Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1860, Samuel Chapin, Mass
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
Mass   

Chapin, Samuel   

NUMBER
R. 1860

CONTENTS
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Samuel Chapin, 
Application  
21458


Direct communications to 
Leman Gibbs Livonia
Livingston County 
New York
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State of New York
Livingston County Ss
On this sixth day of September 1832 Personally appeared before me Leman Gibbs a Judge of Livingston County Court, county aforesaid Samuel Chapin a resident of Livonia in the county aforesaid aged seventy four years the fourth day of July 1832 who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th. 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated Entered the service aforesaid one of the first days of January A.D. 1776 in a company commanded by Captain Moses Soul. 1st Lieutenant Noah Allen 2nd Lieutenant Winchester (given name forgotten) Ensign Ebenezer Smith in the regiment commanded by Colonel Asa Whitcomb Massachusetts Line dont recollect the number of the regiment left the service the fifth or sixth of January 1777. Enlisted for one year and served the full time. Lived at the time enlisted at the town of New Marlborough in the County of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts after enlisted marched to Dorchester near Boston after the British evacuated Boston in the month of March 1776. Colo Whitcomb Regiment marched into Boston - staid in Boston until the 1st day of August same year from thence marched to and up the Connecticut river in the State of New hampshire as far as a place then called Charleston then crossed the river into the state of Vermont and from thence over the Green Mountains by the
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way of Skeentborough to Ticonderoga in the State of New York and staid there until the expiration of the years service. Then again in the year 1778 enlisted (the year after General Burgoyne was taken) into a company commanded by Captain Ephraim Cleveland Regiment commanded by Colo. Michael Jackson Colo. Commandant on the first of June marched to West Point in the State of New York and joined the regiment on its return from Valley Forge after Monmouth Battle from thence marched to White Plains in the State of New York and from thence to Danbury in the State of Connecticut - from thence to Hartford same state from thence to Fishkill in the State of New York - thence to Poughkeepsie for [illegible] Enlisted for nine months and lived at the time of enlistment at New Marlborough as aforesaid. He hereby relinquishes all and every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid Before me
[signed] Leman Gibbs Judge J.C. 
[signed] Samuel Chapin

And I the said Leman Gibbs a Judge X.C. do hereby declare my opinion (being personally acquainted) that the above named named applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states and I further declare that by reason of bodily infirmity he is unable to attend the court
[signed] Leman Gibbs
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State of New York
Livingston County Ss}
I Chauncey R. Bond Clerk of the said County do hereby certify that Leman Gibbs before whom the preceding affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the time thereof a Jude of the County Courts in and for said County and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing and verily believe his name subscribed to the said affidavit to be his proper hand writing and signature 
Witness my hand and seal of office this 13th day of November A.D. 1832
[signed] Chauncey R. Bond Clerk
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21458

Samuel  Chapin


deserted
24 May 1833





Leman Gibbs
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WAR DEPARTMENT

Pension Office


183


Sir:

The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned.  The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form.  On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed.  The notes and the regulations will show what is necessary to be done.  These points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.

A Statement, showing the service of Samuel Chapin, Livingston Co. N.Y.

Period when the service was rendered - 

1 January 1776 Mass Line. to January 1777 and 1778

Duration of the claimant's service - 

1 year, 9 months

Rank of the claimant - Private

Name and Rank of the Company Officers under whom he served - 

Capt. Soul
Capt. Cleveland


Name and Rank of the General and Field Officers

Col. Whitcomb
Col. Jackson

Battles in which the applicant was engaged


Country through which he marched - 

Mass, N.H.
Vt.' N.Y.

Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period.

74
Berkshire Mass.

Evidence by which the declaration is supported - 

None if not on Roll



Deserted 8 January 1779

I am, respectfully,
your obedient servant;

J.L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
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REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the live, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops.
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.
3. Persons employed in the Naval service.
4. Indian Spies.
As rolla of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming the benefit of this law of officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record. 
DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of County of } ss.
on this day of personally appeared (a) before of aged (c) years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provion made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d), with and served in the (e) regiment of the line, under the following named officers:
[Here set forth the names and rash of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers,} the town or county and State in which he resided when he enered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be caried so as to apply to the cases of officers and person who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the States of
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. A.D.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I of the Court of do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this day of &c.
If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will product such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, will the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A.B., a Clergyman, residing in the and C.D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be years of age; that he is repated and believed, in the neighborhood 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, 
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
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 A.B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the and that C.D., who has also signed the same in a resident in the and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, Clerk of the Court of do hereby certidy that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the applicacation of for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this day of &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, all will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of the claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person
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will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts state, I will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
1. Where and in what year were you born?
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?
5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.
6. { To a Soldier, {Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it?
{ To an Officer, {Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to you character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
The Court will see that [t]he answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons - one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in the opinion. if one of these persons is a Clergyman, the court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates.
The traditionary evidence of service is seemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge of Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.
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(a) The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity ; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
(b) The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
(c) The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
(d) The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
(e) Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state with precision, the length of his service, and the different graded in which he served, in language so definite as to enable to Department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled. 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 recollection, he served not less that the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: - For ______year _____months, and ________days, I served as a ________; and for such service I claim a pension."
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 that 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 shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or place, 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.
(f) The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
(g) The opinion of the court is always required.
(h) The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
(i) The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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.
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 papers authenticate, 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.
Proof of Service.
(j) 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 claimant's 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.
[pointing finger symbol] The notes from (a) to (i) are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in note (j) applies to continental troops only.
(k) This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
(l) If a witness cannot be round, the declarant must state the fact.
(m) The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration. }
W. L. Williams Co clk
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Livingston Co. N.Y.

Samuel Chapin in Sept. 1832 of Livonia aged 74 years July 4, 1832 residing at New Marlboro, Berkshire Co. 
Enlisted early in Jan. 1776 with Capt. Moses Soul (may be for Soule) and Col. Asa Whitcomb for one year - proceeded to Dorchester for Siege of Boston & after the British evacuated that place (March 17, 1776 he with the regt. was ordered into it where remaining until Aug. 7, 1776 from thence he went up Cont. River which was crossed to  Charleston (that locality was known as No. 4) N.H. into Vt. over the Green Mountains by the way of Skenesboro now Whitehall at head of Lake Champlain) to Ticonderoga N.Y. when his term expired - In June 1778 he enlisted for 9 months with Capt. Ephraim Cleveland & Col. Michael Jackson going to West Point when he joined his regt. on its return from the historic  Camp at Valley Forge & battle of Monmouth N.J. (June 28, 1778) and then ordered to White Plains N.Y. below West Point, from there to Danbury and Hartford both in Conn. & Fishkill and Poughkeepsie for Winter Quarters
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Samuel Chapin
of
New York

Act June 7, 1832

Rejected
see letter to Leman Gibbs
Livonia
24 May 1833

1860
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[left panel:]
1888
Dec. 10 A.A. Chapin history - Private
Letter in Samuel Chapin 16706

[right panel:]
1860 
Rejected
Samuel Chapin