Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 9,125, for Samuel Leland, Massachusetts
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DECLARATION, in order to secure the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
 COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
COUNTY OF WORCESTER. 
On this eighth day of September in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and thirty personally appeared in open Court, before Hon Nathl Paine, Judge of the Court of Probate, now sitting, Samuel Leland, a resident of Grafton in the County of Worcester, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy seven 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 act of Congress, passed June 7th 1832. 

THAT he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. that he was born Feb. 23, 1755 in said Grafton, where he has resided ever since that he served in the Militia from 19 April, 1775, one month, at Cambridge that in Nov. 1776, he enlisted in Capt. Todd's company of Artillery, Regt of Col. Craft, & served therein as Sergeant a term of six months, in Boston, & at Dorchester Point, when he was honorably dismissed. That in Sept. 1777, he voluntarily enlisted for the Northern army, in the company of Capt Brigham of Westboro, Lieut Jos. Whipple, of Grafton, Regt of Col. Cushing and proceeded to Bennington, Vt. thence to Stillwater that he remained until the last of November, a term of about three months, which he faithfully served as Sergeant in said Company, that he has now no living evidence of this service, but that in 1818, when he petitioned for the benefit of the Pension Act of that year, he obtained the deposition of his Lieutenant Whipple then living, & forwarded it to Washington, and it has never been returned to him in the company of Capt. Todd that William Harrington & Daniel Stearns were with That his brother Ebenezer Leland was with him at Cambridge in 1775- 

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. Nath Farme Judge of Probate for the County Samuel Leland of Worcester Mass
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State of Massachusetts. County of Worcester S.S. On this twenty second day of May 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, Sally Leland, aged 73 - years, a resident of Grafton, in the State aforesaid, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of Samuel Leland - deceased, who was a revolutionary pensioner She further states that she is now a pensioner of the United States, and that her Pension certificate is dated the 24th January, 1855. Consequently satisfactory proof of her marriage, and the death of her husband is now on file at the pensioner department in Washington, and that she states she is now a widow. She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land, to which she may be entitled not knowing that her husband has received any bounty land for his services as a Sergeant in the army of the revolution. Please direct to Henry Ropel Salem, Mass. Sally Leland
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 
Secretary's Office, Boston, 
April 7th 1856. 
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 Lealand is borne on pay roll of Capt. Luke Denry's Comp. Col Ward's Reg on claim of April 19, 1775 9 days as private from Grafton also on return of Capt. William Todd Comp Col. Crafts Regt. Boston, dated Suffolk Dec. 16. 1776 time not given, wages 23. 11. as Corporal from Grafton Also on pay roll of Capt. William Todd Comp. Col. Crafts Regt. from Feby 1, to May 8 year not given 3 months 7 days, as segt from Grafton also on pay roll of Capt. Joseph Warren's Comp o clock Regt. from Sept. 21, to Oct. 23, 1777 1 month 3 days as Corp time included. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written. 
J. De Will Secretary of the Commonwealth.
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts George Folsom, of Worcester, in the County of Worcester & Commonwealth aforesaid, on oath declare that as the Agent of Samuel Leland, late of Grafton in said County, now deceased, I received a Pension certificate in his name from the Pension Bureau at Washington, for the annual sum of $49.43. It was forwarded to me early in January, 1833, as nearly as I can recollect, and was returned to the Department for correction on the 28th of the same month. It was again forwarded to me with a letter bearing date May 29, 1833, and early in June following, after seeing the claimant at my office, I again enclosed it, with a letter stating more fully the reasons for the Correction, directed to the Commissioner of Pensions, and deposited it in the Post Office of Worcester for transmission. I have not since been the Certificate. Mr Leland the claimant died in July 6th, from injuries received by being thrown from his wagon on his way to Worcester in June the certificate never passed from my possession except when deposited in the Post Office for transmission to the Department at Washington the correction for which I asked was, that instead of the pay of a Sergeant of Infantry, he might be allowed that of a Sergeant of Artillery, for six months of his service viz at the rate of $180.00 for two years service, as fixed by the Pay Table in use at the Pension Office, & as believed to have been in other cases allowed a copy of said Pay Table having been taken by me from the original in the office Commonwealth of Massachusetts George Folsom Worcester February 25th 1834. Then personally appeared, George Folsom Esquire, who is well known to me as a man who sustains a good character for truth and veracity, and made oath to the truth of the above affidavit by him signed the Before me
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Worcester, Sept. 24, 1833. James L. Edwards Esq
Sir, have had the honor to receive your communication of 10th, in answer to mine inadvertently not dated, but written the 10th inst. in relation to the claim of Samuel Leland, in which you state that his certificate was returned to me on 29 May last, with a letter, a copy of which you now enclose, & that it does not appear that the certificate has been received at the Pension Office in that date. In answer I can only say, that immediately on reading your communication of May 29. I took the liberty to enclose the certificate, on the application (stated in an accompanying letter), that there was some mistake in relation to the pay of a Sergeant of Artillery, which you observe is the same as high of Infantry. When had the pleasure of being in attendance at the pension office, I was affirmed that the Segt of Artillery was allowed $188.00, full Pension, and it to apply by a copy of the Pay Table in use in the Pension Office, which I made while there & retain for the information of claimants. should, however, there be no mistake as to the present rules of the office, please to forward a certificate as before.
 Hegleave to inquire for my two remaining claimants David Cook, (an old man) & Ebenezer Phillips Very Respectfully your Obliged George Folsom,
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I, Daniel Stearns of Worcester, in the County of Worcester, Massachusetts, aged seventy five years, testify and say that, in the month of November, 1776, I enlisted into an artillery company, commanded by Capt. Baird of said Worcester, under Lieuts. White, Bell [Ball?], and Salles, and Col. Sawyer. I think, in the service of the United States, in the War of the Revolution— I enlisted for the term of six months, and continued in said service during the full term of six months, and was discharged and dismissed, at Dorchester point near Boston, in May, 1777—
That Samuel Leland of Grafton in said County of Worcester, enlisted into the same company with me, at the same time that I did, and for the same term of service— that we immediately marched to Boston, where we were stationed some time, about six weeks, as I think, and we then marched to Dorchester Point aforesaid, where we continued in said service until our term of enlistment had expired, when we were regularly dismissed or discharged, under an order of our commanding officer — Said Leland was in said service during the period of his said enlistment, and was discharged at the same time with me. 
Daniel Stearns
Worcester, SS, August 14, 1832. Then the above named Daniel Stearns, to me well known, personally appeared and made oath to the truth of the foregoing Deposition, by him signed. And I certify my opinion that the said Stearns is a man of truth.
William Jennison, Justice of the Peace
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I, Samuel Leland, of Grafton, County of Worcester & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, being seventy seven years of age, on oath declare, that in the year 1777, on the 1st day of September, I enlisted at Grafton in the company of Capt. Brigham, Lieut. Joseph Whipple, Regt of Col. Job Cushing, for a term of three monts, and proceeded to join the Northern Army under Gen. Gates, at Stillwater, New York. I was a sergeant in said company, & was stationed in a fort at Stillwater, until the term of my enlistment expired. I was verbally dismissed at said Stillwater. I was not engaged in the battle at that place, as the enemy did not reach the fort in which I was stationed. I, however, joined in the pursuit of the enemy the next day, for several miles, & afterwards returned to Stillwater. I could have stated the term of my service with equal precision in my former declaration, of which this is offered as an amendment, had I supposed it necessary; for I recollect distinctly that I served the whole term for which I enlisted. 
I also declare in reference to my First Term of service, stated in my declaration to have been one month, that I was a private in the company
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of Capt. Luke Drury, Lieuts. Asaph Sherman & Jonas Brown, Regt. of Col. Jonathan Ward, & that I remained at Cambridge until the last of May. I recollect from the circumstance of our commencing planting on my return home, that it was as late as the 29th of May when I was dismissed, making a term of forty days from the time our company started from Grafton, which was on the day of the Lexington battle. 
Samuel Leland
Worcester, SS, Dec. 6, 1832
Personally appeared the abovenamed Samuel Leland, and made solemn oath before me, that the foregoin declaration, by him subscribed, is true. and I further certify that I am well acquainted with said Leland, & that his declaration is entitled to full credit.
George Folsom; Justice of the Peace.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Worcester, SS, I, Abijah Bigelow, Clerk fo the Judicial Courts within and for said County of Worcester, do certify, that George Folsom, Esquire, above named, is a Justice of the Peace within and for said County of Worcester, and that his signature to the certificate of the oath of the above named Samuel Leland, appears to be in his own proper hand writing.
In
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In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand, and affix the County Seal this sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
Abijah Bigelow, Clerk
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Mr. Samuel Leland Died July 6th A.D. 1833 Aged 78 years
Above is a true copy of the Record in the Town of Grafton
Attest John B. White, Town Clerk
Grafton Nov 9, 1854
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I Ebenezer Leland of Shrewsbury in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts of Lawful age certify that I was in the service of the United States at Cambridge in the year 1775 with Samuel Leland in Col. Ward's Redgement & Capt Drury's Company & he served the term of one month. 
Further I say [illegible], 
Ebenezer Leland
Worcester[?] SS August 23, 1832
The Ebenezer Leland appeared made oath to the truth of the above affidavit before me
Forth Harrington, Justice of the Peace
I certify that I am personally acquainted with the above named Ebenezer Leland and that he is a credible witness. 
Forth Harrington, Justice peace