Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,956, for Joseph Sherman, Massachusetts
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[doc is printed & written]

(3-1776)
SERVICE      NUMBER
Mass [written in pencil]  Sherman, Joseph    S.31956
[line]
[double line]
CONTENTS
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[doc is printed, written & folded]
Maine No. 26036
[double line]
Joseph Sherman
Lincoln Co. [2 words written] in the State of Maine [written]
was a Private [written] in the company [written] commanded
Captain Clift [written] of the Regt [written] commanded
Colo Hale [2 words written] in the Mass Troops [2 words written]
for 7 months [line written]
[double line]
Inscribed on the Roll of Maine [written] 
the rate of 23 [written] Dollars 33 [written] Cents per annum
commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
[double line]
Certificate of Pension sissued the 20 [written] day of Decr [written]
1833 and sent to Hezikiah Prince
Thomaston Me
[double line]
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833 [date written]   58.33 1/3
Semi-anl. allowance ending March 34 [date written]  11.66 2/3 [numbers underlined]
$70.00 [underlined]
{Revolutionary Claim
{Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by D. Brown [name written]   Cler
Book E [written]  Vol. 1 [written] Page 55 [written]
Page 3

[doc is written & printed; appears to be 2 separate docs scanned together]

I Nathan Sherman of Thomaston in County
of Lincoln & State of Maine aged Seventy years
testify and say that Joseph Sherman is my
Brother and that I was knowing to his serving
under Colo Kent for the term of four months 
at the Siege of Bagaduse that he went
in a transport with the fleet from Boston
and returned after the defeat at [illegible] Bagaduse
I also was knowing to his serving at Rhode
Island three months in 1779 under Capt Joseph
Clift Col Hulls Regement - Gen Sullivans army
I was a soldier with him during [illegible] term
Nathan Sherman [different handwriting]

Lincoln ss  August 6th 1832
Then Nathan Sherman personally appeared
and made oath to the truth of the foregoing
deposition by him subscribed and also
Certifies that the deponent aforesaid is a
person of truth & veracity
Hezh Prince Jr Just. of the Peace [signature & title in different handwriting]

[printed sub-doc]
State of Maine.
TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
Lincoln, ss--I NATHANIEL COFFIN,  Clerk of all the Judicial Courts within and for the County
of Lincoln, do hereby certify that Hezikiah Prince Jr [name written]
Esq. whose name is affixed to the annexed paper, as a JUSTICE OF THE
PEACE is legally commissioned and
duely qualified to act as such, and that the name so affixed is his own proper
signature, to me well known.
In TESTIMONY whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal
of the Court of Common Pleas this 14th [written]
day of August [written] A.D. 1832.
Nathl Coffin [name written] CLERK
Page 4

[doc is written & folded]
Joseph Sherman
18
M 1687
Lus--
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[doc is printed, written & damaged; page 1 of multi-page doc]

DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th June, 1832.
[illegible] State [inserted & written] OF MAINE} ss.
COUNTY OF LINCOLN,}
On this Eighth [written] day of August A.D. 1832 [date written, year inserted] personally appeared in open Court, before the Judges
or Justices of the Court of Common Pleas [2 words written] now sitting, Joseph Sherman [name written]
 a resident of Camden, [written] in the County of Waldo late a part [4 words written, inserted text illegible] and State of Maine,
aged Seventy five [age written] 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 [6 words written]
the United States under the following named officers
and served as herein stated. That he was born at
Hanover in the State of Massachusetts February
23 1757 that he expects the record of his age is
in the town clerks office of the town of Hanover
aforesaid that at the time of entering the Service
as hereafter stated I was living in Marshfield
(Massachusetts) and that after the close of the
Revolutionary war he moved to Camden aforesaid
Where he now lives and has lived ever since
That he entered on board the transport at
Boston in 1778 Peleg Kent commander for the
purpose of driving the enemy from Bagaduse
now Castine that he saild in the fleet for sd
Expedition he thinks in April and served
for the term of Four Months that he was engaged
at the Siege at Bagaduse under Colo Patterson
as Commander and was defeated & lost the fleet
That he again Enlisted at Penbrook (Mas) for
the term of three months under Capt Joseph
Clift Comp & Col Halls Regement in 1779 and
marched to Rhode Island and served said three
months under Genl Sullivan and was discharged
serving in all seven months my discharge was
lost from the lapse of time he further
declares that he is known to Job Washburn
of the neighbouring town of Thomaston and 
Hez Prince of sd Thomaston who can Certify
to his character for truth & veracity and their
belief of the services above set forth
He further says that there is no person
with whom he is knowing [crossed out] acquainted whose testimony he can [crossed out word] conveniently obtain [8 words inserted] that can witness
to his services aforesaid except his brother
Nathan Sherman whose deposition is enclosed
Page 6

[doc is printed & written; remnant ribbons of a seal in lower left corner; page 2 of multi-page doc]

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 the agency of any State [preceding 11 words written]
Joseph Sherman [name written]

Sworn to and subscribed to the day and year aforesaid John Ruggles J.C.C.P. [name and title written; different handwriting]

We, Job Washburn [name written] a Clergyman, residing in the town of Thomaston [3 words written]
and Hez Prince [name written] residing in the do Thomaston [2 words written] hereby certify, that we
are well acquainted with Joseph Sherman [name written]
who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be Seventy five [2 words written]
years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of
the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed on day and year aforesaid  Job Washburn [written]
John Ruggles J.C.C.P [written; different handwriting]
Hez Prince [written; different handwriting]

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after 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 Job Washburn [name written]
who has signed the preceding certificate, is a Clergyman, resident in the town of Thomaston [3 words written] and
that Hezekiah Prince [name written] who has also signed the same is a resident in the same town [2 words written]
and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
John Ruggles Jus. C.C.P. [name & title written]

I     of the Court of      do
hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of     for a pension. Attest Nathl. Coffin Clerk [4 words written; different handwriting]
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this
day of  
[an 'X' has been drawn thru all of the printed lines of the preceding paragraph]
Page 7

[doc is printed & written, remnant of a seal along left margin]

State of Maine.
LINCOLN, SS --- I Nathaniel Coffin, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts within and  for the County
of Lincoln, do hereby certify that the annexed paper, signed
by the Judge and attested by the Clerk, contains the original proceedings
of the          Court of Common Pleas, at a special
session thereof holden at Thomaston [written] in said county, by the
Hon. John Ruggles [name written] one of the Judges of said Court on
the Eighth [written] day of August [written] A.D. 1832, in the matter
of the application of Joseph Sherman [name written] for a Pension.
IN TESTIMONY whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said
Court this 14th [written] day of August A.D. 1832
Nathl Coffin [name written CLERK
Page 8

[doc is written & folded]

1687
Joseph Sherman

application must
be made to the
Secy of the State of
Mass for evidence
of the claimants ser

Admin--
by Mo [illegible] $23.33 [2 lines in different handwriting]

Hezekiah Prince
Thomaston
Maine [3 lines in different hadwriting]
Page 9

[doc is printed, written & contains a table]

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
October 4 1833 [date written]
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim under the act of June 7, 1832, has
been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of
your case in tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules and
the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed,
before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will show what is
necessary to be done. These points to which your attention is more particularly directed,
you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: }). You will, when
you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and
you will, by compling with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your
claim.
[line]
A Statement, showing the Service of Joseph Sherman [name written]
[double line]
[table consisting of 6 columns & 3 sub-columns designated as follows : 1 |2 |2a |2b |2c | 3 |4 | 5 | 6
[column & sub-column headers as follows]
1 = Period when the service was rendered.
2 = Duration of the claimant's service
2a = Years
2b = Months
2c = Days
3 = Rank of the claimant
4 = Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served.
5 =  Age at present and place of abode when he entered the service.
6 = Proof by which the declaration is supported.

[data entries line 1]
*1778 |  |4 |  |  |Capt Kent | 75 |  
 [data entries line 2]
  |  |  |  |  |  |Marshfield Mass | one witness
[data entries line 3]
1779 |  |3 |  |Private | Capt Clift  Col Hall |  |

I am respectfully,
Your Obedient servant,
J.L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions.

*The capacity in which he served is not stated
Nerth[illegible} is the name of the [illegible]
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Page 12

[doc is typed & written]

[upper left corner]
Rev. and 1812
Wars Section
EEL

June 12, 1930

Mr. George W. Perry
W.T. Grant Company
Milford, Delaware

Dear Sir:
I  advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary
War pension claim, S.31956, it appears that Joseph Sherman
was born February 23, 1757,at Hanover, Massachusetts.
He enlisted at Pembroke, Massachusetts, served as a
private in Captain Joseph Clift's Company, Colonel Hall's
Massachusetts Regiment,and was in General Sullivan's Rhode
Island Expedition, length of service three months.
While residing in Marshfield, Massachusetts, he
entered as a seaman on board the transport, "Dolphin",Peleg
Kent, Commander, and sailed from Boston in the Bagaduce
Expedition, was in the siege at that place under Captain
Patterson and served four months.
After the Revolution, he moved to Camden, Massachusetts (Maine).
He was allowed pension on his application executed
August 8, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Camden,
Maine. He had made no previous application.
It is not stated that soldier was ever married.
Very truly yours
E.W. MORGAN
Acting Commissioner

[written in pencil in left margin]
I did not
[next 4 words illegible]
he
had his services
transposed

[written in pencil adjacent to signature]
Date of death
not on AB
Page 13

[doc is printed, written & folded]

[left fold]
31956
Revy [written] INVALID.
[line]
File No. 31, 956 [number written]
Joseph Sherman [name written]
Pri  Rev War [line written] 
[line]
Act: June 7th 32" [date written]
Index:--Vol. 2 [number written], Page 366 [number written]
'[Arrangement of 1870]'

[right fold]
Sept 27/97 O.G. Sherman.
Camden, Me. 
[line]
1930 Apr. 30. Photos mailed
to Edw. K. Gould. See Matthew
Beveridge, W.25232. A.D.Y 
[line]
1930. June 12--Hist to Geo.
W. Perry. EEL
[line]
Page 14

[doc is printed & written]

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
[line]
Secretary's Office, November 26th [month & day written] 1833
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books
and Documents, relating to Military Services in the War of
the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears
that [preceding lines & words printed] the name of Joseph Shereman, [underlined] as a private
is borne on a Pay Roll of Capt Joseph Clift's
Company, in Col Josiah Whitney's Regt where he is
allowed from July 29th to Septr 13th 1778, for services and
[EGM - written in left margin] travel, one month and nineteen days. [M D 1 = 19 - written in right margin]
Joseph Sherman claims for further services under
Capt. Joseph Clift, in 1778, the rolls of which are not found
in this office, except the above mentioned.
Joseph Sherman claims for services on board
the Sloop Dolphin, Peleg Kent Master, in 1779
It [crossed out] appear by a list of Transports, that the said
Sloop, Peleg Kent Master, was employed on the Expedition
[EGM - written in left margin] to Penobscot July 1779. No rolls found.---
Edward D Bannly [name in different handwriting]
Page 15

[doc is printed, written & appears to be 2 separate docs scanned together]

Personally appeared before me the undersigned
a Justice of the peace within and for the
County of Lincoln Joseph Sherman 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 Recolection
he served not less than the periods mentioned
below and in the following grades
as Seaman on board the transport (Dolphin
to the best of my recolection) Peleg Kent command
at the seage of Bagadose four Months
that he served as soldier under Capt
Joseph Clift in Col Hall Regement
for the term of three months at Rhode
Island under Gen Sullivan -- Making
4 months as Seaman with Capt Kent &
3 [underlined] months as soldier with Capt Clift
7 months in all for which I claim
a pension
Joseph Sherman [different handwriting]
Lincoln ss subscribed and sworn this 15 day
of Novem 1883 before me Hez Prince Jus of Peace

State of Maine.
LINCOLN, SS --- I NATHANIEL COFFIN, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts within and for the County
of Lincoln, do hereby certify that Hezekiah Prince [name written]
Esq. whose name is affixed to the annexed paper, as a JUSTICE OF THE
PEACE     is legally commissioned and
duly qualified to act as such, and that the name so affixed is his own proper signature, to me well known.
IN TESTIMONY whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal
of the      Court of Common Pleas this fourth [written]
day of December [written] A.D. 1832
Nathl Coffin [name written] CLERK
Page 16

[Stamp] OLD WAR & NAVY FILES Sept. 22, 1897
Oliver G. Sherman M.D.
Camden, Maine
Sept. 17, 1897
Pension Dept. Washington D.C. 
Gentlemen: 
My Grandfather, Joseph Sherman received a Revolutionary Pension from March 4, 1831 to the time of his death in 1847. Please inform me what pension law year and what service did he do or what injury did he receive or what entitled him to a pension or was it a general law pensioning all who were soldiers or militianers in defense of Independence?  He was born in Marshfield, Mass. in 1754 and died in Camden, Maine in 1847.  
Yours respectfully, [signed] O.G. Sherman

He lived in Marshfield, Mass. at the time of the Revolution & in Waldo County when he received his pension.
Page 17

[stamp on back of previous letter]
US Pension Office 
Sep. 31, 1897
Page 18

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Pensions
Washington D.C. 
September 27, 1897

Sir:  
Replying to your request for information concerning Joseph Sherman, a soldier of the revolutionary War, you are advised that he made the application for pension on August 8, 1832, at which time he was seventy-five years of age and residing at Camden, Maine, and his pension was allowed for seven months actual service as a private in the Massachusetts, troops, Revolutionary war; a part of the time he served under Capt. Clift and Col. Whitney.  Enlisted at Marshfield, Mass.
Very respectfully, [unsigned], Commissioner
Mr. O.G. Sherman
Camden, Maine
Page 19

W.T. Grant Co.
Milford Delaware
Bureau of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
Gentleman:
I am asking if you will be kind enough to assist me in getting information concerning the service record of my great-grandfather, Joseph Sherman, who served as a private in the Revolutionary War.  It is my intention to file an application for membership in the Delaware Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.
The records in the family Bible in Camden, Maine show that Joseph Sherman was born in Marshfield, Mass., on February 23, 1754 and died in Camden, Maine (where he is buried) on April 5, 1847. Joseph Sherman moved from Marshfield to Camden sometime between 1799 and 1817.
The only record our family has of his service in the Revolution is the original of the following War Department Claim of which I now submit a true copy: 
COPY
War Department 
Revolutionary Claim
I certify that in conformity with the laws
of the United States of the 7th day of June, 1832, Joseph Sherman in the State of Maine who was a private in the Revolutionary War is entitled to receive Twenty-three dollars and thirty-three cents per annum during his natural life, commencing on the 4th day of March 1831, and payable semiannually on the 4th day of March and the 4th day of September in every year.
Given at the War office of the United States, on this 20th day of December, 1833
Lewis Cass, Secretary of War
examined and countersigned by J.L. Edward, Commissioner of Pensions 26,036
Can you find in the archives of the war department the date of enlistment and the date of discharge of Joseph Sherman, what branch of the service he was in, and the name of battles he may have fought in?  I would also like to know why the Bureau of Pensions apparently waited nearly fifty years before granting him a pension. Any other facts you may be able to find will be greatly appreciated.
Yours very truly, [signed] George W. Perry
Page 20

Submit in Duplicate form 1-681  Phone 
Branch 476

All inquiries regarding this job should refer to Requisition No. 42557
Department of the Interior , Washington
Bureau ordering: Pension
Date April 23, 1930
Title & Description of job: Photostatic copies of 4 pages from Revolutionary War pension claim of Joseph Sherman, Mass. troops, S.31956
1 copy of each
for further information see Mrs. Finch, Room No: 5033, Phone No. 541
 Photostat X Size: actual Repay? Yes $0.60
[Note on side of page] See request in Matthew Beveridge W. 25232
Page 21

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