British province of Canada, on account of my having joined the American Army on their arrival at Point Levy in November 1775 in order to invest the Town of Quebec, and by appointment from General Montgomery acted as Commissary to said Army untill their retreat from before Quebec on the sixth of May 1776 in consequence whereof I was at that time obliged to abandon my Settlement and property in that Country, and with a numerous Family removed into New Jersey where I have resided ever since. The first item in my account is a balance due me from Colin Drummond Esq^r then Agent to the Contractors in England for supplying the British Army in Canada with provisions, with whom I had been concerned in the flour manufacture several years, and when I went to Quebec in 1784 to seek after my property in that Country, I learned, that M^r Drummond died during the war, and the debt due me from him thereby became irrecoverable. In the year 1775 I engaged in the Flour manufacture with Henry Caldwell Esq^r., for five years, in the year 1784 I called on him with my accounts for the year 1775, and requested the balance due me as stated in my estimate, when he gave for answer, that our engagement was for five years, and that he had a just claim on me for damages, in leaving that Country and not fullfilling my engagement, and threatened me with a prosecution, I thereupon consulted Council, who advised me not to contend with him for the balance due me; or he would most probably recover damages against me. The next item is for sundry debts due me in 1775 some of the persons they were due from had left that Country, others where dead or became unable to pay me my just demand and therefore they could not be collected. The Millstones I imported for my own use, and was employed in the Mills leased by M^r Drummond in which I was concerned with him untill May 1775, and not having immediate use for them they remained in said Mills, and was in 1784 claimed by the proprietor of the Mills, who alledged he had paid M^r Drummond for them, and refused to pay for or deliver them to me. The other articles in my estimate were left in and near Quebec at the time of my leaving it in 1776 and in my search for them in 1784 where totally irrecoverable. On the Subject of Sacrifices and Sufferings which the act of Congress contemplates compensation for, I cannot without injustice to myself and family, be silent, as I have reason to believe no Refugee entitled to the bounty of the United States has made so entire a Sacrifice nor experienced so great Suffering as myself, I therefore beg leave to State. That Henry Caldwell Esq^r with whom I had entered into a joint concern in the flour manufacture in 1775 for five years, had the contract for supplying the British Army with flour in 1776 and for several years after, and I was credibly informed, and it was generally believed in Quebec, that he cleared four thousand pounds in the year 1776 by that contract; that for the last four years I was concerned with M^r Drummond the average profits was £1019, 6.11 per annum Halifax Currency my half £509.13.5 and the profits would have been 25 per Cent. more had not M^r Drummond engaged with the Contractors to furnish large quantities of flour at stipulated prices much under the market prices flour sold for in each of those years. — That in consequence of my appointment of Commissary to the American Army in Canada, and my zealous attachment to the cause of the United States, for the want of Public Specie wherewith to purchase Supplies for the Army, I advanced for the public Service, almost the whole I had saved from the wreck of my property, or could command, and that in the retreat from before Quebec on the 6^th of May 1776, I was obliged to leave that Country with my Family (a Wife and six Children) some of them without a Change of Cloths, and with great difficulty brought them to New Jersey where I have remained ever since. That after the Settlement of my public accounts, it was many years before I received payment of the monies due me, for the want of which, myself and family frequently wanted the comforts and sometimes the necessaries of life, and necessity compelled me to receive the monies due me in such payments, as deprived me of the means of entering into any kind of business; thus I have been reduced through my attachment to the United States and zeal in its Service from affluence and lucrative business to a Situation too painfull to describe. I have the Honour to be very respectfully Sir your most obedient Servant John Halsted. The Hon.^ble the Secretary for the department of War [Wrapper endorsement: AW N.^o 2 — An account of the lofses of John Halsted as a Refugee from Canada, dated 24 March 1800 at Perth Amboy and Signed by himself] A just and true estimate and account of the lofses, Sacrifices &c Sustained by John Halsted a Refugee from the British Province of Canada, who joined the American Army on their arrival at Point Levy in November 1775 and acted as Commissary to said Army untill their retreat from before Quebec on the Sixth day of May 1776, and in consequence thereof was at that time obliged to abandon his Settlement and property in that Country, and with a numerous Family removed into the State of New Jersey, where he has resided ever Since. Lofses.                                                                                    Halifax Currency To Balance of an Account due from Colin Drummond Esq^r                  £431   16   6      ditto — — due from Henry Caldwell Esq^r — —                                 53     4     8 To Sundry Accounts outstanding which Could not be collected                 79   13     7 216 Bushels Wheat at my house in Quebec                      @ 5/6             59     8     — 8 Puncheons Rum in M^r John D Mercer Cellar 101 Gallons   @ 5/2         261     3     6 4 — ditto — in my Cellar 43½ Gallons — —                  @ 5/2            111   12     8 14 dozen Claret Wine — — — —                                 at 30/             21     —     — one Quarter Cask Port at                                                                     7   10     — Riding Chair and Sleigh                                                                   15     —     — Sundry materials for building a Store                                                 65   17     6 Houshold furniture, Beds, Bed Cloths &c — —                                    225     —     — Frame of a Store in Co. with J.D. Mercer cost £150. my half                  75     —     — one pair Millstones, Spindle, Cross Irons &c compleat cost                    35     3     6 Three English Colts 3 and 4 years Old got by the imported      Horse Sterling at £30. — each — —                                                  90     —     —                                                                                      £1531     9   11 Dollars at five Shillings, amounting to Dollars 6125 ⁹³/₁₀₀ Sacrifices The lowest estimate at Five hundred nine pounds thirteen Shillings & five pence Halifax Currency per Annum      amounting to Dollars 2057 ⁶⁶/₁₀₀ Perth Amboy March 24^th 1800 John Halsted