Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B. L. Wt. 1295-200, Silas Benham, Conn.
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE
Conn.

Benham, Silas

NUMBER
B.L.Wt. 1295-200

CONTENTS
Page 2

(Handwritten) No. 1295.
Jarid Benham bro -
- ther (brother) & other heirs of
Silas Benham
Linch 
Connt.
(Illegible) Hon R. S. Ingersoll
Connt.
Page 3

DEPARTMENT OF WAR.

[Italicized] Regulations for the heirs of Officers and Soldiers of the Revolutionary Army, who were slain by the enemy, or who have died since the war, and have not received land from the United States. [End italics]

By an Act of Congress, of the 16th September, 1776, it is provided, that the Officers and Soldiers who engaged
for, and continued to serve during the war, or until discharged by Congress, and the heirs of such Officers and Soldiers
as shall be slain by the enemy, shall receive land in proportion to their rank.
N. B. Those who engaged for three years, or for any other period than during the war, or who died of sickness, fatigue, or casualty, are not entitled to land from the United States.
The following declaration (and enclosed blank form of heirship) must be filled up and signed by the proper authorities:

State of [handwritten] Connecticut [end handwritten]
County of [handwritten] New Haven April 12th A.D. 1828 } [end handwritten]

I [handwritten] Jared Benham [end handwritten] heir at law of [handwritten] Leiut Silas Benham [end handwritten] do, upon oath, testify and declare, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that [handwritten] the said Silas Benham [end handwritten] did [crossed out] enlist in 17      , for the term of during the war, and [end crossed out] 
[handwritten above the crossed out portion:] enter the army of the United States [end handwritten] served in the regiment No. [handwritten] unknown [end handwritten] under the command of Colonel [handwritten] Isaac Sherman [end handwritten] of the [handwritten] Connecticut [end handwritten] line; and that he continued in the service aforesaid until [handwritten] slain at White Marsh near Philadelphia Dec. 1777 [end handwritten] 
I further declare, that I have never received a warrant for the bounty land promised to [handwritten] the said Leiut Benham [end handwritten] on the part of the United States; nor do I believe that he ever received it, or transferred his claim to it in any manner whatsoever: [crossed out] therefore, [end crossed out] [handwritten] or that either of the heirs of Jared Benham [illegible] any ever rec? it [end handwritten]
Know all men by these presents, that I, [handwritten] Jared Benham [end handwritten] aforesaid, do hereby constitue and appoint [handwritten] Hon. R. J. Ingersoll Esqr. [end handwritten] to be my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name to demand and receive from the Secretary of War. of the United States, a [italics] warrant [end italics] for the quantity of Land due to me as aforesaid; and my said attorney is hereby fully authorized and empowered to constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or attorneys under him, for the special purposes above expressed. 
Attest, [handwritten] Jared Benham [end handwritten]
Personally appeared the above names [handwritten] Jared Benham [end handwritten] subscriber to the foregoing declaration, and in my presence acknowledged the power of attorney thereto subjoined to be [handwritten] his [end handwritten] free act and deed, for the purposes therein mentioned [handwritten] + also made solemn oath the to truth of declaration. [end handwritten]
Attest. [handwritten] Wm Mix [end handwritten] Justice of the Peace.
In testimony that the abovewritten [handwritten] William Mix Esq [end handwritten] was a magistrate authorized to administer oaths, and take acknowledgements, &c., in the State of [handwritten] Connecticut [end handwritten] at the above date, and that his name there subscribed appears to me to be his usual signature, I have hereunto affixed the county seal, and subscribed my name and quality, at [handwritten] New Haven [end handwritten] this [handwritten] 12th [end handwritten] day of [handwritten] April 1828
Attest In Beach Clerk of the County Court in New Haven County & Keeper of the Records [illegible] thereof  & of the Commission of Justice of the Law in & for said County
Page 4

STATE of [handwritten] Connecticut
New Haven [end handwritten]County. ⎬
[handwritten] Probate [end handwritten]Office [handwritten] 12th April 1828 [end handwritten]

I certify, that satisfactory evidence was adduced to me, to prove that [handwritten] ???Jan Benham [end handwritten]is the [handwritten] brother [end handwritten] and [handwritten] one of the [end handwritten] heir[s] at law in fee to [handwritten] Silas Benham [end handwritten] late a [crossed out] soldier in the [end crossed out] [handwritten] Lieutenant in Col. Isaac Sherman [end handwritten] Regiment of [handwritten] the Connecticut line. [end handwritten]
[a line of illegible handwritten text is crossed out.]

Given under my hand and Seal of Office, this [handwritten] twelfth [end handwritten]
day of [handwritten] April -- 1828 
Wm W. Boardman
Judge of Probate [end handwritten]

The above form will answer for the following States: viz.
Maine,
Massachusetts,
New-Hampshire,
Rhode-Island,
Connecticut,
Vermont,
Judge of Probate.

New-York,
New-Jersey,
Surrogate.

South-Carolina,
Georgia,
Ordinary.
Page 5

[handwritten]
Banks and Hurst
Ansd. Decemb [December] 24. “56.
[underline starts] Silas Benham [underline ends] died Lieut.
Conn Line
 No. [underline starts] 1295 [underline ends]
Rec
Mr. Niles
Will please [illegible]
[illegible] the [illegible] [illegible]
Has from [illegible…satisfied] [illegible] [illegible] 
Pen of [illegible]
Pension Office
Dec 17 / 56
Roone 1093

(ink stamp) Dec 18 1856
(handwritten) Recd. Decd. 17. 1856.
Page 6

[Letterhead}
BANKS & HURST,
Attorneys and Counsellors at Law,
No. 3 JOHN STREET, CORNER OF BROADWAY.
HENRY C. BANKS.
NEW YORK (IITY.
LEWIS HURST.
NOTARIES PUBLIC AND COMMISSIONERS OF DEEDS.
For New York City and the several States and Territories, authorized to take depositions,
Acknowledgments of Deeds, Letters of Attorney, Verification of Accounts, &
to be used therein, viz.:
New Hampshire,
Vermont,
Massachusetts,
Rhode Island,
Connecticut.
Pennsylvania,
Delaware,
Maryland,
Virginia,
North Carolina,
South Carolina,
Georgia,
Alabama
Mississippi,
Louisiana,
Texas.
Nebraska,
Tennessee,
lowa.
Minnesota,
California,
Michigan,
Utah
Illinois,
New Mexico,
Arkansas,
Washington.
[Letterhead ends}
New York, Dec 12th 1856

Dear sir
On the 13th of April 1846 a letter was
sent by Silas Mix esq of New Haven city for the
Heirs of Silas Benham died stating that
upon the surrender of a United States 
Bounty Land Warrant no 1295 for 200 acres
Bounty Land Warrant No 1898 issued to
the heirs at Law of said Benham, and
also upon the necessary proof of ownership
that scrip would be duly issued to
in favor of the Heirs

Since which time said Mix has
become [illegible] and is now in one of the
Asylum at Hartford Conn his [illegible] 
[illegible] great confusion and after the more
thorough and repeated searching no
trace of said warrant can be found

we desire to secure for the parties
interested such interest as may be
theirs will you greatly oblige us by
such information as may enable us to
proceed a duplicate of said Warrant
Yours
Banks & Hurst
-
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[handwritten]
[illegible…warrant?] No 1295 for 200 acres [illegible…ifd] April 17. 1878 to Jared Benham, brother [illegible] heirs at law of Silas Benham died Lieut. Connt Line - sent to Hon. R. S. Ingersoll
[scroll]
Banks and Hurst, was informed by pen office Dec 16 [illegible]that  the warrant [illegible] had not [illegible] justified - The warrant was filled in this Office and [illegible] H. Clark, Meriden, Connecticut, August 6./40 -
Page 8


Chas H Clark to whom the Warrant was returned by the Genl Land on, on this
6th April 1856 claiming how when and then what manner he disposed of said warrant
also the Certificate are Court of the [illegible] court showing who is now the surviving heirs at law of
Lt Silas Benham dec?

Banks and Hurst
Attorneys
New York City

Treasury Department
Auditors Office
April 9, 1956

Sir

Herewith You will please receive
the papers in the Bounty Land claim (No 27937 )
heirs of William Scott Decd Said paper
[illegible]of your office on the 3d of Mar 1855
1
Very Respectfully
[illegible]
Hon J Minot
Com of Pensions