Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 23,134, Samuel Bowen, R.I.
Page 1

(3–1776)
SERVICE
R.I.
Bowen,Samuel
NUMBER
S.23,134

CONTENTS
Page 2

[left side:]
New = York (Alb /131.364
===========
Samuel Bowen
of Wash.n co in the State of New, York
who was a private in the compy [sp] commanded
by Captain Curtis of the ~ commanded 
by ~ [“in the” is crossed out] Rhode Island 
[“line” is crossed out] for 7 months private.
============
Inscribed on the Roll of Rhode Island = Island
at the rate of 23 Dollars 33 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
=============
Certificate of Pension ifsued the 25.th day of 
January, 1838 and sent to Jno.
Norton, Hartford, Wash.n co. N.Y.
=============
Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1837 -  $151:64
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 M. 1838 = 11:66
                                                            ========
                                                             $163.30
                                                             ========
{ Revolutionary Claim, }
{ Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by S. A. Elliot Clerk,
Book . E2  Vol. 4,  Page 6,

[right side:]
Letter to 3d Auditor 10, Sep 1840
Paid at the Treasury under
the Act of this 6th April 1838.
from 4 March 1838 to 4 Sep
1839.  Agt notified 26. Sep
1840

[along the right side of page:]
Date of death not on G.13
Page 3

34,244
Samue Bowen

admd
 7 mo pri
~
$23.33.

Jno Norton Esq
Hartford
Washington Co
N.Y.
Page 4

I Joseph Munro of Bristol in the County of Bristol
in the State of Rhode Island fc on solemn oath
do testify & say that I am Seventy Six years of Age
that I was a soldier and did service in the War
of the Revolution. & that I now draw a pension
for those Services, — that I am well acquainted
with Samuel Bowen formerly of Warren
in said county of Bristol, but now
residing in the town of Hartford in the county
of Washington, in the State of New York, as I am
informed. — that at the time the English took
pofsefsion of Newport. December 6th 1776. all
the Militia in this country were turned out
and I was on duty in the Company of Militia
of Bristol, commanded by Wm Throop, from
the 6th day of December 1776 to the last of March 
following, that said Samuel Bowen served as a 
soldier in the militia in Capt. Curtis Cole’s company
from said Sixth day of December one
month, said Curtis Cole’s company was stationed
at Bristol.
In Seventeen hundred Seventy Seven in the
month of April, the said Samuel Bowen 
was drafted into the service in the company
commanded by said Curtis Cole, said company
was stationed on Bristol Neck at the house
of Capt Loring Peck’s, said Samuel Bowen
served under this Draft one month.
In the month of October of the same year
the said Samuel Bowen served one month
in same Company at Bristol Ferry at the time
of Spencer’s Expedition on Rhode Island.
In the year 1778, on the twenty fifth day of
May, the said Samuel Bowen, with his father
and a great num [abbreviation] of others employed by the
State to repair the Boats at Kirkemuit River
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in said Warren, was taken prisoner by the English 
while employed in repairing said boats. and retained 
as a prisoner nearly two months at Newport
this was the time when the English came to 
Warren and Burnt the meeting in said Warren
In July last or first of August the said year
1778. the said Samuel Bowen served as a
substitute for his father Smith Bowen, in 
Capt. Robert Carr’s Company, on Rhode Island 
in Sullivan’s Expedition. on Rhode Island.  This 
service was one month. and said Samuel Bowen
served one month in William Throop’s company
under a Draft, immediately after the last
aforenamed service as a substitute for his
father, and at he same place.
In 1779 in the month of June the said
Samuel Bowen, enlisted into a company under
command of Curtis Cole & served one month
in guarding Cannon belonging to the state
at a place called Grover’s Hill, in said 
Warren.
In the months of September & october
the said Samuel Bowen enlisted into the
Company commanded by said Curtis Cole
& served two months in guarding the 
shores at Masons Neck, this was in the 
year 1779.
In Seventeen hundred Eighty one Frequently 
saw said Samuel Bower on duty as a soldier
on Brinton’s Point near Newport. I believe he Served
there one month.  Joseph Munro [signature]

State of Rhode Island &c. Bristol fs. in Warren, July 5th 1837.
Then the above named Joseph Munro personally appearing before
me the Subscriber, and being sworn according to law, made oath to the truth
of the aforegoing Deposition, to which he Subscribed his name in my presence 
and I further certify that I am well acquainted with said Joseph
Munro, & that he is a credible person and his statements entitled
to credit —
Samuel Randall Justice [signature]
of the Peace
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I Seth Cole of Warren in the 
county of Bristol in the State of 
Rhode Island, on solemn oath 
do testify and Say that I am Seventy
Seven years of age, that I was a soldier
in the Revolutionary War, that I now 
draw a Pension for my services in
Said War. — that I have been acquainted 
with Samuel Bowen formerly of
said Warren, but now resides in Hartford
in the State of New York. that I have
heard the preceding Deposition of Joseph
Munro distinctly read and am satisfied
and believe it to be correct as to the service of
Said Samuel Bowen — having myself
been a part of the time therein stated
in the same company with said
Samuel Bowen, and at other times knew
him to be in the service — the said Samuel
Bowen was a near neighbor to me
during the whole of the War & knew where
he was about in the service of the War, and
have no doubt & believe he served all the 
time stated in the said Deposition afore
written & signed by said Joseph Munro.
Seth Cole [signature]

State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations
Bristol fs. in Warren July 5th 1837 the above named Seth
Cole personally appearing, before me the Subscriber, and 
being sworn according to law made oath to the truth of the 
of the afore written Deposition to which he subscribed 
his name in my presence — And I further certify that
I am well acquainted with said Seth Cole, & that he is 
a credible person &  his statements entitled to credit.
Samuel Randall Justice [signature]
Peace
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State of Rhode Island &c } Clerks office Supreme Judicial Court
Bristol County fc } July 6. AD 1837
I Greenwood Reynolds Clerk of said Court for
said County of Bristol do hereby certify that Samuel Reynolds
before whom the Depostions of Joseph Munro and Seth Cole
purport to have been taken is a Justice of the Peace for
said County of Bristol duly engaged and authorized to act
in said capacity, and that the signature of his name 
at the bottom of the certificate to said Depositions is 
his genuine signature.
In testimony where of I have hereunto
set my hand and affix the seal
of said Court the day and year 
afore written
Greenwood Reynolds Clerk [signature]
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State of New York }
Washington County } FS.  On this [blank] day of August in the year of our Lord 
1837 personally appeared in Open Court before the Judges of the
Court of Common Pleas (being a Court of Records) now sitting in and for
the County of Washington and State of New York, Samuel Bowen
a resident of Hartford in the County and State aforesaid aged Seventy
five years and upwards being Seventy five in October last past 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 Congrefs [Congress] pafsed [passed]
June 7, 1832. That he entered the Service of the United States under
the following named Officers, and served as herein stated
That on the Sixth day of December 1776 this Declarant then living with 
his father in the Town of Warren in the County of Bristol in the State of 
Rhode Island the Militia were called out in mafs [mass] and for occasion
of the British landing on the Island.  This Declarant was called out 
with the Militia in Capt. Curtis Cole’s Company which was 
Stationed at the Town of Bristol in Rhode Island where he served
one month and a few days over that period when the Company
[“1 month)” inserted] was marched back to Warren in the month of January and 
dismifsed [dismissed].
That same time about the Seventh day of April in the year
one thousand seven hundred and Seventy seven this
Declarant while living at Warren in Rhode Island aforesaid 
was Drafted for the Term of one month from the militia and
served under said Draft under Capt. Curtis Cole for one month and
was Stationed at Bristol neck at the house Capt Loring Peck this was
the only Company stationed there during that period and at the end of
the said month they were relieved by another Company and
[“1 month)” inserted] this Declarant’s Company returned home.
That in the month of October in the year 1777, this Declarant was
again Drafted at the time of Spencer’s expedition to attempt to 
drive the British off the Island which failed, that he served
[“1 month)” inserted] on that occasion under Capt. Curtis Cole one month at Bristol
ferry when the company was marched home & Dismifsed [Dismissed] —
That in the year 1778 on the 25th day of May of that Year this
Declarant with his father and great number other persons
went to Kickermusit River in the Town of Warren to repair Boat for
the Government under the direction and Command of Captain
Joseph Church and continued in Repairing said Boats for two weeks
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weeks when the British came upon them and destroyed between two 
and three hundred of the Boats that there were between fifty & sixty 
which we had repaired and launched into the River which they 
had not time to destroy which were saved but this Declarant 
and all his party were taken prisoners by the British and 
carried to Rhode Island harbour and put on board a prison 
ship where we were kept two months and one day which 
he well remembers. on this occasion the British burnt the 
the meeting house in March and the Church in Bristol the 
harbour to which he was carried & imprisoned was at Newport 
[insert “2 mos 2 weeks”] in Rhode Island and were returned by an exchange of prisoners. 
That the last of July or first of August, in the year 1778 This Declarant 
entered the service in the Militia as a substitute for his father who was 
Drafted for one month in Capt. Robert Carr's Company in Rhode Island 
in Sullivan's Expedition on Rhode Island in which Company he served 
one month on which occasion they were stationed at Portsmouth and 
[insert “1 mo.”] Middletown and on the lines of the British. And on the expiration of his 
service as a substitute his own Draft was called for and he 
immediately without leaving the ground entered the Company 
of Capt. William Throop and served another month in said 
last mentioned Company on the lines of the British until they 
[insert “1 mo.”] were driven off to Butt's hill in Portsmouth Rhode Island. 
That in the month of June in the year 1779 this Declarant enlisted 
in a Company of Militia Commanded by Capt. Curtis Cole for one 
month. That he served in said Company for one month and 
was Stationed at Grave's Hill in the Town of Warrick Rhode Island 
[insert “1 mo.”] in guarding Cannon belonging to the State of Rhode Island. 
That on the last of August or first of September in the year 1779 
this Declarant enlisted in Capt Curtis Cole’s Company of Militia for 
two months and served in said Company of two months 
in guarding the shores at Masons Neck. 
[insert “2 mo.”] That in the month of June about the tenth day of this month this
Declarant was Drafted into a Company Commanded by Captain 
Abial Allen for one month that he served in said Company 
for one month at Brentons point near Newport Rhode Island 
[insert “1 mo.”] and further said that Seth Cole whose Deposition is hereto annexed served in the 
same Company and was in the same ways with this Declarant. 
And that Joseph Munro was a soldier with this Declarant in April 1777 and 
in August & September 1778 and in August & September 1779. the said Joseph
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Munro was a Soldier with this Declarant according to his best recollection
and belief — And this Declarant saith that in his first third & fourth 
Tour of Service aforesaid Nathan Miller was his Colonel and
in his second & fifth John Cook was his Colonel in his
sixth Peter Church was Colonel in his seventh Loring Peck
was Colonel in his Eighth Col. Rotter. That while he was in
the service he knew Colonel Angel of a Rhode Island Regiment
and Major Theyer of the same Regiment being Continental
General Sullivan, General Cornwal General Varnum. Col 
Webb of a Connecticut Regiment, Col Carpenter of Mafsachusetts,
He hereby relinquishes any claims 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 or
territory of the United States
That this Declarant was born in the Town of Tiverton in the 
State of Rhode Island on the 18th October 1760 & appears by the
Record in the State of Rhode Island which he examined a few weeks ago   
but has always supposed he was one year younger.
That he has no record of his age except the public Record in Rhode Island 
That he was living in the Town of Warren in the State of Rhode
Island when he was called into the service as he has above stated
That he does not distinctly recollect any other officers 
than as above stated
That he never received any written discharge —
That he can state the names in his present neighborhood
who can testify to his veracity are Samuel Hale Peter Boyce
Solomon Smith, David Martin, David Braxton Hezekiah
Davis and many others he might State
And this Declarant further saith the reason he has not sooner
applied for a pension is that his witnefses Lived in 
the State of Rhode Island a great Distance from
him and it was Inconvenient to go there for the 
purpose of looking up witnefses & he has been able
to support himself without it but is now unable 
to Labour & conceiving himself to be entitled has obtained the 
annexed testimony by going to Rhode Island for
it and could have obtained more but supposed he has obtained
sufficient to satisfy the Department.
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That this Declarant Removed from Rhode Island in the year 1794 to
the Town of Hartford in the County of Washington & State of
New York where he has ever since lived & still lives —
Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid 
Samuel Bowen [signature]

And the said Court to 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 the said Samuel Bowen is of good moral
character and his Statement as a witnefs would be entitled to belief
I Edward Dodd Clerk of the County Courts of the County of Washington 
aforesaid do certify that the foregoing contains the original 
proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of
Samuel Bowen for a Pension 

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed 
my name and affixed the seal of said court upon
this tape which connects these papers this 29th day of 
August in the year 1837
Edward Dodd Clk [signature]
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Rev. and 1812
Wars section
AWF:MLB

October 17, 1930

Mrs. G. W. Clark
244 Main Street
Owego, New York

Dear Madam:

You are advised that it appears from the papers in the 
Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 23134, that Samuel Bowen
was born October 18, 1760, in Tiverton, Rhode Island.

While residing in Warren, Bristol County, Rhode Island ,
with his father, Smith Bowen, he enlisted and served as a
private with the Rhose [spelling] Island troops, as follows:

From December 6, 1776, one month and a few days, in 
Captain Curtis Cole’s company, Colonel Nathan Miller’s regiment;
from April 7, 1777, one month, in Captain Curtis Cole’s company,
Colonel John Cooke’s regiment; from October, 1777, one month in
Captain Curtis Cole’s company, Colonel Nathan Miller’s regiment;
from May 25, 1778, he, with his father and several others, was
engaged in repairing boats under Captain Joseph Church and 
Colonel Nathan Miller, after having served about two weeks,
they were attacked by the British and all taken prisoners and
put on a prison ship and held two months when exchanged; from 
July or August, 1778, one month as a substitute for his father, in
Captain Robert Carr’s company, Colonel John Cooke’s regiment and 
was in Sullivan’s expedition; later in 1778, one month in
Captain William Throop’s company; in the summer of 1779, one month,
in Captain Curtis Cole’s company, Colonel Peter Church’s regiment;
in the fall of 1779, two months in Captain Curtis Cole’s company,
under Colonel Loring Peck; from June 10, 1781, one month in 
Captain Abial Allen’s company, Colonel Potter’s regiment.

He was allowed pension on his application executed August 29,
1837, at which time he was living in Hartford, Washington County,
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New York, having lived there since 1794.
There is no reference to wife or children.

Very truly yours
E.W. MORGAN
Acting Commissioner

- 2 -
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TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Second Comptroller's Office, September 14th 1840.
Sir: Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensions, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United State," Samuel Bowen, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Albany, N.Y. Agency, at the rate of Twenty three Dollars and 33 Cents per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4th of March 1838, to the 4th Sept. 1839. Respectfully yours, Albion K. Parris Comptroller. To the Commissioner of Pensions, Present.
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244 MAIN STREET OWEGO, TIOGA CO., NEW YORK Oct. 1, 1930 Mr. earl D. Church, Commissioner, Bureau of Pensions Washington Dear Sir: - Can you inform me whether a Pension was ever granted to Samuel Bowen of Warren, R.I.? An old man of 77 years he was taken prisoner-of-war in the raid on Warren by the British in May, 1778 & suffered starvation - from [illegible] before receiving his freedom. Very truly yours, Mrs. G. W. Clark.

U. S. Pension Office Oct 2 1930
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Revolution 23134 Invalid. File No. 23,124 Samuel Bowen Pri Rev War act: June 7th 32 Index:- Vol. 2, Page 44 [Arrangement of 1870.]
1930 Oct. 17 - Hist. to Mrs. G. W. Clark awg
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N. York Saml. Bowen Letter to John Norton 15 Nov. 1837
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Jan. 15 NY Act 1832 
S. Bowen
Hartford N.Y. Jany 6" Free
John. L. Edwards Esq. Com of Pensions Washington City D.C.
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Hartford Washington County N.Y. Dec. 6" 1832 Sir Yours in relation to the pension of Samuel Bowen is received Stating that all that can be allowed is a pension for Seven months service you state that the service in re[illegible] costs is not provided for in the act and that there is no evidence of a draft in the militia for a two months tour. I have informed Mr. Bowen of the contents of your & he directs me to say he cannot procure further proof & wishes to have me [illegible] me that he may receive the current allowed him Yours &c John Norton J. L. Edwards Esq Com of Pensions
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NY Act 1832 Spt. 11 Hartford N.Y. September 7th free James L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pension Washington City D.C Saml Bowen
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The inclosed Pension Papers of Samuel Bowen of Hartford N York are sent to your office and any communication which may be necessary to be sent pleas direct to John Norton Post Master Hartford Washington County N.Y. Your obnt Servt. Samuel Bowen
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Saml Bowen NWV
Northern NJ Nov 8
my appe
James L Edwards Esq
Washington
Com of Pensions
Washington DC
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Hartford N.Y. Nov 8th 1837
Sir In August last Samuel Bowen of this town
sent to the pension office his papers in relation to his service in the Revolutionary war he is very desirous to here if the same has arrived and if so he wishes to here from as soon as is convenient
John Norton