Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 23,259, Samuel Hewes, N.H.
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE
N.H.

Hewes, Samuel
or
Hews,
................Betsey

NUMBER
W. 23259

CONTENTS
Page 2

466
Windsor  Vermont
==========================
Betsey Hews
of Windsor Co. in the State of Vt.
who was a         in the        commanded
NH
by Captain            of the          commanded
by                              in the
["line of" stricken out]
widow of Samuel Hews
dec'd late Corporal in the
Revolution
===========================
Inscribed on the Roll of Windsor
at the rate of 88 Dollars -----Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
===========================
Certificate of Pension ifsued the 8th day of Feb.
1837 and sent  Ira
Davis   Norwich Vt.
===========================
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1836.................$484.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar '37........44.00
..............................................................................=====
................................................................................$528.00
..............................................................................=====
(Revolutionary Claim,  )
(Act  June 7, 1836        )

Recorded by DD Addison  Clerk,
Book A.   Vol. 1.    page 38
Page 3

[left side of page]

Betsey Hewes
No. 588    wid of
Samuel Hewes
3 Dec.
["Wid. H Esq" stricken out]
pr.

See Cillys rolls

"24 mo 13 d.  ending 1779
3 mo 20 "  1780  "

disc'd  Apl 20, 1780

Ad'd a Corp'l. $88
pr ann.  com'g 4th
March 1837

Ira Davis
Norwich
Vt

[right side of page]

440.00
..44
_______________
484
Page 4

State of Vermont
Windsor County fs.

On this 1st day of September AD 1836 personally appeared before the Probate Court of the District of Hartford Betsey Hewes a resident of Norwich in the County of Windsor and State of Vermont aged 76 years, who being first 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 Congrefs pafsed July 4th 1836.  That she is the widow of Samuel hewes who enlisted in the army of the Revolution on the 22 day of April 1777 as a corporal in Capt John house' company in Col Cilley's Regiment of the New Hampshire line of the Revolutionary Army, and served therein for the term of three years.  he was at the taking of Burgoyne, and in Gen'l Sullivan's expedition against the Indians in 1779, and that within a few years his discharge & Revolutionary papers have been lost.

She further declares that she was married to the said Samuel Hewes on the 16th day of December 1779 at Newtown in Connecticut & that her husband the aforesaid Samuel Hewes died on the 3d day of October 1816 and that she has remained a widow ever since that period; as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
Betsey Hewes

Sworn to & subscribed on the day & year above written.
Before, Jas. Raymond  Judge--
__________________________________________
State of Vermont      )
Hartford District fs   )

I, Norman Williams, Register of the Court of Probate for said District of Hartford, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Betsey Hewes for a pension.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Probate Court at Woodstock in said District this fifth day of September A.D. 1836.
Norman Williams, Register

[illegible seal affixed to the left of the above paragraph]
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I Betsey Hewes of Norwich in the County of Windsor in the State of Vermont aged 76 years depose and say that I was born as my parents informed me in Newtown (Conn.) and lived in that Town about 21 years.--that in the winter of 1778 & 9 in the month of January 1779 I attended a Ball in said Newtown at which several soldiers were present & among them Samuel Hewes.  here I first became acquainted with said Hewes.  He then belonged to Col. Cilley's regiment in Gen Poor's Brigade, which regiment was ab that time quartered in Reading near Newtown.  Shortly after this I received a letter from said Hewes & by advice of my brother I consented to recieve his addrefses.  accordingly about the last of March or first April of the same year we had engaged to be married and our publishment was written.  My Father George Foot who was a tory was violently opposed to the match and forbid the publishment.  My Father however at last told Hewes that if we would postpone the marriage untill after the next campaign and if he would go into the Indian country that season that on his return he would give his consent to the marriage.  Hewes accordingly went with Sullivan's expidition to the Susquehannah country (where my father was in hopes as he said that he would be killed)  Hewes however returned with the regiment in the month of November 1779 the week before Thanksgiving and on the 16th day of December 1779 I was married to said Hewes & several of the soldiers were present at the wedding at my father's, the Minister Mr Beach was sick & could not come but sent word if we would come to his house he would marry us.  accordingly we went with a part of the company and a part remained at my fathers, to which place we returned after we were married & there had the wedding party.  My husband remained in the army untill April 1780, but frequently came to see me at my father's.  My father's opposition was violent against Hewes because he was a soldier, so that he was frequently turned out of doors & I was compelled to leave my fathers house by the
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influence of the Tories.  But I was determined not to yield the point and to persevered unto the end.  At the time of our marriage Cilley's regiment was quartered in Danbury a town adjoining Newtown.
Betsey Hewes

State of Vermont      )
Windsor County  fs  )

The above affadavit subscribed & sworn this 16th day of January A.D. 1837.
Before me   Ira Davis   Just of Peace

State of Vermont      ) County Clerk's office
Windsor County  fs  )  Woodstock
January 18th 1837.

I hereby certify that Ira Davis the above subscribing magistrate is a Justice of the Peace within & for the County aforesaid & that the above is his genuine signature.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my Seal of office on the day and year last above written.
Benj Swan  Clerk

[illegible seal affixed to the left of the above paragraph]
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____________
In reply to your request of _______________, received _______________ for a statement of the military history of Samuel Hewes a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in ["his (or" stricken out]  his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.    W.  23,259

[Column 1]
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.
Apr. 22, 1777

[Column 2]
LENGTH OF SERVICE.
3 years

[Column 3]
RANK.
Corporal

[Columns 4 & 5]
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.........................................COLONEL.
John House........................................Cilley

[Column 6]
STATE.
N.H.

Was in Sullivan's expeddition against Indians 1779.

Battles engaged in, taking of Burgoyne

Residence of soldier at enlistment, [checkmark]

Date of application for pension, Sept. 1, 1836

Residence at date of application, Norwich, Windsor Co., Vt.

Age at date of application, 76 years.  born at Newtown, Conn.

Remarks:   he married while in the service Newtown, Conn., Dec. 16, 1779, Betsey Foot dau. of George Foot. Sol. died Oct. 3, 1816 & his widow Betsey Hewes was alld. pension for his service as above.

Respectfully,
Commissioner.

d--2350
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[left side of page]

Revy WIDOW, &c.

File No. 23259

Betsey Hews
Wid of
Samuel Hews
Corpl  Rev  War

Act:  June 7th 1832

Index:---Vol. A,  Page 327
[Arrangement of 1870.]

[right side of page]

Nov. 8--1902

Mrs. Harry W. Flagg
Revolution Mass.
____________________________________________
1916 Mch. 1.   To above.  c/
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[stamp]

U.S.
PENSION
O
FEB
23
1916
OFFICE
Page 10

[checkmark]  Rev. War, NH 1

151 Highland St.
Brockton.  Mass.
Feb. 21--1916.

Department of the Interior.
Bureau of Pensions.
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sirs:--

In order that I may better fill out application for membership in the D.A.R.s--I am advised that I must have a statement from Pension Office of the application for a pension of the widow of Sam'l. Hews, who enlisted April 22nd 1777--in
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service three years--Rank, Corporal widow applied for pension Sept. 1. 1836 Residence at that time was Norwich, Vt--and her age at time of application was 76 years--

Corp. Samuel Hews rendered service under Capt. Jno. House, Colonel Jos. Cilley--State of New Hampshire   Battles engaged in Saratoga and Sullivan's Indian expedition; he died Oct. 3. 1816-

Very truly yours--
Katharine E. Flagg--

(Mrs. Harry W.)
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I Philo Fairchild of Newtown in the County of Fairfield & State of Connecticut aged seventy five years depose and say that I was well acquainted with Betsey Foot formerly of Newtown in Connecticut as she used to be frequently at my fathers house in her young days--She was married to Samuel Hewes in the year 1779 usually called the hard winter in the forepart of the winter--Her father lived about half a mile from my fathers & she was to have been married at her father's house and the guests were invited & met there when it was ascertained that the Reverend W. John Beach who lived between three & four miles distant could not come to marry them because the snow was very deep and Mr. Beach was a very old man, over seventy years of age I should think--It was agreed by the Bridegroom & Bride that W. Beach should marry them; and as soon as it was ascertained by the mefsinger who went after him that he could not come to her fathers to marry them they concluded to go to Rev'd Mr. Beach's & he married at his house and ["about" stricken out] four o'clock in the afternoon or when the sun was about an hour high they the said Samuel Hewes and Betsey Foot started from her father's house to go to W. Beach's to be married--I remember it was about dusk when they got back to her father's.  Zalmon Burrit, Abel Foot, brother to said Betsey & John Kenney, a Soldier, each one with his Lady went with them to Mr. Beach's to witnefs the ceremony.  The said Zalmon Burrit, Abel Foot & John Kenney are all dead.  My Sister Molly went with ["Abel" stricken out] Zalmon Burrit, & the Lady who was afterwards John Kenney's wife went with him
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and they are also dead--I do not recollect what Lady accompanied Abel Foot.--At that time Samuel Hewes was a Soldier under General Poor & belonged to his Brigade, which during that winter was stationed in the limits of Danbury very neara the line which divides the Town of Newtown from the Town of Danbury, and about a mile and a half from Betsey Foots fathers house.  There was a holding out of the wedding during the evening after their return from Rev'd W. Beach's--I was not present at Mr. Beach's at the time when they were married, but they ever after while I knew any thing about them lived together as husband and wife.  She continued to live at her fathers while the war continued & he continued in the army untill he was discharged, but came to see her as often as circumstances permitted--She had one child while she lived in town; after the army was disbanded she went with him to his home in New Hampshire as I understood.  I never had any doubt of their being married at that time--They went from her fathers with the company above mentioned & as above stated to be married; & was gone about long enough & returned with the same company & with the reputation of having been married:  which could hardly have been a deception.  There were several Soldiers from the army stationed in said Danbury as above stated who attended the wedding at her father's
Philo Fairchild

I Amos Shepard of Newtown in the County of Fairchild & State of Connecticut, being duly sworn according to law depose and say that I am in my seventy seventh year of my age.  That in the winter of 1779 & 1780 usually called the
Page 14

Hard winter I lived about a mile from the house of George Foot father of Betsey Foot who married Samuel Hewes a Soldier under General Poor & belonging to his Brigade, and I lived about two miles from the place where the army was stationed.  When said Hewes & Betsey were married I was invited to the wedding & attended at her father's house.  Each young gentlemen Guest was invited to wait on a particular lady & we all rode on horse back  It was then the fashion--The young ladies rode on pillions--I attended at her fathers & agree with Philo Fairchild to what he has testified in the foregoing deposition of his as to what took place at her fathers & as to what was done--I was acquainted with Betsey Foot from her childhood untill she removed with her said husband Samuel Hewes from Newtown to Newhampshire.  At the wedding there was a house full of guests & I should think more than half the gentlemen were soldiers--I remember well there was disappointment when it was made known that Mr. Beach could not come to marry them & arrangements were made for them to go to Mr. Beach's & be married as stated in Mr. Philo Fairchilds deposition  I remember they set out & went with the Company he has stated & returned with the reputation of having been married:  & I never had a doubt but that they were at that time married   They ever afterwards as long as I knew them lived together as husband & wife--He continued a Soldier after that untill he was discharged.  The wedding took place in the fore part of the winter--
Amos Shepard
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I Caleb Baldwin of Newtown in the County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut aged sixty four years, being duly sworn according to law testify, depose and say that Rev. W. John Beach was the sequtarly officiating  Episcopal Clergyman in the Episcopal Church in said Newtown as far back as I can recollect previous to his death which took place in 1781 or  1782 to the beest of my recollection.  I should think he was over eighty years of age when he died.  To the best of my knowledge of belief he attended funerals and performed  the ceremony of marriage very generally in Newtown the latter part of his life as far as the infirmaters of old age would permit.  In the year or winter of 1779 and 1780, though I was but a boy at that time I think I recollect there was no other clergyman in said Newtown of any denomination.  I have been Town Clerk for said town of Newtown for almost thirty six years past, and have examined the town records and find no record of any marriage ceremony performed by said W. Beach.  There is none of the family of said W. Beach living at the present day.  I do not know of any records of marriages kept by said W. Beach and further the deponent saith not
Caleb Baldwin

State of Connecticut Fairfield County ss} Newtown
Personally appeared Philo Fairchild, Amos Shepard and Caleb Baldwin, who each subscribed his several deposition foregoing and whom I certify are witnesses of indoubted veracity and made solemn oath each to the foregoing deposition by him subscribed, this 15th day of October AD 1836 before me
Samuel C. Blackman  Justice of Peace

State of Connecticut Fairfield County } ss
I Thomas B. Osborne Clerk of the County Court within and for the County of Fairfield in the State of Connecticut do hereby certify Samuel C. Blackman Esquire whose own proper signature known to me to be genuine, is annexed to the foregoing Certificate, is now and fore more than on year last past has been a Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Fairfield aforesaid duly commissioned and duly authorized to administer oaths and take depositions be given under my hand and the seal of said County Court in Fairfield this 26th day of October AD 1836.
Thomas B. Osborne Clerk
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Betsey Hewes
Vermont

prf of service
Page 17

I Nathaniel Bugler of Hartford County of Windsor and State of Vermont aged 81 years depose and say that on the 22 day of April 1777 I enlisted in Capt John House's company in Col. Cilley's Regiment and in Gen Poor's Brigade of the New Hampshire line of the Army of the Revolution  for the term of three years. In the fall of that year we were at the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga in the State of New York.  We wintered at Valley Forge, and the next year our service was mostly in the vicinity of the City of New York and went into winter quarters at Reading in Conn.  during the year 1779 we served in the expedition under Genl Sullivan against the Indians up the Susquehannah river and in the fall returned to winter quarters at Danbury in Conn. and were discharged at the close of our town in April following.  And I  also further testify that I well recollect that Samuel Hewes enlisted with me as a corporal in said company and served during the above mentioned terms of three years and further this deponent saith not the words "were discharged" and  " I served" were interlined before signing.   Nathaniel Bugler

State of Vermont Windsor County ss |  Personally appeared Nathaniel Bugler who I hereby certify is a person of veracity and subscribed and made oath to the above affadavit at Norwick this 13th day of August AD 1836 before me
Ira Davis Just of Peace
[seal]
Page 18

I Daniel Miner of Norwich County of Windsor and State of Vermont aged 35 years depose and say that I have been acquainted with Betsey Hewes for the last 17 years a greater part of which time she has resided in my family and that she has ever remained and still is the Widow of Samuel Hewes, late of Lyme in the state of New Hampshire, who died in October 1816. and further say not
Daniel Miner
State of Vermont Windsor County }
At Norwich in said county on this 2 day of November 1836 personally appeared Daniel Miner who I certify to be a person of undoubted veracity and subscribed and made oath to the above appeared before me,
Ira Davis  Justice of Peace
Windsor ss County Clerk's office Woodstock Nov 8th 1836
I hereby certify that Ira Davis the above subscribing magistrate is a Justice of the Peace in and for said county duly qualified to administer oaths and the above is his genuine signature,  In testimony whereof  I have here subscribed my name and afixed my seal of office the day and year last above written
Benjn Swan  Clerk
[Seal]
Page 19

10242

Dec 3. 1836
Pension Office
Vt 
4 July 36
case of 
Betsey Hewes
widow of Saml


Hon B. F. Button
Secretary of War
Washington City

Washington 
Nov 27, 1836  Free
Page 20

[envelope]

Norwich Vt     Free [postage]
Nov 27, 1836

Hon B. F. Button
Secretary of War
Washington City

10242 [?]
Dec 3. 1836
Pension office

Vt 4 July 36
case of Betsew Hewes
widow of Samuel
Page 21

Norwich Vt Nov. 25 1836

Dear Sir.
Sometime since I sent to the Pension office, the declaration of Betsey Hewes widow of Samuel Hewes for a Pension under the 3d section of the act of July 4th 1836.
In her declaration she sets forth the particular day of December 1779 on which she was married to said Hewes.  I forwarded the affadavit of Nathaniel Buglar who testifies that he served with said Hewes for the term of three years and that said Hewes was discharged in April (I think) 1780. I also forwarded the affadavit of the Town Clerk of Newtown Connecticut where the marriage was  solemnyed showing that no record of any marriage solemnized by Rev. Mr Beach who was at that time the only officiating clergyman in the Town.  I also sent two affadivits from the gentlemen in said Newton, who testify that they were of the party who went to the house of Mrs Hewes father to attend the wedding, but that the Parson was unable to come and the party to his house and returned with the reputation of having been married but deponents did not go with them, to the parsons.  One of the deponents said it was in 1779 the four part of the winter the other says it was in the winter '79 ago and that the snow was deep.

The commissioner of Pensions appears satisfied of the fact of the marriage but in his letter of the 1st not says " The department will require that further proof as to the date of the marriage be furnished."

I can fine no person but the applicant who can specify the particular day on which it took place and do not know in what way any further proof can be made.  Mrs. Hewes is very poor and has no permanent home and I cannot learn as there is any family record and it appears to me that the testimony makes out a strong prima facie case and fully meets the provisions of
Page 22

the act. The testimony shows that the applicant was married in 1779 in the winter. and that her husband was not discharged from the service until April 1780 although the testimony does not fix the precise day of the marriage. Yet it clearly establishes  what I conclude is the most important factor that the marriage took place before the term of her husbands service had expired and while he was a soldier.

Will you have the goodness sir to investigate this case and taking into consideration the peculiar circumstances of the applicant some to as favorable a conclusion as possible.

Very Respectfully yours
Ira Davis
Page 23

War Department
Pension Office
Page 24

Norwich Vt  Nov. 8th 1836

Dear Sir
Enclosed is the declaration of Betsey Hewes and the evidence in support thereof.  It appears from the affadavit of the Town Clerk that there was no records of marriages kept in the town where she was married at that time, we have therefore obtained affadavits, which I think make out a very strong prima facie case and I think must be conclusive.
Very Respectfully yours
Ira Davis
Page 25

Betsey Hews

Office City
Page 26

Norwich Vt Jany 18 1837

Dear Sir
Enclosed I send the affidavit of Betsey Hewes giving a detailed history of the circumstances of her marriage as requested by yours of Dec. 5th.  I think the Dept will conclude that the that the opposition and abuse she recd from her father would tend to fix the matter to indellibly on her mind to be forgotten.
Her statement of the time of the marriage is so much anterion to his discharges (about 4 months) that she cannot easily be mistaken, I presume the affadavit will be satisfactory,
Very Respectfully Yours
Ira Davis
Page 27

T.S.C.
Old War and Navy Division  3-523.  [stamp] Old War & Navy Oct 15 1902 Files P.  B.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D. C.,  July 24, 1902.
Madam:
In reply to your communication of a recent date, you are informed that this Bureau is unable to furnish a history of the service of any soldier of the Revolutionary war or the war of 1812 unless he or his widow was a pensioner or an applicant for pension or bounty land; and that under the rules such a history is furnished only to the soldier's  descendants, and to them only when it is desired for historical or genealogical purposes.
The large number of inquiries made on this subject, and the length of time required to make a proper search of the records in each case, will not permit of information being given to any applicant concerning more that two soldiers.
In order that the soldier concerning whom you desire information may be identified, you are requested to furnish as much as possible of the data called for below.
( - Hewes)  [Stamp]  U.S. Pension Office Oct 19 1902
Very respectfully,
E. S. Ware
Commissioner

Mrs. Harry W. Flagg,
151 Highland St.,
Brockton, Mass

Full name of soldier,  Samuel Hewes.
Where did he enter service?  don't know
Under what officers did he serve?  don't know
Place of residence after service, Think Lyme New Hampshire
Approximate date of death, of widow after 1834
Given name of widow, Betsy
Did either the soldier or his widow receive a pension? Yes the widow
Additional Information,  [left blank]
Signature, Mrs Harry W. Flagg.
Post-office address, including street and number, town, county and State, } 151 Highland St Brockton Mass.