Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 12354, Sylvester Burdick, R.I.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE
R. I.
Burdick, Sylvester
NUMBER
S. 12354
Carded
CONTENTS
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10996
Rhode Island
Sylvester Burdick
of Charlestown the State of Rhode
who was a Sergeant in the compy commanded
by Captain Adams of the regt commanded
by Col Elliott in the Rhode Island
line for two years sergeant
Increased from $100-
Inscribed on the Roll of Rhode Island
at the rate of 120 Dollars - Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 30 day of October
1835 and sent to Wm. R. 
Newell Kingston
Arrears to the 4th of March 1835     $48.
Semi-anl. allowance ending
{ Revolutionary Claim
Act June 7, 1832 }
Recorded by Dan G. Boyd Clk
Book E Vol. 2 Page 138
Wm. Y. Grinnell 9 Nov 1835
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DECLARATION.
IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE BENEFIT OF THE ACT OF CONGRESS, PASSED JUNE 7, 1832.
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND,
County of Washington } ss.
On this fifth day of September 1832 personally appeared in open Court, before the Judges
or Justices of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting, Sylvester Burdick, 
a resident of Charlestown in the County of Washington and State of Rhode-Island, aged
Seventy Eight years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following
declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
He, in January 1776, at Charlestown aforesaid, enlisted into Capt. Dyers 
Company Col Lippetts Regiment, for one year as a private soldier- Peleg Hoxsie
was Lieut. of the of the Company-- Adam Comstock was Lieut. Col.
of the Regiment and ____ Pene was Major, he was soon
after marched to Newport with the recruits and joined the
Regiment and encamped in the vicinity of Newport, till
some time in the summer, he thinks in August, when he was
ordered away to the Westward with the Regiment.
We crossed the south ferry from Newport and passed
through New London & New Haven and arrived at 
Kingsbridge and joined the army under General Washington
which had recently retreated from Brooklyn, was then
soon marched Northerly to White Plains & he was in
the battle fought there; wherein we
skirted Northerly up the North River. Soon
after retreated from White Plains
he was taken sick & carried to Stamford
Hospital where he remained till
towards the last of January A. D. 1777,
when the Surgeon, whose name he thinks
was Turner gave him his discharge
from the Hospital, which discharge
he has long since lost. He returned to 
said Charlestown & then in the month of March
1777, enlisted into Capt. Ebenezer Adams
Company of artillery Col. Elliot Regt. in the state line for one year.
He thinks that Robert Carson was first
& Chr. Robinson Second Lieut of this Company
Lingg was major of this Regt. Soon after this
last enlistment he was marched from said
Charlestown to Warwick Neck in the
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West side of Narragansett Bay & remained
till after General Prescott was taken
from Rhode Island; when we were marched
from Warwick to Tiverton, on the other side
of the Bay, when he served out the rest
of his last aforementioned term of enlistment, 
which expired on the sixteenth
of March 1778, when without returning 
home he immediately enlisted
at Fort Burton near Black’s Ferry in Tivertown,
in the same company for another year:
During this year in the month of August
he was marched on to R. Island in Sullivan’s
expedition. He served out this last term at
Tivertown & on R. Island & was discharged at
Port Barton on the twenty fifth of March
1779. While he was at Tivertown Genl. 
Cornell commanded most of the time, when
General Spencer was not there.
And the said Burdick declares that
he faithfully & truly performed all the
aforesaid periods in the service of
his country; that and he further
declares that he was born in said
Charlestown on the 8th of August
1734 but has no record of his birth or
age; that he does remember
that he ever had any discharge except this surgeon’s certificate from
any of his said services, but was
verbally discharged therefrom
his commanding officers; that his place
of residence there the periods of his said service
was in said town of Charleston, since
the revolution he has resided principally
in said town of Charleston except
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about five years which he resided
in Stonnington in the State of 
Connecticut; he now resides in sd Charlestown.
That he has no documentary evidence
of said services; that he is  not acquainted with any clergyman in his vicinity or neighborhood, 
but that he refers to Hoxsie Perry & Peleg Croft Esq. as citizens of said town of Charlestown & his neighbours who testify to his character for veracity & their belief that he was a soldier 
of the revolution & to the accompanying
depositions.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State.
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid in open court.
Sylvester Burdick
Witness Saml Helme Cler
We, Hoxsie Perry residing in the said Charlestown and Peleg Cross residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Sylvester Burdick who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him the seventy eight years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and subscribed the day aforesaid.  in Open Court
Hoxsie Perry
Peleg Cross
Affirmed
Witn Saml Helme Cler
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Hoxsie Perry and Peleg Cross who have signed the preceding certificate are resident in the sd Charlestown and they are credible persons and
that their statement is entitled to credit. And the Court also certify that from their Examination and knowledge of Isaiah Burdick Moses Kenyon and Ethan Crandall, the preceding Deponents, the Court Consider their Testimony contained in their preceding 
Depositions entitled to Credit.-
I Samuel Helme Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas & Gen. Sessions of the Peace
do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Sylvester Burdick for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office
this thirteenth day of September 1832
Sam Helme Clk
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Sylvester Burdick, of Charlestown in the
County of Washington & State of Rhode Island
in further addition to and explanation of
his declaration in order to obtain the benefit 
of the act of Congress passed in June 1832,
by him heretofore made and transmitted
to the pension office, doth on his Oath
declare, that he faithfully performed in
defence of his country, all the services
detailed in his primary declaration transmitted 
as aforesaid, that the whole of his
two years service from March 1777 until
March 1779 in Col. Elliot, Regiment of Artillery was
as set forth in his supplemental declaration, 
and in the testimony thereto attached 
and heretofore sent to the pension
office, in the grade of sergeant; and that
during the whole of that period he held
and acted under a sergeants warrant
from his captain, which deeming the same
useless after the termination of his service
he has long since lost or destroyed and
the true reason, tho’ he thinks he stated
that reason in his other supplemental
declaration why he did not set forth
in his primary declaration the
fact, that his two years’ service in
Col Elliots Regiment was in the Grade
of Sergeant is, that altho he mentioned
at the time of making his primary
declaration, that his two years’
service was in the grade of Sergeant
and that he consequently, thought he
was entitled to a Sergeant’s pay
in the army, and that his grade
of service should be stated in his
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declaration, he was then told by
those, in whom he relied for legal
advice, that according to the 
construction Given the pension act of June
1832 by the war department, a 
sergeant could receive the pay only
of a private; and that the 
statement of his grade of sergeant in his
declaration would be negatory, to
which aforementioned declarations,
both primary and supplemental,
to all the testimony attached to the 
same, to the statement and facts
herein contained and the testimony
hereto annexed, this declarant begs
the carefull [careful] attention of the 
department. And he further says, that there
was no person, during the period of
his said services in Col. Elliott's 
Regiment known or called, by the name 
of Sylvanus Burdick in the Company
in which this declarant served
nor has he ever known, in or out of
the Revolutionary service, a person
of the name of Sylvanus Burdick,
or even heard that name otherwise
than in the letter of the Commissioner
of Pensions of the 21st of March 1835
addressed to Wm P Newel Esqr, which
[illegible], that the name Sylvanus
Burdick, but not Sylvester 
Burdick, is on a roll in the pension
office of Col. Elliot's Regiment.
nor does he believe any person
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named Sylvanus Burdick ever served in
Elliots Regiment. Whatever may be the source
of the roll refered [referred] to, if it covers the period
between the 16th of March 1777 and the
16th of March 1779 and does not contain the
name, Sylvester Burdick, with his grade
of Sargeant, [Sergeant], it certainly is defective, since 
This declarant surely served the whole
of that period in Col. Elliots Regiment
in the grade of Sargeant [Sergeant], under his true
name Sylvester Burdick and none other.
Even in transcribing from the Company
Roll to the Original roll of the regiment,
he can perceive the name Sylvester
might be easyly [easily] miswritten Sylvanus,
and he has no doubt, that it was so
miswritten by mistake. But he suspects the
roll referred to in the Commissioners
letter is not the original roll but a
Coppy [Copy] of perhaps, some other Coppy [Copy],
the latter of which Coppy [Copy] may be the
Coppy [Copy] of a Coppy [Copy] &c, some one or all, of
which Coppys [Copies], may be made he apprehends,
by irresponsable [irresponsible] persons, with a view,
posably [possibly], only to particular objects, not 
requiring an entire of exact coppy [copy] of the original
roll. This declarant Thinks he mentioned
in his primary declaration one, or more,
but not all, as he did not deem it 
necessary to mention all of his Lieutenants
in the aforementioned Company:
he however now, as it may posably [possibly] be
in some view important, here states the
---
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names of all the Lieutenants whom destinctly remembers in that company during this two years he served in it. [illegible] Robert [illegible], Christopher Robinson, Squire How and the last year Champlin Lamphear. But, altho he distinctly remembers that all these persons were Lieutenants of the company during his two years service therein he is not without his fears, for the reasons above alluded to. That their grades, perhaps, even the names of some of them, may not be found on the roll referred to in the above mentioned letter. Nevertheless he will rely on the truth and justice of this claim.

Witness
Joshua Clark

Sylvester Burdick
his mark

State of Rhode Island
Washington DC { September 16th 1835
Personally appeared the above named Sylvester Burdick who before me made and subscribed the preceding declaration and was by me thereto duly sworn according to law. I further certify that the said Sylvester Burdick is personally well known to me that he is a person of veracity and that his testimony is entitled to credit.

Joshua Clark Justice of the Peace
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10167
Sylvester Burdick
Private of Arty 2 years
[Private of Infy 1 year crossed out]
2 years
Wm P Newell
Kingston R. I.
Page 11

BRIEF in the case of Sylvester Bardick [Burdick]
of Charleston in the State of Rd. Island
(Act 7th June, 1932.)
1.  Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?  open Court
2.  If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3.  How old is he?  78 years
4.  State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.  Duration of Service.  Rank.
Jany In 1776   1 year  Private
March 1777    1 year artillery  Private
1778   1 year artillery  Private
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Gen.
Capt Dyer - Colo. Lippett
Capt Adams  -  Colo Elliot
Capt Adams
5.  In what battles was he engaged?  White plains.
6.  Where did he reside when he entered the service?  Charleston Pr. Island
7.  Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?  By living Witnesses
8.  Are the papers defective as to form or authentication?  and if so, what respect?  Correct
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Richard Butts
Examining Clerk.
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In reply to your request of________________, received ____________ for a statement of the military history of Sylvester Burdick a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his [or his widow's crossed out] application for pension on file in this Bureau.
S. File 12,354
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.
Jany. 76
Mch 16, 77
LENGTH OF SERVICE.
1 YEAR
2 YEARS
RANK.
Pri.
Sgt.
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.
Dyer
Ebenezer Adams
COLONEL.
Lippett
Elliott
STATE.
R. I.
R. I. Artillery
Battles engaged in, White Plains.  Gen Sullivan's exped. to R. I.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Charlestown, R. I.
Date of application for pension, Sept. 5, 1832.
Residence at date of application, Born Aug 8, 1754 at Charlestown, R. I.
Remarks:  No data as to family-
Data for call upon and as requested.
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10996[?]
Rhode Island

Sylvester Burdick of Charleston in the State of Rhode Island who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Adams of the Rgt commanded by Cr Elliott in the Rhode Island line for 2 year [illegible]

Inscribed on the Roll of Rhode Island at the rate of 100 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 15th day of May 1833 and sent W P. Newell Kingston Rhode Island

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $200.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. 50.00
---
$250.00
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by D D Addison Clerk, Book E Vol. 2d. [?] Page 103

[inverted] [illegible] W P Newell 21 March 1835
" same 29 Oct 1835 [/inverted]
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1908 Oct. 10.  Hist. to Wm M. R. Harcourt, letter in S. F. 38586
Rev War
12354
INVALID.
File No. 12,354
Sylvester Burdick
Sergt. Rev. war
Act:  June 7th 1832.
Index:—Vol. A, Page 51
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Payments to be made at Providence R.I. by the Prest. of U S  Bank Agent for paying Pensioners, in the Agency of R. Island
Recorded in the Pension Office, in Book E Vol. 2d. Page 103 by DD. Addison Clerk.
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WAR DEPARTMENT.
Revolutionary Claim.
I certify that, in conformity with the law of the United States of the 7th June, 1832, Sylvester Burdick of the State of Rhode Island who was a Private of Artillery in the army of the Revolution is entitled to receive One hundred dollars and 
-- cents per annum, during his natural life, commencing on the 4th of March, 1831, and payable semi-annually on the 4th of March, and 4th of September, in every year.
Given at the War Office of the United States, this Fifteenth day of May one thousand eight hundred and thirty-three
Lew Cass
Secretary of war.
Examined and Countersigned.}
J L Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions.
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I Isaiah Burdick of Charlestown in the County of Washington State of Rhode Island aged seventy one years, on oath do depose & say that I was in the army in the revolution with [illegible] with Sylvester Burdick [illegible] of Charlestown aforesaid. We served together in Col. Lippett's Regt. which we joined at Newport R. Island by enlistment [illegible] year in Jany 1770, where we were stationed till the following August when we were marched to the westward to Harlem in the State of New York & then joined the American army under Genl. Washington & marched to White Mains[?] [illegible] in the battle there; and this deponent [illegible] said Sylvester remained in this service under this aforenamed enlistment to the end of that term for which they were enlisted & were discharged in Jany 1777 & returned home. This deponent also knows that the said Sylvester Burdick served from
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from the month of March 1777, to some time in March 1778, at Tivertown R I. where this deponent lived during the same period in the revolution against the enemy; this service was in Col Elliot's Regt. in the state line.

This deponent further says, that the said Sylvester served in said Elliot's Regt. in the state line in 1778-9 at Tivertown [illegible] R Island; this deponent says that the two [illegible] aforenamed terms of service were in the artilery[?] this [illegible] term of service was one year.

Isaiah Burdick

taken subscribed & Sworn to in Open Court Sept. 5, 1832
[illegible] Saml. Helme Clerk

I Moses Kenyon of Charlestown in the County of Washington State of Rhode Island aged seventy three years on oath do depose & say, that I was in the revolution with Great Britian from March 1777, to some time in March 1778, at
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Tivertown R. Island in the fifteen months service in Col Burton's[?] Regt. in the Utah line & during the same period Sylvester Burdick then & now of said Charlestown served there in the same service in Col. Elliot's Regt. in a company of artilery commanded by Capt Adams.

Moses Kinyon

Taken subscribed & Sworn to in Open C. Sepr. 5, 1832
[illegible] Saml. Helme Clk

I Ethan Crandall of Charlestown in the County of Washington & state of Rhode Island aged seventy four years on oath do depose & say, that I have examined the preceding deposition of Isaiah Burdick & say that I know of the service in the revolution, of Sylvester Burdick in Col. Lippett's[?] Regt. in R. Island & as for [illegible] North River when we sepa
Page 20

rated when we marched westward as stated in [illegible] said Isaiah's deposition. At the North River the Regt. separated & part of it marched up the North River & a [illegible] into the Jersey [illegible] the said Burdicks [illegible] the River [illegible] into Jersey[?]

Ethan Crandall
Taken subscribed & Sworn to in Open Court -- Sepr. 5th. 1832
[illegible] Saml. Helme Clerk
Page 21

State of Rhode Island Washington County ss.

On this 7th day of [illegible] 1834, personally appeared in open court, before the judges or justices of the Court of Probate now sitting in the town of Charlestown in the County & state aforesaid, Sylvester Burdick, a resident of said Charlestown, aged Eighty years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in explanation of and supplementary to his primary declaration by him made in the month of September 1832, before the Court of Common Pleas in the aforesaid County & subsequently transmitted to the War Department of the United States, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June seventh 1832 -- That is to say. -- his first year's service in the War of the Revolution, from sometime in January 1776, to the latter part of January 1777 partly in the Island of Rhode Island & partly in the state of New York [illegible] in Capt. Dyer's company & Col. Lippet's [illegible] was, in the infantry, and his second & third year's service at Tivertown in the state of R. Island, from sometime in March 1777 to the sixteenth of March 1779, in Capt. Ebenezer Adam's company & Col. Elliot's Regt. was in the artillery, a statement of which aforementioned three years service, either with or without the distinction between his Infantry artillery service, he trusts, may be found in his primary declaration & the evidence attached to it, in the files of the War Department, to
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to which he solicits the attention of the Department: But although all his aforementioned services, both Infantry & artillery, were in the grade of Sargeant, which was at the time of [illegible] his primary declaration to writing by him suggested, he was then advised [illegible] that a [illegible], as well as any other non commissioned officer, was by the act of Congress deemed but as a private & entitled to no more pension than a privateer, and that to set forth in his declaration his grade of sargeant was unnecessary & useless: and he thinks the fact, that all his said services (if any of them were set forth) [squeezed in] in the grade of sargeant [/squeezed in] were in the grade of sargeant, was not stated in his primary declaration. He further says that his Pension certificate, which he holds, entitles him to only one hundred dollars per annum, which he takes to [illegible] the pay of an artillery man, & which, & no more has been paid him up to the Fourth of Sept. 1834--Wherefore he respectfully claims to have so much added to his Pension & paid him from the Fourth of March A.D. 1831 + as by said act of Congress (all his said services having been performed in the grade of sargeant) he is entitled to [illegible].

Sylvester Burdick his mark.

Taken Subscribed and Sworn to in open court before the court aforesaid
[illegible] Samuel Stanton [illegible] Clk

I Samuel Stanton Clerk of the aforesaid court of Probate do hereby certify that the forgoing contains the supplemental declaration of the said court in the matter of the application of the said Sylvester Burdick for a Pension.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and Seal of office this 7th day of October AD 1834.
Samuel Stanton Probate. Clk.
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Joseph Whaley of South Kingstown in the County of Washington & State of Rhode Island, on oath doth saith that he is seventy nine years of age, that he is well acquainted with Sylvester Burdick of Charlestown in the aforementioned County--That this deponent enlisted at East Greenwich in said state of R. Island in the month of June 1777, for a period of nine months I was ordered to Tivertown in the state of R Island into Capt. Ebenezer Adams' Company of Artillery in Col Elliot's Regt. where he served out his said nine months service when he was discharged for said Tivertown in the month of March 1778, he again enlisted for one year into the aforesaid company & Regt. which he served and also at Tivertown & was then discharged in March 1779--and this deponent further says that at the time he first entered said Adam's Company in June 1777, he found the said Sylvester Burdick in the service therein in the grade of a sar-
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geant & then the said Burdick continued & served in the same grade of a sargeant in said company till into the month of March 1779 when this deponent & the said Burdick were both discharged at said Tivertown.

Joseph Whaley

State of Rhode Island
Washington County ss. Town of South Kingston Octr. 21. 1834. Personally appeared Joseph Whaley the above named deponent & before me your[?] & subscribed the preceding deposition & was by me [illegible] duly sworn according to law. I further certify that the said Whaley is well known to me, that he is a person of veracity & that his testimony is entitled to [illegible].

Perry Tucker Justice Peace
Page 25

Isaiah Burdick of Charlestown
in the County of Washington & State of
Rhode Island on oath saith
that he is seventy three years of age,
that from his early youth he has
been well acquainted with 
Sylvester Burdick of said Charlestown
and Knows that the said Sylvester
enlisted into Captain Dyer's Company
of Infantry in Col Lippet's Regt. in
the State of R. Island in the month of 
Jany. 1776 for a period of one year
& served therein against the enemy on the Island of [illegible]
and till the latter part of the 
following Summer, when he was ordered to
the Westward through the State of
Connect to the State of New York
in the same company & Regt. in which
he then continued in said service till
into the month of Jany. 1777, when
after having served said year for which
he enlisted was discharged. This
deponent also, remembers that the said
Sylvester's aforementioned years 
service was in the grade of sargeant [sergeant].
This deponent further says that he was with
said Sylvester in the same ser-
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grade of a sargeant [sergeant] in Capt 
Ebenezer Adam's Company of Artillery
in Col. Elliott's Regt. from 
sometime in the spring of 1777 till the
Spring of 1779, a period of two years,
when this deponent served during the
same period, with the exception of a
few weeks.
Isaiah Burdick
State of Rhode Island-Washington
County Ss. Town of Charlestown
October 7th 1834
Personally appeared the above
named deponent, Isaiah
Burdick, who before me gave and
subscribed the preceding 
deposition & was by me duly sworn to
the same according to law- I 
further certify that the said Isaiah
Burdick is well Known to me,
that he is a person of veracity &
that his testimony is entitled to
credit.-
Samuel Stanton Justice of Peace
Page 27

State of Rhode Island & Providence
Plantations
Washington [illegible]
I Samuel Helme Clerk of the Court of Common
Pleas of the County and State aforesaid do hereby certify that
Samuel Stanton Esq. on the Seventh and Perry Tucker Esqr.
on the Twenty first day of October 1834 were Justices of the
Peace in and for said County duly Commissioned and qualified
and that Signature annexed to the preceeding [preceding] certificate
regarding Isaiah Burdick and that Signature annexed to
the preceeding [preceding] certificate regarding Joseph Whaley I believe
to be the proper hand Writing of the said Samuel Stanton
and Perry Tucker
respectively
In Testimony whereof I have hereto
set my hand and Affixed the
Seal of said Court this Twenty Second
Day of October in the year 1834
Sam. Helme Clk
[sawtooth edged round seal affixed to lower left edge of page; there is no writing on the seal]
Page 28

Isaiah Burdick of Charlestown in the
County of Washington & State of Rhode Island
on oath testifieth that he is seventy three
years of age and that he never knew at
any time either at Tivertown or elsewhere
any person by the name of Sylvanus Bendick
This deponant forbears here to repeat the
Revolutionary service at Tivertown &c
either of himself or Sylvester Burdick
which he has heretofore detailed in his
depositions for the said Sylvester Burdick
now in possession, as he is informed of
the War Department.
Isaiah Burdick
State of Rhode Island
Washington
On this 16th day of September AD 1835.
personally appeared the above named
deponant Isaiah Burdick, who before me
gave and subscribed the preceding deposition 
and was by me according to law thereto
Sworn. I further certify that the said Isaiah
Burdick is personally known to me, that he
is a credible witness and that his Testimony
is intitled to credit.
Joshua Clark Justice of the peace
Page 29

Ebenezer Smith of South Kingstown in the
County of Washington and State of Rhode Island
on oath saith that he is seventy eight
years of age, that he is well acquainted with
Sylvester Burdick of Charlestown
in the aforesaid County and was so acquainted 
with him during the Revolutionary war.
This Deponent also says that he served
at Tivertown in the State of Rhode Island
against the enemy from the spring of 1777-
till some time in the month of March 1778
in Captain Dyer's Company, Tophams Regt
in the State line & remembers that the
said Sylvester Burdick served there during the
same time in the grade of a Sargeant
under Capt. or Major Adams in Col. Elliott
Regt of Artillery - This deponent further
says that he never knew in said service
at Tiverton or any where else a person by the
name of Sylvanis Burdick.
Ebenezer Smith his X mark
State of Rhode Island
Washington County } Sc
September 14 A. D. 1835
Personally appeared the aforenamed
Ebenezer Smith before me gave and subscribed 
the preceding deposition and was by me
thereto duly sworn according to law; and I also
further certify that the said Ebenezer Smith
is personally known to me, that he is a
credible witness and that his testimony is 
intitled to credit
Asa Potter Just.
Page 30

Thomas Ray of Westerly in the County of Washington
and State of Rhode Island on Oath Deposeth and saith
that he is Eighty two years of age, and is well 
acquainted with Sylvester Burdick who resides in the
adjoining Town of Charlestown in said County of 
Washington, and this Deponent says that he, this Deponent
Enlisted in the month of March 1777 into Captain
Ebenezer Adams’ Company of Artillery, in Colonel
Elliot’s Regiment of Artillery in the State line
for a period of one year, which period he served
out in the above said Company and Regiment in
the State line at Tiverton in the State of Rhode Island;
and further says that the said Sylvester Burdick
served in the aforementioned Company and Regiment
in the Grade of Second Sergeant during the whole of
the aforesaid period with this Deponent; and this
Deponent says that he, this Deponent at the End of
his said years service in March 1778 was discharged
at Tiverton and returned to said Westerly, but the said
Burdick this deponent distinctly remembers there at said Tiverton
Enlisted again into said Company and Regiment for
another years service which this Deponent has always
understood the said Sylvester served out in the grade of
a Sergeant: this Deponent further says he never knew
either in the aforementioned company or Regiment a
Soldier by the name of Sylvanus Burdick.
Thomas Ray
State of Rhode Island
Washington Ss
on this tenth day of June AD 1835
Personally appeared the above named Thomas Ray
who before me gave and subscribed the preceding
Deposition and was by me duly sworn thereto be
ding to Law: I do further certify that the said Thomas
Ray is personally well known to me, and that he is a person
of veracity, and his Testimony is entitled to credit.
Samuel Stanton Just of the Peace
Page 31

Deposition of Edward Willcox Esq.
Page 32

Edward Willcox of Charles town in the
County of Washington & State of Rhode
Island, on oath saith he is seventy five
years of age and has from early youth
been acquainted with Sylvester Burdick
of said Charlestown, the native town of the
said Sylvester & this deponent - where
for the most part up to the present
time they have both resided within a
short distance of each other. 
And this deponent remembers, that the
said Sylvester Burdick was several 
years absent from said town of
Charlestown in the war of the Revolution
and was then and ever since has been, well
understood to have been, by this deponent
& the people generally of said Charlestown,
in the military service in 
defence of his country; first in Col. Lippitts
Regiment, during, this deponent
thinks, the year 1775, a part of the time
on the Island of R. Island, and a part of
the time at the Westward, and afterwards,
from some time in the spring of 1777
Capt. Ebenezer Adams Regiment of
Page 33

Artillery at Tivertown in the State of
Rhode Island for a period of two
years. And this deponent, although
he was not in the service with the
said Burdick, knows that his (Burdick's) 
said services were, at the
periods they were performed, a subject
of general notoriety to the people of
said Charlestown, where he then 
belonged, & where his parents and other
family relatives then lived, & his
said services have, up to this present
time, been so well understood and
recognized in Charlestown, not only
by several persons who were in the
service with him, but by the people
generally, that his services never have,
this deponent believes, been there questioned
by any person - And this deponent 
further says, he never knew any
person by the name of Sylvanus Burdick.
Edward Willcox
State of Rhode Island &c
Washington County Sc.
On this 13th day of
October 1835 personally appeared the
Page 34

aforenamed deponent, Edward Willcox
who before me gave and subscribed
the foregoing deposition, & was by
me thereto sworn according to Law.
I also certify that the said
Willcox is personally well known
to me; that he is a person of veracity
and that his testimony is entitled to
credit.
Asa Potter
Justice of the Peace
Page 35

found on Muster Rolls
of Adams Co. Elliotts reg
Bundle No 17 Sub. 1
As Sergt 77.78.79
Admd
24 Mo. Sergt Artilly
120 $
Page 36

I William P. Newell of South 
Kingstown in the County of Washington
and State of Rhode Island, depose
and say, that in August or 
September 1832 at the request of
Sylvester Burdick of Charlestown
in the aforementioned County
I advised & assisted him in his
application for a pension under the
act of Congress of June 1832,
and at that time the said Burdick 
stated to me that his
two years service at Tivertown
Rhode Island, in Col Elliot’s 
Regt of artillery, from the
spring of 1777 till the sprng
of 1779 was in the grade of
sergeant & suggested that he
was intitled to the pay of a
sergeant & the expediency
of stating the grade, in which
he served in his declaration.
But, at the time, his declaration 
was drawn up, I was
not conversant with said
act of Congress, and being
then informed, from a source 
in which I reposed implicit
Page 37

confidence, that by the 
construction of the War Department
of the act, a non commissioned
officer was but as a private
and entitled to no more 
pension than a private soldier
I accordingly advised the said 
Burdick that such was the
construction of the act, and
that the statement of the
fact, that his service was in
the year of Sergeant, would
be unnecessary & useless, in
consequence of which advice, the
statement of the grade of 
sergeant in the original declaration
of the said Burdick was
omitted.
Wm P. Newell
Washington County Sc. State of Rhode Island &c
Oct. 10 A.D. 1835
Personally appeared the aforenamed
William P. Newell who before me gave and 
subscribed the preceding Deposition and was
by me thereto duly sworn according to Law.
I further certify that the said William P.
Newell is personally well known to me, that
he is a person of veracity and that
his testimony is entitled to full credit
Asa Potter
Page 38

State of Rhode Island Providence Plantations 
Washington County sc.
I George Robinson Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court of the County & State aforesaid do hereby Certify that Samuel Stanton on tenth day of June 1835.-- was A Justice of the Peace in and for said County duely [duly] Commissioned and qualified and that signature annexed to the preceding Certificate regarding Thomas Ray.  I believe to be the proper hand writing of the said Samuel Stanton, that Joshua Clarke was on the Sixteenth day of September 1835-  A. Justice of the Peace in and for said County duely [duly] Commissioned and qualified and those signatures annexed to the preceding Certificates regarding Sylvester Burdick and Isaiah Burdick I believe to be the proper hand writing of the said Joshua Clarke and that Asa Potter was on the fourteenth of September the Thirteenth & 
Six teenth [sic] of October 1835.  A. Justice of the Peace duely [duly] Commissioned and qualified in and for said County and those signatures annexed to the preceding Certificates Regarding Ebenezer Smith Edward Willcox and William P. Newel I believe to be the proper hand writing of the said Asa Potter
In Testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Supreme Judicial Court this 16 day of October A. D. 1835, 
Geo Robinson  Clk
Page 39

3—871.
RECORD DIVISION.
Department of the Interior,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Brifed by S. D. L
Claim No. _______________________
Certificate No. __________________
Claimant_________________________
Soldier  Sylvester Burdick
Capt. Christipher Dyer & Ebenezer Adams
Col. Christopher Dyer   Col. Elliott
Service  R. I.
Additional Service  Rev War
No_____ claim, State records________, 190___
No claim, combination records ______. 190___
REMARKS:
No claim except
Invd.# 12354
0-8
Chief Division