Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 22307, for William Stone, Rhode Island
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(3-1776)
Service
R.I
Stone, William
Lucy
Number
W. 22307
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August 9, 1937

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Mrs. S.H.O'Grady
624-10" Street
Santa Monica, California

BA-J/EEL
William Stone-W.22307

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War records of Captain Jeremiah Blanchard, who commanded at the fort at Pittston, at the time of the Wyoming Massacre:, William Stone, 1733-1819, of Coventry,Rhode Island, wife Lydia Westcott: Joseph Scott, of Covenrty, Rhode Island: and Robert Barnard, of Rhode Island,wife, Margaret Whitney.

There are no claims for pension or bounty land on file based upon the service in the Revolutionary War of Jeremiah Blanchard or Joseph Scott, as described by you or of Robert Barnard. Such claims are the source of the data furnished by this office.

It is suggested that's a possible means of obtaining information in regard to the military service of those soldiers, you apply to The adjutant General, War Department, this city, who is custodian of military records.

No record of a William Stone identical with the one described by you, could be found. However, the record of a William Stone, of Coventry,Rhode Island, has been found. That record is furnished herein as it may be of interest to you.

William Stone
W.22307

The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim,W.22307, based upon the military service of William Stone in that war.

William Stone was born December 24, 1757, in Cranston,Rhode Island. He stated that his birth was recorded in the
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that she and her first husband, Benjamin Fry, attended the marriage of William Stone and Lucy Scott, The name Ruth Stone Bennett, is shown; one Asa Stone was a Justice of the Peace for Kent County, Rhode Island, in 1843: the name Harris H. Stone appears in 1843: no relationship of any of the above named persons with surname Stone to the soldier, William Stone and his wife are shown.

In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, the name and address of person paid and possibly the date of death of the Revolutionary Wat pensioner, Lucy Stone, widow of William Stone(W.22307), you should address The Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division,this city, and cite the following data:

Lucy Stone, Widow of William Stone
Certificate No. 3880
Issued February 15, 1849
Rate $31.99 per annum
Commenced March 4, 1848
Act of February 2, 1848
Rhode Island Agency.

Very truly yours

A.D Miller 
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator.
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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergymen and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service?  One living witness

XII. If the clergymen's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?  No

XIV If the applicant's name is not on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?  The Court has
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? yes

XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? yes

XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?  no

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?

Explanatory Notes

QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot,  by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: "Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A.B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory. he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades;  For [Blank] year [Blank] months, and [Blank] days, I served as a [Blank] For [Blank] months and [Blank] days, I served as a [Blank]; and for such service I claim a pension.
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It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for Pensions inerely state they served two years in the military,&c without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of  engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.

QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department. he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.

QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.  In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.