Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 21,799, Parker Hill, Mass.

SERVICE
Mass
Hill Parker Elizabeth
NUMBER _____
R. 21.799
CONTENTS

X 3408 Declaration of Elizabeth Hill
Con't
Married 8 July 1778. record proof
Return to be made to William Dyer Central Village Windham County Connecticut

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the 3 rd Section of the act of Congress of the 4 th July 1836
State of Connecticut
County of Windham ss Plainfield
On this 7 th day of February A.D. 1838 Personally appeared before the Probate Court of the District of Plainfield in said County of Windham Elizabeth Hill a resident of the town of Sterling in said District, in the County of Windham in the State of Connecticut aged Seventy Eight years who being duly sworn according to law doth on her Oaths Make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4 th 1836 — That she is the widow of Parker Hill late of Sterling aforesaid deceased who was a private private in the Army of the Revolution as follows. viz, That I had been acquainted with Parker Hill my late husband from childhood — I well remember that before our marriage the said Parker Hill was in the service of the United States as a private soldier and according to my best recollection and belief he was in the service as a private at Boston a period of six months the particulars in relation to which service I am unable to state, but believe that he served more than six months between June 1775 and the spring of 1776 — That the said Parker Hill then lived in Swansea in the State of Massachusetts —
That he the said Parker Hill was in the service of the United States in the year 1776 after said service at Boston as many as six months in the State of Rhode Island

That in 1777 the said Parker Hill was in the service of the United States as a private soldier as many as four months and I think more at which time he also lived in Swansea
That in 1778 the her said Husband was also in the service in Rhode Island as many as six months during which year she was married to the said Parker Hill
That in the year 1779 her said Husband was in the service of the United States as a private soldier two months in Connecticut
That she is quite sure her said husband was in the service during the war of the revolution as much and she thinks more than two years. the particular times and places she cannot designate her knowledge having been obtained from her said husband and other persons without the particulars. but she knows from hearing others say at the time, that he was at Boston - Rhode Island - Warwick - Tiverton Bristol and New London
She further declares that she was married to the said Parker Hill on the 8 th day of July 1778 Seventeen hundred seventy eight. that her husband the aforesaid Parker Hill died on the 4 th day of February Eighteen hundred and thirteen and that she has remained a widow ever since that period. as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed
Elizabeth Hill

Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above and before written before the Probate Court within and for the district of Plainfield in the County of Windham in the State of Connecticut
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and placed the Seal of said Court of Probate this 7 th day of February A.D. 1838 John H. Gordon Clerk of Probate for the district of Plainfield -
State of Connecticut Windham County ss Plainfield - Court of Probate Then personally appeared Peleg Beckham a clergymen in the town of Plainfield in said County before the Probate Court for the district of Plainfield and made oaths that he is well acquainted with Elizabeth Hill of said Sterling widow of Parker Hill. That she is a person of truth and veracity and that full reliance may be given to her statement and further that he has heard from others beside herself that her husband was a soldier of the Revolution and fully believes the same Peleg Beckham Sworn and subscribed the 7 th day of February A.D. 1838 before said Court John H. Gordon Clerk of Probate for the district of Plainfield

Edward Hill.
Deposition

I Edward Hill of Plainfield in the county of Windham in the State of Connecticut aged Seventy nine years, do depose and say that in the year 1776 or 1777 Parker Hill, now deceased, lived in Swansea in the State of Massachusetts, that in the winter season of the year the said Parker Hill was drafted or enlisted and went into the service of the United States in Rhode Island, as was then said for three months service, and that he was gone from home three months and said to be in service of the United States, he was my older brother, and I then knew as well, that he served as aforsaid as any person could, and not be with him. I well recollect when he went from home and when he returned from his said service — And I further say that he the said Parker Hill served one month in the room and place as a substitute for William Brown of Swansea aforesaid in the State of Rhode Island which said service was in Spencers Expedition. I well recollect the time when he left home as a substitute for the said William Brown and the time of his return home — I recollect of his being in out at other times and places but I cannot now tell when or where except at one time he was with Colonel Barton — That the said Parker Hill was married in the summer of 1778 to Elizabeth Hill his now widow, who has been his widow since 1812 — and further the deponent saith not Edward Hill

State of Connecticut
Windham County ss Plainfield December 16 th 1837 Then personally appeared Edward Hill named in the within deposition and signed the same in my presence and made solemn oath to the truth of the same before me — And I certify that he is a credible witness and that full faith and credit may be given to his statement
Before me John Burlock justice of Peace

Certificate of Marriage

I James Groat of Faversham in the County of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachu- setts do testify that I am Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court of the County of Faversham in the said County of Bristol; That I have the custody of the records of said Courts and of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace ever since the Incorporation of said County of Bristol. That it appears by said Records that the Court of General Sessions of the Peace for said County had a session on the ninth day of March seventeen hundred & seventy nine and adjourned on the eleventh day of the same month - That among the records of that term of said Court, is a record of the list of marriages from Faversham in said County of Bristol, solemnized by Russell Mason Pastor of a Church of Christ in Faversham - And among the persons married it appears that Parker Hill & Elizabeth Chase both of Faversham were married July the eighth seventeen hundred & seventy eight -
James Groat.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Bristol ss. July. 15. 1838. James Sproul a credible witness, made oath to the truth of the within Affidavit by him signed - Before me A. Bassett, Just. of the Peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Bristol ss. I Anselm Bassett Register of the Court of Probate in for said County do hereby certify that Anselm Bassett, before whom the within affidavit was sworn is a Justice of the Peace in for said County -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this fifteenth day of January Eighteen hundred & thirty eight - A. Bassett

Deposition of Stephen Leuther

I Content Mason of Swaney in the County of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the fifty sixth year of age do testify and say Ellen Russel Mason was my father and when he died he left his records of Marriages with my Mother and me and after my Mother's Death I was removing from one place to another and thought the records would be of no use and I burnt them with many other old papers but I perfectly well remembers seeing the Marriage of Tucker Hill and Elizabeth Chan both formerly of said Swaney on said record and further the deponent saith not
Content Mason
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bristol County ss Swaney January the 13 th 1838 then personally appeared Content Mason and signed the above deposition in my presence and said Salem oaths to the truth of the same before me and I certify that she is a credible witness
William Mason justice of the peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Witnesseth that I, James Sprague, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, for said County of Bristol, do hereby certify that William Mason, Esq., whose signature is affixed to the within & annexed certificate, is a Justice of the peace, in & for said County of Bristol, and duly qualified to administer oaths. — In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of said Court, at Taunton, this fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-eight.
J. Sprague

I Daniel Fairman of Killingly in the County of Windham in the State of Connecticut aged 78 years, depose and say, that in the year 1779 I was well acquainted with Packer Hill then of Sterling in said County, and that in the month of March 1779 the said Hill and myself were drafted for two months service and that the said Hill with myself belonged to a Company commanded by Capt. Jones of Hebron Connecticut. in a regiment commanded by Major, after Colonel Sedgwick, who was afterwards killed in the fort at New London, and that the said Packer Hill with myself served two months at said New London in the Militia in the service of the United States - part of the above time the said Hill and myself were in the same mess and part of the time I belonged to the Ensign Jacob Spaldings mess. his waiter having requested to serve elsewhere, he the Ensign called upon me to serve as his waiter, when I left the mess of said Hill, but I well knew that said Hill served two months when he was dismissed at the same time with myself, and I went from New London to Norwich by water, and the said Hill went on foot, and that the said Hill was then married and lived with his now widow Elizabeth Hill, they having been married before they came to Connecticut from Massachusetts - I am now a pensioner of the United States and draw a Pension for said two months service - The said two months service commenced in March and ended in May 1779, that while we were there we began a fort on a hill south west of New London and built two redoubts - and further the Depot south west -
Daniel Fairman

State of Connecticut Windham County of Plainfield December 16 th 1837
Then personally appeared Daniel Fairman named in the within deposition and signed the same in my presence and made solemn oath to the truth of the same before me. And I certify that he is a credible witness and that full faith and reliance may be given to his statement —
Before me John Durlap Justice of Peace
I John F. Gordon Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of Plainfield within and for the County of Windham in the State of Connecticut do hereby certify that John Durlap Esq. is a Justice of the Peace within and for said County duly commissioned and qualified by law and that the above and within signatures purporting to be his are genuine In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this 7 th day of February A.D. 1838 John F. Gordon Clerk of Probate for the District of Plainfield
Daniel Fairman Deposition

I Jabez Chase of Providence in the county of Providence in the State of Rhode Island aged 72 years, do testify and say that in the year 1778 the last of November I lived in the town of Swansea in the State of Massachusetts at which time my brother was drafted to serve in a company of Militia belonging to said Swansea commanded by Captain Peleg Peck Lieut. Daniel Martin and Ensign Lawson Suther, a few days before the draft above named my brother Ephraim Chase had shipped for Havanna with Capt Collins, and by his request I took his place in said company, at which time Parker Hill was also drafted to serve in said company, he then living in said Swansea, and the said Hill and myself with said company marched to Providence Rhode Island where we met at or near General Correll's house and marched from thence under the command of Genl Correll, and Colonel Slade of said Swansea, to Warwick, and that said Parker Hill served with me at said Warwick in said company in the United States  Continental service three months and we were marched to Providence where the company was discharged and that the said Hill and myself went home together both having served three months. Colonel Hathaway had the command of the Regt. part of the above time. It was the first of March 1779 when we were discharged. There were one thousand men raised at that time, part stationed at Warwick and part at Greenwich. I also knew the said Parker Hill to be called out at a short time at Warren in Rhode Island but do not know how long. I also knew the said Parker to be out on duty on Rhode Island in the United States  Continental service in Sullivan's Expedition but do not know how long he was in service at that time. I was acquainted with Parker Hill from that time till his death about twenty three years since. I have also been acquainted with Elizabeth Hill from the time of said service till this time, she was then the wife of, and lived with the said Parker Hill.

and lived with him till his death, and is now his widow not having been married since her said husband's death — I think from what I then heard said, that Parker Hill served as much as one month at least on Rhode Island in Sullivan's expedition if not more — I recollect that it was said that the boat in which the said Parker Hill was crossing Howlands ferry during his Rhode Island service sunk and he was near being drowned — The said Widow Elizabeth Hill now lives in Sterling Connecticut — I am not a Pensioner not having served in all but 4 months — and further the deponent saith not — Dated at Plainfield the 4 th day of December 1837
Gabez Chase
Windham County to Plainfield December 2 th 1837 Then personally appeared Gabez Chase and signed the above deposition in my presence and made solemn oath to the truth of the same. I certify that he is a credible witness, to whose statement full faith may be given —
John Durdell Justice of Peace

I Josiah Harrington of Foster in the County of Providence in the State of Rhode Island aged 78 years do testify and say that in November 1776 I first became acquainted with Parker Hill late husband of Elizabeth Hill of Sterling Connecticut that said Parker Hill was in the service of the United States as follows. He served one month in November and December 1776 at Bristol
One month and a half in June and July 1777 at Warwick
One month and a half in September and October 1777 in Spencers Expedition at Tiverton and Littlecompton One month in August and September 1778 in Sullivans Expedition
All which services were in the State of Rhode Island as a private soldier - I was at the above places with the said Hill, he was not in the Company to which I belonged, nor much of the time in the same Regiment. My acquaintance with the said Hill was first formed in said service - The said Hill had a brother who belonged in the same town with me and was of my mess, which was the cause of my acquaintance with the said him - After the said services I was acquainted with the said Hill till his death more than twenty years since - I believe the above services were all performed in the Militia, but will not say but that some part of the time, he might have belonged to the State Troops - I further say that I frequently heard the said Hill talk of other services which he performed as a soldier at Boston and other places but the above are the only services which he performed, when he and myself were both at the same times and places in service together. The said Hill was then said to reside East of the Narragansett Bay he after removed to said Sterling where his widow now lives. The Generals in the above service were Spencer, Sullivan and Barrill - further the deponent saith not Josiah Harrington

State of Connecticut Windham County ss January 29 th 1838 Then personally appeared Josiah Harrington within named and signed the within deposition in my presence and made solemn Oath to the truth of the same before me. And I certify that he is a credible witness
Before me John D. Phelps Justice of Peace

I Stephen Luther of Swansea in the County Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged Seventy Eight years do testify and say that I was well acquainted with Parker Hill formerly of Swansea aforesaid and the husband of Elizabeth Hill now of Stanley his widow. The said the Parker Hill enlisted as a private soldier and went to Boston soon after the tea was thrown overboard and was absent from from his home which was in my neighbourhood Six Months or more said at that time to be in the service of the United States as a soldier soon after the enemy took possession of Newport in the fall and winter of 1776 and 1777 the said Parker Hill was drafted or enlisted as a private soldier and served as long as five months, I was in the service at that time only as a waggoner but I saw him frequently on duty and am sure he served as long as five months at that time afterwards I served with the said Parker Hill in Capt Pels company in Colonel Shads Regiment - three months in the State of Rhode Island and that is all the said Parker Hill to my knowledge served as many as fifteen Months as a private soldier in the service of the United States and further the Deponent saith not Stephen Luther

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Bristol County ss Swansea January the 13 th 1888 then personally appeared Stephen Luther within named and signed the within deposition in my presence and made solemn oath to the truth of the same before me and I certify that the he is a Credible witness
William Mason Justice of the peace
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dir
Central Village Ct Nov 20
X \frac{3}{4}
Mr. 2 Inst. Ct. J. S. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions — Washington D.C.

Central Haze Windham County Connecticut
J. S. Edwards Esq Dear Sir
I have noticed the several objections to the allowance of the Pension of Elizabeth Hill, in yours of June 26 - 1888. In the first place I reply that it is utterly impossible that she can tell who were the Officers, or the exact periods of service. I have attempted to learn more particularly, and obtain evidence more exactly to the point but have not as yet been able. I have also sent to the Comptroller of Connecticut, but have not received any additional testimony as he says there is nothing on record that he can find. If I do not misremember Mr Fairman swore positively as to that service, also other witnesses. I can also state that it is a fact well known by all the old people in the vicinity that he was said to have been in that service. Mrs Hill is very old, infirm, decrepit, and in low circumstances consequently, if the proof as it now stands will enable the department to allow her any pension, a small one will be of more service now than a larger one when it is too late to benefit her. If the department cannot allow a pension as the proof now is I wish the papers returned.
Yours truly J William Dyer

J. L. Edwards Esq.

Central Village Windham County Connecticut
J. S. Edwards Esq
Dear Sir -
The declaration and evidence in the case of the application of Elizabeth Hill are herewith forwarded to the Department. The first question may be, why has she delayed to apply till this time? In answer it is nearly a year since she commenced searching for proof - after learning what was necessary she first sought for proof of the marriage but was unable till almost by accident she found that it was recorded in Scituate Mass - She has also been looking for evidence as it was utterly impossible that she should know the particulars; I think however that the proof accompanying will be found conclusive - You will notice that most of the witnesses speak of different times and places. In the first place it appears that Parker Hill was so situated that he was liable to be called upon to serve in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and towards the latter part of the war in Connecticut - In the next place it appears he was willing to enter the service, as he not only performed his own tours of duty but served as a substitute. In the last place it is made conclusive by the testimony that he was not only in a situation to be called upon and willing to enter the service, but that he did serve at least two years - Yours truly William Dyer

Josiah Harrington - witness - no office named Edw d Hill - " " " 3.57. mileage roll J. Chase - x Mass. Capt. Deley Peck - vol. 3.57. on - Dab t Fairman - - Lon: Capt Jones 2. 79. N. London Stephen Luther - " Mass. Capt Peck -
x on no other roll of Capt Peck who was in service on 1 R. D. in 77-8 & 1780 -

Elizabeth Hill application of Elizabeth Hill widow of Parker Hill of Conn a soldier of the Revolution paying for a pension Major Wm. Peck of Sterling. Conn
Feb 5 1840
Ref to the Committee on Rev. Pensions
Dec 14. 1840. Ref to Com. Rev. Pensions
6 months Dec 14. 1841
Ref to Com. Rev. Pensions
May 24. 1842
Report adverse - No 784
Mercy Lord former Mercy Lord's pen
Brockway
27 1/2

(3-224.)
Rev
No. 21.799
_____, Ex'r.
REJECTED
OLD WAR WIDOW.
Elizabeth Hill of Conn n Widow of Parker Hill Pri., Capt Pack Mass Troops
Died at _____
other claim.
_____, 18 .
Clerk.
Application filed: _____, 18 .
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____

No. 21799
REJECTED
....., Ex'r.
OLD WAR WIDOW.
Elizabeth Hill Widow of Parker Hill Private Capt "Leek Mass Troops"
Died at .....
..... other claim.
Revolutionary
....., 18 .
Clerk.
Application filed: .....
, 18 .
Attorney: .....
P. O. ....
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