Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 16377, for Benjamin Pressey, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Pressey, Benjamin Rhoda
W. 16 377
CONTENTS

2006  Albany New York  Maria Pressy widow of Benjamin Pressy dec d who died on the 27 May 1814 of Cortland in the State of New York who was a Colonel in the company commanded by Captain Carr of the Reg t . commanded by Wilson of the in the Mass a line for 2 years!
Order to pay & letter to L. B. Confirmed 4 th April 1842
Inscribed on the Roll of Albany at the rate of ~88~ Dollars ~ Cents, per annum, to commence on the 4 th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 7 th day of May 1838 and sent Hon. J.  L. Adams H on. Rep t !
Arrears to the 4 th of March 1838 $616.00 Semi-annual allowance ending 1 st Sept r 44.00 $660.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 3 d }
Recorded by H. H. Addison Clerk, Book 4 Vol. 2 nd Page 115

Declaration
In Order to obtain the benefit of the Third Section of the Act of Congress of the 4 th July 1836 -
State of New York } Cattaraugus County } ss on this 7 th day of March 1838 Person- ally appeared before me William Berry one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County aforesaid. Rhoda Pressey, now of the Town of Hann, in said County and State, aged Eighty three Years last August, who being first 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 4 - 1836 that she is the Widow of Benjamin Pressey, who was a Corporal & Sergeant in the Revolutionary Army - she says that her said Husband was in the Battle of Bunkerhill, in the Battle of Monmouth New Jersey - that he Enlisted for during the War, in 1775 or 1776, at Haverhill Massachusetts under Capt Barr, lived at the time, in Haverhill Massachusetts, and that he served as a Corporal, as her said Husband to the time after the Monmouth Battle, and while in said Battle he drank so Much cold Water, that he was taken with fits, and Discharged in Writing, because it was supposed, he never after would be of any use to, or in the service, she says he was under Genl Sullivan & General Washington, she thinks at that time he was gone as long as two Years - at any rate he came home in November after the Monmouth Battle - she says the next Year after the said Battle of Monmouth, in the Spring, her said Husband got Well & went a Journey from said Haverhill as a private in the Militia from said Haverhill to P'keepsie in the State of New York, there under Capt McFarlin from said Haverhill, served his time out, after he came back, on the 14 th day of February, she says he Moved up to the Town of Canby in the State of New Hampshire, the next year in the Month of November - he Enlisted for three Years, & that he went

from said Canby, into the State of Massachusetts, thence into said Houshill, Y Then he Enterted because that State gave More Bounty - and she says, he had a Written Discharge which he used to Read to her, and the same is lost together with all Documentary Evidence which she as she once had on the Subject - she says, he staid and worked for a Man same, before he came home, to get Money to come home with, because the Continental Money which he received was good for Nothing, she says, she does not recollect, who he Enlisted under the last time, because it was so far off & that she is so old she cannot recollect, but she says she has heard him say that he was under General Washington she further declares that she was Married to the said Benjamin Pressey on the 24 th day of November 1773 in the Town of Amesbury in the State of Massachusetts, by the Reverend Mr. Windgate of the Congregational Society - that her Husband the aforesaid Benjamin Pressey, died on the 27 th day of May 1824 in Roxbury in the State of New Hampshire with the Lady Fiber, and that she has remained a Widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by reference to the Proofs hereto annexed, sworn to, and subscribed on the day and year above written before and that she never learned to write, and if she had, she is so debilitated she cannot write her Name, her Name was Rhoda Gollary before Married -
Sworn and subscribed before
me this 7 th day of March Rhoda her Pressey mark
1838 -
Mr. Berry a Judge of Portland Common Pleas
Witness Levi B Canfield Haver, Portland County New York

Nov 24 1873 Married Benjamin W & Rhoda Colony By P. Wingate
A true copy of records
Attest S. W. Clark
Pastor of the 2 nd Chh in Amesbury
Amesbury Apr. 6 1888
Essex ss. The above named S. W. Clark personally appeared and made oath that the above copy by him subscribed was a true copy of the records of the second Church in Amesbury in said County Before me
Daniel Weed Justice of the Peace
To whom it may concern I certify That S. W. Clark is Pastor of the second Church in the town of Amesbury in the said of Essex in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Amesbury April 6 th 1888.
Daniel Weed } Town Clerk of Amesbury
I certify that there is no record of marriages in the town records in Amesbury from the year 1773 to 1884. several leaves are supposed to be lost from the book.
Daniel Weed Town Clerk

Amesbury Apr. 7. 1838
Dear Sir
Annexed you have what information can be obtained. The County Clerk has no recognizance of town officers. Therefore his certificate cannot be obtained.
Respectfully Yours.
Philip Osgood P. Marts Amesbury Mass.

State of New York
Cortland County
Mrs Phebe aged Forty five Years, & Betsey Phebe aged Forty five Years
of the Town of Spofford, County of Onondaga County & State of New York, being duly sworn before William Berry one of the Judges of Cortland County Common Pleas, depose to say, that they are personally acquainted with Rhoda Phebe, the within Applicant for a Pension and knows, that she has remained a Widow ever since the Death of her Husband, Benjamin Phebe, who Died on the 27 th day of May Eighteen hundred & Fourteen in the Town of Rumney, in the State of New Hampshire Sworn and subscribed before me
MOSES DRESSLER
this 7 th day of March 1838 W m Berry a Judge of Cortland Common Pleas Witness - Elizur B. Campbelle Cortland County New York
Betsey Phebe mark
I Certify that Mrs Phebe & Betsey Phebe are persons of truth and veracity and reputable in their neighborhood W m Berry Judge
I William Berry the Judge within named and before whom, the Declaration of Rhoda Phebe the Applicant for a Pension within named was made, and before whom the proceedings were held - do hereby Certify and declare my opinion after the investigation of the Matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Depart- ment - that the said Rhoda Phebe is the Widow of Benjamin Phebe who was a Revolutionary Soldier as she has stated and served as such stated in her Declaration - and I do further Certify that in my Opinion, the said Rhoda Phebe is utterly unable from bodily infirmity to attend Court for the purpose of making her Declaration W m Berry a Judge of Cortland Com, Pleas

State of New York Cortland County p 3
I Orren Stimson Clerk of said County do hereby Certify that William Berry Esq before whom the within affidavits purports to have been taken was at the date of the same a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Cortland duly qualified and further that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of said Judge & truly believe that his signatures subscribed within are genuine
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my hand & affixed the seal of said County this 19th day of April A.D. 1838
O. Stimson Clerk
11 Feb 77 W copy 1 Nov 79 from Cortland County Warren Reg. 24 3436
Oliver D. Phelps
for a Pension
April 1838
Amount 1773
due 1514
Allen 884 per ann.
no deduction
Capital. Let Messrs. Reg.
such time from June '79
until for years
Mr. J. L. Barry
for

AW
July 24, 1906
H. J. H.

Pressey, Benjamin
His name appears on a list of claimants to be placed on the pension list returned by the District Court for the District of Massachusetts, submitted to the House of Representatives by the Secretary of War, on April 25, 1794, and printed in the American State Papers, class 9, page 110.
Rank: Private
Regt: Col. Wesson's
Disability: By his exertions, and the excessive heat of the day, was so injured in health, as to subject him often to convulsions.
When and where disabled: June, 1778, Monmouth.
Residence: Haverhill, ?
Monthly allowance: $ 2.22
Arrears due: $ 50
Remarks: Enlisted Feb'y 11, 1777; joined the invalids December 12, 1779.
July 24. 1906

Mar. 24, 1906
aw L. H. H.

Pressey, Benjamin
His name appears on a list of invalid pensioners returned by the Circuit Court for the district of Massachusetts, submitted to the House of Representatives by the Secretary of War on Dec. 14, 1792, and printed in the American State Papers, class 9, page 59.
Rank: Private
Regt: Col. Wesson's
Disability: Disabled in a considerable degree by convulsions and fits, contracted by the excessive heat and exertions at the battle of Monmouth, in June, 1778.
Date of commencement: May 17, 1792
Monthly allowance: $222
Arrears due: $50.

Rev WIDOW, &c.
File No. 16.377
Rhoda Pressey Wid of Benjamin Pressey Corps. Rev War
Act: July 4 th '36
Index: Vol. M , Page 141
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Horn April 20 th 1838.
Dear Sir -
Cattaraug County - N. York -
Please examine the papers of Rhoda Pierce, Widow of Benjamin Pierce, an Applicant for a Pension - She has been absent in Canada a number of years past, I understand, which is the reason of her & connection not applying before - Yours, with sentiments of respect - L. B. Canfield
Hon. J. L. Edwards Esq.

J. L. Edwards Esq. Commission of Pensions Washington City - law, of Rhode Island for a Pension