Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 26,584, for Paul Noble, Massachusetts
Page 1

Service
Mass
Noble,Paul
Hannah
Number
W.26584
Page 2

Death of wid. not on AB
Massachusetts 912
Hannah Noble
Widow of Paul Noble dec'd
who died [marked out: on the] in 1797
of Hampden in the state of Mass'a
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain [blank] of the [blank] commanded
by [blank] in the Mass'a
line for 2 years

Transcribed on the Roll of Mass'a
at the rate of 80 Dollars [blank] Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.

Certificate of Pension issued the 23rd day of May 1837 and sent Wm G 
Bates Westfield Mass'a

Arrears to the 4th of March 1837 $480.00
Semi-anl allowance ending 4 Sept 40.00
$520.00
Revolutionary Claim Act July 4, 1836 
Section the 3
Recorded by D D. Addison Clerk
Book A Vol 1 Page 62
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss

On this sixteenth day of February in the year eighteen hundred & thirty seven personally appeared before me Oliver B Morris Judge of Probate in & for said County Hannah Noble wife of Paul Noble dec'd, a resident of Westfield in said County aged ninety four years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4th 1836. That she is the widow of Paul Noble late of said Westfield, who was a private in the army of the revolution for the space as well as the declarant can recollect of five years the first time said Paul enlisted was in the latter part of the season; I remember it tho I cannot remember the day or the month because he was at home during the summer & when harvest time came I went myself with my little daughter & picked corn & apples in Squaw-field & got one of our neighbors to cart these home for us. He was not gone this time but a short time as near as I can recollect these months.

Soon after he return'd he again enlisted & from that time was gone except at short intervals during the remainder of the war. The second summer that he was gone we let our farm to Mr Carter, the third summer we let it to Peter Pitts & after that Mr Ashbel Eager, & Mr Tho's Smith then of this town, took the grass in shares & worked some for us on the farm. These persons so far as I know, are all dead. I cannot mention the name of any field officer, or company officer, under whom my husband serv'd, nor any further particulars as to the length of times of his several services nor can I say positively in what engagements, I have heard him say he was in; but I well remember when he used to come home, he used to speak often of Stone Roby [Stone Arabia], Fort-Stanwix, Saratoga or Ticonderoga, White Plains &c. I also remember that once when he came home, I think it was about (if not) the last time, he said he had been in & about Philadelphia. My husband, at
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the time he entered the army & during his whole life, except when absent on his campaigns, resided in said Westfield in said County, & died forty years ago as near as I can ascertain or remember. He died on Monday in the month of May, & was buried on Wednesday. I remember the day, because it was the day of the election in this Commonwealth. I was married to my said husband Paul Noble by the Rev'd John Ballentine the settled & ordained clergyman of the Congregational Church in this town Dec 3d 1767 Thanksgiving evening.

I had by him five children, two sons & three daughters & have always remained his widow.

I have no documentary evidence to prove the service of my said husband, except the annex'd discharge, which I found among the papers of my said husband. I have often heard him speak of the names of his officers, but from the fact of my advanced age, ninety four years, & my bodily infirmities, I am unable to remember, distinctly, the names of the officers under whom he serv'd.

Hannah X Noble her mark

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss Feby 16 1837 Then Hannah Noble abovenamed personally appeared and made oath to the truth of the foregoing declaration, and being unable by reason of her great age and infirmity to write her name, made her mark thereto, and I certify that the said Hannah by reason of age and infirmity is unable to attend the court.

Oliver B Morris Judge of the Court of Probate for said County of Hampden
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and I the said Judge upon the whole matter do declare my opinion that the said Paul Noble was a soldier in the army of the Revolution that he served as stated in the foregoing declarations and the annexed depositions, that the said Paul and Hannah were married Dec 3d 1767, that the said Paul died as stated in said declaration, and that the said Hannah has never since been married and that she now is the widow of the said Paul Noble deceased. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of office this sixteenth day of February A.D. 1837

Oliver B Morris, Judge of the Court of Probate for the County of Hampden

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Hampden ss:

I Justin Willard Clerk of the Probate Court, the same being a court of record within and for said County, do hereby certify that the Honorable Oliver B. Morris is the Judge of said Court duly commissioned & qualified and that his signature subscribed to the certificates above on this & the preceeding page are genuine.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at Springfield this twenty first day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty seven

[signed] Justin Willard
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BY THE HONOURABLE
MAJOR-GENERAL KNOX,
Commanding the AMERICAN FORCES on Hudson's River.

Paul Noble private in the First Massachusetts Regiment, being inlisted for Three Years, is hereby honourably DISCHARGED from the Service of the United States.

Given in the State of New-York,
the Thirty first Day of December 1783
By the General's Command, H Knox M Gen'l

REGISTERED in the Books of the Regiment.
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1393
Hannah Noble
Widow of Paul
Mass
23 June 78 - 9 mo discharg
23 March 79
9 Aug 79 9 mo March
9-80
Adm'd
2 years pri
80
original no deduction
Wm G Bates Esq
Westfield
Mass
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I Emerson Davis of Westfield in the County of Hampden & Commonwealth of Massachusetts of lawful age depose testify & say, that I am a pastor of the first Congregational Church in this town, that I have the books & papers of the Rev'd John Ballentine a former, & early pastor of this church in my possession, that among the papers of said Ballentine, is a private diary or journal of said Ballentine, containing entries in his handwriting of his acts from day to day for a great number of years, from which diary, extracts have heretofore been collated by me & published - that among the entries in said Diary is the following, in the handwriting of said Ballentine -

"Dec'r 3 1767. General Thanksgiving. Was at Capt. Clapp's, married his daughter to Dr. Shepard, went to Ensign Weller's, & married his daughter to Paul Noble, gave 6/. each."

I further testify that I am acquainted with an old gentleman of this town by the name of Eager Noble & also with Saul Fowler Esquire of Southwick in said County, & that full faith & credit ought to be given to their statements, as they both are gentlemen of unquestioned veracity

[signed] Emerson Davis

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss. Feb. 11th 1837.

Personally appear'd the Rev'd Emerson Davis, who subscribed the above in my presence & made solemn oath to the truth of the same before me, the said Davis being well known to me as a gentleman of well known truth & veracity.

Wm G. Bates
Justice of the Peace.
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I, Saul Fowler, of Southwick, in the County of Hampden, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Esquire, aged seventy seven years, & upwards, depose, testify & say, that I formerly resided in Westfield, in said county; & before, during & for a few years ^after the revolutionary war, I resided a part of the time the next house to, & the rest part of the time in the same house with Mr Paul Noble of said Westfield dec'd who was a soldier in the army of the revolution.

I well remember the first time said Noble enlisted it was in the year 1776, the latter part of the year, in the company commanded by Capt John Shepard of this town, a brother of the late Gen'l Shepard of this town. The company in which said Noble enlisted march'd to the North to Canada, & said Noble went with them, & return'd after a short tour of three or four months, I think four [nderlined] months. I do not remember that the company went as far as Quebec; on the contrary, it strikes me that it did not reach farther than Montreal.

The next time he enlisted was the next spring. I think Capt. Ely of West Springfield commanded with Lt. [lined out: Miller] Martin Smith as one of the lieutenants, tho it is possible I may mistake the names of the officers of the company. They march'd to Fort Stanwix, & Stone Roby, & said Noble was in the battle when Col. Brown of Pittsfield was killed, as also was Capt. Ely, & six or seven young men of my age from this vicinity who were friends & relations to me. I think said Noble was absent this time four months.

When Burgoyne was in the vicinity of Ticonderoga, said Noble again enlisted, & was at the battle of Saratoga when Burgoyne was captured. Capt Bogg & Lt Miller of West Springfield commanded the company in which said Noble march'd & he was absent this time three months.

The next time he enlisted for six or nine months & went to the North River, & he had a state's bounty -- this is he had the choice of some land in Maine, or a small sum in money. I am clear in my recollection of his enlisting at this time for the bounty & I am confident that the period was nine [underlined] months, tho it may have been but six [underlined].
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Some time after he return'd, I cannot remember the time, he enlisted again for three years, at this time much effort was made to persuade people to enlist for long periods of time & much was said about it. He went at this time to the south & join'd the army near Fishkill or some place on the North river & did not return again until he got his discharge. I cannot remember how long the period of his service was this last time.

My father kept the tavern in Westfield during the whole of the war & was the place of gen'l resort [?] for enlisting troops, & the place from whence they march'd in their campaigns. Said Paul Noble was a friend of mine & I used to have frequent & particular conversations with him relative to the particulars of his service, the places he visited, the actions in which he was engaged. I remember perfectly well his being dressed in his uniform, & that he wore it for nearly a year after his return home in his final discharge at the close of the war.

I knew well the wife of said Paul before his marriage, the present widow of said Paul, the time when they were married, tho I was not present at the ceremony, & that they liv'd together as man and wife several years, before the war, during the war, & after the war, until his death something like forty years ago. He died of the dropsy, & I saw him in his death bed. I have been acquainted with his widow, Mrs Hannah Noble, formerly Hannah Weller, & I know that she has remain'd his widow from that time to the present.

[signed] Saul Fowler

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss. Feb. 11, 1837.

Personally appeared Saul Fowler Esqr well known to me as a gentleman of truth & veracity & made solemn oath to the truth of the above, by him subscribed in my presence.

[signed] Wm G Bates
Justice of the Peace.
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I Eager Noble of Westfield in the County of Hampden in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged seventy six years & upwards, depose testify & say that, except when I have been absent on service in the revolutionary war, I have always resided in said Westfield, & lived in the house opposite to the house in which Paul Noble late of said Westfield dec'd resided; said Noble was an uncle of mine, & I was frequently at his house & he frequently was at our house. I knew also his wife Hannah Noble (formerly Weller); I have known her since the decease of said Paul, which was about forty years ago, & I know that said Hannah ^has resided in Westfield ever since his decease, & had always remain'd his widow.

I remember that said Paul serv'd in the revolutionary army a large portion of the war, but I am unable to state with confidence the times when he enlisted, or the names of the officers by whom his companies were commanded.

In May 1776 I enlisted myself as a soldier & return'd in the month of December next following, & I distinctly remember that when I march'd away said Paul was absent in the army & did not return till after I return'd, tho I cannot remember the month or day, when he went away, or when he return'd, nor do I remember the name of the officers of his company this campaign.

Soon after I return'd in December aforesaid, there was another enlistment to go to Ticonderoga, & I think, tho I am not confident [5 words underlined], that said Paul enlisted & went away for three months.

Soon after this term of enlistment expir'd there was another enlistment for four months, & the troops march'd off again for the same place - about the time of the expiration of their period of enlistment, I enlisted myself & was marching with my companions towards Fort Edward where we met our townsmen, among whom said Paul, returning, the period of their enlistment having expired. I cannot remember the place where we met them, but it was on the Williamstown route about 30 or 40 miles from the North River.

I remember hearing at the time that said Paul was at the fight at Stone Roby, or Fort Stanwix; I have always so supposed, & have no doubt of the fact, tho I cannot remember the particulars, as my memory has very much fail'd. But I remember that I enlisted myself & was to be a sergeant in
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the company which went to Stone Roby - but my father wanted my service at home & procur'd another person to go in my place. I well remember said Paul's enlisting in said company, that he march'd off with the rest of the company, & return'd with them. I remember having said Paul, & and also one Stephen Ingersoll now dec'd speak of the battle at Stone Roby. After the defeat said Paul, who was then something old [?] & clumsy, was among the first to get into the fort; & it was inquir'd of how he got in so soon? He said that he follow'd some dutchman, who knew the road thro the woods & reach'd the fort by a shorter way. Said Ingersoll said that he thought, as the pursuit was so close that said Paul must have fallen, & said Paul said he should have done so if he had not followed the dutchman.

I have an idea that said Paul enlisted for three years after this time. tho I cannot remember exactly that time, but I am confident that said Paul was absent as a soldier during the greater part of the war.

I well remember Wm Carter's taking the farm of said Paul on shares, & also that Peter Pitts work'd on the farm, & I work'd on the farm with said Pitts, we having chang'd works. I also remember that Ashbel Eager, who was my uncle, taking the grass on shares & that at the times aforesaid, said Paul was absent as a soldier. Said Carter took the farm one year, said Pitts worked the next, & said Eager took the grass the next year.

[signed] Eager Noble

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss. Feb. 11. 1837 -

Personally appeared Eager Noble who subscribed the same in my presence & who is well known to me as a man of truth & veracity & made solemn oath to the truth of the above

Before me
Wm G Bates
Justice of the Peace.
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Hampden ss:

I Justin Willard Clerk of the Probate Court the same being a Court of Record within & for said County do hereby certify that William G. Bates Esq. of Westfield in said County, before whom the preceeding & annexed Depositions of Emerson Davis, Saul Fowler & Eager Noble purport to have been executed, is a Justice of the Peace within & for said County and that his signature subscribed to the respective certificates of the execution of said Depositions is genuine.

In testimony thereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at Springfield this twenty first day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven

Justin Willard
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July 7, 1932.
BA-J/ILL
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Paul Noble
W. 26584

Mrs. Minnie Dewey Middleton
Westfield
Massachusetts.

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter requesting information relative to Paul Noble, whose wife, Hannah Noble, received a United States pension.

The data furnished herein are obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, W. 26584, based upon the service of Paul Noble in the Revolutionary War.

Paul Noble was a native of Westfield, Massachusetts; the date of his birth and names of his parents are not given.

While residing in Westfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, he enlisted the latter part of 1776, served three or four months as private in Captain John Shepard's Massachusetts Company and was on the expedition to Canada the following spring, he served about three months in Captain Ely's Massachusetts Company and was in the battle of Fort Stanwix; in the fall, 1777, he served three months in Captain Baggs’ Massachusetts Company and was at the battle of Saratoga and capture of Burgoyne; later, he served six or nine months, officers names not given, and was in the battle of Stone Arabia; following this, he enlisted for three years, served as a private in the 1st Massachusetts Regiment and was discharged December 31, 1783.

After the Revolution, the soldier returned to Westfield, Massachusetts; he died there "on a Monday in May" about the year 1797.

The soldier married December 3, 1767, "Thanksgiving evening", in Westfield, Massachusetts, Hannah, the daughter of Ensign Weller of Westfield.

1.
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Hannah Noble, the soldier's widow, was allowed pension on her application executed February 16, 1837, at which time she was residing in Westfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts. She gave her age then as ninety-four years, the date of her birth not given.

The soldier and his wife had two sons and three daughters; their names or dates of their births are not given.

Eager Noble, a nephew of the soldier, Paul Noble, and also a native of Westfield, Massachusetts, was living in said Westfield in 1837: he was then more than seventy-six years of age and had served in the Revolutionary War.

Very truly yours,
A. D. HILLER,
Assistant to Administrator.

2.
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1932 July 7 - Hist to Mrs Minnie Dewey Middleton ILR
Widow, &c.
File No 26584
Hannah Noble
Widow of Paul Noble
Pri Rev War
Act: July 4th 36
Index: Vol. M, Page 90
Arrangement of 1870
Page 17

[written vertically]
27 Feb 1393
Wm G. Bates
Case Hannah Noble
Act 4 July 1832
Masstts [lined out: Line]
[lined out: Westfield N.Y.]

[written horizontally]
[Stamp] FREE
Hon. James L. Edwards,
Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington City
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Westfield Feby. 22nd 1837

Sir

I enclose the Papers in the case of Hannah Noble wife of Paul Noble in application for a pension.

The great age of the declarant & her infirmity, will suggest the importance [partially obscured] of as speedy action by the Departm't as circumstances will allow.

I am &c
[signed] Wm G. Bates
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[letterhead] 
Western Hampden County Historical Society
Westfield Massachusetts
Committee on Restoration of Colonial Burying Ground
Mrs Elizabeth Bush Fowler, Chairman
Mrs. Mary Morse Bartlett, Secretary
David Charles Little, Treasurer
Depository, First National Bank,  Westfield, Mass

Members
Dr. James Billings Atwater
Mrs. Mary Morse Bartlett
Thomas James Dewey
Harold Taylor Dougherty
Mrs. Harriet Dyson Ely
Mrs. Elizabeth Bush Fowler
Miss Lucy Douglas Gillett
Frank Grant
Mayor Louis Lafayette Keefe
Joseph Augustus Kenyon
David Charles Little
John Wells Loomis
William Franklin Lyman
Mrs. Minnie Dewey Middleton
David Mills Moseley
Miss Mary Anngenette Noble
Frederick Livingston Parker
Judge Robert Chapin Parker
Oren Elisha Parks
Mrs. Mabel Shepard Robinson
George Dodge Roe
Mrs. Eloise Fowler Salmond
Mrs. Elizabeth Bush Smith
William Thomas Smith
Mrs. Mary McClellan Taylor
Miss Mary Sprague Thayer

Westfield Mass
May 21 1932
U.S. Pension Office
Washington DC
In the old cemetary of Westfield, which is now being restored we have a stone for Hannah Noble  wife of Paul Noble. Born in 1743 and died Sept 1842. We understand she was a pensioner of U.S for number of years. Can you tell us if this is a fact and if so give us the date the pension became effective and the date of expiration.
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[letterhead] 
Western Hampden County Historical Society
Westfield Massachusetts
Committee on Restoration of Colonial Burying Ground
Mrs Elizabeth Bush Fowler, Chairman
Mrs. Mary Morse Bartlett, Secretary
David Charles Little, Treasurer
Depository, First National Bank,  Westfield, Mass

Members
Dr. James Billings Atwater
Mrs. Mary Morse Bartlett
Thomas James Dewey
Harold Taylor Dougherty
Mrs. Harriet Dyson Ely
Mrs. Elizabeth Bush Fowler
Miss Lucy Douglas Gillett
Frank Grant
Mayor Louis Lafayette Keefe
Joseph Augustus Kenyon
David Charles Little
John Wells Loomis
William Franklin Lyman
Mrs. Minnie Dewey Middleton
David Mills Moseley
Miss Mary Anngenette Noble
Frederick Livingston Parker
Judge Robert Chapin Parker
Oren Elisha Parks
Mrs. Mabel Shepard Robinson
George Dodge Roe
Mrs. Eloise Fowler Salmond
Mrs. Elizabeth Bush Smith
William Thomas Smith
Mrs. Mary McClellan Taylor
Miss Mary Sprague Thayer


This information is for the cemetary records and will not be used for any other purpose
Yours Truly
Minnie Dewey Middleton
Member of Com

[circle stamp]
RECEIVED
MAY 23 1932
RECEIPT SECTION
PENSION FILES SUB DIVISION