Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 13454, Alpheus Hill, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Mass.
Hill, Alpheus Martha
No. 13454
CONTENTS

Massachusetts. L 317
Martha Hill, widow of Alpheus Hill,
who was a pensioner under the Act of and who died on the 16 th April 1811. He was a P vt in the Company commanded by Captain Glens of the Reg t commanded by Buel in the Mass s time for 7 mo 27 days
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 26 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1836.
Certificate of Pension issued the 3 rd day of Dec r . 29, and sent to Marshall Preston, Belknap, Mass s
Arrears to the 14th of Sept — $ 92.15 Semi-annual allowance ending 13.10 $ 106.25
{ Act July 7, } 1838.
Recorded by R. Bursine Clerk Book A - Vol. 1 - Page 96

Martha Hill Can
2822
For. Dow. P. 2822
Martha Hill Mass.
abt July 38
In 85 & 1881.
Vol. 22 p. 177. 183 131 X not on 19 - 84 X not on 86 - on 7-27
adm d Memo. 27. d. hi
A 26. 33
No deduction
Marshall Green Bellevue Mass.

I, Sarah Hill of Billerica in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, of lawful age in oath depose & say that my Father Alpheus Hill late of Billerica aforesaid, and Husband of my mother Martha Hill, now resident in said Billerica, died on the seventeenth day of April in the year of our Lord, Eighteen Hundred & Eleven - That my mother the said Martha, still remains the widow of said father, she never having married again.
Sarah Hill
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Middlesex ss. August. 29 th A.D. 1838 Then personally appeared the above named Sarah Hill, with whom I am well acquainted and whom testimony in my opinion is entitled to full credit and belief and made oath to the truth of the statement by her above subscribed
Before me Marshall P. Pierce Rec. of the Peace

I Joseph Dows of Billerica in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, an United States Pensioner of Seventy eight years of age the fifth day of February last past, in oath, deposition that Alpheus Hill, formerly of Billerica aforesaid deceased, the Husband of the present widow Martha Hill now resident in said Billerica, was a Soldier in the American Revolution: that he enlisted and served four & a half months in the army, destined for the defense of our northern Frontiers, in the year 1777, at the time General Burgoyne, surrendered. - that we both enlisted at said Billerica at the same time and were both members of Capt Stephen Russell's company of Dracut in Col Bullard's Regiment
I further depose and say that said Alpheus Hill again enlisted in the service in 1778 to go to New York for eight months, that he went into the army and served the said term of Eight months, we were both at this time too, members of the same Company, viz Capt Hill's Company, the Colonel's name I do not now recollect
I further state that I have always been acquainted with the said Martha Hill, that she is now the widow of the said Alpheus, she never having married again.
Joseph Dows
Middlesex ss. August 31. st 1838. Then personally appeared the above named Joseph Dows, (with whom I am well acquainted and whose testimony is in my opinion entitled to full credit & belief) and made oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition by him subscribed
Before me

Martha Hill's
Can
Marriage Certificate

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Middlesex p.
On this twentieth day of September in the year of Our Lord, eighteen hundred & Thirty Eight personally appeared before the Honorable Judge of the Police Court of the City of Lowell, in said County, Martha Hill a resident of Billerica in said County of Middlesex, aged Seventy four 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 7, 1838 entitled, "An act granting half pay & pensions to certain widows". That she is the widow of Alpheus Hill who was a private soldier in the army of the Revolutionary war - that he enlisted at said Billerica and went to the North in the year, 1777 and served four & a half months - was at the taking of Genl. Burgoyne - at Crown Point, - Saratoga and Saratoga - as she has often heard him tell and talk over his battles - Also, the said Alpheus again enlisted at said Billerica the next year in 1778 and served eight months longer - that according to her belief and from what she has heard him say, he was in the service in all two years - Officers names not recollected, altho' she has heard him call them over. She further declares that she was married

to the said Alpheus Hill, on the fifteenth day of December in the year, Seventeen Hundred & Eighty four - That her Husband the aforesaid Alpheus Hill, died on the sixteenth day of April in the year, Eighteen Hundred & Eleven - That she was not married to him prior to his leaving service but the marriage took place previous to the first of January Seventeen hundred and Ninety four, viz- at the time above stated.
Martha Hill
Sworn to and subscribed on the day & year above written, before
Joseph Locke Justice of the Police Court of Lowell.
I, Albert Locke, Clerk of the Police Court of Lowell in the County of Mid- dlesex & Commonwealth of Massachu- setts, hereby certify that Joseph Locke Esquire abovenamed is a justice of a court of record, & that the signature above is his genuine signature.
In witness whereof I hereunto put my hand the seal of said court and seal this twentieth day of September in the year eighteen hundred and thirty eight Albert Locke Clerk P.C.L.
L. paid

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Middlesex ss. I, Albert Lockes, clerk of the Police Court of Lowell in said County do hereby certify that Marshall Preston & John Bald- win Coquines, are justices of the peace within & for the county of Middlesex aforesaid; and that their signatures to the three following certificates, annexed hereto, are genuine.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of said court this twenty second day of October in the year eighteen hundred and thirtyeight.
Albert Lockes Clk. P.C.L.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Middlesex County ss.
The following is an Extract from the Record of marriage for the Town of Billerica, County of Middlesex and Com- monwealth of Massachusetts.
"Alpheus Hill and Martha Manning both of Billerica were married by the Rev. Henry Cummings" the fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord Seventeen Hundred and Eighty five
I the subscriber, Town Clerk of the said Town of Billerica hereby certify that the above extract is a true copy of the Record with the exception of the date which is expressed on the Record in fair legible figures as follows, "December 15. 1785."
Marshall Preston { Town Clerk of said Billerica.
I Marshall Preston above named depose & say: That I hold the office of Town Clerk of the Town, County & State aforesaid, and that the above is a true extract from the Records of said Town of Billerica with the exception of the date above named as certified by me.
Marshall Preston { Town Clerk of said Billerica
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middlesex County ss. August 27 th 1838 Sworn to before me
John Baldwin Justice of the Peace

Billerica August 24. 1839
Hon J. L. Edwards Comr of Pensions
Dear Sir.
I herewith send you the Deposition of Calvin Heald, Town Clerk of Carlisle, Benjamin Ball, Town Clerk of Concord & Job Hill, one of the oldest men in our Town, to be used as evidence in the application of Sarah Stearns, widow of Jonah Stearns for a pension. —
The enclosed depositions, with those previously forwarded you, embrace all the evidence that can now be obtained to prove the marriage of said Sarah & Jonah —
It is a fact well known here that our magistrates in former times as well as at the present, have been & are shamefully negligent in returning to the Town Clerk the marriages by them solemnized. In obtaining these last depositions I believe I have conformed to all the requisites of the Department, contained in their printed circular you sent me.
I also forward you the additional deposition of Joseph Dows, in the case of Martha Hill, widow of Alpheus Hill; — I think on a little examination of the Rolls, of the Army at West Point in 1778, you will find the name of said Alpheus Hill, also Ralph Hill, alias Alpheus Hill and probably on the same Roll with said Joseph Dows. There may be some mistake about the name

of the Captain, when the Roll, as he was sick as often by saw Dows testimony. Flint was the Lieutenant - but commanded the Company, he therefore called him Captain. There may be some confusion from this cause -
I suppose that all the Department require d that a person did serve, if the witness be in an error as to the Company & Regiment in which he served - This I should think could be of no consequence, there might be two persons of the same name, but there is no probability that there are two persons of the name of Alpheus Hill of Billerica -
Respectfully Yours O. B. G. Marshall Preston.

Map
Rev  WIDOW, &c.
File No. 15454
Martha Hill
Widow of Stephen Hill
Prv. Mass. Line
Act: July 7 th 1838
Index: Vol. a , Page 335
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Oct. Marshall Practice May 11: '39 - June 1: Aug 39 June, Sept 17: '39 -

Bill
Sir
Sister 14
J. L. Edwards Commission of Pensions Washington D.C. -

Bellevue, Sept. 23. 1839
Hon J. L. Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions.
Dear Sir—
By yours of the 17 th instant I am happy to learn that upon a further examination of the Rolls, the alleged service of Alpheus Hill in Poor's Reg t in N. York in '78, is reduced to the extent of 9 months 29 days — as to the other term of 4 months, in '77 in Capt Stephen Russell's company — is not found upon the Roll the witness may be in an error. tho' no one, who knows Dea Dows the witness, would doubt his sincerity in his recollection — but human testimony is fallible not infallible — it seems to me, however probable that said Alpheus Hill, did serve another term with the witness, other than the one proved by the Rolls, but the witness has mistaken the time — as he was in a mistake I rejoice that it can be made, clear, beyond dispute, that he was so, because for one, I am decidedly opposed to any one's receiving a pension, not entitled to it, by the beneficent acts of Congress in favor of the widows of Revolutionary soldiers.
But I would take the liberty to state, here, what are thought to be a hardships, that the widows, are called upon to state in their declaration the the times, the length of service of their husbands & the officers under whom they served, when from the very nature of the case, they strictly can know nothing about it, as they are not supposed to have been in the

service themselves - they must depend upon what they have heard their husbands say about it, and especially in those cases where their husbands died died before they could state their own services - and in addition to the above, the Rolls of the Army the best evidence in testimony of their husbands' services, are not open to their inspection -
Take the case of Mrs Martha Hill, - she has heard her husband state who died in 1811, before any pensions were granted Revolutionary soldiers, that he served in all nearly two years . - but she is not able to produce the testimony of any living witness to only 8 months of his service - now she believes I am certain that could she or some person for her, have inspection of the Rolls now in the War Department, that more evidence of Alpheus Hill's service could be found. - Now if it be contrary to the Rules of the Department to to look at the records for themselves, only upon the Rolls, when the terms and officers names are stated and the Rolls are not open to the inspection of the applicants or their agents, then she wishes that a certificate be granted her for the service of her husband already proved to the satisfaction of the Department or if on inspection of the Rolls, the Department are satisfied that no other evidence of Alpheus Hill's service can be found therein, then grant the certificate as above -
Very Respectfully
Yours. Marshall Preston.

Free.
Billings May 26
May 26
My add: Mrs. Sarah Stearns.
J. S. Edwards
Conneautin J. Parsons
Washing Tn D. G.

Billerica May 20. 1839
To Hon. J. L. Edwards Comr. of Pensions.
Dear Sir -
I rec d yours of the 11 th inst o stating the difficulties in the cases of the application of Sarah Stearns & Martha Hill for pensions. In the former case, I have supplied the deficiency as well as I can by my own deposition. I made the diligent search, as I have stated in my deposition before sending to New Hampshire to obtain the deposition of a living witness, which I did - The said Sarah is supposed in our Alma Town, and according to our pauper laws if she was not the wife of said Josiah Stearns, this Town would not be obliged to support her, as she gained a settlement in this Town, only , by her marriage with said Josiah -
In the case of Martha Hill - It has occurred to me that possibly the error if any may be this -
Ralph is the common Nickname for Alpheus and when I was a boy this same Alpheus Hill in common parlance was always spoken of as Ralph Hill. - it is sometimes written so I believe now possibly he may have been enrolled by the name of Ralph in the army. - Dea Dorr who swears he was with him in the same company cannot be so mistaken - The Dea is a very credible witness and has always known said Hill - Mrs. Hill does not recollect the names of officers under whom she has heard her Husband talk of serving - She has often heard her Husband say that he served in all about 2 years -
Very Respectfully Yours Marshall D. Weston

I, Joseph Downs of Billerica in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States of Seventy nine years of age, on oath de- pose & say, that I am positive that Alphus Hill, of Billerica, dec d the husband of the widow Martha Hill of said Billerica, was a soldier, with me, during the Revolutionary war and served as a private, eight months, in the year 1778, principally at West Point, in the Company commanded by Lieut. Flint, who acted as Captain, that said Hill went on to the Army with me & we both returned home together. — Our Captain was taken sick and never came to take the command of the Company, during the term. — I was well acquainted with said Hill, having known him from a Boy. — Said Hill, was sometimes called, Ralph Hill, sometimes Alph Hill, and at other times, Alphus Hill. — I am as certain that said Hill served, the said eight months as I have above stated, as I am, that I served myself. — Joseph Downs
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middlesex County ss. June 27 th 1839 —
Then personally appeared the above named Joseph Downs, with whom I am well acquainted & whose testimony is entitled to full credit and belief, & made oath to the truth of the above affidavit by him subscribed
Before me Marshall Weston Rev. A.M.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Middlesex ss. District of Lowell.
I, Albert Locke, Clerk of the Police Court of Lowell in said County, hereby certify that Marshall Preston Ely, whose attestation within to the deposition of Joseph Dows, dated June 27. 1839, precedes, is and at said date was a justice of the peace within & for the said County of Middlesex duly commissioned & acting; that his commission is dated Jan'y 5. 1836, & will expire Jan'y. 5. 1843,; and that his signature within is genuine.
In witness whereof I hereto put my hand and the seal of said court this nineteenth day of August in the year eighteen hundred and thirty nine.
Albert Locke Clerk P.C.
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