Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W 16727, for Peleg Simmons, Rhode Island
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Service - RI
Simmons, Peleg
                Eliphal

Number - W 16727
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Albany 720             John Foote Jany 24 1856
Eliphal Simmons
wife of Peleg Simmons
who died on the 4 January 1829
of Madison Co. in the State of N. York
who was an Ensign, Lt. Capt. in the         commander
 by Captain   of the     commanded
by R.I. in the Revolution
line for 7 months Ensign       70.00
            12 months Lieut     160.00
             5 months Capt       100.00
                                           $330.00
Inscribed on the Roll of Albany
at the rate of 330 Dollars       Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 10th day of April
1831 and sent to John Foot
Hamilton, Madison Co. N.Y.

Arrears to the 4th of March'37       2080.00
Semi - anl allowance ending 6 Sep  165.00
                                                      $2245.00

Revolutionary Claim,
Act July 4 1836
Section the 3
Recorded by D. Brown     Clerk
Book    Vol 1      Page 138
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Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 4 of July 1836.

State of New York
County of Madison

On this twenty eight day of December Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and thirty six, personally appeared before me Barak Beckwith who is a judge, of the court of common pleas, a Court of record, within and foresaid County, Eliphat Simmons a resident of said Cazenovia in said County of Madison and State of New York, aged eighty two years and upwards, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth , on her oath, make the following declaration in  order to obtain the provision made by the Acts of Congress passed July 4th 1836.

That she is the widow of Peleg Simmons, late of Little Compton in the county of Newport and State of Rhode Island, into which town of Little Compton we had removed from the adjoining town of Tiverton in said State of Rhode Island, about two years before my said husband's death, which happened at said Little Compton on the 4th day of January A.D. 1829. After my said husband's death, I went to live with Nathaniel Pearce who intermarried with my daughter Susannah, and who at that time resided in said Little Compton. That in the spring of the year 1832, my son in law, the said Nathaniel, removed with his family to Madison+ removed from there to said Cazenovia, in state of New York. Last spring I removed with them, at that time, to said Madison + Cazenovia, where I have since lived and still reside

My said husband and myself were both born in said Tiverton in the State of Rhode Island, in the south part there of near the line of the adjoining town of Little Compton, and we had lived upto the day of our marriage, less than half a mile apart. I had always been intimately acquainted with him from my childhood.

At the commencement of the troubles, which separated this from the Mother Country, my late husband, being a great liberty man, entered the service of his Country. In November 1775 a Company was raised in said Tiverton (Mainly.) under the command of the late Capt. Christopher Manchester, in Col, Richmond's Regiment for one year. Into this company my said husband entered at Tiverton in November 1775. as an Ensign of the Company, but owing to delays over which he had no control he did not receive his commission from the Continental Congress till the 6th day of August following (which is herewith transmitted) though he had acted as Ensign from the commencement ofthe service.
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During this service in the summer of 1776 my said husband was quartered in Rhode Island, and on the 25th day of August 1776 we were married and soon after, was ordered away with his Regiment to Long Island. He served in said company, in the grade aforesaid till late in December 1776, when he was discharged and he returned home.

The enemy had now taken possession of Rhode Island and the Militia were ordered into the public service, to guard the shores of the Bay, against the incursions of the enemy. And soon after my husband came home, and I think in February 1777 he was appointed, by Col, John Cook, who was Col. of the Regiments of Militia, comprising the towns of Tiverton and Little Compton, Adjutant of Regiments. In this office he served till March 1778- during this period, one half of the Militia were continually in service, by action of one month at a time, and there were frequent alarms which all of the Militia were called out. My husband was almost continually in the service during all of this time.  (For the proof of this service I refer to the Orders of Col. Cook in October 1777, to my husband hereto annexed, marked 3)

In March 1778 my husband, entered the service of the United State, as first Lieutenant in Capt. Philip Palmer's Company of Infantry in Col. Crary's Regiment, raised by the State of Rhode Island for one year. This company in the fifteen months service that preceding it , March 1778, was commanded by Capt, Chr. Manchester late of [illegible] and P. Philip Palmer was first Lieut. in said company, and whom this Regiment was continued in service, by the Act of the General Assembly of this state, for another year from March 1778- The same officers, to wit, Chr. Manchester was appointed Capt. and Philip Palmer 1st Lieut. in 2nd Company- but after said appointment by the General Assembly, made sometime in the winter of 1778 and before the 16th of March of the same year, when the year commenced- 1st Chri Manchester resigned his place as Capt in said company, and said Philip Palmer became the Capt, and my husband entered as 1st Lieut. and so continued untill his time was out in March 1779 - when he again immediately entered for another year in the same company and in the same grade, having previously been appointed to the place by the General Assembly, he continued in the same till March 1780 when he was discharged and he returned home. During this service my husband was frequently quartered on the East side of the Bay, at different places between Fall River and Sakonnet Point - he used to come home as often as often as the service would permit but this was seldom, unless his company were quartered near our home.

In the summer of 1780, he was chosen an officer in the Militia Company in which we lived, by the members of said company, and was soon ordered into the public service, at Newport, for one month as Capt. and served out the same. I think this was in July (to explain this I refer to an ancient paper hereto annexed.) Again, I think in September 1780 he was in the service at Newport, for one month as Captain., during one of those services I heard him mention that he had seen the French Troops on Rhode Island.

Again in May 1781 he was in the service one month at Newport,
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as Captain and immediately on his return went again for one month on to Rhode Island and served his time out.

In September 1781 he went again to Newport for one month as Captain, at this time the enemy were expected at Newport from New York- Then his time was out he raised a Volunteer Company for one month, to be entitled to Continental pay and rations, and was attached to Col. Olney's Reg. this company were quartered in Newport and were discharged there in November 1781. (as an ancient paper herto annexed will show-) Mark D.

In August 1782 he went again into the public service at Newport as Captain and continued therein till November of the same year, for a period of at least three months as near as I can remember. This i believe was the last Military service he performed in the war of the Revolution.

I never shall forget, as long as I retain my reason, the great [illegible] and fears and hardships I encountered during those long years of trial - our enemy on the Island of Rhode Island, plain in view, and within but a little more than a mile from our shore, kept us in hourly jeopardy and almost a continued alarm, The domestic avocations of peace were for more than three years suspended and the danger of arms had taken their place. My husband was away in the public service, and with great difficulty could I obtain bread for my little children, He was paid in depreciated currency of little value. But the hope of enjoying the of a free self-government, and a fortitude worshiped by Heaven, made all our trials supportable.

I also declare that my said husband had at close of the Revolutionary War, a great many papers and commissions that related to his military services in said war. but times and accidents have nearly destroyed them all. they were a long time ago thrown by as useless papers and many were used up in wrapping things or otherwise destroyed. A few only remain and are herewith transmitted.

And I also declare according to my best recollections and beliefs my said husband saved not less than the following records in the war of the revolution namely form Nov. 1775 to Dec 1776- thirteen months in Col. Richmond's Reg of the Continental line, as Ensign - from Feb 1777 to March 1778 thirteen months as adjutant of Col. Cooke Reg. in actual service as many as Six months, from March 1778 to March 1780 twenty-four months as 1st Lieut, in Col Crary Reg. of Infantry (Rhode Island State Troops)-two tours of one month each on Rhode Island as Capt in 1780-Four tours of one month each as Captain on Rhode Island in 1781 and three months as Captain on Rhode Island in 1782, Making in all - of actual service, 13 months as Ensign - 6 months as Adjutant- 24 months as first Lieut. and 9 months as Captain - making in all fifty-two months , my husband faithfully served his county and for which I claim a pensions-

I cannot be more particular as to the days on which my said husbands service began or ended, he never drew a pension.

And I further declare that I was married to the said, Peleg Simmons on the 25th day of August, Seventeen Hundred and seventy-six (1776) and
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that my said said husband, the said Peleg Simmons, died on the 4th day of January, A.D. 1829, and that I have remained a widow even=r since that period, as will more fully appear by reference to the proofs hereto annexed. 
Eliphal Simmons

Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year aforementioned before me  Barak Beckwith   a judge in the said count of Madison.

I hereby certify that the above named Eliphal Simmons is to me personally known and is a [illegible] person and that she is the widow of the
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Town Clerks office, Little Compton November 30th A. 1836. I certify that Peleg Simmons of Tiverton, son of Peleg & Mary his wife, & Eliphal Sanford of Little Compton Daughter of William Sanford and Sarah his wife, were joined in matrimony this twenty fifth day of August A.D, 1776.
Dates in Little Compton----- per Othaniel Campbell Clerk.

All of which appears of record in this office.
A.R. Brownell Town Clerk

State of Rhode Island
County of Newport

Personally appeared before me at Little Compton in said County of Newport - on the first day of December A.D. 1836, the above named A R Brownell, and subscribe, and was duly sworn to the above certificate according to the law.
I further certify that the said A.R. Brownell is to me personally known, and is the town Clerk for the Town of Little Compton.
               Philip R. Little, Justice Peace

State of Rhode Island c/o Newport 
c/o Clerks Office Court of Common Pleas
       Newport December 9, 1836

I George C Shaw, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in the County aforesaid being a Court of Record, to hereby certify that Philip F Litte before whom A. R. Brownell was sworn to the truth of the two certificates hereunto attached, is a Justice of the Peace for the Town of Little Compton in this County, was appointed by the General Assembly and commission by the Governor of this State and is fully authorized to act in his said capacity and that his signatures aforewritten are genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court at Newport aforesaid, on the day and year above written.

Geo. C Shaw, Clerk
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Town Clerk's Office Little Compton  November 30th A. 1836

I certify that Peleg Simmons, Died at Little Compton January 4th 1829. As appears of record in this office.
               A.R. Brownell Town Clerk



State of Rhode Island
County of Newport

Personally appeared before me at Little Compton in said County of Newport on the 1st day of December A.D. 1836 the above named A R Brownell and subscribed and was duly sworn to this official certificate _ I further certify that said A,R, Brownell is to me personally known, and is the town clerk of said Town of Little Compton, duly qualified, and that the above signatures by him made is genuine.

Philip F. Little     Justice Peace
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I Benjamin Simmons of Madison in the Country of Madison State of New York aged seventy nine years being duly sworn do dipose and say that I was born + raised in Rhode Island until the year 1794 and am a brother of Peleg Simmons who was the husband of Eliphal Simmons who hath made her declaration accompanying this paper to obtain a pension and that the said Peleg Simmons entered the service of his county as an Ensign in 1775, That he resided in Tiverton Rhode Island + I in Providence and that I saw  him in said service in 1776 in the summer, Do not know is usful from information how long he served, but from information they [illegible] he served about one year. I left home in 1777 and joined the main army in Philadelphia + I was in service until August 1778 when I returned to Rhode Island and found my brother the said Peleg in the service at Howland Ferry, acting as Lieutenant in Capt. Philip Palmer, Company which [illegible] Capt. Christopher Manchester. I was also in the service and was quartered at this place Bristol or after I returned to Rhode Island in August aforesaid + remain in Rhode Island in the Army until the fall of the year 1779 during which time I saw my said brother several times and have no doubt but he continued in the service during all that time. In the fall of 1779 I was still in the service + went with the troops at Morristown [illegible] in the spring of 1780 I returned home to R. Island to my fathers where said Eliphal lived in Tiverton and found the said Peleg still in the service
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in July, I think, and understood he [illegible] as Captain at that time, but cannot say that he  held a commission as Capt. and after 1780 I was not in the service having employed a substitute and cannot state any thing in particular as to the service of said Peleg afterwards + it was about when the said Peleg was married to said Eliphal + according to the best of my recollection and information said Peleg died in 1829 at Rhode Island and I resided in Madison where I now live. The said Eliphal removed from Rhode Island to the State of New York with Nathaniel Pierce about four years ago + resides with him still and shes not been married again but remains the widow of said Peleg and is quite infirm + unable to support herself.
                 Benjamin Simmons

State of New York
Madison County

Be it Known that on the 24th day of December 1836 before the subscriber a Judge [blank]  in aforesaid county of Madison personally appeared the above named Benjamin Simmons and and subscribed the above information and was duly sworn in the truth of the same and I further certify that said disposal is a credible person
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in January 1829 and said Eliphal has resided with me ever since + still resides with me at Cazenovia aforesaid and I reside in Little Compton in Rhode Island where said Peleg + Eliphal came to reside with me and I removed to the town of Madison, State of New York in 1832 and removed to Cazenovia aforesaid last spring .And said Eliphal still remains the widow of said Peleg + has not intermarried since the death of said Peleg and is very infirm in body.

Nathaniel Pierce

State of New York
Madison County.

Be it said that as of the 24th day of December 1836