Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 21336, Joseph Wolcott, Conn.
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
Conn.

Wolcott, Joseph
Wolcutt or
Hixon, Sarah

NUMBER
W.21336

CONTENTS
This woman’s last husband was also pensioned. See claim of Elkanah Hixson, Mass. S.39,694
(former widow)
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Typed document completed in handwriting

Vermont ---1290.

Sarah Hixon formerly widow of Joseph Wolcott, dec’d who died in the year “1791 at sea”; of Orange co in the State of Vermont who was a fifer in the Reg’t. commanded by Captain --- of the Reg’t commanded by Col. Durkee in the Connecticut line for 2 years fifer

Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont/Windsor at the rate of 88 Dollars --- Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 7th day of August 1837 and sent to J.K. Parish, Esq Randolph, Vert.

Arrears to the 4th of March, ’37         $528:00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. ’37 44:00
                                                                 $572:00

{Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 8}

Recorded by S.A. Elliot, Clerk, 
Book A Vol. 2 Page 37.

Notification sent Augt 8, 1837.
See letter to P. Aut. Winder, Aug. 29. 1837
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I Lucy Putnam of Bane in the county of Washington & State of Vermont aged sixty seven years testify & say that I am the Sister of Sarah Hixon and that I can well remember when my said sister first married which was in Granby Mass. to one Joseph Wolcott this deponent remembers she was about nine or ten years old when her sister was married & that she is nearly sixteen years younger than her said sister She further testifies that after the said Wolcott married her said sister he very soon went into the Army & left his wife with her father so that she lived with her some time after her marriage, and the said Wolcott [strikethrough] was home for a furlough [strikethrough] as this deponent well remembers was a fifer - After the close of the war of the Revolution her said sister resided with her husband in said Granby Mass near where this deponent resided and something like a year previous to the marriage of this deponent which was in 1792 she well remembers that the husband of her sister the said Wolcott was in bad health & left Granby & as was said went on sea voyage for his health, but that he never returned & it was reputed & believed that he died at sea. She further testifies that her sister married again in Granby one Aaron Johnson about three years after this deponent married and the said Johnson died about 1800 after which this widow my said sister married to one Elkanah Hixon about two years after the death of her second husband, and the last husband died about nine years since in Stockbridge MA.

I further testify & say that since the death of the said Hixon my said sister has remained a widow & that she is now present at the making of this deposition - I further testify that Joseph Wolcott the son of my said sister & now present was born at my Fathers and I have always known him from a child and I have heard the affidavit of his making made before the same court taking this affidavit & I fully believe it contains the truth
Lucy Putnam
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State of Vermont
District of Randolph}

At Williamstown in said district this 6th day of July 1837 Lucy Putnam a credible person appeared in Probate Court & signed the foregoing affidavit & was sworn to the truth of the same before -
J.K. Parish Clerk of P. Court
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State of Vermont
District of Randolph ss}

I certify that the declaration of Sarah Hixon together with the depositions of Joseph Wolcott Lucy Putnam hereto attached were taken in Probate Court this 6th day of July AD 1837.

Witness my hand & seal of office the day & year above written
J.K. Parish Reg’r

There is an attached seal
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I Joseph Wolcott of Williamstown in the County of Orange and State of Vermont afed fifty seven years depose testify and say that I am the son of Joseph Wolcott and Sarah Wolcott now Sarah Hixon that I born as I always understood at Granby (Massachusetts). My father [strikethrough] was ? years [strikethrough] was out in the service Six years as I have always understood and duly believe he left home when I was about thirteen years old in poor health in order to take a voyage at sea for the benefit of his health. He then lived in Granby (Mass). I distinctly recollect his leaving home and the charge he gave me at the time he went to sea but from what place he sailed on in what vessel he went I do not know - and he never returned and it was reported and believed and I still believe that he died at sea as we have never since heard from him - My Mother married [?] her second husband Aaron Johnson with in the year 1795 and the said Johnson died about about the year 1800 and she afterwards married Elkanah Hixon in 1802 who died in the year 1828 in Stockbridge (V.t.) and that the said Sarah has remained a Widow ever since that time and has resided most of the time in my family.
Joseph Wolcott
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State of Vermont
Orange County
District of Randolph}

At Williamston in said District on the 6th day of July AD 1837 then personally appeared Joseph Wolcott the signer of the foregoing affidavit a person well known to me and a credible witness and made oath to the foregoing affidavit before me
John W Smith Judge of Probate
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Sarah Hixon for [?] Widow of Jos. Wolcott

Vt

Adm’d
2 years fifer
88.$
no deduction died in 1791-

JK Parish Esqr
Randolph Vt
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Questions in order to obtain the benefits of the 3rd section of the act of 4th July. 1836 and of the 1st section of the act of 3rd March 1837 -

State of Vermont
Orange County
District of Randolph}

On the 6th day of July AD 1837 personally appeared before the Fourth Probate Court within and for the District of Randolph now sitting at Williamstown in said district Sarah Hixon a resident of Williamstown aforesaid in Orange County & State of Vermont aged eighty three 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 4th 1836 and the act explanatory of said act passed March 3. 1837. That she was married to Joseph Wolcott on the 10th day of March 1779 in the town of Granby in the State of Mass by the Rev. Mr. Bachus [strikethrough] and [strikethrough] that her said husband was a Soldier in the Revolutionary War as this declarant believes & has always understood for the greater part of the whole war, and that he served as a Fifer in the Con. line & in the Reg’t in the Reg’t. commanded by Col John Durkee for several years And that in the last of his service this declarant believes he was transferred to some other Reg’t. but who commanded it she cannot state but she well remembers her said husband brought home with him form the Army a discharge & what was called a badge of merit & this declarant thinks & believes he was discharged as a fifer Maj. [strikethrough] but [strikethrough] the said discharge is not now in her possession & she does not know where it is & has not seen it for many years. This declarants maiden name was Sarah Lathrap.

She further declares that her said husband Joseph Wolcott in the year 1791 was residing in the town of Granby Mass. and was in poor health & left his home & family for the purpose of going to the Salt Water & taking a Sea Voyage & from which voyage he never returned & this declarant was informed & has always supposed he died at sea but in what ship she cannot say. That she afterwards in the year 1795 married to Aaron Johnson in the town of Granby aforesaid and that the said Johnson died in Bethel in 1800. And that in 1802 this Declarant again married to Elkanah Hixon who died in the year 1828 a pensioner of the U. States & that she has remained a widower since that time, and was a widow on the 4th of July 1836. and is now a
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widow as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto amended.
X her mark
Sarah Hixon

Witness 
J.K. Parish 
J. W. Smith

State of Vermont
Orange County
District of Randolph ss}

At Williamstown in said District on this 6th day of July 1837 in open Court the foregoing Declaration of Sarah Hixon was sworn to & subscribed - 

Before me - John W Smith Judge of Probate

The aforesaid Declarant is a credible person
J.W. Smith Judge of Probate
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Typed document completed in handwriting

In reply to your request of ---, received --- for a statement of the military history of Joseph Wolcott a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in [strikethrough] his (or [strikethrough] his widow’s) application for pension on file in this Bureau.  W.21,336.

6 column table
|DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. | LENGTH OF SERVICE. | RANK. | OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. CAPTAIN.| SERVICE UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. COLONEL. | STATE. |

| -- service ended in 1781| 4 yrs. 1 mo 29 da. | Fifer | --- | John Durkee | Conn |

Battles engaged in, ---
Residence of soldier at enlistment, not stated.
Date of application for pension, July 6, 1837 Her cl. was al.
Residence at date of application, Williamstown, Orange Co, Vt.
Age at date of application, 83 years.
Remarks: Soldier mar Mch 10, 1779, at Granby, Mass Sarah Lathrop. In 1791, he left home for the purpose of taking a sea voyage for his health and was supposed to have died at sea, as he never returned. In 1895, she mar. Aaron Johnson who died in 1800, and in 1802 she mar. Elkanah Hixson, who died in 1828. Solder’s son Joseph Wolcott, was born at Granby, Mass and was 57 yrs old in 1839.

Respectfully,

Commissioner

6-2856
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J. K. Parish Esqr
Randolph, Vermont

There is a faint stamp
? RT N
24
?
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Comptrollers Office
Hartford ct.
June 15th 1837

On application for evidence of the services of Joseph Wolcott, I have examined the Books & papers remaining in this Office relating to the Revolutionary War, & find & certify as follows viz -

Connecticut Line Vol 1 Settlement with the 4th Connecticut Regt John Durkee Esqr Colonel, before January 1st 1780 

Joseph Wolcott, fifer, served 3 years = Settlement with the 4th Conn. Regt John Durkee Esqr Colonel for the year 1781. Joseph Wolcott, fifer served 1 year =

Settlement with the 1st Conn. Regt John Durkee Esqr Colonel for the year 1781 = Joesph Wolcott, fifer, served 1 month 29 days”=

The above is all I have been able to find concerning the service of Joseph Wolcott =

Wm Fields Comptroller
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Town Clerks office, Granby, Mass. July 8th 1837.

Having made a thorough examination of the records of this town for that particular purpose, I have been unable to find any record therein, of the marriage of Joseph Wolcott to Sarah or a Sally Lathrop; said to have been married here about the year 1779. The earliest marriages I have found on record here, were in the year 1790.

Marriages in this state are not entered for record by the parties themselves, but by the Clergyman or Magistrate, by whom the are married; the law making it their special duty, annually on the first of April, to return into the Town Clerks Office for record, a list of al marriages by them Solemnized during the preceeding year, giving the names and places of residence of the parties, with the date of their marriages.

Attest: William Belcher, Town Clerk.
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Vt
USoC f266 
July 18 ‘37

[strikethrough] Sarah Wolcott [strikethrough]

Sarah Hixson
Vt. Adm’d
wid Jos. Wolcott
act 1836

Randolph Ms
alc 1H

JL Edwards
Comm’r of Pensions
Pension Office
Washington City

Free
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Randolph Vt.  July 14, 1837.

Sir  

I enclose to the Department an answer to a letter addressed to the Town Clerk of Granby Mass for a copy of the record of the marriage of Joseph Wolcott Sarah Lathrop whose declaration I forwarded to the Department a few days since.

I think the Department will be satisfied the recorded marriage is not to be found yet the evidence accompanying the declaration I apprehend will be satisfactory on that point as will appear from the sister & the son of the declarant, the widow Hixon . Should any further evidence be required it may be obtained from another Sister living at a distance from the declarant.

Respectfully Yr ob’t. Serv’t
J.K. Parish

Com’s of Pensions
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Randolph Vt July 10th 1837.

Sir:

I enclose the declaration of the widow Hixon for a Pension under the act of July 4, 1836 & March 3rd 1837. I have not been able to obtain record proof of the marriage by writing to Granby.

The proof of service is from the Comptroller at Hartford Conn. & is attached to the declaration & the affidavits of Mrs. Putnam & Mr. Wolcott the son of the widow now applying.

Should I obtain any further proof of the marriage I will immediately forward it to the Department aside form record proof of the marriage it is believed the case a perfectly clear one -

Your Obd’t Serv’t
 J.K. Parish

Com’s of Pensions
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Bank of Windsor Vt.
Aug. 24th 1837.

Sir:

The enclosed voucher is intended to be filled up and perfected for the stipend due Sarah Hicks, formerly widow of Joseph Wolcott deceased. (who was a fifer) and was forward to this office that the remaining portion of the Blank might be filled here & returned for signature. As Sarah Hicks has been twice married since the death of J. Wolcott (the husband on [strikethrough] whom [strikethrough] account of whose services she is made a provision) doubts have arisen with me, whether, though now a widow, her pay should be reckoned only up to the time of her first marriage after the death of Wolcott. If she is permitted to draw to the present moment, what language shall be used in the enclosed forms? It cannot be said that she has not intermarried, or that she continued the widow of the above mentioned Joseph Wolcott? Doubtful her case may appear in no way intricate to you, but I find it rather difficult to give the directions requested of me, as seen on the back of the Number. Please allow the Blank to be filled at your Office or give me the request. directions for doing it.

I am, Sir, very
respectfully, your 
Obt Servant

Thomas Emerson, Prest. & Pension Agt.
by R. Emerson Clerk

Hon JL. Edwards
Com’r. of Pensions
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Rev Dec
H 1-29-1916

The Department of the Pension Bureau. Washington D.C.

Kindly send me copy of the pension papers of Joseph Wolcott, of Rev. War. of Connecticut either he received them during his life time, or his widow, who moved to Williamstown, VT. & lived with her son; it is known she had a pension, but Vermont records are so incomplete, I was advised to write direct to the Pension Bureau. I shall greatly appreciate, any copy.

Send same to
Mrs. B. S. Rolfe.
Regent of Rumford Chapter D.A.R.

48 South St. Concord - New Hamp
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Typed document completed in handwriting

Revy 
WIDOW, &c.

File No. 21336
Sarah Hixon
Widow of Joseph Wolcott
Fifer. Rev. War

Act. July 7th 1836
Index: Vol. A, Page 336

[Arrangement of 1870.}

1916 Feb 5: Hist to Mrs. B. S. Rolfe