Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 13823, for Pardon Potter, Rhode Island
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(8-1776)
Service                                          Number
R.I.                 Potter, Pardon         W.138213
                                  Mary
Contents [nothing written here]
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Rhode Island [rest of line cut off]
Mary Potter, 
widow of Pardon Potter, 
Who died on the 12th July 1823 
Province in the State of R. Island 
was a Pr. in the Compy commanded 
by Captain Rice of the Regt commanded by Spencer in the R. Island Ma. 
line for 6 months

Inscribed on the Roll of R. Island 
at the rate of 20 Dollars -Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831 

Certificate of Pension issued the 10 day of Sept 38, and sent to B. Cowell, Providence, R. I. 

Arrears to the 4th of Sept $150.00 Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Mar  10.00  
$160.00 

{Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the }

Recorded by R. Burdine Clerk,
Book A. Vol. 2 - Page 96
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X 3606
Mary Potter
widow of Pardon
RId
Act 4 July 1836
on Capt Rices roll
34 days. Decr. 76-
aomd
6 mopri
20 per annum
no deduction
B. Cowell
Providence
RId
Page 4

State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations [unknown]. On this 20th day of January AD 1838 Personally appeared before me John Brown one of the Justices of the Court of common pleas within & for said County. Mary Potter of Warwick in said county who being duly sworn according to Law, doth on Her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of an act of Congress passed July 4 AD 1836. [illegible] that she is the widow of Pardon Potter late of said Warwick, who was a Soldier of the Revolution. His grade was that of a Private or non commissioned officer in Captain Millards & other companies, but as she cannot specify his services, she must therefore rely on the testimony of those who served with him for their assessment as to when & where performed. And further she declared that she was married to the said Pardon on the seventeenth day of October AD 1779 as will appear by the records of said town of Warwick in that her husband the said Pardon died on the 12th day of July AD 1823 and that she has [illegible] ever since, and is now Her said husband's widow, wherefore she requests that the same Pension which would have belonged to her said husband had he lived may be extended to her Mary Potter her mark.
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Kent [illegible] at Warwick subscribe & sworn to before me this 20th day of January AD 1838. John Brown Jus cc please. I further certify that the said Mary Potter being now seventy nine years old as she says, and too infirm to attend Court. John Brown Jus cc pleas
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[this document is partial] I Nathan Miller of Warwick in the County of Kent being now Eighty Six years of age do testify and say that I was very well acquainted with Pardon Potter formerly of said Warwick and the husband of Mary Potter now residen in said town and his widow and who has lived a lwidow ever since the death of her said husband, said Pardon and myself in the two first years
[The remainder of the document is overlaid by another partial document]
State of Rhode Island 
County of [illegible]
Town Clerks Office
Warwick Dec 5th 1837
I George A Brayton town Clerk of the said town of Warwick do hereby certify that it appears from the records of said town of which I have the custody that Pardon Potter son of William[?] Potter and Mary Snell daughter of Mr Danice Snell late of Warwick & were lawfully joined in marriage at said Warwick on the seventeenth day of October 1779 Seventeen hundred and Fourty nine that the following is an exact copy as it state on record.
I hereby certify that Pardon Potter son of Capt Nathan Potter and Mary Snell Daughter of Mr. Daniel Snell both of Warwick Y were lawfully joined in marriage at said Warwick on the Seventeenth day of October 1779.
By me the Subscriber
James Jerault Just. of Peach 
all which appears of record in this office
Geo A. Brayton Town Clerk
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State of Rhode Island}
Kent County} SS
Warwick 5th December 1837

Personally came George A.
Brayton known to me as Town
Clerk of the Town of Warwick and
made oath to the truth of the within
certificate and subscribe the same
Before me
Wm Harrison Justice Peace
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I Nathan Miller of Warwick in the County of Kent being
now Eighty Six years of age do testify and say that I was
very well acquainted with Pardon Potter formerly of said
Warwick and the husband of Mary Potter now resident in
said Town and his widow and who has lived a widow ever
since the death of her said husband. Said Pardon and
myself in the two first years of the revolutionary war were
soldiers together in Captain Reubin Whitmans company of
Militia and we served in that and other companies until
I joined the Kentish Gards, and after that I had a personal
knowledge of his serving altho we did not serve together.
In 1775 said Pardon and myself were privates in said Whitman
company, afterward Squire Millerd's and in the months
of May and June we served a tour a twenty days at 
least stationed at Warwick neck, and afterwards upon
another alarm we served fifteen days at a place called
Judnesset neck in North Kingston and in the month of
December of that same year we served another tour
of a month stationed at the old castle at Warwick Neck.
And I further testify that in January 1776 at the time
the houses were burnt on Prudence by the enemy, we
were called out and served a month at least on said
Island of Prudence and on the shores opposite in said
Company and in the autumn of the same year just
before the Enemy landed an army at Newport we served
another month together stationed at Warwick Neck
In the month of December 1776 I joined the corps called
the Kentish Gards under Captain Richard Fry, and we
did not serve together in the same company after that
but I remember of his serving. The Militia at this period
were divided into classes and one class was on duty all
the time. I remember that in January 1777 he served a
month at Warwick Neck in Captain Thomas Rice's Company
and in the spring and summer in May and August according to
my best recollection he served in said company or in Captain
Millerds Company a month at a time stationed at Warwick
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and in the fall in October he served another month stationed
at Tiverton, this was in what was called Spencer's expedition. In
1778 and 1779 he must have served four months each year
as all the Militia were obliged to serve. I cannot call to mind
the perticular months but I remember of seing him on dutyance on Rhode Island in Sullivan's Expedition, in August of 1778.
I do not recollect that he ever hired a substitute and I believe
he always performed his duty - and I further testify that in
August 1780 when an invasion was expected, all the Melitia
was called out to go to Rhode Island, and I have a distinct
recollection of seing said Pardon on the Island in Captain
Millerd, company when he served a month. I was there
in the Kentish Gards, The above are all the services I can
remember of Pardon Potter he was an active man and always
did his duty he was a Sergeant in Squire Millerds Company
I think more than a year and I think was a Sergeant in
Captain Jeremiah Randal's company more than six months
he was a Sergeant most of the war. we were always Neighbors
untill his death which took place about 17 or 18 years
ago according to my best recollection
Nathan Miller

State of Rhode Island
Kent County               ⎬ Ss

In Warwick this 27 day of April
AD 1838 Personally appeared before the Subscriber
a Justice of the Peace within and for said County
Nathan Miller the above named deponant who subscribed
and was duly sworn to the truth of his above deposition
according to Law.
I further certify that I am personally acquainted with
the said Nathan Miller and that he is a credible witness
Wm Harrison Justice of the Peace
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State of Rhode Island H
In Secretary's office June 4, AD 1838,

I Certify that at the session of the
General Assembly of said State holden on
the first Wednesday in May eighteen
hundred thirty seven, John Brown was
elected an associate Justice of the Court of
Common Pleas within the County of Kent;
and William Harrison Justice of the
Peace for the town of Warwick in said
County each for one year and Commissioned 
accordingly: as appears of record
Witness Henry Bowen Secry
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BY HIS EXCELLENCY
William Prague
Governor, Captain-General and Commander in Chief of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
BE IT KNOWN, That the name, ""HENRY BOWEN."" to the
aforewritten attestation subscribed, is the proper hand writing of Henry Bowen, Esquire, who at the time of subscribing the same, was Secretary of the State aforesaid, duly elected and qualified according to law:. Wherefore
unto his said attestation full faith and credit are to be rendered.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of said State to be affixed, at Providence this fourth day of June
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight and of Independence the sixty second

By His Excellency's Command.
Henry Bowen Secretary
William Sprague
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June 2, 1936.

Mrs. Francis W. Young
Hillspoint Road
Westport, Connecticut.

RA-J/ILL
Pardon Potter
W. L3823

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to a letter in which you request
the Revolutionary War record of Pardon Potter.

The record has been found of only one soldier and
Pardon Potter on account of whose service in the Revolutionary War
pension was claimed. The data furnished herein were found in
the papers on file in that claim, W. 13823.

Pardon Potter was the son of Captain William Potter of
Warwick, Providence County, Rhode Island. The date of birth of
Pardon Potter is not shown, nor the name of his mother stated.

Pardon Potter, while a resident of Warwick, Rhode Island,
enlisted in May 1775, served as prints and sergeant on short tours
in each succeeding year as late as August 1780, in Captains Eatonhttps://catalog.archives.gov/images/misc/drag.png
Whitman's, Thomas Rice's and Squire Millerd's companies of Rhode
Island militia, amounting in all to about one year; during these
tours he was at Providence when it was burned by the enemy, was on
the expedition to Tiverton under Colonel Spencer and was on General
Sullivan's Expedition.

The soldier married October 17, 1779 in Warwick, Rhode
Island, Mary, the daughter of Daniel Snell, also of Warwick.

Pardon Potter died July 23, 1823 in Warwick, Rhode Island.

Mary Potter, the soldier's widow, was allowed pension on
he application executed January 20, 1836, at which time she resided
in Warwick, Rhode Island; she was then seventy-nine years.

No reference was made to children of Pardon Potter and
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and his wife, Mary.

In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name of person paid, and, possibly, the date of death of Mary Potter, you should apply to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, and cite the following:
Mary Potter, widow of Pardon Potter
Certificate #Issued September 19, 1838
Rate $20 per annum
Commenced March 4, 1831
Act of July 4, 1836
Rhode Island Agency.

of her said, by
to the Central

Very truly yours,
A. D. MILLER
Executive Assistant to the Administrator.


2.
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x 3606 __ R.I.
Set. to Benj. M Cowell, 27 July '38.
This letter pertains to 3 cases - requests specific affidavits regarding service.
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Hillspoint Road
Westport, Conn.
May 21, 1936

[RECEIVED MAY 23 1936 MAIL SUB-DIV]

Veterans Administration
Washington, D.C
Dear Sir:
Will you kindly
let me know if you have
the war record
(Revolutionary) of
Pardon Potter. I think
he came from Pa.
Thank you
Sincerely yours
(Mrs) Francis W. Young
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Rev WIDOW, &c.
File No. 13823
Mary Potter

Wid of
Pardon Potter
Priv Rev. War
Act: July 4" 1836.
Index: - Vol. M, Page 137.
[Arrangement of 1870.]

1936 June 2. Hist. to Mrs. Francis W. Young
I.L.L.
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Providence June 28 1838
Sir
I herewith forward the applications
of Mrs Phebe Gorton widow of John Gorton
& Mrs Mary Potter widow of Pardon Potter
for pensions under the 3d section of the
act of July 4 1836 -
I also enclose an original Roll of Capt
Thomas Rice which was furnished by his
son in law who had the charge of his papers
after his death which I wish returned after
a copy is taken The names of the husbands
of both applicants will be found on said
Roll - and for further documentary evidence
I refer you to Capt Squire Millerds
Rolls, which were furnished in the case
of Mrs Mary Gorton widow of Slade Gorton
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copies of which were taken
by you and are now in the Pension Office-
I am respectfully
your obt servant
Benjm Cowell

J L Edwards Esq