Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 13,707, for Jesper Latham, Connecticut
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SERVICE                                       NUMBER

Connecticut       Latham, Jesper      S 13707





Contents                                        Carded
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                                  474
                             Connecticut
                            Jesper Latham
of Groton in the State of Connecticut who was a Matross in the Company commanded by Captain Latham of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Ledyard in the [illegible] state line for fifteen months in 1776 and 77 and two months a purate of infantry in 1781.

Inscribed in the Roll of Connecticut at the rate of 69 Dollars 16 cents annual to commence on the 4th Day of March 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 7th day of September 1832 and sent to Honorable N. Barber
arrears to March 1837        69 16
Sum and allowance ending 4 September 1837 
                                           34 58
                                         $103.74
                                       [illegible]
                                       [illegible]
Ordered by Geoffrey Crump  Clerk
                    Volume 3    Page 53
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                         Jesper Latham

                                                [illegible]
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State of Connecticut
                        Probate District of Stonington
County of New London

On this 16th of day of august, 1832, personally appeared in open court before [illegible] Judge of the Court of Probate for the District of Stonington now sitting in said Stonington within and for the District of Stonington Jesper Latham a resident of the Town of Groton in said New London County and in State of Connecticut, aged Seventy Eight years and ten months 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 7th, 1832.
     That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officer and served as herein stated.
     That is the year 1776 in March as he believes he enlisted voluntarily as private in the Matross or artillery Company of Connecticut [illegible} commanded by Captain William Latham of Groton in the regiment commanded by Colonel William Ledyard for a term of service, which he believes to have been nine months, that he joined the said company soon after enlisting at Fort Griswold in said Town of Groton and continued in service at said Fort in said Company Commander [illegible] Latham till the Fall of the year and till the expiration of his term which he believes to have been aforesaid nine months, when he was honorably discharged and went home that the spring following to wit in the year 1777 he again enlisted in the same company commanded by same Captain Latham for six months joined the company aforesaid in April 1777 at Fort and continued serving as a Private in [illegible] Company till October following when his term of service expired. He was honorable discharged and went home, which was a distance from Fort of five miles that after this time till 1781 he was frequently at alarms and attended with his arms from time to time but cannot specify the time directly.
     What on he will remember [illegible] of September 1781, he was at home culling corn stalks, early in the morning
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he heard the alarm guns fired at the Fort near New London that he immediately returned to Fort Griswold and was admitted. Then that he was stationed at one of Guns - that he served and fought through the battle with the enemy that day - after the Captain of Fort Griswold he was taken prisoner. The following night was put on board a Refugee sloop commanded by Captain Thomas  from Huntington on Long Island, New York that the sloop stopped at Plum Island the next day but with other prisoners  on board the Amphion British man of war. I sailed in her to New York. A Ship arrived in New York in seven day passage, that he with the other American prisoners were landed at Peakskill and marched to the Sugar House in Liberty Street and there confined_ that he continued a prisoner there for several weeks, that he with other prisoners were exchanged being carried by water to Elizabeth town point in State of New Jersey_ that he was set at liberty and came home on foot in company with Joshua Baker, who was discharged from imprisonment at the same time and who resided in his neighborhood in Groton, having been absent this last Tour two months, that he has no documentary evidence of his service, that he was born in [illegible] in the year 1755, October and always  [illegible] Groton and now resides in said Groton that he has no record of his age. That he always volunteers when called into service. What he has answered in his declaration all he can answer to the 5th [illegible]. That he never [illegible] a written discharge, that he is known to Paul Burrows, Thomas Wells, Joshua Baker, John Morgan, all residents of Groton who can testify their knowledge of his services. He hereby relinquishes every other claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
                                         Jesper Latham
Sworn to the subscribed this day and year
aforesaid                Before the Court
                     N Ash, Judge of the
                           court of Probate for the
                           District of Stonington
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Mr. Paul Burrows age Seventy Eight years and Thomas Wells aged Seventy Eight years, both residents of the Town of Groton in the County of New London and State of Connecticut, and both were revolutionary war soldiers, being duly sworn according to law, do on our oaths certify, declare and say, that we are now and have ever been since our youth well acquainted with Jesper Latham of Groton, who signed the preceding declaration for a pension, that in the year 1776, we were both soldiers in Captain Motts Company of Connecticut State Troops and served in Fort Griswold in Groton in the year 1776 from March to September of year, that {illegible} he then embarked and went with Company to White Plains, that he returned in November following I served in a Fort_ that Jesper Latham was a soldier serving in Captain William Latham's Company of Matross or Artillery, that J. Latham as aforesaid during our stay at a Fort. P Burrows left him in Service when I went to White Plains and found him the at s Fort when we returned_ we believe his age to be 79 years, August 16, 1832
                                            Paul Burrows
                                            Thomas Wells
      Asa Fish Judge
sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid {illegible]
I Joshua Baker of Groton in the County of New London and state of Connecticut aged eighty two {illegible] sworn [illegible} to law do on my oath certify declare and say that I am well acquainted with Jesper Latham of said Groton who signed the preceding document for a pension that I know him to have [illegible] soldier of the revolution that I know he served two seasons of six months or more each in Captain William Latham's Company in Fort Griswold in Town of Groton. I believe his seasons were in the years 1776 and 1777 that I know said Jesper Latham was in the Fort aforesaid. Also, and served in the attack and capture of said Fort Griswold took place September 6, 1781 that Latham and myself were taken prisoner carried to New York and confined in the Sugar house in Liberty Street that we the said Jesper Latham and myself were exchanged
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I landed at Elizabethtown Point in New Jersey, that I came home by land on foot in company with said Jesper Latham when we arrived two months after we were made prisoner at Fort Griswold aforesaid, that I believe him J Latham to be in his 79th year, that I know him to be the identical person who performed said service, and  further [illegible] Saith not [illegible]
August 16, 1832                     his
in presence of              Joshua x Baker
Thomas Wells                        mark
sworn to an subscribed the day and year aforesaid before said Court
                                     Asa Fish Judge

John Moran of [illegible] Groton in County of Connecticut aged Seventy-two years an invalid prisoner of the United States being duly sworn according to law do on my oath certify declare and say that I am and have ever been since my youth well acquainted with Jesper Latham who signed the preceding declaration for a pension
that I know he served as a soldier as private in the matross company or artillery company commanded by Captain William Latham stationed at Fort Griswold in said Groton in the years 1776 and 1777. How long he served I am not able to tell, but those years_ that I know he was in Fort at the time of its capture by the British 6th September 1781 that he was taken prisoner and carried off by British, that I served in said Fort as a private in 1776 and 1777 and that I served I fought in defense of Fort Griswold September 6, 1781 and was severely wounded in my knee that I believe J Latham is 79 years old. And that his statement is entitled to credit and I know that he resides in Groton where he has resided since his youth
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
                             Stonington August 16, 1832
                                          John Morgan
Before Court   Asa Fish Judge
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Today the said Court doth hereby declare their opinion [illegible} investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogation presented by the war department that the foregoing of above named applicant Jesper Latham was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states, also the Court further certifies that Paul Burrows, Thomas Wells, Joshua Baker and John Morgan who have signed the preceding certificates are all residents in the said Town of Groton and are credible persons and their statement are entitled to credit.
                                  Asa Fish Judge

I Nathan Daboll Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of Stonington Connecticut do hereby certify that the forgoing contain the original proceedings of the said Court in the Matter of the Application of Jesper Latham for a pension [illegible]
I have hereunto set my hand and Seal of Office the 28th day of August AD 1832
                                      Nathan Daboll, Clerk
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1907, November 13 [illegible] to E.E. Bradley
 [illegible] invalid 20394
1910 October 8 Theodore Mercer

                        13707
                     Invalid
File Number 13,707
Jesper Latham
Matross Revolutionary War
Act June 7, 1832
Index: - Volume 1, Page 217
Arrangement of 1870
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                                            A Adams
                                Jefferson County
                                             New York

Department of Interior
Washington, D.C.
        Gentlemen:
             Will you be so kind to give us the record of service in the American Revolution of Jesper Latham, whom I believe enlisted September 6, 1776 or prior to that date and became a pensioner in 1832.

                                          Very truly,
                                     Theodore F. Mercer
Tuesday, October 4 - 1910-
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In reply to your request of _________, received for a statement of the military history of Jesper Latham, 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 the Bureau.

Dates of enlistment or appointment
Length of service
Rank                        State
Officers under whom service was rendered
Captain                           Colonel
[illegible]
Battles engaged in,
Residence of soldier at enlistment
Date of application for pension
Residence at date of application
      Remarks: