Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,588, Michael Buff, Md.
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Service
Md

Buff, Michael

Number 
S 31, 588
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31588
Revy INVALID

File No. 31,588
Michael Buff
Priv Rev War

Act: June 7, '32
Index: - Vo;. 2------, Page 98
[Arrangement of 1870]
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12.035
Georgia
_____________________
Michael Buff
of Oglethorpe in the State of Geo:
who was a pri:- in the company commanded
by Captain Baker in the Regt commanded 
by Wills- in the Md 
line for 7 mos: 25 days-
========================
Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia
at the rate of 26 Dollars 11-Cents for annu
to commence on the 4th day of March 1831
=========================
Certificate of Pension issued the 18 day of March 
1833 and sent to Geo. M
Dudley - Lexington, Gep:
===========================
Arrears to the 4 March 1833
52.22
Semi-anl. allowance ending Sept 
13.05
----------
$65.27

{Revolutionary Claim
Act June 7, 1832}
RECORDED by Na. Pace Clerl
BOOK E - VOL.6 - Page 86
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Admit as a private for
7 mos & 25 days year
1777 
Capt Baker 
Col Wills Md.

Dudley
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of 
Michael Buff which require proof or explanation

1. 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 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 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 what amount of pension he is entitled?-----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
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2

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? ----no clergyman yes as to others
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
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?---yes
XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military services, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
--If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered in oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
---Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
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?
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?---yes
XVII. 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 __________For_____________months and _________days, I served as a _________. and for such service I claim a pension
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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 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 authority; that he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
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 oats 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 authenticates 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 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.
-------In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, 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
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10,950
Claim
of Michael Buff
Revolutionary
Soldier
1832
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Georgia
Oglethorpe County ss.

On this third day of September eighteen hundred & thirty two personally appeared in open court before the Justice of the Inferior Court wile sitting for ordinary purposes Michael Buff a resident of said county aged ninety two years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congres papers on the 7th June of the present year entitled an act supplementary to the act for the relief of certain serving officers & soldiers of the Revolution. That he entered the American service against Great Brittan under such officers & served in the manner hereinafter stated.
That he was born in Fisherland in the Canton Canton of Schaffhauson in Switzerland on the 1st January 1740 that he moved to American in the year 1756 & landed at Philadelphia in September of that year that he moved to Virginia in 1757 when George Washington was Lieutenant Colonel in the service of his Brittancic Majesty. At the time he was called into the service of the United States against England in the war of the Revolution he lived in Frederictown on a water course called Sam's Creek - that he was drafted into service in the year 1777 about Septembe3r of that year under Colonel well who lived near Winchester - he does not recollect the number of his regiment - one of his majors was named Baker Johnson brother to the first Revolutionary Govenor of Maryland & his Captain was a man by the name of George Gobble - he was engaged for two months & performed every day of the time. He marched from home down to Germantown in Pennsylvania where he was in a considerable battle & got defeated under the command of General Stout of Virginia - thinks his enemy on this occasion was a part of Lord Howe'a army. He also had a skirmish during his tour at the Red-line in Pennsylvania the attack was made in the night & here he had to retreat the number of our own troops on that occasion
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occasion was about 700 - at the end of the two months, he was sent home without being regularly discharged, some of his officers having accompanied him home.

In the year following he was drafted for two months again & served the whole time this tour was performed under the command of Captain Henry Baker - he marched from home this time for Harve de Grace in Pennsylvania but did not quite reach that place - the whole duty - of this town was made of guard service - when our time expired we marched back & was discharged at home. During this year every ten me in the past of the county whose deponent lived had their choice wither to employ a substitute for one year or stand a draft and deponent contributed ten dollars as proportionate share in having a substitute accordingly.

In 1779 he was drafted for two months performed only about five or six weeks of actual service. We marched this time to Baltimore where it was thought the British would land & were stationed there upon guard for the time above mentioned & having ascertained that there was no necessity - for containing longer we were permitted to go home - we were this time under the command of Captain Conrath Totaro. he remembers the alarm & alarm and consternation that pervaded Baltimore during the time that the British were expected one man in particular sent off his goods by a wagon without having asked -- known his name & without informing him whether the goods were to be carried & it was a long time before he recover them.

In the year 1780, he was drafted again & performed  a tour of eighty days & service under the command of one Captain, Adam Good, during which time he assisted in carrying the Hessians from Federickstown in Maryland to Albemarle in Virginia. He was also drafted to Yorktown, Va. in 1781 & actually set out for that place, but he had done little more than set out when there came an e---- informing the command to which he belonged that the siege at Yorktown had under the American victorious & that there was no need of their service.
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He had no documentary evidence of his services & he believe it was not customary to get discharges regularly made out in that quarter of the country where it fell to his lot to be situation. He knows of no one by whom testimony he can establish these services. He believes any neighbor he has on earth would cheerfully testify to his honest & veracity. Some of the most respectable of his neighbor are Colonel Groves who lives just over the river in Madison County & his brother the first for several years past & at this time a Senator in the State Legislature & the other a Justice of the Inferior Courts. Brittain Stamps of this county (Oglethorp) for a member of hears the high sheriff of the same & Francis Callawya a baptist clergyman. The testimony of some or all of these deposed will endeavor  to obtain & respectfully asks to have it considered a part of this his declaration. He hereby relinquishes her very claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the presents & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state in the union.
Michael Buff (signature)
Sworn to & subscribed in open Court
the day & years for above written
William H. Smith (signature) Clerk
We the undersigned residents in the county of Oglethorpe & state of Georgia do herby certify that we are well acquainted with Michael Bull who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be of the age he has represented; that he is respected  & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution & that we concur in that opinion.
Britton Stamps(signature)
Mason Jones (signature)
Joel Whithead (signature)
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
in open Court
William H. Smith (signature) Clerk

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting interrogations presented by the war department that the name applicant
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was a Revolutionary soldier & served as he states. And the court further certifies that he persons who have signed the preceding certificate our resident of said county & that their  statement is entitled to full faith & credit.
John Banks (signature)
Burl Pope (signature)
P. W. Hutchinson (signature)

I William H. Smith Clerk of the this court of ordinary do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Michael Buff for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this third day of September eighteen hundred  & thirty two.

William H. Smith (signature) Clk