Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 21,951, for Ebenezer Perkins, Massachusetts
Page 1

According to the records in this file, Ebenezer Perkins was married to Mary (Pratt) (nickname Molly) in Bridgewater, Plymouth MA. He served for more than two years, enlisting in both Bridgewater and Peterborough MA. Unfortunately he died before making a full declaration of his service (he was reportedly told by the Judge in his first declaration he only needed to document nine months for the first pension act of 1818.) His widow appealed after his death, and the additional pension was awarded retroactively; unfortunately, Mary had died by the time the application was approved and it was paid to the surviving heirs of Ebenezer and Mary. According to the depositions of family and fellow soldiers and neighbors during the appeal process, Ebenezer was a guard for Andre and was at his execution, he was at Valley Forge and several other important battles and skirmishes. On 28 Dec 1852 the children named were: Simeon & Solomon of Bridgewater; Thomas & Ozias of Hanson, Plymouth co, MA; Aaron of (or late of) Danbury CT; Minerva (Perkins) Edson, wife of Allen Edson residents of Braintree, Norfolk MA; and Ebenezer of Barryville, Sullivan, NY
Page 2

(left side written vertically)
Notification sent October 18 1820 to John B. Thomas, Plymouth, Masstts.

(right side)
5563
Massachusetts
Ebenezer Perkins private
Massachusetts nine months in the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War.

Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 1 of Apri 1818

Certificate of Pension issued the 21 of Jany 1819 and sent to Nahum Mitchell judge East Bridgwater Mass

Arrears to 4th of Sepr 1818 - 5 4/30  41.06
Semi=anl. all'ce ending 4 March 1819  48.
$89.06

Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March, 1818.

Bridgwater
Continued
Page 3

672
Massachusetts
Mary Perkins decd
widow of Ebenezer Perkins
Mass.
who served in the Revolutionary War as a Priv & Corp'l
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 96 dollars ~ Cents per Annum to Commence on the [4th day of March 1848 lined through] 1 July 1848 ending 25 April 1859
Certificate of Pension Issued the 7th day of January 1853 and sent to E. P. Little H. of R.
Recorded on the Roll of Pensioners under act February 2 1818. Page 124 Vol. 2
Page 4

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Plymouth SS
I Jacob H. Loud Register of Probate for said County do hereby certify that Philo Leach Esqr is a Justice of the Peace in & for said County & that the signatures to the several annexed affidavits purporting to be signed by him are his true & genuine signatures. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of the Court of Probate for said County this eighth day of September 1838.
Jacob H. Loud
Page 5

1484
Mary Perkins

Admitted
Pri 16 mo 16 days $55.10

died 2 Nov 1824
(illegible)

(illegible - faded)

J H Loud
Page 6

"Copy from the Book of Records of Marriages belonging to the Town of Bridgewater in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Seventeen Hundred and Eighty Two August First Ebenezer Perkins and Molly Pratt, both of Bridgewater by the Rev John Shaw"

I certify that the above is a true copy of the Record with the exception of the date which is expressed on the Record in fair legible figures as follows  "1782 August 1st"
Mitchell Keith Town Clerk

I Mitchell Keith above named , depose and say that I hold the office of Town Clerk of Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that the above is a true extract from the Records of said  town with the exception above named as certified by me
Mitchell Keith Town Clerk of Bridgewater Massachusetts 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Plymouth County SS July 23 1838. Sworn to before me
Philo Leach, Justice of the Peace
Page 7

I Solomon Perkins of Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts do depose testify & say that I was well acquainted with Ebenezer Perkins of said Bridgewater a Revolutionary Pensioner under the Act of the 18th of March 1818 and I further say that the said Ebenezer Perkins died on the second day of November one thousand eight hundred & twenty three and that I was present when he died
[signed] Solomon Perkins
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Plymouth County p.
Be it known that on the went seventh day of July one thousand eight hundred & thirty eight Personally appeared the above named Solomon Perkins who is a man of truth & veracity before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace for & within the County of Plymouth and made oath that the above by him subscribed is true
[signed] Philo Leach } Justice of the Peace
Page 8

I Thomas Pope of Halifax in the County of Plymouth in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts depose testify and say that I was well acquainted with Ebenezer Perkins late of Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts a Soldier of the American Revolution that in the years on thousand seven hundred and seventy nine & eighty I was a Soldier in the company commanded by Captain Luther Bailey which was mustered into Col. John Bailey's Regiment for nine months campaign at West Point that Ebenezer Perkins of said Bridgewater was a Soldier in said company and served there nine months
[signed] Thomas Pope

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Plymouth County p.
Be it known that on the third day of August in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight Personally appeared Thomas Pope above named who is a man of truth and veracity Before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace for and within the County of Plymouth and made oath that the above by him subscribed is true.
[signed] Philo Leach } Justice of the Peace
Page 9

I Elijah Storrs of Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts depose testify and say that I was well acquainted with Ebenezer Perkins late of said Bridgewater a Revolutionary Soldier and a Pensioner under the Act of Congress of the 18 of March 1818 that in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight I was a Soldier in the company Commanded by Capt. Nathan Perkins which was mustered into Col Carpenter's Regiment at Rhode Island and that Ebenezer Perkins aforesaid was a Soldier in said company and served therein six weeks I well recollect  that in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy six the said Perkins was absent a number of months and I have after heard him say that he was in the Army at that time in the City of New York, and at the retreat out of the City
[signed] Elijah Storrs

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Plymouth  County p.
Be it known that on the third day of August in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight, Personally appeared Elijah Storrs above named  who is a man of truth and veracity before me the subscriber & Justice of the Peace for and within the County of Plymouth and made oath that the above by him subscribed is true.
[signed] Philo Leach } Justice of the Peace
Page 10

I Jacob Perkins of Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts depose testify and say that I am well acquainted with Mary Perkins a Resident of said Bridgewater widow of Ebenezer Perkins late of said Bridgewater a Revolutionary Pensioner deceased, whose maiden name was Mary or as oft times written Molly Pratt. And I further say that I was Acquainted with the said Mary or Molly Pratt previous to her marriage with the said Ebenezer Perkins and have known her ever since said Marriage and that Mary Perkins now a resident of said Bridgewater and an applicant for a Pension under the Act of Congress of the 7th of July 1858 is the identical person who was married to the said Ebenezer Perkins in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty two and who resided with him until his death
Jacob Perkins
[sworn before Philo Leach, Justice of the Peace, county of Plymouth Massachusetts 29 Aug 1838]
Page 11

Ebenezer Perkins 
5563
Jany 1819
Con
Page 13

"I Ebenezer Perkins of Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts now in the sixty seventh year of my age depose, set forth and declare that I was a soldier in the late Revolutionary War with Great Britain in the Continental establishment. I first was drafted into Capt. James Allen's Company and Col Simeon Cary's Regiment in the spring (and I think in the month of April) in the year 1776 for six months. I served my term of six months out. In the year 1779 in the spring I again was drafted into Capt Luther Bailey's Company and Col John Bailey's Regiment for nine months service. I was soon shifted into Capt. Wright's Company of artificers where I served my said time out - I was after this drafted into the second Company commanded, I think, by Capt Taylor and in the Second Regiment for six months in the month of July in the year 1780 I served my time out - & afterward took another soldier's place & served about two months more and then in the month of April 1781 I left the army; and at the close of all my service aforesaid I received an honorable discharge, although I never have possessed any written certificate thereof, and all said service was in the Massachusetts line-
Ebenezer Perkins
Sworn to April 1 AD 1818"
Page 14

I Ebenezer Perkins do further set forth and declare that from my reduced circumstances I need the assistance of my country for support. I further testify and say that Thomas Pope of New Bedford or Fairhaven was with me in the nine months service and came home with me. And I have no further evidence of my service in my power.
Ebenezer Perkins

This additional declaration was sworn to before me this 6th day of May 1818.
Nahum Mitchell Judge

on roll vol 27 for 6 mo 1780
Page 15

unto set my hand & the seal of the Court of Probate for said County this seventh day of August 1838
Jacob H. Loud

(written vertically) 
9 mo.  pri   30.
6 mo pri   20.
1 mo  16 pri  5.10

died 2 Nov 1824
(illegible) list

on roll vol 22
page 50 Capt N Packer
from 25 July to Sep 9 1978
1 mo 16

(written upside down on page underneath)
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Page 16

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Plymouth County SS
On this seventh day of August in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight personally appeared before me Wilkes Wood Judge of the Court of Probate for said County of Plymouth in open court Mary Perkins a resident of Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts aged seventy five 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 7th 1838 entitled "an Act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows." That she is the widow of Ebenezer Perkins of said Bridgewater who was a soldier in the War of the American Revolution and a Pensioner of the United States under the Act f Congress passed on the 18th day of March 1818 and that according to the best of my knowledge and belief he served three or four years during the war to wit - in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy six in the City of New York in one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven from loss of memory am unable to state in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight six weeks at Rhode Island in the company commissioned by Capt Nathan Packard which was mustered into Col Carpenters Regiment in one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine and eighty: nine months in the company commissioned by Captain Luther Bailey which was mustered into Col John Baileys Regiment at West Point. She further declares that she was married to the said Ebenezer Perkins on the first day of August in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty two that her husband the aforesaid Ebenezer Perkins died on the second day of November one thousand eight hundred and twenty three and that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but that the marriage took place previous to the first day of January seventeen hundred and ninety four Viz at the time above stated
Mary Perkins

Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written before
N. B. the words "in open court" interlined by me at the time 
Wilkes Wood J. Prob
Page 18

Hon E. P. Little
H of R
Page 19

Declaration
of Simeon Perkins of Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts made in behalf of himself and Thomas Perkins of Hanson in the County of Plymouth, Solomon Perkins of Bridgewater aforesaid, Aaron Perkins now or late of Danbury in the State of Connecticutt, Minerva Edson the wife of Allen Edson of Braintree in the County of Norfolk, Ebenezer Perkins of Barryville in Sullivan County in the State of New York and Ozias Perkins of Hanover in the County of Plymouth being all; and the only surviving children of Mary Perkins late of Bridgewater aforesaid who died on the 25th day of April 1849 and who at the time of her death was a Pensioner of the United States. In order to obtain the benefit of the Joint Resolution of July 1st 1848.
On this twenty eight day of December in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty two Personally appeared
____
over
Page 20

Simeon Perkins a resident of the Town of Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace and sworn through all the Counties in the State of Massachusetts and who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the Benefit of the Joint Resolution of July 1st 1848. That his mother Mary Perkins who was a Pensioner of the United States (and who was the widow of Ebenezer Perkins of Bridgewater aforesaid who was a Pensioner of the United States) died on the 25th day of April 1849 without having received the benefit or increase of her Pension under the Joint Resolution of July 1 1848. That he and Solomon Perkins of Bridgewater aforesaid and Thomas Perkins of Hanson in the County of Plymouth and Aaron Perkins now or late of Danbury in the State of Connecticutt Minerva Edson the wife of Allen Edson of Norfolk in the State of Massachusetts Ebenezer Perkins of
Page 21

Barryville in Sullivan County in the State of New York and Ozias Perkins of Hanover in the County of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts are the only surviving children of Mary Perkins aforesaid.
Simeon Perkins 

Sworn & subscribed on the day and year within written, before me, Philo Leach Justice of the Peace And I hereby certify that the above named Simeon Perkins is personally known to me and that he is a man of truth and veracity & that Mary Perkins the mother of the said Simeon Perkins and others was also personally known to me and that the facts set forth in the declaration of the said Simeon Perkins so far as I know and believe are true
Philo Leach Just of the Peace

Washing 7th of Nov 1853 I hereby certify that Philo Leach of Bridgewater Mass is a Justice of the peace as set forth in the above declaration
Edward Little M. C.
Page 22

Rev
WIDOW, &c.

File No. 21951
Mary Perkins
widow of
Ebenezer Perkins
Corpl Rev War

Act Feb 29 '48
Index: Vol. M, Page 124
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 24

(left side)
Reptd

(right side)
672
Massachusetts
Mary Perkins
widow of Ebenezer Perkins who served in the Revolutionary war, as a pri & Corpl

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 75 Dollars 35 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1848.

Certificate of Pension issued the 13 day of July 1848 and sent to Hon, A. Hale H of R

Recorded on Roll of Pensioners under act February 2, 1848, Page 122 Vol. 2
Page 25

(left side)
1994
Massachusetts
Mary Perkins
widow of Ebenezer Perkins who was a Private in the MA line for 16 mo & 16 dy

Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 55 Dollars & 11 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843.

Certificate of Pension issued the 15th day of Sept. 1843 and sent to Philo Leach Bridgewater Mass

[Act of March 3, 1843.]
Recorded in Book A Vol. 1 Page 51

(right side)
Let. to Philp Leach Oct 7 '45
Let. to Philo Leach Mr. 9 '45
Page 73

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Secretary's Office, Boston:
Oct 21 1846

[typed form] I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that [handwritten] the name of Ebenezer Perkins is borne upon a Pay Roll of Capt Nathan Packards Company in Col Thomas Carpenter's Regt. as a private from July 25 to September 9 1778, 1 month & 16 days, upon this roll is also borne the name of Elijah Storrs mentioned in the annexed application. Upon a Pay Roll of the 6 Months' men raised in Bridgwater as a Corporal from July 12 1780 to January 1st 1781, including allowance the 240 miles travel, 6 Months & 13 days. Upon a list of 2nd Regt of 9 Months' Men C__ Bailey for the balance of their wages certified April 10 178(1) grade not given. Upon this roll is borne the name of Thomas Pope, also mentioned in the annexed application. ~~
[continued on next image #74]
Page 74

[continued from image 73, typed form] And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
[signed] John G. Palfrey
[typed form] Secretary of the Commonwealth