Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 11,144, for Elijah Rice, Massachusetts
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Service: Mass.
Rice, Elijah
Margaret S.
Number: w.11.144
B.L.Wt. 40675.160.55
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241.097. Act of Mar. 3 55
April 7. 56.
Margaret S. Rice
widow of Elijah Rice dec.
Drummer
Capt. Drury.
Col. Ward
Mass. Mil.

Revolutionary War
Refers for Proof to
Claim for pension under
Act of Feby 3 (53
(faint) 53-5777
at: 160 Sept. 3rd 56
(Initials?)
L. D. Stevens
Concord, N.H.
Page 3

L.D. Lte sent Aug. 24/58

5777
New Hampshire Concord
Margaret S. Rice
widow of Elijah Rice
Mass
who served in the Revolutionary
war, as a Corporal.

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate
of 29 dollars 33.
cents per annum, to commence on
the 3d February, 1853.

Certificate of Pension issued
17th day of May 1856.
and sent to
L. D. Stevens
Concord
N. H.
Recorded on Roll of Pensioners under act
February 3, 1853, Page 162, Vol. 36.
Page 4

State of New Hampshire
County of Merrimack SS. On this first
day of April in the year Eighteen
hundred and fifty six personally appeared
before me a Justice of the Peace within and for
the County and State aforesaid Margaret S.
Rice aged eighty six years a
resident of Henniker in said State who being
duly sworn according to law declares that she
is the widow of Elijah Rice deceased
who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War:
that he served according to the best of her
knowledge information & belief as a Drummer in
the Company of Capt Drury in the Regiment
of Massachusetts Militia commanded by
Col. Ward: that the said Elijah Rice went
into service from the town of Grafton in the County
of Worcester & State of Mass. that she was married
to the said Elijah Rice in said town of
Henniker in the year Eighteen hundred and
one that no public or private record
of her said marriage exists: that her name
before her said marriage was Margaret Stewart:
that her said husband died in said Henniker
on the twentieth day of September
A.D. 1805 and that she still remains his
widow. She makes this declaration
Page 10

but she believes that he enlisted in the
Spring of 1775 and served the remainder
of that year.
She further declares that she was married
to the said Elijah Rice in said town of
Henniker on the (blank) day of
A.D. 1801 by Rev. Jacob Rice a Minister
of the Gospel in said Henniker: that her
name before her said marriage was
Margaret Stewart; that her said husband
died in said Henniker on the twentieth
day of September A.D. 1805.: that she was not
married to the said Elijah Rice prior to the
second of January, Eighteen hundred, but at
the time above stated. She further declares
that she is now a widow. (signed) Margaret S. X Rice her mark
Witness
Harriet Livingston
Thomas Livingston

Sworn and subscribed on the day and
year first before written before me the subscriber:
and I certify that the said declarant
by reason of bodily infirmity is unable to
appear in open Court
Matthew Harvey
Judge of U.S. District
Court for N.H.
Page 13

I Isaac Rice of Henniker on oath testify and
say that I have heretofore given an affidavit in
support of the claim of Margaret S. Rice for pension
and that in addition to the statements contained in my
said affidavit I now say that on this Seventh
day of May 1856, I have examined the deed which
is annexed hereto purporting to be executed by
Elijah and Peggy Rice: that I often saw my
father write and are well acquainted with his
hand writing; that I have no hesitation in saying
positively that the annexed deed was all
written by my father and the signature of
Elijah Rice Come thereon is my fathers signature
in his own hand writing; that my
father in his life time was accustomed to
write his own deeds and also deeds for other
people: that the land described in the annexed deed
was a part of the tract of land which my father
purchased when he first came to the town of
Henniker: that a part of the dwelling house in
which Edward B. Whitman, who signed the preceeding
affidavit, now lives was the house in which
my father lived: that the Peggy Rice whose names
signed to said deed was my own mother, the
first wife of my father, that her name before
her marriage was Margaret Patterson, but in
former days she was always called Peggy and
was accustomed to write her name in that
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way: that I knew the Daniel Whitman mentioned
in said deed and he was great uncle of
Edward B. Whitman aforesaid: that said
Edward B. Whitman now owns and lives
on the land described in said deed.
Isaac Rice

State of New Hampshire
County of Marimack ss On this seventh day
of May AD 1856 before me personally came
the above named Isaac Rice and
made oath that the foregoing affidavit by
him subscribed is true
L D Stevens Justice of the Peace
Page 15

State of New Hampshire
County of Merrimack ss
17.
I Horace Gibson Town Clerk of the town of
Henniker in the State and County aforesaid
depose and say that the records
of said town are in my possession
that on an examination of said
records I can find no record of the
marriage of Elijah Rice and Margaret
Stewart.
Horace Gibson Town Clerk

Subscribed and sworn to on the sixth
day of May A.D. 1856 before me
Stephen K Hoyt
Justice of the Peace
Page 16

I Alice Whitney of Henniker in the County of
Merrimack and State of New Hampshire
on oath testify and say that I am seventy
six years of age and over and have lived in
said Henniker for the space of Seventy
years and more: that I am well acquainted with
Margaret S. Rice of said Henniker and
have known her for sixty years and
over and knew her before her marriage
to Elijah Rice formerly of said Henniker now
deceased; that I also knew the said Elijah
Rice in his life time: that the said Margaret
S. Rice and Elijah Rice lived together as
man and wife and had children and
I knew the children well: that I never
know of any other man by the name of Elijah
Rice but the husband of the said Margaret
S. Rice: that said Elijah Rice died in said
Henniker about fifty years ago but the precise
date I do not recollect: that the maiden name of
the said Margaret was Margaret Stewart, that
I have no interest in the claim of the said Margaret.
John Peters                    (signed) Alice X Whitney her mark
Stephen K. Hoyt

Subscribed & Sworn to before me on this sixth day of
May AD 1856. & I certify that I know the said affiant and
that she is a credible witness: that I have no interest in this
claim.
Stephen K Hoyt Justice of the Peace
Page 17

I Ruth Gass of Henniker in the County of Merrimack & State of New Hampshire on oath testify and say that I am ninety two years and eleven months of age and have resided in said Henniker for the Space of Eighty Seven years: that I well knew Elijah Rice formerly of said Henniker and now deceased: that said Rice came from the State of Massachusetts to said town of Henniker from the town of Grafton [illegible] I believe: that I know the widow of the Said Elijah Rice who now is making application for pension: that to my certain knowledge the said Elijah Rice and Margaret S. Rice lived together as man & wife and had children who now live in said Henniker: that I knew the said Margaret before her marriage and her name was Margaret Stewart: that I know Isaac Rice and Jacob Rice who now live in said Henniker and who are sons of the said Elijah Rice: that I frequently visited at the house of the Elijah Rice and knew him well: that I have no interest in this claim
           her
Ruth X  Gass
        mark

Witnesses
Cyrus Goss
Stephen K. Hoyt         Stephen K Hoyt
Page 18

State of New Hampshire
County of Marrimack ss May 6. 1886. Then
the within named Ruth Gass personally appeared
and made oath that the within affidavit
by her subscribed is true; and I certify that
said affiant is a credible witness.
Stephen K Hoyt
Justice of the Peace

I John Conner of Henniker in the County
of Merrimack and State of New Hampshire on
oath testify and say that I am Seventy Six
years and over of age and have resided
in said Henniker for the space of Sixty nine
years last March: that I was well acquainted with
Elijah Rice formerly of said Henniker and
now deceased and lived near neighbor to the widow of
said Rice many years and always within
a short distance of said Rice in his life time and there was no man in
said Henniker that I was better acquainted with
than with said Rice: that I have always
understood that said Rice was a soldier in the
war of the revolution and have often heard him
speak of serving in said war and of incidents
happened while he was in service
Page 19

and the places where he was: that I have
always understood that said Rice Served as a
Drummer in said war and I think
that said Rice himself has told me so; that
I cannot now recollect the particulars of said
Rice's service as it was many years age
that he related it to me. that I have understood
that said Rice came from Grafton Mass
to said Heritor that said Rice came to said
Henniker before & did: that said Rice had two
wives: the first died in said Henniker about the
year 1797. that said Rice again married a
second wife whose name before marriage
was Margaret Stewart; that they lived together
as man and wife and had three children
whom I well knew and two of whom still
service; that said Rice died in said Henniker
about the year 1805 leaving the said
Margaret S. Rice his widow; that the
said Margaret Still Survives and resides
in said Henniker that I know from personal
knowledge that the said Margaret S. Rice who
now is making application for pension is
the widow of the identical Elijah Rice
who was reputed to have served as Drummer
in the Revolutionary war: that have no
interest in this claim
John Connor
Page 20

State of New Hampshire
Merrimask SS. On this sixth day of May
1856 personally appeared the within named
John Cannor and made oath that the
within affidavit by him subscribed is true:
and I certify that said affiant is known
to me to be a credible witness.
Stephen Hoyt Justice of the Peace
Page 21

Mary W. Connor of Henniker aforesaid wife
of John Conner of said Henniker testify and
say that I am seventy six years of age and
over and have resided in Henniker all my
life: that I lived for many years next neighbor
to the widow of Elijah Rice of said Henniker now deceased and
always within a short distance from said Rice's
residence: that said Rice had two wives with both
of whom I was well acquainted: the name of the
first wife before marriage was Patterson: that she
died some time before the year 1800 but the exact
date & do not recollect that said Rice's second
wife was Margaret Stewart before her marriage:
that she and the said Elijah Rice lived together
as man and wife and had three children
all of whom I well know and one whom
now resides in said Henniker: that the said
Rice was said to have come from the State of
Massachusetts But I do not recollect the name of
the town: that the said Margaret S. Rice
is the widow of the identical Elijah Rice, who is said
to have served in the Revolutionary War; that I
have no interest in her claim.
John Connor                Mary W. X Connor her mark
Stephen K Hoyt

State of New Hampshire
Merrimack County SS. May 6. 1856. Subscribed and
Sworn to before me: and I certify that said afiant
fiant is well known to me and is a
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credible witness.
Stephen K. Hoyt  Justice of the Peace
Page 23

I Isaac Rice of Henniker in the County
of Merrimack and State of New Hampshire
on oath testify and say that I am
Seventy one years of age and was
born in said town of Henniker and
that I am the son of Elijah Rice
formerly of said Henniker and now deceased.
that my father was born in the town
of Grafton in the County of Worcester and
State of Massachusetts: that I have often
heard my father speak of serving in
the Revolutionary war and relate incidents
that happened while he was in service;
that I have heard my father speak
of being in the battle of Bunker Hill and
that he told how he retreated across the
bridge at Charleston and how the balls
flew around him from a Ship of war
placed below the bride; that I have heard
my father say that he served as a
drummer: that my said father had two
wives and that I am a son of his first
wife: that my mother died on the fifth
day of October in the year 1797. that my
father was married a second time to
Margaret Stewart of said Henniker in the
year 1801 or about that time that my father
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had three children by his second wife
of whom two still survive: that my
father died in said Henniker on the
twentieth day of September A.D. 1805.
that my fathers second wife still survives
and resides in said Henniker and that the
Margaret S. Rice who is making
application for pension, is the widow
of my father who served in the war
of in Revolution as before stated:
that I have no intend in her claim.
Isaac Rice

State of New Hampshire
County of Merrimack ss.
Subscribed and sworn to on this sixth
day of May AD 1856 before me: and
I certify that the affiant is one of the
most respectable citizens of said Henniker and
that his statements are entitled
to entire confidence.
Stephen K Hoyt
Justice of the Peace.
Page 26

to be a Revolutionary soldier, that I was also
acquainted with the first wife of said
Rice hath before and after her marriage
to said Rice: that her name before
marriage was Peggy Patterson and
that she died about the year 1797:
that said Rice married a second wife
as I understood and that her name
before marriage was Margaret Stewart:
that the said Margaret S. Rice still lives
in said Henniker; that she is the same
person who is now making application
for pension on account of the
services of the said Elijah Rice: that
I have no interest her claim.
Witness: Edmund S. Hoyt   (signed) Samuel Wadsworth

State of New Hampshire
County of Merrimack ss.   May 6. 1856.
Subscribed and sworn to before me,
and I certify that the said affiant
is known to me and is a credible
witness.
Stephen K Hoyt
Justice of the Peace
Page 28

40.675
(illegible)
Page 30

Margaret S. Rick
Widow of Elijah
N.H.
8 mos. Durmmer
3/88
29.33 &1/3

3/44
14 & 2/3
2
25 1/3
Page 31

Concord N.H. April 3. 1856
Sir
Herewith please find the application
of Margaret S. Rice widow of Elijah
for bounty land under the Act
approved March 3d 1856.
For proof of her husbands service of
her marriage & the death of her husband
she refers to the evidence filed in
support of her claim for Pension under
the Act of Feb 3d 1853 2d Section.
I am respectfully
Your Obt Servt
L. D. Stevens

Hon J. Minot
Commr of Pensions
Washington, D. C
Page 32

Old deed re-
terned as re-
quested.
S. Triplitt
Page 34

State of New Hampshire

Secretary's Office, Concord, June 15, 1858

I hereby certify That, at the date of the annexed attestation Stephen K. Hoyt was a Justice of the Peace for the County of Merrimack in the said State, duly commissioned and qualified; and that to his acts and attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, in and out of Court.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed the seal of the State, the date above written.

Allen Tenney Dep. Secretary of State.

[seal]
Page 35

State of New Hampshire
County of Merrimack ss  On this Eleventh day of June 1853[?] before the Subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the State and County aforesaid personally appeared Margaret S. Rice and made oath in due form of law that she is the widow of Elijah Rice who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution and the she is now receiving a pension from the United States at the rate of seventy nine dollars and thirty three cents per annum under the second section of the Act of February 3d, 1853; that she asks for such arrears of her pension as she may be found entitled to under any & all Acts & Resolutions of Congress applicable to her case; that she is a resident of Henniker N.H. in said County and still remains a widow.
                   her
Margaret S. X Rice
                   mark

Witnesses
Stephen K. Hoyt
Harriet Livingston

Subscribed and sworn to me this day and year above mentioned; and I certify that said affiant is well known to me and is the identical person she represents herself to be
Stephen K. Hoyt
Justice of the Peace
Page 36

Concord N.H., June 15, 1858

Sir
I herewith forward the application of Margaret S. Rice,  Pensioner under the sd section of the Act of Feb 3d 1853, for such arrears of pension as she may be entitled to under the Joint Resolution of Congress passed on the 4th inst.

I am Respectfully
Your Obt. Servt.
L. D. Stevens

Hon. George C. Whitney
Commr of Pensions
Washington
D.C.
Page 37

Margaret S. Rice
Widow of Elijah
N. H. 
Admi. 3 Feby 1853
8 mos Corp Int[?] $29.33 1/3
a year from the passage 
of the Act

Auth
L. D. Stevens Esq.
Concord
NH
Page 38

Brief in the case of Margaret S Rice widow of Elijah
County and State of N Hampshire
act 3 Feby 1853

Claim, "original"
Proof exhibited, (if original)
Is it documentary, traditionary, or supported by rolls? If either, state the substance.
Record evidence of her husbands service with
which he is identified by the common reputation
of his neighbors, and dearly by a fac-simile of his
signature to a receipt for his pay compared with an
original deed signed by himself and presented the office
for inspection. He died 1805 -

(Illegible) evidence of marriage & (illegible) with pers. who
knew of their cohabitation as man & wife and the testimony
of a son of his by a former wife.
Cohabitation, several presentation of marriage
identity with soldiers evidence, his death & her present
widowhood provided by credible witnesses.
Thorton Tripitt
Examining Clerk

Name and residence of Agent
L D Stevens
Concord. NH
Thorpe