Historic Pelham

Wednesday, October 03, 2018

Bounty Land Awarded to Pelham Executors of the Estate of Captain Samuel Tredwell Pell for His Revolutionary War Service

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Pelham's Revolutionary War history is surprisingly rich, yet nearly all that has been written about it has focused solely on the Battle of Pelham fought on October 18, 1776. Today the Historic Pelham Blog will focus on the life and death of an American Patriot who was born, and died, in the Manor of Pelham.

That notable Pelhamite, who served as an officer in the American Army during the War, was Samuel Tredwell Pell. After the War he became a member of The Society of the Cincinnati, an organization consisting of officers who served during the Revolutionary War. He died tragically on December 29, 1786 at the age of 32 from injuries he sustained in a fall of his horse.

I have written before about Samuel Tredwell Pell. See:

Thu., Oct. 12, 2006: Biographical and Genealogical Information Regarding Revolutionary War Officer Samuel Tredwell Pell of the Manor of Pelham.

Tue., Jun. 12, 2007: Amorous Exploits of Captain Samuel Tredwell Pell of the Manor of Pelham in 1778.

Fri., Jun. 20, 2014: Brief Letter Dated June 13, 1776 from Samuel Tredwell Pell of Pelham Manor and Others to General George Washington.

Samuel Tredwell Pell was born in the Manor of Pelham on July 26, 1755, a son of Philip Pell Sr. and Gloriana Tredwell. He was a brother of Philip Pell Jr. and David Jones Pell, both of whom also were notable Patriots who fought for and served the Patriot cause during the Revolutionary War.

When only twenty years old, Samuel T. Pell applied for a commission in the army. On June 28, 1775 he was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the 4th Regiment, New York Continental Infantry under Colonel James Holmes. Only a few weeks later he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He served with the 4th Regiment during an unsuccessful campaign to capture Canada and convert it to the 14th colony. After that campaign, the 4th Regiment was disbanded. Pell and a number of his 4th Regiment colleagues wrote to General George Washington in June, 1776 seeking further deployment in support of the Patriot cause. See Fri., Jun. 20, 2014:  Brief Letter Dated June 13, 1776 from Samuel Tredwell Pell of Pelham Manor and Others to General George Washington.

In connection with the reorganization of the New York Line, Pell was made a captain in Colonel Philip Van Cortlandt's 2nd New York Regiment. He served in that role until June 1783, shortly before the end of the war. After the war, Pell returned to the Manor of Pelham and developed a farm near those of his brothers David Jones Pell (who owned the home known today as "Pelhamdale" at 45 Iden Avenue) and Philip Pell Jr. (who owned a home once located on today's Colonial Avenue -- the old Boston Post Road -- and what is now Cliff Avenue).

In December, 1786, Pell was badly injured when his horse fell. He died of his injuries on December 29, 1786.  Interestingly, even after his death, Pell's estate benefited from land bounty programs that awarded land to War veterans to reward them for their service.

After Samuel Tredwell Pell's death, his two brothers (David Jones Pell and Philip Pell Jr.) were appointed executors of his estate. On behalf of his estate, the brothers pursued at least two claims for bounty lands to which Samuel Pell had been entitled: one from the Federal Government and another from New York State. Today's Historic Pelham Blog article documents a little about the two bounty land grants to Pell's estate.

July 9, 1790 New York Bounty Land Warrant for 1,800 Acres

In addition to Federal bounty land warrants, a number of States including New York rewarded veterans of the Revolutionary War with bounty land warrant certificates that entitled them to public lands. On July 9, 1790, the State of New York awarded a New York Bounty Land Warrant for 1,800 acres. The record reference, transcribed in an important book collecting such records published in 1996, reads as follows:

"Pell, T. Samuel. N. Y. Captain. 9 Jul. 1790. 1800 acres."

Source:  Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt, Revolutionary War Bounty Land Grants Awarded by State Governments, p. 412 (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1996) (NOTE: Paid subscription required to access via this link.

By the time of this grant, of course, Samuel Tredwell Pell had been dead for almost four years. It appears that (as was another grant that occurred only five months later) this grant was sought and obtained for the benefit of his estate by his executors.

December 15, 1790 Bounty Land Warrant # 1681 for 300 Acres

A variety of records set forth below indicate that on December 15, 1790, bounty land warrant #1681 was issued to Philip Pell, Jr. and David Jones Pell as executors of the estate of their deceased brother, Samuel Tredwell Pell awarding an additional 300-acre tract as a land bounty for service during the Revolutionary War.

* * * * *

Samuel Tredwell Pell was an illustrious American Patriot who, after the war, died an untimely death. Yet, as executors of his estate, his two brothers honored his memory and sought on behalf of the beneficiaries of his estate the lands to which he was entitled as a veteran of the war. Below are images of, citations to, and links to a variety of records demonstrating the existence of two such bounty land grants.

July 9, 1790 New York Bounty Land Warrant for 1,800 Acres

Reference to July 9, 1790 Bounty Land Grant of

1800 Acres Awarded to Samuel Tredwell Pell.

Source: Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt, Revolutionary War

Bounty Land Grants Awarded by State Governments,

p. 412 (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co.,

Inc., 1996). NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

Transcription of Pertinent Line Immediately Below.

December 15, 1790 Bounty Land Warrant #1681 for 300 Acres

Below are images of, citations to, and links to a variety of official records that reflect the issuance of the December 15, 1790 bounty land warrant #1681 for 300 acres of public land to Philip Pell and David Pell, executors of the estate of Samuel Tredwell Pell.

Record 1 of 2 from the Indexes to U.S. War Bounty Land Warrants

Reflecting Bounty Land Warrant #1681 Issued to Philip Pell and

David Pell as Executors of the Estate of Samuel Tredwell Pell.

Source: Ancestry.com. U.S. War Bounty Land Warrants,

1789-1858 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA (Original data:

U.S. Revolutionary War Bounty Land Warrants Used in the U.S.

Military District of Ohio and Relating Papers (Acts of 1788, 1803,

and 1806), 1788-1806; Microfilm Publication M829, 16 rolls; ARC ID:

635444. Records of the Bureau of Land Management, Record Group

49; National Archives at Washington, D.C.War of 1812 Military

Bounty Land Warrants, 1815-1858;Microfilm Publication M848, 14 rolls;

ARC ID: 4923870. Records of the Bureau of Land Management, Record

Group 49; National Archives at Washington, D.C.) (Paid Subscription

Required to Access Via This Link) NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

(Detail from Image and Transcription Immediately Below.)

"Pell P. & Pell D. . . . . . . . . 1681 300 . . . . . . . . . . ."

Record 2 of 2 from the Indexes to U.S. War Bounty Land Warrants