Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 8673, for Thomas Reed, Rhode Island
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(3-1776)
SERVICE
Mass
Navy
Reed Thomas
or Read
Sarah
Number
R.8673
CONTENTS
[none]
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V.
Mrs Sarah Reed
Papers
Mass.
8673
[Afratha?] White
North Dighton
Mass
July 10 '37
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol ss.
On this Fourth day of July Eighteen hundred and thirty seven personally appeared before me John M Williams one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the State of Massachusetts a resident in Said County of Bristol Sarah Reed a resident of Swanzey (Swansea) in the County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts aged Eighty four 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
That she is the widow of Thomas Reed ^alias Read^ who was a soldier and Seaman in the American Army and Navy in the War of the Revolution. That according to the best of her knowledge the said Thomas Reed Enlisted in the Service of the United States in the year 1775 in the Rhode Island line in a Regiment Commanded by Col. Richmond or Col. [Lipper?] and she thinks in a Company commanded by Cap^t Few, and served one year. He then enlisted into the navy and Served on Board the Ship Providence Commanded by Commodore Whipple and served thirteen months or more. Said Service commenced in autumn in the year 1776. He again Enlisted or was drafted in Swanzey in the State of Massachusetts in July in the year 1778 and served in a Company Commanded by Capt Peleg Peck in Col. Thomas Carpenter's Regiment two months. He then again Enlisted (or she believes) in the Rhode Island Line and Served Excepting at short intervals untill the Close of the war but does not know what officers he served under, but thinks his Captains name was Evans. She believes that he was in the Battle on Long Island in the year 1776 and in a number of other Battles but do not remember where they were fought. She declares that the foregoing is an outline of the Service of the Said Thomas Reed according to the best of her knowledge and belief but She has no documentary Evidence to Support her Claim.
She further declares that She was married to the Said Thomas Reed on the first day of April in the year Seventeen hundred and Sixty nine. That her husband the aforesaid
aforesaid
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Thomas Reed died in the Spring in the year Eighteen hundred and Seventeen and that she [words crossed through] has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by Reference to the Proof hereunto annexed
[signature] Sarah her x mark Read
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above or last before written
Before me [signature] John M. Williams Judge C.C. Pleas
I the Said Judge do hereby declare my opinion (after the investigation of the matter) that the foregoing declaration of the Said Sarah Reed is true in all its important parts & also Certify that the ^Said^ Sarah Reed the applicant from bodily infirmity is unable to attend the Court
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of Said Court this fourth day of July Eighteen hundred and thirty-seven
[signature] John M. Williams Judge of C.C. Pleas
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol } ss
I James Sproat Clerk of the Court [of the Court again crossed through] of Common Pleas in and for the 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 the County of Bristol, and that the foregoing Signatures (attached to the declaration of Sarah Reed) and also the signature attached to the affidavit of Abiathar White purporting to be his are genuine. I also Certify that Abiathar White is a Justice of the Peace now in Commission in and for Said County of Bristol and that the Signatures attached to the affidavits of James Chace, Stephen Luther, Benjamin Kingsley and Ruth Bosworth purporting to be his are his genuine Signatures which affidavits are hereunto annexed
In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and affixed the Seal of Said Court this fifth day of July Eighteen hundred and thirty seven
[signature] J L. Sproat
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I Abiathar White of Dighton County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts Esquire being of lawful age on oath Testify and Say, that I have Serched [searched] or caused to be Serched Every Town Church and Family Record ( or Rather[?] Serched for such Records) where there was the Least Probability of finding a Record to Establish the marriage or the time of the marriage of Thomas Reed and Sarah Luther and after the most diligent Serch have not been able to obtain any Record that will Serve in any degree to Establish Said marriage
[signature] Abiathar White
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol } ss
July 4th 1837
Then personally appeared the above named Abiathar White a Credible Witness and made oath in due form of Law that the above affidavit by him Signed is true
Before me [signature] John M. Williams Judge C.C. Pleas
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I James Chace of Dighton in the County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts yeoman being eighty three years old on oath Testify and Say: That I was acquainted with Thomas Reed late of Newport in the State of Rhode Island, deceased. I am also acquainted with Sarah Reed his widow and have been acquainted with both of them from childhood. I lived a near neighbor to them when they and I lived in Newport. I well remember the time they were married although I did not see them married. That it was five or six years before the Revolutionary War, he the said Reed Enlisted into the war Soon after it Commenced and Continued therein for most of the time untill it closed. He then Enlisted into General St Clairs armey and fought the Indians. he Served in the Late war and at last died on the fort at Newport (I think) in the Spring in the year 1817 his widow ^Sarah Reed^, now lives in Swanzey [Swansea] in the State of Massachusetts and has lived there most of the time since the war, and remains unmarried. I well remember that they had tow [two] living children at the time he first Enlisted and when the English took Newport he moved his family to said Swanzey. I well remember that he was in the War on the Land and on the Sea and Served nearly the whole time it lasted, but not being in the war myself (being an invalid in my young days) I do not know what officers he served under but think he Served under Capt Tew[?] the fore part of the war and Capt. Evans the last part of the war and served mostly in the Rhode Island line
Witness [signature] George Gile [signature] James his x mark Chace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol } ss
June 20th 1837
Then personally appeared the above named James Chace a Credible witness and made oath in due form of Law that the above affidavit by him signed is true
Before me [signature] Abiathar White Justice of the Peace
[Written along the left margin]
I Certify that the words Samuel Reed in this affidavit was [interlined?] before it was signed or Sworn to 
Abiathar White Justice of the Peace
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I Stephen Luther of Swanzey in the County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts yeoman being seventy seven years old on oath Testify and Say that I was acquainted with Thomas Reed Late of Newport in the State of Rhode Island, deceased, that the Said Reed was a Seaman and Served in the American Navey [Navy] in the war of the Revolution and Served on Board the Ship Providence thirteen months or more Said Service Commenced in autumn in the year 1776 Said Ship belonged to a fleet of four Sail Commanded by Commodore Whipple Said Whipple Commanded the Said Ship Providence. I enlisted for thirteen months and Served untill just its close when I was taken sick and was put on shore. I then left the said Reed in Said Service but do not know how much longer he Served. I fully believed that the Said Reed Served in the Revolutionary war on the Land and on the Sea nearly the whole time it lasted. Said Reed Enlisted on Board Said Ship the same time that I did. I think his Service was mostly done in the Rhode Island line. I know that said Thomas Reed was a married man at the time of Said Service. I was acquainted with his wife Sarah Reed at that time and have been acquainted with her ever since that period. They had two or three Children at the time of Said Service. The Said Reed has been dead many years but Sarah Reed his widow is now living in Said Swanzey and remains unmarried
[signature] Stephen Luther
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol} ss
June 19th 1837
Then personally appeared the above named Stephen Luther a Credible witness and made oath in due form of Law that the above affidavit by him signed is true
Before me [signature] Abiathar White Justice of the Peace
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I Benjamin Kingsley of Swanzey [Swansea] in the County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts yeoman being seventy seven years old on Oath Testify and Say that I was acquainted with Thomas Reed Late of Newport in the State of Rhode Island deceased. That the Said Reed was a private Soldier in the American Army in the war of the Revolution and Served two months in a Company Commanded by Capt. Peleg Peck in Col Thomas Carpenters Regiment Said Service was done in and about Rhode Island and Commenced in July 1778 Said Reed marched from Swanzey in the State of Massachusetts (where he lived at that time) I marched with him and Served in the same Company with him and we were discharged together he was in the Battle on the 29th of August 1778 he was then a married man
[signature] Benjamin Kingsley
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol } ss
June 19th 1837
Then the above named Benjamin Kingsley personall[y] appeared (who is a Credible Witness) and made oath in due form of Law that the above affidavit by him Signed is true
Before me [signature] Abiathar White Justice of the Peace
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I Ruth Bosworth of Swanzey in the County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, widow being Eighty-four years old on Oath Testify and Say that I was acquainted with Thomas Reed Late of Newport in the State of Rhode Island deceased. I also am acquainted with Sarah Reed widow of the Said Thomas and have been acquainted with both of them from childhood. That on the the first day of April in the year Seventeen hundred and Sixty-nine I saw the Said Thomas and Sarah Reed (then Sarah Luther[)] married they were married by the Settled minister in Newport who soon after died. They lived together at Newport Several years and when the war Broke out he enlisted as a Soldier. They then had two or three Children. He continued in the war the most of the time it lasted. When the English landed on Rhode Island he moved his family into Swanzey and they (or his wife) has lived there and at Newport but mostly at Swanzey untill this period. I know they were married on the first day of April from the fact that ^that^ day is Called the April fool day, and I well remember that April fool [word blotted out] was plaid [played] on many of the Company at the wedding. I know that it was in the year 1769 from the fact that I was then Sixteen years old which I well remember. I lived a near Neighbor to them when the war began and know for a positive fact that they had two or three Children when he (Reed) first Enlisted into the war. The Said Thomas Reed died about the year 18[17?] but his widow the Said Sarah Reed is still living in Said Swanzey and remains unmarried
[signature] Ruth Bosworth
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Bristol } ss
June 19th 1837
Then personally appeared the above named Ruth Bosworth a Credible Witness and made oath in due form of Law that the above affidavit by her Signed is true
Before me [signature] Abiathar White Justice of the Peace
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[line at top crossed through]
8673
P.O. [blank]
Sarah Reed or Read
Service: [blank]
Enlisted: [blank], 18 [blank] ,
Discharged: [blank] , 18 [blank] ,
Application filed: [blank] , 18 [blank] ,
Alleges: [blank]
Re-enlisted: [blank]
Attorney: [blank]
P.O. [blank]
[blank] Recognized.   [blank] Contract.
[blank] Cert. of Dis. Searched for [blank], 18 [blank]
[Stamped across document] REJECTED
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[Has this one document been mis-filed? Appears to be a different Thomas Reed]]

The National Archives
Division of Veterans' Administration Archives
Form VAN-51
12-5-41
Bounty Land Warrant Record Card*
Name Reed Thomas 
Grade Private
Line New Jersey
Warrant Number 8699
Acreage 100
Issued January 7 or 17, 1792
To William Lane, assignee

*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent date. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.