Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21,867, for Thomas Sisson, Rhode Island
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(8-1776)
SERVICE [handwritten: "R.I."]
[handwritten: "Sisson, Thomas"]
NUMBER  [handwritten: "S.21,867"]
CONTENTS
[blank lines on rest of page]
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21.913
Rhode Island
Thomas Sisson
Washington C [county] in the State of Rh: Island who was a Private in the Comp commanded by Captain Gavid of the Regt. commanded by Col. Noyes in the [illegible] 
line for 18 months-R.I.
Inscribed on the Roll of Rhode Island at the rate of 60 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 18 day of Nov. 1833 -
and sent to Wm. P. Newell Kingston
Arrears to the 4th of Sep. '33 $150  
Semi-anl. [semi-annual] allowance ending 4 M. '34  30[dollars]
[written under 150 and 30 as total: "$180"]
{Revolutionary Claim June7, 1832.}
Recorded by G.C. Gales
Book C. Vol. 2. Page 130
[handwritten vertically along right margin: " Date of death sent on Oct 3-"]
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Henry Babcock
Thomas Sisson
27108 R. I
Private 18 mos
[underlined: "aomd"]
Wm. P. Newell
Kingston R.I.
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[Large typeset at top of page: "DECLARATION:"]
IN ORDER TO OBTAIN [handwritten insert with caret: "the transfer of"] THE ACT OF CONGRESS, PASSED JUNE 7, 1832. STATE OF RHODE-ISLAND, COUNTY OF [handwritten: "Washington"] On this [handwritten: " thirteenth"] day of [handwritten: "August 1833,"] personally appeared in open Court, before the Judges or Justices of the Court of [handwritten: "Common Pleas"] now sitting, [handwritten: "Thomas Sisson"] a resident of [handwritten: "Westerly"] --- in the County of [handwritten: "Washington"] and State of Rhode-Island, aged [handwritten: "Seventy five"] 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 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
[Remainder of page handwritten in cursive]
that is to say; In May 1775, when he was a private soldier in the second company of militia in said town of Westerly, of which John Gavit was then captain, Stephen Saunders Lieut & William Bliven Ensign, he the said Thomas Sisson was with many others detached from said company for a period of thirty days & marched to Noyes' Neck on the seashore in said Westerly, when he was stationed & served the aforesaid
thirty days & guarding in that quarter against the enemy [illegible] the said Capt Gavit & in Col Noyes Regt [regiment] at the end of which period he was [illegible word crossed out] discharged. 
The fore part of Decr. 1779 at the time the enemy took possession of the Island of Rhode Island, he was ordered & marched in a detachment from the aforesaid company
of which he was then a private, to Boston Neck in the town of South Kingstown in said County of Washington under either Capt Gavit or Lieut. Saunders & Ensign Bliven where 
from [three words crossed out] that time he was stationed and served near Narrow River against the enemy a period of two months in Col Noyes' Regt; at the end of which
period he was discharged & returned to said Westerly. In the spring of 1777, he was drafted or detached from said company for another period of three months & marched to Point Judith in said South Kingstown, when he served out this period as a private sold in under the officers of said company that he served under at Boston Neck, guarding against the enemy, in Col. Noyes' Regt. at the end of this service was discharged & returned home to said Westerly.
In the fall of 1777 he was drafted from said company for a period of [work crossed out]
one month & marched to Tivertown [Tiverton] in the Easterly part of the State of Rhode Island under the said Captain Gavit where he served out this period of service; he does not remember the col he served under at this time if any, but remember General Spencer had the command there; at the end this latter time of service he was discharged & returned to said Westerly. In the Spring of 1778, he was at said Westerly again drafted for said company for another period of service of three months & marched to Point Judith under Capt Gavit & Ensign Bliven where he was stationed & performed this period of service guarding the shores against the enemy, in Col. Noyes' Regt. at the end of which the aforementioned period of service he was discharged to said Westerly - In latter part of the summer & for
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part of fall 1779- he was drafted under [illegible] from said company for a term of service of two months and served out this period of service at & in the vicinity of Green Hill in said South Kingstown guarding against the enemy in that quarter under Lieut Saunders [word crossed out] acted as captain at this time & whose Ensign was Wm Blivin [Blevin]; This service was in Col Noyes Regt of this time, he [illegible], Major Thomas Sheffield had a command then.
Previous to the last aforementioned period of service he was drafted at said Westerly from company for a period of thirty day marched on to the Island of Rhode Island in August 1778 in Sullivan's Expedition, where he served this period against the enemy under Capt Gavid & Lieut Saunders in Col Noyes' Regt at the end of which he was discharged & returned to said Westerly.
Between the two last above named periods he performed in said company divers [diverse] short terms of service under the different officers of said company for Col Noyes' Regt from 3 to 15 days each, guarding against the enemy on the shores of said Westerly, which he does not now so remember, as positively to specify; and he is confident that the short terms of service drain which he performed gainst [against] the enemy, between [crossed out word: "the"] said two periods, amount to full two months for which he declares accordingly.
In the fall (he thinks of 1780) he was at said Westerly drafted from said company & march to the Ten Rod Road in North Kingstown in said county under Capt. Gavit in Col. Munson's Regt. where after having served there thirty days he was discharged
& returned to said Westerly -
From the last aforementioned period of service to the end of the year 1781 he performed in said company at Noyes' [illegible] in Col Noyes' Regt. numerous short terms of service of from 2 to 12 days each which, tho' out of his power now to detail he feels safe in declaring alltogether amount to not less than two months for which he also claims to be allowed pay.
All this [illegible] service he performed in the capacity of a private And the said Thomas Lisson declares
and that he faithfully performed all the aforementioned periods of service - And he further
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declares that he was born in said Westerly on
the fourth day of April 1758, as he has always been informed & verily believes; where from his birth in the present moment, except
when he was abroad in the aforenamed services, he has always lived; that he has no record of his age or birth, except in the old family bible, that he does not [illegible] that he's ever see. any written discharge from any of his said services; but that he was orally discharged from by his command officer; [illegible] he has no
documentary evidence of any of his said services [Next 15 words crossed out & illegible] that he is prob acquainted with any clergyman in his vicinity but refers to Jedediah W. Knight & Israel Chapman Esqr, his townsmen & neighbors who testify to his character for veracity putting belief of
his services as a soldier of the Revolution & also to the accompanying depositions. -
[in typeset: "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 the Agency of any State."]
[in typeset and italics: "Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid'"]
[handwritten: "in open Court. Wm Sam Helme Clk"]
[handwritten signature in cursive: "Thomas Sisson."]
[in typeset: "We,"] 
[handwritten: "Jedidiah W. Knight"] 
[in typeset: "residing in"] [word crossed out] [handwritten: "said Westerly"]   
[in typeset: "and"]
[handwritten: "Israel Chapman"]
[in typeset: "residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with:]
[handwritten: "Thomas Sisson"] 
[in typeset: "who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be"]
[handwritten: "seventy five "]
[in typeset: "years of age; that he reputed and believed, in the neighborhood
where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion."]
[in typeset and italics: "Sworn to and subscribed the day aforesaid."]
[handwritten signature in cursive: Jed. W. Knight"]
[handwritten signature in cursive: "Israel Chapman"]
[handwritten: "in [illegible] Court [illegible] Sam. Helme Clk"]
[in typeset: "And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the
interrogatries prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and
served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that"]
[handwritten: "Jedediah W. Knight & Samuel
Chapman']
[in typeset: "who [word crossed out] have signed the preceeding certificate, [word crossed out] are"]
[in typeset "residents in the"]
[handwritten: "Town of Westerly"] 
[several illegible words crossed out]
[handwritten: "are"]
[in typeset: "credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit."]
[in typeset: "I"]
[handwritten: "Samuel Helme"]
[in typeset: "Clerk of the Court of"]
[handwritten: "Common Pleas"]
[in typeset: "do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of"]
[handwritten: "Thomas Sisson"]
[in typeset: "for a pension."]
[in typeset and italics: "In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this"]
[handwritten: "Twenty Ninth day of August 1833."]
[handwritten signature in cursive: "Sam. Helme Clk"]
[faint seal of Scale of Justice at bottom left of page with zigzag outline along outer edge of seal]
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Stephen Saunders of Westerly in the County of Washington, and the State of Rhode Island, on oath deposeth and saith, that he is Eighty four years of age; that at the time the Enemy took possession of Rhode Island in the fore part of the month of December 1776, he was ordered with a detachment of a Company of Militia of said Westerly of which he was the Lieutenant to Boston Neck in South Kingstown, in the County aforesaid where said detachment was stationed, and served a number of months; and he will remember that Thomas Sisson of said Westerly who was then a private of said Company served at said time in said detachment in guarding the shores against the Enemy; and subsequently said Sisson for aforesaid in said  at Point Judith in said County, under this deponent, two terms of service against the Enemy, of one month or more each; and this deponent also will remember the said Sisson served under him two months at Green Hill, in said County, in said Company in the latter part of the Summer of 1779; and also that said Sisson served in said Company five months on Rhode Island in the months of August and September in 1778 on Sullivan's expedition.
Stephen Saunders

State of Rhode Island
Washington sc. Westerly July 15, 1833 Personally appeared Stephen Saunders, the above named Deponent, who before me gave and subscribed the foregoing Deposition and was by me duly sworn to the same according to Law.  I further certify that the said Stephen Saunders is personally known to me; that he is a person of veracity, and that his said Deposition is written to [illegible]

Jed. W. Knight, Justice of the Peace
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Edward Clark of Charlestown, in the County of Washington and State of Rhode Island on Oath deposeth and saith that in the month of December 1776 he served in a detachment of Capt John Gavit's Company at Boston Neck in South Kingstown in said County of Washington, said detachment commanded by Stephen Saunders the Lieutenant of said Company, for one month, and that immediately afterwards, in the year 1777 he served two tours of duty of one month each at Point Judith in said South Kingstown in the same detachment, and in both of said services he well remembers that Thomas Sisson of said Westerly was a private in said Company, and served in said detachment at the times before named; and afterwards that said Sisson served in said Company two months at Green Hill in said South Kingstown and this the deponent knows from having served in the same Company, and at the same time with said Sisson.
Edward Clarke ["X" in center of Edward Clarke's signature with note: "his mark"]
State of Rhode Island
Washington sc. Westerly July 15. 1833. Personally appeared Edward Clark, who gave, and subscribed the foregoing Deposition by affixing his mark thereto ┃
before me, and was duly sworn to the same according to Law. I also certify that the said Edward Clark is personally known to me, that he is a person of veracity, and that his said Deposition is entitled to credit.
Jed. W. King P.B Justice of the Peace
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Henry Babcock of Westerly in the County of Washington and State of Rhode Island, on Oath deposeth and saith, that he is seventy five years of age, that in November or December 1776 he this deponent and Thomas Sisson of said Westerly, then being private Soldiers of Capt John Gavit Company of Militia of said Westerly were ordered to march to Boston Neck in said County under the command of Stephen Saunders the Lieutenant of said Company where we served together thirty days or more in guarding against the Enemy; and afterwards, he thinks in the spring of 1777 this deponent and the said Sisson served against the Enemy another period of one month in the said Company of John Gavit at Point Judith in South Kingstown, and this deponent and the said Thomas Sisson performed tour of service together in said Company under the command of Lieut Stephen Saunders at Green Hill in said South Kingstown of one month, he thinks in the Summer of 1779. And deponent further says that he and the said Sisson served together 30 days or more in the said Capt John Gavits Company at Tiverton in the State of Rhode Island in the fall of 1777 and were there in Spencer's expedition, and in August and September 1778 he served together 30 days in said Gavits Company at Sullivans expedition on the Island of Rhode Island and this deponent and the said Sisson served together under the said Capt John Gavit in the summer or fall of 1780 he thinks at the Ten Rocks Road in North Kingstown; how long this latter period of service was this deponent is not now remembering
 And this deponent further says, that altho’ he cannot particularly specify any other periods of service of the said Sisson than these aforementioned yet he well remembers that he and sd Sisson performed [illegible] other services, guarding against the Enemy during the Revolutionary War on the
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shores of said Town of Westerly, particularly at the station called Noyes Neck, and in its vicinity. 
Henry Babcock his mark X
Witness Hannah Babcock 
State of Rhode Island.- 
Washington Sc. Westerly August 8th 1833 Personally came Henry Babcock the above named deponent who gave and subscribed the preceding Deposition and was by me sworn thereto according to Law. I do also certify that the said Henry Babcock is personally known to me, that he is a person of veracity, and that his said Deposition is entitled to full credit 
Jed. W. Knight Justice of the Peace
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State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations 
Washington Sc Clerks Office Court Common Pleas 
August 29. 1833.- 
I hereby certify that Jedediah W. Knight Esq whose Signature in his own proper hand writing and affixed to his foregoing attestations of the preceeding depositions of Edward Clarke Stephen Saunders and Henry Babcock was at the time thereof & now is a Justice of the Peace for said Town of Westerly duly Commissioned under the Seal of said State and otherwise duly Qualified as such
In Testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and the Seal of said Court the day and year aforesaid Sam. Helme Clk
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August 26, 1932
BA-J/AWF
Thomas Sisson
S. 21867
Miss Clara M. Waldron
601 Pottawattamie Street
Tecumseh, Michigan
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter requesting information in regard to Thomas Sisson, a soldier of the War of the Revolution. The data furnished herein were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, S.21867, based upon the Revolutionary War service of Thomas Sisson.
Thomas Sisson was born April 4, 1758 at Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island.  While residing in said Westerly, he served as a private with the Rhode Island troops, as follows -
From sometime in May,1775, thirty days in Captain John Gavitt's company, Colonel Noyes' regiment; from sometime in December, 1776, two months in Captain John
Gavit's company, Colonel Noyes' regiment; in 1777, six months in Captain John Gavit's company, Colonel Noyes' regiment, and was in Spencer's expedition; in 1778, four months and various other tours of three to fifteen days each in Captain John Gavit's company, Colonel Noyes' regiment, and was in Sullivan's expedition; in the summer of 1779, two months in Captain John Gavit's company, Colonel Noyes' regiment; in the fall of 1780, thirty days in Captain John Gavit's company, Colonel Munson's regiment; and continued to serve from the fall of 1780 until the last of
1781 in various tours of two to twelve days each in Colonel Noyes' regiment.
He was allowed pension on his application executed
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August 13, 1833, then a resident of Westerly, Rhode Island, where he had always lived.  There are no data in the claim relative to his family.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrator
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[left side]
Revolution 21867
INVALID.
File No. 21,867
Thomas Sisson
Pri Rev War

Act: June 7" 32"
Index:- Vol. 2, Page 242
[Arrangement of 1870]

[right side]
Sept. 30/97 Mrs. Geo. Benedick, Westerly. R.
1911. Jan 28 to Miss Lillian A. Polter
1911 Dec. 20 Hist. to Mrs. Laua M. Meyer V.L.M.
1932 Aug 26 hist to Clara M. Waldron AWF
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[round stamp]
RECEIVED AUG 15 1935 RECEIPT SECTION PENSION FILES SUB-DIVISION
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Tecumseh, Michigan
August 9, 1932.
Chief of Records & Pension office,
War Dept., Washington D.C.
My dear Sir:
Can you give me the names of wife and children of Thomas Sisson (1754-1841), who was placed on pension roll in 1833, for service in Rhode Island in the Revolution?  Any additional data you have concerning him, will be very welcome.
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With many thanks, I am Very truly yours,
Clara M. Waldron
Miss. Clara M. Waldron
601 W. Pottawatomie St.
Tecumseh, Michigan.
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[round stamp] US PENSION OFFICE B SEP 24 1897

[rectangle stamp] U.S. P.B. OLD WAR & NAVY FILES SEP 27 1897
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[large cursive capital "S" in upper right corner]
Westerly, R. I.
Sept. 22nd '99
Mr. H. Clay Evans
Washington, D.C
My Dear Sir
What information can you give me in relation to [underlined; "Thos. Sisson"] (my Great Grand-father) military career, in the [underlined: "Revolutionary"] War. He died at Westerly, R.I., Oct 2nd 1841, aged 84 years  I have been told that he was a pensioner
Yours very truly
Mrs. Geo. N. Bendick
per G. N. B.
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[Blank page containing only two black stamps in the middle]
[round stamp: "U.S. PENSION OFFICE DEC 15 1911"]
[round stamp: "RECORD DIVISION DEC 15 1911"]
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[machine printed: "Mayhew Farms Marry, N. Y."]
[Rest of page in handwritten cursive]
Dec 12, 1911-
Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D.C.
Sir:-
Will you kindly give me records of Thomas Sisson of Westerly, R.I. who served as private in the Revolutionary War?
Yours truly,
(Mrs.) Laura M. Meyer
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O. W. and N. Division.  3--525.
S. 21,867
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D. C.,
[blank], 19[blank]
In reply to your request of [blank], received [blank] for a statement of the military history of [handwritten: "Thomas Sisson"] a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his ([crossed out: "or his widow's")] application for pension on file in this Bureau.
[Headings of columns: "DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED CAPTAIN. COLONEL. STATE."]
May 1775    30 das [days]   Pvt.   John Gavit   Noyes    R.I. 
Dec. 1776    2 mos.                      John Gavit    Noyes
[check mark]1777   6 mos.                      John Gavit    Noyes
[illegible] 1st 1778    {4 mos. and various tours of 3 to 15 days [illegible]   John Gavit  
  Noyes
[check mark] Summer 1779   2 mos   John Gavit   Noyes
Fall, 1780     30 days  John Gavit    Munson
From Fall 1780 to end 1781   Various tours of 2 to 12 days each    Noyes
[typewritten: "Battles[crossed out] engaged in,]  [handwritten: "Spencer's and Sullivan's expedition to R.I."] [ handwritten check mark over "Spencer's" and "X" over "Sullivan's]
[typewritten: "Residence of soldier at enlistment,] [handwritten: "Westerly, Washington Co, R.I.]
[typewritten: "Date of application for pension,] [handwritten: "Aug. 13, 1833.  His cl. was al."]
[typewritten: "Residence at date of application,] [handwritten: "Westerly, R.I."]
[typewritten: "Age at date of application,] [handwritten: b. Westerly, R.I. Apr. 4, 1758."]
[typewritten: "Remarks:] [handwritten: "There are no data rel to family."]
[typewritten: "Very respectfully, Commissioner."]
[typewritten: "31793b5m1C-97
[handwritten: "ref 21,913"]
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[top left bordered text]
[first part illegible] War of 1818 as are now. The [illegible] Record and Pension Office, War Department. Original rolls and other records pertaining to service in the Revolutionary War may also be found on file in the archives of many of the original States.
O. W. & N. DIV. 
REVOLUTIONARY. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
WASHINGTON, D. C.,
September 30, 1897.

Madam: Replying to your request for information concerning Thomas Sisson, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, you are advised that he made an application for pension on August 13, 1833, at which time he was seventy-nine years of age and residing at Westerly, R. I., and his pension was allowed for eighteen months' actual service as a private in the Rhode Island troops, Revolutionary war; a part of the time he served under Capt. Gerrish and Col. Noyes. He enlisted at Westerly, R.I. 
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.
Mrs. George H. Benedic 
Westerly, R.I.