Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 6531, for Ezra Luther, Rhode Island
Page 1

SERVICE
R.I.

Luther, Ezra

NUMBER
R.6531
Page 2

Free

Hon.
M. Van Buren
Washington City
D.C.

South Branch N.Y.
Aug. 29

[bottom half vertical]
S. 151 3 Sept of
10 Sept 1839
Pension Office
Secy at War.
pension?
Answered
Sept. 12. 1839
Ezra Luther 
N.Y.
‘32
6531
Page 3

[left side vertical]
Free
Hon. M. VanBuren
Washington City
D.C.
South Branch N.Y.
Aug. 29

[right side]
S. 151 3 Sept of
10 Sept 1839
Pension Office
Secy at War.
pension?
Answered
Sept. 12. 1839
Ezra Luther 
N.Y.
‘32
6531
Page 4

In the year 1777 in the month of October I Serv'd in the war under the command of Joseph Spencer Major General John Cook Colo Ebenezer Slocum Capt. Alexander Thomas Lieut. Umphry Shurman one Sergant Joseph Cook John Westgate Gilbert Devol three privates 
In 1778 General Cornel come in June or July and took the command of this past here I Serv'd one month in guarding the lines James Durfee was our Sergant Jonathan Sheldon John [noted: one] Manchester George Manchester was three of the privates that serv'd with me a bout from Colo toppins regiment took the command of our guard nights here I served one month 
In August 1772 general Sullivan General Lafayette formed an expedition against the british army on Rhodisland here I serv’d one month here I had the Care of four oxen Drawing Cannon Joseph Clark John Perry Benjamin Negus were teamsters with me [noted: one] In 1779 the British left the Island In the spring of the year 1780 I was calld for to go to newport to keep the fort I hired a man to go ^Substitute [note] there I had to engage to give him ten Silver Dollars for his months service
In July 1780 there was news come that the british was coming back to take the island again the Country was alarmed again and I was calld upon to serve ^[margin noted: one] another month at Howlands ferry as I was used to the water I was one among the rest that was selected out to tend the ferry our ferry boats were flat bottom and we had to row them across to carry the Soldiers In this expedition Jonathan devol was Capts over the ferry Company and general Heath was our commanding Officer In these times I lived in the State of Rhodisland about one mile from howlands ferry but now 4 or 5 hundred miles from there I live in York State
Page 5

Alligany County town of Wirt 
I have given you an account of my services in the war and I never have received any thing for it I have got to be an old man 88 years old last June it is not likely I shall want any help much longer if you could see fit to assist me it come very acceptable to me and be received with thankfulness I have talked with Judge said in Angelica he told me he thought it was right that I should have some reward please be so kind as to Send me a line back for I should be glad to know what your minds are about
Ezra Luther

I hereby certify that I am well acquainted with the signer of the above and consider him a man of truth and veracity 
R. T. Greene P.N. 
South Branch N.Y.
August 9 1889
Page 6

February 19, 1931
Rev. & 1812 Wars Section
EEL aw

L. L. Luther 
Pulaski 
New York
 
Dear Sir: 
You are advised that it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, R.6531, that Ezra Luther was born in June, 1751, place not stated. 
While residing in Wirt, Allegany County, New York, he applied for pension August 29, 1839, and stated that while residing in the State of Rhode Island about one mile from Howland's Ferry, he served in the month of October , 1777, in Captain Ebenezer Slocum's Company, Colonel John Cooke's Rhode Island Regiment, length of this service not stated; that in 1778, he served one month as a guard, dates and officers' names not shown, that in August , 1778, he served one month in General Sullivan's Rhode Island Expedition, and had charge of four oxen drawing a cannon; that in July, 1780, he served one month at Howland's Ferry as a ferryman under Captain Jonathan Devol. 
His claim was not allowed as he did not render six months actual military service as was required by the pension laws. 
There are no data as to his family. 
The above is the history of the only soldier named Ezra Luther found on the Revolutionary War records of this bureau. 
Very truly yours 
E. W. MORGAN 
Acting Commissioner.
Page 7

L.L. LUTHER
“EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL”
PHONE 91-W
APPLIANCES  ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES
FIXTURES  WIRING

PULASKI, N.Y.
Jan. 23, 1931

Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D.C.
Revolutionary and War of 1812 Section, 
Gentlemen:-

Will you kindly give me the Revolutionary war record, and anything on record concerning the ancestors or descendants of Ezra Luther of Tiverton, R.I., born 1751.
Very truly yours, 
L. L. Luther
L.L. Luther.
LLL/B
[stamp] REVOLUTIONARY & [illegible] 
SECTION
JAN 27 1931
[illegible] OF PENSIONS
Page 8

[left side]
1886 April 16 H. R. Stout - that the Service specified was insufficient to entitle him to a pension & it appears to have been abandoned. Sent circular that heirs are not entitled . Prior

1931 - Feb. 19 - Hist. to L. L. Luther - EOL.

[right side]
[crossed out: Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873]
6531
Ezra Luther
[stamp] REJECTED

Enlisted: ____,18
Discharged: ___, 18
Printed list of 1852 shows cause of suspension
Application filed: ___, 18
"he did not perform six months military service"

Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P.O.
____Recognized. _____Contract.
___ Cert. of Dis. Searched for ___,18
Page 9

R Ezra Luther R 6531
Elwell Michigan
March 22 1856


General [illegible] 
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C.
Dear Sir

Ezra Luther was in the Revolutionary War of 1776 is his name to be found in any of the Volunteers of Rhode Island forty five years ago. He undertook to apply for his a pension I through an agent. The agent Provoked the old gentleman by some means and ^he would do anything more about it. If there is anything due Him I would like to know and also what I have to prove as I am the grandson. I am not certain but I think that he Volunteered or enlisted
Page 10

in a Town then called the nine Partners. He used farm yoke of Oxen of his own to draw Supplies and I have heard him say that a part of the time He drew Common from one locality to an other and they were needed by the army 
[stamp] US PENSION OFFICE B MAR 26 1886
Address – H. R. Stout
Elwell
Gratiot Co  Elwell Michigan
Page 11

Ezra Luther
12. Sepr 1839

GC

Record Vol. 18 Page 462
Page 12

War Department 
Pension Office
Sept 12. 1839
Sir
Your letter of the 29th to addressed to [crossed out: His Excellency the President of] [crossed out: illegible Van Buren] ^the President of the United States, has been referred to this office. I have carefully examined your account of revolutionary services and have to inform you that the service rendered as a Ferryman & that performed by a substitute is not embraced by the act of June 7, 1832 Beside the service as a Ferryman and that rendered by a substitute [crossed out: them] you do not, by your own statement appear to have ^had engaged ^therein long enough to entitle you to a pension under the law of 1832
Mr Ezra Luther
Wirt 
New York
Page 13

In answer to your enquiry of the 22d ult relative to the claim made by Ezra Luther for a pension on account of his service in the Revolutionary war from Rhode Island, I have to state that his application did not [crossed out: claim] ^ specify the amount of service required by the act of June 7, 1832 to obtain [crossed out: even the minimum] ^a pension & the further prosecution of his claim appears to have been abandoned 
Your attention is invited to the fifth paragraph of the enclosed printed circular which refers to the law that prevent the favorable consideration of a claim ^to a pension by the heirs of a Revolutionary Soldier; [crossed out: to a pension that he] ^who neglected or was unable ^establish to his right to the same, before his decease