Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 12,303, Sweet Briggs, R. I.

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R. I. Briggs, Sweet S 12,303 
carded

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10,500
Rhode Island
Sweet Briggs
of Washington in the State of R.I.
who was a private in the company commanded by Captain ----- of the regiment commanded by Col Waterman in the R. I. line for 9 May
Inscribed on the Roll of R. I.
at the rate of 30 Dollars -- Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 10th day of Apr 1833. and sent ? Updike Kingston R. I.
Arrears to the 4th of ? 1833 $60
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept 15 -
$75 --
Revolutionary Claim
Act June 7, 1832.
REcorded by I ? M. Blair Clerk, 
Book 3. Vol 2nd, Page 107.

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DECLARATION. In order to obtain the act of congress, passed June 7, 1832. State of Rhode Island, County of Washington}
On this 6th day of September 1832 personally appeared in open court, before the Judges or Justices of the Court of Common Pleas no sitting, Sweet Briggs - a resident of South Kingston -in the county of Washington and State of Rhode Island, aged Seventy seven - years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, 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 not born North Kingston, has no record of his age, In February 1777, he belonged to a company of Militia in the town of Warwick, in the County of Kent, where he then lived, of which one Edmund not Captain, James Gerah Kent. A part of the company not called out, of which number he not one , an ? at WArwick Neck to stand guard one Warterman was colonel of the regiment, to which the company belonged, he continued there under arms two Months. Soon afterwards he ? from Warwick to North Kingston, and ? there drafted for one month and stationed at Boston Neckat the House of Colonel John Gardiner. Peter Wright was Captain of the Company then, but he drafted men, were placed under the command of Joshua Vaughan Gent. Charles Dyer was Colornel of the regiment to which the Company belonged, they coningued there fifteen days. He was called out again to stand guard at Iridest Neck, and stood out his turn, and was often called on afterward to stand guard, and stood out his turn, but did make to ? to particular times on their oder, but knows that he served in the manner alone stated six months and he thinks eight. He was after called upon in times of alarm to go to the above towards the last of his service, Samuel Dyer was Captain of the Company, to which he belonged. He was once drafted for three or four months and became a substitute. Isaac Hall ? of North Kingston, are

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knowing to his doing duty at Quidnick Neck. He has ? served under any continental officials. He has no further evidence of his services - He is Make to produce for the proof of his service except at Boston Neck, where is testified to by isaac Hall at Quidnick Neck which is sworn to by Stanley Hill - He is not acquainted with any clergyman in his vicinity who can testify to the reputation of his ?

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John J Nichols & Jeremiah S Slehena of South Kingston -- who are acquainted with him, and can testify to the same -- He has lived in  South Kingston for the last thirty years.
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. Sweet Briggs
We, John T. Nichols residing in the Town of South Kingston and Jeremiah S. Sherman - residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Sweet Briggs -- who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we beleive him to be seventy seven -- years of age; that he is reputed and belived, 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. Jeremiah S. Sherman John T. Nichols
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 [blank] who has signed the preceeding certificate, is a [blank] resident in the [blank] and that Jeremiah S. Sherman & John T. Nichols Jr. who has also signed the same are residents in the Town of South Kingstown and an are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit: And the court further certify that Shirkely Hill and Isaac Hall who have given Depositions in their case are credible persons and that their Statement is entitled to credit.
Clerk of the Court of common pleas & Gen. Sessions of the Peace 
I Samuel Helme do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application for a pension.
In testimony wereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this Eighty day of September A.D. 1832
Sam. Helme Clk

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16995

Sweet Briggs

Private 9 months
N.C.E

ob 4,5,6,10th,16th
Jany 21 1833

Wilkins Updike Esq
Kingston
RI  P-209

[crossed out: W. Pearce]

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16,995
Brief in the case of Sweet Briggs of Washin Cty R. Isd
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? A Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? --
3. How old is he? 77
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
[table]
Period.|   Duration of Service.   |  Rank.   | Names of General and Field Officers under whom  he served.
Feby '77    2 months                     private     Capt. Edmunds Col. Waterson
Afterwards     15 days                   drafted     Capt. Wright. Col Dyer
Served other tours
Knows that he served in the manner related six mos. & he thinks 8
But he states the whole so indefinitely that nothing can be made out of it.
5. IN what battles was he engaged? none mentioned
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? North Kingstone
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? 2 living witnesses
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? The declaration is stuck together with wafers - ? no ? - the affidavits not properly authenticated
Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned. Wm C. Easter Examining Clerk. 19 Jany 1833

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Mr. Leon W. Gibson
60 Broadway
New York City

Dear Sir:
Reference is made to your letter relative to Sweet Briggs, a soldier of the Revolutionary War.
The data contained herein were obtained from the papers on file in the Revolutionary War claim for pension, S. 12303, based upon the military service in that war of Sweet Briggs.
Sweet Briggs was born in North Kingston, Rhode Island, date, and names of his parens are not shown.
While a resident of Warwick, Kent County, Rhode Island, Sweet Briggs enlisted in February 1777, and served two months as private in Captain Edmunds' Company, Colonel Waterman's Rhode Island Regiment. While a resident of North Kingston, Rhode Island, he enlisted in 1778, and served four months as private in Captain Peter Wright's company, Colonel Charles Dyer's Rhode Island Regiment. He enlisted in 1779, and served three months in Captain Samuel Dyer's Rhode Island Company. 
He was allowed pension on his application executed September 6, 1832, at which time he was a resident of South Kingston, Washington County, Rhode Island where he had lived thirty years, and aged seventy-seven years.
There are no family data.
In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension the name of person paid and possibly the death

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date of soldier, you should apply to the Comptroller
General, General Accounting Office, Records Division,
Washington, D. C., and cite the following data:
"Sweet Briggs, Certificate No. 10505, issued April 10,
1833, rate $30.00 per annum, commenced March 4, 1831,
Act of June 7, 1832, Rhode Island Agency".

Very truly yours


A.D. Hiller
Executive Assistant
to the Administrat

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[left side]
Dec 15 ‘99
Miss F.D. Holmes,
Westerly R.I.
Apl. 19, 1905 History to
R. Hammett Tilley, Providence RI.
1909 June 18. Hist to Mrs. Reuben
W. Briggs, letter in S. File 21537
Wm Tourgee
1923 Dec 12 – Hist to Leon W Gibson
1939 Oct 2 Hist to Leon W. Gibson A.D.Y.

[right side]
Revolutionary
12.303
INVALID.
File No. 12303
Sweet Brigg [star]
Pri. Rev. War
Act: June 7th 1832
Index: -- Vol. A, Page 47
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Sweet Briggs [star]
Records corrected Sept 18/05 [illegible initials]

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State of Rhode Island & c. Washington County. } Sc. South Kingstown, Sept 5th 1832.
Personally appeared the aforenamed Stanley Hill, and before deposing aforesaid was by me, carefully cautioned, examined and sworn to testify the truth the whole turth and nothing but the truth and gave the foregoing deposition, which was reduced to writing by me in his presence and he signed hte same in my presence. And I further certify, that the said deponenet is well known to me and that he sustains a fair character for truth and that his deposition is entitled to credit. Wilkins Updike Justice Peace.

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[standard copy stating that the person who appeared was a credible witness]
Rhode Island Washington County
Personally appeared the aforenamed Isaac Hall
Certified by Wilkins Updike Justice Peace

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[top of page]
05 Declaration of
Sweet Briggs
To go into the P. Office
10995

[note on right side, vertical]
Please return this or the certificate 
to Thos S Taylor
Kingston
R.I.

[bottom of page]
M Pearce

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Supplemental
Affidavit
in the application
of 
Sweet Briggs

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Washington &c – In South Kingston
February 7th 1833 – 

Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of
the Peace, for the town of South Kingston, in the
County of Washington, Sweet Briggs of said South
Kingston, an Applicant for a Pension, whose Application
is hereto annexed, who being duly sworn deposeth and saith,
that by reason of old Age, and the consequent lofs of
Memory; he cannot swear positively as to the prescise
length of his service, but according to the best of his
recollection, he served not lefs, than the periods mentined
below & in the following order.  In the year 1777 I
served as a Private, in the Company of Militia, to what I
belonged, in the Tour of Warrick, in the County of Kent,
commanded by Captain Edmunds two Months.  In 1778
I served as a Private, in the Company of Militia in
South Kingston, to which I then belonged, of which Peter
Wright was Captain Four Months, in 1779, I served in the
same Company Samuel Dyer being then Captain, three
Months and for this service I claim a Pension
[Signature] Sweet Briggs

State of Rhode Island &c
Washington County
[Above two lines have “}” symbol pointing to the following two lines:]
South Kingston
February 7th 1833-

Personally appeared before me, the above named
Sweet Briggs and before deposing as aforesaid, was by me,
carefully examined, [illegible] & sworn, to testify the truth the
whole truth & nothing but the truth, and subscribed said
supplImental Affidavit in my presence, after the same
was reduced to writing.  And I further certify, that the
said Sweet Briggs, is well know to me, that he

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sustained a fine character for truth, and that the Affidavit
is entitled to full & [illegible] Credit –
[Signature] Wilkins Updike Just Peace

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Depositions of 
Sukely Hill &
Isacc Hall

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The deposition of Isaac Hall of North Kingstown in the County of Wshington State of Rhode Island aged 71 years on aforementnioned hereafter says that he is well acquainted with Sweet Briggs now an applicant for a pension That in the year 1777 as near as I can recollect I saw Sweet Briggs at the House of Col John Gardner in South Kingstown and he there served as a private in the company commanded by Lieu Joshua Vaughn commandant in guarding the shores of the Narragansett Bay against the common enemy said company was stationed then & I was in the same company with him 
Isaac Hall
State of Rhode Island
Washington County  } Kingstown Sept 5th 1832
Personally appeared the above said Isaac Hall and after being carefully cautioned ? & sworn to certify to the truth the whole truth & nothing but the truth gave the preceding deposition which was reduced to writing by me in his presence & read to him & he declared the same to be true. Before me Wilkins Updike Just Peace

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The deposition of Stukely Hill of North Kingstown County of Washington Rhode Island aged 76 years on oath ? says that he knows Sweet Briggs now an applicant for pension that I remember of seeing said Sweet Briggs on the shores of North Kingstown doing duty as a private guarding said shores on the Narragansett Bay I was in the service at the same time & saw him on same duty but the time I can not now recollect nor do I recollect under what captain, it is so long ago. but it was at the time the British war in ? of Rhode Island Stukley Hill
[statement that Stukley Hill was sworn in and gave his statement under oath to Wilkins Updike Justice of the Peace]

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[request for pension record from state record commissioner.]

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Law offices of Smith, Chambers & Clarke 60 Broadway, New York City 
Frank W. Chambers
James L. Clare
Leon W. Gibson
Gerald Fitzgerald
Albert L. Perry
Edward S. Blackwell, Jr.

September 7, 1939

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Pensions
Revolutionary and 1812 Wars Section 
Washington, D.C.
Gentlemen:
In connection with the REvolutionary War pension claim S 12303 made by Sweet Briggs, my information is that he was born in North Kingston, Rhode Island, in 1754 and died in South Kingston, Rhode Island, in 1844. Can you give me from your records the exact dates of birth and death and can you also give me the date when his pension became effective,
Your very truly,
Leon W. Gibson

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19 Cedar Street, New York City, 
October 10, 1933.
 
Pension Bureau
U.S. Department of the Interior,

Gentlemen
On behalf of Mrs. Gibson, formerly Caroline Briggs, I am trying to obtain some information regarding her ancestor Sweet Briggs, who was a soldier in the War of the Revolution.
The information that we have is that he enlisted in the Rhode Island troops at North Kingston, Rhode Island, and that on the tenth of April 1833 he was placed on the pension roll.
I shall be greatly obliged for any information you may be able to give me about him, particularly the dates of his birth and death and what your records may disclose as to his services during the Revolution.
Thanking you for your courtesy, I am
Yours very truly,
Leon W. Gibson

[stamped]
U.S. PENSION OFFICE
NOV 1 1923

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[top left] Rev
Middletown R.I. 
June 5, 1909 – 
Dear Sir 
Kindly send me a record of the Military service of William Tourgee or Tourjee of North & South Kingston also of Sweet Briggs [crossed out: said] South Kingston, Washington County, both paid

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to have been in the Revolutionary war & to have drawn a pension - 
also please send me record of Ephriam Harris of Conn & William & Samuel Beebe of Conn.
said William Tourgie or Tourjee & Street Briggs were my Great Great Grandfathers

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and kindly oblige
Adelaide M.rs Peckham

Address
Mrs. Reuben Wallace Peckham
Melville Sta.
Newport
R.I.

[stamp]
U.S. PENSION OFFICE
JUNE 7 1909

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IN reply to your request of -- received -- for the statement of the military history of Sweet Briggs a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his - application for pension on file in this Bureau. S. File 12,303
[table]
DATES OF ENLISTEMENT OR APPOINTMENT. | LENGTH OF SERVICE | RANK |  OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. | STATE
Feb. 1777     2 months    Pri.           Captain Edmunds. Colonel Waterman. R.I.
1778              4 months                    Captain Peter Wright.  Colonel Dyer.
1779              3 months                    Captain Samuel Dyer.   checkmark

Battles engaged in, [checkmark]
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Warwick, Kent Co, R.I.
Date of application for pension, Sept. 6, 1832
Residence at date of application, South Kingston, R.I.
Age at date of application, 77 years    ? Kingston, R.I.
Remarks: no data as to family.

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[letter reply to Leon Gibson that reiterates same information from image on page 26]