Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 24,897, for Paris Rathbun, Rhode Island
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Elizabeth Phillips
wid of P Rathburn
N Y a 2nd Feb 48

H. R. Mygatt
Oxford
New York
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State of New York
Chenango County ss
Gideon Rathbun being duly sworn says that he is sixty four years of age and resides at Oxford in said county of Chenango. that he is one of the children of Paris Rathbun and Elizabeth Rathbun whose name at the time of her death was Elizabeth Phillips and that a Pension Certificate was in June 1851 granted to Charity Willcox, this deponent, Amos Rathbun, Am Husted, Lyman Rathbun, and Cynthia Wells children of said Paris and Elizabeth for the Revolutionary services of the said Paris at the rate of forty dollars per year from the fourth of March 1836 to the fourth of March 1841, and from the fourth of March 1843 to the fifteenth day of April 1850, the day of her death. This deponent prays that said pension may be increased to himself and to his aforesaid brothers and sisters as follows, first that the pay may be allowed from the fourth of March 1831 on the ground that said Paris and Elizabeth were married prior to the last service and second that a full pension may be allowed on the ground that the said Paris was in service for more than two years, he respectfully asks that the Commissioner of Pensions will refer to the application of said Paris for a pension under the act of 1818 as furnishing evidence of service not allowed on granting the aforesaid pension.
Gideon Rathbun

Subscribed and sworn to before me this April 26th 1854 and I certify that I know the said Gideon Rathbun to be the person described in the above affidavit.
Uri Tracy
Justice of the Peace
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State of New York
Chenango County ss
Gideon Rathbun being duly sworn says that he is a resident of the town of German in said County that he is sixty one ears of age, and is the son of Paris Rathbun and Elizabeth Rathbun; that the said Paris Rathbun died in Oxford in said County of Chenango about twenty five years since, leaving said Elizabeth Rathbun his widow. That about sixteen years ago deponent resided in the town of Woodhill in the county of Steuben in the State of New York and that his mother, said Elizabeth Rathbun at that time resided with him, this deponent. That while she resided with the deponent at said Woodhill and about sixteen years ago she was married to Joseph Phillips in deponent's presence. That said Joseph Phillips died at Addison in said county of Steuben on the twenty seventh day of December in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty eight, leaving said Elizabeth Phillips his widow and that she continued a widow from the death of said Phillips until the fifteenth day of April one thousand eight hundred and fifty, the day of her death, that she died at German aforesaid, and that deponent was present at her death. That deponent accompanied her from her former residence in said Steuben County to said Chenango County. That she left her surviving the following named children, all of whom are over twenty one years of age. Charity Wilcox who resides at Oxford in said Chenango County, the
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deponent Gideon Rathbun aforesaid, Amy Husted, of Woodhill in said County of Steuben Cynthia Wells, of the State of Pennsylvania, Amos Rathbun of German aforesaid, and Lyman Rathbun of Oxford aforesaid. That from deponents earliest recollections said Paris and Elizabeth Rathbun were reputed to be husband and wife and to have been married in the State of Rhode Island and that there is no family record of their marriage
Gideon Rathbun

Sworn to and subscribed before me this tenth day of November A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty, and I certify that I have been acquainted with said Gideon Rathbun for more than twenty years and that his statement above is entitled to credit.
D Brown Justice of the peace
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Washington
June 2nd 57
Sir
[illegible] of administration I have reason to believe have been granted to Paris Rathbun one of the [illegible] of Mrs Elizabeth Phillips de'd, N.Y. Act 7th July 1838. Upon her death and I am daily expecting the certificate of the Court, which I shall present. In the above case I will be oblg'd to you to suspend the certificate for a few days. It will or can then be determined to whom the certificate in the case shall be given to
Very respfy
Your obt Svt
Thos Lumpkin
Hon J E Heath
Comr of Pensions
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Oxford, Chenango Co. N.Y.
July 18, 1854
Sir
In the matter of the pension of Elizabeth Phillips, dec'd formerly widow of Paris Rathbun, on the 18th May last you stated that "the opinion of Mr Cowell expressed in a private letter to you that he rendered 18 months service is not a sufficient ground for granting an increase".
The pension was granted for 12 months service. Within I send you an additional letter from Benjamin Cowell showing the rate of commutation rec'd that Mr. Rathbun must have rendered 18 months of service and upwards.
I understood at your office in May last that if you could be satisfied from the commutation that a larger amount of service had been rendered than had been allowed the pension would be increased. Is not the within satisfactory thereof? Is there not other evidence in your office showing the facts stated in the within letter? There have
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State of Rhode Island &c
County of Providence ss
I Benjamin Cowell of the city of Providence in said State do on oath certify that I have in my possession a Book containing the names of those officers & soldiers belonging to the regiments of Colonels Robert Elliott, John Topham & Archibald Crary of the Rhode Island Brigade of the State Troops, who were allowed depreciation of pay agreeably to a Report of a Committee of the General Assembly of said state in October AD 1785. Said Brigade served three years & three months in the war of the Revolution under these several enlistments, the first commencing December 1776, & the last terminating May 16 1780, as is shown by the records of said State.
And I further certify that on the Roll of Col Tophams regiment is borne the name of "Paris Rathbun" as a private & the sum of [british pound sign] 21.1.5 appears to have been allowed him fr depreciation of pay by said committee.
Providence March 29 1849
Benja Cowell

Providence ss
Subscribed & sworn to before me this 29th day of March 1849 & I further certify that the same Benjamin Cowell is personally known to me & that he is a credible witness.
Before me Charles Hart
Justice of the Peace