USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Plymouth > History of Plymouth, New Hampshire; vol. I. Narrative--vol. II. Genealogies, Volume I > Part 15
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167
THE VETERANS' STORY.
pensioner of the United States under the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. She has no documentary evidence to prove his services but respectfully refers to the declaration and testimony furnished to the War Department by her said husband in support of his claim to a pension, to support her own claim. She further declares that she was married to the said Bruce Walker sixty two years ago last September by the Rev. Mr. Walker of Concord in the County of Merrimack and State aforesaid. That her husband the aforesaid Bruce Walker died on the twenty seventh day of July, one thousand eight hundred and forty and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
MEHETIBLE WALKER. 1
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above mentioned.
Before me
N. S. BERRY, Justice of the Court of Common Pleas.
I hereby certify that the said applicant by reason of bodily infirmity cannot attend Court.
N. S. BERRY, Justice of the Court of Common Pleas.
Declaration.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State of New Hampshire SS.
County of Grafton
On this fourth day of September, personally appeared before the Judge of the Court of Probate for said county now sitting, Solomon Bayley a resident of Plymouth in the county of Grafton and State of New Hamp- shire, aged seventy seven 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 enlisted in the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated (to wit) : that in April 1775 at New Salem (now Salem) He volunteered under Capt. Woodbury, on receiving the express of the battle of Lexington, & marched to that place (Lexington) and served in said Woodbury's company of militia about two weeks during which time he was not attached to any regiment ; was then discharged and returned home to said Salem in the county of Rockingham and State aforesaid. He again volunteered the
1 She was a pensioner under the acts of July 7, 1838, March 3, 1843, and Feb. 2, 1848.
168
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
last of June or first of July 1775 at said Salem on an alarm and marched to old Salem, Mass. and served about one week when he was discharged and returned home to said New Salem. In the year 1775 in the first part of October at said New Salem he enlisted for three months in the company commanded by Capt. Webster of Plaistow, N. H. Messrs Gile & Wheeler were Lieutenants in said company, and marched first to Winter Hill near Boston where he was stationed under the command of Col. Stark about two weeks; thence he marched to Cambridge, Mass. and there joined the Connecticut troops under the command of Col. Brewer where he served out his full term of enlistment and was discharged. He again immediately enlisted under the aforesaid officers for six weeks as more troops were expected on in that time but in consequence of the troops not arriving so soon as they expected, he served under the last enlistment two months when he was discharged and returned to said New Salem, having served in the two last terms five months. In the year 1777, the last of June or first of July, he enlisted again at Hopkinton, Merrimack County, State of N. H. in a company of militia commanded by Lieutenant Dow of said Hopkinton and marched to Ticonderoga through Charleston then called No. 4 and served in said expedition two weeks when he was discharged and returned to said Hopkinton. About the middle of July 1777, at said Hopkinton, he again enlisted in the company commanded by Capt. Joshua Bayley of said Hopkinton, for three months and marched with his company immediately for Manchester, Vt. where he was stationed about two weeks; thence he marched to Bennington, Vt. and was in the memorable battle of Bennington (Aug. 1777) ; thence he marched to Stillwater where and in the vicinity, he served out his full term of three months, was discharged and returned to Hopkinton aforesaid. In the last expedition he was attached to the regiment commanded by Col. Stickney of Concord, N. H. and under the command of Gen. Stark. Messrs. Bowman and Farnum were Lieuten- ants in his company. In the whole he has served his country faithfully a little over nine months to the best of his recollection. He never received any but verbal discharges, has no documentary evidence and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services. Since the war of the revolution, he has lived in said Hopkinton and in Plymouth aforesaid and for more than forty years, last part in said Ply- mouth where he now lives. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension, or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any State.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
SOLOMON BAYLEY.
169
THE VETERANS' STORY.
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states.
EDWARD WEBBER, Judge of Probate.
I, Moses Dow, Clerk of the Court of Probate aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Solomon Bayley for a pension. In testi- mony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this fourth day of September A. D. 1832.
MOSES Dow.
Amendment to the within Declaration.
State of New Hampshire County of Grafton re } ss, om On this second day of April A. D. 1833, personally appeared before the Judge of the Court of Probate now sitting, Solomon Bayley, a resident of Plymouth in the county of Grafton and State of N. H., aged 78 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration as an amendment to the within declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 (to wit). Under the first enlistment or volunteering, he served under the within named Woodbury a period not less than two weeks. Capt. Eaton from Haverhill, Mass. commanded a company of militia at the same place and time ; there were other companies but he does not recollect other officers so as to give their names. The 2nd time he vol- unteered was on an alarm occasioned by several British vessels lying near old Salem but by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot recollect to give the names of his officers but recol- lects that Thomas Harriman, Thomas Bayley and others from said New Salem volunteered and went with him and in this last expedition he served a period not less than one week. Under the two next enlistments he served a period not less than five months and under the officers within named. Under the next enlistment in which he served under Lieut. Dow on arriving or about the time his company arrived at Fort Ticonderoga, the Fort was given up and abandoned and he with his company immedi- ately joined the retreat and after serving a period not less than two weeks, he was discharged. Generals Schuyler & Sinclair commanded at Ticonderogo. Under his last enlistment he served a period not less than three months and under the officers within stated. By reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot state very partic- ular but he served at least a period not less than nine months and one week. He was born in Haverhill, Mass. 1755, Feb. 11th ; the record of his age is on the town record in said Haverhill as he believes and also heard from his brother who saw it on said records as his brother told
170
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
him. He refers to the Rev. Ebenezer Blodget, Samuel Morse, Samuel Webster, Esq. Hon. Moor Russell and Samuel Morse, Jr., all of said Plymouth, to all of whom he is known in his present neighborhood and who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.1
SOLOMON BAYLEY.
[Affidavits by Ebenezer Blodget and Samuel Morse, stating their belief that he was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, are attached to his declaration. ]
Declaration.
New Hampshire State. On this fourteenth day of November Anno
County of Grafton Domini eighteen hundred and thirty five per- sonally appeared in open court before the Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for said State now sitting, Samuel Kimball, a resident of Plymouth in the county of Grafton aforesaid, aged eighty 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 Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he enlisted into the service of the United States under Capt. John Calfe of Hampstead in the County of Rockingham in said State of New Hampshire in the month of August or September in the year 1775 at Portsmouth in said county of Rockingham - An alarm was made that the enemy were about landing at Portsmouth, news of it reached Newtown in said county of Rockingham where this applicant then lived, that he volunteered, went to Portsmouth and there enlisted for a short period under said Calfe or Calef, assisted in erecting a breast work on Great Island and remained in said service about three weeks. That in the last of June or early part of July in the year 1776 the said acclaimant again enlisted into said service at Newtown aforesaid and immediately repaired to Chester in said county of Rockingham where a company was organized under Capt. David Quimby of Haniker, Lient. Webster of Kingston and Ensign Gile of Chester, from Chester said company and this acclaimant marched to Charlestown, Nº 4, in the county of Cheshire in said State, thence to Fort Independence on Lake Champlain where he served until the last of November of that year, was dismissed at said Fort and returned home to Newtown having served five months. That in August or September in the year 1778 he again
1 Certificate of Pension, issued the 25th day of April, 1833, and sent to Edward Webber, Rumney, N. H. Inscribed on the roll of New Hampshire at the rate of twenty-six dollars and thirty-three cents per annumn.
171
THE VETERANS' STORY.
enlisted at Amesbury, a town adjoining said Newtown, into a company commanded by Capt. Clark of Newbury Port, Lieut. French of Salisbury and Ensign John Patten of Amesbury for three months or ninety days, said company and this acclaimant proceeded to Rhode Island and joined the army under General Sullivan and served there till near the last of said last mentioned term of enlistment when he was dismissed and re- turned home to Newtown. That in all these several services he was a volunteer, was not in any engagement, was not in the retreat from Rhode Island having been drafted with some others a few days previous to man the boats at Bristol Ferry he thinks in the transport of baggage. Thinks the regiment to which he belonged was commanded by Col. Tit- comb, that in his services at Fort Independence he was under General Gates, Col. Wingate and Lieut. Col. Connor and Major Baker. That he knows no person living by whom he can prove his service or any part of it and that he has no documentary evidence thereof. That he was born at said Newtown on the ninth day of April in the year 1755, has no record of his age, had once a book of accounts belonging to his father in which his birth was recorded which has long been lost or destroyed. That he lived when called into the service at the places aforementioned, that after his last service aforesaid he resided in Newtown about seven years, thence to Amesbury where he resided one year, thence to Salis- bury in Massachusetts where he resided three years, thence to Southamp- ton where he resided seven years, thence to Andover in New Hampshire where he resided twenty nine years and removed thence to Plymouth in said county of Grafton where he has ever since resided and now lives. That he never to his recollection received any written discharge from the service. States the names of Elijah Blaisdell, Esquire & Humphrey Webster, the latter of Plymouth, the former of Lebanon in said county of Grafton now attending said conrt as solicitor or said county to whom he is known, who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution. That he resides about four miles distant from the clergyman of Plymouth in a [word illegible] part of the town and having remained a good deal at home is not well acquainted with him. He hereby relinquishes any 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.
SAMUEL KIMBALL.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.1
NATHAN B. FELTON, Clerk of said Court.
1 Certificate of Pension, issued the 9th day of May, 1836, and sent to Hon. Robert Burns.
172
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
[The affidavits of Elijah Blaisdell and Humphrey Webster in support of Samuel Kimball are attached to his original declaration. They state their belief that Samuel Kimball was a soldier of the Revolution, but give no information.]
Edward Evans was a pensioner. The evidence in his case was destroyed in the fire of 1814.
David Nevins, Jr., died immediately after his discharge. In an application for bounty land, his heirs prove his service and death, but present no fact not stated elsewhere.
Nicholas Hall was a pensioner, and his declaration confirms the statements made in the former chapters. He was born in Haver- hill, Mass., and in 1820 was fifty-eight years of age. His family in 1820 consisted of a wife, Mary, aged fifty-four, and a daughter, Emily, aged twelve years. After the war he lived a few years in New Chester and subsequently in Chateaugay, Franklin County, N. Y., where he died Sept. 6, 1831. The papers represent that he was married by Ebenezer Webster, Esq., in Salisbury, to Mary Sanborn March 29, 1784. She was a pensioner and was living 1839.
Nahum Powers removed from Plymouth to Haverhill, and soon after to Newbury, Vt. In the Vermont Revolutionary Rolls he is credited with service in Capt. Nehemiah Lovewell's company, of Colonel Wait's battalion, from July 1 to August 10, 1781, when he was taken a prisoner. The company remained in the service until late in November, 1781.
In an application for a pension Nahum Powers recites his earlier service, and continues : " That in the year 1781, he again enlisted under Capt. Nehemiah Lovewell for the term of eight months and was attached to Col. Benjamin Wait's regiment, that on the tenth day of August, 1781, he was taken prisoner by the Indians on Hazen's road near Lake Champlain and was taken to Quebec and exchanged on the seventeenth day of May following."
The State of Vermont paid him, Oct. 24, 1782, £23 0s. 4d. for a gun and clothing lost and for service from date of enlistment to June 22, 1782. In 1818, when he made application for a pen- sion, he was living at Schlasser, N. Y.
173
REVOLUTIONARY DOCUMENTS.
XIII. REVOLUTIONARY DOCUMENTS.
0 RIGINAL documents are the fundamental material of his- tory. The voluminous files of original papers preserved in the office of the Secretary of State contain a considerable number of letters and miscellaneous papers of the Revolutionary period relating to men and affairs of Plymouth. Some of these doeu- ments have been presented at length in former chapters, and others, possibly of equal interest, are reserved for this chapter.
The original of the following letter is in the files of the town clerk of Plymouth.
To the Selectmen of the Town of Plymouth
Gentlemen.
As your Representative in Provential Congress, I am to acquaint you that by orders of Congress it is Recommended & Desired that your said Town of Plymouth meet & choose a sutable person or Agent to meet with the several Agents of the adjoining Towns (which meeting of said Agents I appoint to be held at the Court House in said Plymouth on Friday the 23ª Instant at one oclock, afternoon, then & there when meet to appoint & choose sutable persons to serve as Field Officers in the Regiment of Militia Consisting of those Towns Represented by an agent which said appointment of officers, if approved by said Congress, to be by them Commissioned Accordingly.
ABEL WEBSTER
Plymouth June 17 A. D. 1775.
PLYMOUTH October 27, 1775.
This may certify, that whereas you have informed me that I was appointed by Congress, a Major in Coll. Walker's Regiment of Militia men, I am much obliged to Congress for their notice of me in this Re- spect, But for weighty Reasons I must decline serving my Country in that office, thº I am always ready on all occasions, cheerfully to exert
174
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
my utmost abilities in the service of my Country & to defend our Liber- ties & privileges. . Therefore you may proceed to a new nomination.1 I am Genm your friend & servant
BENJN GOOLD
To Abel Webster & Moses Dow.
PLYMOUTH September ye 6, 1775.
Recd of Colleney's store fifty tew Pounds of Powder by the hand of David Webster for Cap John Parkers Companey I say Recd per me JOHN PARKER
PLYMOUTH March ye 24, 1776.
Recd of the Colleney's store twenty three Pounds of Powder by the hand of David Webster for Capt Edward Everett's Companey I say Recd by me
EDWARD EVERETT
Col. David Webster. Sir. - Deliver out of ye Colony Powder one pound to each man, viz : part of Capt. Osgood's company and part of Capt. John Parker's company now keeping by order of Congress. Take a receipt for the same. Sept. 5, 1775. ISRAEL MOREY by order of the Committee of Safety.
PLYMOUTH 5th Sept' 1775.
Sir, pay to M' Samuel Emerson ten Pounds Lawful Money on acct. of Blankets he has D'd to part of Capt Osgood's Comp'y. of Rangers and Place to the acct. of the Colony of New Hampshire
ISRAEL MOREY
To the Committee of Supplys for said Colony D" Samuel Brooks Treasurer of said Committee £10-0-0
Pay the Contents of the within order to M' Noyes Hopkinson SAMUEL EMERSON
1775 Septem 23 Received of Samuel Brooks the within order in full NOYES HOPKINSON
The Town of Plymouth to
1776
Abel Webster Dr.
February. To myself, horse & Expense in a journey to Bath after the Indians. On acct. of one being siek at Boscawen £1-7.
1 Abel Webster and Moses Dow, to whom the letter of Benjamin Goold was addressed, were delegates in the provincial congress at Exeter. See Chapter VIII.
175
REVOLUTIONARY DOCUMENTS.
March. To Myself, two horses, a man & Expenses in a jour- ney to Orford transporting 1 Dead & 1 live Indian £1.13.
£3.
The Town of Plymouth to
Samuel Dearborn Dr.
Feby. 1776. To myself, horse & Expense in a journey to Haverhill helping to transport a live Indian and a dead Indian £0-18-0
SAMUEL DEARBORN.
This is to certify the Treasury of the Colony of New Hampshire, That Nahum Powers of Plymouth in the County of Grafton in said Colony, did Inlist himself a Soldier in the Continental Army last year and has Reinlisted again this year, his Pool Tax to the Colony being two shil- lings and eight pence is by a Resolve of the Congress or General Court of this Colony Released to him
Plymouth 29th May, 1776. EBENEZER BLODGET Select Men JAMES HARVELL
TIANTORROGE July 29, 1776
I embrace this opertunity to rite to you. I intended to have Rite to you in full of all our afares but I have not time. So I shall rite in part in our defeat we burnt Shamble and St. Johns and the White House and came to Elenook, there the Indians kild and scalped four men and took five prisoners and when we came from the Elenoak there was twelve hundred of us went by land and found two men dead and scalpt lay on the ground. We buried the dead and burnt the house and barn and store house & took six cows and kiled some cows and calves and hogs and de- stroyed all that we cod ; this house belongings to a Scotchman, who was a tory Rite to me every opertunity 1
I remain your loving Brother
AMOS WEBSTER
To Col. David Webster
State of New Hampshire. to the Selectmen of Plymouth Dr.
1779 To paid the following Men enlisted in the Continental
May 19 Service during the present war with Great Britain
1 The original letter of Lieut. Amos Webster is in the possession of Miss Lucia Webster.
176
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
Nehemiah Phillips Continental Bounty £60.
State Bounty £90. £150.0.0
Nicholas Hall Continental Bounty £60.
State do. £90 Per Rect. 150. 0. 0
June 14 Winthrop Fox Continental Bounty £ 60. State do 90 150. 0. 0
Per Rect. to Colo. David Hobart 450. 0. 0
Errors Excepted in behalf of the Selectmen of Plymouth Per SAML EMERSON, Seleetman.
In Committee on Claims, Exeter Dee. 16, 1779 -The above acco. is well vouched & right cast amount four hundred & fifty pounds -
Exd. Per JOSIAN GILMAN Jr.
Recd an order on the Treasurer for Four hundred & fifty pounds in behalf of the Selectmen of Plymouth
Jos. SENTER
State of New Hampshire. - to the Select-men of Plymouth Dr.
1779 To paid Peter Stearns a Soldier inlisted in Colo-
July 15 nel Mooney's Regimt. raised by the State of New Hampshire for the defence of Rhode Island - Bounty £30. - Travel to Providence £17. £47.0. 0
Errors Excepted in behalf of the Selectmen of Plymouth Per SAML. EMERSON, Select Man
In Committee on Claims, Exeter Dec. 16th, 1779 -
The above is right cast & well vouched - amount Forty seven pounds -
Examd. Per JOSIAH GILMAN Jun.
In the proceedings of the committee of safety, July 5, 1782, it was " Ordered the Treasurer to pay by Discount out of the tax for the year 1781 to Samuel Stearns, Constable at Plymouth, five Dollars, New Emission, being for milage to Soldiers to Coos. 5 Doll."
An account of the Moneys supplied the Families of the Soldiers in the Town of Plymouth ingaged in the Continental Service. The supplies from the Tenth day of March 1778 to the Tenth of March 1779 accord- ing to the Selectmens accounts & Records for the last year are as follows
177
REVOLUTIONARY DOCUMENTS.
Paid by the Soldier
Extra expense paid by the Town
Total
James Barns
£10- 4 9
£68-13-10
£78-18- 7
Benjamin Phillips
8-12-11
50- 3-10
58-16- 9
Edward Evins
6- 4- 9
39- 5- 8
45-10- 6
£25- 2-5
£158- 3- 5
£183- 5-10
And the Supplies from the Tenth day of March 1779 to the first day of January 1780 are as follows
Paid by the Soldier
Extra Expense paid by the Town
Total
James Barnes £9-13- 9
£126-14- 3
£136- 8-0
Benjamin Phillips 12- 8- 0
164-16- 6 177- 4- 6
Edward Evins 8-17- 9
164- 7- 0
173- 4- 9
£30-19- 6
£455-17- 9
£486-17- 3
Plymouth January 29th. 1780
SAML. EMERSON
JOHN WILLOUGHBY
Selectmen
BENJN GOOLD
An account of the Supplies of the Families of the Soldiers belonging to Plymouth engaged in the Continental Service from first Day Janry 1780 to the first Day of Janry 1781
The Supply of Edward Evens Family (Items omitted) 326. 3. 0 The Supply of Benjamin Phillips Family do. 365. 4. 0
The Supply of James Barns Family do. 499. 3. 0
The foregoing is a true act. of the Soldiers Families in Plymouth engd in the Continental Service that has been supplyed by the Town
Plymouth 12 March 1781 -
SAML EMERSON JOTHAM CUMMINGS Selectmen JAMES HOBART
To the Committee on Claims for the State of New Hampr
This may Certify that the following persons are Soldiers engaged in the Continental Service for the Town of Plymouth during the war - (viz)
Benjamin Phillips, Dead, Edward Evins who Inlisted into said Army before the Commencement
James Barns Joseph Hobart John Phillips of the year 1778
Nehemiah Phillips who Inlisted into said Army or have Winthrop Fox been procured since the end of the Nicholas Hall year 1777
VOL. I .- 12
178
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH.
All said Men engaged in said service for said Town and have been considered as part of its Quoto according to the Acts and Resolves of the General Court. The said Benjamin Phillips we have heard has Joined the Corps of Invileads at or near Philadelphia may be Deceased or other- wise Discharged from said service, which if it is the Case it leaves seven Men being the Towns Quota good in the field -
Joseph Smith belonging to the Town of Plymouth who served the Town of Plaistow three years & has since Inlisted during the War - Also David Nevins Inlisted during the war
Plymouth May 22, 1781 -
JOHN WILLOUGHBY Capt SAML EMERSON ? Selectmen of RICHD BAYLEY S Plymouth
Boscawin claim some
Immediately preceding the Revolution, Joseph Smith was a resident of Wentworth. His service in the war is mentioned in the former chapters. His family lived in Plymouth a consider- able part of the time during the war. The original of the letter of the committee of safety is preserved in the office of the town clerk of Plymouth. The other documents upon this subject are copies from the State archives, and are self-explanatory.
State of New Hampshire,
In Committee of Safety, Exeter Sept. 21, 1781.
To the Selectmen of Plymouth, Gentlemen,
Joseph Smith, a soldier claimed by your town is also claimed by Wentworth Plaistow and Boscawen. You are therefore desired to at- tend before the Committee of Safety on Tuesday the 5th of October next, that the same may be determined.
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