Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W 17487, for Asher Prentice, Massachusetts
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(3-1776)
SERVICE                              NUMBER
Mass.       Prentice, Asher    W17487
                or Prentiss
                         Sarah
-----------------------------
CONTENTS
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2.158
Vermont. [Possibly cursive B].

Sarah Prentice - decd
widow of Asher Prentice
who died on the [blank]
of [blank] in the State of [blank]
who was a private in the [blank] commanded
by Captain [blank] of the [blank] commanded
by [blank] in the Revolution
line for Mass
Increased from 28.30 -
Inscribed on the Roll of Burlington
at the rate of 31 Dollars 55 Cents
per annum, to commence on the 4th day of
March, 1831 and end October 24th 1847 -
Certificate of Pension issued the 3d day of
August 1855 and sent to H.E. Robinson
Arrears to the 4th of
Semi-annual allowance ending Present.

{Revolutionary Claim,
Act July 4, 1836,
Section the}

Recorded by G.T. Getty, Clerk,
Book D Vol. 2 Page 343.
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Asher Prentiss Borne at Uxbridge
October the 25, 1755
Sarah Prentiss Borne Sept the 28, 1757
Married October the 18, 1779
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State of Vermont,
County of Bennington, Ss. On this 7th day of March A.D. 1838, personally appeared in open court before the Hon. the Probate Court for the District of Bennington now sitting, Sarah Prentice, a resident of Bennington, in the County of Bennington and State of Vermont, aged 80 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 my the act of Congress, passed July 4, 1836. That she was married to Asher Prentice on the 18th day of October, A.D 1779, at Uxbridge, Massachusetts. That her said husband died at Bennington, on the 8th day of March A.D. 1813, that she has not inter-married, but continues the widow of the said Asher Prentice
That the said Asher Prentice, at Uxbridge, aforesaid, on the 18th or 19th of April, 1775, volunteered as a Private in the company commanded by Capt. Seagraves, and marched to Lexington, but did
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not arrive there until after the battle; remained in service for about two weeks and returned home to his father's.
That in the month of May A.D. 1775, as she thinks the said Asher Prentice enlisted for six months, under Capt. Seagrave, at Uxbridge, marched to Roxbury, served his time out, and returned home in November following.
That in April 1776, at Boston, the said Asher Prentice enlisted for nine months she thinks and went to Ticonderoga, and in that region, and served his time out, and returned to Uxbridge the first Monday of March 1777; she cannot remember the names of any of the officers.
That in the summer of the year 1777, the said Asher Prentice enlisted for three months under Capt Job Knapp, and she believes that he served his time out; she has frequently heard him tell of being at Bennington and Stillwater that year.
That in the month of May 1778, the said Asher Prentice enlisted for eight months under Capt Bachellor, during which time he went to White Plains & Frederricksburgh [Fredericksburg],
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served his time out and returned home.
That in the early part of the year 1779, the said Asher Prentice enlisted for six months, served his time out and returned early in September. I know this fact from the circumstance of our intentions of marriage being published immediately after his return, and married soon after.
That in the early part of the year 1780, her husband the said Asher Prentice went out as a volunteer in an alarm, and went to a place called Butts Hill, in Rhode Island, served as she thinks six weeks.
That in the month of July 1780, her husband the said Asher Prentice, enlisted for three months, and went to West Point, and served his time out. She further declares that her husband always received a written discharge at the expiration of his enlistments, as she believes and knows that he kept a book about the size of a Spelling Book, in which he entered every term of service; that she gave them to her children to play with, thinking that they were of no value; and she has frequently heard her husband say that he served his country as a soldier for more
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than three years, but that she cannot establish the fact by any other documentary evidence than the affidavits of Baxter Hall, Leonard Taft and Frederick Taft.
She further declares that she had a record of her marriage and the births of her children in an old account book of her husband's, and in his hand writing, and knows of no other record of the marriage in existence.

Witness
William Haswell [signature]
Asher Prentiss

her
Sarah x Prentice
mark

Sworn, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid before. William Haswell [signature], Register.

I, William Haswell, Register of the Court of Probate for the District of Bennington, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Sarah Prentice for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 7th day of March A D. 1838.
William Haswell [signature]
[To the left of this statement is the seal, although it is difficult to make out more than a circle within a circle]
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State of Vermont
County of Bennington

I Tarrant Sibley Register of the Probate Court in for said County State do hereby certify that satisfactory Evidence has been Exhibited to said Court, that Sarah Prentice, who was a pensioner of the United States, at the rate of $28.30 per annum under the act of Congress passed July 4th, 1836, resided in said County State, and died in said County State on the 24th day of October , 1847, leaving three children, named Asher Prentice, Polly Butler, and Lucy House, and that said Polly Butler has since deceased, leaving now alive of the said children only Two, named Asher Prentice and Lucy House above named, and that the said Asher & Lucy are now the only surviving children of said Sarah Prentice.



[90 degrees clockwise on the left] Filed by H. E. Robinson Present
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Five Hundred dollars, prior to his said appointment as administrator of the said 
Sarah Prentice,
In witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand and attach the seal of said Probate Court this
25th day of June 1855.

Tarrant Sibby Register of Probate
State of Vermont
Bennington County} ss

On this 25th day of June 1855 before the subscriber duly authorized by law to administer oaths, personally appeared 
Asher Prentice,
aged 58 years, a resident of Bennington in said County & State, who, being duly sworn according to law, made the following Declaration.

That he has been appointed Administrator 
[]
of Sarah Prentiss, or Prentice, deceased who was his Mother, and the widow of Asher Prentice, who was his Father and who was a Soldier in the War of the Revolution. That the said Sarah Prentice was a pensioner of the United States at the rate of $28.30 per annum under the 

(over)
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Act of Congress passed July 4th 1836. That said pension was obtained for the said widow, by William Haswell of Bennington some years before her death. That at the time said pension was obtained or granted, the said widow was unable to prove much of the service which was rendered by her husband in the Revolution, as she did not know where to apply for such proof, and her pension was consequently granted, for only such small part of the said service as she was able to substantiate by witnesses. That he, this deponent, has lately been informed that he might be able, perhaps, to find on the Records in the Secretarys office in Mass. some farther service rendered of his said Father, and that he thereupon made application to the said Secretary, and received from him a Certificate of service, showing some months and days, which were not, as he believes. included in the service which was proven at the time the said pension was originally granted, - And that he does therefore now apply, as Administrator of the said Sarah Prentice, for such amount of increased pension, as may be found due to the children of the said Sarah in consequence of the said additional service, shown in 

(over)
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Sarah Prentice
Asher-Vt- [?] 1836
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Washington City 
June 28, 1855
Sir, 
Enclosed I file herewith the additional evidence required by you in your letter of the 11th inst, in the case of Sarah, widow of Asher Prentice under the act of July 4th 1836 and request that the certificate may be sent to me.
Very respectfully H. E. Robinson
Hon L. P. Waldo
Commissioner of Pensions
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Pension Office
June 11th 1855
Sir:
The proof in support of the application of the children of Sarah Prentice, widow of Asher of Vermont. for increase of her pension under the Act of July 4th 1836, has been examined. For the purpose of connecting the claimants' father with the service certified, it will be highly important to obtain a certificate from the Town Clerk of Uxbridge, Massachusetts, sowing whatever evidence there may be on the records of that town service of Asher Prentice, in the Revolutionary War; the date of Asher's birth; his  age at the time he was in service, and [underlined] and whether there was more than one person of the name who served, or
was capable of rendering military service. As there are two surviving children, it is necessary that an administrator should be appointed. It is also requisite that the usual proof of the date of the widow's death, and the names and number of her only surviving children shall be made
I am respectfully, Your Obt. Svt.
Henty E Robinson Esqr.
Present (see Over)
[illegible]
Commissioner
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Sarah Prentice deceased
[illegible]
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Brief in the case of Sarah Prentice, deceased - widow of Asher Bennington County and State of Vermont act July 4, 1836
Claim, " [crossed out]
"for increase.")
Proof exhibited, (if original)
Is it documentary, traditionary, or supported by rolls? If either, state the substance.
Sarah Prentice was pensioned under the act of 1836 at $28 30_100 per annum - for  8 mos + 14 days service of her deceased husband Asher Prentice - and paid to her death (Oct 24 1847)
The evidence of Service originally was [illegible]
(Of for increase.)Has additional evidence been filed since the admission of the claim? If so, what?
Certificates from the rolls and Legislative records of Mass. show that Asher Prentice served 9 months - at least
Death of widow - administration and surviving children certified by Probate Court
S. G. Dodge
Examining Clerk.
Name and residence of Agent 
H. E. Robinson
Present
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added evidence
Sarah Prentice widow of Asher Prentice Vermont [illegible] 4 July 183[?] Adm $28.30
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Addl. Evidence
Sarah Prentice 
widow of
Asher Prentice
Admitted Act 4
July 1836
Vermont
July 16/33
Filed by
H E Robinson
Present