Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B. L. Wt. 2364-100, for Valentine Leighton, New Hampshire

SERVICE
NUMBER
N H
Leighton, Valentine
B.L.W. 2364-100.
CONTENTS

Stearnsport N.H. Aug 22 1845
Sir
Revolutionary Land Warrant N o 3364 for 100 acres issued in favor of James Willey, Lucia Vincent, Sally Kuntrip and Deborah Watson, heirs at law of Valentine Leighton a soldier of the New Hampshire Continental Line has been duly rec d . dated Aug. 19, 1845
Very respectfully
Yours & H. Smith secy Michael Mayfield
J. L. Edmonds Comm r of Pensions Washington D.C.

Rich d . Russell
20
July 13. 1845
Prof of Latin & Greek Service
James L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions Washington City
Rec d . Aug. 18 th 1845

I Eleazar Bennett of Durham in the County of Stafford & State of Hampshire aged Ninety five years do hereby say that I enlisted into Capt Windham Colours Army in Sept 1775 for Three months & five Pounds the following I enlisted again into Capt Stephen Chesley's Army for Six weeks & marched to Cambridge Mass & stayed until the British left Boston in Sept 1776 I enlisted again into Capt Smith Emerson's Army for Three months & marched to the State of N.Y. I further state that I was well acquainted with Valentine Leighton of service (Durham) who was a soldier in Capt Windham Colours Army with me. I was acquainted with the said Leighton before the war & after the close of the war the said Leighton moved into the State of Maine & died some time ago leaving the lawful issue to the best of my know- ledge the said Leighton was born in Kittery in the State of Maine but when a boy he came to service Durham & lived until he returned to Maine again. James Willey, Lucius Vincent Sally, Abigail, Deborah & Wilson are all the children of the said Valentine Leighton now living to the best of my knowledge
Attest John Bennett M.C. Russell
Eleazar Bennett Mark

State of New Hampshire Strafford County ss (Piscataqua August 6 th 1845
Then personally appeared the above named Elazer Bennett a credible person to me known and made oath that a true affidavit by him subscribed is true. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of my Public J. Russell Clerk Public

Sturminster Newton Abbot, Aug. 9, 1845
Sir
Herewith is enclosed a copy of Valentine Leighton's Service. We have not seen any Soldier who served to the close of the war since the receipt of your last letter. None are living near us, but, there are those probably who can identify him to end of the war, if required.
Your Obl. Servt.
Richard Napier
J. L. Edwards Esq. Council of Pensions section for Mr. B. Land.
N.B. Two days since in looking for evidence we fell in with Ebenezer Blaisdell Brother of John Blaisdell who was a Soldier in the N. H. Continent Line entitled to Land John Blaisdell died 30 years ago leaving no lawful Issue Ebenezer Blaisdell gave a power of Attorney to Philip Baldwin of Boston in 1834, and has not heard from Baldwin since. If consistent with the rules of your Office Mr. Blaisdell would like to know if Mr. Baldwin has obtained his Brother's Land.
Your Obl. Servt. Richard Napier
Wm Gordon Esq. Chief Clerk

Rich d Russell
Valentine Leighton
No. 2364
from Rich d Russell Heir of Valentine Leighton
Rec d Nov r 24 th 1842

State of New Hampshire } Strabane County, ss. }
Durham Nov 18 th 1842
I James Willey, heir at law of Valentine Leighton do, upon oath, testify and declare, to the best of my knowledge and belief, that Valentine Leighton did enter the service of the Revolution for the term of during the war and served as a soldier in the Regiment N o 2 under the command of Colonel George Pierce of the New Hampshire line; and that he continued in the service aforesaid until the close of the war.
I further declare that I have never received a Warrant for the bounty land promised to Valentine Leighton on the part of the United States; nor do I believe that he ever received it, or transferred his claim to it in any manner whatever. Therefore.
Know all men by these presents, That I James Willey of Durham aforesaid, do hereby constitute and appoint Richard Mansell to be my true and lawful Attorney, for me and in my name to demand and receive from the Secretary of War of the United States, a Warrant for the quantity of land due to me as aforesaid; and my said Attorney is hereby fully authorized and empowered to constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or Attorneys under him for the special purposes above expressed.
M c E. Ropes } Witnesses Hannah Willey
James Willey
Personally appeared the above named James Willey subscribed to the foregoing declaration and made oath to the same and in my presence acknowledged the power of attorney therein contained to be his free act and deed for the purposes therein mentioned.
Attest
J. Willey M c E. Ropes.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Notary Public
Moses G. Mansell Not. Pub.

State of New Hampshire Strafford County - Office of the Registry of Probate for said County - I. Winthrop A. Marston, Register of the court of Probate within and for said County, certify that evidence has been produced and is now on file in said office which Satisfactorily proves that James Willey and Lucretia Vincent both of Durham in said County and Sally Huntress and Deborah Watson both of Newmarket in said County of Rockingham, are nephew and Nieces to the within named Valentine Leighton, and are the only legal heirs to said Valentine Leighton, now living - and that said Valentine Leighton died leaving no wife or child living at the time of his decease -
In testimony whereof I have hereto set my name and affixed the seal of said court of Probate this eighteenth day of November Anno Domini 1842
W.A. Marston, Register of said court

191
c
c
Volentine Leighton Maj o Company Dr
   1784 Mar. 16 th Paid by Bap 2/10 2 10   " " Gave him a certificate for 18 10 6   18 13 4   1781 Paid by Blanchard £ 4. 3. 2 4 3 2   Board War for clothing 6 2 5   1784 Mar. 16 Gave him a Certificate 13 14 5   £ 24 " "  

  Engaged Contra 6 6 2   1780   March 20 mustered by Col. Gilman   1781-3 rd 60 By 9 Months & 10 days in 1780 (p 40) 18. 13. 4   By 12 Months in 1781 24. — " — 
State of New Hampshire. Secretary of State's Office, I do hereby certify, That the foregoing is a true copy of the original the same having been examined and compared by me. The original may be found in Reid's Regimental Ledger which was returned to this Office from the War Office Jan'y. A. D. 1841.
In testimony whereof, I have here- unto set my hand & affixed the Seal of the State, this 31 st day of July, A. D. 1845 Thomas P. Treadwell Secretary of State

House of Representatives Augusta March 10 1844
Sir
Agreeable to your request I have made inquiries of several members from different parts of the State for Valentine Leighton an old Revolutionary Soldier but cannot learn where he resided. Solomon Thayer Esq member from Lubec says there are Leightons in his district and that he will make due inquiry and inform you if any such man resided there.
Yours &c Saml W. Fox
Richard Russell Esq

In addition to Valentine Leighton Esq.
182
Richard Russell Esq Somersworth N. H.

Lubec May 7 1844
Sir,
At the request of Mr Fox I have made particular enquiry for the residence of Valentine Lighton - & am satisfied no such man ever resided in this vicinity. There are many Lightons in this county -
If as you say he was a Revolutionary pensioner you can easily find his last place of residence by applying to the pension office at Washington - His power of attorney by which he drew his pension contains an oath a certificate of when he formerly & last resided.
This evidence you can obtain instantly if he drew his pension - If he did not he must have gone into the Provinces. In that case I know not how you will discover his residence.
Your obt Servt
Col. H. Dyer

Manchester N.H. Nov. 19, 1842 Mr. Edwards. Sir,
Herewith is enclosed the declaration, Power of Attorney & certificate of kinship in the claim for bounty land for the service of Valentine Leighton in the Revolution. Further evidence will be forwarded if no warrant has issued.
Very respectfully your Obedt Servt,
Richard Mansfield

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Leintz, Martin GRADE Private LINE Hazen's Regiment
WARRANT NUMBER 13370 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED September 15, 1790
To John S. Hobart, Egbert Benson, John McKesson, E. Hazard and Richard Platt, executors of Alexander McDougal, assignee
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.