Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21,554, Nicholson Ward, R.I.
Page 1

(3 - 1776)
SERVICE
R.I.
Ward, Nicholson
NUMBER
S. 21554
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1411
Rhode Island
Nicholson Ward
of New Port in the State of R. I.
who was a Private in the company commanded
by Captain Snow of the Regt commanded
by Col Greene in the R.I
line for 6 May  after 1780
Inscribed on the Roll of ?
at the rate of 20 Dollars - Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 3rd day of Nov
1832 and sent A Ward
New Port R.I.
Arrears? to 4th of Sept 1832
Semi=anl. allowance ending 
$30-
  10-
---
$40 -
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by J H McBean Clerk
Book D, Vol 3, Page 140.

Order to pay 20 Sept 1837
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State of Rhode Island
Town County of Newport SS
On this fourteenth day of September A.D. 1832, personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Probate now sitting, Nicholson Ward
aged Seventy two years a resident of said
Newport who being duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
That on the first of July 1780. at Portsmouth on Rhode Island where he was born & then resided he enlisted as a private soldier for six months service, in a company of the Rhode Island in Continental service troops of which
Company. Snow was then Captain; & after him Capt Burlingame said company was part of Col. Christopher Greens regiment, which
regiment had Col. Sam? Ward for Lieut. Col. Eben Flass for Mayor.
Not that soon after he inlisted said company was ordered to providence where it was inspected remained near that place about three weeks, was then marched back to Rhode Isand & stationed at Butte Hill fort; it was afterwards marched to Newport & was employed in working upon the for on Tammany Hill for about six weeks, they were then taken to
a place called Gould Hill on the West side of Rhode Island, from which place said company was ordered to march westward & set out on its
march, but was ordered back, about ten or twelve days after it had set out.
On then returned to Gould Hill afterwards to Butte Hill & there worked on the fort. He there remained with his company until the first of
January 1801, when the six months for which he had enlisted during all which time he had constant served with said Company having expired
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he was regularly discharged. He received no certificate of his discharge has no documentary evidence of his service. He was born on the eighth of June 1760. He does not know that there is any record of his age or of the time of his birth since his discharge as aforesaid & since the revolution he has lived constantly
on Rhode Island, part of the time in Portsmouth part in Middletown the latter part in Newport. That the officers of the Company & regiment in which he served, are as he is informed, all dead and he has not been able to ascertain,
the he has endeavoured to do so, whether any of the privates, who served with him are yet living. That Thomas Coggeshall of Newport and Jonathan Coggeshall of Portsmouth are surviving acquaintances to whom his inlist.
memb & service  in said Company and most of the other facts herein stated were but
known. And in addition to these he names Elder Michael Eddy, Deacon Sanford Bell his present neighbors, who will bear testimony to his character.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, & declare that his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any State
Nicholson Ward
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open Court Witness
Benj B Howland
we Michael Eddy, a clergiman and Sanford Bell both resident in report hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Nicholson Ward
who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we have known said Ward about forty years, we believe him to be seventy two years of age, that he is reputed & believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have
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been a soldier of the revolution & that we concur in that opinion. That
we esteem War to be a man of strict veracity & have no doubt that theforegoing declaration made by him is true in all respect to the best
his knowledge
Michael Eddy
Pastor of the First
Baptist Church in Newport
Samor Bell
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open Court. Witness
Benj B Howland Prob Clk
and the said Court do hereby declare their
opinion, after the investigation of the matter
and after putting the interrogatories prescribed
by the War Department, that the above named
applicant was a revolutionary soldier and
served as he states. And the Court further
certifies that it appears to them that Michael
Eddy who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the town of Newport
aforesaid, and that Sanford Bell, who has also
signed the same, is a resident in the said town of Newport, and is a credible person, and that
their statement is entitled to credit.
J. Benjamin B Howland, Clerk of the Court of
Probate of Newport, do hereby certify that the
foregoing contains the original proceedings of
the said Court in the matter of the application
of Nicholson Ward for a pension
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and seal of said Court this fourteenth
day of September AD Eighteen hundred and thirty two
Benj B Howland Probate Clerk
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State of Rhode Island &
Newport [ ] at Newport
Court of Probate holden at said Newport by adjournment September 14th AD 1832
Thomas Coggeshall of Newport in the
County of Newport and State aforesaid, upon solemn oath in Open Court depose and say, he was acquainted with Ward in the Revolution and was knowing to his Enlisting in one of the company in Green's regiment in the year 1780, and Burlingham acted as captain of the Company said Company was [ ] of the time stationed within a mile of where deponent lived has no  doubt but that said Ward served in said company six months and have been well acquainted with said Ward for sixty years, and believe him to be a man of strict veracity
Thomas Coggeshall
Sworn in open Court the day and year
aforesaid witness
Benj B Horland Probate Clerk
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State of Rhode Island &c
Newport [ ] At Newport.
Court of Probate holden at said Newport by adjournment September 14th 1832. Jonathan Coggeshall of Portsmouth in the County of Newport and State aforesaid upon solemn Oath in open Court deposes and says he was acquainted with Nicholson Ward during the Revolution and was knowing to his enlisting in one of the company in Green's regiment in the year 1780 Burlingham acted as Captain of the
company. said company was part of the time stationed within a mile of where lived, have no doubt but that said Ward served in said Company six months, and have been well acquainted with said Ward for forty five years and believe him to be a man of strict veracity -
Jonathan Coggeshall
Sworn in open Court the day and year
aforesaid, Witness
Benj B Howland Probate Clerk
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No. 8392
Nicholson Ward of
Newport R. I.
Private 
6 months
claimant
Newport R.I.
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BRIEF in the case of Nicholson Ward of the County of Newport in the State of R. Island
(Act 7th June, 1832)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court.
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity
3. How old is he? 72 years.
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.
In 1780 July 1sr
Duration of Service.
Years, Months, Days,
- 6 -
Rank
As a Private
Name of General and field Officers under whom he served.
Gen.
Col. Greene & Capt Snow
Col. Ward, Major Flugg
Capt.  Burlingham
5. In what battles was he engaged? none
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Portsmouth R.I
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? living witnesses
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Levin Belt
Examining Clerk.
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September 2, 1936.

Dorothea A. Smith
62 Washington Street
Newport, Rhode Island

BA-J/ady
Nicholson Ward
S. 21554

Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter relative to Nicholson Ward, a soldier of the Revolutionary War.
The data contained herein are obtained from the paperson file in the Revolutionary War claim for pension, W. 21554, based upon his military service in that war.
Nicholson Ward was born June 8, 1760 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The names of his parents are not shown.
While a resident of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, Nicholson Ward enlisted July 1, 1780, and served six months as private in Captains Snow's and C. Burlingame's Companies, Colonel
Christopher Greene's Rhode Island Regiment.
After the Revolution he lived in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and Middletown, Rhode Island, and later in Newport, Rhode Island.
He was allowed pension on his application executed September 14, 1832 at which time he was a resident of Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island. (He signed Nicholson,
his name is not shown as John of Joseph.) 
There are no family data.
Very truly yours

A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
is letter
Date of
death
not on A. B.
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION.
3--525
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., Oct. 25 1920.
In reply to your request of __, received __
for a statement of the military history of Nicholson Ward
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.
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.
July 1, 1780
LENGTH OF SERVICE.
6 mos.
RANK.
Pvt.
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.
Snow
C. Burlingame
COLONEL.
Christopher Greene
STATE.
R.I.
Battles engaged in, none stated
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Portsmouth R.I.
Date of application for pension, Sept 14, 1832, ?
Residence at date of application, Newport, R. I.
Age at date of application, B. June 5, 1760 in Portsmouth, RI
Remarks: No family data
Respectfully,
Commissioner.
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Inv.21,554.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
WASHINGTON, D. C.,
September 23, 1897.
O. W. & N. DIV.
REVOLUTIONARY

This Bureau can furnish the military record of only such Revolutionary soldiers as were pensioned or whose widows were pensioned for their services.
Such of the original muster and pay rolls of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 as are now int he possession of the Governments are on file in the Record and Pension Office, War Department. Original rolls and other records pertaining to service in the Revolutionary War may also be found on file in the archives of many of the original States.
Sir:
.

Replying to your request for information concerning Nicholson Ward, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, you are advised that he
made an application for pension on September 14, 1832, at which time he was seventy-two years of age and residing at Newport, R.I.
and his pension was allowed for six months' actual service as a private in the Rhode Island troops, Revolutionary war; a part of the time he served under Capt. Snow and Col. Green. He enlisted at Portsmouth, R. I.
Very respectfully,
Acting Commissioner.
Mr. Wm. G. Ward, Jr.,
169 Thames St.,
Newport, R. I.
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8392
Sep 25
Honorable Lewis Cass
Secretary of the Department of War
Washington
 [stamp] sep 15
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Nicholson Ward which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides at? yes
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yes
V. Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? yes
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yes
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yes
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yes
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2
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to
their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolu-tionary service? yes
XII.If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?
XIV. If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? No
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? yes
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? yes

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For - year
- months and - days, I served as a-
For months - and  -days, I served as a -; and for such service I claim a pension."
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3
It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about the four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he
must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which be belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the affidavits must be properly authenticated, as above directed.
QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
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62, WASHINGTON STREET NEWPORT RHODE ISLAND
August 14, 1886
-
Received Aug 17 1936
Veterans Administration Bureau
Washington DC
Gentlemen, will you kindly give me items of
application for the Revolutionary pension of
Nicholson Ward of Newport Rhode Island
who died in Newport R I. on Feb 18th 1845
at the age of 85 years-
I wish to find out his fathers name or his
wifes name or the name of any brother a sister some of this may come with the items of his
application for a Revolutionary Pension which he must have drawn for nearly 20 years.
Did he have a surname as Joseph or John
Nicholson Ward) was he form in Middletown RI or Newport RI [ ] did he same in the Continental
Army to have had such a remarkable career as pensioner, at such tender age! for he must have been born in 1761.
I will be very much obliged for any data
that you can give me about him
say truly your Dorothea Atwater Smith
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Downing
Record Division
Sep 15 1920
Page 19

Newport, R.I.
Sept. 10, 1920.
Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.
Pension Office U.S. Sep 14 1920
Dear Sir-
Will you please send me a copy of the pension papers of Nicholson Ward Private R.I.
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Continental Line, Revolutionary War,
and advise me regarding fee for
same
Yours Truly
(Mrs.) Martha W. Downing
295 Broadway
Newport,
R.I.
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L. D. DAVIS.
WM. G. WARD, JR.
W. J. MAGILL.
W. H. H. P.
DAVIS, WARD & MAGILL,
REAL ESTATE AND INSURANCE.
169 THAMES STREET.
NEWPORT, R.I.

Newport R. I. Sept 9 1897
Commissioner of Pensions

Dear Sir
[ ] I am kindly write me the services performed by Nicholson Ward a pensioner of the Revolutionary War who  received a pension up to 1840 I think he was a resident of Newport R. I.
Yours truly
Wm G. Ward J.
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Old War & Navy 
Sept 14 1897
FILES
Pension
US Office
Sep 10 1897
Page 23

21554
INVALID.
---
File No. 21554
Nicholson Ward
Priv Rev War
Act: June 7th 32
Index: - Vol. 2, Page 434
Arrangement of 1870.]
Sept. 23 Wm G. Ward Newport, R.I.
1920 Oct 25 Hist. to Mrs. Martha W. Downing - En-
1936 Sept. 2. Hist. to Dorothea A. Smith [ ]