Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11729, John Wells, Privateer R.I.

Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE
Privateer
R. I.

Wells, John

NUMBER
S. 11729


carded

Page 2

6795

New - York

John Wells
Ostego in the State of New - York who was a Private in the Compy commanded by Captain Sheldon of the Regt commanded by Col. West in the Rhode Island Line for 18 months

Inscribed on the Roll of New - York at the rate of 60 Dollars per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 7th day of March 1833 and Sent to Hon. W. G. Angel

Arrears to the 4th of Mar '33.   $120
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep: '33   30
$150

Died June 1842

{Revolutionary Claim,}
{Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by G. C. Stiles Clerk,
Book E. Vol. 4 Page 35

Page 3

X


admd.
5. 13

P. 277


[illegible] 2671


N. Yo.

Page 4

16.244

BRIEF in the case of John Wells 
County of Otsego in the State of New York
(Act 7th June, 1832.)


1.  Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?  Court

2.  If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  ~~

3.  How old is he?  74.

4.  State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

Period.
Enlisted In 1775 April
1775 July
Enlisted 1775, 1st Decr.
Drafted 1776 Spring
"  1776 June
"1776 Septr.
" 1776 Decr.

Duration of Service.
about 1 month.
about 4 months.
not stated precisely. 
1 month
1 month
1 month
1 month

Rank.
As a Private.

Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
Capt. Sheldon, Col. West.

5.  In what battles was he engaged?  none

6.  Where did he reside when he entered the service?  Scituate, R. I.

7.  Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?  Traditionary

8.  Are the papers defective as to form or authentication?  and if so, in what respect?  They are not attached to the Seal.

X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

Period.
Drafted 1777
1778
1778 June
1778 Octr.
1779 
1779
Enlisted --
1778
Enlisted on bond as Privateer 1780 Septr.
Vol. 1782

Duration of service.
3 months
1 month
1 month
1 month
1 month
1 month
about 1 month
1 month
not stated precisely
about 1 month

Rank.
private,

Officers under whom he served.
Capt. Sheldon
Capt. Howard
Capt. Wilbar
Capt. Howard
Capt. Wilbar
Capt. Howard
Capt. Barton, Genl Spencer
Capt. Wilbar, Genl Sullivan
Capt. Hill
Capt. Knight


F. Waugh Examining Clerk.
Feb 23, 1833.

Page 5

John Wells
W Brown
atty



18244


admd
By consent of Hon
Wm G. Angel
18 ms pri

60$

Page 6

Otsego Common Pleas of October Term 1832

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832

State of New York}
Otsego County}Ss.  On this 16th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Otsego being a Court of record & now Sitting John Wells a resident of the Town of Hartwick in the County & State aforesaid aged 74 Years on the 14th day of February next who being first duly Sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in 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 & Served as herein State to wit
In the Month of April 1775 & in a few days after the battle of Lexington he enlisted for one year in a company Commanded by Captain Stephen Sheldon in Col. William Wests Regiment of Scituate in Rhode Island Under this Enlistment he was called into Service in the Month of May & was Stationed at Black Island to guard the Island where he remained about one month  In July he was called to Newport R. I. to guard the point remained there a few days  & was removed to Conanicut to guard that place where he continued for about 4 Months the while time he was out upon this Service was about five months.  On the first of December in the same year & under the same Enlistment he was ordered to Newport stationed there in the Service till some time in the month of March about the Middle of March he was ordered to Bristol - & Stationed there as a guard for one month In the Spring of 1776, but of what [illegible] time he cannot now

Page 7

recollect he was drafted as a Militia man under Capt Stephen Sheldon the Same officer under whom he Served the Year before & was Stationed as a guard at Warwick for one Month at the end of which he was relieved by other drafts & returned home In the month of June & after he [illegible] one month of [illegible] was drafted again under the Same officer and Stationed as a guard at the Same place for one month more when he was again relieved In September in the Same year he was again drafted & stationed as a guard at Bristol & remained there one month under the Same Captain In the month of November he was again drafted & again Stationed at Bristol for one Month under the Same Captain During this the militia was alternately called out to guard the Expand points along the Coast & he served under the revolution four months as above stated.  In the year 1777 he was drafted three times & served one month at each time under the Same Captain as follows In the month of March at Warwick, the Month of July at Bristol & the Month of December at Bristol, this Service was in guarding those places as in 1776.
In 1778, he was drafted under Capt William Howard & Served under him at Warwick for one month being the Month of April In the Month of June of the Same Year he was again drafted under Capt Samuel Wilbur & was again Stationed at Warwick where he served one month In October of the same Year he was again drafted & Stationed at Bristol under Capt William Howard for one Month In 1779 he was drafted & served one Month at Warwick under Captain Samuel Wilbur in the Month of May

Page 8

In the Same year he was drafted again & stationed for one month at Bristol under Capt William Howard according to the best of his recollection it was in the fall of the year that he Enlisted under Capt William Barton [illegible] Guard in a [illegible] Expedition under Genl Joseph Spencer against the Enemy upon Rhode Island He marched to Little Compton under Captain William Howard where they exchanged arms on account of the American Guns in the hands of the Militia having no bayonets to them & took french arms at [illegible] house in that place He remained with his Regt. at this place about one month Expecting Every day to go on to the Island & attack the Enemy but the Expedition was finally abandoned & he was discharged.
In 1778 & in the month of August he was ordered out as a Militia man to join the forces under General Sullivan in his expedition against the Enemy upon Rhode Island.  He went on with the Expedition under Captain Samuel Wilbur assisted in making Entrenchments & breast works & remained one Month in Service till relieved by other drafts.  In the fall of 1780 & he thinks as early as the first of September he Enlisted under Capt Stephen Hill Commander of the Privateer Brig Mercuria of fourteen guns for four Months at Boston This vessel sailed from Boston early in September crossed the Banks of [illegible] passed over to the English Channel returned by way of Cape Sable where She put in & returned to Boston on the first of January 1781.  In this voyage captured a Sloop brig laded with [illegible] silk which was the only capture She made He was discharged from this Service when the Mercuria arrived at Boston

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In March 1782 he volunteered under Captain Jonathon Knight of Cranston Rhode Island Commanding a company of R. I.  Militia & went on to Rhode Island where he was stationed for about one Month He took no written discharge at any time when he left the Service He was born on the 14 of February 1759, at Scituate in Rhode Island & resided there at the period times he was called into the Service 
He has no record of [illegible] & relies upon his recollection of the amount given him by his parents two years after the close of the Revolution he went to Providence & lived there two years from there he went to Gloucester in the same State where he resided five years, then he removed to Hartwick in the County of Otsego where he has ever since & now resides  He recollects Col Ezekiel Cornell Col. Peck Genl Sullivan Spencer & Palmer Revd Job Potter will relate his character for truth & veracity also Mr William Fry & Nathan Fields
He hereby relinquishes all claims whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll or agency of any State.
Sworn & subscribed in open Court the 16th day of October 1832.  John  his X mark Wells
Horace Lathrop Clerk
William G Angel of Exeter & John S Warner of Hartwick do certify that we are well acquainted with John Wells who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be 74 years of age that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution & that we concur in that opinion
Sworn the day & year above written
W G Angel
John S Warner
Horace Lathrop Clerk

[on left margin]
J. Potter absent

Page 10

And the Said Court hereby declare their opinion after an investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the Said John Wells was a Soldier of the Revolution & Served therein as he states And the Said Court further certifies that W G Angel of Exeter & John S. Warner of Hartwick who have Signed the preceding certificate are persons of credibility & their statement is Entitled to credit
J. O. Moore
E Foote
S Page


I Horace Lathrop Clerk of the Court of Otsego Common Pleas hereby Certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the Said Court in relation to the application of John Wells for a pension  Witness my hand & Seal of office this 19th day of October 1832
Horace Lathrop, Clerk.

Page 11

February 21, 1933


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

BA-J/NEL
John Wells- S.11729

Mrs. Sophie Moore
1320 Maple Street
Kalamazoo, Michigan

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request information in regard to John Wells, a soldier of the Revolutionary War and a pensioner.

The data furnished herein are obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim, S.11729, based upon the military service of John Wells in that war.

John Wells was born February 14, 1759, at Scituate, Rhode Island.

While residing in said Scituate, he enlisted in April, 1775, and served at various times on monthly tours until the fall of 1779, as a private under Captains Stephen Sheldon, William Howard, Samuel Wilber and William Barton, and Colonel William West in the Rhode Island Troops and was in General Sullivan's Rhode Island Expedition; about September 1, 1780, he went on board the privateer brig, "Mercuria", Captain Stephen Hall, commander; they cruised as far as the English Channel and captured one sloop, and returned to Boston, January 1, 1781, when he was discharged:  in March, 1782, he volunteered and served one month in Captain Jonathan Knight's Rhode Island Company, making the entire length of his service in the Rhode Island Militia, twenty-four months.

[hand-written note on right margin]
Could not identify any of these officers except Col. West.

Two years after the Revolution, he moved from Scituate, Rhode Island, to Providence, that state, where he lived for two years; then moved to Gloucester, Rhode Island, and lived five years; thence to Hartwick, Orsego County, New York, where he was residing when he was allowed pension on his application executed October 16, 1832.

[hand-written on left margin]
AB

The soldier died in June, 1842.

Page 12

There are no data regarding John Wells' family.

Your letter has been referred to the proper division for reply in regard to the Civil War soldiers.

Very truly yours



A. D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrator.




                               -2-

Page 13

Rev War
11.729

INVALID.

File No.  11.729

John Wells
Pri Rev War

Act:  June 7th: 32

Index:--Vol. A, Page 399

[Arrangement of 1870.]


[right side of page]
Apl. 24, 1902
Asahel J Wright
Hartfield Conn

1921 Feby 4 Hist. to Mrs. W. B. Denton
1933 Feb 21 - Hist. to Mrs Sophie Moore - Letter sent to sol Div. for reply in regard to Civil War soldiers - ECL

Page 14

[stamp of]
U.S.P.B.
OLD WAR & NAVY FILES
MAR 29 1902


Room 42, State Capitol, Hartford, Conn., March 27, 1902.

Dear Sir: [hand-written:  O.W.T.N.]

When the United States Census was taken in June 1840 John Wells, age 81, was a pensioner and resided in the town of Hartwick, Otsego County, New York.  His pension was granted for service during the Revolution.  He must have been a resident of the town of Scituate (Foster section) at the time he went into service.  Scituate was divided in 1781 and the west part of the town was incorporated as Foster.

[Hand-written in left margin]
6795 - 32

I presume that John Wells was in some Rhode Island regiment.  Please inform me as to what company and regiment he served in and give me the date of his birth if it appears in his application for a pension.  I should also be glad to know where his service was rendered.  Any other information which appears upon the application will be gladly received.

I shall be perfectly willing to pay for copying the papers.

Yours truly,
Asahel J. Wright.

To The Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington, D. C.

P. S. The information is wanted for genealogical purposes.  John Wells was my great uncle.

Page 15

[stamped]
MEDICAL DIVISION
CERTIFICATE SECTION
DEC 11 1920

Detroit, Dec. 9, 1920.

Bureau of Pensions:--

Please send me military records of [penciled in S11729] John Wells Otsego Co., N.Y. and [penciled in R.I S11702] Silas Wells, Rome Oneida Co., N.Y.

Sincerely,
Mrs. W. B. Denton,
811 Third Av.,
Detroit, Mich.


[faintly stamped]
U. S. PENSION OFFICE
DEC 11 1920

Page 16

JTA-Law

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
Washington, Dec. 21, 1920

Respectfully returned.  You should state company and regiment in which each soldier served, and the purpose for which the information is desired.

F. A. Royse
Acting Commissioner.



[stamped]
RECORDS DIVISION
DEC 14 1920

LAW DIVISION RECEIVED
DEC 20 1920

Page 17

REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION.

                                  3--525

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C.,     , 19

S. F. 11.729

In reply to your request of, received for a statement of the military history of John Wells a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.

DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.
Apr. 1775
Sept. 1780

LENGTH OF SERVICE.
Served at various times 24 mos.
Jany. 1781

RANK.
Pvt.

OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.
Stephen Sheldon
William Howard
Samuel Wilbur
William Barton
Jonathan Knight
Stephen Hill in privateer brig Mercuria

COLONEL.
William West.

STATE.
R. I.

Battles engaged in, was in Sullivan's Expedition to R. I.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Scituate, R.I.
Date of application for pension, Oct. 16, 1832 His cl. was al.
Residence at date of application, Hartwick, Otsego Co N.Y.
Age at date of application, b. Feby 14 1759 at Scituate, R. I.
Remarks:  There is no data on file as to his family.


Respectfully,

Commissioner.

6--2856