Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 10,086, for Samuel Stearns, Massachusetts

SERVICE
Mass.
Stearns, Samuel Phebe
NUMBER
R. 10,086
CONTENTS

13675
Phebe Stranahan wid of Samuel
11 act 7 July 1838
Phoebe Stranahan

Presented by W. Collins No. 4.

Declaration . In order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress of 7 th of July A D 1838
State of Vermont District of Addison ss On this 26 th day of February A D 1848 before the Probate court held at Middlebury within in and for the district of Addison in said State of Vermont in open court personally appeared Emily Stearns of Waltham in said district aged thirty seven years and upwards who being first duly sworn does on her oath make the following declaration in order to ob- tain the benefits of the act of Congress above named.
That she is the daughter of the late Phoebe Stearns widow of Samuel Stearns the father of the deponent who as this deponent has been informed and has al- ways understood was during the revolutionary war a resident of the Town of Littleton in the County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts and who entered the service of the United States from said Town soon after he was sixteen years of age and did service most of the time until the close of the war. That he was at the execution of Major Andre - was once at Rhode Island. did service with a Captain Brooks and a Colonel Webb also with a Captain Lakin and an officer by the name of Jacobs. also served with a Captain Heartwell and a Colonel Porter. That he performed one Term of six months, that he entered the service about the year 1778 and as above stated served most of the time to the close of the war. That he was married to Phoebe Whitmore about the year 1790 as she has often stated. she was only 17 years of age when married and that she was born about the year 1773 that said Samuel Stearns died about the first day August 1828 at Canaan in the County of Windham & State of Vermont where he had resided about 35 years and when this deponent was born that said Samuel left the said Phoebe his wid- ow who remained his widow until the time of her death and that she died on the second day of June A D 1839 at Middlebury aforesaid to which place she had re- moved in the 1829 after the death of her said husband That at her death she left the following named children who are her only children who survived her viz Lorenzo Stearns Samuel Stearns Ephraim.

Stearns Esther Stearns and this deponent all of Vermont and Noah Stearns of Parishville in the State of New York and that all of them are of the age of twenty one years and upwards and all of them the children of the said Samuel Stearns deceased Emily Stearns
Sworn to and subscribed by the said Emily Stearns before the Court of Probate for the district of Addison and State of Ver- mont the day and year above written Horatio Symons Judge of Probate within and for said district of Addison —
I further certify that the above named Emily Stearns is a credible witness Horatio Symons Judge of Probate for said district of Addison —

State of Vermont District of Addison
On this 22 day of February 1848 before the Probate Court holden at Middlebury within and for the district of Addison in said State of Vermont Personally appeared to open court William T. Russell of Middlebury aforesaid Physician aged thirty eight years and upwards who being first duly sworn deposes and says that he attended the late Widow Phoebe Stearns as her Physician in her last sickness that she died at Middlebury aforesaid on the second day of June in the year One thousand eight hundred and thirty nine
W. T. Russell -
Sworn to and subscribed by the said William T. Russell before the Court of Probate for the district of Addison and State of Vermont the day and year above written
Horethio Symons Judge of Probate for said District of Addison I further certify that the said William T. Russell is a credible witness Horethio Symons Judge of Probate for said district of State of Vermont } Addison
Addison District } on this 7 th day of March A D 1848 before the Probate Court holden at Middlebury within and for the district of Addison in said State of Vermont personally appeared Norman Tupper of said Middle- bury Farmland aged fifty three years and upwards who being duly sworn deposes and says that about the year 1823 Samuel Stearns father of Lorenzo Stearns now residing in said Middlebury worked for this deponent a short time in hering - (while he was so at work for this deponent he told this de- ponent that he had been a soldier in the Revolution and was that he was present at the execution of some person while in the service of the United States said they took the prisoner to be executed not to please, this deponent is not able to recollect the time the said Sam- uel said he was in the service or at what place or places he served. The said Samuel as this de- ponent has been informed died in the year 1828 at the time of his death his son Lorenzo Stearns lived with this deponent and was called to see his said father a short time before his death
Norman Tupper

Sworn to and subscribed by the above named Norman Tuzner before the Court of Probate for the District of Addison and State of Vermont the day and year above written
Horatio Seymour Judge of Probate within and for said district of Addison
I certify that the above named Norman Tuzner is a credible witness
Horatio Seymour Judge of Probate for said district of Addison
Norman Tuzner his mark attest Horatio Seymour Judge

Declaration - In order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress of 7 th July 1838
State of Vermont District of Addison ss
On this 22 nd day of February 1848 before the Probate Court held at Middlebury, within and for the district of Addison in said State of Vermont, in open court personally appeared Lorenzo Stearns of Middlebury aforesaid aged forty one years and upwards and Cephas Stearns of Waltham in the County of Addison and State of Vermont aged thirty eight years and upwards who being first duly sworn do on their oaths make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress above named
That they are both sons of the late widow Phebe Stearns widow of Samuel Stearns the father of the deponents who as these deponents have been informed and have always understood was during the revolutionary war a resident of the town of Littleton in the County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts and who entered the service of the United States from said town soon after he was sixteen years of age and did service most of the time until the close of the war, that he was at the execution of Major Andre - was once at Rhode Island did service with a Captain Brooks and a Colonel Webb also with a Captain Lakin and an officer by the name of Lakin Jacobs also served with a Captain Heartwell and a Colonel Porter that he performed one tour of six months that he entered the service about the year 1778 and as above stated served most of the time to the close of the war that he was married to Phebe Whitmore about the year 1790 as she has often stated she was only seventeen years of age when married and that she was born about the year 1773 that said Samuel Stearns died the first day of August 1828 at Cavendish in the County of Windsor and State of Vermont where he had resided for about twenty five years and where both these deponents were born. That the said Samuel Stearns left said Phebe Stearns his widow who remained his widow until the time of her death and that she died on the second day of June 1839 at Middlebury in said County of Addison to which place she had removed in the

year 1829 after the death of her husband. That at her death she left the following named children who are her only children who survived her (viz) Lorenzo Stearns. Samuel Stearns. Cephas Stearns Esther Stearns and Emily Stearns all of Vermont and Noah Stearns of Parishville in the State of New York and that all of them are of the age of twenty one years and upwards and all of them the children of the said Samuel Stearns deceased
Lorenzo Stearns
Cephas Stearns
Sworn to and subscribed by the said Lorenzo Stearns and Cephas Stearns before the Court of Probate for the district of Addison and State of Vermont the day and year above written
Horatio Seymour Judge of Probate within and for said district of Addison
I further certify that the above named Lorenzo Stearns and Cephas Stearns are credible witnesses
Horatio Seymour Judge of Probate for said district of Addison

State of Vermont Addison District ss
On this 22 nd day of February A D 1848 before the Probate Court held at Middlebury within and for the district of Addison in the State of Vermont in open court personally appeared John P. Wheeler of Middlebury aforesaid aged sixty years and upwards and being first duly sworn on his oath says that he was born in Cavendish in the County of Windsor and State of Vermont and resided  dwelt in said town of Cavendish until the year 1822 when he removed from Cavendish to Middlebury where he has resided ever since that he was acquainted with Samuel Stearns from about the year 1806 until the year 1822 that during that time the said Samuel resided in said town of Cavendish and as he has understood continued to reside there until the time of his death in 1828 that this deponent understood from conversations with the said Samuel Stearns that he had formerly resided in the town of Littleton County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts that he understood that said Samuel was in the service of the United States in the war of the revolution and has frequently heard him speak of his service as a soldier in that war it was understood in said Cavendish in the neighbourhood where the said Samuel Stearns resided that he was a resolutionary soldier this deponent further now deceased then resided in the town of Cavendish near to said Stearns and had formerly resided in Littleton in the same town with said Stearns and having been himself in the U. States service in the war of the revolution the subject of said Stearns service in that war was frequently conversed on in the presence and hearing of this deponent. This deponent further says that soon after the death of the said Samuel Stearns in 1828 his widow Phebe Stearns removed to this town (Middlebury) and resided in this town to the time of her death in 1835 that Lorenzo Stearns was a son of the said Samuel and Phebe Stearns has resided in said Middlebury about twenty four years that there were other children of the said Samuel and Phebe both sons & daughter with whom this deponent was not so particularly acquainted.
J. P. Wheeler
Sworn to and subscribed by the said John P. Wheeler before the Court of Probate for the district of Addison and State of Vermont the day and year above written Horatio Seymour one Judge of Probate within & for said District of Addison

I further certify that the above named John P. Wheeler is a credible witness Horatio Seymour Judge of Probate for said District of Addison
State of Vermont } District of Addison } I Horatio Seymour Judge of Probate within and for the district of Addison and State of Vermont do hereby certify that at a Probate Court held at Middlebury within and for said district of Addison on the eleventh day of March A.D. 1848 satisfactory evidence was adduced before said Court to prove that Samuel Stearns who was formerly a resident of the town of Littleton County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts and who was married to Phoebe Whitman about the year 1790 died on the first day of August A.D. 1823 that he left said Phoebe his Widow who remained his Widow until her death which took place on the second day of June A.D. 1839 that at her death she left the following named children her surviving who are her only children that survived her to wit Lorenzo Stearns Samuel Stearns Cephas Stearns Esther Stearns and Emily Stearns all residing in the State of Vermont and Noah Stearns of Parishville in the State of New York and that all of them are of the age of twenty one years and upwards and all of them the children of said Samuel Stearns Horatio Seymour Judge of Probate
State of Vermont } District of Addison } 83
I Jeremiah S. Washburn Register of the Probate Court for the District of Addison, do hereby certify that the within and foregoing are the original proceedings of the said Probate Court in the matter of the application of Lorenzo Stearns Cephas Stearns and Emily Stearns for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand & affix the seal of said Court at Middlebury in said District, this 14 th day of March A.D. 1848. Jer. S. Washburn Register

Washington Jan 24 th 45
Dear Sir,
Please investigate the claim above stated, & inform me of your decision
W. B. King

Pension Office July 3 rd , 1838
Sir
I have the honor to inform you that the papers in the case of Phebe Stearns dec d widow of Samuel Stearns have been examined and passed under the Act of 7 July 1838.
The Certificate of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts shows that Samuel Stearns of Milford rendered during the Revolutionary war 11 mo 2 days service as a private. But before a pension Certificate can issue to Mrs Stearns Chelston for that service it must be made clearly to appear by satisfactory and disinterested proof that her husband was a Revolutionary soldier, that he was  belonged during the war to the Town of Milford that he was the only one one  person that town engaged in that service, and that she was married to him Nov 6. 1794. The testimony of those who were residing in that town at who knew Stearns in 1780 or at the period of his service

Should be introduced to establish his identity with the Claimant's husband, and the date of their marriage. Should be established proven by record or documentary proof public or private if it can it can be obtained, such as is af- forded by the records of the Town or Church in the place in which the ceremony was performed or an old family record if any such is known to exist; of which the Department must be satisfied before the testimony of individuals can be received
Hon. W. Collins July 3. 47
Hon. W. Collins House N. H. S.

N 13675- Phebe Stearns do N 1
Lot. to the W. Colling July 2nd, 1848
in case / 0086 (over)
act 7 July 1838

POWER OF ATTORNEY
Thebe Stearns
vt - —
Transe Present

POWER OF ATTORNEY.
STATE OF Vermont COUNTY OF Addison a justice of the Peace
Be it known that before the Subscriber,
personally appeared Joseph  Cephus Stearns aged forty three years, who, being duly cautioned and then sworn in due form of law, states, that he is the son of Phebe Stearns *who was an applicant for a pension under act 7 July 1838 and that he believes that he is entitled to whatever is due, and that the United States are still indebted to him, under the laws of Congress, for the pension that was due Phebe Stearns deceased and that for the purpose of investigating and establishing his claims as afore- said, he appoints TULLY R. WISE, of Washington, D. C., his true and lawful attorney with irrevocable powers, to examine all papers on file, and to do whatever he might do were he personally present to establish his claim.
In witness whereof, I have on this 11th day of October  September 1852, hereunto signed my name, and affixed my seal.
Cephus Stearns [SEAL] for himself Lorenzo Stearns & Emily [SEAL] Stearns being fully authorized by them [SEAL]
Witness: Nelson & Saxon Witness: H. C. Crops
Signed, sealed, acknowledged, and sworn to before me; and I further certify, that Cephus Stearns has always by the community been known as the son of Phebe Stearns Dated on this 11th day of September  October 1852.
Newton Root J. P.
STATE OF Vermont CITY OF Burlington COUNTY OF Addison
to wit:
I hereby certify, That Newton Root Esq.,
before whom the foregoing power of attorney was made, and who has thereunto subscribed his name, was at the time of so doing, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Addison aforesaid, duly commissioned and sworn, and that his signature above written is genuine.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the County Court on this 11th day of October  September one thousand eight hundred and fifty two .
Philip C. Tucker Clerk.
* State whether an applicant or a pensioner.

The names of John Thoms & Cephus inserted September 20 th 1842 and October inserted before Leighman and so voted to Cephus
Newton P. Garrison Justice of the Peace

Samuel Stearns. 11 Mo 2 3 2 dys.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston:
September 2 1847.
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 Samuel Stearns is borne upon a Pay Roll of Capt Nathaniel Lakin's company, in Col John Jacobs's regt for service at Rhode Island, as a private from September 23 to November 16 1779 including allowance of 5 days for travel 2 Months and 8 days.
2 8 Upon a Pay Roll of the 6 months Men of the town of Littleton, as a private from July 15 to December 6 1780, including allowance of 220 miles travel, 5 Months and 5 days.
5 Mo 2 2 days. Upon a Descriptive List of the Six Months men, who marched from Springfield under the care of Capt Clark July 19 1780 belonged to Littleton, age 18. 5 feet and 9 inches high.
Upon a Pay Roll of Capt Daniel Buckins

7m 10 Company in Col Webb's regt as a private from August 18 to November 30 1781 including allowance of 30 days for 3m 2 Guard. 3 Months and 22 days.
Signed to an Order on Treasurer of this State for payment of Service in Capt. Perkins Company, Col. Jacobs regt time of Service, Not mentioned - Said order is dated, Littleton, September, 22 1783"
Signed to another order on Treasurer of this State for payment of wages in Capt. Brooks's col. Col. Webb's regt - amount and time of Service Not stated. The order dated "Littleton April 3 11m 22 And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence 1784,"
of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said appli- cation, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John G. Foster
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Dana, Stearns
3000
[Faint, mirrored handwritten text, likely bleed-through from the reverse side of the page]
[Faint, mirrored handwritten text, likely bleed-through from the reverse side of the page]

Application for Certificate of Revolutionary Services State of Vermont County of Addison town of Middlebury,
The Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is hereby requested to furnish evidence from the Rolls in his office of the service of Samuel Stearns — who was a native of Littleton County of Middlesex, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, —
He entered the service soon after he was sixteen years of age, and was in service for several years. — He stated he was at the execution of Major Andre, and stood behind at his execution, — he died 1828, he was married about the year 1780, his wife Martha died 1839, he done service at Rhode Island same service was done, with a Captain Brooks & Col Webb, and some with a captain or Col Lakire, Jacobs was also an officer with whom he served, the exact length of his service is not known, one tour is believed to have been of six months, —
W. G. Wade of Rose New York is the Attorney duly authorized to investigate such Claims
Witness my hand this 12 day of August 1847
Louisa Stearns W. G. Wade
Signed in my presence per who it appears from documents exhibited to me to be the lawful attorney duly authorized.
Halsbury justice of the Peace
Captain Stearns & Col. Porter were officers with whom he served

Washington D.C. 22. Oct. 1852
Hon. J. E. Heath Commissioner of Pensions. Sir.
The case of Phebe Stearns widow of Samuel Stearns, suspended, under the act of 7 July 1839, a Vermont case has been placed upon your files within five years. I find that the declaration of her children was made after the Secretary of State of Mass. issued his certificate proving service. But attached to that Certificate you will see the pertinent questions put by the child who applied that would of itself prove identity. Besides too, John Wheeler duly proves that Samuel Stearns used always to say before his death that he served, and it is testified that he was the father of one of these children who claim. You will recollect that Stearns declarations are good, because made when he had no interest.
The Court certifies that Phebe Stearns married her husband about 1790.
Regarding the case as completely established I ask that a certificate will issue.
I am very respectfully Fully R. Wise.

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
REJECTED
10,986
P. O. _____
Phoebe Stevens
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18 .
Discharged: _____, 18 .
Application filed: _____, 18 .
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18 .