A Yarmouth Widow's Pension - John and Deborah (Studley) Nickerson

A Yarmouth’s Widow’s Pension

Deborah (Studley) Nickerson, Widow of

John Nickerson, Revolutionary War Veteran

            

John Nickerson of Yarmouth is an ancestor of mine I have neglected in researching although I often acknowledged him as a pivotal and important individual in my family tree.  I admit I must have been far too excited about what connections came about from John and Deborah Nickerson’s union - several of their children married into the indigenous Greenough family of Yarmouth - putting the couple aside for future research.  

The Time Is Now or There is No Time Like the Present

I recently returned to John Nickerson and noticed that I had estimated dates of death for both him and his wife, Deborah Studley.  I fear (please forgive me I was new!) that the estimated death years that I did have must have come from what I saw in other Ancestry trees. There were no source documents to be found. I took a look at Deborah’s Widow’s Pension Application for John’s Revolutionary War service. The application provides great information not only for John and Deborah, but for several of their Yarmouth neighbors. Most importantly Deborah’s testimony provides John's date of death as December 1801 (no day given) as does the testimonies of several other witnesses. This date is twenty years sooner than the estimated year that I had noted in my initial research back in 2015.

Deborah received her Certificate of Pension on 30 Nov 1846 - and was owed back monies commencing 4 March 1831 until 4 September 1846 in the amount of $310.  A U.S. Revolutionary Payment Ledger for Widow Pensions shows that Deborah, wife of John Nickerson, a private in service, received a pension of approximately $4.00 per year from 4 March 1831 until her death 21 March 1854.

In her application, Deborah declared that John was a soldier early in the war, i.e., 1775, entering in the service of Captain Joshua Gray of Yarmouth, Massachusetts, as well as under Captain Elisha Hedge, and Captain Clark - at least twelve months before and after their marriage by Reverend Timothy Alden on 14 December 1779. (Note that in later testimony Deborah admits she may be incorrect in dates she provides.) The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Department of Military Services in the War of the Revolution finds records for John Nickerson’s service only in the rolls of Captain Elisha Hedge, Col. Freeman on the alarm at Dartmouth in September 1778 (3 days). There is record of him on the roll of the six months men belonging to Yarmouth in Continental service from 10 Jul 1780 to 3 December 1780, and marching from Springfield under Captain Clark on 19 Jul 1780. No records of rolls were found for Captain Joshua Gray. Much back and forth correspondence ensues on Deborah’s behalf in pressing John’s service with Joshua Gray. (Also please note there is another individual from Yarmouth by the name of John Nickerson, born 3 March 1774, died 1818, and buried at S. Dennis, son of Eleazer, who served during the Revolutionary War as a 2nd Lieutenant in Captain Jonathan Crowell's Co, and then commissioned as a Captain in Col. Joseph Otis' Regt in the 1st Barnstable Co. Regt. of Mass. Militia, as well as under Nathaniel Freeman's Reg.  His original communications with Col. Freeman in April 1777 are in the Mass. Historical Society Early Court Files.) 

Witnesses Weigh In

Included in the widow’s pension file are letters of testimony from two of the couple’s sons — Isaac and Thomas. Isaac Nickerson of Smithfield, Rhode Island deposed on 12 May 1845, states that he was born in Yarmouth in January 1798. He offers that his father died in December 1801. Due to his young age at the time of his father’s death, Isaac had no service related information to offer. He states he can “just remember when his father was buried.”  I have currently found no record of burial place for John Nickerson.

Thomas Nickerson, age 60, of Yarmouth deposed on 28 July 1845, states he was 20 years old when his father died. He most certainly recalled details of his father’s service as described to him by his father. Thomas testifies that John Nickerson discussed belonging to Captain Joshua Gray’s company and serving six months before discharge.  John Nickerson had come home in company with Eben Matthews, Isaac Matthews, Prince Gage, Eben Gage and Reuben Gage.  John was at Dorchester and saw the British when they left Boston; he was discharged soon after.

Indeed from the correspondence of Amos Otis and Benja Crowell, mediators for Deborah’s request, it appears that the Commonwealth pushed back on John’s service.  Otis and Crowell adamantly endorsed Deborah’s application given the  solid reputations and consistencies in all witness testimonies. They question and acknowledge the record keeping issues which the state was using against Deborah’s request.  The Commonwealth acknowledged there were no records existing at that time for certain years and particularly records concerning Captain Joshua Gray’s company. Many of the witnesses were very aged and unsure of exact dates when events happened, but on many facts they did agree. Finally, the Commonwealth responded to Amos Otis certifying that Captain Joshua Gray was indeed commissioned in February 1776, Daniel Bassett and William Chapman were also commissioned as Lieutenants, and Josiah Miller as Ensign of the Company, which it appeared had served at Dorchester Heights.

Thomas Gage of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, 81 years of age, was born in, and resided in Yarmouth until 30 years prior to his deposition dated 24 April 1845. He ultimately provided two accounts in support of Deborah’s application.  Thomas Gage was well acquainted with John Nickerson of Yarmouth who married Deborah Studley.  Gage also remembered Captain Joshua Gray as captain of a militia company.  He recalls John was a private, and remembers that in 1775, or early part of the war, John was drafted and went away under Gray for several months. In his second statement on 15 May 1846, Thomas Gage testified that he had three brothers - Prince, Ebenezer and Reuben Gage, all deceased at the time of deposition, who were in the service of Captain Joshua Gray along with John Nickerson. He offers they were at Dorchester when the British left Boston and all came home with John Nickerson.

Bethiah Hallett of Smithfield, Rhode Island, 77 years of age on 11 April 1845.  Bethia was born and raised in Yarmouth and was living there during the Revolutionary War.  Hallett was well acquainted with John and Deborah, his widow, living in Yarmouth. She recalls that in 1775 soon after the Battle of Bunker Hill, John was drafted in Captain Joshua Gray’s company of militia. She testifies they were all near neighbors. She recollected John Nickerson coming home on furlough from the army near Boston, but that he returned to his company for several weeks longer.  He was gone from June 1775 to the autumn.  Note there is another deposition of a Bethiah Hallett and it is currently uncertain if this was taken of the same individual or another person by the same name.

Bethiah Miller, Dennis, Massachusetts, aged 85 years.  Bethiah Miller testifies that she too was well acquainted with John Nickerson.  She lived in Yarmouth during the war and John was a neighbor. She recalls that he went to the army near Boston and was at the Bunker Hill Battle; she does not recall what company.  She believed he was gone at long as seven months.

Tamzin Tripp of Smithfield, Rhode Island, 81 years of age. Tamzin Tripp was born and raised in Yarmouth as well.  He states that he was born and brought up in the area of Yarmouth that had become Dennis; he had left about 35 years prior.  Tamzin further testifies that he knew Captain Joshua Gray of Yarmouth living just a few miles from him.  He states that there were quite a few men that he knew that went with Gray including John Nickerson. (Testimony dated 26 October 1846.)

Ansel Taylor of Yarmouth, 96 years old on 28 July 1845. Testifies that he was a soldier in Captain Joshua Gray’s company and was at Boston when the British were driven out in the Spring of 1776.  He states John Nickerson was in said Company and Ansel was acquainted with him.  The Company was discharged soon after and returned home.  Ansel Taylor makes a second deposition confirming his previous statement while explaining that he himself had not applied for a pension because he had not served long enough.  Note that William Bray of Yarmouth, aged 80 years, swears to the fact that Captain Gray was in service not only in 1775 but in 1776.  He also testifies to the credibility of Ansel Taylor.  (We also learn that Ansel Taylor had long been a member of a Christian church and was in full possession of his faculties!)

Sarah Bray, Yarmouth, 83 years of age, deposed on 28 July 1845, was present at the marriage of John Nickerson and Deborah Studley.  She states the couple was married at her grandfather Samuel Marchant’s house. She remembered John being furloughed and that he belonged to Captain Joshua Gray’s Company.  Sarah recalls a Joshua [Brimholl] looking up soldiers who were on furlough and that Nickerson was one of them.

Bethiah Hallett, aged 80, Pawtucket, Rhode Island.  She was born and brought up in Yarmouth and was acquainted with Joshua Gray being a near neighbor to him and John Nickerson. She clearly remembers John belonging to this company and going off to Boston, or near Boston, in the year the British evacuated.  She particularly remembers that her uncle Elisha Howes came home and sitting at her table discussed John Nickerson being in the company.  She also recollects that John brought some cull wool yarn to her house to be woven into cloth.  Bethiah had been taught to weave at age seven, and at this time, being 11 or 12 years old, she wove the cloth for John Nickerson. She recalls him stating the cloth was for his wedding coat.  Nickerson then took the cloth away to have it dressed and dyed a reddish color; she remembers him wearing it after his wedding to Deborah Studley. Date of this testimony was on 26 October 1846.

Abzubah Snow, Brewster, aged 90 years.  She lived in Yarmouth during the Revolution, in fact was born and brought up there.  Her first husband was James Nickerson of Yarmouth, John’s brother.  She recalls that in the early part of the war when the British were in possession of Boston, John went to Boston in Captain Joshua Gray’s Company and was there when the British left.  Testimony taken on April 15, 1844. Abzuba went on to successfully apply for a widow's pension for her former husband's service.

It appears John never applied for or received a pension for his service.  Deborah began receiving her widow’s pension of $20.00 a month 4 March 1831 for John’s service as Private in the Mass company commanded by Cape Hedge in Company commanded by Col. Freeman for six months.  According to Barnstable Probate Judge Marston, Deborah Nickerson testified on 9 May 1845 that she was 84 years of age. Marston informs (as much of the paperwork does) that John also served under Captain Joshua Gray, Elisha Hedge and Capt. Clark for as long as twelve months before and after her marriage 14 December 1779. Deborah also testifies that her husband died in December of 1801. (No day given.)

Sources:

Enright, Susan, Personal Collection, Revolutionary War Marker of Reuben Chase, Ancient Cemetery, Yarmouth, MA, 15 August 2023, Susan Enright photographer.

Nickerson, John/Deborah, US Revolutionary War, Massachusetts, Pension No. W.25837, Case Files of Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Applications Based on Revolutionary War Service, compiled ca. 1800-ca.1912, documenting the period ca. 1775- ca. 1900, United States of America, M804, Catalog ID 300022, NARA, 15, (https://www.fold3.com/image/25392124/john-page-2-revolutionary-war-pensions ), image 2 of 68, accessed 15 August 2023, Fold3.com.

Image, Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication ("CCO 1.0 Dedication”) View of Boston from Dorchester Heights 1774, nypl digital collections.

United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89WB-79JT?cc=2069831&wc=MXMQ-RM9%3A355664001 : 22 September 2017), 16-vol O Widow pensions, image 51 of 380; citing NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1862).

Yarmouth, Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Image 61 of 183, http://www.Ancestry.com, accessed August 2023.

The Nickerson Family: the Descendants of William Nickerson, 1604-1689, the First Settler of Chatham, Massachusetts, 1997, page 20, archive.org.