Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21,353, for William Lunt, Rhode Island
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE         NUMBER

R. I.   Lunt, William   S 21,353


CONTENTS
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[Illegible]
William Lunt
of Kingston in the State of R. I. who was a Private in the [illegible] command by Captain Onley of the Rgt commanded by [illegible] in the R Island line for 21 mos & 28 days Private
2 " & 2 " Sergeant
Inscribed on the Roll of Rhode Island at the rate of 83 dollars 44 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831
Certificate of Pension issued the 28th day of March 1834 and [illegible] D J Pearce House of Reps
Arrears to the 4th of March 1834 $250.32
[Illegible] - anl. allowance ending 4 [illegible] 34 41.77
$292.09
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by [Illegible] Clerk, Book E Vol. 2a Page 119
Let to Wilkins Updike (O.C.") Sept. 7, 1840
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Nov 1 " 1906
AW
Page 4

Lunt, William
His name appears on a list of applicants for invalid pension returned by the District Court for the District of Rhode Island, submitted to the House of Representatives by the Secretary of [illegible] on Feby 21, 1795 and printed in the American State Papers, class 9 page 152
Rank: Private
Regt: Col Lophanes
Disability: Wounded in his head and arm , by the explosion of a gun before he had finished loading it when and where disabled : May 1779 South Kingston
Residence: South Kingston
To what pension entitled one - half
Remarks: Militia
Evidence complete
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AW
Aug. 24, 1906

WJF
Page 6

Lunt, William
His name appears on a list of claimants to be
placed on the pension list returned by the Circuit
Court for the District of Rhode Island, submitted to
the House of Representatives by the Secretary of War on
April 25, 1794, and printed in the American State Papers,
class 9, page 118.

Rank: Private,
Kingston Reds
Disability: Wounded by firing an alarm gun at
Rest Hill, at which he was stationed.
When and where disabled: May 7, 1779, South
Kingston.
Residence: N. Kingston
Monthly allowance: $3.33 ⅓
Arrearages: $60
Remarks: There are no muster rolls of militia in
this office
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Declaration in order to obtain the
benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832

On this tenth day of March A 1834 personally
appeared in open Court before the Court of Probate for the
town of South Kingstown State of Rhode Island, now sitting,
William Lunt a resident of said town,
County of
Washington and State aforesaid, aged eighty nine years, who
being first 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 he was born
February 28th 1745 but has no record of his age, was
born in Newburyport Mass [Massachusetts] but came to reside in South Kingstown
about two years before the declaration of Independence where
he has ever since resided & that he was residing there
where he entered the service. That in May 1775 he enlisted
in Colonel Hitchcocks regiment Capt Christopher Olney's company
for one year, that he enlisted to go to Boston & went there
with the troops and remained at this time in the service not
less than eight months, and all that time with the rank of
drill sergeant. He then returned home and after remaining
at home some time [and crossed-out] in May 1776 he enlisted in what
was called the fifteen months State service, in Colonel Tophams
regiment & Captain Babcocks company, as an orderly sergeant
and served the whole time out with that rank & was in actual
service the whole of that period, that a great part of this
period of service was on Tiverton and on and around
Newport in Spencer & Sullivans expeditions that he was
at the Battle on Rhode Island under General Sullivan & was
then in General Cornell's brigade of regular State troops.
after the expiration of this period of service, he enlisted under
the same officers (except the Captain whose name he does not
recollect) for during the war & was immediately sent by
General Cornell to take command as orderly sergeant of a
guard of twelve men who were stationed at Little Rest hill
in South Kingstown in charge of a beacon & a gun which
were to be used to alarm the inhabitants in case of incursions
of the enemy, that he was sent to take this command in March
1779 & remained in that command until he was wounded in
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June 1779 while engaged in firing the alarm gun. That he
was in actual service on the island of Rhode Island one
month in the summer of 1781 under General Cornel & Colonel
Dyer & Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Potter. His Captains
name was Babcock. That this was when the French troops
were on Newport Rhode Island. That his sergeants warrant
was burnt up at the time he was wounded by the alarm gun in
June 1779 at which time his clothes & every thing about him
were much burnt. That he never received any discharges in
writing except from his service at Boston & that this was
destroyed with his Sergeants warrant. That the reason he
has never applied for a pension before was that he understood
he could not applied without previously giving up a pension
of 48 dollars a year he now receives for infirmities & injuries
consequent on the wounds he received in June 1779 as above stated
& that his indigent circumstances would not allow him to
think of giving this up. That he refers for testimony as to
his character for veracity & the general belief in his having
served in the revolutionary War to Revd [Reverend] Oliver Brown
and John T Nichols

William Lunt

Sworn and subscribed in open court
Mss.      Thomas R Wells Pro. Clerk

We Oliver Brown a clergyman residing in South Kingstown
and John T Nichols of the same town hereby certify
that we are well acquainted with the above named
William Lunt who has signed and sworn to the above
declaration that we believe him to be eighty nine years of
age and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood
where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution
and that we concur in that opinion
Oliver Brown
John T Nichols

Sworn and subscribed in open court
Mss.    Thomas R Wells Pro. Clerk
Page 9

Declaration
of
William Lunt
R.I. [Rhode Island]
30.144

Please refer or send certificate
if granted to Hon D. J. Pearce
E. R. Potter
at Washington D.C.

Private 21 mos [months] & 28 dy [day]
Sg [Sergeant]  2 " [months], & 2 " [day]

TOnie
See mthi

Hon. D.J Pearce
Page 10

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 certify that Oliver Brown
who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman settled
in the town of South Kingstown and that John T Nichols
Esquire who has also signed the same is a resident in said
South Kingstown, is a credible person and that their statement
is entitled to credit.

I Thomas R Wells Clerk of the Court of Probate for
the town of South Kingstown do hereby certify that the foregoing
contains the original proceedings of said Court in the matter
of the application of William Lund for a pension
Witness my hand this tenth
day of March A 1834.
Thomas R. Wells
Probate Clerk

I Thomas P Wells Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court for
Washington County Rhode Island hereby certify that Thomas
R Wells is Clerk of the Court of Probate for the town of
South Kingstown, that his signatures above written orig genuine & that the
said Court of Probate have not & do not use any established or regular seal.

And I further certify that E R Potter Jr is a Justice
of the peace for South Kingstown and that the signatures purporting
to be his, accompanying these papers are genuine, & that he
is duly commissioned and engaged to act in said office
In Testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and
affixed the seal of said Court which is a court
of record, the papers being attached & the seal
affixed in presence of said Thomas R Wells
Clerk of the Court of Probate. (the words in
eleventh line above first interlined) this 20th
day of March 1834
of
Thos [Thomas] R. Wells Clerk
Page 11

The Deposition of William Tourgee of South Kingstown
eighty two years of age who on oath deposes & says
that he is knowing to the fact of William Lunt's having
enlisted in what was called the fifteen months service
in Rhode Island in the Revolutionary war and that
he always understood that said Lunt was in service
during the whole of said war,
tho he did not see him
in service himself
Signed in presence of
E R Potter Jr

              his
William + Tourgee
            mark


The deposition of John W Sherman of South Kingstown Rhode
Island, aged seventy five years who on oath deposes & says that
he is well acquainted with William Lunt a pension applicant
that he perfectly well recollects seeing said Lunt in the service
at Twerton, the said deponent served there one month in the time
of Spencers expedition & so Lunt was in the service when
said deponent went there & that he left him there in the service
John W Sherman
Page 12

The Deposition of John N Reynolds of South Kingstone
Rhode Island who being of lawful age on oath deposes
as follows   That he the said John N Reynolds sometime
in the autumn of 1833 & he thinks it was in November had
a conversation with Deacon Samuel Tillinghast of Exeter, a
pensioner, but since deceased in which he declared that he
had served with William Lunt (now an applicant for a pension)
in the fifteen months service, so called, and that he had offered to
sd [said] Lunt to give his testimony to that effect, but that sd [said] Lunt
declined applying at that time because he thought he would
have previously to give up a pension he then received for
wounds & disabilities received in the service - That he the
said John N. Reynolds has always understood it to be the
common belief and reputation of the neighborhood that
sd [said] Lunt served for a long time in the war of the revolution,
and that he concurs in that opinion
John N. Reynolds

Washington dc South Kingstown March 18th 1834 before
the subscriber a Justice of the Peace for so town personally
appeared John N Reynolds & being carefully examined
cautioned & sworn according to law, deposed as above which
was by me reduced to writing in his presence & by him signed
in my presence
and I further certify that the said John W Reynolds' character
for veracity is good and that his statement is entitled
to full credit
E R Potter Jr
Justice of the Peace

[large X at bottom remainder of page]
Page 13

Deposition of William C Clarke of South Kingstown
Rhode Island who being seventy seven years old on oath
deposes and says that he is well acquainted with
William Lunt, having resided near together ever since
1774 that he well recollects the said Lunts enlisting to
go to Boston with the army in 1775 he believes it was
in May, that he did not see the said Lunt much
afterwards until they served together in General Cornel's
Brigade in Tiverton in the State service.
that the said
deponent served one month in said Brigade in the autumn
of 1777 that the said Lunt was there in service, that
he understood said Lunt had been in the service previous to
his seeing him there and that he left him in said service
when he the said deponent returned home, that said Lunt there
served in Colonel Tophams regiment of State troops, that the first
time he recollects seeing sd [said] Lunt afterwards was where sd [said] Lunt
returned from the army to the village of Little Rest in South
Kingstown & was appointed to take command of the
guard which had charge of a Beacon on Little Rest Hill &
he is knowing to the fact of sd [said] Lunt's having been wounded while
engaged in that service in firing alarm guns. that he saw
sd [said] Lunt in the service in Newport in June 1781 but does
not know how long he had been there or how long he remained

William C Clark
Page 14

Washington South Kingstown March 10th 1834 This day
before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace of sd [said] town
personally severally appeared William C Clark, William Tourgee and John W Sherman
who after being severally
examined cautioned & sworn according to law give
the depositions to which their names are here subscribed
which were by me reduced to writing in their presence
and by them signed in my presence
and I further certify that the aforenamed persons
William C. Clark, Wm [William] Tourgee & John W Sherman severally
sustain a fair character for truth and veracity and
that their statements
are entitled to credit
E R Potter Jr
Justice of the Peace
Page 15

COPY.
Sur. File 21353
William Lunt.
Rev. War.

L. M. H.          April 30, 1906.

Mr. Edward A. Moseley,
Secretary Interstate Commerce Commission,
Washington, D. C.

Sir:
In response to the letter of Mr. Thomas S. Lunt, of
260 High Street, Newburyport, Massachusetts, dated April 23,
1906 and referred to this Bureau April 27, 1906, you are advised
that the papers in the above noted claim show that William
Lunt was born February 28, 1745 at Newburyport, Mass.,
and moved to South Kingston, Washington Co., Rhode Island, 
about two years before the Revolutionary War. He enlisted in
May 1775 and served eight months as a Drill Sergeant in Capt.
Christopher Olney's company, Col. Hitchcock's Rhode Island 
regiment; he enlisted in May 1776 and served fifteen months as an
Orderly Sergeant in Capt. Babcock's company, Col. Topham's Rhode
Island regiment;  at the completion of which service he enlisted
and served to June 1779 as an Orderly Sergeant in Col. Topham's
Rhode Island regiment; again enlisted in the summer of 1781 and
served in Capt. Babcock's company, Col. Dyer's Rhode Island regiment.
He was in Gen. Spencer's and Gen. Sullivan's expeditions
to Rhode Island and in the battle of Rhode Island. He was wounded
in June 1779 at Little Rest Hill, Kingston, Rhode Island, by
an explosion from a beacon gun of which he was in charge, and for
Page 16

E. A. Moseley.              - 2 -

said wounds he was an invalid pensioner from September 4, 1794.
His pension under act of June 7, 1832, was allowed on an application
executed March 10, 1834, at which date he was a resident
of South Kingston, Rhode Island. He died July 16, 1840, at
Kingston, Rhode Island.

His wife, name not given, was living in 1840, ninety three or ninety-four years of age. His father's name is not
given.

Very respectfully,

Commissioner.
Page 17


Washington March 27th AD 1834

D [Dear] Sir
I very well remember when the first company from my native village
now called Kingston in R.I. [Rhode Island] ^marched for Boston, at the commencement of the revolution
This William Lunt was one of that company, he was absent a considerable
time but cannot recollect how long I very will recall he was several
times absent in the service of his Country, while the British had possession of the ┃
Island of R. I. [Rhode Island] I also recollect his having charge of a gain planted on said Kingston
Hill for the purpose of giving an alarm to the inhabitants of the neighborhood
when the english should land on the main as they frequently did, and that he
was detached for that service by the commanding officer of the company
to which he was attached, and veryly believe that at the time he had charge of
the alarm gun, he was a sergent [sargeant] in a company inlisted [enlisted] in the service

I know that he drew his rations during that time from the publick [public]
Military Stores, The aforesaid services and more particarly [particularly] the last
in a matter of publick [public] notoriety among the inhabitants of that
[illegible], and that from my own knowledge and what Stories ^heard of his
[illegible]. I verily believe, that he has rendered the service as stated
in his declaration

Very Respectfully Your Obedient Svt [Service]
Elisha R Potter

J.L. Edwards, Esq
Commissioner Pensions

any property form this
Page 18

To what time, and at what rate, was 
William Lunt, Invalid of R. [Rhode] Island, last paid?
Resp [Repectfully]
J L Edward
Apr. 30. 1834

paid at $4. to the 4 Sept. 1833

Resptfully [Repectfully]
H. Whetcroft

paid
Page 19

Free

[Round stamp reading "Kingston R.I. Sep 2"]
Hon. James L Edwards
Comm. ^n of Pensions
Washington City

[Written vertically on page}
Sept 4 1840
RJ,
Enquiry Respecting
Lunt Claim
Page 20

Kingston R.I. Sep. 2nd 1840

Sir
William Lunt a pensioner died in this Village
in July last aged 95 yrs - his widow aged about
93 or 94 is still living. Mr Lunt was married to his
present wife now widow before his term of service
expired in the revolutionary war, for which service
is obtained his pension - as an invalid & generally,
- Now can his widow obtain a pension under the
pension laws by producing due testimony. I am
desired to make application but whether she is entitiled
under the present laws  ^I doubt- she is very aged & poor and
do not wish to put her to expence if she is remediless
by law.

If you would condescend and to ausure this
letter you will confer a favor on
Yours T Wilkins Updike

Hon: J L Edwards
Comm^n of Pensions
Washington City
Page 21

J. Edwards, Esq
Commr [Commissioner] of Pensions
Washington
D. C.
Page 22

Dear Sir
We Potter and his [illegible] no [illegible] to the [illegible] of the stevd sharer our
part, and is anxious your [illegible] and whose the application
of [illegible] hurt without delay if possible as
he ( [illegible]) would  have the city on
Tuesday next
March 27th 1833
respectfully Yours
[illegible] J. Pearce
J. L. Edwards Esq.
Page 23

[Round seal- "CHIEF CLERK BUREAU OF PENSIONS APR 27 1906"]
Newburyport Apr 23, 1906

Mr Edward A. Moseley.

Dear Sir.
I am trying to get information
in regards to W^m [William] Lunt that married
Bethana or Parthenia Hoxie, He was
a Revolutionary Pensioner, and drew his
pension in Providence, R.I. [Rhode Island] I would like
to know his age, when he commenced to
draw his Pension, and the date when
he died, also the name of his father, can
you assist me. Thanking you in advance
for your kindness,

[Round seal "O.W. & N. DIV FILES APR 27 1906"]

I remain Yours truly
Thomas S. Lunt
260. High. 81-
Ms Lunt - send her regards,
Page 24

[Stamp "FREE"]

J L Edwards Esqr [Esquire]
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington
Page 25

Aicde Sank
Providence April 23d 1834
Sir
William Lund a private & Sergeant at $83.44
per Annum whose name was advised in yours of
the 1st Ins^t has applied here and received his pay
deducting therefrom $144 for three years pay as an ┃
Invalid Pensioner on the Roll of the Branch Bank
in this City. he states that the Pension granted him
under the Act of June 7, 1832. is in addition to his -
Pension as an Invalid and now holds his Certificate
as such and claims the benefit of both-

I am very respectfully
Your Obt [Obedient] Servt {servant]
William T. Gunnell Privt-
by Joseph Hodges

J L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Page 26

INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION.
WASHINGTON.

Apl 27-1906

Mr W.H. Bayly
Chief Clerk Bureau of Pensions

Dear Mr. Bayly
If you can
furnish Mr. Moseley with the
the
information requested in the
Enclosed letter of Mr Lunt it
will be greatly appreciated.

[Round stamp with "O.W. & N. DIV. FILES Apr 27 1906]

Respectfully yours
Duncan L. Richmond
Page 27

3 -- 068.
old No. 3 -- 649)    6 -- 20
Bureau of Pensions.

19/10H [written diagonally]
Please send
reply through
Mr. Bayly's
desk

Bryouh
[Round Stamp with following] "O. W. & N. DIV. FILES APR 27 1906"

[Upside down rectangle stamp with following]
"CHIEF'S DESK
Old War and Navy 
Division
APR 27 1906"
Page 28

Revolution [written diagonally upper left corner]
21353
INVALID.
File No. 21,353
William Lunt
Sergt [Sergeant] Rev War

Act: June 7" 32 "
Index: -- Vol. 20 ,  Page 249
"[Arrangement of 1870.]"

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