Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 48869, for James Reed, New Hampshire
Page 1

Service || Number
NH | Reed, James |  S.48869

B.L. Wt. 1789 850 Brig Gen
Issued Apr 1, 1790
also recorded as above under
B.L.Wt. 2540 + marked Patented [?] in 1800 to Wm. Steel
No Papers
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No 48869   Inv file [printed sideways on top right]

(3-280.)
INVALID (Series... over)
Cert. No.  none
Name, James Reed, of NH
Rank, Genl; Service, Regular

...................Original Roll:  Massachusetts
...................This jacket was made out by
Agency. {Transf'd  Mr. J McCrystal [spelling?]
...................where he wrote to S.A. Reed on
...................Apr 15, 1889
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1912.  Nov 19.  Hist to J.  William Barber
1923 March 15  Date of birth etc. is {?} Henry D. {?} Warren.  See {?} and carbon copy of reply with S.45745 of Amos Emerson.  {?}
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[this is the back side of the page where the ink has bled through, but is unreadable.]

CIRCLE STAMP [at lower left-side of page]

[first word undecipherable]
D
NOV
U 25 S 1912
[word undecipherable]



Fold3 File #13499639Image provided by Fold3.
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Nov. 14-1912

Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:
Can you give me any information concerning the following persons who I am sure rendered material aid to the cause of American Independence during the Revolutionary War.
General James Reed,
Born in Woburn, Mass. about 1723
Died in Fitchburg, Mass. Feb. 13th 1807
Married Abigail Hinds
Was a son of Joseph Reed and Sarah (Rice) Reed
Commanded a company in Col. Ruggles regiment in 1756 also in Col Blanchard's regiment under Sir William Johnson in the French & Indian Wars.
Led a company of minute men from Fitzwilliam to Lexington.
Col. of the 3rd N.H. regiment at the battle of Bunker Hill.
Took part in the seige of Boston.
Send in Heath's Brigade in New York
Commanded the 2nd N.H. Brigade when they went to the relief of the American Forces in Canada.
Was commissioned Brigadier General by Congress Aug. 9-1776 
I am particularly anxious to get the date of his birth, also to know if his father Joseph Reed took any part also when he married Abigail Hinds and her birth.



Fold3 File #13499640Names found on this page include: Joseph Reed; Sarah Rice; William Johnson; Sarah Reed; Abigail Hinds; James Reed; Joseph Reed; Abigail Hinds. Image provided by Fold3.
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#2
Captain Phineas Hutchins
Born about 1739
Died Feb. 18-1785 in Walpole N.H.
Married Abigail Reed.
Was a son of Joshua Hutchins
Served as Ensign of the 2nd Lunenburg Company and as Lieutenant in 1776
Also in the company commanded by Captain John Mellin.
Am anxious to find out where and when he was born, also when Abigail Reed died.

Theodore Bellows.
Born Aug 13-1760 in Walpole, N.H.
Married Sarah Hutchins
Was Sergeant in Capt. Peter Page's Company of Militia in Col. Moses Nichols's regiment

Col. Benjamin Bellows
Born May 26-1712 in Lancaster, Mass.
Died about July 10-1777 in Walpole, N.H.
Married Mary Hubbard
Was Lieutenant-Colonel of the 6th regiment of which Josiah Willard was Colonel.
He (Col. Bellows) was Founder of Walpole, N.H.

I hope I am not asking too much, but I would greatly appreciate any and all information you can give me as I desire to join the "Sons of the American Revolution", the above parties being my grandfathers.
Respectfully
J William Barber
#21 Eliott St
Norwood, Mass.


Fold3 File #13499642Names found on this page include: Joshua Hutchins; Abigail Reed; Josiah Willard; Sarah Hutchins; Abigail Reed; Benjamin Bellows; [BLANK] Bellows; Phineas Hutchins; J William Barber; Theodore Bellows; Mary Hubbard; John Mellin. Image provided by Fold3
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In the report from the Secretary of War relative to the Pension Establishment of the U.S. which was printed in 1835
, on the list of invalid pensioners who have been inscribed on the roll of the Mass. Agency, whose residence, et. cannot be ascertained in consequence of the destruction of the papers of the War Office in 1800 and 1874.  Appears as follows - James Reed, Brigadier General Rev Army annual allowance $750.  Pension commenced Mar. 4, 1789 under Act June 7, 1785, died Feb. 13, 1807

NOV 19 1912 [stamped]
Information relative to pension of Brig. Gen James Reed may be found in N.H. State Papers Vol. 16. pages 332 which states that his pension commenced Jan. 1, 1781, and that his residence was Keene



Fold3 File #13499645Names found on this page include: James Reed; James Reed. Image provided by Fold 3
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November 19, 1912.

Mr. J. William Barber, 
#21 Eliott Street, 
Norwood, Mass.

Sir:
In response to your letter dated the 14th and received [correction tape was used to hid words] James Reed, Brigadier General, Revolutionary Army, was allowed pension at the rate of $750 per year, under Act of June 7, 1785, commencing March 4, 1789; he died February 13, 1807.
His name appears in the report from the Secretary of War relative to the Pension Establishment of the United States, which was printed in 1835, on the List of invalid pensioners who have been inscribed on the roll of the Massachusetts Agency, whose residence etc. cannot be ascertained in consequence of the destruction of the papers of the War Office in 1800 and 1814.
You are further advised that a careful search of the [smugged word] [Revolut]ionary War records of the Bureau fails to afford any information in regard to Phineas Hutchins, Theodore Bellows, or Benjamin Bellows described by you.
Very respectfully,
J. L. Davenfort,
Commissioner.





Fold3 File #13499646Names found on this page include: Benjamin Bellows; James Reed; Phineas Hutchins; Theodore Bellows; J William Barber; J L Davenport. Image provided by Fold3.
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Old war Div.
D.N.L. Ex'r.
No.
Co. .....Reg't.....
Department of the Interior.
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Return this letter with your reply.
Washington, D. C. April 15, 1889

Sir,
In answer to you communication of the 8th ult relative to the commission of Brig. General James Reed, A Revolutionary officer from N.H., I have to stat that having deceased about 1807 he was only entitled to a pension for disability which was allowed, as his name has been found on the old Massachussett invalid roll, but no application from his widow appears on record, which may indicate that she did not survive the passage of an act under which she would have been entitled.
Invalid pensions were granted by each state from the close of that war to March 1789, through the action of a commissioner appointed  for that purpose by the state he served or the state where he was residing, and after that date, the United States having assumed the payment of those pensions the adjudication of these claims was made through the judge of the U. S. District Court of the ste where he was residing, and the proceedings not always would be of record.
Even if his commission was exhibited to the designated commissioner or to the U.S. Judge, it is hardly probable that the commissioner left on file or forwarded to the U.S. War Department, when his name
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[continuation of Fold3 File #13499653, item 2 in this collection]
was transferred to it in 1789, but if it was, it is certain that  all his pension papers, including his commission, were consumed by the fire which occurred in the War Department, Nov 1800, or when public buildings were destroyed by the enemy in August 1814-
So far as the few similar cases that escaped destruction have been examined there is no recollection of a Commission being found in them.  In fact prior to 1818 the pension papers of officers embraced merly [merely]  the Certificate of the designated Commissioner or U.S. Judge that the pension named therein was entitled to invalid pension-

Very respectfully
                                           Commissioner
Mr Sylvanius Albert Reed
6 East 54th Street
New York City
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[envelope of a letter from Sylvanus Reed]

[stamped]
US Pension Office, Mar 9, 1889

[additonal stamp, postal cancellation]
Mar 9, 1889
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[page 1 of a letter from Sylvanus Reed]

6 E 54th St, New York
March 8th 1889

The Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, DC

Dear Sir-
I take the liberty of asking, that you will do me the favor of giving me the Commission of Brevet Brig. Gen. James Reed of the Continental Army which Commission I understand is now in the archives of the Pension Office-  Gen James Reed was my great great grandfather, + I am his representative in the direct eldest lineal male line- + as such I am a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, representing Gen Reed, who was an original member of that society.  Gen Reed was in command of a regiment of New Hampshire troops at the battle of Bunker Hill, + served for a year or more later when he

[this item continues on Fold3 File #13499650, item 4 in this collection]
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[page 2 of a letter from Sylvanus Reed]
was disabled.  He was afterwards retired with the rank Colonel, on a Pension - which he drew at Boston for many years, regularly, until his death.  I am given to understand by Major Asa Bird Gardener late of the U.S. Army, that the General's original commission is probably on file in the Pension office, + that this request is a proper one + that similar ones by descendants of Revolutionary officers, have been kindly granted by your department.  
To refer to Major Gardener for the validity of my claims to represent Gen James Reed, + that there is no other rival representative.  rusting that my request may be found consistent with prosperity I am
Very respectfully yours
Sylvanus Albert Reed