Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 19435, for Stephen Pratt, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass. Ut.
Pratt, Stephen
S. 19435-
carded
CONTENTS

28647 New York
Stephen Pratto
of Charitanga in the State of N.Y. who was a Corp t & Sergt in the Compy by Captain Cushing of the Reg t by Col t Ward in the Mass t Sta t line for 11 mos Prv t
4 " Corp t } $96.00 9 " Sergt } 28647
Inscribed on the Roll of New York the rate of 96 Dollars 31 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate & Pension issued the 5 th day of May 1834 and sent to Hon ble J. Hazelton H. Rep t
Arrears to the 4th of March 1834 $288.90 Semi-ant. allowance ending Sep r 4 '34 48.15
$337.08
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 18
Recorded by Sam l H. Page Book Vol. 4 Page 114

State of New York Chautauqua County ss.
On this 12 th day of October in the year 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said County, now sitting, Stephen Pratt a president of Ferry in the County of Chautauqua aforesaid, and State of New York, aged twenty seven years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on this oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7 th 1832, - That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated - That he entered the service at Shrewsbury, in the County of Worcester and State of Massachusetts where he then resided in the month of April 1775, under the command of Capt. Robt Cushing, as a volunteer that he marched from Shrewsbury aforesaid, to Cambridge, a distance of about forty miles, that after the arrival of the Company at Cambridge, on or about the first of May following he enlisted as a regular soldier for the term of eight months under the said Capt. Robt Cushing and served as such during the time aforesaid, And that during the said eight months he remained at Cambridge till about a fortnight after the battle at Bunker's Hill, when he marched to Dorchester with the Company, and that he remained at Dorchester until the expiration of the term for which he had enlisted, and the Company to which he belonged was disbanded about the first of January 1776 - That the Regiment to which Capt. Cushing's Company belonged was commanded by Col. Artemas Ward until he was promoted to the rank of General, when the command devolved on Lieut. Col. Jonathan

Ward, and the Majors name was Digelow. That there were two Lieutenants in the company to which he belonged, the name of the first Lieut. was Peman, & the second Asa Pierce. That there were no Continental Troops or officers at Dorchester aforesaid and that after his discharge he returned home to Shrewsbury aforesaid.
That on the first day of December 1776 he again entered the service at Shrewsbury aforesaid as an enlisted soldier under the command of Capt. Moses Harrington, in the Regiment commanded by Col. Nicholas Dyke, that the company to which he belonged marched from Shrewsbury, to Roxbury, where a part of the Regiment then was, and from thence to Dorchester where he remained with the company, and done duty in the capacity of a third sergeant, until the first of May 1777, when he was again discharged; that his Lieutenants names were Knowlton, and Ensign Peman, that he does not recollect the names of his Lieut. Col. or Major.
That in the early part of August in the year 1779, he again enlisted into the service under Capt. Isaac Harrington at Shrewsbury aforesaid, and marched to Albany in the State of New York, that at the time he enlisted, he expected to march to West Point, that the Regiment to which his company belonged, marched to West Point, but that his company was ordered to march to Albany aforesaid, where the company remained about two weeks, from thence the company marched to Niskawana in the County of Schenectady, where it

remained till November following, that he enlisted & served for the full term of three months, as above mentioned, and was duly discharged at the expiration of the said term at Piskaywana aforesaid, and returned home to Shrewsbury; that not having been associated with the Regiment to which his company belonged, he does not recollect the names of any of the field officers -
That in the month of July 1780, he again entered the service as an enlisted soldier under Capt. William Howe at Shrewsbury aforesaid, that soon after he enlisted the company marched to West Point in the State of New York, that he did not march with the company, being obliged to go to the South part of the State of Vermont to get his accoutrements, and after having obtained them, he proceeded to Albany, and from thence by water on board a sloop to West Point where joined his company, three or four days after its arrival at that place, that soon after he joined his company, a detachment was ordered to Kings Ferry, said detachment was composed of a few soldiers from each company of the Regiment of which he was one. The detachment was under the command of a Lieut. whose name he cannot recollect, that during his stay at Kings Ferry, he saw Gen. Benedict Arnold pass that place to the British ship which lay about three miles below, in an open boat, but at that time no information of his treachery had been received at the ferry - that he also while stationed at Kings Ferry

He volunteered as one of a detachment under Lieut. Stapel to go down the river as a scouting party; that during their excursion they had a partial skirmish with a part of Ship's Crew that lay below, who had been betrayed from the ship by a false token that some American soldiers had deserted & wished to be received on board the British ship. That he served as a regular enlisted soldier as aforesaid for the term of three months, when he was again discharged and returned home to Shrewsbury, by the way of West Point to return his arms & ammunition, that his company when he arrived at West Point was discharged and he returned home alone, - that he was not with the Regiment anytime to which his company belonged, and does not recollect the names of the field officers of the regiment.
That in the month of February 1781 he left Shrewsbury and went to Marlboro' in the State of Vermont, that while there he enlisted the spring following, thinks in the month of March, under into Capt. Fish's company for the term of nine months, that soon after he enlisted he marched to Castleton in the said State, a distance of about three days march, where he joined the Vermont forces on the frontier, that one Johnson was first Lieut. and one Lyman the second who was sick & returned home soon after he arrived at Castleton; that the Regiment to which his company belonged was commanded by Col. Samuel Fletcher, thinks there was no Lieut. Col.

or Major there - that he served under the said last enlistment for the term of nine months, the principal part of which time, he served in the capacity of a third sergeant & first sergeant - that while, the regiment was stationed at Castleton he was occasionally engaged in scouting parties for the purpose of keeping back the Tories and Indians - That during his service he was acquainted with General Artemas Ward, and with the Commander in Chief, General Washington, while he was at Cambridge the first year of his service - that he has no documentary evidence of his services except the warrants constituting him a sergeant at two different times, herewith enrolled -
Answer to — 3 d Questions propounded by the Court first Interrogatory - He says he was born at Shrewsbury in the County of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, on the third day of April 1755.
2 d He says he thinks there is a record of his birth on the town record of Shrewsbury, but he does not know, that if not, there is no record of his age to his knowledge -
3 d He says he resided at Shrewsbury aforesaid when he entered the service at the several times above mentioned, except the last year of his service when he lived at Marlboro in the State of Vermont - that since the Revolutionary war, he resided at Marlboro aforesaid, with the exception of about four years that he resided at Shutesbury in the State of Massachusetts, until he came to this county in the fall of the year 1819, where

4 th he has since resided, and now resides - He says he went into the service as an enlisted soldier as above set forth, except when he volunteered under Capt. Cushing, & afterwards enlisted under him
5 th He says he cannot state the names of the officers who were with the troops where he served any more fully than he has sta- ted in his declaration above set forth, nor can he state further than he has stated in regard to the Regiments, or circumstances of his service -
6 th He says he never received a written dis- charge, that he was uniformly discharged by the Commandant of the Company to which he belonged by a parole dismission -
7 He says James Bucklin, Willard Bucklin Solomon Dspenden, Reuben Shepherdson, Syl- vanus Eaton, Gardner Salisbury, Thomas Walker, he is acquainted with  with and many others who will testify in regard to his charac- ter for veracity, & belief in his Revolutionary services -
He further says that he has been intimately acquainted with Asa Wheelock, Marshall Newton Nathan Knapp, and Benjamin Pierce who have testified to the enclosed affidavits, from his childhood until he came to this county, except the said Benjamin Pierce with whom he became acquainted in the year 1781, when in the service of that year - Also the Rev. Oliver Bass of Henry & Capt. George Leonard of the same place

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 James B. Donry Clk }
Stephens Pruitt

15,871 Stephen Pratt Chautauqua co N.Y.
Suspended
16 of May. 10 th 1839
P. 391
Samuel A Brown Ithaca N.Y.

BRIEF in the case of  Stephen Pratt  of Chautauqua co 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? 77  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
2
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     Volunteer In 1775 8 Private Capt. Cushing, Col. Ward   Enlisted 1776 4 6 part of this period 3rd sergeant Capt. Harrington, Col. Dyke   do 1779 31.15 private Capt. Harrington   do 1780 32.24 do Capt. Howe   do 1781 9 part of this period he had the warrant of this sergeant Capt. Fish, Col. Fletcher  
 5. In what battles was he engaged?  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Worcester co. Massachusetts  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? living witnesses & tradition  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?  Not corrected as required 
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. B. Bradford. Examining Clerk.
75 - 8 mo 1 mi  43 Corp  23 Sergt 5 mdy  1.15 mi  2.24 mi  27 - 1 mi  75 Sergt

19 435 INVALID.
No. 19 435
Stephen Bratt Sergt Rev War
Act: June 7 th 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 327
[Arrangement of 1870.]

M rs Coyle
Hon ble A. Hazelton, M.P.
Washington, D.C.
2, Prince of Wales Terrace, Kensington, W. 29, 1884

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, April 29 th 1834.
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 "Stephen" Pratt, as a private, is borne on a Muster Roll of Capt. Job Cushing's Company, in Col. A. - Ward's Regt. where he is allowed, from April 19 th 1775, nine days. — m-d 9 "Stephen" Pratt's name is borne on a Muster Roll of Capt. Job Cushing's Company, in Col. Jon a Ward's Regt. where he is allowed from April 28 th to August 1 st 1775, for services and travel, three Months & eleven days. — 3=11 Stephen Pratt's name as a Corporal, is borne on a Muster Roll of Capt. Moses Harrington's Company, in Col. Dikes' Regt. where he is allowed from Decem r 1 st 1776 to the last day of Feby 1777, three Months. — 3= Stephen Pratt's name, as a private, is 6-20 borne on a Pay Roll of Capt. Isaac Harrington's Company, in Col. Sam l D. Deaneys' Regt. where

Amount brought Over m d  he is allowed, from October 18 th to Decem r 2 d 1779, 6 = 20  for services and travel, One Month and fifteen days. — — — — — 1 = 15
Stephen Pratt's name is borne on a Pay Roll of Capt. W m Howe's Company, in Col. John Rand's Regt. where he is allowed from July 26 th to October 10 th 1780, for services and travel, two months and twentyfour days. — — — — — 2 = 24
Stephen Pratt claims for further services, under all the above named Officers, but the rolls he describes are not found in this Office, except those mentioned above. 10 = 29
Edward D. Bangs. Secy

House of Reps
May 3 d 1853
James L. Edwards Esq.
Dear Sir
I enclose to you the paper of William Pratt , together with the certificate of Mr. Bangs in relation to his services. It will be seen from Mr. Bangs certificate that in William Pratt's declarations to the effect of his having been engaged in all the different corps for which he claims compensation and for not in all the corps, from his having over- stated the length of time he claims. In view of serving the old man, who would know better than to be very honest, have been at some trouble to come in Mr. Bangs certificate with the other proofs in the case, in order to satisfy myself which ought to prove. Pratt claims to have served in '45 under Capt. Carlin in the regiment

corresponded in Col. 19. & Town. March 4 month. Mr. Bangs gives him credit for only 3 months & 11 days. I think you will find one comparison, that all who claim for service in that regiment allege that they served 8 months, which was the period of their enlistment; but that the records indicate they served no service after August. At most. This is the case with several applicants, whose proofs have come under my inspection. Does not this show, that the rolls are probably defective, and that the evidence of service after August have been lost? Marshall Stanton, who says that he enlisted at the same time and was Pvt's maximum service, depones that he served 8 months. The affidavit claims for 6 months service under Col. Harrington & Col. Dike, but Mr. Mr. Bangs gives him credit only of 3 months. According to the certificate he served as a cor- poral up to the last day of Feb. 1877. His war- rant as a sergeant which forms a part of the evidence begins the first day of March. Stanton knows that he served in the same company, and that he & Pratt were both

discharged the first of May, 1777. Pratt's doings for 3 months under Capt. Howe - the certificate allows a little time. Asa Wheelock means that he served in the same company, and that their services enlisted for 3 months. The Vermont service I think is pretty well proved by the warrant & the testimony of Pierce.
I ought to add probably, that I have known Asa Wheelock, Marshall Newton, & Nathan Knowlton since my earliest recollections. My father, who was also a native of Worcester Co. Massachusetts, emigrated to the south part of Vermont about the same time that these men did. He is immediately after the close of the revolutionary struggle. Asa Wheelock was one of our nearest neighbors, and an altogether the first man in his neighborhood. He has been a justice of the peace so long that my memory runs counter to the contrary, and was for 15 or 20 years successively a member of the Vermont legislature. Newton & Knowlton were among the most respectable citizens in the community to which they belonged. I would believe them as soon as any man I ever knew. These circumstances give weight

to the testimony in my mind. You will attach as much importance to them, as you think they merit. It is seldom, that an application is supported by testimony of a high character.
Very Respectfully,
Yours &c.
Oliver Houghton
James F. Edwards
Court of Common
Session Office.

We Oliver Barr a clergyman re- siding in the town of Gerry and George Leonard residing in the same town hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Stephen Pratt who has sub- scribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy seventy seven 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, that he sustains an unblemished character and is a man of strict truth and veracity - Subscribed & sworn to the day and year aforesaid James Blony clk  Oliver Barr George Leonard
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories pre- scribed by the War Department, that the above applicant was a Revolutionary soldier, and served as he states - And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Oliver Barr who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the town of Gerry in the County of Chautauque, and that George Leonard, who has also signed the same is a resident in

the same Town and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. I, James B. Denny, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Chan- tauque, do hereby certify that the for- going, contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Stephen Pratt for a pension. In testimony whereof, have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this 12 th day of October 1832.
James B. Denny Clerk
State of New York Chautauque County ss. I, James B. Denny, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Chan- tauque, do hereby certify in addition to my former certificate, that the foregoing contains the original & genuine papers & proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Stephen Pratt for a pension; that no additions or alterations have been made to said papers or proceedings, and that they are the same that were originally had in said Court, & upon which the judges of said Court acted - In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this the 10 th day of June 1833 -
James B. Denny Clerk
Stephen Pratt

I, Asa Wheelock of Wardsboro' in the County of Windham & State of Vermont, being duly sworn, depose and say, that in the year 1780 in the month of July I served as a Soldier in the American Army stationed at West Point, I belonged to the company of Captain William Howe in the Regiment of Colonel Rand - Immediately after I entered the service Stephen Pratt formerly of Greenough in the County of Worcester & State of Massachusetts joined the company to which I belonged as a Soldier - The soldiers of that company were enlisted for three months, A short time after Pratt came to West Point and joined our company as aforesaid he was detached for service at some other place but where I do not know.
At the time beforementioned I was twenty two years of age & said Pratt I should think was two or three years older -
I have been informed that said Pratt removed many years ago into the State of New York & that he now resides in Greenough in that State but I have not seen him for the last thirty years -
Asa Wheelock
State of Vermont } Newfane 31 July 1832 Windham County }
Then personally appeared Asa Wheelock of Wardsboro' in the County & State aforesaid & made solemn oath that the foregoing Deposition by him subscribed contains the whole truth & nothing but the truth.
Before me
Roswell H. Field Justice of the Peace

I Marshall Newton of Newfane in the County of Windham and State of Vermont, being duly sworn, depose and swear that in the year 1775 Stephen Pratt then of Shrewsbury in the County of Worcester and State of Massachusetts enlisted with me as a soldier of the Revolutionary Army, in the company of Captain Cushing belonging to the Regiment of Colonel Ward, - he served as a soldier eight months at that time, during a great part of which time we were messmates together. I have been informed that said Pratt is now living in the Town of Gerry in the State of New York, but I have not seen him for many years.
Marshall Newton
State of Vermont, Newfane 31 st July 1832 Windham County Then personally appeared Marshall Newton & made solemn oath that the foregoing Deposition by him subscribed, contains the whole truth and nothing but the truth
Before me Ronald M. Field justice of the Peace for Windham County

I, Nathan Knowlton of Newfane in the County of Windham a State of Vermont, being duly sworn, depose and say, — that on the first day of December in the year 1776 Stephen Pratt then of Brattlebury in the County of Worcester & State of Massachu- setts, entered the service with me as a soldier of the American Army, in the Company of Captain Harrington and Regiment of Colonel Dike, that we served together until the first day of May 1777 when we were both discharged During said time the part of the army to which we belonged was stationed at Dorchester Point —
I understand that said Pratt now resides in Gerry in the State of New York — I should think said Pratt at the time when he served with me was about 22 years of age —
Nathan Knowlton
State of Vermont, Newfane 31 July, 1832
Windham County
On this day personally appeared Nathan
Knowlton & made solemn oath that the foregoing Deposition by him subscribed contains the whole truth & nothing but the truth —
Before me Nourse M d P d Justice of the Peace for Windham County

I Benjamin Pierce of Dummerston in the county of Windham State of Vermont aged Sixty nine years and upwards on oath say I am well acquainted with Stephen Pratt who formerly lived in Marlboro in the county of Windham and State of Vermont and AD 1981 that he now lives in the town of Gary in the county of the in the State of New York as I have been informed and that I know the said Pratt never said Marlboro in Captain Fisher's company with me in the of 1781 to Castleton Vermont to join the Vermont forces frontiers of Vermont and that he served in said company a Sargeant in said company for a term of nine months then Samuel Fletcher was colonel of the regiment in which served under the command of Gen. Eads - I further say I have no interest in what I have above stated
Benjamin Pierce
State of Vermont Windham County ss Dummerston July 31 1882
Then the said Benjamin Pierce personally appeared and made solemn oath that the above affidavit his subscribed contains the truth the whole truth and that the truth before me Asa Wright Justice of the
I hereby certify that the character of the said Benjamin Pierce truth is good and in my opinion he has no interest in he has above stated.
Asa Wright Justice of the peace

State of Vermont Windham County Court Clerk's Office. New Haven, July 31. 1832.
I certify that Rosewell M. Field and Asa Bright, Esquires, are Justices of the Peace within and for the county aforesaid, and that the signatures to the certificates of the annexed affidavits  affidavit , are theirs, respectively -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the Seal of said Court on the day and year above written -
James Elliot, Clerk.

Stephen Pratts Afft. of Service as a Sergeant—
Adm d 11 m a fri 14 mo 24 days 4" " corp 9" " Sergt 24      $96.31
Hon. A. Hazelton

State of New York Chautauqua County
vs Stephen Pratt being duly sworn doth depose and say, (in addition to his former affidavit on file at the War Office in Washington) that he served just one month as a Ser- geant at Dorchester, Mass: that he served under and by virtue of a warrant is- sued by Col: Nicholas Dike & Captain Moses Harrington at Dorchester aforesaid and for the time aforesaid, which Warrant was transmitted to the War Department upon this depo- nents original papers went on. He does further swear that he served a little more than nine months as a Sergeant under Col: Fletcher that he was principally at Castleton Warrant during this service, that the Warrant he received from Col: Fletcher is at Washington with this deponents original papers - that he did duty in Capt. Fish's Company.
Sworn & subscribed this 14 th day of October A 1833 - Before me
Stephen Pratt
Miles P. Brewster

State of New York } Chautauqua County }
I, James B Lowry clerk of the County of Chautauqua do certify that Rufus Pier Esquire before whom the within Affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date of the same one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County. And that I am acquainted with his hand writing and verily believe his name subscribed to the said Affidavit to be his proper hand writing and signature
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said County this fifteenth day of October A.D 1833
J. B. Lowry Clerk

Stephen Pratt S.F. 19435- Mass

Nicholas Pike Esquire _____ 1 st Colo _____
To Stephen Pratt _____ Greeting Reposing Especial trust and Confidence in your Patriotism and good Conduct and abilities I do hereby constitute and appoint you to be third Serjt in a Company whereof Moses Harrington is Cap t you are therefore faithfully and Diligently to Discharge the Duty of third Serjt by Doing and Performing all manner of things thereunto Belonging and I do hereby Charge and Require all non Commissioned officers and Soldiers under your Command To be obedient to your orders as Serjt and you are to observe and follow such orders and Directions as from time to time you shall receive from me or others your Superior officer according to the Rules and Discipline of War in Performance of the trust Reposed in you this shall be your sufficient Warrant given under my hand att Dorchester this 1 day of March 1777 Conceded to Moses Harrington Cap t _____ Nicholas Pike Colo
B.

CH
Stephen Pratt, S.F. 19435 Mass. Vermont
Stephen Pratt S.F. 19435 Mass.

Hoping Special trust and confidence in your Reason and good conduct and abilities I do hereby constitute and appoint you to be third Sergeant to my Regiment in Capt. Dutton's Company; You are therefore faithfully and Diligently to Discharge the duty of a Sergeant by Doing and Performing all manner of things thereunto belonging and as do Hereby Charge and require all non Commissioned officers and soldiers under your Command to be obedient to your orders as a Sergeant and you are to observe and follow such orders and Directions as from time to time you shall receive from me or other your Superior officer according to the rules and Discipline of War in Performance of the trust reposed in you this shall be your sufficient warrant given under my hand at Fort Warren May the 4 th 1675 Samuel Tilton Secy