Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 542, Nathan Felch, Mass.
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Mass     Felch,Nathan          W542

-------              Sally           BLWT.7443-160-55
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                  18.958      
Vermont                    Rufus Buck  Oct 16 1852

    Nathan  Flech
of  Windham Co in the state of  i  Vermont
who was a  (_)  in the Company  commanded
by Captain Sprague of the Rear commanded
by Col Thayer in the Maples
line for  (_)

20 Mo 10 Days ,  Dr $07.77

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Inscribed on the Roll of  (_)  Vermont
at the rate of 07 Dollars 77 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March 1834

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Certificate of Pension issued the 11th day of March and  (______)
1833 C Clooridge Esqr. Windsor, Vt

_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________

Arrears to the 4th of Septr 1833-169.42
Perminant allowance ending 4 Mar 34-33,88 1/2
                                            ______________
                                            ______________
                    ------             $ 203.30 1/2
                     { Revolutionary Claim }
                      { Act June 7,1832       }
                                    D Brown
Recorded by  J.J.Sprague  Clerk,
Book C Vol. 3      Page 65
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Declaration of Nathan Felch
State of Vermont County of Windsor ss.
District of Windsor ss. 

On this sixth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared before the Probate Court for the District of Windsor in the State of Vermont in open Court Nathan Felch a resident of Windsor in the County (and District) of Windsor and State of Vermont age Seventy four years and upwards, who, being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 – 
That he enlisted in the army of the United States in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five with Capt. Sprague and served in the Regiment of the Massachusetts line commanded by Col. Thayer under the following named officers. 
At Reading in the County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, in the night towards morning, of the 19th day of April 1775, an alarm was made that the British were coming into the country. The minute companies immediately assembled and started just after daybreak. The company in which the declarant was, was not a minute company, but collected and he went with them. When they reached Woburn the company in that place joined them. Thence they marched through Bedford to Concord. As they entered Concord, before noon the British appeared at some distance on an angling road; they were then returning
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from Concord and discharged some guns at the Reading Companies. But they continued to retreat, and the Americans followed on their flanks, picking off one and an other, until they reached Lexington when Col. Smith was reinforced by Earl Percy. 
The declarant with the rest followed the British to within two miles, perhaps, of Charlestown "The British stayed that night on Bunker Hill. "He returned that night, but part of his company remained at Cambridge, to which place he went down, next day, and joined. 
He remained at Cambridge for a few days, and until, in the same April, he enlisted, for eight months as a private into Capt. Sprague's Company in the Regiment commanded by Col. " Thayer, continental line, although his company and two others, under Capt. Richard Dodge, acting as Major, did not join the body of the Regiment, but were stationed in Chelsea. 
The name of the 1st Lieut of his company was Thomas Cheever, the name of the 2nd was Oliver. 
He remained during his whole term at Chelsea with the same three companies; one under Capt Barnabas Dodge - one under the said Richard Dodge and one under said Sprague, Richard Dodge acting Major, and was discharged, without a written discharge sometime in December, having served out his time, and returned home. He was so situated as to see the British go over to Charlestown at the battle of Bunker Hill, but his company and the other two were separated from Charlestown by water, there was there no budge there.  
The said Nathan Felch further declares that at Reading aforesaid, in the month of December 1776, but on what day he does not remember, he enlisted in the militia service for three months, into the company of Capt. Abraham Gould, in the Regiment commanded by Col. Thatcher, Gen Lincoln's Brigade. – 
At this time the army was very thin; the year's men's times was out and they hadn't got many left, but was trying to raise for three years and during the war.
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Cowdry was his first Lieut-- he cannot recollect the names of the other officers of his company-- The other officers of the Regiment were Lt. Col. Howe, and Major Joseph Bryant.—
After his enlistment, the Regt assembled, and soon marched through Roxbury, Wrentham, and other towns, to Providence, Rhode Island where his regiment joined the brigade, where he remained but a few days, as he thinks - thence he marched by Norwich and Hartford to Danbury, in Connecticut. They halted a short time at Danbury, and thence marched to White Plains, where they were stationed about a week Thence, they marched to Tarrytown and there remained a week. 
From Tarrytown, the brigade was marched, in the night, seventeen miles to the neighborhood of Fort Independence, a British post, near Kingsbridge, with a view to take it. On the march, a deserter from the Americans entered the Fort and gave them information of the intended attack. They reached the Fort about daybreak, just as they got there, Gen. Heath's Brigade came up and joined, but no attack was made, for the reason, as he understood, the General concluded that if they stormed and took the Fort, it would be commanded by Fort Washington on York Island. But they took a small rerouting within gun shot of the fort, and a number of field pieces and other things. 
His Brigade remained here, a little distance from the fort, in rough huts temporarily made up “fraises and such stuff as they could get, for about a fortnight. 
Only once in the time they removed for a day or two to "Mill square" on account of a heavy rain which their huts did not protect them against, and when the rain was over, went back to the huts. 
Then there came news that the enemy were coming up North River to cut off and about nine o’clock in the evening, the troops marched off to Tarrytown.  From Tarrytown, his regiment alone was ordered to "the Jerseys" and they marched down to Kings Ferry, about 4 miles
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below Pickskill, and there crossed the river and marched, around, by the highlands, into "The Jerseys " to a place called Hovaneck; between Bridgetown and Woodbridge. 
The British were then laying in Amboy which adjoined Woodbridge. The continental troops were then, the nearest of them, at Westminster, about three miles back of his Regiment.
 Here he remained under orders to retreat fighting of the enemy came out, but the British did not come out until the very morning his time was out.
A tory went to the enemy and told them "the Americans times was out, and they had "returned in all their powder"; but they had not, as "the enemy found out for about day break, the British came out in two parties, but finding the ammunition of the Americans had not been returned, they related and the declarants regiment followed them as much as eight miles into Woodbridge when the enemy being reinforced by some field paces and men.
The Americans returned to their quarters, where in the meantime, Gen. Maxfield with 30 or 40 light horses had arrived from the continental camp. 
This day which was in March 1777, he was discharged having served his three months and immediately returned home. During this term he did not see any continental regiments nor their officers, except said Gen. Maxfield and his Aid.
The said Nathan Felch further declares that in May 1778 on what day he has forgotten, he enlisted, at said Reading, for nine months "in the continental army" and went to Concord Massachusetts and passed muster. 
From Concord he was sent home to remain until called for. About the first day of June, he received orders to be a Concord, and to that place he immediately repaired; and from Concord marched with other recruits, to Fishkill New York, a few miles above West Point. At Fishkill, they were part under Capt. Standish and served as a guard, and once he went down to West Point to carry some prisoners. He remained at Fishkill not far from six weeks
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as he thinks, and then they were ordered to White Plains, where he was entered in Capt. " Summer's Company in Col. Grayton regiment. Here he remained stationed; but once a large part of the army moved into Connecticut a short time and then came back to the "Plains. He cannot recollect the name of the place in Connecticut to which they went. The latter part of his term but how great a portion of it he has forgotten, he drove a munition wagon and was in that duty when he was discharged, which was sometime in February 1779. 
He does not remember that he had a written discharge. If he had, it has been long lost He does not remember the names of many of the officers.
Gen. Greene was there some of the time. There was also one by the name of Turner, Deputy Wagon, Master General.
Also Col. Time Pickering He was born at Reading Massachusetts April twenty fifth one thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight there is as he believes, a record of his age in Reading Massachusetts but whether it is a town record, or church record of his baptism he cannot certainly say. 
He has no documentary evidence of his service. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State He states the names of Mel Gilson Junior, and Rufus Root Esq as persons, to whom he is known in his present neighborhood and who can testify as to his character for veracity, and their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution. 
Nathan Welch 
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid Jabez Proctor Judge
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We Abel Gibson Junior of Reading in the county of Windsor and state of Vermont, and residing in said town of Reading, and Rufus Root, residing in the town of Windsor in the county and state aforesaid, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Nathan Felch who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy four years of age and [illegible] that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Abel Gibson, Jr.
Rufus Root
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.  Jabez Proctor,  Judge

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier, and served, as he states.  And the court certifies that it appears to them that Abel Gibson, Jr. who has signed the preceding certificate, is a resident of the town of Reading in the county of Windsor and state of Vermont and that Rufus Root who has also signed the same is a resident in the town of Windsor in the county and state aforesaid and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Jabez Proctor, Judge
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I Reuben Washburn Register of the Probate Court within and for the district of 
Windsor in the state of Vermont do hereby certify that the foregoing contains he original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Nathan Felch for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, this sixth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
Reuben Washburn
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1864
Vermont, Montpelier
Sally Felch
widow of Nathan Felch
who served in the Revolutionary
Mass
war as a private.
Inscribed on the roll at the rate of 67 dollars 77
cents per annum, to commence on
3d February 1853.
Certificate of Pension issued the 12th day of Sept '53
and sent to
J Q Hawkins
Reading, Vermont
Recorded on roll of Pensioners under acg
Febry 3/53
Page 27 Vol A
1832
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Sally Felch
claim
under Act Feb 3d 1853
J Q Hawkins
Atty
Reading, Vermont
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STATE OF VERMONT
Windsor Probate District
County of Windsor
On this twentieth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty three, personally appeared before the Hon. the Probate 
Court for the District of Windsor in said ,county of Windsor, Sally Felch, a resident of Reading in the County of Windsor and state of Vermont, aged sixty four 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 provision made by the act of Congress, approved February third AD 1853, entitled "An act granting pensions to certain widows."
That she is the widow of Nathan Felch, deceased, who was a Revolutionary soldier and a pensioner and received his pay per annum at the Vermont agency.  She further says that her said husband was pensioned at rate of 
$66.77 per annum from the best of her recollection.
She further declares that she was married to the said Nathan Felch on the tenth day of January, in the year eighteen hundred and eight and that her husband the aforesaid Nathan Felch  died at Reading on the first day of September AD 1837.
She further swears that she was a widow at the passage of said act, and is still a widow, and that she has never before made application for a pension.
Sally (her mark)  Felch
Attest: E A Hill
Nancy A D Hill
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year first above written.
Before me Salmon F Dutton, Judge of said Probate Court\\. I Salmon F Dutton, Judge of the court of Probate aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Sally Felch for a pension.
 In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office at Cavendish in said district this twentieth day of April AD 1853.
Salmon F Dutton, Judge of said Probate Court
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I Walton 
brown of Reading in the county of Windsor and state of Vermont of lawful age depose and testify and say that I was acquainted with Nathan Felch late of said Reading deceased who was a Revolutionary pensioner and I further say that the said Felch died at said Reading about twelve  years since but am unable to state the particular month of his death. He left a widow by the name of Sally Felch who is now living in said Reading and is still a widow.
Walton Brown

State of Vermont
Windsor County
At Reading in said county personally appeared the above named Walton Brown and made oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed, before me.  I further certify that he is well known to me as a man of truth and a credible witness.
J Q Hawkins, [illegible]