Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 13,904, for John Merrill, New Hampshire
Page 1

SERVICE
N.H.

Merrill, John 

NUMBER
S13904

carded

CONTENTS
Page 2

5037.
Hampshire
John Merrill
of Grantham in the State of N Hamp
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain Whitcomb of the Regt commanded
by Col Read in the N. Hamp
line for 10 month

Inscribed on the Roll of New Hampshire
at the rate of 33 - Dollars -- Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 31st day of [Jan?]
Webb 1833 and Sent Hon Hubbard and
House of Reps

Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832  $49.99
Semi anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 33
$16.61
$66.60

{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by D.D. Addison Clerk
Book D  Vo. 2st. Page 19
Page 4


Brief in the case of John Merrill
of Grantham
in the State of New Hamp
(Act 7 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? 75

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

Period.
April 30 In 1775
Jany "76
Oct "76

Duration of Service.
Years,
Months. Days.
8 mos 
1 mo
1 mo

Rank.
Private
"
"

Names of General and Field Officers
under whom he served.
Capt. Whitcomb Col Read
"     Do  DO
Capt Davis Col Hunt
.
5. In what battles was he engaged? Bunker Hill

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Chesterfield W. H.

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

8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
Witnesses not stated as credible

Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case
mentioned.
Signature of D D Addison
Examining Clerk.
Page 6

In reply to your request of ________, received.
_______for a statement of the military history of John Merrill
a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired
information as contained in his (CROSSED OUT _or his widow) application for pension
on file in this Bureau.
S.13.904

DATES OF
ENLISTMENT OR
APPOINTMENT.
Apr or May 1775
Oct. 1776.

LENGTH OF
SERVICE.
9 mos
1 mo

RANK,
Private

OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.
Whitcomb
Davis
Hunt
Expedition to Ticonderoga

COLONEL
Reed
Hunt

STATE.
N. H.

Battles engaged in, Bunker Hill.


Residence of soldier at enlistment, Chesterfield, Cheshire Co. N.H.

Date of application for pension, Aug. 2, 1832. His claim was allowed.

Residence at date of application, Grantham, Sullivan Co. N.H.
Age at date of application, seventy five years.

Remarks: there is no family data on file. 

Respectfully,
Commissioner.
Page 7

[Handwritten text to left.]
19`6  Nov. 7. Hist to Mr. Earl McDowell,

[Text to right]
13901
Rev War
INVALID.
File No. 13.904
John Merrill
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7th 1832.
Index: - Vol. 1 Page 254

[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 8

Rev Sec   Crawford, Neb.
[illegible]  Oct. 25, 1916

{imprint of US Pension stamp]
Department of the Interior
Washington, D.C> 

Gentlemen
Will you please send
me pension record of S.13904
John Merrill of New Grantham
N.H. and that of Solomon Drew
of
Epson, N.H. and can you
tell me please if there is any
record of Wiggin [W.16,089] , Senior
and Junior who signed the
Association Text at Epping?
Very truly, 
Mrs. Earl McDowell
Page 9

John Thrasher and 
Ephraim Thrasher
Affidavit
Page 10

I Solomon Pony now of Hartford in the County of
Windsor and State of Vermont depose and say that I was a
resident of Chesterfield N.H. both previous to during and
for some time after the Revolutionary War wherein to
my knowledge John Merrell then of
said Chesterfield but now of Grantham N.H. took
an active part. He was a neighbor of mine and
I will recollect his enlisting in the Spring of 1775
for eight months in Capt Whitcombs Company
of Col Reads N H Reg. And also that he volunteered and went to Boston as I understood [illegible]
time for the term of one month in the month of
February 1776 and returned in the month of March
following in said Captain Whitcombs Company -
I also well recollect that he again voluntered and
went to Ticonderoga in the fall of the year 1776 in
Capt Davis Company of Col Hunts Regt wherein I
understood he served for the space of one month
Signature of Solomon Pomroy

State of New Hampshire
Sullivan SS

Sworn and subscribed withing my jurisdiction on the 11 day of August A.D. 1832

AD 1832 before me John Bryant Justice of the Peace

I Benjamin B. French Clerk of the
Superior Court of Judicature for the County of
Sullivan in the State of New Hampshire, do hereby
certify that John Bryant is a Justice
the Peace, and that the above signature
purporting to be his is genuine
Witness my hand and the
seal of said Court
August 15th 1832.
Signature of Benjamin B French

I hereby further certify that Solomon Pomroy above deponent is a credible witness
Signature of John Bryant, Justice of the Peace
Page 11

We John Thrasher and Ephraim Throne of Grantham in the County of Sullivan State of New Hampshire
do depose and say that we have been well acquainted
with John Merrill of said Grantham for the space
of thirty years past and have this day seen a
Declaration by him made before the Honorable Court
of Probate for this County in order to obtain the benefit
of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832 and fully
believe the same to be true, as we consider the said
same to be a very credible man and have here
tofore heard him speak of his services as therein set forth -
Signatures of 
Jno Thrasher
Ephm Thrasher

State of New Hampshire
Sullivan County  August 2d 1832 then personally appeared John Thrasher & Ephraim Thrasher for there caused and made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing affadavit. 

Before me Frederick A Sumner Judge of Probate

I hereby certify that the above Jonathan Thrasher & Ephraim, are reputed men of truth
veracity in the neighbourhood where they live
and entitled to credit as Witnesses
Signature of Frederick A Sumner Judge of [illegible]
Page 12

I Benjamin Wheeler of Chesterfield in the County
Cheshire State of New Hampshire a soldier of the Revolution
do depose and say that I am well acquainted with John Merrill formerly of this town but now of Granthamn the
County of Sullivan in said State of New Hampshire and
have been ever since the commencement of the Revolution
War and the said Merrill to my certain knowledge
did actual service therein for the space of eight months
in Captain Whitcombs Company of Col. Read New Hamp
there Regiment commencing as I think in April on
May 1775. I enlisted into said company at the same
time and served with the said Merrill eight month
at and in the vicinity of Winter hill near Boston and
was during said eight months in the Battle of Bunker
Hill - But was not with him the services which I am
derstood he afterwards performed as a volunteer-
Benjamin Wheeler
State of New Hampshire
Chistine July 26th 1832 Then the said
4
Benjamin Wheler personally appearing
made oath that the foregoing Affidavit
by him signed is true
Before me
Larkin G Mead J
Page 13

This may certify that
Larkin G Mead
is a Justice of the Peach for the 
County of Cheshire and Kent
within Signature is his own proper handwriting.

July 28-- 1832
Signature of 
Henry Hubbard
Mmember of Congress

Cheshire ss. June 15. 1833
I hereby certify that I am
well acquainted with Benjamin Wheeler
who has signed & sworn to the within affidavit
that he is a credible witness and his statement
entitled to full credit
Signature of Sackine G Mead Just Peace
Page 14

John Merrill


Hon. H. Hubbard
H of Reps
Page 15

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
John 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?

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

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 amount of pension he is entitled?  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? [illegible]
Page 16

XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to
their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary
service?
ing it?

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtain

XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one
living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?

XIV. If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who
administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility?  No
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? Yes

XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age,
as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? Yes

XVI. Are the papers aluthenticated as the regulations direct? Yes

XXVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?  Yes

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. 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______. ____; and for such service I claim a pension."
Page 17

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 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.

++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.