Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 15,493, Peleg Williams, N. H.
Page 1

N.H. Williams, Peleg W. 15.493
Sarah
Page 2

Notification sent to 
Dexter Randall [?]
Providence
R.I. 
June12, 1820

24

Transferred to 9679
Rhode Island from
New Hampshire
----------------------
Peleg Williams
of Littleton in the state of New Hampshire 
who was a Lieutenant in the regiment commanded by Colonel Cilley of the N. Hampshire line, for the term of one year & 6 mo.
-----------------------
Inscribed on the Roll of New Hampshire at the rate of 20 Dollars per month, to commence on the 16th of Apr,. 1818.
----------------------------------------------
Certificate of Pension issued the 22nd of Apr,. 1819 and sent to the Pensions at [?Harecihill], NH.
--------------------------------
Arrears to 4th of March 
1819. 10 mo.   15/30 4/31.            212.58
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4th Sept 
1819.                                             120.00 [underlined]
                                                     $332.58

{Revolutionary claim,
Act 18th March, 1818}

*Transferred 14 Oct. 1819 to take effect from the 4 Sept. 1819.
Page 3

1819
Concord N. Hampshire
-----------------
Sarah Williams 
widow of Peleg Williams dec.

who died on the _____ March 1821
of Grafton Co in the State of N.H.
who was a Lieut in the [?Comkay] commanded by Captain Waits of the Regt commanded by Col. Cilley in the NH line for 18 months Lieut
--------------
Inscribed on the Roll of Concord
at the rate of 240 Dollars 00 Cents, per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
----------------
Certificate of Pension issued to 28 day of Feb 1838 and sent [?] of W. Williams [ ??]
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Arrears to the 4th of       $1560.00
Semi-annual allowance ending [?minus] -  
                                       160.00 [underlined]
                                      $1720.00
------------------------------
{Revolutionary Claim,
Act July 4, 1836,
Section the [?30]}

[Stamp] Recorded by D.D. Addison [signature]
Book A
Vol.   2
Page
Page 4

Paid at the Treasury under [damaged area] Act of the 6th April 1838 from 4 March 1831 to 4 March 1838. Agt notified 25 January 1839
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Paid as above from 4 March to 4 Sept 1838. Agt notified 20 Aug 1839.
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[The following is at the other end of the page and written upside down]
March 12th 1885 J.P. Jackson (town committee) with personal history
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March 12th 1885 J.P. Jackson (town committee) with personal history

[The following is at the other end of the page and written upside down]

Paid at the Treasury under [damaged area] Act of the 6th April 1838 from 4 March 1831 to 4 March 1838. Agt notified 25 January 1839
---------------------
Paid as above from 4 March to 4 Sept 1838. Agt notified 20 Aug 1839.
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[Note:
Page 6

Declaration

In order to obtain the benefit of the 3 - Section of the act of Congress of the 4th July 1836

State of New Hampshire}
County of Grafton}  SS

On this third day of January eighteen hundred and thirty-eight personally appears before me David C. Churchill one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas within and for the County of Grafton and State of New Hampshire. Sarah Williams a resident of Littleton in the County of Grafton and State of New Hampshire aged ninety two years (last Sept) who being first duly sworn according to Law both on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the pension made by the act of Congress passed July 4, 1836. That she is the widow of Peleg Williams who was a Private and Captain in the Army of the Revolution.

In the early part of the Revolutionary war she thinks in the summer of the year 1775 her said husband with others from Charleston New Hampshire [?volunteers] and went to Charlestown in Massachusetts as a private and joined the troops in the vicinity of [?] Charlestown Ms. but cannot tell under whom he served or how long he was absent on his first tour but she recollects that soon after his return to Charleston N.H the place of his then residence he again went into the service as a Captain of a Company and marched his company to the State of New York and was stationed at Mount Independence was in an engagement with Burgoyne's Army and was wounded in the shoulder previous to the surrender of Burgoyne, he was present at the surrender of Burgoyne but how long he was absent on this tour she did not recollect but she thinks he was absent three years. She recollected of receiving from him during his absence then letters in all containing five Dollars each (all continental money [all underlined]) he was at home occasionally on a furlough during the time
Page 7

She further states that by reason of old age and [?consequent] loss of memory she cannot state how long her said husband was [?out] in the service of his country in the Revolutionary war but she respectfully refers to evidence furnished by her said Husband in [?] of his claim to a pension, which she supposed is in the files of the war Department her said Husband was a Pensioner under the Act of Congress of 1818. She further states that her said husband was in service of the old  French war [?sent] out when he was fifteen year of age  and was wounded in the head - which occasioned a soft place in his scull. - 

She further states that since the Death of her said Husband his House was burnt with all its contents which occasioned the loss of all her husbands papers and his [?] and had to Depend on her memory alone in making her Declaration.

She had no documentary evidence in support of her claim. She further declared that she was married to the said Peleg Williams on (or about) the tenth day of December in the year seventeen hundred and sixty-five and that her said husband, the aforesaid Peleg Williams, died on the _____ day of March AD. 1821 and that she has remained a widow ever since that [?] as will more fully appear by reference to the [?] hereto [?annexed] -

She further states that er name before marriage was Sarah Wheeler. The said Peleg Williams and herself were residence of Charleston N.H. and recent to Springfield Vermont lying [?] to Charleston to be married and were joined in marriage by Nathan Stone Esq who was a Justice of the Peace belonging to Windsor Vt who has long since deceased and no record of the marriage can be found as she is [?infirm] and she has no family [?] of her marriage as all her papers were destroyed by fire as above stated she knows of no person now living who was present at her marriage except herself.

Sworn and subscribed on this day and year above written before me. 
D.C. Churchill J.C.C. Pleas

        her
Sarah X Williams 
       mark

I further certify that the said Sarah Williams cannot from bodily infirmity attend the Court.
D.C. Churchill J.C.C. Pleas
Page 8

I Joseph Farr of Littleton New Hampshire aged 49 years [?] and say that I have lived in said Littleton more than twenty five years last past I was well acquainted with Capt Peleg Williams late of Littleton [?] who was a Revolutionary Pensioner and am well acquainted with Sarah Williams who was once the wife and is now the widow of the said Peleg Williams deceased - I further say that the said Sarah Williams has remained a widow ever since the death of the said Peleg Williams the time of his death. I do not recollect but I was acquainted with her before his death and have been acquainted with her ever since. She is now in my presence and boards with me she is supported by the town of Littleton she being army poor. I saw her sign or make her mark and take her oath to the Declaration on the other part of this sheet. 

Joseph Farr [signature]

State of New Hampshire Grafton County SS
Then personally appeared Joseph Farr before me and made solemn oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true., - and I further certify that the said Joseph Farr is a credible witness
Littleton Jan[?] 2 1838  D.C. Churchilll J.C.C. Pleas
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[left page]   Peleg Williams

[right page]  Peleg Williams
No 9679




Continue.
Page 10

[Note: this page has several independent documents that appear to have been taped together. I have inserted double dotted lines to separate the documents here.]

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
RHODE ISLAND DISTRICT.

Providence, sc.
Court, of Common Pleas May[superscript] Term, A. D. 1820

On this Twenty seventh day of May 1820, personally appeared in open Court, being a Court of Record within and for said County Peleg Williams ages 80 years, resident in the town of Providence is said District who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare, that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows:
There he served in Col. Cilley's Regiment as officer two years of the New Hampshire Line.
that he made a previous declaration on the 16th day of April 1818, and that he has received a certificate for a pension , being No. 9679. And I do solemnly swear, that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen; and that I have not since that time, by gift,m sale, or in any manner whatever, disposed of my property,m or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it, as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the revolutionary war," passed on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen: that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property or securities, contracts or debts, due to me; nor have I any income other than what is contained n the Schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed, Peleg Williams 

A SCHEDULE of Property and Income (necessary clothing and bedding excepted) of Peleg Williams

Said Peleg Williams declares that he has no estate of any description whatever,m that before he received his pension he was maintained as a pauper by the town of Littleton in State of New Hampshire, and that he is in no [?business], and too old to work for a living - Peleg Williams 

======================================

[attached handwritten document]
[?] to inform  your honour  = that there is a mistake in stating my service in the Continental service. it is states at two years - But I served no longer than from October in the year 1776 until some time in may in the year 1778. Peleg Williams [signature]

The Clerk made the mistake and it was not discovered until the case [?] adjourned. Witness Wheeler Martin C J C C Pleas

======================================

Sworn to and declared in open Court on the fifth day of the term
Dexter Randall, Clk

RHODE-ISLAND DISTRICT.
Clerk's Office of the Common Pleas Court, A.D. 1820
I, Dexter Randall Clerk of said Court do hereby certify, that the forgoing 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 amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule, is [?nothing] dollars and cents. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said Court, on this Seventh day of June, in 1820.
Dexter Randall Clerk of said Court.
Page 11

I James Goold of Hanover in the county of Grafton & state of New Hampshire of lawful age dispose & say that I have been for many years acquainted with Peleg Williams of Littleton in said County of Grafton - that he was appointed & was in the service as a Lieutenant in the army employed in the War of the Revolution on the Continental establishment as early as the month of October 1776. in Capt Jason Waite's company in Col Joseph Cilley regiment in the line of New Hampshire troops - that he 
s@ [abbreviation for soldier?] Williams continued in said service as Lieutenant & that he was in the [?] from Ticonderoga to Bemis Heights in 1777 - and was in the battle at Bemis heights on the 19th September in that year when I was wounded and was afterward removed to the hospital - that when I left 1° service as aforesaid I left said Williams in service as in Lieutenant as aforesaid in good & honorable standing in 1° Regiment -  James Goold
Page 12

State of New Hampshire
Grafton Co.   April 24, 1818

Here personally appearing the said James Goold made a solemn oath that the foregoing deposition by him subscribed contains the truth & nothing by the truth - 

Before me
Henry Hutchinson Jus. Peace
Page 13

Lt. Peleg Williams

[The remainder of the page is so faded as not to be visible. By decreasing the brightness on my monitor and using a magnifying glass I was able to decipher a few more words]

Ablt ? they ?
???
by the ??
two witnesses ?
character ???
as the ???
appeared ??
on this Date of  ?
New Hampshire ??
Page 14

STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE
Grafton   SS.)

On this sixteenth day of April in 1818, before me the subscriber, on of the Judges of the Court of Common Please for said County personally appears 

Peleg Williams aged about 78 years, resident in Littleton in the said State, who being be me first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war:"  That he the said Peleg Williams, enlisted in Oct or Nov, 1776 as a Lieutenant in the Sate of New Hampshire, in the company commanded by Captain Jason Wait of the first Regiment, New Hampshire line, commanded by Col Joseph Cilley; that he continued to serve in the said corps, or in the service of the United States, until the month of May 1778, when resigned & gave up his Commission to Gen Washington's aid de camp, [when he was discharged from service - crossed out] in Valley Forge State of Pennsylvania; that he was in the battles of Bemis Heights and that he is in reduced circumstances, and stands in need of the assistance of his country for support; and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said service.

Sworn to and declared before me, the day and year aforesaid.
Ezra Bartlett [signature]

I, Ezra Bartlett Judge of the Court of Common Pleas as aforesaid, do certify, that is appears to my satisfaction, that the said Peleg Williams did serve in the revolutionary war, as stated in the preceding declaration,against the common enemy; and I now transmit the proceedings and testimony taken and had before me, to the Secretary for the Department of War, pursuant to the directions of the aforementioned act of Congress.
Ezra Bartlett [signature]

I Ezra Bartlett, Judge as above said, do certify that Henry Hutchinson Esq. is an acting Justice of the Peace for the County of Grafton aforesaid and that full faith and credit is due to his official acts of certificates as such.
Ezra Bartlett [signature]
Page 15

Mrs. W. P. Shields,
4701 North Albany Avenue,
Chicago, Illinois

Madam:

I advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, w. 15493, it appears that Peleg Williams, a native of Providence, Rhode Island, at the age of fifteen years served in the old French War and was wounded in the head.

While a resident of Charlestown, New Hampshire, he enlisted in the summer of 1775 and served as a private, the officers and length of service not stated. In 1776 he was Quartermaster of Colonel Timothy Bedel's Regiment, and in October or November 1776 was commissioned First Lieutenant,                                                                           Captain Jason Wait's Company, Colonel Joseph Cilley's New Hampshire Regiment; was in the battle of Bemis Heights where he was wounded in the shoulder. He resigned in May 1778.

He was allowed pension on his application executed April 16, 1818 while a resident of Littleton, Grafton County, New Hampshire aged about seventy-eight years.
Page 16

In 1819 he was living in Providence, Rhode Island where he had moved from Haverhill, New Hampshire. He died the last of March 1821 in Salem, New Hampshire en route from Littleton in said state to Providence, Rhode Island.

Soldier married December 10, 1765 in Springfield, Vermont, Sarah Wheeler (both of Charlestown, New Hampshire) who was born in September 1745 and who was allowed pension on her application executed January 3, 1838 while a resident of Littleton, New Hampshire.

They had children prior to the Revolution, one a son who served in said war near its close, and in 1838 a widowed daughter was referred to, but no names are stated.

Respectfully,

WINFIELD SCOTT,
Commissioner
Page 17

State of New Hampshire

Grafton SS} On this 20th day of November 1818 before me the subscriber one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for said County personally appears Benjamin Smith of Wentworth in said County who being by me first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration, that he is sixty three years of age, that in the month of October or November 1776, Peleg Williams now of Littleton in said County was a Lieutenant in the revolutionary army in Capt. Jason Waite's Company in Col Joseph Cilley's Regiment in the New Hampshire line, and at that time the said Williams enlisted the declarant to serve as a private soldier in said Waite's company for the term of three years, at which time said Williams gave the declarant a furlough to return home with orders to make his appearance at said Williams' rendezvous at Charlestown in said State of N.H. on the first day of April 1777; that the declarant did appear agreeably to said order & did march with said Williams as such Lieutenant to Mount Independence where they joined said Cilley's Regiment; that he knew said Williams to do the duty of such Lieutenant until the month of July 1777 when
Page 18

the declarant was taken prisoner at the Battle of Hubbardstown & knew not said Williams in the service afterwards.
Ezra Bartlett


I Ezra Bartlett Judge as aforesaid do certify that said Benjamin Smith is a person of veracity & his declaration entitled to credit: that said Peleg Williams is destitute of property & has been maintained by the Town of Littleton for several years past.
Ezra Bartlett
Page 19

I Silas Symonds of Waterford in the County of Caledonia and state Vermont testify and say that I have been acquainted with Peleg Williams of Littleton in the County of Grafton and state of New Hampshire for more than forty years past and he left the town where we both lived to go into the service of the United States, in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy six and was gone from then until the [?four part] of the winter of one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight. Then said Williams came home in an Officers dress of clothing and had [? listing] orders to enlist men for the United service and did enlist a number that winter, and as he had engaged in the service, that winter, in the month March following we both left home to join the army [?] Williams was one of the Officers that commanded the ? that I was with until we both ? the army at a place called Valley Forge we both belong to the first New Hampshire Regt. and further the [???]
[???] Williams - am [??] by the [?] of [?].
Silas Symonds



---------------
State of Vermont}
Essex County SS}   Concord April 13th 1818 then Silas Symonds the signer of the above [?] personally appeared before me and solemnly ?? that is contains the truth and nothing but the truth.
before me                   Jona Woodbury [? Justice ?]
Page 20

J Jonathan Williard of Langden in the County of CHeshire and state of New Hampshire aged seventy four, testigy I say that in October or Nobember 1776.
Page 79

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*

THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
FORM VAM-51
12-5-41

DIVISION OF VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION ARCHIVES

NAME     William, Perez
GRADE    Private
LINE         Massachusetts

WARRANT NUMBER     5295
ACREAGE                        100      
ISSUED                            APR. 1, 1790   

[handwritten] to ________not shown______



* The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolution of September16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800.
Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.