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| Continental Colors 1776 |
"Resolved, That the flag of the United
States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen
stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
(14 June 1777, Continental Congress)
In late
1775, young Aaron Thomas answered the call to arms, enlisting in the Continental
Army only months after “the shot heard round the world” was fired at Lexington
and Concord. The Revolutionary War of Independence had begun. As a soldier in
the 10th Regiment of the Connecticut Line, Aaron helped to found a
new nation, no longer identified by the Union Jack, but not yet identified with
thirteen stars and stripes.
Our family
can trace its heritage back seven generations to the birth of this new nation, with
a number of Revolutionary soldiers as great-great-great-great-great
grandfathers -some of whom were already fourth-generation Americans, like Aaron
Thomas -father of Michigan pioneer, Alanson Thomas.
As we
celebrate our country’s road to independence, paved by people like Aaron, let us not
forget that generations of our family defined and defended the freedoms we enjoy today. Although
only a few details of Aaron’s life are revealed in the following requests for a
military service pension, it does suggest that his life was fraught with
hardships, necessitating repeated applications to the government for financial
assistance based on the Revolutionary Claim Act of 1818. In 1820 he was granted a monthly pension of $8.
(Transcript
of documents below)
Territory of
Michigan
County of Wayne
On this 18th
day of July 1820, personally appeared in open Court, being a Court of record
for said County, Aaron Thomas, aged sixty seven years, resident in Detroit in
said County, who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath
declared, though that he served in the revolutionary war, as follows, that he
enlisted in a Company commanded by Captain Ebenezer Brewster, in the Regiment
commanded by Col. Parsons, in the Connecticut line, in December, 1775, & that
he continued in the Service until December 1776, when he was discharged; that
his original declaration, for a pension, under this act of Congress of the 18th
of March, 1818 was dated the 20th day of March 1819; that he has
received as pension certificate, under the act aforesaid numbering 14894.
And I do
solemnly swear, that I was a resident citizen of the United States, on the 18th
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 thereby so to
diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress,
entitled “an act to provide for certain persons, engaged in the Land &
naval Services of the United States, in the revolutionary war,” passed 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 is contained in the Schedules hereunto annexed.
To wit, Two
Cows, one ass, one hoe, one scythe, one rake, & one pitchfork. (signature)
Aaron Thomas.
I also declare,
and state, that my occupation is that of a Farrier, that from infirmity, I am
unable to obtain as livelihood by it, that my family consists of myself and
wife.
[ONE YEAR
EARLIER]
(by different hand) I Aron Thomas declare and state, that I was
born in Preston in the State of Connecticutt -that I am now and always have
been a citizen of the United States- that on, or about the first day of January
1776- I enlisted into a company in the Continental Army of the Revolution,
commanded by Capt. Ebenezer Brewster, in Col. Parsons Regiment, in which
company I continued to serve for the term of twelve months, and was discharged
in the State of New Jersey-
I have now no written discharge to exhibit- I never received any
pension -am Sixty Six years of age, in reduced circumstances and stand in need
of support from my Country- I have no other evidence now in my power, of the
aforesaid service—
Detroit 23d March 1819~ (signature) Aron Thomasse
Territory of Michigan
Detroit 23d March 1819
I James Witherell, one of the Judges in and over the Territory
aforesaid do certifie that Aron Thomas signed and made oath to the above
declaration as containing the truth, according to his best recollection before
me— and I further certifie that I well know him to be indigent circumstances
the annexed is the Seal of the Supreme Court of the Territory--- (signature)
J.Witherell
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| Pension details for Aaron Thomas |
NOTE: land purchase: Aaron
Thomas 1754-1825 (son of Aaron and Zipporah) purchased 437.60 acres of land
from the US Government in 1808 in the River Rouge/Dearborn/Detroit area of
Wayne County, Michigan. (source record to be verified)
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| Page 1 Pension Application 1820 |
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| Page 2 (top) Pension Application 1820 |
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| Pension Request 1819 |
So glad to find this. I have been researching the Thomas branch of my father's family and am amazed to find such a rich history!
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