Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14685, for Samuel Thatcher, Vermont
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SERVICE
Vt.

NAME
Thatcher, Samuel

NUMBER
S14685

carded
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14638

New York

Samuel Thatcher of Livingston in the State of N.Y. who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Seeley of the Regt. commanded by Col. Wait in the Vermont line for 6 months.

Inscribed in the Roll of New York at a rate of 20 Dollars per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 6th day of June 1833 and sent to O. M. Tilley Genesee Livingston Co. N.Y.

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833. $40
Semi-anl allowance ending 4 Sept.. 1833 $10
$50

(Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832)

Recorded by George Taylor, Clerk
Book E. Vol. 4 Page 80
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24.617

Samuel Thatcher
Livingston Co.
New York


O. M. Wiley
Genesco
Livingston Co.
New York
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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. Those 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 Thatcher, Livingston New York.

Period when service rendered: June 1780
Duration of service: 6 mos.
Rank of claimant: Priv.
Names/rank of the field officers: Gen. Enos, Col. Wait, Maj. Kingsburg, Capt. Seely
Age at present and place of abode when entered service: Windsor Co. Vermont
Proof by which declaration is supported: Traditionary

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 line, 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 rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as 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.
On this _______day of_______ personally appeared (a) before A.B. a resident (b) of______ in the county of ______and State, Territory or District 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 provision 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 ______regiment of the ______line, under the following named officers:
[Here set forth the names and rank 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 battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons 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 State of_________
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.    A.B.
[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 produce 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, with 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 reputed 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 is 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 certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the Court, in the matter of the application of ________ for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and the 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, and 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 his 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 stated 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 your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. The Court will see that 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 that 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 deemed 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 or 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. {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 rules laid down for his guidance [b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county were 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 clamant must state, 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 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 worn, deposes 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 than the persons mentioned below, and in the following grades: For --- years ---- months, and -----days, I served as a . For months and days, I served as a ----- for ----- months ----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 miliia, &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 places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority ; that 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 in 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 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 once, 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 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 credibly of the witnesses and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office. the notes [a] to [i] are 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 found, 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

[handwritten]
Joseph Rowen
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Samuel Thatcher
Applicant for a Pension
24617
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. 
State of New York 
County of Livingston 
On this twenty sixth day of September 
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally 
appeared in open Court before the Court of Common Pleas of the said 
County of Livingston now sitting, Samuel Thatcher a resident of the 
Town of Genesio in said County aged sixty eight years on the third 
day of April last past, who being first 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 7, 1832; That he entered the service 
of the United States under the following named officers and served as 
herein stated; to wit, General Enos, Colonel Wait, Major Kingsbury,  
Captain Seely, Lieutenant James Smally: that he entered said 
service according to his best recollection and belief, in the fore part of June 
in the year 1780 that he well recollects that he entered the service before 
corn was sufficiently large for the first hoeing, and that the usual time 
of commencing that labor, in the place where he entered said service, was 
from the fifth to the eighth of June that he continued in said service 
until some time in the month of December of the same year, but until 
what day of that month he does not recollect; but according to his best recollection 
he did not leave said service until after the annual thanksgiving 
in the State of Vermont which was held in December, that at the 
time he entered said service he resided in the State of Vermont in the 
County of Windsor in the Town of Norwich, that he was drafted into 
the said service; that he was not in any battle; that the regiment to 
which he belonged had its head quarters at Corinth about ten miles 
west of Connecticut river that the service which he was ordered to perform 
was to range the country from Corinth along the Onion River to 
Burlington on Lake Champlain on account of an apprehension 
that the enemy would enter the state from the North and commit 
depredations in the settlements, they having done so a year or two before and
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burnt Royalton; that another regiment was stationed at Royalton 
and another at Peacham the same year this deponent rendered said service -
that he did not serve with any continental regiment or company, but he 
was acquainted with Captain John House, afterwards Colonel House and 
also with Lieutenant Gould who were regular officers; that this applicant 
was drafted as a six months man and fully served out the term and was 
discharged in the month of December at the expiration of the term for which 
he was drafted, but received no written discharge, and has no 
documentary evidence of his service; that Peter Thatcher who is a brother 
of this deponent and who resides at Lodi in the western part of the state 
of New York is the only person known to this deponent to be living who 
has any personal knowledge of this deponents service that this deponent 
has recently caused a letter to be written to him requesting his 
affidavit as to his knowledge of this deponents service but has as yet 
received no answer to said letter, and he has no other means of 
obtaining the testimony of said Peter than by such correspondence 
that this deponent was born in Old Lebanon in the State of Connecticut in the 
year 1764 - that he has no record of his age; that after the close of the 
revolutionary war he resided several years in the aforesaid Town of 
Norwich from thence he removed to Brookfield in the State of Vermont 
from thence to Barton in the same state-- from thence to west Bloomfield 
in the State of New York from thence to Centerville in the same state 
from thence to [illegible] in the same state from thence to the 
town of York in the aforesaid County of Livingston, from thence to 
the Town of Leicester in said County and from thence was removed 
in the month of July last to the Livingston County poor house 
in the said town of Genesio, (as a pauper) where he has ever since 
remained, that this applicant is acquainted with Noah James of 
the town of York, Filia Tracy, Jedediah Hosford, William Lyman 
and John H. Jones of Leicester and Cyrus Wells Jr of Genesio 
who can testify as to his character for veracity
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He this Samuel Thatcher hereby relinquish every claim 
whatever to a pension or annuity except the present admittance 
that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of 
any State 
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open Court 
(Signed) S.G. Heavers Dep Clerk }
(Signed) Samuel Thatcher his mark }
(Signed) S.G. Heavers witness }
I John H. Jones residing in the town of Leciester in 
the County of Livingston hereby certify that I am well 
acquainted with Samuel Thatcher who has subscribed and 
sworn to the above declaration that I believe him to be of 
the age of sixty eight years and that he sustains 
a good character for truth and veracity. Sworn to and 
subscribed the day and year aforesaid 
in open court.
(Signed) John H. Jones }
(Signed) S.G. Heavers Dep Clerk }
I Cyrus Wells Jr of Genesio in the County of Livingston 
hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Samuel 
Thatcher who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration 
that I have known him for eight or ten years past during 
a part of which time said that he resided in the [illegible] and a part of the time in the town of [illegible]
but I have not seen him for two or three years or until 
within about two months past during which last 
time I have seen him repeatedly and 
conversed with him. And I also certify that I believe 
him to be a man of honest upright character and conduct 
and that his character for truth and veracity is 
unimpeachable and I believe him to be gotten of age of sixty eight years 
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court.
(Signed) Cyrus Wells Jr. }
(Signed) S.G. Heavers Deputy Clerk }
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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 certify 
that the above named John H. Jones who has signed one 
of the preceding certificates is one often [illegible] 
and resides in the town of [illegible] and that the said 
Cyrus Wells Jr. who has signed the other of said certificate 
is a resident in the said town of [illegible] and is a 
reputable physician of that town, that both the said 
John H. Jones and the said Cyrus Wells Jr. are 
credible persons and that their statements are entitled 
to credit. 
I Chauncey R. Bond Clerk of the Court of 
Common pleas of the County of Livingston in the State 
of New York do hereby certify that the foregoing 
contains the original proceedings of this said Court in the 
matter of the application of Samuel Thatcher for a pension 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 
my hand and seal office this twenty sixth 
day of September in the year of our 
Lord one thousand eight hundred and 
thirty two 
(Signed) Chauncey R. Bond Clerk }
by (Signed) S.G. Heavers Deputy Clerk }
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Rev War
14685
INVALID.

No. 14.685
Samuel Thatcher
Pri. Rev War

Act: June 7th 32
Index:-Vol. 1, Page 374

(Arrangement of 1870)