Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R 6858, for James Manchester, Rhode Island
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(8-1776)
SERVICE
R. I.
Manchester, James
NUMBER
R 6858
CONTENTS
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I Pardon Manchester of Newberlin in the
County of Shenango & State of New York of
lawful age depose and say. that during the
war of the revolution and until a few years
after its close his residence was in the town
of coventry and west Greenwich in the County
of Kent or Providence Plantation as it was
then called. That during this time he knows
that James Manchester who now resides in
Pownal in the County of Bennington & State of
Vermont enlisted several times as a private &
corporal in the war of the revolution he recollects
that he enlisted as a substitute and took
the place of William Manchester Father of
said James but can not say how long he
sereved- He remembers that said James
took the place of Spink Tarbox and served
as a substitute for a month and then took the
place as a substitute for a man by the name of
Rufus Matterson for a month he thinks these
Services were rendered in the year 1778 but
cannot be certain as to the year. He further
remembers that he served in the year 1779
as a corporal in a company under the command
of Lieut Wheaton of East Greenwich R. I for
the period of nine months as this deponent
understood at that time. He also recollects
of the said James serving several times in
alarms as they were called can not say
how many times nor how long he served
in said alarms. This deponent well
recollects that said James enlisted in the year
1782 for the period of during the war in to 
acompany under the command of Capt Rhodes and
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served a few months and was discharged He also
remembers that it was said at that time that
said James had one or two written discharges
from services he had rendered though this deponent 
never read the discharges he recollects
of hearing read one or two discharge that
purported to be hon discharges which were
burned and destroyed with the dwelling house
of William Manchester Father of the said
James. This deponent saw and was 
present at the time said house was burned and
recollects that it was said soon after that the
said discharge of said James were destroyed
by said fire  This deponent was not with
said James at the times he served as before
mentioned though he saw him when he enlist
or volunteer several times and afterwards
saw him occasionally while said James
was acting under said enlistments and it
was always said that said James served
the period, of his engagements faithfully and
was honorably discharged this deponent
is confident that said James served under
all his engagements in the war of the 
revolution a period of not less than 18 months
further say not
Pardon Manchester

State of Vermont ( Pownal 24 May 1841
Bennington County) Then personally appeared Pardo[n]
Manchester and was duly sworn
to the truth of the above and foregoing deposition
by him subscribed before me
Saml Wright Just[illegible]
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I certify that Pardon Manchester a person to me
well known is a credible witness and that his
statement made in the foregoing deposition
is entitled to full credit
Saml Wright Justice of the Peace

I certify that Saml Wight
whose hand writing is to me well known
is an acting Justice of Peace for the
County of Bennington, State of Vt, &  that the
forgoing signatures are genuine
Hilund Hall

td
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Declaration

STATE OF VERMONT.  
County of Bennington. ⎬SS

In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress Passed June 7. 1832

On this 25th day of July A. D. 1833 personally appeared
in open court, before the Hon. the Court of Probate for the District of Bennington, now sitting,
James Manchester a resident of Pownal
in the County of Bennington and State of Vermont, aged 69
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.
1st That at Providence R.I. in the forepart of January 1778
he thinks the 10th day his Father William Manchester
enlisted as a private in a company commanded by
Lieutenant Sweet for the term of 9 months in Col
Cararys Regt R.I. State Troops ---- That on the
5th day of July same year this declarant at Newport R.I.
as a substitute took the place of the said William Manchester
and served in said company and Regt until the
10th or 15th day of October following being the full term
of his angagement and was discharged at Tiverton R.I.
The above services were rendered at Bristol Ferry and
Newport R. I.

2nd That at Providence R.I. on the 25th day of October
1778 according to the best of his recollection he took
the place of Spink Tarbox as a Substitute for one
month in a Militia company under the command
of Ensign Potter in Col Kimball or Col Cararys regt
That he served the said month apart of the time at 
quitniesich neck and apart at Providence R. I. and the
remainder at Newport R. I. and the Tiverton

3d That at Providence R.I. the 26th day of November 1778 according
to the best of his recollection he took the place of
Rufus Matterson who was drafted  as a private in to the same 
company last above mentioned for one month that he
Served faithfully during said term at the place last at
tour mentioned

4th That at Providence R.I. on the 1st day of January 1779
he enlisted as a corporal in to a company under the command of Lieutenent
Page 6

Wheaton of East Greenwich R.I. The Regt in which he
served under this engagement was commanded a
part of the time by Col Toppin and a part of the
time by Col Varnum That he was stationed at
Providence East Greenwich & Warwick neck until
the middle of April following when he was detached to
go on board a Privateer Commanded by Capt Garzee
and was at Sea 42 Days and took two Prizes
and then returned and joined said Regt at Providence
R. I. and soon after he was detached to go to New London
Connecticut in a company of Rangers or Flying
Camp Guard and marched to Newlondon and
from thence marched to West Point and from thence
to Groton and from thence to Stonington Harbour
and thence to Providence R.I. and there was detach
to go on Board of a Privateer under Capt Curtis
and was gone 20 or 30 Days and
returned and joined
Said Regt and then was detached to go again with
said company of Rangers and was stationed at
Providence R.I. until his term of service expired
which was in October 1779

5th That at Providence Rhode island on the first day
of November 1782 according to the best of his
recollection he enlisted as a Corporal into a company
under the command of Capt Robert Rhodes for the
term of during the war That the Regiment in which
the served was sometimes commanded by Col Toppin
sometimes by Col Kittoney and he remembering of serving
Col Kimball occasionally That he continued to serve
in Said Regt for three months and 10 or 15 days
when he was discharged at Patuxel R. I. having served
as was said until the Provisional articles of a
Treaty was signed Though the definitive Treaty
was not signed as he understood until sometime after

6 That he served at several times in Alarms between
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the month of November 1779 and the months [illegible]
November 1782 as much as six months he recollects
that between the time last above mentioned he went
on an alarm with the Militia to Roxbury and
was gone 26 or 27 Days
he recollects of going on
an alarm with the militia oo Quitnusich
neck and was gone on said Alarm 18 or 20 days
he recollects of going on Alarm to  Stonington
Connecticut and was in Service
10 or 12 Days
That by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory
he can not 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 &
in the following grades for 10 months he served as a
Private and for one year and ten days he served as 
a corporal and for such service he claims a pension
He further says he has no documentary evidence

claims Manchester
Declaration Vermont
examined and Sworn
27916
Suspended

Hn. H Hall
HR
Page 8

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 answer to the interrogatories propounded by the Court the applicant declares,
1st. That he was born at East Greenwich R. I in April 1764
2d. That he has no record of his age
3d. That he lived in Coventry R. I.
when called into service, and
has lived in Pownal Vermont for the last 50 years
4th. That he was a substitute and volunteer as before 
Stated
5th. That among the regular officers who were with the troops where he served, he recollects
none except those above stated
6th. That he received a written discharge from the 9 month servin
and at the close of the war and they were burned
with his fathers house in Coventry R.I.
7th. That he is known to the Rev Edward Green residing
in Pownal and the Hon. Solomon Wright
residing in Pownal who can testify
as to his character for veracity, and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution.
James Manchester
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.

We, Edward Green residing in the town of
Pownal and the Hon. Solomon Wright
residing in the town of
residing in Pownal_ hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with
James Manchester who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that
we believe him to be 69 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 that opinion.
Edward Green

Sworn, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.  Solomon Wright

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 Edward Green
who has signed the preceding
certificate, is a Clergyman resident in the town of Pownal
and that the Hon. Solomon Wight who has also signed the same, is a
resident in the town of Pownal and is a credible person, and that their
statement is entitled to credit.

S. Danforth Judge

I, WILLIAM HASWELL, Register of the Court of Probate for the
District of Bennington, do hereby certify that the foregoing
contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter
of the application of James Manchester
for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and
seal of office, this 25th day of July
A. D. 1833
Wm Haswell
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REJECTED [stamped diagonally cross page]
6858
P. O. 
James Manchester
Service:
Enlisted:  [blank], 18
Discharged: [blank] 18
Application filed:  [blank], 18
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P. O.
[blank] Recognized.   [blank]Contract
[blank] Cert. of Dis. Searched for [blank], 18
Page 10

Seelet  Feb 13. 1837
to Hon H. Hall
do to same June 25 1841
Vermont

6858
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James Manchester born 1763                                                                       mo. OS-
Jany     78  Lt Sweet    Col Crary- sub: of father from 5 July to 10 oct           3.5
25 oct.  "    Ensn Potter "    Kimball sub. S.Tarbon                                               1-
26 Nov. "              "        "       "          "    R. Matteson                                      1
1 Jany 79.     Lt Wheaton    Topham-Varnum                                           Corpl 9~
1 Nov. 82.     Capt Rhodes for the war - Sometime by Topham - Kiteory       "  } 3.10
discharged by articles of peace being signed }
and served several times on alarms estimated -                                                 6~
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Heb 1,
Vr

J. L. Edminds Esq
Court of Pension

Hon H. Hall
HR
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Ho. of Rife Feby, 1837
Sir
I enclose you the application,
with additional evidence of James Manchester for a Pension
Very respectfully
yr obt sevt
H Hall

JL Edwards Esq-
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Ho Reps June 19, 1841

Sir,
   I enclose additional evidence in
the case of James Manchester for
a pension - Will you have the
goodness to inform me the results
produced by the new evidince.
   I am also desired to inquire
the situation of the case of
Remington Cummings, & what the
obstacles in the way of his application,
if any, are?

Very repectfully yours
Hilund Hall

Colo J L Edwards
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Josiah Montgomery
Deposition
Sworn in open Court
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I Josiah Montgomery of Pownal in the County
of Bennington and State of Vermont of lawful age
depose and say that in the month of September or
October 1779 while acting as a Soldier in the Revolution
at Groton Connecticut I became acquainted with
James Manchester now of Pownal Vermont he then
was a Private Soldier as I Supposed in a company of Rangers
sometimes called the Flying Camp Guard which
company of Rangers went to  Stonnington I recollect
Seeing said Manchester at Newport R. I. While he
was a soldier in the Revolution
Josiah Montgomery

State of Vermont
Bennington Probate District} Poronal 25th July 1833
Then personally appeared in
open Court before the Hon. the Court of Probate
for the District of Bennington Josiah Montgomery
Subscriber to the above deposition and made oath to the
truth of the same
S. Danforth Judge

I certify that Josiah Montgomery subscribed
to the above deposition to me well known
is a credible witness and that his statement
is entitled to credit
S Danforth Judge
Page 17

I Remmington Commings of Pownal in the County
of Bennington & State of Vermont aged 72 years
depose and say that I have been well acquainted with
James Manchester of Pownal in the County of
Bennington & State of Vermont for the most part of
the time for 60 years that he formerly lived in the
Town of Coventry in the County of Kent in the
State of R.I. within a mile & a half of the place whose
I was born & where I resided until June 1779
I recollect that at N. Port R. I. the forepart of
July 1778 while I was doing duty as a soldier
there the said James Manchester took the place
of his Father William Manchester & Served as a
substitute until the next fall I think he was
dismissed in October his services were rendered
according to my best recollection in Col Carary's
Reg t the same in which I then served And I recollect
that I saw him engaged again as a soldier in the
Militia soon after he was discharged from said
Carary's Regt I think he served a month or
two months in the Militia And I understand
from his parents & neighbors some time in the
Winter of 1779 that he had Enlisted for 9 months
as a corporal or private which I do not recollect. I well remember that I was at at Warwick neck
R. I. in the month of March or the fore part of
April 1779 & talked with him & others & they
told me that said James was an Enlisted
Soldier and had been during the Winter previous
he was then acting as a soldier though young
he was a prompt active Soldier
I left the State of R.I. in June following and
come to Pownal Vermont my present place
of Residence & said Manchester came to Pownal
about 5 years afterward in which Town we
both lived until about 25 years ago when I
returned to R.I. & Staid there until last March 
& then came to Pownal And I further depose &
say that I once Saw a discharge or writing
which was said to be discharge of the said James
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Manchester from the 9 months service before
mentioned and I heard it read by a man by the
name of Edward Knass & afterwards 
Manchester told me that it was burned with his
Fathers house
                    his
Rimmington X Comming
                   Mark

Attest Silvanus Danforth

Bennington County Ss } Pownal 10th August 1835
Then personally appeared Remmington Commings
Subscriber to the above & foregoing deposition and
was duly sworn to the same before me
Sebastian Wager Justice of the peace

I certify that Remmington Commings subscriber
to the above deposition to me well is a credible
witness & that his statement is entitled to credit
Sebastian Wagon Justice of the peace

State of Vermont I Henry Robinson Clerk of
Bennington County Court do
hereby certify that Sebastian Wagner Esq.
whose signature appears to the
foregoing is a Justice of the peace
in & for said County of Bennington
duly qualified by law to act as
such & that his signiture I believe
is genuine
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed
my name & affixed the seal of our said Court
at Bennington this tenth day of August AD
1835 & of the Independance of the United States
the Sixtieth
Henry Robinson