Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 14176, John Williams, Mass. Mass Sea Service Navy Privateers War Of 1812

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Williams, John
No. 14176
Mass Sea Service
Sally
Navy
CONTENTS
+ Privateers War of 1812

Ja s Gregory 7 July 1840
2947
Repo
Massachusetts
Sally Williams.
widow of John Williams, decd:
who was a pensioner under the Act of _____ and who died on the 2 d . May, 1837. of Essex Co in the State of Mass: — who was a priv: Seaman in the Comp y : — commanded by Captain Williams, of the Reg t , commanded by Col: Glover in the Mass: — time for 7 months, & 11 days priv: Infy: 5 — " — 16 days — D t . M t . U.S. navy:
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 48 Dollars 04 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1836.
Certificate of Pension issued the 24th day of May 1839 and sent to Ja s Gregory, Marblehead, Mass:
Arrears to the 4th of Mar: 1839 $144.12 Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sept 24.02
$168.14
{ Act July 7, } 1838. }
Recorded by M c Naught Clerk, Book A Vol. 1 — Page 144

Sally Williams 3A97 wid of John Mab Ad July 7 1836 Mand 1787 died 1824
Allow Pr. Inf 7.11 d. 24.54 2 Mths U.S. Navy 5 mo. 16 days 23.50 $48.04 Capt Williams (2 o ) Glova. Maf Milton U.S. Navy Vol. 39. p. 88
Geo. Gregory Esq. Mabel Lee Maf

State of Massachusetts, } ss. Marblehead. County of Essex - - - }
On this thirtieth day of August, A.D. 1838, personally appeared before me, David Cummings Esquire, a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas & a Court of Record, within & for said State & County, Sally Williams, a resident of said Marblehead aged sixty-eight years, who, being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on her oath & from the best of her knowledge & belief, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress, passed July 7th. 1838, entitled "An act granting half pay & pensions to certain widows": that she is the widow of John Williams, who was a private in the Company of Captain Nicholson Broughton of the 21 st Regiment of Massachusetts Foot, commanded by Colonel John Glover, in the War of the Revolution; that her said husband resided in said Marblehead at the time of his enlistment, & enlisted there in said Corps, in the eight months' service, as a volunteer, on the nineteenth day of May, A.D. 1775: that her said husband continued in said Corps doing his duty in & about said Marblehead until the 22 d day of June following, when he marched with said Regiment to Cambridge, near Boston, & joined the American Army stationed there under the command of General Ward: that a short time after General Washington arrived & took the command of all the troops assembled there: that her said husband continued with said Regiment doing his duty at said Cambridge & around said Boston, until the thirty-first day of December following, when the term of enlistment having expired, said Regiment was discharged & he returned home.
She further Declares that from the best of her knowledge & belief her said husband again entered the Public Service, & enlisted as a marine  seaman volunteer at said Marblehead on board the Continental Brig General Gates, John Shimmer Esq. Commander, & William Dennis & John Lewis also of said Marblehead, but are now deceased, first & second Lieutenants - on or about the first day of November A.D. 1777, & proceeded on a six months' cruise against the common enemy: that they succeeded in capturing several valuable prizes, after several severe engagements (during one of which said Capt Shimmer was killed by a Cannon Ball) - several of which they brought safe into Port, & arrived home again to Boston some time in the month of May, 1778, after an absence of between six & seven months, & was then discharged: that she has no documentary evidence & knows of no person whose testimony she can procure in proof of the last period of her said late husband's services.

She further Declares that from the best of her knowledge & belief her said husband again entered the Public Service, & enlisted as a Seaman Marine Volunteer at said Marblehead on board the Continental Brig General Gates, John Skimmer Esq. Commander, & William Dennis & John Lewis also of said Marblehead, but are now deceased, first & second Lieutenants - on or about the first day of November A. D. 1777, & proceeded on a six months cruise against the common enemy; that they succeeded in capturing several valuable prizes, after several severe engagements (during one of which said Capt Skimmer was killed by a Cannon Ball) - several of which they brought safe into Port, & arrived home again to Boston some time in the month of May, 1778, after an absence of between six & seven months, & was then Discharged: That she has no Documentary evidence & knows of no person whose testimony she can procure in proof of this last period of her said late husband's services.
She further Declares that according to the best of her knowledge & belief her said husband was also a Seaman on other cruise in the Public Naval service in said war on board the said Brig General Gates, & also on other cruise on board the Massachusetts State Brig Pyramide of 14 Guns, Jonathan Harrader Esq. Commander - a Seaman in both cases; that as she has no Documentary evidence & knows of no one whose testimony she can procure in proof of said service: that there are but few persons living either in this place or the neighboring

neighboring Country that served on board said Brig Pyramide , & none at all, that she knows of, that served on board said Brig General Gates ; that the few who are still living & served on board said Brig Pyramide state that they cannot recollect the names of one tenth part of those that served on board, that her said husband might have served on the same cruises with them, & still that they might have no recollection of him; that under these circumstances, & without personal access to the Massachusetts Documents & continental Documents containing the names of those who served on board said vessels, she cannot state the particulars of her said husband's services in anything like a tangible form - such as the Rules of the Department require - & must, under these circumstances, jeopardize what she believes to be her just claim under the law aforesaid, if she cannot be allowed for said services, provided the said Documents bear her late husband's name. She therefore begs to appeal to the said Documents for the requisite proof. And she declares her readings, should the name of a John Williams hailing from Marblehead be thereon found, & the Department should require proof of the identity of the name with that of her late husband - to prove to the satisfaction of the proper Department by the best of living testimony that it can be none other than his.
She further declares that her said late husband was in much Privateering service during said war after the above mentioned, & that he was also in considerable Privateering service in the last war with Great Britain, but that she does not at present recollect any thing of any other public service in the War of the Revolution, performed by her said late husband, than that which she has herein stated & declared!
She further declares that that she was married to the said John Williams , on the eighth day of April, in the year seventeen hundred & eighty-seven; that her said husband the aforesaid John Williams died at Lynn, in the said County of Essex, on the second day of May, eighteen hundred & twenty-four, & that she has remained a widow ever since his death; 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 & ninety-four, viz: at the time above stated, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
Witness D. Cummings James Greville
her Tally L Williams mark
Sworn to & subscribed, on the day & year above written the said applicant being unable by reason of infirmity to appear in Court. Before me,
David Cummings

Extract from the Record of Marriages in the Town of Marblehead, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts.
Seventeen hundred Eighty seven April Eighth
Mr John Williams & Miss Sarah Brown both of this Town
I certify that the above is a true extract from the records, with the exception of the date which is expressed in fair legible figures as follows, viz. 1787 Apr 8
Richd. Homan
I, Richd. Homan, above named, depose & say that I hold the office of clerk of the Town of Marblehead, county & State aforesaid, & that the above is a true extract from the record, with the exception above named, as certified by me.
Richd. Homan clerk of the Town of Marblehead
Marblehead September 13th, 1838.
Then personally appeared, Richard Homan, a credible witness & made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed,
Before me,
James Gregory, J. of the Peace.
I, Ambrose Allen, of Marblehead in the County of Essex & State of Massachusetts, do on my oath testify & declare, that I am in the Seventy-eighth year of my age: that I was in much service in the war of the Revolution in Private Armed Vessels, & was also on cruise in the Massachusetts State Brig of War Tyrannicide: that I was Pensioned in the Autumn of 1837 for the last mentioned service: that I well knew John Williams, the late husband of Sarah or Sally Williams, who is understood to have signed the Declaration hereon: that I have always understood & believed that said John Williams was in much service in the said War of the Revolution, but I am unable to state the particulars of it. Said John Williams sickened & died in Lynn, in the said County of Essex, several years ago, & I have no doubt that he died at the time his widow has hereon stated. I have from my youth up known said Sarah or Sally Williams, whose maiden name was Brown, & I do further well know that she is now a widow & has remained a widow, even since the death of her said late husband the aforesaid John Williams.
Witness J. Grigson
Ambrose Allen
Commonwealth of Massachusetts } ss. Marblehead, October 26th, 1838. County of Essex - - - - -
Then personally appeared the above named Ambrose Allen - a credible & undoubted witness, & made solemn oath, in due form of law, to the truth of the foregoing affidavit, by him subscribed.
Before me, James Gregory, J. of the Peace.

Marblehead, November 29th 1888.
Honored Sir: I have the Honor herewith to forward to you the Declarations of Elizabeth Devereus, widow of Benjamin P. alias Benjamin Devereus, Margaret Glover, widow of Edmund Glover, & Sally Williams, widow of John Williams, all of whom claim the benefit of the law of July 1th, 1888.
In scouring the neighboring country in behalf of the above named widows, & others, with the view of finding living witnesses of their late husbands' Revolutionary services, I have ascertained that Capt William Bacon did not belong to Glovers' Regt. the second year of the war, & that therefore the service of Benjamin Devereus declared from the imperfect recollection of his widow to have been under the same Capt Bacon in said Glovers Regt. the second year could not have been strictly correct. Bacon is understood to have belonged to the Corps of Artificers the second year , & as Devereus was a cooper by trade it is probable he belonged to the same Corps for that year; & should his name be therein found under said Bacon, it is hoped the error in the name of the Corps, under the circumstances, will not prejudice the widows' claim.

With respect to the service of Edmund Glover for the second year of the War, the widow could not state with confidence the name of the Captain of the Company in which he served, although confident he served with his Uncle (said Edmund was a Nephew to Colonel John) in both the first & second years, & indeed in all his Land Service. I have since ascertained that he probably served in the Company commanded by Thomas Grant of said Regt. for the said second year. As this last service was in the Continental Army, it is expected that the records of your Honor's office will support the Declaration in that behalf, as well as all the service declared for.
With respect to the services of John Williams on board the "Continental Brig" General Gates, & the State Brig Tyrannicide, I would observe, that I have, since the widow made her Declaration, & in & through my researches as aforesaid, ascertained, beyond a doubt, to my mind, that Mrs Williams & her friends were mistaken with respect to the service of Williams on board the General Gates the first cruise declared for, & that although the name of John Williams is borne on the Roll of said Brig for that cruise, I am satisfied that the Williams there mentioned belonged to Boston & not to Marblehead . Williams of Marblehead might have been in said Brig some other cruise, & I will add probably was, when she was commanded by either Dennis or Water, after Capt Shumner was killed; but as I have

abundant reason to think he did not belong to her the cruise declared for, that is, the first cruise named, I have felt it my duty to name it. I will never assist, knowingly, in prosecuting a fictitious claim, & I am convinced that neither Mrs. Williams nor her friends would knowingly desire me to do it.
Should the name of John Williams be found on the Roll of the Pyramide, about the time declared for, I think there will be no difficulty in proving - should it be required - that it was the one belonging to Mr. Head.
I have the Honor to be, with great respect, your obt. servt. James Gregory
I wish to observe in addition to the above, that the only reason why the above named Declarations have not been forwarded before, is (they have been made now nearly three months) mainly owing to the delay caused by travelling about in search of living witnesses for the parties - a task which, at this late day - owing to the fact of so few survivors, & them, generally, with obliterated memories - is almost - as I have found - fruitless. J. G.
James L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D. C.

Jun 76 to Jan 77
Aug 77 to Apr 78
# July 77 Aug 6 to 10 from Marky on.
#  # Mad was all of fa series on board the Tyranicide from Mad 13. to Aug 29 1977 5 mo 6 ds.

Sally Williams M 87
John Williams a 1824
195 Tmo 11 pr. Capt Williams
No 77 1/2 man on board Gen Gates Capt Skinner could not have aboard L. V. Colton
77 Mar 13
as as Tyranide. Hanada
10 Aug 29 2 marks Va 39 p 88
  11 5 mo 16 days  c 47 3/4  1 m 23.50    7 " 11 "  3.33  24.84      $ 48.64  

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
ESSEX, ss.
I, JOHN PRINCE, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, within and for the County of Essex, do certify, that Hon. David Cummings is Judge of the Court of Common Pleas within and for said County. That
James Gregory Esquire, a Justice of the Peace, within and for said County, and that their signatures hereon are genuine.
WITNESS MY HAND, and the Seal of said Court of Common Pleas,
November 28. A. D. 1838,
John Prince Clerk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, November 24. th 1828.
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents, relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of John Williams of Marblehead as a private is borne on a Muster Roll of the Company commanded by Captain Nicholson Broughton, Col: John Glover's Regt. where it appears he rendered Service 2 months, 18 days. Viz from May 19 th to August. 1 st 1775.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John D. Bigelow Secretary of the Commonwealth.
(Carmichael & Gage)

Mass
Rev WIDOW, &c.
File No. 14176
Sally Williams
Widow of
John Williams
Pri Rev War
Act: July 7 th 88
Index:—Vol. M , Page 342
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I Sally Williams of Marblehead in the County of Essex & State of Massachusetts, do on my oath testify & declare, that I am in the Seventy-first year of my age; that I am the identical Sally Williams, widow of John Williams, who on the thirtieth day of August, 1838, made my legal Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the law of July 7th, 1838; that in my said Declaration I claimed for four periods of the Revolutionary Service of my said late husband, viz. in the eight months' service, Glover's Regiment, in 1775, two cruises in the Brig General Gates, & one in the Brig Tyrannicide; that from information afterwards received, I had reason to believe that it could not have been the General Gates that my said late husband served in, & desiring to claim nothing from the government that was not justly due me under the said law, the Department was duly informed of it, & I was therefore allowed for the '75 service & one cruise in the Tyrannicide, & nothing more: that since the receipt of my Pension I am satisfied from much enquiry & mature reflection that it was the State Brig Freedom , Capt Clouston, that my said late husband served in the two cruises originally claimed as performed in the General Gates ; that he served as some kind of an officer on board - in a subordinate capacity - but the precise grade, or the exact year of service, or length of the two cruises I cannot depose to positively, though from the best of my knowledge & belief it must have been between the period of his discharge from the '75 service & the latter part of the year 1778; & his service on board said Brig could not have been much, if any less than a year; but in the absence of all living witnesses & documentary evidence it is impossible for me to describe the service with any good degree of exactness & precision. And I do therefore beg that the different Rolls of said Brig Freedom for the period aforesaid - understood to be among the Massachusetts Documents in the War Department - might be examined in proof of the service hereon declared.
Witnessed by,
Stephen Hathaway Jr.
Sally her X Williams mark
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, } ss. Marblehead. County of Essex I James Gregory, Notary Public & Justice of the Peace for said County & State, & dwelling in said town of Marblehead, do hereby certify, that on this twenty-seventh day of June A.D. 1840, Sally Williams, above named, swore to the truth of the above affidavit & submitted the same before me.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my Hand, & affixed my Notarial Seal, the day of the date hereof.
James Gregory, Notary Public & J. of the Peace.

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Williams, John GRADE Corporal LINE New Jersey
WARRANT NUMBER 8827 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED October 16, 178? (torn) To Benj. Harris, assignee
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Williams, John GRADE Private LINE New Jersey
WARRANT NUMBER 8829 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED September 23, 1789 to — not shown —
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Williams, John GRADE Private LINE New Jersey
WARRANT NUMBER 8841 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED September 11, 1792 to — not shown —
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.