Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 17235, John Allen, Conn. Mass.
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(8-1776)
SERVICE  NUMBER
Conn.  Allen, john  S.17235
Mass. carded
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[left side page]
Connecticut 28.470
John Allen
of Hartford in the State of Conn. who was Serg. in the  commanded by Captain  of the Regt. commanded by Crain in the Cont & line for 7 mo: 12 days Mass

Inscribed on the Roll of Connecticut at the rate 36 Dollars 68 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1834.

Certificate of Pension issued the 21 day of June '34 and sent H. Wm. W. Ellsworth, H.R.

Arrears to the the 4th of Mar 34  110.04
Semi-anl. allowance ending Sept   18.34
[total] $128.38

{Revolutionary Claim.}
{Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by Nath. Rice Clerk
Book 6  Vol. 2, Page 1

[right side page]
Let 26 June 1834 to
Hon. Wm. W. Ellsworth H.R.
D.C.
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John Allens
Declaration

Admitted [illegible]
Artillery 7 mo. 12 days $36.68
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Declaration in order to obtain the Benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832

State of Connecticut}
County of Hartford  }  S. Hartford February 3rd, 1834
On this 3rd day of February A.D. 1834 Personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Probate for the District of Hartford in Hartford County now sitting John Allen a resident of East Hartford in said Hartford County aged 82 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 7th A.D. 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States in the year A.D. 1775, By enlisting into a Company of Matross or Artillery then commanded by Maj John Crain: our second officer was Capt. Balch: Stevens who was afterwards a General was on of our Lieutenants, the company was composed of one hundred recruits. I enlisted as first Sergeant we had four pieces of Artillery; we marched on from Providence in Rhode Island, where we enlisted, by the regular rout [sic] to Roxbury, thro Pawtucket, Attleboro &c. we were stationed at the House of Commissary Blaney: while we were stationed here, General Washington & Gen Lee, frequently came over to review us here we continued exercising & learning to perform our duty: While here, the British frequently fired on us from their fortifications in South Boston. I continued in this service for eleven months then I was honorably dismissed, but do not recollect that I had any written discharge if I had it is lost.
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Again in the year A.D. 1778, in the month of September I was drafted into a Company of Militia commanded by Capt. Bullock of Rehoboth: Our Colonel was Carpenter, who was wounded at Butts Hill; we were annexed to General Sullivans Corps preparing to make an attack on Rhode Island. The British at New York, hearing of the design sent such a reinforcement from New York that we did not make the attack on Newport; our force left the Island at Howland Ferry across over to Fall River Side: we guarded the lines against the invasions of the enemy, who sometimes sent over parties to take our cattle. I staid [sic] in the Service this time six weeks and was there honorably dismissed & for these tours he claims a pension as a Serjeant [sic].
He was born in Rehoboth Massachusetts Sept 3rd A.D. 1751. The Records of his age he has seen in his Fathers family Records. When he entered the service he lived in Providence in the State of Rhode Island removed from there in the year 1778, to Hartford in Connecticut, where he lived more than 40 years: he now lives in the town of East Hartford in Hartford County. He was called into the Services as he has stated on his Declaration.
Some of the officers with whom he served were Craine, Stevens, Backer. He received no written discharge.
He is known to Rev Gurdon Robbins a clergyman, to Mr. Mack Webster who will testify on his service.
That he has no documentary Evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service.
Application has been made for evidence in Providence in Rhode Island where the applicant lived in the Revolutionary War but he has not been able to find one Survivor.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to to Pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State.
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
John Allen
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We Gurdon Robbins a Clergyman residing in Hartford in Connecticut and McC Webster residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Allen, of East Hartford, in Hartford County who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be 82 years of age, 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.
Sworn and subscribed the day & year aforesaid.
Mack C. Webster
Gurdon Robins

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 Gurdon Robbins who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the Town of Hartford and that Mc C. Webster who has also signed said certificate is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I Henry Beldon Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of Hartford in the County of Hartford & State of Connecticut do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Allen for a Pension.
February 3rd, 1834
Attest Henry Belden Clerk
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Hartford February 4th A.D. 1834
Sir,
I herewith transmit the application of John Allen, a resident of East Hartford, in Connecticut for a Pension.
A friend of Mr. Allen sent on to Providence previous to his making this application, to obtain the testimony of some survivors if any could be found. I understand this application to have been made to a person who had been employed in procuring Pensions: And that the answer returned, was that no surviving witnesses of the service of the applicant could be found.
The delay of Mr. Allen, in making this application has arisen entirely from this cause.
The Mr. Allen's claim is sound no person acquainted with him
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doubts in the least. He was once a man of wealth but by the Prodigality of his Children, is reduced to poverty; yet does not give up in despair, & go to the Poor House. Having occasion to see him a little while ago I found him, (tho now in his 83rd year) at work in a Powder Mill.
His narration of his service is clear, & uniformly so. And I cannot but think his case to be one that you will not reject because he cannot find a survivor.
With great respect
Sir I am yours
Jesse Charlton of East Windsor Connecticut
J. L. Edwards Esq., Commissioner of Pensions
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P 17235
INVALID.

File No. 17,235
John Allen
Sergt. Rev. War

Act: June 7" 32
Index:-Vol. 1, Page 425
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Vt. July 18

East Windsor }
July 15th}        Free
J. L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions.
Washington.
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East Windsor July 14th A.D. 1834
Dear Sir,
Permit me to ask your attention to the application of Mr. John Allen of East Hartford for a pension under the act of June 7th A.D. 1832.
Mr. Allen turned out as a volunteer first time in 1775 in a company formed in Providence in Rhode Island. General Nathaniel Green & Gen Varnum were commanders of the company, & he has now the patriotic spirit which shows him to have been worthy such associates. We find an application in Providence & other parts of Rhode Island for proof of his services, that his associates in the services described are dead: he cannot procure the testimony of any survivors. His character where he is known, is such, as to place him among those whose own declaration, would be most favorably received.
The certificate of highly respectable men, respecting his character, accompanied the Declaration, but tho it has been many months in the Pension office, I have not heard anything respecting it. As he is far advanced in life
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and now in very needy circumstances, will you have the goodness to examine his application Sir, as soon as convenient. The merits of the man, and the very straightened circumstances in which his is placed, would not suffer me to be silent any longer in regard to his application.
I am Sir with Sincere respect
Your Obdt Serv. [obedient servant]
Jesse Charlton

J. L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
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J. L. Edwards Esq.
Pension Office
Washington

[The following is written vertically upwards] Hon. W. W. Ellsworth
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Washington
June 25, 1834

Dear Sir,
A constituent of mine requests me to inquire if your Department has received, some months since, pension papers, in relation to John Allen of East Hartford, in the County of Hartford & State of Cont. Will you please inform me, of the results of your examination.

Your Obdt Servt [obedient servant]
Wm. W. Ellsworth

[The following are numbers included in the lower left corner. First set of numbers]
25
04.16
2.08
_______
3224
40
_______
.84

[second set of numbers]
35
  2.08
______
37.08
.40
___
36.68
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[This is similar to image 13]
J. L. Edwards
Pension Office
Washington

[The following is written vertically upwards]
Hon. W. W. Ellsworth
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Washington June 24th 1834
Hon. Lewis Cass,
Sir
Will you please inform me, where John Allen, whose pension certificate was yesterday enclosed to me, lives & who applies for him.  I have recollection about it.
Yours with respect,
W. W. Ellsworth