Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 14282, Joel Bent, Mass.

SERVICE
Mass.
Bent, Joel. Mary
NUMBER
W.14282
CONTENTS

Waspac
230
Mary Bent,
widow of Joel Bent, deceased
who died on the 24 th November 1812 at Worcester in the State of Mass ts who was a Pvt. in the Comp y commanded by Captain Gates of the Reg t commanded by Putnam, in the Mass ts line for 6 months Mass
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 20 Dollars 83 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4 th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 10 th day of Sept r 38, as sent to and J. W. Jenkins, Barnes, Mass ts
Arrears to the 4 th of Sept r - $150.00
Semi-annual allowance ending 4 th March 10.00
$160.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the }
Attested by R. Brown Clerk, A - Vol. 2 - Page 46

X 3544.
Mary Bent widow of Joel -
Mass
act 4 July, 1836
adm d O
6 mos pri — grade gldg. not 20 00 — — — — — — — — — —
No deduction
Jas W Jenkins Esq Barre By the  permitted Mass
Stonewall

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the third section of the Act of Congress of the 14th July A.D. 1836.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Suffolk County ss.
On this sixteenth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight, personally ap- peared Mrs. Mary Bent a widow of the Court of Probate for said County of Suffolk, Mary Bent a resident of Boston formerly the town of Newton, in said County of Suf- folk, aged ninety two 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 Act of Congress passed July 14. 1836.
That she is the widow of said Bent who was a private and sergeant in the line of the Revolution, and served as follows to wit.
At the beginning of the war he belonged to a Company of minute men commanded by Capt. William Buffum  William Buffum  Graves , and at the time of the Lexington Alarm, he turned out and was gone to Cambridge in the

Service as a private two weeks.
He went into the service again the next year in 1776 and served six months. In this service he was in the company of Capt. William  Benjamin Gates  Providence , and she thinks in the Regiment of Col. Holman. This service was in York. He enlisted in June and returned home the next December. She has heard her husband say that he was in this service when the battle at Long Island happened, and the British took New York. He was an orderly sergeant in this service. But she does not know that there is any one living who was in the service with her husband; —
She further declares that she was married to the said Joel Best in the July after the May when she was twenty two years of age, which would be seventy years ago; — That her said husband died in November 24th A.D. 1812, and that she has remained his widow ever since as will more fully appear by reference to the proof. In witness whereof she has hereunto set her hand and seal this 10th day of December 1882.
Subscribed the Mary X Best day and year aforesaid Mary X Best marks In Beatrix Judge of the Court of Probate for said County of Washington

Memo. The names of the officers were entered and transposed upon signing.
J. Barton July 26

Joe Bent Esq. died November 25th. 1812 in the 62 year of his age
A True copy of the Record from the Town Book Barre Massachusetts. Lyman Sibley Town Clerk Barre May 18th. 1838
Joe Bent and Mary Mason were joined in wedlock July 13th. 1768 by Rev Josiah Dana Minister.
A true copy of Record from the Town Book, Barre Massachusetts. Attest Lyman Sibley Town Clerk Barre May 18th. 1838
Attest P. May 18. 1838. Then personally Lyman Sibley also appeared who is known to me as a man of truth and made oath that the above certificates are true before me J. W. Barton J. Prob.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Franklin County ss. On this seventh day of June one thousand eight hundred & thirty eight, before me the subscriber, a justice of the peace in and for said county, personally appeared Sarah Hibburn, Widow of the Rev. Joseph Hibburn, late of Wendell in said county of Franklin, deceased, who upon her oath testified and declares, that she was born in Barre, formerly Hutchinson, and more anciently Rutland District, in the county of Worcester, Mass. in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty eight, and that she is now in the seventieth year of her age. And that she is the daughter of Joel Bent Esq. late of said Barre, deceased. And that at the commencement of the Revolutionary war, she was about seven years of age, and that it is now perfectly in her recollection, that when the British troops came out to Lexington and Concord, my father, the said Joel Bent, was called upon as a minute man. That he went to Cambridge, near Boston, as such; and was in the company commanded by Capt. William Bachminster, and was there from home about two weeks. And that again in the next year, Viz. 1776, he enlisted in the company of Capt. Benjamin Gales, and that the company was raised in the towns of Barre, Petersham and Hubbardston.

That he left home, I think, sometime in May or June, and I believe about the first of June, of the same year, and returned in the fore part of the next winter. And that he enlisted for the term of six or eight months, and which she cannot now remember.
His departure and return home are, and ever have been, deeply impressed upon my mind. The anxious sufferings of my mother during his absence has ever been reverting on my mind, and has fixed the facts permanently in my recollections. I have frequently heard my said father speak of his being in the City of New York when it was evacuated by the American troops, and also at the battle at "White Plains" and that it was said he was a sergeant in the army.
Sarah Pillsbury
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Franklin County ss. June 7 th 1830 - Then Sarah Pillsbury made oath, before me, that the foregoing affidavit by her subscribed is true. I also certify that I am personally acquainted with the said Sarah Pillsbury, and that she sustains a good character for truth.
William Whitaker Justice of the Peace

I certify that William Whitaker is a Justice of the peace for the County of Franklin Mass s - duly qualified - and that the signature to the Official certificate on the opposite page is in his proper hand writing
June 25. 1838

Rev Rev WIDOW, &c.)
File No. 14.282
Mary Bent Widow of Joel Bent Pr. Rev. Mass.
Act: July 4 th 86
Index:—Vol. A , Page 51
[Arrangement of 1870.]
X Mary Bent, Mass. wid. of Joel.
✓ Set. to Hon. Geo. Grinnell Jr. 29 th June 1838. ✓ Set. to James W. Jenkins, July 20, 1838.

Joel Bent
75. Wm Buckminster
76. Bryan Gates
14 bays no roll
6 mo " " Putnam Regt

Mary Bent.
Hon Mr Greville H.R.

Ebenezer Nourse of Barre, formerly the Town of Hutchinson - in the County of Worcester and Barre. - More worth of Massachusetts - of lawful age - do testify and say - that - at - the beginning of the war of the Revolution - I was a resident of said Town of Barre - and was acquainted with Mr. Joel Bart- then a resident of Barre - and resided in his family during his absence - at Cambridge - as a minute- man in the Company of Capt: William Bush- minster - and should think he was absent - in that service, about two weeks. Afterwards, in 1776 - he went into the service - as sergeant - in the company of Capt: Benjamin Gates. He enlisted in said company - and left this place for New York - some time in June 1776 - and returned home - some time in the latter part of the winter following - I was resident in his family about two months. During his absence - at New York - I was frequently - during the war of the Revolution - in the families of Capt: Gates & Joel Bart - and heard them converse upon the subject of their services in the war - I am now eighty two years of age - and I think of sound mind and memory -
Ebenezer Nourse Mark -
Commonwealth of Massachusetts - Worcester ss. May 29 th A.D. 1838 - Then personally -

appeared. The above named deponent - and after being duly cautioned and examined made oath that the above deposition by her subscribed - is true.
Before me. Nathan F. Bryant - Justice of Peace.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Worcester, ss.
I certify, that Nathan F. Bryant, David Lee, and Lyman Sibley, Esquires, are Justices of the Peace, in and for said County of Worcester, and that I believe the signatures of said Justices to the certificates on the Depositions hereto an- nexed, are in their own proper hand writing.
In testimony whereof, I hereto set my hand, and affix the seal of the Court of Common Pleas for said County, at Worcester, this sixteenth day of June, in the year 1838.
William Garrison, Assistant Clerk.

To all whom it may concern, I hereby certify that I was well acquainted with Joel Bent Esq from the year 1804 to the time of his death that he was a worthy & respectable citizen & magistrate, that I have repeatedly, during his life time heard him speak of being personally active as a soldier in scenes which "tired mens souls" in the early part of the revolutionary struggle - that he was reputed in the community as one of the soldiers in the revolutionary war
I furthermore certify that I am acquainted with Mary Bent his widow. That I have frequently heard her speak of her husband's absence as a soldier being attended with much perplexity to her as many trying cares relating to their domestic concerns, were devolved on her by reason of his absence at the Camps. And
I add that the said Mary Bent is a person of strict veracity & that the utmost reliance may be placed on any statement relating to this or any other subject, which she may make
Bare May 25 1838
James Thompson. Pastor of the Cong Chh in Bare
Worcester Jy May 26th, 1838 Then personally appeared the above named James Thompson and made oath to the truth of the above statements.
Before me Lyman Sibley Jus. of Peace
I am acquainted with Rev. James Thompson above named. he is a man of truth & veracity
Geo. Grinnell LLC

I Samuel Lee a native of the Town of Barre and Resident Therein all my days, excepting the four latter years of the revolutionary War, have been familiarly acquainted with Joel Bent of said Barre, to the time of his decease. Have many times heard him speak of the Events, that took place, in the time of his service in that War, rendered, in the year 1776, (to the best of my recollection,) in the vicinity, of N. York City, when the British troops were in possession of that place. The names of Officers under whom he served, I do not positively recollect, rather believe, in a company commanded by Capt. Benjamin Gates. I am also, acquainted with Mary Bent, widow, of the said deceased, & can safely say, that, intellects & memory, are remarkably, & well retained for a person of her age, & think that full confidence may be placed in a statement she may make respecting the time & service of her husband rendered in that war.—
Barre May 30 th 1835
Sam l Lee
Worcester. ss. May 30 th 1838 Then personally appeared the above named Samuel Lee and made oath to the truth of the above statement
Before me David Lee justice of the peace I know Genl. Saml. Lee above named to be a man of truth Geo. Prindle

I John Goshorn of Hardwick in the county of Worcester and state of Massachusetts of lawful age do testify and say--
That in the year of 1776 I was a soldier in the war of the Revolution in a company of Capt Benjamin Daniel Warner of said Hardwick in the Regiment of Col. Holman and we were stationed at New York the summer and autumn of that year and for that and other services I now have a pension, -- and that in said Regiment was a company commanded by Capt Benjamin Gates of Barnes in said county, and that in said company was a man by the name of Bent, and according to my best recollection he was a sergeant in said company. We travelled together to New York and were there when the British Troops took pos- session of that place -- in after life I was well acquainted with said Bent and lived in Boston with him from the year 1786 to the time of his decease I have often heard him speak of the events of that campaign. I was frequently in company with him in New York, and

Think the Regiment was six months long - Said last Burt was a promi- nent citizen of Bangor and his widow Mrs Mary Burt now lives in Bangor I am now seventy nine years of age and am of sound mind and memory.
John Gorham Commonwealth of Massachusetts -
Worcester ss- July- 13 th A.D. 1838- Then personally appeared John Gorham above named, and made oath that the above deposition by him subscribed is true -
Before me N. F. Bryant Esq. Esq. Pease .
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Worcester, ss. I certify that N. F. Bryant, above named, is a justice of the peace in and for said county of Worcester, and that the above is his proper signature. In testimony, whereof,
I hereto set my name, and affix the seal of the court of common pleas, for said county, at Worcester, this twenty eighth day of July, in the year 1838.
William Garrison, assistant clerk

Maps Aug 3 rd addl ffs Mary Bent -
J. L. Richards Esq. Commr. of Pensions War Office Washington
for Stamp
Mary Bent

Barn July 30th 1888 To J. L. Edwards - Comm d of Pensions
Dear Sir, Yours of the 29th of June to George Greenfield Esq states that no roll of Capt Barry Gates company was found of Put- nam's regiment. Yours to me of the 20th instant says that the documents of the Massachusetts service in this office no evidence of any other Capt Barry Gates, except the one of Peterson's regiment. The lapse of time has buried all the members of that company, and we had expended more on the roll of the company than on other evi- dence, and as the two expressions in your letter to Mr Greenfield of the House of Representatives, and the one to me of the 20th seem to blind each other, we would ask the favor of you to state to us whether any roll of the said Capt Barry Gates com- pany is to be found in Perry regiment of the Massachusetts service. Yours

and whether in that company if the roll is found / the name of Gael Bart is not on said roll, and whether he was not an orderly sergeant in said company.
I enclose you the deposition of John Goshorn certified, and we do cer- taintly expect that if the name is found on the roll we have produced widow of the service. We will be under obligations to you if you will suggest any close to widow, if none is wanted, that may be in the papers in your office.
Respectfully yours much obliged and very humble servant
J. W. Jenkins
P.S. Please to send to me at Barn Massachusetts.
J. W. Jenkins

July 18.
In at 9.55
J. L. Edwards Esq. Pension Board Washington
h

Barnes Mass July 14 th 1888
To J. L. Edwards Esq
Pension board,
Sir, You, by George Greenell Jr., of the Town of Barnes, - received papers to establish the right to a pension of Mr. Mary Bent of Barnes Massachusetts. You write that no roll has been found of Capt Benjamin Gates company in Pictoumans Regiment. The name of the regiment was not Pictoumans but "Holmes" I think on second look you will find all right. I enclose you the deposition of John Gorham which is, perhaps, more in point.
You will do us the kindness to write as soon as you are satisfied, or let us know what further will be necessary to establish the fact. Any communication may be directed to me at Barnes Mass
Very respectfully James W. Gorham Your obed. servt
P.S. By former certificates you will find that N. F. Bryant is a Magistrate

3544.
Mat June 27.
Mss.
Mary Bent.
inter,
p.
2

J. L. Edwards Esq
Sir
I enclose the del n & papers of Mary Bunt - and will thank you to cause report to be made to me
respectfully
yr obt serv t
Geo. Furniss Jr
June 25, 1838 -