Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18,307, William Bennett, Vt.
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(3-1776) SERVICE Vt.  Bennett, William NUMBER S.18,307
carded
CONTENTS
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18 Vermont  18614  William Bennett of Windsor Co in the State of Vermont who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain ______of the Regt commanded by Col. Allen in the Dt main line for 1 mos Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont at the rate of 43 Dollars 33 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. Certificate of Pension issued the 21 day of Sept 1833 and Sent to Walter Palmer Woodstock 
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833 $108.33 Semi-anl. allowance ending July 34 21.66 (=) $130.00 ⎨Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk Book E Vol. 3 Page 53
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(left bottom upside down) William Bennett
(right top) 3900 William Bennet Declaration
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STATE OF VERMONT, WINDSOR COUNTY, SS.} On this 4th day of August A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Judge of the Probate Court of Hartford District now sitting, William Bennett a resident of the county of Windsor and State of Vermont, aged Sevenity 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. In 1780 he lived in Woodstock Vermont in the same year in the month of Feby he enlisted in Capt Jesse Saffords Company. Col Eber Allen Rigt was mustered at Hartford marched from there to Ruttland then to Pittsford stationed there until some time the middle of July then marched to Royalton remained there about a month then went to Bethel & assisted in building a Fort remained there until December then returned home having served ten months or more In 1781 in the month of December he Enlisted under Lieut Beriah Green marched the Corinth remained there about two months then marched to Bethel & staid about two months then returned  home having served four months he has no Documentary evidince relating to his services and knows of no person who can testify to his service except the testimony hereunto annexed, that he was born in Middleborough Massachusetts the 4th day of October A.D. 1762 where it is recorded he also recorded it in his Bible that in 1777 he removed to Woodstock Vermont, where he has ever since lived that he is known to most of the inhabitants in and  particular to Priv  Seth Sterlin & Mr Philimon Sampson who can testify to his character & the belief of his service as a soldier of the revolution
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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.  William Bennett 
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid,} L A Marsh, Register 
We, Seth Sterlin a Clergyman residing in Woodstock and Philemon Sampson residing in the same place, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with William Bennett who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 70 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. Seth Sterlin  Philemon Sampson Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid ,} LA Marsh, Register
 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, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Seth Sterlin who has signed the preceding certificate, is a Clergyman, resident in Woodstock and that Philemon Sampson who has also signed the same, is a resident in Woodstock - and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. I Lyndon A Marsh Register of the Court of Probate of the District of Hartford do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of William Bennett for a Pension. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this fourth day of August A. D. 1832 
L A Marsh,  Register
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Wm Bennett
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State of Vermont Windsor County ss} Woodstock May 30th 1833-  Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of peace within & for the County of Windsor William Bennett who being duly sworn deposeth & sayeth that by reason of old age & the consequent loss of memory he can not swear positively as to the precise length of his services but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below & in the following grades 
For one year & one months I served as a Private & for such service I claim a Pension for the time during which the service was performed and I was not employed in any civil pursuit, that I served with an embodied Corpse called into service by competent authority & performed the service as I have stated in my said Declaration which this is an addition or amendment thereto - William Bennet
 Sworn to & subscribed the day & year above written Before me Geo. E. Wales Justice of Peace 
State of Vermont Windsor County ss⎬ I Benjamin Swan Clerk of Windsor  County Court do hereby certify that George E Wales who has affixed his name to the above is a Magistrate duly qualified & that the above is his Genuine Signature- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court at Woodstock this 30th day of May AD 1833 Benj. Swan
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No 3900 William Bennett Admit 13 months 43.33 86.66 21. 00 (=) 105.33  Walter and Palmer Woodstock Vt.
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WAR DEPARTMENT, Pension Office, April 23d 1833  Sir: The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.  A Statement, shewing the service of William Bennet - Period when the service was rendered. 1740 1741| Duration of the claimant's service. Years 1 | Months 1┃Days ...| Rank of the claimant. Private | Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served. Colo Allen |Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service. 70 years  lived in Woodstock Vermont when he entered the service| Proof by which the declaration is supported. affidavits of Joseph Foster & Rufus Root 
I am, respectfully, Your obedient servant,  J. L. EDWARDS, Commissioner of Pensions. 
Mr. William Bennett Windsor Vt
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Regulations Under the Act of June 7, 1832
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms of "Continental Line," "State troops," militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the arm upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c., Teamsters, Boatmen, &C., Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.

Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval Service.
4. Indian Spies.

As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will, in the first instance, make application be transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides.  And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.

DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.

Next is a line to be completed with the State, Territory or District of County of } ss.

On this ______day of ________personally appeared (a) before __________________ 

A. B. a resident (b) of ________________ in the county of _____________ and State, Territory or District of _________ aged (c) _________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 provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.  The he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d)______,with ________ and served in the ______ (e) regiment of the ___________ line, under the following named officers:

[ Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service, (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched.  This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.

He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on hate of the Agency in the State of _____________________.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.                                            A. B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.

I__________________ of the Court of ___________ do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of ___________________ for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of the office (i) this ________ day of _________ &c.

If, on examination of the proper record, the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.

Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the ________ and c. d. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with _________________, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be _______ years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in the opinion.

Sworn and subscribed the days and year aforesaid.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]

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, and served as he states.  And the Court further certifies, that it appears to the that A. B. and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the _______________________.

I, _________Clerk of the Court of _________do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter  of the application of ___________ for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my and and seal ___________ of offices, this )))) day of ____ &c.

Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power.  This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will the procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.

If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration, (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department.  A very full account of the services of each person
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(3-1776)
Service.                               Number
VT.         Bennett, William. S. 18.30.7

                                              carded
Contents
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Rev. and 1812 Wars Section MCS:MLB October 9, 1930 Mrs. Della V. Oliver 3900 Harrison Street Kansas City, Missouri
 Dear Madam:  You are advised that it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 18307, that William Bennett was born October 4, 1762, in Middleborough, Massachusetts. In 1779, he moved to Woodstock, Vermont. While living in Woodstock, Vermont, he enlisted and served as private with the Vermont troops, as follows: From February, 1780, until December, 1780, in Captain Jesse Safford's company, Colonel Ebenezer Allen's regiment; from December, 1781, four months under Lieutenant Beriah Green. He was allowed pension on his application executed August 4, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Windsor County, Vermont. There are no data relative to his family. The Revolutionary War records of this bureau fail to afford any information in regard to Arthur Bennett, or to William Bennett who enlisted in Middleborough, Massachusetts, or to Jabez Bennett who enlisted in Woodstock, Vermont. Very truly yours E. W. MORGAN Acting Commissioner
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P 18307 INVALID. File No. 18307 William Bennett ┃ Pri  Rev War - Act: June 7" 32 
Index: -- Vol. 1, Page 423
 (Arrangement of 1870.] 
1930, Oct. 9. Hist to Mrs Della F. Oliver MCS
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Hon. Lewis  Cass Secty of War
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Woodstock Vt June 3rd 1833 Dear Sir inclosed with this is six? Declaration for Pensions with an additional affidavit of the applicant which is intended to remove all the objections that exist in the Declaration, which after an examination I wish the return directed to me. Respectfully your Walter Palmer 
Hon Lewis Cass Secty of War
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Rufus Root
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I Rufus Root of Windsor County of Windsor & State of Vermont of lawfull age testify & say that in 1780 I was acquainted with William Bennet & that I am knowing of his served nine mark in Capt Saffords Company in Colo Elen Allen Regiment Vermont State troops that I served with him in the same company & further deponent sayeth not- Rufus Root
 State of Vermont Windsor County ss⎬Woodstock August 4th A.D  1832 Then Rufus Root personally appeared & made solemn oath that the above Affidavit by him subscribed contains the truth & nothing but the truth before me & I hereby certify that the said Rufus Root is a Credible witness. Walter Palmer Justice of Peace 
State of Vermont Windsor County ss} Woodstock County Clerks Office August 8th 1832. I Benjamin Swan Clerk of Windsor County Court, Do hereby certify that Walter Palmer is one of the Justices of the Peace within the said County and that the above is his Signature. In Testimony whereof I hereto affix the Seal of said Court and subscribe my name, the day year last above Benj Swan
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Joseph Foster
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I Joseph Foster of Barnard County of Windsor & State of Vermont of Lawfull age testify & say that in 1781 I was acquainted with William Bennett & that the said Bennet served in under Lieut Beriah Green four month I was in the same company with the said Bennett that we marched to Hartford then to Hanover N. Hampshire then marched then up Connecticut River then to Corinth Vermont staid about two month then marched to Bethel Vermont & staid  about two month & our time being over we  returned home ---  & further deponent sayeth not__  Joseph Foster
  State of Vermont Windsor County ss} ┃ Woodstock August 4th  AD 1832 Then Joseph Foster personally appeared & made solemn oath that the above Affidavit by him subscribed contains the truth & nothing but the truth before me & I hereby certify that the said Joseph Foster is a credible witness- Walter Palmer Justice of peace - 
State of Vermont Windsor County ss} Windsor County Clerks Office, Woodstock 8th August 1832 I Benjamin Swan Clerk of Windsor County Court, Do hereby Certify that Walter Palmer is one of the Justices of the Peace within & for said County, and that the above is his signature the Testimony whereof I hereto affix the Seal of said Court and subscribe my name the day & year last above. Benj. Swan
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(round stamp) U.S. PENSION OFFICE SEP 20 1930
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6144 Portland Ave S Minneapolis, Minn 9/4/30 Adjutant General War Dept  Washing DC
(rectangular stamp) RECEIVED OLD-RECORDS DIVN  SEP 6 1930
Dear Sir: Will you kindly send me the Revolutionary War record of William Bennett giving in Middleboro, Mass at that time. In appreciation of the courtesy I am,  Very Truly Yours (Mrs) Della V. Oliver
8 Received A. G. O. SEP 5 1930
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WAR DEPARTMENT THE ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE WASHINGTON 
IN REPLY REFER TO JAW-ORD September 9, 1930. 
(crossed out-Respectfully returned to )Will you kindly give me any information regarding this Wm Bennetts War service. He probably resided at Middleboro after the war. Mrs. Della V. Oliver, 9crossed out-6144 - Portland Ave. S. Minneapolis, Minn) 3900 Harrison St Kansas City Mo 
The records of this office show that several men named William Bennett, or similarly named, served in the Revolutionary War in different organizations of Massachusetts troops, but, from the data given this office is unable to ascertain which, if any one of them, is the man whose record is desired. If it is known where the man referred to or his widow resided after the war, it is possible that his service can be identified upon application to the Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D. C., who is the custodian of the United States pension and land warrant records. Middleboro Wm. Bennett's son  Jabez (borne in Fletcher's Regt-Jesse Safford's Co.  Middleboro) served with the Vt militia from Woodstock Vt. another son Arthur was on a privateer & with Paul Jones. Jabez m. and lived in Woodstock wit our records do not tell of Wm Bennett, the father, removed there.
C.H.Bridges Major General, The Adjutant General By J.a.w.
(round stamp) U.S.PENSION OFFICE SEP 20 1930