Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W 22252, Samuel Hill Clark, N.H.

SERVICE
NUMBER
N.H.
Clark, Samuel Hill or Hile Smith, Comfort (Former widow)
W 22252
CONTENTS
res. during Rev. Durham and Hollis N.H. at Hollis Sept 1787

Maine 2.560
Comfort Smith, former widow of Saml H. Clark dec.
who died on the 15th September 1887 of York Co. in the State of Me who was a Pilot in the Comfy. commanded by Captain _____ of the _____ commanded by _____ in the Mass. a line for 2 years
rept. Mar 27, 1839 see letter to J. Howard, Dis. Att. H.P. Age ap. 22. 1839 Let to J Howard June 8, 1839 do. to same Sept. 12, 1840
Inscribed on the Roll of Maine at the rate of 100 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 20th day of Mar. 1839 and sent R. B. Gaverly Livermore Me.
Arrears to the 4th of Mar. 1839 $300.00 Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sept. " 57.00
$357.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836 } Section the 3rd }
Recorded by H. H. Addison Clerk, Book 4 Vol. 2 Page 16

1 State of Maine, County of York, ss.
In this second day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight personally appeared before the court of Probate of the county of York Comfort Smith a resident of Hollis in said county of York and State of Maine aged eighty 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 provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4, 1836. That in the month of April in the year seventeen hundred and seventy five she was married to Samuel Hille Clark at Durham New Hampshire by the Rev. Mr. Adams. That previous to that time the said Clark had enlisted a soldier in the army of the Revolution in a company of which her father Jebulon Drew was Lieutenant, the Captain's name not remembered. That the next day after their intermarriage her husband the said Clark and her father together with the company marched to Cambridge Massachusetts and remained in the service six months before he returned and being sick when he returned her brother Hezekiah Drew went & took his place for the term of three or four weeks at the expiration of which time her said husband went again into the army and remained in said army she thinks about twelve months and returned having a furlough, and remained with her but a few days and went again into the army and remained there as a soldier as she thinks

about one year longer. That he left the service at the same time with her father the said Zebulon Drew. That they were stationed part of the time at Great Island in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. That she has no documentary evidence in support of her claim. That after her husband returned from said army they resided at Durham about three years and then removed to said Hollis where they resided until September seventeen hundred and eighty seven at which time her said husband died.
She further declares that she was married to the said Samuel H. Clark in April seventeen hundred and seventy five as aforesaid that her husband the aforesaid Clark died on the fifteenth day of September 1787- that she afterwards was married to Noah Smith who died on the fifth day of December in the year eighteen hundred and twenty nine- and she was a widow on the 4 th of July 1836 and still remains a widow as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
In presence of us John Taylor
Comfort Smith
Subscribed and sworn to, Before me in open court W m J. Hayes, Judge of Probate York co. Maine.
Seal York p.
State of Maine. I, John Skeels, Register of the court of

Probate within and for the county of York hereby certify that William A. Hoag is Judge of the Court of Probate, and that Robert B. Caverly is a Justice of the Peace within and for said County of York, and that the signatures to the papers hereto annexed and purporting to be theirs are genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this thirtieth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight.
John Skeels } Register of Probate for the county of York
Durham April 10. 1838
Friend Caverly,
Yours of the 6 th is received. On reference to our Records I find no entry of any marriage prior to 1780. I am able to state from verbal information that Rev. John Adams was ordained minister in the town of Durham N.H. from the year 1748 to the year 1778. He then moved to Newfield, Maine, where he lived and died in the year 1792. Thomas Adams his son lives there now and has his father's Record of Marriages solemnized in Durham. I think this information may lead to the fact you wish to prove. Should be happy in rendering any assistance in my power. Respectfully Yours { T. Clerk Samuel Barnham } Durham R. B. Caverly, Esq.

N.B. I should be very happy to have a friendly letter from my old friend E. Hope he will embrace some leisure moment and give some little account of himself
Newfield, April 30. 1838
Dear Sir,
I have before me your Letter, requesting to know if I am in possession of the records of my father John Adams, late of Durham, N.H. & whether said Records contain a registry of the intermarriage of Samuel Hill Clarke with Comfort Drew. In reply: I have two Books, containing a registry of marriages solemnized by my father, one of which appears to have been used at Durham, the other after his removal to this town. I have carefully examined both, and find no record of the marriage of the above persons. There might have been another record in the hands of some of his connections, or left at Durham, for although the above Books contain a registry of more than 250 marriages & more than 500 baptisms, by him, there is a period of 4 or 6 years - say from 1769 to 1775 or 1776 during which no baptisms or marriages are recorded.
Your Letter lay in the Dams' Mills P.O. till yesterday.
Very respectfully,
Thomas Adams
for son Samuel C. Adams

I, Dennis Johnson of Waterborough in the county of York of the and State of Maine eighty-two years of age and born at Kittery in said county do testify depose and say that I was well acquainted with Samuel H. Clark who enlisted and went into the army of the Revolution from Durham, New Hampshire. That I served in said army nearly five years and was a soldier for some time in Captain Titus Satter's company at Portsmouth, N. Hampshire and that the said Clark was during the term of six months in the said Satter's company with me. I then was taken from said company and marched to Ticonderoga and how long the said Clark served after I left said company I am not able to state. His widow Comfort Smith now resides at Heollis in said county as I have understood.
In presence of
Robert B. Caverly
Dennis Johnson
State of Maine } county of York } ss. On the twenty sixth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight personally appeared the said Dennis Johnson a man of veracity and entitled to full credit and made solemn oath that the above affidavit is just and true.
before me Robert B. Caverly Justice of the Peace in & for the county of York.

I, Susanna Smith of Heollis in the county of York and State of Maine eighty years of age testify depose and say that I was a sister to Samuel Hill Clark formerly of Durham, New Hampshire and late of said Heollis deceased, that I have always understood from my said brother and from common report that he served as a soldier in the army of the Revolution nearly three years; that I was not present at the wedding when my said brother intermarried with Comfort Drew; but well know that they intermarried in the spring before the commencement of said war, and am very confident that his wife had one child during his my said brother's absence in the army. My brother the said Samuel in the year 1788 I think, took a severe cold and died very suddenly. His widow the said Comfort has since been married, and lost her husband; and now is a widow and has been a widow for some years past. She continues to reside at said Heollis.
In presence of us Robert B. Caverly Osbourn Smith James Smith
her Susanna + Smith mark
State of Maine County of York ss. On this thirteenth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight personally ap-

peared the said Susanna Smith a woman of truth and veracity and entitled to full credit and made solemn oath that the foregoing affidavit by her subscribed is just and true.
Before me
Robert B. Caverly
Justice of the Peace in and for the county of York
I, James Smith of Hollis in the county of York and State of Maine of lawful age testify depose and say that I was well acquainted with Samuel Hill Clark formerly of Durham New Hampshire and late of said Hollis, dec? that I have always understood, said Clark was a soldier in the army of the Revolution in the whole about three years; that he was married before the commencement of the said war to Comfort Drew, and to my knowledge the said Comfort is now living and resides in said Hollis.
I further testify and say that I am personally acquainted with Hezekiah Drew a brother to the said Comfort, and whose deposition is hereto annexed; and well know him to be a man of excellent character and who may always be relied on for truth and veracity.
In presence of Robert B. Caverly
James Smith

State of Maine
county of York p. On this thirteenth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight personally appeared the said James Smith who is known to me to be a man of truth and veracity and made solemn oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is just and true.
Before me Robert B. Caverly } Justice of the Peace in and for the county of York
I Hezekiah Drew of Hollis in the county of York and State of Maine aged seventy eight years testify depose and say that I was present at the marriage of my sister Comfort Drew with Samuel Hill Clark of Durham, New Hampshire. They were married in April or May seventeen hundred and seventy five in said Durham at my fathers house by the Rev: John Adams an ordained minister in said town. Before said Clark was married he enlisted a private in a company of Infantry of which my father Zebulon Drew was Lieutenant and afterwards entered into the service in the army of the Revolution and continued therein to my knowledge for a period of more than one year. He was stationed a part of the time at Great

Island near Portsmouth N.H. and while there on account of sickness it became necessary for him to return home and I took his place for three weeks. He afterwards returned to his company and continued until he was finally discharged and left the service. I have understood that said Clark was in said service in the whole more than two years. Said Clark died about the year 1787 or 1788; and my said sister was afterwards married to Noah Smith of said Heollis who died in the Fall or first of the winter 1829 and his widow the said Comfort is still living and resides at said Heollis.
Witness
Hezekiah Drew
Jonathan Drew
R. B. Caverly
State of Maine County of York ss. On this twentieth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight personally appeared the said Hezekiah Drew who is known to me to be a man of truth and veracity, entitled to full credit, and made solemn oath that the foregoing affidavit by him signed is just and true.
Before me
Robert B. Caverly } Justice of the Peace } County of York
N.B. All communications from the War

Department to Mrs. Comfort Smith may be direct to my care at Limerick, Maine.
By her request
Robert B. Caverly

Comfort Smith Widow of S. H. Clark Me See sec. 1st R.B. Waverly Aug 13 1838

The name of Sam H. Celak is not upon Capt Salter's roll dated Nov 1775, but it appears that he enlisted into that Co 15 Jan'y 1776

Alfred. May 29. 1839.
Sir,
I have just ascertained that Comfort Smith of Hollis , York County Me. — to whom a pension has lately been granted, had a husband living on the 4 th day of July 1836 — Her last husband was named Drew , & he died in September or October 1836. — The pensioner is, I am told, very old, & very feeble — Her Agent, John Taylor Esq. received one half of the amount by her — 400$! for his services .
I am informed that Sarah Dudley — the widow of Worthy , alias Trueworthy Dudley — of Waterville, York Co. Maine — has applied for a pension, for the Revolutionary Service of her husband — It has been suggested to me that there is some mistake or error in the residence of her marriage. By the Records of the Town of Lebanon, York Co. Maine, which are now in my hands, for another purpose, I find the marriage of Worthy Dudley & Sarah Stevens — took place June 23 d 1783. They were married by the Rev. Isaac Hasey in Lebanon aforesaid.
I know nothing of the facts in relation to Mrs. Dudley's case, — & I give this

information to present in position Should it be attempted.
I write from this place (Alfred York Co. Me.) being now in attendance on a State Court now in session here.
I am most respectfully, Your Most Obedt. Servt. Joseph Howard
Hon. J. L. Edwards, Comm. of Pensions.

Rey
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 22,352
Comfort Smith Wid of Samuel H. Clark Pres Rev. Wm
Act: July 1 th 185
Index:—Vol. 16 , Page 225
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Rev
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 22,252
Comfort Smith
wid of
Samuel H. Clark
Prim. Rev. mrs
Act: July 1 st /35
Index:—Vol. 16 , Page 225
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Maine.
Limerick, Nov. 27, 1838.
Dear Sir,
I received yours of the 13 th of Au- gust last, stating that the papers of Cornfort Smith late widow of Samuel Hill Clark have been placed upon your files. That you find his name upon the rolls of Captain Titus Salter in January, 1776, but that further proof will be required, &c.
The fact that Mr. Clark died more than 40 years ago, and his contemporaries being also almost all dead makes the case of Mr. Smith a very hard one to prove. We therefore are under the necessity of asking of you the favor, to examine the rolls of the companies commanded by Gilly, Wiggins, Hodydow, Bell and Salter; and of other companies which served at Portsmouth, N. H. & at Cambridge, and in that vicinity. There can be no mistake that Mr. Clark served at Great Island - at or near Fort Washington & Sullivan in the summer of 1775. All of the witnesses say he served at least two years - and I think it very probable you will find on some of the rolls a record proving the same fact.
I herewith transmit another affidavit of Mr. Drew who is a man of unexceptionable char- acter and a member of the Church in Hollis, who says Clark served at Great Island under one Major Money - but has forgotten the captain's name. He says he cannot be mistaken that Clark

served there in the summer of 1775 - that it was in haying-time, &c.
I also send you the affidavit of John B. Hill, as traditional testimony which may assist you in investigating the claim. And also the affidavit of Paul Roberts who served in Salton's company three years, and who says he well knows Clark served in the (Revolutionary) Army in the whole more than two years, &c. We hope that that this testimony will be deemed conclusive, even though the records of his services may have been lost or destroyed. Johnson, Drew, and Roberts are all the witnesses that we can find now living who were in the service with Mr. Clark. They are men of sound mind and of good character - and we hope and trust their evidence will be deemed conclusive even in the absence of documentary evidence. We urge Mrs. Smith's claim, having full confidence that she is legally entitled to a pension, and knowing her to be a woman in indigent circumstances who never has received any thing on account of her husband's services.
Very respectfully,
Yr. ob. servt.
J. L. Edwards, Esq.
Robert B. Caverly
Com. of Pensions.
I Hezekiah Drew, of Hollis, in the County of York and State of Maine, seventy-nine years of age in December next depose and say that in the

summer of seventeen hundred and seventy-five in haying time, I was sent for by Samuel Hill Clark who went into the army of the Revolution from Durham N.H. to take his place as a soldier at Great Island near Portsmouth, N.H. and accordingly I did take his place and served about three weeks in said Clark's place in said Army of the Revolution. But the Captains and the Colonels names under whom we served I cannot now remember. The Major of the Regiments' name was Mooney. Said Mooney took me out of the Ranks as his waiter, and kept me with him about ten days. And then the said Clark returned to his said company and I returned home.
Hezekiah Drew.
Witness
Robert B. Gaverly,
State of Maine }
County of York, p. 3 }
On this twenty-seventh day of August eighteen hundred and thirty-eight personally appeared the said Hezekiah Drew, a credible witness and made solemn oath that the foregoing affidavit by him signed is just and true. Before me
Robert B. Gaverly, Justice of the Peace in and for the county of York, Maine.

I, John B. Hill, of Hollis in the county of York, and State of Maine, aged seventy-seven on the third day of May next depose and say that I was an own cousin to Samuel Hill Clark, formerly of Durham, N. H., and late of Hollis, deceased, and was born and bred within a few miles of the said Clark. And well know that the said Clark enlisted a soldier and went into the army of the Revolution in the spring of seventeen hundred & seventy-five. He served at one time at [Great Island] Portsmouth N. H. Said Clark served at Cambridge, and was at one time at Lexington and Concord, Mass. - and was in said Army in the whole I think about two years. I frequently worked with said Clark after his return from said army. Said Clark moved into Hollis in the year 1779 and I moved here in 1780 the year following. He served I think part of the time under the Durham Officers. I also think he once served in Col. Poor's regiment and I think it very probable he might have been part of the time in Captain Gilly's company who went into the army from Nottingham, N. H. There is no person now living who served in the same company with said Clark in said army to my knowledge. Eunice Smith, the same woman with whom the said Clark intermarried in the spring of 1775 is now living and resides at said Hollis.
Witness - R. B. Gaurly. }
John B. Hill

State of Maine } County of York, ss }
On this twenty-seventh day of August eighteen hundred and thirty-eight personally appeared the said John B. Hill, a man of veracity and entitled to full credit and made solemn oath that the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed is just and true before me. The words "to my knowledge" were interlined before signed.
Robert B. Caverly, Justice of the Peace in and for the county of York.
I Paul Roberts of Newfield in the County of York and State of Maine, seventy-eight years of age depose and say that in the month of April, [1775] seventeen hundred and seventy-five, I enlisted a soldier in the Revolutionary army, and served first two months at Great Island Port- mouth, N.H. in Captain Elijah Woodbury's company who went into the service from Dover, N.H. That while I served in said company, Samuel Hill, Clerk, formerly of Durham N.H. and late of Hillis served the whole time in said company with me. That at the expiration of said two months the said Clark and myself were put into Captain Titus Salters' company, where I served in the whole three years. The said Clark continued to serve in said Salters' company in the whole two years and I well know that the said Clark served in said army more than two years. We served part of the time under Col.

Reeds and Major Gilly. After we left said Hodgdon's company, Captain William Bell's company and said Hodgdon's company marched to Ticanderoga and said Salton's company & Captain Wiggins's company remained, the former at fort Washington and the latter at fort Sullivan.
Witness -
Nathaniel Roberts, Paul his & Roberts. Robert B. Caverly, mark
State of Maine, County of York, ss }
On this twenty-second day of November eighteen hundred and thirty-eight personally appeared the said Paul Roberts, who is known to me to be a man of veracity and entitled to full credit and made solemn oath that the foregoing affidavit by him signed is is just & true before me.
Robert B. Caverly, Justice of the Peace. County of York
The word "army" was interlined before this affidavit was subscribed and sworn to
Robert B. Caverly, Justice of the Peace. State of Maine.
York, ss. I Hiram H. Hobbs, Clerk of the Judicial Courts, within and for said County of York, certify that Robert B. Caverly is a Justice of the Peace within and for said County, and that the foregoing signatures purporting to be his are genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto

Set my hand, and affixed my official seal, this third day of December, in the year of our Lord, Eighteen hundred and thirty-eight.
(S l )
H. H. Hobbs, Clerk.
N. B. All communications from the War Department to the widow Cornfat Smith may be directed to my care at Limerick, Maine.
By her request,
Robert B. Gaverly.