Three Letters Advocating for the Restoration of the Pension of a Revolutionary War Veteran

Norwich, Connecticut, 1855. Unbound. Near Fine. Three letters. One quarto and two octavos on blue lined sheets. One page each. Near fine but for creases from mailing and some light toning. Three letters written by Charles James Lanman, son of U.S. Senator Charles Lanman and cousin of Presidents John Adams and John Quincey Adams, on behalf of Ebenezer Avery, a veteran of the American Revolution, seeking restoration of his pension. Lanman writes on May 21st, 1855 to one George Robinson that "Ebenezer Avery of Preston [Connecticut] draws a Pension and has applied for Bounty Land - but strange as it may seem, no record of his invoice can be found in the Pension Office." Records show that Avery served in "Captain Boardman's company, under Col. Sherman" during the war and "carried from Boston to Philadelphia the specie to pay the soldiers." After the war, Avery was selected to represent Preston at the state house and was granted a pension in 1832. We suspect due to Avery's advanced age - being 95 in 1855 - he may have been removed from the rolls in error. While we cannot confirm if his pension was restored, the two additional letters here from Lanman sent a week later - another to Robinson ("I hope my letter marked you he is a very aged man and I am extremely anxious it detail his warrant before his death.") and a third sent the same day and simply addressed to "Dear Sir" - indicate he was a worthy advocate for Mr. Avery who went on to live for more than a year.