Submitted by:
My 4th great-grandfather, Joseph MITCHEL, was born in Colchester, New London Co., CT, in
October, 1762, and made his R.W. pension claim from Vigo Co. in Sept., 1829. While
he was unsuccessful, both Joseph "MITCHELL" and Daniel "SCOVELL"
appear on the list of American seamen POWs on the hulk Jersey extracted by the US Merchant
Marine Assn. (http://www.usmm.org). He and his elderly wife, Hannah, were censused
in Vigo Co., "unknown townships," but presumably Terre Haute, in 1820 and 1830.
He must have died not long after the 1830 census as he did not make a further claim
under the more generous pension Act of 1832. The Susanna HUBBARD and Zenas MITCHEL
who gave affidavits for his pension were his siblings. Azariah MITCHEL who later
moved to IL was a nephew, while Bradford HICKCOX and William NIECE who were his neighbors
in 1820 were sons-in-law.
I was interested to see that John CRUFT and Curtis GILBERT are mentioned elsewhere on the
Vigo site as among developers of Woodlawn Cemetery
The pension application and affidavits are pasted at the end of this message if they are
something you can use on the Vigo Co. site.
Regards,
Chris Stannard
Ault, CO
greermac@aol.com
Transcribed from NARA
Microfilm of Revolutionary War Pension & Bounty Land Warrant Applications by C. O.
Stannard - file of Joseph Mitchel, Conn. Sea Service,
R 7278:
State of Indiana Circuit Court of the County of Vigo:
On this Seventeenth Day of September 1829 personally appeared in open Court (being a Court
of Record of the State of Indiana in & for the County of Vigo) Joseph MITCHEL, a
resident in said County, aged 66 years next October, who being first duly sworn according
to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision
made by the Act of Congress of the 18th March 1818, and the 1st of May 1820 -- that he the
said Joseph MITCHEL enlisted into the service of the United States in the year 1781, at
New London in the State of Connecticut under Captain SCOVOL, as a marine, who commanded
the Brig Dean, that he sailed with the said officer out of New London, and was taken
prisoner and carried to New York, that he was kept prisoner about a year & was then
exchanged, that he hereby relinquishes every claim to a pension except the present, that
his name is not on the Roll of any State except Connecticut, nor on that, that he knows
of, and that the following are the reasons for his not making earlier application for a
pension (the first application having been made by him at the April Term 1826 of this
Court) that as long as he was able to support himself & family by his own exertions he
was unwilling to apply to his Country.
And in pursuance of the Act of the 1st May 1820, I do solemnly swear that I was a citizen
of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818, and that I have not since that time by
gift, sale or in any manner, disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent
thereof so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provision of the act of Congress
entitled "an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service
of the United States in the Revolutionary War," passed on the 18th day of March
1818, and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities,
Contracts or debts due to me, nor have I any income other than what is contained in the
scheduled hereunto annexed and by me subscribed, to wit: one cow, one calf, part of
a set of coopers tools, one axe, one table, a kind of a cupboard, part of a set of table
furniture, three old chairs, one little wheel; that, I am by occupation a Cooper, and am
now unable to follow it profitably. My wife, who is very old, five years older than
I am, is all my family residing with me, I have two sons, one in the state of New York,
the other residing in this State, both having families and very poor, and in case of
sickness, I should be thrown [on] public or private charity, owning to my very humble
means & destitute condition.
That since the 18th March 1818 there has been but little change in my property. I
had no real estate then and I have had none since, I had a one-horse waggon but that was
worn out & destroyed in my service, & since the last application made by me the
old horse I then had has died, one of the calves was killed for the use of the family, the
old saddle is worn out & the three pieces of iron castings are broken & become
useless.
Joseph MITCHEL
Sworn to and declared on the seventeenth day of September aforesaid, before the
subscriber, the Presiding Judge of the Court aforesaid being a Court of Record by the laws
of the State of Indiana.
John R. PORTER
I, Curtis GILBERT, Clerk of the Court aforesaid, do hereby certify that it appears to the
satisfaction of the Court that the said Joseph MITCHEL did serve in the Revolutionary War,
as stated in the preceding declaration, against the common enemy for the time of nine
months, under one engagement, I also certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule
thereto annexed are truly copied from the Records of the Said County, and I do further
Certify that it is the opinion of the said Court, that the total amount in value of the
property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is not exceeding fifty dollars and ____
cents. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand an affixed the seal of the
said Court on this 17th day of September 1829.
C. GILBERT
Clerk of the Circuit Court of the
County of Vigo aforesaid.
State of Indiana }
Vigo County } ss.
I, the undersigned, President Judge of the 1st Judicial District of the State aforesaid,
including the said County of Vigo, do certify that Curtis GILBERT was at the time of
certifying the above certificate, acting clerk of said County, and that his attestation is
in due form of law.
Given under my hand this twenty-third day of September, eighteen thousand &
twenty-nine.
John R. PORTER
State of New York Genesee county Ss.
Susanna GILLET and Susanna HUBBARD Both of the Town of Attica in the County of Genesee,
Being duly Sworn deposeth and Saith that according to the Best of their Recolection that
Joseph MITCHEL enlisted in the Service of the United Sates in the Revolutionary war and
went aboard of the Brig Dene and in the Command of Capt. SCOVEL and Sailed out of New
London and was taken prisoner and Carried to New York and further saith that to the Best
of their Recolection was prisoner about one year and then was Exchanged.
Further these deponents Said not.
her
Sworn and Subscribed to Susanna X
GILLET
mark
Susanna
HUBBARD
This 26 day October in the
year 1825 Before Me
Daniel COOLEY J.P.
*********************
State of Indiana }
Vigo County } ss.
Personally appeared before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the
Township of Harrison, county and state aforesaid, Zenas MITCHEL of the said County who
being duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith that he has been well acquainted with
Joseph MITCHEL now a citizen of Harrison Township in the county afsd. from his youth
untill the present time that sometime during the Revolutionary war he enlisted into the
service of the United States and went on board of the brig Dierna under the command of
Capt. SCOVEL and sailed out of Newlondon and was taken prisoner and carried to New York
and further that to the best of his recollection was a prisoner something like one year
and was then exchanged and further this deponent saith not.
Zenas MITCHEL
Sworn to and subscribed before me this twelfth day of April A.D. 1826.
John F. CRUFT, J. P. [seal]
State of Indiana Vigo County SS.
I Curtis GILBERT, Clerk of the Circuit Court of said County, do certify that John G. CRUFT
before whom the above affidavit was made was at the date thereof a Justice of the Peace in
and for said County duly commissioned and qualified and that full faith and credit are due
to his official acts. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed
the seal of said County at Terre Haute the 4th day of November Eighteen Hundred and twenty
eight. C. GILBERT