Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 33260, Benjamin Frye, Mass.

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Service                                                             Number
Mass                  

Frye, Benjamin                      S33260

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Massachusetts Roll
1,118
Benjamin Frye
Capt Eatons Lieutenant
Jonathan Baldwin Corps art. 2 years 
In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War.

Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 20 Dollars per month, to commence on the 3rd of April 1818.

Certificate of Pension issued the 30th of June 1818, and sent to Saml. Putnam, Esq. 
Salem, Mass.

Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1818 

4 months 32/30. $101.33 -

Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March 1818.
Hon. W Silsbee


let to Wm D P King   March 5 1846
Salem Engr Co.  Reinstated

Reinstated by Hon'bl Secy. of War
16 Feb 1821

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1118
Lieut. Benj. Frye. June 1818
Salem
Not enti

age 68
disabld by disease
has $417 most of wh was giv'n to him.

Sept 1818

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Essex, ss.
At the Circuit Court of Common Pleas of the Middle Circuit, begun and holden at Salem, within and for the County of Essex, on the third Monday of June, A.D. 1820.
Present, Hon. Samuel Dana, Chief Justice. 
Hon.  William Wetmore, and 
Hon. Stephen Minot, Associate Justices.
In open Court here, being a Court of Record for said Circuit, proceeding according to the course of the common law, with a jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount, keeping a record of its proceedings and having the power of fine and imprisonment, Benjamin Frye resident in Salem in said Circuit, who is named in Pension Certificate No. 1118 now in his possession, of which the following is a true copy, to wit,
"War Department...Revolutionary Claim.
"I certify that, in conformity with the Law of the United States, of the 18th March, 1818, Benjamin Frye late a Lieutenant in the Army of the Revolution, is inscribed on the Pension List, Roll of the Massachusetts Agency, at the rate of twenty dollars per month, to commence on the third day of April one thousand eight hundred and eighteen. Given at the War of Office of the United states this thirtieth day of June one thousand eight hundred and eighteen.
J.C. Calhoun, Secretary of War,"  L.S.
appears, and exhibits to the Court here a Schedule, subscribed by him, as follows, to wit,
SCHEDULE,
containing his whole estate and income, his necessary clothing and bedding excepted, to wit,
An eighth of an acre of land on the side of a ledge of rocks with a wooden house, partly finished without a cellar, situate on the borders of Salem & Danvers.. $400.00
Old house furniture, ten chairs... 3.00
A looking glass, two tables, a bureau... 7.00
Two pots, two kettles, a shovel & tongs... 2.50
Crockery ware, spoons, knives, forks... 3.00

He has no income and has nothing due to him. He is sixty eight years of age was a blacksmith, but has been disabled the last seven years from work by the rheumatism which has crippled and bent his body.

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His family consists of his wife aged 64, his son Philip aged 26, who is non compos mentis and unable to maintain himself.
The house aforesaid was made habitable by widow Stedman his daughter who expended three hundred and fifty dollars on it and has not compelled him to repay the money. 
The said Frye has no income except his pension and without it would be unable to maintain himself.
He served from January 1, 1776 to the end of 1776 in Maj. Bacon's corps of Artificers in Massachusetts Line and from January 1777 to the end of the year under Capt. Eaton in Col. Baldwin's Regiment of artificers in same line.
Benjamin Frye
Sworn to and declared before
Wm Wetmore, Judge within named.

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and at the same time he produces to the Court here the following Oath, taken and subscribed by him, before the Hon. Wm Wetmore a Judge of said Court as aforesaid, to wit,
I, Benjamin Frye do solemnly swear, that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the eighteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and that I have not, since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner whatever, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress, entitled "an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war," passed on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and that I have not, or has any person in trust for me, any property, or securities, contracts, or debts, due to me; nor have I any income , other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed. So help me GOD.
Benjamin Frye.
Essex, ss. C.C.C.P. June, Term, A.D. 1820.
Then the abovenamed Benjamin Frye took and subscribed the aforewritten Oath before me Wm Wetmore Judge of said Court.
I, Ichabod Tucker, Clerk of the Court aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing Oath, and Schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of said Court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said Court, that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is four hundred and sixteen dollars
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said Court, at Salem, in said County of Essex, on this 17th day of July A.D. 1820
Attr. Ichabod Tucker, Clerk

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Benj Frye
Lieut. Of Artificers
Benj. Frye
See Journals of Continental Cong
vol. 2. p. 66

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The Declaration of Benjamin Frye, of Salem in the County of Essex in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, blacksmith: The said Benjamin Frye on oath declares that on the first day of January, A.D. 1776 he enlisted as a private in the corps of Artificers under the command of Maj. Bacon at Cambridge to serve one year, and there served until April following, when he marched with the Army to New York - that in  May following he was detached and marched with Gen. John Sullivan's Brigade up to Albany and to Canada - that, after the retreat of the Army to Ticonderoga, he remained there  in the continental service until the first day of January, A.D. 1777; - that he the Declarant was then ordered by Col. Jeduthan Baldwin the  Chief Engineer of the Northern Army, to accompany Capt. Ezra Eaton to Salem for the purpose of enlisting a Company of Artificers - that the said Declarant was then appointed a Lieutenant of Artificers by said Col. Baldwin - that the said Eaton and the Declarant with all possible despatch enlisted said Company and returned to the Ticonderoga - that the Declarant served as a Lieutenant in said corps at Ticonderoga, Stillwater, and Albany until the expiration of the year A.D. 1777; that he acted   in the capacity and received the full pay of a Lieutenant in Capt. Ezra Eaton's Company for a whole twelve months - that Col. Baldwin told the declarant he should have his Commission as soon as possible; but that the Army was continually in motion, and he said he had no opportunity to send to Gen. Washington to obtain the  same: and that at the end of the year 1777 he was honorably discharged: that all his papers and documents have long since been lost of which he had many: that he is now sixty five years of age, infirm, and by reason of his reduced circumstances in life is in need of assistance from his country for support. That the Declarant hereby relinquishes all his claim to every pension heretofore granted to him by the Laws of the United States.
 Benjamin Frye

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I Thomas Francis of Salem aforesaid, formerly a Captain in Col. Benj. Tupper's Regiment in the Massachusetts Line do on oath testify - That on the fifth day of April A D. 1777 I arrived with the Army at Ticonderoga - I there found Benjamin Frye within named - he then officiated as a Lieutenant of Artificers under Captain Eaton. I always supposed him to have a commission as a Lieutenant as he acted in that capacity and associated with the commissioned officers in a manner not permitted to privates and non commissioned officers - he acted as such the remainder of the year 1777.  After the surrender of Burgoyne he marched in the Army with me to Albany.
He is very poor and too infirm to labor. 
Tho Francis
[Additional Affidavit]
I Aaron Francis of Beverly, Gentleman, on oath testify that in April 1777 I was an Ensign in Capt. Greenleaf's company in Col. Francis Continental Regiment then stationed at Ticonderoga - Benj. Frye, now of Salem then arrived there with a Corps of artificers - I was well acquainted with him as I was Quartermaster, and as such had much intercourse with him. I know he always acted in the capacity of a Lieutenant of Artificers, he gave orders and was obeyed as such in Capt. Eaton's Company in Col. Baldwin's Regiment - he was treated as an officer by all the other officers - he continued to serve with us in command of the Blacksmith's at Ticonderoga, Stillwater and Albany till the end of the year 1777.
Aaron Francis

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
[illegible]: On this third day of April, A D. 1818 personally appeared before me Samuel Putnam one of the Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court of said Commonwealth the said Benjamin Frye and Thomas Francis and made Oath that the said declaration and affidavit by them respectively made are true: and it appearing to my satisfaction that said Benjamin Frye served more than nine months in the Revolutionary War on the Continental Establishment against the common enemy. I herewith certify the testimony in the case to the Department of War. Given under my hand and the seal of the said Court this third day of April. A D 1818.
S. Putnam
Just. S. J. Court
of Mass.

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Benj Frye
Lieut. of Artificers -
See Journal of Continent Cong
vol. 2. p. 66.
Benj Frye
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
[illegible] I, Ichabod Tucker, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts of said Commonwealth in & for the county of Essex, do certify that the Hon. Samuel Putnam is a Judge of said Supreme Judicial Court, that the within signature is his proper handwriting & that the seal hereto affixed is the seal of the said Court.
[illegible] Ichabod Tucker, Clerk

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Additional Proof
I, Jacob Reed of Salem in the County of ESSEX, in the COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, yeoman do on solemn oath testify and depose, as follows:-
That I served the first eight months of the War in Capt Gideon Foster's Company in Mansfield's Regiment near Boston - early in the year 1776 I enlisted and served one year in Col. Poor's Regiment and marched to New York, up the North River and to Canada and the Lakes and at the end of the year was discharged at Mount Independence by Capt Bell.
I know that Benjamin Frye now of Salem served as an Artificer, in the blacksmith corps, that campaign, and marched with us to Sorell in Canada - at the end of 1776, when my time was out I was discharged at Ticonderoga, and I left him there in the service.
Jacob Reed
X his mark
I, John Pope of Salem, Mass'tts, baker, on oath testify that I well remember that in the year 1776 Benjamin Frye was in the continental service; and in Nov. 1777 after the capture of Burgoyne I saw him in the Artificer Corps at Albany serving in the Army; I belonged to Capt. Buffington's Company of Mass'tts Militia then.
John Pope

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I David Foster of Danvers in Massachusetts, blacksmith, on oath testify;
That in Jan'y 1776 I enlisted as a blacksmith Artificer in Capt. Wm Bacon's Company of Artificers at Winter Hill, the camp of the continental service. Benjamin Frye of Salem in Jan'y 1776 was also serving as an Artificer in the same corps; we continued to serve at Cambridge till April 1776 when we marched with other continental troops to New York and the said Frye and myself marched in the army from New York under Gen. Sullivan up the north river to Canada, and served at Sorell, Chamblee, the Lakes, and Ticonderoga; and said Frye and I were honorably discharged at the last place on the first of Jan'y 1777 and returned home 
David Foster
 [illegible]: June.12.1818 Then the above named Jacob Reed, David Foster, and John Pope, severally subscribed and made oath to the aforewritten affidavits - before me
Benj Merrill Just:Pacis

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I, Lemuel Holt of Salem aforesaid blacksmith on oath testify,
That in the Summer of 1776 I enlisted for four months in Capt. Johnson's Company of Militia and marched to Ticonderoga: I there found Benjamin Frye, now of Salem, in the Continental service in Col. Baldwin's Corps of Artificers - said Frye was Superintendent of the blacksmiths: being short of hands, I was ordered to work under him and did work nearly three months in the fall of 1776 and knew said Frye served there then.  
 Lemuel Holt 
[illegible]. June.12.1818 The abovenamed Lemuel Holt subscribed and made oath to the above affidavit before me. 
Benj. Merrill Just. Pacis

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
ESSEX, ss.
I, SAMUEL PUTNAM, a Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth aforesaid, hereby certify, that the aforenamed Deponents, Thomas Francis Esq., Aaron Francis, David Foster, John Pope, and Jacob Reed ~ and Samuel Holt ~
are credible and disinterested witnesses; and that it appears to my satisfaction that the said Declarant was an officer,  a Lieutenant of Artificers and served in the Revolutionary Army on the continental establishment against the common enemy more than nine months at one period of continued service; and I further certify, that it appears to my satisfaction that the said Declarant is in reduced circumstances in life, and stands in need of assistance from his country for support.
Given under my hand and the seal of said Court this fifteenth day of June     Anno Domini 1818.
S. Putnam Just
S.J. Court of Mass"tts

I, Ichabod Tucker, Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court aforesaid, do certify, that the Hon. Samuel Putnam is a judge of said Court, that the above is his signature, that the seal affixed is the seal of said Court, that the within named Benjamin Merrill Esq. who has certified the aforewritten depositions, is a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Essex, duly empowered and qualified to administer oaths.
Ichabod Tucker, Clerk

PRINTED BY T.C. CUSHING, SALEM.

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O.W. & N. Division 
V.S.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D C., September 18, 1895
Sir:
In reply to your request for a statement of the military history of + BENJAMIN FRYE + a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau. S33260
DATES OF EMPLOYMENT OR APPOINTMENT 
LENGTH OF SERVICE 
RANK
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED 
CAPTAIN.
COLONEL.
STATE
See supplemental statement.
Battles engaged in, None.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Salem, Mass.
Date of application for pension, April 8, 1818.
Residence at date of application, Salem, Mass.
Age at date of application, Seventy-five years.
Remarks:
Jos. Sears, Esq.,
301 Tacoma Bldg.,
Chicago, Ill.
Very Respectfully,
Commissioner

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Revy
33960
INVALID.
File No.  33960
Benjamin Frye
Lieut  Rev War
Act: 18" March 1818
Index: -- Vol.- 2,  Page 144
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Sept 1895 History to Jos. Sears
301 Tacoma Bldg
Chicago, Ill.    M.C.

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
ESSEX, ss.

At the Circuit Court of Common Pleas of the Middle Circuit, begun and holden at Salem, within and for the County of Essex, on the third
Monday of June, A. D. 1820.
Present, Hon. SAMUEL DANA, Chief Justice.
Hon. WILLIAM WETMORE, and
Hon. STEPHEN MINOT, Associate Justices.

In open Court here, being a Court of Record for said Circuit, proceeding according
to the course of the common law, with a jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount, keeping a record of its proceedings, and having the power of fine and imprisonment, Benjamin Frye
resident in Salem
in said Circuit, who is named in
Pension Certificate No. 1118 now in his possession, of which the following is a true copy, to wit,
"WAR DEPARTMENT REVOLUTIONARY CLAIM
" I certify that, in conformity with the Law of the United States, of the 18th March, 1818,
Benjamin Frye late a Lieutenant
"in the Army of the Revolution, is inscribed on   the Pension List, Roll of the Massachusetts Agency, at the rate 
" of twenty dollars per month, to commence on the third
" day of April one thousand eight hundred and eighteen

L. S.
"Given at the War of Office of the United States, this thirtieth day of June  one thousand eight hundred and eighteen

J. C. CALHOUN, Secretary of War,"
appears, and exhibits to the Court here a Schedule, subscribed by him, as
follows, to wit,
SCHEDULE,
containing his whole estate and income, his necessary clothing and bedding
excepted, to wit,
an eighth of an acre of land on the side of
a ledge of rocks with a wooden house partly
finished, without a cellar, situate on the
borders of Salem & Danvers
$400.00
old house furniture ten chairs--3.00
a looking glass, two tables, a bureau--7.00
two pots, two kettles, a shovel & tongs-- 2.50
crockery ware, spoons, knives, forks-- 3.00

He has no income, and has nothing due
to him. He is sixty eight years of age
was a blacksmith, but has been disabled
the last seven years from work by the rheumatism, which has crippled

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crippled and beat his body:-
His family consists of his wife aged 64,
his son Philip, aged 26, who is now non compos mentis, and unable to maintain himself. The house aforementioned was made 
habitable by widow Stedman his daughter,
who expended three hundred and fifty dollars
on it and has not compelled him to repay the money.
The said Frye has no income except his pension, and without it would be unable to maintain himself.
He served from Jan'y 1. 1776. to end of
1776, in Maj. Bacon's corps of Artificers in
Mass"tts  line, and from Jan'y 1777 to the
end of the year under Capt Eaton in
Col. Baldwin's Regiment of Artificers is same line.
     Benjamin Frye

Sworn to

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Salem, Mass'tts, Nov. 6, 1820  The undersigned citizens of Salem, hereby certify that we are personally acquainted with Benjamin Frye, late a pensioner of the United States and know that he is decrepit with Rheumatism, and unable to walk without a staff: he is disabled & has been many years, from pursuing his occupation of a Blacksmith and now can earn nothing. All his property is the small tenement in which he lives, which was chiefly given to him by his daughter, who has ceased to be able to do anything towards the support of her father.

Ichabod Nichols, Caleb Smith, John C. Smith, Michael Putnam, Bancroft Winchester, Jacob B. Winchester, Joseph Putnam {Neighbors}

John Andrews, Sam'l Endicott, Perley Putnam, James Silver, John Howard, Stephen Webb, David Putnam,  Jno Glen King, John Moriarity, Joseph Howard  {Overseers of the Poor}

I certify that the above are in my opinion the genuine signatures of respectable and credible Town officers and citizens of Salem.   Nath Silsbee

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I Benjamin Kittridge, of Salem, physician, on oath certify that I have attended as a physician for 14 or 15 years past on Benjamin Frye of Salem, a pensioner, who has been an invalid all that time: for six or seven years past he has been wholly disabled from all sorts of hard work - he is afflicted with the sciatica, which has bent his body almost double, and he will probably never be able to do any work, he has had a running sore on his leg many years. He cannot tie or untie his shoes.
He has long received pecuniary aid from his charitable neighbors; and cannot subsist without aid.
His wife is infirm; and his son Philip is weak in mind and unable to take care of himself.
     Benjamin Kittridge 
[Illegible]: Aug't 12.1820 subscribed & sworn to before Benj Merrill Just .Pacs.. 
I certify that said Benj. Merrill is a Justice of the Peace and the above is his signature.
Attn: Ichabod Tucker,   Clerk

[

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and at the same time he produces to the Court here the following Oath, taken and subscrbed by him, before the Hon. Wm Wetmore a judge of said Court aforesaid, to wit, I Benjamin Frye do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the eightennth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen and that I have not, since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner whatever, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress, entitled "an act to provide certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war," passed on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property, or securities, contracts, or debts, due to me; nor have I any income, other than what is contained in the schedule hereby annexed and by me subscribed.  So help me GOD.      Benjamin Frye

Essex, ss.   C.C.C.P.  June, Term, A.D. 1820
     The abovenamed Benjamin Frye took and subscribed the aforewritten Oath before me  Wm Wetmore, judge of said Court.

I, ICHABOD TUCKER, Clerk of the Court aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing Oath, and Schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of the Court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said court, that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid Schedule is four hundred and sixteen _ dollars__

     In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said Court, at Salem, in the County of Essex on this 17th day of July A.D. 1820
          Attr. Ichabod Tucker, Clerk

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Joseph Sears, Prest. and Treasurer.  
I. K. Boyesen, Vice-President
Charles S. Smith, Secretary

Kenilworth The North Shore Suburb
Chicago, Sept 3rd- 1892

Office of THE KENILWORTH COMPANY
301 Tacoma Building

Commissioner Of Pensions
Washington D.C.
    Dear Sir, Will you kindly send me the record of Benjamin Fry or Frye, who was a revolutionary pensioner probably drawing his pension till the time of his death about 1830. His residence was Boston St. Salem, Mass. his enlistment from Andover. His was a lieutenant I believe.  Yourstruly  J Sears

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Ho. of Reps.
Washington March 2nd 1846 _

Sir,
Will you be so good as to inform me whether the heirs of Lieut. Benjamin Frye of the Revolutionary Army who was a pensioner under the Act of 18. March 1818, are entitled to commutation pay or to bounty land, in consequence of his services?
     I have the honor to be Very Respectfully 
     Yr  Obdt serv't    Daniel P King

Col James L Edwards
Commr. of Pensions

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Supplemented statement.

Benjamin Frye

Jan. 1, 1776, he enlisted at Cambridge, Mass., in the Corps of Artificers commanded by Maj. Jacob. for one year, and served thers as a blacksmith with anvil, following, when he marched with the army to New York, the next month he was detached and marched with Gen. John Sullivan's Brigade to Albany, thence to Canada, and later to Ticonderoga, where we remained until January 1, 1777.
He was then commissioned as Lieut. of Artificers, by Col. Jonathan Baldwin, and was ordered by that officer to accompany Capt. Ezra Eaton to Salem, Mass., for the purpose of enlisting a company of artificers; after the company was raised he returned to Ticonderoga and served there and at Stillwater
and Albany until the expiration of the year 1777.