Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11678, Willard Watkins, Continental (Mass)

SERVICE
NUMBER
continental (mass)
Watkins, Willard
S. 11678
carded
CONTENTS

Conn. Oct 19 30 Massachusetts (Mass)
Willard Watkins
of Hampden in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain of the  Infy commanded by Col Crane in the field  field time for 21 (May 11 Days)
★ Continental Lines. Records corrected Aug. 17/05.
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 83 3/4 Dollars 82 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 13 th day of Nov 1832, and sent Justin Willard Springfield Mass Arrears to 14th of Sept 1832 $ 133 53 Semizant. allowance ending 1/ (Mar 33. 44. 51 $178.04
{ Revolutionary Claim, { Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by J H M c Blain Clerk Book D- Vol. 2- Page 93.
Transf d to Conn y Aug 19. 1833 Notif n sent to P er at Ash- ford Windham Co. Co. Set Hon d A d Judson 9 Dec 1835-
70 Hampden
Windham Co. Co.
See let. Hon. E. Young, 18. 1834 February

Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Hampden ss
On this eighth day of August in this year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty two personally appeared in open court before the Court of Probate now held within & for the County of Hampden aforesaid Willard Watrous now residing in Palmer in said County aged sixty eight years who being duly sworn according to law soth on his oath makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th A.D. 1832.
That he entered the enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year seventeen hundred & & eighty one. For in the month of June, for a term of three years, & served in Col. John Cram's Regiment of Artillery. He enlisted in Capt. Jackson's Company, Lieut. Edward Blake of Boston - Lieut. D. D. Wells. Samuel Cooper was the adjutant of 1 st Regiment - in the Massachusetts line - He enlisted in the City of Ashford in the State of Connecticut & went immediately with his recruiting officer whose name he does not recollect from Ashford to Bridgeport Man tt & thence to Boston where he passed muster. & three hundred recruits who there assembled with him were arranged into companies, & after remaining at Boston twelve or fourteen days he & they marched from Boston thro' Worcester, Springfield Westfield & Palmer to Housatonic & then to the White Plains on the North river. He remained there & in its vicinity until he saw they went into winter quarters at West Point in the latter part of the year 1781, where were a number of other Brigades among them were the Regiment to which he belonged was under Command of Genl. Col. John Cram - all under Command of Genl. Knox who was there in person & took the command there after Genl. Arnold's treason - he remained in Garrison at West Point during a part of the spring of 1782 & then went on to the lines before New York & Horn Creek & West Point
Willard Watrous for Pension
2 years & 3 or 4 months

He remained on the North river at various points until the British troops evacuated New York in the autumn of 1783. This Applicant marched into New York at that time in the company & Regiment aforesaid & saw the Grand Battery delivered up to General Washington. He was there in person after this event he went back with said company to West Point where he remained in service about a week or ten days when he received an honorable discharge - printed in New York signed by General Knox & Samuel Cooper adjutant of his Regiment - This discharge he has not seen in twenty five years, he lost it by entrusting it in the hands of a Mr. Joel Munsell to take to Boston to get back rations - he never returned it & it is now lost. He saved between two & three hundred dollars. He has no written evidence except as hereafter mentioned - he knows of no living witness of said service unless Ambrose Brown the living whom deposition formerly taken is now herewith forwarded.
In Feb 1819 he procured the deposition of said Ambrose Brown & of one Nathan Davis for the purpose of obtaining a pension under the act of 1818 but this was never used not being sufficient evidence that he - said Nathan Davis is since deceased & said Brown lives at said Ashford in Connecticut a considerable distance if moving at all, & this applicant is now & can not well be at the expense of retaking his deposition unless required by the Hon. Society - both the depositions aforesaid are herewith presented & referred to as supplementary evidence. This Applicant was born in Ashford aforesaid on the 12th of August AD 1764.
He hereby relinquishes all claim whatever to any pension or annuity except the present & states that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any state.
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Wilcord Wakeman

We John Frink & Phillip Lamb residing in the town of Palmer above named hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Willard Watkins who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration - that we believe him to be sixty eight years of age - that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution & that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
John Frink Phillip Lamb
And the said court - Present the Hon. Oliver B. Morris Judge, after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war Department, do hereby declare their opinion that the said Willard Watkins was a revolutionary soldier & served as he has above stated.
And the said court do further certify that John Frink & Phillip Lamb who have subscribed and sworn to the preceding certificate are resident in the town of Palmer in said county and that they are credible persons & that their statement is entitled to credit.
I Justice Willard Register of said court of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said court in the matter of the application of Willard Watkins for a Pension -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said court this eighth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
Justice Willard Register

Willard Watkins
Private of Artillery
1 year 9 Mo & 11 days
Admired
$ 20.00 89.02
Master Willard E Kingsfield Mass

The Hon Lewis Cass.-
Sec. of War. of U.S. Washington D.C.
Revolutionary Passions

Springfield Massachusetts August 13 th 1832
The Hon. Lewis Cass Sec y of War of U.S.
I enclose to the War. Dept t Applications for Pensions under the act of June 7 1832 Viz:
Ephraim Chaffee - who claims for 10 months - private
Samuel F. Merrick " one year as a Burgess , State rank to be determined by the Department & two months as a private
Reuben Hitchcock " Six months - private
Willard Watkins " 2 years & over - Private
If allowed it is desired that the Pension certificates be forwarded to me at the place of date
respectfully &c
Justin Willard att y for Applicants

Watkins' Pension Brown's affidavit of Service
12 1/2
Myrland H Feb. 9
Mr. Willard Watkins —
Deceased
Massachusetts
Nov 13/71

I Nathan Davis of Palmer in the County of Hampden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts of lawful age do depose and say that I was a soldier in the Army of the United States under Continental establishment in Captain M'aduees Company and Col d John Crows Regiment of Artillery in the fore part of the year 1782 at West Point in the State of New York I became acquainted with Willard Watkins who was a soldier in Captain Jackson Company in the Regiment of said I frequently saw said Watkins doing the duty of a soldier in the Company and Regiment of said from the time of said till about the first of November in the year 1783 at which time being in the City of New York the said Watkins returned to West Point & left me at New York and I did not see him afterwards till after the termination of the War. Nathan Davis
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Hampden ss February 18 th 1819
Personally appeared Nathan Davis subscriber to the above Deposition and made solemn Oath that it contains the truth and nothing but the truth.
Before Amos Hamilton Justice of the Peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Hampden ss
I John Ingersoll Clerk of the Judicial Courts of the Commonwealth for the county of Hampden do certify that Amos Hamilton Esquire whose signature is affixed to the above certificate was at the date thereof a Justice of the Peace within and for said county duly commissioned & acting under the authority of this Commonwealth - and that full faith and credit is and ought to be given to his acts and attestations done in that capacity and that the signature to said certificate is known by me to be the hand writing of the said Amos Hamilton
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the Court of Common Pleas for said Commonwealth this thirty first day of March in the year of our Lord 1829 John Ingersoll { Clerk of said Court

On Final Settlement Certificate No 3 page 13 No 49399

82
19
111 111 100 11
1 1/2 9 11

I Ambrose Brown of Ashford in the County of Windham and State of Connecticut a prisoner under the laws of the United States of lawful age testify and say That to my knowledge Mr Willard Watkins now of Palmer in the State of Massachusetts enlisted as a soldier in the Continental service in the town of Uxbridge in the State of Massachusetts in the latter part of the month of June A D 1781 I enlisted the next day after he did into the same service both of us for the term of three years We joined the army at White Plains in the month of August 1781 J ohn Watkins served in the artillery in Col John Crane's regiment the Capt's name of the company I do not recollect as I did not serve in the artillery but in the first Massachussetts regiment I was well acquainted with J ohn Watkins from his youth we are cousins I frequently visited him & he me while in the army together and I know that he did serve on the Continental establishment in the army against the common enemy from the month of August 1781 until the for more than two years thereafter. If I recollect right it was two years and eight or nine months - The company in which he served was a distance from my company when he was discharged & I cannot tell the precise time when that discharge took place I always understood that J ohn Watkins served faithfully and was honorably discharged Further the deponent saith not Ambrose Brown

State of Connecticut, Windham ss. February 1 st 1819 Personally appeared Ambrose Brown of Ashford in County signed of the within deposition and made solemn oath that it contains the truth & nothing but the truth
before David Bolles Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Windham County
I David Bolles clerk of the County Court in & for the County of Windham in the State of Connecticut do certify that Hon. David Bolles before whom the foregoing affidavit was made is Judge of the County Court, that the above signature is his hand writing and that full faith & credit ought to be given to his acts as such.
In testimony whereof I have subscribed my name & affixed the Publick Seal of Court at Windham in County this first day of February A.D. 1819
David Bolles

Atkins August 6
Con
free
Hon. Lewis Cass. Secretary of War Washington
Yours truly

Application for a transfer -
State of Connecticut - } p. Ashford - Windham County } 3
On this 5 th day of August A.D. 1833 before me, the Subscriber, a justice of the Peace for the said county of Windham - Personally appeared "Willard Watkins", who on his oath declares, that he is the same person who formerly belonged to the company commanded by Captain Jackson, in the regiment commanded by Col. John Crane in the artillery, in the service of the United States. That his name his name was placed on the pension roll of the State of Massachusetts - from whence he has lately removed.
That he now resides in said Ashford, in the State of Connecticut, where he intends to remain - and wishes his pension to be payable there, in said State of Connecticut in future. The following are the reasons for removing from Massachusetts (viz) "That his wife is in feeble health and unable to work, - himself and wife both advanced in life to nearly seventy years of age - he with his wife have, (under these circumstances) removed to said Ashford, in Connecticut to reside with their daughter, who is - married, and settled in that place. - Willard Watkins
Sworn, and subscribed to:-
before me, the day and year aforesaid
Ichabod Buttsby Justice of Peace

I further certify that I am personally acquainted with "William Watkins" - who made oath to and subscribed the preceding affidavits and know that he is the same person therein described
Ichabod Bulkley Justice of
-Pear
[Signature]
United States of America State of Connecticut - Windham County ss. Ashford August 5 th 1833
Be it Known That I, Horace Gaylord of Ashford in Windham County & State of Connecticut a Notary Public duly commissioned and sworn for said Windham County, residing in said Ashford do certify, that Ichabod Bulkley Esq. the signer of the above certificates is an acting Justice of the Peace for Windham County, and do further certify that I am, & have been for many years last past, well acquainted with his hand writing & do certify that the signature attached to the above & foregoing, purporting to be his signature, is his true & genuine signature and ought to be regarded as such.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my Notarial Seal the day and year last aforesaid
Horace Gaylord Notary Public

Rehr
✓ 11.678 INVALID.
File No. 11.678
Willard Watkins
Brn. Rev. War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. A , Page 894
[Arrangement of 1870.]