Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 17693, for Jacob Sperry, Connecticut
Page 1

SERVICE
Conn.

Sperry, Jacob

NUMBER
S 17693

Carded
Page 2

17.080
Connecticut
Jacob Sperry
Waterbury in the State of Connt who was a Sergt in the Com commanded by Captain ~~ of the Reg commanded by Col. Thomas in the Connt line for troops 9 mo

Inscribed on the Roll of Connt at the rate of 45 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 19 day of April 1833 and sent Pensioner Waterbury Con.

Arrears to the 4th of March: 33 $90.00
Semi-Anl. Allowance ending Sept 4. " 22.50
_______
$112.50

{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by E. G. Bullock Clerk
Book E. Vol. B. Page 40
Page 3

No 1661
Jacob Sperry of Waterbury New Haven Co Connecticut application for a pension
Claims to have served as a Sergeant 9 mo

Admitted
9 mo Sergeant $45
Page 4

State of Connecticut
County of New Haven}ss.
District of Waterbury

On this 15 day of August 1832 personally appeared, in open Court, before the Probate Court for the District of Waterbury at Waterbury in New Haven County and State District now sitting, Jacob Sperry a resident of Waterbury in the County of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, aged eighty four years, who being first 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.
In January 1776 he enlisted as a Sergeant to serve as said sergeant two months in a company of Connecticut State Troops in the service of the United States. The company was commanded by Captain Benjamin Richards Col Sage of Middletown commanded the Regt and a man by the name of Atwater was Major of the Regt. The Regt to which he belonged were ordered to Boston where he served his term of two months out as a Sergeant. The company was discharged or dismissed as near as he can recollect about the first of April 1776.
In the year 1776 he was a Sergeant in the Militia company of the Town of Waterbury in Connecticut where he then resided and in the month of October of that year he was as such sergeant drafted for the term of four months into the service of the United States out of said company & was mustered & joined the Regt under Captain Samuel Bronson and in Col. Baldwins Regt. He joined the army at the Saw Pitts. The company of Captain Bronson was employed principally as a guard at the Saw Pitts where he served out his said term of 4 months & was dismissed in January or February 1777. He served as a Sergeant the whole time.
In the year 1779 July about the first of the month of July he volunteered on the Waterbury Militia company to which he belonged and in which he was a Sergeant, turned out on the alarm of the taking
Page 5

of New Haven by the enemy and as one of said company he was a Sergeant in it went to New Haven & from there went to Fairfield Connt & from there to Norwalk, where there was a little fight & the company in which he was was engaged in it & a few men were killed. After the fight the company remained there & in that neighborhood some time but how long he is unable to say. He thinks the whole tour of duty from the time they started until they got home lasted about two months.
In the same year 1779 he was again drafted to serve as a Sergeant and was in Captain Jotham Curtiss Company when mustered and the company of Captain Curtiss was stationed at Stratford Fairfield County Connecticut and remained there in service one month. He thinks the company were mustered then in the month of Sept. but can not remember certainly.
He was born in the town of Woodbridge in New Haven County Connecticut in the year 1748. The said town of Woodbridge then being part of the town of New Haven. Whether there is a record of his birth at the town clerk's office in New Haven he does not know. He resided in said Woodbridge until he was about twenty two years old when he removed to Waterbury in said county where he now resides and did reside where he was in the service & ever since has resided.
Page 6

The said Jacob Sperry 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. 
Jacob Sperry

We Joel R. Arnold a clergyman, residing in the town of Waterbury and John Kingsbury residing in the same, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Jacob Sperry who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be 84 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.
Sworn and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Joel. R. Arnold
John Kingsbury

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 abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Joel R. Arnold who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the town of Waterbury and that John Kingsbury Esq who has also signed the same, is a resident in the town of Waterbury and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, Robinson S. Hinman Clerk of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Jacob Sperry for a Pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this fifteenth day of August 1832.
R. S. Hinman Clerk
Page 7

United States of America
State of Connecticut}ss.
I Robinson S. Hinman a resident of New Haven County a Notary Public duly appointed commissioned and sworn, do hereby certify that I am acquainted with Joel Hinman Esq who has signed the certificate hereto annexed as a Justice of Peace and before whom the affidavits hereto annexed were taken. And with his hand writing, and that he is an for more than a year past has been a Justice of Peace within and for New Haven County duly appointed and sworn and that his signatures as a Justice of Peace to all the papers hereto annexed are his genuine official signatures. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 20th day of January AD 1833.
R. S. Hinman Notary Public
Page 8

State of Connecticut
New Haven County
Ss. Waterbury July 31 1832
Be it remembered that on the day & year aforesaid before me Joel Hinman Esq Justice of the Peace in & for New Haven County personally appeared Elijah Woodward Esq of Watertown in Litchfield County to me personally known & who is a credible witness who being first duly sworn on oath declares and says that in January 1776 as this deponent thinks he enlisted for the term of two months to serve in the Revolutionary War, we were taken to Boston and there I served my time out. Was in Capt. Benj. Richards Company. Thinks Col. Sage of Middletown was the Col. Atwater of Chesham or Walingford was our Major. Were discharged the deponent thinks on the 1 of April 1776.
This deponent knows that Jacob Sperry of Waterbury was in the deponents company & served the said term of two months in said service at Boston and was as this deponent thinks a Sergeant in said company.
Elijah Woodward

Sworn & subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me.
Joel Hinman Justice of the Peace
Page 9

State of Connecticut
New Haven County
Ss. Waterbury July 31 1832
On the day & year aforesaid be it remembered that before me Joel Hinman Esq Justice of the Peace within & for said County personally appeared Truman Hotchkis of said Waterbury to me personally known & who is a credible witness who being first duly sworn on oath declares and says that he is 72 years old. That he has been acquainted with Jacob Sperry of said Waterbury from his the deponents boyhood. That in the year 1779 this deponent was drafted to serve in the Revolutionary War. That he was called out as this deponent thinks in the month of August under Capt. Jotham Curtiss the other officers the deponent has forgotten tho he thinks Col. Whitings commanded. Were stationed at Stratford Fairfield County Connecticut and remained in the service one month. This deponent knows that said Jacob Sperry was in the same company with the deponent. Was called out at the same time. Served the whole term of one month and was a Sergeant in said company.
Truman Hotchkiss
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid before me
Joel Hinman Justice of the Peace
Page 10

State of Connecticut
New Haven County
Ss. Waterbury
July 26 1832
Be it remembered that on the day & year aforesaid personally appeared before me Joel Hinman Esq a Justice of the Peace within & for said County duly commissioned & sworn Asahel Bronson Esq of Middletown in said County to me personally known and who is a credible witness who being duly sworn in and cautioned on oath declares and says that in the year 1776 in the forepart of the month of Oct he was drafted as one of the militia to go on a tour of duty in the revolutionary war for the term of four months and joined Capt Samuel Bronsons company Col Baldwins Regt. He joined the army at Saw Pitts and continued to serve in said company until Jany when he was dismissed about the middle of said month at Saw Pitts. Our company was employed as a guard. The deponent then resided in Waterbury that part which is now Middlebury and that he now resides there.
He has been acquainted with Jacob Sperry now of said Waterbury since the year 1770 and knows said Sperry was with the deponent in the above service & served all the time the deponent did in said company. He was a Sergeant in said company in the year 1779 this deponent and said Sperry were again called out both belonging to the Waterbury militia company. The said Sperry being as Sergeant of a Compy and went on service to New Haven at the time the British took it being called out at that time July 1779 and from New Haven we went to Fairfield which was in flames
Page 11

at the time we arrived there the British having just left from there. We went to Norwalk & was there when it was burned. We had a fight there & a few men killed. We were out on this tour about two months as I believe.
Asahel Bronson
Sworn & subscribed before me
Joel Hinman Justice of the Peace
Page 12

17693-
INVALID.
File No. 17693
Jacob Sperry
Sergt Rev War

Act: June 7 32
Index: Vol. 1, Page 334
(Arrangement of 1870.)
Page 13

State of Connecticut
County of New Haven
District of Waterbury}ss.
On this 7th day of February 1833 personally appeared in open court before the Probate Court for the District of Waterbury now sitting at Waterbury in New Haven County and said District Jacob Sperry a resident of Waterbury in said County and District aged eighty four years & who is the same Jacob Sperry who signed the original declaration to which this is annexed and who is the same Jacob Sperry mentioned in said original declaration & who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following supplemental declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 1832.
Question 5 in the Brief from the War Department} In relation to the precise length of the said applicants service he saith that by reason of old age & the consequent loss of memory he can not swear positively as to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned before and in the following grades: For nine months I served as a sergeant & for such service I claim a pension and I have stated in my original declaration to which this is annexed the different times & places where & when I served said nine months.
Question 6 in the Brief from the War Department} In relation to the names of the officers under whom he served he saith that in addition to the names mentioned in his original declaration he remembers that in the Spring of the year 1776 while he was in his service at Boston he remembers to
Page 14

have seen General Washington several times and knows that he had the command of the whole American Army there and he also remembers as Col. or General Thomas from the circumstance of his having command of the men when building a fort or fortification on Dorchester Heights and remembers a Col. or Major Forest who was then out did not belong to his Regt, Johnson of Middletown was Adjutant of his Regt and Michael Bronson was Lieut of his Company.
In the year 1779 in the service mentioned in his original declaration to wit the service at New Haven & Fairfield & Norwalk the 3rd service mentioned in his original declaration he says that he has not stated any regimental officer who had command in that service for the reason that in that service his company was not attached to any Regt & he did not see & of course could not state any regiment officer who did have the command in that service but the officers of his company that he remembers in that service were Samuel Bronson Lieut who commanded the company the Capt being about at that time. The Ensign he can not now remember.
In relation to the last service mentioned in his original declaration to wit the service in Capt. Jotham Curtiss Company he says that from old age & the consequent loss of memory & the short length of time that he served in that tour he can not swear positively as to the officers under whom he served in that tour except the Capt who he knows was Jotham Curtiss.
Page 15

but according to the best of his recollection there was a Col. Whiting who had command in that service and who then resided in Stratford where this service was done.
Question 13 in the Brief from the Department} In relation to which the applicant says that his warrant as sergeant he has lost & can not produce as evidence of his rank but he says that after he had rendered the service mentioned in his original declaration he was regularly promoted to the offices of Ensign, Lieut & Capt in the same Waterbury Militia company to which he belonged. That he has lost his commission as ensign but that he has in his possession & herewith forwards to the Department his commissions as Lieut & Capt in said company - and he further says that he has made diligent search & enquiry & can not find any other documentary evidence nor any person living who is a survivor of any of his tours of service except the persons whose depositions are herewith forwarded to the Department & that he has produced all the evidence in his power in relation to his service
Page 16

Question 17 in the Brief from the Department } 3d subsequent interrogatories} In relation to which the applicant answers to the 3d interrogatory prescribed by the War Department that when the service mentioned in his original declaration & this supplemental declaration was done he resided in Waterbury New Haven County Connecticut & that he has resided there ever since the Revolutionary War and that he now lives there.
To the 4th he answers that in the first service mentioned in his original declaration he volunteered or enlisted. In the 2d he was drafted. In the 3d he volunteered &U in the 4 & last mentioned know in his original declaration stated he was drafted.
To the 5th Interrogatory he answers that he has stated in his original declaration & in the supplemental declaration the names of such officers as he remembers, such continental & militia regts as he remembers & the general circumstances of his service.
To the 6 Interrogatory he answers that he never did receive a
Page 17

discharge but was dismissed with the rest of his company when his terms of service were ended.
To the 7 he answers that he is acquainted with the Revd Joel R. Arnold and with John Kingsbury Esq both of Waterbury & who are neighbors of his & who can testify to his character for veracity & their belief in his service as a soldier of the revolution.
Jacob Sperry
Sworn & subscribed the day and year last aforesaid.
R. S. Hinman Clerk
Page 18

MATTHEW GRISWOLD, ESQUIRE;
Captain-General and Commander in Chief in and over the STATE of CONNECTICUT, in AMERICA.
To Jacob Sperry GENT. GREETING.
YOU being by the General Assembly of this State accepted to be Captain of the ninth company as trainband in the 26th Regiment in said state reposing Special Trust and Confidence in your Fidelity, Courage, and good Conduct, I DO by Virtue of the Laws of this State, me thereunto enabling, appoint and impower you to take the said Company into your Care and Charge as their Captain carefully and diligently to discharge that Office and Trust, exercising your inferior Officers and Soldiers in the Use of their Arms, according to the Rules and Discipline of War, ordained and established by the Laws of this State, keeping them in good Order and Government, and commanding them to obey you as their Captain and you are to observe all such Orders and Directions as from Time to Time you shall receive, either from me, or from other your Superior Officer, pursuant to the Trust hereby reposed in you.
GIVEN under my Hand, and the Public Seal of this State, at New Haven the 2d day of November A. D. 1785
Matthew Griswold
By His Excellency's Command
George Wyllys Secretary,
Page 19

JONATHAN TRUMBULL, ESQUIRE
Captain-General and Commander in Chief in and over the STATE of CONNECTICUT in AMERICA.
To Jacob Sperry GENT. GREETING.
YOU being by the General Assembly of this State accepted to be Lieutenant of the 9th Company a trainband in the 27th Regiment in this State reposing Special Trust and Confidence in your Fidelity, Courage and good Conduct, I DO by Virtue of the Laws of this State, me thereunto enabling, appoint and impower you to take the said Company into your Care and Charge, as their Lieutenant, carefully and diligently to discharge that Office and Trust, exercising your inferior Officers and Soldiers in the Use of their Arms, according to the Rules and Discipline of War, ordained and established by the Laws of this State, keeping them in good Order and Government, and commanding them to obey you as their Lieutenant and you are to observe all such Orders and Directions as from Time to Time you shall receive, either from me, or from other your Superior Officer, pursuant to the Trust hereby reposed in you.
GIVEN under my Hand, and the Public Seal of this State, at Hartford the 24th Day of January A. D. 1783.
Jon Trumbull
By His Excellency's Command.
George Wyllys Secretary.
Page 20

MATTHEW GRISWOLD, ESQUIRE;
Captain-General and Commander in Chief in and over the STATE of CONNECTICUT, in AMERICA.
To Jacob Sperry GENT. GREETING.
YOU being by the General Assembly of this State accepted to be Captain of the ninth Company a trainband in the 26th Regiment in said State reposing Special Trust and Confidence in your Fidelity, Courage, and good Conduct, I DO by Virtue of the Laws of this State, me thereunto enabling, appoint and impower you to take the said Company into your Care and Charge as their Captain carefully and diligently to discharge that Office and Trust, exercising your inferior Officers and Soldiers in the Use of their Arms, according to the Rules and Disciplines of War, ordained and established by the Laws of this State, keeping them in good Order and Government, and commanding them to obey you as their Captain and you are to observe all such Orders and Directions as from Time to Time you shall receive, either from me, or from other your Superior Officer, pursuant to the Trust hereby reposed in you.
GIVEN under my Hand, and the Public Seal of this State, at New Haven the 2d Day of November A. D. 1786.
Matthew Griswold
By His Excellency's Command,
George Wyllys, Secretary.