Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29723, William Cotton, Mass.

SERVICE
Mass.
Cotton, William
NUMBER
S-29723
CONTENTS

84 Battal
56452
Massachusetts
William Cotton
of Newton in the State of Mass who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Tuller of the Regt commanded by Col. Walker in the (Militia) line for 17 (May 24 Days)
Inscribed on the Roll of Pensions at the rate of 59 Dollars 33 Cents per annum to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 14 th day of Feby 1833 and due from J. L. Fudge, St of Reps
Arrears to 14th of Feby 1832 $ 88.99 Pension allowance ending 14 Mar 33 29.66
$118.65
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J. H. Spofford Clerk Book D. Vol. 254 Page 94.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Bristol ss.
At a Court of Probate held at Dighton in and for said County on the Twentieth day of August — one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, before the Hon. Judah Bliss, Judge of the Probate Court for said County, personally appeared William Cotton aged thirty of Dighton in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid aged Eighty three years on the eighteenth day of November now last past who being first duly sworn according to law, states on his oath, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of 1832 passed June 7th 1832 — make the following declaration — That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated, viz. That he enlisted as a private soldier on the first day of May A.D. 1775 in said Dighton at that time being his place of residence, for the term of eight months, in a company of Infantry, commanded by Capt. Samuel Dabbs in the Regiment of Col. Walker of Rehoboth in said County of Bristol; that in one or two days after he so enlisted he proceeded to Berkley in said County, where he joined the company and marched with said company from Berkley aforesaid to the Town of Roxbury in the County of Norfolk, when he, with other troops, was stationed & were engaged in guarding Boston Neck (the British then being in the possession of Boston) and in erecting fortifications in face of the enemy — He recalls that during this term of service that Gen. Washington came to Roxbury and reviewed the troops — He also recalls the battle of Bunker Hill and the burning of Charlestown, he having a full view of the same — The enemy during the day after the battle at Bunker Hill, fired upon the American troops that were stationed at Roxbury & the Americans were in constant expectation of a battle with the enemy — He also recalls of having seen Gen. Putnam and also of having frequently seen Gen. Thomas at Roxbury during this

2 nd campaign and term of service - This service was rendered by said Lotton as one of the soldiers which were furnished by the State of Massachusetts - The evidence of this service is annexed and will be found in the affidavits of William Burns, Benjamin Paul and Paul Briggs all of whom were private soldiers in the same company with him - That he the said Lotton was discharged at Boston by the 1st Inf y July 1 st 1776 - His discharge was a verbal and not a written one -
And the said Lotton upon his oath as aforesaid, further declares, that after the aforesaid described service and before Sullivan's Expedition (so called) upon the Island of Rhode Island, he enlisted at Dighton in said County (then being his place of residence) for the term of six weeks in a company of Infantry commanded by Capt. Ephraim Wathery of said Dighton  Town in the Regiment of Col. (later Gen.) Nathaniel Greene, - That he enlisted for the term of six weeks - That he marched from said Dighton immediately or in the course of one or two days after he enlisted, for Bristol R.I. - that after getting near to Bristol, the company were ordered to march to Providence R.I. - That he together with the company then marched to Providence R.I. - where he and the company remained a few days and quartered in Providence College then being used by the soldiers as a barracks. - That from thence he and the company were marched to North Kingston in the same State, and were engaged in guarding the coast and shores from the expected invasions of the enemy. - That after he served said term of six weeks he was then  again marched to Providence where he was discharged - The discharge was a verbal and not a written one. - That he does not recall of any other troops besides the regiment to which he belonged, being stationed at that time at said North Kingston - That he cannot now fix the period of this service with any greater certainty than is above stated. - That the evidence of this service will be found in the affidavits of Benjamin Paul.

While it herewith annexed, and who was a private soldier in said company, and only person that he now knows who is alive (beside himself), that belonged to said company & the only person by whom he can prove from this time of service.
And the said William Cotton upon his oath aforesaid, further declares, that some time in the year of our Lord 1778 and during the time of Sullivan's expedition so-called upon the Island of Rhode Island, he the said William Cotton then residing in said Dighton, was hired by Charles De Wolf as a substitute for the said De Wolf for the period of six weeks, to serve as a soldier in said expedition in a company of Infantry commanded by Capt. Troop of Bristol R.I. - That immediately after he was thus hired by the said De Wolf, he went from said Dighton to the American fortification or fort upon the Island near Headland, Ferry so-called, and there found Capt. Troop, a company which he joined. That soon after he joined said company, he was detached from the same and took the command of one of the American boats, lying at Headland, Ferry aforesaid. That at the time of the battle as near Butts hill, in this period of his service he was in full view of the same, and but took no part in it, as he was during that day and all the nights following engaged in transporting in the boats, the American troops from the Island to the Mainland - also near said Ferry. That after the battle aforesaid he again joined the company of Capt. Troop, and assisted in guarding the shores of the mainland, to prevent the landing and expected invasion of the enemy until the six weeks expired, when he was there discharged by Capt. Troop - The discharge was a verbal and not written one. He recollects that there were many troops engaged in this service, but in consequence of his age he is now unable to recollect the names of the General officers who were there, except General Sullivan. That he has forgotten the name of his Colonel. That he does not know of any person now living by whom he can prove this

services. — That he cannot state the day or the month when this service commenced or ended, but knows it was in 1778 as before stated and for the period of six weeks —
And the said William Cotton upon his oath as aforesaid, further declares that in the month of April or May of the year of our Lord 1780 that he said Dighton he enlisted as a private soldier in the Continental Army, as he thinks and believes for the period of seven months; that in a very short time after he enlisted he went to Farmington in said County, from Dighton, as he was ordered — That from Farmington aforesaid he and others were ordered to proceed to Springfield, Massachusetts, which order he obeyed, and after arriving at Springfield he and the others were supplied with fire arms and equipments, and after remaining a few days at said Springfield he and many others were marched from thence to West Point in the State of New York — The name of the person who commanded those that marched from Springfield to New York he has forgotten — After he arrived at West Point, the soldiers were placed under the command of officers in companies, and he the said Cotton was placed in a company commanded by a person by the name of Frost; whether the said Frost had a Captain's commission the said Cotton is not certain, said Frost however during the campaign was called Adjutant Frost — He does not recollect the name of the lieutenant, but the name of Ensign of the company was Paul White, who also belonged to said Dighton — That Col. [illegible] commanded the Regiment and his brother Gen. [illegible] the Brigade, to which he the said Cotton belonged — That from said West Point he was marched to Kings Ferry, so called, and afterwards to Orange Town which generally was the place where he was stationed — He however and the company, Regiment and other troops were occasionally marched to other places in the vicinity of Orange Town where they remained but very short times. — Before they were discharged they were marched from Orange Town to West Point where they were discharged, he thinks and believes in the month of December A.D. 1780. — That he was discharged

by said Wash, that he had a written discharge; but where said discharge is he is unable to say, as he has not seen it, to his recollection for many years - That it is not in his possession or among any of his papers, as he has made a close and thorough search for the same, but cannot find it. - That he knows of no person now living who served with him in this campaign. - That in the year 1818 he made an application for a pension and procured the deposition of (then living but since deceased) the Hon.  John Edward Simmons and delivered the same to William Mitchell of Bridgewater, to prove this service which deposition he the said Cotton supposed that the said Mitchell sent to the then Secretary of War - The annexed affidavit of Ebenezer Pierce which is true, will have a tendency to prove this service. As certain facts therein stated is true - to wit, that Major Amos was executed at the time he the said Cotton was at Orange town, - and the said Cotton says that whilst he was at Orange town Major Amos was captured and executed, and that there was a double guard shown out at the time of his execution and that he the said Cotton was one of the guards - That he recollects that Capt. Rebecka Redding with whom he the said Cotton served was well acquainted was at Orange town during this campaign, but not in the same Regiment or Brigade with him the said Cotton as he thinks. - That Capt. James Looper of Farnsworth also he remembers of being at Orange town in this campaign - Captains Redding & Looper were in the Continental army at this time. -
and the said Cotton further declares that he was called up at several other times than the above mentioned, at several alarms during the Revolution, of which however in this declar- -tion he shall not make any further mention as he does not propose to claim any compensation for any services, except the aforesaid which which amount in the whole (beside the times he was called upon alarms) to eighteen months. -
And the said Cotton further declares in order to more fully answer the interrogatories proposed by the Secretary of War - that he was born at the

6 th supposes and has been informed by his mother in the State of New Jersey. From whence he has brought to the town of Berkeley in the County of Bristol when he was an infant, his father having shortly before that time (as he has been informed) been killed by the Indians in one of the wars with the Indians; that his he the said latter resided in said Berkeley at the time of his earliest recollection his mother having returned after the death of his father to her native place which as he has understood was Berkley — That he has no record of his age but well recollects, of his mother, & having a Bible in which the names of the whole family and the times of their births were recorded. — That the said Bible after the death of his mother went into the hands and possession of his brother Thomas whom he supposes to be deceased — and if living resides at Wadsworth in the State of Pennsylvania — That he has particularly stated before, in this declar- ation the places where he resided at the periods when he was called into the service — That he lived in that part of Brighton aforesaid which was since the Revolution and annexed to said Berkeley, until within about thirty years since when he removed about three miles to Newton aforesaid where he has always since resided. — Here he was called into the service, and also the names of his and of other officers, together with such regiments as he recollects and the general circumstances of his service and the manner in which he was discharged, are before mentioned and described in this declaration — He was not a substitute (except for the period of six weeks for Charles De Wolf Barnard, before mentioned) — The names of these persons who can testify to his veracity and some of his services as a soldier are the same that have subscribed the annexed affidavits, and in addition to these persons he has no doubt, but that the Rev. Philip Hathaway and John Nichols both residents of said Newton can testify to his character for veracity and their belief that he rendered the aforesaid and described services as a soldier of the Revolution — He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension

by the
code, of the agency of any State -
Wm
Mark
Cotton
Witness A Purvis
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid -
H. Baylies Judge of Probate
We Philip Hathaway a clergyman, residing in the said Town of Freetown, and John Nicholls, Gentleman, residing in the same Town, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Cotton who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, and believe him to be in the Eighty fourth year of his age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood, where he resides, to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Philip Hathaway John Nicholls
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid -
H. Baylies Judge of Probate
and the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the inves- -tigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories set forth -bed by the General War Department that the above named Officer was a Revolutionary soldier, and served as he states, and the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Philip Hathaway who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman residing in said Freetown and that John Nicholls who has also signed the same is a resident in the same Town and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. -
H. Baylies, Judge of Probate
Commonwealth of Massachusetts } ss. County of Bristol }
Anselm D. Dyer Register of the Court of Probate in and for said

5 th June 18... County do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court, in the matter of the application of William Cotton for a Pension —
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the said Court the day and year first written in this application — Anselm Bassett
Wm. Cotton

Wm Cotton
No. 2832
Defection to the 14 interrogatory
Pronto
17 Nov 24 days
Admiral
$ 59.03
Forwarded by V. B. Russell Lighton Ellap

Old Case
BRIEF in the case of Wm Cotton of Freetown in the State of Massachusetts (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? Eighty Three Years  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days. As a Gen.     May 1 In 17 75 " 8 " Private Col. Walker   76 " 1 12 " Col. Carpenter   78 " 1 12 " Capt. Doolittle   Apr 80 " 7 " " Major Cook  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None stated  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Freetown & Highton  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Living witnesses & traditional evidence  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Living witnesses not stated as credible 
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
H. D. Atkinson Examining Clerk.

29723 INVALID.
May 26 1920 Dear Mr. Milroy-Pan
Ray
File No. 29723
William Cotton
St. John's
Act: Foreign 22
Index: Vol. Page 22
[Arrangement of 1878]

29723 Wm Callon old
Aug 20, 1832
Newtown Mass 83
My 1, 1775 - Newtown Mass Capt Samuel Peabody Col. Walker - 8 mos
76 Capt Ephraim Hetherington Col. Carpenter 1 1/2 m
78 Capt Frost Col - 1 1/2 m
Spring 80 Capt Frost Col. Nixon 7 mos
was a guard at the vicinity of Mt Andie
Wm Callon
P-29723

Taunton May 24, 1900.
My Dear Mr. Witherell.
Can you find me anything concerning the following person? If so I would like his record.
W m Cotton said to have been a Revolution ary soldier enlisted in Norton, drew pensions in Assonet. He may have been in War of 1812.
An early reply will greatly oblige me.
His descendants have a very meagre account of him.
Since my brother Joseph's death on Feb. 3, 1900 I have been troubled with Insomnia & all its attendant ills & am therefore unable to apply my mind closely to any work.
Yours truly
Isaac W. Wilcox
address letter to
W. P. Witherell
Bridgewater

Wm Cotton
102832
Forwarded by A. Bapca Highton Map.

ERRATA objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Wm Collins which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes
V. * Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? Yes
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of Yes
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes, in his favor
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? Yes. With an inscription

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? Yes XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? XIV. † If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? No XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? Yes XVI. † Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? Yes XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? Yes
 EXPLANATORY NOTES.
* QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the 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 periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For _____ year _____ months, and _____ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____ ; and for such service I claim a pension."

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
† QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the affidavits must be properly authenticated, as above directed.
† QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.

We William Evans Benjamin Paul and Paul Briggs all of Berkeley in said county of lawful age to give evidence, do testify and say, that on or before about the first day of May A.D. 1775 we together with William Cotton now a resident of Fruitville in said county, marched from said town of Berkeley, in the service of the War of the Revolution in the company commanded by Capt. Samuel Peabody in Col. Walker's Regiment, in the eight months service so called, - That the said Cotton with said company marched to Roxbury in the county of Norfolk, where he the said Cotton served in said company, guarding Boston Neck (the British then being in possession of Boston) and erecting intrenchments & fortifications until the first of January 1776 when he the said Cotton with the remainder of said company was discharged by Capt. Peabody at Roxbury. This discharge was a verbal and not a written one -
William Evans Benjamin Paul Paul Briggs
Aug. 11 th 1832 Bristol. Then personally appeared William Evans, Benjamin Paul and Paul Briggs the subscribers to the above declaration, who made solemn oath to the truth of the facts therein stated - Ebenezer D. Hathaway, Just. of the Peace
Bristol. Dec. 16 th 1832, I certify that William Evans, Benjamin Paul and Paul Briggs who subscribed the above affidavit are divers & credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit - Ebenezer D. Hathaway, Just. of the Peace

I Benjamin Paul of Bristol, a man of lawful age to give evidence do testify and say, that I served with William Colton now deceased of the Town of Preston, for during the time of six weeks in a company of Infantry commanded by Capt. Ephraim H. Harkness in said County and in the Regiment of Col. L. Foster of the State of Rhode Island; that we marched from said Brighton to Bristol R.I. and from there to North Kingston in the same State, - I cannot fix the year in the Revolution when this service was rendered. The company and Regiment were engaged in guarding the shore and coast in the vicinity of North Kingston - We were discharged I well recollect in the month of July at North Kingston by Col. L. Foster. Our discharge was a verbal and not a written one. - I do not recollect of any continental troops serving with us at this period. - This company was an entitled company and in the service of the State of Rhode Island. - I know that this service was rendered as a part of the Rhode Island Militia. - I know that this service was rendered as a part of the Rhode Island Militia. Benjamin Paul
Bristol R.I. Aug. 16th 1832. I personally appeared Benjamin Paul and made oath to the truth of the above declaration by him subscribed. Before me Elkanah P. Hattaway, Justice of the Peace.
Bristol R.I. Aug. 16th 1832. I certify that Benjamin Paul who signed the above declaration is a credible person and that his statement is true.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Bristol ss. I James Sprout, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for said County of Bristol, do hereby certify that the names of Nathaniel Hathaway and John Billingham Esqrs. whose signatures are affixed to the within and annexed certificates, are Justices of the peace, in said County of Bristol and duly qualified and administered oaths.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of said Court, this twenty fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
J. Sprout
Ms. B. 1. 1. 2
No. 2. 832
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Bristol ss. I Anselm Barrett, Register of the Court of Probate in and for said County of Bristol do hereby certify that Nathaniel P. Hathaway and John Billingham are Justices of the peace within said County of Bristol aforesaid and duly qualified to administer oaths and that the signatures to the foregoing certificates purporting to be theirs are their genuine signatures.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said Court this seventh day of December eighteen hundred and thirty two — Anselm Barrett.

I Ebenezer Pierce of Berkley in the County of Bristol of lawful age Deposeth & saith that I lived about one mile from where William Cotten lived in the Revolutionary war & that the said William Cotten went into the army to West Point with my brother & others & that I have heard & understood that they were all present when Major Andrew was hung and that I have no doubt but he the said Cotten served his time out with others & was discharged at the same time Ebenezer Pierce
August 14 th 1832 then personally appeared Ebenezer Pierce & made oath that the above statement by him subscribed is true in all its parts before me — John Dillingham } Justice of the peace
Bristol Nov. 16 th 1832 I certify that Ebenezer Pierce who signed the above affidavit is a disinterested and a credible person and that his statement is entitled to credit — John Dillingham } Justice of the peace