USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Charlemont > Charlemont as a plantation : an historical discourse at the centennial anniversary of the death of Moses Rice, the first settler of the town, delivered at Charlemont, Mass., June 11, 1855 > Part 5
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APPENDIX G. page 22.
Oct. 17, 1754.
To His Excellency William Shirley, Esq., Gov. &c., To The Honorable His Majesty's council, and the House of Representatives in General Court assembled :
The Petition of a Number of the Inhabitants of a New Settlement in the Western frontiers, called Chearley-Mount, Humbly Sheweth :
Whereas your petitioners in the Late Distress by the Indian Enemy, did, (with the advice of Col. Israel Williams, of Hatfield,) Move two of our houses nearly together, and pallisaded from one house to the other on one side, and made a parade with boards which we propose to line on the other side, the charge of which amounts to six pounds, Eighteen Shillings, Lawful
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money, which sum your petitioners humbly request may be granted them, and also that your petitioners may be allowed a further sum of six pounds, Lawful money, to enable them to build a Mount and watch-box, and picket said Houses : And your petitioners humbly request they may be allowed a Suitable number of Soldiers to defend said Garrison, and to scout to the other forts. And your petitioners Shall, as in duty bound, ever pray, &c.
GERSHOM HAWKS. JOSHUA HAWKS. SETH HAWKS.
To his Excellency William Shirley, Esq., Cap. Gen. &c., The Hon'ble his Majesties Council, &c., and Hon'ble House of Representatives in Gen- eral Court assembled.
Petition of Othniel Taylor of a Place called Chearleymont humbly sheweth :
That Whereas your petitioner lives in an exposed Frontier Place, (and by the advice of Col. Israel Williams, of Hatfield,) has been at considerable charge in erecting a garrison round his and his brother's house, for the pro- tection of their Families and receiving and Entertaining Soldiers that may be sent for the defence of the Western Frontiers, as also for the conveniency, relief, and refreshment of scouts and guards which will be obliged to travel to Fort Massachusetts, with stores from the Inland Towns for s'd Fortress. An account of which said Charge your Petitioner has been at, is sent with this Petition, and would Humbly move that your Excellency and Honours would take it into your wise consideration, and make your Petitioner Allow- ance for the same, as in Your great wisdom Your Excellency and Honours shall Judge Meet.
And as in duty bound Your Petitioner shall ever pray.
OTH. TAYLOR.
'The account of the cost and charge of building mount and fortifying the houses of Othmiel Taylor and Jona. Taylor, of a place called Charlemont, in the County of Hampshire, so far as to make them in some measure defensi- ble, &c.
To 32 Day's Work geting timber, Boaring and Setting up the pi kets and Gate a 2 . . £5. 4. 0. 0.
To 3 day's work of a Team, a 31 . 0. 9.0. 0.
To AS day's work geling timber for a Watch-box and mount, and forting from house to House and Seting up the same,
3. 16. 0. 0.
To 500 feet of Boards for flours and covering for the Mount and Watch. Box, a £1. 6. 8.
13. 4. 0.
To Hanging for gates, 6. 0. 0. 6.
To a team 2 Days,
£10. 4.4. 0.
A true account Errours Excepted.
Charlemont, Or. 19, 1731.
OTH. TAYLOR.
Hampshire, ss. Oct. ye 18th, 1754.
Then Othniel Taylor appeared and made oath that the above acc't is a just and true account of the Labor and Materials for Building and Erecting a fort at Charlemont in the County afor'sd, Round the Houses of Othniel Taylor aforesaid, and Jonathan Taylor.
Cor'm ELIJAH WILLIAMS, Jus. Peas.
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APPENDIX H. page 25.
As the sons of Capt. Rice performed important services in the early his- tory of the town, a notice of them appropriately finds a place here.
I. SAMUEL, was born at Sudbury, Aug. 10, 1720. July 20, 1741, he mar- ried Dorothy Martin, of Rutland, where he then resided. They had three children before his final removal to Charlemont, viz.
Moses, b. at Rutland, April 5, 1742, m. Ruth Pierce, of C., Aug. 6, 1767; resided at C. on the south side of the river, opposite the village, and died Sept. 10, 1784.
Asa, b. 1747 ; taken captive at C. 1755; m. Lucy Smith, of W. Creek, N. Y .; and 2d wife, Jemima Green, 1798 ; died March 23, 1833.
Martin, b. Jan. 1, 1749 ; bap. at Marlborough, March 22; m. Lucy Rice, of Hardwick, 1778; m. 2d wife, Sarah Ford, of Cummington. He died July 17, 1841, æt. 92.
After their removal to C. they had
Samuel, b. April, 1753, and the third child born of English parents in the town ; m. Dorothy Houghton-about 1778-resided and died at C. Dec. 16, 1832.
Artemas, b. April 5, 1758 ; m. Asenath Adams ; lived and died at C. May 9, 1828.
Mr. Rice had also two daughters. Rachel, b. Oct. 7, 1762 ; m. Thomas Totman, and was living at Lorraine, N. Y. in 1856. Lucy, d. Oct. 15, 1795.
Mr. Rice lived in the house, described in the narrative, and owned the farm on which it stood ; which has descended to his grandson, Roswell Rice. He was a man of fine natural abilities ; but in consequence of severe sick -. ness while a young man, possessed less activity than some of his younger brothers. In 1764, June 8, he presented a petition to the General Court, setting forth that he had discovered "a much better place for a road up Hoosuck mountain," than the old Indian road up Cold River, then traveled ; and also a "small tract of land near said mountain on Deerfield river, con- taining about 200 acres ;" and he asks for a grant of the land, on condition of making a road up "said Hoosuck mountain as good as the land for the road will allow of." The petition was granted, but I cannot learn that he completed the road. This is the first record which I find of an attempt to build the road across the mountain, when it was afterwards laid out and made by the late Col. Asaph White, and is now famous as the line of the Tunnel Route. The land spoken of is, I presume, the same since known as King's flats, now occupied by the descendants of Mr. Rice. He died Sept. 20, 1793, æt. 73 years.
II. AARON, b. Jan. 31, 1725, removed to C. with his father ; m. Free- dom French, of Deerfield, Nov. 5, 1754, b. April 22, 1730; both joined the church at D. 1756. He lived upon the homestead and upon the western part of the Rice Grant. He was one of the most intelligent and useful citizens of the town; was the builder of the first mills in the place; was one of the deacons first elected by the church at its organization ; for many years was constantly intrusted with town business; he served a year in Fort Pelham, as we have seen; he was also a corporal in Capt. Burk's Company, in Col. Williams's regiment, in 1758 ; and in 1780 he represented the town in the Convention which formed the State Constitution. He died Oct. 2, 1808 ; his wife followed him, Sept. 5, 1809, and lies by his side.
The following is a copy of the inscription upon their grave-stone :
"Sacred to the memory of Dea. Aaron Rice, and Freedom, his wife ; who, having sustained the hardships of an infant frontier settlement in time
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of war : having reared a family of eleven children, six of whom lie interred in this ground ; and lived together in happy wedlock fifty-four years, departed this hie, the first, Dec. 2. 1508, aged 84 years ; the other, Sept. 15, 1809, aged 70 years."
" And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the command- ments and ordinances of the Lord blameless."
Their children were, Sarah, b. Aug. 16, 1756; John, b. Feb. 2, 1758, d. May 12. 1-29 ; Sarah, b. Nov. 14, 1759; . Inna, b. July 10, 1761 ; Eunice, b. July 21, 1703: . Maron, b. March 23, 1765. d. at Brecksville, O. 1857 : Joseph, b. Dec. 2. 1767, d. in Ohio, 1802 : Luke. (Capt.) b. Nov. 27, 1769, d. Sept. 6, 1-15 : Silas, b. Oct. 16, 1771: Freedom, - - -.
III. SrovANts. (Cap !. b. January 6, 1729; in. Esther Nimns, of Deerfield, June 5, 1760, and joined the church at D. Nov. 22, 1761. He lived on that portion of the Rice Grant which includes the present village, and in the house afterwards occupied by Elder Nathaniel Rice, a part of which still exists. His services in the Revolution are spoken of in the narrative. He died at Charlemom, March, 1-19, in his !I1st year : and his widow, Sept. 28, 1-21. Their children were,- Luther, b. June 10, 1761. d. at West Point. Oct. 1. 1752; Calvin, b. May 26, 1763. d. Feb. 1512 ; Abigail, b. March 28, 1775, d. Oct. 19, 1-37 ; Haldah. b. July 19, 1767, d. Oct. 12, 1849; Sylvanus, b. Dec. 25, 1760, died in H1. May 29, 1>17 ; Quartus, b. Dec. 2, 1773, d. at Brecksville, O. April, 18:23 : . Alfred, b. Nov 12. 1775; Mather, b. July 26, 177-, d. at Montreal, Sept. 1501.
IV. MATEMAA, b. Oct. 22. 1734; m. first wife, Mary Stevens, who died at 6. Det. 13. 1777 : 20 wife, Catharine Taylor, of Decifield. Children,- Lucretia. b. May 2, 1766; Lydia, b. Oct 20, 1768. m. Capt. Luke Rice, d. May 5, 1819: . Inna, b. Oct. 21, 1770, m. Thomas Nichols, d. 1846 : David, b. Oct. 9, 1772 ; Paul, b. Oct. 27, 1774 ; Dinah, b. Sept. 8. 1776; Ezra, b. Sept. 13, 1781. Artemas settled on the eastern portion of the Rice Grant, and lived in the house afterwards owned by the late Lieut. Josiah Upton. He died 1-01, art. 67.
The daughters of Capt. Rice were, -. Abigail, b. Feb. 20, 1723, in. James Heaton, at Rutland, April 11, 1743. Two sons, Dr. Moses, and Samuel, resided in C. : Moses, on the west part of the farm afterwards owned by Dr. S. Bates. They removed to Onion River, Vt.
Dinah, b. Jan. 21, 1727, m. Jos. Stevens, of Rutland. She was admitted to the church at Deerfield, Dec. 25, 1757 ; m. 2d husband, Paul Rice, May 16, 1701 ; d. at C. Sept. 6, 1818. The -Ito Bible ( Edinburgh ed.) of " Aunt Dinah," was left as a precious legacy to the mother of the writer.
Tamar, b. June 15, 1732; m. John Wells, of Shelburne ; joined the church at D. Dec. 25, 1758.
Sarah King, the widow of Cipt. Rice, hved with her son, Dea. Aaron Rice, and is believed to have died in the year 1755, at. 54 years.
In camping this note, I have been greatly aided by the History of the Rice Fazialy, just Issued from the press, compiled by Andrew HI. Ward, Esq., and to whim, as a descendant of Moses Rice, I desire to tender a tribute of gratitude for huis long-continued and successful labors in preserving from oblivion the names of wo many of the descendants of Edmund Rice.
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APPENDIX I. page 25.
Province of the Massachusetts Bay.
To his Excellency William Shirley, Esq., Capt. Gen'll and Governour in Chief, the Hon'ble Council and House of Rep'tives, in General Court Assembled, at Boston, Jan'ry, 1756.
Samuel Rice, of a place called Charlemont, a frontier in the County of Hampshire, humbly shows :
That in the month of June last, your Petitioner's Father, Capt. Moses Rice, was killed, and a son of your Petitioner, about nine years old, Capti- vated at said place.
That your Petitioner's s'd Father built a fort, for a cover for himself and famyly and those of his four sons, which fort was built near a hill which has since been looked on a very unsuitable place, as the said Hill overlooked said fort, which was the cause, as your petitioner thinks, that none of the Soldiers in the pay of the Province, at Said place ye summer past, being twenty-four, were placed at said ffort.
That your Petitioner's house stands about Eight perch from the ffort and well situated, and your petitioner, with his brethren, would erect a fort around the same, provided they might have soldiers placed there, which they apprehend would be of Publick benefit. And as your Petitioner and Breth- ren have valuable improvements, he prays your Excellency and Hon'rs con- sideration of the premises, and to grant such releife as may prevent the ruin of your Petitioner and his Brethren, who otherwise must leave their settle- ment.
Your Petitioner further begs your Excellency and Hon's Compassionate consideration of ye unhappy case of his son, now a captive among the Indians, and that, if any measures are taken for the Redemption of Cap- tives, that of his son, whose name is Asa, may equally share in ye great goodness and charity of the Government. And as in duty bound will ever pray, &c.
Your petitioner came to town but yesterday, and could not put a petition sooner, and humbly prays it may be sustained.
SAM'LL RICE.
To his Ex. Wm. Shirley, &c. &c.
The Petition of Aaron Rice, of Charleymount, Humbly Sheweth :
Whereas your petitioner was obliged soon after the Enemy did begin to distres the people in the western frontiers, to hire 4 men for a guard. three of them for a fortnight, and one of them five days, being necessitated to do it, as we apprehended, to save our lives, till the province supplied us with Soldiers, we then being but few in number in Charlemont, and very much scattered, and greatly exposed to an enemy, and not able to guard ourselves while we were geting our families together and fortifying, &c., Your peti- tioner prays that the wages and Billeting said men may be paid him out of the province treasury, and your petitioner will, as in duty bound, ever pray, &c.
AARON RICE.
APPENDIX J. page 25.
Province of Massachusetts Bay.
To the Hon'ble his Majesty's Council and House of Rep'tives, in Gen'l Court assembled, Sitting at. Boston, Aprill 18, 1757.
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The Petition of Samuel Rice, for himself and his three brethren, inhab- itants at Charlemont, so called, in the County of Hampshire, humbly Shews :
That on their petition presented to this Hon'e Court the last year, they were pleased to allow them eight of the men placed at Charlemont, provided your petitioners should remove a fort placed around their late father's house, and errect one round your petitioner's, a much more suitable place, which was done at considerable cost.
That there is scarce any improvement, (as is well known to many mem- bers of this Court,) but what is made by your pet'rs. That they annually raise a considerable amount of grain and other provisions, having now near twenty acres of Winter Corn on the ground, And mow more grass, and keep more cattle than the whole place, and are owners of the only corn mill in that part of the County.
Your petitioner also begs leave to say, that Charlemont was granted on certain conditions of Settlement, which had they been complied with, the place would have been a fine flourishing town ; but it has so happened that what has been done as to Settlement, has been done by your petitioners and their late dec'd father, which, as it has been attended with uncommon Cost and danger, they humbly apprehend it has entitled them to the favor and Justice of the Hon'ble Court.
May it please your Hon's that, in consequence of the incouragement given them the last year, they removed the garrison aforesaid, and erected a good, new, defensible one, and as they must, if not in some measure supported, leave their valuable possessions and improvements, (which will certainly stop the settlement of the place on a peace,) they humbly pray your Hon's wise and compassionate consideration of the premises, and that they may such assistance afforded them, as may be consistent with your Hon's wisdom, and as in duty bound, shall ever pray.
SAM'L RICE.
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Transcripts of Documents Relating to Persons Mentioned in CHARLEMONT AS A PLANTATION
Will of Asa Rice
Distribution of Asa Rice's Estate
IV.
I. II. III. Affidavit from Asa Rice's Pension File Affidavit from Martin Rice's Pension File
In the Name of God Amen
I Asa Rice of the Town of Luzern in the County of Warren and State of Newyork aged Eighty Four years and upperds according to the best of my knowledge; being Sound in mind and memory, blessed be God for the Same, but being old and infirm in body, and calling to mind the mortal- ity of man, knowing that it is appointed for man once to die - And being desirous to dis- charge a duty I owe to myself and those I may leave behind, and to dispose of the property which God has been pleased to bless me with hear on earth - I do make ordain and declare this to be my last Will and Testiment - That is to Say - - -
First I give and consign my mortal body to the earth from whence it came to be buried in a decent and Christian like manner by Friends, and Executors hereafter named - -
Secondly My Imortal Soul I chearfully resign to Almighty God who give it. Now as touching my worley property which God has been pleased to bless me with I do will order and determin as follows
Thirdly That all my honest and just debts be paid, and especely the expences of my last sick- ness and funeral charges out of my estate in preferance to any devise or legases herein con- tained,
Fourthly I give and bequith unto my wife Jemima all the household furniture and property which which she carriade away with her when she left my house at the Town of Whitecrick in the County of Washington, this bequith I give her my said Wife in full for all right of dowery or Intrest in my property or estate whatsoever.
Fifthly I give my Son Asa Rice Junr. the sum of five dollars over and above what he has already received out of my estate.
Sixthly I give and bequith unto my Son Jerse
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Rice all that Certain lot piece or parcle of land lying and being in the Town of Lorain in the County of Jefferson State of Newyork being the Same piece or parcle of land which I pur- chased of one Parepint and which my Said Son Jesse now or of late lived on together with all the priviledges and profits thereof.
Seventhly I give and bequith unto my oldest daughter Lucy Bennet the Sum of five Dollars and if it Should so happen that She my Said daughter Should be left a widow by the death of her husband Robart R. Bennet then and in that Case I further give and bequith unto her my Said daughter Lucy Bennet the further Sum of Fifty Dollars over and above the afforesaid five Dollars before named.
Eightly I give and bequith unto my Second daugh- ter Reana Kinyon now the wife of Stephen Kinyon the Sum of Five Dollars and I further give and bequith unto my Said daughter Reana Kinyon's two Sons, Namely, George Kinyon and Stephen Kin- yon Jun. the sum of Fifty Dollars each - The above two Sums of fifty Dollars each men- tioned to be given to my two Grandsons George Kinyon and Stephen Kinyon Junr. Must be paid to them by my Executors hereafter Named whenever the principle Sum contained in a Certain Mort- gage and bond which I purchased of My Son Asa Rice Junr. shall become due and be received by my Executors as afforesaid and not untill that time. The Said Bond and Mortgage above mentioned was given by one Bela Wood made payable to My Said Son Asa Rice Junr.
Ninthly I give and bequith unto my daughter Rachal Parin five Dollars - -
Tenthly I give and bequith unto the Children of my Son Jesse which he now has or which he may hereafter have by the wife with which he now lives, and the Children of my daughter Lucia Bennet to be equely divided amoungst them after all my Just debts are paid and all the Several legases above mentioned are fulley paid, and all My last Sickness and Funriel charges are
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first and fully paid and discharged. Eleventhly I will that My Executors hereafter named Shall have the term of two years before the [y] pay any of the Sums above mentioned after my decease except my funeral Charges and my honest and Just debts which I will Should be paid first of All.
Twelfthly I Make ordain and appoint my three friends, that is to Say, Daniel Stewart and Seth Aldridg of the Town of Luzern in the County of Warren and John Johnson of the Town of Hadley in the County of Saratoga, all of the State of New- york Executors of this my last will and Testi- ment.
and Lastley I do hereby make null and absolutely Void all former wills or parts of wills by me made And declare and publish this and this only to be my last will and Testiment.
Containing thre pages, or three sides of half Sheats.
In Witne whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this twenty forth day of January in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and thirty three.
Asa Rice Signed Sealed published and declared by the above Named Asa Rice to be his last will and testiment.
In the presents of us who have hereunto Subs- cribed our names as witnesses in the presents of the testator and in the presents of each other of us.
Henry Rogers Luzern County of Warran Daniel H. Cowles Luzern County of Warran Jas. Lawrence Luzern County of Warran
[Admitted to Probate, 22 July 1837. Warren County Surrogate's Office, State of New York].
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DISTRIBUTION OF ASA RICE'S ESTATE, 1837
there appears to be . . . the sum of three hundred and forty dollars and twenty six cents subject to distribution among the heirs and legatees that have not received their legacy. It is therefore ordered the said
Seth Aldrich and Daniel Stewart . . pay . . the proper sums following as possible to the directions contained in the said will, to wit:
Rachel Parin
$ 5.00
Stephen Kinyon, Jr.
50.00
Joel Bennet
20.37-1/2
Julia Day
20.37-1/2
Julius C. Bennet
20.37-1/2
John Bennet
20.37-1/2
Jane Russel
20.37-1/2
Joseph Bennet
20.37-1/2
Elija Bennet
20.37-1/2
Olive Bennet
5.09-1/2
Eliza Ann Bennet
5.09-1/2
Lucy Bennet
5.09-1/2
Julia Bennet
5.09-1/2
Routh Dunham
20.37-1/2
Ward Rice
20.37-1/2
Eli Rice
20.37-1/2
Richard Rice
20.37-1/2
John Rice
20.37-1/2
Caroline Rice
20.37-1/2
$340.26
In testimony whereof I the said surrogate have set my hand and affixed my seal of office at Caldwell in the said county of Warren this twentieth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven.
Thomas Archibald,
Surrogate.
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PENSION FILE S14308
Asa Rice a resident of the Town of Luzern in the Said County of Warran and State of Newyork; being in the Eighty Sixth year of his age who being first duly Sworn according to the law doth in his oath make the following declaration; in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions mad by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832: That he Volunteered as a privet Soldier in the Service of the United States under the Command of one Captain Oliver Averall and his Lieut- anent was one Thomas Nicholas both of the Town of Charlemont in the County of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts; that he does not recolect any of the field officers then with him, that he resided when he entered the Said Service in the Town of Charlemont in the County of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts; that he entered the Said Service sometime the last of April (to the best of his recolection) in the year 1775; that he was marched directley from the Said Town of Charlemount through the State of Massachusetts to the Town of Camberige near Boston in the State of Massachusetts where he continued doing duty until the last of May or the first of June in the year 1775; that he was in said Service the full term of one month at that time, that he did not receive any written discharge from that Service, that there no Continental troops then known, that he was not aquainted with any of the officers then with him except the ones above Stated; that he was not in any action during that time, that he has no other docu- mentary evidence of this Service except the testimony herewith produced; and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his Service at that time (except as before). This deponent on his oath further Says that he was drafted as a privet Soldier into the Service of the United States in the afforesaid Town of Charlemount for the term of two mounths about the last day of September (to the best of his recolection) in the year
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1776, that he was Marched from the Said Town of Charlemount to Kingsbridg near Newyork in the State of Newyork, that he served in a Regement Commanded by one Colonel Moseley (Christian name not recolected) in a Company Commanded by Captain McClealen (Christian name not recolec- ted) that he entered the Service in this Cam- pain about the last of September (the peticular day not recolected) in the 1776, that he was dismised from that Service about the last of November or the first of December 1776, that he served in this Campain the full term of two mounths, that he was aquainted in this Campain with one Captain Manfield and one Lieutanent Brown of the Continental troops but does not Recolect to what Regement they belonged, that the Corps to which he then belonged was not Joined to any regular troops, that this depo- nant was in the Schrimageing of the Battle of Whiteplains but was not in the main Battle; that he has no documentary evidence of this Service (except the affidavits herewith pro -- duced) and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service at that time except as above. And this deponant on his oath further says that he entered the Service of the United States as a Volunteer privet Soldier from the Town of Char- lemount afforesaid where he then resided about the tenth day of August in the year 1777; that the Corps to which he belonged was placed under no regular officers, that he marched directley from Charlemount to the Town of Benington in the State of Vermont where he was placed under the imediate Command of General Stark where he served untill about the fifteenth day of Aug- ust in the year 1777 when he was dismised from that Service, that he Served in that tower the full term of one Mounth, that he was not ac- quainted with any of the Regular troops or officers at that time, that this Service was done at the time of the Battle of Benington; that he left that Service about the said fif- teenth day of August 1777, that he did not
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receive any written discharge , that he has no documentary evidence of that Service (except the evidence herewith produced) and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can pro- cure who can testify to this Service at that time (except as above) that this deponent upon his oath further Says that he entered the Ser- vice of the United States as a Volunteer privet Soldier from the Town of Charlemount afforesaid about the last day of September 1777; that he marched directley from Charlemount to the vici- nity of Stillwatter in the State of Newyork, that he was in this Service untill the first of December (the peticular day not recolected) 1777; that he was in this tower the full term of two mounths; that he was in a Regiment Commanded by one Colonel Smead (Christian name not recolec- ted) that he was in a Company Commanded by a Captain Ward (other name not recolected) that the Lieutanent's Name was Thomas Nicholas, that this Service was done at the takeing of the armey under General Burgoyne; that he was not acquainted with any of the Continental officers at that time, that he did not receive any writ- ten discharge from this Service, that he has no documentary evidence of this Service(except the evidence herewith produced) and that he knowes of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his Service at that time (except as above) . And this deponant further on his oath says that by the information of his parents he was born in the Town [of] Rutlan[d] in the County of Worcester And State of Massachusetts in the year 1747, that he was removed with his parents when an Infant from the Said town of Rutland to Town of Charlemount in the County of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts where he resided un- till the eleventh day of June in the year 1755 when he was taken a prisoner from the Said Town of Charlemount by a party of Indians belonging the Tribe of the St. Franceway Indians and Car- ried to the province of lower Canada where he was kept a prisoner about six years and Seven
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mounths when he was released from his imprison- ment and returned to the Said Town of Charle- mount where he resided untill the year 1782 when he removed from the Said town of Charle- mount to the Town of Whitecreek in the County of Washington in the State of Newyork where he resided untill the year 1825 when he removed from the Said town of White Creek to the Town of Lorain in the County of Jefferson and State of Newyork, where he resided untill the year 1829, when he removed to the Town of Luzern in the County of Warren in the State of Newyork where he now resides; that he has no written record of his age but received it from his par- ents.
That he hereby Relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State in the Union.
Asa Rice
Subscribed & Sworn in open Court this 18th day of September 1832 before me
Thomas C. Archibald Clerk
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PENSION FILE S30063
Affidavit of Martin Rice
On this 27 day of May 1833 personally appeared before the court of common pleas in aforesaid county, Martin Rice, a resident of the town of Lorraine in said county of Jefferson & state of New York, aged eighty four years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by 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 -
In the month of April in the year 1775 he vol- unteered as a fifer & joined a company of militia under the command of Capt. Hugh Maxwell in Col. William Prescott's regiment then in the town of Cambridge in the state of Massachusetts. He en- listed for the term of eight months & served out his whole time. He was honorably discharged in the month of December in the same year & went immediately home to the town of Charlemont in midstate. By reason of old age & loss of memory he cannot remember the day he enlisted or was discharged. But he well recollects that he vol- unteered for eight months & served faithfully for that time. He was most of the time stationed at Cambridge near Boston. He was in the battle of Bunker's Hill. He was in the battle with Col. Prescott, Capt. Hugh Maxwell. He well recollects that Capt. Maxwell was wounded.
In answer to the several questions put by the court he answers as follows -
1. He was born in the town of Marlboro' state of Massachusetts in the year 1749.
2. He has no record of his age.
3. When called into service he was living in the town of Charlemont in the state of Massa- chusetts & resided there for several years after the revolutionary war. Since that time he has
X
resided in what was then called Ducksburry in the state of Vermont. He then removed to near Sandy Hill in the state of New York. From thence he removed to the town of Lorraine where he now resides.
4th. He was a volunteer in the service.
5. Gen. Putnam, Gen. Warren, Col. Prescott, Capt. Maxwell, were in the battle at Bunker Hill. The circumstances of the service were as above stated. 6th. He recd. a written discharge from the ser- vice & it was soon after destroyed.
7. The names of persons to whom he is known in the neighborhood where he now resides are Gen. Clark Allen, Esg. Bushnell, Capt. Elisha Allen, James Wilde, William Heath, Ebin Brown & others.
He has no documentary evidence & he knows of no persons whose testimony he can procure excep- ting those whose affidavits are hereto annexed.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Martin Rice.
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid, P. Burchard, Clerk.
Ry.Inc.
N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA
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