Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 42431, for John Stevens, Massachusetts
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(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
Conn
Mass.
Stevens, John
NUMBER
S. 42431.
CONTENTS  Rev, Ny
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(2, 693 )
State New York
John Stevens private
Capt. Bacon
Massachusetts line 4
in the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War.
Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the rate of Eight Dollars per month, to commence on
the 18 April 1818.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21th of Septem 1818
and sent to James Emott esq Poughkeepsie Dutchess County New York

Arrears to 4th of Septemr 1818  36.53
4 mos [illegible]
Semi-anl alle'ce ending 4 March 1819  48.0
$84.53
Connecticut line
77 1 year 
Revolutionary claim,
Act 18th March, 1818
Glover
[illegible]
[illegible]notice sent to W.H Buckley Poughkeepsie Ny [illegible] 2 12 July 1820
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The claim of Mary widow of John Stephens
W.19112 is based on the same Mass
service as this claimants, but
said Mary alleges that her husband
was lost at sea in April 1789.
aw
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In the matter of 
John Stevens a Pensioner
of the United States
                                ⎬

2693 Poughkeepsie
20 Sept 1818
[illegible]
Page 5

At a Court of Common Pleas held at the Court House in the Village of Poughkeepsie in and for the County of Dutchefs in the State of Newyork on monday the twenty sixth day of June one thousand eight hundred and twenty-

Present the Honl James Emott First Judge
Daniel O VerPlanck        )
Abraham D VanWyck     )Esquires Judges
Thomas Sweet               )

Dutchefs County fs:  Be it remembered that on the 26th day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty personally appeared in the Court of Common Pleas in open Court the said Court being a Court of Record for the County of Dutchefs in the State of Newyork john Stevens aged seventy four years resident in the ["State" stricken out] town of Poughkeepsie in the County of Dutchefs and State of Newyork who being first duly affirmed according to law doth on his oath declare that he served in the revolutionary war as follows.  In the month of May 1775 he enlisted at Marblehead in Captain Bacons Company in Colonel Glovers Regiment in the Mafsachusetts line for one year that he served out the year and at Cambridge immediately enlisted in Vaptain Browns Company in Colonel Durgee's Regiment in the Connecticut line in the American Army of the revolution for one year that he served out the full term of his said last enlistment and was discharged at Trenton New Jersey--

And that his original declaration is dated the eighteenth day of April one thousand eight hundred and eighteen and that his pension Certificate is No 2693--And I do solemnly affirm that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any manner disposed of my property, or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congrefs entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary
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War" pafsed on the 18th day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighteen: and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities, contracts or debts, due to me; nor have I any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed to wit--

Real estate I have none

Personal estate, wearing apparel & bedding excepted as follows

[Column 1]
one table
6 chairs
2 Pots
1 Frying pan
1 Spider
Tea Kettle

[Column 2]
6 Knives & forks
6 Plates
4 Bowls
3 Earthern Dishes
6 Tea cups & saucer
6 Silver Tea Spoons

[Column 3]
4 Table Spoons
Tea pot &c
one cow
one axe
Shovel & Tongs
And Irons

This affirmant saith that his family consists of himself and his wife aged sixty four years, that he was bred a Seaman, but for the last eight or nine years has supported himself by selling cake and beer in the Streets of Poughkeepsie--
John X his mark Stevens

Sworn and Subscribed this 26th day of    )
June 1820 in open Court                          )
W. Henry Bulkley Depy Clerk

I John Johnston Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Dutchefs in the State of Newyork do hereby certify that the foregoing oath and schedule are truly copied from the Records of the said Courts and I do further certify that it is the opinion of the said Court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is Twenty seven dollars and sixty two cents--

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the said Court this twenty sixty day of June in the year 1820--
John Johnston  Clerk
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To the Honorable James Emott first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, of the County of Dutchefs which is a Court of Record of the State of New York--

The Declaration under oath of John Stephens formerly a Soldier engaged in the Service of the United States, during the Revolutionary War, and now a Citizen of the United States, and resident of town of Poughkeepsie in the County of Dutchefs and State of New York

Respectfully Showeth, that she said John Stevens in or about the month of May in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy five at Marblehead in the State of a Massachusetts as listed in a company in the American service commanded by Captain William Bacon in a regiment in the Massachusetts line commanded by Colonel John Glover for one year and that he served in the said company as a private soldier the full term of his said enlistment.--that at the expiration of his said term, at Cambridge in Massachusetts he enlisted in a company in the Amerivan service commanded by Captn Brown in a regiment in the Connecticut line, commanded by Colonel Durgy for another term of one year that he served as a private soldier in the same company the full term of his said last inlistment and until he was discharged near Philadelphia, that he was in the engagement with the enemy at Trenton in New Jersey--that his discharge is lost, but when or how he does not recollect

And this Declaration further representeth that the said John Stephens is now a Citizzen of the United States, and residing in Poughkeepsie aforesaid,
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and is by reason of his reduced circumstances in life, in need of assistance from his country for support; and that he has never received any pension from the goverment of the United States

Therefore he conceives himself entitled to the benefit of the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land and Naval Service of the United States, in the Revolutionary War," approved, March 18, 1818, and requests that your Honor will examine into the truths of the matters aforesaid, certify and transmit the testimony in this case, and the proceedings had thereon to the Honorable the Secretary of the Department of War, to the end that such relief may be had in the premises, as is by law in such case provided.  And in support of the facts above set forth, he refers to the affirmation of himself and hereafter set forth.

Dated, the 18 day of April 1818
John X his mark Stephens

County of Dutchess  ss.  john Stephens being duly affirmed says, that the matters by him set forth in the foregoing Declaration, are in all respects just and true.
Affirmed the 18th day         )
of April 1818 before me      )
James Emott

Dutchess County ss:  Sarah Covelle of the town of Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County being duly affirmed saith that she is a daughter of John Stephens in the declaration above names, that she well recollects that her father served in the American Army in revolutionary war, that she well remembers the circumstance of him enlisting into the army, and his return home after his term of service had expired; that at the last mentioned times this affirmant was about nine or ten years of age and resided with her fathers family in the town of Danvers in the State of a Massachusetts
Sarah Covel

Sworn this 18 April
1818 before me
James Emott
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State of New York     )
County of Dutchess  ) ss.

Be it Remembered, That on the       day of             in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen before me, James Emott first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, of the County of Dutchess which is a Court of Record of the State of New York personally appeared the aforesaid John Stephens Applicant, for a pension under the act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war and made oath as is hereto annexed

Whereupon I being satisfied that the said Applicant did serve in the army of the United States, on the Continental Establishment, in the Revolutionary War, against the common enemy, for the term of nine months and longer, to wit, for the term and in the manner stated in the declaration of the said Applicant; and that he is fairly and justly entitled to the benefit of the Act aforesaid.

Therefore, I do hereby Certify and transmit the testimony in the case, and the proceedings had thereon, as before set forth, to the Honorable the Secretary of the Department of War.

Given under my Hand and the Seal of the said Court, the day and year last above written.
James Emott

I Jacob Van nefs Clerk of the County of Dutchefs in the State of New York do hereby certify that James Emott before whom the preceding affidavits were taken is a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of said County acting under the authority of this State & that the above is his signature  In witnefs whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of said Court of Common Pleas this eighteenth day of April one thousand eight hundred and eighteen
Jacob Van Nefs
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John Stevens
18 April
Admitted
[crossed out] Not on the rolls

I the within named James Emett do further certify in addition to what I have within certified that
I know John Stevens  within named & that he
is in indigent circumstances
Aug. 11. 1818
James Emett
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex
Benjamin R. Nichols Esq, having the
charge and Superintendance of the office of the
Clerk of all the Judicial Courts of said
State for the County aforesaid in the
absence of Ichabod Tucker Esquire
the said Clerk, do hereby certify that the
Seal affixed is the Seal of the Supreme
Judicial Court of said State; that Benjamin Merrill Esqr is a Justice of the Peace
in and for said County qualified to administer Oaths, and that his signature is
under the aforewritten affidavits
Benj R. Nichols
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I William R. Lee Esqe. of Salem in Massachusetts, Collector of the Customs for the Port of Salem & Beverly, on solemn oath testify as follows:--
That I was Major in Col. John Glover's Continental Regiment in the Massachusetts Line in 1775 & 1776; and know that John Stevens, formerly of Marblehead, now of Poughkeepsie in New York, who is now here present for the purpose of collecting proof of his Revolutionary services, served faithfully as a private in Capt. William Bacon's Company in said Glover's Regiment the first eight months of the Revolutionary War, to wit, from the first of May, 1775, to the last of Decr 1775, when, his term of his enlistment having expired, he was honorably discharged and immediately said Stevens again enlisted in another Company in a Connecticut Regiment as I believe.  I have no doubt he continued to serve all the year 1776.
Will R Lee
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
E/sse/s:  July 17. 1818  Then the abovenamed William R Lee Esqe. a credible and disinterested witness, subscribed and made oath to the above Affidavit before me
B Ely Merrill Just. Pacs. [illegible] Quorm.
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I, John Thompson, of Marblehead in Massachusetts aged 67, on oath testify as follows, to wit,--

That I was a Drummer the first 8 months serving in 1775 in Capt. Wm Blackler's Company in Col. Glover's Continental Regiment, and know that John Stevens, now of Poughkeepsie N.Y. and here present, served as a private in Capt. Wm. Bacon's Company in the fame Regiment from May 1775 to Jan 7 1776 when he was discharged and again immediately enlisted in a Regiment in the Connecticut Line for the year's service; and I have no doubt he faithfully served out his second enlistment, as he was always a very active, honest, and worthy man.

For my own part, I have a little property, and have not therefore applied for a pension, and trust I shall get through the world without being obliged to ask for assistance.

I served all the year 1776 in Lee's Company in Glover's Regiment.
--John Thompson

Efsex fs:  July.17.1818  Then the abovenamed John Thompson a credible and disinterested Witnefs, subscribed and made oath to the above written affidavit before me
Benj. Merrill  Just:Pacy & of the Quorm
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FREE

War department
Washington

[stamp on left side of original page]
POUGHSKY
AUG
10

[written vertically on original]
Correct
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New York  June 6th 1851

Thos. E. Heath Esq.
Comm'r of Pensions.

Dear Sir,

Sarah Covel, 84 years of age, residing in New York, a widow, is the only child of John and Sarah Stevens, who were married in Marblehead, 1766.  Her father, John Stevens, was a revolutionary pensioner up to the period of his death in February 1836, leaving his child an "orphan."

He served from the battle of Bunkerhill, under Putnam, and subsequently in the regiment from his own town under Gen. Mercer and Col. Glove, Lieut. Col. Johannoch, (I think the name is.) till after the battle of Trenton, when he was honorably discharged by Washington; finally he joined the "Connecticut Line" under Col. Diger, his Captain's name was Brown, and continued in the service till the close of the war.  Now

Is she entitled to a pension under the act of July 4th 1836 as an "orphan" of a soldier of the revolution?  or in case her father received no bounty land, is she entitled to any such as his heir, under any law of Congress?

If your answer be favorable please suggest the proper mode to proceed in establishing her claim.

Your kind attention will quiet the mind of a child of the revolution who will remember many scenes of her childhood in and about Boston more than seventy years ago.  Time has been when she asked nothing of her country, but now fortune is not so propitious, and she is dependant on others.

Yours respectfully,
Jno C. Covel

Please address the undersigned-- )
Surgeon N.Y. City Prison--             )
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42431

INVALID
Revy
__________________

File No.  42,431

John Stevens

Pri  Rev   War
__________________

Act:  18" March 18"

Index:--Vol. T, Page 489
[Arrangement of 1870.]