Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1324, Purchis Brown, Mass.

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Mass. Brown, Purchis or R 1324
                        Purchase
                        Marcy

CONTENTS
b. at Concord Mass. & end. there
d. Dec. 15, 1812 at Swanton, Frankling Co. Vt.

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BROWN, PURCHIS
(MASS.)
R1324

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see here  March the 14 1795
Then Purchis Brown was married to Miss Marcy Mason
Ruben Brown
Son to Purchis Brown [illegible]
Chloe Brown departed
Purchis Brown departed this life June th 19 1799
abought twelve a clock at noon

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No 955.
Marcy Brown
wid of Purchis
Vermont
July 29, 1848.

IIIII

Wm Weston,
Burlingotn,
Vt.

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State of Vermont
Franklin County

On this fourth day of July A.D. 1850, personally
appeared before the subscriber, one of the Judges of
Franklin County Court, in the State of Vermont, Marcy
Brown, a resident of Georgia in the County and State aforesaid
aged eighty two years in April last, who being first duly
sworn according to law, doth on her oath, making the 
following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of 
the provisions of the Act of Congress, Passed (February) July
29, A.D. 1848, granting pensions to widows of officers 
and soldiers of the army of the revolution, viz.
  That she is the widow of Purchis Brown, late of
Swanton, in said County of Franklin;- that the said Purchis
Brown, (as she always understood from her said husband in
his lifetime) was a native of Concord in the State of Massa
chusetts, and that he entered the revolutionary service at said 
Concord at the commencement of the revolutionary war 
and was in the service at the time when the british troops 
came to Concord to take or destroy the military stores then 
kept at said Concord;- that he afterwards went to Quebec
and served there, and brought home a piece of the rock from
the spot where Genl Wolfe was killed, which piece of rock 
the said Purchis kept to the time of his death, and this 
declarant kept it for many years afterwards; that the said 
Purchis continued to serve in the revolution, after his return
from Quebec, in different capacities, until the close of 
the war; at one time, according to her recollection of
her husband's statements, he was a commissary, and at 
another time a Major that after the close of the war 
he removed from Concord Ms. to Claredon, Vermont
where this declarant first became acquainted with him
at which place she was married to him on the fifteenth

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day of March in the year seventeen hundred and ninety 
five, by a Mr Walker, a Justice of the Peace in and
for the County of Rutland;- that after their marriage, 
to wit, in the year 1799, the said Purchis and this declaration
ant removed to St. Albans, Vermont, where they resided
two years, and thence removed to Swanton, Vermont,
where her husband, the said Purchis, died on the 15th
day of December A.D. 1812, and that this declarant 
has ever since remained and still is a widow;-
  That her marriage took place prior to the first 
day of January, A.D. 1800;- to wit, at the time
above stated, and that her name, prior to said
marriage, was Marcy Mason.
Witness
Wm Melton Marcy Brown
Franklin 

Sworn to and subscribed before me on the day
and year first above written, and I certify that I 
have been acquainted with the declarant for twenty
years, or more, last past, and that she is a woman 
of intelligence and of undoubted truth.
Alvah Sabin Assistant Judge
of Franklin County
Court

And I further certify that declarant, from age, is unable to attend court.
Alvah Sabin Ast. Judge of
Franklin County
Court

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State of Vermont
Franklin County

I Joseph H. Brainard, Clerk of Franklin
County Court, do certify that the Hon Alvah Sabin 
before whom the foregoing declaration was made
and sworn to, was at the date thereof, Judge of
Franklin County Court, and that the foregoing
signatures, purporting to be his, are in his own
proper hand writing.
     In testimony whereof I do hereunto
     affix the seal of said court and subscribe
     my name at St Albans in said county
     this fifth day of July 1850
          Joseph H. Brainerd Clerk

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I Sarah Hammond of Sheldon Count of Franklin
Vermont, aged Fifty eight years do depose
I say that Purches Brown deceased was my 
Father, he was formerly a resident of Concord
in the state of Mass and a soldier of the revolution
That my sd father often related his war stories
to his family, neighbors & bother soldiers 
relating his services & hardships while in the 
army, the places through which he traveled
and where he was stationed. And although I do
not now recollect but a small part of what he
used to relate about the war, yet there are many
things relative thereto which I do now perfectly
well remember, his being in the Battle on
Bunker Hill, his hardships on the march to
Quebec, his being with Gen Arnold at that
place the first year of the war, the sufferings
of the Troops on their march, & after they arrived at Quebec, the sickness with the small-pox which 
prevail to an alarming extent among the 
troops and a large number of them died. That 
after the defeat of the army in the spring the 
troops retreated up the St. Lawrence through 
Lake Champlain to Ticonderoga. He often 
mentioned the name of Col Reed, captain
Holmes and many other officers which I do 
not now recollect. I always understood from
my father that when he joined the troops that
were engaged at Bunker Hill, that he was in the
army most of the time to the close of the
war. My Mother Mercy Brown is now living
in Georgia Franklin County Vermont.
Sarah Hammond
Sworn to & subscribed

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this 22d day of September AD 1851,
Before me
William Bridges Judge

And I further certify that I am personally
acquainted with Mrs. Hammond the deponant
and subscriber that she is a woman of
intelligence and sustains an unblemished
character for truth and veracity 
In testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand, and
the seal of the Probate court for
the district of Georgia at
St Albans in sd district the
day and year above written
Wm Bridges Jude of Probate

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Sir
I hope the enclosed additional evidency
may warrant you in granting, without delay, a
pension to Mercy Brown. Truly yours
J. Meacham
Hon. J. E. Horton

Marcy Brown 
widow of
Purchis Brown
additional proof

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State of Vermont.    I Marcy Brown, widow of
Franklin County,       Purchis Brown, deceased, aged
eighty three years in April last
testify and say that the paper herewith annexed, is a
record of my marriage to my late husband and of the
birth of my first and second child, and the death
of the latter. My first child Reuben Brown, was
born December 19th 1795, and my second child Chloe 
Brown was born June 5, 1797, and she died June 19, 
1799. Said record was made by my said husband in
his lifetime and is in his hand writing and I believe 
it to have been made soon after the events there recorded.
He kept the paper in his pocket book until he died
on the 15th of December, 1812, and it has been in my
possession ever since. The alteration of the date of the
marriage from 11, to 15, thus 15 is also in his hand 
writing and is now as it was when I first saw the
record and I saw it frequently in his lifetime.
Marcy Brown
Sworn to and subscribed before me this first day
 of May, 1851, and I certify that the affiant is an
intelligent and credible person.
A. H. Blair Justice peace

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I Franklin Dee, of Georgia Vermont , aged forty
eight years testify and say that I married a 
daughter of Mrs Marcy Brown, and that she, the said
Marcy Brown, has for more than twenty one years
last past resided in my family, and the paper hereto
annexed, purporting to be a record of her marriage to 
her late husband, and of the birth of her first and 
second child, has been in her possession during all
the time she has lived in my family, and she has
always referred to it as a true record during all of 
said time whenever the time of her marriage was the
subject of conversation or the births of said children
were spoken of.
I further say that I did not become acquainted
with the family until 1829 but the time of the 
death of Purchis Brown her late husband ever have understood
from her, and her family, to have been in 1812.
She still remains unmarried.
Franklin Dee
Sworn to and subscribed this first day of May 1851,
before me. And I certify that the affiant is a 
man of truth. The words "her late husband" interlined above
before signing.
Augustus H. Blair Justice Peace

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J.L.M.
Rev. War Section.
March 24, 1930.
Mr. Robert M. Wright,
368 Central Street,
Franklin, N.H.
Sir:
In response to your letter dated the 4" instant,
you are advised that in the Revolutionary War pension claim
R. File No. 1,324, it appears that Purchis or Purchase Brown,
was born in Concord, Massachusetts, date not stated, and married
March 15, 1795, at Clarondon, Vermont, Marcy Mason who was born
April 3, 1768. Their children were Reuben born December 19, 
1795, Chloe born June 5, 1797, died June 19, 1799, and Mrs. Sarah Hammond of Sheldon, Vermont in 1851. Soldier died December
15, 1812, at Swanton, Vermont, and his widow, March applied for pension July 4, 1850, while a resident of Georgia, Franklin Coun-
ty, Vermont, and alleged that he enlisted at Concord, Mass., in
1775 and served at various times to the close of the War; that 
he went to Quebec with General Arnold; that he was in the battle of Bunker Hill and served in various capacities, sometimes as Commissary and Major. Her claim was not allowed as she failed to furnish specific proof of 6 months actual service in an embodied corps as required by the pension laws.
Very Respectfully,

Commissioner.

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Marcy Brown, widow
of Purchis Brown
Proof of his service

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston:
September 11, 1849.
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books
and Documents relating to Military Services in teh War of
The Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of Purchid Brown is borne on a list of men
in Capt. Joseph Hosmer's Co. as a Sergeant, in the year 1776, no other date, no service stated. [On a muster roll of Capt. Charles Miles' 
Co. Col. Jonathan Reed's Regt. for mileage from Ticonderoga, 180 miles
from home, as a private, of Concord; no service stated; - It appears
by an abstract of rations, that this Co. was supplied from about July 1 to 
Nov. 30. 1776 - roll sworn to Feb 16 1777]- On a pay roll of 
bounty due Capt. Abishai Brown's Co. Col. John Robinson's Regt. from 
July 7 1777. 5 most 28 days. (Capt. Brown was from Concord).- rank
not stated.- On a pay roll of Capt. Joshua Leland's Co under
Command of Maj. Heath, service as guard in Boston, as Sergeant from Sept 29 to Nov 10 1779. 1 mo. 15 days. and on a pay roll of Capt. Silas
Walkins' Co. on same service from Dec 1 1779. as Sergeant. 2 most. 1 days -On a payroll of Capt. Abraham Andrews Co. Col Cyprian Hows'

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Reg't from Co. of Middlesex; at R.I. as a private from July 27
1780. 3 mos. 4 days. On an order to Treasurer, date
"Concord Apr. 10 1783. to pay his wages for service in 1779. in
Capt. Joshua Leland's Co under command of Maj Heath.
There appears to be no other service of any person of the name
of Purchis Brown:- There are no rolls of the service of the expedition
to Quebec.

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 aboe written.
Wm. Tufts 
Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth.

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State of Vermont I, Marcy Brown, of Georgia
Franklin County in the county and State aforesaid
aged Eighty one years, on the
third day of April last, testify and say that I am
the widow of Purchis Brown, who died at Swanton
in said county of Franklin on the 15th day of December
1812; that I was married to the said Purchis Brown
at Clarendon, in the County of Rutland, and State of
Vermont, on teh 15th day of March 1795, by a W.
Walker, a Justice of the peace in and for the County of
Rutland; that I always understood from my said 
husband that he was a native of Concord in the State
of Massachusetts, and that he entered the revolutionary
service at said Concord at the commencement of the 
revolutionary war and was in the service at the time
when the british troops came to Concord to take or
destroy the military stores then kept at said Concord; 
that he afterwards went to Quebec and served there and brought home
a piece of the rock from the spot where Genl. Wolfe 
was killed, which piece of rock the said Purchase
kept to the time of his death, and I kept it for 
many years afterwards; that he continued to serve
until the close of the revolutionary war, in different
capacities: at one time he was a commissary and 
at another time a major, but I cannot remember 
how long he stated that he served as commissary
or as Major. After the close of the war he removed 
to Clarendon Vermont, where I first became acquainted 
with him. After our marriage we removed to St. Albans
Vermont, thence to Swanton, where he died as before 
stated, and for the last twenty years I have resided 
in Georgia, Vermont.
I hereby appoint Wm Weston, of Burlington

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Vermont, my attorney to procure testimony of my
said husbands services in the war of the revolution,
and to procure for me a pension from the United
States government, and to do any lawful action
the premises, which I might do, or may be neces-
say to be done to procure such pension.
Witness.    
Sonnigo Jones     Marcy Brown
Franklin Dee

State of Vermont
Franklin County Georgia July 31st 1849
Personally appeared before me Marcy Brown, above 
named and made oath to the truth of the above
statement, and acknowledged the above power of
attorney to be her free act and deed. And
I certify that the said Marcy Brown is personally
known to me and that she is a woman of
truth and veracity.
Sonnigo Jones Justice Peace

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Rev Sec
Robert M. Wright
Lawyer
368 Central Street
Franklin, - N. H. March 4, 1920.
Department of the Interior,
Pension Bureau,
Washington, D. C.
Gentlemen:
I will thank you to advise me if the records of your 
Department show that the following named persons or their
widows drew pensions from the United States Government or participated in the Revolutionary War.
Purchase Brown, Born in Concord, Massachusetts; en-
listed when eighteen years old and became Major, died October
15, 1812, aged 56 years.
Col. Elihu, or Elehew, Smith of Concord, Massachusetts.
Very truly yours,
P. M. Wright
Pension
D
Mar
U. 6 S.
1920
Office

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1324 Rejected
P.O. Marcy Brown
Service: ________
Enlisted: _______, 18 
Discharged: _________, 18
Appliction filed: __________, 18
lleges: filed too late to be entered
Re-enlisted: list of rejected claims
provided in 1852
Attorney: __________
P. O. __________
Recognized. _____Contract
Cert. of Dis.  Searched for _____, 18

1920 Mch 24 Hist. to Robt. M. Wright

Page 21

955
Marcy Brown
wid of Purchis

Lt W. Weston July 16/51
Re J. Meacham, April 27/52
1324
July 29, 1848.

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April 27 1852.

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261
Pension Office
April 27, 1852.
Sr.
I have examined and filed the depo
sition of Sarah Hammond on support of 
the claim of Marcy Brown, widow of
Purches, for the benefit of the Act of July 29,
1848, and I am the Person to state, that
it is not deemed to be, in any , particular, a
conplear the requesting of my letter
as d to W. Weston on the 16th of
July last; and not the identity of 
said Purchez is fully 
as theren required, the claim will not be
allowed. 
Hon James Meacham

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William Weston, Esq. Copy July 16, 1851.
Burlington, Vt.
Sir: I have examined the claim of 
Marcy Brown, widow of Purchis, for the benefit 
of the Act of July 29, 1848. The proof of the
date of the marriage is satisfactory, but the
identity of the soldier credited with service on
the books in the Office of the secretary of
Mass. with the husband of claimant, is not 
established as required by the rules. It should 
be shown by the testimony of comrades or by
old and respectable citizens of the town in which 
he resided when he entered the service. It is 
well to remark, however, that if hte husband
of Claimant served in Canada, he must have
been engaged in the second expedition, not in 
that ordered by Congress in Sept 1775: and which 
is, no doubt, embraced in the certificate of the
Secretary of Mass. as having been rendered 
in Col. Reed's regt. under Capt. Miles, viz. :
"from about July 1 to Nov. 30, 1776. Roll sworn 
to Feb. 16, 1777."
F. S. Evans, for Comr.
Niles

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Burlington, Vermont, May 15, 1851.
Sir.
I enclose herewith the declaration and proofs of
Marcy Brown, widow of Purchis Brown, for a pension
under the act of July 29, 1848,
The certificate of this Secy of State of Massachusetts shows the following services.
on Capt Miles Co. 1776 - 5 months
Capt Brown's Co 1777 - 5 mo. 28 days
Capt Leland's Co 1779 - 1 mo 15 days
Capt Watkins Co 1779 - 80 - 2 mo 1 day
Capt Andres Co 1780 - 3 mo 4 days
making - 17 mo & 18 days
3 mos & 15 days of which was as Serge.
besides a service in Capt Hosmer's Co. time not stated.

I assume the service in the Expeditin to Quebec to
have been nine months, which, added to the 18 18/30
months above stated would make 29 mo & 18 days.
My reasons for assuming the latter service to have
been nine months are these. The expedition to 
Quebec consisted of two branches, one of which, 
under Genl Montgomery, left Crown Point N.Y. 
August 21st 1775, passed through Lake Champlain,
captured St. Johns, and other military posts, and proceeded down the river St. Lawrence, to Quebec,
where they arrived December 1st 1775. The other 
branch, under Col. Arnold, left Boston about the 
middle of September, 1775, proceeded to Gardner, in 
the now State of Maine, thence up the Kenebec river

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through the wilderness and around on Point Levy,
opposite Quebec, on the 9th of Nov. 1775. where the 
troops of both branches were consolidated. They remained at Quebec, suffering much from the rigor of the
climate through the winter and, in the spring,
retreated up the St. Lawrence pursued by the British,
to Montreal, and withdrew from Montreal on the
15th of June 1775, and arrived at Crown Point during
the latter part of the same month. These facts I derive from the history of that expedition. #
I am not aware that there are any rolls in
existence of the troops engaged in that expedition. 
I have never learned that there were, though I have 
made diligent enquiry. In the absense of all
record proof and of living witnesses, the history of
the expedition is the best evidence the case admits of.
In relation to the service as Commissary and 
Major, I trust the Military papers appertaining
to the revolutionary war at Wastington, will show
the service. The name of Purchis Brown, being a 
singular one, I presume that, if you find his name,
you will not doubt that the late husband of the 
applicant was the identical person who rendered the service.
I am very respectfully
Your obt. servant
Wm Weston
J.E. Heath Esq

#I presume that Brown served under Arnold, as he was a
native of Concord, near Boston,  but whether under Arnold or Montgomery 
is immaterial, as the two armies served about the same length of
time.

Page 27

I Lewis M. Walker of Clarendon in the County
of Rutland and State of Vermont of lawful age
do depose testify and say that I am the Town Clerk
in the town of Clarendon aforesaid and that I
have examined the records of said Clarendon for the 
Marriage of Purchis Brown to Marcy Mason and
would say that their marriage is not recorded in
the records of Clarendon afsd and I would
further say that the records of Marriages at that
early period is imperfect
Lewis M. Walker
Sworn to before me this day of March A.D. 1851
George Rounds Justice of the Peace

Page 28

I Lemuel Barney of Swanton in teh
County of Franklin, and State of Vermont
testify, depose, and say that I am now
Seventy years old that for the last fifty
years, I have lived in said town of Swanton
that when I first moved into Swanton I
found a man living then by the name of
Purchase Brown, a farmer, whom I should have judged to be from 15 to 20 years older than my
self, and I was intimately acquainted
with him from that time until his death,
which I think was about twelve years in
conversations with him I have often heard him relate anecdotes of his being out in the Revolutionary War, and from conversations
with him and heraing conversations between
him and a man by the name of David Perigo
who lived in Highgate at that time, and who 
said he was out with said Purchase Brown, in the 
Revolutionary War. I have no doubt but 
said Brown was a member of the Revolutio
nary Army, when I was acquainted with said
Purchase Brown he had a wife and several
children and his widow is still living in
the town of Georgia in this state, as I am inform
ed, and has ever since remained a widow
and she is now here, and tells me the same
and further Deponent says not
Swanton 5 July 1850 Lemuel Barney

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State of Vermont
Swanton 5th July AD 1850
Franklin County
Then personally appenared
Lemuel Barney signer of the
whthin affidavit and being duly
sworn made oath that the same
was true before me
R L Paddock Justice of Peace

Page 30

I Alfred Forbes of Swanton
in the County of Franklin & State
of Vermont of Lawfull age depose
and say that I have been acquainted
with Lemuel Barney of Swanton
since 1823 and believe him to be
a man of Truth and varasity and
further the deponent says not - 
Swanton 5 July 1850
Alfred Forbes
Franklin County
Swanton July 5th 1850
Then Alfred Forbes signer
of the above affidavit personally appear
ed before me and being duly sworn made oath that the same was true
Before me
R L Paddock
Justice of Peace

Page 31

I Ezekiel O Goodrich of Swanton in the
county of Franklin testify, depose, and 
say, that I am now in my seventy seventh
year, that I have lived in Swanton since 
the month of September, in the year 1801, that the 
same year I came into Swanton, I became 
acquainted with a farmer living then, by 
the name of Purhcase Brown, and was inti=
=matly acquainted with him, until the time
of his death, which I think was eleven or 
twelve years, he was an older man that I 
I should say from 16 to 20 years. I have often heard
him relate anecdotes of what took place when he
was out in the revolutionary war, and talk
with others, who I understood were also members
of the Revolutionary army, and from what
I have seen & heard, have no doubt said
Purchase Brown was a member of the
Revolutionary Army, when I became acqu
=ainted with said Purchase Brown he had a 
wife, and some children, and I have been
acquainted with his widow since his death 
tho she lives in Georgia and have no doubt
of her still remaining his widow and she
is now present, and further sayth not
Swanton 5 July 1850 E. O. Goodrich
State of Vermont
Franklin County Swanton 5th July AD 1850
Then Ezekiel O Goodrich signer of the above affidavit
=davit personally appeared before me and being
duly sworn made oath that the same was
true before me
R L Paddock Justice of Peace

Page 32

I Alfred Forbes of Swanton in
the County of Franklin & State of Vermont
of Lawfull age depose & say that I 
have been acquainted with Ezekiel
O. Goodrich, of Swanton, since 1823
and believe him to be a man of
Truth & verasity and further the deponent say, not-
Swanton 5 July 1850 Alfred Forbes
Franklin County
Swanton 5 July 1850 Then Alfred Forbes signer 
of the above affidavit personally
appeared before me, and being duly
sworn made oath that the same was
true before me
R L Paddock
Justice of Peace

Page 33

State of Vermont
Franklin County
I, Joseph H. Brainerd, Clerk of Franklin County
court do hereby certify that Robert L. Paddock and
Augustus H. Blair, before whom the annexed affidavits
were severally made and sworn to were at the respective
date thereof, Justices of the Peace in and for said
county and that the signatures thereto, purporting to
be theirs are genuine.
In testimony whereof I do hereunto
affix the seal of said court and subscribe
my name at St. Albans, this first day  
of May 1851.
Joseph H. Brainerd Clerk