Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 35128, John Spence Witham, Mass.
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(3-1776)  [Above the beginning letter of the name below, there is a star shape.]  
SERVICE                                                        NUMBER

[Handwritten]
Mass              Witham, John Spence             S 35128
______             _______________________             

CONTENTS
[followed by two vertical columns of 15 blank lines]
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11.583  R [The previous letter was in a different handwriting.] 
[In darker ink] Distt.. [possibly meaning District] of Maine.

John Spence Witham, York county in the state of Massachtts. [missing first letter of the following word at the left page margin]_-ho [probably meaning who] was a private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Vose, of the Massachtts. line, for the term of two years. [Here there is a large mostly illegible scrawl, in light ink or pencil, possibly reading Mili.]

[Here the first two letters are missing at curled paper edge] __scribed [probably meaning Described] on the Roll of Distt. of Maine, at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 13. of April, 1818.

Certificate of Pension issued the 9. of June, 1819 and sent to Benjamin Greene, judge, [page margin, where there may have been a missing word] York, Distt. of Maine.

Arrears to 4th of March, 1819 ___ [$] 85.83.  
[Page margin, with missing first letter, probably S] Semi-anl. all'ce [Semi-annual allowance] ending 4. Septr. 1819.)  [$] 48 '' [apparently meaning either $48.00 or $48.83.] 
_________________________________________________________________________
$133.83.

[Number at left curled page margin is partially visible, and looks like 0 but could have been another number.] 
18
___
30)

&   4)
______
31) 

(Revolutionary claim,)
Act 18th March, 1818.

[In light ink or pencil] Continue [or Continued]

[On the right hand page, there is notation in light ink or pencil, written perpendicularly on the page, reading:] Notification sent July 21st 1820 to Daniel Sewall, Kennebunk, Mai [or MaiC] 

[There is a light impression of what appears to be a round stamp showing through from the other side of the page, perhaps a wax seal impression, near the bottom of the right side of this page.]
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[In dark ink] John S. Witham

[The mostly round apparent reverse side of a possible wax seal impression, appears to the right of the above name and the following notation.] 

[In lighter ink or pencil, there appears:]
York 
________
11.583
________
Sept 1819 [or 1809]

[In lighter ink or pencil] Daniel Sewall Esq
[In dark ink] Kennebunk
[In light ink or pencil] July 21. 1820
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[Occasional spacing has been included to make the long text block easier to read.]

STATE OF MAINE.
York SS... At a Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the first - Eastern Circuit, begun and holden at York within and for the County of York on the first tuesday of July being the fourth day of said month [here the following 11 words are stricken through] and by adjournment    from day to day on the -  day of--- in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty, before the honorable Benjamin Greene, chief Justice -- [here the following word was stricken through] Judge of said Court.

ON this fourth day of July = in the year 1820, personally appeared in open Court -
the same proceeding according to the course of the common law, having jurisdiction unlimited in amount, keeping a record of their proceedings, and having "the power of fine and imprisonment," and being a Court of Record for said [here the following word is stricken through] Circuit, county John Spencer Witham aged fifty eight years, resident in York in said Circuit, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows, viz. as a private in the company commanded by Capt. Burbank in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Joseph Vose in the line of the State of Massachusetts on the Continental Establishment, as is more particularly mentioned and described in his original declaration, made on the thirteenth day of April __ A.D. 1818, and on which said declaration his Certificate of Pension, numbered 11,583 was granted. 

And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818; 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, 1818; and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property or securities, contracts, or debts due to me; not have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed; that my occupation and the ability to pursue the same, together with the number and other particulars of my family, are in fact and in truth as it is particularly described on the back hereof, also subscribed by me. 

[Signature] John S. Witham.

Sworn to and declared, on the 4th)
day of July ___ A.D. 1820.)

Before Benjamin Greene)  
[Here the phrase, "One of the Judges" was stricken through and replaced with the first two following words] ^Ch. Justice 
of the said Court.

Attn: Daniel Sewall, Clerk
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SCHEDULE of the real and personal estate, (necessary clothing and bedding excepted) belonging to me the subscriber, viz:
1 cow, & considerably in debt._____

SCHEDULE of the family residing with me John Spencer Witham who, by occupation am a labourer -  which I am unable to pursue by reason of age & lameness.-

NAMES.  AGES.  Capacity of each to contribute to their support.

Lucy Witham wife - 57  able to earn her living.
Martha Sargent, - 89  unable to earn her living.
Hannah Witham - 17  able to earn her living.
Jotham Sargent - 13 - do. [ditto, re able to earn his living.] - 
[Signature] John S. Witham.

[Near the left margin, there is a rectangular piece of paper covering what looks like a wax impression of a round seal of office.]

STATE OF MAINE.
York, ss. I, Daniel Sewall, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas [here "for said Circuit," is stricken through] within the county of York do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath, and the schedules thereto annexed, are truly copied from the Record of the said Court; and I do 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 twelve dollars and fifty cents.  IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court, on this eighth day of July, A.D. one thousand eight hundred and twenty.

[Signature] Daniel Sewall, (Clerk of the said Circuit Court 
(for the County of York.
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John Spence Witham
Private Col Vose's Regt
Massts Line 1781-1783

dee. [or dec.] 13th Apl 1818

To prove the service of this applicant I have taken the depositions of Benja. Austin, and Joshua Grant, (two credible and disinterested witnesses) which are hereunto annexed. Benja. Greene

The depositions of two credible & disinterested witnesses, to prove the services of the Applicant for more than 9 months at one time, as within stated, duly to be taken & [?] authenticated, is required. Adm. [or ? Admr.. possibly meaning the estate administrator.]
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I Benjamin Austin of York in the county of York aged fifty seven years testify and declare that I enlisted into the company of Capt. Pray in Col. Vose's Regiment Massachusetts line early in the year 1781  that in the Spring of the same year I joined the American army at West Point  I further testify that John S. Whitham of said York was a private soldier in the same regiment and that he joined the army with me at the same time and that he the said Whitham was discharged in the fall of the year 1783 at the same time with [here "me" is stricken through] >myself and that I well know of said Whitham's serving all said time in said regiment, said Whitham was in Capt. Hitchcock's company and I well recollect said Whitham at the time said Hitchcock was killed in a duel - I have been well acquainted with said Whitham from ["his" is stricken through] our boyhood to the present day - 

[Shaky signature]  Bene Austin

Commonwealth of Massachussetts
York SS. 22d April 1819 - Personally appeared before me the subscriber Benjamin [?] Austin, (a credible and disinterested witness) and made solemn Oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition by him subscribed.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed my seal Official [faint] Sworn 22d  [with illegible lettering following the word "day"] the day and year above said - 
Benja. Greene, Chief justice of the C.C. Com Pleas &c. & justice of the peace thro'out the Com [possibly meaning Commonwealth] of Mass [Massachusetts] 

[There is a square piece of paper covering what looks like a roughly round wax seal of office impression, near the left bottom corner of the record.]
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I Joshua Grant of York aged seventy four years testify and [here "say" is stricken through] declare that I served in the war of the revolution in the Regiment commanded by Col. Shepard in the Massachusetts line for more than two years previous to the close of the war, I further testify that I was well acquainted with John S. Whitham a private soldeir in another regiment, I think Col. Vose's of the Massachusets line ["di" is stricken through] and well knew him to be in the service for more than two years together in said Regiment as I frequently saw him on duty in said time   that said John Spencer Whitham was discharged at the same time with me in the month of October A.D 1783 at West Point and returned with me to York in the County of York where we then and and have ever since resided 
[Signature] Joshua Grant

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
York SS April 22d 1819 Personally appeared before me the subscriber Joshua Grant (a credible and disinterested witness) and made solemn Oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition by him subscribed,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed my official seal the day and year above said_
Benja Greene Chief Justice of the C.C. of Com. Please [of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the First Eastern Circuit in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts] [?and] justice of the peace thro,out the Com__ of Massts [throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.] 

[There is a small piece of paper covering what looks like a round wax impression of the seal of office beneath it, located near the lower left hand corner of the record. There is also a very faint notation nearby, most of which is too faint to read at this time, but which appears to include the word] April
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[Occasional spacing has been included to make the long text block easier to read.]

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.

YORK, ss.) ON this thirteenth day of April A.D. 1818, before me the subscriber, Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the first Eastern Circuit in said Commonwealth, personally appears John Spencer Witham aged fiftysix years  resident in York in said county of York, who being by me first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the late 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:"-

that he the said [overwritten text, appearing to read] John Spencer Witham in Spring of the Year 1778 enlisted as a private soldier in the [here the following word has missing letters at the document edge] contin-tal army under Capt. Burbank, of the Regiment commanded by Joseph Vose of the Massachusetts Line for the term of Eleven [the following word has missing letters at paper's edge]  mon- [probably meaning months] and continued to do his duty in said Compy [Company] and Regiment during that [illegible, torn edge] and at the expiration thereof he was honorably discharged at West Point, and that on the first day of January A. D 1781 he the said John Spencer Witham again inlisted as a private soldier for and during the war, under Capt- [torn edge] Hitchcock of the last mentioned Regiment.  that he continued to do his  ^ [stricken through, illegible partial word] duty in said Regiment from the time of his inlistment until the close of the revolutionary war - and that on the 28th day of october A. D. 1783 he was again honorably discharged at West Point - both whic [torn paper edge, probably which] discharges he has lost -

And the said Witham further testifies [here it appears there is a symbol meaning "and"] by the selectmen [here there's another possible symbol for "and"] doners of the Poor of the Town of York proves -) 
That he is reduced in his circumstances and needs the assistance of his country for support, and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services.
Sworn to and declared before me the day and year above said. [Signature] Benja. Greene

I, BENJAMIN GREENE, Chief Justice of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the first Eastern Circuit, in the Commonwealth aforesaid, do certify, that it appears to my satisfaction that the said John Spencer Witham - did serve in the revolutionary war against the common enemy, as he has stated in his declaration aforesaid-and that he is reduced in his circumstances, and needs the assistance of his country for his support.-And I do now transmit the proceedings and testimony taken and had before me to the Secretary for the Department of War, pursuant to the directions of the before mentioned act of Congress.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this thirteenth day of April Anno Domini, 1818.  [Signature] Benja. Greene 

[There is a small square piece of paper in the bottom left corner of the record, appearing to cover a roughly round wax seal impression underneath.]
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35 128 [35128]
Revy INVALID.
File No. 35,128
John Spence Witham
Pri Rev War
Act: 18th March [Here the following year has illegible squiggles in place of the last two numbers:] 18--
Index:- Vol. 2, Page 457
[Arrangement of 1870.]