Dale and Harv have gathered bits and pieces about Pierre LaBree 1755-1851 - he being Nancy (LaBree) Dutton's great-grandfather. Pierre has an interesting story, and the more we discover the more interesting he becomes. The most recent finding is his application (submitted in 1845, at age 90) for pension for Revolutionary War service as both a privateer seaman and with the Massachusetts Continental Navy. During his service at sea he was a privateer on the Tyranicide, which was present, and provided a vital role, at Bagaduce (Castine, ME) during the Penobscot Expedition. Our transcription of his application is below and a likeness of the original (two pages) is included in the "Maine Connections" slideshow in right column, along with other pictures of interest.
TRANSCRIPTION:
Page 1 (dictated to his son
Lawrence):
I Peter Labree of Brentwood in the County of Rockingham and state of New Hampshire testify and declare that I was born in George Town State of Maine and there lived until I was twelve years of age and then moved to Mount Desert so called and lived there until the Revolutionary War began. When the War began I went in a smawl (?) schooner commanded by Agren Crabtree and took an old sloop bound from Annapolis to Halifax worth about three hundred dollars. From there I went to Salem and entered a Continental vessel commanded by Daniel Waters of eight guns four pounders. I was in said vessel for a term of eleven months, front of line off Cape Ann we took a wood cutter bound for Boston which was then occupied by British. Also took a schooner of 60 tons bound to the West Indies from Annapolis Isle and the remainder we were on a cruiser for the Gamueah (??) Fleet.
I was on the Brig called the Trianacides (Tyrannicide) commanded by Jonathan Haradin (??) of Salem, Massachusetts in the year 1781 until peace was declared and in company with another Brig. commanded by Capt. Fisk. We bring two Brigs of 15 guns 6 pounders and on a cruise off the Grand Banks we took a copper bottom Brig and put a firemuster (??) a board and order her to Salem but she was retaken and we then sailed towards the British Channell and on our cruise we took after a running action of three hours and a half with vessel of superior metal (??) to ours and they had two of their officers killed we had no one killed. From there we cruised in the English Channel off Cape Clear on the north side of Ireland Isle and there we took a vessel we called a Snow which the invoice of her cargo was twenty five thousand pounds sterling. Also we took a Brig with sixty Hessians and three women on board bound to Quebeck. Also we took a Brig loaded with provisions and salt bound to Newfoundland. Also we took off the Channel three other vessels making seven which arrived home safe. A seventy-four gunship gave us chase and drove us into France. I was out in this vessel for fifteen months. You will find my name on the ship’s records. Prior to this cruise I was out a privateering and taken prisoner into New York and there kept a little better than a year when I returned home. I have lived in Brentwood not far from sixty-five years but have been occasionally been to sea. My sea service including the Revolutionary War service has been not far from forty years. I have been a sea captain about twenty years. I am ninety years old.
Page 2 (dictated to his son Lawrence):
At the breaking out of the Revolutionary War I entered the service as a volunteer but after a service of eleven months I thought I should get more by entering a privateer which I did until I was taken prisoner and suffered so much at New York. I then thought if I was in the State service I should be exchanged sooner and it would be better for me and accordingly entered the State of Massachusetts service in 1781 and served for fifteen months and I was honorably discharged which discharge is lost but you will find my name on the payrolls of the Trianacides (Tyrannicide) during all of which time I served in the capacity of an able bodied seaman and he therefore prays that the Court to take order hereon to instill him to a pension agreeably to an act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. He being entitled to the provisions therein proclaimed to a pension for two years service.
March 19, 1845
Dictated to his son Lawrence LaBree
Pierre LaBree X (his mark)
Witnesses
Daniel W. Ladd
Nathan (?) Batchelder (?)
I Peter Labree of Brentwood in the County of Rockingham and state of New Hampshire testify and declare that I was born in George Town State of Maine and there lived until I was twelve years of age and then moved to Mount Desert so called and lived there until the Revolutionary War began. When the War began I went in a smawl (?) schooner commanded by Agren Crabtree and took an old sloop bound from Annapolis to Halifax worth about three hundred dollars. From there I went to Salem and entered a Continental vessel commanded by Daniel Waters of eight guns four pounders. I was in said vessel for a term of eleven months, front of line off Cape Ann we took a wood cutter bound for Boston which was then occupied by British. Also took a schooner of 60 tons bound to the West Indies from Annapolis Isle and the remainder we were on a cruiser for the Gamueah (??) Fleet.
I was on the Brig called the Trianacides (Tyrannicide) commanded by Jonathan Haradin (??) of Salem, Massachusetts in the year 1781 until peace was declared and in company with another Brig. commanded by Capt. Fisk. We bring two Brigs of 15 guns 6 pounders and on a cruise off the Grand Banks we took a copper bottom Brig and put a firemuster (??) a board and order her to Salem but she was retaken and we then sailed towards the British Channell and on our cruise we took after a running action of three hours and a half with vessel of superior metal (??) to ours and they had two of their officers killed we had no one killed. From there we cruised in the English Channel off Cape Clear on the north side of Ireland Isle and there we took a vessel we called a Snow which the invoice of her cargo was twenty five thousand pounds sterling. Also we took a Brig with sixty Hessians and three women on board bound to Quebeck. Also we took a Brig loaded with provisions and salt bound to Newfoundland. Also we took off the Channel three other vessels making seven which arrived home safe. A seventy-four gunship gave us chase and drove us into France. I was out in this vessel for fifteen months. You will find my name on the ship’s records. Prior to this cruise I was out a privateering and taken prisoner into New York and there kept a little better than a year when I returned home. I have lived in Brentwood not far from sixty-five years but have been occasionally been to sea. My sea service including the Revolutionary War service has been not far from forty years. I have been a sea captain about twenty years. I am ninety years old.
Page 2 (dictated to his son Lawrence):
At the breaking out of the Revolutionary War I entered the service as a volunteer but after a service of eleven months I thought I should get more by entering a privateer which I did until I was taken prisoner and suffered so much at New York. I then thought if I was in the State service I should be exchanged sooner and it would be better for me and accordingly entered the State of Massachusetts service in 1781 and served for fifteen months and I was honorably discharged which discharge is lost but you will find my name on the payrolls of the Trianacides (Tyrannicide) during all of which time I served in the capacity of an able bodied seaman and he therefore prays that the Court to take order hereon to instill him to a pension agreeably to an act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. He being entitled to the provisions therein proclaimed to a pension for two years service.
March 19, 1845
Dictated to his son Lawrence LaBree
Pierre LaBree X (his mark)
Witnesses
Daniel W. Ladd
Nathan (?) Batchelder (?)
My website has 9 coats of arms with the name Dutton:
ReplyDeleteDutton. We also have 53 arms for Marshall