I found the following reference to such a "pledge" re my ancestor, James WOODEN: "In April, 1775, an association was formed and a pledge drawn up of allegiance to the colonies in their purpose to oppose the arbitrary acts of the British Parli(a)ment, and among the signers of the pledge in Newburg(h) the name of James Wooden occurs." James WOODEN (born 1737) served in the Revolution in Captain Thomas Seward's Company, Colonel John Crane's 3rd Regiment of flying artillery, Continental troops, organized in Massachusetts.