Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21848, for Simeon Keith, Massachusetts
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Service Mass.
Number S 21848

Keith, Simeon

CONTENTS
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No. 11729
Vermont
Simeon Keith
of Windsor Co. in the State of Vermont who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Bownan of the Regt. commanded by Col. Putnam in the Mass. troops line for 2 years Private $80.00

Inscribed on the roll of Vermont at the rate of 80 Dollars ---Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March 183.

Certificate of Pension issued the 10th day of June 1833 and sent to Amos Heald,, chester Vt.

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833  $160.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sep. 1833   40.00
$200.00

{Revolutionary Claim,}
{Act June 7, 1832}

recorded by D. Brown, Clerk
Book e. Vol. 3 Page 73
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12,928   Mass.
Simeon Keith

found
admd.

24 mos. Private $80.00

Amos Heald Esqr.
Chester Vt.
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BRIEF in the case of Simeon Keith
County of Windsor in the State of Vermont
(Act 7th June, 1832)

1. Was declaration made before a Court or a Judge?
2. If before Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he?  67 years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

Period: June in 1781, March 1782
Duration: 2 years
Rank: Private
Officers: Capt. Elliot, Capt. Bowman, Col. Putnam, Col. Vose & others

5. In what battles was he engaged? none
6. where did he reside when he entered the service? Grafton Massachusetts
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?  His own declaration & discharge
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? correct

I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

Richard Cutts, Examining Clerk
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Simeon Keith
application

12.928
on final (illegible)

admd. 2 years pri
80.
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State of Vermont
Windsor County Ss.
On this sixth day of August A. D. 1832 personally appeared before the Probate Court for the district of Windsor in the State of Vermont in open Court now sitting Simeon Kieth a Resident of Chester in the county of Windsor and State of Vermont ,aged sixty seven years the 17th day of May last, 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.
He enlisted in the five months service in the army of the United States in the month of June 1781 at Grafton in the County of Worcester & state of Massachusetts, where he then resided, that he entered the service on the 26th day of August following with Capt. Joseph Elliot & served in sd. Joseph Elliots company of guard stationed at Butts hill in the State of Rhode Island, recollects no other company or Regiment stationed there during three months which he served then at that time that he was discharged at sd. Butts hill on the 27th day of November 1781 by Joseph Elliot bearing date the day last aforesaid, which discharge is herewith transmitted. that he again enlisted at Grafton aforesaid on the last day of March 1782^for three years^ with Ebenz. Leland passed muster at Worcester Massachusetts, in May following marched through Springfield to West point where he arived about the first of June 1782 & served in the company commanded by Capt. Bowman in Col. Putnams Regiment of the Massachusetts line the first year, and afterwards under  the following officers Col. Vose called the first Regiment-----(but does not recollect the names of the officers) in which he remained will the following winter when he was again transferred to what was called the American Regiment stationed to guard West point, but does not now recollect the names of those officers. And was discharged at Westpoint on or near the 24th day of June 84 which discharge has since been lost.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state.
Simeon Keith
Sworn to and subscribed the day & year first above written.
Jabez proctor Judge
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And the said court do hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
Jabez Proctor Judge

I Reuben Washburn Clerk of the court of Probate within and for the District of Windsor in the State of Vermont do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Simeon Keith for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this sixth day of 
August A. D. 1832
Reuben Washburn

(seal)
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Rev. and 18122
War Section
July 23,1928

Miss Mary E. Gill
24 Prospect St
Springfield, Vt.

Madam:

I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim S. 21848, it appears that Simeon Keith was born May 17, 1765, place not stated.
While residing in Grafton, Worcester County, Massachusetts, he enlisted in June 1781 and served from August 26, to November 27, 1781 in Captain Joseph Elliot's Massachusetts Company, and was a guard at Butts Hill, Rhode Island. He enlisted March 31, 1782 and was in Captain Bowman's Company, Colonels Putnam's and Vose's Massachusetts Regiment, and served until June 24, 1784.
He was allowed pension on his application executed August 6 1832, at which time he was living in Chester, Windsor County, Vermont.
It does not appear that he served in the War of 1812.
Respectfully,
Winfield Scott
Commissioner
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This may sertify that Simeon Keith joined my company the twenty Seventh day of August and is discharged this day.
Joseph Elliot Capt.
Comp. Buttes Hill Novebr. 27th 1781
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Letterhead: Massachusetts Society
Sons of the American Revolution
(Logo)

Boston July 3d 1894

Hon. Lochren Esq.
Commissioner Washington D. C.

Dear Sir:
Your valued favor of 27th Oct. came duly to hand.
The Simeon Keith you gave me is not the Simeon Keith of Northridge, Mass. who was a private in Capt. Wood's Company and died during the service at the seige of Boston Jan. 3, 1776.
Will you once more refer to the archives and report if another of the same name is found and oblg.
Your respy.
Herbert W. Kimball
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24 Prospect St.
Springfield, Vt.
Sept. 30, 1927

Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D. C. 

Dear Sir,
Will you please advise me if there is a record  & file of1812 War Service of Simeon Keith, born in Sutton or Grafton, Mass. May 16, 1765 and died at Chester Vt. Nov. 2, 1842. He probably enlisted from Chester Vt. as he came from Grafton, Mass. to Chester, Vt. in 1792. He drew a pension the last
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years of his life, which were spent in Chester, Vt.
Yours truly
(Miss) Mary E. Gill
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Revolution
21848
INVALID

File No. 21,848
Simeon Keith
Pri Rev War

Act: June 7th '32
Index: Vol. 2, Page 217

[Arrangement of 1870]

June 17 Mil. Hist. to Herbert W. Kimball
53 State St., Boston Mass.
July 18/94 Letter to H. W. K.
53 State St Boston Mass. copy inside

July 31 1903 to P. Ba (paper folded over)
(illegible) Chicago, Ill

1928 July 23 Hist. to Miss Mary E. Gill  awf
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Rufus Coffin & Co. 513 Exchange Building
53 State St. Boston June 13, 1894

Hon Lochren Esq. Commissioner
Department of the Interior
Washington D. C.

Dear Sir,
Did the widow of Simeon Keith of Northbridge Mass. receive a pension for her husband's services in the Revolutionary War? If so, will you be kind enough to give me all the information your record shows regarding the services of said Simeon Keith & oblige.
Yours respy.
Herbert W. Kimball
c/o Rufus Coffin & Co.
Boston, Mass.
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12928
Simeon Keith
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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 Simeon Keith, Windsor Co., Vermont 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?
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 7th 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? 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?
XIV. (t) 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?
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?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character of the magistrate as the regulations direct? Yes
XV. does is 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?
XVI. (tt) 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?

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 that 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 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.
(t) QUERE XIV. Proof of Service
In any 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.
(tt) 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 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 preven any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
(-->) In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying 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.