Military Pension Record of Bethel Benton

Military Pension Record of Bethel Benton

Revolutionary War

Note: Record 1 National Archives collection.
State of New York, Ontario County

On this twenty eighth day of August 1832 personally appearing in open court,
before the Judges of the Court of Common pleas now sitting, Bethel Benton a
resident of the town of Seneca in the county and state aforesaid, aged
eighty one years, who being first sworn according to law, both on his oath
make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of
Congress passed June 7, 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named
officers, and served as herein stated. Viz. that in the month of May 1775 he
resided in the town of Ashfield in Massachusetts and enlisted at Wheatley in
Capt. Murray's Company in Colonel Woodbridge's Regiment, State Troop, for
the term of eight months - joined his Regiment at Cambridge where he was
stationed principally until the term of his enlistment expired in January
1776, when he was discharged at Cambridge, and immediately volunteered in
Captain Burns Company in Colonel Sergeants Regiment for one month, which he served out and
was again discharged at Cambridge, that during the BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL he
was on duty at the hill, an exposed situation;

That immediately on his return to Ashfield in February 1776 he enlisted in
Captain Israel Chapins Company in Colonel Elisha Porters Regiment of State
Troops for the term of one year, that the company rendezvoused at North
Hampton, marched from thence to Crown Point - then joined two companies
called JERSEY BLUES and (?SESSERA), from there at Lake Champlain, crossed
the Lake on the ice to Grand Isle and from thence to the West side, to (St.
? ), then to Chamblay and to Sorrell, then crossed the W. St. Lawrence on
the ice, proceeded down the left bank of that river to Three Rivers and then
to Quebec, that they arrived at the Plains of Abraham on the 3rd day of April and
joined the Army under the command of GEN. ARNOLD, that Capt. Chapins Company
was immediately ordered to proceed to ( ? ), seven miles below Quebec,
where they remained until the 4th day of May, when they were ordered back to
the Plains of Abraham and JOINED the ARMY,

that they retreated with the Army to Sorrell where they joined Col. Porters
Regiment, halted there until June; The Army then retreated to Crown Point
and thence to Ticonderoga, from Ticonderoga to MOUNT INDEPENDENCE where they
arrived on the 4th of JULY 1776, remained there until December under
ARNOLD'S COMMAND, then went to Albany, where he, BENTON was taken sick and
left in the hospital, remained there a few days and went home to ASHFIELD
in MASSACHUSETTS on furlough, where he remained sick until after his term of
enlistment expired,

that he has no documented viz. evidence of his service and knows of no other
persons whose testimony he can procure than Daniel Phillips and Ephraim
Powers whose affidavit, are hereto included. He hereby relinquishes every
claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his
name is not on the pension role of the agency of any state. Sworn to and
subscribed to this day and year aforesaid in open Court.
Bethel X Benton    Mark

Service: We Elijah Miller and Ilah Belding both residing in the Town of
Seneca in Ontario do...............
Hereby certify that we are well acquainted with BETHEL BENTON, who has
subscribed and sworn to the above dictation; that we believe him to be
EIGHTY-ONE YEARS of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the
neighborhood where he resides to have been a SOLDIER OF THE REVOLUTION, and
that we concur in that opinion.
         Elijah Tilden

Record 2 National Archives Record 6868 Brief for BETHEL BENTON - SENECA
COUNTY OF ONTARIO IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK (Act 7th June 1832).

The following information was certified:
    1.   Declaration was made before a Court

    2.      -

    3.   He was 81 years old

    4.   S
In 1775 May -- 8 months -- private -- Capt. Murray, Col. Woodbridge
Immediately after discharge -- 1 month -- private --
Capt. Barnes, Col. Sergeant 1776   Febry -- 12 month -- private --
Capt. I. Chapen,
Col. E. Porter,
GEN.ARNOLD

5.   Engaged in the BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL

    6.   He resided at Ashfield, MA (Wheatly) when he entered the service

   7.   Living witness for the 1st and 2nd terms and traditionary

    8.   -
    #Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the
evidence in the case above mentioned.
                                       W. Fawcett, Examining Clerk

Record 3 National Archives, State of New York   Ontario County

Bethel Benton of the town of Seneca County of Ontario and State of New York
the declarant doth on his oath further declare that in the year 1775 he
served under: Colonel Woodbridge, Lieut. Col. Brown, Major Tracy, Capt.
Murray, Lieut. Cook, Ensign Woodbridge.

Was in Gen. Prescott's Brigade who commanded at Cambridge -- at Cambridge,
MA. Col. Breuer, Col. Oliver, Col. Reid, Capt. Cowder, Capt. Barnes, Capt.
King.

In 1776 he served under: Col. Porter, Lieut. Col. Williams, Major Morgan,
Capt. Israel Chapin, Lieut. Seth Hunt, 2nd Lieut. White.

Whereas Company was on separate command a greater part of the time and
consequently did not serve with any other officers except at Mount
Independence where he was in Col. Bonds Regiment: GEN. ARNOLD, Major Fuller,
Col. Poor,
Capt. Enock Chapin, Gen. Thomas - died at Chablee.

He was born at GUILFORD in CONNECTICUT DECEMBER 14th 1750 of which he has a
record in his family Bible. At the age of seventeen he removed to ASHFIELD
in MASSACHUSETTS where he RESIDED AT the COMMENCEMENT of the
REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

He removed from Ashfield to SENECA in ONTARIO COUNTY NEW YORK in 1798- where
he now resides and has since resided.     his mark Bethel X   Benton
Sworn to and subscribed, this 22nd day of January 1833 before me, R. M.
Bayly, Notary Public

Record 4 National Archives Rev. & 1812 War Section, March 20, 1926
Mrs. J.I.Benedict, 881 Mass. Ave. Cambridge, Mass.
Madam: I have to advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension
claim, S. 12176, it appears that BETHEL BENTON was born December 14, 1750,
at Guilford, Connecticut.

While a resident of Ashfield, Massachusetts, he enlisted in May 1775, and
served eight months a private in Captain Murray's Company, Colonel
Woodbridges Massachusetts Regiment. He enlisted in January 1776, and served
one month as private in Captain Barnes' Company, Colonel Sergeant's Mass.
Regiment. He enlisted in February 1776, and served one year as private in
Captain Israel Chapin's Company, Colonel Elisha Porter's Massachusetts
Regiment.

He was allowed pension on his application executed August 28, 1832, at which
time he was a resident of Seneca, Ontario County, NY, having moved there in
1798. There is no data on file relative to his family.
Respectfully, WINFIELD SCOTT, commissioner

Contributed by Bonnie Benton Harrison. Thank you, Bonnie.

Return to the Ontario Co. GenWeb page