Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 10,669, Abraham Fifield, N.H.
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(3-1776)
SERVICE
N.H.
Fifield, Abraham
NUMBER
S.10.669
carded
CONTENTS
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1938
New Hampshire
Abraham Fifield
[of?] Merrimac [Merrimack] in the State of N.H.
who was a Sergt & P [Sergeant & Private] in the company commanded by
Captain [blank] of the Regt [regiment] commanded by Col Stark in the N.H. line  for 10 months 6 d [days]   Sergt.
 1 [month] 24 [days]  Private

Inscribed on the Roll of N.H.
at the rate of 56 Dollars 99 Cents per annum, 
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 

Certificate of Pension issued the 13th day of [Nov?] 1832 and 
sent  [to] I W Kelly  Salisbury NH

Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1832 $83.48
Semi=anl. allowance ending 4 Mar '33  [$]28.49
[total] $113.97

{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by J H McBlair [McBlain?] Clerk,
Book D  Vol. [1st?] Page 153
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9033

Abraham Fifield

[HC?]
10 Months & 6 days  Segt [Sergeant]
 1 [month and] 24 [days]    Private

Admitted

$56.99

I. W. Kelly
Salisbury NH
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9033  

BRIEF in the case of Abraham Fifield of Salisbury
of Merrimack  in the State of New Hampshire
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1.  Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge?  A Court

2.  If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily injury?  [blank]

3.  How old is he?  77

4.  State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
20 Apr '75----8 months----Rank, Sergeant----Capt E Webster {Col Stark & Capt Abbott}

Same day of discharge---2 months---Rank, [Private?]--Capt Conner - Col Webb

'77----2 months, 6 days--Rank [Private?], Sergeant---Col Stickney, Capt Webster

5. In what battles was he engaged? Bunker Hill  Bennington

6.  Where did he reside when he entered the service?  Salisbury NH

7.  Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?  2 living witnesses

8 Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? No clergyman's certificate

X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
[signed]   Wm. C. Easton  Examining Clerk.

As per per roll of service
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Abram. [Abraham] Fifield  -  Sergt. [sergeant]

No. 9033
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DECLARATION
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832

State of New-Hampshire, County of [blank]} ss.

On this 20th day of August 1832 personally appeared before the Judge of the Probate Court now sitting Abraham Fifield a resident of Salisbury in the County of Merrimack and State of New-Hampshire, aged 77 years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832.  That he enlisted in the army of the United States in the years 1775-76-77 with Cols. Stark, Webb, & Stickney and served in the N.H.Troops under the following named officers: to wit - on the 20th day of April 1775 on the alarm of Lexington Battle reaching Salisbury he with most of the other men in Salisbury N.H. (where [he] has has ever since & now lives) set out with Ebenezer Webster (father of the Hon. Danl Webster of the U. S. Senate) commander of the [unknown] to join the forces which might be collected on that occasion, went to Winter hill Massachusetts, & there on the 23rd day of said April, he enlisted in the regiment of Col. Stark, Company of Capt. Abbott for eight months - served out the time, was discharged being eight months and three days service in Newhampshire troops - 
   He further declares that when he was discharged from Capt Abbotts company, he enlisted the same day with Capt Conner, Col. Webbs regiment for two months NewHampshire troops - served out the term of enlistment, was discharged - was three days on his way home, where he arrived on or about the 26th day of February, 1776.  His two terms of enlistment were ten months & six days in going to & returning from winter hill - being in all ten months and six days service, during which time he was in the Battle of Bunker Hill.  He again entered the army in the year 1777 for two months - Col Stickneys Regt N.H. troops, Capt. Ebenezer Webster (aforesaid) Joined the army under Gen. Stark, was in the Battle of Bennington. did duty & rec'd [received] pay of a Sergeant the whole of the two months, also did the duty & rec'd pay of a Sergeant eight months at Winter hill.  Never had any written discharge[.]  
That he was born in Kingston N.H. in the year 1755.
     He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any State.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.  [signed] Abraham Fifield

And the said Court hereby declare their opinion, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states.  [signed] Boswell Stivens Judge of Probate

I, H. B. Chase, Register of the Court of Probate aforesaid of said County, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Abraham Fifield for a pension.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of said Court, this twenty-eighth day of August, A. D. 1832. [signed] H. B. Chase, register of Probate.

Total service one year and six days...
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[written sideways]  Rev War

10669

INVALID

File No. 10,669

Abraham Fifield

Sergt. Rev. War

Act: June 7, 1832

Index: -- Vol. A, Page 125

[in brackets] Arrangement of 1870.
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9033

Abraham Fifield


I. W. Kelly
Salisbury NH
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Abraham Fifield which require further proof or explanation.


I.  Does the declaration show where the applicant resides?  Yes

II.  Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides?  Yes

III.  If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so?  {blank]

IV.  Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served?  Yes

V.  *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled?  Yes

VI.  Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, 
in conformity with the regulations?  Yes

VII.  Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832?  yes

VIII.  Has the Court given their opinion?  Yes

IX.  Has the Clerk given his certificate?  Yes

X.  Is the Clerk's seal affixed?  And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal?  No
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[Page] 2

XI.  Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service?    No

XII.  If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?  No

XIII.  If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had?  [blank]

XIV.  +If the applicant has  produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility?  Yes

XV.  Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?  Yes

XVI.  ++Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?  Yes

XVII.  Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily?  And, if not, which of them is not so answered?  No to 5th

EXPLANATORY NOTES.
*QUERE V.  In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:  "Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B., who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades;  For_____ year____months, and ____days, I served as a _______, For _____months and _____days, I served as a _____; and for such service I claim a pension."
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[Page] 3

It is important an all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service.  The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, an all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.  Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service.  This form of a declaration is highly objectionable.  It must in every case be clearly shewn [shown] under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority;  that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.

+QUERE XIV.  Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged.  The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.

++QUERE XVI.  Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
[image of a pointing hand]  In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
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I James Johnson of Salisbury in the County of Merrimack and State of Newhampshire in the seventy third year of my age, depose, that I am well acquainted with Abraham Fifield of said Salisbury, who was a soldier in the revolutionary war, that in the year seventeen hundred seventy five I was a soldier in Capt Samuel Conner's company in Col. Webb's Regt (as near as my memory serves me) N.H. Troops, I was marched to Winter hill in Massachusetts in Dec. 1775 - immediately on our arrival at winter hill said Fifield's time was out in Capt. Abbot's Company, in Col. Stark's Regt., where, it was then commonly refuted & believed, that he had served eight months, had done the duty of Sergeant in Capt. Abbot's company & had his pay as such - he (said Fifield) enlisted into Capt. Connors company for two months, did the duty [& receiv  ed?] the pay of Sergeant during the two months.
 In seventeen hundred & seventy seven
[end of page]
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I was a soldier in Capt Webster's company Col. Stubney's Regt at Bennibgton, said Fifield belonged to the same company, served two months, did the duty of Sergt [sergeant] the whole time 
[signed] James Johnson

State of Newhampshire
Merrimack ss. July 19th, 1832 - 
Personally appeared the above named James Johnson, who is a man of good character for truth, and made oath to the truth of foregoing affidavit, by him subscribed - Before us [signed] Thos. H. Pettengill  Israel W. Kelly {Justices of the Peace [unknown] Quorum
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I Nathaniel Atkinson of Boscawen in the county of Merrimack and State of Newhampshire, now of the age of seventy eight years - depose and say, that in the year 1775 I was at Winter Hill in the state of Massachusetts as a soldier in the army of the Revolution for the term of eight months, and I know and can testify - that Abraham Fifield now of Salisbury, county & State aforesaid - was there at the same time with me - and was in the same company of the same regiment with me and served the said term of eight months as a Sargeant [Sergeant], and this service was in Capt Abbots company and Col Starks Regiment - and the Lieutenant of this company was Samuel Atkinson - and this was called the eight months enlistment and the eight months service --
[signed]  Natha C. Atkinson

State of Newhampshire
Merrimack ss.  Aug 20, 1832}  Personally appeared Nathaniel Atkinson subscriber to the above deposition a person of character for truth and made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition
Before me - [signed] Thomas H. Pettengill  Jus. Peace
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State of New Hampshire  Secretary's Office Aug. 28, 1832
 I hereby certify that the within named Thomas H Pettengill and Israel W. Kelley are Justices of the Peace for our County of Merrimack duly constituted and sworn and their signatures as such their own handwriting.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set the seal of the state
[signed] Ralph Metcalf Secretary 

[Written on the side] 
Nathl. Atkinson & James Johnson 
Affidavit