Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 5305, William Howlett, Navy Vt.
Page 1

3 - 1776
SERVICE
Navy
Vt
Howlett William
Howlett Martha
NUMBER
R. 5305
CONTENTS
Page 2

2286 
Indiana
William Howlett
Serving in the State of Indiana
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain Faset of the Regt.
Col Robinson in the Vermont
line for 14 months Private
             9   "           Marine
1776 
Inscribed on the Roll of Indiana
at the rate of 76 Dollars 66 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 23 day of Nov 1832 and sent to S.S. Harding 
Versailles, In

Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832
114.99
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar: 33
38.33
$153.32
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.

Recorded by Nathan Rice Clerk
Book D Vol. 9 Page 185

[Right page] 
Sent to Hon C L Dunham 
21 March 1837


Sent to Pension Agent
March 28 1833
Page 3

5653
William Howlett
Indiana
from 1776 private
14 notes marine G.
$76.66
76.66
38.33
114.99
Page 4

BRIEF in the case of William Hamlett 5653.
of Jennings County in the State of Indiana
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? In Open Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3, How old is he? 75 years
State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.
Volunteered
Sometime in the
year In 1776
volunteered again
Volunteered 1779
volunteered 1780 March as a Marine on board the Shop Trumballa a Man of War 
Duration of Service.
Years Months
---
3
---
Days.
thinks 5 or 6 months
as a Marine on board
the Ship Trumballa
served of months
5. In what battles was he engaged?
Rank.
As a
Names of General and Field Officers
under whom he served.
Gen.
Vermilitia
Capt John Facet
┃ Lieu Rufus Perry
Col Samuel Robinson
Col. Whitcomb Major West
Capt Wm Hutcheson
┃ Lieut Jacob Ferman Welch
┃ Capt Huntington
Herrick
Capt Nicholas or Nicholson
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Bennington Co S
Vermont
aftsbury Town
incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditionary evidence
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above
mentioned.
Examining Clerk.
Page 5

The State of Ohio Ross County. ss

I hereby certify that on the 29th day of November last, I joined together in the holy State of Matrimony William Howlett and Martha Jacks given under my hand & seal this 25th of December 1815. 

John Johnston JP. 

The State of Ohio
Ross County ss. } 

I Angus L Fullerton Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for the County aforesaid do certify that the aforegoing is truly copy from the marriage record in my Office - 

Given under my hand & seal of Office this 4th day of October AD 1849. 

Angus L Fullerton Clerk. 

Clerks [?] postage 65cs
Page 6

Chillicothe Oct 4 1849 

Elmer Armstrong Es. 
Sir 
My fees including postage is 65 cents which you will please forward and office

Yours 
Respt. 
AL Fullerton
Page 7

State of Indiana - Jennings County
On this 15th day of April 1853 personally appeared before me, James Myers, a notary public duly commissioned and qualified and duly authorized to administer oaths Martha Howlett a resident of Decatur County in the state of Indiana  aged sixty nine years who being duly sworn on her oath makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress the 3rd of February 1853 that she is the widow of William Howlett who was a pensioner upon the pension (...) of the United States and drew a pension of seventy six dollars and sixty six and two thirds cents per year and was a resident of Jennings County in the state of Indiana and drew his pension af the agency at Madison in the state of Indiana.  

She further declares that she was lawfully married to the said William Howlett on the 29th day of November 1815. That her husband, the aforesaid William Howlett died on the 7th day of August 1852 in the county of Jennings and state of Indiana. She further
Page 8

...sweara that she was a widow at the passage of.rhe act above referred to and that she is still a widow and that she has never before made application for a pension and for further proofs she refers to the papers accompanying this declaration and to pension certificate of the said William Howlett now in her possession but which will be filed at the pension agency in Madison in the state of Indiana for the purpose of proving the amass of pension due to her husband at his death. She further swears that she is unable from bodily infermuty to go before a court of record to make this her declaration. 
Martha Howlett (her mark)

Subscribed and sworn to before me the 25th day of April 1856 and I certify that from her appearance that she is from bodily infirmity unable to go before a court of record to make her declaration and I further certify that I know her to be the identical person she represents herself to be in the afore declaration. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my notorized seal the day and year last afore written. 
James Myers, notary public
Page 9

5653

Declaration of William Howlett in order to obtain Pension under the act of Congress of June 7th 1832. 
State of Indiana
Jennings County } 

On this 26th day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty two Personally appeared in open Court before the Hon [?] of this Jennings Circuit Court for Jennings county now [?] William Howlett a resident of the County o Jennings and State of Indiana and seventy five years who being first duly sworn according to Law upon 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 entered/ to wit/ That he entered the service as a volunteer some time in the year 1776 under the following named officers /to wit/ Captain John Facet & Lieutenant Rufus Percy/ the field officers not remembered/ and served for a term of three months. He then volunteered again the second time for six months and served under the following named officers/ to wit/ Col Samuel Robinson (until he was take sick and Col Whitcomb Cook the command/ of Bennington - Major Wait & Captain William Hutchinson & Lieutenant Jacob Ferman in the vermont Militia. After he had performed his 2d term of service he again volunteered some time in the year 1779 at the time the British army under the command of Genl Burgoyne was advancing into the teritory of the United States at this time a general call was made upon the population of the Country to [?] and in its [?] and he volunteered for a third time /as before stated/ and served in the Company commanded by Captain Hutchinson which was attached to the Regiment or rather [?] of troops assembled under the command of Col Seth Warner that he fought under Col Warners command in the said Company commanded by Captain Hutchinson at the Battle of Hubbardton. and during his same term of service he was present and fought at the Battle of Bennington under the command of Genl Stark and Col Samuel Herrick of Bennington. After this Battle he was marched to Saratoga and joined the American army under the command of General Gates then acting against the British and was present at the time of Burgoyne's surrender. 
In this 3d term of service this deponent enlisted to the Green Moutnain Rangers under the command oc Col Herrick and thinks that this
Page 10

amounted to about five or six months which added  to his two other terms of service with the first of 3 months the 2d of Six months & make between fourteen and fifteen months which he served on tour of service in the Vermont Malitia in the since of the United States. This deponent resided at the time he served the three serveral tours aforesaid at the  town of Shaftsbury in the County of Bennington in Vermount_ During his first term of service for three months he marched from Shaftsburg to Onion river from thence to Ticonderoga where he was discharged by Captain John Facek during this second time of service for 6 months he marched from Shaftsbury to Rutland where he was engaged in scouting parties until he was discharged by Captain Hutchins In his third tour he marched from Shaftsbury under the command of Col Samuel Herrick and Captain Huntington to Palate in Vermont where he was stationed for a time until he was called to Saratoga to where he was present at the surrender of Genl Burgoine These three tours complete his tour of service. After his discharge from Captain Huntington. Some time in the month of March 1780 he traveled from Shaftsbury (Vermont) to New London where he volunteered as a marine on board  the ship Trumball a Man of War then lying in the Port of of New London. He went on board of said vessel for nine months and served under Captain Nicholas (or Nichelson) & Lieutenants Malby and Steven. He  well remembers the Surgeon of said Man of War (the ship Trumball) Doctor Morrow and also the remainders Chief Lawrence Langdon & Sailing Master Harn During his services on board the Trumball He sailed from the Port of New London on a cruise along the shores of Newfoundland & to the West India Islands where some time in the month of June or July 1780, they fell in with a British Man of War said to have been the Ship Watts from Liverpool bound to New York. A sharp engagement ensued between the Trumball and the Watts and thirty or forty men belonging to the Trumball  were killed. This deponent served during the engagement at a 12 pounder in the [illegible] of the Trumball. In Sixteen days after the Battle the Trunsball returned to Boston Port under Jury  Master. She there remained until she was repaired when she again sailed on a cruise and returned into the Port of Philadelphia. He than  sailed annother cruise and after a short time return
Page 11

 back to Philadelphia late in the fall of
1780 where in November he was discharged after
faithfully seeing for nine months as aforesaid
Capt. Nichelson or Riches that his discharge
have long since have lost or mislaid and that
he then has no documentary evidence, and
knows of no person whose testimony he can prove
who can certify this services except one Levi
Wood who if he is now a resident of the
State of Ohio and that can only testify
to his
know General Gates, General St Clair
June Stark Col Ethan Allen.
He hereby relinquishes every
whatever to a pension or annuity except the
present and declares that his name is not on
the pension rolls of the agency of any State
Sworn to and
that the
day and year aforesaid
W Philip Canner
William Howlett
sworn under in the County
of Jennings and State of Indiana and William
Elliot
residing in the said County and
State aforesaid hereby certify that we are well acquaintance
with William Kendell who has subscribed
sworn to the above declaration, that he lives
the County five years of age that he is reputed
relieved in the neighborhood where he resides
have he comes
Soldier of the Revolution and that
that opinion to and submitted the
day and year aforesaid
Philp Conner
William Elliott
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion
after the investigation of the matter, and after with
 the interrogatories presented by the
War Department
that the above-named applicant was
revolutionary soldier and send as the state and
the Court further certifies that it appears to them that
certificate
who has signed the presiding
a Clergyman
in the County ┃
Jennings and State of Indiana and that William
Elliot
who has also signed the same is a resident
in the same County and state, and is a credit ┃
person, and that their statement is entitled
Credit
M. Eggleston
Page 12


Ezra F Pabody
Sanuel Finical
I John Walker Clerk of the Jennings Circuit
Court do hereby certify that the foregoing
proceedings of the said
Court in the matter of the application of
William Howlett for a Pension
set my hand seal of office this 26th day
of August 1832
John Walker Clk.
Questions prescribed
the
to the within the named
said Court to Question 1st
War Department
applicant the
Ironton in
Dutchess County on 5th 1857
Question
 I have no record your 
living in the town of Shaftsbury Court
Bennington and State of Vermont when called in
to service since the Revolution, I have lived in the
State of Vermont. State of New York State of Ohio
from the State of Ohio moved to the County
State of place where I now reside
Question I went at all the time I enter the
Union. And to 5th Question. I know my will
General Gates, Genl St Clair Gene Stack & Seal the
Allen
I don't recollect particulars any 
name of number the general circumstances of my said
are included in the way of this declaration for
5th Question
read to written discharges are
one Capt. This face and the other from Court
Hutchins the
are both the lost and mislaid
Answer 7th Question as for my character for
act and the relief that I was a soldier of the Revolution
I refer you to John Manter Robert Ellis
Hanson Andrews Esqr W Sanford Esqr and
all who know me
Page 13

Act of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
5305
rejected
Martha Howlett
Service: widow of Wm Howlett
Enlisted:
Discharged:
Jennings co Ind
1853 Nov 1815
died Aug 1852
Application filed:
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P. O.
Recognized.
Cert. of Dis. Searched for
Page 14

no 1253
Martha Howlett
widow of Wm Howlett
Same on Aug. 30 1853
Act Feby 13 1853
Reg Mar. 1650
Page 15

Commision of
Pensions
April 20, 1853
Washington D C
Page 16

April 16th 1853
Zenas Jennings County Ind
Sir Enclosed I send you the
declaration of Marth Howlett widow
of William Howlett deceased for a pension
under the act of Congress, this of the 3rd of
February last. Howlett's pension certificate
is this day sent to the pension agency
at Madison to enable the widow to draw
the arrears of Pension due him at his
death, please address her at this
my address.
Very respectfully
your Obedient Servant,
James Myers
Page 17

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which these
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
William Howlett
further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes
which require
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason
assigned for his not doing so?
last
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes
V. *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he
served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension
he is entitled.
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yes
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of
June 7, 1832? yes
VII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes
2
he
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished
from any other seal? yes y has a device.
Page 18

2
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another in them
belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary
service? yes
the citizen as to
8
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtain
ing it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one
living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? Yes
XIV. If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who
administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility?
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under
his seal of office?
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age,
as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? Yes
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And,
if not, which of them is not so answered? yes
and
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how
long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being
duly sworn, deposed and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he
cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection
he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For year
months and - days, I served as a-
For --
months
days, I served as and for such service I claim a pension."
Page 19

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the applicant served,
and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of
the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too
indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he
must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits
the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as
the regiment, company, and line to which be belonged. The magistrate who may administer
the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature
of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not
written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the
certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must
pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly
attached to the certificate.
Page 20


Jones Ind
Aug 27, 1852
James Myers,
to the application of
Mrs. Martha Howlett
for pension,
I Respectfully referred
to the Comm of Pensions
Dept 
A J H White
Sept. 51853
Page 21


Zenas Ind August 27th 1843
Sir
some months since I made application
for a pension for Mrs. Martha Hamlett
as the widow of William Hamlett deceased
Since which time Mrs.
Hamlett has
died please inform me if her heirs or
entitled to the amt due her to wit
John
the 3rd of February last to the 20
day of her death
in respectfully your
James Myers
Revo case. Rec Apl 20 1
Page 22

March 26 1833
The Honorable Lewis Cass
Secretary of War
Office
Pensions
Washinton
City
Page 23

Vernon Jennings County
Indiana
11th March 1833
Sir
I enclose to you,
the Certificate of William Howlett
for Correction On
Examination of
his papers on which the certificate
you will find it is
Howlett Not Hambeth
discovered the Error.
as soon as presented to
me, to make one his papers on which to draw
his pension as
soon as correct please
forward it to me at this place, and
he will be advised
thereof, immediately
Very respectfully
John Vawter
The Honorable
Lewis Cass