Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 8281, for Abel Platts, New Hampshire
Page 1

(3 - 1776) government form number

SERVICE

Platts, Able
Meletiah
N.H. residences

NUMBER
R. 8281

CONTENTS
blank
Page 2

FAMILY RECORD
xxxxxx

Mr. Abel Platts was married to wife Meletiah Metcalf Dec. 26th, 178 (last number in year illegible)
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X
in III
Will
---
Family Record
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

BIRTHS

Abel Platts Dec 10th 1761
Meletiah Metcalf, Dec 25th 1766
Henrietta Platts May 12th 1833
Martin Platts May 8th 1790
Abel Platts Feb 9th 1793
Asa Platts  Jan 6th 1796
Moses Platts May 8th 1798
Gilman Platts July 1st 1800
George Platts August 1st 1803
Harriet Platts Oct 23rd 1808
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-
Declaration

In order to obtain the benefits of this
third section of the act of Congress
passed July 4th 1836

State of New York
County of Lewis ⎬ ss.

 On this 29 day of July

in the year 1847, before a surrogates
Court, holden at my office in Greig
in said County, in open Court personally
appeared, Asa Platts of the town of Quinn 
said County aged fifty one gives and afirmeds 
who being first duly sworn according to law
doth on his oath make the following
Declaration, in order to obtain the benefits of
the act of Congress above named.

That he is a child of the late Meletiah Platts, who was the widow of Abel Platts Deponents father, who was a native of the town of Rindge, in the County of Cheshire in the State of New Hampshire and who enlisted into the continental army of the United States in the war of the Revolution for a term of years (or for during the war) and continued to serve untill the close or untill on honorably discharged, which must have been in the year 1783, as he always stated that he was in service two years after his marriage Meletiah Metcalf, but deponents mother which was as appears by the old record listed annexed, in the year (1781) Seventeen hundred and eighty one, that this record hereto annexed is the old original family record kept by deponents father and mother above named for more than thirty years past to this deponents knowledge, and that he has full confidence in such record as showing the true date of their marriage, that said Abel Potts deponents father died about the 25th day of March 1813, at his decease he left said Meletiah Platts deponents mother whose maiden name was Meletiah Metcalf, a widow, who did not intermarry after his death, but remained his widow untill her death, which took place (several words lined out) in August or  September, 1838. One thousand Eight hundred and thirty Eight.
Page 5

That at her death she left the following named children her surviving which are her only children her surviving. [illegible] Asa Platts, Abel Platts, Gilmon Platts, and George Platts, and that each are of the age of twenty-one years and upwards.- that after the death of deponents father his said widow Meletiah Platts, kept his original discharge [illegible] from the army at the close of the war, or at the close of his turn of enlistment, which discharge was kept in the family [illegible] years, but which is now lost.

[illegible] and subscribed in [illegible] the day + year before author [illegible] Asa Platts. who I certify is a credible person -

Asa Platts

F. Seder
County Judge of  Lewis County
Page 6

State of New York
Lewis County} Surrogate's Office, I Francis Seger county Judge ['Lewis' crossed out] in and for said County, do hereby certify, that at a surrogate court holden at my office in the town of Greig in said county, on the 29th day of July 1841; satisfactory evidence was adduced, before me in said court to show that Melitiah Platts late the widow of Abel Platts, died in ['the(9th) ninth day of' crossed out] the month of August or September (1838) One thousand eight hundred, and thirty eight, that she was the widow of said Abel Platts, at her death, and that she left the following named children her surviving, being her only children for surviving - viz. Abel Platts, Gilman Platts & George Platts, and Asa Platts, - and that each one of the age of twenty one years and upwards, that Asa & Gilman Platts are residents of Lewis County New York. Abel Platts of Michigan, & the exact residence of George Platts not known. 
[court seal affixed] In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and impressed my Seal of Office this 29th day of July 1847.
/s/F. Seger
County Judge of Lewis County
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No 6981
Meletiah Platt de'd
widow of Abel
M
act 4 July 1836
Page 8

[typewritten letter]
June 29, 1940.
xxxxxx
RA-J/ADY
Abel Platts, R.8281

Mrs. M. H. Mount
1800 West Grand Avenue
Alhambra, California

Dear Madam:

The data contained herein were obtained from the papers on file in the Revolutionary War pension claim, R.8281, based upon the military service in that war of Abel Platts.
Abel Platts was born December 10, 1761, in Rindge, Cheshire County, New Hampshire. The names of his parents are not shown.
He married December 26, 1781, place not stated, Miss Melatiah Metcalf. She was born December 25, 1766, place, and the names of her parents are not given.
He died about March 25, 1813, place not given.
His widow, Meletiah Platts, died in August or September 1838, place not stated. The following children survived her: Asa Platts, Abel Platts, Gilman Platts and George Platts. In 1847, Gilman was living in Lewis County, New York, Abel Platts was a resident of Michigan, place not shown, and the residence of George was not stated.
July 29, 1847, Asa Platts, residing in Turin, Lewis County, New York, applied for pensions in behalf of himself and the children named above, which might have been due on account of the Revolutionary War services of his father, Abel Platts. It was stated that Abel Platts enlisted and served to 1783, and that he served two years after his marriage in the New Hampshire Line. A report from the Secretary of the State of New Hampshire was submitted, showing that one Abel Platts, Jr., of Rindge, New Hampshire, served forty-eight days as private in Captain Brown's Company, commencing May 1777; six months and twenty-five days from June 1776, in Captain Simon Marston's New Hampshire Company; nine months and seven days in 1781, in Captain Reid's Company.
The claim for pension was not allowed as proof of service
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[typewritten letter continued]
of the father of the claimants was not furnished as required by the pension laws, nor proof of the marriage of their parents. Evidence was not submitted to show that the Abel Platts, Jr., who served as above, was identical with Abel
Platts, their father.
The following names of the children of Abel and Meletiah Platts are shown:
Henrietta Platts born May 19, 178-, illegible.
Martin Platts        "     May 8, 1790.
Abel Platts           "     February 9, 1793.
Asa Platts             "     January 6, 1796.
Moses Platts        "     May 8, 1798.
Gilman Platts       "     July 1, 1800.
George Platts      "      August 1, 1803.
Harriet Platts       "      October 23, 1808.
There are no further family data. 
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant to the Administrator
Page 10

[right side of page]
Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873 [crosed out]

8281
____
P.O.
____
Meletiah Platt
Service:
Enlisted: REJECTED, 18
Dischared: ___,18
1852 Printed Book Rejected and Suspended Pensions
Application filed: ____, 18
Gives Reasons for Suspension. "The rolls show a woman of the same name with the junion appended but the claimant in her recent declaration omits the junior."
Re-enlishted: ____
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No 6981
Meletiah Platt dec
M 
[crossed out words]
8281
act 4 July 1836
Page 12

[typewritten letter]
June 29, 1940.
xxxxxx
BA-J/ADY
Abel Platts, R. 8281

Mrs. M. H. Mount
1800 West Grand Avenue
Alhambra, California

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letters relative to David Whiting, and Abel Platt, who served in the Revolutionary War, and Fisk Barney Platt, Oliver Webb and James Plasters, who served in the War of 1812.
The Revolutionary War records of this office fail to show a claim for pension on file on account of the services of any
David Whiting, all spellings of the names searched.
Because of the great demand for Revolutionary War and War of 1812 data and the limited trained clerical force available for
furnishing such information, it is impossible to comply in full with each request pertaining to soldiers of those wars.
The record of the only Abel Platts, all spellings of the names searched, that is found on the Revolutionary War records of this office and the War of 1812 record of Fisk B. Platt are furnished you herewith.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant to the Administrator
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[typewritten letter]
1800 West Grand Avenue
Alhambra, California
May 11, 1940

Veteran's Administration
Washington, D. C.

Gentlemen:-
Will you please send me whatever data you may have about Fisk Barney Platt, who served around Lake Champlain during the
War of 1812? He was born May 21, 1797, married Dimmis Weller in August, 1822 and died Nov. 9, 1886 in Malone, N. Y. He received a pension and after his death it was given to his widow. If you have a copy of his pension application, or that of his wife, I shall appreciate it if you will send me a copy.
I shall also be very grateful if you can give me any information about the father of the above Fisk B. Platt. His name was Abel Platt (or Platts) and all that I am really sure of is that he married Lois Barney, a daughter of Capt. Joseph Barney, in 1797 and that he had sons Fisk and Frank and that he died June 12, 1823 at Castleton or Rutland, Vt.
There were two Abel Platts either of whom might be the one in whom I am interested: - one was born in 1763 at Rowley, Mass; and the other was born Dec. 10, 1761 at Rindge, N. H., married Melatiah Metcalf, served in the Revolution and died in 1812 at or near Sackets Harbor, N.Y. I am hoping that if an Abel Platt applied for a pension he gave some data in his application which would be helpful to me.
Also, did Oliver Webb, born 1782 Windham, Conn.; married Sally Nichols in 1805; died 1849 in Malone, N. Y. serve in the war of 1812? If so did he apply for a pension? Did he receive bounty land? If so what was the location of it? 
Very truly yours
Mrs. M. H. Mount
[receipt stamp: RECEIVED MAY 16 1940 MAIL SUB-DIV. VETS ADM. READER #25]
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[typewritten letter]
1800 West Grand Avenue
Alhambra, California
May 13, 1940

Veteran's Administration
Washington, D. C.

Gentlemen:-
Will you please send me any information that you may have about James Plasters who inlisted for service in the War of 1812 from Loudoun County, Virginia? If he applied for a pension will you please send me a copy of his application and the affidavits.
Also would like information about David Whiting, born Sherborn, Mass, died Holliston. Served in the Revolution. 
Very truly yours
Mrs. M. H. Mount
[receipt stamp: RECEIVED MAY 17 1940 MAIL SUB-DIV. VETS ADM. READER #12]
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[handwritten letter]
[margin note: 507]
Pension Office
August 22d 1849

Sir
I have the honor to inform you that the letter of the Secretary of State of New Hampshire in relation to the service of Abel Platt, transmitted by you in support of the claim of Melitiah Platt dec'd, has been received and filed with her other papers
This letter shows ['that' crossed out] service credited to the name of Abel Platt Jr from Rindge, in 1778 and 1781, but there is no evidence now filed to identify Mrs. Platt's husband with that soldier. In the declaration, the Jun'r is not attached to the name of Abel Platt. ['and they' crossed out] 
It is alleged ['that' crossed out] merely that he entered the service in the Continental Line as a [illegible] man, and was discharged in 1783. had been in service two years, after ['of' crossed out] his marriage with Mrs. Platt. All the service specified in the letter of the Secretary had been rendered previous to the alleged date of the marriage of these parties; should therefore the proof of identifying this soldier with the husband of Mrs. Platt, and such proof of the dates of their marriage, and of the death of Mrs. Platt as has heretofore been required be addressed her claim could not be admitted under the act of 4 July 1836, as that act
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[handwritten letter continued]
provides for those widows only where husband's service terminated subsequently to their marriage
The evidence now before the Department as to the identity of Mrs. Platt's husband with the soldier found credited with service on the Military ranks of New-Hampshire, ['of' crossed out] the date of their marriage and the ['date' crossed out] death of Mrs. Platt are all defective. Clear and satisfactory proof upon all these points must be produced before a certificate can be issued to her children 
[unsigned]
Hon. W. A. Sackett
Seneca Falls NY
[margin note: Hon W. A. Sackett 22d August 1849]
Page 17

Rose New York,
August 18th 1847
Sir
Herewith are enclosed the papers of Meletiah Platts, dec'd, claiming a pension under act of the 4th July 1836.
It is supposed that the records of those who served in the New Hampshire line in your Office will show the facts relative to Abel Platts service
I have the honor to be
Very Respectfully
Your Obt Servt
W. G. Wade
Page 18

W G Wade[?]
Sept 9 47
Page 19

80
Pension Office
Sept 9th, 1847

Sir
The papers in the Case of Meleliah Platt decd  widow of Abel Platt have been [illeg] and filed under the act of 4 July 1836.
As you are familiar with the reputations of the Deponents it is deemed necessary only to that they must be complied with in every ess[illeg] [illeg] before a [illeg] can issued in this case
The service of Mrs Platts husband has not been [illeg] set for nor has any evidence thereof or of the date of their Marriage that can be admitted [illeg] [illeg]
Record evidence of the date of Mrs Platts death should also be [illeg] if it can be obtained
W G Wade Esq
[illeg]
Page 20

Maheteble Platt of 
New York [illeg] of 1836

Report - the within
came to me
W A. Sackett [illeg]
[illeg]
Page 21

Office of Secy of State,
Concord, N.H. Jany 6, 1849
Sir
It appears from an examination of our Revolutionary Rolls that Abel Platts was a private in Capt Browns Compy, 48 Days, commencing May 1777- He was also a private in Capt. Simon Marstons Co., 6 Months & 25 Days, in the Rhode Island Service, from June 1776 to Jany 1779. It appears from another Roll that Platts was from the the town of Rindge and the Junr is on this Roll also attached to his name. It also appears upon an account of the men enlisted from Rindge that Able Platts Junr. was one of the number. He also served in Reeds Regt in 1781 - 9 Mo & 7 Days
Very Respectfully
Thos P Treadwell