Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 22099, Theodore Barker, Mass. N.H.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE|[blank]|NUMBER
Mass.|*Barker, Theodore|S.22099
N.H.
CONTENTS
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9536
Vermont
Theodore Barker Orange in the State of Ver who was a Pri in the [blank] commanded by Captain [blank] of the Reg commanded by Col. Bigelow in the Massa line for 19. 11-ds
Mass. and N.H. Line. Records corrected Dec 7 '03 A.
Inscribed on the Roll of Ver at the rate of 65 Dollars 11 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 
Certificate of Pension issued the 25 day of May 1833. and sent Pensioner Bradford Vt
Arrears to the 4th of March 33 $130.20
Semi-anl. allowance ending Sept 4 "  32.55
$162.75
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by E. D. Bullock, Clerk. 
Book E Vol. 3 Page 52
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[verso]
22099
Revolution INVALID. [initials: own]
File No. 22,099
Theodore Barker
Pri. Rev. War
Act: June 7" 32"
Index: - Vol. 2, Page 21
[Arrangement of 1870.]

[recto]
Feby 27-1902 Hon Redfield Proctor U.S.S.
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No 7657
Theodore Barker
on Roll
Mass'ts Roll
on Mass'tts Roll & New Hampshire 5. Mo 16 days
[illegible]
R Roll New Hampshire 
6 Mos Mass Line
for 5 Months & 16 days
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BRIEF in the case of Theodore Barker of Orange Co. in the State of Vermont
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Probate Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? [blank]
3. How old is he? 71 years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
[column headings: Period.|Duration of Service.(Years, Months, Days.)|Rank. As a|Names of Generals and Field Officers under whom he served.]
In 1777 March|(Enlisted for three years & served 14 months & discharged on acct. of sickness})|Fifer & Private|Capt. Brown, Col. Brigdon, Mass. troops|
1778 June|(sub.|--|42)| " |Gen. Sullivan, other officers forgotten|
  "  Aug.|( " | " |42)| " | "  "  |
1780 June|( " |6| " )| " |Capt. Fry (Frye), Col. Dearborn, N.H. line|
[end of columns]
5. In what battles was he engaged? [blank]
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Middlesex co. Mass.
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditionary
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned. 
/s/D. Brown 
Examining Clerk.
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State of Vermont 
Probate District of Bradford 
In the County of Orange ss
At a court of Probate holden at Bradford, in and for the said district of Bradford, before the Hon. William Spencer, Judge of said Court, personally appeared, in open Court, before said Judge, on this 18th day of August 1832, Theodore Barker, a resident of Bradford in the County of Orange & State of Vermont aged 71 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 enlisted in the army of the United States in the month of March 1777 as a fifer with Capt. Brown and served in Col. Bigelow's regiment & Gen. Grover's Brigade in the Massachusetts troops of the Line. that he does not recollect the name of the Lieut. in Capt. Brown's Company nor the name of col. Bigelow's regiments - that the name of the ensign in Capt Brown's Co. was also Brown - that the declarant enlisted for three years: That some time after he enlisted he was put into the ranks as a soldier on account of surplusage of musicians and a deficiency of men in the ranks. that he resided in Acton in the County of Middlesex & State of Massachusetts when he enlisted - that immediately afterwards he was sent to prospect hill near Boston to have the small pox from thence he repaired to the rendezvous at Worcester. that from Worcester he marched through Springfield Litchfield in Connecticut Danbury (a few days after it was burnt) to Albany in New York from there to Lansingburgh where he was taken sick and left in the hospital and was there at the time of the first battle of ['Half Moon' crossed out] Stillwater. that he joined the army again at Stillwater and was there at the time of this battle but that Col. Bigelow's regiment had no orders to march till towards night and the heat of the battle was over. that said regiment lay on their arms that night and were fired on the next day on their way to camp: but this was no serious fighting; only one man was killed. That he was at Saratoga when Burgoyne surrendered - that his regiment returned to Albany to winter quarters and lay on the hill west of the City. That he was sick and confined several times and towards spring he became very feeble and went home to Acton on a furlough to recruit his health: That towards the latter end of May Ensign Brown who also lived in Acton was at home and
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told me my age and the state of my health was such that I should not be able to endure the summer campaign and he gave me a discharge from the army which he brought with him to deliver to me if he thought best. that that discharge is lost. That is was at least 14 months from the time he enlisted to the time where he received his discharge. 
And the said Barker further declares that in the month of June 1778 soon after he was discharged from the regular army he served at Cambridge as a substitute for one Silas Piper of Acton who was drafted for three months. that Piper hired another man the first 6 weeks and him (Barker) the last six - That he was stationed at Barracks No 2 in Cambridge. that a guard of about one hundred were stationed around prospect Hill at a time 2 hours on and 4 off - that the British were stationed on prospect hill and the Hessians on Winter hill - that the British soldiers had leave sometimes in the day time to go out that the officers were all strangers and he does not recollect the names of any of them - that Burgoyne's army left Cambridge soon after his time was out. 
that some time Aug't according to his best recollection (he knows it was but a few days before the battle between the French and English fleets near Rhode Island) in the  year 1778 there was a great call for men to go to Rhode Island and he enlisted with sergeant Piper of Acton his neighbor and went on and was put into a company at Rhode Island - does not recollect the capts name (but he knows he was a blacksmith an elderly man and lived in Lexington for he was at his house after he got home) nor does he recollect the Lieut's name nor the Ensigns but the orderly sergeant's name was Smith - that Gen Sullivan had the command and was encamped on the south end of the island near Newport - that the baggage waggon's were exposed to the fire of the British as they were passing to and from the camp - that he with many others was put on fatigue and worked day & night & dug a trench so deep that the waggons could pass safely in it - that the battle between the French and English fleets was but a day or two before he got onto the island - that he was so near that he heard guns distinctly - that Gen Sullivan lay at the south end of the island and at the same
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time the enemy lay south of our army in sight - that he with others was  sent on to the North end of the island to get off stores, cannon & mortars and the old sow mortar weighing several tons among the rest - that after they had worked hard then several days Gen Sullivan moved on with his army towards the north end of the island and the enemy followed and that afternoon they gave battle - that he (Barker) was in that battle through the whole of it - that the next day he helped dig a trench across the island between them and the enemy who lay in sight on Butt's hill - that as soon as it was dark our army began to cross over to Tiverton (if he recollects the name) - that the regiment to which he belonged got over before midnight and all the army before daylight - That from Tiverton he marched to Warwick Neck and was stationed there about a fort night and was then discharged - that he was on fatigue the most of the time on the island and had but little knowledge of the officers - that he recollects that Gen Sullivan had the command and that he served six weeks at that time 
And the said Barker further declares that in June 1780 the town of Packersfield (now Nelson) in the State of N. Hampshire was called on for two men to go into the continental service for 6 months - that the selectmen hired him and one Gibson to go - that they went to Winchester & passed muster - and thence in Company with others thro' Springfield - Litchfield in Connecticut to West Point where they joined a company commanded by Capt Fry (Frye) in Col. Dearborn's regiment & Gen Poor's brigade of the New Hampshire line of regular troops - the adjutants and commissary's names were Hill - orderly sergeants name was Sanborn - that he does not recollect the names of other officers nor of the regiments and was not in a situation to know much of them as he was taken from the ranks and put into the commissary's guard and remained there nearly the whole of the time - that from West Point he crossed over to Robinson forces - then down the river -  crossed the river again at Kings ferry. marched to Tappan and was there when André was hanged - him when imprisoned in the stone church that he went down nearly to Kings bridge and back to Soldiers For-
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tune a few miles east of Robinson's ferries and then his time of enlistment expired and he was discharged.
And the said Barker further declares that he was born in the town of Acton in the County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts in the year 1761 at which place he believes there is a record of his age on the town books - that he lived at Acton where he was born when he was called into the service the time first above mentioned - and at Packersfield N. Hampshire when he was called into service the time last above mentioned. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any state. 
And he answers to the questions by the War Department prescribed that - In he was born in Acton in the County of Middlesex & state of Massachusetts in the year 1761 - I have no record of my age, but my father gave me one of Ames' Almanacks made in the year 1761 and he told me he gave me that that I might remember when I was born - I was living in Acton County of Middlesex and state of Massachusetts when I was called into the service - and since the revolutionary or before I moved from Acton to Bradford (then Mooretown) where I now reside and have ever since resided in said Bradford - I enlisted in the first place for three years and was discharged after about 14 months service as above stated - then I was a substitute for Piper for 6 weeks - and afterwards I volunteered being hired by the town or Packersfield as above stated for 6 months - I cannot state the names of the officers more than I have already above named - nor can I recollect more of the names of regiments than above stated and am unable to give any more details of circumstances. 
I had a discharge from the 3 years enlistment above named given me by Ensign Brown - signed by Col. Bigelow - but is it lost - and I had another discharge from my six months enlistment in the continental service and my father carried it to Portsmouth to get my [illegible] & left it there and I have never seen it since. And I would refer the Court and the War Department to Rev. Silas McKeen Geo W. Prichard Gen Micah Barrow and Joseph Clark Jr all of Bradford for reference of character for veracity and their belief of my services as a soldier of the revolution & that he knows of no person who can testify of his service
/s/Theodore Barker
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
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Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid -
We Joseph Clark Jr a Clergyman residing in the town of Bradford in the County of Orange & State of Vermont & Micah Barrow of the said town of Bradford do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Theodore Barker who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 71 years of age that is reputed and believed in the neighborhood when he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion
/s/Joseph Clark Jr
/s/Micah Barrow
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid
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 Joseph Clark Jr who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the town of Bradford aforesaid and that Micah Barrow who has also signed the same is a resident of said Bradford and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit
I Simeon Short Clerk or Register of the said Probate Court do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of Theodore Barker for a pension - 
[court seal affixed] In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office, this 18th day of August Ad 1832 - 
/s/Simeon Short Clerk