Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2036, Aquilla Cleaveland, N. H.
Page 1

SERVICE
N. H.
CONTENTS
Cleaveland, Aquilla
Cleveland
Wellman
Mercy
Former Widow
NUMBER
R. 2036
B.L. Wt. 2036-100
Page 2

Aquilla Cleaveland
N.2036

h June 5 1834
Page 3

DEPARTMENT OF WAR.
18
Regulations for the heirs of Officers and Soldiers of the Revolutionary Army, who
were slain by the enemy, or who have died since the war, and have not received
land from the United States.
By an Act of Congress of the 16th September, 1776, it is provided, that the Officers and Soldiers who
engaged for, and continued to serve during the war, or until discharged by Congress, and the heirs of such
Officers and Soldiers as shall be slain by the enemy, shall receive land in proportion to their rank.
N. B. Those who engaged for three years, or for any other period than during the war, or who died
of sickness, fatigue, or casualty, are not entitled to land from the United States.
The following declaration and enclosed blank form of heirship) must be filled up and signed by the
proper authorities:
State of Vermont
County of Bennington
I Margaret Elliott
heir at law of Aquilla Cleveland
do, upon oath, testify and declare, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that Aquilla Cleveland
did enter the service in 1777, for the term of during the war
and served as a private
in the Regiment 
under the command of Colonel
Whitcomb
of the New Hampshire line; and that he continued
in the service aforesaid until the 17th of June 1777 when he was killed by the enemy, I
further declare, that I have never received a warrant for the bounty land promised to Aquilla
Cleveland
on the part of the United States; nor do I believe that he ever received
it, or transferred his claim to it in any manner whatsoever: therefore,
Attest,
James Hubbell
know all men by these presents, that I, Margaret Elliott aforesaid,
do hereby constitute and appoint Hildred Hall
to be my true
and lawful attorney, for me and in my name to demand and receive from the Secretary of War of the
United States, a warrant for the quantity of Land due to me as aforesaid; and my said attorney is
hereby fully authorized and empowered to constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or attorneys
under him, for the special purposes above expressed.
Margaret her x mark Elliott
 
Attest, James Hubbell

Personally appeared the above named Margaret Elliott
subscriber
to the foregoing declaration, and made oath to the same, and in my presence acknowledged the power of
attorney thereto subjoined to be her free act and deed, for the purposes therein mentioned.
Attest,
James Hubbell, Justice of the Peace.
-
In testimony that the above written James Hubbell,
was a magistrate
authorized to administer oaths, and take acknowledgements, &c., in the State of Vermont
at the above date, and that his name there subscribed appears to me to be his usual signature, I have hereunto
affixed the county seal, and subscribed my name and quality, at Bennington this 28th
day of May, A.D 1834
Henry Robinson C. Clerk, &c.
Page 4

United States
State of New York
Rensselaer County ss

Mercy Wellman
relict of Jedediah Willman late of
Brunswick in the County of Rensselaer
& State of New York deceased being
duly sworn deposeth & saith that
she is in the eighty third year of her
age - that she was married to Aquila
Cleaveland of Guildford now of Vermont
formerly of the Colony of New hampshire
as her first husband in the year
1749 -
That said Aquila was a
Soldier in the American revolutionary
was that according to this deponent
best recollection information and
belief the said Aquila enlisted in or
about the month of March 1777
that after his enlistment he continued
at home at said Guildford until the
twenty fourth day of April 1777 when
he left his residence to join the army
that he enlisted as this deponents
recollects into a Newhampshire
regiment commanded by Colonel
Whitcomb during the continuance
of the war and belonged to a compamy
called the Rangers commanded
by Captain Asa Aldridge, that this
deponent verily believes from information
as in said Aquila was killed by
the ending in a scouting party on
the seventeenth day of June 1777 in
the vicinity of
Independence
Ticonderoga or Mount Independence

Sworn this 10th day
of November 18310
[signature] Mercy Wellman
F. M. Conife Judge of a Com. Pleas Court
in the Sup Court.
Page 5

I certify that I am well acquainted with the hand
writing of Isaac W Conihe before whom the within
affidavit was taken & I believe his name thereto to be
his genuine signature. I further certify that the
said Isaac W Conihe on the 10th day of November
1831 was one of the Judges of the Court of Common
Pleas in & for the County of Rensselaer N.Y.
of
of the degree of Counsellor at law in the Supreme Court
of said State. Given under my hand
at Washington this 27th day of May
1834 -
Job Pierson
Page 6

State of New York Rensselaer County
On this 14th day of June Eighteen hundred and fifty
three, Personally appeared before the Justices of the
Justices Court of the City of Troy County aforesaid, the same being a
record Court. Now sitting
Margaret Elliot
a resident of the County and State aforesaid aged
84 years last past, who being duly sworn according to
law, doth on her Oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the provision made by
the act of Congress passed July 4th 1836. That she
is and always, the only child of Aquilla Cleveland
and his wife Marcy whose maiden name was
Demmore, That her Father the said Aquilla
was a
Solder of the Revolution of the State of Massachusetts
in a company of Rangers in Capt George Aldrich
under Major Whitcomb and was killed as I
was always informed by my mother in the early
part of the war, that my mother afterwards was
married to a man by the name of Jedidiah Wellman
who died on the 26th day of November 1826. and that
my mother died on the last day of May 1841
That I made application for the Bounty land
due my Father said Aquilla by the Honoble
H. Hall from the State of Vermont and he obtained for me a Land Warrant and I gave him up
my Land Warrant to be returned and on his return
in 1836 he paid me one hundred and seventeen
dollars. The department would not allow the
Land Warrant to my Mother on account of the Second
Marriage. This deponent therefore must refer
Page 7

the department to the proof on file to substantiate her claim
Togeather with the proof hereto annexed-
This deponent asks to be allowed the Pension
that would have been due my mother, for the services
of my Father the said Aquillar, under the law aforesaid
had she made application, to the time of her death 
This deponent further Testifies that after the death
of her second husband she spoke of making application for her Pension, but being old and inform
it was never accomplished. I further Testify
that the letter hereto annexed is a coppy of a
letter from my farther, to my mother Shortly before his death,

Sworn to and subscribed before me on the day above written 
[signature] Moses Warren
Justice of the further
Court of the City of Troy

[signature] Margaret her x mark Elliot

I certify that from bodily infirmity the above
deponent could not write her name, and that the
words to the proof, was interlined before executed
[signature] Moses Warren
Justice of the Justices
Court of the City of Troy
Page 8

State of New York
Rensselaer County
Is
On this 14th day of June
Eighteen hundred and fifty three, Personally
appeared before me the under named Justice
a Justice of the peace in and for the County aforesaid, duly authorised law to administer Oaths
for general purpose, Jedidiah W. McChesney
Aged 39 years, who being duly sworn according to
law, Testifies and says that he is personally acquainted with Margaret Elliot, only child of Aquilla
Cleaveland and his wife Marcy and was acquainted with
Jedediah Wellman her said husband who died
on the 26th day of November 1826 and that said Marcy
died on the last day of May 1840 And I further
Testify that said Margaret is the Identical person
that received and compenend her land claim
due her Farther Aquilla Cleveland for his service
in the Revolutionary war and for which she received
one hundred and seventeen dollars, through the hand
of Hon H. Hall then a member of Congress from Vermont
I further certify that I know the death of said
Marcy as I went to the City of Troy to get
her Coffin
[signature] Jedediah W McCheny
[signature] Moses Warren
Justice of the Peace

I certify that I am personally acquainted with the
above deponent and that he is a person of truth & veracity and
that the word Margaret was erased
and and the word
Mercy interlined before executed
[signature] Moses Warren
Justice of the Peace
Page 9

State of New York
Rensselear County
Justice Court SS. I Prentiss L Jones
Clerk of the Justices Court of the City of Troy
the same being a Court of record having a clerk
Seal) do hereby certify that Moses Warren
before whom the annexed application and
affidavit was taken was at the time of taking
such affidavit application one of the Justices
of said court duly qualifed authorized to take
the same and an acting Justice at the time
of taking such affidavit and that the signature
is in his
proper hand writing
Witness my hand and the seal
of said Court this 14 day of 
June 1833.
P L Jones
Clerk
Page 10

Form for evidence of heirship The [illegible] of each & all the ho at law to be inserted and to be stated that they are the only heirs at law
Page 11

STATE of Vermont
Bennington
County
Probate Office, Bennington May 2, 1834
I certify, that satisfactory evidence was adduced to me, to prove
that Merry Wellman, late Mercy Cleaveland
, was the lawful widow of Aquilla
Cleaveland, and that Mercy Cleaveland, Sarah Smith, & Margaret
Elliott, are the children of the said
Aquilla Cleaveland, and that Eli
Smith, Silas Smith, Squire Smith,
David Smith, Roswell Smith, Cleave
land Smith, Lyman Smith, Chloe
Smith, & William Smith, are the
children of Abigail Smith, who
was the daughter of the said Aquilla
and that the said Mercy
Wellman
Mercy Cleaveland, Sarah Smith,
Margaret Elliott, Eli Smith, Silas
Smith, Squire Smith, David Smith
Roswell Smith, Cleaveland Smith
Smith Chloe Smith
and
Page 12

heirs at law in fee to Aquilla Cleaveland late a soldier in the
Regiment of Rangers commanded
by Major
Benjamin
Whitcomb in the army of the Revolution,
Given under my hand and Seal of Office, this 26th
day of May, A. D. 1834.
S. Danforth Judge of Probate
for the district of Bennington

The above form will answer for the following States: viz.
Maine,
Massachusetts,
New-Hampshire,
Rhode Island,
Connecticut,
Vermont,
New-York,
New Jersey,
South Carolina,
Georgia,
Judge of Probate.
Surrogate.
Ordinary.
Page 13

[Stamp] REJECTED

Act of July 12, 1802, and March 3, 1978.
2036
Aquilla land
Service:
Enlisted:
Discharged:
Application filed:
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P. O.
Recognized.
Cert. of Dis. Searched for
Contract
18
no
Page 14

No. 7.972
Aquilla Cleveland
Heirs
N. York
Thomas Lampkins Augst 30/53
Hon J Meacham Feby 15/1855

2036

Rejected
July 4. 1836
Page 15

Aquilla Cleveland
Heirs NY Jun 1836

Cole

J Marchand

L.P. Waldo
Comm of Pensions
Washington D.C.
Page 16

Hon. Hiland Hall
Claim of the heirs of Aquilla Cleaveland
Page 17

It appears by a Pay Roll now on file in the Pension office) of
Capt George Aldrich Compy of "Rangers" under the command
of Major Benj. Whitcomb and made out from the time of their
engagements to the last day of Decemr 1777 that Aquilla Cleaveland of the Town of Guilford, State of N. Hampshire, enlisted on
the 14th Jany 1777 for during the war, and was killed on the
17th day of June 1777
The Roll above referred to, being considered an original
and authentic document, the facts set forth therein, in relation
to the inlistment, and death of Aquilla Cleaveland are deemed
to be entitled to full credit, and that his heirs are entitled to
County land from the U. States
W. Gordon
Clk
Bounty Land Officer
March 15th 1834

sent Regulation to the Hon Hiland Hall
returned the deposition of Mercy Wellman,
for the purpose of being properly authenticated
Page 18

Copy)
It appears by a pay roll (now on file in the
pension office) of Capt Geo. Aldrich's Compy of Rangers
under command of Benj Witcomb (Major), and made out
from the time of their engagement to last day of December
1777-that Aquilla Cleveland of the town of Guilford, State of
New Hampshire, enlisted on the 14th day of Jany 1777 for
during the war, and was killed on the 17th day of June
1777
the roll above referred to being considered
an original and authentic document, the facts
set forth therein, in relation to the enlistment, and death
of Acquilla Cleaveland are damned to be entitled to
full credit, and that his heirs are entitled
to bounty land from the U. States

Wm Gordon Clk
Bounty Land Office
March 15, 1834

since the above Brief
was made the said
rolls have been taken
from this
office &
carried to
N. H.
A. H. Evans
Augt 20/53
Clk


Over
Page 19

the Land warrant issued to
3 children - viz: Mercy Cleveland
Sarah Smith and Margaret
Elliot and to 9 Grand Children
the children of a deceased daughter
The declarant, in the case for
a pension, says she is and
always
(was) the only child
of Aquilla Cleaveland decd
Page 20

husband was killed [illegible] and widow died in 1841 having previously married a second husband who died in 1820
examine files
Page 21

Washington DC
June 18th 53
Sir
I herewith enclose application of Margaret Elliot only child of Mary Wellman formerly the widow of Aquilla Cleaveland, who applies for the benefit of the Act of 6th July 1836, accompanied by testimony of marriage and [illegible] I hope you will allow the applicant the full benefit of the [illegible] of your office for proof of the [illegible] services.
I have the honor 
your pr very emp
H Lumpkin

Hon L.P. Waldo
Comm of Pensions
Page 22

A true coppey of letter from Aquilla Cleavland to his wife Mercey- the individual being sent to Washington by Bounty land who obtain heir
Page 23

 Philadelphia: Printed by Richard Folwell, No. 33, Mulberry-street.

KNOW all Men by these Presents, That I Mary Wellman late widdow & [illegible] to the estate of Aquila Cleaveland  
soldier in the late New Hampshire Colonel Whitcomb's regiment for the consideration of fifteen
Dollars, have granted,
bargained, and fold, and by these Presents do grant, bargain, and fell unto
for the Bearer hereof, one
Land, granted to him by the United States, for my services in the late Continental Army;
with full power to the said Peter in
or the Bearer hereof, to
apply to the War Office, and receive the Warrant and Receipt for the same, in as full and
ample manner as if I was personally present WITNESS my hand and Seal this twenty to
Day of February
1796
Signed and sealed in the presence of
[signature] Jedidiah Wellman on behalf of Marcy Wellman administrator

State of Vermong Pindkamp
PERSONALLY came before me Richard
Whitney of of the Justices of the
Peace for the County of Windham
State of Vermont
Jedediah Wellman
Subscriber to the foregoing Power of Attorney and
Conveyance, and acknowledged the fame as his Act and Deed, the Twenty Second Day
February 1796  Richard Whitney Jus Piece
Page 24

Windham
County ss
February 22 1796
Personally appeared Before me Richard Whitney one of the
Justices for the County of Windham
State of Vermont Jedediah Willman & maid
solomn oath that the within named Aquilla Cleaveland in that served in
the late war was killed in
the within Named Marcy Wellmanis
the Lawful
Administratrix to the Estate
of the within
and Aquilla Cleaveland
hereby
certify
that the above them
Diah Wellman is a man of Repute and
given to his testimon
& I further certify that the withinn
the above Named Marcy Wellma
Richard Whitney Jus Peace
to
is Husband to
their was natur Ward
the Bond of war of
Allan
Page 25

Copy
Mount Independence June 8th 1777
I heartly embrace this oppertunity to write to you hoping
that there will find you and yours in good heath as I am
now. I have been very hearty since I left home. I herd last
week that you were all well Mr Church said Sarah had been
sick but had got well again, I would have you write
to me if you can. I want to hear how you make out
I have nothing in particular to write to you. June 10th June
your leter yesterday, and was very glad to see it.
I was down the lake as far as Cumberland Bay last week
but we could not see any thing we keep out small scouts
but never have seen any but once. There were a party to
up to split Rock but did not stay more than 2 or 3 days
By what we had they will not trouble us here this summer
The measels are among us the carpenter has had them. Robert & several other expect to have them soon. The Tories are the
greatest trouble we have. they have tried to spread the small
for but were found out Rum is 10/- a Quart Sugar 2/6
thus 2/- [illegible] 30th at
We have not got our County
my Dear wife after my regard to you. I dont know when I
shall see you but would have you do as well as you can
remember that God is as to is able to support you now as ever if
you trust in him I shall come home as soon as I can
get a chance, and so I remain your Loving husband till
Death
Aquila Cleaveland