Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 12374, Rufus Bush, Conn. Continental

SERVICE
NUMBER
born
Bush, Rufus
S. 12374
continental
carded
CONTENTS

6016 Connecticut
Rufus Bush
in the State of Connecticut who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Parsons of the Regt commanded by Col Pitkin in the County * time for 25 Mos Private $80.00
* Continental US Conn. Oct 30, 1905 Records completed.
Inscribed on the Roll of Connecticut at the rate of 80 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 22 d day of Feb 1834 and sent to W. D. Dyer Esq. J. T. Penn. Pursuer
Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1832 $120.00 Pension allowance ending 4 Mar 1833 40.00 $160.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Viral Luce Clerk, Book D Vol. 3 Page 71
Dead - left to Yeer Terry, Oct 9. 1840.

Rufus Bush
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832
State of Connecticut County of Hartford } ss Probate District of Enfield }
On this 6 th day of August 1832 Personally appeared in open court before William Dixon Esq, Judge of the Court of Probate for the District of Enfield now sitting. Rufus Bush a Resident of Enfield in the County of Hartford State of Connecticut aged Seventy Eight years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832
That he Entered the Service of the United States under the following named Officers and Served as herein stated That on or about the first of May in the year 1775 he Enlisted as a private in a Company of State or Colonial Troops raised by Capt Heremiah Parsons of Enfield for the term of seven months. That he soon afterwards Marched to Roxbury in the State of Massachusetts & joined the troops assembled that he was encamped about two miles from Roxbury meeting House towards Brook line. That Boston was then in possession of the Enemy & that a line of sentinels were continually stationed near the neck of land that lies Roxbury & Boston That he took his turn in that duty. That he was at Roxbury when Charles town was burnt & the Battle of Bunker hill was fought

That in the position he occupied he saw the flames of burning Charlestown & could see when the most conspicuous Buildings took fire. That a Reinforcement was called for to go to Bunker Hill . That he volunteered for this service & had proceeded as far as Cambridge & was ordered to return because the Americans had retreated from the Hill & the Enemy were in possession of the Entrenchments. About the first of August went to Kingstown with the Company to which he belonged to keep guard & continued there & at V 7 Cohasset until the expiration of the Levies months The new recruits did not then come in. he was requested by his Captain to Enlist for one V 1 month. did so Enlist & served the 1 st month at Kingstown when he was discharged & returned home about the first of January 1777. a Col o Pitkins of East Hartford commanded the Regiment to which he belonged. he was not in any Engagement with the Enemy although continually exposed to the fire of their Artillery while on Levies at Roxbury. Recollects seeing Generals Washington Ward & Putnam at Roxbury. William Chaffin Abadiah Dyer & James Hall Persons now living at S Enfield served with him in the same Company during the whole time of his service & can testify to the same. In the summer following served at New York in a Company of Militia under Capt Daniel Perkins. he has just heard the declaration of Col o Asaph Terry who served with him at New York in 1776 read in Court & fully concurs with him in all he has stated respecting that time. Eben Terry & John Pears persons

now living at P Enfield also served with him in the same Company during the whole time of his Service in the War at New York in 1776 & can testify to his Service. In the month of Dec following to wit in Dec 1776 he volunteered & marched to Connecticut in Connecticut under the Command of Capt Lacey of Suffield. The same Col d Asaph Terry spoken of in his last mentioned War also served with him in this War and he fully concurs with him the Perry in all he has stated respecting the War in his the Perry declaration which has last been read to him in Court. That about the first of May 1777 he Enlisted for the term of Eight months under Capt Thomas Abney That whether he was considered on the Continental line or State Troops he does not know that he immediately joined the Army under General Washington that he went first to Peekskill on the North River that he soon after crossed the North River at Kings Ferry he believes it was called & marched to Morris Town in New Jersey. There went in pursuit of the Enemy to a place called Banded Brook. that he was Engaged in some slight Skirmishes with the Enemy that was then Skirmishes General Parsons had the Command of our Troops. that he recollects he returned to Peekskill the 8 th of July that soon after he was detached with about five hundred others under the Command of General Parsons & marched to Danbury then to Fairfield in Connecticut. then crossed the Sound in Boats to Long Island that he understood the object was

to attack a Fort and Long Island nearly opposite to Fairfield that according to his best recollection they returned without having attacked the Fort. that they returned by way of Horn Neck to Peeks Kill that on their return to Peeks Kill found the main Army had moved down to White Plains that he was discharged after the expiration of Eight months which he believes was about the first of January 1778. That William Chaffer the same William Chaffer who served with him at Roxbury in 1775 served with him in the same Company a part of the time of this Campaign. & that he is the only person he knows now living who served with him at that time. that the name of his Lieut was Sprague & that of his Ensign Pride their Christian names he does not recollect that Col o Wyllys of Hartford was his Col o . That in the month of August 1778 a detachment was called for from a Company of Militia to which he belonged in Enfield to serve at New London that he volunteered proceeded to New London under the Command of Capt Wadsworth of Ellington Lieut David Meacham of Enfield & Ensign John Rain that he served three months according to his best recollection that the most part of the time he worked at Fort Trumbull in Groton opposite New London that he knows of no person living who served with him this Force. that he does not now recollect that he can receive a written discharge from either Law or Service. that if he

And the Knower not what has become it.
That he was born July 16 th 1754 at P Enfield where he has since resided & still resides that he believes his birth is recorded in P Lorrain Parish He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity Except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any state
Rufus Bush
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year afore
Wm Dixon Judge
We Francis L Robbins a clergyman residing in Enfield in the County of Hartford & State of Connecticut and Lorrain T Pan residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Rufus Bush who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy eight years of age that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution & that we concur in that opinion
Francis L Robbins Lorrain T Pan
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year afore
Wm Dixon Judge
And the P Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war Department that the above named

applicant as a Revolutionary Soldier & Service as he states & the Court further Certifies that it appears to him that Francis L Robbins who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the Town of Enfield and that Lorrain T Pease who has also signed the same is a Resident in the Town and is a Credible person and that their statement is Entitled to credit.
Wm Dixon Judge
I Alonzo Booth Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of Enfield in the County of Hartford & State of Connecticut do hereby Certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the Court in the matter of the application of Rufus Bush for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & Seal of Office this 10 th day of August 11
Alonzo Booth Clerk
I certify that Alonzo Booth whose signature is affixed to the above certificate in his own proper hand is Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of Enfield duly appointed & sworn according to Law
Wm Dixon Judge

Oct 8. 1840
6016
John L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Rufus Park
com to me $2 1/2 mll $80.
Washington
D.C.
FREE
Rufus Park

Enfield Ct. October 6 1840
Dr Sir
A Clerk in the Pension office at Hartford writes To Capt Jonathan A Bush of this Town that you disallowed 6 Dollars of the sum paid him by the agent in Hartford for his Father's Rufus Bush Pension to the time of his death. He says 'The error arose in computing the time of his death, having taken a wrong date'.
Capt Bush & myself cannot discover where the mistake lies, As Mr. Bush lived 5 months & 11 days after the 4th of September 1839 His income being $666 2 / 3 per month or for 5 2 / 3 months
  $35.55 2 / 3  & deduct one Eighth for one of the 8 heirs    4 44 2 / 3  - whose name was not signed to the application & leaves $31.11    31.11     The Clerk paid Capt Bush $31.33 which was allowing 25¢ for one more day as Mr Bush's death was on the 15 or 16 of Feb'y if mistake not
Capt Bush thinks you would willingly gratify him & examine the application a second time & explain the error if it still appears so. Your compliance (& franking your communication to me if proper) will greatly oblige very respectfully yr obt serv t  Hon John L. Edwards Comm r Pensions  Geor Terry

May 24/84 Mr. H. S. L. Arthur L. Allin, Druggist 152 Middleton, Conn. C
Rev War
1234/4 INVALID.
File No. 12,374
Rufus Bush Brn. Rev. War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. a, Page 52
[Arrangement of 1870.]

State of Connecticut County of Hartford ss Probate District of Enfield 3/4
On the 29 th day of January 1833 Personally appeared before me the undersigned Judge of the Court of Probate for 1 st District Rufus Buck who being duly sworn deposeth & saith that by reason of old age and consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his Service but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the period mentioned below and in the following grade For Two years and one month I served as a Private & for such service I claim a pension Rufus Buck
I certify that Asaph Lerry & William Chaffee who have testified to service of Rufus Buck & whose depositions are annexed are credible persons
Wm Dixon, Judge

State of Connecticut County of Hartford Probate District of Enfield
On this 6 th day of Aug 1832 personally appeared in open Court before Wm Dixon Esq Judge of the Court of Probate for the District of Enfield now sitting Coll Asaph Terry a Resident of Farmington, who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath Testify & say that he is well acquainted with Rufus Bush a Resident of Farmington and an applicant for a pension under the Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. That he was well acquainted with P r Bush before & during the Revolutionary War. That in the year 1776 the P r Bush was in the service at New York a Private Soldier in a Company of Militia under the Command of Capt Daniel Perkins in a Regiment Commanded by Col o Nathl Terry. that he Served then in the City & the neighborhood of the City the term of three months . and that the Deer following the P r Bush was again in the service as a private Soldier in a Company Commanded by Capt Phineas Loomis at Horn Neck along the lines between between the South West part of Connecticut & New York that he then served three months & was discharged the March following that this deponent served with him in the same Company during the whole of each of the two above mentioned Terms of Service & further he saith not
Asaph Terry
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year afore
Wm Dixon, Judge

State of Connecticut Hartford County Probate District of Enfield
July 16/12.
On this 6 th day of Aug t 1832 personally appeared in open Court before Wm Dixon Esq. Judge of the Court of Probate for the District of Enfield now sitting William Shaffer a Resident of Town who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath testify & say that he is well acquainted with Rufus Bush a Resident of Town an applicant for a pension under the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. That he was well acquainted with S d Bush before & during the Revolutionary War that in the year 1775 the S d Bush was in the Service at Roxbury & Needham near Boston a Private Soldier in Capt. Menekeah Parsons Company of Col o Pitkins Regiment that he served there from sometime in May until sometime in Dec r . he believes seven months that this deponent served with him in the same Company, that in the year 1777 this deponent was in the Continental Service that he found the S d Bush in the Service with the main Army near the Highlands on the North River, that he saw the S d Bush frequently during the season that he well recollects that the S d Bush was detached for the Expedition to Long Island under General Parsons that he then understood S d Bush was entitled for Eight months & that the deponent believes he served that time further he saith not Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid Wm Dixon, Judge

I, Thomas Day, Secretary of the State of Connecticut, and Keeper of the Seal thereof, do hereby certify and make known to whom it doth or may concern,
That William Dixon Esquire, whose name is subscribed in his proper handwriting to the foregoing certificate, is, and for more than six months last past, has been, Judge of the Court of Probate within and for the Probate District of Enfield in said State, duly appointed, commissioned and qualified; that said Court is a Court of record and consists of said Judge alone, having a proper Seal belonging thereto, with power to administer oaths to witnesses touching all matters cognisable by said Court, with power also to appoint and swear a clerk; and that full faith and credit may and ought to be given to the official acts and attestations of the said Judge in Court and Country.
In testimony whereof, I have, in my capacity of Secretary as aforesaid, hereunto set my hand, and affixed the Seal of said State, at the City of Hartford, in said State, the 13 th day of February in the year of our Lord, one Thousand eight hundred and thirty-three.
Thomas Day

Middletown Conn. May 7-189+
Dear Sir Will you please send me an abstract of appl'n for pension of - Rufus Bush - pensioner from Connecticut act of 1832 - Revolutionary war - anticipating the favor I thank

You - and remain
Yours truly
Arthur L. Allin
Middletown
Conn -
P.O. Drawer 15 A.
The Hon.
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C.

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Busk, Samuel GRADE Private LINE Connecticut
WARRANT NUMBER 5510 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED June 27, 1789 to Smith Weed
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.