Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 14,396, Simeon Bruce, Mass.
Page 1

(8-1776)

SERVICE
Mass.

Bruce, Simeon
           Esther

NUMBER
W.14,396

CONTENTS
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Massachusetts  1,116
Esther Bruce
widow of Simeon Bruce
Mass
who died on the 4. Sep. 1810
of Worscester Co. in the State of Mass
who was a Pr. & Corpl. in the _______ commanded by Captain_____  of the _______
commanded by _____ in the Revolution
for 8 months Pr   26.66
2 months & 18 day, Corpl   9.53
$36.29

Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts
at the rate of 36 Dollars 99 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 8 day of July 1837 and sent to William  Jennison, Worcester, Mass.

Arrears to the 4th of March 37 217.74
Semi-anl. allowance ending Sep  18.14
$235.88

{Revolutionary Claim, 
Act July 4, 1836,
Section the 3}

Recorded by D. Brown  Clerk
Book A. Vol. 1 Page 46
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Worcester County, 
Massachusetts

on Rolls
Captain Cushing  75 - for 8 mo. pri
[illegible] 20.;. 127  Corpl 2 mos. 18 days
original - died in 1810
no deduction

AOMD
[illegible]
2: 1801 Corpl
Wm Jennison
Worcester
Mass.
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Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the 3d section of the act of Congress of the 4th July, 1836.
State of Massachusetts,

On this twentieth day of January, 1837, personally appeared before me, Solomon Strong of Leminster (Leominster),  in the County of Worcester, one of the Justices of the
Court of Common pleas, being a Court of Record of said Commonwealth, Esther Bruce, a resident of Phillipston, in the County of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, aged eighty 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 4, 1836.

That she is the widow of Simeon Bruce, who
was a private soldier, in the War of the Revolution.

She further declares, that she was marriedto
the said Simeon on the 21st day of October in the year seventeen hundred and seventy six - that her husband,  the said Simeon, died on the fourth day of September 1810, and that she has remained a widow ever since that period, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed

For evidence of the service of her said husband, the said Esther respectfully refers to the evidence accompanying this Declaration, she the said bother not having in her possession, or at her command, any further proof of said service.
Signature of Esther Bruce

Sworn and subscribed the day and year above written before me,
Signature of Solomon Strong Judge of said Court as aforesaid

And hereupon the said Court do declare their opinion, after a full investigation of the matter, that the said Simeon Prince, the husband of the said Either, was a revolutionary Soldier, as by the documentary evidence in said Declaration referred to, will appear that the
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paid Esther was married to the said Simeon, as she therein states, and since the decease of the said Simeon has remained his widow, as she hath above, on oath, declared - she being a credible person, and entitled to full belief
Signature of Solomon Strong Judge of the said
Court of Common pleas.

The said Esther Bruce by reason of age and infirmity is unable to attend personally in Court and I therefore took her examination on the day and year aforesaid of the house of Charles Bruce, her son in Templeton in said Court
of Worcester, and the place of her present residence
Signature of Solomon Strong Judge, that of Common Pleas

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Worcester Ss.  I, Joseph G. Kendall, Clerk of the said Court of Common pleas for the County of Worcester, do certify That the Honorable Solomon Strong, above named is one of the Justices of the said Court, and that his signature as above appears, is in his own proper hand writing

I also certify, that William Jemison, Esquire, is a Justice of the peace, in and for said County, and that his signature to the certificate of the oaths of Jonathan Harrington and Charles Bruce to the Depositions hereto annexed
is in his own proper hand writing.

In testimony whereof, I hereto set my name,
and affix the seal of said Court, at
in the year 1837 Worcester, this twenty third day of January,

Jos G Kendall Clerk
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I, Charles Bruce, of Phillipston, in the County of
Worcester, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, of lawful age, testify and say that Simeon Bruce, late of said Phillipston, and formerly of Shrewsbury in said County, a soldier in the Revolutionary War died in the house in which I lived, on the fourth day of September, A.D. 1870 that Esther Bruce, his
widow, is now living with me, and has remained his widow, and unmarried ever since her said Husbands decease, that I am a son of said Simeon and bother, and from all I have heard said by my father, and other person knowing to the facts, I have no doubt that my said father was in the service at least seventeen
months and further the Deponent said not
Signature of Charles Bruce

Worcester, ss. January 14, 1837. Then the above named Charles Bruce personally appeared, and made oath to the truth of the foregoing Deposition, by him signed and
I further certify that I believe the said Deponent to be a person of trut, and entitled to full credit & belief.
Signature of William Jennison, Justice of the peace
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Clerk's Office, Shrewsbury, Mass. 
January 14th  1837

Simeon Bruce and Esther Harrington were joined in marriage, October 21 1776 by Rev. Joseph Turnner.
A Copy of Record, 
Attest, A.R. Phelps, Tn. Clerk

I certify that the above named Aron R Phelps is the Town Clerk of Shrewsbury, Worcester County, Mass
Signature of W Jennison, Just peace
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Revy
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 14396 
Esther Bruce
Widow of
Simeon Bruce
Corp. Rev. War

Act: July 4th 1836
Index: -- Vol. A Page 98
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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I, Jonathan Harrington of Shrewsbury, in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, of lawful age, and a pensioner of the United States on account of services rendered during the Revolutionary War
, to testify and say, that I was well acquainted
with Simeon Bruce, late of Phillipston in said County and formerly of said Shrewsbury - that in the year 1775, he enlisted into Captain Cushings Company in Colonel Ward's Regiment, as a private soldier; he enlisted immediately after Lexington Battle, for
eight months, the precise time when, I cannot now recollect, and he served his full term of eight months, in Cambridge, and Dorchester, and that vicinity, and was regularly discharged, with others of his company at the end of his said service, and returned home to said Shrewsbury again in the year 1777, said Bruce enlisted, in the month of September, for three months, in Capt. Maries Company, in Col. Cushings Regiment and served for said term of three months, and then returned home to said Shrewsbury, having been at the taking of Burgoine (Burgoyne) and his army again
in the month of July, 1778, said Bruce
enlisted for six months, and served his full term
of six months, in Rhode Island, and elsewhere
with his company, and then returned home to
said Shrewsbury. I am now unable to state
the name of his Captain or Colonel during this
last service, but was well knowing to his enlisting for said time, and being out in the service for said six months. I was well acquainted with said Bruce during all his residence in said Shrewsbury he having married my sister, Esther
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Harrington, now Esther Bruce and was so married  on the 1st. day of October, 1776, by the Rev. Dr. Sumner of said Shrewsbury, and I was present at the marriage. We being so well nearly related and intimate in our acquaintance, was the reason of my  knowing of said Bruce's enlisting and during the several periods above stated and further the Deponent says not.
Signature of Jonathan Harrington

In presence of
Joe G Kendall

Worcester, ss. January 1. 1837
Then the above named Jonathan Harrington
personally appeared, and make oath to the
truth of the foregoing Deposition, by him signed and I further certify that I believe said deponent to be a man of truth, and entitled to full belief.
Signature of William Jennison, Justice of the peace.
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Susp
William Jennison
May 9 '37
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Simeon Bruce
75   Cushing - Ward  8 mo. 
77   Morse - Cushing - 3  Vol 10. p 170
78   ____________________6 mo
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James L. Edwards, Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington,

Sir,
I enclose to your care, the application of Esther Bruce, to be placed on the pension list, under the law of July 4, 1836, on account of
services rendered by her Husband, as a soldier in the War of the Revolution.

You will please give the case as early an ┃
examination as may be convenient, and communicate the rest of your decision to me

Very respectfully,
your obt sevt
William Jennison

Worcester, Mass
Jan 24. 1837.
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James L. Edwards, Esq
Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington

Sir,  
I received your note of the 9th may last, in relation to the claim of Mrs. Esther Bruce, for a pension. You state that the first term of 8 months is proved by the rolls- and that determination cannot be made on the subsequent terms, unless the full name of the commanding officer is given.

Mrs Bruce is, at present, unable to state, of
her own knowledge, the names of such officers she has procured the enclosed Deposition, as to another portion of service, which I presume will be satisfactory for the time to which it relate.

Mrs B. knows of no other and further evidence, which he can obtain, in corroboration
of her application and declaration. She must,
therefore, submit to such an allowance as you
may feel authorised to grant, under the evidence now heretofore furnished, and prays that you will issue a certificate accordingly, presuming that if she shall hereafter obtain further
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evidence of additional service, any pension which she may now receive, will be increased 
according to such evidence. She would still
hope, however, that the law and the evidence
will now enable you to grant a pension, to
the extent of the whole service stated in her original declaration.-

Yours, very respectfully
William Jennison

Worcester, Mass
June 23. 1837.ill be
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Esther Bruce 
Additional Evidence

Worcester County. 
Massachusetts

20.127
Corpl. 2 mo. 1800
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I Humphrey Bigelow of Shrewsbury in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts depose and say that I was a soldier in the Revolution and served with Simeon Bruce who was a soldier in Capt. Ebenezer Englesbe Company in taking Gen. Burgoyne in 1777. and was a soldier in said Company three months with the above named Simon Bruce (late Husband of Esther Bruce of
Philipstown and  Bruce served with me in said
company under said Capt. Ebenezer English
as a soldier the same three month in Col
Job Cushing's Regiment 
Signature of Humphrey Biglow
Worcester ss. 
Sworn to before me. 
this 5th day of June 1837
Worcester C.
Signature of Adam Harrington Justice Peace

Worcester, ss.  June 5 1837
I certify that I am well acquainted with
the above named Humphrey Biglow, and that he is a man of veracity, and a credible witness
Signature of William Jennison, Justice peace