Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W 13915, for John Smith, Connecticut
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(3 - 1776)                      Number W 13915                
SERVICE
Conn Sea Service Smith, John
Tabitha
CONTENTS
B 1750 
res. of Providence RI.
died at sea Sept 20, 1783
recesses

deceased
NUMBER
W13915
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1.707
Rhode Island

Tabitha Smith
widow of John Smith decd
who died on the 20 Sept 1783
of Providence in the State of R. Id.
who was a Carpenter in the Ship
[crossed through commanded
by Captain] Oliver Cromershall-- commanded-- by-- 
in the Ct
line for 9 mos
Inscribed on the Roll of R. Id.
at the rate of 78 Dollars 50 Cents, per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 13 day of Jany
1838 and sent Hon N.R. Knight Senate  U.S.
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1837 $350. 25
Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Mar 38 - 29.25
$409.50
Revolutionary Claim,
Act July 4, 1836
Section the 3d
Recorded by D. Addison Clerk
Book A
Vol. 2.
Page 98
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Coppied from bible
Tabetha Smith was born May 22 1756 & married to
John Smith (who was born D. 1750) June 26th 1773 to whom 
was born the following Children
___________________________
Mary Born March 15th AD 1775
John on July 18th " 1777 & Died Dec 6th 1777
Susannah on Octobr 17th " 1780 & Died July 29th 1804
_____________________________
John Smith the Father of the above children sailed
From a Port in North Carolina bound to his home Providence
R.I. & never has been heard of since neither his vessel or crew
------
Mary was married to Robert Gray (who was born
March 29. 1777 May 2 1799 their issue is as follows
Viz Robert born Feby 17. 1798
John on Octob 5, 1799
Mary Ann on Aug 20 1801 & Died June 1 1802
--------------
Robert Gray the Father of the children was born in Worcester
State of Massachusetts
Susannah was married to Eliphalet Dyer of Windham
State of Connecticut (who was born Novr 17. 1771) October 31-
1802. She Died without issue aged 23 years 9 months & 12 Days
Further issue of Robert & Mary Gray
William Henry Born June 24 1809.
Susannah Born Jany 5 1815
---
I Tabitha Smith of the City of Providence widow
of John Smith do further testify & declare in addition to my former declarations, that the above register was coppied from my family Bible.
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and it all the Register I have of my marriage I was married on the twenty sixth day of June one thousand seventeen hundred & twenty three (1773) by the Pastor of the first Baptist Church in
Providence & then President of the College in Providence but my marriage was not recorded either in Church or town Records. 

My Eldest daughter Mary was born, I well remember one year & nine months after my marriage. My son John July 18 1777 & my youngest daughter Oct 17 1780. These were all the children I had. 

Since the death of my husband I have have procured my living by going out to nurse, I have followed this business for more than forty years. I followed it until I became too old & infirm for that business. I well remember that my husband went on board the Oliver Cromwell in the Spring of 1779 & was gone until winter following then came home & then went again and I well remember the fact, he was away on board the Cromwell when my youngest daughter was born.
Talitha Smith her mark
Attest

Benjamin Cowell
In City of Providence Jany 6 1838 Sworn to & Subscribed before me by the above named Tabitha Smith and I further certify that I examined the Register in the Bible
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from which the preceding copy was taken and which appears to have been made many years ago & the said copy is exact.
It appears from said Register that said Tabitha was married on twenty sixth day of June one thousand seven hundred & seventy three (June 1777) and also that the births of her children are registered as stated in said copy.
-
Benja Cowell
C. J. C. C. Pleas
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I Lemuel H. Elliott of the City of Providence, do certify that I am clerk of the first Baptist Church in said City, the Church of which James Manning was formerly Pastor, and as such I have the
Custody of the records of said Church and I do further certify that I cannot find the record of the marriage of John Smith to Tabitha Miller among the records of said Church. I also certify that it never has been customary to record marriages at any time an appears from the inspection of the records

Lemuel H. Elliott

Providence
In City of Providence Dec 29 1837
Sworn to & subscribed before me by the above named Lemuel H Elliott Known to me as a credible witness & as the Clerk of the above named Church
Benja Cowell
CJCC Pleas
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Tabitha Smith
V2619
widow of John
R Jd
Marr'd 1773
died 1783
Carpenter ship Ol. Cromwell
9 mo $58.50 per ann
comp 4 March 1831

Hon N R King
USS
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State of Rhode Island County of Providence 
On this 24th day of November AD 1836 personally appeared before me Benjamin Cowell Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas within & for said County Tabitha Smith resident
in the City of Providence in said County aged 78 years who being duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision of the act of Congress passed Jany 4th 1836. That she is the widow of John Smith formerly of said Providence who was a mariner carpenter on board the ship of was called the Oliver Cromwell a public Vessel of the State of Connecticut in the employ of said State & the United States but she cannot specify the time he was on board said Vessel & therefore refers to the evidence but the suppose he was on board nearly a year and she further
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declares that she was married to the said John Smith on the 26 day of June AD 1773 by the late President Manning, but her marriage is not recorded in the public records of the City of Providence or in any private record except in her Bible-- that her husband died on or about the 20th day of September AD 1783 at sea and that she has remained unmarried ever since that period wherefore the request that the pension which her said husband would have had under the act of June 7 1832 may be granted to her Tabitha Smith her mark

In the City of Providence Nov 24 1836
Sworn to & Subscribed before me by the said Tabitha Smith, and I further certify she is from old age & infirmity too feeble to attend Court. I also certify that I have examined her Bible & find marriage recorded as stated by her & it appears to have been recorded many years ago.

Benja Cowell
C of C C Pleas
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And the said Tabetha Smith maketh further oath that since she made her declaration on the 24 of November last part, she has found his letters which were received from her said husband John Smith while he was on board the Oliver Cromwell one dated March 10 the other April 28 1779 from New London where said Vessel then lay which said letters are hereto annexed And she further declares that she now well remembers that her husband did not return until the winter following according to her best recollection in February 1780 she well remember there was snow
on the ground & it was near Spring during all that time he had been serving board said Vessel as he informed her to wit from March 1779 to Feb 1780

Tabitha Smith her mark
August 5th 1837

Sworn to & Subscribed before me by said Tabitha
Benja Cowell
C J C C Pleas
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City Clerks Office Providence November 23. 1835
I Richard M. Field Clerk of the City of Providence do Certify that after examination I cannot find the marriage of John Smith & Tabitha Miller recorded in this Office	

And I further certify that I believe a large proportion of the marriages which take place and have taken place in said City for many years past and not recorded.
Attest

Richard M Field
City Clerk
In Provided Feb 16 1837
Sworn to before me by the said R M Field
Benja Cowell
C J C C Pleas
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State of Connecticut
By the Commander in Chief
To John Smith Carpenter
Reposing special trust and confidence in your skill and good conduct, & have, with advice of my Council of Safety, appointed, and do hereby appoint and impower you to be Carpenter of the Armed Ship Oliver Cromwell, set forth by this State to cruise against the Enemies of this and the rest of the United States of America

You are carefully and diligently to do and discharge the duty of a
Carpenter on board said Ship, observing due obedience to such orders as you shall from time to time receive from your superior officers for which this shall be your warrant during the pleasure of the General Assembly, or the Governor and Council of Safety

Given under my Hand and seal at Arms in Lebanon the third day of May A.D. 1779
Jon. Trumbull
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March the 10 
Dear Wife,
as an oppertunity presents I Come by Imbree the same, to let you understand that thru the grate goodness of God & man at this time in a Blessed State of health and then Be to God for it I hoping that thrice the good Five Lines may find Shearing the same Blessing Further more I shall let you know that I am now at work on board of the ship Oliver Cromwell and expect to gow [hole in paper] in heir of she and all the Rest of the Shipping are a filing out in order to Cruce a few days in the sound we are going on a [illegible] expedition the object we are not certain who [illegible] But we under stand there done Shipping Cruceing in the sound that Belong to the Enimy so that we suppose that to be Object we are at. add that I shall as Luck as [illegible] from the Cruce. Come home if God pers to protect and Shelter me from death and from the hands of the evil and blood thirsty Enemy while on the expedition although I make no doubt but that he will as we are in the Grate and Grand and Good case of Liberty which is the hand leave [illegible] weave Depoting of which I make Board that some of the oppinion that not all iron or Agosped from Can: Day in heavite us of this Grand Case of Liberty so that In a few Days hope to Return to you I long to see and hear from you which I have not had the plagues or hear from you since It further I shall send You 100 and Dollars in this  Letter which I shall by hand of Josiah Armonton Sen [hole in paper]
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Mr Lawrence Dewes as he has not an opportuniting right. By the same hand that I Dow Dewes be remembered to his wife and the
rest of his friends further more he desires that you would inform them that he is on Board of the same Ship the am and expects to said in her as officer of mavens he also remembours his Love to
Odiah Seaver and further more them that he says that he expects the affair concerning his prises will be setteled Very some in favors him and [illegible] to come home very soon  
[hole in paper] know more at present
But I Remain your Loving husband
John Smith
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To [ineligible]
John Smith
in 
Providence
[ineligible]
(looks like a drawing at the both of the page)
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Newlondon April 28th 1779
Loving Wife I imbrace this opertunity To let you know that I am in good State of health as preasent Hoping you and yours are the same I am Willing To Inform you that we Exspect To Sail  In a week or Ten Days at the outside I can by no Means Come Home Till we Return from the Cruse by the by the Blessing of God I expect to see you again in four months I would be Glad you would make yourself Contented at my absence and Comply with
Your Father at my absence for I wold give my Daughter all the sculling that is possible If I should be glad if you would send my close by Leut Berkett if he comes back and if not don’t send them
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But remember my Love To Father & Mother & all Requireing friends
so no more at Present To I Remain
Your Loving Husband Till Death. 
John Smith
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I Rosanna Dods of the City of Providence being now 70 years of age do testify & say that I am the sister of Tabitha Smith of said
City, the widow of John Smith. I was present at the time they were married & saw them married. I was then a child about seven or eight years of age this was in the year 1773 according to my best recollection in the same season it was before the revolutionary war. and I further testify that I well remember when said John went Connecticut as a ship Carpenter & when he was appointed Carpenter on board the Oliver Cromwell & after his return I often heard him speak of said vessel & his services in her when the sailed on a cruise, how long he served I do not remember but believe he served as much as twelve months at least, he came home some time in 1780 according to my best recollection. he was always gone a good while when he went away in Wartime before his return- and I further certify that said John died in the year 1783, that is he was last at sea in that year as I understood always have believed & have not the least doubt
of the fact-- for he never come home afterwards
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the vessel that he was in was bound from South Carolina to Providence & was none heard of but was supposed to have been lost about the 20 of September as that was the time of a great storm. I remember we had news of many vessels being lost in the same storm.  I remember the storm was severe even in Providence.  Since the death of said John, my sister has remained unmarried & is now his widow.  In City of Providence March 25 1837 Rosanna Dods
Sworn to and subscribed before me and I further certify said deponent to be a credible witness. 
Benja Cowell
CJCC Pleas
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I Daniel Pettey of the City of Providence being now 80 years of age on oath do testify & say that I was well acquainted with John Smith formerly of said Providence & the husband of Tabitha Smith now his widow. Said John was Ship Carpenter by trade and during the war of the revolution I well remember that he and several others went up from Providence to the State of Connecticut to work on several public Vessels among them were Benjamin Tallman and Thomas Manchester but they are now dead the they had been to work there some time I understood that said John Smith was appointed Carpenter of the Oliver Cromwell This was in 1779. & that he went on board & served in
that capacity but how long he served I do not know but it is my belief he served as much as a year as he did not return until 1780 & I believe he returned as soon as he was discharged. I remember after his return he purchased a lot of land in Westminster That & dug a cellar but before he built his hand he met with some misfortune which prevented it.
Daniel Pettey
In City of Providence Sept 2 1837
Sworn to & subscribed before me I further certify that Daniel is a credible witness. The above deposition was reduced to writing by me in presence of deponent by him signed in my presence
Benja Cowell
C J C C P
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I Mary James of the City of Providence being now 71 years of age on oath do testify & say that I well remember when John Smith & Tabitha Miller now his widow were married I was then old a child about seven or eight years old & lived next door to her father John Miller & was often in the house on the day of her marriage & saw the preparations, for the marriage, pending to my best recollection they were married in 1773 in the summer for as I remember it was warm weather It was two or three years before the war of the revolution. They were married by President Manning I think but am not certain
Mary James in City of Providence March 25 1837 Sworn to & Subscribed before me and I further certify said deponent to be a credible witness
Benja Cowell
of C J C Pleas
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State of Rhode Island
Providence I Dexter Randall Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas within aforesaid County being a Court of Record do hereby Certify that Benjamin Cowell Esqr before whom the preceding affidavits were sworn is the Justice of said Court: That by Law, he is duly authorized empowered to administrator oaths and take depositions, and that the several signatures of his before written are genuine-

In testimony whereof I have hereto at my hand and affixed the seal of said lastCourt of law Providence this fourth day of September 1837

Dexter Randall Clk
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Revy WIDOW, &C.
File No. 13915
Tabitha Smith
Wid of 
John Smith 
Carpenter Rev War
Act: July 4 " 1836
Index: - Vol. M, Page 222
(Arrangement of 1870)
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Mr Edwards
I send you several papers which were enclosed to me as further proof in the case of Mrs Smith widow of Smith

With great respect
Yours
A R Knight

Jan'y 11 '38