Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B L Wt 49473-160-55, Thomas Adams, Mass.
Page 1

(3-1776)

Service: Mass.
Adams, Thomas
Number: B.L.Wt. 49473-160-55

Contents:
enl. at Egremont, Berkshire Co., Mass.
in 1856 aged 94 yrs. & res of Fabius, Onondaga Co., N.Y.
Page 2

Left side:
let. R.F. Trowbridge Sept 29/56. Encl P
"     same                 Nov 17/56

[Very faint:]
41795-160
36527 "
7174 [?] "
88933-40

Vol A = 24

Right side:
252. 197 Cur [?] Mar. 3. '15
July 19. '16
34
Thomas Adams. pri.
Com. Jeremiah Hickox
Mass. Ma.
Private
Mass Militia

Revy. war.

N.Y. [?] No Papers
Ad. 160 ac's Decr 9/56
Dodge

R.F. Trowbridge,
Syracuse, 
N.Y.
Page 3

R.F. Trowbridge
Attorney
Syracuse
N.Y.
Page 4

STATE OF NEW YORK. }
ONONDAGA COUNTY,	}  ss.
On this tenth day of July A.D. 1856 personally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace, within and for the County and State aforesaid, Thomas Adams aged Ninety four years, a resident of Fabius in the County of Onondaga in the State of New York who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that he is the identical Thomas Adams, who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Jeremiah Hickox in the Regiment of Massachusetts Militia, commanded by Col. Sears in the Revolutionary war with Great Britain, ["declared by the United States on the 18th day of June, 1812" is stricken], that he was called out with said Company at Egremont, Berkshire Co., Mass. on or about the first day of June A. D. 1781 for the term of three months and continued in actual service in said war for the term of one hundred days, and was honorably discharged at Saratoga, New York on the tenth day of September A.D. 1781 
He makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which he may be entitled under the act approved the 3d day of March, 1855. He also declares that he has not received a warrant for bounty land under this or any other act of Congress, nor made any other application therefor. 
Thomas (X his mark) Adams
 We, Robert F. Trowbridge and Hamilton D Borden residents of Syracuse in the State of New-York, upon our oaths, declare that the foregoing declaration was signed and acknowledged by Thomas Adams in our presence, and that we believe, from the appearance and statements of the applicant, that he is the identical person he represents himself to be. 
[Signed] R.F. Trowbridge
[Signed] H D. Borden 

The foregoing declaration and affidavit were sworn to and subscribed before me on the day and year above written; and I certify that I know the affiants to be credible persons; that the claimant is the person he represents himself to be, and that I have no interest in this claim. 
[Signed] John Durnford J.P. 

STATE OF NEW-YORK, 	}
ONONDAGA COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE,} ss.
I certify that John Durpford [sic], whose name is subscribed to the Jurat of the above instrument, was, at the time of taking the same, a justice of the peace in and for said County, and duly qualified and authorized to take the same; and I further certify that I am well acquainted with his handwriting, and verily believe the signature to said Jurat is genuine.
 In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the Seal of said County, this tenth day of July 1856. 
E R Hopkins  Clk
Page 5

January 20, 1932

Mr. Lester Card 
314 Chemung Street 
Syracuse, New York. 
BA-J/AWF 
Wt. 49473-160-55 
THOMAS ADAMS 

Dear Sir:
The Revolutionary War records of this office show that Thomas Adams enlisted at Egremont, Berkshire County, Massachusetts and served as a private from August 8, 1781 to November 8, 1781 in Captain Jeremiah Hickok's company in Colonel Sear's Massachusetts regiment.
He was allowed bounty land on his application executed, July 10, 1855, then a resident of Fabius, Onondaga County, New York, and aged ninety-four years. 
There are no data as to his family. 
Very truly yours 
A. D. HILLER 
Assistant to Administrator
Page 6

1932-Jan,20 - Hist to Lester Card esq [?]
Page 7

No 252197 
Syracuse 6th Oct 1886 

Hon J. Minot 

Dr Sir
The claim of Thos Adams No 252197 for Bounty Land was reported suspended for want of identification.
I cannot conceive by what rule this claim is suspended. Mr Adams - a patriot of the Revolutionary War - who swears to his own service [underlined], and proves the same by record evidence [underlined], is put to the trouble & expense of "proving his identity" [underlined] when every soldier, is [illegible] of the wars [?] since are accepted on their own oaths! This is an inconsistency that I wish to have explained before we appeal the case. 
The rule of identification of revolutionary Soldiers, established by Mr Edwards, was only [underlined] in cases where claim was made by heirs or widows. But in this case the identical Soldier makes his affidavit that he is the identical [underlined] man who served as he stated.
Your will perceive that he
Page 8

made his application some days before the certificate from Boston was made out. [underlined]
But I cannot see why one man & he a revolutionary soldier should be made to give evidence of his identity not required from less worthy persons.
This is the first of a number of revolutionary Soldiers whose applications I have made from whom this evidence has been required. What kind of Evidence (now his brother soldiers have all passed away) must be Submitted? 
Please advise 
Yours Respectfully
 R. F. Trowbridge
Page 9

252,197

R.F. Trowbridge
Attorney
Syracuse
N.Y.
Page 10

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 
Secretary's Office, Boston,
July 14th 1856 

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 Thomas Adams is borne on pay roll of Capt. Jeremiah Hickok's Comp Col. Sear's Regt of Berkshire County, from Aug. 6 to Nov. 8. 1781. 3 mos 7 days, as private, travel included. 

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written. 
[Signed] Francis DeWitt 
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Page 11

State of New York 
County of Onondaga} ss.
Personally appeared before me Otis Bigelow Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County - Nathan Kellogg to me personally Known, and after being Sworn in due form of law, deposeth and saith, that he now Resides in the Town of Granby in the County of Oswego and State of New York, that he is sixty nine years of age, and that he has been acquainted with Thomas Adams since he was sixteen years of age, and believes the said Adams is now upwards of seventy years of age and is informed and believes that said Adams now resides in the Town of Fabius, County of Onondaga and - State aforesaid, And this deponent further saith that the said Adams was in the service of the United States in the Revolutionary war in the year One thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty One, in the militia of the State of Massachusetts, in Captain Jeremiah Hecock's Company Colonel Sears' Regiment which belonged to General Starks' Brigade. That at the time he was called out the company Rendezvoused at Sheffield in the County of Berkshire, State of Massachusetts, that he was in Actual Service at least three months, the whole time from the time he was called into service until discharged was four months, One month having elapsed before he had orders to march. That this deponent was in the same Company with said Adams the whole four months, and a part of the time messed with him. And further the deponent saith not. [Signed] Nathan Kellogg
Sworn & Subscribed to before me this 4th day August 1833 
Otis Bigelow Judge of Onon Com pleas
Page 12

I certify that I am acquainted with Nathan Kellogg who has sworn to the within affidavit before me and that I believe him to be a man of truth and veracity 
[Signed] Otis Bigelow

State of New York } 
Onondaga County } ss.
Clerk's Office	} 
I Alanson Edwards Jr. Dep. Clerk of the said County do certify that Otis Bigelow Esquire before whom the within affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date of the same one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County and that I am acquainted with his hand writing and verily believe his name subscribed to the Jurat of said affidavit and the above certificate to be his proper hand writing and genuine Signature  Witness my hand and seal of Office this 26th day of August 1833.
[Embossed Seal]
[Signed] A.Edwards Jr. Dep Clk
Page 13

314 Chemung St
Syracuse N.Y.
12/5/1931

Pension Bureau
Washington D?C.

Dear Sir or Madam: -
Family records and tradition states that our ancestor Thomas Adams b. Egremont Mass and later moving from there to Dutchess Co. from there to Fabius Onondaga Co. N. Y. served in Revolution. 
He may have enlisted in Mass, Dutchess Co. or Columbia Co. The Revolutionary rolls of N. Y. gives a Thomas Adams in the " First Regiment " 
Did Thomas Adams apply for a pension or did his widow (name unknown) do so? 
His father Joshua Adams resident of Egremont, Berkshire Co.. Mass (probably died there) also served. Did he apply for pension? 
Any records you may have on above two Adams would be appreciated. 
Sincerely yours 
Lester Card. 
sig? [handwritten in]

[STAMP] Bureau of Pensions Dec 8 1931