Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 43901, for Elijah Rawson, Massachusetts
Page 1

SERVICE
Mass

Rawson, Elijah

NUMBER
S.43901
Page 2

[Text on left side of document]
Notification sent to 
Stephen Phelps Esqr
29 Sep: 1820

Canandaigua
New York 

Date of death - [illegible]

[Text on right side of document]
Elijah Rawson 4
Capt Oliver
Private
Massachusetts line
In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War

Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the rate of Eight Dollars per month, to commence on
the 10th of April 1818

Certificate of Pension issued the 8 of October 1818
and sent to Jacob Dox - Geneva
NY

Arrears to 4th of September 1818
35/60  38.61
Semi-anl, all'ce ending 4 March 1819. --- 48.
$86..66

Greaton

{Revolutionary claim,
March, 1818.}
4 years 1777-

Continued

Seneca,
Ontario County
Page 3

John Nicholas, Eg;
Judge,
Seneca, Ontario Co.
New York

Elijah Rawson
Massachusetts line,
Revolutionary Claim

Admitted

found on the roll of
Col. Greaton's regimt

Testimony relative
to the indigent circumstances
of the applicant
See endorsement in the
case of Abraham
Burden (or Barden)
Page 4

State of New York
Ontario County ss.

Elijah Rawson, being duly
sworn deposes and declares, that he at present
resides in the town of Seneca in the County of
Ontario and State of New York, and that in
the Revolutionary War between the United States
and Great Britain, he served in the
army of the former against the common enemy for more than four years: that he served
nine months in the year 1775 and three months and in 1776 and in the month of February 1777,
he enlisted as a private in Capt Robert
Oliver's company in Colonel John Grayton's
Regiment in the Massachusetts line, for the
term of three years, which he fully and ┃
faithfully served without ever having had a
furlough, and that when his term of service
had expired, he still continued as a private
in the same company to which he belonged
being the commanded by Capt Edward Crumpston
and on the twenty second day of April 1780
he was taken prisoner by the Enemy
and carried to New York, where he was
detained until the first day of January
1781 when he was exchanged, and returned
to Haverstraw, and afterwards to West point
at which place, about the latter part of
February in the same year, by reason of
Page 5

this deponents being sick and unfit for
duty he requested and obtained an honorable
discharge from the army, which he has since
lost, and now is unable to produce as the
evidence of such service. And this deponent
further saith that by reason of his reduced
circumstances in life, he is need of assistance
from his country for support
Signature fo Elijah Barton

sworn to & subscribed this 10th of April 1818
fore me John Nicholas, first Judge
the Court of Common Pleas of Ontario
County

State of New York
Ontario County ss   Leonard Smith, of the town of Senecabeing duly sworn, saith that he has been acquainted with
Elijah Rawson for the last two years, and that he has no property and is considerably advanced in life
and unable to work sufficiently to obtain a living and is in such reduced circumstances, as to be in need of assistance from his country this
22d Sept. 1818 before me
Signature of Leonard Smith
John Nicholas

Ontario County State of New York
John Nicholas first Judge of the
Court of Common Pleas of the said County
certify that I am well satisfied that the be
named Elijah Rawson is indigent circumstances
and stand in need of the assistance of his country
22 Sept 1818
Signature of John Nicholas
Page 6

State of New York
Ontario County ss. 
In Testimony that John Nicholas whose name is subscribed to the Vose clerks office giving certificate was on the day of the date of the same one of the [illegible] this court of common please in and for the county and that the same is his signature thereunto subscribe my name and affix the county seal at Canadaigua this 30th day of April AD 1818
Signature of Hu McNair clk
Page 7

Copy
Case of 
Elijan Rawson
3


3497
4 Act 1818
Mar 19
Page 8

STATE OF NEW YORK.
ONTARIO COUNTY, SS.
---
On this Twenty first day of August 1820 personally appeared in open Court, (being
a Court of Common Pleas in and for said county and constituted a Court of Record by proceeding according to the
course of the Common Law, with a jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount, and keeping a record of its proceedings,
and recognized as such Court by the laws and judicial decisions of said State, Elijah Rawson
aged sixty five years, resident in the town of Seneca
in said county, who, being
first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare, that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows:
as a Private in Capt Robert Olivers Company
Colonel John Graytons Regiment of the
Massachusetts line afterwards turned over
to the Company commanded by Edward
Compston for the term of six years and one
all commencing in Feby 1777

and that he made application for a pension on the Tenth day of April -- 1818 and that
he received a Pension Certificate No. 3.497 And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States
on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and that I have not since that time,
by gift, sale, or in any manner, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it as
to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress, entitled "An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in
the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War,” passed on the 18th day of March, 1815, and
that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property or securities, contracts, or debts due to me, nor have I
any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed, viz.

One Pig-11.50 One dish Kettle 1. side or 2 50
One Chair, 25 1 hoe .25 1 Ap 1753 Plattes 143
One knive & Fork, 0.12 1 pail 25 -
Signature of Elijah Rawson
I
and I do further swear and that I am
Occupation a Farmer and that in consequent
of a rupture I am unable to support myself
without assistance and that I have a Daughter
living with me who has two young children
One six years of age and the other four months
and she is not capable of rendering any
assistance towards supporting me
Signature of Elijah Rawson

Sworn
to and declared this 21st day of August
1820 in Open Court before me
Wm Rogers
a Judge of Ontario Common Pleas
Page 9

ONTARIO COUNTY, ss.

I, John Van Fossen Clerk of said county, do hereby certify,
that the foregoing Oath, and the  Schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the
Record of the said Court; and I further certify, that it is the opinion of the said Court,
that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid Schedule, is Four dollars and Thirty cents. 
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court,
on this 22 day of August 1820-
Signature of J. Van Fossen   Clerk of the Court aforesaid, in and for said County.
Page 10

December 4, 1937

Elijah Rawson
S. 43901
BA-J/AWF

Alberta M. Tretheway
9  Ashburton Place
Boston, Massachusetts

Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request information in regard to Elijah Rawson and Elijah Rawson, Junior, soldiers of the Revolution from Massachusetts. 

The data furnished herein concerning Elijah
Rawson were obtained from papers on file in pension claim, S. 43901, based upon his service in the War of the Revolution. This is the record of the only Elijah Rawson found on file in the Revolutionary War records of this office.

The date and place of birth of Elijah Rawson were not given, nor were the names of his parents stated.

Elijah Rawson served in 1775, nine months as
private, and served in 1776, three months as private,
officers' names not given. He enlisted sometime in
February, 1777, served in Captains Robert Oliver's and Edward Carson Companies in Colonel John Greaton's
Massachusetts regiment; he was taken prisoner April 22,
1780, held in New York until exchanged January 1, 1781,
and was discharged at West Point in the month of February, 1791.

He was allowed pension on his application executed
April 10, 1818, at which time he was about sixty
three years of age and a resident of Seneca, Ontario
Page 11

County, New York.
The soldier, Elijah Rawson, continued to live in
Seneca, New York in 1820, and then referred to a daughter, and her two children, one six years of age, the other four months old. He did not give the names
of any of them, and there is no further reference to his family.

In order to obtain the date of last of payment
of pension, name and address of person paid, and possibly the date of death of this pensioner, you should
apply to The Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, Washington, D. C., and
furnish the following data

Elijah Rawson
Certificate #3497
Issued October 8, 1818
Rate $8.00 per month
Commenced April 10, 1818
Act of March 18, 1818
New York Agency.

Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
Page 12

43901
Revy INVALID
File No. 48, 901
Elijah Rawson
Pri Rev War

Act: 18 March 18"
Index: - Vol. 8, Page (410?)

[Arrangement of 1879.]

{Handwritten text to right]
1919. Mch. 22. Hist. to Mrs.
Eugenia Mc Mackin
1937 Dec 4 Hist to Alberta
M Tretheway aug
I
Page 13

[Handwritten text on left side}
Mr. Edwards

Hon. The Secretary of War
Washington City

[Stamp of Seneca can be seen.]

[Text vertical on right.]
Admitted
Page 14

Sir
I enclose Elijah Rawson's
papers, which I expect are now
full & complete. Please to send
the certificate as soon as possible
as he is a very poor man & wants
to draw the money till 4 Sept

I am Sir, very respectfully
Your Obt Servt
Jacob Dox
Geneva Sept. 23. 1818

Hon. The Secretary of War
Washington
Page 15

Chairman
Committee on Apportionment
Member of Committee on
Appropriations, Banks, Banking and Building
and Loan Association, Roads and Bridges,
Salem llinois
March 13, 1919.

FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
CHARLES L. McMACKIN
42nd Senatorial District
Salem

The Rev. War Sec.
Dept of Interior
Bureau of Pensions
Washington D.C.

Dear Sir - 
Will you please send  me the proof of service
of Elijah  Rawson, who was a private in  in Worcester County Militia (Mass) during Revolutionary  War.

Thanking you for any kindness,

Yours very truly, 
(Mrs.) Eugenia McMackin
Page 16

GENERAL SOCIETY OF MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS
WILLIAM ALEXANDER McAUSLAN, Hinerian General
9 ASHBURTON PLACE, BOSTON, MASS.

Pension Office
Veterans' Administration
Washington, D.C.

Gentleman:
I am trying to distinguish between the military service ofElijah Rawson, Sr. and his son Elijah Rawson, Jr.

In the Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors, p. 983, the service of
Elijah Rawson is given. At the end there is a description which identifies
him as the Elijah Rawson, Jr., born in 1755.

In the D. A. R. Lineage Book, Vol. 33, p. 2, is the statement that
Elijah Rawson, 1717-1798, served as a private in the Worcester County
Militia. He was born in Quincy and died in Shrewsbury."

I have examined the manuscript payrolls at the Massachusetts State
House, but find nothing to show that there were two Elijah Rawsons who had
revolutionary service.

Was a pension granted to an Elijah Rawson? If so, does it identify him as the one born in 1717 or the one born in 1755.

Secretary Cook at the State House here thinks the service record
in the Mass. Soldiers and Sailors may include both men, but the S.A.R. can
not accept the older Rawson as an ancestor on the present knowledge. I
hope you may be able to clear up the doubt.

Sincerely yours
Signature of Alberta M. Trethewey
Genealogist
Page 17

In reply to your request of____________ received____________
for a statement of the military history of Elijah Rawson
a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired
information as contained in his application for pension on file in this Bureau.
S.
43901

DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT.
1775
1776
Feby 1777

LENGTH OFSERVICE.
9 mos.
3 mos.

RANK.
Private

OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN.
Robert Oliver
Edward Cumpston
soldier was captured Spt. 22 1780 detained in N.Y. until exchanged Jany 1, 1781, and discharged July 1781 at West Point

COLONEL.
John Greaton

STATE.
Mass.

Battles engaged in,_____________
Residence of soldier at enlistment__________
Date of application for pension,

Residence at date of application - Apl 10 1818 His claim was allowed

Age at date of application - sixty three years

Remarks in 1820 he referred to his daughter - one six yrs - the other four mos. old - but did not state their names. and her two children ron the other four or old - but did not eat their names
There is no further family data

Respectfully,
Commissioner.