Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21811, Stephen Harris, R.I.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE
R. I.
Harris, Stephen
NUMBER
S. 21811
CONTENTS
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15670
Rhode Island
Stephen Harris
A Providence in the State of Rhode Island who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Hopkins of the Reg commanded by Col. West on the R. Island line for 8 months & 20 days

Inscribed on the Roll of R Island at the rate of 28 Dollars 89 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 9th day of July 1833 and sent Benjn Cowell Providence R.I.

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $57.78
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4Sept. 14.44
$72.22

{Revolutionary Claim,
Act Juny 7, 1832}

Recorded by D.D. Addison Clerk,
Book G Vol. 2 Page 112
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Stephen Harris
Fr. 101
18851
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Rhode-Island District, sc. August Term 1832.
County of Providence
On this 17th day of September A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open Court, being a special District Court of the United States within and for said District, now in session - Stephen Harris a resident of Scituate in the County of Providence and State of Rhode Island aged 74 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, viz. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.

He was born July 23d 1758 in Scituate as appears by the records of that town & have always resided there.
and this applicant further states that in March 1777 he was drafted to serve every third month that he serve one month as a private at Warrick in Cap Joseph Kimball's company. One month in Cap Johnathan Knights company, one month in Capt Coomer Smiths company & one month under Lieutenant Caleb Potter & all in Col Lippitts regiment of Rhode Island Militia.

and this applicant further states that August 1778 he was drafted to serve one month in Sullivans expedition in Cap Joseph Allens company & Col Stephen Kimballs regiment of Rhode Island Militia.

and this applicant further states that in August 1781 he was (illegible) volunteer & served two months at Providence Bristol & Newport in Cap Isaac Redbury's company& never knew who the Colonel was.

and this applicant that in the fall of 1781 he was called on an alarm & served at Providence Twenty days under Cap Coomer Smith & Col. Kimballs Regiment of R.I. Militia. in all which drafted &c he was a private & served his time out & was honorably discharged & never had a written discharge.
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....& all in Col. Lippitt's regiment of Rhode Island militia. 
And this applicant further states that August 1778 he was drafted & served one month in Sullivan's expedition in Cap. (unintelligible) Hopkins Company & Col. Wm. (unintelligible) regiment of Rhode Island militia.   
And this applicant further states that in July 1780 he was drafted & served one month on Rhode Island in Capt. Joseph Allen's company & Col. Stephen Kimball's regiment of Rhode Island militia. 
And this applicant further states that in August 1781 he was (ink blotch obliterated word) volunteer & served two months at Providence, Bristol & Newport - Cap. (unintelligible) company & never knew who the colonel was. 
And this applicant that in the Fall of 1781 he was called on an alarm & served at Providence twenty days under Cap. Casmer Smith & Col. Kimball's regiment of R.I. militia - in all which drafts &c. he was a private & served his time out & honorably discharged & never had a written discharge. 

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. 
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. 
attest B. Cowell Clk.        Stephen Harris

We, Richard Knight a clergyman, residing in Cranston and Nicholas Thomas residing in Scituate hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Stephen Harris, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 74 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. 
Richard Knight
Nicholas Thomas
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. 
attest B. Cowell, clk. 

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 Solder, and served as he states.   And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Richard Knight who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the town of Cranston & that Nicholas Thomas and Job Keech and Josiah Westcott who has certified & testified for the above applicant are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.  
I Benjamin Cowell, Clerk of District Court, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Stephen Harris for a pension. 
     In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this 12th day of December 1832

Benjamin Cowell Clk.
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No 18851
Stephen Harris Providence
County Rhode Island
Private 8 Mo 20 days

26.67
2.22
28.89
Howell Providence 
Rhode Island
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BRIEF in the case of Stephen Harris
County of Providence in the State of Rhode Island
(Act 7th June, 1832)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court

2 If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?

3. How old is he? 74 years

4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

Period.
drafted in 1777 March
Drafted 1778 August
Drafted 1780 July
Volunteered 1781 Augt.
Called out in Alarm 1781 - Ball

Duration of Service.
Years, Months, Days.
4
1
1
2
2D

Rank.
As a
Private
private
private
private
private

Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Gen.
Col. Lippetts Regt. R. Island Militia
Cap. I. Hopkins, Col. Wests Regt R.I. Militia
Cap. I Alle, Col. S. Kimbles Regt. Do Do
Cap C (illegible)m Col. Kimballs Regt

5. In what battles was he engaged? none stated

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Providence County Rhode Island

7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary - 2 living witnesses certified credible, clergyman certificate &c.

8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? not properly attached.

I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

Richd Key Watts Examining Clerk.
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Revolution
21811
INVALID.
File No. 21,811
Stephen Harris
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7th 32
Index: Vol. 2, Page 167
[Arrangement of 1870,]
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Stephen Harris which require further proof or explanation.

1. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes

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 season assigned for his not doing so?

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, is language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? yes

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

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes

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
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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining 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? 2 witnesses certified credible

XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? yes
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? yes

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? yes

XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No.

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?

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 as affidavit in the following words: 
**Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A.B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth 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 and ---- days, I served as a ----; and for such service I claim a pension.
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3
It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each 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. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &cd. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place of places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.

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 f 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 he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oath (illegible) 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 authenticates 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 ends 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.

In every case where the clerk of the court or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
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I Josiah Westcott of Scituate in the county of Providence on oath do testify and say that I have been well acquainted with Stephen Harris of said town for more than thirty years he has always been (unintelligible) as man of truth & veracity so far as I ever knew him or heard and I have also always understood that he (unintelligible) in the Revolutionary War. 
Josiah Westcott

Cranston in Scituate September 15, AS.D. 1832. There personally came Josiah Westcott and of the (unintelligible) duly aged gave the foregoing deposition.  (unintelligible) at the Regiment of said Stephen Harris to be before the District Court for Rhode Island district in order to obtain a pension.
Before me, Abel Salisbury, Jus't. Peace


State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

Providence sc. 

I, WIlliam R. Watson, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas with the County of Providence, in said State, do hereby certify that Abel Salisbury is a Justice of the Peace for the town of Scituate in said county and State; - that he is by the laws of said State, authorized to administer oaths and take depositions; and that the signature to the annexed document purporting to be his, is in the proper hand writing of said Abel Salisbury. 

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand and the seal of said Court, a Providence this twelfth day of November one thousand eight hundred thirty-two. 
William R. Watson clk.
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This may certify that Stephen Harris was Born in Scituate on the 23 day of July 1758 as appears of record of said Scituate this 15th day of September AD 1832
Witness Josiah Westcott, Town, Clerk
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I Job Keech of Scituate in the County of Providence do testify and say that I have known Stephen Harris who is now present before me for the last sixty years To my knowledge said Stephen served about two months, part of the time in Providence & part of the time in Bristol during the Revolutionary War & after the British evacuated Newport, but cannot remember the particular year. This service was in Capt. Isaac Midbury's Company of Artillary. I was in the same Company at the same time & know that he served during that time, said Stephen has lived in Scituate ever since the War & has the reputation of being a man of truth and veracity
Job Keech

Sept 17 1832 Sworn to in open Court
B. Cowell Clk