Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11451, for Elkanah Spear, Rhode Island
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
R.I.

Spear, Elkanah

NUMBER
S. 11451
carded
Page 2

20631
New York
---
Elkanah Spear 
of Chenango Co. in the State of New York
who was a private in the Comp commanded
by Captain Day of the Reg commanded
by Col. Chase in the masitu line for full term-
R.S. line
Records corrected May 1 '25
-
Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the rate of 80 Dollars - Cents per annum
is commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 25 day of Sep
1833 and suetto G.G. Randall
New Berlin
Arrears to the 4th of Sep. '30 $200
Semi-anl. allowance ending AD'21  40
-
$240
---
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by W.C. Stills Clerk
Book E Vol. A Page. 86
Page 3

No 14515
Elkanah Spears
Chenango Co N. York
Admitted
Private 2 years
14. 16

S. 379
May 8. 1833
Saml S. Randall Age
New Berlin Post office
Chenango Co N. York
Page 4

Brief in the case of Elkanah Spear 
of Chenango Co in the State of N. York
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 74
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.
Enlisted in 1775
drafted 1777
Substitute for Stepen Hendrick May 1777
Substitute June for 
John Gully Smithfield
substitute for the Council
Smithfield in  place of the
Quakers
1778
drafted
1781
Enlistia
__
Duration of Service.
Years,
Months,
8
3
1
1
1
1
1
9
Days.
---
Rank.
As a
Private
---
Names of General and Field Officers
under whom he served.
Gen. Spencer
Col Dan Hitchcock
Capt Jn Angus
Cap Sam Day Col Chad Brown
Cap Geo Peck Cap Whipple
Capt Ebenezer Trask Col Brown
Capt Whipple Maj Reuben Blue
---
5. In what battles was he engaged? None
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Town of Bellingham Suffolk Co Mass
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditionary and our living witness
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Not properly attached
certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above
Geo. B. Whiting
-
Examining Clerk.
Page 5

Elkanah Spears
Pension Papers
14515
Return to be directed to
Samuel S. Randall
New Berlin Chenango
New York
Page 6

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the
Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832
State of New York
Chenango County:
On this ninth day of October
1832. personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas of the County aforesaid being a Court of Record. Now sitting, Elkanah Spear a resident of the Town of Butternuts in the County of
Otsego and State of New York aged Seventy four
years 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 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers and served as herein stated:
That he enlisted into the State troops of Rhode
Island in the month of April in the year 1775
into Capt. John Angels Company in the Regiment
commanded by Col. Daniel Hitchcock for eight
months, and soon after marched to Roxbury near
Boston. And there joined the regiment - was not in any engagement was discharged in the fore part of January 1776. he was acquainted with George King in that campaign. And has procured his affidavit to accompany this declaration: In
January 1777. he was drafted, and served three
months in the Company commanded by Capt Samuel Day of Smithfield in Col. Chad Browns regiment was at Warwick, Pawtuxet and Providence
After the expiration of the three months, he engaged
Page 7

as a substitute for Capt. Sir. Stephen Hendrick for
one month, and served it, in an independent
company commanded by Capt. George Peck, at
Providence. And did not join any regiment.
In May following, he served one month in the
company commanded by Capt. Amos Whipple in
Col. Brown's regiment of Militia, and was stationed at Providence.-
In June following he was hired as a substitute for Jonathan Gully if Smithfield Providence County for one month. and served in
Capt. Ebenezer Trasks Company in Col Brown's
regiment. In August following, he was hired for
one month by the Town Council of Smithfield, as a substitute for the Quakers, who would not serve and served in Capt Stephen Whipple's Company in Col. Brown's Regiment, and under Gen. Spencer at Little Compton in Rhode Island. That during the above service he resided in the Town of Billingham in the County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts
In August 1778. he was drafted for one month. and served under Capt. Ebenezer Trask of Smithfield on Rhode Island and was in command of the Magazine in Sullivans expedition.
That in September 1781. he
enlisted in Capt Amos Whipple's Company in a
battalion commanded by Maj. Reuben Blue
that they served the most of the time on Rhode
Island, for nine months. And the Colonel on the
remainder of the Regiment were not with them
and some time in June 1782. they were discharged.
That the whole time he served is twenty five months. that he still resided at the town of Billingham
Page 8

as above stated. That Col. Darren and Col
Churchy Regiments were stationed near them at
Prospect Hill - Gen. Green Command all those
troops-- That he knew Gen Spencer West and
Sullivan - That he knows of no man who can testify to his services except George King as above stated-
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to
a pension except the present, and declares that
his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State.

Interrogatories.
1. Where & in what year were you born?
Ans. In the town of Cumberland, Providence Co. R.I. Nov. 17. 1758.
2. Have you any record of your age & if so where is it?
Ans. A record was kept of his age in Cumberland aforesaid
3. Where were you living when called into service
where have you lived since the Revolutionary war and where do you now live?
Ans. He lived in Billingham County of Suffolk, Mass. when called into service since the Revolutionary war he has lived between thirty and forty years in the town of Smithfield and Cumberland in the County of Providence, R.I. he has lived at Schenetady, N.Y. at Newport Herkimer Co. N.Y. at Norwich Chenango Co. N.Y. where he now lives
4. How were you called into service-- were you
drafted. did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom?
Ans. the most part of the time he served as a volunteer he was sometimes drafted, and was a substitute for
Page 9

one month for Dr Stephen Hendrick of Smithfield
one month for Jonathan Gully of Smithfield, and
one month for the Town Council of Smithfield for the Quakers.
5. State the names of some of the regular officers
who were with the troops where you served, such
Continental and Militia regiments as you can
recollect. And the general circumstances of your
Services.
Ans. He recollects Gens. Green & Spencer, West & Lee Sullivan & Putnam. the regiments of Dannery Hitchcock & Church. When he was in the first eight months service he frequently saw Gen Washington
6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so what has become of it?
Ans. He received a discharge from Maj. Angel at
Prospect Hill in January 1776 and lost it. And
afterwards he received a discharge from Maj. Blue these are all the written discharge he ever has received and they are lost.
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known your present neighborhood. And who can testify as to your character for veracity. and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
Ans.  Nathan Taylor Esq. Judge of the Court of Com: Pleas of Chenango Caleb S. Butts P. M South New Berlin
Chenango Co. Matthew Calkins, Elkanah Sherman Col Harri Medbury, Henry Chapin, Augustus C. Welch late Sheriff of Chenango
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year
aforesaid. Elkanah Spear

J.K. Pike Clk
Page 10

We Joseph H. Chamberlin a Clergyman
residing in the town of New Berlin
Chanango County and Lodewick Crandall residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Elkanah Spear who has subscribed and sworn the above declaration - that he believe him to be Seventy four years of age - 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 - Joseph M. Chamberlain Lodewick Crandall
Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid: 
J. M. Pike Clk

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 stated.
And the Court further certify that it appears to them that Joseph H. Chamberlin
who has signed the preceding Certificate is a Clergyman resident in New Berlin, and
that Lodewick Crandall who has also signed the same is a resident in the same place. and is a credible person and that their statements are entitled to credit-
W Tracy - Judge of Chenango
Sevi Bigelow
Nathan Taylor
Charles York
County Courts
Chs Head
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I Jarvis K Pike Clerk of the Court of
common pleas in and for the County
of Chenango do certify that the within
contains the original proceedings of
the said Court in the matter of the application of Elkanah Spear for a pention [pension]
In Testamony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and seal
Office this 9th Day of October 1832
J.K. Pike Clk
Page 12

Rev. & 1812
War Section M.E. C.
May 7, 1928
Mrs. Ralph M. Sommerville
70 Forest Avenue
Portland, Maine
Madam:

I advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War Pension Claim S. 11451, it appears that Elkanah Spear was born November 17, 1758, in Cumberland, Providence
County, Rhode Island.
While a resident of Bellingham, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, he served under the following enlistments, twenty-five months in all, as a private in the Rhode Island Troops:
April, 1775, eight months in Captain John Angell's Company, Colonel Daniel Hitchcock's Regiment, and was discharged
in January, 1776.
January, 1777, three months in Captain Samuel Day's Company, Colonel Chad Brown's Regiment.
April, 1777, one month in an independent company commanded by Captain George Peck.
May, 1777, one month in Captain Amos Whipple's Company Colonel Brown's Regiment.
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June, 1777, one month in Captain Ebenezer Trask's Company, Colonel Brown's Regiment.
August, 1777, one month in Captain Stephen Whipple's Company, Colonel Brown's Regiment.
August, 1778, one month in Captain Ebenezer Trask's Company, during which period soldier was in command of the magazine in Sullivan's expedition.
September, 1781, nine months in Captain Amos Whipple's Company, Major Reuben Blue's Battalion, and was discharged sometime in June, 1782.
He was allowed pension on his application executed October 9, 1833, at which time soldier stated he was a resident of Butternuts, Otsego County, New York, and also of Norwich, Chenango County, New York. No explanation of
this discrepancy is made.
There are no family data.
Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT
Commissioner.

Letter sent to same person Regarding Bandfield Capron R.I. S.29771. Her letter is
in his file-- also reference to other
enquiries made by her is contained in
the letter concerning Bandfield
Capron
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New York
unty ss-
George King of Norwich in said
County Being Duly Sworn deposeth and saith
that he well knows Elkanah Spear of Butternuts
County of Otsego and State aforesaid I should
Judge him to be about seventy five years of
Age one year longer then I am and I am Seventy
six years old in November past, and that I was
well acquainted with said Spear in the service
of Seventeen hundred and seventy five near
Boston Massachusetts and that said Spear was
in the service Eight months was Enroled in
Capt John Angells Company and in Col.
Daniel Hitchcocks Regiment of Rhode Island
and this deponant further states that he was
in the same Regiment with said Spear and
in Capt Jerry Olneys Company and we both
served as cooks in said Regiment and
Cooked near togeth through said Campaign
and further this deponant saith not
George King
Sworn and subscribed before me
this 30th day of January 1832
Nathan Taylor Judge of
Chenango Common Pleas
I certify that I have long been acquainted with the above named George King, and that he is a person in all respect fully entitled to credibility. Nathan Taylor Judge
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State of New York
Chenango County SS: I Jarvis K. Pike Clerk of the
said Court certify that Nathan Taylor before whom the within affidavit purports to have been sworn and whose name is signed to the within
Certificate of credibility was at the date of
the same a Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas in and for said County and that I
am acquainted with his hand writing and
verily believe his name subscribed to the said
affidavit and certificate to be his genuine
handwriting and signature
Witness my hand and seal of office
this 14th June 1833.
P.B.Ridle
Dep. Clerk
George Kings
affidavit
Page 16

Rev War
11451
Invalid
File No. 11451
Elkanah Spear
Priv Rev War
Act: June 7th 1832
Index:-Vol. A, Page 854
[Arrangement of 1870.]

1928 - May 7 Hist to Mrs. Ralph M. Sommerville, M.E.E.