Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11377, for John W Sheaman, Rhode Island
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE
Privateer
R.I.
Sheaman, John W.
or Sherman
NUMBER
S.11377.
Carded
CONTENTS
[none]
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[ID?]774
Rhode Island
John W. Sherman [asterisk above name]
of South Kingston in the State of R. Island -
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by _________ in the R. Island 
line for 1 year [word crossed through] R of Artilly [Artillery]
7 months - R of Infantry
Inscribed in the Roll of R. Island
at the rate of 7[3 or 9?] Dollars 33 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 13 day of May 1833 and sent [illegible]
Newell Kingston R Island
Arrears to the 4th of March 1835 $146.66
Semi-annl. allowance ending 4 Sept "36.67
[Total] $183.33
Revolutionary Claim
Act 7, 1832.}
Recorded by D.D. Addison Clerk,
Book E Vol 2^d Page 129
John W. Sheaman [asterisk over name]
Privateer R.I.
Apr 24/[illegible]
Record Corrected [illegible]
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10165
John W Sherman
Private of Arty 12 Mo
"            "  Infy  7
W. P. Newell
Kingston R I
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Brief in the case of John W. Sheaman of South Kingston in the State of R. Island
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Open Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 73 years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
[Table]
[Columns] Period. / Duration of Service. / Rank. / Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
[Line 1] October In 1775 to May 1776 / 6 [months] / Private / Capt Brown Col [Hawke?]
[Line 2] [Dec?] 1776 Artillery / 1 [year] / Private / Capt Gardner
[Line 3] [Aug^t?] 1780 / 1 [month] / Private / Capt Lawrence Peace[?]
[Line 4] Sept 13th 1778 entered on board the privateer ship Marlborough, I served until the last of December / Seaman / Capt Waite
[End of Table]
5. In what battles was he engaged? None
5. Where did he reside when he entered the service? North Kingston R. Island
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary & living witness
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
[signature] Richard Cutts [?] Examining Clerk.
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10.165
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DECLARATION
In order to obtain ^the benefit of^ the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
State of Rhode Island
County of Washington} sc.
On this sixth day of September 1832 personally appeared in open Court, before the Judges or Justices of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting, John W. Sheaman a resident of South Kingston in the County of Washington and State of Rhode-Island, aged Seventy three 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 7, 1932.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
That is to say; In the month of October, the day of the month he cannot recollect, 1775 he enlisted under Capt. Abiel Brown at South Kingston aforesaid in whose company and under whom he was marched out to the Island of Conanicut in Narragansett Bay to guard the Island against the enemy; where we were stationed  [illegible] till some time in the following winter when we were ordered & went over to the Island of Rhode Island and were stationed there near the town of Newport; from this place after serving here about four or five weeks, we were ordered back to the Island of Conanicut, where we served until the first of March, when we returned under Capt Brown to said South Kingston & quartered there near the  South Ferry in the John Smith house, so called, and served there in watching & defending the Boston Neck Shore till some time in the month of May 1776 - when we was discharged & went home to South Kingston in said county of Washington; while in the above mentioned service Caleb [Ross?] was his lieut. & he thinks that while he was on the Island of Conanicut Col. [Hoxsie?] had the command then; while he served on Conanicut [Wallace?] landed there & burned a number of houses. The said Sheaman declares these
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the time he served from Octr 1775 to his [illegible] discharge in May 1776 was at the least six months. In the fore part of Dec^r 1776 at said South Kingston he enlisted in a company of artillery then raised & commanded by Capt. Christopher Gardner whose Lieut was Henry Gardner; from the time of his enlistment we were stationed on Mack Pherson [Macpherson] Hill in said Town of South Kingston in the neighborhood of the south ferry to guard & protect [illegible] [land?] of the Narragansett country against the enemy, till some time in the ensuing spring when our quarters were shifted nearer the shore at Narrow River so called, not far from the bridges, where [blot] he remained in the same service until some time in Decr 1777. (with the exception of  three or four weeks, that he served at Tiverton in a attachment from said artillery company in the month of October 1777. The aforesaid period that he served in [said?] artillery company in Narragansett including the time that he was detached from said company to Tiverton was one year. In the month of August 1780, he was drafted or detached from the company of militia to which he then belonged in North Kingston & marched under Capt Lawrence [Raser?] on to the Island of R. Island where he served 30 days. The first of September 1773, he entered on board the ship privateer Marlborough at Boston Massachusetts Capt. George Waite. [Debarked?] R Island  from Boston on the 13th Sep^r 1778, to the West Indies & [came?] to the windward island of Jamaica till the approach of winter when she returned to Boston last of Dec^r when I was discharged; in which cruise we took a ship & two brigs. The Marlborough mounted 24 guns - and the said Sherman avers that he faithfully performed all his aforementioned periods of service in defense of his country; he also declares that he was born [illegible]  on the [3rd?] day of Novr.
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1759. tho he has no record of his age. that he resided in North Kingston in said county during all [two words crossed through] the time of his said service & even since except about twelve years since the revolution when he lived in So Kingston where he now lives - that he does not remember that he ever had any written discharge from any of his aforesaid services, but he was usually discharged by his commanding officers & that he has no documentary evidence of any of said services.
That he is not acquainted with any clergyman in his immediate vicinity. but was to William Peckham &  Abel Cottrell Esquire who reside in said South Kingston near his neighbors, & who testify to his character for veracity & their belief that he was a soldier of the revolution & to the annexed depositions
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.
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. 
[signature] John Sheaman
In open court
Witn^s Sam^l Helme Clk
We, Wm Peckham - residing in s^d [said] So. Kingston and Abel Cottrell residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with John W. Sheaman who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy three years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and Subscribed the day aforesaid. [signature] William Peckham [signature] Abel Cottrell
And the Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that William Peckham and Abel Cottrell who [has crossed through] have signed the preceeding certificate, [is crossed through] are residents in [the crossed through] South Kingston and that they are [several words crossed through] credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit. And the Court also certify that from their Examination and Knowledge of [William crossed through] Thomas Billington Gideon Garner and [illegible] Austen, the preceding Deponents, the Court consider their Testimony contained in their preceeding Depositions entitled to credit
I Samuel Helme Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas & General Session of the peace do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of John W. Sheaman for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this Seventh day of September 1832
[signature] Sam^l Helme Clk
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I Thomas Billington of South Kingstown in the County of Washington & State of Rhode Island aged seventy seven years, on oath, do depose & say that I have from my birth to this time resided in said South Kingston, that I knew John W. Sheaman now of said South Kingston during the revolution with Great Britain and this deponent says, that the said Sheaman served considerable time against the enemy in the revolution, but how long he does not know, but [that crossed through] he knows that he & the said Sheaman served together at several different periods on Boston Neck and on the Island of Conanicut & the Island of Rhode Island and has always understood that the said Sheaman served considerable at other periods of the war - but how much he cannot state. 
[signature] Thomas his + mark Billington
Witn^S Sam^l Helme
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Washington Sc} Court Com Pleas Sept. 3 1832
In person came Mr. Thomas Billington [word crossed through] the aforenamed Deponent & on Solemn Oath in Open Court declared ^that^ the same did contain the truth
Witn^s Sam^l Helme Clk

I Gideon Gardner of South Kingston in the County of Washington & State of Rhode Island aged seventy four years, on oath do depose & say, that I resided in South Kingston aforesaid during the revolution & was well acquainted with John W. Sheaman ^now of So. Kingston^ at that time & know he enlisted into Capt. Christopher Gardner's artillery company in said South Kingston & served in it against the enemy a long time in Narragansett; I know of his serving in said company which it was stationed at Mack -
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Pherson [Macpherson] Hill & at Narrow River which I should think was a year or more during the revolution. The said Sheaman is reputed to have [word crossed through] performed other services in the revolution against the enemy than that afore stated. - but as to those other services I can not state of my own Knowledge.
[signature] Gideon his + mark Gardner
taken Subscribed & Sworn to in Open Court Sept. 5, 1832
Witn^s Sam. Helme Clerk
I [illegible] Austen of [blotted] North Kingston in the County of Washington & State of Rhode Island aged eighty one years, on oath do depose & say, I know that John W. Sheaman now of South Kingston in said county enlisted into Capt. Christopher Garner's company of artillery in said South Kingston & served in it against the enemy in the revolution with Great Britain at Tower Hill & Narrow River for considerable time, but
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how long I cannot say. The said Sheaman & this deponent resided in said town of North Kingston during the revolution.
[signature] [illegible] Austen
Taken Sworn to and Subscribed in Open Court Sept. 7, 1832
Witn^s Sam^l Helme Clk
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[Typed form with handwritten entries very faded]
O. W. and N. Division 3-525.
Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Pensions
Washington, D. C. , [Month faded], 190[faded]
In reply to your request of [faded], received [faded] for a statement of the military history of John W. Sheaman a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau. [faded] as Sheaman S. 11.377
[Table]
[Columns] Dates of Enlistment or Appointment. / Length of Service. / Rank. / Officers Under Whom Service was Rendered. / Staff.
[Line 1] Oct 1775 / 6 mos / [faded: Pvt Inf?] / [Capt] Abiel Brown  [Col] [faded] / R.I.
[Line 2] Dec. 1776 / 1 year / [faded: Pvt? ] / Christopher Gardner / [Col] [no entry] / R.I.
[Line 3] Sept [?] 1778 / 4 Mos / [check mark over faded word] / on board Marlborough / Captain George Waite / Col [faded] / Mass
[Line 4]  Aug. 1780 / 30 days / Pvt Inf / [Capt] Lawrence Peace [?] / [Col] [blank] / R. I.
[End of Table]
Battles engaged in, [no entry]
Residence of soldier at enlistment, North Kingston Washington Co R I
Date of application for pension, Sept 6, 1832 - [illegible]
Age at date of application, b Nov 'r 3 [?] 1759
Remarks: [check mark]
Very respectfully,
[no signature or faded]
31793b5mlC-07
Commissioner.
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11377
INVALID
[vertically at left]  Rev War
File No. 11.377
John W. Sherman [asterisk above  "r" in Sherman]
Priv. Rev War
Act: June 7th 1832.
Index: Vol. A, Page 339
[Arrangement of 1870.]
John W. Sheaman. [asterisk above "ea" in Sheaman]
Records corrected. Apr. 24/05. [initial illegible]
[written at left]
Jany 15 1904 - Hist to Col. Fred^k C. Pierce Chicago Ill
1911, Apr 21, Hist to Mr. Frank Dempster Sherman
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3-872.
Records
Changes to be made.
[Vertically on left: CORRECT.]
Inv. orig. [blank]
  "   ctf. [blank]
  "  orig. [blank]
  "  clf. [blank]
Name John W. Sheaman
Service Privateer and Rhode Island.
Date filing [blank] From [blank]
[Vertically on left: INCORRECT.]
John W. Sherman
R.I.
P.O. address:
Crosthwaite
12225b29m 8-04
[Vertically on right: Company, Regiment, etc. should invariably be used.
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11377
3-068
(Old No. 3-619.)
Bureau of Pensions.
[Handwriting very faded]
Jno W Sheaman
Sepr 9 1832 73
So Kingston R.I.
[Oct 7?] No Kingston R I
Capt Abiel Brown
Col [faded]
Pvt 6 mos
[illegible] Capt Gardner
Col - 
Pvt 1 yr
[illegible]
Capt Lawrence Pearce [?]
[illegible]
Born Feby 22[?] 1759 No Kingston RI
[illegible]
Page 17

[Two circular date stamps]

U.S. Pension Office
D
April 17
1911

Record Division
APR  
17
1911
Page 18

158 West 105^th Street
New York, Apr. 16, 1911.
The Hon. Commissioner of Pensions.
Dear Sir:
I am engaged on a somewhat important history of the "Sherman Families in Rhode Island" and am particularly desirous of obtaining the pension records of those who served in the Revolutionary War and in the War of 1812.
Recently I asked for and received from your Bureau the records of four of these men, but as there are three more of whom I wish to learn - and as the rules say I may not receive more than four records, - I am at a loss to know how to obtain the remaining three. To ask another person to apply to you for these, does not seem entirely honorable unless the Bureau would consider that method one conforming with the rules. If you would be so kind as to suggest the proper procedure I should be sincerely grateful to you.
The records desired are those of:
Roll of 1835
Reuben Shearman - of Washington Co. R.I., - Aged 76,
John Shearman - [of Washington Co. R.I.] - [Aged] 74.
John W. Shearman - [of Washington Co., R.I.] [Aged] 75.
Could I get these by paying any charge, - in case there is provision for such a transaction?
Respectfully your,
Frank Dempster Sherman.
Page 19

Sherman Historical Association
To Compile and Publish the Sherman Genealogy
Chicago, Ill., P.O. Box 244
Hon. Mark Roger Sherman
A.B. - LL.B.
President
Vice-President Western State Bank
Col Fred'k C. Pierce
Secretary and Treasurer
Member American Historical Association and Society of American Authors, also author of the Field, Foster, Whitney, Fiske, Fisk, Pierce, Peirce, Pearce, Forbes, Forbush, [illegible] and Batchelder Genealogies.
Jan. 6 1904
Dear Sir=
Will you please give me a copy of the petition for pension in the case of John Shearman of Washington Co. Rhode Island who was granted a pension Apr 1, 1818
Thanking you for the Courtesy
[illegible]
Frank C. Pierce
[Circular stamp at left]
US Pension Office
Jan 8 1904