Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30,339, William Cory, Mass.
Page 1

(3-1776)
Service 
Mass. 

Cory, William 

Number
S. 30.339

Contents
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2 7536
Massachusetts
William Cory 
of Bristol in the State of Mass who was a private in the compy commanded by Captain Hicks of the Regt commanded by Colo Kempton in the Mass line for 24 months 
line for 24 months

Inscribed on the Roll of - Mass at the rate of 80 Dollars -  Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 

Certificate of Pension issued the 12th day of Aug. 1834 and sent to 
Hono. D. J. Pearce Newport RI

Arrears to the 4th of March 1834               $240
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4th Sept  "          40                                                                          $280

{Revolutionary Claim  Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by George Taylor Clerk
Book E Vol. 2 Page 15
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Declaration. 
State of Massachusetts
County of Bristol} SS. 
On this Seventh day of April AD 1834 personally appeared before me ABner B. Clifford's a Justice of the Peace of the town of Westport in the County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts duly Commissioned and engaged according to Law, William Cory of said Westport, in the County of Bristol, and State of Massachusetts, aged Seventy six years, the first day of January last past, who being first  duly Sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
     That he entered the service on the Ujnhited States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated - 

That he enlisted into Capt. William Hicks Company of Militia, of Dartmouth (now Westport) in Col. Thomas Kemptons Regiment in the latter part  of March, the precise day he does not recollect, in the year 1777. and Capt Hicks then marched  his Company to said Dartmouth Harbour, and now Westport and he immediately, commenced standing guard and on duty at said Harbour, and in said Company, from the best of his recollection until about the first of  September of said year, when troops were raised for Gen. Spencer's Expedition to the Island, of Rhode-Island, a part of Capt Hicks Company were detached, of which he was one, and part of all the Companys in Col. Kempton Regiment were also detached for said Expedition, and Capt Hicks had orders to March the Company, so detached, in which the applicant was one of its members, to Howlands ferry in Tiverton, in the State of Rhode-Island, and on our arrival there, Capt Hicks with all his Company,  [commended standing guard on the shores of Tiverton, oppisit  the Island of Rhode - Island where he remained on guard, and on duty, from the best his recollection about six weeks, and Capt. Hicks had orders to March that part of his former Company, that were detached for said Expedition, to said Dartmouth Harbour, which he did, and he immediately commenced standing guard, and so continued to stand guard, and on duty until the last of December,  and Capt Hicks then dismissed his Company, as there was no fear of the enemy coming into said Harbour, in the seveare winter weather, making his term of service on guard, and in Spencers Expedition, in the yeare 1777. nine months certain, and he believes a few days more  - 

On the latter part of March AD. 1778 the precise day he does not recollect, Capt William Hicks again called out his Company of Militia belonging to the aforesaid Col. Thomas Kemptons Regiment, to stand guard at said Dartmouth Harbour of which applicant  was still a member -
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and he then commenced standing guard, and on duty, and so continued to do, until the last of July, or the first of August, he cannot say which, it being in the time of Gen. Sullivans Expedition on Rhode-Island, he with some others was detached from Capt. Hicks Company, and placed under a recruiting officer, and immediately marched on to Rhode-Island, and there delivered to Capt. Robert Earl, and he joined his Company of Militia, belonging to Col. Titcombs Regiment, and he was immediately on duty, in which he and all of the American Army, had two days of hard fighting with the enemy on Quaker hill, Buttes hill, and at other places, and there was a considerable number killed, and wounded, on both sides, the American Army, had nearly one whole Regiment killed, and part of many others, and the enemy coming to strong for us,  the American Army made their retreat off the Island, to Tiverton, crossing the River at Howlands Ferry, taking with us all the live stock that we could collect on our retreat, nearest the River, at Howlands Ferry to Tiverton. on his arrival at Tiverton, he commenced standing guard in Capt Earls Company, at and near Howlands Ferry, he believes about two weeks, when Capt Earl had orders to March his Company to Pautucsett Village, on the west side of Providence River, and he the applicant and some others were detached from Capt. Earls Company, to go to Providence in a a Boat, to carry some arms that belonged to some of the Regiments, that were killed on Rhode-Island, and he and the others that were detached embarked in the Boat, and on their arrival at Providence, they discharged their Boat, then marched to Pautucsett, and there joined Capt Earls Company again, he then commenced standing guard, and continued to stand guard, and on duty, about eight weeks, and was then discharged from Capt Earls Company making his term of service under Capt Earl about eleven weeks, and immediately returned to Dartmouth, and gained his former Company, commanded by Capt Hicks had orders to dissmis his Company, as there was no fear of the enemy coming into said Harbour, in the sevear winter weather,  making his terms of service, on guard and in Sullivans Expedition, in the AD 1778. nine months or more - 
On or near the last of March the exact day he does not recollect but well recollects, that it was in March AD.1779.  Capt Hicks again called out his Company, of which the applicant was still a member, to stand guard at said Dartmouth Harbour, (now Westport) and he with the rest of the Company immediately commenced standing guard, at said Dartmouth Harbour, and so continued to stand guard, and on duty, from the aforesaid latter part of March AD. until the tenth day of November, in the said  year 1779. and was then discharged. it being the first time that he 
had been discharged
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from Capt Williams Hicks Company after he enlisted into said Company on the latter part of March AD. 1777. making his term of service in the year 1779. seven months, and then days certain, and he believes one or two day more - 

On the first of Aril AD 1780. he with seventeen others enlisted under Capt William Hicks, in COl. Thomas Kemptons Regiment for six months, to stand guard at said Dartmouth Harbour, in certain conditions, their listing orders particularly specifying, that they should not be moved from said Dartmouth Harbour. and he commended standing  guard, and on duty, on said first of April, and  so continued about four weeks, when Capt Hicks presented to him,new listing orders, which were, that if he would list to go any where in the County, during the remainder of the six months if requested to. that their pay should be increased to sixteen dollars per month and should have one hundred dollars Bounty. and he and four others out of the eighteen enlisted to the new listing orders, and were subject to be moved to any part of the County. he further [crossed out] states that the object for having this guard to stand at said Harbour, was to prevent small vessels from going out of said Harbour, that occationally would go out of said Harbour, in the night time, and carry provision and stores to the enemy after they left Rhode- Island, and the town of Newport, and that they did bring to, and take possession of a number of small vessels, during the aforesaid six months which had provisions and stores on board - the first four weeks of said guard, they were stationed at Nathaniel Richmonds, about one mile from said Harbour, and complaint being made that it was to great a distance to go to relieve guard, and they were then removed to [illegible] Palmers, at said Harbour, where he, and the others remained, the remained of the Six months, and he continued to stand guard , and on duty , at said Harbour, until his Six months had expired, and was then discharged.  but had no written discharge,  nor did he ever have one, during his whole terms of service,  his aforesaid declaration he has stated from perfect recollection, and herewith is annexed the depositions of two substantial witnesses, that have stated their knowledge of his services, from  good recollection, which are the only two that are now liveing, that ever served with him, his different terms of service being as follows in the year AD. 1777. was nine months or more, in the year AD.  1778. nine months or more, in the AD. 1779. seven months and then days, and in the year AD. 1780. six months  this making his whole terms of actual service dureing the Revolutionary War  thirty one months and 10 days certain, and he believes a few days over, and that he was a private during the whole terms of his service.

I was born in the town of Dartmouth (now Westport) in the County of Bristol in the State of Massachusetts, on the first day of January, in the year AD. 1758.
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I have a record of my age, in my great Bible, it was my Fathers family record , in his own hand writeing. 

I was liveing in Dartmouth (now Westport) when called into service, and lived there since, and now live there. 

I enlisted into the service, dureing the Revolutionary War, in all my terms of service 

I have stated the names of the officers that I served under, in my declaration. and also, that I belonged to the Militia, dureing the whole terms of my service. 

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever, do 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 afraid.
Abner B. Gifford Justice of Peace 
WIlliam Cory 

And I do hereby declare my opinion after the investigation of the matters 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 I do further Certify that it appears to me that Alfred Brownell and Daniel Woodworth who has signed the precedeing Certificate are residents in the Town of Westport, and are credible persons, and that their statements is entitled to credit.

I further Certify that the aforesaid William Cory by reasons of bodily infirmity is unable to appear - or attend any Court out of his own house where he has been confined nearly all the time for five years last past, that I administered the oath aforesaid to him at his Dwelling House in Westport aforesaid. -  And I do further certify that there is no Judge of any Court of Record liveing within twenty five miles of said William Cory.  That it would be attended with very great inconvenience and expense to procure a Judge of the Court of Records to attend at the Dwelling House of the said Cory - 
Abner B. Gifford Just. of the Peace
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30 339
INVALID. 
Revy
[illegible]

[illegible] NO. 30,339
William Cory 

Pri Rev War
Act: June 7th 32
Index:- Vol. G, Page 82
[Arrnngement of 1870.]
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Aug 11th 
R.J...

Hon  D J Pearce

[illegible] [illegible] 
[seal illegible]
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[illegible]
Dulin J. Pearce

[illegible] Edwards Esq

Commissioner of Pensions 
Washington, D.C.
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Newport August 8th  1839
Sir, 
I now return you the papers of William Cory he haveing obtained from  Mr Bangs  the [illegible] of Massachusetts, all the information concerning his case, which this office would afford

As this office [illegible] and has some time [illegible] [illegible] may I request you [illegible]  [illegible]  with as little delay as possible,  send to me when [illegible] the certificate 
very respectfully yours 
Dulin J. Pearce

J. L. Edwards, Esq
Commissioner of Pensions}
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 
Secretary's Office, July 17th 1834

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 the name of William Cory, as a private, is borne on an abstract of the fray of Capt Robert Park's company, in Col. Josiah Whitney's Regt" where he is allowed from August 26th to Sept 11th 1775, seventeen days . . . . ,. m. d. 
Wm Cory's name as a Corporal is borne on a payroll for men raised by order of Court of June 22nd 1779. for the defence of the Town of Dartmouth," where he is allowed from Sept 1st to November 21st 1779. two months and twenty one days . . . 2 = 21

William Cory's name, as a private is borne on a payroll of Capt. Wm. Hick's company in Col. John  Sullivan's Regt. where he is allowed from August 4th to the 9th 1780, I've days - 5
3 13
Wm Cory claims for further services under Capt Wm Hick's in 1777, '78, '79 & '80 but the Rolls he describes are not found in this office except for those mentioned. 
Edward [illegible] Bangs  [illegible]
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We Daniel Woodworth, and Alfred Brownell, of the town of Westport, in the County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with William Cory, who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration, that we believe him to be seventy six years of age, that his is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a Soldier of Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. 
Alfred Brownell
Daniel Woodworth 
Witness Abner B. Gifford


State of Massachuseetts
Bristol S.S. Westport April 7, 1834 personally came before me the subscriber  at the Dwelling House of the aforesaid William Cory, the above named Alfred Brownell and Daniel Woodworth one of which is now living in the same House with said Cory and the other a near neighbor, and both well known to me as credible persons - and made oth that the foregoing statement by them subscribed is true. and I further Certify that there was no Clergyman which could conveniently be obtained to Certify as above, without great inconvenience and expense, and also that the aforesaid deponents live at least twenty five miles from the residence of the Judge of Probate  for said County of Bristol. - and also that the said William Cory - the applicant is so infirm that he cannot leave his house. 
Abner B. Gifford Just. of Peace
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I Sylvester Brownell of Little Compton, in the County of Newport, and State of Rhode-Island, on Oath do testify and say. that I will remember William Cory of Dartmouth (now Westport) in the County of Bristol, and State of Massachusetts in the year AD. 1777. aged about seventy six years. that we belonged to a Company, of Militia, commanded by Capt. William Hicks of said Dartmouth in Col. Thomas Kemptons Regiment, I well remember that on or near the last of March of said year AD. 1777. Capt. Hicks, called out his Company, to stand guard at Dartmouth Harbour (now Westport) and said guard was kept up from the aforesaid latter part of March AD. 1777. from the best of recollection, until about the last of December following, and said William Cory, immediately commenced standing guard in said Company, and at said Dartmouth Harbour, and continued to stand guard, and for a considerable part of the afraid term of time, but precisely how much I cannot say, as I was on guard all the time myself, I think he was absent from the guard at one time, between one and two months, at the time that troops were raised, to go on to Rhode-Island, in Gen. Spencers Expedition, for which service a part of our Company were drawn out, but I was not, and on or about the aforesaid last of December, Cpt Hicks dismissed his Company, as there was no fear of the enemy coming into said Harbour, in the sevear winter weather, and our Company, continued to be dismissed, until about the the last of March AD. 1778. the precise day I do not recollect, Capt William Hicks again called out his Company, to stand guard at said Dartmouth Harbour, and said Company immediately commenced standing guard, and so continued to do, until about the last of December following, and said William Cory, commenced standing guard in said Company, at said Harbour, and continued to stand guard, a considerable part of said term, but how much of it, I do not remember, as I was not on guard all of the time myself, I recollect, that he was absent from the guard at one time, I think, nearly three months, at the time of Gen. Sullivan's Expedition on Rhode-Island for some of Company was drawn out for said Expedition, and I believe said Cory was one among them and after his tour was ever in said Expedition he commenced standing guard as before and about the aforesaid last of December, Capt. Hicks again dismissed his Company, and so continued to be dismissed, until about the last of March AD. 1779. when Capt William Hicks again called out his Company to stand guard at said Dartmouth Harbour, and said Cory, commenced standing guard again, and said guard, was kept up, until the fore part of November, the precise day I don't recollect, I recollect that it was a few days after the English left Rhode-Island, and said Cory continued on said guard, but how long I cannot say certain, as I was not on guard all the time myself, but I am [illegible] that he was on guard at said Dartmouth Harbour, fifteen months and how much more I don't know, and Capt . Hicks then discharged his Company, and said Cory was a private dureing the whole time he was on guard. [crossed out] and I further say, that from the best of my recollection, that there was a guard kept up in there AD. 1780. by the same Company that kept the guard the three years before, but I did belong
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to said guard, nor did I stand any dureing that year, and how many the guard consisted of or how long they stood I cannot say certain
Sylvester  Brownell
Attest Sylvester Gifford

Newport Cy. Little Compton April 3d -1834 personally appeared before me, the above named Sylvester Brownell, and made oath, to the truth of the written and above Deposition, by him Signed, and I further certify and say, that the said Sylvester Brownell is will know to me, and that he is a credible witness in the premises - by me - 
Sylvester Gifford Justice Peace

I hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Sylvester Gifford [illegible] who subscribed  [illegible] [illegible] [illegible][illegible]
Certificate and that he is Magistrate duly qualified, and that the signature to the above Certificate is his true and genuine signature.

In testimony whereof I have set my hand and affixed my seal of Office this third day of April AD 1834. 
[illegible] Probate Clerk.
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I John Wood of Westport, in the County of Bristol, and State of Massach-usetts, aged Eighty two years, on Oath do testify and say, that I am well acquainted with William Cory of Said Westport, in the County of Bristol, and State of Massachusetts, and have lived within one mile of each other, for more than Seventy six years, and have frequently seen each other during our lives, I well recollect of seeing said William Cory on the Island of Rhode Island, some time in the month of August AD. 1778. the precise day I do not  recollect, but I believe it was about the middle of the month. I well recollect that it was the last part of Gen. Sullivan's Expedition on Rhode-Island, that the curiosity to go on the Island, to see how the two armys managed, although a spectator, was an eye witness of the great battles at Quaker hill, and  Buttses hill, and I there see the said William Cory, in Capt. Robert Earls Company.  some of the army then being on their retreat, crost the river to Tiverton, and the next day at night, the main army made their retreat to the shore, to come over the river to Tiverton, and that night I was imployed by Capt. Gideon Simmons of Little Compton, who had charge of a boat, to held bring the army acrostic the river to Tiverton, to take his place, he being much out of health, I well recollect that I had a hard nights work, and that I see said William Cory come acrost the river that night, with the army from Rhode-Island to Tiverton, and he then belonged to Capt Earls Company, the next morning I came home, and did not see him again for more than two months. I well recollect that I see him again, he told me that he had a considerable tour after I left him at Tiverton, before he got home, that he was on guard at Howlands Ferry, a week or two, and then Capt. Earl marched his Company to Pautucksett, and he was on guard there about two months, before he was discharged, and I also well recollect of the guard that was kept up at Dartmouth Harbour, and that said WIlliam Cory belonged to it,  for I stood two nights in same guard with him, on an alarm, and so did many others did not belong to the guard, in consequence of two English armed ships, coming to anchor off said Dartmouth Harbour , which lay there two days and then went off, I cannot say certain how long the guard was kept up, at said Dartmouth Harbour, but from the best of my recollection, I am well assured that the said guard, was kept up for the greater part of four years, I well recollect, that the guard was not  kept up in winter season, I should think proba it was not kept up for about three months, in each winter, but the precise time I cannot now recollect, and I am well assured that said William Cory, belonged said guard, all the time that it was kept up, except whilst he was absent, in Gen Spencers, and Gen Sullivans Expeditions. 
John Wood
Witness Abner B. Gifford
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Bristol County S. s.
Westport April 7 AD. 1834

Then personally appeared before  me the subscriber the within named John Wood and made oath that the within deposition by him subscribed is true. And I further Certify that said Wood is well known to me, that he is a credible witness and that his statement is entitled to full credit. 
Abner B. Gifford Just. of Peace 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts-
Bristol Ss. I Anselm Bassett Register of the Court of
Probate in and for said County, do hereby
certify that Abner B. Gifford is a Justice of the
Peace in and for said County, and that the
foregoing signatures to the foregoing certificate
purporting to be his are his genuine signatures -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and affixed the seal of said Court of Probate
this fourteenth day of April Eighteen hundred
and thirty four
A Bassett
307 18
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William Cory 
30718
Abner B Gifford [crossed out]
Westpord
Bristol CO 
Mass

Seal [illegible]

Wm Cory 
[Crossed out]
Adm
24 m pri
Capt. Hicks Col Kempton 

Hono.  D. J. Pearce 
Newport R.J.