Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 117, Jacob Allen, Mass.
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(8-1776)

SERVICE
Mass.

Allen, Jacob

NUMBER
R. 117

CONTENTS
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No. 14. Windham Coy. Vermont. 
Jacob Allen. 
Dec [illegible] for Pension.
Septr. 1832
11.138
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STATE OF VERMONT.
COUNTY of Windham as,
Probate District of Marlborough.
At the Probate Court, within and for said District, being a Court of Record
On this 13th day of Sept A.D. 1832 Personally appeared in open Court,_At New Fane in said District.-
Present Hon. Marshall Miller, Esquire, Judge_
Before the said Probate Court, within and for said District - now sitting - Jacob Allen a resident of New Fane in the county of Windham and State of Vermont, aged seventy four years, who, being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on this oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832--That he entered into the service of the United States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
In the year 1777, he volunteered for one month only and marched to Saratoga to assist in the capture of Burgoyne.  then lived in Lancaster, Mass.  served that month under Capt Sawyer & Col. Sawyer- In the year 1780 enlisted for six months about the first of July, and marched to the southward through Litchfield to King's ferry and joined the continental troops at Tappan Bay, joined General Glover is Brigade, Colo. Bigelow's Regiment the 15th Mass.  Capt. Bowman's comp's served the six months out, and was Discharged at the Hospital at Fishkill, State of New York.  Received no written discharge.  And knows of no person whose testimony he can procure to testify to his service -

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.  To the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, he answers, upon his said oath, as follows::
1.  Was born in Lancaster, Mass.  February 13.1758.

2.  Has a private record of his age in a Bible-

3.  Lived in Lancaster, Mass. when called into service - Removed to Fitchburgh, Mass. lived there twelve years.  Removed to Vermont about 37 years ago, lived 8 years in Stratton, about 29 in Townsend, a has lately removed into New Fane __
4.  Engaged voluntarily in the service-

5.  Remembers only Col. Matteson & in Brigade - besides Col. Bigelow's as above stated.

6.  Has no written discharges-

7. Refers to Joseph Tyler & Dana Bailey, Esquire.

[signed on right] Jacob Allen
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6.  Has no written discharges -

7.  Refers to Joseph Tyler & Dada Bailey, Esquire -
[signed on right] Jacob Allen
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
[signed on right] Marshall Miller Judge of Probate

We Joseph Tyler a citizen residing in the town of Townshend in said county and Dana Bailey of Townshend in said county, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Jacob Allen who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy four years of age, that he is reputed and believed, in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
[signed] Joseph Tyler Dana Bailey
Marshall Miller Judge of Probate
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.  And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them, that Joseph Tyler, who has signed the preceding certificate, is a resident in the said town of Townshend and that Dana Bailey, who has also signed the same, is a resident in the town of Townshend in said county, and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I James Elliot, Register of the Probate Court, within and for the District of Marlborough aforesaid, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Jacob Allen for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this thirteenth day of September A.D. 1832.
[signed on right] James Elliot, Probate Register.

[Written upside down at bottom of page] 
N.H. Windham Co_y Vermont-
[next line of words obstructed by fold]
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Rejected see let:
to Jas Elliott May 25.
1833_New fane Vt
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11.138
BRIEF in the case of Jacob Allen of New Fane in the State of Vermont
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Open Court

2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disable by bodily infirmity?

3. How old is he? 74 years -

4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

Period. | Duration of Service. | Rank. | Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served

In 1777 |  - 1 - | As a Private |
July 1780 - 4.13 | do. |
24 Aug 5 Dec 1780 | 5.. 13|

5. In what battles was he engaged? None started.

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? At Lancaster, M [illegible]

7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Only traditionary evidence of two witnesses as certified by the Court to be credible.

8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and, if so, in what respect? Correct. 

I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

E. Stephens Examining Clerk
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Ex'r 
Invalid.
No. 117
Acts of July 14, 1862 and March 8, 1873 [this text is struck out by hand]
REJECTED [stamped]

Jacob Allen
P.O.
Service:
Enlisted: ,18
Discharged: , 18
Application filed: , 18
Alleges:
Re-enlisted:
Attorney:
P.O.
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No. 11.138
Jacob Allen
Vermont

Rejected—see letter to Jas. Elliott May 28 1833—
Sent to Hon Lewis Cass 13 July 1836
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(mostly illegible)

Rejected   



117
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11.138
BRIEF objection to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of __Jacob Allen__ which require further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides?
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides?
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served?
V. *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amout of pension he is entitled?
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832?
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? — no device
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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to
their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? No Clergyman—but other
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? none—
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? no-
XIV. †If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? none produced
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the
regulations direct?
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?
XVI. ‡Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And,
if not, which of them is not so answered?
--
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
*QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
"Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being
duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he
cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recolelection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For _____ year _____ months, and _____ days, I served as a _____. For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a ____;and for such service I claim a pension.
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It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
†QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
‡QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
☞In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of
office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the
certifying officer, should accompany the papers.