Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 13400, William Hibbard, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Hibbard, William
S. 13400
CONTENTS
Carded
Arminda Hibbard or Hibbard, widow of above soldier was pensioned as the former widow of Obadiah Phelps, Continental, W. 4985

Connecticut 9668.
William Hibbard
Hebron in the State of Conn t who was a Lieut. Col. Engr s in the Company commanded by Captain Charackan of the Regt s commanded by Col. Denison in the Ct. State Troops were for
Inscribed on the Roll of Conn t at the rate of 200. Dollars " Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 10. day of June 1833. and delivered Judge Hende, Present.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833. 400.00 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept. " 100.00
$ 500.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Franciosi Clerk Book C Vol. 3 l Page 18.
Act: 10 Dec 1842 to Dudley Baldwin.
Died June 4 - 1834

I am personally acquainted with the within claimant and that he is in all respects a worthy & deserving man. June 8. 1833.
Honor Horace Judson County Court of Judes Court of Probate Tolland County of State of Connecticut
William H. Hovey
Application -
Co
adm ad 16 mo. Easga 8 mo. per ga

State of Connecticut, ss. Probate District of Hartford on this third day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court Robert Hovey
William Hibbard of Hebron, aged Eighty One 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 act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officer, as herein stated. I enlisted (as Sergeant) in a Company of Militia commanded by Capt. M c Characken, raised in Westmore land a Township so named in the State of Pennsylvania the P o territory (so then called Westmoreland) was settled by people, from Connecticut, & Connecticut then claimed, & exercised, jurisdiction over the territory, it was annexed to the County of Litchfield in said State of Connecticut - & s d Westmoreland continued annexed to s d Litchfield County, until the Dispute between the States of Pennsylvania & Connecticut were settled, relative to s d Territory was finally determined (by Commissioners appointed by the United States) at Trenton in New Jersey. The Company as I stated was commanded by a Capt. M c Characken, he was killed in the Wyoming Valley

The first duty I was called upon to perform was as a Spy, Colonel Denison, of Kingston, then in S d M d land, now County of Luzerne in said State of Pennsylvania commanded the Regiment that was raised on S d tract called (then) Westmoreland as a part of the settlement then consisted of eight Townships, the inhabitants in which amounted to four, or five thousand, the settlement was called the Wyoming Settlement on the Susquehanna River.
In the summer of 1777, in the month of June  which nearly passed over Col o Denison of us ordered three Men to go up the River towards the Indian Settlements, to make discovery; Up the Susquehanna lived a numerous body of Tories & half Breeds Indians, connected with the six Nations who were very bitter in their feelings towards the United States & particularly against the Wyoming Settlement of us. My orders were from Col o Denison to see if the Tories had removed, & gone off, as they had been previously warned to depart the County or they would be forcibly removed. Also to make what discovery we could up, upon the River, to discover if we could if the Indians were in the vicinity of the River, and generally to obtain all the information relative to the enemy that we could.
I started in June A d 1777 in Company with two other Men in a Canoe, we were directed to proceed with great caution, with as much secrecy as possible, we paddled the Canoe up the River in the night; in the day time, we concealed the Canoe, and made excursions on Land, on the Banks of the river and in its neighborhood, in this way we proceeded up the River as far as Tioga point, at that time a

the Indians, as was most of the Country above the Wyoming Settlements. In our course the river we discovered the Tories were mostly except their Dog Sabres, Horses, were their habits we discovered that they had grown to the size of a Nation & to the knowledge of John Butler their intelligent, under the British. - The length of time I was engaged as a Spy I cannot now precisely recollect, it was at least two Months more - He traced the River more than one Hundred Miles in the Manner I have stated, he returned back in the course of the Summer & made Report to Col. Simcoe after which was not satisfied as he said with our Service. both the Men with me at that time, are dead, one of them was killed by the Indians. The service was full of perils & difficulties & danger. When we made our Report that the Tories had a party off & the Manner of the Indians, Col. Simcoe gave orders that the Company should be upon the alert, the Company was kept out patrolling & scouting in small parties, as we were in constant fear, that the Tories, Rangers and Indians would attack us - The settlement, to which I belonged, were in general with few Exceptions, very patriotic, they had raised nearly a Regiment of Men for the Continental Army & they were then with Genl. Washington's Army -
In the Month of July 1778. The Indians & Tories Under the Comd. of John Butler came down upon the they began their Depredations by Burning our Build- ings taking & killing our Cattle &c. The S d John But- ler this Indians & Rangers at Wintemoots house so called, which the owner had fortified under pretence of defence against the Indians, when in fact he was a Loyalist & Pilot to the Enemy & turned Covertly against the

As soon as possible the Inhabitants, that were capable to bear arms, collected, by order of Col o Lebelon Butler who Commanded the Militia under the Commission of Gen l Rutherford at Kingston upon the said John Butler sent a Message to Col o Lebelon Butler, the purport of which was (as I understood) that if all the Inhabitants that were friendly to the United States would immediately quit the settlement & give up all they had (except the clothes they wore) he the said John Butler would prevent the Indians from destroying the settlement & murdering the Inhabitants, & these were his only terms; these terms Col o Lebelon Butler Col o Duns on refused to accept there was some division what was best to be done but it was finally concluded by the Officers to march up the River and prevent if possible, the Indians from coming into the the settlement. In the afternoon of the 3 rd of July (I wears shall forget the day) we marched up the River Susquehanna about five Miles from Kingston on the West side of the River where we met the Enemy Under the direction of a party the said John Butler so disposed his Indians (as they proved to be much more numerous than our force, or than we apprehended) so as to surround us. About one hour before Sun Set, the Battle began, & at first with the appearance of success as our men fought bravely, I was in the Center) When Unfortunately the left wing, in endeavoring to change their position, to meet a body of Indians, who came out of a Swamp near by, & were flanking that wing at that moment a voice was heard commanding a Retreat, as was supposed by many in that division.

to protect from their Commencing Affairs, but it was a voice from some Friend, that Divine broke & run; this was our turn and we were soon in great confusion; (I was with Capt. the ) a consequence of the flight of the Left Wing we were immediately surrounded by the Russians; as they gave us quarters it was a Complete Butchery; out of about fifty Men of which the Company I was in, consisted; thirty five were killed & fled with what few escaped, and considered (to this day) my escape almost miraculous. The particulars of my escape I forbear to mention, my family lived about five miles from the Battle ground, during the night I reached my family (a wife & three children) all present, one of them but two days old I immediately put my sick wife & child on a cart (close near the river) & fled down the River, succeeded in passing the falls with great difficulty, reached home after Harris Ferry where Harris lived in Pennsylvania, where the inhabitants treated me & my family with the greatest kindness otherwise we should have perished as we had nothing but our clothes that we took in our flight & had no change. In one day we were reduced from a competent estate to absolute poverty, my wife died soon after our arrival at Harris Ferry where I from great fatigue & a broken heart, as soon as I had provided for my child then returned back to Washington, and joined as a vo- lunteer, a company of Continental Troops, sent by Genl Washington, from his Army to our Relief; the Company was commanded by Capt. Spaulding, Smith's River was their Camp Name I have full attests.

I continued in the Company eight Months and was discharged in May 1779 as nearly as I can now re- collect, I returned to Cambridge  the fall of that year with my little children & provided for them with the 21 of June with my wife & children. In the summer of 1780 my son being 14 years received a commission from Governor Turnbull of Providence  Providence the commission of all the officers in Westmoreland during the war were from him. John Franklin was appointed captain of the Company, the Lieut's name was Asa Chapman, we raised 100 men we had, Capt. Franklin, soon died of sickness, & the distress he had suffered in the region Massacre & its consequences; Lieut. Chapman was soon after, I think in August of 1780 killed by the Indians, a man by the name of Jameson was killed at same time, I was sometimes stationed in fortified houses or Block houses, & frequently performed scouting parties, in search of the Indians, I was constantly en- gaged in such services & was exposed to great for- tunes, privations, & dangers, until the latter part of the fall of 1781, (until the news of the capture of Lord Cornwallis was known throughout the country). The depredations of the Indians then seemed to cease, In the fall of that year & winter we were no more troubled with parties of seeking Indians or Tories, & I did no more service after that time. In my first term of duty under Capt. McShane I was a Sergeant & performed as near as my memory serves me, one year & one month service. As a Volunteer I performed eight months service I entered Capt. Moulton's Company as a Soldier.

my desire to be received on the Indians for the many services , & my friends had none at their hands, made me willing & anxious to do duty in any capacity. (I had a brother killed in the Wyoming Battle by my side) my property burnt, & destroyed, & all my stock of cattle & hogs killed - as an Ensign I performed one year, of four months duty; in all three years & one months duty, I hope no man now living in the United States, has suffered more than I did during that time; during most of my services I was in the border country in the State of Pennsylvania & New York, mostly in the former, in & about the Wyoming County, (as it was then then called) the service was distressing & dangerous, often in great necessity; the officers were Col d Denison, Battle & Col d Denison of command. I recollect a Capt d Badger & Capt d Robert Decker, & a Capt d Ransom, who (the three last) were taken to death by the Indians - a Major Garrit, who was Major of our Regiment was killed in the Wyoming battle, some of the fugitives, from the Battle with Col d Denison got into a fort at Ringtown (opposite Wilkes-Barre) John Butler Esq r , the day after the Battle, demanded its immediate surrender; with the surrender, sent in many bloody scalps, when Col d Denison who commanded the fort, enquired what terms he might expect? Butler, answered him, "The Hatchet" - the fort was taken the next day - I have no Discharges, or Documentary Evidence, except my Ensigns Commission, which I herewith transmit as proof of my statement; all the officers, with whom I was associated, are dead, & I know of no living person who could prove my services except Samuel Dart of Bolton, Connecticut, who has entirely lost his senses, is non compos mentis, & is wholly incapable of testifying in a Court of Record. Dart, was with me

some of the time - I was born in the Town of Sudbury then (Hartford) now New Britain, Connecticut on the 2 nd of Decem r 1750. I do not know my mother's name - I know that I have no record of my age. My father when I was years old, my mother was then removed to New Britain after to Staten Island. During my father was a seafaring man & died at Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, where his body was taken by the Amhurst & Wolf. He was in the Revolutionary War, my mother then I was eight years old moved back to Staten Island & married a second husband, named Spencer of Boston, after - I lived in Boston till I was twenty years old, when I removed to Hanover in Pennsylvania, now Lehigh County, where I lived till the year 1795, when I removed to Hebron after, where I have lived ever since, & now live. I shall be eighty two years old the 2 nd of Dec r - I am known to the Rev d Miram P Arms & to His Excellency John Samuel Peters - both of Hebron after - & I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present & declare that my name is not the pension Roll of the Army of this State or any State.
Subscribed to before me William Hebard
Sworn & subscribed to the day & year afore said
Abner Hende Judge of Probate Court

He  a clergyman residing in the Town of Hebron after his discharge of Hebron Certificate
We Hiram Parsons a clergyman — and John Samuel Peters, both residents in the Town of Hebron in S d Tolland County & State of Connecticut, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with the aforesaid William Hubbard, who has subscribed, & sworn to the above deposition, that we believe him to be eighty one years of age — that he is reputed & believed to have been a Soldier of the Revolution & that we concur in that opinion
Hiram P. Parsons.
John S. Peters
And the S d Court do hereby declare their opinion after investigation of the matter, & after putting the Interrogatories prescribed by the War Depart- ment, that the above named Applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, & served as de states & the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Hiram Parsons who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in S d Town of Hebron in S d

in said Holland County ss State of Vermont scite, and that His Excellency John Tamm Peters who has signed the same is also a resident in the said Town of Holton is a credible person & that this Statute is entitled to credit
Abner Hovey Judge of Probate Cyrus Mann Clerk of the Court of Probate within & for the District of Holton do hereby certify that the forego- ing contains the Original pro- ceedings of said Court in the Matter of the application of William Hibbard for a pension
In testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 3 rd day of August 1832
Cyrus Mann Clerk

State of Connecticut } Tolland County ss } November 30 th 1832
Personally appeared before me the Undersigned Judge of Probate within & for the District of Hebron in the State of Connecticut — William Hebbleard of the Town of Hebron in the Tolland County & State aforesaid Who being Duly sworn Deposeth & saith that by reason of old age, & 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 in the following grades.
(1 st ) As a Sergeant. I performed one year and one month service — I have no Warrant in my possession nor do I know when it is, or what has become of it — As a private (Volunteer) Eight Months — I cannot now recollect any other offices, than I have named in the continental army as I served under Capt. Spaldings Co. as a volunteer except a Capt. Mitchell came with a company of Pennsylvania Troops & I served under him One Year & four months service — As an Ensign One Year & four months service I found herewith the Evidence of which (1 st ) my Commission I found herewith In all three years & four months as aforesaid — And for such service I claim a pension
William Hebbleard

State of Connecticut } Nov 30 th 1832 — Island County } Hebron Probate District
William Hebblead with personally appeared before me, & made oath to the truth of the above statement, in addition to his for- mer application for a pension
Abner Plummer Judge In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office, the Day & Year last aforesaid
Cyrus Mearns Clerk

Rev. and 1812 War Section.
Ans
January 7, 1925.
Mrs. W. P. Shields, 4657 N. Campbell Ave., Chicago, Ill.
Madam;
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 13400, it appears that William Hibbard or Hibard (whose father, name not stated, fought in the French and Indian War) was born December 12, 1750, Old Style, at Lebanon, Connecticut.
When he was twenty years old, he moved to Hanover, Pennsylvania, and while residing there, he enlisted in June 1777 and served as a Sergeant in Captain McKar- * aghan's Company, which was raised in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and acted under orders from Colonels Den- Den- ison and Zebulon Butler of Connecticut, he with two other men went up the Susquehanna River in a canoe, to determine the strength of the Indians and Tories, and was  were gone about three months, he was in the battle of
* See Pa. Archives 2 nd Series Page 48-

Wyoming and barely escaped with his life, he served in all one year and one month.
Soon after this he joined Captain Spalding's Connecticut Company, and served eight months as a private.
He was commissioned June 23, 1780, Ensign in Captain John Franklin's Connecticut Company, and was out on many scouting expeditions and served until after the surrender of Cornwallis.
He was allowed pension on his application executed August 3, 1832, while a resident of Hebron, Tolland County, Connecticut. He died June 4, 1834.
In 1778, soldier had a wife and three very small children, no names stated, his wife died soon after the Wyoming Massacre.
+ Soldier married July 13, 1817, Arminda, widow of Obadiah Phelps. In 1843, she was seventy-eight years old and a resident of Columbia, Lorain County, Ohio.
Respectfully,
Acting Commissioner.
+ This paragraph taken from her claim Abadiah Phelps W. 4985. widow Arminda Hebard or Hibbard

Reserve
13400 INVALID.
1911 June 26. Rev. Horace Edwin Hayden advised of date of sol. death & 1925 Jan. 7. Hist to Mrs. W.P. Shields, Cress.
File No. 13 400
William Hibbard Sergt. Boer War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 174
[Arrangement of 1870.]
See O.W. Wid. File 4985 & Wid. of Abadiah Phelps

8-1609.
United States Department of the Interior. BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Delayed for Directory Service Address Incomplete Post Office No
If not called for in 15 days return to THE COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS, WASHINGTON, D. C.
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE TO AVOID PAYMENT OF POSTAGE, $300.
No Such No. G 2529

Wm Hibbard
R 65
A Hendec

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of William Hibbard which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides ?
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides ?
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 ?
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 ?
No
VI. Has he given the name of the regiment in which he served, in conformity with the regulations ?
Not in the [redacted] [redacted] in 1778-9.
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832 ?
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion ?
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate ?
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 ?

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?
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?
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?
XVI. ‡Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?
No
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
_____
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 the 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 authenticated 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 end 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.

Arminda Hebard Pensioner as Widow of Obadiah Phelps Mr. File 4.985

Dec 10, 1842
Sir:
In reply to your letter of the 22 d ult. in the case of Mrs Arminia Hubbard, widow of W m Hubbard, dec d , late a pensioner of the Connecticut Agency, I have to inform you that no widow of a revolutionary soldier who was married after Jan y 1, 1798 is entitled to a pension. Mrs. Hubbard it would appear, was married in 1817, she is consequently not provided for by the pension laws
Dudley Baldwin Esq Cleveland Ohio

JONATHAN TRUMBULL, Esquire, Captain General and Commander in Chief in and over the State of CONNEC-
TICUT, in AMERICA.
To
William Sillibard
GREETING.
YOU being by the General Assembly of this State appointed to be Ensign of a Company ordered by the Assembly to be raised for the Defence of the Town of Windham reposing special Trust and Confidence in your Fidelity, Courage, and good Conduct, I DO by Virtue of the Laws of this State, me thereunto enabling, appoint and impower you to take said Company into your Care and Charge as their Ensign carefully and diligently to discharge that Office and Trust, exercising your inferior Officers and Soldiers in the Use of their Arms, according to the Rules and Discipline of War, ordained and established by the Laws of this State, keeping them in good Order and Government, and commanding them to obey you as their Ensign and you are to observe all such Orders and Directions as from Time to Time you shall receive, either from Me, or from other your superior Officer, pursuant to the Trust hereby reposed in you.
GIVEN under my Hand, and the Public Seal of this State, at Hartford the 23 Day of June Anno Domini, 1780.
By His Excellency's Command.
George Wyllys Secretary.
Jon: Trumbull

Hon. Commissioner of Pensions Washington, D. C.
Chicago, Dec r 10th. 1924.
Dear Sir;--
In 1832 one William Hibbard was drawing a pension in Tol- land Co. Conn. for service in the Revolution.
Will you be good enough to give me the record of his service name of wife if given, place he was born and when?
I should be very grateful for this information as early as possible to use in joining the D. A. R.
Yours very respectfully,
Mrs. W. P. Shields 4657 N. Campbell Ave. Chicago.
(Mrs) W. P. Shields

Record Division.
June 26, 1911.
Rev. Horace Edwin Hayden, Wyoming Historical Society, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Sir:
In reply to your inquiry of the 21 st received the 24 th instant, relative to the dates of death of two Revolutionary War pensioners, you are advised that the records of this Bureau show that William Hibbard, Sur. File No. 13,400; died June 4, 1834, place not stated.

IN REPLY REFER TO
Rev. and 1812 War Section.
3-1865
AWJ AWJ
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
WASHINGTON
January 7, 1925.
Mrs. W. P. Shields, 4657 N. Campbell Ave., Chicago, Ill.
Madam;
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 13400 , it appears that William Hibbard or Hibard (whose father, name not stated, fought in the French and Indian War) was born December 12, 1750, Old Style, at Lebanon, Connecticut.
When he was twenty years old, he moved to Hanover, Pennsylvania, and while residing there, he enlisted in June 1777 and served as a Sergeant in Captain McKaraghan's Company, which was raised in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and acted under orders from Colonels Denison and Zebulon Butler of Connecticut, he with two other men went up the Susquehanna River in a canoe, to determine the strength of the Indians and Tories, and was gone about three months, he was in the battle of

Wyoming and barely escaped with his life, he served in all one year and one month.
Soon after this he joined Captain Spalding's Connecticut Company, and served eight months as a private.
He was commissioned June 23, 1780, Ensign in Captain John Franklin's Connecticut Company, and was out on many scouting expeditions and served until after the surrender of Cornwallis.
He was allowed pension on his application executed August 3, 1832, while a resident of Hebron, Tolland County, Connecticut. He died June 4, 1834.
In 1778, soldier had a wife and three very small children, no names stated, his wife died soon after the Wyoming Massacre.
Soldier married July 13, 1817, Arminda, widow of Obadiah Phelps. In 1843, she was seventy-eight years old and a resident of Columbia, Lorain County, Ohio.
Respectfully,
A handwritten signature in cursive script, reading "Hays Haysmaker".
Acting Commissioner.