Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21531, for Stephen Thornton, Rhode Island

SERVICE
NUMBER
R.I.
Thornton, Stephen
S. 21 531
CONTENTS

27286 Rhode Island Stephen Thornton of Johnston in the State of R.I. who was a private in the Com. Z. commanded by Captain Waterman of the R.I. commanded by Colo. Atwell in the — R.I. line for
13 Months private
Date of death Feb. 20, 1836 from Agency Book
Inscribed on the Roll of R.I. at the rate of 43 Dollars 33 Cents per annum. to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 24 day of Mar 1834 — and sent to Benja n Cowell Esq. Providence R.I.
Arrears to the 4th of Mar. 1834. $129.99 Pension allowance ending 4 Sep " 21.66 $151.65
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by George Taylor Clerk. book 4 Vol. 2 Page 132

30,082 Stephen Thornton Johnston - Prov. Co R.I.
Aami 13 Month mi Capt. Waterman Colo. Altac
Benj m Govee Esq r Providence R.I.

State of Rhode Island & County of Providence ss.
On this 22 d , day of February A D 1834 personally appeared before me. Stephen Branch Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas within & for said County Stephen Thornton resident in Johnston in said County aged 89 years who being sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of an act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. viz - he entered the War of the Revolution and served as herein stated In answer to the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department. he answers & says - 1 d . He was born April 30 1744 in said Johnston 2 d . His birth is not recorded any where as he knows 3 d . He lived in said Johnston when he was first called into service & since the War. he has resided in said Town

4 th . He was drafted, or ordered to serve as follows 5- He served under General Sullivan. Colonel Amos Atwell Captain. Laban Waterman and Ezer Olney - 6. He never recived recived any written discharge but was always verbally dismissed when his time was out - 7. His present neighbors & witnesses are James Olney Ruben Allen & Philip Mathewson
And said Stephen further declares that in the year 1777. he was enrolled & had been for some time in said Captain Watermans Company of Militia as a private, which Company was in the regiment of Col Atwell & all the Services he performed during the War of The Revolution was in said Company first commanded by said Waterman and afterwards by said Ezer Olney, that after enemy invad-

invaded & took possession of Rhode Island in December AD 1776. The regiment to which he belonged was di- =vided into three divisions, & each ordered to serve a month at a time to guard the shores of Narragansett Bay against the incursions of the enemy which were frequent during all the time they held possession of the Island of Rhode Island. And the said Stephen declares that he always performed his regular turns of duty of a month at a time when it came to his turn but he cannot at this distant period of time state all the places at which he was stationed yet it was on the shores of said Bay. He remembers of being a number of times at Patuxet a number at Warwick. Bristol Tiverton & Warren, and in Sullivan's expedition on Rhode Island, and being obliged to serve every third month & hence to his recollection, being to do his duty, he avers that in the year 1777. between January & December of that year, he served four months at least and in the year 1778 four months at least and

and in the year 1779 four months, he avers that during the years aforesaid, he served Twelve Months at least, as a private in said Company & Regiment commanded as aforesaid.
and said Stephen further declares that after the British evacuated Rhode Island & when the French fleet came into Newport in 1780, he was drafted as a private & served another month on Rhode Island in said Company & Regiment. He does not remember however who commanded the Regi- ment at this time, nor the month but thinks was in May - He avers he served thirteen months in all for which he claims a pension - He has no documentary evidence of his services, but he relies on the evidence of the witnesses produced. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension except the present & declares that his name is not on the Roll of pensions of any state.
Attest S. Branch
his Stephen T Thornton mark
Sworn to before me at Johnston February 22 d 1834 Stephen Branch, C.S.C.C.P.C.P.

We Reuben Allen a Cuzzman residing in the Smithfield Town of Johnston and Philip Mathewson also residing in the of Johnston town hereby certify that we are acquainted acquainted with Stephen Thornton who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 89 years of age that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution that we concur in that opinion
Reuben Allen Philip Mathewson
Providence ss In Johnston Febr y 22 d 1834 Then Reuben Allen and Philip Mathewson made oath to the truth of the foregoing Statement Before Stephen Branch Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas County of Providence

I James Olney of Johnston in the County of Providence being now 73 years of age on oath do testify and say that I am well acquainted with Stephen Thornton who is now present before me. I remember perfectly well that said Stephen during the Revolutionary war was enrolled as a private in Captain Emor Olney's company of Militia who was my father's did military duty then and I have no doubt that during the years 1777 1778 & 1779. he served as he has stated. I never served with him but have seen him on duty. The Militia during those years were on duty about one third of the time in guarding the shores of Narragansett Bay against the British

and I have no doubt. said Stephen always served when it came to his turn
Providence for in Johnston Febr y 22 d 1834 James Olney
Sworn to before me Stephen Branch C. J. C.
C. P. C. P.
I Benjamin Bilknap of Johnston in said County of Providence being now 49 years of age hereby certify and say that I am well acquainted with Stephen Thaxter who has subscribed & sworn the preceding declaration. More than thirty years ago I remember of hearing him speak of his services in the Revolutionary war, and I have no doubt he served as he has stated in his declaration Benjamin Bilknap
Sworn to Febr y 22 d 1834 -
Before me Stephen Branch Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas County of Providence

I Edward Waterman of Johnston in the County of Providence being now 74 years of age on oath do testify and say that I am well acquainted with Stephen Thornton who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration I remember of seeing said Thornton during Sullivan's Expedition in 1778 on Rhode Island, doing duty but I do not know to what company he belonged I remember Captain Waterman & they they were both Captains during the War - I was on Rhode Island as a soldier at that time but not in that company
Edward Waterman
Providence Is
In Providence February 26 th 1834
Sworn to before Stephen Branch Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas County of Providence

State of Rhode Island & Providence Sep 11 I Stephen Branch Judge of the Court of Common Pleas do certify that after investigating the matter aforesaid and putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that I believe the applicant Stephen Thornton was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states, and I further certify that Reuben Allen is one of the signers of a certificate and that he is a clergyman residing in the Town of Smithfield, and that Philip Mathewson James Olney Benjamin Belknap and Edward Waterman all of Johnston who signed the preceding affidavits are in my opinion credible witnesses and that full faith and credit may be given to the same, and I further certify that the applicant resides about seven miles

from the place of the sitting of the County Court that from old age and infirmity it would be very difficult if not impossible for him to attend in court and that I have attended to taking his Application  deposition in Johnston in consequence thereof. — ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Stephen Branch Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas County of Providence
[Handwritten flourish or signature]
purporting to be his, as in the

State of Rhode-Island and Providence Plantations.
PROVIDENCE, SC.
Dexter Randall I WHITTIER H. WATSON , Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, within and for the county of Providence in the State of Rhode-Island, do hereby certify, that Stephen Branch is a Judge of the court of Common Pleas afore- said, which court is a Court of Record; that the signature to the aforegoing documents purporting to be his, are in the proper hand writing of the said Stephen Branch and that full faith and credit are due to the official attestations of the said
In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of said Court, at Providence this Twenty Seventh day of February in the year of our Lord 183 4
Dexter Randall

Rev. War Section.
August 28, 1930.
Mr. Herbert O. Brigham, State Record Commissioner. Providence, R. I.
Sir:
In reply to your letter of the 30 th ultimo, you are herewith furnished the histories of the only two soldiers of the Revolution, named Stephen Thornton, found on the Revolutionary War records of this Bureau.
From the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, Survivor File No. 21,531, it appears that Stephen Thornton was born April 30, 1744, in Johnston, Providence County, Rhode Island and resided there during the Revolution; when he was a Private, in the company, at first commanded by Captain Laban Waterman and afterwards by Captain Emer, or Emor Olney, in Colonel Amos Atwell's Regiment of Rhode Island Militia and served during 1777, for four months; during 1778, for four months; during 1779 for four months and in May 1780 for one month.
He was allowed pension on his application executed February 22, 1834 while living in Johnston, Rhode Island and he died February 20, 1836, place not stated.
There is no data on file as to his family.
Last page of this - Mr. Brigham's letter is re: Stephen Thornton W 6262

Revolution
21531 INVALID.
File No. 21531
Stephen Thornton
Br Rev War
Act: June 7 th 1890
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 417
[Arrangement of 1870.]
1920 Aug. 26. Hist. to Herbert O'Brigham (see his letter in Stephen Thornton W 6262) am

This is last part of letter dated Aug 26. 1920 to Herbert O. Brigham, State Record Commission Providence R.I. see 1 st page in Stephen Thornton b. 2/18/31 -
From the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, Widow File No. 6262, it appears that Stephen Thornton, the son of John, was born April 30 1759, at Gloucester, Rhode Island, and resided there until 1780 when he removed to Acworth, Sullivan County, New Hampshire,
Late in 1776 and in the winter and spring of 1777, he was on guard duty in Capt. Abraham Wainson's co of R.I. militia. On June 8, 1777, he enlisted and served as a Private for nine months in Captain Benajah Whipple's Company, Colonel Archibald's Regiment of Rhode Island Troops. During May and June 1778, he served sixteen days under Captain Stephen Olney. He was allowed pension on his application executed August 7, 1832, while living at Acworth, New Hampshire, and he died there March 13, 1834.
He married at Acworth, New Hampshire, March 13, 1783, Elizabeth Royers who was born December 8, 1760, at Londonderry, New Hampshire, date of her death not stated. He married at Ashford, Connecticut, August 4, 1805, Zilpha Havens, who was born May 1, 1768, at Gloucester, Rhode Island. She was allowed pension on her application executed April 6, 1853, while living at Acworth New Hampshire.

His children were:
Sally, born December 5, 1783. John, " May 18, 1785. Jesse, " January 22, 1787. Baptist, " August 27, 1788. Stephen, " September 18, 1790. Dorcas, " March 29, 1792. Ariel, " December 17, 1793. Calvin, " July 30, 1795. David, " March 19, 1797. Lucy, " March 12, 1800. Elizabeth, " July 23, 1902.
Very respectfully,
Acting Commissioner.