Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21,500, for John Sprague, Rhode Island
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(3-1776)
SERVICE NUMBER
R.I. Sprague, John S.21,500

CONTENTS
[BLANK]
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[illegible]12
Rhode Island
John Sprague
Glocester in the State of R.I.
who was a Private in the company commanded
by Captain
of the Regt commanded
by Col Cooke in the R I
[unintelligible] for 14 mos
Inscribed on the Roll of R I
at the rate of 46 Dollars 66 cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March,1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 22nd day of
1832, and seal same per
Atwell Glocester R I
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1802 $69.99
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 [unintelligible] 33 
+23.33
$93.32
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.       ⎬
Recorded by J H [unintelligible] Blair Clerk,
Book D Vol. 3 Page 134.
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No. 8169.
John Sprauge [Sprague], Glocester R.I.
Private
14 Months
papers not properly [illegible]
[illegible]
A Mulher
$46.66
Samuel Y. Atwell
same place
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Brief in the case of John Sprague of the County
of Providence in the State of R Island
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 74 years.
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and field Officers under whom he served.
  Years, Months, Days. As a    Gen.
In 1776 Sept. - 3 -  Private Col. Coates, Capt May 
1777 Oct.  - 1 - drafted Col. Peck, Capt. Wilmarth
1777 Nov. - 3 - Private Capts. Whipple & Wilmarth
1778 Aug.  - 1 -  drafted  Same Company
from Aug 1778 to Aug 1783, half the time 2  6  - Private Same Company
5. In what battles was he engaged? R. Island
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Gloucester
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence,
by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? living witnesses
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case
Savin Belt
Examining Clerk.
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Application of John Sprague
for pension
8169
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Seal of the Court
Attest Wm R Matson Clerk
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
County of Providence Ss.
On this Seventh day of August A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open court, being a special Court of Common Pleas within and for said County, now in session-
John Sprague a resident of Glouster in the County of Providence and State of Rhode Island, aged 74 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 Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832, viz.
I was born in Glocester 28th of December 1757. I have a record of my age in a family bible at home. I have always lived in said Glouster. In September 1776 I enlisted in Capt Mays Camp & Leut Cookes regiment R.I. state troops. We were first stationed on Rhode island. I took the place of Lippitts regiment which had marched to the westward. Afterwards our Company was ordered to Bristol RI where we built a fort at Bristol ferry. I was stationed there until my 3 months expired. In October 1777 I was drafted in Capt Timothy Wilmarths independent comp of light infantry & joined the troops under Gen Spencer at Tiverton R.I. There were a number of these independent Companies with the troops & they formed a separate regiment under Col Peck. We were stationed at the meeting house in said Tiverton one month. In November and December 1777 & January 1778 I served as a Soldier under Capts Whipple & Wilmarth and was stationed Providence RI for 3 months - part of the time I was drafted & part of the time I served as a substitute for my Father. I cannot distinctly recollect the particulars of each months service but I will remember being stationed in the Providences the whole of 3 months during this winter & of frequently standing guard at Gen Spencers quarters. In August 1778 I was drafted in Capt Wilmarths Company & joined the army under Gen Sullivan on Rhode Island. We went down to the lower lines at Whortleberry plain where we lay sometimes & then retreated safe to the island to Buth hill fort, on the morning of the 29th the British who had pressed in made an attack upon our lines in the hollows between Buth & Quaker Hill - after several attacks they & the Hessians were refused. That night I think we went across the ferry
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to Trenton R.J. & soon after I was discharged. I served, I think
one month. From this time to the peace of 1783 I belonged to
Capt Timothy Wilmarth Company & was frequently ordered
out on tour of duty of one month & fifteen days each &
was stationed principally at Providence R I. I cannot
recollect the particular times but I can with confidence
say that I served in said Company from August 1778 to
August 1783 at different times a period of at least six months
I never had any written discharge that I recollect. The
testimony of such surviving witnesses as I know of is
hereunto annexed - Eber Philips or Oley Brown
Thomas Owens Jr an persons who reside in my neighborhood
& who can testify as to my character for veracity of their
belief of my service as a soldier of the revolution
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I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declare
that my name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State.
John Sprague
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid, in open Court
Attest Wm R Watson Clerk
We,
Duty Evans & Olney Brown
residing in said Glocester hereby certify, that we are well
acquainted with John Sprague who has subscribed and sworn to the above
declaration; that we believe him to be 74 years of age; that he is reputed and
believed, in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a Soldier of the Revolution, and that we
concur in that opinion.
Olney Brown
P Duty Evans
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid, in open Court
Attest Wm R Watson Clerk
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after
putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department; that the above named applicant was a
Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states.
And the Court further certifies, that it appears to
them that Duty Evans & Olney Brown who have signed the preceding certificate, resident in
said Glocester are credible persons
and that their statement is entitled to credit. and that no longer resides in the 
vicinity of said applicant
credible person
I, WILLIAM R. WATSON, Clerk of said Court of Common Pleas, do
hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court
in the matter of the application of
John Sprague
for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of
office this seventh day of August
the year 1832
Wm R Watson
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I Seth Ross of Burrillville in the County of
Providence State of Rhode Island being of lawful
age on oath do say that I enlisted in Capt Samuel
Mays Company Col Cookes regiment R I State troops
in July or August 1776, for three months. We were
stationed at Newport & at Bristol R I.  I took the place of Lippitts
regiment which had marched to New York for
stages when 3 months where my time being out I
was discharged. I further say that I well knew
John Sprague of Glouster R I he was a soldier in the same
company with me during the whole of said
period
Seth Ross
State of Rhode Island by
Providences so
In Gloucester this 20th day of July 1832
personally appeared Seth Ross of Burrillville in said
County who being first duly sworn on oath says that 
the above deposition by him signed is just & true in all
its parts
before me & I further certify that the said Seth Ross
is well known to me, that he is a person of credit
& sureity & that his statement is entitled to credit
Ira P. Evans Justice C.C. Pleas
---
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State of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations.
PROVIDENCE, SC.
I WILLIAM R. WATSON, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, within and for
the county of Providence in the State of Rhode-Island, do hereby certify, that Ira P
Evans is a Judge of the court of Common Pleas aforesaid, which court is a Court of Record; that the signature to the annexed document
purporting to be his, is in the proper hand writing of the said Evans
and that full faith and credit are due to the official attestations of the said Evans-
In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix the
seal of said Court, at Providence this Seventh
day of August in the year of our
Lord 1832 -
Wm R Watson
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I Stephen Colwell of Glocester in the County
of Providence State of Rhode Island & being
duly sworn on oath do testify & say that I was a
Soldier in the revolutionary war & am an applicant
for a pension under the act of June 1832. I further
say that in August or September 1776 I enlisted in
Capt Mays Company Col Cookes regiment R I
State troops for three months. We were stationed
on Rhode Island & at Bristol R.I. I continued
in said Company until my time was out. I
further say that I well know John Sprague
of said Glocester he was a soldier with me in said
Company during the whole of said three months.
I also knew him as a Soldier in October 1777 at
Tiverton R I in Gen Spencers expedition & I also
knew him as a Soldier in Capt Timothy Wilmarths
Company of light infantry in Gen Sullivans
expedition to Rhode Island in August 1778
Stephen Colwell
State of Rhode Island for
Providence for
In Glocester this 29th day of August
1832 before me personally appeared Stephen
Collwell who is known to me & who being duly
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sworn on oath says that the foregoing deposition
by him signed is just & true in all its parts. I
further certify that the said Colwell is a credible
person & that his statement is entitled to credit
Attest Ira P. Evans Justice C. C. Pleas
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State of Rhode=Island and Providence Plantations.
PROVIDENCE, SC.
I WILLIAM R. WATSON, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, within and for
the county of Providence in the State of Rhode-Island, do hereby certify, that Ira P
Evans --- is a Judge of the court of Common Pleas aforesaid, 
which court is a Court of Record; that the signature to the annexed documents
purporting to be his, is in the proper hand writing of the said Evans
and that full faith and credit are due to the official attestations of the said Evans
In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix the
seal of said Court, at Providence this fourth
day of Septente in the year of our
Lord 1832.
Wm R Watson
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Revolution
21500
INVALID.
----
File No. 21,300
John Sprague
[illegible]
-----
Act : June 7 32
Index :- Vol. 2 , Page 339
[ Arrangement of 1870.]
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To the Hon. LEWIS CASS
Secretary of War of the United States of America
Humbly represents
John Sprague
of Glocester in the County of Providence, State of
Rhode Island; that he was a Soldier in the Revolutionary War as will appear by the annexed documents.
He therefore requests that a pension may be granted to him in conformity with the provisions
of an Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832, entitled " An Act supplementary to the "Act for the
relief of certain officers and Soldiers of the Revolution "
and as in duty bound will ever pray.
John Sprague
by his proxy
Sam Y Atwell
Please address me at Glocester in R. I.
S Y Atwell