Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 23824, for Jonas Nichols, Massachusetts

SERVICE
Heass
NUMBER _____
S. 23824
Nichols, Jonas
CONTENTS

Date of death Nov 19
1117 Vermont
Jonas Nichols
Bare in the State of Vermont who was a Sgt. & Piv. in the company commanded by Captain Bigelow of the Regt. commanded by Col. Ward in the Massachusetts line for 4 months & 15 days as Sergeant 9 " " 22 " " Private
Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont at the rate of 54 Dollars 87 Cents per ann. to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 26 th day of October 1832 and del d to S. Wright Present
Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1832 82.30 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 th March 27.43 1832 $109.73
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by M c uffie Clerk. Book S Vol. 4 Page 5

DECLARATION in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
STATE OF VERMONT, }  COUNTY OF Washington ss. } On this 7 th day of August A. D. 1832 personally appeared in open court, before the Honorable County Court, within and for the County of Washington now sitting. Joney Michel a resident of Barre in the County of Washington and State of Vermont, aged 87 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832:—
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated:
In April 1775 for the alarm at Burlington he volunteered for eight months service under Col. Timothy Bigelow in the regiment commanded by Colonel Jonathan Ward & Raymond St. Colonel ; said Bigelow Major, he having been promoted immediately after said Applicant volunteered Jonas Hubbard , Captain; John Smith 1 st Lieutenant; William Gats 2 d Lieutenant, and Nathaniel Haining Ensign. That he was discharged from, & left the army on or about the first day of January 1776 his term of service having then expired. That during the offensive term of service he was stationed at Cambridge & Dorchester Massachusetts . That about the middle of July 1776 he again entered the service of the U.S. as a volunteer under the following named officers, Jonathan Holman Colonel; — Raymond St. Colonel ; — Clary Major; William Gats , Captain; John Cunningham , 1 st Lieutenant; Nathaniel Howard 2 d Lt. — Walker Ensign; that he marched with his regiment to New Haven Connecticut , & from there shipped to the city of New York — was stationed in the city at that time & was then ordered up to Harlem Heights & there remained till the American Army retreated before the British forces to White Plains in which battle the applicant was engaged. That he left the service on the first day of December A.D. 1776 he being what was called one of the five months men. That during said last mentioned term of service the army in which he served was commanded by Gen. Washington .

was engaged. That he left the service on the first day of December A.D. 1776 he being what was called one of the five months men. That during his last mentioned term of service the army in which he served was commanded by Gen. Washington in person, the action as above, generally disastrous.
That he again about the 9th day of July 1777 volunteered as a private under Capt. Stone to go to Bennington Vt. at the time Gen. Burgoyne was advancing with his Army towards Albany. That his regiment on reaching Bennington was ordered by Gen. Schuyler to a place on the Hudson then called & known by the soldiers as Half-Moon. While there Gen. Stark sent word that a detachment of the British forces were marching to destroy the stores at Bennington, & the applicant his regiment marched to Bennington under the command of Gen. Lincoln, but the battle was fought before the regiment reached Bennington, & the prisoners had but just been marched into the meeting-house when the regiment arrived. That applicant was stationed there till the last of August of the same year when he was discharged. That during his last term of service his regiment was commanded by a Colonel Cushing. That he supposes that he served in the Camp. Maitland during all the 3 terms of service, as on his first volunteering for eight months, each of the soldiers of his regiment received a coat from the state.
In answer to the interrogations propounded to the applicant by the direction of the Secretary of War, he says that he was born in Reading Mass. in 1745 but has no record of his age. That at the time he entered the service as above stated he resided in Worcester Mass. & after the war resided in Ward in S. State till 1791 when he removed into the town of...

To the applicant by the direction of the Secretary of War, he says that he was born in Reading Mass. in 1745 but has no record of his age. That at the time he entered the service as above stated he resided in Worcester Mass. & after the war resided in Ward in S. State till 1791 when he removed into a house where he now resides. That while stationed at Cambridge he was under the command of Gen. Artemas Ward, & no troops were stationed at Dorchester except applicant's regiment. That he never received a written discharge or sergeant's warrant. That he is known to the Hon. Warren Ellis of said Barre during B. Peck Esqr. of Montpelier who can testify to his character for veracity.
He hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension, or annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state.
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
We Warren Ellis residing in S. Barre during B. Peck residing in the town of Montpelier County of Washington and State of Vermont hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Jonas Nichols who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be eighty 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.
Lucius B. Peck
Warren Ellis
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
att J. N. Bail Clerk
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Hon. Warren Ellis who has signed the preceding certificate, is a resident in the said town of Barre and that Lucius B. Peck who has also signed the same, is a resident in the said town of Montpelier and an credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Attest, Joshua G. Bail Clerk.
I Joshua G. Bail Clerk of the County
Court for the said County of Washington do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Jonas Nichols for a pension.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this 7th day of August A. D. 1832
Attest, Joshua G. Bail Clerk.
[Handwritten signature of Joshua G. Bail Clerk]

52 Application of Jonas Nichols for a pension under Act of June 1832 "
No 6477.

September 24, 1935
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Mrs. Ray S. Dix 2009 Clay Street Cedar Falls, Iowa
JONAS NICHOLS S. 23324 RA-J/MLB
Dear Madam:
You are furnished below the record of the only soldier named Jonas Nichols, under any spelling, found in the Revolutionary War records of this office. The data therein were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, S. 23324, based upon his service in the Revolution.
Jonas Nichols, as soldier signed, was born in 1745 in Reading, Massachusetts; the names of his parents are not stated.
While residing in Worcester, Massachusetts, he volunteered in April, 1775, on the alarm at Lexington, for eight months, served as private in Captains Timothy Bigelow's and Jonas Hubbard's company, in Colonel Jonathan Ward's Massachusetts regiment, stationed at Cambridge and Dorchester and was discharged about January 1, 1776. He volunteered about the middle of July, 1776, served as orderly sergeant in Captain William Gates' company, Colonel Jonathan Holman's Massachusetts regiment, marched to New Haven, Connecticut, then to New York, where he was ordered to Harlem Heights, remained there until the American Army retreated before the British to White Plains, was in the battle of White Plains and was discharged December 1, 1776. He again volunteered about July 9, 1777, served as private in Captain Jesse Stone's company, Colonel Cushing's Massachusetts regiment, and was discharged the last of August, 1777.
After the Revolutionary War the soldier resided in Ward, Massachusetts, until 1791, when he moved to Barre, Washington County, Vermont.
Jonas Nichols was allowed pension on his application executed August 7, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Barre, Vermont.
There are no family data shown in the claim.

In order to obtain date of last payment of pension, the name and address of the person paid and possibly the date of death of this soldier, you should write to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, and cite the following data:
Jonas Nichols Certificate #1117 Issued October 26, 1832 Rate $54.87 per annum Commenced March 4, 1831 Act June 7, 1832 Vermont Agency
Very truly yours
A. D. MILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator

September 24, 1935
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Mrs. Ray S. Dix 2009 Clay Street Cedar Falls, Iowa
Jonas Nichols, S. 23324 Solomon Smith, S. 34495 BA-J/MLB
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter of recent date, in which you request the Revolutionary War records of Nicholas Keim, of Somerset County, Pennsylvania; Jonas Nichols or Nicholas, of Vermont, Samuel Nichols; and Solomon Smith, of New York.
There is no claim for pension or bounty land on file based upon the Revolutionary War service of a Nicholas Keim, under any spelling of the surname. Such claims are the source of data furnished by this office in regard to soldiers of the Revolutionary War.
In order to identify the record of the particular soldier named Samuel Nichols in whom you are interested, should it be on file, as much as possible of the following data in regard to him should be given, when a further search of the records will be made and a report furnished: approximate dates of birth and death, places of residence at enlistment and after service and given name of widow.
The records have been found of Jonas Nichols and Solomon Smith and are furnished herewith.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
14 23824
Washington, D. C., _____, 19_____
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Jonas Nichols a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Apr. 1775 Jan'y 1776 Pvt. Timothy Bigelow Jonas Hubbard Jonathan Ward Mass.   July 1776 Dec. 1776 Ord. Sgt. William Gates Jonathan Holman   July 9. 1777 Aug. 1777 Pvt. Jesse Stone Cushing  
Battles engaged in, White Plains
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Winchester, Mass.
Date of application for pension, Aug. 7 1832
Residence at date of application, Barre, Washington Co. Vt.
Age at date of application, b in Reading Mass. in 1745
Remarks: No data as to family
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.

O. W. & N. Div. L. W. B. I. 23824.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
WASHINGTON, D. C.,
July 9th, 1896.
Madame:-
In response to an inquiry of the part of Mr. Andrew Davidson for information concerning the military record of Jonas Nichols, a soldier of the Revolutionary war, you are advised that he made an application for pension on August 7th, 1832, at which time he was residing at Barre, Vermont, and 87 years of age, and his pension was allowed for nine months and twenty-two days actual service as a private and four months and fifteen days service as a sergeant in the Mass. troops, Revolutionary war; a part of the time he served under Capt. Bigelow and Col. Ward. He enlisted at Worcester, Mass.
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.
Mrs. J. Warren Lamb, Cooperstown, New York.

Rejections
23824
INVALID.
File No.
23,824
Jonas Nichols Sergt Rev War
Act:
June 7 th 38 th
Index:—Vol.
2
Page
295
[Arrangement of 1870.]

July 9 96 Doed pernd Wm W Lamb Cooperstown NY.
See 3
1913 July 25 Hist to Mr Charles Russell letter in P.L. 124 to 17th 1935 Sept 23 Hist to Mrs. May Dix (Reiter in Chm. p. 344-95 of Schenck Smith)

I Darius Bayliss of Montpelier in the County of Washington State of Vermont of lawful age do hereby state that in the year 1775, & up to 1793, he resided in Worcester Massach- setts. That in 1775 Jonas Nichols then of said Worcester but now of Barn in this County marched with his regiment from Worcester on the alarm at Lexington, & went, as Deponent understood, to Cambridge Mass. and deponent thinks he was absent from home about eight months, knows that he was gone all the summer of 1775, & it was understood by deponent & in the neighborhood that he was stationed with his regiment at Cambridge & Dorchester. Deponent also well recollects that in the summer of 1776 the said Nichols marched with his regiment to the City of New York & was absent, deponent thinks about

five months & it was understood he was in the battle of White Plains. Deponent had a brother absent with the regiment at the same time, & recently hearing him & the said Nichols on their return say that they were in that battle, & narrate various circumstances in relation to it. Deponent understood that S r Nichols during the five months before became a orderly sergeant. This deponent for the says that on the alarm that Burgoyne was marching to Albany he thinks the said Nichols went with his regiment to Brownington V t . but how long he was absent deponent does not recollect. Deponent for the says that he has been well acquainted with the said Nichols, who has made application for a pension, ever since he has known any one & that there is no man in company whose character for truth & veracity stands higher than that of the S r Nichols, he believing him to be eighty three years of age. Deponent's age is sixty six. Deponent would further

State that that part of Worcester in which he resided in 1775 was afterwards incorporated into a town by the name of Ward, for the saying not.
July 30 th 1832.
Darius Boyden
I hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Darius Boyden above named & that he is entitled to a credit as a witness.
Lucius B. Pick justice Peace
State of Vermont } At Montpelier this 30 th day Washington County } of July A.D. 1832 personally
appeared Darius Boyden
above named, made solemn oath that the above Certificate by him subscribed, contains the whole truth & nothing but the truth.
Before Lucius B. Pick justice of Peace

State of Vermont
Secretary of State } I hereby certify that Office Aug. 7. 1832 } Lucius B. Pack of Mont- pelier was duly elected, as justice of the Peace within for the County of Washington State of Vt. for the year 1832, & that the within signature of "Lucius B. Pack" is in his own hand writing.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of State.
Timothy Merrill Secretary of State.