Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W 15386, for Samuel Steele, Massachusetts
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE
Mass.

Steele, Samuel
or Steel
Rachel

NUMBER
W 15386

CONTENTS
Page 2

New Hampshire 1569
Rachel Steele
widow of
Samuel Steele
who died on the 13th December 1811
Cheshire in the State of N.H.
who was a private in the Compy commanded by Captain Holman of the regiment commanded by 
Col Doolittle Mass in the Massts line for
8 mos, - 4 ds
---
Inscribed on the Roll of Concord NH.
at the rate of 27 Dollars 10 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
-
Certificate of Pension issued the 23d day of November 1837, and sent to Thos
M. Edward Keene N.H.

Arrears to the 4th of Septr 1837 $176.15
Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Mar 38 13.55 
$189.70

Revolutionary Claim,
Act July 4, 1836,
Section the 3d

Recorded by D McCurdy Clerk
Book A  Vol. 2. Page 31
.
1
Page 3

(illegible numbers cut off)
Declaration 
of Rachel Steel
married 1773
died 1811
Please return to
Mr M Edward
Keene
N. H.
Admd 8 mo 4 d
pri $27.10 per an
Com 4 March 1831
Maj Milster
Capt Holman

Tho M Edwards Esq
Keene NH
Page 4

State of New Hampshire
Cheshire County ss
     On this second day of May in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and thirty seven, before the subscriber
Judge of Probate in and for said County
in open Court, personally appeared Rachael
Steel aged eighty years next September, who
on oath makes the following declaration in
order to obtain the benefit of the provisions
of an act of Congress passed July 1836
-
     That she is the widow of Samuel Steel
who was a private in the service of the United
States in the Revolutionary war - that he
entered the service about the first of May AD
1775. and continued in the service eight
months - she recollects that he was in Captain
Holmans Company and that David
Poon of Winchendon where she then lived, was an officer in said Company.-- He went
from Winchendon in the State of Massachusetts, rite said service, she thinks he was a volunteer
     She further declares that she was
married to said Samuel Steel when she
was in her seventeenth year which was in
1773 in November-- that her maiden name
was Rachel Putnam - that her said husband died in 1811 - on the 13th of December.  

     That she was married at Winchendon Mass
to said Sammuel.  That she has remained
a widow ever since the period of his
death as will more fully appear by
reference to the proof hereto annexed - that she now resides in Rindge (illegible) Co N.H.
Rachael Steel X her mark

Sworn to and subscribed on the day & year above written me -
Frederick Vose, Judge of Probate
Page 5

State of New Hampshire
Cheshire County ss
I Henry Coolidge Clerk of the
Superior Court of Judicature for the County
of Cheshire certify that Fredrick Vose was
on the second day of May instant and
still is Judge of Probate within and for
the County of Cheshire duly commissioned
and qualified and that his name
within written is his genuine signature
In witness whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and affixed the seal
of said Court at Keene this tenth day of May A.D. 1837.
H. Coolidge, Clerk
Page 6

Rachael Steel
Town Clerks
certificate
Page 7

I Wilster Whitney of lawful age depose
and say that I am Clerk of the Town of
Winchendon in the County of
Worcester in State of Massachusetts, for
the current year AD 1837 - that the
following is a true extract
from the records of said Town.
viz-
"Samuel Steele and Rachael Putnam
were married Nov 4. 1773 (fourth day
of November seventeen hundred and
Seventy three) per me Joseph Brown
Clerk"
Webster Whitney Town Clerk of
Winchendon

Worcester ss. September 1837
Subscribed & sworn to by the above deponent known to me as town Clerk of said Winchendon
Before me
Mark Whitnick
Jus Peace.

The certificate of the clerk as to the magistracy, and signature of the above justice, will be found among the papers in this case on file.
Page 8

N. H. 1965 Nov 4
(illegible)
Rachel Steele

Hon J. L. Edwards
Comm of Pensions
Washington
City
Page 9

Keene Oct 30, 1837

Sir,
I enclose a certificate of the marriage of Samuel Steele & Rachael Putnam sworn to as required. - which I believe removes the only objection which arose on the application of Rachael Steel for a pension.

An early reply is requested.
Very Respectfully
Thomas M. Edwards

Permit me to inquire after the case of Susan Banks. - in which a similar certificate was required, and was forwarded, -
Page 10

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Worcester County 

I Zenniah Baynton of Winchendon in said County of Worcester do testify and say - That I was well acquainted with Samuel Steel of Winchendon as long since as the year 1770. That sometime between 1770 and 1775 he married to Rachael Putnam of said Winchendon. That after he was married he went into the Army and was gone a number of months, and while he was about his wife had a child born. After Mr Steel returned home to Winchendon he lived here a number of years  and then removed to Rindge New Hampshire where he lived untill his death - the distance where Mr Steel lived in said Rindge is not over three miles from where I have always lived in said Winchendon. I have been intimately acquainted with the family and have frequently seen and conversed with said Steel's widow since his decease.
Attest Mark Whitcomb
Zenniah Baynton X her mark

Worcester ss March 13th 1837 then personally appeared the above named Zenniah Boynton and made oath the above statement by her subscribed runs just and true before me
Mark Whitcomb Jus Peace

I hereby certify that Zenniah Boynton is a person of (illegible) character and I am satisfied the above statements by her made & subscribed to can be relied upon to be true
Mark Whitcomb
Jus Peace