Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 38828, Christopher Hill, Navy (R.I.)
Page 1

Navy (R.I) (Rhode Island)
Hill, Christopher
NUMBER
S. 38828
Page 2

N. 1926
Rhode Island
Christopher Hill,
11
Gunner's yeoman,
Frigate Providence
Commodore Whipple
in the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War
Inscribed on the Roll of Rhode Island,
at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on
the 7th of April, 1818.
---
Certificate of Pension issued the 29th July 1818
and sent to David Howell, Esq
Providence, Rhode Island
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1818

4 Mos
28 /30
$39.46.
Revolutionary claim,
Act 18th March, 1818.
One Year 1779
---
Cont
Note sent Apr 23rd 1829
To B. Cowell Esq.& Pension agent
the
161 of
Providence, Rhode Island
to
Page 3

I certify that Christopher Hill served on board the Frigate Providence Abraham Whipple was Commander during her voyage to & capture at Charlestown SC & presume he entered on board in September at Boston & arrived at Providence in July or August following. 

April 7th 1818.

(signatures)
Wm James (illegible)
of Marines on board of ship
Page 4

I Christopher Hill, of Providence in the District of Rhode Island on solemn oath do declare & say- that in the month of September AD 1779 I enlisted as Gunner's yeoman, on board the Frigate Providence, a vessel of war then in the Service of the United States commanded by Abraham Whipple Esquire said Frigate was in Boston when I enlisted but was ordered by the Congress of the United States to go to Charleston South Carolina to defend that place against the enemy- We arrived at Charleston- after a cruise around Bermuda- & continued there during the siege of that place & was captured in May following when Charleston was taken by the Enemy- I was put on board a prison ship- remained there about five weeks & then sent to Philadelphia in a Cartel, from thence I returned home to the State of Rhode Island-
I never received any written discharge- I was in that service more than nine months
further depose that I am now in reduced circumstances & stand in need of the assistance of my Country for support.
(signature) Christopher Hill

In testimony by C. Hill
order by D. Howell
Page 5

Rhode Island District June 7, 1818
Sworn to before me- and I have causeth the Seal of the District Court to be hereto affixed.
-(signature) David Howell
District Judge.

The signature of the Judge in the (illegible) of the District Court of the United States for R.I. District are hereto affixed.
witness Benjamin Cowell
Clk of Dis Court

Providence 7th June 1818

Chris Hill (along side)
Page 6

Christopher Hill

1926
Sept. (illegible)
C


B. Cowell, Esq
Providence
R.I.
Page 7

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
RHODE-ISLAND DISTRICT.

County of Providence U.S. Circuit Court, November-Term, A.D., 1820

On this Eighteenth day of November- 1820, personally appeared in open Court, being a Court of Record within and for said District- Christopher Hill- aged 59 years, residing in the town of Providence in said County & District- who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare, that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows:
That he served as gunner's yeoman, on bord the Frigate Providence commanded by Abraham Whipple more than nine months, that he made a previous declaration on the Seventh day of April 1818, and that he has received a certificate for a pension, being No. 1926- And I do solemnly swear, that I was a resident of the United States on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen; and that I have not since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner whatever, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it, as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress, entitled " An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the revolutionary war," passed on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred  and eighteen: that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property or securities, contracts or debts, due to me; nor have I any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed.
(signature) Chris Hill

A SCHDULE of Property and Income (necessary clothing and bedding excepted) of
Christopher Hill viz., 9 old chairs, 3 old tables, 1 Looking Glass, 1 pr bellows, 1 pr Shovel & Tongs, 1 candle Stand, 2 Tin Pots, 1 tin grate, 6 crickets, 1 large Chest, 1 case drawers, 1 pr. andirons, 1 horse brush, 1 writing desk, 1 stove, 1 warming pan, 2 old axes, 1 sieve, 1 mortar & pestle, 1 brass kettle, 3 Tubs, 5 old barrels, 1 broken wheel barrow, 1 tin kettle, 3 Lamps, 2 pair Candle Sticks, 1 Tin Waiter, 1 silver tin spoon, 3 Iron Tea spoons, 3 Iron Table Spoon's, some little Iron & crockery ware, hardly to keep house with- And the said Christopher further saith, that he is a School Master by profession and now follows that business, from which he obtains something toward his support but he is subject to such bodily infirmities as to render his life very precarious, as well as his present employment- That he has a wife aged 41 years a very weakly woman & a grand daughter aged 6 year's dependent on him for support- Under these circumstances, he feels himself entitled to his pension-  (signature) Chris Hill
Sworn to and declared in Open Court on the eighteenth day of November 1820

Witness (signature) Benjamin Cowell, Clk


RHODE-ISLAND DISTRICT
Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court, A.D. 182(0)
I, Benjamin Cowell Clerk of said Court- do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath, and the schedule hereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of said Court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said Court, that the amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule, is Fifty dollars and (blank) cents. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said Court, on this Twenty first day of November 1820.
$50.     Benjamin Cowell Clerk of said Court.
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Postmaster please to forward this as it is of consequence. Immediately. (illegible signature)

Christopher Hill

Stamped
NEWPORT R.I.
MAY 13

Providence
Page 9

This may Certify that Christopher Hill entered on board the Providence Frigate Com. by A. Whipple in Boston September 24th 1779, as one of the Gunner's crew
Cruised on the Coast of Carolina that winter when the British lay siege to Charlestown (Charleston) he was ordered into the Exchange Battery under my Command where he continued until May 12th 1780 and became a prisoner of war to the British Army & Navy on that day we surrendered being under the Command of General Lincoln [Benjamin Lincoln] he among the other Prisoners embargoed for Philadelphia was Exchanged July 11th 1780.
(signature) Benj (Benjamin) Page First Lieut. Navy

Newport May 12th 1818

turn over
Page 10

THIS IS AN EXACT DUPLICATE OF DOCUMENT PRECEDING THIS PAGE

SEE PAGE 9 FOR THE TRANSCRIPTION OF THIS PAGE 10.
Page 11

C. Hill              Portsmouth , R.I. May 12th, 1818

Sir,
I recvd your letter yesterday & send you the Enclosed Certificate which will answer (illegible) purpose for to bring you the (illegible) to be a pensioner if my oath is required you can inform the Judge that I shall be up in in ten day.

I am yours

(signature) Benj. (Benjamin) Page
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I Christopher Smith of Scituate in the State of Rhode Island on oath do declare & say that I am acquainted with Christopher Hill of Providence and know that in the month of September 1779 according to the best of my recollection, he enlisted on board the Frigate Providence commanded by Abraham Whipple Esquire, having enlisted on board about the same time myself- Said Frigate from Boston for Charleston South Carolina where he arrived after a cruise around Bermuda - In the month of May following he was captured by the British- being taken at the same time that place surrendered to the Enemy. After said Frigate was taken the crew were put on board prison ships- and it was more than two months after that before I was released and arrived home- and I have no doubt it was as long before said Hill arrived home also-
(signature) Christopher Smith
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Mr. Hill is really poor & needy - previous to the employment that at present supports his family he was at times destitute of the means of providing (illegible) is this friend (illegible) wife's connections have several times advanced money to keep him from Prison - I consider him a very honest man.
the Estate now occupied by him, is under several Incumbrances to viz.,
- to Thomas Dring
- to Mr. Eliot
- to Obadiah Brown (illegible)
- to Moses (illegible)
altogether, to an amount, in my opinion greatly exceeding its value, he has no other property in possession or in expectation to my knowledge.
(signature) T. P. Ives
April 18, 1818.
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I hereby certify that Christopher Hill was on board the Frigate Providence, Abraham Whipple Esq., Commander, in the gunner's department, in her last cruise & at the time when she was captured at Charleston S.C., and that according to the best of my recollection and belief, he the said Hill entered on board said Frigate at Boston some time in Sept. 1779 and returned to his home in July 1780, that he arrived at Philadelphia latter part of June, where our men received orders to draw provisions at the United States Stores on their way home- That the said Hill went from the neighborhood wherein I lived and returned thereto.

Providence April 20, 1818
(signature) Wm. Waterman lieut., Marines
Page 15

Invalid
Revy

File No. 38828 Navy
Christopher Hill
Gunner's Yeoman
Frigate Providence
Revolutionary

Act March 18, 1818

Index: Vol. (Blank), Page (Blank)
[Arrangement of 1870.]