Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B.L.Wt. 75,112-160-55, Samuel Winchester, Mass.
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File Card

Mass
Winchester, Samuel
                     Hannah

B.L. No. 75,112-160-55
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[a summary file notation]

Right side:
     Ex Butts

S. A. & T. Brown  Sept 19 / 56
      "                     Jan'y 20 / 56
      "                        "     29 / 56
      "                      Aug     1 / 57
       "                     Apr   26 / 57

    Left side
216,040  Act Mar 3 / 55
Oct 3 / 55
Hannah Winchester and Samuel Winchester
                                                  priv (?)
Capt. Thomas White
Col. William Heath
enl 15 Ap 1775
Rev. War

[balance of info unclear]
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Act Mar 55
5 Oct 55

216,040

Hannah Winchester
     wid of
Samuel Winchester

[the number of the bounty land file, 75,112 and Iss'd 19 Dec 57 is written across the Winchester names.]


S A & T Brown
Jamestown, New York
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??? something unreadable at the very top??
[very light copy in spots with ink blotches]]
In the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and one [ ? ] Samuel Winchester & Hannah Woods solomly entered into matrimonial covenant with each other & before God & the holy elect angels, joind hands and repeated the following words: I, S. Winchester take you [ caret above: or this]  my friend Hannah is to be my kind and loving [wife?] and promise through the assistance of divine grace & council? towards her [ caret insertion or you] like a kind & loving husband till [my?] death we are separated.  She then repeated, I Hannah W take you my friend S Winchester to be my kind and loving husband and I promise through the assistance of divine grace to conduct towards him like a kind and loving wife till by death we are separated
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The with in named persons personally come before me and renewed the marriage covenant agreable to the custom of the Satate of New York.
Hamilton 1st of April 1805
Joshua Leland Justice peace
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Hannah Winchester
Additional Evidence


S. A. & T. BROWN
      Attys
Jamestown,
N. Y.
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State of New York
County of Chautauqua
Nathan Wilbur of the town of Ellery County & state aforesaid aged seventy-sx being duly sworn doth depose and say taht he became well and intimately acquainted with one Samuel Winchester at the town of Westmoreland in the County of Chesire & state of New Hampshire in the year  1796, that this deponent & said Winchester resided withing a quarter of a mile of each others for six years, that this deponent then moved to Vermont and afterwards in 1812 moved to the town of Marcellus County of Onondaga  State of New York at which time and place he  found said Winchester residing with his wife Hannah, that this deponent rented a house of the said Winchester till the day of his death which happened on the 11th day of Jan'y 1823, and that he attended his funeral
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This deponent further says that he bedame well and intimately acquainted with one Hannah Woods in said town of Westmoreland, that when this deponent went to Marcellus as aforesaid he found said Winchester & said Hannah Woods cohabitation together as husband & wife, that they were universally reputed to be married, that they raised up a family of children & he never heart the validity of this marriage questioned or doubted, that this deponent moved to the County of Chautauqua, New York in Feby 1823, that the said Hannah Winchester the widow of the said Samuel moved to said County in 1825 and that both of them have resided in the town of Ellery in said County ever sicne, that said Hannah still remains as resident.
    This deponent further says that said Winchester als=ways told him that he was born in Newton Massachusetts and that he married his first wife in the town of Munson in Massachusetts, that his first wife's name was Rebecca Chubb, & that said Rebecca & Samuel resided at and cohabited together, at Westmoreland aforesaid
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that when this deponent moved to Marcellus aforesaid the said Rebecca was dead.
This deponent further says that he never knew any other Samuel Winchester within Westmoreland aforesaid or Marcellus aforesaid or elsewhere, and that he believes that said Winchester was a soldier of the revolution and that Hannah Winchester and applicant for bounty land is the lawful widow of the identical Samuel Winchester who was a soldier in the revolutionary war.
   This deponent further says that he has no interest in the said Hannah Winchester's claim for bounty lands. 
        [sign.] Nathan Wilbur
Sworn and subscribed this 14th day of October, 1856    Chas. G. Maples
                    Justice of the Peace

I certify that I have been well & intimately acquainted with Nathan Wilbur the above deponent for more than twenty years and that hs is a person of strict truth and veracity & that full truth & credit ought to be given to his testimony.              Chas. G. Maples
                                  Justice of the Peace
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    that when this deponent moved to marcellus aforesaid the said Rebecca was dead.
    This deponent further says that he never knew any other Samuel Winchester within Westmoreland aforesaid or Marcellus aforesaid or elsewhere, and that he believes that said Winchester was a soldier of the revolution and that Hanna Winchester and applicant for bounty land is the lawful widow of the identical Samuel Winchester who was a soldier in the revolutionary war.    This deponent further says that he has no interest in the said Hannah Winchesters calim for bounty land.

Sworn & subscribed this 14th day of October 1856   Chas. G. Maples, Justice of the Peace
[sign.]  Nathan Wilbur 

I certify that I have been well & intimately acquainted with Nathan Wilbur the above deponent for for than twenty years and that is is a person of strict truth and veracity & that full faith and credit ought to be given to his testimony.
          [sign]   Chas. G. Maples
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this 14th day of October
1856  Before me
             Chas. G. maples
                Justice of the Peace
         I certify that I have been well acquainted with Harford Winchester for more than twenty year, that he is a person of strict truth and veracity and that full faith & credit ought to be given to his testimony... that said Winchester the above deponent [have] resided in the same for more than twenty years
            Chas. G Maples
              Justice of the Peace
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this 14th day of October
1856, Before me,
        Chas. G. Maples
            Justice of the Peace

    I certify that I have been well acquainted with Harford Winchester for more than twenty years, that he is a person of strict truth and veracity and that full faith & credit ought to be given to his testimony... that said Winchester the above deponent [have] resided in the same for more than twenty years.
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Hannah Winchester
No. 216,040
Additional Evidence


S. A. & T. Brown, attys
Jamestown, N. Y.
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State of New York                    SS
Cattaraugus County
[ ? ] Elkanan Winchester of the town of Ellicotille, county of Cattaraugus, aforesaid and
state [.....] aged seventy six and being duly sworn doth depose and say that Samuel Winchester mentioned in this deposition was his father, that this deponent was born in the town of Munson, County of  Hampden, and State of Massachusetts, that it always [....] and believes it to be true that the said Samuel Winchester resided in said town during the Revolutionary that the said Samuek Winchester with his family, including this deponent, in 1795 or 96 moved from Munson aforesaid to the town of Westmoreland in the state of New Hampshire where they resided til 1801, that in 1801 this deponent, said Elhanan Winchester moved from Westmoreland [....] with his family, to the town of Marcellus in the County of Onandaga, and state of New York, that the said Samuel Winchester died in the town (of)
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of Marcellus aforesaid, in 1823 as he was then informed and believes true, and never heard the fact questioned (this deponent then being moved to Chautauque County,) in 1815 this deponent moved from Marcellus aforesaid, to the town of Ellery, in the county of Chautauqua and state of New York, where he resided til 1840 at which time he and his family moved from ellery aforesaid to the town of Ellicottville, where he has resided ever since, that this deponent was well acquainted with one Hannah Wood at Westmoreland, N.H. aforesaid (said to be an applicant for bounty land) before his marriage, that in 1801 the said Samuel Winchester resided for a time in the town of Hamilton in the county of Madison and state of New Yor, that while there it was said that he married the said Hannah Wood, that he never heard the validity of their marriage questionned, and he clearly believes that they were lawfully married, that they cohabited together as husband and wife from that time (till)
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of Marcellus aforesaid, in 1823 as he was then informed and believes that and never [...] fact questioned this deponent then being moved to Chautauqua County then in 1815 this deponent moved from Marcellus aforesaid, to the town of Ellery, in the county of Chautauqua and Sated of New York, where he resided thil 1840 at which time he and his family moved from Ellery aforesaid to the town of Ellicottille, where he has resided ever since, that this deponent was well acquainted with one Hannah Wood at Westmoreland, N.Y. aforesaid, (said to be an applicant for bounty land)befor her marriage, that in 1801 the said Samuel Winchester resided for a time in the town of Hamilton in the County of Madison and State of New York, that while there it was said that he married the said Hannah Woods, that he never [ ? ] the validity of their marriage questioned and he [ ? ] believes that they were lawfully married, that they cohabited together as husband and wife from that time till
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[poorly written, much indecipherable; second page of something else]
[........] and this deponent  [ ? ] before signing and swearing that I have been acquainted with Elhanan Winchester the above deponent for more than ten years, that he is a very respectable farmer, and a [ remainder not decipherable to...]
    [sign.] Arnold Holdin, Justice of the Peace
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Cattaraugus County             SS
       Clerk's Office
I, THOMAS MORRIS, Clerk of said County, do certify that Arnold Holdin (?) Esquire, before whom the foregoing affidavit/purports to have been taken was on the day of the date hereof, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, elected and sworn and duly authorized to take the same; and further that I am well acquainted with the hand-writing of such Justice of the Peace and verily believe the signature purporting to be his is genuine
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my
hand and affixed my official seal this 17th day of July 1857.
[sign]   Thomas Morris   Cleerk
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[[Legal cover sheet?]

2216,040
Hannah Winchester

S. A. & T. Brown
Atts
Jamestown, N.Y.
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State of New York
County of Chautauqua

On this nineteenth day of September A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty five, personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace within and for the County and State aforesaid Hannah Winchester aged Seventy Seven was a resident of Concord Warren County Pennsylvania who being duly sworn according to (case) declares that she is the widow of Samuel Winchester deceased who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Thomas White in the Regiment of Infantry commanded by Col William Heath in the war of the Revolution; that her husband was drafted at Brookline on or about the 19th day of April, 1775 and continued in actual service in said war for the time of more than one month and was honorably discharged, but that she does know the exact time or place, that his services (and now) particularly set forth by the certificate of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as hereto annexed.
She further states that she was married to the said  [con't on another page]
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Samuel Winchester in Hamilton, Madison County, New York on the fifteenth day of April, AD 1805 by one John Leland a Justice of the Peach that said Justice was an old man at the time & must be dead now
 That his (name) before his said marriage was Hannah Woods that her said husband died at Marcellus Onondaga Co., N.Y. on the 11th day of January A.D. 1823 and that she is a widow that there is no published record of said marriage or private as she verily believes.
She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which she may be entitled under the act approved March 3, 1855.
       (sign)   Hannah Winchester

We, Saml A Brown and Hiram W. Curtis residents of Ellicott in the State of New York (whose oaths declaim) that the foregoing declaration was signed and [ ?] by Hannah Winchester in our presence, that we believe from this appearance & statements of this applicant that she is the identical person she represents
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herself to be and that we have no interest in this application.
           Saml A Brown
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herself to be and that we have no interest in this application.
           Saml A Brown
           H. W. Curtis

The foregoing declaration and affidavit were sworn to and subscribed before me on the dand and year above written and I certify that I know the officiants (?) to be credible persons, that the claimant is the person she represents herself to be and that I have no interest in this claim.
          Onel  Green,
                 Justice of the peace
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State of New York
Chautauqua County, ss
   Heman Winchester aged forty three years being duly sworn [will dispose] and say that he is the son of Samuel and Hannah Winchester, that said Hannah is now an applicant for bounty land under the Act approved March 3, 1855, that the said Samuel and Hannah Winchester cohabited together as husband and wife ever since his recollection to the time of the death of the said Samuel, that they raised up a family of children, twelve in number, that three of them were younger than tis sisponent, That they were univeersally reputed to be married and that he never heard the valididy of their marriage questioned.
That the said Samuel Winchester died at Marcellus Onondaga Co. N.Y. on the 11 day of January AD 1823, that he saw him die and attended  his funeral and that he has no interest in this claim.
Sworn to (?) tjat 21st day of September 1855
Onel Green, JP

Sign: Heman Winchester
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Secretary's Office, Boston,
July 26, 1855

I Hereby Certify, That from an examination of the Books and Documents relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of Samuel Winchester is borne on roll of Capt. Thomas White's Comp. Col. William Heath's Regt. on the alarm of April 19, 1775. 23 days as private from Brookline.
Also on pay roll of Capt. Reuben Munn's Comp. Col. Elisha Porter's Regt. to join Gen. Gates from Sept. 26 to Oct. 18, 1777. 30 days travel included as private.

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
E M Wright ?
Secretary of the Commonwealth
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State of New York              ss
Chautauqua County Clerk's Office

I hereby Certify that
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[Typewritten copy, therefore readable]
Page 28

[Typewritten copy, therefore readable]
Page 29

[part of a legal folder?
a file no. and acreage awarded?

75,112

160 acres
Page 30

[Envelope addressed to:]

Hon: Commsr of Pensions
   Washington, DC

Cancelled:  Jamestown, NY Feb 12

Notation
Saml Winchester  dec.
216,040
[unclear]
Page 31

[Envelope addressed to:]
Hon: Cmmsr of Pensions,
Washingon, DC  

[Cancelled]  Jamestown, NY ? Jan. 12
Page 32

[Envelope addressed to:]

Hon: Commsr of Pensions
   Washington, DC

[cancelled:]  Jamestown, NY  Dec 23
Page 33

[Envelope addressed to:]
Hon. Comm'r of Pensions
     Washington, DC

[Cancellation :]
Jamestown, NY  Dtd  Dec 1 1857

[Ink Notation:]
Hannah Winchester
Bounty Lands (?)
No. 216,040
Additional evidence
Boynton

[some scribbled out notation on end]
Page 34

[Envelope:   addressed to]

Hon: Comm'r of Pensions
   Washington,  DC

Saml Winchester, dec.

[Cancellation stamp:]
    Jamestown N.Y.
        Jul 23

Light pencil notation:  216,040
Boynton  April 22 / 58?
?Not in said file  27 July
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[Envelope]

From: Department of the Interior,
   Pension Office, Official Business

[Addressee]
Mr Boynton
      Pension Office

216.040
Hannah Winchester
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[Envelope]

[Addressed to]
   Hon: Commissioner of Pensions

     Washington 
          D.C.

Hannah Winchester  death?

[Cancellation  stamp:]
Jamestown, NY dtd Nov 13
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[Envelope]

Department of the Interior
    Pension Office, Official Business




[Addressee]

Mr. Boynton
Page 38

Hannah Winchester
       Widow of
Samuel Winchester
                 dec.
______________________
Additional evidence
_______________________________


Chautauqua Co.
   New York
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Jamestown   Sept [ 1 ] / 57

Hon:  Comm'r of Pensions

Sir,
The claim of Mrs Hannah Winchester is No 216,040.  In your last letter you require us to show that the Saml Winchester the husband of said Hannah is the soldier whose services is certified by the Secy of State of Mass.  Said letter is dated Sept 19 / 57.  We now send this additional certificate of Secy of State that this capt Munn under whom said Winchester served was from Munson where said Winchesteer resided during the Rev.
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relutionary war.  His residence is clearly shown by this appl. Elanan Winchester sailed to you July 12 / 57.
Mrs Winchester is old, infirm & poor & I hope your [department] will decide that this certificate of identity is sufficient & according
to your requirements.

Yours  V C
L. A & T. Brown
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Hannah Winchester
Oct 2 / 55

216,040

Boynton
apl 23 / 56 ?

????


L. A. & T. Brown
Jamestown, NY
Page 42

Jamestown  Dec 24, 1856

Hon Geo [ ? ] Whitney

Sir
The claim for bounty land of Hannah Winchester was sent you Oct 2, 1855.  The additional evidence was sent you Nov. 12 last the no. we do not know.  The widow has been sick abed for three weeks & is poor.  I hope you will investigate this claim immediately.

Yours
S. A & T. Brown
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Hannah Winchester 
216,040

[Refs] Mr. Boynton
Jay 17/57
[ ? ]

S. A. & T Brown
Jamestown
     N C
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Jamestown  ? Jan'y 10./57
Hon Court of Pensions
Sir
Oct 2. 1855 we sent you the papers of Hannah Winchester for Bounty Lands No: 216,040.
You returned that you wanted proof of identity of Soldier  That year and [your Nov 12 Viz the (indecipherable           )Winchester.
In your letter of Nov 21 you say you have read the papers except [?] first application referred to Examiner  [can't decipher]
[?] J A T. Brown
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Jamestown Nov: 30, 1857
Hon: Comm'r of Pensions
Sir
In the case of Hannah Winchester an applicant for bounty Land on account of the Revolutionary services of her husband we write again.
In your letter of Sept 16/57 you say that if we will file proof that Samuel Winchester the husband of said Hannah Winchester in residence in Munson in 1777 & that he was the only person of that residence capable of having arms that this claim will be allowed.
We now send this [ ? ] of Nelson Rodgers which we think shows all you require.  It shows  that Saml Winchester resided in Munson in 1777, that said town voted to raise men that year & that Capt Reuben Munn was a capt in said town and that Elhannan Winchester whose affidavit
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we have sent you here [to prove] was home in Sept 3, 1780
     Yours Respectfully,
     J A & T. Brown [?]
Page 47

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
                     Secretary's Office, Boston
                     August 28th, 1857
I Hereby Certify, that from an examination of the Books and Documents relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of Samuel Winchester is borne on Capt. Reuben Munn's Comp. Col. Elisha Porter's Regt detached to join Gen. Gates from Sept. 26 to Oct. 18, 1777, 30 days travel included, as private.  
Capt. Munn was from Munson.

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
       Francis C. Will
              Secretary of the Commonwealth
Page 48

Jamestown   July 21, 1857
Hon: Comm'r of Pensions

[Sir?]  In the application of Hannah Winchester No 216,400 I send you additional evidence as requested by your letter of Jan'y 29, 1857 for Bounty Lands.
It shows Mr Winchester to have resided in Massachusetts & to have been a Massachusetts soldier as the Certificate of Service shows.  Mrs. Winchester is old, infirm and poor, and I hope you will investigate additional evidence as soon as convenient.
  You will see from the map that Monson is on the Connecticut River in Massachusetts, and not far from Lexington, and history informs us that soldiers from that section were at Lexington and also at the taking of Burgoine[?]
The evidence included it seems to me must be satisfactory that Samuel
Page 49

[? something preceding this?]

Winchester resident in Massachusetts during the Revolution and is the [unclear] Samuel Winchester who served as per Certificate and as set forth by claimant.
Yours Respectfully
Jas. T. Brown [?]
Page 50

Hannah Winchester
Bounty Land
No: 216,040
Additional Enclosure
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Commonwealth of Masssachusetts
Hampden SS        Monson  November 21st 1857

I Nelson T Rogers of Monson, in the County of Hampden & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, [&] on oath, do depos & say, that I am Town Clerk of said Monson, & have the care and charge of the records of said Town, & by said records I find that Samuel Winchester resided in said Monson in 1777, & find no other person of that name on the records of said town. 
I find at a legal meeting of the inhabitants of said Monson held "on Friday the 23rd day of May 1777" the following vote was passed, "voted, give each man that shall enlist into Continental Army & pass muster twenty pounds, to the Number of twenty  five men,"  I also find at a legal meeting of the inhabitants of said Monson held "on Friday the 21 day of November 1777," the following vote was passed, voted, to Choose a Committee to settle with the Continental Soldiers in Behalf of the Town voted that 
Capt Joshua Shaw
Capt Reuben Munn
Lieut Rueben Hoar
Lieut Simon Keep
Lieut James Stebbins
lieut Jonathon Coye
a Committee for that purpose."
I also find by the records of said town, that Samuel Winchester & Rebeckah his wife had a number of childre, & amont them Elhanan was born September 3rd 1750
[signed] Nelson T Rogers
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Hampden SS:     monson  November 21st 1857
Then the within named Nathan T Rogers
personally appeared & made oath that the foregoing declaration, by him subscribed is true, Before me
   Hiram Newton, Justice of the Peace
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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
HAMPDEN, SS.
I, George B. Morris, Clerk of the Judicial Courst of the Commonwealth, for the Cournty of Hampden, do certify, that [inscribed]Hiram Newton Esquire, whose signature is affixed to the certificate on the paper hereto annexed, was at the date thereof, one of the Justices of the Peace, within and for said County, duly commissioned and acting under the authority of this Commonwealth; and that full faith and credit is, and ought to be gtiven, to his acts and attestations, done in that capacity; and that I am acquainted with the handwriting of the said
[inscribed] Hiram Newton and believe his signature to said certificate is genuine; also that the instrument here annexed, purports to be duly executed and acknowledged, according to the laws of this commonwealth, for the purposes therein expressed.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the Supreme Judicial Court for said Commonwealth, this [written] twenty fourth day of [written] November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and [written] fifty seven.
        [Signed] GeoBMorris   Clerk
Page 54

Phillips this? Jan. 6, 1914
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Pensions
   I'm endeavoring to trace the military history of one Samuel Winchester born in Brookline, Mass. March 11, 1753 and died in Marcellus Onondaga Co. N.Y. January 11, 1823.
Thinking you may have the desired information in his application for a pension I am taking this liberty of asking you to send it to me.
   Thanking you for any help you may offer, I am
    Respectfully yours,
 (Miss) Gertrude Barry
     Registrar Henry Dodge Chapter D.A.R.
Stamp enclosed.