Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 865, Napthala Bishop, Vt.

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Service  Vt.
Number   R. 865
Bishop, Napthala       
Rebecca

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State of Vermont
Orleans County
On this 8th day of August AD. 1851 personally appeared before me a Judge of the County Court within and for the State & County aforesaid Rebecca Bishop aged 79 years a resident of the township of Dudswell in the province of Canada who being duly sworn according to law makes the following declaration for the purpose of obtaining a pension that she was on the 17th day of February A.D. 1790 at Hinesburg in the County of Chittenden and State of Vermont married to Napthala Bishop by one Mr Burben a Justice of the Peace within and for said County of Chittenden that she lived with him untill the 15th day of February AD 1849 at which time the said Napthala died at said Dusdwell.  Napthala was born on 20th day of June A.D. 1770 that in the latter part of the Revolutionary war

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at ? in the County of Chittenden Vt a party of the enemy took John Bishop (Napthala Father), and John Jr and Timothy Bishop (his two Brothers) and carried them off and returned them some two years as prisoners, they also burned their house &  burn drove off their stock and left  Napthala (who was then in his 10th year) with his mother and tow brothers Elijah and Samuel entirely destitute of means of subsistence.  Captain Thomas Sawyer at that time commanded the garrison in the fort at Rutland Vt who being acquainted with the Bishop family sent and took Napthala, his mother, and two brothers into the fort for protection, where his mother remained washing and baking for the soldiers to support herself and youngest son Napthala had practiced drumming and at the solicitation of Capt Sawyer he enlisted as drummer & Elijah as private where he (Napthala) remained and did duty as drummer for the term of nineteen months.  Her name before her marriage was Rebecca Androuss. There is no record evidence of her marriage.  She ever since his death

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has remained and still is his widdow  she makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the pension due Napthala at his death & what is due her as his widow
Rebecca Bishop
I wish all returns to be made to J. A. Fletcher at Derby Line Vermont
Rebecca Bishop
Sworn to and subscribed before me on the day and year above written  An I hereby certify that the above named Rebecca Bishop is a person of good character and of truth and veracity and that from bodily infirmities she cannot attend court

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State of Vermont
Orleans County
On this 8th day of August A.D. 1851 personally appeared before me a judge of the County Court within and for said state and county, Esthar Bishop, aged 86 years who being duly sworn according to law on oath  declares that she resided within about two miles from the fort in Rutland Vt during the Revolutionary war that she was frequently in said fort & often attened religious exercises on the sabbath in said fort that she was well acquainted with Napthala Bisop who was about ten years old & served in said fort as drummer under the command of Capt Thomas Sawyer.  The reason of Napthala being there was from the fact that his father and two brothers (John Jr and Tim) were taken prisoners by the enemy and their property destroyed or carried off and Capt Sawyer took Napthala his mother and two brothers Elijah and Samuel into the for for

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protection when Napthala enlisted as drummer and Elijah as private their mother washed & baked for the garrisons &  supported herself & youngest son.  Napthala was in the fort and did the duty of drummer for nineteen months.
She was present at Hinesburgh on the 17th of February, A.D. 1790, and saw Napthala Bishop married to Rebecca Andruss (her sister) by one Mr Barber a Justice of the Peace within and for said County of Chittenden and they lived together  until the 15th of Feb. 1849 when Napthala died at Dudswell she was present at his funeral, has been acquainted with Napthala ever since the close of the Revolution.  Rebecca is still Napthalas widdow.  Her husband was brother to Napthala, his name was John Bishop for who Revolutionary services she now draws a pension.  There is not to her knowledge any record proof of the marriage of Napthala to Rebecca.  Napthala resided in Dudswell for some 40 years before his death and was in the most indigent circumstances frequently heard him speak of applying

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Ethan Bishop
Sworn to and subscribed before me on the day and year above written And I hereby certify that the above named Ethan Bishop is a person of good character and of truth a veracity
L. W. Clark  Judge

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State of Vermont
Orleans County
I Diana Bishop depose and say that I am sixty years old that Napthala Bishop was my father that he died at Dudswell on the 15th of Feb 1849 that from my earliest recollections I have alway understood from my father and others that he served as a drummer in Capt Thomas Sawyers company in the fort at Rutland Vt. in the Revolutionary war for the term of nineteen months have frequently heard it spoken of and never heard it doubted  Rebecca Bishop was Napthalas wife and is my mother and has remained a widdow eversince my fathers death
Diana Bishop
Sworn and subscribed before me on this 8th day of Aug. A.D. 1891 And I certify that Diana Bishop is a person of truth and veracity
L W Clarke  Judge

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State of Vermont
Orleans County
I Josiah A. Fletcher
depose and say that I am well acquainted in the township of Dudswell (Canada East) and it is a general belief in said town that Napthala Bishop did serve as drummer in Capt Sayers company in Rutland in the Revolutionary war and such is the universal opinion of all the inhabitance through that vicinity And also that Rebeca Bishop, Esthur Bishop and Diana Bishop are persons of good characters and of truth and veracity
J. A. Fletcher
Sworn to and subscribed before me on this 8th day of August A.D. 1851  And I hereby certify that Mr. J. A. Fletcher the above affiant is a person of good character and of truth and veracity.
L. W. Clarke   Judge

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State of Vermont
Orleans County
I Hubbard Hastings Clerk of the County Court in the County of Orleans, hereby certify that L. W. Clarke the subscriber to the four foregoing certificates is a Judge of the County Court of said Orleans County which is a Court of record duly qualified to administer oaths and that his signatures to the same are genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of said Court at Innsbruck in said County of Orleans this twelfth day of August A.D. 1851- Hubbard Hastings  Clerk

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INVALID
REJECTED
Rebecca Bishop

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Derby One Vt.  June 20 1851
Dear Sir
I forwarded to you a few days since the application of the widdow of the late Napthala Bishop for a pension for the Revolutionary services of her husband after I Incloses it to you it occurred to me that there was no directions sent with it to whom you should make returns (which I see is by the regulations of the Pension office required) she wishes the returns to be made to me
Respectfully your Obdt Sevt
J. A. Fletcher
To the Commissioner
of Pensions
Washington
D.C.

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Derby Line  Feb 14, 1851
Dear Sir
I forwarded some 4 or 5 weeks since the application of the widow of Napthala Bishop ( a revolutionary soldier) for a pension directed to the Commissioner of pensions together with the proof of service marriage &
The widow is the principall witness is very ill & infirm & lives some 50 or 60 miles in Canada & the roads are so bad from their settlement in the summer season that it would be absolutely impossible from there in this infirmed state of health to come to ? Line & nearly if not quite impossible for them to make the same journey by sleighing
I therefore took their affidavitts before a magistrait or Justice of the Peace in Canada & forwarded them under the seal & Certifficat of the Prothonotors of the Superior Court of Queens Bench  Now if the Pension Commission should object to the paper from the fact of their being taken out of the United States it will be necessary for me to get them out this side of the Line before sleighing is gon

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but should I not get a return before wheeling it would be out of the question entirely of my getting them here before another winter & there is not much probability that they will either of them live to see another winter
I know it is the rules of the department to take up and act upon application in the order of their reception.  But I presume the commissioner if he knew the circumstances of this case would give it his immediate attention so I could have a chance to make an effort to get the applicant and witnesses this side of the line by sleighing
If you would call his attention to the facts you would much oblige your Obdt Servt
J. A. Fletcher
Hon  L. B. Peck
Washington
D. C.

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Illigible

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May 5, 1851
Rel: to appl
of the widow of
Napthala Bishop
J A fletcher
Derby Line
Vt
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington
D.C.

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Vermont - Derby Line  May 1, 1851
Dear Sir
About the 15 of January last I forwarded to the Pension office the application for Bounty land of P. Persaville, L. Lumbert, S. Hunton and Moses Emerson and in the same envelope was the application for a pension of the widow of Napthala Bishop who was a drummer in Capt Thomas Sawyers Company in the fort of Rutland in Vt in the Revolution together with the proofs of service Marriage deaths
I received a circular under the date of Jan 23, 1851 acknowledging the receipt of Persavill, Lumbert and Hunton's applications and on ? date of January 22 acknowledging the receipt of Emmerson but have heard nothing forwith widow Bishop
I wrote the Hon. L. Peck M. C. in Feb last requesting him to make enquiry into the state of the case and received a not from him dated Feb 17 stating he that day received my note & would let me know as soon as he could ascertain since which I have seen nothing from him on the department  I regret to trouble you but should be very much gratified to learn whether or not the application is received and if it is how long before I may expect a return
Respectfully your obt servt
J. A. Fletcher

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Feb 17 - 1851
Relative to case of Naphthala Bishop's widow 

Feby 7/51
[illegible]
Com'r of Pensions,
Washington

L. B. Peck

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Province of Canada District of St Francis Sherbrooke County ss 
On this 10 day of January A.D. eighteen hundred and fifty one (1851) personaly appeared before me a majistrait within and for the District of St Frances Rebecca Bishop aged seventy eight years a resident of the town of Dudswell in the County of Sherbrooke in the District of St Francis and province of Canada who being duly sworn according to law declares that Napthala Bishop served as a drummer in the fort at Rutland in the State of Vermont under Captain Thomas Sawyer in the Revolutionary war for the term of nineteen months his Fathers and two older brothers were taken prisoners by the British and carried off to Quebeck and kept three years and all their property burnt up by the enemy and the said Napthala and his mother with two brothers one older & one younger than himself were left entirely destitute so they all went into the fort at Rutland Napthala & his elder brother enlisted, Napthala as a drummer for he was not old enough to do duty with a musket and their mother washed and baked for the soldiers to support herself and youngest son I do not know the time of his enlistment he was born on the 20th of June A.D. 1779 He died in Dudeswell in the Province, District and County aforesaid on the 19th day of February AD. 1849

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she was married to the said Napthala on the 17the day of February A.D. 1790 at Himesburgh in Chittenden County in the State of Vermont by one Horrace Barber a Justice of the Peace within and for said County of Chittenden and ever since his death has remained and still is his widdow For the last thirty seven years of his life the said Napthala was a cripple and wholy destitute of property and the means of subsistance There is no record proof of their marriage in exhistence that she is proven of poor bodily infirmities she is unable to go before court to make her declaration The said Napthala never in his life time applied for a pension from his absolute destitution of means he could not take the first steps She wishes all returns to be made to J. A. Fletcher at Derby Line Vermont

She makes the declaration for the purpose of obtaining the pension due the said Napthala and herself as his widdow under the several acts of Congress for such cases made and provided
/s/Rebeca Bishop

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Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written And I certify that the said Rebecca Bishop is a person of truth and veracity and to my certain ['knowledge' crossed out] and personal knowledge was married to the said Napthala as she has above testified to which ceremony I was an eye witness
/s/Amos Bishop Justice of the Peace and Magistraite

I would further certify that I am sixty four years old and have been intimately accquainted with the said Napthala Bishop (who was my fathers brother) ever since my first rememberance & he was always reputed to have been a revolutionary soldier and I never heard it doubted by any one And also that the bodily infirmities of the said Rebecca is such that it would be imprudent is not impossible for her to attempt to go before a court to make her declaration it is 90 miles to the nearest point of the United States
/s/Amos Bishop Justice of the Peace & Majistraite

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Province of Canada District of St Francis Sherbrook County ss
On this 10th day of January A. D. eighteen hundred and fifty one (1851) personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace on magistrate within and for the Province and District aforesaid Esther Bishop who being duly sworn according to law makes the following declaration to wit
I am eighty six years old, and lived in the town of Rutland in the State of Vermont from the ['8th' crossed out] eighth to the twentieth (8th to 20th) year of my age and during the whole of the Revolutionary war. I lived about two miles from the fort in said Rutland frequently attended religious meetings in the said fort in said town or Rutland I am a sister to Rebecca Bishop who was married to Napthala Bishop in February 1790 in the town of Hinesburgh in Vermont by a Esqr Barber a Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Chittenden in the said State of Vermont I was present ['to' crossed out] at the wedding & saw then united in wedlock I have been acquainted with the said Rebecca & Napthala ever since their marriage & they have lived togeather as husband & wife untill the 15th day of February AD. 1849 The said Napthala Bishop was while I lived in Rutland a drummer in the fort in the United States service under Captain Thomas Sawyer and served in that capacity nineteen months and was honorably discharged

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Napthala Bishop enlisted as aforesaid in consequence of the fact that his father John Bishop and his two oldest Brothers John Jr and Timothee Bishop were taken prisoners by the British and carried off the Quebeck and kept three years which left Napthala and his mother with his two brothers one older & one younger than Napthala entirely destitute & they all went into the fort Napthala & his older brother. Elijah Bishop enlisted & his mother washed for the soldiers where they remained nineteen months Napthala Bishop died in the town of Dudswell on the 15th day of February A.D. 1849 and the said Rebecca Bishop has ever since remained & now is the widow of the said Napthala The said Napthala has always passed in the communities where he has lived as a Revolutionary soldier & I never heard it doubted by any one The health of the said Rebecca is such that it is impossible for her to go out over the line into Vermont (which is over 50 miles) to make her declaration I think there is no record of the marriage of the mid Napthal to the said Rebecca now in existence
/s/Esther Bishop

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where he resided

Amos Bishop Justice of the Peace or magistraite

Province of Canada District of St Francis Sherbrooke County ss
On this 10th day of January A.D. 1891 personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace on magistraite within and for the Province & District aforesaid John Bishop who being duly sworn according to law makes the following declaration to wit 
I am sixty six years old & have been acquainted with Napthala Bishop ever since I can remember I was present & saw him married to Rebecca Bishop whos name before the marriage was Rebecca Andrews Napthala & Rebeca were married in Hinesburgh in Vermont in February A.D. 1790 by a Esqr Barber a Justice of the Peace within and for Chittenden County in said Vermont said Napthala died in Dudswell on the 19th day of February 1849 the said Napthala lived in the town of Dudswell about 90 years he has always been reputed to have been a revolutionary soldier & the belief has been universal where eer he has been known & I knever herd

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it doubted by any one Rebecca has remained and still is the widow of the said Napthala who was my unkle 
/s/John Bishop

Sworn to and subscribed before me on the day and year above written And I certify that the said John Bishop is a person of respectable character and of truth & veracity
/s/Amos Bishop Justice of the Peace and Magistraite

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Province of Canada District of St Francis Sherbrooke County ss 
On this 10th day of January A.D. eighteen hundred and fifty one personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace and magistraite within and for the Province, District and County aforesaid Orson F. Bishop who being duly sworn according to law says that he is a son of said Napthala and Rebecca Bishop that his father Napthala was from his earliest rememberance reputed to have been a Revolutionary soldier & he never knew it to be doubted any any one that he died on the 15th day of February A.D. 1849 and for the last thirty seven years before he died he was in extreme indigence circumstances & that he (the said Orson) now is fifty two years old /s/Orson F. Bishop

Subscribed and sworn to before me on the day and year above written. And I certify that the said Orson F. Bishop is a person of truth and veracity
/s/Amos Bishop Justice of the Peace and Magistraite

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Province of Canada 
District of Saint Francis I the undersigned Prothonotary of the Superior Court in the District of SAint Francis do hereby certify under the Seal of the said Court that Amos Bishop is a Magistrate duly qualified according to Law to administer oaths as such, in the said District, and I further certify that the signatures "Amos Bishop" set and subscribed to the pregoing four affidavits are respectively the Signature and is the hand writing of the said Amos Bishop - 

/s/Wm Bell V.L.C.
Sherbrooke 15th January 1851 - 

No 14.315