Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21994, for Ebenezer Squire, Vermont
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Vt. Squire, Ebenezer S.21994
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8580
Vermont
Ebenezer Squire of Rutland Co in the State of Vermont who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Salisbury of the
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Ira Bolton 11 March 1835
 " Jesse Gove & Pen Agent Apl 18.37
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Eben'r Squire Brandon 
18 mos.
No 5288

admd 
10 mo 24 ds
admd
10 mo 24 ds pri

30
3.33
2.6
8/36.65
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STATE OF VERMONT,
RUTLAND COUNTY, ss. } 
On this 27th day of July A. D. 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Judge of the Probate Court of Rutland Dis't now sitting, Ebenezer Squire a resident of the County of Rutland and State of Vermont, aged 74 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 7, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. In 1775 he lived in Clarendon, Vermont, & in 1776 he served as a volunteer in Col. Mead: Reg't of Vt. Troops, one month, & worked in building the Fort at Rutland. In 1777 when Burgoyne came down, he turned out as volunteer in Capt Salisbury's co. & marched as far as Hubbardton when he was taken sick with measels & returned after a fortnight' service. In 1778, about 1. Feb. he enlisted for ten months in Capt. Safford; Lt Ewing & Lyon's Company in a battalion commanded by Maj Eben'r Allen, & marched to Pittsford & built a fort there - & in the summer marched to Bethel where they built a Fort, & was there when the Indians burnt Royalton & was dismissed at Bethel the 1. Dec-1778: He omitted to mention above, that after he recovered of the measels in 1777, he served about a fortnight in guarding some British prisoners that had deserted from Burgoyne's Army, & were taken up at Windsor & Cavendish & carried to the Fort at Castleton - he never rec'd a written discharge, he did not serve with any continental troops or other state troops, & knew no officers but there he served under.
He has no documentary evidence & knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services. He was born at Cornwall, Connecticut the 17th May 1758 - he supposes his age is recorded there. since the revolutionary war he has lived in Clarendon & Brandon, & for 45 years past. in Brandon. He is known to the Rev. Mr. Ingraham & most of the people of Brandon.
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[margin note: 14/10 -10/10 mo]
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.
/s/Ebenezer Squire
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. } /s/R.C.Royce Reg'r
We Ira Ingraham a Clergyman residing in Brandon and Samuel Burnell residing in the same place, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Ebenezer Squire who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 74 years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. 
/s/Samuel Burnell
/s/Ira Ingraham
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. } /s/R.C.Royce Reg'r
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Ira Ingraham who has signed the preceding certificate, is a Clergyman, resident in Brandon and that Samuel Burnell Esq who has also signed the same, is a resident of Brandon and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. 
I Rodney C. Royce Reg'r ['Clerk' crossed out] of the Court of Probate do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Ebenezer Squire for a Pension. 
[court seal affixed] In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 10th day of Aug't A. D. 1832.
/s/R.C.Royce Reg'r
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21994
Revolution 
INVALID.
File No. 21,994
Ebenezer Squire
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7" 32
Index: - Vol. 2, page 310
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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I, Rufus Root, of Windsor, in the county of Windsor, and state of Vermont, being duly sworn, do depose, testify and say, that in the year 1780. I enlisted in Capt. Jesse Safford's Company in the Regiment commanded by Col. Ebenezer Allen; - about the first of March; - after being mustered at Hartford Vermont we were ordered to Pittsford Vermont, where we joined said Allens regiment. - I was a sergeant in said Safford's Company and was knowing to the enlistment of Ebenezer Squires in the same company, and his marching in it to Pittsford, where we remained until about the first of July following, where we were engaged in building a fort and on scouting parties - We (Capt. Safford's Company) were ordered to Bethel, where we were also employed in building a fort and scouting from said Bethel to Lake Champlain, until the first of December of the same year, when we were discharged - said Squires continued in said company during the whole of said time. - I further say that I am now in the seventy third year of my age. - And further I say not.
/s/Rufus Root

State of Vermont
Windsor County ss } Windsor October 2, 1835 - Then Rufus Root, of Windsor in said Windsor county, personally appearing, and after being carefully examined and duly cautioned, made solemn oath, that the foregoing Deposition by him subscribed, contains the whole truth and nothing but the truth. - Before 
/s/John M. Pomroy Justice of the Peace
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State of Vermont
Windsor County ss } I Benjamin Swan Clerk of Windsor County Court do hereby certify that Thomas M. Pomroy is a Justice of the Peace in & for said County, duly commissioned and qualified, and that his Signature written is genuine. - 
[court seal affixed] In Testimony whereof, I hereto affix the Seal of said County Court this fifth day of October eighteen hundred & thirty five. 
/s/Benj. Swan Clerk
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[addressed envelope]
[postmark: BRANDON VT March 2]

[margin notes: Marg Vt. marg]
Free
Hon J. L. Edwards
Com'r of Pensions
Washington D.C.
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[handwritten letter]

Brandon March 2 1835

Hon J. L. Edwards Com of Pensions

Sir. Mr. Ebenezer Squires of this Town makes the following Statement for your Consideration and wishes to have his Pension continued if consistent - 
he says he is now Seventy Six years old and has resided in Brandon forty four years, last past; he enlisted as a soldier in 1780. for Ten months under Capt Jesse Safford & Major Allen. was and inhabitant of Windsor in this State. His residence was in Brandon when he made his application for a Pension and gave his Testimony to R. Temple. has drawn a Pension of Thirty Six dollars, and drew on the 4th Day of Sept 1834
Your Obt Servt
/s/Ira Button
The above Statement has been read in my hearing and is correct ['or as nearly' crossed out]
Attest /s/Josiah Parmenter
Brandon Vermont March 2d 1835
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Abel Paine's Deposition
Ebenezer Squire's Claim.
add evidence
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The deposition of Abel Paine of Sherburn in the County of Rutland and State of Vermont, aged 82 years, who deposes and says, that he knows Ebenezer Squier of Brandon in said County; That in the year 1780, the said Squier belonged to a Company of Vermont troops in the revolutionary war; that this deponent at that time belonged to the same company, and performed duty therein for the space of nine months; and that said Squier performed duty as a private in said Company all the time that this deponent did: And further ['saith not' crossed out] that said Company was commanded, during the time aforesaid, by Captain Jesse Safford. And further this deponent saith not.
/s/X his mark Abel Paine

State of Vermont,
Rutland County ss } Be it known, that on this 19th day of August, 1835, personally appeared, Abel Paine, who subscribed the preceding deposition in my presence, and made solemn oath, that the same contains the truth and nothing but the truth, before me. And I do hereby certify, that the said Abel Paine is reputed to be a credible witness. 
/s/Levi Rix Justice Peace

State of Vermont
Rutland County ss } I, Robert Pierpoint, Clerk of the County Court in and for said County, certify that Levi Rix was a Magistrate in and for said County as above at the time of signing the attestation aforesaid, and that the Signature aforesaid, purporting to be his, is genuine.
[court seal affixed] In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my Seal of Office, and subscribed my name, this 20th day of August, 1836.
/s/R. Pierpoint
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Eben'r Squire

These objections are not well provided
R. Temple
adm'd
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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 Ebenezer Squire 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? [blank] 
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Without precision.
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? No.
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yes. 
VII. Has he made the relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the other under the Act of June 7, 1832? yes. 
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes, but it is not subscribed
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? yes.
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? [blank] 
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 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? Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? [blank] 
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? [blank] 
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? Satisfactorily to the Court.

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.”
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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 authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.