Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R.1189, Morgan Brewster, Conn.
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(3 - 1776)
SERVICE Conn. Brewster, Morgan NUMBER R. 1189
CONTENTS
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No 4140 Morgan Brewster Private Connecticut troops, Mansfield's Co. Meig’s Regt 3 years
Deserted 16th April 1781
R. C. Vose Augusta
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Declaration. In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
STATE OF MAINE, KENNEBEC COUNTY, SS.
On this seventeenth day of July A.D. 1832 personally appeared before the Hon. NATHAN WESTON, Jun'r, a Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, of said State, Morgan Brewster, a resident of Leeds in the County of Kennebec and State of Maine, aged seventy years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1778 with Captain Mansfield, and served in Col. Meig's regiment of the Connecticut line or troops under the following named officers: viz, Mansfield, Capt. and Meigs, Col. That he enlisted in the month of February 1778 in the war of the Revolution for the period of three years. That he enlisted at Quaker hill in New York state, & joined said Company & regiment at Bedford, that he served the full term of his enlistment of three years in said regiment, which was commanded first by Col. Meigs & afterwards by Lt. Col. Commandant Gray of the Connecticut line. That in February 1781 he received his pass or discharge at the highlands near West point New York.
And to the interrogatories propounded under the instructions of the war department, he answers:
That he was born in 1762 at Lebanon Connecticut, where he presumes there is a record of his age. That during the Revolutionary War his home was at Halifax, Vermont, that he afterwards lived in Hanover, Mass., & then removed to said Leeds, where he has lived for the last forty five years.
That he enlisted into the service, was not drafted or received as a substitute. That during this service he served in New Jersey, Connecticut & New York State, that he was at Robinson's farms below West point at the time of the storming of Stony point.
That when Gen Arnold went off, he was at Peekskill & saw Arnold on board his barge when she went down the river, that he the said Brewster then marched with the troops to Westpoint, that he was at the battle of Elizabeth town point in 1780, that he was in Brig. Genl. Parson's Brigade & Maj. Genl. Heath's Division,
that while in New Jersey Genl. Lafayette was with the troops, And that during eighteen months of the above service he served & did duty as a Fifer, that his pass or discharge was signed by Capt Humphrey, who then had the command of the Regiment, Col. Gray being absent on a recruiting expedition, That his discharge is now lost. That any of his neighbors will testify as to his character for veracity & their belief of his revolutionary services, and he names of the Rev. Martin Leonard & Joseph Mitchell.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any State.
[signed] Morgan Brewster
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid, Before Nathan Weston Junr Just S.J.C.
And the said Judge does hereby declare his opinion that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. Nathan Weston Junr
17 July
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State of Maine. KENNEBEC, SS.
I, JOHN A. CHANDLER, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts held within and for the County of Kennebec, hereby certify that the Hon. NATHAN WESTON, Jun'r, before whom the within proceedings was had, is a Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of said State; I also certify that the within contains the original proceedings of the said Judge, in the matter of the application of Morgan Brewster for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the said Court, this 17th day of July A.D. 1832 J. A. Chandler
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October 7, 1933

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

BA-J/EEL ou
Morgan Brewster-R.1189

Mr. Albert S. Bryant
North Leeds
Maine

Dear Sir: 

Reference is made to your letter in which you request information in regard to Marshfield Paul and Morgan Brewster, soldiers of the Revolutionary War. 

Revolutionary War data furnished by this office are obtained from claims made to the United States for pension and bounty land based upon military service of soldiers of that war. 

A careful search of the Revolutionary War records has been made in your behalf and no record found of such claims having been made on accont of the services of Marshfield Paul. the record of Morgan Brewster has been found and is given below as obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim, R.1189, based upon his military service in that war. 

Morgan Brewster was born in 1762, in Lebanon, Connecticut, and when fifteen years of age, went to Quaker Hill, New York, to live with an uncle, whose name was not given. He stated that during the Revolutionary War, his home was in Halifax, Vermont, and afterward he went to live in Hanover, Massachusetts, and then removed to Leeds, Maine. 

He applied for pension on December 14, 1819, while residing in Leeds, Kennebec County, Maine, and stated that he enlisted in 1778, in Quaker Hill, New York, served in Captain Mansfield's company, Colonels Meigs and Gray's Connecticut Regiment, and was discharged in 1781, length of service, three years. He applied for pension July 17, 1832, while still a resident of said Leeds, where, he stated, he had resided for forty-five years, and that he enlisted in February, 1778, at Quaker Hill, New York, served in Captain Mansfield's company, Colonels Meigs and Gray's Connecticut Regiment, and was in the battle of Elisabethtown Point, length of this service three years, eighteen months of which he was a fifer. He applied for pension the third
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time on September 16, 1851, while residing in Leeds, Maine, and stated that he enlisted in Quaker Hill, New York, served in Lieutenant Mansfield's Company, Colonel Meigs' Connecticut Regiment from October, 1779, to January, 1780, after which he went to sea in the Letter of Marque "Thomas", was taken prisoner and carried to the Bermudas in irons, where he remained sometime as a prison. He did not state the length of captivity.

His claim was never allowed as an examination of the military rolls showed that Morgan Brewster enlisted October 1, 1778 and served in Colonel Return J. Meigs' 6" Connecticut Regiment, length of service, one year and three months ; also that one Morgan Brewster in a subsequent service, deserted August 16, 1781. No evidence was presented to show that the last named service was not that of Morgan Brewster who rendered service of fifteen months as stated above.

There are no data as to wife and children. 

Very truly yours,

A. D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrator.
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1189

P.O. Morgan Brewster

Service:

stamped REJECTED

Enlisted:    ,18  .
Discharged:    , 18  .
Printed List of 1852
shows cause of
rejection :Deserted"
Application filed:   , 18  .

leges:

Re-enlisted:


Attorney:

P.O.

    Recognized.        Contract:
    Cert. of Dis.   Searched for       , 18  .

opposite side of page

Exam'd with orig. rolls
Aug 1883  C. S. P.

1933-Oct 7- Hist to Mr
Albert S. Bryant. ERL
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Maine

Morgan Brewster
rejected
Resectted (Deserted)

letter to R Ghose

29 Nov 1832
could not find
1189

June 7, 1832
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Jacob Herrick
June 15 1852
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222
Penns Office
June 16, 1852

Sir
I have examined and filed supplemental declaration of Morgan Brewster for the benefits of the Act of June 7, 1832 and you are informed that he has no claim, as his agent R. C. Vose, Esq was informed on the 29th November 1832, in the month that he deserted on the 16th of August 1781. The certificate of the Comptroller of Connecticut refers to service rendered prior to his desertion, and in no degree controverts the evidence of the Rolls.
From the above you will learn that the was a assigned by the Brewster of his position to claim a pension is not the true one. 
The declaration submitted by you in the third made by him all of which on among our files

Jacob Herrick Esq Goffs' Corner, Maine
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Commissioner of Pensions
Present
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Goff's Corner Maine Feb. 23d 1852
To the Commissioner of Pensions
Sir, 
Enclosed please find the papers in the Revolutionary claim of Morgan Brewster.
I respectfully request that it may be registered and taken up and adjudicated in its proper source.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
Jacob Herrick
Goff's Corner
(Me)

Commissioner of Pensins
Washington
D. C.
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State of Maine
We, Martin Leonard a Clergyman, residing in the town of Leeds in the County of Kennebec and Joseph Mitchell residing in the same town, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Morgan Brewster who has subscribed and sworn to the annexed declaration; that we believe him to be about seventy years of age; that is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Martin Leonard
Joseph Mitchell

State of Main
Kennebec  ss.- Sworn and subscribed this eighteenth day of July A.D. 1832.
Before me,
George Turner Justice of the Peace
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Morgan Brewster
Revolutionary claim



Jacob Herrick atty
Goff's Corner
Me
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STATE OF MAINE
CUMBERLAND, SS. Clerk's Office, Judicial Courts
PORTLAND, February 19th A.D. 1852}
I, Charles C. Harmon, CLERK OF ALL THE JUDICIAL COURTS, In and for said COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, certify that Arnold Wentworth is an Acting Justice of the Peace, within and for the County of Kennebec as appears by this paper hereto annexed; and he is DULY QUALIFIED TO ACT as such; that his COMMISSION is dated January 26th A.D. 1846 and will expire January 26th A.D. 1853 and that the following SIGNATURES to be his are Genuine.

IN TESTIMONY WHEROF, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the Seal of the Supreme Judicial Court, for said State, the day and year first above written.
C. C. Harmon CLERK
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Comptrollers Office
Hartford Conn July 19th 1857
Jacob Herrick Esq.
Sir,
Your letter of July 3d with 2 dls enclosed, addressed to the Secretary was this day handed to me for an examination of our Rolls, for the service of Morgan Brewster. I have found his service in Col. Meigs Regt. corresponding nearly with his declaration, and there can be no doubt that the service as shown in the certificate which I send you was performed by your Mr. Brewster, as there was no other man of this name in that Regt. or in the Conn. line.
I am Sir, very respectfully yours,
Geo. Robinson
For comptroller
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State of Connecticut
Comptrollers Office
Hartford July 19th 1851

I certify that on application for evidence of the service of Morgan Brewster in the war of the Revolution, I have examined the books and documents remaining in this office, and find the name of Morgan Brewster on a Pay Roll under the following heading viz, "Settlement with the 6th Connecticut Regt. Return J. Meigs Esq. Colonel before January 1780," and opposite said name are the following entries, viz. [Rank Private] Commencement of service Oct. 1st 1778. Time of this settlement Jany 1st 1780 (Term 1 year 3 mos) Amt. pf waged L30. Money due for blankets L1.2.6, value of mo pd for clothing &c L1.1.2, Amt of debt L32.3.81, value of mo recd on acc. of wages L2.9.6, value of mo recd from US &c 10, value of clothing &c supplied L5.7.4, amt. of blankets supplied L0.18.7, amt. of credit L9.2.1, Balance L 23.1.
The name of the said soldier on his Ledger account is written "Morgan Brewster."
A. G. Pinney, Comptroller
by Geo. Robinson Clerk
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I, Franklin B. Leonard of Leeds in the County of Kennebec and State of Maine on oath depose and say that I am Town Clerk of the Town of Leeds aforesaid duly chosen and sworn and have in my custody the Records of said Town. I also depose and say that Stillman L. Howard and Davis F. Lathrop are Selectmen of the Town of Leeds chosen at the last annual meeting in March last. That they have been duly qualified to act and that full faith is and ought to be given to their doings as Selectmen aforesaid. I also depose and say that the signatures appended to the within certificate purporting to be theirs are genuine.
Franklin B. Leonard
Town Clerk of Leeds

State of Maine Kennebec ss. Feb 11th 1852
Personally appeared Franklin B. Leonard above named, known to me as Town Clerk of Leeds, and made oath to the truth of the above affidavit by him written and signed before me.
Arnold Wentworth Just. Peace
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We the undersigned Selectmen of the Town of Leeds in the county of Kennebec and State of Maine, hereby certify that we are natives of said town of Leeds and have resided in it all our days. During that time we have been personally acquainted with Morgan Brewster an aged citizen of this place who was one of the first settlers of the town.
Said Brewster has always sustained an unblemished moral character and in our opinion his statements are entitled to full credit and belief, in and out of Court.
Given under our hands at Leeds aforesaid this eleventh day of February 1852.
Stillman L Howard
Davis F Lothrop} Selectmen of Leeds
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I Martin Leonard a Clergyman now residing in Greene make the following statement in regard to Mr. Morgan Brewster of Leeds, I have known said Brewster about forty years I lived a neighbor to him thirty years in the Town of Leeds where I formerly resided. I removed to Greene some ten or twelve years since, and have kept kept up the acquaintance untill this time. My residence now is only four miles from his. During the whole period above stated said Brewster has sustained an unblemished morral character and his reputation now for truth stands high in this community. In my opinion the said Brewster statements are intitled to full credit and belief as any man of my acquaintance,
Greene February 18th 1852
Martin Leonard
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State of Maine Kennebec ss. Feb. 18th 1852
Personally appeared Martin Leonard within named and made oath to the truth of the within statement by him written and signed before me, and I hereby certify that said Leonard is a worthy Baptist clergyman in regular standing and full faith may be placed on his statements.
Arnold Wentworth Just. Peace
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State of Maine.

I Foster Wentworth of Webster in the County of Lincoln, aged Eighty seven years, on oath depose and say that I am well acquainted with Mr. Morgan Brewster of Leeds. Said Brewster is reputed to have been a Revolutionary soldier. I myself being a Revolutionary soldier and a pensioner of the United States have frequently conversed with Mr. Brewster concerning the events of the Revolution , am well satisfied that the said Brewster was a soldier therein, It is traditional among his neighbors and Townsmen that he served more than one year & that he might have obtained a pension, if proper measures had been taken to obtain it. I have no doubt that he served, as he states, some fifteen months, besides, Mr. Brewster has during a long life sustained a good moral character.

his signature
Foster Wentworth


State of Maine Kennebec [illegilble] January 31, 1852.
Subscribed and sworn before me and I hereby certify that the above named affirms is my father now on a visit at my house, and that his statements are entitled to full credit, he always having sustained a good moral character.
Arnold Wentworth Justice. Peace
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I, John Robinson of Greene in the County of Kennebec and State of Maine aged seventy nine year. On oath depose and say that I am well acquainted with Mr. Morgan Brewster of Leeds- said Brewster is reputed to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and to have served more than a year in the Revolutionary Army. Mr. Brewster has always said that he was in the war of the Revolutions about fifteen months. His neighbors and Townsmen all believe that he states facts, and I myself believe it to be a fact. 
I have frequently heard the people of his neighborhood talk about his services and never knew a person to express a doubt of his having served in the Revolution as long as he states, was much as Mr. Brewster has, all his day, sustained an unblemished character. 
John Robinson

State of Maine, Kennebec [illegible] Jany 31, 1852 
Subscribed and sworn before me and I hereby certify that said [illegible] is personally known to me as a witness of respectability and veracity.

Arnold Wentworth, Justice Peace
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Morgan Brewster, private
Cap. Mansfield Co. Col. Meigs
Connecticut Reg. Feb. '78 to 1781
3 years
 Dec. 14, 1819

Deserted
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I Morgan Brewster, aged fifty seven years, a citizen of the United Stats born in Lebanon Connecticut, now of Leed, Kennebec County Maine. do hereby certify and declare that I enlisted in the month of February 1778 in the war of the revolution against the common enemy upon the continental establishment, for the period of three years. I enlisted at Quaker Hill in the state of New York and joined Cap. Mansfields Company and Col. Meigs Regiment was commanded first by Col. Meigs and afterwards by Lt. Col. commandant Gray of the Connecticut line, in February 1781. I served my [illegible] at the highlands New York, Near west point. Leaving in the Connecticut line. I was unable to procure proof of my service and therefore have omitted in making my declaration of service until the present time. From my reduced circumstance in life. I need the assistance of my county for support, and I hereby relinquish all claim to any pension heretofore allowed me by the law of the United States if any and request to be placed upon the pension roll for the District of Maine.

Morgan Brewster

Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
Kennebec County on this fourteenth day of December AD 1819 the above named Morgan Brewster, after having been carefully examined made oath to the truth of the above declaration by his subscribed 
Before me.   Nathan Weston C.J   CCC Phay

State of Maine 
To Sir Honorable the secretary of the Department of war of the United States. I the subscriber, being Chief Justice of the circuit court of common pleas, for the said Eastern circuit, embracing the counties of Lincoln, Kennebec and Somerset, do hereby certify to your Honor that Morgan Brewster, a citizen of the United States, now resident in Leeds in said county of Kennebec in the State of Maine, on the fourteenth day of December 1819. made application to me to receive his declaration under oath, and to transmit to your honor. that he might be placed on the pension list of the United States, arguably to the provisions of an act, entitled "An Act to provide for certain pension engaged in the land and naval service of the United States
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to procure proof of my service and therefore have omitted many any attestation of service untill the present time. From my reduced circumstances in life, I need the assistance of my country for support, and I hereby relinquish all claim to any pension heretofore allowed me by the laws of the United States if any, and request to be placed upon the pension Roll for the District of Maine.
Morgan Brewster

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Kennebec County ss. On this fourteenth day of December AD 1819 the above named Morgan Brewster, after having been carefully examined made oath to the truth of the above declaration by him subscribed.
Before me
Nathan Weston C. J.

State of Maine
To the Honorable the Secretary of the Department of War of the United States, I the subscriber, being Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas, for the second Eastern Circuit embracing the counties of Lincoln, Hancock and Kennebec, do hereby certify to your Honor that Morgan Brewster, a citizen of the United States, now resident in Leeds, in said county of Kennebec in the State of Maine, on the fourteenth day of December 1819, made application to me to receive his declaration under oath, and to transmit the same to your Honor, that he might be placed on the pension lost of the United States, agreeably to the provisions of an Act, entitled "An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary war," passed March 18, 1818, which declaration is herein to annexed. And I do further certify to your Honor, that after a full examination of the said applicant, it appears to me that the said applicant did serve, as a private soldier, in the war of the revolution, against the common enemy, upon the continental establishment, for more than nine months, as stated in his declaration aforesaid; and that, from his reduced circumstances, he needs the assistance of his country for support. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the court in which I preside, to be hereunto affixed this twenty second day of June, A.D. 1820.
Nathan Weston
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State of Maine
KENNEBEC, SS.
The Subscriber, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts, held within the said County of Kennebec, hereby certifies, that the Honorable Nathan Weston, Junior, Esquire, before whom the annexed proceedings were held, is Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas, for the Second Eastern Circuit of Maine, embracing  the Counties of Lincoln, Kennebec, and Somerset; and that by the direction of the said Judge, I have affixed unto his Certificate bearing his signature, the seal of the said Court in which he presides.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand: Dated at Augusta, in said County of Kennebec, this Fourth day of July in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and twenty.
John Davis
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Revolutionary Claim
Jacob Herrick, attorney
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United States of America, State of Maine
On this sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifty one, personally appeared before the Honorable Arthur Ware, Judge of the United States District Court, for the District of Maine, Morgan Brewster a resident of Leeds in the County of Kennebec and State of Maine aforesaid, who being duly sworn according to law, on oath makes the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed June the ? A. D. 1832, and this declarant states that he was a soldier in the Revolutionary Army. That he was born in Lebanon, Connecticut. That at the age of about fifteen years he went to live with his Uncle at a place called Quakerhill in the State of New York and there enlisted under Lieutenant Mansfield into the Revolutionary Army, and served in Col. Meigs Regiment from October 1778 to January 1780 fifteen months. After which he went to read in the letter of Marque "Thomas, and was taken prisoner and curried to Bermueleer in irons, where he remained some time a prisoner. That after the war he came to
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to the State of Maine and settled in his present residence, then a wilderness.
That the reason why he did not make application sooner for a pension is that he was away from his comrades in arms and supposed that personal proof was necessary and that he knew of no one to apply to. That he had no money to spare to employ an agent and that no one in his neighborhood pretended to do such business. He is now old and unable to labor and asks for his share of his Country's bounty, which he has been advised in his just due, and for proof of his statements he refers to the papers hereto annexed. He also declares that he has bever received any pension and that his name if not on any pension Roll of this or any other State so far as his knowledge extends. This declarant further states that he was eighty nine years of age last August.
Morgan Brewster
attest Jacob Herrick

Subscribed and sworn the day of the year first above written before me
Asher Ware
Dist. Judge to the U. S. for to Dist. of Maine
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United States of America

District of Maine s.s:

I Geo. F. Emery Clerk of the Circuit Court of the United States for the District of Maine hereby certify that 
Asher War
whose genuine signature appears upon the preceding page was at the time he purports to have acted as such, and still remains, District of Maine and full faith and credit are due to his acts as such; and the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Judge in the matter of the application of Morgan Brewster for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and the seal of said Circuit Court this fourth day of February in the year eighteen hundred and fifty two. 
Geo. F. Emery Clerk Circuit Court
U.S. for District Maine
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*Stamp reads as noted*
Received  Sep. 1. 1933


*Letter reads as noted*
North Leeds, Me. 
Sep. 1, 1933

Veterans Administration
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir's;-
I am inclosing War Record of Marshfield Paul (not Paul- but Powell) who was an early settler in Leeds, Me. and raised a large family here, Did this man ever receive a pension or land grant, from the U.S. Government,? Can you from the records, give me the date and place, of his death, and burial. 
Thanking you in advance, and also for the great help you have given me in the near past.

Also one Morgan Brewster of Conn. was born Aug. 26, 1762 in Lebanon, Conn., became an early settler in Leeds, is said to have been a Revolutionary soldier Is buried in Leeds, Me. His war record is
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2"nd
not in Mass. Soldiers and Sailors of Rev. is it because Conn. Soldier's were not included in those Volumes. If so can you send me the Rev. War record of Morgan Brewster, of Lebanon, Conn.
Sincerely,
Albert S. Bryant