Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 22,042, Thomas Westcoot, R.I.

SERVICE
NUMBER
R. J.
Westcoat, Thomas
5. 22,042
CONTENTS

15064 Rhode Island Thomas Westcott
of Warwick in the State of R. Island who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Randall of the Reg't commanded by Col. Waterman in the R.I. Militia time for one year 7 Months
Inscribed on the Roll of Rhode Island at the rate of $3 Dollars 29 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21 day of May 1833 and sent W. G. Brown to Greenough R.I.
Arrears to the 4th of Mar 1833 $166.58 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sep 33 41.64
$208.22
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Geo. B. Whiting Clerk, Book E Vol. 2 Page 135

I John Waterman of Warwick in the county of Kent aged seventy two years testify & say on oath that I have been acquainted with Thomas Walcott of said Warwick from previous to the revolutionary war to this time. And that in said war he the said Walcott belonged to a company called the Pawtuxet rangers and said company was in service in the expedition under Genl Sullivan on Rhode Island in 1778 and said Walcott served therein to the end of my recollection two months and afterwards in the spring of 1780 said Walcott served to my knowledge in said company of Pawtuxet rangers on said Rhode Island for one month and this deponent served therein at the same time. John Waterman
I Rhodes Budlong of Warwick in the county of Kent aged seventy two years in each testify and say that I have been acquainted with Thomas Walcott of said Warwick from some time previous to the revolutionary war to this time and that in June 1781 I served one month in the company called the Pawtuxet rangers on Rhode Island and that said Walcott served therein for one time. I also well remember that said Walcott served in the year 1776 in the militia of Warwick under the orders of Capt H. Russell one month or more, Rhodes Budlong
7. Present to Court of Common Pleas August Term A.D. 1832 Saying to be John Waterman & Rhodes Budlong in open court the seventh day of the Term & that they are men of truth & veracity — Witness John Brown. Clk

No 7833
Thomas Wetmore Warwick R.I.

State of Rhode Island Providence Plantations County of Kent ss
On this twenty ninth day of August A.D. 1832 Personally appeared in open court before the Justices of the Court of Common Pleas, now sitting Thomas Walcott a resident of Warwick in said county of Kent aged aged twenty four 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 January passed June 7. 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and records as herein stated —
That he was born on the twenty first day of July 1758 in said Warwick, & that he knows of no other record of his age than one made by himself in his family Bible.
That when called into the service of the United States as herein after stated he lived in said Warwick and has lived therein ever since.
That in the years 1775 & 6 when Capt. Wallen of the British navy was making frequent alarms in the waters of Narragansett Bay this applicant belonged to a company of Militia under the orders of Capt. Abraham Graves  Lockwood , and toward the last of said time under Capt. H. Randall, in said Warwick, and was in actual service in said company during said time, ten  ten months to the best of his recollection, this service was at various times during said years 1775 & 6, said company of Militia was commanded by Col. John Waterman, a part of said time he served as a sergeant in said company — and the place of said service was on the shores of said bay in said Warwick — a part of said time he was drafted and part of said time, he served as a volunteer —
That in November or December 1776 the British arrived in Providence in said State, and the whole of the Militia were called out for service, and under the orders of Capt. H. Randall in Col. John Waterman's regiment he served in said Militia about three months, in guarding the shores of the bay and was stationed during said time in said Warwick —
That afterwards this applicant joined in a company of artillery (a part of the Militia of said Warwick) under Capt. Solomon Thornton

and record therein for four months or thereabouts, and was stationed at Old Narragansett village and Narragansett neck, during said time, a part of said time he was stationed at Narragansett neck in October & November 1777, the time of Genl. Howe's expedition against Rhode Island, and the balance of said time at said old Narragansett before and after said Genl. Howe's expedition.
That afterwards he formed an Independent Company of Militia called the Pawtuxet Rangers commanded by Col. Benjamin Arnold added and as a member of said company served in Genl. Sullivan's expedition against the enemy on Rhode Island in August 1778, in said company for two months, he served in both classes of the militia in said expedition, during said service in this expedition he was in the boat service.
That after the British left Rhode Island in the fall of 1779, and as he believes in the spring of 1780, said company of Pawtuxet Rangers, were went on to Rhode Island and were stationed at Newport for one month, in which time this applicant served therein, and that in the month of June 1780 he served in said Rhode Island in said company of Pawtuxet Rangers for one month.
That he was a member of said company of Pawtuxet Rangers until the peace in 1783, and during the whole of said time considered himself as a mounted man, while not in actual service in said company as aforesaid, and ready to march at a minute's warning, and at other times than as aforesaid, while he was in said Lockwood & Randall's company & said Thurlow's, then as aforesaid he served in that period of time on alarms & other occasions. That a part of said time of service service in the Pawtuxet Rangers, he served as a sergeant, and as aforesaid as above stated he served as a private.
That he has no documentary evidence in relation to this matter.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or

annuity except the pension and declares that his name is not in the pension roll of the agency of any state
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
7 th
Thomas Westcott
We Rhode Budlong of Warwick and William Leavally of
know certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Westcott of Warwick in said county of Kent, who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, that we believe to be twenty four years of age. That he is respected & beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a victim of the revolution and that we concur in the opinion
Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid
7 th
Rhode Budlong
William Leavally
Went to Court of Common Pleas August Term A.D. 1832 Sued to by Rhode Budlong & William Leavally in open court the seventh day of the Term
Witness John Brown At
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
Rhode Budlong & William Leavally who had signed the preceding certificate, is a Clergyman, resident in the Town of Warwick
and that
who signed the same are residents in the
I, JOHN BROWN, Clerk of said Court of Common Pleas, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Thomas Westcott for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this Seventh day of September in the year 1832
John Brown

State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations Knut Jr Court of Common Pleas February Term AD 1833
Personally appeared at said court of common Pleas on the fifth day of said term Thomas Westcott 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 a part of the same described in the foregoing declaration, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below and in the following grades.
For ten months I served in the years 1775 and 1776 in the Militia under Capt. Lockwood & Randall, for five months whereof I served as a sergeant
For three months I served after November 1776, in the militia under Capt. Job Randall, he now recollects that he served this time as a sergeant,
For four months I served as an artillery man under Capt. Solomon Knowles.
In two months I served as a sergeant in the Pawtuxet Rangers The remainder of my service in said Pawtuxet Rangers was as a private. And for such service I claim a pension.
Thomas Westcott
Given to in open court
Witness John Brown clk
Debon Thomas Westcott 7633

I Moses Fifeield a clergyman residing in Wrentham in the aforesaid county certify that I am well acquainted with Thomas Wroteott, who appears to have subscribed and sworn to the above and foregoing declaration; that I believe him to be seventy four years of age; that he is reputed & believed in the neigh- -borhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that I concur in that opinion
Sworn and subscribed the day and year last aforesaid
Moses Fifeield
Given to in open court Witness John Brown Clk - And the said court of common pleas hereby certifies that it appears to them that Moses Fifeield who has signed the foregoing certificate is a clergyman residing in Wrentham aforesaid in said county of Kent, and that his statement is entitled to credit -
I John Brown Clerk of said court of common Pleas do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said court in the matter apper- taining to the application of the petition of Thomas Wroteott for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office this twenty fifth day of February AD 1833 at East Greenwich in said county of Kent -
John Brown. Clk

Hon: Lewis Cass
Secy. War. Department. Washington.
frg
William Lloyd
Greene

East Greenwich. R. I. Feby 26-1833
In England on the application of Mrs Widow & Jeremiah Hunt for pension
Respectfully yr. humble serv t
William G Bowen
Hon L. Clegg.

No 7633
Thomas Westcott
Warwick R.I.
Am a
W. G. Bowen E Greenwich St R.I.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Thomas Westroot 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 ? IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served ? yes 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 ? yes VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations ? yes 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 ? yes

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? no
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?
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
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? yes
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 affidavits must be properly authenticated, as above directed.
†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.
2. Not required when a claimant proves the whole of his service by witnesses who had an actual knowledge of the same

Revolutions
22042 INVALID.
File No. 22,042
Thomas Westcott
Sergt Rev War
Act: June 7 th 82 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 341
[Arrangement of 1870.]