Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16958, for Aaron Merrill, Massachusetts
Page 1

SERVICE
Mass.

Merrill, Aaron

SERVICE
S.16958

carded

CONTENTS
Page 2

4765 (or 4165)
New Hampshire
Aaron Merrill
Hampton Falls in the State of New Hampshire
who was a private in the Company commanded
by Captain Evans
of the Regiment commanded
Colonel Frye in the Massachusetts
line for One year two months and one day

Inscribed on the Roll of New Hampshire
at the rate of 46 Dollars 76 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 14 day of January
1833 -
and sent W Woast Esq
Newbury port Massachusetts

Arrears to 4th of March 1832  70.14
Semi=anl. allowance ending 4 Sept 14
$23.52
$93.52

{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by Daniel D Addison Clerk
Book D Vol. 1st Page 170
Page 3

6561
---
Aaron Merrill
Private
1 year 2 mos & 1 day
W. C.E
Adm
New Hampshire
Agency

Return to
W Woart to
Newbury port Mass
Page 4

6561
Brief in the case of Aaron Merrill
of Hampton falls in the State of Newhamshire
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

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

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

3. How old is he? 78

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

Period.
April in 1775-
Jany 76-
Decr  "

Duration of Service.
Years, Months, Days.
 8 mos 11 days
 2 mos 
 3 mos  20 days
in all 1 year 2 mos 1 day

Rank.
As a
private

Names of General and Field Officers
under whom he served.
Gen.
Capt Evan, Col Frye
Capt Menell Col Smith
Capt Evans Col. Pickring

5. In what battles was he engaged? None mentioned

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Salisbury Mass

7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by
incidental evidence, or by the rolls?
two living witness

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

Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above
Wm. C. Easton
Examining Clerk.
Page 5

Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832

State of Newhampshire, County of Rockingham Ss.
On this fourteenth day of August A.D 1832. personally appeared in open Court
before the Justices of the Superior Court of Judication now selling (telling?)
at Exeter in said County

Aaron Merritt, a resident of Hampton Falls, in the County of Rockingham and State of
New Hampshire, aged seventy eight 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 Act of Congress passed June 7 1832

That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officer, and served as
herein stated.
He first enlisted at Salisbury in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as early as
April AD 1775, in the company commanded by Captain Jonathan Evans, in the regiment commanded by Colonel James Frye, Massachusetts militia, as a minute man called and marched to Cambridge
and served in the said company as a private from 19 of said April, until the last of December following being
Eight months and eleven days, the company were not under pay, until they commenced their march, and
he received pay  until 1 of January 1776, then he was discharged at said Cambridge
Also enlisted at Salisbury in January 1776, in the company commanded by Captain Thomas Merrill 
in the regiment commanded Colonel Smith, Massachusetts Militia, and served therein at Prospect hill the full term of (?) months to the best of present remembrance the month of February and March,  was discharged the first of April 1776.
Also, and in the month of December, and to the best of his present remembrance December 19,1776 enlisted at said Salisbury, in the company commanded by Captain Evans, in
the regiment commanded by Colonel Timothy Pickering, and served therein three months and twenty days at
Danbury White plains and were discharged, the place called Bound Brook, in New Jersey - part of the time
he acted as Corporal.

that he was born at Salisbury and now resides at Hamptonfalls as 
has resided there forty five years.

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.
Signature of Aaron Merrill

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Attest P Chadwick Clerk

[The following text has been crossed out.]
a Clergyman, residing in Hampton falls aforesaid, and
Esquire, a magistrate, residing in Panton aforesaid, do hereby Certify that we are well acquainted
with all who has subscribed and sworn to the declaration: that we believe him
to be Seventy Eight years of age and that he is reputed and believe in the point where he
resides to a Post rider of the intent and we concur in that opinion
subscribed and sworn to before
Justice of the Peace
Page 6

And the said Court hereby declare its 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
[the remaining text has been crossed out]

I Peter Chadwick Clerk of the Superior Court of
Judicature for the County of Rockingham aforesaid
do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the
original proceedings of the said Court in the
matter of the application of Aaron Merrill for
a pension

In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and affixed the Seal
of said Court this sixteenth day of
August Anno Domini 1832
P Chadwick Clerk
Court Rocking County
Page 7

I John Maxfield of Chichester
in the County of Merrimack
and State of Newhampshire, aged Seventy seven years on
oath testify and declare that I am personally acquainted with
Aaron Merrill of Hampton Falls County of Rockingham & State of
Newhampshire. And I do know that the said Aaron Merrell did
enlist in the Militia at Salisbury State of Massachusetts some
time in January 1776 in Capt Henry Merrills company and
Col. Smiths Regiment for the term of two months, and I enlisted
into the same company at the same time, we marched to
Prospect Hill near Boston Mass where we continued during the
term of our enlistment, when we were both discharged at
the same time.--
And I do further testify that the
said Aaron Merrill enlisted into the Militia at Salisbury
in December 1776 in Capt. Benjamin Evans' Company and
Col. Timothy Pickering's Regiment for the term of three
months, and that enlisted in the same company at the same
time we then marched to Danbury State of Connecticut
and White Plains and the end of three months the term of
our enlistment we were both discharged at the same time
at Bound Brook in New Jersey State. And I do testify that I
have this day seen and conversed with the said Aaron Merrill
and know him to be the same Aaron Merrill above named
Dated at Seabrook the 18th day of July 1832
Signature of John Maxfield

Rockingham ss. July 18th 1832
Then the above named John Maxfield personally appeared and
made oath in due form of law that the above written testimony by him
subscribed is true
before me John Philbrick Jus. Peace - [illegible]

At the same time and place I certify that the above named John
Maxfield is a credible witness
John Philbrick Jus. Peace Quorun larcas
Page 8

I Peter Chadwick Clerk of the Superior Court of
Judication for the County of Rockingham in the State of
New Hampshire do hereby certify that John
Philbrick before whom the within affidavit was
sworn is a Justice of the Peace within and for
said County of Rockingham and that the signatures
within are genuine

In testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and affixed the Seal
of said Court this sixteenth day of
August Anno Domini 1842
P Chadwick Clerk
Page 9

 I Moses Pike of Salisury in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged fifty one
years and upwards, on oath do testify and deceased, that I am well acquainted with Aaron Merrill now of Hampton Falls in the State of New Hampshire, and I do [illegible], that the said Aaron Merrill was a
Corporal in the company commanded by Captain Jonathan Evans, in the Regiment commanded and
James Page and that he served in said Company at Cambridge [illegible] April 1775 to Jany 1776 ore than eight months
I was a Sergeant in said Company and served therein the same term of time
Newburyport July  2 1832
Signature of Moses Pike

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex to Newburyport July 2d 32. on Moses Lake above named, who is pers[illegible]onally
to me, personally came, and made oath in due form of Law, to the truth of the above written
declaration by him subscribed in my presence-- I also Certify that the said Moses Pike is [illegible] 
to be a credible witness.
W Woart Justice of the Peace
Page 10

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex ss.

I John Prince Jr Clerk of the Court of Common pleas, being a Court of
Record in said County, do hereby Certify, that W Woart, is a Justice of the Peace, within and for
County, and that I believe his signature within is genuine.

Witness my hand and seal said Court at Salem this 15th
day of August A.D 1832.
John Prince jr Clk
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16.958
INVALID.
File No. 16958
Aaron Merrill
Pri Rev War

Act: June  7 '32
Index:- Vol. 1Page 25

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 12

Sworn
Aaron Merrill
No. 6561.
Page 13

6561
Aaron Merrill

Return to 
W Woart Esqr
Newbury Port  Mass
Page 14

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Aaron Merrill
which require
further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes

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?  Yes

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served?  Yes
by

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 pensiotitlen
he is end?  Yes

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?
yes

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of
June 7, 1832?
Yes

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes

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? Yes
Page 16

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the 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.

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 be 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 authenticated 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 end 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.