Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11822, William Willson, R.I.

SERVICE
NUMBER
R.I.
Willson William
S 11822
carded
CONTENTS
A. South Kingston Washington Co. R.I. and always lived there in 1832, then 71 yrs. old.

10472 Shore Island
William Wilson
of Washington in the State of R. Island who was a P. Sgt. in the Company commanded by Captain Potter of the Regt. commanded by Col. Sands in the Rhode Island Line for 9 mos 14 days Private 2 " Sergeant
Inscribed on the Roll of Shore Island at the rate of 11- Dollars 56- Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 10 th day of Apr. 1833 and sent to Wadsworth Kingman H. G.
Arrears to the 14th of March 1833 $83.12 Semi-ant. allowance ending 1 Sept. " 20.78 $103.90
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. H. Goddard Clerk, Book E Vol. 2 Page 135

10,160 Mrs Wilson
Pw 2 nu Left 9 Mo. 14 days m W.C.E
$37.20. A 4, 5, 10, 16 th
p 209
Mrs Lewis W. Updike Kingston R.I.

10,150
BRIEF in the case of  Wm Wilson  in the State of  Rhode Isl. of  Nash G  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? a Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? —  3. How old is he? 71  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     Oct 77 to 17 15 Wagoner Gen. J. C. Sands   Summer 78 1 shiloh Capt. Potter   afterwards 2 Sergt. Capt. Locke   " 1 " — do   1   2  
Says he served 8 months in the whole
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none mentioned  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? South Kingston 
 7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? 2 living witnesses 
 8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Declaration very irregular — Seal no device The affidavit not properly attested and lacks attestation 
X  Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
H. C. Easton Examining Clerk. 18 Jan '33

DECLARATION.
IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE ACT OF CONGRESS, PASSED JUNE 7, 1832. STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, COUNTY OF Washington -
On this 6th day of September 1832 personally appeared in open court, before the Judges or Justices of the Court of Common Pleas - now sitting, William Wilson a resident of South Kingston - in the county of Washington - and State of Rhode Island, aged Seventy one years, 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, and served as here-
in stated - He was born in South Kingston, and has always resided in said Town, & has no record of his age. In October 1777, as near as he can recollect, the British Frigate Cyrene, was run on shore at Beavertail
& taken by the Americans, and he was commanded by the Colonel to担 the team, which were carrying property from her, and was detained there as near as two weeks, soon afterwards a part of the company of Artillery, to which he belonged, was stationed at the Fortifying place, so called where the property taken from the Cyrene was deposited, & guarded the same; they were commanded by Daniel Dyer, who acted as Ensign of the Company, but Samuel Dyer was the Captain of the Company then, they continued there one Month. Afterwards in the summer of 1778, a part of the company, to which he belonged, was stationed at Grunds at the House of Col. John Gardner in Boston Neck in South Kingston near the sea, Timothy Locke was Captain of the Company, Daniel Dyer Lt & Wm Stedman Ensign, he was one of the Sergeants of the company, they were stationed there two months. He was afterwards stationed with a part of the Company, in Point Judith, and quartered at the House of Col. Munford one Month, & in Point Judith again, at the House of Jonas Blake one Month, & at John Gardner near the South Ferry two Months. He does not recollect the dates of the above services, nor the Captains all the time, but knows that he served at above stated at various places, Eight Months in the whole. He has never served under any Continental Officers, nor knew any. He has no written evidence of his services. They were Grafton Champlin was with him one

part of the time, and will testify to the same. Ebenezer Smith is likewise coming to some of his services, He does not know of any Clergymen, who can testify to the upstanding life, of his neighbor's acquaintance, of his being a soldier of the Revolution, but when the
Court to Robert Pollock & Simeon Hazen - who will testify to his character, with the belief and report amongst his neighbors of his being a soldier of the Revolution, and being used in the same. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State.
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. in Open Court Wm. Helme Clerk
Wm Wilson
We, Robert Pollock and Simeon Hazen and William Wilson believe him to be 71 years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and subscribed the day aforesaid. in Open Court Wm. Helme Clerk
Robert Pollock
Simeon Hazen
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that
the who has signed the preceding certificate, is a resident in the Town of Easton & South Kingston and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. And the Court also certify that from their examination and knowledge of Ebenezer Smith and Joseph Champlin in the preceding depositions the Court consider the their testimony contained in the preceding Depositions entitled to credit.
Samuel Helme do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of William Wilson
Clerk of the Court of Common pleas & Gen. Sessions of the peace for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this Eighth day of September 1832.
Sam. Helme Clerk
[Faint, mirrored text from the reverse side of the page, likely bleed-through from the original document.]

01 Declaration of Wm Willson Cler per paid 10.160
Mr Pearce

Rev War
11822 INVALID.
File No. 11822 Willson William Wilson Sgt. Rev. War
Act: June 7 th 1832.
Index:—Vol. A , Page 411
[Arrangement of 1870.]
* W. A. H.

10, 1000 G. N. Wilson
Mr. Pearce

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Mr. Willson which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? Yes
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? No
V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? No
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? no
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? no

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service?  Yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?  No
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?  Yes
XIV. † If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? Yes
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office?  Yes
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?  Yes
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?  No
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?  Yes
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For _____ year _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____. For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
† QUERE XIV.  Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
† QUERE XVI.  Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.

Deposition of Yale Benjamin Lube of New Willson

The deposition of Joseph Champlin of South Kingstown in the County of Washington and State of Rhode Island aged 73 years on oath testifies & says that I also say have known William Wilson now an applicant for a pension that in the year 1777 as I believe in the fall of the year, at any rate the year the Greene was captured I knew that the said Wilson was a private in Capt Samuel G. Potter's company of Militia and said company was stationed at the Fothering Place, so called, in Point Judith in South Kingstown and that said Wilson served one month as a private in said company at that time doing duty in guarding the shores.  Test to Joseph Champlin signing Joseph his  X Champlin mark Wilkins Updike (Peace)
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c. } Washington County, }
Sc. South Kingstown, Sept 4th 1832.
Personally appeared the aforementioned
Joseph Champlin
and before deposing as aforesaid, was by me, carefully cautioned, examined and sworn to testify the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and gave the foregoing deposition, which was reduced to writing by me, in his presence and he signed the same in my presence. And I further certify that the said deponent is well known to me and that he sustains a fair character for truth, and that his deposition is entitled to credit.
Wilkins Updike Justice Peace
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS. Washington County, sc.
I Samuel Helme, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas within and for the County of Washington, & state, aforesaid, do hereby certify that Wilkins Updike, Esq. before whom the deposition annexed was taken and sworn to, is a Justice of the Peace, duly elected and qualified within and for the county of Washington, in said state and that his signature thereto is in his own proper hand writing
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, this Eighth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand, eight hundred and thirty two.
Sam l Helme Clerk

Deposition in cause of Mr Wilson

The deposition of Ebenezer Smith of South Kingston in the County of Washington Rhode Island on oath testifies & says that I am 79 years of age & know William Wilson who is an applicant for a Pension I know William Wilson and that he was a private in Capt. Elisha Davenport's company of artillery and that said Wilson was at Point Judith Point in South Kingston at the capture of the British frigate Cyrene and did military service on that occasion under said Davenport his Ebenezer Smith mark
Witness to Smith's signature W. W. Wilkins J. Pease
Rhode Island } } } To Kingston Sep: 4th 1832 Washington County }
Personally appeared the above said Ebenezer Smith and before deferring as aforesaid was by me carefully cautioned examine & sworn to testify to the truth the whole truth & nothing but the truth - said deposition was reduced to writing by me in his presence & read to him and he declared the same to be true Ebenezer Smith W. W. Wilkins J. Pease

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, &c. } Washington County,
Sc. South Kingstown, Sept. 7 th 1882.
Personally appeared the aforesaid Kingston, in said County —
Ebenezer Smith of South
and before deposing as aforesaid, was by me, carefully cautioned, examined and sworn to testify the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and gave the foregoing deposition, which was reduced to writing by me, in his presence and he signed the same in my presence. And I further certify that the said deponent is well known to me and that he sustains a fair character for truth, and that his deposition is entitled to credit.
Wilkins Updike Justice Peace.
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS. Washington County, sc.
I Samuel Helme, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas within and for the County of Washington, & state, aforesaid, do hereby certify that Wilkins Updike, Esq. before whom the deposition annexed was taken and sworn to, is a Justice of the Peace, duly elected and qualified within and for the county of Washington, in said state and that his signature thereto is in his own proper hand writing
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, this Eighth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand, eight hundred and thirty two.
Sam Helme Clerk

The supplemental affidavit of William Watson of South Kingston in amendment of his original declaration
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace within & for the County of Washington in the State of Rhode Island who being duly sworn, depose & saith, that by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of time of his service but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades
For the year 1777 one month & fourteen days I served as a private
For the year 1778 Six months I served as a private
For the year 1776 four months I served as a private on Quonnet shore in North Kingston in this state in the Company commanded by Peter Wright and Captain Hosse in the regiment commanded by Col: Charles Dyer & did duty in guarding the shores

in the months of October & November 1776 while the British were in possession of Newport what was omitted in my original declaration through infirmary of recollection for which reason I claim a pension. W m Riley on
State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations Washington County ss to all to whom these presents shall come Greeting Feb. 4 th 1833
Personally came the above named William Riley and before me, a notary public in and for the State of Rhode Island, being first duly sworn, deposed and said that the facts stated in his said supplemental affidavit were true to the best of his knowledge, information and belief. Subscribed and sworn to before me this 4 th day of February 1833 William Riley Notary Public Justice of the Peace