Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 18,635, Stephen Bowen, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Bowen, Stephen Priscilla
N 18,635
CONTENTS

10.305 D
Massachusetts
Stephen Bowen
of Rehobeth in the state of Massachusetts who was a Private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Shepard of the Massachusetts line, for the term of Three Years.
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of eight Dollars per month, to commence on the first of April 1818
Certificate of Pension issued the 6th of May 1819 and paid to Gaius Ware Esq. Bentham Massachusetts
Arrears to 4th of Mar. 1819. 86.66
Semi-annual allowance ending Sep. 1819 48.00
$134.66
{ Revolutionary claim, } { Act 18th March, 1818. }
Continued
Verification of Pensions 1820 in the office of the Clerk of the Bristol Co. Superior Court

Massachusetts - 408
Isabella Bowen, widow of Stephen Bowen, deceased? who was a pensioner under the Act of 18 March 1818 and who died on the 11 th July 1825 of Rachel in the State of Massachusetts who was a Pensioner in the Company commanded by Captain [blank] of the Reg't commanded by Stephen in the Massachusetts line for 2 years
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 80 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14 th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 22 nd day of Sept '38 and entered A. B. Bates, Trenton, Mass.
Arrears to the 14 th of Sept $200 00 Semi-annual allowances ending 40 00 $240 00
{ Act July 7, } 1838.
Recorded by R Burdine Clerk Book A - Vol. 1 - Page 70

Stephen Bowen
Private Col Bowen Shepard's Regt Massachusetts Line 80-37 car
Admitted

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Bristol
ss.
On this ninth day of April 1818, before me the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas, for the Southern Circuit, personally appeared Stephen Bowen aged  years, resident in the said Circuit, who being by me first duly cautioned according to law, on his oath made the following declaration, by him signed, in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war."
Stephen Bowen

And I certify from evidence received, that I am satisfied that the Applicant is in reduced circumstances, as he in his declaration hath sworn
Further
And I, the said Judge, do certify, that it appears to my satisfaction, that the said Stephen Bowdoin did serve in the revolutionary war, as stated in the preceding declaration, against the common enemy, for the term of nine months, on the continental establishment; and I now transmit the proceedings and testimony taken and had before me, to the Secretary for the Department of War, pursuant to the directions of the aforementioned act of Congress. with the Discharge of the Applicant.
James Ware
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
ss.
1818.
I HEREBY CERTIFY, That is one of the Judges of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the Southern Circuit, consisting of the Counties of Plymouth, Norfolk, Bristol, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket in said Commonwealth—that the same Circuit Court of Common Pleas is a Court of record—that the signature to the above certificate is the true signature of the said Judge, and that the seal thereunto affixed is the seal of the said Court.
} Clerk of the Judicial Court for the County of

I Stephen Bowen a citizen of the United States now Resident of Rehoboth in the County of Bristol & State of Massachusetts a private Soldier of the war of the Revolution on oath do testify and declare that on the seventh day of January 1781 I enlisted into Col. Joseph Shepard's Regiment enrolled in Capt. Seth Warner's Company then at Springfield then marched to West Point then enrolled into the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment where I served until the close of the war when I was discharged by Maj. Gen. Knox at West Point on the 28 th of Oct. 1783 which discharge I now have I also further testify that I am in such Reduced Circumstances that I need the assistance of my Country for Support which I have faithfully served Stephen Bowen
Apr 9. th

Stephen Bowen
10.005 May 1819 Cont. 16 Sep 1820
EW
Sep '19
1820

Inventory of all the Property of Stephen Bowen excepting bedding & wearing apparel
3 1/2 Acres of Swamp Land 40.00 1/2 doz. old chairs 1.25 1 maple Table old and small 0.75 1 Stog small 0.00 1 Chair 20.00 2 small Iron Pots 1.50 1 Iron kettle 0.25 $72.75
Stephen Bowen.

SCHEDULE.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
BRISTOL ss.  Circuit Court of Common Pleas.
On this seventeenth day of July 1820, personally appeared, in open court, being a court of record for the said county,
Stephen Bowen , late a Private in the Army of the Revolution aged fifty six years, resident in Rehoboth in said county, who, being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on his oath, declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows:
That he entered the Continental Service on the 17th day of January 1781. under Col. Wm. Shepard at Springfield. From thence marched to West Point, in the State of New York, where I joined the 4th Mass. Regt. in Capt. Seth Bannister's Company. I remained constantly in the Service until I was honorably discharged the 28th day of October 1782. which will appear by my discharge now at the Secretary's Office. I was at the taking of Lord Cornwallis. My name is inscribed on the Pension list of the Massachusetts Agency as by Certificate 10,205 appears.
Property valued at $72.75
And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States, on the 18th day of March, 1818; and that I have not, since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the Revolutionary War," passed on the 18th day of March, 1818; and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property, or securities, contracts, or debts, due to me; nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed. I had 30 acres of swamp land without any timber upon it. I have a trifle of old household furniture. I am quite infirm, having a rheum and obliged to wear a truss. My wife has a large tumor upon her neck which has been increasing for ten or twenty years, and now is a very troublesome thing. I have one child named Vasty Dins. Bowen aged twenty years, who is so feeble as to be entirely dependent on me for support.
Stephen Bowen.
Sworn to, and declared, on the seventeenth day of July A. D. 1820. before
James Spratt Clerk of the Courts Bristol County.
I, James Spratt clerk of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the County of Bristol, do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of the said court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is Seventy two dollars and seventy five cents. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said court, on this eighth day of August 1820.
Jas. Spratt
Clerk of the Court for the County of Bristol.

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
On this tenth - - - - - day of August eighteen hundred and thirty eight - personally appeared before the Court of Probate at a term thereof held at Taunton in and for the County of Bristol and Commonwealth aforesaid on the day and year first above mentioned -
Priscilla Bowen - - - - - a resident of Rehoboth - in the county of Bristol aged fifty eight - 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 provisions made by the act of Congress, passed July 7, 1838, entitled "An Act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows:" That she is the widow of Stephen Bowen late of said Rehoboth, decd. who was a private soldier in the War of the Revolution and served as such in the 4 th Massachusetts Regiment more than two years next previous to the 28 th day of October 1783 and was then honorably discharged.
She further says that the said Stephen Bowen was a pensioner under the act of Congress of March 18. 1818 and she has reason to believe that the said Stephen Bowen's original discharge accompanied his application for a pension under said act of 1818 - and may now be found therein - and that he resided in said Rehoboth when he was pensioned as aforesaid -

She further declares that she was married to the said Stephen Bowen — on the twenty sixth — day of February — in the year seventeen hundred and eighty nine — that her said husband, the aforesaid Stephen Bowen — died on the day of  eleventh day of July eighteen hundred twenty five —
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.
Lucilla Bowen
Sworn to and subscribed, the day, and year above written.
Before
Oliver Prescott.
I
do certify that the above named applicant for a pension, cannot by reason of bodily infirmity, attend the court.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Bristol ss. I, Anselm Bassett, Register of the Court of Probate in and for said County, do hereby certify that the Hon. Oliver Prescott is the Judge of said Court, which Court is a Court of record, and that the signature annexed to the above certificate — is his genuine signature.
In Testimony Whereof , I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, this Sixteenth day of August eighteen hundred and thirty Eight — A. Bassett

I. Piscilla Bowen of Rehoboth in the County of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, widow of Stephen Bowen late of Rehoboth in said County, deceased, aged Sixty Eight years, do testify and say, that I was married to the said Stephen Bowen by my father, Enoch Goff, who was an Elder of a Baptist Church in Dighton, on the twenty sixth day of February Seventeen hundred and eighty nine, which I know from recollection, and by the record of the same in the Family Bible in my possession. I further testify that I have had four Children, by my husband the said Stephen Bowen, whose names and the times of their births are as follows, viz.
Betsy Bowen was born on the twenty six th day of April Seventeen hundred and ninety three.
Enoch Bowen was born on the seventh day of May Seventeen hundred and ninety four.
Stephen Bowen was born on the fifteenth day of October Seventeen hundred and ninety six.
Vashti Bowen was born on the eleventh day of July Seventeen hundred and ninety nine.
All which I know by the record which my husband made in the aforementioned Bible, and also from recollection.
My husband, the said Stephen Bowen, died on the eleventh day of July Eighteen hundred and twenty five, and I now remain his widow.
Bristol ss. Aug. 10. 1834.
Piscilla Bowen
Personally appeared before me the above named Piscilla Bowen, who is a credible witness and made oath that the above declaration by her subscriber is true.
LEW. MORSE Justice of the Peace.

Town Clerks Office Dighton County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts August 2. 1838.
I hereby certify that the following appears among the Records of Intentions of Marriages in said town of Dighton
December the Eighth } Stephen Bowen of Seventeen hundred and Eighty Eight } and Priscilla Goff of Di Entered their Intention of
And I certify that the above is a true copy of the Record with the exception of the date, which is expressed on the Record in fair legible figures as follows
(December the 8 th 1788)
Attest
Jonathan Jones Town Clerk of Dighton
I, Jonathan Jones above named, depose and say that I hold the Office of Town Clerk in the Town aforesaid, and that the above is a true extract from the Records of said Town, with the exception above named, as certified by me. I further testify that the above copy of the Record appears deficient on the account of the Leaf, on which the original entry was made, being torn, so that no more of the Record is legible, in the first line after of, there is part of a letter which has the appearance of R. in the second line after Di there is the loop of a letter (thus, ) which might have been g.
I also testify and say, that I have made diligent Search and have not been able to find the Record of the marriage of Stephen Bowen of Rehoboth and Priscilla Goff of Dighton in the Town's Books of Records in my possession, and am satisfied that no Record of their marriage can be found in the Dighton Books of Record.
Jonathan Jones Town Clerk of Dighton
State of Massachusetts } County of Bristol } ss.
August 2. 1838. Sworn before me, Lem. Morse Justice Peace

Rehoboth August 1 st 1938
I hereby certify that after the most diligent search I have not been able to find either the Publication or Marriage of Stephen Bowen of Rehoboth and Priscilla Goff of Dighton on the Records of said town of Rehoboth, and am satisfied that no record of neither their publication nor Marriage can be found on the Rehoboth Book of Records -
I further certify that I find the Records of two of Stephen Bowens Children entered on the Records of this town " Enoch Bowen son of Stephen Bowen and of his wife Born May the Seventh, Seventeen hundred and Ninety four -
Stephen Bowen son of Stephen Bowen and of his wife Born October the fifteenth Seventeen hundred and Ninety six -
& I certify that the above is a true copy of record, with the exception of the date which is expressed in the record in fair legible figures as follows -
the first (May ye 7 th 1794) the Second (October ye 15 th 1796).
Attest Cyrus M. Wheaton Town clerk -
I Cyrus M. Wheaton above named depose & say that I hold the office of Town clerk of the town aforesaid that the above statement of the Publication and Marriage of Stephen Bowen & Priscilla Goff is correct, and that the above is a true extract from the Records of said town with the exception above named as certified by me - Cyrus M. Wheaton Town clerk of Rehoboth -

State of Massachusetts County of Bristol } ss.
August 1st. 1836.
The within named Cyrus M. Wheaton who is a credible witness made oath that the within Certificate and affidavit by him subscribed is true.
Before me, Lem d Morse Justice of the Peace.

I, Cordelia Wastcoat of Dighton in the County of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged Sixty three years, do testify and say, that I have been personally acquainted with Priscilla Bowen of Rehoboth in said County the widow of Stephen Bowen late of said Rehoboth deceased ever since I was Twelve years of age, at which time I came to Dighton to live about half a mile from the residence of Elder Enoch Goff, the father of the said Priscilla, that about two years after, the said Priscilla was married to the said Stephen Bowen at the house of and by her father the said Elder Enoch Goff, according to the common report in the neighborhood, I was not present at the wedding, the said Enoch Goff, was Elder of a Baptist Church in Dighton, after that the said Stephen Bowen and his wife went to keeping house within a mile from where I lived, and they had Four children viz. Betsey, Enoch, Stephen and Vashiti, they lived together until the said Bowen's decease and I never heard any body question the legality of their marriage.
Dighton August 2 nd 1838. Cordelia her X Wastcoat mark State of Massachusetts, } Ss. Witness Cordelia Paul Bristol County }
August 2. 1838. Personally appeared before me the above named Cordelia Wastcoat, who is a credible witness, and made oath that the above declaration by her subscribed is true. Lem. Morse Justice of the Peace.

I, Shubael Horton of Rehoboth in the County of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged Seventy Three years do testify and say, that I have lived near to and been personally acquainted with Stephen Bowen of said Town and County, and with his wife Priscilla Bowen both before and since their marriage. I do not recollect the year in which they were married, from the best of my recollection they have been married Forty five or six years, they always lived together as husband and wife from their marriage to his decease which was thirteen years ago last July, and I never heard the legality of their marriage doubted. They had four Children two sons and two daughters, whose names are as follows Betsey, Enoch, Stephen and Vashti.
Shubael Horton
Rehoboth August 2nd. 1838.
Bristol ss. August 2nd. 1838. Personally appeared before me the above named Shubael Horton who is a credible witness and made oath that the above declaration by him subscribed is true.
Lem. Morse Justice of the Peace.

I, Betsey Bowen of Rehoboth in the County of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged Forty Five years, do testify and say that Stephen Bowen late of Rehoboth in the County of Bristol, deceased, was my father, That he died on the Eleventh day of July Eighteen hundred and Twenty five leaving a widow viz. Priscilla Bowen, who is still living and who is my mother; And that the said Priscilla Bowen has not been married since the decease of her said husband the said Stephen Bowen.
Rehoboth August 2nd. 1838.
Betsey Bowen
Bristol ss. August 2nd. 1838. Personally appeared before me the above named Betsey Bowen, who is a credible witness, and made oath that the above declaration by her subscribed is true.
Lem. Morse
Justice of the Peace.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bristol ss. I Amos Barrett Register of the Court of Probate in for said County do hereby certify that Samuel Morn whose signature is affixed to the foregoing certificate, is a Justice of the Peace in and for said County —
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fifteenth day of August eighteen hundred and thirty eight — A. Barrett

May 9, 1940
BA--J/AWF Stephen Bowen W. 18635
Dorothy S. Hadlock 259 West Third, North Salt Lake City, Utah
Dear Madam:
The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in claim for pension, W. 18635, based upon service of Stephen Bowen, in the Revolutionary War.
The date and place of birth of Stephen Bowen were not given, nor are the names of his parents shown.
Stephen Bowen enlisted in Springfield, January 17, 1781, served as a private in Captain Seth Banister's company, in Colonel William Shepard's 4th Massachusetts Regiment, was at the surrender of Cornwallis, and was discharged October 28, 1783, at West Point, New York.
He was allowed pension on his application executed April 9, 1818, at which time he was aged fifty-four years, and a resident of Rehoboth, Bristol County, Massachusetts.
He died July 11, 1825.
Stephen Bowen married February 26, 1789, Priscilla Goff (Gooff). She was the daughter of Enoch Goff, and was married by her father who was at that time Elder in

the Baptist Church, in Dighton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. Stephen Bowen at the time of marriage was of Rehoboth, Massachusetts.
The date and place of birth of Priscilla Goff, and name of her mother were not given.
The widow, Priscilla Bowen, was allowed pension on her application executed August 10, 1838, then a resident of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, aged sixty-eight years.
The following data relative to the children of Stephen Bowen, and his wife, Priscilla, are shown in the claim:
Betsey born April 26, 1793 Enoch " May 7, 1794 Stephen " October 15, 1796 Vashti " July 11, 1799.
Their daughter, Betsey Bowen, was living in 1838, in Rehoboth, Massachusetts.
The papers on file in this claim contain no further discernible family data.
In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name and address of person paid, and possibly the date of death of the widow, Priscilla Bowen, you should apply to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, and furnish the following data:
Priscilla Bowen, widow of Stephen Bowen Certificate # 408, issued September 22, 1838 Rate $80.00 per annum, commenced March 4, 1836 Act of July 7, 1838, Massachusetts Agency.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator

1940-may 9- liish to Dorothy S Hadlock page 3 See her letter in zacharias Hunt R. B.H 34 Young
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 18635-
Priscilla Bowen Widow of Stephen Bowen Prim. Rev. War.
Act: July 7 th 1838
Index:—Vol. 11 Page 75-
[Arrangement of 1870.]

By Major General Knox commanding the Garrison of West Point and its Dependencies.
Stephen Bower Soldier in the fourth Massachusetts Regiment, being enlisted for three years, is hereby honorably discharged the service of the Uni- -ted States
Given at West Point
At this 23 rd day of October 1783
By the Generals Command J n Lillie Aide de Camp.
H enry Knox M c General
Engrossed in the books of the Regiment
Charles Selden Adjutant

May 9, 1940
Dorothy S. Hadlock 259 West Third, North Salt Lake City, Utah
BA-J/AWF AWF Stephen Bowen-W.18635 Zachariah Hurt-R.5434
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request information in regard to Priscilla Bowen, aged sixty-nine years in 1840, and then living in Rehoboth, Bristol County, Massachusetts, and Zachariah Hurt, of Smyth County, Virginia, in 1840.
You are furnished herewith the Revolutionary War record of Stephen Bowen, whose widow, Priscilla Bowen, received a pension while living in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, and the Revolutionary War record of Zachariah Hurt, of Virginia. This is the record of the only Zachariah Hurt found on file in the Revolutionary War records of this office.
Very truly yours
A. D. HELMER Executive Assistant to the Administrator
See her letter in Zachariah Hurt R. 5434