Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3,652, Abijah Ford, R.I.

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(3-1776)
SERVICE
R.I.

Ford, Abijah

NUMBER
R. 3.652

CONTENTS

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State of New York
Oneida county (bracket) ss.

Be it known that  on the 13th day of September 1849 before me Daniel Warren a Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforsaid duly authorized the administrative oaths personally appeared Augustus Ford aged seventy seven The 8th of October next and made oath in due form of law to the following statement that he recollects that his father Abijah Ford was in the Continental Service That he recollects that in the year 1776 he father belonged to Capt. Olney's Company and wore a uniform as a soldier in the Continental Service note long after that he was stationed at a Fort at Hawlands Ferry and that he was then with his father That the next he recollects was his coming home on a furlow in the winter of 1780 or 1781 not certain which That he knows of his coming home at the time he was discharged from the army and that he has heard his father frequently relate the circumstances of his being in the Army and at the Battle of Monmouth and at Valley Forge at Yorktown at the taking of Cornwallace and that he was also in the Battle at Red Bank That his (crossed out "and further this") father was born October 22 1744 and died February 22 1809 and further this deponent saith not Subscribed and sworn September 13th 1849 before me
D. Warren  (signature) 
Augustus. Ford (signature)
Oneida County SS. Joseph Thrasher being duly sworn by me makes oath and says that he is a well acquainted with the above named deponent Augustus Ford and that he is a person of good moral character and of truth and varacity. Subscribed and sworn Sept 18th 1849 before me
D. Warren Justice (signature)
Joseph Thrasher (signature)

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I certify that I am acquainted with the reputation of the witness named  deponent and believe him to be a person of truth and varacity and of good moral character. 
D. Warren Justice (signature)

(along side of document:)
Affidavit of Augustus Ford

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Rev. & 1812 Wars Section
R. 3652
AM

M.C.S.

June 14, 1926

Mrs. William H. Poole
5 Orlo Ave.
East Providence, R.I.

Madam:
I have to advise you that from the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau it appears that ABIJAH FORD was born October 22, 1744.

It was alleged that he was a member of Captain Olney's Rhode Island Company in 1776, that he was in the battles of Red Bank and Monmouth, that he enlisted as a private in the Rhode Island Regiment February 1, 1781, and was in the battle of Yorktown.

The place of his residence was not stated.
He died February 22, 1809.
His son, Augustus, was born October 8, 1772. The name of the mother of Augustus was not stated.

While living in Oneida County, New York, Augustus Ford applied for pension on September 13, 1849, on account of the above mentioned services of his father, but his claim was not allowed as there was no law that would entitle a child of a soldier to pension.

The above mentioned is the only Abijah Ford that is found on the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau.

Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT
Commissioner

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No 37958
Abijah Ford aed
NY

Let Hon. ["C. E. Clarke 22d May 1850" crossed out]

Regected 5652

Act 7 June 1832

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Rev. War Section.

[handwritten] AW

June 11, 1921.

George H. Ford,
138 Clinton St.
Brooklyn, N.Y.

Sir:
In response to your letter of the 25th ultimo, you are advised that the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau fail to afford any information in regard to Johnathan or Jonathan Church described by you.

From the papers on file in the Revolutionary War pension claim, Rejected File No. 3652, it appears that Augustus Ford, who was born Oct. 8, 1772, (name of his mother not stated), while living in Oneida Co. N. Y. on Sept. 13, 1849, applied for pension, on account of the services of his father Abijah Ford, who was born October 22, 1744 and died Feb. 22, 1809. The places of his residence are not stated.

It is alleged that Abijah Ford was a member of Capt. Olney's Company of Troops in 1889, that he enlisted as a private Feb.1, 1781, in the Rhode Island Regiment, and that he was at the battles of Monmouth, Red Bank, and Yorktown.

The claim was not allowed, as there was no law that would then entitle his child to pension.

[handwritten] Last page of this letter is in Chas Ward. N.Y. R.11126 to which it refers

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5 Orlo Avenue
East Providence, R.I.
April 5, 1926

Mr. Winfield Scott
Commissioner, Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.

My dear Sir:-
Thank you very much for records of pensions of Luke Phillips. S.11241. and James Howard S.38839. and would say lean send you Names of both of the soldier's were from Arnold's Vital Records of R.I. and Names of their children from the old family bible. If you care for these records.

Nm. Coomer Smith was a Captain

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2

He was son of Stephen and Sarah Coman Smith.

Arnold's Vital Record's - Vol - 2 - 3 - page 48 - Scituate Coman Born Feb. 18. 1755.
Page 28. Smith. Coman (of Capt. Stephen) and Free love Barnee (of Elisha)
Married by Elder Rueben Hopkins, March, 21. 1773. - Vol. 15 page 553. 
Capt. Coman, at Scituate in his 39th year. Sermon by Rev. Wm. Plase II, Sam. XIV -14. Aug. 17. 1793.

In war records he is called Capt. Coomer Smith - according to State Record commissioner, Capt. 3rd Co. appointed May 1778 - Colonial Records. Vol. 8, page 392 - Capt. of Scituate Co. (Statement by Oliver Arnold on file at Pension Office Washing. D. C.).

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Would like record of his pension.

Private Samuel Brown born Providence. Wife Ruth Wheeler. dau. of Col. Wheeler. Married at North Scituate. Dec. 26. 1765. Served under Capt. Coman Smith. the great grand daughter of Mrs. Emily Brown Steere. lives on his farm. at Scituate. would like a copy of his pension.

at office of State Record commissioner it is claimed there is only one Abijah Ford in Rhode Island.- Abijah Ford. private

His service is wonderful. and records (U.S. Pension Office Record, Pension Book 33) would like his pension records for our D. A. R. Files.

Very truly-
Florense Ford Poole
Regent. [illegible] Chapter D. A. R.

Mrs. William H. Poole
5 Orlo Ave
East Providence. R.I.

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3652
P.O. Heir of Abijah Ford
Service: Abijah
Enlisted: REJECTED, 18
Discharged: [blank], 18

Application filed: [blank], 18

Alleges: The printed list of 1852 gives cause of rejection ["Re-enlisted:" crossed out] as: "He died before the passage of the act."

Attorney: [blank]
P.O. [blank]
[blank] Recognized. [blank] Contrac
[blank] Cert. of Dis. Searched for [blank], 18

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1921 June 11. History to Geo. H. Ford. (see his letter in Chas. Ward N.Y. R, 11126) AW
1926 June 14, hist. to Mrs. Wm. H. Poole. W.C.S.

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645
Pension Office
May 22d 1850

Sir,
I have the honor to inform you that the papers transmitted to this office in relation to the Revolutionary Services of Abijah Ford dcd have been [illegible] and placed on file with rejected claim under the act of 7 June 1832.

There is no law now in place which gives to children either pension or bounty land on account of their Fathers Services in the war of the Revolution, If in any case there be arrears of pension, or if there be bounty land due a revolutionary soldier, the children upon the production of proper proof of [illegible] may obtain, these arrears in this bounty but nothing more.

Abijah Ford it appears died in 1809. before the passage of any law granting pensions for service rendered in the revolutionary war. he therefor acquired no right to a pension and, a warrant for 100 acres of Land was issued to his assignee ["William" crossed out] as early as 1789. I do not see how they could be sure it was the same Abijah Ford who got the land warrant, no proof of identity

We know of no claim which his children can now have to either Land or pension against the  Genl Governmt

Hon. C. E. Clarke
House of Reps

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Washington 7 May 50
Colo. J. L. Edwards
Comm of Pensions

Sir
Capt. Augustus Ford, the person [illegible] in the paper endorsed is an aged man 78 years of age - a decayed Sailing master of the U.S. navy - unlike most of his brethren in that employ - he has done much for the government for which he has recd no pay - he is old & poor & my friend -

If he has any rights - for the wages of his father - or any for the bound land - I beg of you for the reasons aforesaid besides those of official duty to inform one

I am urgent for the reason that I have been remis - having the papers in any [illegible] since Decem last - please [illegible the papers - 

I have the honor to be your obedt svt
C E Clarke

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37958
Abijah Ford dcd
NY

act 7 June 1832

no claim died in 1809. application made by children

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State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
Secretary of State's Office, September 28, 1849.

I certify, that Charles Hart, whose signature if affixed to the annexed certificate and affidavit of Benjamin Cowell, Esquire, of Providence in said State, is a Justice of the Peace for the city of Providence, duly elected and commissioned and authorized by law to administer oaths and affirmations, as appears of record in this office.

I further certify, that the "old book of returns," mentioned in said affidavit, in which is contained a roll headed thus - "List of the non commissioned officers and privates in the Rhode Island Regiment, the 1st of February 1781 with those who joined after that period, specifying the date and time of enlistment, casualties, &c." has now been exhibited to me by said Cowell, and that the name of Abijah Ford is borne on said roll as a private, who enlisted for the war, February 1st 1781.

I further certify, that attached to a report of a committee, made to the General Assembly of this State, at its session in Providence, on the last Monday of February, 1788, for settling certain accounts with Colonel Olney's battalion in the service of the United States, and now on file in this office, is a

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list on schedule of "the balances due the effective officers and soldiers of said regiment from August 1st, 1780 to December 31st 1781 inclusions, as per account," and that on said list, or schedule, the name of Abijah Ford is borne, with the sum of nineteen points set against his name as the balance due him.

I further certify, that in said report the words "battalion" and "regiment" appear to be uniformly used as equivalents for each other, without the distinction ordinarily affixed to those terms.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name and affixed the seal of said State, the day and year before written.

Chris. E. Robbins
Secretary of State

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State of Rhode Island &c
County of Providence

I Benjamin Cowell of the City & County of Providence in said State do on oath certify that I have in my possession an old Book of Returns which I had from the family of Lieutenant Colo. Jeremiah Olney an officer in the war of the Revolution

In said Book is a Roll headed thus "List of the NCommissioned officers & privates in the Rhode Island Regiment the first of February 1781 with those who joined after that period specifying the date & time of Inlistment Casualties &c"

and I further certify that on said Roll is borne the name of "Abijah Ford" as a private who enlisted for the war, Feb 1, 81, and it does not appear but he served to the end of the war
Benja Cowell

Subscribed & sworn before me this 27th day of Sept AD 1849 & I certify that he is a credible witness
Charles Hart Justice of the Peace

[illegible] 3123 100 acr issued 1st Decm 89 to William Albertson assignee of Abijah Ford Private R I Cont Service