Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 20932, Ephraim Crossman, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Crossman Ephraim Belia
W 20932
CONTENTS

972. B. du.
Celia Crofman widow of Ephraim. Married 1779
On Capt. Lofers roll Smokey in 75.
Spec n . reg. rec. proff. grade & m o
Hon. O. Holt. AR

State of Connecticut } Tolland County }
So Meriden Nov 8th A D 1836
At a Court of Probate held at Meriden within and for the District of Meriden Nov 8th A D 1836. Present John Austin Esq. Judge.
On this 8th day of Nov 1836 Personally appeared before the Court of Probate of the district of Meriden Mrs. Celia Crossman a resident of the Town of Meriden in the County of Tolland and State of Connecticut Age about eighty years who being duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions of the act of Congress passed on June 7th A D 1836, I Celia Crossman of Meriden aforesaid do say that according to the best of my recollection that my late husband Ephraim Crossman did perform the following services in the Revolutionary War That on or about the first day of May A D 1775 he enlisted into the Company of Capt. Oliver Soper in Col. Walker Regiment in Gen. Thomas Brigs' in the Revolutionary army in the Massachusetts line was appointed a sergeant and sergeant major and served in said Regt until

Appointed an Ensign in Capt Wood Hark Company in Col Jacob French regiment in the Massachusetts line which was on or about the 5 th day of Feb y 1776 and continued to do duty in said Regt in Capt Simon Colbs until appointed and commissioned a Lieutenant in Capt Simon Colbs company in Col Simon Colbs Regt in the Massachusetts line which was on or about the 20 th of July 1776 and continued in said Regt and service until about the 10 th day of January 1777 when the term of the service of said Regt expire and they were all discharged Then he was employed by the State of Massachusetts to make hats for the Army the the State for the Stock and materials he was in the service at the time that Bedford was last and was out in the summer of 1780 about five Weeks O'Very well remembered for my oldest child was but a few Weeks old which was born in June of that year he went to New- -Bedford When the British Army was there and at one time took the place of a Fort Bridge or Pratt and was called out at a number of times until the War ended for further info I must refer the department to the records in the War department

I further say that I was married Sept 16 th and before the last term of his and passed 1779 to the said Ephraim Crossman by Benjamin Williams Esq all of Pascagoula in Mississippi and that my husband died in Mississippi County October 19 th 1827 of a lunging complaint which has attended him for a number of years and I further say that I have remained a widow since the death of my husband as will more fully appear by the Proof herunto annexed and that
I am now alive and unable to name or write any further that his commissions and papers are destroyed Signed in presence of
Irma Storm Leah Crossman
Celia X Crossman mark
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written
Before me
John Martin Judge
We Ralph Storm and Orilla Storm of the Town of Mississippi County of Tallahassee and State of Connecticut do hereby certify and say that that we are well acquainted with the —

Also Celia Crossman Wife of Ephraim Crossman and have been for a number of years before since since the death of her husband Ephraim Crossman and that she has never been married since the death of her said husband and that she is now the said Crossmans Widow Ralph Storrs Orville Storrs
Sworn to and subscribed this 8th day of Feb 1836 Before me
John Martin Judge
State of Connecticut } Is according to Feb 8th 1836 Tolland County }
Be it known that on the 8th day of Feb 1836 The application of Mrs. Celia Crossman for a Pension and the deposition of Ralph Storrs and Orville Storrs were taken before me in court and each of them are credible persons and their statements are entitled to full credit and also there was presented in court an old Book of accounts and Records with a family Register containing records of marriages births and deaths of the family of Ephraim Crossman wherein it appears that the said Ephraim Crossman was married to his said Wife Celia September 16th 1779 and also the testimony of the above named Ralph Storrs and Orville Storrs

Also Celia Crossman Wife of Ephraim Crossman and have been for a number of years before some since the death of her husband Ephraim Crossman and that she has never been married since the death of her said husband and that she is now the said Crossmans Widow Ralph Storrs Orville Storrs
Sworn to and subscribed this 8th day of Nov 1836 Before me
John Martin Judge
State of Connecticut } Is second from Nov 8th 1836 Tolland County }
Be it known that on the 8th day of Nov 1836 The application of Mrs Celia Crossman for a Pension and the deposition of Ralph Storrs and Orville Storrs were taken before me in court and each of them are credible persons and their statements are entitled to full credit and also there was presented in court an old Book of accounts and Records with a family Register containing records of marriages births and deaths of the family of Ephraim Crossman wherein it appeared that the said Ephraim Crossman was married to his said Wife Celia September 16th 1779 and also the testimony of the above named Ralph Storrs and Orville Storrs

that they have been acquainted with the said Ephraim Crossman and his wife Celia Crossman for about Forty years and have seen no more than as husband and wife which is the best testimony that can be had before this court
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Clerk of this court to make a certificate of my official action and affix thereunto his signature and seal of office
John Martin Judge
State of Connecticut Tolland County } ss. Mansfield Probate District
Be it known that on this 8 th day of November A.D. 1836 John Martin Esq. Judge of Probate for the District of Mansfield is legally appointed to said office has been for the year last past and that full credit and faith ought to be given to his acts as such and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing and his signature to the affidavit of Ralph Storrs and Orrilla Storrs and application of Mrs Celia Crossman is genuine - In testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand as Clerk of said court of Probate and affixed the seal of said court the day & year above written
Attest Fredk F. Hanksy Clerk

State of Connecticut Tolland County
vs Mansfield Probate District
August 10 th 1837
Then personally appeared before the court of Probate for the district of Mansfield Almina Robertson of Connecticut in said Tolland County and subscribed and made oath to the following Deposition (viz)
I Almina Robertson of Connecticut in the county of Tolland and State of Connecticut of lawful age depose and say that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of the late Mr Ephraim Cromwell of Mansfield that he was my Father and that an old account book containing a family record on the last part of it was always in the family from my earliest recollection and that the record therein made I verily believe is in my Father's own hand writing and I further say that I have since his commissions as Ensign and Lieutenant and believe that after his death they were documents of no consequence and were lost or destroyed and furthermore the Deponent saith not
Almina Robertson
Sworn and subscribed the day and year above written
before
John Martin Judge
State of Connecticut } vs Mansfield Probate District Tolland County
Be it known that on this 10 th day of August A.D. 1837 John Martin Esq. Judge of Probate for the District of Mansfield is legally appointed to official office and has been for the year past and that full faith ought to be given to his acts as such and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing and signature to the above Deposition of Almina Robertson is genuine In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand as clerk of said court of Probate and affixed the seal of said court the day and year above written
Frederick J. Hawks Clerk

January 31, 1938.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Lillian M. White 511 West Third Street Sioux City, Iowa
BA-J/ady Ephraim Crossman W.20832
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter relative to Ephraim Crossman, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, whose widow was Celia Crossman, and Egbert Crossman, a soldier of the Revolutionary War or War of 1812.
The Revolutionary War and War of 1812 records of this office fail to show that a claim for pension was ever made to the United States on account of the services of an Egbert Crossman, all spellings of the names searched, in those wars.
The data contained herein were obtained from the papers on file in the Revolutionary War claim for pension, W.20832, based upon the military service of Ephraim Crossman in that war.
The date and place of birth and the names of the parents of Ephraim Crossman are not shown.
While a resident of Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts, Ephraim Crossman entered the service about May 1, 1775, served as sergeant and sergeant major in Captain Oliver Soper's Company, Colonel Walker's Massachusetts Regiment; about February 5, 1776, he was appointed ensign in Captain Noah Hall's Company, Colonel Jacob French's Massachusetts Regiment; about July 20, 1776 he was commissioned lieutenant in Captain Simeon Cobb's Company, Colonel Simeon Carey's Massachusetts Regiment and served to about January 10, 1777. He then served in the Quartermaster Department and was employed in making huts for the army, length of service not given. At the time Bedford was burnt he rendered service and from July 1780 he served about five weeks at Newport, Rhode Island, names of officers not stated.
He moved from Massachusetts, to Mansfield, Connecticut.
He died October 19, 1827, in Mansfield, Connecticut,

where he had resided many years, his age not shown.
Ephraim Crossman married September 18, 1779, in Taunton, Massachusetts, Celia, her maiden name not given.
Soldier's widow, Celia Crossman, was allowed pension on her application executed November 8, 1838, at which time she was aged seventy-eight years, and a resident of Mansfield, Tolland County, Connecticut.
She died June 12, 1840, place not stated. An AB,
The oldest child of Ephraim and Celia Crossman was born in June 1780, name not designated.
In 1837 Almira Robertson, daughter of soldier, was living in Coventry, Tolland County, Connecticut, her age not given. There are no further family data.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator

1938 Jan. 31. Hist. to Mrs. Lillian M. White, A.D.Y. Rev
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 20932
Celia Crossman Widow of Ephraim Crossman Sergt. Rev. War.
Act: July 4 th 1836
Index:—Vol. 64 Page 156
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I Don C Breyham of Coventry in the County of Tolland and State of Connecticut age years seventy two last February and a Pensioner of the United States under the act of 1832 on the Connecticut agency upon and say That for many years previous to the death of M c Ephraim Crossman and after the close of the revolutionary war I became well acquainted with him and his family and have heard him repeatedly state his services in that war as a private sergeant ensign and lieutenant in the troops belonging to the State of Massachusetts and have not the slightest doubt of the truth of his statements on that subject I have had frequent conversation with him on the subject of the revolutionary war and have seen his Warrant and his commission as Ensign and Lieutenant which he showed to me personally I further testify that it was always supposed and believed by his neighbors in Mansfield and by all so far as my knowledge of their opinion enables me to state that said Crossman served in the Massachusetts line for a considerable time during the revolutionary war I believe nearly doubts it I have heard him say that his lot introduced him to the quartermaster department and he was employed in that department for a considerable time in making hats for the army and while in that service he was frequently called out and particularly at the time the French Fleet came into Rhode Island in the year 1780 in the month of August M c Crossman after the close of the war I am not able to state, but a number of years he remained from Massachusetts to Connecticut and resided in the town of Mansfield within about two or three miles of me until the year 1827 when he died since that time M c Ephraim Crossman has continued to reside in Mansfield I am well acquainted

with her and she remains in the same Crossroads Man- and sustains a good character I further say that I have it is my opinion that the same Crossroads was in the Service two years or more
Don C Brigham
State of Connecticut Tolland County } S - Coventry November 30th 1886
Personally appeared Mr Don C Brigham known by me to be a person of good character for many years and true to the above facts and oath to the truth of the above and foregoing deposition by him subscribed
Before me
John Martin Justice of Peace

I, ROYAL B. HINMAN , 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 John Martin , Esquire, for more than eight months last past, has been a Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Tolland in said State, duly appointed, commissioned and qualified, having full power and authority, by the laws of said State, to take the acknowledgement of Deeds and to certify the same; also to administer oaths to witnesses and to take Affidavits and Depositions out of Court, and to give certificates thereof; and that full faith and credit may and ought to be given to the official acts and attestations of the said John Martin , 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 18 th day of May , in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven
And I further certify that the signature purporting to be that of the said John Martin is genuine.
Royal B. Hinman Secretary

Celia Crofman
Long 8 hrs. Gang 5 m. 20 d.
Hm O Holt AR Oct 11 th

Sir
Will you have the goodness to forward to my lodgings to morrow morning a pension certificate on the claim of Mrs Celia Crossman of Mansfield Connecticut for the eight months as serjt and six months as Ensign as proposed by you last Saturday.
Washington Oct. 11 th 1837
Respectfully your
Orin Holk
Hon J. L. Edwards
Commission of Pensions
Washington

Taunton Jan'y. 7. 1838
Sir, Herewith you have the depo n of Nathan Andrew - Mr. Lennards old commission had become inoperative when he took the depo n on the eleventh of Dec - 1837 - He consequently had to get qualified on a new commission & take the depo n anew, before he could get any Officer to make the necessary certificate -
I think you took from me the names of the Captains in this vicinity who were out in July or August 1780 & in the winter of 1780-1 - I however will here again name them as they occur to me - viz -
Capt. Noah Hall - Philip King - John Shaw - Jonathan Shaw - Saml. Fales - Eben t Dean - Jacob Harkins & James Briggs -
Count Rochambeau came to Newport with the French fleet early in July 1780 - It was supposed that the British who then had possession of New York would make an attack upon them - Accordingly all the Militia around the country were called to Newport & remained there several days -
In the winter of 1780-1 - The Militia were again called to Newport -
( Genl. Crocker )
Yours Respectfully A. D. Andrew

Commonwealth of Massachusetts — Bristol ss — I Anselm Barrett, Register of the Court of Probate, in & for said County do hereby certify that Cromwell Leonard whose signature is affixed to the within certificate is a Justice of the Peace in and for said County —
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said Court this thirtieth day of December eighteen hundred and thirty seven — A Barrett

I Nathan Andrews of Norton in the County of Bristol and State of Massachusetts being Seventy Seven years of age do testify & say that I was well acquainted with Ephraim Crossman who was formerly of Taunton in said County of Bristol, and who left the said Town of Taunton many years ago, and removed to the Town of Mansfield in the State of Connecticut, and is now deceased and I do further testify that the said Crossman was an officer in the war of the Revolution and served as a Lieutenant in that war one Campaign or term of five months in a Company Commanded by Captain Simon Cobb, in Col. Cory's Regiment. I served myself in the same Company as a private Soldier during said term. This term of Service commenced in July 1776, and we were discharged the last of December of that year, or the first part of January 1777. The said Company was mustered in Taunton in said County and Marched from thence to New Haven in Connecticut, & from thence to the City of New York and were stationed a part of the time not far from four miles from the said City up the Hudson river, we were Marched from thence to White Plains and there remained until our discharge.
Norton 26. Dec r 1837. Nathan Andrews
State of Massachusetts Bristol County ss Be it known that on this 26 day of December 1837. Before the Subscriber a Justice of the Peace within & for said County, personally appeared Nathan Andrews and made oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true in all its parts. In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and quality the way & year last above mentioned. And I do further certify that the said Nathan Andrews is, in my opinion a disinterested and Witness Leonard Justice Peace

State of Connecticut Tolland County
ss. Mansfield Probate District August 12 th 1837
Then personally appeared Dost Warren Brigham before the court of Probate for said District and subscribed and made oath to the following Deposition (viz)
I Warren Brigham Physician of Mansfield in the County of Tolland and State of Connecticut do hereby certify that I have been of lawful age before and say that Ephraim Crossman late of said Mansfield deceased since in his life time show me his commissions in Foreign and United which according to the best of my recollection was soon after the passage of the first act of Congress for the benefit of the survivors of the Revolutionary Warriors they were then in a mutilated condition and I further say that I have repeatedly heard Mr Crossman say that he ought to have a pension for his services in the war of the revolution as he actually served a considerable time and stood as a minute man until the end of the war and frequently went into the field in case of alarm and I have heard the old man complain that others were a drawing pension that had not performed so much service as he here because his commissions were under the State
Warren P. Brigham
I do hereby subscribe the day and year above written before
John Martin Judge

State of Connecticut } Sd Mansfield Probate Tolland County } District August 12 th A.D. 1837
Be it known that on the day and year above written John Austin Esq. Judge of Probate for the District of Mansfield is legally appointed to some officer and has been for more than one year past and that full credit and faith ought to be given to his acts as such and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing and his signature to the within deposition of Doct. Warren Brigham and that the same is genuine
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand as clerk of said court of Probate and affixed the seal of said court the day and year above written
Frederick S. Hawley Clerk

I William Ely, of North Mansfield, county of Tolland, and State of Connecticut, of lawful age, depose and say, that I am pastor of the church and congregation of which Widow Celia Crossman is member, and have been for the space of twelve years, and was well acquainted with her husband Lieut. Ephraim Crossman.
The character of Mr. Crossman I never knew to be called in question as it respected truth and veracity.
I would further state, that I have seen remnants of papers which were decidedly commissions of Lieut. Crossman, and that he was, in the belief of all the people, beyond all question, Ensign and Lieutenant in the Revolutionary war, and that he actually performed service in the Revolutionary army. Also, that it is the full opinion of all in this neighborhood that Widow Crossman is entitled to a bonoood that Widow Crossman is entitled to a pension agreeably to the provisions of an act for the relief of the widows of revolutionary officers & soldiers.
Further the deponent saith not.
William Ely.
State of Connecticut } Mansfield Probate District Tolland County }
August 14 th 2/1837
Then personally appeared before the court of Probate for the visit of commission and subscription made oath to the above deposition the Rev William Ely of same commission
Before John Austin Judge

State of Connecticut Tolland County
ss Mansfield Probate District
August 14 th 1877
Be it known that on the day and year above written John Mester Esq. Judge of the court of Probate for the district of Mansfield is legally appointed to said office and has been for more than one year past and that full faith and credit ought to be given to his acts as such and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing and his signature to the within deposition of the Rev William Ely is genuine
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand as clerk of said Probate and affixed the seal of said court the day and year above written
Frederick F. Hanks Clerk

Jan 12, 1938
Veteran's Administration Washington D.C.
Celia Crossman , aged 82, received Revolutionary War pension at Coventry, Tolland Co., Connecticut. Who was the soldier in the American Revolution whose beneficiary Celia Crossman was? I am trying to trace my lineage for the Daughters of the American Revolution. Do the War records give names of her family?
My great-grandfather was Egbert Crossman and was Celia Crossman his mother. I should appreciate any information you can give me
Yours truly
William M. White
511 W. 3rd St
Sioux City
Iowa