Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 43144, for Benjamin Sleeper, New Hampshire
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? - 1776

Service:  Continental N.H.

Sleeper, Benjamin  

Number: S. 43144

Contents
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10.885
R
New Hampshire
Benjamin Sleeper
of Alton in the state of N. Hampshire who was a Private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Scammell of the N. Hampshire line, for the term of 1 yr & 8 mos -
Inscribed on the Roll of New Hampshire at the rate of Eight Dollars per month, to commence on the 7th of April 1818-
Certificate of Pension issued on the 20th of May 1819- and sent to Wm Badger Esqr Dover, N. Hampshire
Arrears to 4th of March 1918 - 10 24.4/30.31 [?] 87.43 Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4 Sept. 1819.- 48.00
$135.43

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

Notified [illegible] W. A. Pierce Esq
Dover New Hamp. 6th Sept 1820
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Benjamin Sleeper
Private.
Col Alex Scammells Reg 6th
New Hampshire Line
1 yr : 8 mos
1777 - [crossed out 3 years]
Roll.
7th April 1818 -

Admitted.
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State of New Hampshire
Strafford
On this 7th day of April AD 1816 before me the subscriber one of the judges of the Courts of Common Please for said county personally appears Benjamin Sleeper - aged fifty nine years resident in the Town of Alton in said county and who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress entitled An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United State in the revolutionary war: that he the said Benjamin Sleeper enlisted as a private soldier the 16th day of April AD 1777 for three years in the town of Brentwood in the said state into the company commanded by Captain James Gray third regiment and commanded by Col Alexander Scammel and New Hampshire line that he continued to serve in the said service of the United States until the 20th day of April AD 1780 when he was discharged from said service at West Point State of New York as will appear by a part of the encompanying discharge and that he was in the battle of Skenesborough and Fort Ann and both battles at Stillwater in the State of New York and in the battles at Brandywine and at Trenton and Monmouth and was in the Indian Country in the
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all battles or skirmishes there with General Sullivan and that he is in reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his country for support.
Sworn to and declared before me the day and year aforesaid  - William Badgers
I William Badgers judge &c as aforesaid do certify that it appears to my satisfaction that the said Benjamin Sleeper did serve in the revolutionary war as stated in the preceeding declaration against the common enemy for the term of nine months on the continental establishment and that he is in reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his country for support and I now [illeg] the proceedings and testimony taken before me to the Secretary for the Department of War pursuant to the directions of the aforementioned act of Congress 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and have caused the seal of said court to be hereunto affixed this 29th day of August 181 William Badgers
Attnt  David Waldrow Clerk of the Court of Common Please for said country of Strafford
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[Mutilated - 1/4 of the page is missing]

 - the 3rd New Hampshire
 - Inhabitant of Brentwood
 - ingham and the State of
 - honorably and
 - soldier in the service of the 
[illegible] three  years being the sum of his enlistment is discharged the service and hath liberty to return to said state
West Point
April 20, 1780   David Livermore
Captain [illeg] 3rd N.H. Regiment
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Benjamin Sleeper
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And the said Benjamin Sleeper in pursuance of Aforesaid produceth to said Court the following oath by him duly taken and subscribed - viz.
I, Benjamin Sleeper, do solemnly affirm that I was a resident citizen of the United Staes on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time be gift, sale, or in any manner, disposed of my property, or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within he provisions of an act of Congress entitled "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 18th day of March 1818; and 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.    - Benjamin Sleeper
And the said Benjamin Sleeper doth here in Court further declare on oath that he served in the revolutionary war as follows, viz.  he entered the company of Captain Gray Col Scammels Regiment in the New Hampshire line in 1777 for three years served his time out and was discharged in 1780 April 20th at West Point - was at the taking of Burgoyne - at the battle of Monmouth and was in the Indian country with Gen Sullivan
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Wherefore he prays the opinion of teh said Court as to the value of the property contained in said schedule, and that the same together with a copy of the premises be duly certified to the Secretary of War.  Affirmed and declared before the said court the 18th day of July 1820. - Benjamin Sleeper
Attest  A. Pierce, Clerk
State of New Hampshire - Strafford ss
At a court of Common Please holden at Gilford within and for the Country of Strafford and state of New Hampshire on the 18th day of July 1870 before Daniel M Durrell, Esquire, Chief Justice and Valentine Smith and Samuel Quarles - Associate Justices of the said Court:
The aforesaid schedule and oath and the above declaration duly subscribed and sworn by the said Benjamin Sleeper having been by him exhibited in person, and presented to the court, and the same being seen and considered, it is the opinion of the court that the value of the property contained in said schedule is ------ dollars and -----cents.  Wherefore the Court order that a copy of the premises together with the proceedings thereon be duly certified to the Secretary of War.
Attest, A. Pierce, Clerk
State of New Hampshire...Strafford
I Andrew Pierce Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas within and for the County of Strafford, being a court of record, do certify that the foregoing schedule and oath and the declaration annexed with the proceedings and opinion of the court thereon, are true copied from the Records and files of said court.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court, the 18th day of July, 1820  - A. Pierce, Clerk
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O.W.&N. Div
I  43, 144
W 26, 462
L.W.B
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions
Washington DC    December 5, 1896

Sir: Replying to your request for information concerning the military records of Benjamin Sleeper and Jeremiah Sheldon, soldiers of the Revolutionary War, you are advised as follows:
 Benjamin Sleeper made application for pension on April 7, 1818, at which time he was 59 years of age and residing at Alton, NH, and his pension was allowed for one year and eight months actual service as a private in the New Hampshire troops, Revolutionary War; a part of the time he served under Captain James Gray and Col. Scammel.  He enlisted in Brentwood, NH.
 Elizabeth Sheldon, widow of Jeremiah Sheldon, made an application for pension July 7, 1838, at which time she was 79 years of age and residing in Danvers, Mass. and her pension was allowed for the actual service of her husband as a private and corporal in the Mass troops, Revolutionary War, for a period of ten months and twelve days; a part of the time he served under
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Capt Enoch Putnam and Col. Hutchinson (place of enlistment not stated).
This is undoubtedly the widow of Jeremiah Sheldon to whom you refer, inasmuch as the papers on file in the claim show that he served as Secretary to the Hon. Judge Houghton for a period of three years.

Very Respectfully,
Acting Commissioner

Mr. Joseph A Sheldon
Haverhill Lodge 165, B.P.O. Elks
Haverhill, Massachusetts
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Dec 5 '96
Jos. H Sheldon
Haverhill, Mass

43144 Invalid
Revy
File number 43,144
Benjamin Sleeper
Private, Rev War
Act: 18 Mar '18
Index - Vol 5, Page 466
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"The faults of our Brothers we should write upon the sands,
Their virtues on the tablets of love and memory."

Haverhill Lodge, No. 165,
B. P. O. ELKS.

[picture of elk]

HAVERHILL, Nov. 14, 1896.
There will be a special session of Haverhill Lodge, No. 165, B. P. O. Elks Wednesday evening, Nov. 18, 1896, at 8 o'clock, in TANNERS' UPPER HALL, rear of Odd Fellows' building, Main Street entrance by the street door to Odd Fellows' Hall.

Business of the Session: To take action on changing the meeting nights of the Lodge to the second and fourth Monday nights in each month.

JEROME S. FULLER.
Secretary.
JOSEPH H. SHELDON,
Exalted Ruler.
Haverhill Mrss [?]
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Benjamin Sleeper
Born, Brentwood NH  Dec 6, 1758
Married May 17, 1781
Died at Alton NH Feb 10, 1849
Wife Ruth "Bean" Sleeper, died Feb 15, 1843
as near as can be learned B.S. enlisted from Brentwood this being his birthplace and home in early life.  There is no doubt of his being on the pension list until his death.
Jeremiah Sheldon. wife Elizabeth Gordell Home in Lynnfield Mass, his wife was a direct descendant of General Putnam on her mother's side. it is said that J.S. was on Putnam's staff Jeremiah Sheldon was clerk for Judge Houghton who was several years in Congress at Philadelphia    A.D.W.