Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 10,771, Francis Grater, Continental Mass.
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 (3-1776)
SERVICE
Continental.
Mass.
Grater, Francis
NUMBER
S. 10.771
carded
CONTENTS
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21,096
New Hampshire
Francis Grater
Wellsboro in the State of New Hampshire
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain Simond of the Rgt.
commanded
Col. Glover in the New Hampshire [missing text] for 13 months
Mass, and Continental
Records corrected. &. ^ Apr. 17/ 05.
Inscribed on the Roll of New Hampshire
the rate of 43 Dollars 33 Cents per annum
commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21st day of Aug 1883 and Leut Edmund Parker
Amherst New Hamp
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $86.66
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept "21.67
                                                        $108.33

{Revolutionary Claim,}
{Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by D D Addison - Clerk
Book 2 Vol. 1st Page 88
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4.5  13.631
Frances Grater
Amherst
State troops-- &
Navy
send to D C Parker
Amherst
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State of New Hampshire
County of Hillsborough, SS.
On this twenty eighth day of August A. D. 1832
personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Probate, now sitting at Amherst within and for the County of Hillsborough, in the State aforesaid,
Francis Grater of Amherst in said county aged eighty years
Who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832.  That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.  That is to say, that on or about the twentieth day of June in the year 1775 at Marblehead the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts he enlisted in Capt. Francis Symonds Company in Col. Glovers Regiment of Massachusetts State troops. to serve ^ eight (nine crossed out) months.  The regiment was stationed at Cambridge, where he served said time out, and was discharged about the twentieth day of February AD 1776.
That in the month of September 1778 he entered on board the Schooner Swan at said Marblehead in the service of the State of Massachusetts, Richard Stiles Master -Issac Wharton Mate-sailed to Baltimore from Boston for a load of flour for the use of the United States Army.  That on their return to Boston vessel was captured by a British Sloop of War and carried to Halifax, and there he ^ was imprisoned until February following, when he was exchanged, and returned home, being gone about five months.-
That he is now eighty years of age - lives at Marblehead, during and after the War, and there
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came to live in Amherst, New Hampshire, where he has lived for about thirty years.- That he has been to Marblehead to procure evidence of his services
and has procured the testimony of George Whippen who served in the same company with him in the eight months service, and Samuel Giles who served with him on board the Swan, and does not know that he can procure other testimony.
He relinquishes every claim, whatever, to a pension or annuity, whatever, except the present, and declares that
his name is not on the pension roll, of the agency of any State,
Francis [his mark] Grater
 Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid  
Edmund Parker, Judge of Probate 
We Silas Aiken 
a Clergyman residing in the town of Amherst
in the county of Hillsborough aforesaid, and David M G. Means -residing in Amherst 
aforesaid, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Frances Grater
who has subscribed and sworn to the above, and that we believe him to be 80 years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier in the Revolution, and that we
concur in that opinion. Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid,
Silas Aiken
David M G Means
Edmund Parker Judge of Probate
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, that after the investigation of the matter, and putting the
interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and
served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them, that 
Silas Aiken who has signed the preceding Certificates is a Clergyman resident in the
 town of Amherst and that David M G Means who has signed the same, is a resident in the town of Amherst and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. 
Edmund Parker  
{ Judge of Probate for said
{County of Hillsborough,
I CHARLES H. ATHERTON, Register of the court, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of France Grater for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said court, this
day of August, ^twenty eighth in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two.
C.H. Atherton
Register of Probate, for said county of Hillsborough.
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STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
County of Hillsborough, to wit,
At the Court aforesaid, On the application aforesaid, the following interrogatories were propounded to the said Frances Grater
and the following answers given ^ on oath to wit:
1. Where, and in what year were you born?
Answer,
I was born in Barcelona in Spain in the year
1752 as I believe, and shall be eighty one years old in December next.
2. Have you any record of your age, and where is it?
Answer,
I have no record of my age. I came to this
county seven years before the Revolutionary War commenced, and was then in my sixteenth year
3. Where were you living, when called into service, where have you lived since the Revolutionary War, and
where do you now live? Answer. I lived in Marblehead, Massachusetts, when
called into service. I lived in that place until after the war, and my business was a fisherman. I afterwards
came to live in Amherst, and have lived there about thirty years
4. How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute, and if a
substitute, for whom? Answer, I enlisted, and was never drafted
5. State the names of some of the regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served, such Continental
and Militia Regiments, as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service?
Capt. Francis Symonds of Danvers, William Russell Lieut of the Company - $ Geroge 
of the Company - & George Sencross Ensign. -Col. John Glover- Johonnet Lt. Col. and William Lee Major.- Richard Stile, Isaac Wharten Mate.
6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become
of Answer, I never had a discharge that I remember
 7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to
your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution?
Answer, Rev. Silas Aiken - David M.G. Means John Secombe, Daniel Campbell - John Mocah
Certified by CH Atherton Register
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Francis Grater
13.631
Private 13 Months
14 of Apl 25 1833
p.358
x
E Parker Esq
Amherst
New Hamp
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BRIEF in the case of Francis Gater
of Amherst
in the State of New Hamp
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
How old is he? 80
4. State his service, as directed in the form annex
[Headings:  Period. Duration of Service. Years. Months. Days. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.]
-About 20th June 1775. blank. 8. blank. Private.  Capt. Simonds, Col Glover
-1778. blank. 5. blank. Private. Schooner Swan. Capt Stiles belonging to the state of Mass
 5.  In what battles was he engaged? none named
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Marblehead, Mass
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by
dental evidence, or by the rolls? 3 living witnesses & Traditionary
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Witnesses not stated as credible
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
D D Addison
Examining Clerk.
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Rev War
10771
INVALID.
No. 10,771
Francis Grater
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7th 32
Index: Vol A, Page 152
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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I Frances Grater of Amherst in the County of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, aged eighty one
years, and an applicant for a Pension under the
act of Congress of June 7th 1832, in explanation of my
declaration made in the Court of Probate for said
County on the twenty eighth day of August A.D.
1832, testify and say. -That the Schooner Swan, on board of which I entered in Sept. 1778 as stated in
my said declaration, was not a public armed vessel
but was chartered by Jonathan Glover of Marblehead
who was an Agent of the Government. I suppose of
the United States, to go to Baltimore to bring a bags
of flour to Boston for the use of the Army. she
was owned by George Roundy. Said Glover hired
the crew, and I was one of them. We were hired
for the Government. 
I cannot state the day in
September on which I entered said service, nor the
day we returned to Boston in February, but am
confident as to the months. We were captured in
November, but I cannot state the day.
Witness E Parker
Frances [his mark] Grater
 
State of New Hampshire
Hillsborough County ss On this twentieth day of
May in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight
hundred & thirty three, personally appeared the above
named Francis Grater, and signed the foregoing affidavit with his mark and made oath in due form of
law that the same is true.-
Before me Edmund Parker Justice of the
Peace
I certify that I am well acquainted with the
above named Francis Grater, that he is a credible person.
Edmund Parker, Justice of the Peace
Download
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I Andrew Wallace Clerk of the Superior Court of Judicature for the County of Hillsborough in the State of New Hampshire, certify that Edmund Parker within
mentioned is a Justice of the Peace for said County
and that the within signatures, purporting to
be his are genuine.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto
affixed my seal of office, and subscibed my name, this twenty eighth
day of May in the year of our Lord 1833
A. Wallace Clerk
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I George Whippen of Marblehead in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts
Mariner aged eighty two years on oath depose testify and say that I was a
soldier in the Revolutionary war and belonged to Capt Hances Symonds Company
in Col. John Glovers Regiment, that on or about the twentieth day of June in
the year Seventeen hundred and seventy five we marched in our said Company
from Marblehard and Joined the Continental army encamped at Cambridge, and
I will remember that Frances Grater how of Amherst in the State of New Hampshire
was then one of our Company and continued from time to time doing his duty as
soldier in said Company during the whole of the time that our Company continued
at said Cambridge and until we were discharged about the twentieth day of February
in the year Seventeen hundred and seventy six at which time our said Company
was discharged and we returned to Marblehead of the eight months  
George [his mark]Whippen
Mark
Essex ss. Marblehead July 10, 1832, then the above named George Whippen
appeared and subscribed the foregoing affidavit and made oath in due
form of law that the same is the truth
Before me Nathan Bowen Justice of the Peace
Essex ss.
I John Prince Jr. Clerk of the Court
of Common Pleas within & for said County
do hereby certify that Nathan Bowen
Esqr is a Justice of the Peace in & for
said County that I believe his
signature above is genuine
Witness my hand & the seal of
said Court July 10.1832
John Prince Clk
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Essex Ss. Marblehead May 9" 1833. The subscriber hereby certify that the within named
George Whippen is a credible person, and that the within Statement
by him made is entitled to credit
Nathan Bowers
Justice of the Peace
for said county of Essex

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex Ss.
 
I John Prince jr Clerk of the Court of common Pleas in said County, to certify that Nathan Bower is a Justice of the Peace in said County & that his signature above is genuine
Witness my hand & the seal of said Court a Salem May 9. 1833.
John Prince Clk
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I Samuel Bowden
of Marblehead in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts Yeoman on oath depose testify and say that in the Revolutionary War in the
year Seventeen hundred and seventy five francs Grater now of Amherst in the State of
New Hampshire Yeoman board with my father now deceased until the twentieth day
of June in said year, at which time he enlisted as a soldier in Capt Francis Symonds
Company of Col John Glovers Regiment and I well remember that he enlisted in said
Symonds Company belonging to said Glovers Regiment and that he continued in
said service until on or about the twentieth day of February Eighteen hundred
and seventy six, at which time the said Frances Grater was duly discharged and
returned to his boarding house at Marblehead having been in the service about
eight months at Cambridge
Samuel Bowden
Elssa July 10 1832... Then personally appeared the aforenamed Samuel Bowden and made
oath to the truth of the afore written affidavit by him subscribed
Before me Nathan Bowen Justice of the Peace
Essex ss
I John Prince Jr. Clerk of the Court
of Common Pleas within & for said County
do hereby certify that Nathan Bowen
Esqr is a Justice of the Peace in & for
said County that I believe his
signature above is genuine
Witness my hand & the seal of
said Court July 10. 1832
John Prince Clk
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State of Massachusetts
Essex Ss Marblehead May 9th. 1833
I the Subscriber hereby certify that the within named
Samuel Bowden is a credible person and that the within statement
by him made is entitled to credit
Nathan Bowen a Justice of the Peace for
said County of Essex

Commonwealth of Massachusetts--
Essex ss. I John Prince Jr. Clerk of the Court of
Common Pleas in said County do certify that
Nathan Bowen is a Justice of the Peace in said
county & that his signature above is genuine Witness my hand & the seal of said court at Salem May 9. 1833
John Prince Clk
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I Samuel Giles of Marblehead in the County of Essex mariner depose
testify and say that in the year seventeen hundred seventy eight with
month of September as near as I can remember I was a Seaman on board
the schooner Swan of Marblehead Richard Stiles Master and I will 
remember that Frances Grater now of Amherst in the State of New Hampshire yeoman was then a seaman and belonged to said Schooner at the same time and that we sailed in said Schooner from Boston in
the service of the State of Massachusetts bound for Baltimore for a load of flour for the use of the United States Army, and after loading with flour at Baltimore we again sailed for Boston and on our passage we
were captured by a British Sloop of war and came to Halifax. pass
and there imprisoned for several months
Samuel Giles

Essex ss
July 10. 1832 then Samuel Giles made oath to the truth of the
foregoing affidavit by him subscribed
Before me Nathan Bowen Jus"Peace
Essex ss.
I John Prince Jr. Clerk
ofthe Court of Common
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Pleas within & for said County do hereby
certify that Nathan Bowen Esquire
is a Justice of the Peace in & for said
County & that I believe his signature
within is genuine
Witness my hand & the seal
said Court July 10.1832
John Prince Clk

State of Massachusetts
Essex ss Marblehead May 9. 1833
the subscriber hereby certify that the within Named
Samuel Giles is a credible person and that the witness statement by him in and is entitled to credit 
Nathan Bowen Justice of the Peace for County of Essex
Commonwealth of Massachusetts - Essex ss -I John Prince Jr. Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in said County do hereby certify that Nathan Bowen is a Justice of the Peace in said County & that his
signature above is genuine
the. Witness my hand & the [Missing text] of said Court at Salem May 9, 1833.
John Prince Clk
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13431
Francis Grater
 E Parker E
Amherst
NH
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those
further proof or explanation.
answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Francis Grater
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
assigned for his not doing so?
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any real
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes
VI. 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 amout 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 , 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?
yes
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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?
yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining
it?
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?
Witness
XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness
or witnesses as to his service? yes
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath,
certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? No
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the
regulations direct?
yes
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such 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? Yes
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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It is important in 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
, and 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 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.
UERE XVI. Mode of authenticating
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 paper 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.
[hand pointing symbol] 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.
Evidence must be produced from the Regt of the State of Mass showing that the Swan
was a public armed vessel