Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 26116, Spencer Beers, R. I.
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE | | NUMBER
R. I. | Beers, Spencer | W.26116.
| Wood, Lillis |
| (Former widow.) | 
CONTENTS
[blank]
Page 2

[page 1]
[illegible] See letter to Per Ag't Sept.
2d 1837 - [illegible] to J. Drawn &
P. Agt Oct. 9. 1837 -
[illegible] - See letter to Per. Ag't and
A. [illegible] Feby. 28th '38

[page 2]
Massachusetts 1054
Lillis Wood formerly
widow of Spencer Beers dec'd.
RI
who died [crossed out] on the [/crossed out] in July 1780
of Bristol Co in the State of Mass'a.
who was a Corporal in the Company commanded
by Captain Carlisle of the Reg't. commanded
by Col Elliott in the R. I'd.
line for 2 years
_____
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts
at the rate of 108 - Dollars - Cents per annum.
to commence on the 4th day March, 1831.
_____
Certificate of Pension issued the 23'd. day of June
1837 and sent Abraham
White North Leighton Ms.
_____
Arrears to the 4th of March 1837 $648.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. " 54.00
_____
| $702.00
_____
Revolutionary Claim.
Act July 4, 1836
Lection the 3'd
[illegible] March 1837
Recorded by [illegible] Addison Clerk,
Book A. Vol. 1. Page 73
Page 3

Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
County of Bristol } Ss
On This twentieth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand
Eight hundred and thirty-seven personally appeared before me
John M Williams a Resident in said County of Bristol and one of
the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the State
of Massachusetts. Lillis Wood a Resident of Lighton in the County
of Bristol and State of Massachusetts aged Eighty-six years who
being first duly Sworn according to Law doth on her oath make
the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the
provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4th 1836 and
the act explanatory of Said act, passed March 3d 1837
That she was married to Spencer Beers who was (according to the
best of he recolection) a private, Corporal, and Sergeant in the war of
the Revolution, that he lived in Rehobath in said County. That she
believes he went to Providence in the State of Rhode Island in the last
part of the year 1775 or the first part of the year 1776 and enlisted
into what was called the years Service (in the Rhode Island line) in a
Regiment Commanded by Col. Elliot or Col. Richmond. She thinks he served as a private
of artillery untill the years Service Expired and was then discharged
the Capt's name is not known.
according to the best of her belief he again Enlisted (in or about said
Providence) the forepart of the year 1777 in a fifteen months campaign
he served in a Company Commanded by Cat. Thomas Carlisle 
Samuel Snow Second in Command in Col. Robert Elliot's
Regiment. She believes he served at this time in the grade of Corporal
and served in and about the State of Rhode Island during the whole
campaign, and was then discharged.
The she believes he Enlisted again soon after his discharge and served
in the same Company and Served nine months more She thinks
he served in the grade of Corporal or Sergeant in this Campaign,
The above named Service was done in and about the State of Rhode 
Island but she does not know whether he was in any Battle during
Said Service
That he again Enlisted at said Providence in the Spring in the year
1780 and marched to the State of New York and served untill 
Sometime in the month of July and then died in the Service She
believes he served in the grade of a Sergeant in this Campaign but
do not know whether he Served as an artillery man or not, the
names of the officers which he served under in the Campaign she
does not know. She believes he died at a place called Horse [illegible]
That she has no documentary Evidence in Support of the Claim
She further declares that she was married to the said Spencer
Beers on the sixtheenth day of December in the year Seventeen
hundred and Seventy three, that her husband the aforesaid Spencer
Beers died in the month of July 1780 That she was afterwards
married to David Wood on the Nineteenth day of May 1807 who
died in the month of December in the year 1810 and that she
was a widow on the 4th July 1830 and still remains a widow
as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed

I hereby certify that the words of Col. Richmond was interlined before this declaration was signed as
sworn to by the applicant herein named John M. Williams J.C.C.P.
Page 4

annexed
Lillis Wood
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above as
before written
Before me John M. Williams J.C.C.Peace 
I the said Judge do hereby declare any opinion after
the investigation of the matter that the declaration of the aforesaid
applicant is true in all its important parts
I also certify that the aforesaid Lillis Wood the applicant
from bodily infirmity cannot attend the Court
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and affixed the Seal of Said Court this
twentieth day of April Eighteen hundred and [crossed out] and [/crossed out]
thirty seven
John M. Williams Jus.C.C.Pleas
Page 5

Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
County of Bristol } Ss
I James Sproat Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and
for the said County of Bristol. Certify that John M. Williams
is one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the
State of Massachusetts that he resides in said County of Bristol
and that the forgoing Signatures attached to the declaration of
Lillis Wood purporting to be his are genuine
I also certify that Abiather White is a Justice of the Peace
now in Commission in and for said County of Bristol and that
the Signatures purporting to be his attached to the affidavits
of Cyrus M Wheaton, Jonathan Jones, Cordelia Wastcoat, Joseph
Wheaton, Amos Luther, Simeon Chace, James Briggs and Simpson
Chace are his genuine signatures

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and 
affixed the Seal of Said Court this twenty fourth day 
of April Eighteen hundred and thirty seven
Ja's Sproat
Page 6

I Cordelia Wastcoat of Dighton in the County of
Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged
Sixty two years, to testify and say that I am the
oldest child of Spencer Beers deceased, that my
mother, the widow of said Beers, married David
Wood in Eighteen hundred and seven, that the
Said David Wood died in Eighteen hundred and Ten
and that his widow Lillis Wood is now living
in Dighton, and has been a widow ever since
the decease of her said husband,
Cordelia her x mark Wastcoat
Dighton Jan. 9th 1838 Witness Cordelia Pouth [?]
Bristol [illegible] Jan 9th. 1838 Personally appeared before
me the above named Cordelia Wastcoat who is
a credible witness and made oath that the above
declaration by her subscribed is true
Before me Lem'l Morse Justice of the Peace
Page 7

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Bristol Ss. I Anselm Bassett Register of
the Court of Probate in & for said
County do hereby certify that Lemuel
Morse whose signature is affixed to
the within certificate is a Justice of
the Peace within & for said County -
In testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and
the seal of said court this tenth
day of February Eighteen hundred
and thirty eight -
A Bassett
Page 8

Town Clerk
Page 9

May 19th 1807 David Wood of Rehoboth to
Lillis Beers of Dighton Married by me
Elder Enoch Goff
Recorded by John Hathaway Jr.
I Jonathan Jonas of Dighton in the County of Bristol and
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, yeoman, being of Lawful
age on oath testify and say, that I am the duly
Elected and qualified Clerk of the Town of Dighton
that I have carefully examined the original record
of the marriage of David Wood and Lillis Beers
as the same is recorded on the Town Records now in my
Custody and that the foregoing copy is a true copy of
said record, and that I have no doubts that the original
Record aforesaid is an ancient record
Jonathan Jonas } Town Clerk of Dighton

Bristol Ss
April 1st 1837
Then personally appeared the above named Jonathan
Jonas a credible person and made oath in due form
of Law that the above affidavit by him Signed is true
before me Abiathar White Justice of the Peace
Page 10

Revy WIDOW, &c.
_____
File No. 26,116 [illegible]
Lillis Wood
Formerly widow of
Spencer, Beers
Corp Rev War
_____
Act: July 4th 36
Index: - Vol. W, Page 358
[Arrangement of 1870.] [brackets in original]
Page 11

Lillis Wood
Page 12

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Bristol County Ss-
on this fifth - day of January eighteen
hundred and thirty eight, personally appeared
before a court of probate holden at Taunton in &
for said County -
Lillis Wood a resident of Dighton in the County of
Bristol aforesaid, aged eighty six years, who being
first duly sworn according to Law, doth, on her
oath, made the following declaration in order to
obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act
of Congress passed July 4. 1836, and the Act explanatory
of said Act, passed March 3. 1837: That she was married
to Spencer Beers who was in the service in the 
war of the Revolution - That according to the 
best of her knowledge and belief the said Spencer
Beers enlisted in a company of artillery in
Colonel Elliot's Regiment in December Seventeen
hundred and Seventy six and continued to
serve in said regiment two years or more-
That she believes the said Beers served as a 
Corporal in a company commanded by
Capt. Carlisle - She refers to the certificate
Page 13

of William Wilkinson Esq hereto annexed for
proof of the above mentioned service -

She further declares that she was married to the said
Spencer Beers on the Sixteenth day of December Seventeen
hundred and seventy three; that her husband, the
aforesaid Spencer Beers died [crossed out] on or about the [/crossed out] in the year
[crossed out] day of [/crossed out] seventeen hundred and eighty -
that she was afterwards married to David Wood
who died on the - day of December
eighteen hundred seven -
and, that she was a widow on the 4th July 1836,
and still remains a widow, as will more fully
appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
Lillis Wood
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year first
above written -
Before Oliver Prescott } Judge of the Court of Probate for said County of Bristol
[illegible imprint of seal]
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Bristol Ss. I Anselm Bassett Register of the Court of Probate in
& for said County to hereby certify that Oliver Prescott whose
signature is affixed to the above certificate is Judge of said
Court of Probate - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my name & the seal of said Court this fifth day
of January eighteen hundred & thirty eight
A Bassett
Page 14

" I Cyrus M. Wheaton clerk of the town of Rehoboth in the
"county of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
"do certify that it appears by the Records of said town
"in my custody that Spencer Beers of Barrington, and
"Lillis Bullock of Rehoboth were joined in marriage
"on the sixteenth day of December seventeen hundred
"and seventy three, duly examined by me -
Rehoboth October 26th 1837 - Cyrus M. Wheaton Town Clerk

Bristol Ss Rehoboth November 2nd 1837 Personally appeared
before me Cyrus M. Wheaton above mentioned known to me as
Town Clerk of Rehoboth, and made oath that the above
certificate by him subscribed is true & correct.
Before me James Bliss Justice of the Peace
Page 15

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Bristol Ss. I Anselm Bassett Register of the Court
of Probate in & for said county do hereby certify
that James Bliss whose signature is affixed to
the within certificate is a Justice of the Peace
in & for said county -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand & the seal of said court
this fifth day of January Eighteen
hundred and thirty eight
A Bassett
Page 16

I William Wilkinson of Providence, State of
Rhode Island on Oath do testify and say that I served
during the war of the Revolution in the Rhode Island
Brigade of State Troops which consisted of two Regiments
of Infantry and [crossed out] of [/crossed out] one of Artillery. They were first
raised for 15 Months from Dec'r 16. 1776. - then for one
year from March 16. 1778 and again for one Year from
March 16. 1779. - In the Year 1786, the General Assembly
of Rhode Island appointed a committee to ascertain
the amount of depreciation on their wages from the
pay Rolls of the Brigade and they according found
the Sums due to each Individual. A Copy of their Report
made nearly 50 years ago and with which I have been
perfectly acquainted from that period, has the name of
Spencer Beers as a Corporal in Col. Elliotts Regiment of
Artillery, and the sum of $50"S.10"P.7 against it as his depreciation.
By this amount he must have served two of the
three terms, and by comparing I have but little doubt
they were the two first Terms. I had no personal knowledge
of said Beers.
William Wilkinson 
Providence in the City of Providence
Nov 1 1837
Sworn to before me by the said William
Wilkinson and I further certify said
Page 17

affiant is personally well known
to me & he is a credible witness
Benya Cowell
C of C C Pleas
Page 18

I Thomas Luther of the City of Providence
in the State of Rhode Island being now 82
years of age on oath do testify & say that in
the Spring of the year 1777 I enlisted as a private
in Capt Thomas Carliles company & Col Robert
Elliotts regiment of Artillery a Rhode Island
regiment of the State Troops & served as such Eleven
Months stationed at Fort Barton & other
places in Rhode Island. The regiment was 
raised for fifteen months & ended March
1778. I served Eleven Months ending at
that time. and I further testify that I
well remember a man by the name of
Spencer Beers. he was a private in said
Company & regiment also & served as
long as I did but how much longer
I do not know I did not reenlist myself
and whether said Spencer did I do not
know
Thomas Luther
Providence
In the City of Providence November 1 1837
[crossed out] Sworn [/crossed out] Affirmed to & subscribed before me and
Page 19

and I further certify said affiant is 
well known to me & he is a credible witness
in the process
Benya Cowell
C of C C Pleas
Page 20

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol } Ss
I Amos Luther of Dighton in Said County of Bristol
Laborour, being Seventy eight years old on Oath Testify
and Say That I was acquainted with Spencer Beers
Late of Rehoboth in said County deceased, That the Said
Beers was a Soldier in the war of the Revolution and
Served in what was Called the years Service in
the Rhode Island Line Said Service Commenced
in the winter of 1775 and 1776 and Continued one
year he the Said Beers Served in a Regiment Commanded
by Col. Eliot or Col. Richmond the Capts name
I do not know as he was Stationed most of the time
15 or 20 miles from where I served the Said Beers
Served in the State of Rhode Island and mostly
in the vicinity of Providence
Amos Luther

Bristol Ss
- April 10th 1837
Then personally appeared the above named Amos
Luther a Credible person and made oath in due
form of Law that the above affidavit by him Signed is
true 
Before me Abiathar White Justice of the Peace
Page 21

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol } Ss
I Simeon Chace of Dartmouth in Said County of 
Bristol yeoman being Eighty years old on Oath Testify
and Say That I was acquainted with Spencer Beers
Late of Rehoboth in said County of Bristol deceased, 
That the Said Spencer Beers was a Soldier in the army
of the Revolution and Served as an artillery man in
a fifteen months Campaign in the Rhode Island Line he
Served in a Company Commanded by Capt Thomas Carlisle
in Col. Robert Eliot's Regiment. I served fifteen months
in the same Regiment in a Company Commanded by
Capt Sawyer I Entered Said Service in the Spring or
fore part of Summer in the year Seventeen hundred and
Seventy-seven Said Beers was in Said Service when
I Entered it and according to the Best of my
Recolection I Left him in Said Service when I was
discharged, but do not know how much Longer he
Served I think that the Said Beers Served in the grade
of Corporal
Simeon Chase

Bristol Ss
April 12th 1837
Then personally appeared the above named Simeon
Chase a Credible person and made oath in due
form of Law that the above affidavit by him Signed is
true 
Before me Abiathar White Justice of the Peace
Page 22

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol } Ss
I James Briggs of Dighton in Said County of Bristol Gentleman
being Seventy-seven years old on Oath Testify and Say That I 
was acquainted with Spencer Beers Late of [crossed out] Said [/crossed out] Rehoboth in 
said County of Bristol, that the Said Spencer Beers was a Soldier 
in the war of the Revolution and Served as an artillery man 
in a fifteen months Campaign in the Rhode Island Line 
he Served in a Company Commanded by Capt Thomas Carlisle
in Col. Robert Elliot's Regiment. I think he Served in
the grade of Corporal in this Campaign. I Entered the Service 
the fore part of the year 1776 and Served in the Same
Regiment in a Company Commanded by Capt Sawyer Said
Beers was in the Service when I Entered it and I think he Enlisted
again for nine months in the Same Company and I believes he
Served in the grade of Sergeant in the Campaign but cannot positive
as I Left the Service at that time and Served no more in the
Rhode Island Line
James Briggs

Bristol Ss
April 20th 1837
Then personally appeared the above named James Briggs
a Credible person and made oath in due form of Law that
the above affidavit by him Signed is true 
Before me Abiathar White Justice of the Peace
Page 23

1813
Lillis Woods
Papers, widow of
Spencer Beers
Ss
Ad'e [?] as Corp'l 2 yrs
$108 per anm, comm.
4 March 1831
(Artillery)

R I State troops
Col'o Elliot
Cap't Carlisle

Abiathar White Esq
North Dighton
Mass
Page 24

I Simpson Chace of Dighton County of Bristol and
Commonwealth of Massachusetts yeoman being of Lawful age
on oath Testify and Say, that on the Nineteenth day of April
instant I was in Providance in the State of Rhode Island Searching
for Proof of Service done by Spencers Beers in the Revolutionary
war, & there found a Book in the possession of Samuel
Snow (a very aged man) Containing the names of the officers and
Soldiers (or a part of them) who Served in the Rhode Island Line (in the
Said war) this Book contained the names of the officers and men of
a Brigade Containing three Regiments Viz Topham's, Crary's and
Elliot, this Book was taken from the muster Rolls of Said Brigade
by a Committee appointed by the General Assembly of the State of
Rhode Island in order to make up to every man the amount
he Lost in this wages by the depreciation of money paid them.
this Committee was appointed in the year 1786 the amount made
up to Every man is Set against his name, what percentage
or how much was made up on the pound I do not know In that
Book Spencer Beers' name is found as a Corporal, in Capt.
Thomas Carlisle's Company and in Col. Eliot's Regiment
and against his Beers name was placed £58,,10S,,7P which was
to be made up for the depreciation in the value of the money
he Received for his Service, I was informed by some of the
Soldiers that the Said Brigade was first Raised in the month of
December in the year 1776 for fifteen months they then Enlisted
again for one year which brough it to March 1779 they again
Enlisted for an other year and was finely discharged in March
1780. At the Close of Said Book the following Certificate is wrote
Treasury Department Registers office April 5th 1808
This is to certify that that foregoing is a List of the names of
the officers and privates belonging to Topham, Crary, and
Elliot's Regiments of the State of Rhode Island in the Service 
of the United States during the revolutionary war, together with
the Sums due to Each taken from the Statements furnished by
the State in the Settlement of Said accounts James Doughty Clerk
I tried to obtain Said Book but Could not for Mr Snow would
not part with it on any account
Dighton April 20th 1837
Simpson Chace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Bristol Ss
April 20th 1837
Then personally appeared the above named Simpson
Chace a Credible person and made oath in due form 
of Law that the above affidavit by him Signed is true 
Before me Abiathar White Justice the Peace
Page 25

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol } Ss
I Joseph Wheaton of Rehoboth in Said County of Bristol 
Esquire being Eighty-four years old on Oath Testify and 
Say That I was acquainted with Spencer Beers Late 
of Said Rehoboth, that the Said Spencer Beers was a Soldier in the 
war of the Revolution, that in the Spring in the year
Seventeen hundred and Eighty he the Said Beers marched
from Providance in the State of Rhode Island to the
State of New York and as I have been informed by my
Brother (who is now dead) he the Said Beers died at a place
Called horse neck in the month of July in the Same
year. I think that the Said Beers Served in the grade of
Sergeant in an Artillery Company but do not Remember
the name of any the officers which he served
under, my Brother before Refered to Served in the Same
Campaign with him the said Beers
Joseph Wheaton 

Bristol Ss
April 16th 1837
Then personally appeared the above named Joseph Wheaton a Credible 
person appeared and made oath in due form 
of Law that the above affidavit by him Signed 
is true
Before me Abiathar White Justice of the Peace
Page 26

Cordelia Wastcoat

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol } Ss
Page 27

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol } Ss
I Cordelia Wastcoat of Dighton in Said County of Bristol 
widow, being Sixty-four years old on Oath Testify and Say
That I am acquainted with Lillis Wood of Said Dighton
and I was acquainted with Spencer Beers the first husband of 
the said Lillis Wood and was also acquainted with
David Wood the second husband of the said Lillis
Wood, that the Said Spencer Beers died in the month
of July in the year 1780 and that the Said David Wood
Died in the month of December in the year 1810 and
that the Said Lillis Wood has been a widow Ever Since the
Said David Wood died
Cordelia Wastcoat

Bristol Ss
April 1st 1837
Then personally appeared the above named Cordelia
Wastcoat a Credible person and made oath in 
due form of Law that the above affidavit by her
Signed is true
Before me Abiathar White Justice of the Peace
Page 28

Town Clerks office Rehoboth April 10th 1837
Thereby Certify that it appears from the Records
in this office that Spencer Beers of Barrington
and Lillis Bullock of Rehoboth were joined in
Marriage on the Sixteenth day of December
A.D. 1773, duly examined by me.
Cyrus M. Wheaton Town Clerk.

Bristol Ss Rehoboth April 10th 1837 Then
Personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace, the
above named Cyrus M Wheaton a Credible person known
unto me as Town Clerk of Said Rehoboth and made oath
in the form of Law that the above Certificate by him
Signed is Correct
Abiathar White } Justice of the Peace
in and for Said County
of Bristol
Page 29

William Wilkinson
affidavit
Page 30

I William Wilkinson of Providence State
of Rhode Island on Oath do Testify and Say - That
I served in the Rhode Island Brigade of the State Troops
from July 1777 to March 1780. - The Brigade was
first raised to serve for 15 months from December 16, 1776
to March 16, 1778 - Then for one Year to March 1779
and again for one Year to March 1780. - In 1786
the General Assembly of Rhode Island appointed a
Committee to ascertain from the Muster Rolls of the
[crossed out] amount [/crossed out] Brigade the amount of Depreciation on
their wages. On this list the name of Spencer Beers
appears to have served as a Corporal in Elliot's Regiment
and the amount of £38,,10,,7 Lawful Money was put
down as the Depreciation of this wages - from this it
is evident that said Beers must have served at least two
of the three terms for which the Brigade was raised as his whole
wages for even the longest Term would not have
amounted to that sum
William Wilkinson

Providence in the city of Providence
April 19 1837
Sworn to & subscribed before me and
I further certify said William is a credible
witness
Benja Cowell
C. J. C. C. Pleas
Page 31

Spencer Beers
76 12 mo in RI line Col Ellio & Richmond on Col Elliot Role Corp'o
77 15 Carlisle Cp. do.
[illegible]
80 6 mo Vol 27 p. 19 Corp'l
Page 32

Feb 15
[stamp]
TAUNTON
FEB 12
[illegible]
[/stamp]

J L Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington DC
Page 33

Taunton Mass. Feb. 20. 1838
Sir, Herewith you have the application of Lillis Wood
for a pension - also accompanying the same is her
former pension certificate which was procured by
Abiathar White -
This application has been delayed a month on
account of an error which Mrs. Wood made therein in
stating that her last husband died in 1811 when in fact
he died in 1810 - soon as the error was discovered it
was proposed to prepare another declaration for the
purpose of correcting the error - But it has been inconvenient
for her to procure a Judge before whom to
take the necessary oath - Judges Morton & Williams
have been constantly engaged abroad in the duties
of the several offices for a month past & Judge Prescott
resides twenty five miles from her place of residence -
It has therefore been deemed proper to forward this
application as it is with the above explanation -
Any communication relative thereto may
be made to me - Very respectfully
Your Obt Servt
A Bassett

J L Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington DC