Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 20,338, for Eliphalet King, Connecticut
Page 1

(3--1776)

SERVICE
Continental (Conn.)

King, Eliphalet
Silence

NUMBER
W. 20,338
----------------------------------
CONTENTS
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Typed document completed in handwriting

S4.780
Massachusetts
Eliphalet King
of W. Springfield in the State of Massachusetts who was a Lieutenant in the regiment commanded by Colonel Wyllis of the Con line, for the term of two years

Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 20 Dollars per month, to commence
1st of March 1819

Certificate of Pension issued the 6th of Sept 1819 and sent to John Hooker Esq
Springfield Mass

Arrears to 4th of Sep 1819              $122.66
Semi-anl, all'ce ending 4 Mar 1820  120
6 moth 4/30                                       $242,66
-
{Revolutionary claim, 
Act 18th March, 1818.}
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Typed document completed in handwriting

Massachusetts 137

Silence King widow of Eliphalet King dec’d
Con
who was a pensioner under the Act of 1818
and who died on the 29th August 1821 of Hampden in the State of Ma. who was a Lieutenant in the Company commanded by Captain --- of the Reg commanded by Col Wyllis in the Con line for 1 year

Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 160 Dollars 00 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1836.

Certificate of Pension issued the 3d day of Sept. 1838 and sent Henry Morris Springfield Ma

Arrears to the 4th of March '38                $320
Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sept.     80.00
Died                                 ---
Oct 16, 1839                                             $400.00


{Act July 7, 1838.}

Recorded by D. D.Addison Clerk,
Book A. Vol. 1st   Page 101
Page 4

I, John Hooker within named do hereby return this application with the additional evidence of Service, arising from the depositions of David Gibbs & Gideon Sikes

The Debt of Gibbs & the
Commissions of the applicant accompany this but not annexed
John Hooker 
Aug’t 7, 1819-

Eliph’t King - Lieutenant
Wylly's Cont’I Regt
76 - 13 months
dec 1 Mar 1819
Page 5

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss

On this first day of March AD 1879 personally appeared before me John Hooker Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the Western Circuit in said Commonwealth Eliphalet King within named & in my presence subscribed and made oath to the within written Declaration & it appearing to my satisfaction that the said King served for more than nine months in the war of the Revolution at one period of the same on the Continental establishment against the Common Enemy. I hereby certify the testimony in the case & the proceedings therein to the Secretary of the Department of War

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court on this first day of March AD 1818

and I do further certify that it appears to my satisfaction that said applicant is in reduced circumstances in life & stands in need of assistance from his country for support
John Hooker
Page 6

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Hampden ss. 

Eliphalet King of West Springfield in said County upon Oath makes the following Declaration. That in December 1775 he was commissioned as second Lieutenant in Capt Hanchets Company  & Col Willy’s regiment in the Army f the U States in the Revolutionary War in which capacity He faithfully served until August 10th 1776 when he was again commissioned as first Lieutenant in the same Regiment in which He faithfully served thirteen months until the Regiment was disbanded at Peakeskills in the State of Newyork on the first day of Jany 1777 the former commission is now lost, the latter is herewith inclosed & transmitted, no written discharge was given to the Officers of said Regiment - & your Declarant further states that he is now in the seventy eighth year of age is very infirm & decrepid & now [strikethrough] was [strikethrough] is & has been for ten years part unable to labor, in consequence of which & [strikethrough] my [ strikethrough] his reduced circumstances in life he stands in need of assistance from [strikethrough] my [ strikethrough] his Country for support. - 

and he also herewith exhibits Col Wyllys letter to your ward date Jany 3 1775 - & also a furlough from said officer dated April 4, 1775

and he further discloses that said Company was the third Company in said Regiment - & was commissioned first by Capt Hanchet - afterwards by Capt Hyde & afterwards by Capt Huntington - 
Eliphalet King
Page 7

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss

I John Ingersoll clerk of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas in the Western Circuit in the County of Hampden do so Certify that John Hooker is Chief Justice of and Court & that the foregoing signature is his proper hand writing - 

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Courth this sixth day of March AD. 1819
John Ingersoll

I Gideon Sikes of Suffield in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut of Lawful age, do testify and say that Eliphalet King of West Springfield in the County of Hamden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts served more than ten months as Lieutenant in the army of the Revolution, against the common enemy in the continental establishment from the first day of January 1776 to the first day of January 1777. That I myself served in the same company with the said King as a private soldier. That said company was the third company commanded first by Capt Hyde & afterwards by Capt Huntington in the twenty second Regiment commanded by Col. Willys and was disbanded as said first day of January 1777. Witness my hand at West Springfield this 31st day of July AD 1819
Gideon Sikes

Hampden ss West Springfield 31st July 1819

Then the above named Gideon Sikes, a credible witness personally appeared and made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed before me
Amos Worthington} Justice of the Peace
Page 8

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss.

I John Ingersoll Clerk of all the Judicial Courts within & for the County of Hampden do Certify that Amos Worthington Esq is and was at the time of witnessing the within affidavit a Justice of the Peace within & for said County of Hampden duly commission & qualified as a Justice agreeable to the Laws of the Commonwealth & that full faith & Credit is and ought to be given all acts done by in said Capacity and that the written signature is his proper hand writing

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand & affixed this seal of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas this sixth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred & nineteen
John Ingersoll Clerk
Page 9

State of Massachusetts
Hampden County}

On this ninth day of August A.D. 1838 personally appeared before the subscriber Oliver B. Morris Esq judge of the Court of Probate within & for said County, Silence King a resident of West Springfield in said County aged seventy 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 7 1838 entitled “an Act granting half pay and provisions to certain widows” That she is the widow of Eliphalet King who entered the Connecticut line of the American Army in December 1775 as a Second Lieutenant in the Regiment of Col Samuel Wyllis and served as second Lieutenant in the same until the 10th August 1776 when he was commissioned as First Lieutenant in the same Regiment and served as such therein until January 1st 1777 when said Regiment was disbanded. That her said husband was placed upon the Pension Roll of the United States on the 6th September 1819 and received a pension of twenty dollars per month.

She further declares that she was married to the said Eliphalet King (he being then a widower) on the twenty seventh day of October A.D. 1788 (Seventeen hundred and eighty eight) by Rev Ebenezer Gray at Suffield Connecticut. That her husband the aforesaid Eliphalet King died on the twenty ninth day of August A.D. 1821: that she was not married to him prior to leaving the service, but the marriage took place prior to the first of January seventeen hundred and ninety four, viz. at the time above stated. For proof of this declaration she refers to the accompanying documents.
Silence King
Page 10

Hampden ss August 9th 1838
Subscribed and sworn to before me, and I certify that the said Silence King by reason bodily infirmity is unable to attend the Court
Oliver B Morris Judge of the Court of Probate foresaid Court

and I the said Judge after an investigation of the whole matter do declare my opinion that the said Eliphatlet King deceased was a Lieutenant in the Army of the Revolution, and served as stated in the foregoing declaration, that he was married to the said Silence on the twenty seventh day of October AD 1788 (seventeen hundred - eighty eight) that he died on the twenty nineth day of August A.D. one thousand eight hundred and twenty one leaving the said Silence his widow, that she has never again been married and now is the widow said Eliphalet King deceased

In testimony of all which I have hereunto set my name and caused the seal of said Court to be herewith affixed this ninth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight
Oliver B Morris Judge of the Court of probate for the County of Hampden

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Hampden SS.

I Justin Willard Clerk of the Probate Court in and for said County do hereby certify that the Hon. Oliver B Morris the Judge of said Court and that his signature subscribed to foregoing certificates as to the declaration of the above named Silence King purporting to have been made so sworn to by him before min is genuine & in his own proper hand writing

In testimony where of I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Probate Court of Springfield this ninth day of August in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred & thirty eight
Justin Willard Clerk

There is an affixed seal.
Page 11

Typed document completed in handwriting

Eliph’t King

Payable semi-annually. The first payment on this Certificate will be made on the 4th of March next, in Boston at the Branch Bank. U.S.

Recorded
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Typed document completed in handwriting

War Department

REVOLUTIONARY CLAIM.

I CERTIFY that, in conformity with the Law of the United States, of the 18th March, 1818, Eliphalet King late a Lieutenant in the Army of the Revolution, is inscribed on the Pension List, Roll of the Massachusetts Agency, at the rate of twenty dollars per month, to commence on the first day of March one thousand eight hundred and nineteen

GIVEN at the War Office of the United States, this Sixth day of September one thousand eight hundred and nineteen

JG Calhoun
Secretary of War.

There is an attached seal
Page 13

198
Silence King
wid of Eliphalet
Mass
Act 7. July 1838
Allow 12 months Lieut
$160 per ann,

Henry Morris Esq
Springfield
Mass
Page 14

I Harriet King of West Springfield in the County of Hampden & Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged thirty years depose and say that I am the daughter of Eliphalet King deceased and Silence King that my said father died on the 29th day. of August A.D. 1821 and that with the decease of my said father, my said mother has never been married but remains his widow.

I further depose & say that in searching among the papers of my late father, I found the paper documents annexed marked A which is in his hand writing and which contains the record of his marriage to my said mother then Silence Humrill.
Harriet King

Hampden ss
August 9th AD 1838
Subscribed and sworn to before me, and I certify that the said Harriet King is a credible witness - 
Oliver Morris Judge of the Court of Probate for the County of Hampden

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Hampden ss.

I Justin Williard Clerk of the Probate Court within & for said County do hereby certify that the Hon Oliver B. Morris, before whom the foregoing Deposition of Harriet King was verified, is the Judge of said Court & that his signature subscribed to the certificate thereof is genuine

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court at Springfield this tenth day of August AD 1838
Justin Willard Clerk &c
Page 15

A

November 4th 1769
Elaphalet and Mary King married
September 10th 1770 Epaphras our first son born Monday
October 15 Epaphras dyed sabbath day
wendesday January 16 1771 Rogger our second son born
Wednesday November 11 1774 Jonathan our third son born
Wednesday October 25 1775 Seth our fourth son born
dyed Sept  21 1776
Saturday Seot 27 1777 Seth our fifth son born
Tuesday Sept 3 - 1779 Eliphalet our sixth son born
Tuesday August 8 - 1781 Henna our seventh son born
Friday Sept 19 1783 Augustine our eighth son born 
Friday 24th December 1786 Mary Born
Mary King died [strikethrough] Sun [strikethrough] day June 24th 1788 in the forty fifth year of her age
oct 27 1788 married to Silence Humrill
Wednesday oct 14th 1789 Elijah Born
[?] Nov 12th 1791 Lucy born
Sept 8th 1793 Charles born
Aug 2nd 1796 Sherlock born
Feb 6th 1799 Matilda born
Page 16


Typed form completed in handwriting

I, ROYAL R. HINMAN, Secretary of the State of Connecticut, and keeper of the Seal thereof, do hereby certify and make known to whom it doth or may concern,

THAT Henry Kingsbury Esquire, is, and for more than two months last past, has been a Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Hartford in said State, duly appointed, commissioned and qualified, having full power and authority, by the laws of said State, to take the acknowledgement of Deeds and to certify the same; also to administer oaths to witnesses and to take Affidavits and Depositions out of Court, and to give certificates thereof; and that full faith and credit may and ought to be given to the official acts and attestations of said H. Kingsbury in Court and Country.

In testimony whereof, I have, in my capacity of Secretary as aforesaid, hereunto set my Hand, and affixed the Seal of said State, at the City of Hartford, in said State, the 4th day of August in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight and Identify that the signature of said Kingsbury hereto attached is his genuine signature
Royal R Hinman
Secretary of state

There is an attached seal
Page 17

Elliphalet King and Silence Rumrill were Married October the twenty seventh in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & eighty eight =

Eliphalet King & Silence Rumrill were Married Oct’r 27th 1788 - as appears from the Record of the town of Suffield in the County of Hartford & state of Connecticut
Oliver Pease Town Clerk

Hartford County ss Suffield August 12th 1838

I Oliver Pease above named, depose & say, that I hold the office of Town Clerk in the County, town & state aforesaid, and that the above is a true estract from the Records of said town of Suffield, with the description above named - as Certified by me
Oliver Pease Clerk of town aforesaid

State of Connecticut
Hartford County ss} Enfield August 2nd 1838
There personally appeared Oliver Pease Signer of the above Depositions and made Solemn oath to the facts therein stated. who is a person of undoubted truth and veracity before me
Henry Hingsbury Justice of the Peace
Page 18

Treasury Department
3rd Auditors Office
15th March 1836

Sir

I have the honor to state, in reply to your letter of the 12th instant, that I find, on reference to the papers, in the Pension Office, upon which Lieutenant Eliphalet King was allowed a pension under the Act of Congress of March 1818, That he entered the service in December 1775, as a Lieutenant in Col’o Wyllis Regiment, and that he continued in service until the 1st of January 1777, when the Regiment to which he belonged was disbanded.

No officers who left the service, prior to the Resolution of Congress of October 1780, was entitled to Half pay for life, or to the commutation of Five years full pay in time there of - of course, Lieutenant King was not entitled to either of said parts, its not being alleged in his pension papers, That he served after the 1st of January 1777

With great Respect
[?] Hayman Aud

Hon. William B. Calhoun
House of Rep’s U. States
Page 19

Department of War
Bounty Land Office
March 18, 1836

Sir

In answer to yours of the 12 ins’t I have to inform you that the name of “Eliphalet King”, is not returned on the list of Revolutionary Officers on file in this Department, among those, entitled to bounty lands from the U. States - Reference has been had to his Pension papers, wherein it appears from his own affidavit, that he was commissioned as 2nd Lieut in Decem’r 1775 in Col’o Sam’l. Wyllys Reg’t Contine’t line; and subsequently, on the 10th Aug’t 1776 was commissioned a 1st Lieu’t in the same Reg’t and continued to serve therein until the 1st Jan’y 1777 at which period he left the service, in consequence, as he states, of the disbandment of said Reg’t and does not allege that he ever after reentered the service - he did not therefore, acquire a right to bounty land from the U. States under the Restrictions of Congress providing that bounty - 

I have the honor to be very respect’y yr. ob. st.
Wm Jordon

Hon’l W. B. Calhoun
Ho. of Rep’ts
Page 20

June 3, 1932

Eliphalet King - W. 20338
BA-J/EEL

Mrs. G. S. McFarland
2245 Coventry Road
Columbus, Ohio

Dear Madame:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request information in regard to Eliphalet King, a soldier of the Revolutionary War.

The data furnished herein are obtained from the papers on file in the Revolutionary War claim for pension, W.20338, based upon the military service of Eliphalet King in that war.

Eliphalet King was commissioned in December, 1775, second lieutenant in Captain Hanchet’s Company, Colonel Wyllys’ Connecticut Regiment: August 10, 1776, was commissioned first Lieutenant in Colonel Samuel Wyllys’ 22nd Regiment of foot, Connecticut Lind, served as such in Captains Hyde’s an Huntington’s Companies in said regiment and was discharged January 1, 1777. His place of residence when he entered the service is not stated. 

He was allowed pension on his on his application executed March 1, 1819, at which time he was in the seventy-eighth year of his age and resided in West Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts.

He died August 29, 1821

The soldier married November 4, 1769, Mary, her maiden name not given. She died June 24, 1788, in the forty-fifth year of her age and he married October 27, 1788 at Suffield Connecticut, Silence Humrill or Rumrill.

Soldier’s widow, Silence, was allowed pension on her application executed August 9, 1838, at which time she was aged seventy years and resided in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

She died October 16, 1839.
Page 21

The family record is as follows:

Epaphres, our first son born September 4, 1770, died October 15, ---
Rogger, our second son born January 16, 1771.
Jonathan, our third son born November 11, 1773.
Seth, our fourth son born October 25, 1775, died September 24, 1776
Seth our fifth son born September 27, 1777.
Eliphalet, our sixth son born September 3, 1779
Herma,?(illegible) our seventh son born August 8, 1781.
Augustin, our eighth son born September 19, 1783.
Mary born December 24, 1785.

Elijah born October 14, 1789.
Lucy born November 12, 1791.
Amelia (?) born September 8, 1793
Sherlock (?) born August 2, 1796.
Matilda born February 5, 1799.

In 1838, Harriet King, then aged thirty years and a resident of West Springfield, Massachusetts, stated that she was the daughter of Eliphalet and Silence king.

Very truly yours

A.D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrator.

There is a handwritten note in the margin:

Mrs. Finch & I deciphered this - & it is written as she suggested.
Page 22

Typed document completed in handwriting

1932 - June 3, Hist to Mrs G.S. McFarland
EEL

Revy WIDOW, &c.

File no: 20,338
Silence King
Widow of 
Eliphalet King.

Lt. Rev. War

Act: July 7th 1838
Index:- Vol. A, Page 402

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 23

Pension Bureau.
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sirs:-

Kindly send me the Pension record and service of Lt. Eliphalet King-commissioned Ensign May 1, 1775 and fought at Bunker Hill in the Revolutionary War. Made First Lieutenant on Sept. 1776 Died in West Springfield, Mass.

Thank you.
Page 24

Mrs. G.S. McFarland
2245 Coventry Rd,
Columbus, O.

Apr. 26, 1932.
Page 25

Camp at Roxb’y Jan’y 4. 1776

Lieu’t. King has a Furlough for eighteen Days -

Sam’el Osgood
Aid de Camp

Eliphalet King
W.20,338
Continental (Conn)
Page 26

Camp at Roxbury Jan’y 3rd 1776

May it please your Hon’r

Captain Hanchet of my Reg’t being absent in Canada renders, it something Default to Recruit his Company withou sending another Officer into the Country for that that purpose I would therefore beg leave to recommend Lieut King of his Company to be employed in that Duty for a short Time

Am You Hon’or Hum’bl Serv’t
Sam’l Wyllys Co’l of the 22nd Reg

To the Hon‘ble Maj’r General Ward}
Page 27

Suffield May 24th 1776

Thes may Sastify that the within named officer har-ben unfited for Dutey Ever Since he’s Ben at Home Nor hardley able Now thes from
David Willcoks, phys’in

Eliphalet King
W.20,338
Continental (Conn)
Page 28

Typed document completed in handwriting

IN CONGRESS.

The DELEGATES of the UNITED COLONIES of New-Hampshire, Massachusetts-Bay, Rhode-Island, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, the Counties of New-Castle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware, Maryland, Virginian, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia, to Eliphalet King Esquire 

WE reposing special Trust and Confidence in your Patriotism, Valour, Conduct and Fidelity, DO by these Presents, constitute and appoint you to be First Lieutenant of a Company in the Twenty second Regiment of Foot Commanded by Col’l Samuel Wyllys in the Army of the United Colonies raised for the defence of American Liberty, and for repelling every hostile Invasion thereof. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of First Lieutenant by doing and performing all Manner of Things thereunto belonging. And we do strictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers under your Command, to be obedient to your Orders as First Lieutenant And you are to observe and follow such Orders and Directions from Time to Time, as you shall receive from this or a future Congress of the United Colonies, or Committee of Congress, for that Purpose appointed, or Commander in Chief for the Time being of the Army of the United Colonies, or any other you superior Officer, according to the Rules and Discipline of War in Pursuance of the Trust reposed in you. This Commission to continue in Force until revoked by this or a future Congress, Philadelphia August 10th: 1776.

By Order of the Congress
John Hancock PRESIDENT.

Attest. Chas Thomson
Page 29

Lieu’t King of Cap’t Hyde’s Company in Col’o Wylly’s Regiment hath leave to ride Home for the recovery of his Health - and is to join the regiment in 15 days - his Health permitting - Camp Roxbury April 4 1776
Jo. Spencer B gen’l
Page 30

There are two stamps
FREE
7, remainder illegible

The Secretary of the Department of War
Pension Office
Washington

Aden’d
Page 31

James L Edwards Esq.
Comm'r. of Pensions
Washington
D. C.
Page 32

Springfield,  Mass.    Aug 10, 1838

Sir,

Herewith I send you the Declaration of Widow Silence King of West Springfield Mass., together with the documentary evidence in support of the same.

Very respectfully
Your Obt servt

Henry Morris

J. L Edwards, Esq
Page 33

I David Gibbs of Windsor in Hartford County and State of Conecticut of Lawful age do Depose and say that Eliphalet King of West Springfied in the county of Hampden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts served according to the best of My Recollection more than Ten Months as Lieutenant in the army of the Revolution against the Common enemy in the Continental Establishment from the month of January 1776 until January 1777 - that I served in the same company with said King that said Company was the third Company Commanded first by Capt Hyde and afterwards by Capt Huntington in the twenty second Regimen Commanded by Col. Wyllys - and was disbanded about the first Day of January 1777. Witness my hand at Windsor this 3rd Day of August AD 1819
David Gibbs

Hartford County ss

On this August 3rd - 1819 personally appeared David Gibbs Signer of the foregoing Deposition, and who is a credible witness, and made solemn Oath to the truth of the same before me
Joseph H Russell Just peace

Hartford, August 3rd 1819

I Thomas Chester Clerk of the County Court of Hartford County in Connecticut do certify that Joseph H Russell Esq is a Justice of Peace in & for said County & I believe that the above signature of his name is his signature.

Under my hand & the seal of said Court
Thomas Chester Clerk

There is an attached seal