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Claims & Memorials
Memorial of Cynthia Dwight of Massachusetts

The Memorial of Cynthia DWIGHT widow Relict of Serene E. DWIGHT Ensign in his Britanack Majestys Service humbly Sheweth

That She with her Said husband and one Child with their father Timothy DWIGHT Esqr. in the year anno Domini 1776 in April Set out for west florida where they arrived in the month of august following and as they were under a necessity of leaving a great part of their subsistance 400 hundred miles below the place of their destination and being taken Sick and not able Soon to return allmost all which was so left us was by James WILLING of Philidilphia under Comission from Congress taken away or Destroy'd

and your memorialist further Sheweth that her Said Husband was employed in the British Service as Surgeon without a mait for two full years and Six months of the time as Sejant maijor that her Sd. husband never received but four months pay for Sd. Services as the Spanish enemy cut of[f] all possibility of Communicating with Pensicola from whence he was to receive his pay.

Your Memorialist further Sheweth that her Sd. Husband was [illegible] and possessed of Land cong. of twelve hundred and fifty acres in one parcle and one hundred in another peice and a third which was eighty acres of land brot. under cul[t]ivation with a Dwelling house thereon with other out houses or buildings that which they resided in that country left three Dwelling houses (viz) One burnt by the Spaniards

and after her Sd. husband had by various Services in the British employ particularly in assisting to take fort Palmure belonging before to the Spanish found his danger daily to encrease he with his wife your Memorialist with two Children and Some of their party did under take & prosecute a jou[r]ney a Crosse ye wilderness with out a guid[e], path or Compass; and Converted a great part of what they could collect of money into horses & Baggage.

They Set off on the Beginning of june 1781 and arrived at Georgia in the latter end of November following your memorialist being at that time pregnant and the whole time without and Shelter but the Heavens and any bed but the earth, we endured every distress in Crossing wide rapid rivers where we risked our lives by plunging often under violent waters where our horses were obliged to dive rather than swim and that we must Climb steep frightfull precipices all the While persued by Savages who notwithstanding all our care and vigilence we were Stripped of every thing but our uttmost worn out lives which were left us as a pray here [illegible] your Memorialist and her family except her Sd. husband were siezed with Small pox and was Delivered of a third Child of which that Died and there we endured which poverty can expose people too in a Seige in a Strange land there my Sd. husband was appointed Surgeons mait in Coll. FANNING's Regiment

The August following we were removed to New York or rather long-Island where my Sd. husband presented a memorial and received as I believe about Sixty or Seventy pounds I Suppose york money & if he obtained more the Hon. General RUGGLES can say what.

My Sd. Husband after the peace having Determined on going to Nova Scotia thot, not it not expedient for his wife and children 3 in number at that time to under take to go with him but to tarry with their friends in New England untill he had made preparation for their accomodation they parted long Island from whence he Soon Sailed for Port-Rasawa & was as She Supposes (on a voyage to new england after some articles he and others found wanted there) lost in a storm at Sea some time in October. By all it must be evident that we lost all as friend and much because we were friends to British Government.

Cynthia DWIGHT



Great Britain, Public Record Office, Audit Office, Class 13, Volume 80, folio 140.

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