Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16259, for Eliphaz Steele, Vermont
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(3 - 1776)
to
SERVICE
CONTENTS
Steele, Eliphaz
18
NUMBER
S.16259
Carded
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Lette Benj Colton
18th 1841

17.402 -
Vermont
---
Eliphaz Steele
Chittenden  Co in the State of Vermont
who was a private in the company commanded
by Captain Stevens of the Regt. commanded
by
in the Vt Eigh
line for 7 mos

Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont
at the rate of 23 Dollars 33 Cents per annum
commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 20 day of Augt
1833 and sent to
N. B. Haswell, Burlington

Arrears to the 4th March 1833 $46.66
Semi-anl, allowance ending 4 Sept. 11.66
$58.32

Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.

Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk,
Book E Vol. 3 Page 91
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Eliphaz Steele
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West Hartford
Conn
Novr 14th 1841
Sir
I have been informed by the heirs of
Eliphaz Steele of Hinesburgh in the State of Vermont
that their father claimed in his declaration for a
pension 16 months service in the War of the Revolution, and
that your Dept allowed only 7 months on a
muster roll that belongs to the him of Bagge Well and
which has been forwd to your Dept for a copy
find the name of Eliphaz Steele commencing service
Feb. 5th 1776. The roll is headed as follows
"et Muster roll of Capt John Stevens Compy in Col.
Burrels Battallion of forces raised in the State of Connt
and now in the service of the United States of America
dated in Camp Mt Independence Novr 25 1776,"
By reference to the proof in support of his claim
(which I suppose is on file in your Dept) it can be
acertained who then that term of service was allowed
and if not I suppose his widow is now living or if not
his heirs have a right to claim it. Eliphaz Steele
was born in this place and resided here during the
Revolutionary war which fact can be sattisfactily
proved
As it will be attended with considerable
expense & trouble in making a formal application I have
taken the liberty to ask you to do me the favor to
examine the papers on which Eliphaz Steele was pensioned
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and if the proof I have referred to has not
been allowed, will you have the goodness to
say whether it now will be allowed provided
satisfactory proof is given of identity &
I am very respectfully
ye Obt Sevt
Bery
Cotton


Edwards Esqr
Commr of Pensions
Washington D.C.
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State of Vermont
Chittenden County
I hereby certify that the
papers hereto attached marked
A B. & C. are the same documents
which were originally forwarded to
the pension Office to substantiate
the declaration of Eliphaz Steele
of Hinesburgh and that since
their return from the pension office the document
marked additional No 1 has been added
In testimony whereof I have hereto
set my hand and affixed the seat of Chittenden
County Court this 10th day of June AD 1833
Nathan Wheaswell Clerk
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Additional

State of Vermont 
Chittenden County
Personally appeared Eliphaz
Steel of Hinesburgh before me the undersigned a
Justice of the Peace for Chittenden County and
to me known as the same person who made his
declaration before the Honorable Chittenden County
court on the 21st day of August AD 1832, who
being duly sworn doth make the following additional
declaration, that by reason of old age and the
consequent loss of memory he cannot swear
positively as to the precise dates and length of his
service, but according to the best of his recollection
he served not less then the periods mentioned below
and in the following grades
for four months as a private in the year 1775
for three months as a private in the year 1776
I was out in other services but by reason of apoplectic fits I am unable to give the particulars-- I claim a
pension for seven months as a private.-- I never
received a discharge when I entered the service I
lived in West Hartford Connecticut since the Revolution

I have lived the principal part of the time in Vermont having
lived in Hinesburgh, my present place of residence for the
at Forty years

sworn and subscribed this 6th
day of June AD 1833 and I
[signature] Eliphaz Steele
hereby last that the above mend
afflicted with fits
been deemed a credible and
[signature] Nathan Braswell Justice of Peace
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State of Vermont
Chittenden County
I Nathan Newell Clerk of Chittenden
County Court do hereby certify that
Nathan Washell Esqr before whom
the within declaration was taken was
at the time thereof a Justice of the Peace duly qualified acting
under the authority of this State
in that his name thereto subscribed
is his own proper signature
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
affixed the seal of said court this 10th day
of June AD 1833
Nathan Braswell
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State of Vermont
Chittenden County,
I Nathan Braswell Clerk of
Chittenden County Court, do hereby certify
that, Charles Russell
Esqr.
before whom the annexed affidavit is
taken, was at the time thereof, a Justice of
the Peace, duly qualified, acting under the
authority of this State, and that I believe
his name thereto subscribed, to be his own
proper signature.
testimony where, have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, at Burlington, this 21st day of August A.D. 1832
[signature] Nathan Braswell
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We Mason Knapen Minister of the Gospel. Mitchell
Hinsdell and William Hurlburt of Hinesburgh in
the County of Chittenden hereby certify that we are
well acquainted with Eliphaz Steele who has subscribed
and sworn to the above declaration, that we 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
[signature] Mason Kenton Minister of the gospel 
[signature]Mitchell Hinsdell
[sgnature] William Hurlbut

Sworn to and subscribed
this 21st day of Augt 1832
Before me

Charles Russell Justice of the Peace
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Revolutionary Claims.
STATE OF VERMONT
Chittenden County, ss.
On this tenth day of August A. D. 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before the
Honerable County Court for the County of Chittenden, now sitting,
Eliphaz Steele a resident of Hinesburgh in the County of Chittenden
and State of Vermont, 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. I entered the service at
West Hartford Ct under Capt Rowley as a volunteer in
the first year of the war of the Revolution - Col Huntington
commanded the Regiment - we marched to Roxbury in
Massachusetts and continued in the service at this time
four months and was dismissed and returned home
having served the time for which I engaged for
Afterwards the next year I enlisted under Capt John
Stevens in May Butterfields Regiment for one year
we marched from Hartford Connecticut through
Massachusetts and Vermont into Canadas up the St
Lawrence to the cedars where we remained about a week
while we were at the cedars we were attacked by
a party of British troops and Indians a skirmishing
continued about three days when we were taken prisoners
about four hundred of us in number Two of
the prisoners and myself escaped seven our captors
and returned home after having been in service for
more than three months. The other prisoners, I believe
were afterwards exchanged. I do not recollect who
the other officers who were attached to this within
only as it was called being then young, and from
the qual length of time that has elapsed since then
I have no documentary evidence of these service nor
do I know of any living witness or witnesses who
can testify to these facts. I was born in West
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Hanford C. March 4th 1758
Have no record
of my age except one in my bible made by
my father
I lived in West Hartford when I entered the
service since the Revolution I have lived for
the last Forty five years in Hinesurgh where
now live

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.
Sworn to and Subscribed
the day and year aforesaid
[signature] Eliphaz Steele
[signature] Nathan B Maswell Clerk

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 further certify, that it appears to
them, that Mason Knopen Mitchell Hinsdell William
Hurlbut
who have signed the annexed certificate and who are residents of the town of Hinesburgh
are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit, and that Mason Hinepen is a Clergyman

Attest
[signature] Eli Brownson
John Vanklin
Attest Judges of [illegible]
County Court

STATE OF VERMONT.
Chittenden County, SS.
Nathan B Maswell Clerk of
Chittenden County Court, do hereby certify, that the
foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said
Court in the matter of the application of Eliphaz
Sheel for
a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
seal of office, this 21 day of August A. D. 1832.
[signature] Nathan Braswell
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File
16259
INVALID.
Eliphaz Steele

Act: June 7 ' 32
Index: -- Vol. 1 Page 362
Arrangement of 1870.}
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8457
Eliphaz Steele

Admd
7 months
$23.33

M Hasnell
Burlington
VT
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which these
further proof or explanation.
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
which require  Eliphaz Steele
1. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides?
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides?
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason
assigned for his not doing so?
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? no
V. Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he
he is entitled? No Squire
served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amout of pension
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? No
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of
June 7, 1832?
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished
from any other seal?
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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to
their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary
service?
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtain
ing it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one
living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?
XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness
or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath,
certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the
regulations direct?
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age,
as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And,
if not, which of them is not so answered? Not all
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how
and his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
long he served, appared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being
duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he
cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection
he served not fear that the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades;-
year months, and --- days, I served as a
For months
and days, I served as and for such service I claim a pension.
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t is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served,
and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the
pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too innite
, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions
without specifying the tours; the names of the
merely state they served his form of a declaration is highly objection
officers, and other parties
what officers the applicant served; the duration
able. It must in every case be clearly shewn under
places where the service was performed; that the
of each term of engagement; the particular place or place called
into service by competent authority; that he was either
held or in garrison, and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed
in any civil pursuit.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must
prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of
the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the
regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths
must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate
must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
in the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not
written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate
must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass
under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly
attached to the certificate.
In every case where the clerk of the courtier other certifying officer, has no public seal of
office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the
certifying officer, should accompany the papers.