An Alphabetical Index of Revolutionary Pensioners Living in Maine Sprague's Journal of Maine History Vol. V NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY 1917-18 No.4 An Alphabetical Index of Revolu- tionary Pensioners Living in Maine COMPILED BY CHARLES A. FLAGG, LIBRARIAN, BANGOR (MAINE) PUBLIC LIBRARY. INTRODUCTION For a quarter century past the popularity, growth and activi- ties of our patriotic-hereditary societies have been features of American life. It is now considered the proper thing to cherish and prize the names and mementoes of the men of 1776; perhaps even to idealize them and their services. And many who have never applied for admission to any of the various societies of Revolutionary descendants, take a just pride in knowing that they -ire eligible, and of the blood of the heroes who established our independence. Maine, of course, was a part of Massachusetts at the time of the Revolution. Very little has been done even yet in the publication of regi- mental histories and personal narratives of Revolutionary service- lines that have been so enormously expanded in the case of the Civil war. The histories of two or three Maine regiments which the late Nathan Goold prepared, and Dr. Frank A. Gardner's nota- ble series of Massachusetts regimental histories, now running in the "Massachusetts magazine" of Salem, being practically all there is available in that field. But when it comes to individual service, Massachusetts people are particularly fortunate because that state has, at enormous ex- pense, printed all her Revolutionery muster, pay and other rolls, i90 SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY as "Massachusetts soldiers and sailors of the Revolutionary war" in 17 large quarto volumes. No other state has done nearly as much in this direction. But even these records, full as they are, leave much to be de- sired. Families were usually large and in the old home towns it was more the rule than the exception to find several contempora- ries of the same name (middle names being very rare). In using the above work it is not uncommon to find two or more soldiers bearing the name of the ancestor one is in search of, from the town we know he lived in; and still others of the same name whose residence is indeterminate. Unless it can be conclusively established that no other of the name could have served from that town at the time, or our family tradition is more definite than is usually the case, we really have found no evidence at all. Here is where the value of the pension lists comes in. While we may not know in whose company or regiment, or in what capacity the Revolutionary ancestor served, we can usually find out where he lived in later life, and if he sur- vived to old age and drew a pension, the necessary link to the chain of evidence is often secured so one can identify the actual military service of the ancestor in "Massachusetts soldiers and sailors." The U. S. Pension Office at Washington is a veritable mine of information, and once an ancestor is located on the pension roll, it is worth while to secure direct from the Office and at some ex- pense, a copy of all papers relating to the claim. It may be added that the Pension Office authorities give no very cordial endorsement of the printed pension rolls, having found tbem to contain numerous errors. It must also be added, however, that some of the lists preserve records whose originals have been lost in the destruction of the Capitol by the British in 18I4 or in other ways. The important things to realize are that the printed lists are so useful and so largely used that a consolidated list like the following will be valuable; and that once the name desired is found it will almost certainly be worth while to write to the Pen- sion Office for full details of service. The difficulty in using the various printed pension lists springs from the fact that not one is strictly alphabetical, and they are so rare now that only the large libraries have them all. REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS IN MAINE i9i Before we take up the various pension lists in print, it may be well to devote a little time to consideration of Revolutionary pen- sions in general, and fortunately Columbia University studies in history, economics and public law, volume XII, NO. 3 (History of military pension legislature in the United States by W. H. Glasson) gives us an exhaustive sketch. Revolutionary pensioners really fall into four classes. 1. Invalid pensioners. The first national U. S. pension law passed Aug. 26, 1776 promised half pay for life or during disability to every officer, sol- dier or sailor, losing a limb or being so disabled in the service of the U. S. as to be incapable of earning a livelihood. Pro- portionate relief was promised to such as were partially disabled. Apr. 23, 1782, it was enacted that Continental soldiers who were sick or wounded and unfit for duty were to be discharged and be pensioned at the rate of five dollars per month. An act passed June 7, 1785, further provided that when so disabled as to be un- able to earn a livelihood, commsioned officers should be allowed a half pay pension and non-commissioned officers and privates five dollars a month, proportionate rates being allowed for partial dis- ability. This act was afterwards amended to include later disability re- sulting from wounds, to include state troops and militia as well as Continentals, and the rates were somewhat increased. Invalid pensioners surviving at the dates of the service pension acts Of 1818 and 1832 usually found it advantageous to secure entry under them. II. Half pay, or commutation pensioners. As a result of Washington's appeal at a time when the deprecia- tion of the continental currency and the gloomy outlook in the field were preventing the re-enlistment of many officers and men at the termination of their periods of service, Congress on May 15, 1778, voted to all American commissioned officers who should continue in service to the close of the war half pay for seven years after its conclusion; to all common soldiers who served to the end of the war a gratuity of eighty dollars. As these measures failed to secure the full results expected, Washington again appealed to Congress, which on Oct. 21, 178o, voted that all officers who should continue in 192 SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY service to the end of the war, should receive half pay for life. These measures are believed to have been of the utmost importance in keeping the army together till the end of the struggle, but they were immensely unpopular, especially in New England, while opposition to Congress was very strong. To the irritation aroused in the officers' minds at the suspicion that Congress intended to repudiate these obligations were attribut- able their "Memorial to Congress" of Dec. I782 and the more cele- brated "Newburgh addresses" of March, 1783. Washington once more prepared an urgent appeal for recognition of the army's claims, and on 'March 22, I783, Congress adopted a compromise known as the "Commutation act," substituting for the half pay for life, five years full pay in money or interest bearing securities. As the Confederation had no fund,,, the officers received not money but "commutation certificates," but with no provision for paying principal or interest, these depreciated like the continental currency and soon came into the hands of speculators who profited when the first Congress under the Constitution provided for the refunding of these certificates. The survivors of this group and their friends felt that justice had not been done and petitions were introduced into Congress from time to time until in May 15, 1828, just 50 years after the original act, a measure was passed giving full pay for life, beginning Mar. 3, i826, to the surviving officers of the Continental line who had been entitled to half pay under the act of 178o, and the same allowance was made to the non-commissioned officers and privates entitled to receive the gratuity of eighty dollars promised in 178o. This act was executed by the Secretary of the Treasury rather than by the Secre- tary of War, who administered the other pension laws until in 1835 it was transferred from the former to the latter office. III. Service pensioners. March i8, 18i8, was passed the first service pension act, which provided that every resident of the U. S. who had served in the Revolutionary war until its close or for the term of 9 months or longer, at any period of the war, on the Continental establishment or navy, and who was by reason of his reduced circumstances in need of assistance, should receive a pension; if an officer, twenty dollars a month, if a private eight dollars. Claimants were -required to give up invalid and all other pensions. So many frauds were REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS IN MAINE 193 perpetrated under this act that in 1820 Congress required of all pensioners under the act, sworn schedules of their property and income, and under this ruling thousands of names were stricken from the rolls. In June, 1832, a still more sweeping service pension measure became law. It granted to all who had completed a total service of two years in Continental line, state troops or militia, or the navy, and who were not entitled to pensions under the Commutation law of 1824, full pay according to rank, to commence May 15, 1828, and not to exceed a captain's pay. All who had completed a service of not less than six months were to receive the same proportion of their full pay that their service bore to two years. Here again enormous frauds were unearthed. IV. Widows and Orphans. Aug. 24, 1780, Congress extended the half pay for 7 years to the widows or orphan children of officers who had died or should die in the service. This act was renewed under the Constitution in I792 but nothing further was done till 1836 when provision was made that if any soldier who would be entitled to a pension under the service act of 1832 (see preceding paragraph) died leaving a widow whose marriage took place before the expiration of his service, she might receive his pension as long as she might remain unmarried. Varied later acts were passed supplementing and extending the above. The report of the Commissioner of pensions for I874 gives some interesting figures: Soldiers in the Revolutionary army (estimate) 289,715 Revolutionary pensioners 57,623 Under act of 18i8 20,485 1828 1,200 1835 33,425 55,110 Leaving a balance 2,513, pensioned under early invalid acts or by specific measures. The Commissioner 'also stated that there were 39,295 widows who received Revolutionary pensions. PENSION LISTS Including the principal lists published by the U. S. government, as far as we have noted them. There seems to be no index available to special pensions; granted after 1840. It is well known that Revo- 194 SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY lutionary pensioners were on the rolls over a quarter century later. The venerable William Hutchings of Penobscot was present as an honored guest at the Bangor 4th of July celebration in 1865. 1792. Invalid pension claims. Communicated to the House of Representatives, Dec. 14, 1792. (American state papers. Class IX. Claims. P. 56-68.) Tabular. Arranged by states (including District of Maine). Alphabetic by initial letter only. 7 columns: Names; Rank; Regiment; Disability; Date from which annual pension commenced; Monthly allowance; Arrears due. 1794. Invalid pension claims. Communicated to the House of Rep- resentatives April 25, 1794-[1795]. (American state papers. Claims. Washington, 1834. P. 83-122, 125-128, 135-145, 150-172). Tabular. Arranged by states (including the District of Maine). Notalpba- betic. Usually in 7 columns:-Names; Rank; Regiment or company or ship; Disability; When and where disabled; Residence [town] ; To what pension entitled [or Monthly allowance and Arrearages] ; Remarks. , 20. Letter from the Secretary of war, transmitting a report of the names, rank and line of every person placed on the pension list, in pursuance of the act of 18th of March, 18i8, &c ...... Washington, Printed by Gales & Seaton, 182o. 672 pages. (16th Congress, 1st session. House. Doc. No. 55) Tabular. Arranged by states of residence in 1820. Alphabetic by initial letter only: 3 columns:-Names; Rank; Line. Practically all the names in this list are reprinted in the I835 list, but occasionally there is variation in spelling name or added detail of service. ,-28. Officers on the pension list. Letter from the Secretary of war, transmitting a list of officers on the pension roll of the U. S. desig- nating the states to which the officers severally belong. January 30, 1828 ...... Washington: printed by Gales & Seaton, 1828. 29 pages. (2oth Congress, 1st session. House. Doc. No. 124.) Tabular. Arranged by states; two classes under each: Invalid pension list, and Revolutionary pension list. Alphabetic by initial letter only. Gives name and rank only; no particulars of service or present residence. These "Revolutionary pensioners" are those officers pensioned under the "service" act of 1818 who were living in 1828. ' 29. Officers, &c. pensioned under act of 1828. Letter from the Secretary of the treasury, transmitting a list of the names of pen- sioners under the law of May 15, 1828. January 13, I829. [From Treasury dept.] 16 pages. (2oth Congress, 2d session. House. Doc. No. 68.) REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS IN MAINE i95 Tabular. Alphabetic by initial letter only. 5 columns:-Names; Line; Rank; Sum annually; State or Territory of residence at time of application. ' 31. Rejected applications for pensions, &c. Letter from the Sec- retary of war, transmitting a report respecting rejected applications for pensions. January 6, i831. 84 pages. (21st Congress, 2d session. House. Doc. NO- 31) In two parts, each subdivided by state: a. Persons whose claims to pension on account of Revolutionary service have been rejected (3 columns: Name, Rank and Reasons for rejection) ; b. Revolutionary pensioners placed on the rolls under the act of March 18, 1818, and who have been stricken from the pension list under act of May i, 182o, not being con- sidered in indigent circumstances (2 columns: Name and Rank). The veterans in the second part would regularly be found in the '2o and 35 lists also. 35. Report from the Secretary of war, in obedience to resolutions of the Senate of the 5th and 3oth of June, 1834, and the 3d of March, 1835, in relation to the pension establishment of the United States. Washington: Printed by Duff Green, 1835- 3 volumes. (23d Congress, 1st session. Senate. Doc. NO. 514). Tabular. Arranged (1st) by state, (2d) by class of pensioners: a Invalid pensioners; b. Heirs of non-commissioned officers, privates, &c. who (tied in the U. S. service who obtained five years' half pay in lieu of bounty land, under the second section of the act of April 16, 1816; c. Pen- sioners under the act of March 18. 1818; d Pensioners under the act of June 7, 1832, (3d) by county. Alphabetic by initial letter only. Section [a] contains very few Revolutionary pensioners and [b] gives heirs of soldiers killed in the War of 1812. Sections [c] and [d] are confined to Revolutionary pensioners; names are alphabetic under county by initial letter of family name only. 9 columns:-Names; Rank; Annual allowance; Sums received; Description of service; When placed on the pension Palls; Commencement of pension; Age; Remarks. Sections [cl and [d] include all veterans who had been pensioned under these two acts ; many had died before 1835 but full entry is made, with date of death. 1840. A census of pensioners for Revolutionary of military services with their names, ages, and places of residence, as returned by the marshals of the several judicial districts, under the act for taking the sixth census. Washington: printed by Blair and Rives, 1841. 195 pages. Tabular. Arranged by states, sub-arrangernent by counties and then by towns. Names not alphabetic. 3 columns: Names of pensioners; Ages; Names of heads of families with whom pensioners resided 184o. There is no mark of distinction between the Revolutionary and the other military pensioners. The latter are evidently very few. This list includes a considerable number of widows. i96 SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY CLAIMS While the foregoing lists include the veterans who were Pensioned under the general laws and many others, they (to not by any means give all Revolutionary pensioners; many of course (tied before the (late of our earliest lists; and many must have been pensioned by special act between the (late of the last list (1840) and the death of the last Revolutionary veteran in the late "sixties." Fortunately each House of Congress publishes from time to time indexes of private claims brought before them and these claims in- clude special pension bills. Furthermore these indexes are strictly alphabetical and therefore easy to consult (as the pension lists are not) Such House lists are Ist-3Ist Congress, 1789-I851 (32d Congress 1st session. House misc. doc. [unnumbered] serial no. 653-655). 32d-41st I851-187I (42d Cong. 3d session. House misc. doc. no. 109. Serial no. 1574). Senate list 14th-46th Congress, 1817-1881, (46th Cong. A session. Senate. misc. doc. no. 14 Serial no. 1945-1946.) NOTES In connection with the use of following list and the various pension lists to which it serves as an index, there are several things to bear in mind. In the first place this index is intended to cover all the most important facts recorded, and at the same time, definitely locate the original entry in case completer history is desired. As to "service", first there were the Continental regiments raised by Congress, such as Harrison's artillery, the Conimander-in-Chief's guard, etc., and the various continental regiments raised by the individual states and turned over to Congress, such as the 16th Mass, etc. (indicated by "Mass. line", etc.) There was also the Continental navy. Then came the state line and state navy raised and supported by the states for home defence when the Continental army and navy was engaged elsewhere (indicated by "Mass, state", "R. 1. navy", etc.) Finally came the militia of the states-citizens called out for temporary or special service (N. H. mil. etc.) The "residence" ("County" having a column for itself, and town being given in "Remarks" column if reported) in each case is the place of domicile at date of list; most of the lists giving no intimation at all where soldier resided or enlisted 1775-81. The 1835 list which does contain particulars of service has no more than the state pensioner served from, Maine men of course being accredited to Massachusetts. Indeed there is no list in print as far as known giving Revolutionary soldiers who enlisted from Maine, save as one might dig some information out of "Records of Mass. soldiers and sailors", already alluded to. The "age" is of course age reported at time list was made; date of birth being approximated by subtracting age given from date of list; REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS IN MAINE 197 Obadiah Abbee, the first pensioner on our list was born about 1765 (1835-70=I765.) As to Maine counties, at the time of the first list giving county of residence (that of 1835) the state was divided into the following: York, Cumberland, Lincoln, Hancock, Washington, Kennebec, Oxford, Somerset, Penobscot and Waldo. Before the 1840 list appeared there were three new counties: Franklin and Piscataquis (1838) and Aroostook (1839) and since that date Androscoggin, Knox and Sagadaboc have been formed. So it follows that a man might live in the same place, and still be recorded in one county in 1835, in another in 184o and still another at time of death. No special effort has been made to identify different holders of the same name. If they lived in same county by the record and ages would approxi- mately correspond the----has been used for entries after the first. In cases where there could be the least doubt, separate entries have been made. Names from the 182o and 1831b lists are not given separate entry save in cases where name is not found in I835 list; ('2o) or (31b) in remarks column for names in '35 list signifying that name occurs in former list, any variations in form of name or additional information being noted. The county abbreviations will be obvious. Other abbreviations are: d. for died, res. for residence, and Pri., Corp., Lieut., Capt., Surg., for private, corporal, etc. Widow's names are italicized. Aside from the works already referred to one should consult Saffell's "Records of the Revolutionary war", 1858, pages 401-467, which contains a full treatment of the Half-pay or commutation pensioners, and all extensive list of officers killed in the war or possessed of right to half pay at the end. Maine also, since statehood, has made liberal provision for her Revolu- tionary veterans, as attested by "Names of soldiers of the American revolti- tion who applied for state bounty under resolves of March 17, I838. March 24, 1836 and March 20, 1836 as appear by record in the Land Office ...... Compiled by Charles J. House". Augusta, Burleigh & Flynt, 1893. The introduction gives text of the resolves, and as the homes are alpha- betical, they are not entered in this index. List. NAME. Service. Rank. Age County Remarks. 1835d Abbee, Obadiah.... Mass. mil... Private.. . . 70 Kennebec.. . . 1835d Abbree, William Cont.navy.. Lieutenant 87 Washington. 1840 Abbot, Besey 73 Waldo Res. with Joel Abbot of Montville. '40 Abbot, Henry 85 Lincoln. same as Abbott, Henry. Residence Boothbay. '35d Abbot, Isaac Mass. line Private. 72 Oxford '40 Abbott 78 Oxford Res, Fryeburg. '35c Abbot, John, 2d R. 1. line private.. 74 Lincoln ('20 as Abbott) died April 18, 1824. '35c Abbot, Jonathan.. . Mass. line Private.. . . 75 Cumberland. '35d Abbot, Joseph... .. Mass. state. . Private and 80 Oxford Died Nov. 30, 1832. Corporal. '35 Abbot, Nathaniel.. Mass. line... Private.... 86 Cumberland. ('20) d. April 8, 1830. 35d Abbot, Philip N. H. mil.. . . Private.. . 77 Oxford ' '40 83 Oxford Res. Rumford. '35c Abbott, Abner N. H-.'line 73 Oxford ( '20) d. Sept., 1823. '35d Abbott, Daniel Mass line, , . !Private.. . . 86 York ('20 and '31b, as Abbot.) '35c Abbott, Henry.. R. 1. line.... Private.. .. 77 Lincoln ('20) same as Abbot, Henry. 3 (c) 1998 Courtesy of the Androscoggin Historical Society ************************************************* * * * * NOTICE: Printing the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. 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