Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B. L. Wt. 34,813-160-55, for Ashbel Spaulding, Massachusetts
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(3-1776)
[column headings: SERVICE|[blank]|NUMBER|]
Mass|Spaulding, Ashbel|B.L.Wt.34,813-160-55|
[blank]|or Spalding|[blank]|
[end of columns]
Abiah or Abiel
CONTENTS
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vol S=2=29
act March 3
169165 [illegible]
Abiah Spaulding (84 years) wid of Ashbel Spaulding Priv
Capt. A. Foster
Col. C How (Howe)
Mass Mil
Ent 1779
Dis Oct 30. 1780} Rev War
[overwritten: No 34813 Act July 23/56]
Private
Col How (Howe) Mass Mil'a 
Vt NY Pa Regs
AO 160 acs July 21/56 
Dodge
Robbins & Chapman
Ludlow Vt
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169168
Claim of Abiah Spaulding for bounty land under the Act of March 3, 1855.
Presented by Robbins & Chapman Attys.
Ludlow, Vermont
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State of Vermont
Windsor County, ss.} On this seventh day of June, A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty five, personally appeared before me, a Master in Chancery within and for the County and State aforesaid Abiah Spaulding aged Eighty four years, a resident of Ludlow in the State of Vermont, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of Ashbel Spaulding, deceased, who was a private soldier in the company commanded by Captain Amos Foster in Col. Cyprian How's (Howe) Regiment - detached from the 7th Reg't of Militia of Middlesex County - Mass to reinforce the continental army for the term of three months - in the war of the revolution - and that her said husband enlisted, or was drafted - she knows not which - at or from the town of Chelmsford in the State of Mass. in the year 1779 - but did not enter actual service till the 28th or about the 28th of July 1780 for the term of three months - that he continued in actual service in said war for the term of three  months and eight days - travel to & from Rhode Island included - and was honorably discharged at Rhode Island on or about the 30th day of Oct. 1780 - 
She further states that she was married to the said Ashbel Spaulding on the thirtieth day of September A.D. 1800 - by one Whiting, a Minister of the Gospel and that her name before her said marriage was Abiah Parker, or Abiel Parker, that her said husband died at Ludlow, aforesaid on the second day of March A.D. 1838 and that she is now a widow.
She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which she may be entitled under the act approved March 3rd 1855 - 
/s/X her mark Abiah Spaulding
Attest. /s/C. J. Chapman.
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We Phebe Dunbar and Harriet W. Emory, residents of Loudlow (Ludlow) in the State of Vermont, upon our oath, declare that the foregoing declaration was signed and acknowledged by Abiah Spaulding, in our presence, and that we believe, from the appearance and statement of the applicant, that she is the identical person she represents herself to be. 
/s/Phebe Dunbar
/s/Harriet W. Emory
The foregoing declaration and affidavit was sworn to & subscribed before me on the day and year above written; and I certify that I know the affiants to be credible persons; that the claimant is the person she represents herself to be,, and that I have no interest in this claim. 
/s/Clark H. Chapman, Master in Chancery
STATE OF VERMONT,
WINDSOR COUNTY, SS. } I, NORMAN WILLIAMS, Clerk of the County Court, of the County of Windsor, in the State of Vermont, do hereby certify that Clark H. Chapman was, at the date of the paper writing to which this is attached, and still is, a Master in Chancery in and for said county, duly qualified to administer oaths and take the acknowledgment of deeds, and that his signature foregoing is genuine. 
[court seal affixed] In testimony whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name and affix the seal of said Court, at Woodstock, in said County of Windsor, this 12 day of June A.D. 1855. 
/s/Norman Williams, Clerk.
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169165
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I Clark H. Chapman, of Loudlow (Ludlow) in the County of Windsor and State of Vermont, hereby certify that I have now before me a book entitled "History of Chelmsford" &c "by Wilkes Allen A.M." Paster of the Church Society in Chelmsford printed by P. N. Green - Haverhill-A.D.-1820" - I have examined said history & find on the 181st page thereof ['is found' crossed out] the name of Ashbel Spaulding among the list of men who "were engaged to go to Rhode Island for three months" &c in 1779 - in the Revolutionary War - From this History it appears 16 men were thus engaged from s'd Chelmsford, & said Spaulding was one of them - I, also, certify that I now have before me the old family bible of said Ashbel - wherein in an ancient hand writing is entered the time of his birth, to wit: "Ashbel Spaulding born Chelmsford Mass April 27th 1765 Also Abiel ['Spaulding' crossed out] Parker born Chelmsford Mass - May 31, 1771 - 
The record of the marriage of said Ashbel and his wife - (the widow who as Abiel or Abiah Spaulding now applies for bounty land) Abiel Parker - is also made therein - also the death of said Ashbel of the date named in her application, or declaration - herewith enclosed. 
I further certify that I drew the declaration of the Spaulding - and signed her name to it by her request - she making her mark - (X) - and that the names "Abiel" and "Abiah" as alluded to in her declaration & proffs mean the same person - Mr. & Mrs. Spaulding were among the first earliest settlers of this town - He died on the "Poor farm" - & his widow is now maintained by the town of Ludlow - 
/s/Clark H. Chapman Master of Chancery.
Ludlow Vt. June 13-1855-
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State of Vermont
Windham County ss Be it remembered that at Rockingham County aforesaid on this thirtieth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred Ashbel Spalding and Abiel Parker of Ludlow in the County of  Windsor and State aforesaid are duly joined in marriage by me 
/s/Samuel Whiting Clerk
attest /s/J Burt Town Clerk
State of Vermont
Windsor County ss Town Clerk's Office in Rockingham June 8th 1855 I certify that the preceding is a true copy of the record in my office with the exception of the date which is expressed on the record in fair legible figures as follows "30th day of September in the year of our Lord 1800" 
/s/Alexander S Campbell Town Clerk
I Alexander S Campbell above named depose & say that I hold the office of Town Clerk for the town of Rockingham aforesaid in the County & state aforesaid and that the above is a true extract from the records of s'd Town with the exception above named as certified by me
/s/Alexander S. Campbell
Town Clerk of Rockingham
Sworn to before me /s/Russell Hyde, Justice Peace
Fee 50 cents
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THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, GREETING:
[backward American flag logo]
Whereas, In pursuance of the Act of Congress, approved MARCH 3, 1855, entitled "An Act in addition to certain Acts granting Bounty Land to certain Officers and Soldiers who have been engaged in the Military Service of the United States," there has been deposited in the GENERAL LAND OFFICE, Warrant No, 34813 for 160 acres, in favor of Abiah Spaulding widow of Ashbel Spaulding Private Revolutionary War with evidence that the same has been duly located upon the South East quarter of the North West Quarter and the East half of the South West Quarter of Section three and the North East Quarter of the North West Quarter of section ten in Township one hundred and nine North of Range eighteen West in the District of Lands formerly subject to sale at Winona now St Peters Minnesota containing one hundred and sixty acres according to the Official Plat of the Survey of the said Land returned to the GENERAL LAND OFFICE by the SURVEYOR GENERAL the said warrant having been assigned by the said Abiah Spaulding to Eben B. Hilton in whose favor said tract has been located
Now know ye, That there is therefore granted by the UNITED STATES unto the said Eben B. Hilton as assignee as aforesaid and to his heirs - the tract of Land above described: To have and to hold the said tract of Land, with the appurtenances thereof, unto the said Eben B. Hilton as assignee as aforesaid and to his heirs and assigns forever. 
In Testimony Whereof, I James Buchanan PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, have caused these Letters to be made Patent, and the SEAL OF THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE to be hereunto affixed.
[official seal affixed] GIVEN under my hand, at the CITY OF WASHINGTON, the tenth of August IN THE YEAR OF O UR LORD one thousand eight hundred, and fifty-nine and of the INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES THE eighty fourth 
BY THE PRESIDENT: /s/James Buchanan By J B Leonard, Sec'y.
/s/Jno Granger, Recorder of the General Land Office.
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U. S. to Eben B. Hilton
Office of Reg of Deeds [illegible] Filed for record June 25th AD 1869 at 4 oclock PM & duly recorded in Book 12. of Deeds Pages 463 & 464 
/s/T. B. McCord Register
Reg. C H Bosworth Deputy
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34.813
160 acres
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Abiah Spaulding
169.165
34.813 - 160
Act/35
Mr. Burke
Robbins & Chapman
Ludlow Vt
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[addressed envelope]
[postmark: PROCTORSVILLE VT. JUL 26]
FREE
To the Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City D.C.
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[addressed envelope]
[postmark: LUDLOW VT JUN 13]
FREE
Commissioner of Pension's
Department of the Interior.
Washington City. D.C. 
[margin note: 169165]
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[handwritten letter]
Ludlow Vt. July 26, 1856.

To the Com'r of Pensions - 
We know that it may seem unnecessary to ask - but sometimes letters go to the wrong place - in the matter of Land warrants sent from Washington owing perhaps to the carelessness of Attys., like ourselves in not writing our address plainly on our letter to you - 
We therefore ask if a warrant has been issued to Abiah Spaulding of Ludlow Vt - for 160 acres - She is the widow of a Revolutionary Soldier - Her application is no. 169.165 - And your acknowledgement of its reception at Washington bears date - June 15th 1855 - which is the last we heard of it. 
Yours most respectfully - 
/s/Robbins & Chapman
Ludlow Vt.
ROBBINS & CHAPMAN, 
Attorney and Counsellors at Law, 
AND SOLICITORS IN CHANCERY, 
F. C. ROBBINS }
C. H. CHAPMAN } LUDLOW, VT.
REFERENCES:
Hon J. Collamer, Woodstock, Vt.|['[illegible]' crossed out], Boston, Ma.
Hon. S. F. Dutton, Cavendish, Vt. F. & F. Rice  "  "
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I, Timothy Haild of Ludlow, in the County of Windsor and State of Vermont, Superintendant of funerals, hereby certify, that I was present, as superintendant of the funeral of Ashbel Spaulding, of Ludlow aforesaid and that he died on the second day of March A.D. 1838 at said Ludlow. 
I further certify that I have known said Ashbel Spaulding and his wife Abiah Spaulding - the applicant for bounty land under the act of March 3, 1855 - for over forty years - I mean it is, at this date, more than forty years since I first knew them - and they lived in this town for a long number of years as man and wife, and raised  a family of children - Mrs. Abiah Spaulding widow of said Ashbel - who now applies for a bounty land warrant is now maintained by the town of Ludlow - 
I have examined her declaration - as drawn by Mr. C. H. Chapman - and from my personal knowledge of the matter - and from an examination of the "history of Chelmsford" - shown me by Mr. Chapman - I have no doubt but she is the person she represents herself to be - and that Mr. Spaulding - her late husband served in the revolutionary war - as she has set forth in her declaration - I do not make oath to this certificate, because I never take an oath it being against my principles of religious belief so to do - but this certificate I deem to be as binding on me - as though I made oath to its truth as many do - 
I keep a record of all the deaths in Ludlow aforesaid, and have kept such a record since the year 1831 - so that I am correct in my statement of Mr. Spaulding's death - 
/s/Timothy Haild
Ludlow June 8th 1855
Attest, /s/C. H. Chapman.
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston. 
May 31st 1855.
[commonwealth seal affixed]
I Hereby Certify, That from an examination of the Books and Documents relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of Ashbel Spaulding is borne on pay roll of Capt. Amos Foster's Comp. Col. Cyprian How's (Howe) Reg't Detached from the Seventh Reg't of Militia of Middlesex County, to reinforce the Continental Army for the term of three mos. Forty of said Company marched to R. Island and fourteen to Fish Kill from July 28th to Oct. 30th 1780. 3 mos 8 days, as private, travel included.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
/s/E. M. Wright 
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
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[handwritten letter]
Loudlow (Ludlow) May 30, 1855.

To the Sec. of State - Mass.
Enclosed I send you $ 1. and ask you to forward me a certified copy of whatever records, or minutes you find in your office showing that Ashbel Spaulding enlisted (it is believed at Chelmsford) & served in the War of the Revolution - (believed to be in 1779 & at other times) to enable me to get a land warrant for his widow under the Act of March 3, 1855 - 
Yours - /s/Martin Snell
Loudlow (Ludlow) Vt.