Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 17355, Oliver Cornell, R.I.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE
R. I.
Cornell, Oliver
NUMBER
S.17355
carded
CONTENTS
[blank]
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4279.
Rhode Island
Oliver Cornell
of Providence in the State of RI who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain --- of the Regt commanded by Col Cook in the RI line for 23 mos
Inscribed on the Roll of RI at the rate of 76 Dollars 66 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 17th day of Jany 1833 and sent Benjn Cowell Providence RI
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832 $114.99
Semi=annl. allowance ending 4 Mar 33 $38.33
[total] $153.32
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by J H McBlair Clerk
Book D Vol. 3rd Page 106.
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Oliver Cornell
13.154
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United States of America
Rhode-Island District, sc. August Term 1832
County of [blank]
On this the seventh day of August A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open Court, being ["a special' crossed through] District Court of the United States within and for said District, now in session - Oliver Crowell a resident of Gloucester in the County of Providence and State of Rhode Island aged 72 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.
That he was born the 16th of April 1760 in Swansey Mass but no record of it except in the family Bible that at the time of entering the service he lived in Scituate R. I. & since the war has lived four years in Killingly Connecticut & since that in Gloucester R. I. - The applicant further states that in September 1776 he enlisted for three months in Capt James Williams Company and Col John Cooks regiment of Rhode Island Militia and served on Rhode Island untill his time expired and was honourably discharged - and the British landed on Rhode Island and took possession of Newport before his time was out - and the applicant further states that in the year 1777 during the time of Spencers expedition against the British on Rhode Island and before that expedition he served five months as a drafted Militia man and as a Substitute for his Brother in the company of Capt Coomer Smith, Jeremiah Davis and Stephen Kimball & served in Warwick and Warren and on Rhode Island and was attached to Col ["Arnold's" crossed through] Brown's regiment - 
And this applicant further states that in the year 1778 during Sullivans expedition against the British on Rhode Island he was a drafted militia man and served under Lt Jona Smith who was the acting Captain the Captain being absent for the space of three months and this applicant further states that in the year 1779 he was a drafted Militia man and served three months in Capt Whipples company does not remember to whose regiment the company belonged this service was performed on Rhode Island the British being still in possession of Newport - and that he was in the Battle of Rhode Island in August 1778 - 
[the remainder of the last line obscured]
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[illegible] in possession of Newport - and that he was in the Battle of Rhode Island in August 1778 - [illegible] and this applicant further states that in the years 1780 & 1781 he enlisted for nine months to guard a beacon Pole erected in Scituate under Capt James Aldrich and served accordingly - and this applicant further states that at different times he was out in alarms more than three months was in Providence - Warwick & c. under different officers -  and that in all the above services he served out his time & was honourably discharged - 
[crossed through: William Wilkinson] had no 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.
[signature] Oliver Cornell
attest B Cowell Clk
We, [blank] a Clergyman, residing in the [blank] and [blank] residing in [blank] hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with [blank] who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be [blank] 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.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
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 William Wilkinson Oliver Arnold [crossed out: who has signed the preceding certificate, is a Clergyman, resident in the] & Jonathan Smith who have testified [crossed out: and that] for the declarant are [crossed out: who also signed the same is a ] resident [crossed out: in the] as they state and [crossed out: is a] credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, Benjamin Cowell, Clerk of said District Court, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Oliver Cornell for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this third day of October AD 1832
[signature] Benjamin Cowell Clk
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No. 13.154
Oliver Cornell
Private
23 Mar
[illegible]
$76.66
Benjn. Cowell Esq.
Providence R.I.
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BRIEF in the case of Oliver Cornell of the County of Providence in the State of R. 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 injury?
3. How old is he? 72 years'
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
[Table follows]
[Column Headings]
/ Period. / Duration of Service. / Rank. / Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served. / 
[Line 1] / In 1776 Sept. / 3 [months] / Private / Col. Cook, Capt Williams / 
[Line 2] / 1777 for himself & Brother / 5 [months] / drafted / Col Brown, Capt. Smith, Davis Kimball /
[Line 3] 1778 / 3 [months] / ditto [drafted] / [illegible] Iona Smith / 
[Line 4] / 1779 / 3 [months] / ditto [drafted] / Capt. Whipple / 
[Line 5] / 9 [months] / Private / Capt Aldrich / 
[End of Table]
5. In what battles was he engaged ? R. Island
6. Where did he reside when he entered service? Scituate
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Depositions
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? No Clergyman's certificate
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
[signature] Levin Bell
Examining Clark.
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17355
Invalid. [illegible]
File No. 17.355
Oliver Cornell
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7 32
Index: - Vol. 1, Page 440
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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No. 13.154
Oliver Cornell
Benj^n Cowell Esq^r
Providence R.I.
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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
Oliver Cornell which require
further proof or explanation.
I. 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 reason
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, in 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? No
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? no
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? [blank]
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? yes
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under
his seal of office? 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? Yes
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And,
if not, which of them is not so answered? yes
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, 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
______days, I served as a ______; and
for such service I claim a pension."
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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.
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Oliver Arnold of Foster maketh oath that he is well acquainted with Oliver Cornell of Gloucester & has known him ever since the revolutionary war - and he further saith that said Cornell served three months in Capt James Williams Company & in the regiment [crossed through: of Militia] of Col John Cook of the Rhode Island militia in the year 1776.
[signature] Oliver Arnold
July 13 1832 Sworn to in open Court
B Cowell Clk
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I Jonathan Smith of Scituate do on oath certify and say that I am well acquainted with Oliver Cornell of Gloucester in the State of Rhode Island said Cornell was in a company [crossed through: commanded] under my command the Captain being absent - for two months during the Sullivans expedition against the British on Rhode Island I was a Lieutenant but also acted as Captain This was in the year 1778 - 
[signature] Jonathan Smith
July 14 1832 Sworn to before me - 
Benja Cowell
Commissioner
Dist Court
R I Dist
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William Wilkinson of Providence Cn testifieth and saith that in the year 1780 he resided from March to November at his Fathers house in Scituate and that there was a Beacon Pole erected one mile distant and that a guard was placed there in a small house erected by it for their use but that he does not recollect the Persons who composed the guard - The applicant Oliver Cornell whom he has personally known for more than sixty years then resided in that vicinity. He also well recollects that the Cannon at the Beacon was fired and the Beacon lighted in that year and the whole militia of the State called out and marched to different points on the Sea Shore. He further states that s^d [said] Cornell has supported a fair and good character
[signature] William Wilkinson
August 7th 1832
Sworn to in open Court
B Cowell Clk