Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 35711, Joseph Wadsworth, Continental Mass.
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Service
Continental Mass.
Wadsworth, Joseph
Number S 35711
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(right side)

12.1 (torn)
Maine
Joseph Wadsworth of (blank) in the state of (blank) who was a Captain in the regiment commanded by Colonel Bradford Mass. line for the term of 2 years

Inscribed on the Roll of Maine at a rate of 20 Dollars per month, to commence the 9 April 1818
Certificate of Pension issued the 21 of June '19
and sent to R. C. Vose
Augusta Maine

Arrears to 4th Mar 1819  $217.24
Semi-anl.all'ce ending 4 Sept. '19   $120.
$337.34
10 22/30 4/31

{Revolutionary claim,}
{Act 18th March, 1818}

Continued to July 4, 1824

(left side)
Certificate sent to
R C Vose Esq. Augusta
Maine 11 July 1820
Lett. to Hon. O Fowler May 8/50
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Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D. C.

I am a direct decendant of Joseph Wadsworth, who enlisted in the Duxbury Company, Plymouth, Massachusetts, Regiment, May 1st 1775, and served as sergeant and Captain, in the Revolutionary War until June 20, 178. As recorded, Massachusetts archives kept in State House in Boston.
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Massachusetts
No pension, on account of his service, was ever awarded, to any, of his family, or, descendants.
Are we entitled to it?
Daniel Webster, then Senator, of Massachusetts, was investigating, the matter, at the time, of his death.
My mother, was Captain Joseph Wadsworth[']s granddaughter.  Daniel Webster assured her, that she could
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secure it, without trouble.
Will you kindly investigate, this claim, at your earliest convenience?
And greatly oblige, (Miss) Emily Wadsworth Sears, Great, granddaughter, of Capt. Joseph Wadsworth, of Duxbury, Massachusetts.
Sept. 16, 1912.
Address ~
(Miss) Emily Wadsworth Sears
Duxbury, Massachusetts
Box 275
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Round stamp-
U.S. Pension Office
Sep 17, 1912
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225
Joseph Wadsworth

Continue
(illegeble)
21 June 1819

(illegible)

R. C. Vose Augusta
Maine
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I Joseph Wadsworth of Winslow in the County of Kennebec & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, being a native citizen of the United States, do on oath testify & declare that I served in the War of the Revolution for the term of about five years, & from reduced circumstances in life I now need assistance from my Country for support.  I first enlisted as a private at Duxbury in the County Plymouth into a Company commanded by Captain Samuel Bradford for the term of eight months in April or May A.D. 1775.  I served during the eight months as a Sergeant.  I then received a commission as ensign in the Same company & served  during twelve months in said capacity - said Company was attached to the Regiment commanded by Col. Bailey of the Massachusetts line. In 1777 I was commissioned as Captain & raised a company & Marched them to Albany & then to Stillwater.  I was at the capture of General Burgoyne & continued in the service of the United States until October seventeen hundred & seventy nine - when I resigned by reason of indisposition & received an honorary discharge.  My commissions are now in the hands of the Honble [HONORABLE] Thomas Rice a Member of Congress from the 6th eastern District of this State.
Joseph Wadsworth

Kennebec Ss. Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
On this 9th day of April A.D. 1818 Joseph Wadsworth personally appeared & made oath to the truth of the above declaration by him subscribed before me.  
S.S. Wilde
Jus. Sup. Jud. Court
for Sd. Common th [SAID COMMONWEALTH]
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Kennebec, SS.
The Subscriber, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts, held within the said County of Kennebec, hereby certifies, that the Honorable Samuel Sumner Wilde, Esquire, before whom the annexed proceedings were held, is a Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, and that by the direction of the said Judge, I have affixed unto his Certificate bearing his signature, the seal of the said Court in which he presides.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand: Dated at Augusta, in said County of Kennebec, this twenty fifth day of May in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and nineteen.
John Davis
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Joseph Wadsworth
Captain Col. Bradford
Massachusetts Reg.
Jany 1777 to 1779
2 years & nine months
April 9, 1818

On roll
Proof
A. Bradford Certif.
admitted
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To the Honorable the Secretary of the Department of War of the United States

I the subscriber being one of the Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby certify to your Honor, that Joseph Wadsworth a citizen of the United States now resident at Winslow within said Commonwealth, on the ninth day of April in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and eighteen, made application to me to received his declaration under oath, and such other evidence as was in his power to produce; & to transmit the same and the proceedings to be had thereon to your Honor, That he might be placed on the pension list of the United States agreeably to the provisions of an Act entitled "An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United State in the Revolutionary War" passed March 18th 1818, which declaration and the other evidence produced by the said applicant is hereunto annexed.
And I do further certify to your Honor that after a careful examination of the said applicant and a full consideration of the evidence in the case, it appears to me that the said applicant did serve as an officer in the War of the Revolution, on the continental establishment against the common enemy; for the term of more than nine months as stated in his declaration aforesaid, and that from reduced circumstances he needs the assistance of his county for support.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and have caused the seal of the said Supreme Judicial Court to be hereunto affixed this fifteenth day of April in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and nineteen.
S. S. Wilde
Justice Supr. Jud. Court of
Commth. of Mass.
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State of Maine
I John Davis Clerk, for the County of Kennebec of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the second Eastern Circuit, embracing the counties of Lincoln, Kennebec and Somerset, do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath and the Schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the Record of the said Court; and that the original was exhibited in open 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; including debts due to the declarant therein stated, is Twenty two dollars and deducting therefrom the amount of what the declarant owes, as set forth in said Schedule, the value of said property in the opinion of said Court, is twenty eight dollars.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court, on this twentieth day of June 1820.
John Davis, Clerk of said Court for the County of Kennebec
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Copy                                             225
State of Maine
Kennebec County SS

On this thirtieth day of May, 1820, personally appeared before Nathan Weston Junior chief Justice of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the Counties of Lincoln, Kennebec and Somerset, being a Court of Record for said Counties, proceeding according to the course of the common law, having original jurisdiction, unlimited in amount, keeping a record of their proceedings, and having the power of fine and imprisonment, Joseph Wadsworth, aged seventy years, resident in Winslow, in the County of Kennebec within said Circuit, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, declare that he served in the Revolutionary was as follows, viz. as a Captain the Regiment commanded by Coloney Bradford of the line of the State of Massachusetts upon the Continental Establishment, for the period of two years and nine months. That his original declaration was made before Judge Wilde on the ninth day of April 1818; that he is now on the Maine Roll, and that his pension certificate is numbered 12.106. And I, the said Joseph Wadsworth do further 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 whatever, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it as bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress entitled "An Act to provide for certain persons engage in the land and naval service of the United States, in the Revolutionary War," passed on the eighteenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen; 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.
Joseph Wadsworth
The following is a Schedule of my whole Estate and income, necessary clothing and bedding excepted, viz:
One cow of the value of fifteen dollars--six sheep of the value of ten dollars--old household stuff besides necessary bedding, not exceeding thirty dollars in value---Implements of husbandry of the value of two dollars--I have debts due to me to the amount of fifteen dollars and owe as much as forty four dollars on which I pay interest. the income of the above property does not exceed the interest I pay yearly. My occupation is that of a shipright, but from age and infirmity am wholly unable to pursue that employment or any other kind of labor whatever. My family at home consists of five persons namely myself, my wife Anna, aged seventy who has been unable to help herself for six years past and requires continual attendance. My daughter Elizabeth Warren aged thirty years, a weakly woman and able to do but little labor, my daughter Abigail Bradford aged twenty three years and my grandson Edward Fletcher aged four years. Except the foregoing and my necessary clothing and bedding I have no estate or income whatever.
Joseph Wadsworth
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Subscribed Sworn to and declared both the oath and schedule, on the thirtieth day of May 1820-before me Nathan Weston Junior
C.J.C.C.C. Pleas

A true Copy Attest 
John David, Clerk
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RECORD DIVISION                  3-525
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS
Washington D. C. ....................., 19.......
S.F. 35711

In reply to your request of ........., received............for a statement of the military history of Joseph Wadsworth a soldier of the Revolutionary War, you will find below the desired information as contained in his ( or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.

Dates of Enlistment or Appointment:
Apl or May 1775-
Length of Service: 8 months
Rank: Sgt
Captain: Samuel Bradford
State: Mass

Dates of Enlistment or Appointment: 1776
Length of Service: 12 months
Rank: Ensign
Captain: Samuel Bradford
Colonel: Bailey

Dates of Enlistment or Appointment: 
Jany. 1st 1777
Length of Service: to Oct. 8 1779
Rank: Capt.
Colonel: Bradford

Battles engaged in: Capture of Burgoyne
Residence of Soldier at enlistment: enlisted at Duxbury, Plymouth Co., Mass.
Date of application for pension: Apl.9, 1818. The cl. was al.
Residence at date of application: Winslow, Kennebec Co., Mass.
Age at date of application: 68 years. Died July 4, 1824
Remarks: In life his wife Anna was 70 years old and children were Elizabeth Warren 30 years, Abigail Bradford 23 years, Grand son Edward Fletcher was 4 years.
Very respectfully,
Commissioner
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35711
Revy. INVALID
File No. 35711
Joseph Wadsworth
Capt. Rev. War
Act: 18 March '18
Index: Vol. 2 Page 439

1912 Sept. 23 Emily W. Sears
That soldier received a pension & 
there is no law granting pens. to descendants.
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Joseph Wadsworth
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COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Secretary's Department April 19th 1819

BY THIS I CERTIFY, That it appears by public, official documents remaining in this Department, that Capt. Joseph Wadsworth served as a Captain in Col. Bradford's Regiment, (being one of the Regiments in the Massachusetts Line, and on the Continental Establishment,) in the American Army, in the War of the Revolution, from January 1st 1777 to October eighth 1779, being two years and nine months & eight days when he resigned.
Alden Bradford
Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Capt. Joseph Wadsworth is personally known to me and he resigned because he had a large family to support, who were in a very destitute state, while he was in the army. Capt. Wadsworth was also in service as aforesaid in 1776 and was in the battle of Saratoga.
Alden Bradford
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V.L.M.
Rev. War Section
September 23, 1912

Miss Emily W. Sears,
Box 275
Duxbury, Mass.

Madam:
In reply to your letter dated the 16th and received the 17th instant, you are advised that Joseph Wadsworth, File No. 35,711, Rev. War, received a pension on account of services as a Sergeant and Captain in the Massachusetts troops.
There is no law granting pensions to the decendants of soldiers of the Revolution.

Very respectfully,
J. L. Davenport
Commissioner