Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 17154, for John Porter, Connecticut

SERVICE
NUMBER
Continental (Conn.)
Porter, John
R 17154
CONTENTS

Sir
4 th Jan 1862
An effort was made (as may be seen by the papers herewith), to obtain a Pension by Heirs of John Porter - On the acct. of services of the latter in the Continental Army, War of the Revolution. The Comptroller's Certificate, State of Vt. dated Nov. 53 rd Authenticate the service, as also the fact that no other John Porter is found upon the Military Rolls of men who served in the Army from the State.
Whether any law is in force which would enable the said Heirs of John Porter to obtain a Pension is what they would like to know - It is Bounty Land, rather, which they now claim, on the acct. of said service. John Porter, who performed the service as certified by the Compt. was, for many years, a resident of Castleton, Orwell & perhaps other Towns in Rutland Co. Vt. & died, I think, in 1816 in Vermont leaving at the time (as I think), minor Heirs but no Widow. Robert Porter is one of the surviving Heirs, Children, of decd., several others may be living -
If Land Warrants for Revolutionary Services are lying in the Office of Compt. of Pensions, awaiting the presentation of claimants, the Right thereto being established, there may be one for the service of John Porter named in the Comptroller's Cert. herewith which of right may be claimed by the said Porter Children & Heirs.
Robert Porter as one of these Heirs, claimant

Bounty Land on acct. of said Service
Should it be decided that the claim is valid Sustain? he requires Proof of Legitimacy of His as claimants - this may be furnish?
He respectfully asks that the claim may be examined & the result communicated to the subscriber as his Agent here respectfully Israel Smith
Comt. of Pensions
Orwell. Vermont
Wash n City. D.C.
Letters in relation to Mr. Porter's claim are inclos. to Maj. W. Smith Pay M r in the Army - Should the claim to Land Bounty be rejected Mr. P. would esteem it a favor that the Comptroller's certificates be handed to Maj. Smith who will, if necessary, offer for reexamination the said letters entrusted to his care respectfully Israel Smith

State of Connecticut Comptroller's Office Hartford Nov. 4 th 1838
I certify, that on application for evidence of the service of John Porter, in the war of the Revolution, I have examined the documents in this office, and find the name of John Porter on a Pay Roll under the following heading viz. "Settlement with the Regiment of Artificers, Sedgwick Baldwin Esq. Colonel, for 1780," where the said Porter is credited with service as a private from March 1 st 1779, to Jan'y 1 st 1780 - 10 months. In another settlement with Col. Baldwin's Regiment, "for the year 1780," I also find the name of John Porter, where he is credited with service as a private from "Jan'y. 1 st 1780 to December 31 st 1780. = 1 year."
The following are copies of documents on file in this office with the receipts of the said Porter, for balances due to him for his services in the years 1779 & 1780.
"West Point December 7 th 1782"
"Please deliver to the bearer Joseph Hill, the Disbursement Note, which is due to me for my service in the United States as an Artificer. Likewise the Pay for the year one thousand, seven hundred and eighty, and his Receipt shall be your sufficient voucher, and

"in so doing oblige your Humble Servt. "To the Committee of Pay Table, John Porter" "of the State of Connecticut"
"Witness, S. Batten, Lieut. Artillery Artificer."
"This may certify that John Porter, has been in the service "of the United States, as an Artificer from the 11 th of March "1779, until December 7 th 1782, and is now in "actual Service." S. Batten Lieut. Artillery Artificer"
Wm. H. Buell Comptroller by Geo. Robinson, Clerk.

No. 39, 174 John Porter.
Vermont.
Letter Israel Smith.
" Jan'y. 13. 1862
Same Jan'y. 24. 1862.
Act. Y rs June 1862

he
FREE
WEI. I. R 21 O JAN V.L.
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS JAN 22 1892
Commissioner of Pensions Washington City D.C.

Mr. Henry Pat-
See John
Jan 18 1832
FREE
Commissioner of Pensions Washington City D.C.
(over)

77154
Acts of July 1, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
REJECTED
P. O.
John Porter
Service: Res.
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.

Sir
20th Jan. 7. 1862
In the letter from the Commr. of Pensions of 15th inst. in relation to Bounty Land & Pension Claim of Heirs of John Porter it may be infer d that the rejection of the Claim is made to depend upon the following statement contained in said letter
"That John Porter drew his Bounty Land & was a Pensioner from the State of New York to the time of his death which occur d in 1849, the Claim is therefore rejected."
The John Porter nam d in the certificate of the Comptroller of the State of Ct. was personally known to the subscriber, was an Uncle the Brother of his Mother, emigrated from Stratford (now, I think, Bridgeport Ct.) to Vermont near the close of the Revolutionary war, where he resided to the time of his decease, did not at any time reside in the State of New York - Was an Invalid from Asthma, for many years before, as well during the war of 1812, sleeping almost wholly in a chair thro' the nights up to the time of his death which occur d in 1816 the year following the close of the war of 1812, the immediate cause of his being a cancer upon the lip. He had several sons Among them Eben. formerly of Orwitt Vt. who served as a Private in the Army, war of 1812, Capt. Loring's Comp. 30th Reg. U.S. Inf y . Col. Fapts

X rec d . Land Patents for said Service There might have been a son John older than Ebenezer. He might have served in the Army, war of 1812, not in the war of the Revolution.
If the claim is rejected independ- -ently of the Commissioners Conjecture that John Porter of 64 who died in Vt. 1816 is the identi- -cal person the John Porter who died in the State of New York 1849, a further prosecution of said claim would seem useless. If otherwise the rejection be held as due to the said identity, I may rightfully ask a reconsideration of the decision.
Respectfully Israel Smith
Commissioner of Pensions Washington City D.C.
Brattle Vermont

RECEIVED OF THE INTERIOR JAN 24 1902 PENSION OFFICE

State of Connecticut Comptroller's Office Hartford Nov. 19 th 1858
I certify that on application for further evidence of the service of John Porta in the war of the Revolution I have examined the documents in this office, and do not find any evidence of said service, except what is embraced in a certificate issued from this office on or about the 4 th of November 1858, nor do I find any other John Porta on the rolls of the Connecticut Line of the Continental Army, except the one whose service was certified to as above.
Wm H Buell Compt. by Geo Robinson Clk