Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 33168, for Aaron Nurse, Massachusetts
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Continental    Nurse Aaron   S 33168
Mass
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Massachusetts Roll
1082

Aaron Nurse
Massachusetts     Private
                                                        4
[illegible]                   1776  1 year 
[crossed out] Capt [illegible] 

Described on the Roll of Massachusetts
at the rate of 8 Dollars per month to commence on
the 3rd of April 1818.

Certificate of Pension issued the 30. of June 1818.
and sent to Samuel Putnam Esq.
Salem. [illegible].

Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1818.
4 months 32/30    $40.53

         {Revolutionary Claim
           Act 18th March, 1818}

Salem Essex
                 County
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Aaron Nurse, Massachusetts will act of 
March 18 1818- Up to what time was he 
paid?

Pension Office
May 12 1836

  Died 12 July 1818, and paid 
        as appears by the book in [illegible]
[illegible] offer             J.M [illegible]
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33   168
[illegible] INVALID

File No. 33,16[8?]
    Aaron Nurse
    Private    Rev War 

Act: 18th March 1818
Index:--Vol 2, Page 301

[Arrangement if 1870]
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Aaron Nurse of Salem in Massachusetts on
Oath makes the following Declaration, to [illegible]
    That in January A. D. 1776 he enlisted  as a pri-
vate in Captain John [illegible] Company in Col. Paul Dud-
ley Sergeants Regiment in the Massachusetts line for the 
term four year- that he served faithfully the whole
[illegible] term, and at the expiration thereof was honorably
discharged. All this documents [illegible] have been lost by 
time and accident. He is old, and from his reduced circumstances in life stands in need of assistance from
his county for support: and he hereby relinquishes all his claim to any pension heretofore granted him by the 
laws of the United States.   Aaron Nurse
April 3. 1818

[Explanatory Affidavit]

I Aaron Nurse, further declare that in March 1777
I again enlisted in Capt. Ebenezer  Winship's Company of foot in 
Col. Rufus Putnam's Regiment for Three Years and served the 
Whole three years in said Winship's Company and others to which I was transferred: I did not stat this at first, because I understood that 
one year was enough and my Lieutenant Hartshorne was
here to testify to it, which I supposed was sufficient as he is 
a very respectable gentleman. Probably my name is on the
Rolls for the Three years service. Aaron Nurse

[illegible] June 18, 1818 Then the above names Aaron Nurse sub-
scribed and made oath to the last above written affidavit
     before me Benji Merrill [illegible]
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I Thomas Hartshorne of Salem, formerly a Captain
in the Massachusetts Line, do testify that I well
know the said Aaron Nurse-that said Nurse
served in Capt. Vinton's Company while I said 
Hartshorne was Ensign thereof- that he was a faithful soldier- the [illegible] recollects said
Nurse being in the Army at New York, until the 
American troops quitted New York- the [illegible]  was 
then detached from his company with some volunteers
to follow Gen.ls Lee + Sullivan through the Jersies-whether said Nurse was a Volunteer with the [illegible] he cannot recollect; but has no doubt from 
the general good conduct of said Nurse that he 
faithfully served out his whole year and was honorably discharged. 
                         He is [illegible]  of 
                        [illegible] Thomas 
                         Hartshorne

Com. with of [illegible] 
April 3. 1818

          I [illegible]  the said Thomas 
         Hartshorne made
Oath to the truth of the above declaration by him [illegible]

               before me 
                           S. Putnam Just.
                           S.J. Court of Mass

[Additional Affidavit]
I Gideon Gowing of Danvers on oath testify that in Dec 1775 and Jan 7 1776 I 
then well acquainted with Aaron Nurse, now of Salem, as we were born near each
other- I then saw him serving in the army as a Soldier and understood he had en-
listed for a year-and I know he was absent all the year 1776-and I have no doubt he served all that year, as it was universally understood so, and never doubted by any. I know he was absent. I can say [illegible] after to 
that [illegible] I saw law Nurse there two of three months. 
                          Gideon Gowing

[illegible] June, 18, 1818 Then the above named Gideon Gowning subscribed and 
made oath to the above affidavit before me 
                       Benji Merrill [illegible]
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Essex Ss: On this third day of April A.D. 1818 personally came before me Samuel Putnam one of the Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court of said Commonwealth the fair Aaron Nurse and the fair Thomas Hartshorne, and were severally sworn to the truth of the Declaration and Affidavit by them severally made as aforesaid of subscribed in my presence: and it appearing to my satisfaction that said Aaron Nurse served the term of one whole year in the Revolutionary War on the continental establishment against the common enemy Herewith certify the testimony in the case to the Secretary of the Department of War.

Given under my hand and the Seal of said Court this third day of April A.D. 1818.

S. Putnam Just
S. J. Court of Mass"      }

Essex Ss: June 18, 1818 I further Certify that Capt. Thomas Hartshorne and Gideon Gowing are credible and disinterested witnesses; and that it appears to my satisfaction that the said Aaron Nurse served one year at one period of continued service on the continental establishment in the war on the Revolution, and that he is poor and decrepid [sic].

S. Putnam Just
S.J. Court of Mass"      }
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Essex Ss: Commonwealth of Massachusetts

I, Ichabod Tucker, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts of the Commonwealth aforesaid in and for the County aforesaid hereby certify to all whom these present may concern, that the aforenamed Samuel Putnam is a Judge of the Supreme Judicial Court as aforesaid, that the seal hereto affixed is the seal of said court, and the signature aforesaid is his proper hand.

Aaron Nourse
[illegible]not on Rolls
DN
Correct

Essex Ss: June 18, 1818.
I, Ichabod Tucker, Clerk of all the Judicial
Courts of the Commonwealth aforesaid in and for the Count of aforesaid hereby certify to all whom these presents may concern, that the forenamed Samuel Putnam is a Judge of the Supreme Judicial Court as aforesaid, that the seal hereto affixed is the seal of said Court, and the signature aforesaid is his proper hand.
Attested  Ichabod Tucker, Cler
Essex ss: June. 18, 1818 -
I further certify that Benjamin Merrill Esq. is a Justice of the Peace duly qualified to administer oaths, and that his Signature is under the affidavits of Gowing and Nurse -
Attd. Ichabod Tucker, Cler,
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Salem Essex County, Mass
May 8th 1836

Sir
Rebecca Nurse of Lynnfield; widow of Aaron Nurse Decd, has authorized me to claim for her the State Gratuity of Fifty Dollars, in consequence of the services of her late husband, as a soldier in the War of the Revolution.
It appears that said Aaron Nurse was a Daring War soldier of Col. Putnams 5th Masstts Regiment; and survived until July of the year 1818 when he was accidentally killed by a fall from a Load of Hay, while in the employ of a Mr. Nicholls -
It also appears that said Aaron and his wife, said Rebecca, were, and had been for some years chargable to the Town of Lynnfield, and that the charges incurred at the funeral of said Aaron were paid by Capt. Andrew Mansfield; one of the overseers of the Poor of said Lynnfield, who had the superintendance of said funeral. [illegible] - and that ^neither [inserted with a carrot] said Rebecca Nurse, or said Mansfield over heard or knew, that said Aaron had been admitted to the Pension list of 1818; and are equally as ignorant who it is that has claimed the small amount of pension, which had accrued at the Death of said Aaron.

I have been particularly requested by the widow of said Aaron, and the overseers of the Poor of Lynnsfield, and several other respectible [sic][illegible] of said Town, to correspond with the Department Pension Office, and solicit such evidences as the Records on file in said office may furnish as to the name of the person who has assumed to claim said pension together with the name of Magistrate or Magistrates, whose names are affixed to the papers, applying fo the balance due at the Death of said Aaron - also before what [illegible] did he go [next six words crossed out] as nothing is to be found when he made application for a pension - as nothing in to be found of his name.
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in the Clerks Office, in this County, amongst the multiplicity of Applicants in Essex County-------

There appears to be some mystery involved in the above affair - and have to request that copies of his application papers ^for a pension [inserted with a carrot] may be forwarded to me - and also a copy of the papers claiming the balance due at the death of said Aaron - and such other information as may be found on refference [sic] to the papers relating to the above transactions on file in the War Dept. 

You will please select your own course in furnishing the information sought for; I leave it with the Dept to decide whether copies of the papers reffered [sic] to or certificates of the facts will be best answer the desired end, but believe the former.

Please answer this and forward the same to me at Boston Masstts.

Very Respectfully sir I am
Your obt servant
Reuben Baldwin

J. L. Edwards Esq.
Commissr of Pensions
Washington