Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 355, Joseph Bacon, Conn.

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(3-1776)
SERVICE
Connecticut

Bacon, Joseph
Betsey

NUMBER
R 355

CONTENTS

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Reuben Baldwin, Esquire
Boston, Massachusetts

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County of Norfolk, ss:
I Jonathan H. Cobb Register of the Court of Probate for said County of Norfolk hereby certify that Sherman Leland is judge of said Court of Probate and that his [illegible] signatures on this paper are genuine and true.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court of Probate this fifth day of October A.D. 1840.
Jonathan H. Cobb

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has intermarried since the death of her late husband said Joseph Bacon. I am in the seventy sixth year of my age, and at present confined to my house by sickness. The above said John Clapp died before signing.

I Martha Ferren Wife of Freeman Ferren of Boston in the County of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged thirty four years; being sworn do on oath testify deposed and say that, I am the reputed daughter of Jospeh and Betsey Bacon. That my late father said Joseph Bacon was born in the town of Brooklyne in the state of Connecticut and I always understood from his own mouth and that of my late uncle Henry Bacon's of this city. I have always from my earliest recollection understood from my late father said Joseph and Uncle Henry that they were both soldiers in the Connecticut line of the Revolutionary army of the truth of whose declaration were never to my knowledge controverted by any person whatever. and that after the termination of hostilities my late father and uncle Henry Bacon came to Massachusetts where they both eventually married Massachusetts women. My mother name was Elizabeth, otherwise called Betsey King, daughter of John King of Roxbury, at which place my father and mother took up their residence after rmarriage upwards forty years and acquired a small property and reared a numerous family; some twenty-five or thirty years since my late father was engaged with others in the removal of a building in Roxbury and during it's progress my father fell from aloft and receive a severe bodily injury which disabled him ever afterwards from labour; he was attended with occasionally fits of insanity which was much aggravated in after times by his acquiring intemperate habits; such was his situation that when the Pension Act of 1818 was passed that our whole family together with his brother Henry united in dissuading him from claiming its benefits, and we were successful in making him believe that none by temperate people were entitled, as we were well aware that the less money he had at his disposal, the better for himself and family. my father said Joseph Bacon died at Roxbury in the year 1829 and left my mother Betsey Bacon his widow

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who is still living and resides in our family and I do know she has not intermarried since the death of my late father said Joseph Bacon aforesaid. I further testify that said Joseph Bacon uniformly declared during his lifetime that he was a musician - a drummer in the American Army of the Revolutionary War.
Martha Ferrin

Commonwealth of Massahusetts
Suffolk, ss:
The said Martha Ferrin, the above deponent ,made solemn oath of the truths of the contents of the above affidavit before me on this 17th day of September A.D. 1840; and further certify that she is a person of respectability and entitled to be credited on her oath in a court of Justice.
Peter O. Thatcher, Justice of the Peace throughout the said Commonwealth.

Betsey Bacon
Widow of Joseph Bacon, deceased
No. 7384
Act 7 July 1838
M93. d29

[very faint]
Captain William [illegible]
July [illegible]
rejoined May 3, '82
[illegible]

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[very faint]
[illegible] Henry Bacon

DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, of the 7th July, 1838, entitled "An Act granting half pay and pensions to certain Widows."

State of Massachusetts,
County of Norfolk} ss.
On this seventeenth day of September in the year Eighteen hundred forty personally appeared in open court before the subscriber, Judge of the Municipal Court for the City of Oslo in the county of Suffolk aged sixty six year, who, being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress, passed July 7, 1838, entitled "An Act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows;" that she is the widow of Joseph Bacon deceased who was a Private and Drummer in the Connecticut line of the Revolutionary Army and served therein upwards of three years, and received an honorable discharge at the termination of his service; which discharge she distinctly remembers of seeing, as having been pressured for a series of years amongst the papers of her late husband, but has subsequently been lost or destroyed. She further testifies that her late husband, said Joseph Bacon and his late brother Henry and their fathers family were residents of Brooklyne, Wyndham County, Connecticut, and soon after the termination of the Revolutionary War, said Joseph and Henry came to this state of Massachusetts where they both married wives; said Joseph settled at Roxbury and Henry at Boston.
Sher further declares that she was married to the said Joseph Bacon at Brookline in the state of Massachusetts on the 16th day of May in the year seventeen hundred and ninety three; that her husband, the aforesaid Joseph Bacon died on the third day of July eighteen hundred and twenty nine; that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January, seventeen hundred and ninety-four, viz: at the time above stated.
Sworn to and subscribed ^in open Court on the day and year above written, before me, Betsy Bacon
viz, on this 17th day of September A.D. 1840.
Peter O. Thacher
sole Judge of the municipal Court of the city of Boston.
The words "Roxbury" "third," and "July" are erased and the words "Brookline in the state of Massachusetts" were interlined by me before signature.
Peter O. Thatcher, Judge

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I John Clapp of Roxbury in the County of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, ^cabinet [illegible], being sworn do on oath testify depose and say that I was formerly well acquainted with Joseph Bacon of said town of Roxbury and with his wife Elizabeth commonly called Betsey, whose family name was King, a daughter of John King of Roxbury. I became acquainted with said Joseph Bacon soon after the termination o the war of the Revolution. He was then a laborer, occasionally engaged in laying stone wall, soon thereafter said Joseph  contracted an acquaintance with the aforesaid Betsey King to whom he was lawfully married, as was always reported and believed and in process of time they became parents to a numerous family of children, some of whom are still living. Said Joseph was for a long succession of years an industrious and laborious man and accumulated a small property by his industry and provided well for his family, but towards the latter part of his life, he became very infirm and intemperate, so much so as to dander away what properly he possessed, and finally became an inmate of the Almshouse in Roxbury where he died some ten or twelve years since. I made his coffin and helped put his corps[sp] therein. I have not seen the widow which said Joseph Bacon left at his death for two or three years past, but I am credibly informed she is still living and resides with her children in the city of Boston. I ws formerly well acquainted with Henry Bacon, the brother of said Joseph Bacon. He resided with his family in Boston and was for a long succession of years one of the messengers to the Legislature of this state, in the State House at their annual sessions, but is now dead. The above mentioned Joseph Bacon often times in his lifetime informed me and others that himself was an old solider of the Revolutionary Army and this fact was never controverted by anyone to my knowledge. I do not believe that his widow, the aforesaid Betsey Bacon has -

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

County of Norfolk, Roxbury, July 6th 1840.
I Nathaniel S. Prentiss the subscriber do hereby certify that it appears by the Registry of Marriages and Publishments in the Town of Roxbury that there is contained the following entry of Publishment, viz: April thirteenth seventeen hundred ninety three, Mr. Joseph Bacon a resident in Roxbury and Miss Elizabeth King of Roxbury Published April fourteenth, and certified the twenty ninth day of April following. I also certify the above is a true copy of the Record with the exception of the date, which is expressed on the record in fair legible figures as follows, viz: April thirteenth 13 seventeen hundred ninety three 1793. Mr. Joseph Bacon a resident in Roxbury and Miss Elizabeth King of Roxbury, Published April fourteenth 14. and Certified the twenty ninth day 29th of April following. I also certify that I have carefully searched said Records, and could not find a record of the Marriage o said Joseph and Elizabeth.
I, Nathaniel S. Prentiss, above named depose and say, that I hold the office of Town Clerk in town, county and state aforesaid; and that the above is a true extract from the records of said town with the exception above named, as certified by me.
Nathaniel S. Prentiss, Town Clerk of Roxbury, Norfolk, ss. October 3rd, 1840.
Subscribed and sworn to before me, [illegible] of Probate

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I Elnathan Taber of Roxbury in the County of Norfolk & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, clock maker. Being sworn do on oath testify depose and say that I am in the seventy third year of my age, and that I have resided in said Town of Roxbury fifty six years and upwards. That I was formerly well acquainted with Joseph Bacon, late of said Roxbury, and with his wife, Betsey, whose family name name was King, a daughter of Mr. John King of Roxbury. I was acquainted with said Joseph & Betsey both before their marriage and afterwards and also with their family. Said Joseph was a laboring man, of industrious habits, and for a long succession of years provided well for his family and accumulated some small property by his industry, but towards the latter part of his life, he became very infirm, to which was finally added intemperance & at [illegible] length became an inmate of the poorhouse of this town where it is generally understood he died some ten or twelve years since and left said Betsey his widow, whom I understand & believe is still living with her children in the city of Boston, and whom I do no believe has intermarried since the death of her late husband, Joseph Bacon aforesaid.
Elnathan Taber

s. Norfolk ss
October 8th 1840
Subscribed and sworn to by the said Elnathan Saber whom I hereby certify to be a credible witness.
Before me, S. Lelands, Judge of Probate

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Comptrollers Office
Hartford, September 12, 1840
I certify that on application for evidence of the services of Joseph Bacon in the revolutionary War, either years or months from 1777. I have examined the settlements made with the Commander of the Continental Army and find his name in the 9th Connecticut Regiment, Samuel B Webb, Esquire, Colonel before the year 1780. Where he is entered as a private April 14, 1779. Time of settlement December 1, 1780 having served one year seven months and seventeen days. Again in the same regiment. Joseph Bacon appears as dummer and commenced services December 1, 1778 time of discharge January 1, 1780 having served one year and one month again same regimenbtn as Drummer, commenced service January 1, 1780 time of settlement April 15, 1780 having served three months and fourteen days.

from April 14, 1777 to December 1, 1778 as private 
y: 1
m: 7
d: 17
from December 1, 1778 to January 1780 as drummer
y: 1
m: 1
d: 0
from January 1780 to April 15, 1780 as drummer
y: 0
m: 3
d: 14
______[totalling]
y: 3
m: 0
d: 1
Henry Kilbourne [illegible]

See Rut of W [illegible]
[illegible]
Col. JB Webb
Vol. 2, No 63
Capt. T. Woosler, Co.  [illegible] April 1780
Joseph Bacon, Drummer to April 15, 1780
Vol 2, April 14, 1777 [illegible]

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Suffolk, ss
I Thomas W. Phillips, Clerk of the Municipal Court of the City of Boston, hereby certify that Peter O. Thacher, Esquire is sole judge of said Municipal Court and that the signature written on these papers purporting to be the signatures of said Thacher are his genuine signatures;
I further certify that said Municipal Court is a Court f Record.
Witness my hand, the seal of said Municipal Court; hereto set this second day of October A.D. eighteen hundred and forty.
Thomas W. Phillips, Clerk

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Hartford
September 12, 1840
Sir,
Enclosed you have certificate as evidence of the services of Joseph Bacon in the Continental Line, Revolutionary War for 3 years, part of the time as drummer in Colonel Webb's Regiments, which I hope may be satisfactory. I have to acknowledge the receipt of Two dollars.
Yours very respectfully,
Henry Kilbourne [illegible]
P.S. I find Henry Bacon served in the Connecticut Line but not in Webb's regiment.
Yours, K

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Mrs. Betsey Bacon's case
widow of Joseph Bacon, deceased

Reuben Baldwin
Present

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I, Dolly Bacon of Boston in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged sixty seven years of age, Being sworn do on oath testify depose and say that I am the widow of Henry Bacon late of said Boston deceased; I was his second wife.
I further testify that said Henry Bacon, my late husband was a revolutionary pensioner of the United States for service performed by him during the Revolutionary War. I have always understood from the frequent conversations of my late husband, said Henry, during his life time that himself and father's family were originally inhabitants of Brooklyn in Connecticut; that his father's name was Nehemiah Bacon, and that during the continuum of the Revolutionary War, said Henry & brother Joseph both enlisted as soldiers in the Connecticut Troops of the Continental Army & both continued in said service several years, the service of my late husband was the longest duration, as I often heard him say; soon after the termination of the War, the whole family of Nehemiah Bacon aforesaid, removed to the town of [blank] in the western part of this Commonwealth where they took up their residence. But his two sons, Henry & Joseph, not liking the country, left the same & came to Boston; said Henry finally settle din Boston & said Joseph married a young woman by the name of Betsey King and settled in the adjoining town of Roxbury, where in process of time, they became heads of a numerous family of children, Said Joseph survived until some fifteen or sixteen years since, and then died at said Town of Roxbury. He had in the latter part of his life become intemperate & somewhat unpleasant in his family. His widow Betsey Bacon is still living in this city with her children and has not intermarried since the death of her late husband Joseph Bacon aforesaid.
Dolly Bacon

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I, Caroline Bacon of Boston, county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged thirty years.  Being sworn do in oath testify and say that I am the reputed Daughter of Henry Bacon, late of Boston, deceased, and that my late father, Henry Bacon, aforesaid, was a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States for Services performed during the Revolutionary War.  
During the lifetime of my late Father, Henry Bacon, aforesaid, I have frequently heard him relate many circumstances relating to his services in said army, and always affirmed that his brother, Joseph, who resided in Roxbury, was likewise a Soldier in the Army of the Revolution.  But I am unable to state any particulars further than that my said Uncle Joseph was a Drummer, and since his residence at Roxbury he frequently beat the drum at Military Trainings in his Town.  My Aunt Betsey Bacon, the widow of my late Uncle Joseph Bacon aforesaid, is still living, and resides with her children in this city, and has not married since the death of her late husband Joseph Bacon, aforesaid.
I have always understood from my late Father, said Henry Bacon, that himself and his late Brother Joseph served as soldiers in the Connecticut line of the Army of the Revolutionary War, and further that their family were originally inhabitants of Brooklyne, Windham County and State of Connecticut.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Suffolk County
[unreadable]
Boston, November 24, 1841.
Then [unreadable] approved Miss Dolly Bacon and Miss Caroline J. Bacon and so verbally made solemn oath to the truth of the affidavits by them respectively subscribed before me.  
R. L. Porter, Justice of the Peace, 
I hereby certify that the above named Dolly Bacon and Caroline J. Bacon are respected inhabitants of Boston, and are persons of undoubted veracity.
R. L. Porter

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's office, Boston
November 24, 1841
I hereby ^certify that R. L. Porter is a Justice of the Peace for the County of Suffolk, in the said Commonwealth, duly constituted and commissioned and that to his acts and attestations as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, in and out of County.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth the date above written.
John. P. Bigelow
Secretary of the Commonwealth

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___ Ex'r
INVALID.
No. 355
[cross out] Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873. [end cross out]
[ink stamp] REJECTED

Betsey Bacon

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No. 7384  355
Betsey Bacon
Massachusetts
Act July 7, 1838
355

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Betsey Bacon

James L. Edwards, Esquire
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington

received February 16
Syl

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Boston, Massachusetts
February 10th, 1842.
Sir,
I would respectfully call your attention to the claim for a five years pension by Mrs. Betsey Bacon of Massachusetts, widow of Joseph Bacon, deceased. Her case has been before the Department since October 1840. I called the attention of the Department to this case on my late visit to Washington & presented at the same time some additional testimony which testimony was not deemed sufficient. I had lost or mislaid the enclosed letter. it has lately come to hand. It is from a younger brother of Joseph & Henry Bacon, who resides in Vermont. If its contents should throw any light on the ash, relative to the personal identify of Joseph Bacon, my object will be obtained; how far this is accomplished by the mention of the names of Benjamin Cody and Jared Kimball as fellow soldiers in the same service, or of Colonel Webb and Captain Samuel Williams, is unknown to me, and will be decided by the Department.
Be pleased to give the above case a further consideration, and transmit the result to me.
Very respectfully, sir, I am your obedient servant,
Reuben Baldwin

James L. Edwards, Esquire
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington

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P.S. The early removal of the whole family of Nehemiah Bacon from Brooklyn Connecticut soon after the termination of the Revolutionary War is one of the principle reason why it is so very difficult at this late day to find any person in those regions, who can give any information relating to that family, more especially of the services in the army of Joseph & Henry his sons.

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Boston, Massachusetts
October 5th, 1840.
Sir,
I herein enclose the papers in application for a Pension under the Act of July 7th 1838, by Mrs. Betsey Bacon, widow of Joseph Bacon deceased.
Be pleased to give this case the usual course of investigation, & transmit the result to me at this place.
Very respectfully, sir, I am your obedient servant,
Reuben Baldwin

James L. Edwards, Esquire
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington