Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 20,759, Seth Briggs, Mass.

SERVICE
Mass.
Briggs, Seth Deborah
NUMBER
W. 20,759
CONTENTS

799 Massachusetts
Heborah Briggs widow of Seth Briggs etc.
who was a pensioner under the Act of and who died in the month of April 1823 of Norfolk Co. in the State of MS. who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Beall of the _____ commanded by _____ in the MS. time for 3 mos & 6 days Corp. 5 " Private
Inscribed on the Roll of MS. at the rate of 28 Dollars 40 Cents per annum. to commence on the 4th day of March, 1832
Certificate of Pension issued the 27 th day of Octo. 1838 and sent J.C. Heane Chas. etc. MS.
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1838 $11 00 Semi-annual allowance ending following. 14.20
$25.20
{ Act July 7, } 1838. }
Recorded by Abel Addison Clerk Book 7 Vol. 1 Page 71

1430.
Massachusetts
Deborah Briggs
widow of Seth Briggs who was a Private & Corp
in the Mass. line
for 3 mo. & 6 days, Code 5 & private
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 28 Dollars & 40 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843.
Certificate of Pension issued the 10th day of August, 1843 and sent to
Mr. Balfinch, Boston, Mass.
[Act of March 3, 1843.]
Recorded in Book A. Vol. 1. Page 36.
Rep August 10
Date of death not on Q.B. roll

Seventeen hundred and seventy nine. January thirty first. Seth Briggs and Deborah Lothrop both of Cohasset married - Per me
John Browne
I certify that the above is a true copy from the Records of the First Parish in Cohasset now in my possession with the exception of the date, which is expressed on the Record in fair legible figures as follows - "1779 Jan'y 31."
H. G. C. Phipps - Pastor of the First Parish in Cohasset.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Norfolk County ss.
I, H. G. C. Phipps above named depose and say that I hold the office of Pastor of the First Parish in Cohasset in the State and County aforesaid, and that the above is a true copy from the Records of said Parish, with the exception above named as certified by me -
H. G. C. Phipps - Pastor of the First Parish in Cohasset
August 10. 1838
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Norfolk County ss. August 13 th 1838 Then personally appeared the above named H. G. C. Phipps and made oath to the truth of the above declaration by him subscribed before me
James C. Boase Justice of the Peace

1088
Deborah Briggs of Leth. Mch.
allow 5 mo in Capt. Baillie Co - part of a regt 1778
no Papers
as well vol 21 page 1. as Capt. 3 mo 6 days from 24 Aug to 29 Nov 1777.
admitted
  Pr & Capt 8 mo 6 days     Pr 5 mo.  16.66 \frac{2}{3}    Capt 3 mo 6 days.  11.73 \frac{1}{3}         $28.40  
J.C. Doune Cohasset. Mch.

State of Massachusetts } Norfolk County ss. } On this ninth day of August A.D. Eighteen hundred and thirty eight personally appeared before the Hon. Sherman Leland Judge of the Court of Probate within and for said County of Norfolk Deborah Briggs a resident in Cohasset in said County aged seventy six years 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 7 th 1838 entitled "an act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows" That she is the widow of Seth Briggs who was a Sergeant in the army of the Revolution and served in Capt Benjamin Beals' company in Boston in the year seventeen hundred and seventy six, That he also served as a soldier in Captain Theophilus Wildes Company Gills regt was in the battle previous to, and at the surrender of Burgoyne in the year 1777 That he also served as a soldier in Boston in the year seventeen hundred and seventy eight and at divers other times to your petitioner unknown, She further declares that she was married to the said Seth Briggs on the thirty first day of January A.D. Seventeen hundred and ninety nine, That her husband the aforesaid Seth Briggs died on the _____ day of April in the year Eighteen hundred and twenty three 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 viz at the time above stated Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written Deborah Briggs before by the said Deborah Briggs , who by reason of bodily infirmary, is unable to attend Court to make her declaration.
Before me S Leland Judge of Probate

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Norfolk.
Jonathan H. Cobb Register of the Court Middlesex said County hereby certify that Sherman Leland is Judge of said Court Middlesex that James C. Dowd is a Justice of the Peace within said County and that their respective signatures on these papers are genuine & true.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this twenty fifth day of August A.D. 1838.
Jonathan H. Cobb

1525
Deborah Briggs
$28:40 per an
Th? Bul finch Boston Mass

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Suffolk County } S. S.
Be it known that on this Twenty fifth day of May 1843 personally appeared before me the Subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the said County of Suffolk, Mrs. Deborah Briggs a resident of Cohasset in Plymouth County Commonwealth aged eighty three years 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 on the 3 d day of March 1843 granting Pensions to Widows of persons who served during the Revolutionary War.
That she is the Widow of Seth Briggs deceased who was a Minute Man in the Revolutionary War, and served as she verily believes as stated by her in her original declaration for a Pension under the Act of the 7 th July 1838, to which declaration and the Papers accompanying the same now on file in the War Department she would refer for a more particular statement of his services for the proof of her marriage identity, and the time of her Husband's death.
She further declares that she was pensioned under said Act at the rate of Twenty Eight 40 per annum which amount she received from the 4 th of March 1838 to the 4 th March 1841 at the Agency in Boston Massachusetts and at the time of her receiving her last payment surrendered the Pension Certificate granted to her under said Act to the Pension Agent at the said City of Boston agreeably to the Rules of this Department.
And this declarant further alleges that she has not intermarried since the decease of her said Husband but in now and ever since has been the Widow of said Seth Briggs deceased, as will more fully appear by the proof hereto annexed.
And further she saith not. Deborah Briggs
Sworn to, and Subscribed on the day and year first above written. and I certify that the applicant is personally known to me

to be the person within described Before me
Lowell M. Stone Justice of the Peace
I Artemas R. Holden, of Boston in the County of Suffolk of lawful age on oaths testify & say that I am well acquainted with Deborah Briggs and have been for some years last past. I know that she was the wife of Seth Briggs dec d and is now his widow and that she was pensioned under the law of 1838. as stated by her.
Artemas R. Holden
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Suffolk County, City of Boston, ss. Fourth 25 th day of May 1843. Personally came A. R. Holden & made oaths that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true Before me
Lowell Stone Just. Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston May 25. 1813
I hereby Certify, That at the date of the annexed attestation Lowell M. Stone was a Justice of the Peace for the County of Suffolk,
in the said Commonwealth, duly constituted and commissioned; and that to his acts and attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, in and out of Court.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
No. A. Bolles Secretary of the Commonwealth.

July 9, 1934.
Mrs. Ella Pierce Smith 135 Plymouth Avenue, South Rochester, New York.
RA-J/ILL Seth Briggs W. 20759
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War records of Joshua Pierce, Sr. of Rehoboth and Swansea, Massachusetts, who married Mary Norton in 1748, and Seth Briggs, Sr., of Berkeley, who died after 1792.
A search of the Revolutionary War records of this office has been made and there is no claim for pension or bounty land on file based upon service of Joshua Pierce as described by you. The record of only one Seth Briggs has been found; his record is furnished herein as found in the papers on file in pension claim, W. 20759, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War.
Seth Briggs, of Cohasset, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, enlisted and served as private and corporal in the Massachusetts troops, amounting to more than eight months, as follows: in 1776, in Captain Benjamin Beal's company, in Boston; in 1777, in Captain Theophilus Wilder's company, Colonel Gill's regiment and was in both battles at the time of the surrender of Burgoyne; in 1778, in Boston, officers not named, and at other times, no dates shown.
The soldier married on January 31, 1779, in Cohasset, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Deborah Lathrop; both parties were then of Cohasset.
Seth Briggs died in 1822, or in April 1823, in Cohasset, Massachusetts; the age of the soldier, the date and place of his birth, or the names of his parents are not shown.
Deborah Briggs, the soldier's widow, was allowed pension on

her application executed August 9, 1838; she was then a resident of Cohasset, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, aged seventy-six years. The date and place of her birth are not shown.
There is no reference to children of Seth Briggs and his wife, Deborah.
Very truly yours,
A. D. MILLER, Assistant to Administrator.

1934 - July 9 - Hist. to Mrs. Ella Pierce Smith - I did
Reg
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 21759 Deborah Briggs Widow of Seth Briggs Coop. New Was
Act: March 3 rd 48
Index: —Vol. A , Page 98
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I Thomas Bourn of Cohasset in the County of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged seventy Do testify and say, that I was well acquainted with Seth Duggs of Cohasset who died in Eighteen hundred and twenty two, and with Deborah his wife, and that for more than thirty years and until the time of his death they lived together in good repute as man and wife, and that said Deborah has never been married since the death of said Seth but now remains his widow, and that said Seth was generally reputed to have served in the Revolutionary army.
Thomas Bourn
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Norfolk County ss. August 20 th 1838 Then personally appeared the above named Thomas Bourn and made oath to the truth of the above declaration by him subscribed before me James G. Boane Justice of the Peace I certify that the above deponent Thomas Bourn has been one of the selectmen of the town of Cohasset for thirty years and is a credible witness James G. Boane Justice of the Peace

We the Subscribers Selectmen of the Town of Cohasset do hereby certify that we find upon the records of the accounts of the Town of Cohasset in our possession settled March Seventeen hundred and eighty the following charge. "To Cash paid Seth Briggs for soldiering in Boston in 1778 (seventeen hundred and seventy eight) £20. 9. 2." and that we have no doubt that the said Seth Briggs was the husband of Deborah Briggs now an applicant for a pension.
Thomas Bourn Martin Lincoln Laban Southwick } Selectmen of Cohasset
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Norfolk County ss. August 31 st 1838 Personally appeared the above named Thomas Bourn, Martin Lincoln and Laban Southwick and made oath to the truth of the above declaration by them subscribed before me James C. Boane Justice of the Peace.

MRS. E. CLAYTON SMITH 135 PLYMOUTH AVE., SOUTH ROCHESTER, N. Y.
June 26, 1934.
Pension Dept. all spellings Can you inform me if Joshua Pierce Sr. of Rehoboth and Swansea Maso was a pensioned? He mar- ried Mary Horton in 1748, and is said to have been a soldier of the Revolution. In addition to the above. Have you the record of Seth only one Briggs Sr. of Berkeley, later of Dighton Mass. as a pen- sioner, who died after 1792?
Very Truly Yours Ella Pierce Smith.