Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 26336, for John Porter, Connecticut

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Porter, John Lucy
N. 26336
CONTENTS
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6923
Connecticut
Suey Porter widow of John Porter , Con who was a Private in the Conn. Line ,
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 30 Dollars Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843.
Certificate of Pension issued the 22 d day of May 1845 and sent to
Widow Isaac Sherman , Jan. 4, 1846 Bridgewater a B Conn.
[Act of March 3, 1843.]
Recorded in Book A
Vol. 2
Page 54
June 17, 1845
2 Certs
1, act 1838
1, — 1843/44
Rejo.

10726 Lucy Porter
cont. Act 7 July '38
MS 83 C 13

State of Connecticut } County of Fairfield } ss
On this 18 th Day of March A.D. 1846 personally appeared before the Court of Probate for the District of Bridgeport in said Fairfield County Lucy Porter a Resident of the Town of Danbury in said County aged Seventy five years, who being duly sworn according to Law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 7 th 1838 entitled "An act granting pensions to certain widows": That she is the widow of John Porter who was a private soldier in a company of the Connecticut State Infantry Guards, according to the best of my knowledge & belief who enlisted into said company then under the command of Lieut. William Hall, Isaac Patchin Sergeant, the first of January 1781. and served in said Guard in the Revolutionary War from that time until the first of January 1782 at Bridgeport Harbour on Long Island Sound which Harbour at that time was in the Town of Stratford in said Fairfield County. That he served in said Guard as aforesaid 12 months, as I believe (as no documentary evidence) That said John was living near said Harbour in said Town of Stratford when called into said service. and always lived in said County until his death That he was born in said County

about the year 1765. That said Hally Combs was attached to Col Saml Whiting, Regt. want of proof till recently is the reason of delay of her application. She further declares that she was married to the said John Porter on the twenty fourth day of November in the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty five. That her husband the aforesaid John Porter died on the third day of December in the year Eighteen hundred and thirteen; that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January Seventeen hundred and ninety four, at the time above stated. Lucy Porter
Sworn to and subscribed on the day & year above written before me
Attest Mark Moore Clerk Smith Inverness Judge of Probate
And the said court after investigatory the matter do hereby declare their opinion that said Lucy Porter is the widow of said John Porter who served in the Army of the Revolution as she states.
Attest Mark Moore Clerk Smith Inverness Judge of Probate
I Mark Moore Clerk of the court aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Lucy Porter for a Pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 18 th day of March 1844
Attest Mark Moore Clerk

152 Widaman Hall of the Town of Weston in the County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut aged 78. years a Pension of the United States under act of June 7 th 1832 dispose and say that I enlisted as a private of Infantry into Lieut William Halls Company of Connecticut Coast Guards on or about the first day of April 1781 which Company was raised by authority of the State of Connecticut was attached to Col Samuel Mather's Regt. in Genl. Lord Shelburne's Brigade and was Stationed at Newfield Harbour now called Bridgeport Harbour in said County. That I served in said Company from about April 1781 to about the middle of November 1781 when I left it on account of ill health That I remember that John Porter the husband of Lucy Porter was my barn in said Company when I commenced said Service & when I left said Company - as a private - That I believe said Company of Guard was enlisted generally for 12 Months from year to year commencing on the first day of January in each year and that I firmly believe that said John Porter served 12 Months faithfully in said Guard as a private and that I know that he served in said Guard faithfully with me as long as I served in it.

and as he was in service in said Guard when I entered into the service & was in it when I left I fully believe that said Porter served in said Guard from January 1 st 1781 to January 1 st 1782.
The following is a list of names of those I can remember that belonged to said Guard & served in it at the time before mentioned with me. As
Lt William Hall } Sergt. Isaac Patchen } Corporal Joel Porst }
Privates
Morris Cook Ebenezer Hawley Samuel Miller Isaac and Samuel Miller Gideon Wells James Cranford John Porter William Nubbell Lyman Knapp Ebenezer Gregory William Hall }
Samuel French Lyman Hall Isaac Brandley Salmon Patchen James Gregory Josiah Burritt Sherman Burritt Dinton Seely Joseph Hawley Seth Bulkley John McEnzie further Disposition not
William Hall

State of Connecticut County of Fairfield } At Bridgeport February 7 th 1844 personally appeared William Hall before me and subscribed and made oath to the truth of the foregoing Deposition who is a person well known to me to be a credible Witness Isaac Sheyman Justice of Peace

State of Connecticut County of Hartford } ss Bridport. I Mark Moore Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of Bridport in said Hartford County do hereby certify that Isaac Sherman Esquire & Jerroth B. Hickock Esquire are both Justices of the peace within and for said Hartford County duly commissioned and qualified; that their commissions will expire on the 20 th day of June next; and that their signatures to the Dispositions hereto annexed, viz. William Hall Larua Han Samuel Beach & Gordon S. Galt. are genuine.
Given upon my hand & seal of said Court this 22 day of March A.D. 1844.
Attest Mark Moore Clerk.

Lavinia Starr of the Town of Danbury in the County of Fairfield, State of Connecticut Being Eighty Six Years of Age, Deposeth, That she resided with her Mother during the Revolutionary War near the mouth of Bridgeport Harbor at Long Island Sound, and remembers that a Guard was kept up at S d Harbor from the fore part of S d War to the close from year to year; That Lieut. W m Hill & Sergeant Isaac Patchin were officers of S d Guard for several of the last years that S d Guard was kept. That she remembers that John Porter was in service in S d Guard as a private, but how long he served or precisely what period of the War she cannot say, but thinks he was in service in S d Guard for a considerable time. She also remembers that S d Porter was in service in an armed Boat at S d Harbor at one period of the said War. Also remembers that the following persons were in service in S d Guard as privates viz, Thomas Cook, Ebenezer Hambley, Sam l Wheeler, Gideon Wells, James Crofoot, John Porter, Josiah Burritt, Sherman Burritt, Denton Seely & others; and the reasons that I remember the persons composing S d Guard, are that a Room in my Mother's House was occupied by S d Lieut. Hambley Guard a part of S d War as a Guard House, That S d Guard was kept at S d Harbor for several years, but changed the Guard House several times during the War. At one time or period it was stationed at her Mother's House, at another at Capt. Stephen Burroughs old store at another at Thos Hambley's House, all of which Guard Posts were around S d Harbor. and another reason that her Brother Sam l Wheeler was a Soldier in S d Guard
Lavinia Starr Lavinia Starr

Fairfield County ss, Danbury Feby 21 st A 1844- Personally appeared Harmina Starr before me and Subscribed & made solemn Oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition who I certify is a witness of the first respectability and a person of a strong mind & retentive memory
Timothy B. Hickok Justice of Peace

State of Connecticut Comptroller's Office Hartford 22 d July 1844
I certify on application for order of the probationary service of John Porter alleged to have been rendered under Lieut: William Hall in the Coast guards, I have examined the Pay Table records but find no Pay Roll of said service.
There is on the Pay Table Journal the following entry viz - 1781 January 12 th "War Dr To order on the Treasurer for William Hall's Pay Roll Coast guards £492.17.8" - Also the following 1781 May 19 th "War Dr To order on Treasurer for Ensign William Hall Pay Roll C.G. £214.6.8" -
The amount an receipted by Hall as as follows "Coast Guards" 1781 Jan 12 Ensign William Hall Coast guards at Annapolis 492.17.8" - 1781 May 19 Ens William Hall, Coast guards at Stratford".
There is an account with Sarge William Hall, Coast guards at Stratford as early as 1779, but I find none after 1781
Ebenezer Wells Compt er

I Samuel Beach Clerk of the Stratford Cong c Church do hereby certify that it appears on the Records of sd Church that John Porter died Dec r 2 nd third one thousand eight hundred & thirty that the record of his death appears in sd Record as follows:—
1813 " sec d 3 John Porter"
Sam l Beach Clerk of Church
State of Connecticut County of Hartford ss Mayport March 20 th 1844. Personally appeared Samuel Beach and made oath to the truth of the above certificate by him subscribed - before me who I certify is a credible witness well known to me to be the Clerk of said Church (which Church is now located in sd Mayport.) Isaac Sherman Justice of Peace

State of Connecticut County of Fairfield } Ys Bridgewater March 20. 1844. I Gordon S. Cook do hereby certify That. I am the regular Minister of St. Johns Episcopal Church in Bridgewater in Fairfield County Connecticut. That the Records of said Church are in my custody That it appears from said Records That the Rev. Philo Shelton was the minister over said Church in the year 1785. it also appears by said Records That. said Shelton joined in marriage on the twenty fourth day of November in the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty five John Porter & Lucy Wheeler That the above is a true copy of said Record with the exception of the date which is expressed on the Record in fair legible figures as follows
"November 24 th 1785. John Porter & Lucy Wheeler."
I Gordon S. Cook above named depose & say That I hold the office above named, and That the above is a true extract from the Records of said Church with the exception above mentioned as certified by me Sworn to before me the day of Gordon S. Cook year above mentioned Isaac Sherman Justice of Peace Minister of the Gospel. Bridgewater, Ct.

February 8, 1933
XXXXXXXXXXXX
John Porter, W. 26336 Nehemiah Wilson, W. 18437 BA-J/MLB Q
Mrs. John B. Moyer 3430 Kromer Avenue Everett, Washington
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter of January 27, in which you request the records of John Porter and Nehemiah Wilson, soldiers of the Revolutionary War.
You are furnished herein the histories of both soldiers as requested, the data of which were obtained from the papers on file in their claims for pension based upon military service in the War of the Revolution.
JOHN PORTER, W. 26336
John Porter was born in Fairfield County, Connecticut, about the year 1765; the names of his parents are not stated.
While a resident of Stratford, Fairfield County, Connecticut, near Newfield Harbour (which was later called Bridgeport Harbour), he enlisted January 1, 1781, served as a private in Lieutenant William Hall's company of Connecticut Coast Guards in Colonel Samuel Whiting's regiment, and was discharged January 1, 1782.
He died December 3, 1813; his death was recorded in the records of the Stratford, Connecticut, Congregational Church.
John Porter married November 24, 1785, in Bridgeport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, Lucy Wheeler; their marriage was recorded in the records of Saint John's Episcopal Church at said Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Soldier's widow, Lucy, was allowed pension on her application executed March 18, 1844, at which time she was aged seventy-five years and a resident of Danbury, Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Soldier's widow, Lucy Porter, died January 4, 1846.
There are no further family data in the claim.
*****
NEHEMIAH WILSON, W. 18437
The papers on file in pension claim, W. 18437, based upon the Revolutionary War service of Nehemiah Wilson, do not show the date or place of soldier's birth nor the names of his parents.
Nehemiah Wilson volunteered in February, 1777, served as a private in Captain Samuel Hatt's company, Colonel Philip B. Bradley's Connecticut regiment, and was discharged in February, 1780.
He was allowed pension on his application executed April 1, 1818, while a resident of Greenwich, Fairfield County, Connecticut, aged sixty-one years.
He died August 3, 1837, in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Nehemiah Wilson married November 6, 1786, in Greenwich, Connecticut, Rachel Avery.
Soldier's widow, Rachel, was allowed pension on her application executed August 18, 1838, at which time she gave her age as seventy years and was a resident of Greenwich, Connecticut, where she was still living in 1843 when she stated she was eighty-one or eighty-two years old; no explanation was made of the discrepancy. She died December 2, 1846.
The following children of the soldier, Nehemiah Wilson, and his wife, Rachel, appear in the claim:
Anna, who in 1820 was aged eighteen years
Walter A., " " " " thirteen years, and in 1851 was a resident of Stamford, Conn.
William (age not stated) and in 1853 residing in New York City.

In 1838, one Walter Wilson, of Greenwich, Connecticut, aged twenty-eight years, and his wife, Rachel, who signed "Rachel Willson", also aged twenty-eight years, both made affidavit in Fairfield County, Connecticut, in support of the claim of soldier's widow, Rachel Wilson; their relationship to family not shown.
There are no further family data in the claim.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Assistant to Administrator

11 726
Lucy Porter
cont-
Suspended
to Susan Sherman
Sept 20 1844
as Nov. 19 1844
Act July 7 th 98

9335
Connecticut
Lucy Porter
widow of John Porter who was a pensioner under the Act of and who died on the 3 Decr. 1813 of Fairfield in the State of Conn. who was a Pri in the Co commanded by Captain of the commanded by in the Conn line for 9 Mos
Inscribed on the Roll of Conn at the rate of 30 Dollars Cents per annum, to commence on the, 4th day of March, 1836.
Certificate of Pension issued the 22 nd day of May 1845 and sent to Isaac Sherman
Total amount, Bridgeport $ Conn 6
[Act July 7, 1838.]
Recorded by F. L. Swann Clerk, Book Vol. 1 Page
Handwritten signature and page number 91

1933, Feb. 8- Hrt. to Mrs. John B. Moyer. (Rev ltr. in clu. of Nehemiah Wilson, N. 18437) m. L.
Rev WIDOW, &c.
File No. 26336
Lucy Porter
Wid. of
John Porter
Rev. Rev. war
Act: Mar. 3rd 1848.
Index:--Vol. _____, Page _____
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Sir,
Pension Office, September 20th 1849.
The papers in the case of Lucy Porter, widow of John Porter, claiming a Pension under the Act of July 7th, 1838, have been examined and filed. The proofs of identity and the date of the marriage are satisfactory. No more than nine months can be allowed for service in the Coast Guards in one year, unless it be made to appear by the Certificate of the Secretary of State of Connecticut that service for a larger portion of the year was authorized and paid for, at the time named.
I am, Sir, Very respectfully, Your Obedt Servt J L Edwards
Isaac Sherman, Esq Bridgeport Conn.

J. L. Edwards Esq. State of Connecticut. Bridgeport. March 22 1844
Dear Sir
I send you the Pension application of the widow Lucy Porter for a Pension. Please send her certificate to me
Yours Respectfully
Isaac Sherman

Isaac Sherman Esq Bridgeport Ct

Comptrollers Office
Hartford, Conn: 28 Sep. 1844
On application for evidence of the service of John Porter in the War of the Revolution, I have examined the documents remaining in this Office relating to that War, and find the following entries in the books of the late "Pay Table" Office respecting the Guard at Stratford where Mr. Porter is said to have served, —
"Feb. 14. 1778 Lt. Aaron Hawley to By his Acco d rund d for his Co d Guards at Fairfield" [should be Stratford] "Viz: Pay Roll "No. 1" to £880.15.4"
"April 1. 1778, War D r To order on Treas r for Lt. Aaron Hawley, Am t his Acco d rund d for his Co d Guards at Stratford £85.3.8 3 / 4 ", And in "Markells Receipts," under head of "Expense of Coast Guards," —
"Decem r 8. 1778 Lt. W m Hall, Guard at Stratford £441.0.5" — "Aug. 9. 1779 Serjt. W m
Hall Guard at Stratford £441.19.7" — "Jan y 12. 1781 En d W m Hall Coast Guard at Newfield £492.17.8" — "May 19. 1781 En d W m Hall
Coast Guard at Stratford £211.6.8" — "Nov. 25. 1782 Serjt. David Lake; Coast Guard at Stratford £103.3.5". — And in a Pay Table
Journal under date of Feb. 4. 1783, "War D r To order on Treas r for Guards Stratford Select Men, Expense of Coast in 1782 £715.16.8" —
The dates mentioned, are those of the Settlements of the Acco d s. — The period of the establishment of this Guard has not been discovered — Nor any Payroll, or number of men which composed it.
I certify the foregoing extracts and statements to be correct, in — — — — — E. Harrington, Comptroller

State of Connecticut A. L. Edwards Esq. County of Fairfield Bridgeport October 1844.
Sir I send you an additional certificate from the Compt. of Con. t agreeable to your suggestion in your letter to me of Sept 20 th 1844 in the case of Lucy Porter for a Pension - which letter I herewith return, as the points in this case are the same I beg leave to refer you to my letter to you of this date accompanying Papers relative to the Pension claim of Mabel Curtis of Con. t and would respectfully make the same request in this case as I have made in said letter for said Mabel Curtis, that all the papers referred to in your offer may have an examination, and on behalf of said Lucy Porter I would respectfully request you to allow her what she appears to be justly entitled to, with as little delay as may be. —
Yours Respectfully Dea. Sherman

Isaac Newman 20th Sept. '44
Isaac Newman Esq. Essex Pa.

Sir
353 Jun 11 Sep. 20th 44
In the case of Mabel Curtes it is satisfactorily made out that that Ensign Hall commanded a guard at Newfield for a part at least of 1781 and the length of that service should be ascertained by the best attainable evidence - This may no doubt be found in the records of the Sec'y's Office at Hartford. The service being a peculiar one dis- tinct from that which her husband could be required to render under the general law regulating the militia, the authority for raising it - the terms upon which it was raised & the payments for the service rendered under it, must be matter of record - The alleged service in '82 will not be allowed to any greater extent than  as the pay tables & Sec'y's records confirm

The proof of the date of the marriage is satisfactory
Isaac Shearman 20th Sept. '44
Isaac Shearman Esq Bridport Cor:

Pension Office
November 19 th 1844
Sir,
The certificate of the Comptroller of Connecticut in the case of Make  Martha  Burt , does not show that the service of her husband Joseph Burnett under Lieutenant Halse in 1782 in the Coast guard was under the authority of the State or of the United States, it appears from the record in the office of the Comptroller, that the amount paid to the Guard at Stratford was upon the order of the Select Men of that Town, who no doubt had organized and armed a guard for their own protection, and the amount paid by them to such guard was subsequently refunded by the State. Before the service in 1782 can be allowed it must be clearly shown that the company to which her husband was attached was under the authority of the State or of the United States. The service in 1781 will be allowed if the length thereof can be ascertained, it could not have been more than 9 mo. and no objection will be made to allowing that amount of service.
Isaac Sherman Esq Bridgeport Conn
The above is deemed a sufficient answer, in the case of Lucy Potter also.

10726
Lucy Paton, widow of John, Can.?
Act 7 July 1838
Adm. 9 mo - 1 in - $30 00
Adm. Act March 1843 June 17 1844 $30 00
C o act 1843 - 7830 " " 1844 - 594
Isaac Sherman Bridget Can

May 21 48-
W. H. Edwards Esq. Counsel of Pensions Washington D.C.
Lucy Portin Dues $38 accepts pension

State of Connecticut. J. L. Edwards Esq. Bridgeport May. 18 1845
Sir I sent you the application of Mr. Lucy Porter of Danbury. Con't. the 18 th of March 1844. for pension under the Act of July 1838. for a 5 years pension claiming 12 Months Service as a private - since which I have recd. a letter from you objecting to allowing for more than 9. Months. which objections were contained in a Letter Relative to the Pension of Mabel Curtis of Con't. who has been pensioned for the same service for 9 Months & same proof. In two former letters on the subject of Lucy's Pension I have written that I would accept for her a pension for 9. Months. and as a long time has elapsed, and not having recd any certificate for her I consider her application has but overlooked, as the case is a very clear one & fully proved & she is in indigent circumstances. I would respectfully solicit your special attention to her case
Yours Respectfully Walter Sherman