Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 25324, John Bennett, Mass.
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(3 - 1776 )
SERVICE
Mass
CONTENTS
Bennett, John
Sarah
NUMBER
W. 25324
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Declaration of
John Bennett
State of Vermont
County of Windsor ss.-
District of Windsor ss.
On this thirtieth day of July in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, personally appeared in open Court, before the Judge of the Court of Probate for the District of Windsor in the State of Vermont, now sitting, John Bennett, a resident
of Weathersfield in the County (and District of Windsor aforesaid aged seventy three 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 7th 1832;
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated, viz:
That about the middle of the month of May 1775 but on what day of the month the declarant does not recollect, at Lancaster in
the County of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, one Ebenezer Abbot
of said Lancaster, which town was also the declarants place of residence, was either drafted, or did enlist and the said Bennett is unable to state which, into the Company of Capt. Andrew Haskell in the Regiment commanded by Col. Whitcomb, whose given name as it seems to him was Asa; of the said Company, John Kendrick was the 1st Lieut. he thinks there was another commissioned
officer in the company of the name of Sawyer, but is not quite confident and this the Major of the Regiment was a Briton of the
name of Bucks or Barks-- The Lt. Colonel's name he cannot recollect
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said Ebenezer Abbot was bound to a service of eight months and was in the company then at Cambridge. He was the youngest of our brothers, and was or pretended to be unwell, and some of his family who with a great many in that quarter, were suspected to be inclined to the tory side, applied to the declarants master for him said Bennett to take Abbot's place. His master told him he might go. He went and became a substitute for Abbot, and served to the end of the eight months that Abbot was to serve, but never received any pay for it, it went to his master as he supposes-- Within one or two days after his Master this consented he went to Cambridge in Abbots [illegible], The Company was stationed in the old College, when he joined and he rejoined there, exercising on the plain as much as three weeks, when having tents furnished they went on to Prospect Hill, and there built a fort-Gen. Israel Putnam superintended the work-- He rode a bay horse, as the declarant remembers. He remained at that fort (without changing quarters so far as he recollects) until the last of November or into December the exact time it is impossible for him to state, when he
was discharged, having completed the eight months of said Abbot of which Abbot served about three weeks and he served the rest of the time as he has no recollections of Abbot's coming back. On the day of the battle of Bunker Hill, he with 3 others of his company, was on quarter guard, at the small fort just below the College, at the left hand in going from the college to Cambridgeport, the rest of his company was in the battle on the Hill
The said John Bennett further declares that about the middle of February 1776, at Lancaster aforesd [aforesaid] there came a call for men, for the purpose of guarding Dorchester Heights as he understood, and instead of running the draft he volunteered for two months and entered the
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Company commanded by Capt. Nathaniel White Lt. Burk Ensign's name is out of his recollection-- The Company was made up
from the town of Lancaster-- Boston, and Harvard. The company chose their officers at Bolton, and Marched to Dorchester Heights, and quartered at old Mr Howe's about ¾ of a mile right south of Dorchester meeting
house-- A few days before the British left Boston his company with others went about 11 o clock at night and built a redoubt near the
edge of the water oposite [opposite] the Castle and didn't leave the ground next day until 10 or 11 o'clock A.M.-- When day light appeared, the Castle opened a fire upon the Americans but did no other harm than to throw the dirt about and break off the breeches of some of the muskets that lay up the hill-- After this an attack was expected, and the troops prepared, and held in readiness on the top of the height, hogs heads, and barrels, of said to roll down on the British if they should land to attack-- no attack was made, and about the middle of March the enemy evacuated Boston; he remained at Dorchester until some
day in April (about the middle as nearly as he recollects) where he was discharged, having served out his two months; Burk -
He further declares that about the middle of September (as nearly as he can now state) of the same year (1776) at Lancaster
he volunteered for a service of two months, and entered the company of Capt. Daniel Goss & Lieut. Hastings, in the Regiment command
by Col. Converse-- Lt Col. Ephraim Sawyer, Major Rann marched
to Hartford (Conn) through Newhaven to Horse Neck - thence to Danbury, to guard a large parcel of stores there collected-- thence
to Tarrytown on North River a little above Dobbs Ferry-- thence to Dobbs Ferry
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there built a redoubt. Major Rann commanded the party in the redoubt. Three British men of war with nine tenders lay in the river against them-- and they fired from the ships and we returned it, until they moved up to Tarrytown and lay down their ships to cut and then
went down the river - he remained at Dobb's Ferry until he was discharged some time in November and went home and remained at home about two weeks
He there volunteered again for three months and entered the company of Capt Fortunatus Eager, Lt. Samuel Joslyn, in the Regt of Col.
Josiah Carter Lt. Col. Whitney, and marched to North River-- crossed at Kings ferry and from thence to Morristown New jersey and thence to Bound Brook so called a stream of considerable size where the troops stopped the British army lay at Brunswick about 5 miles east or south east of them over the brook. He lay at Bound Brook until he was there discharged in the last part of February 1777 having served out his 3 months, he was never mustered nor received any written discharge
very nearly the first day of September 1777, at Lancaster aforesd [aforesaid] he again volunteered for three months and entered the Company of Capt William Greenleaf- L. Edward Newton, in the Regt of Col. Converse
Brig. Gen. Warner- Col. Converse was old and never was out- Marched to Bennington Vt a few days after the battle and the meeting house there was full of British prisoners
guarded; thence to Stillwater New York, and joined the army a few days before the 2d battle. He thinks the first battle took place about the time his company reached North
River. On the day of the battle with Burgoyne, his regiment with others was in reserve and was marched up as a reinforcement and just as he reached the top of the hill the British retreated and
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his Regiment took no part in the action.
After Burgoyne's surrender, the Brigade marched to Albany -- remained there about a week-- thence marched down the River about 60 miles when he was taken sick of the camp distemper and the Captain gave him a  furlough of thirty days which carried him to within one day of his time being out he was verry sick and did not reach home until six weeks after his time expired, and continued out of health for as much as a year He has no documentary evidence, and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service except as hereto annexed.-
He resides in Weathersfield aforesaid and has
resided there since May 1780. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll
of any agency in any State-
John Bennett
To the interrogatories propounded to him by the Court, the Declarant answer, that he was
born at Lancaster in the State of Massachusetts, on the 15th day of May 1759, has no record of his age; give the names of Revd James Converse and Jacob Haskell, or persons in his neighbourhood, [neighborhood] who can testify to his character for veracity, and their belief of his services; and of to the other matters to which
he is interrogated, he has related the same
according to the [illegible crossed out], in his declaration
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above-
John Bennett
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year
aforesaid
Jabez Proctor Judge
We James Converse, a Clergyman, residing in the town of Weathersfield in the County of Windsor and State of Vermont, and Jacob Haskell, residing in the said town of Weathersfield, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with John Bennett; who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration
that we believe him to be seventy three
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. 
James Convey
Jacob Haskel
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Jabez Proctor Juge [Judge]
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,
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and served, as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them, that James Converse, who has signed the preceeding certificate, is a Clergyman, resident
in the town of Weathersfield aforesaid, and that Jacob Haskell, who has also signed the same, is a resident in the said town of Weathersfield, and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Jabez Proctor Judge
I Reuben Washburn, Register of the Probate Court within and for the District of Windsor in the State of Vermont, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter
of the application of John Bennett for a Pension. 
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand, and affixed the
seal of said Court, this thirtieth day
of July in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
Reuben Washburn.
[illegible paper seal and ribbons attached]
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I, James Devoll, of Weathersfield in the County of Windsor and State of Vermont, aged Seventy-one years, depose and say- that I was born at Lancaster in the County of Worcester in the State of Massachusetts and there lived until I removed to Weathersfield aforesaid (in March 1787) where I have ever since resided. I have been acquainted with John Bennett of
said Weathersfield, who is now before me, engaged in preparing his claim for a pension, ever since one boyhood. While we lived in Lancaster aforesaid and as near neighbor, immediately after the Concord fight in April 1775 there was a force raised for eight months, I well recollect that said John Bennett went and took the place of Ebenezer Abbott in the
army, but I am unable to state how much of Abbotts time said Bennett served, though my recollection is quite strong to the fact that he
said Bennett continued out to the end of the time; 
I further depose and say- that sometime in December 1776, what day I cannot positively say, said John Bennett went into the army with Lieut. Samuel Joslyn, for three months. I remember this perfectly well because said
John hired me to take his place at his masters (who was said Joslyn) while he, John, should be gone, for which he paid me five dollars per month I staid at said Joslin's until John came home, and he was gone three months. The exact day he left or that on which he returned, I cannot recollect-
I further depose and say that I have a very slight recollection of said John Bennett's having been out in service in the army, at other
times, but cannot state anything more than I have above, with confidence-
James his x mark Devell
Witness Carlos Coolidge
The deponent being disabled by
a slight palsy
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I, Oliver Cook, aged 74 years of Weathersfield im the county of Windsor and State of Vermont,——-, depose and say- that i have been acquainted with James Divoill, whose affidavit is within given, for forty years hail?- and that he is a respect-able and credible person-

                             Oliver Cook
State of Vermont
County of Windsor fs. Windsor July 24th 1832