Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 16058, for George Potter, Rhode Island
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Service: R.I.
Potter, George
Nancy
Number: W 16058
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Concord New Hampshire
Nancy Potter 376
of Grafton in the State of N.H. 
who was a       in the          commanded
by Captain       of the          commanded
by         on the          
widow of George Potter deceased late a Sargeant & Lieutenant with the Revolution R.I.
--------------
Inscribed on the roll of N. Hampshire at the qrate of 88 per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.
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Certificate of Pension issued the 11 day of Jan'y 1837 and sent  [illegible]
---------
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1836  $484.00
Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Mar 37 44,00
$528.00
-----------------
Revolutionary Claim Act
Recorded by D D Addison Clerk
Book A Vol 1 Page 31
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6718    No. 421
Nancy Potter
N. Hampshire

[illegible]
8 mo 22 days, Sergt [Sergeant]
3 mo 8 days Lieutn [Lieutenant]
-----------
12 mo      43.67
                40.33
              __________
                88.00
How. R. Burns
   Ho.Rep.
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Declaration

In order to obtain the benefit of the Section of the act of Congress of the 4th July 1836.

State of New Hampshire  }
          Grafton County      }  ss

on this nineteenth day of September 1835 personally appeared before the subscribed one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for said County of Grafton, Nancy Potter, a resident of the Town of Grafton in said County of Grafton and State of New Hampshire aged seventy six years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4th 1836.  That she is the widow of George Potter formerly of Providence in the County of Providence and State of Rhode Island who was a Lieutenant in the army of the Revolution in the company composing General Sullivan's life guard and was a volunteer having enlisted according to the best of my recollection some time in the month of March or April 1778.  For the term of one year he was a member of Capt, Aaron Mann's Company of Col. Archibald Canary's Regiment.  He marched from Providence to Rhode Island under General Sulivan and and was in the engagement on Rhode Island in the month of August 1778,  In the said George Potter was honorably discharged having obtained a written discharge in the month of March or April in the year 1779.  And returned home to Providence having
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served the full term of one year according to his enlistment (said discharge being lost or mislaid she can not tell by whom it was signed).  She further states that he resided in the Town of Providence at the time of his enlistment and continued to reside there until May 1813 when he removed with his family to the Town of Grafton in the County of Grafton aforesaid where he resided until the day of his death.  

She further declares that she was married to the said George Potter on the fourth day of November in the year seventeen hundred and seventy eight that her husband the aforesaid George Potter died on the 27th day of March 1826 and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by reference to the proof henceto annexed.

Sworn to and subscribed on        }
the day and year above written   }       Nancy Potter
before                                           }

D C Churchill a Judge of the Court of Common Please for the County of Grafton
I hereby certify that the said Nancy Potter can not from bodily infirmity attend the Court.
                                                    D C Churchill a Judge of the Court aforesaid
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December 9, 1930

Mrs. G. Franklin Curtis
48 Lincklaen Street
Cazenovia, New York

Rev. & 1812 Wars Section
EEL

Dear Madam:

You are advised that it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, W.16058, that George Potter was the son of George. His father was deceased in 1778, the name of his mother is not given, nor are the date and place of his birth stated.
While a resident of Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, he enlisted in March, 1778, served as a sergeant in Colonel Archibald Crary's Rhode Island Regiment, was detached and joined General Sullivan's Life
Guard, was in the battle of Rhode Island, and on account of bravery in said battle, was commissioned, October 23, 1778, Second Lieutenant of said Company of the Guard, then commanded by Captain Aaron Mann, and was discharged March 16, 1779.
  In May, 1813, he moved with his family to Grafton, Grafton County, New Hampshire.
  He died March 27, 1836, in Grafton, New Hampshire.
  The soldier married November 4, 1778, Nancy Willson. Both were then residents of Providence, Rhode Island.
  The widow, Nancy, was allowed pension on her application executed September 19, 1836, at which time she was aged seventy-six years and resided in Grafton, New Hampshire.
  She died March 3, 1842, leaving the following chil-
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dren, who in 1855, were residents of Grafton, New Hampshire: George W, Sarah Holden, Ruth Potter, Abby Sanders, Ann Eliza Follensbee or Follanebee, and Harriet Martin.
  The above is the history of the only soldier named George Potter, who served as a Lieutenant in the Rhode Island Troops, ound on the Revolutionary Wa records of this bureau and said records fail to afford any information in regard to Ephraim Potter, who served with the Rhode Island Troops.

Very truly yours


E. W. MORGAN
Acting Commissioner
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State of New Hampshire
County of Grafton
Be it Known, that on this 16th day of June A. D.  1855 before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, personally appeared George W Potter for himself and in behalf of Sarah Holden Ruth Potter, Abby Sanders, Anne Eliza Follensbee and Harriet Martin resident of Grafton in said County, and made oath according to law that they are the children  the identical [illegible] Potter whose name under Act of 1836 has been placed on the New Hampshire Pension Roll at the rate of 
Eighty Eight Dollars per annum.
  That he is  credibly informed that the said Pension may and ought to be increased from its commencement and during its continuance; that he is directly interested as a claimant in said increase, and makes this affidavit to be filled with such additional evidence as my Agent may use in prosecuting said claim.
  Countermanding and revoking all Powers of Attorney and authority heretofore given, I hereby constitute and appoint SAMUEL M. KNIGHT, of Washington City, my true and lawful Attorney to prosecute the claim of Nancy Potter for any amount of Revolutionary Pension, or INCREASE OF PENSION that may be due; and for the purpose of establishing additional service by the soldier for whose military duty in the Revolution the aforesaid Pension was granted, I hereby authorize my said Attorney to apply for and obtain from State archives or other sources, certified proofs of such service.  To examine all papers or documents in relation to said service, on file in the Departments at Washington City or elsewhere; to file additional evidence or arguments, and to receive for my benefit the Certificate for INCREASE which may be issued
in satisfaction of said claim, which certificate I wish made payable at the Pension Agency of this State; to appoint one or more substitutes under him for the purposes herein expressed, and to do all things that I might or could do were I personally present. Hereby ratifying and confirming all that my said Agent and Attorney shall lawfully do in the premises.
George W. Potter

Sworn to, Subscribed and Acknowledged before me the day and year above written, and hereby certify that I believe the said 
Ruth Potter, Abby Sanders, N. Potter, S. Holden
to be directly interested in said claim as set forth, and to be the identical party therein alleged, in whose claim I am in no wise interested.
State of New Hampshire
County of Grafton 

Alexander Williams Jus. Peace
Probate for
It is hereby certified, that satisfactory evidence has been exhibited before the Court of Probate for said County of Grafton that Nancy Potter was a Revolutionary Pensioner of
the United States, at the rate of $88.00 per annum, and that died on the 3 day of March 
Eighteen Hundred and forty two leaving surviving the following named children and none other, to wit:
Sarah Holden, Ruth Potter, Abby Sanders
Ann Eliza Follensbee, George W. Potter & Henrietta Martin 
  It is further certified that Alexander Williams Esq. before whom the preceding affidavit and Power of Attorney were made and acknowledged, was at the time of so doing a duly authorized Justice of the Peace in and for said county, and that the signature purporting
to be his, I believe to be genuine; and further, that in the within claim for Increase of Pension I am in no degree interested.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of Office, this nineteenth day of June AD 1855
Nathan B Felton
Register of Court of Probate
1. Claimant's name or names
3. "That he is the," or that she is the," or that she is the widow of," or "that he, she, or they are the child or children of," &c.
4. Pensioner's full name. - 5. State the Act if known. -6 Give the State where pensioned. 7. Name the yearly amount received -- S. "He is," "she is," or they are."
9. Claimant's signature -- 10. Magistrate's signature. -- If the pensioner be living, this name of the Clerk's certificate should be omitted.
11. Here name each of the survivors. -- 12. Magistrate's name -- 13 Clerk's signature.
N. B. -- Should two or more heirs join in the foregoing, the plural should be substituted for the singular
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Seal

PENSION OFFICE
May 16 1924
U.S.
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depreciation due

L.                    S                    P
37                   16                  2

George Potter, Lt.

Col. John Tophand's Regiment

Pp  77    'Spirit of 76'

Brief this case for  (illegible)  1 ys service as Lt. Allye
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Nancy Potter
N. Hampshire
---------
Suspended
let 27  [illegible] 36
D.C. Churchill
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M E. E. 
Copied from letter
of G.M. dated Feb. 20, 1924

& 1812 Wars Section
July 30, 1928
Ethel M. Barney
Grafton
New Hampshire

Madam:
I advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, W. 16058, it appears that George, son of George Potter,
while a resident of Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island, enlisted in March, 1778, in Colonel Archibald Crary's Rhode Island
Regiment, was detached to General Sullivan's Life Guards, was in the battle of Rhode Island, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant
October 23, 1778, of said Company of Guards then commanded by Captain Aaron Mann, and served until March 16, 1779. He died at Grafton, Grafton County, New Hampshire, March 27, 1826.
  Soldier married at Providence, Rhode Island, November 4, 1778, Nancy Willson of Providence. She was allowed pension on her application executed September 19, 1836, while a resident of Grafton New Hampshire, aged seventy-six years. She died March 3, 1842, leaving the following the following children who, in 1855, were residents of
said Grafton: George W., Sarah Holden, Ruth Potter, Abby Sanders, Ann Elisa Follensbee or Follansbee, and Harriet Martin.
Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT
Commissioner
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Rev. & 1812 Wars Section.
February 20, 1924.
Mrs. Laclede Woodmansee,
Westerly, R.I.

Madam:
I have to advise you that from the papers in Revolutionary War pension claim W.16058 it appears that George (son of George Potter) while a resident of Providence, Providence County , Rhode Island, enlisted in March 1778 in Colonel Archibald Crary's Rhode Island Brigade, was detached to General Sullivan's Life Guards, was in the battle of Rhode Island and was Commissioned Second Lieutenant October 23, 1778, of said Company of Guards then commanded by Captain Aaron Mann and served until March 16, 1779. He died at Grafton, Grafton County, New Hampshire, March 27, 1826.
  He married at Providence, Rhode Island, November 4, 1778, Nancy Willson of Providence. She was allowed pension on her
application executed September 19, 1836, while a resident of Grafton, New Hampshire, aged 76 years. She died March 3, 1842,
leaving the following children who in 1855 were residents of said Grafton: George W., Sarah Holden, Ruth Potter, Abby Sanders, Ann Eliza Follensbee or Follansbee, and Harriet Martin.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.
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This Bureau can furnish the military
record of only such Revolutionary
soldiers as were pensioned or whose widows were pensioned for their services.
Such of the original muster and pay
rolls of the Revolutionary war and the
war of 1812 as are now in the possession
of the Government are on file in the
Record and Pension Office, War Department. 
 Original rolls and other records
pertaining to service in the Revolutionary war
may also be found on file in the archives of many of the original States.
O. W. & N. DIV.
REVOLUTIONARY ARY WAR
3 -- 076.
Department of the Interior,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
Washington, D.C. Mar 4, 1898

Sir:
In reply to your communication of a recent date, you are informed that the courtesy of furnishing information relative to Revolutionary War soldiers, on account of whose service pensions were granted,
is extended by this Bureau only to their descendants, and to them only when it is desired for historical or genealogical purposes.
  In view of the large number of such inquiries now being made, and of the length of time required to make a proper search of the records in each case, information will not be given to any applicant concerning more than two soldiers.
  In order that the claim of the soldier concerning whom you desire information may be identified, it is requested that you furnish as much as possible of the data called for below.
Post-office address,
Very Respectfully, 
Mr. Harold R. Maxson,
Westerly, RI
20 Spruce St
Commissioner.

Full name of soldier, George Potter
Place of residence before service: Potter Hill, Washington Co. R.I.
Place of residence after service: Potter Hill, Washington Co. R.I.
Approximate date of death: About 1801.
Given name of widow: Mary (Stillman) Potter
Did either the soldier or his widow receive a pension? The widow recd a pension.
Additional information, Geo. Potter was a shipmaster after the Revolution and his death resulted from yellow fever. His widow married Asa Maxson in 1821.

Signature, Harold R Maxson
State. 20 Spruce street,
Westerly,
Washington Co. R.I

Seal: PENSION OFFICE Mar 22 1898
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Seal: WAR & NAVY FILES
Feb 16 1898

February 11, 1898
Bureau of Pensions
Dear Sirs
Will you kindly forward me a statement of the military history of George Potter, a soldier in the Revolutionary War.  Enclosed please find stamp.
Sincerely Yours
Harold R Maxson
20 Spruce Street
Westerly, RI
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WIDOW, &c
File No. 16058
Nancy Potter Wid of George Potter Sergt Rev War
Act July 4th '/36
Index: Vol M, Page 134
[Arrangement of 1870]
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Statement
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BY HIS EXCELLENCY
John Brown Francis
Governor, Captain-General, and Commander in Chief of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
BE IT KNOWN, that the name, ""HENRY BOWEN."" to the afore-written attestation subscribed, is the proper hand writing of Henry Bowen, Esquire, who at the time of subscribing the same, was Secretary of the
State aforesaid, duly elected and qualified according to law:  Wherefore unto
his said attestation full faith and credit are to be rendered.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of said State to be affixed at Providence , this twenty ninth
day of November in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six and of Independence the sixty first.
John Brown Francis
By His Excellency's Command.
Henry Bowen Secry
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State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations

At a Council of War met according to Adjournment
Monday Dec 7th AD 1778

Present
His Excellency Wm. Greene Esq.
The Honble Jaber Bowen Esq.
Esck Hopkins Esq
John Northrup Esq.
Josiah Humphries Esq
Jon Harvard Esq
Jeb Comstock Esq

It is voted and Resolved that Aaron Man be appointed Captain. Levi Hoppin First Lieut. George Potter Second Lieut. and John Westcott Ensign of Y Company formed by General Sullivan out of Y Brigade raised by this State for Twelve months and called his Life Guards.  That they be commissioned accordingly, and that their Commissions bear date  23rd October last being time from which they have exercised those offices by order of the General.

True copy of record
Witness Henry Bowen Secry

I further Certify that the service of the General Assembly in May last Bejanmin Cowell whose genuine signature is amended was elected Chief Justice of the Courts of Common Pleas for the County of Providence for one year & Commissioned accordingly
Witness   Henry Bowen Secry

Decem 7 1856
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Hon. R. Burnet
HR
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I Charles Scott of Cumberland in the County of Providence and State of Rhode Island being now 77 years of age on oath do depose & say that in June 1778 I was detached with five other from Co. Canary regiment to join Sullivan's Life Guard a band organized by Gen. Sullivan who then commanded in Rhode Island.  From that time I served in it as a private until 16 of March AD 1779 when I joined the guard. and Aaron Man was first, Sergeant Levi Hoppins was the second &  George Potter was the third Sergeant  & John Westcott the fourth  I further testify that in consequence of the bravery displayed by this guard in the battle on Rhode Island in August 1778  these Sergeant were commissioned Aaron Man was commissioned as Captain. Levi Hoppins
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as First Lieutenant & George Potter as Second Lieutenant & John Westcott as Ensign & they served as such until the 16 of March following.  This Guard was enlisted for one year & them four officers belonged to it and served in it that time in the grade of Sergeants until commissioned & then as Commissioned officers.  I served in it nine months but George Potter served in it a year, that is he served in it as long as I did & three months before as I aways understood

Charles Scott

Produced in Cumberland Dec 5 1836 sworn to & subscribed before me & further certify that said Charles is a credible witness.

Benja Cowell
C J C C Pleas
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Robert Burns

NH
Addl pff

4 July '36

W. Allison

Hon. R. Burns
HR
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War Department
Pension Office
October 27, 1836

Sir,

The papers in the case of Nancy Potter widow of George Potter have been examined and filed with suspended cases in this office.   The alleged service of her husband as a Lieutenant in Captain Mann's company and Colony Creary's regiment is not substantiated by a roll of those who served in said regiment, in this office.  Such proof should therefore be exhibited as is required in note in the enclosed printed sheet or proof from the public archives at Providence, R. I. in order to a favorable decision.

I am respectfully
Your Obedient, Servant,
J.. L. Edwards
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6718
Oct .26.1836
Pension Office
Mr. Brown [illegible] please
hand this to Mr. Allison
for examination
JDor

[upside down]
[illegible]
20 Oct
Hon Secretary of War
Washington D.C.
Page 37

Lyme N. H.  October 19 1836

Hon. Secretary of War

Sir at the request of the widow Nancy Potter I herewith send you the papers in support of her claim for a Pension,  She wishes any communication you may think proper or necessary to be made to me  - have the goodness to attend to the investigation of her case as soon as (illegible) and forward me the result.

Yours very Respectfully
D. C. Churchill
Page 38

Geo. Potter
Page 39

I Levi Lee of Cumberland in the County of Providence State of Rhode Island being now 77 years of age and doth do testify and say that in the spring of1778 I was detached from Col. Crary's regiment of Rhode Island Troops to join General Sullivan's Life Guard in while I afterwards served until March 1779 as a private and I further say that when I joined  George Potter was a member of said Corps & was then or shortly afterwards commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant & served as such until said March 1779 when the Corps was disbanded  Of this fact I have a perfect recollection, he was with us in the battle of Rhode Island & was commissioned by the General in the General Order of the next day.

Levi Lee
  Providence  Cumberland October 1, 1836 

Sworn to subscribed before and I further certify that said deponent is well known to me & he is a credible witness & his statements entitled to full credit

Benja Cowell
CJCC Pleas