Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 38,907, for Thomas Laing, Rhode Island
Page 1

SERVICE 
Navy

Laing, Thomas

NUMBER
S.38.907

R.I. Agency and residence
Page 2

[left side]
6242
Rhode Island

Thomas Laing
Mariner
[faint writing] Frigate [illegible]
Frigate Alliance R.I.
In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War.

Inscribed on the Roll of Rhode Island at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 31st of March, 1818

Certificate of Pension issued the 1st of Feby 1819 and sent to Benjamin Cowell Esq.
Providence R.I.

Arrears to 4th of Sept 1818 5 mos 1/20  & 4/30 = 41.31
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4 Mar 1819 - 48.
$89.31

{Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March, 1818}
Continued -

[right side]
Notification Sent to Benjn Cowell Esq
20 July 1820.
Providence
RI
Page 3

Invalid
Navy

File No. 38907
Thomas Laing
Mariner
Frigate Alliance
Revolutionary

Act March 18 1818
Index: Vol. ..., Page...
[Arrangement of 1870]
Page 4

Thomas Laing
[illegible]
Page 5

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
RHODE-ISLAND DISTRICT. 
Providence, &c. District Court, Special Term, June Fifth A.D. 1820
On this Fifth day of June 1820, personally appeared in open Court, being a 
Court of Record with in and for said District – Thomas Laing aged 60 years, residing in the town of Providence in said District & County who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare, that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows: That he served on board the Frigate Alliance Commanded by John Barry Esq as an acting midshipman about 2 years that he made a previous declaration on the thirty first day of March 1818, and that he has received a certificate for a pension, being No. 6242 And I do solemnly swear, that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen; and that I have not since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner whatever, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it, as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress, titled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the revolutionary war,” passed on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen: that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property or securities, contracts or debts, due to me; nor have I any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed. 
Thomas Laing 
A SCHEDULE of Property and Income (necessary clothing and bedding excepted) of Thomas Laing 
Viz Thomas Laing further saith that he has no estate under personal except clothing & Bedding - That he is a mariner by occupation but in consequence of the infirmities of age he is now unable to pursue it - that he is dependent on the pension he has [illegible] received and without it would be compelled to ask charity.
Thomas Laing

Rhode Island District
District Court
Sworn to and declared in open Court on the fifth day of June 1820 before
David Howell District Judge
RHODE-ISLAND DISTRICT. 
Clerk's Office of the District Court, A. D. 1820 
I Benjamin Cowell Clerk of said Court do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath, and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of the said Court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said Court, that the amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule, is nothing [crossed out: dollars and cents.] In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court, on this tenth day of June 1820 
Benjamin Cowell Clerk of said Court
Page 6

Thomas Laing

Thomas Laing, Seaman

Service Admitted

The Judges [illegible
as 1 [illegible]
[illegible] marked

+
Page 7

Providence March 31st 1818 
To the Hon David Howell Esq 
Judge of the District Court, State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations- 
I certify that I entered on board the Continental Frigate Alliance ^ as a sailor commanded by John Barry Esq in December 1781 ^said before being the service of the United States and in the same month sailed for France with the Marquis La Fayette on board and arrived safe in the Part of La Quint from thence sailed upon a Cruise and arrived in the Port of New London in the month of April 1782 - after refitting our Ship and getting some men sailed on a cruise in Augt 1782 - Cruised off Bermuda one week and then bore away for the Banks of Newfoundland were we fell in with a Homeward bound Jamaican Fleet and captured four Sail of Merchant Ships, got three safe in Lo. Orient in France - Went out in a short cruise in the Bay of Biscay and took nothing and returned into Lo. Orient then we sailed on another cruise in the month of Feby 1783 bound to the W. Indies-- the Ship stop’d at Cape Francis and Havana where we took in Specie and returned to the United States in Company with a twenty gun Ship, Lauzun Capt Greene with Specie also board. After leaving the Gulf of Mexico fell in with three Cruisers which we engaged and beat off-- after the action we look the Specie out of the Ship Lauzun, Capt Green and put on board of our ship, and arrived safe in Providence R.I. when the men was paid off [crossed out: and the] 
Providence March 31st 1818 Thomas Laing
Page 8

Ship discharged, agreeable to my certificate from the Books of Genge Olney Esq. Paymaster for our Ship.
I further declare that I have lost my discharge which I recd from John Barry the commander of said Frigate. I further declare that I am now in reduced circumstances & stand in need of the assistance of my country for support according to the late act of Congress --- I was in ^the service of the United States one year and six months on board said Frigate.
Thos Laing 
Rhode Island District ss
Be it remembered that on this second day of April AD 1818 came before me the above Thomas Laing & made solemn oath to the truth of the declaration by him above subscribed In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and have caused the seal of the District Court to be hereto affixed the day and year above written 
David Howell 
District Judge. 
The signature of the Judge and the seal of the District Court of the United States for R.I. District one hereto affixed 
Witness Benjamin Cowell 
Clk of Court
Page 9

Providence 23 October 1801 
I certify, that it appears from the Book in which I recorded the payments made to the Officers and crew of the United States’ Frigate Alliance, command by John Barry Esquire, that on the Fifteenth Day of May Seventeen Hundred and Eighty three, I paid to Thomas Laing Ninety-seven Dollars and Fifty-seven Ninetieths and an half for Wages then due to him for services on board the said Frigate.
Geo. Olney - then Receiver of Continental Taxes within the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.

Providence State sc Rhode Island &c To whom it Concerns
This certifies that Mr George Olney was the Receiver of continental Taxes for our State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations as above expressed and was agent for the United States Frigate at the time here above stated and that full faith and creditt is to be given to his certificate 
In testimony whereof I here Sign my name & offices and affix my Seal Notarial this 27th day of October AD 1800 
Saml Chace Publick Notary
Page 10

The Deposition of Thomas Burgess of Providence in the State of Rhode Island who certifies & says that he is personally well acquainted with Thomas Laing of said Providence an applicant for a pension, & from his knowledge of his officers having been acquainted with for the last ten years - he verily believes him to be now in indigent circumstances & deserving of assistance during his absence some years his property was all attached & sold on [illegible] on [crossed out: & after his return] said Laing ^out of employment and now dependent upon his friends for his support as this deponent understands and verily believes.
Thomas Burgess
Rhode Island District sc
I certify that on this twenty second day of January 1819 personally appeared before me the above named Thomas Burgess & made oath to the truth of the above deposition – 
Witness Benjamin Cowell
Commissioner of Dis Court

Rhode Island District. 22 Jany 1819. By the above Deposition I am satisfied that Thomas Laing is poor - and entitled in that respect to the provisions of the act for which he applies
David Howell
District Judge
Hon. Secy at War.