Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 24346, for Samuel Nichols, Rhode Island
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE
R I 

Nichols, Samuel
Mary

NUMBER
W. 24346

CONTENTS
Page 2

No 234
Rhode Island
Mary Nichols
widow of Samuel Nichols who was a Sergeant Major in the Ro. Island line 

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 120 Dollars -- Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843.

Certificate of Pension issued the 15 day of July 1843 and sent to S. G. Shearman Wickford R. Island 

[Act of March 3, 1843.]
Recorded in Book A Vol. 1 Page 92

(right side)
Repd 17 July
Page 3

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of July 1838, entitled on Act, granting half pay and pension to certain widows.
County of Washington SS
On this tenth day of July, in the year 1839, at North Kingston, in said County of Washington personally appeared before me Benjamin Smith Esqr, a Judge or Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for said county of Washington- Mary Nichols from North Kingston aged Seventy six years - who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed July 7th 1838 entitled an Act granting half pay and pension to certain widows - That she is the widow of Samuel Nichols, who served much as a Soldier in the Rhode Island State Troops, in the War of the Revolution - two years in the whole as she believes. But that she is unable to state any thing, from her own knowledge, relative to the service of her said husband, as she was not married to him, untill after he ceased serving, or untill after the War ended - She refers for proof of her said husbands services in the War of the Revolution to the deposition of Ebenezer Smith and the other depositions hereto annexed. And she believes that her said husband served two years or more in the Regiment of State Troops, commanded by Colonel Topham, in the Company
Page 4

of which Christopher Dyer was Captain & one of the Sergeants or non commissioned officers of said Company or Regiment during the years 1776, 1777, 1778 & 1779 from the facts stated in said depositions and also because she many times, during the life of her said Husband, heard him and others speak and converse, respecting his serving under Colonel Topham and Captain Dyer and being one of the non commissioned officers being stationed at (illegible) - and also of serving with Samuel Phillip, who was Major of the Regiment. And always understood from him, that he served two years & more in that Regiment & Company. The name of her said husband is also as she is informed on a List or Roll od said Regiment, annexed to a petition presented to Congress by the officers and soldiers of said Regiment, many years since to compensate them, for the depreciation of the money, in which they were paid for their services - On that List or Roll, her husband is put down by name, as she is informed, as one of the Sergeants, and to be entitled to sixty three pounds, for his pay or the amount due him for the depreciation of the money, in which he was paid Which fact as she is also informed shows that he served two years. She also believes that her said husband enlisted out first for the term of fifteen months & at the expiration thereof for nine months more in said regiment and served out the whole of each enlistment, as she has many times heard him & others with whom he served state so, when conversing respecting the events of the Revolution - But she does not know of any others now living who can give any account of his services, in addition to those whose depositions are hereto annexed - And she also believes that he served in the militia both before & after his said enlistment, from what she has heard him & others say, but she is now  unable to obtain ay proof thereof - At the time of her marriage to her said
Page 5

husband, his father was living and bore the name of Samuel Nichols and her said husband, was then called Samuel Nichols Jr and after the death of his Father Samuel Nichols - She further declares that previous to her marriage, she was Mary Wall, the daughter of Henry Wall of said North Kingston, and that she was married to the said Samuel Nichols at said North Kingston by one Phillip Jenkins, a Baptist Preacher, on the sixteenth day of March 1789, and that her said marriage was duly recorded in the Town Clerks office of said North Kingston for proof of which she refers to the annexed certificate of the Town Clerk of said North Kingston - That at the time of her marriage her said husband resided in North Kingston, that they afterwards removed to Hudson, in the State of New York, and that her said husband, died at said Hudson, on the ninth day of April 1802, and that soon after his death, she returned to said North Kingston, where she has ever since resided and that she now is and has been a widow, ever since his death - That she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January 1794, to wit at the time above stated- And she also makes oath, that she is unable from old age, and the infirmities incident thereto, to appear in open court, away from her residence to make her declaration.
Mary Nichols

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me, and I further certify, that the said Mary Nichol is a credible person, and that she is known to me as the widow of Samuel Nichols foresaid - And that
Page 6

she is unable to leave her home, to appear before any court, to make her declaration.
Benjamon Smith Justice CC Pleas

The State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations Washington SS Clerks Office Court of Common Pleas July the 11th AD 1839
I hereby certify that Benjamin Smith Esqr is one of the associate Justices of said Court of Common Pleas duly commissioned by the acting Govener of this state and otherwise legally qualified as such and that the above signature purporting to be his is genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said court the day and year above written
Matthew Waite Clerk
Page 7

Birth of the children of Samuel Nichols Junr by Mary his wife

John Mendel Nichols son of the bove persons was born April the 8th on Thursday at sunrise in Northkingstown A.D. 1784
Samuel Nichols born Octr 7 AD. 1785
Henry Walls Nichols born Sept 9th AD. 1787
Susanna Nichols born April 20th AD. 1789
Joseph Nichols born Jany 5th AD. 1791
Thomas Wall Nichols born April 21st AD. 1794
Joanna Mendal Nichols born July 2d AD. 1799
Mary Phillips Nichols born Feby 25th AD. 

(written vertically on left side)
Born at Hudson State of New York

Joseph Dec'd Feby 1792

Town Clerk's Office Northkingstown RI. Nov: 28, 1838
I certify the above births of the children of Samuel Nichols Junr to be a true copy of the Record in this office
Nichl. N. Spink T. Clk

Sworn to & subscribed before me November 28th 1858, in said NorthKingston
Sylvester G Shearman
Justice of the Peace
Page 8

I hereby certify that Samuel Nichols son of Samuel of Newport and Mary Wall daughter of Henry of Northkingston were lawfully joined together in marriage by me Philip Jenkins Elder March sixteenth day one thousand seven hundred and eighty three.
Record April twenty sixth, one thousand seven hundred and eighty three
pr Geo. Thomas T. Clk

State of Rhode Island &C
Washington Sc Town Clerks Office Northkingstown November 28, 1838.
I Nicholas N Spink Town Clerk of the Town of Northkingstown certify the above marriage certificate is a true copy of the Record with the exception of the date which is expressed on the Record in fair legible figures as follows "March 16th day 1783." also the date of the Record is in fair legible figures as follows "Record April 26th 1783."
I Nicholas N. Spink above named, depose and say that I hold the office of Town Clerk in the County Town and State aforesaid, and that the above is a true extract from the records of said Town of Northkingstown with the exception above named, as certified by me
Nichl. N. Spink Clerk of the
Town of Northkingstown

Sworn to & subscribed before me, by the said Nicholas N Spink, the 28th day of November 1838 at said North Kingston
Sylvester G Shearman
Justice of the Peace
Page 9

(left side)
5942
Application of Mrs Mary Nichols for a Pension under the Act of July 7th 1838-

Thomas Topham 21 March (illegible) for 12 mo - 

S G Shearman
Clerk for Rhode Island
Agent for the Applicant 

(right side)
5942
Mary Nichols
R.I
Act 7 July 38
m 83.do2.

Rolls
Thomas Topham
16 March 79-Sergt.
2 yrs-Sergt.-
1 yr Sergt Major

admd
12. Sergt.
12. Sergt Majr

no deductions
S. G. Shearman
Wickford R.I-
Page 10

I Ebenezer Smith of South Kingston in the County  of Washington, (illegible) do say, that I am eighty two years of age and served much as a soldier, in the Rhode Island Militia, State Troops and Continental Line, in the Revolutionary War. During the war I was acquainted with one Samuel Nichols of North Kingston. I served as a soldier from June 1777, to March 1778, in a Regiment of State Troops commanded by Colonel Topham in a company of which Christopher Dyer was Captain.
And Samuel Nichols of North Kingston aforesaid, served the whole time in said company and was one of the Sergeants of the Company. The Regiment was encamped at Howland's Ferry in Trenton in this State, the whole time. When I joined the Regiment in June 1777, he then belonged to the company, when I left in March 1778 I left him on duty in said company, how much longer he served I do not know. But I expect that he served six months before I joined the Regiment, as the first enlistment was for fifteen months, and after they had served six months I enlisted for nine months, and I then (illegible) that he enlisted at first for fifteen months & again enlisted in March 1778, in the same Regiment & Company as did many as he then belonged to it for nine months more. Samuel Phillip was Major of the Regiment
Ebenezer Smith X his mark

Witness Sylvester G Shearman
Page 24

State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations Providence Sc.
I John W. Smith Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, within & for the County of Providence, being a Court of record, do hereby certify that Edward H. Hazard Esquire, before whom the aforegoing affidavit was sworn, is one of the Justices of the peace for the City of Providence in said County: that by law he is duly authorized and qualified to administer oaths and take depositions: and that his aforewritten signature is genuine.
In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand & affix the seal of said Court this sixteenth day of July AD 189 at the City of Providence
John W. Smith clerk