Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 21,976, for Ephraim Pierce, New Hampshire
Page 1

(8-1776)

Service
NH

Pierce, Ephraim
Esther

Number
W.21.976

Contents
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Vermont 1171

Esther Pierce widow of Ephraim Pierce 
N.H.

who died on the 24th August 1791 
of Lamoille Co. in the State of Vermont
who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Hawkins of -- the commanded by ----in the N. H. Contl. line for 11 months & 2 days

Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont at the rate of 36 Dollars 88 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831

Certificate of Pension issued the 18 day of July 1837 and sent to S.A. Millard Morristown VT

Arrears to the 4th of March 37       221.28 
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep " 18.44 
                                            (total) $239.72

Revolutionary Claim Act July 4, 1836 Section the

Recorded by D. Brown Clerk
Book A. Vol.1-Page 40
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V 2060
Esther Pierce
wid of Ephraim (ilg)

On Wd rolls
Vol 3_ (1 & 2 {ilg-prner, of vner, or pension?})
11mth 2 days for $36.88
(ilg-pls ans? please answer?) comf 4 march 1831

NH Contl line
Capt. Hawkins
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2060
Esther Pierce
Declaration for a Pension
Page 5

State of Vermont
Lamoille District s

At a Probate Court holden (ilg-hiorristoucu?) within and for the District of Lamoille aforesaid on this 23d day of May 1837, present the Honl Daniel Dodge Judge, personally appeared before said Court Esther Pierce a resident of said Morristown aged Ninety three years, and makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions, made by the act of Congress passed the 4th of July 1836--

Of Morristown in the County I Esther Pierce and District of Lamoille and State of Vermont, declared that I am ninety three years of age am the widow of Mr Ephraim Pierce late of Hollis in the State of New Hampshire who died forty five years ago the 24th day of August last.

I was married to said Pierce in the town of Groton in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on the 11th day of March 1766, by the Revd Samuel Dana, then the ordained Minister of said town, and lived with him till his decease and have remained a widow ever since.

My said husband moved from Groton to the town of Hollis in New Hampshire where we lived during the War of the Revolution.

I further say that my said husband the said Ephraim Pierce served one year as a Soldier in the revolutionary army but whether in the New Hampshire Militia or in the continental army I do not recollect.

I cannot recollect the year in which his services were performed but it was during his services in the army that the noted dark day happened.
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which I am now told was in 1780. I cannot tell under what Captain or Coll he served, and if I ever knew I have (ilg-peance?) the great length of time, and by reason of age and infirmity forgotten.

Esther Pierce (her mark)
Samuel Stiles

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed the seal of said Court and subscribed my name at Morristown in said District the day and year above written 

Lear B. Vilas Register

I do hereby further certify that it was satisfactorily shewn to said Court that the aforesaid affiant, Mrs Esther Pierce, is a person of credibility and entitled to full faith and credit as a witness

Attest Levi B. Vilas, Register
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I, John Boynton of Groton in the County of Middlesex & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do depose & say, that I am the present Town Clerk of said Groton, and have the care & custody of all the books & records of said Town; that in the book appropriate to that purpose it appears of record, that Ephraim Pierce & Esther Stone both of said Groton were joined in marriage on the 11th day of March A.D. 1766 by the Rev. Samuel Dana.

That it also appears of record in said town clerks office that the said Rev. Samuel Dana was the ordained Minister of said Groton from June 1761 to March 1775.

John Boynton

Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Middlesex ss.

Be it known and remembered that on this sixth day of May A.D. 1837, personally came before me Caleb Butler, a Notary Public, duly ap -
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(ap)pointed and sworn, and dwelling in Groton
in said County of Middlesex, the aforenamed
John Boynton, who being duly cautioned
and sworn, doth on his oath, depose that 
the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed
is true. And I do hereby certify, that
said John Boynton is a credible person
entitled to full credit & belief in the premises,

In witness whereof I have hereunto
set my hand & affixed my notarial seal
the day & year last above written.
Caleb Butler. Not. Pub
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Samuel Stiles &
Susanna Stiles
Affidavits
Page 10

I Samuel Stiles of Morristown in the County of Lamoille and State of Vermont aged Sixty eight years certify and say, that I am well acquainted the widow Esther Pierce of Morristown aforesaid, who has applied for a pension under the act of Congress passed the 4th of July 1836, and have been acquainted with her for 60 years or more.

In the time of the war of the Revolution, my father Caleb Stiles now deceased resided in the town of Hollis in the State of New Hampshire, and the said Esther Pierce with her husband, Mr Ephraim Pierce now deceased resided in said Hollis at the same time and my acquaintance with the family was formed then and my wife is the daughter of the said Ester.

My late father or Caleb Stiles was a soldier in the army of the Revolution, and was a pensioner under the act of Congress passed in 1818. My said father served one year in the army and Ephraim Pierce, husband of the said Esther served one year also, for he went with my father, when he went into the Army and returned with him when he returned.

I do not mean to be understood to say that I ever saw either of them in the army or embodied with any part of it, but they left home for that purpose and were gone a year and said they had been in the army and performed a years service, and so it was always understood and my father obtained a pension by reason of that service as above mentioned, and his pension continued untill his (ilg-decease?).
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I expect that my father and the said Ephraim Pierce both served in the same company, and under Capt Ellis or Capt Hawkins. I know not that I ever heard the name of their Coll nor can I tell whether they served in the New Hampshire Militia or in the Continental line.

The said Ephraim Pierce died forty five years ago the 24th day of last August and the said Esther has ever since been a widow. The year in which the service was performed by Mr. Pierce and my father is not within my recollection any otherwise than I know they were out in the service at the time of the said dark day which appears by the Almanack to have happened in May 1780.

Morristown May 18th 1837
Samuel Stiles

Subscribed and sworn to before me 
Samuel A Willard Justice of the Peace

I Susanna Stiles of Morristown in Lamoille  County and State of Vermont aged Sixty [ilg-five?] certify and say, that I am the daughter of Esther Pierce, of said Morristown who has applied for a Pension under the act of Congress passed the 4th day of July 1836, and am the wife of Mr Samuel Stiles who signed the above affidavit.

In the time of the Revolutionary war he lived in the town of Hollis in the State of New Hampshire. Sometime during the war my Father Ephraim Peirce left home as he said to serve in the Army, and was gone a year and I understood all the time that he was in the army. I cannot tell the year, but well remember the noted dark
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day which appears to have in May 1780 and know that day my said father was absent in the service at that time. I do not know whether he served in the New Hampshire militia or in the Continental army nor do I know the names of the Officers under whom he served.

My said Father died Forty five years of the 24th day of last August and my said mother has remained a widow eversince 

Morristown May 17th 1837

Susanna & Sales
her mark

Subscribed and sworn to before me Samuel A Willard Justice of Peace

I hereby certify that I am acquainted with Samuel Stiles, and Susanna Stiles, who have signed the above affidavits and consider the  reputation of each of them for truth and veracity to be good

Morristown May 17th 1837
Samuel A Willard Justice of

State of Vermont [ilg-S or L?] Philo G. Camp Clerk of LaMoille County certify that Samuel A Willard who has affixed his name to the within and foregoing is a Magistrate duly qualified & that I bear the same to be his [ilg-given?quinine?] signature

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of Court at Hyde Park this 18th day of May AD. 1837
-P.G. Comp Clerk
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1894 Sept 10
[ilg-First?] to
Mrs. Jerome Smith
Wichita Kansas

Rev Widow, &c.
File No. 21.976
Esther Pierce
Widow of
Ephriam Pierce
Priv. Rev. War

Act July 4 183 [ilg-6 or 8?]
Index: Vol. M, Page 132
[Arrangement of 1870]
Page 14

Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C.
189...


In reply to your request for a statement of the military history of Ephriam Pierce, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, you will please find below the desired information as contained in his application for pension on file in this Bureau.

[table]

DATES OF ENLISTMENT.
July 1779

LENGTH OF SERVICE.
1 yr

RANK.
Pri

OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.
[ilg] Willis
[ilg]  A Hawkins

COLONEL.
Alex Scammel

STATE.
NH
7941 b -- 3m
Battles engaged in, None mentioned.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Hollis NH
Date of application for pension, by widow May 23, 1837

Residence at date of application, Morristown VT
Age at date of application of Wid  93 years
Remarks: Soldier Married Esther Stone Mar 11, 1766 and died Aug 24, 1791
Very respectfully,
Mrs Jerome Smith
Commissioner.
Wichita Kansas