Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2,880, Thomas Dennison, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
born
or as Dennison, Thomas or Demmon or Demming
R. 2880
CONTENTS

34631 Thomas Dennison Mass. Oct 1872
Th. Dennison, Oct 1872.
Mabel Shaw Belchertown Mass Aug 18 th
Ms. A. 1. 1 v. 7 p. 10

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Hampshire County ss.
On this eighth day of August A.D. 1838 personally appeared before Nathan Conkey Judge of Probate of Wills in and for said County of Hampshire. Thomas Derrison a resident of Ware in said County of Hampshire aged ninety five 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 provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7. 1832: That in the first part of May in the year seventeen hundred and seventy five, at Hampton in the State of Connecticut where he was born & then lived, he enlisted for seven months into a company commanded by Capt. Ebenezer Moseley of said Hampton. Bowen of Woodstock was their Lieutenant & Melitiah Bingham of Windham was 2 d Lieut. and — Wales of said Windham was their Ensign. all in said State of Connecticut: That said company marched from said Hampton to Little Cambridge, near Boston in Massachusetts and was stationed there, and that Col. Israel Putnam commanded the Regiment to which said company belonged, until he was appointed a General in the American Army. At four o'clock in the morning of Bunker Hill battle, we marched to Old Cambridge, and were paraded on the Green, but were not called into the action. From that time we were stationed in Old Cambridge, and were employed

in building barracks, moving stores, provisions &c until December of the same year when he was duly discharged but has lost his written discharge given to him at that time and has no documentary evidence of said service, nor doth he know of any one living that belonged to said company, or that knows of his being in the army at that time.
That afterwards, the month and year he doth not remember, but is was when Mrs. Sprouner was hung for the murder of her husband, which was doubtless in the year seventeen hundred and seventy eight, he was drafted to said Hampton for two months and was enrolled in Capt. Arnold's Company. Joseph Day of said Windham was their Lieut. and — Spaulding of Atthford was the 2 d . Lieutenant That they marched to New Haven and were stationed as a guard at a place called Bleek Point a few miles from New Haven. In about a month afterwards we marched according to orders given to Rhode Island, where we were put on fatigue duty, and so employed until within two days of the expiration of said two months, when we were ordered to march for New London, and on our way whither we were discharged but not in writing. That he has no documentary evidence of said service, nor doth he know of any one who can testify to the same.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension-roll of any agency in any state.
Thomas Dennison
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid
Jonathan Cooksey Judge of Probate.

I hereby certify that the said Thomas Dennison the applicant cannot from bodily infirmity attend the court - Jonathan Lowry judge of Probate
W. Van E. Lyman Register of the court of Probate in and for said County for said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings before the Judge of Probate for said County in the matter of the application of said Thomas Dennison for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of my said office this ninth day of August A.D. 1828
W. Van E. Lyman Reg. of Probate

Anna Gardner of Wore in the county of Hampshire and commonwealth of Massachusetts aged Eighty two years do testify and say that I am well acquainted with Thomas Dinison now residing in said Wore, that his first wife was my sister and that I lived in his family at the time he went into the war service that it was at the time or soon after the Battle at Bunkerhill and to the best of my knowledge he did not return home until cold weather near winter - He then lived in what is now called Hampton in the State of Connecticut Anna Gardner
Hampshire
August 8, 1830 I then personally appeared the above named Anna Gardner and made solemn oath that the above deposition by her subscribed is true Leonard Gould for Dean
I hereby certify that I am well acquainted with the above named Anna Gardner that she is a person of good moral character and may be relied on for truth in all veracity
Leonard Gould for Dean

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
shire ss.
I, SAMUEL F. LYMAN, Register of the Court of Probate within and for said County of Hampshire, do hereby certify that Leonard Gould Esquire, before whom the annexed deposition was taken, was, at the date thereof, one of the Justices of the Peace within and for said County, duly and regularly appointed, and that the signature thereto annexed purporting to be his, I know to be genuine.
IN testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, this ninth day of August
A. D. 1838
Samuel F. Lyman Register of Probate.

Power of Attorney, in Revolutionary Claim of Thomas Dennison, of Ware Hampshire County Mass. Act of June 7 th 1832.
James L. Street, Atty. New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Whereas, Thomas (Demmon), of Ware, in the County of Hampshire, in the State Massachusetts, was a Soldier of the Revolution and for his service therein, applied for a Pension, from the said County of Hampshire, under the act of Congress, of June, 7 th 1832, which said Pension was not granted to him, the said Thomas (Demmon), in his life time, but his claim suspended for want of record evidence of his service, in said Revolutionary war; And whereas, the said Thomas (Demmon) died before he was able to furnish the required evidence of his said Revolutionary service, and the claim is yet on the suspended files of the Pension Office; — And whereas, the said Thomas (Demmon) died, leaving no widow, him surviving, but a son, to wit; Moses P. (Demmon), now a resident of the Town of Plainfield, in the County of Essex, in the State of New Jersey: — Now therefore;
I know all men by these presents, that I, Moses P. (Demmon), as aforesaid, the son and heir at law, of Thomas (Demmon), the Revolutionary Soldier above mentioned, — do hereby constitute and appoint James L. (Heed,

of the City of New Brunswick, in the State of New Jersey, my true and lawful attorney, for me, and in my name, to procure all necessary evidence of the Revolutionary Service of my father, the said Thomas Demmon, deceased as aforesaid, and to prosecute said claim, for Pension as aforesaid, to a successful termination, if my said father was entitled to Pension, under said claim.
Witness my hand and seal, this thirteenth day of February, A.D. 1857.
Attest:
E. Kirkpatrick Wm Kirkpatrick Moses P Demmon
State of New Jersey County of Essex ss.
On this thirteenth day of February in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty seven, personally came before me, a Judge of the Court, within and for the County and State aforesaid, Moses P. Demmon, to me well known, and acknowledged the foregoing power of attorney to be his act and deed.
E. Kirkpatrick Judge
State of New Jersey County of Essex ss.

I, James J. Terhune, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, of the County and State aforesaid, do hereby Certify, that Elias Kirkpatrick, whose genuine signature appears above, was, at the time of signing the same, a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, within and for the County and State aforesaid, duly Commissioned and sworn, and that full faith and credit are due to all his official acts as such.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, at the City of Newark, this twentieth day of February, A.D. 1857.
James J. Terhune clk.

REJECTED
9880
P. O.
Thomas Dennison
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

His Dennis
75 7 mo Cape May
76 2. Arnold

34,631
Thomas Dennison
Massachusetts
Sister to Mason Shaw
Aug 22 1833
James L Street Mar 6/57 at same office 11/57
2880
act. 74 June 1882
2333 14 245-45-4

1 Pension Office, 10 June 11, 1857.
Sir,
In reply to your letter of the 24 th inst. you are informed that the application for pension under the act of June 7, 1832, whose claim was, suspected for fraud from the Recorders at Hartford, Conn. as a "Thomas Dennison" and that his signature is plainly written and affixed to his declaration. He is also referred to as Thomas Dennison by the one witness in the room, and claimed  then to did be the college see  signature under Capt. Brickenridge. His claim has not been admitted, but was paid from the Records at Hartford.
James L. Street, Esq.
New Brunswick, 3 New Jersey.

New Brunswick: New Jersey February 19 th 1857.
Commissioner of Pensions Washington, D. C.
Sir:
Enclosed please find Power of attorney, referring to Revolutionary pension claims, under the Act of June 7 th 1832; if there is any such claims on the rejected or suspended files; I have to request a brief , and correct statement of the claim, as made by the soldier in his lifetime, with the reason, why the pension was not granted, if such is the fact; the grantor of the enclosed power of attorney, is said to be truthfull by those who are well acquainted with him, (which I am not) he says, that his father always spelled his name Demmar , but that while a boy at school, he began to write his own name Demming , and has so written it ever since. He does not know whether his father's service was with the troops of Massachusetts, or Connecticut, but says he was in the battle of Bennington, and belonged, (as he thinks) to a company, commanded by a captain Breckenridge . He is very confident, that his father

applied for his pension, and is equally confident that he never received it, but does not know why; So please let us have the facts in the case, and oblige,
Very Respectfully; James L. O'Keefe. Atty.

Additional evidence in Suspended Revolu- tionary Pension Claim; Act of June 7 th 1832.
James L. Street, Atty, New Brunswick New Jersey.

New Brunswick New Jersey, March 24 th 1857.
Hon. Com. of Pensions, Washington, D. C.
3 Sir,
Since receiving the enclosed Pension Office letter, of the 6 th I have had an opportunity, and have examined in the State Library at Trenton, Senate Executive Document No. 37, — 32 nd Congress, 1 st Session; and on page 53, of said Document, is the following entry; "DENNISON, Thomas. Ware, Hampshire, Suspended for proof from the records at Hartford." Is not this a typographical error, arising from the re- semblance of the two names when written? (Dennison, } or with the i, not dotted; (Dennison, } (Dennison, } (Dennison, }
Dennison } or with the i, not dotted; Dennison } Dennison } I know it may well be an error, as it stands in the book; (and the fact, that the case is from the same place, and that Moses Dennison insists, that his father did apply for his pension, induce me to believe, that the cases are the same. I will suggest two means, by which to determine the matter: Moses Dennison says, that the principal part, if not all, of his father's Revolutionary service, was in a company com- manded by Captain James Breckenridge; Is that true of the case in the name of Dennison? And 2 nd "Was there ever been a pension (over)

granted in that case? because, if so, there is an end of it.
I ask for an examination and report, on the above suggestions, and remain, Very Respectfully;
James L. Street. Atty.

Knab. Aug 20 th
Thos. Dennis abt 1832
Then The papers in this case were sent over to Mr. Stewart's room a day or two since. J.D.W.
(28) (1832) D.W. Stewart

Washington August 21 st 1838
J. L. Edwards Esq.
Sir,
As you required a reason why the application of Ebenezer Barber for a pension under the act of June 7, 1832, had not been made before, so in the case of Thomas Dennison, a new application now presented by me, may be required,
The facts are these. Mr. Dennison did apply to a Mr. Gould of Ware, at the time that he prepared the declaration & papers for a pension for his father, Ebenezer Gould. - The husband of M rs Gould, who now applies, by me, for a pension on account of her husband's services. Afterwards 3 or 4 years ago, being in the neighbourhood of Mr. Dennison, one of his neighbours requested me to call with him, on Mr. Dennison and get a pension for him. I took his statement, which was very clear and particular. But as he lived 11 or 12 miles from me, and 25 miles from the judge of Probate (Judge Samuel Hemenway) who was 75 years old, and Dennison 92 years (his wife was then living of the same age) and who had no means of paying the charges that must accrue by employing the judge to go to him to administer the oath &c. I declined advancing so much money for him, at that great age. I own that time &

Doublets for the same reason, nothing was done for him by any one.
When I called on Mrs. Snell respecting her pension the first of this month, I was unfortunately to see Mr. Dennison again. As he lived near Mrs. Snell, I called accordingly. I found him in good health, his sight, hearing and mind & memory unimpaired. He immediately recognized me - regretted that I had not assisted him and urged me to do so then.
I promised to minute down his story. The names of his officers &c. His account I found was the same he had before related to me. The judge lacking had to pass by where he lived, to take other decorations &c. The expense became merely nominal, and I got the judge to call on him.
On enquiry respecting some testimony of his services, he observed that he knew of no one living who was with him in either campaign. Soon after he said his wife's sister lived in Ware and must know that he went to Cambridge. Afterwards, he mentioned that she would have stated within a few days the time when he left home for Cambridge had she been referred to a certain fact which she would have remembered. To wit, his son — was born April 23 d 1775 and she nursed his wife at that time, and that he left home for Cambridge while she was there, within about a fortnight after his wife was confined.
An enquiry at the Controller's office in Hartford, I was

informed, that all the Documents of the Army were re- mitted to Washington, and that it was his impression, that there was no returns of Col. Patnam's Regiment. But the State had settled a large account with the Capt. Glover under whom said Dennison had served, of which he would give a certificate if required.
If Dennison's Declaration and the Deposition of his wife's sister are not satisfactory for the 7 months service. I know the evidence may be found in the office; as also, for the other two months service of which, there is not, probably, a witness, now living that can be found.
On account of his great age (95 years) - straightened circumstances, and urgent desire that I should attend personally to his claim, - get him some relief before it should be too late. I know, Sir, you will so far waive your rules of office, as to consent to take up Mr. Dennison's case now with those of Mr. Pratt. & Barber. I am sure there cannot be an applicant who has prosecuted that would not willingly grant him this indulgence. Your feelings I know will prompt you to, and that, so far, as the duties of your office will permit, will grant him, if just, one gleam of hope to cheer his setting sun.
Furthermore, should there be occasion to doubt any part of his claim, that I may at once know

The whole difficulty, and even with him, and most of possible, the objections, so far as may be, at the least possible expense to him.
Very respectfully,
Yours, Mason Shaw
Aug 28
Mrs. Dennis
Oct 1832
The paper in this case
were sent over to Mr.
Stewart's room a day or
two since.

Pension Office
March 6 th 1857
Sir:
I have received and filed the power of Attorney to yourself, from Moses P. Demmon, or Demming of Essex County, N. Jersey, authorizing you to prosecute his claim for the pension alleged to have been due to Thomas Demmon, deceased, late of Ward, Mass.
No application of Thomas Demmon of Mass. is on the files of this office; and I cannot therefore, comply with your request for information respecting the case.
I am, Very respectfully
Your O bt Servant
W. A. Olching
Commissioner.
James L. Street Esq
West Brunswick
N. Jersey

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Dennison, William GRADE Corporal LINE Connecticut
WARRANT NUMBER 5679 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED Sept. 26, 1789 To — not shown —
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 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.