Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 38,908, for Richard Leet, Connecticut
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SERVICE Navy Conn  
Leet, Richard  NUMBER S.38908
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17.914
Rhode Island
Richard Leet of Providence in the state of R Island who was a Mariner in the regiment commanded by Colonel [blank] of the Frigate Alliance Barry line, for the term of 10 months war Conn

Inscribed on the Roll of Rhode Island at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 1 of August 1820

Arrears to 4th of Septmber 1820 $9.6
Semi-ann. all'ce 4 March 1821      48.-
[illegible] 1 m 4/30                       $57.6

{Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March, 1818.}
2 May 1820
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Invalid
Navy
File No. 38908 
Richard Leet
Mariner
Frigate "Alliance"
Revolutionary
Act March 18th 1818.
Index: Vol. [blank], Page [blank]
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Richard Leet
Providence, R. I.
Copy granted
10 Oct 1820
1
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Rhode Island District sc  (Copy 1

On this seventeenth day of May AD 1820 personally appeared before me David Howell  Judge of the District of the United States for said District Richard Leet a man of Colour now residing in Providence in said District aged about 70 years - who being first duly sworn according to law, maketh the following declaration in order to obtain the provision of the Acts of Congress of the eighteenth of March AD 1818 & of May first AD 1820. - That he the said Richard is a a native of Guinea that he was brought to the United States when he was about five years old as a Slave - That being desirous to obtain his freedom, he left his Master & went to New London; according to best recollection in the month of February 1782 he shipped as a mariner on board the Frigate Alliance then lying in the harbour of New London a vessel of war in the service of the United States & commanded by John Barry Esqr that soon after his enlistment the frigate sailed on a cruise against the enemy = that they captured a number of vessels during said Cruise - that he continued on board said vessel untill her arrival in Providence when he together with the Crew were discharged in April 1783 having served more than a year. - And persuance of the Act of the first of May 1820. I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the eighteenth day of March One thousand eight hundred eighteen & that I have not since that time, by gift sale or in any manner whatsoever disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provision of the 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 eighteenth day of March One thousand eight hundred and eighteen that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities, contracts or debts due to me
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nor have I any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed
Richard (X his mark) Leet

And this declaration further saith that he has no property personal or real, that he is dependant on labour for support that he has a wife aged 45 years who is now sick and has been sick for the last five years & unable to keep herself.
Richard (X his mark) Leet

Rhode Island District
District Court August term first day 1820
The preceding Schedule of Property was duly exhibited & sworn to in open Court And I further cerify that it appears to my satisfaction that the said Richard Leet served the nine months required by Statute and that full credit is to be given to the depositions of George Olney & Thomas Laing taken to be used on this application - And that the said Richard is poor and needy.
David Howell District Judge

No. 3. the preceding declaration was first sworn to before the District Judge and afterwards in open Court. - It is 
presumed his pay will commence on 17 May
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Rhode Island District sc
Clerks office of the U. S. District Court 1820

I Benjamin Cowell Clerk of said Court do hereby certify that the preceding declaration, certificates, oath and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the records of said Court: And I do further certify that it is the opinion of said Court that the amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is nothing In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of said Court this tenth day of October 1820
Benjamin Cowell Clerk of said Court
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Dep of War Lang
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The Deposition of Thomas Lang of Providence in the County of Providence in the State of Rhode Island who being engaged according to law testifies & says that he was an acting midshipman on board The Frigate Alliance Commanded by John Barry Esqr a public Vessel of the United States in the revolutionary war. that he served on board said Vessel about two years that while said Vessel was lying at New London in 1782 Richard Leet a black man came on board said Vessel, soon after the Vessel went upon a Cruise of about 10 months before he returned, said Richard was on board said Vessel during said Cruise untill the Crew was discharged - The said Richard was a mariner on board & near as he can recollect had seven dollars per month wages
Thos Laing

Received 17 of May 1820 sworn to before me
Benjamin Cowell Commissioner of the District Court for R. I. Dist

And I further certify that the said Thomas is personally known to me, & that he is a credible & disinterested witness in the premises
Benjamin Cowell Commissr
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Providence Rhode Island &c. 16th May 1820.
I certify that it appears by the record which I kept on paying paying off, by order of Robert Morris Esquire, then Agent of Marine, The Officers and Seamen belonging to the Frigate Alliance, commanded by John Barry Esquire, on her arrival at this Place from a foreign Port, in April 1783, - that Richard Leet, a black Man received of me Sixty dollars and 86 2/3 /90 Pennsylvania currency, being a balance due to him, as stated in the Payroll by Captain Barry.
Geo. Olney
The name Leet was written upon an erasure? by me Geo. Olney

Rhode Island District
May 18th 1820 sworn to before me 
Benjamin Cowell Commissioner of the Dist Court for R. I. Dist.