Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 5734, for Dyer Mattison, Rhode Island
Page 9

2
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 person 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, claim-
ing the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians, or privates, will in the first in-
stance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of
Record of the County where such applicants 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
...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... (e) 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 serv-
ed 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 marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and per-
sons 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 revolu-
tionary 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 
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 declarations, 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 Revo-
lutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that A.B. 
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 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 this... day of ... &c. 
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commis-
sion; but it 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 ser-
vices 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
Page 10

3
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 at-
tempted; 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 the 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 accont
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 service, and if so, by whom was it giv-
en and what has become of it?
{To an Officer{Did you ever receive a commission and fi 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 tes-
tify 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 char-
acter 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 be-
fore 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 an 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 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 pro-
cure, 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 fol-
low 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 solider 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 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 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 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."
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 places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent au-
thority; 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 sea, or if he has no pub-
lic 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 con-
tains 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 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 wit-
nesses and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office. 
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 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. 
Joseph Rowen Esq
Page 11

February 16,1929
Mrs. G. Franklin Curtis
Lincklaen Street
Cazenovia , New York 
Madam: 
I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary 
War pension claims, S. 5735, it appears that Dyer Mattison 
was born, November 4, 1762, in Coventry, Kent County, 
Rhode Island. 
While residing there he enlisted in the spring of
1779, and served six months in Captain Snow's Company, 
Colonel Christopher Greene's Rhode Island Regiment; and 
in the summer of 1780 served three weeks in Captain Roy's 
Company. 
He was allowed pension on his application executed
October 8, 1832, at which time he was living in Nelson, 
Madison County, New York. 
There are no data as to family. 
The above noted Dyer Mattison (all spellings of that 
name searched) is the only soldier of that name found on 
the Revolutionary War records of this bureau. 
Respectfully, 
Winfield Scott 
Commissioner.
Page 13

Mrs. G. FRANKLIN CURTIS
LINCKLAEN STREET
CAZENOVIA, N.Y. 
the "Daughters of the American 
Revolution" who is a Descendant. 
Thanking you for many kind 
favors in the past. 
Yours Sincerely
Etta Courtney Curtis
Registrar