Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 17489, Abram Holcomb, Conn.
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
Conn.
Holcomb, Abram
S. 17489

Carded
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1823 Connecticut 
Abram Holcomb 
Canaan in the State of Con
who was a Pri - in the Con commanded by Captain Pierce of the   commanded by in the Con Troops - for illegible
Inscribed on the Roll of Con at the rate of 21 Dollars 44 Cents per annum, 
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. Certificate of Pension issued the 24 day of Sept 1833 and sent - Pensions Canaan Con. 
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833 --        $53. 10 
Semi-anl. allowance ending Mar. 4.- 10.22
                                                               $63.32
 Revolutionary Claim                                                             
  Act June 7, 1832                                
                                 


Recorded by E D Bullock Clerk   

Book 6 Vol. 3 Page 19
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State of Connecticut Salisbury in the District of Sharon County of Litchfield ⎬ 
On this 20th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Probate within and for the district of Sharon now sitting. Abram Holcomb a resident of Canaan in the said County of Litchfield and State of Connecticut aged Seventy 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 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, viz- 
I was born in said Town of Canaan on the 14th day of February 1762. I have no record of my age and know of none - At the time I entered the service of the United States I resided in said Town of Canaan, and belonged to a Militia Company in said Town under the command of Lieutenant. Thomas Hosmer who was afterwards made captain of said company. In the month of June or July in the year 1779 I was drafted together with several others of said Hosmers company for one month and went under the command of Capt Pierce of Cornwall in Litchfield County, and Lieutenant Jeremiah Hogeboom of said Canaan and Ensign Holt of Norfolk in said County. We went first to Horseneck, and stayed there a few days. From there we came to Fairfield in Connecticut, and I remained there untill my mouth had expired and was there discharged and came home. This was after the burning of Danbury and Norwalk, and I well recollect seeing the chimnies standing in Norwalk when we came through there on our way to Fairfield. During the time that we stayed at
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Fairfield. There were no other troops there except the captains company to which I belonged. We were stationed there for the purpose of watching the enemy and guarding the coast. The enemy's ships were at that time in Long Island sound and I saw them frequently from day to day. They did not attempt to land, while I was there. Though there was an alarm one night and our company was roused by firing of cannon at the fort and we were called out and paraded, but the alarm proved to be false. During the time that I was at Fairfield there were two men named Ferris and Peck tried for their lives. They were what were called Cow boys, and were sentenced to be hung. but I believe were never executed, during their trial I was one of their guard, and waited upon them several days. 
In the year 1780 in the latter part of May or early part of June. I enlisted into the continental Army in the Connecticut line. I enlisted in said Town of Canaan, and went from there in company with several others who enlisted about the same time, to join the Army at Nelsons Point on the East side of the River nearly opposite West Point. When I arrived there I was put into a company under the command of Captain Hoyt and we were then drilled by him a few days, and then we were marched down the River to Peekskill, and stayed there a few days. From there we proceeded down the River to Kings Ferry, and there crossed over the River to Tappan and there encamped. Soon after this I with several others was taken out of the company to repair the Road. We worked upon the Road under the direction and command of of Major Shute, all the way where it was necessary to Morristown in New Jersey. We stayed at Morristown a few days and then returned to our Regiments and soon afterwards the whole army, or nearly all marched to Tattaway in New Jersey, and there encamped and stayed till some time in October. We then marched back to Tappan, and I was there when Major Andre was executed. We stayed at Tappan some time and then crossed Kings Ferry again and came up the River to the Highlands and there I worked at building huts for the winter quarters of the Troops untill I was discharged which was as near as I can recollect the 13th day of December 1780. and from there I returned to my native place, being said Town
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of Canaan. During the time that I was in the army as before stated the names of the officers under whom I served after I had joined my regiment were as follows, viz. The Commander of the Brigade was General Huntington. Colonel Johnson and Colonel Bradley commanded the Regiment-- While we were at Tattaway Colonel Johnson left the army and went home as it was said upon half pay and after that Colonel Bradley had the sole command. I was at first under Capt Hoyt as before stated. Then I was in a company commanded by Capt Ascension or St John. Afterwards I was in a company of Infantry commanded by Capt. Chapman, and before I was discharged  I was again put under Capt Ascension or St John, and was under him when I was discharged. The adjutant of my Regiment was named Avery. The name of the Major I do not recollect. I was regularly discharged at the end of each of said Terms of service but my discharges have been both lost or destroyed many years. 
I know of no person whose testimony I can procure with respect to my said services except Russell Hunt of Litchfield who was with me in said one months service and Joshua Root of Livingston in Columbia County State of New York who was with me in said six months service. I have lived in said Town of Canaan ever since the time of my said services- I am well known by the Revd Charles Prentice a Clergyman in said Town of Canaan and W M Burrall Esq a Judge of the County Court for Litchfield County also a resident of said who can testify with respect to my character for truth and veracity. I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to any pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
Abram Holcomb 
sworn and subscribed the day & year aforesaid. 
Before me. 
Samuel Church Judge of Probate for the district of Sharon.
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We Charles Prentice a Clergyman residing in the Town of Canaan in Litchfield County and W M Burrall Esq. Judge of the County Court for said County residing in the same town, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Abram Holcomb who has subscribed and sworn to the above foregoing declaration and we believe him to be seventy years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and we concur in that opinion 
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Charles Prentice  W.M. Burrall - 
Samuel Church Judge of Probate 
At the same Court the said Abram Holcomb produced to this Court in support of his said application for a Pension, the Depostion of Joshua Root sworn to before Leman Church Esq a Justice of the Peace within and for the said County of Litchfield and here to annexed markd A. and also the deposition of Russell Hunt sworn to before Reuben Hunt Esq a Justice of the Peace within and for the said County of Litchfield hereto annexed 
marked B. And this but doth certify that the said Leman Church Esq and the said Reuben Hunt Esq are each of them Justices of the Peace within and for the said County of Litchfield and the certificate of the said Leman Church Esq  annexed to the have time of the said Joshua Root is subscribed in the proper hand writing of the said Leman Church Esq  and the certificate of Reuben Hunt Esq annexed to the deposition of Russell Hunt is subscribed in the proper hand writing of the said Reuben Hunt Esq Certified by
Samuel Church Judge of Probate.
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203, 653.664
 REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION. 3 -- 525 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
BUREAU OF PENSIONS. 
Washington, D. C. 19......
In reply to your request of..................., received............... for a statement of the military history of Abram Holcomb  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. S 17.489 
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. July 1779   Length of Service  1 mo  
RANK
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE RENDERED
Captain THOMAS HORREY.  SETH PIERCE
STATE Conn.
May or June 1780 
LENGTH OF SERVICE.  Dec 13. 1780 
RANK.
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. CAPTAIN. HAIT + ST.JOHN 
Seth Pierce Hait & St John + Chapman COLONEL. Johnson + Bradley 
STATE  
Battles engaged in, none stated 
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Canaan, Litchfield Co Conn. 
Date of application for pension, Aug. 20 1832. His claim was allowed. 
Residence at date of application, Canaan, Litchfield Co. Conn. 
Age at date of application, b. Feb. 14. 1762 in Canaan, Conn. 
     Remarks: there is no family data on file. The only Abram or Abraham Holcomb found on the Rev War records of this Bureau 
Respectfully,
6 -- 2856 
Thomas Horrey Capt. P. 549 Conn. Commissioner.
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No. 17489 
INVALID. 
File No. 17489
Abram Holcomb Pri Rev War 
● 
Act: June 7" 32 
Index:--Vol. 1,  Page 181 
[Arrangement of 1870.] 
1914 Oct 3: history to Mrs. Flora B. Aldrich 
M B H
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R - 2   
Abram Holcomb 
6.13 [ILLEGIBLE] 
$ 21.44 
[ILLEGIBLE]
Canaan  CT
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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 Holcomb which require further proof or explanation. 

 1. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? word illegible
 II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? initials illegible
 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? word illegible
 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 amout of pension he is entitled? word illegible
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? word illegible
 VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? 
 VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?  word illegible
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?  word illegible
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?  word illegible
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                                    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?  illegible word
 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? 
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?  illegible word
   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? illegible word 
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? illegible word
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No ques 16 
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 than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; Foryear  - months, and -- days, I served as a- For -- and days, I served as amonths  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 objection able. 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. 
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 prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate. 
       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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Page illegible
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10538
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B. 

I Russell Hunt of Canaan in the County of Litchfield  State of Connecticut of lawfull age depose & say that in the year 1779 I was detached to serve in a Militia company under the command of Capt Seth Pierce in the Revolutionary war between the United States & Great Britan for the term of one month & that I served said term of one month accordingly and that during the same month Abram Holcomb of said Canaan served for the same time in the same Company as I did and further the deponent saith not dated Canaan July 26th 1832 Russell Hunt 
Litchfield County ss: 
Canaan July 26th 1832 Personally appeared Russell Hunt deponent signer of the above & foregoing deposition & made solemn oath to the truth of of the facts contained in the same before me I further certify that said deponent is a credible witness Reuben Hunt Justice of Peace
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And this Court doth declare its opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatives presented by the war department, that the above named applicant a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states and this but further certifies that in Charles Prentice who has signed the preceding certificate as a Clergyman resident in the said town of Canaan and is the Pastor of the First Congregational ment in said town and the said William M. Burrell Esq who who has also signed the same is a resident in the said town of Canaan, is a Judge of the County Court for the County of Litchfield and is a credible person and that then statement is entitled to By the court. 
Abijah C. Peet Clerk
Credit
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 I Abijah C. Peet Clerk of the (illegible) of Probate in the District Sharon do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of  the application of Abram Holcomb for a pension. In testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand & seal of Office at the Probate office in Salisbury this 1st day of September AD 1832 Abijah C. Peet Clerk
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A
 I Joshua Root of Livingston in Columbia County and State of New York, of lawful age do depose and say, that in the year 1780. I served six months in the Continental Army and in the Connecticut line I enlisted in the early part of the season, and joined the Army, near West Point, and continued in the Army during the six months for which I enlisted. I further depose and say that Abram Holcomb of Canaan in Litchfield County and State of Connecticut enlisted within a few days of the time that I enlisted in the same line of Troops for the term of six months and that said Holcomb and myself with others went together and joined the Army together.  I further depose & say that I saw said  Abram Holcomb frequently during said term of six months and know that he served through said term and I well recollect that said Holcomb and myself were discharged on the same day to wit, on or about the 13th day of December of the same year and we returned to said Canaan together.  I further depose and say that at the time I enlisted as aforesaid I belonged to said Town of Canaan and that I have been acquainted with said  Holcomb from my youth. I have also seen him this day and know him to be the same Abram Holcomb who served with me as above mentioned. 
Joshua Root 

Litchfield County  Canaan and 21 June 1832 personally appeared Joshua Root Signer of the above deposition & made oath to the same according to Law
 Leman Church. Jus of Peace 
He said Joshua Root is a man of credibility Leman Church Jus of Peace
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PENSION STAMP
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V

149W. 74th St.    
Pension Bureau
New York City 
 Dear Sir-
 Please send me the Pension record of Abraham Holcomb who was pensioned 1840- 
Canaan Litchfield Co. 
Also Abram Holcomb pensioned --- - 1832. Litchfield Co. 
Presume this was the Abraham who enlisted July 1st 1780 discharge Dec 13th 1780. 5th Reg Respectfully Flora B. Aldrich