Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 18,433, Pelatiah Witham, Mass.
Page 1

[First number is hard to read.] (8-1776) [or (6-1776)]

SERVICE
Mass.

Witham, Pelatiah
[Witham], Sarah

NUMBER
W. 18.433

CONTENTS
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[Left side of record.]  3949
New Hampshire
____________________________
Sarah Witham
widow of Pelatiah Witham ^dec [deceased] -ho [who] was a ^Mass [Massachusetts] pensioner under the Act of _____  -nd [and] who died on the 17 [17th] April 1830  [possible missing letters due to page edge] Rockingham in the State of NH [New Hampshire] -ho [who] was a private in the com [company] commanded -b [by] Captain [Samuel] Leighton of the [30th] regt [regiment] [of foot] commanded _y [by] Col. [Colonel] Scammel [Colonel James Scamman] in the Mass [Massachusetts] mila [militia] line for 8 months

Inscribed on the Roll of Portsmouth [New Hampshire] __ [missing letters at page edge, probably "at"] the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1836.

Certificate of Pension issued the 22 [22nd] day of Augt [August] 1839, Sent ["and" may have been partially stricken through] to David Murray [here the next two words are hard to read, but may have been] New Market N.H. [New Hampshire]

Arrears to the 4th of Mar [March] 1839 $80.00
Semi=annual [Semi-annual] allowance ending 4 Sep [September] 29 [1839]  [$] 13.33
_____________
$93.33

(Act July 7, 1838.)

Recorded by D.M. Cendy [or Curdy], Clerk,
Book A. Vol. 1. Page 59. 

[On the right page, there are faint images of what look like wax impressions of the seal of office.  One is near the top left corner of the right page, and one is directly below that, down at the lower left corner of that right page.]
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[Occasional spacing has been included to make the long text block easier to read.]
 
State of New Hampshire

Rockingham [County] SS  On this fifth day of April one thousand Eight hundred and thirty nine before the Subscriber a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Said county Personally appeared Sarah Whthum [Withum] a resident of Nottingham in Said county aged Eighty three years, Who, first being duly Sworn according to law, doth, on her oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 7 1838 Entitled "an Act granting half pay and Pensions to Certain Widows" 

That She is the widow of Pelatiah Withum late of Said Nottingham decd [deceased] [illegible scribble] he Was a private Soldier from Kittery Maine upwards of Eight months from the 3d day of May 1775 under Captain [?} Samuel Leightn [Leighton] and Was at the Battle of Bunkers [Bunker] Hill

She further declars [declares] that She Was married ^ to the sd [said] Pelatiah Withum on the tenth day of August one thousand Seven hundred and Eighty one by the Rev [Reverend] Samuel Hutchins; That her husband the aforesaid Pelatiah Withum died at Said Nottingham on the Seventeenth day of April 1830 

That She was not married to him prior to his leaving the Service, but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January Seventeen hundred and ninety four [illegible];  at the time above Stated _ ^ Witness Bradbury Barttele [or Bartlete] [and] David Murruy

Sarah Whitham [her X mark] 

Sworn to and Subscribed on the day and Year above written
Before me Bradbury Bartlett[or Bartlen]

Rockingham County SS April 5th 1839   I Certify that the above_Named Sarah Whitham who subscribed the above declaration is unable to attend Court by reason of age and debility and that she sustains a Good moral Charracter [Character].  Bradburry Bartlett, Judge of the Court of Common pleas for said County of Rockingham
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State of New Hampshire
Rockingham [County] SS

I Ira B Hoitt [or Hoilt] Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas within and for the County aforesaid hereby certify, that the Hon. Bradbury Bartlett who has subscribed the within certificates is one of the Judges of said Court.  that the within Signatures purporting to be his, are genuine and in his own proper handwriting, and that the foregoing contains the original proceedings before him in the matter of the application of Sarah Witham for a Pension

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court this tenth day of April Anno Domini 1839.
[Near the lower left corner of this record, there is a small rectangular piece of paper covering what looks like a wax seal impression of the court's seal of office.]

J B Hoitt [or Hoill]  Clerk CCP [probably meaning Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas]
Rockm [Rockingham] County [New Hampshire]
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[Occasional spacing has been included to make the long text block easier to read.]

I Israel Bartlett of Nottingham [in the] County of Rockingham [in the] State of New Hampshire aged Sixty five years depose and Say that I was well aquainted [acquainted] with Pelatiah Withum late of Said Nottingham deceased upwards of fifty years before his decease 

That I have frequently heard Said Withum Say that he (in the commencement of the Revolution [?] lived in Kittery and that he entered the Service of the United States at Said Kittery in 1775 and was at the Battle of Bunkers [Bunker] Hill.

I further depose and Say That I am aquainted [acquainted] with Sarah Withum. Widow of Said Petatiah [Pelatiah] Withum and that the Said Sarah lived with the Said Pelatiah as his Wife from my Earliest recollection of them and have frequently heard said Said Withum Say that M. Hutchins of Lee married him [that M. Hutchins of Lee performed the marriage ceremony for Pelatiah Withum and his wife Sarah] and the Said Sarah together.

I further depose and Say that. Asa Withum is a Son of the Said ["of" is stricken through] Petatiah [Pelatiah] and Sarah Withum and he is upwards of fifty years of age.  I further depose and Say ["that" is stricken through] the Sarah Sarah Withum now resides at Said Nottingham and has never intermarried but continues the Widow of the Said Petatiah [Pelatiah] Withum

[Signature] Israel Bartlett

State of New Hampshire
Rockingham County SS - April 51839 Sworn and Subscribed by the above Israel Bartlett Who, I believe is entitled to full Credit as a Witness
Before me
David Murray Jus Peace [Justice of the Peace]
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[Occasional spacing has been included to make the long text block easier to read.]

I Joseph S Tuttle of Nottingham, County of Rockingham and State of New Hampshire aged forty Eight years depose and Say That, I hold the office of Town Clerk of Said Town[.] That I have the original records of said Nottingham in my possession - 

That I have carefully examined Said records, and find no evidence of the ["of" is stricken through] the marriage of Petatiah [Pelatiah] Withum to Sarah [?] Randall 

I further depose and Say that I am Well aquainted [acquainted] with ^ Asa Withum of this town, Son of Petatiah [Pelatiah] and Sarah Withum and have Known from my youth up that Said Asa Withum is about Six years older than myself.  I further depose and Say that it appears ^ by the record that Asa Withum Was married April Eighteenth Eighteen hundred and five. 

I further depose since that the said Petiatiah [Pelatiah] Withum and Sarah Withum lived together a near neighbour to me) as husband and Wife from my Earliest recollection until the death of the Said Petatiah [Pelatiah] and I never doubted they were legally married[.]  I further depose and Say that I find no proof of any marriages by the Revd [Reverend] Mr Hutchins of Lee

[Signature] Joseph S. Tuttle Town Clerk

State of New Hampshire
Rockingham County SS April 5 1839 Subscribed and Sworn to by the above Joseph S Tuttle, who I believe is entitled to full credit as a Witness_
Before me David Murray Justice of the Peace
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[Occasional spacing has been included to make the long text block easier to read.]

I Joseph Tuttle of Nottingham[,] New Hampshire, aged Seventy two years and upwards depose and Say That, I Was well aquainted [acquainted] with Pelatiah Withum [or Witham] formerly of Kittery[,] Maine, and late of Said Nottingham deceased for upwards of fifty years prior to his decease -

About the time of my first aquaintance [acquaintance] with him it was Said, (and I never had any reason to doubt the fact) That the Pelatiah Witham [or Withum] was married to Sarah Randall by the Revd [Reverend] Hutchens [or Hutchins] of Lee.  That from that time until the death of the said Pelatiah They, the Said Pelatiah and Sarah lived together as husband and Wife and had Several Children.

That the first child whose name was Pelatiah died very young[.]  The Second whose name is Asa is now living at Said Nottingham and is upwards of fifty years of age. 

I have one Son Whose name is Joseph S Tuttle now Town Clerk of Said Nottingham [who was] born in Seventeen hundred and ninety one at which time the Said Asa Witham [or Withum] was [illegible word, possibly quite] a boy running about the Streets.

I further depose and Say that Sarah Withum [or Witham], Widow of the Said Pelatiah Withum and mother of Asa Withum is now living with Said Asa Witham and never intermarried but continued the Widow of the Said Pelatiah Withum.  

I further depose and Say that I never heard the legality of the Marriage of the Said Petatiah [Pelatiah] to the Sarah, called in question and I do not believe it is do^ubted [doubted] by any one who Knows them.  I further depose and Say that the Said Petatiah [Pelatiah] has been dead about nine years[.]  I further depose and Say that the Church over Which Mr Hutchins was Pastor has long Since been disbanded and that there is no regular organized Church in Said Lee

[Signature] Joseph Tuttle
Page 8

State of New Hampshire

Rockingham [County] SS April 8 1839  Personally appeared Joseph Tuttle Esquire [here it looks like "within" was stricken through] and made oath that the within deposion [deposition] by him Subscribed is true. Before me David Murray Justice of the Peace 

I certify that the Said Joseph Tuttle is well Known to me, and that his Statement is entitled to implicit credence
David Murray Justice of the Peace
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[Occasional spacing has been included to make the long text block easier to read.]

I Asa Withum of Nottingham, County of Rockingham and State of New Hampshire ^ depose and Say That I was born on the nineteenth day of August Seventeen Hundred and Eighty four.  That I was told by my parents in Early life and have So Known from my youth up _ That I am a son of Petatiah Withum formerly of Kittery Maine and late of Said Nottingham deceased, and his Widow ["Sally" is stricken through]  ^ Sarah Withum now living at Said Nottingham.  

That I was married to my present Wife on the Seventeenth day of April Eighteen hundred and five in the 21st year of my age.  That my Father the Said Petatiah Withum lived with my mother the Said ["Sally" was stricken through] ^ Sarah Withum as husband and Wife from my Ealiest [Earliest] recollection up to the time of the Said Pelatiahs [Pelatiah's] decease.  That my mother the Said ["Sally" is stricken through] ^ Sarah Withum has never intermarried but Continues the Widow of the Said Petutiah [Petatiah] Withum

That the Said Pelutiah Withum died at Said Nottingham on the Seventeenth day of April 1830.  I further depose and Say that the Said Petutiah and ["Sally" is stricken through ^ Sarah had one child older than myself now deceased[.]  I further depose and Say that my mother is the identical person named in the annexed form of a Will; and that the Same is my Fathers handwriting. and Sarah Withum therein named is the identical Sarah Withum now living in Said Nottingham

[Signature] Asa Witham

State of New Hampshire
Rockingham County SS Nottingham April 5 1839.

Subscribed and Sworn by the above Asa Withum Who, I believe, is entitled to full credit as a Witness 
Before me David Murray Justice of the Peace
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[Occasional spacing has been included to make the long text block easier to read.]

In the nane [name] of God [illegible] I Patotianh [or Patahianh or Patotiarnh; apparently referring to Pelatiah] Witham of Noingham [Nottingham] in the County of Rockingham and State of Newhamshire [New Hampshire] Husbnman [Husbandman] Being of a Sound and Disposng [Disposing] mind memery [mind and memory] Do hearby [hereby] make this My last Will and testemant [testament] in maner [manner] following

Imprimis I give my Soul to God and My Body to the Earth By Decast [Deceased] Buried at the Discreton [Discretion] of my Ex_tor [Executor] hearafter [hereafter] Namd. [Named.] As to my Worldy [Worldly] goods and Estate that I may Dicscassed [Deceased] and Posasted {Possesed] of I do hear [hereby] Dispbrse [Disperse] of as follows[:]

to my loving Wife Sarah Witham I give and Beqeaieth [Bequeath] all my Prsonol [Personal] Estate During Hir [her] Natera; [Natural] Life

to my [here the following word is blotted, but it appears to be:] Beloved Son Asa Witham I give and Bqeasath [Bequeath] all My Wearing a aparel [apparel] and my Shere [Share] in the Notingham [Nottingham] Social Libary [Library] and futhermore I Give and Bequeath to Blood Son asa all the 3 Lands I now one [own] in Nottingham after the Deseasce [Decease] of my Beloved Wife and Not Before.
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State of New Hampshire
Rockingham [County] SS

I Ira B Hoitt  Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas within and for said County hereby certify that David Murray Esq [Esquire] who has has subscribed his name to the annexed Depositions, is a Justice of the Peace for said County, duly commissioned and qualified as such and by law authorized to administer Oaths &c [and etcetera] and that his signatures thereto are in his own handwriting and are genuine 

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court this tenth day of April Anno Domini 1839.  
[Signature] I. B. Hoitt  Clerk 

[To the lower left side of this record, there is a piece of paper covering what appears to be the impression of a wax seal of the court with ribbons underneath.]
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State of New Hampshire
Rockingham [County] SS

I[,] I. B. Hoitt Clerk of the Courts [or Court] of the Courts of the County and State aforesaid, do hereby certify that David Murray Esq [Esquire] is an acting Justice of the peace in and for said County duly commissioned and qualified; that his commission was acted on the seventeenth day of June 1837. and will expire on the Seventeenth day of June 1842, and that his signatures on the annexed depositions are genuine-

[Near the left margin, there is a small square piece of paper covering what looks like faint traces of a seal, probably that of the Seal of the Superior Court.] 

Given under my hand and the Seal of our Superior Court of Judicuture this 25th day of July Anno Domini 1839.
[Signature] I B. Hoitt  Clerk

[Midway down this record, near the left margin, there is a notation:] 
5179
Sarah Witham
wid [widow] of Pelatiah [Pelatiah Witham]
NH [New Hampshire]
Act [of] July 7, 38 [1838]
mard [married] 1781
[Pelatiah Witham] died [in] 1830

Allow 8 mo [months] for [?] 24.46 [or $26.46] per an [per annum]
Captain Leighton [Leighton's] C [Company]
Scammen [Scammon]
[?] Nich [? Nicholas] [?] Mablis [possibly meaning Mabee's] 

David Murray
New Market 
NH [New Hampshire]
Page 13

[This image is a nearly identical mirror image to the preceding image, only with text which appears to be written horizontally across vertical text in the preceding image, now turned in this image, so that the formerly horizontal text now shows vertically, and the text earlier displaying horizontally, now appears vertically. There is also a small change with the piece of paper covering what appears to be a wax impression of a round seal of the Superior Court.]

[Appearing vertically on this image:] 
5179
Sarah Witham
wid [widow] of Pelatiah [Pelatiah Witham]
NH [New Hampshire]
Act [of Congress] July 7 __ 38 [1838]
Mard [Married] 1781
[Pelatiah Witham] died 1830

Allow 8 mos [months] for [?] $24.46 per an [per annum]
Capt [Captain] Leightons C [Co, or Company] 
Scammen [Scammon] 
[?] Nich [? Nicholas] Mabli [or Meble, possibly meaning ? Mebane] 

David Murray 
New Market
NH [New Hampshire] 

[Appearing perpendicularly to the above text, there is:]
State of New Hampshire
Rockingham [County] SS

I[,] I B Hoitt Clerk of the Court of the Courts of the County and State aforesaid, do hereby certify that David Murray Esq [Esquire] is an acting Justice of the peace in and for said County duly commissioned and qualified.  that his commission was [?] active the seventeenth day of June 1837. and will expire on the seventeenth day of June 1842, and that his signatures on the annexed depositions are __ genuine

Given under my hand and the Seal of our Superior Court of Judicature this 25th day of July Anno Domini 1839.
[Signature] I B Hoitt  Clerk

[To the left there appears to be a part of the piece of paper has been partially pulled back, uncovering what looks like a portion of the wax impression of the Seal of the Superior ?Court with a partial impression of the seal visible in this image.]
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Rev [Revolutionary War] WIDOW, &c. [and etcetera.]
File No. 18.433
Sarah Witham
wid. [widow] of Pelatiah Witham 
Private [in the] Rev. War [Revolutionary War]

Act: July 7, 1838
Index: Vol. M, Page 343
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 15

[On a small horizontal slip of paper:] 

August 12th 1777  Reved [Received] fifty Dollars of Pellatiah [Pelatiah] Witham in full for order [or orders] on Cap [Captain] Willd [Wild] for me the Subscriber and Jacob Emery and James Witham
Kittery                                                                                     Nathan Witham
Page 16

mr.  [Mr.] Pelatiah Withum
ordr [order]
Page 17

Cambridge [Massachusetts] December 7th. 1775
Captain Samuel Leighton Please to Stop out of my Wages twenty two Shillings Lawful Money and pay it to William [partially blotted surname, possibly:] I_nt  [or I_rt] for Value Receiv'd [Received] of him and you will Oblige your HumbllServt. [Humble Servant.]  [Torn paper edge.]
Page 18

[This record is a horizontal slip of paper with a vertical fold, from which it appears by the fold that this image shows the back of the paper.]

Peletiah [Peletiah Witham]

[In darker ink]
10 Dolers
  2 
______
12
Page 19

Kittery [Massachusetts Bay colony] April 15th, 1774  Capt [Captain] Abnr [or Alnr, perhaps meaning Alexander or Abner] Raitt Sr. [possibly meaning either Sir, or SR.] Please to Pay to Pellatiah [Pelatiah] Witham the Sume [Sum] of Nine Shillings and four Pence Lawfull [money] in English goods it Being in full for 3 & 1/2 days Work on your [blotted word] Shop fraim yours to [?] Serve [or ?] Saml [?] Pr.__]
Page 20

at Cambridge [Massachusetts, British Colonial America] Decmr. [December] 29th. 1775
Capt [Captain] Samuel Stacy Sir Please to Stop out of my Wagers [Wages] and Pay to Peletiah [Pelatiah] Witham the Sume [Sum] of twenty Shillings Lawfu_ [torn page, Lawfull] money it Being for and in full of my wages Which is for fifteen Day[Days] in ^Leiaght [or Seiaght] Conol  [possibly meaning ? in Colonel Leighton's] [?] Cutt [or Cntt, possibly meaning ?Connecticut] Redgement [Regiment]
[Signature] Elijah Witham
Page 21

Kittery ye 30th [or 31th, possibly meaning 31st] August [no year shown]
Lost Between mr moses hanscoms [Mr. Moses Hanscom's] and my house 
Pleain Sillver Ne_ Buckel [Plain Silver New Buckle] and any Parso_ [possibly meaning Parson or Person] finding ye Same and Will Lett the owner have it Shall Be Well Satisifiyd [Satisfied] for their trouble
By me. Pelatiah [or Peletiah] Witham
Page 22

[Left side of wide rectangular paper slip with fold down the middle.] 
[?] Bohe
1778
________
Amos Worke [or Work] 
[?] Peteet

[On the right side of paper]
[Illegible]
Feubary [February] ye 23d 1778
then Bargend [illegible] Live
mr Levei Pickens hous- [paper torn, last word on this line possibly house]
at Northingham [possibly meaning Nottingham]
Page 23

[Record with substantial damage]

___ Whittim
Nottingham
Page 24

Nottingham December 6th 1802

Mr. Asa Withim  Sir You must Call this week and pay me as I have wanted [or waited] some time on You for payment
Yours  Nathl [Nathaniel] Williams
Page 25

[Record with numerous splotches.]

[Stricken through, two or three words, hard to read, possibly ?] Charged for Boarding
Kelley 1 [?] gill [illegible word]
Page 26

[Notation running perpendicularly along the left margin:] 
[Stained] December [illegible] 1802

[Notations running horizontally:]
Mr Asa Whitham, Bot of [probably meaning Bought of, or Bought from] T Bartlett [stained, hard to read text, possibly:] & Son

1 pare [pair of] Shoes   $1.50
3/4 Bowl [illegible word] 0.25
1 [?] Plait [possibly Plate, or Hatt, Hat] 24/   1 handhf [possibly meaning handkerchief] 6/05  5.00
1 [?] Gill [or Side] [?] Cherry  0.08
______________________________
[$] 6.89

Dcr [possibly meaning December] 6th 1802  Rec. pay [possibly meaning received payment]
T Bartlett & Son
Page 27

[Document with faint, sometimes hard to read notations]

[On left portion of paper slip, written perpendicularly:]
[?] [illegible] Novmr [November] [?] 29th 1802
Nottingham &C. [and etcetera]

[In middle portion of paper slip, written horizontally:]  Mr Pelatiah Whitham
Nottingham

[On right hand side of paper slip, written perpendicularly:]
Nothing
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[This letter has faded ink, with some words hard to read. Occasional spacing has been included, to make the long text block easier to read.]

Gilmanton [New Hampshire] November 4th 1802

Dear Sir 

Having a convenient time I write to inform you that we are [stained, missing word] expecting these lines will find you all well.  I expected to have received a letter from you but I have not, I want you to send me word whether that young woman will come to live with us or not; likewise I expect Asa and Betsy to see us next week or by Thanksgiving.  

I want to know whether the girls keep John [?] Bracey on White [?] Beam [or Bean] as they intended -

After your departing from my house that Brother [?] Hosspry got pretty well over the [?] [?] bay I mean Brother S. Clark.  I must forbear writing so I remain your affectionate Friend and Brother. [Possibly "Brother" may have been meant as a religious reference.]  Nathaniel Gale

P.S. I expect to be down by Slaying [possibly meaning the letter writer expected he would be able to visit the letter recipient by sleighing weather time.]

N.B. Write to me every Opportunity

Mr Pelatiah Whitham [of] Nottingham [New Hampshire]
Page 29

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
_____________________________________________
Secretary's Office, March 8th [or 9th] 1839

I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents, relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of Pelatiah Witham is borne on a "Return of Capt.[Captain] Samuel Leighton [Leighton's] Company in the 30th. Regt. [Regiment] of foot Commanded by Colonel James Scamman, belonging to the Army of the United Colonies of North America, with an abstract of the Pay due to Said Company to the last day of July inclusive," as a Private from Kittery, enlisted May 3rd. 1775. [or 1773, but it looks most likely to be 1775.]  

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.

John P. Bigelow
Secretary of the Commonwealth.