Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 34250, Alpheus Colton, Mass.
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE Mass
Colton, Alpheus
NUMBER S.34250
CONTENTS
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[right side]
(24,627)
Massachusetts Roll
Alpheus Colton
private
Mass
H. Jacksons Regt. War
In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War.
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of eight Dollars per month, to commence on the 11th of April 1818
Certificate of Pension issued the 19th of Sep1818 and forwarded to John Hooker Esqr. Springfield Massachusetts
Arrears to 4th of Sep 1818 $38:40
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4 March 1819 48.00
arrs 4 mos 24 ds. $86:40 [totaled]
{Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March, 1818.}
[faint] Discontinued
Longmeadow, Hampden County
2 years 9 months
[left side]
[illegible] sent to John Ingersoll Esq 30 July 1821
Springfield
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss.
Springfield April 11th AD 1818 Personally appeared before me John Hooker one of the Judges of the [Courit] Court of Common Pleas within and for said County of Hampden Alpheus Colton now resident in Longmeadow in said County, and made solemn oath that in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and eighty one, on the second day of April at Springfield in said County, he was enlisted as a private soldier & joined the Company of Capt William Watson in the ninth Massachusetts regiment Commanded by Colonel Henry Jackson, and served in said ninth & in the third regiment of Massachusetts on the continental establishment against the Common enemy inn the American Revolutionary war until the month of December AD. 1783 being two years and nine months from the time of his enlistment, at which time he received an honorable discharged signed by Maj. Gen, Knox [which -crossed out] that three years ago he put said discharge into the hands of the Hon. George Bliss for the purpose of procuring arrearages of pay, that said discharge is now lost, that he [has - crossed out] said Colton has made diligent search and enquiry therefor but that [from - crossed out] by reason of lameness he is unable to do any labour & from his reduced circumstances in life he stands in need of assistance from his Country
Alpheus Colton [signature]
April 11
I George Bliss of Springfield in the County of Hampden testify that several years [insert - ago] I and of the above named Alpheus Colton [a discharged - crossed out] a privates paper purporting to be a discharge of him the said Alpheus from the army at the close of the revolutionary war - by whom it was signed I cannot recollect but had then no doubt it was a regular discharge - I carried the same to Boston in order to procure some array of pay but did not use or present the same & supposed I had brought the same [illegible]  with me but have either lost or mislaid the same I have made diligent search for the same but cannot find it
George Bliss [signature]
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[faint writing - found ---the---Rolls of ---]
Further evidence necessary to then that he served the 9 months required by the law of the 18th March 1818 in the Continental Army to entitle him to the pension provided for in that law
War Dept Pens officer 
1 May 1818
[very faint - admitted]
[illegible - J Ho?]
N.B. The evidence should be that of some state authority
[very faint - Hooker Springfield]
Alpheus Colton
Page 5


[sideways]
Springfield
Hampden Cy
clerk.
Mass Roll
Alpheus Colton
april 11
sent to
J. S. Hooker Judge
[seal affixed]
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Hampden ss.
BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the Eleventh day of April A.D. 1818, came before me, JOHN HOOKER,
Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the Western Circuit in said State, and including the said county of Hampden the above named Alpheus Colton the applicant & George Bliss & Ethan Ely Esquires severally
made oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavits by them respectively subscribed, and hereto annexed. I do thereupon hereby declare, that it appears to my satisfaction, that the said Alpheus Colton the applicant did serve in the revolutionary war, against the common enemy, for more than nine months, on the continental establishment, as set forth in his affidavit aforesaid, and that he is yet a resident citizen of the United States, is in reduced circumstances, and stands in need of assistance from his country for support. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the said Circuit Court for the said county of Hampden to be affixed hereto, this eleventh day of April 1818
I do therefore hereby certify & transmit the above answered as the testimony & proceedings and as said application before one to the Secretary of the department of War the United States.
John Hooker [signature]
Augt 8 1818 I hereby return this application with the further evidence of the affidavit of William Watson enclosed herein & the accompanying certificate from the Clerk of the County Court for the County of Rutland Vermont
John Hooker [signature]
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I Ethan Ely of Long Meadow East Masstts do depose & say that I know of the said Alpheus Colton's going into the army pf the revolutionary war & that he was reputed to have served several years & till the close of the war -- and I do further depose & say that I have always been a neighbor to Alpheus & that he has always had a sound reputation for integrity & honesty & that I believe full [worth] might be given to what he has stated in his foregoing affidavit
Ethan Ely [signature]
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Alpheus Colton
2627
Discarded July 30. 1821
and sent to John Ingersoll, Springfield Masstts
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COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
COUNTY of Hampden ss.
On this thirtieth day of August 1820, personally appeared, in open court, before the Circuit Court of Common Pleas the same being a Court of Record and so established by a Statute of said Commonwealth, said Court being now in session at Springfield within and for said county of Hampden
Alpheus Colton aged fifty five years, resident in Longmeadow in said County who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on his oath, declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows: on the 2nd day of April A.D. 1781 at Springfield in Massachusetts he was enlisted for the term of three years and in May following he mustered near West Point & there joined the Company of Captain William Watson in the 9th Massachusetts Regiment commanded by Col Henry Jackson, that he served in said Company and Regiment about one year and six months until said Regiment was broken up when he was transferred into the 3rd Mass'tts Regiment commanded by Col. Greaton where he served under the same Captain until the 22nd of December A.D. 1783 when he was honorable discharged at West Point that he served continually and without furlow [without furlow heavily underlined] during the whole term of his enlistment Viz: two years and nine months
[change in style - hand printed, enlarged, underlined, bold font] The peculiar case and circumstances of this applicant [return to original style] induce him to detail the following particulars Viz: the next Spring after he was discharged from the Army as aforesaid, at said Springfield he was attacked with the fever & ague which terminated in a lingering sickness which lasted twelve years [twelve years - underlined] in defiance of the skill of many eminent Physicians, during the greatest part of which time he was unable [he was unable - is repeated] to do any labour was very much & in much bodily pain -- that since his recovery his health has been ever feeble & he has since had several long fits of sickness his legs have been five [five -  is underlined]times broken & he is now lame, that in eight years last past he has had ten broken bones in his family - he has one son 14 years old who, in consequence of poison was, in June 1818 dreadfully afflicted with sores soon after his eyes became perfectly closed & he has remained perfectly blind & covered with sores ever since to the present time & it is with great difficulty any passage can be kept open either into, or out of his body -- that for more than two years last past the wife of this applicant & mother of said son has not undressed herself for bed from her [una??anied] and constant attendance upon said son -- that in 1813 he lost one daughter after a painful and expensive sickness of three months -- that until within about a year past he has been obliged to support & maintain his aged parents, his father being a cripple for more than ten years -- that in 1814 seven [seven is underlined] of his family [illegible] sick for some months with a malignant fever and as was supposed at the point of Death -- In consequence of so much and extraordinary sickness in his family this applicant has been obligated to expend great sums of money whereby he has become much involved in debt and embarrassed in his affairs -- he states further that the wages which were due him when he was discharged from the Army as aforesaid would with interest now surmount to about eight hundred dollars, [eight hundred dollars -- is underlined] not one cent of which has he ever received, altho' he has made efforts to obtain [said wages -- is crossed out] it by factitioning & c -- that his discharge which now accompanies this statement was for a time lost by an agent who received it for the purpose of obtaining said wages -- that when this applicant sought to be placed on the pension list under the act of 1818 he was (in consequence of the loss of his discharge ) obliged to travel on crutches about three hundred miles to obtain the necessary evidence -- he states further that encouraged by obtaining the pension and the law of 1818 he purchased the real estate which is now found in the following schedule, in hopes, by the aid of his pension & his two sons to pay for the same in process of time -- that the certificate which issued to said Colton under the law of 18th of March 1818 is dated September 19th 1818 and is numbered 2627
[the following section is printed on a press but falls in the creasing of the document and is lacking] I do sole [solemnly] --- resid [reside]--- zen [citizen] of the United States, on the 18th of March, 1818; And that I have not, since that time, by gift, sale, or in any -- with -- to bring myself within  -- the provisions of an Act of Congress entitled "An Act --- I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property --- contracts, or--- to me; nor have I any income, other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed by me subscribed.
SCHEDULE.
Farm purchased of cluster Woolworth containing seventy nine acres with the buildings thereon together with one third of a cider mill--- $200
Place had of Luther Colton containing one acre of land and on half of a dwelling house ---33
two horses $60. --one cow $14 six swine $20 ---94
Wagon and harness $60 two [hays] $20 two ploughs $7 ---87
two harrows $6: scythes axes & hoes $9 --forks $3. --- 18
Hay & grain in the barn $50 winnowing mill $4 ---54
Hay knife & rakes $2 baskets $1. meal bags $1. --- 4
Old cider casks $2. soap & wash tub 1.50 shovels $1. --- 4.50
meat casks [reg] & day casks $2.50 pot & kettles $7.75 --- 10.25
five irons gridiron & iron [pasons] $5. wooden hour clock $10 --- 15.00
Old tables $4 chest & tinder $3.50 twenty chairs $8 --- 15.50
Cupboard & kitchen furniture $18.25 spinning wheel $4 --- 22.25
Looking glass $00.50 - steel yard $1.50 chairs $1. --- 3.00
Sickle bush-axe & stub hoe $1.50 ---1.50
2662.00 [items totaled]
Debts due from this applicant exceed those which are due to him by} --- 1124.76
[2662.00 subtract 1124.76]
1537.24 [final]
This Applicants family consists of the following persons beside himself Viz:
Lois Colton, wife of s'd [said] Alpheus aged 54
Lovina Colton his daughter " 29
Nathan T.S. Colton his son " 26
Harriet Colton his daughter " 21
James Colton his son " 19
Levi S. Colton " " " 16
Daniel L. Colton " " 14
Susan M. Colton his daughter " 4
Alpheus S Colton his son " 2
The elder sons of this applicant are laborers having no particular trade or mystery
Alpheus Colton [signature]
Sworn to and declared on the thirtieth day of August before the Circuit Court of Common Pleas
Attest John Ingersoll [signature] Clerk
[I] John Ingersoll [signature] Clerk of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of the said Court: and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said Court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is
Twenty six hundred sixty two  Dollars [and Cents -crossed out]
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, on this sixth day of September 1820.
John Ingersoll [signature] 
{Clerk of the Courts for the County of Hampden
[very faint seal]
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O. W. & N. Division.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D. C., December 3, 1885.
Madam:
In reply to your request for a statement of the military history of * Alpheus Colton * a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
[tabular titles]
DATE OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.
LENGTH OF SERVICE.
RANK.
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. CAPTAIN. COLONEL.
STATE.
He enlisted on the 2nd day of April, 1781, and served as a private in Capt. William Watson's company, in the 9th. Mass. regiment, commanded by Col. Henry Jackson, for about one year and six months; then transferred to the 3rd. Mass. regiment, commanded by Col. Greaton, and served therein until December 22, 1783, when he was honorably discharged at West Point.
Battles engaged in, not stated.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Long Meadow, Mass.
Date of application for pension. April 11, 1818.
Residence at date of application, Long Meadow, Mass.
Age at date of application, fifty-three years.
Remarks: No record has been found of Ebenezer Bliss, of Long Meadow, Mass. as a pensioner.
Mrs. S. H. Wood.
New Britain Conn
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.
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Alpheus Colton
Discharge
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BY THE HONOURABLE
MAJOR-GENERAL KNOX,
Commanding the American Forces on Hudson's River.
Alpheus Colton [illegible] in the 3d Massachusetts Regiment, being inlisted for Three Years, is hereby honourably DISCHARGED from the Service of the United States.
Given in the State of New-York,
the 22 Day of 
December 1783 
By the General's Command,
 J Knox M Genl [signature]
REGISTERED in the Books of the Regiment,
Colton, Alpheus
(Mass) S-34250
[stamp - THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES]
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[left side]
34250
Resy INVALID.
File No. 34,250
Alpheus Colton
[Ded] Rev War
Act: 18 March 18 ~
Index: -- Vol. D, Page 84
[Arrangement of 1870.]
[right side]
Dec. 5, 1895 History
Mrs. S. H. Wood
New Britain, [CT]
Page 13

Applicant aged 55 yrs; -
Same - & has had much sickness in family
wife 54 yrs old
S children from 29 to 2 yrs old
Real estate -
Amt of sched. $2.662
served [?] yrs.
last 3 y
not entitled
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Naomi 
Peninnah
Molly 
B & C & R
R 43979 Conn
" 15282 W Mass
" 15291 W "
" 20028 W "
22112 W "
24785 W "
24811 W "
Wm Lochren Esq.
Dear Sir,
Can you from the pension records furnish me any record or information in regard to the service of John Robinson of Granville Mass. during the Revolution. I know that my Great Grandfather said John Robinson was a soldier at that time but have no records to prove it. Also is there any record of my Great Great Grandfather Ebenezer Bliss of Long Meadow Mass who is supposed to have fought in the battle of Lexington. Also of Alpheus Colton who I suppose was also of Long Meadow.
[sideways]
Hampden Co
Page 15

I do not understand the rules of this department & if I can have this information but venture to ask, as I do not know of any other way to secure it.
Yours Truly,
Mrs S. H. Wood
New Britain CT
Nov. 11. 1895.
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Alpheus Colton
Page 17

I William Watson of Poultney in the County of Rutland State of Vermont, being in the Seventieth year of my Age -- Depose and Testify --
That Alpheus Colton of Springfield (Long Meadow) was a Soldier in my Company in the 9th Massachusetts Regt in the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War
Said Regt Commanded by Col Henry Jackson
Said Colton joined my Company at the York Hull [York Hill] so called about three miles back of West Point --- He was mustered for three years in the month of Mary 1781, and served without furlough, as an active, brave & honest man, until the close of that War He is lame of broken bones can walk only on crutches --- deserves & requires the assistance of this Country & of the Revolution Positives
Poultney 16th June 1818 --So help me God
William Watson [figures under] [signature]
State of Vermont Rutland County} On this 16th day of June 1818 before me [asst. June yr] of Rutland County Court personally appeared Capt. William Watson & made oath to the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed. 
The said Watson is well known to me to be a creditable witness
Amos Thompson. [signature]
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State of Vermont
I Robert Temple Clerk of the County Court for the County of Rutland do certify that the Hon. Amos Thompson is one of the Judges of said Court duly appointed and commissioned - and that full faith & credit ought to be given to his doings & attestations as such
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of said Court at Rutland this 13th day of June AD. 1818
Ro Temple [signature]
[seal affixed]