Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 15,516, for Joseph Marvin, Connecticut
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(3-- 1776)

SERVICE
Conn.

Marvin, Joseph

NUMBER
S. 15.516

carded
_____________

Contents
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9953
Connecticut
Joseph Marvin 
of Lyme in the state of Connecticut who was a pri in the Com commanded by Captain --- of the Reg commanded by Col Wolcott in the Connt line for service 8 mo

Inscribed on the Roll of Connt at the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 28 day of June 1833 and sent Claimant Lyme, Connt

Arrears to the 4th of March 33  $53 32
Semi-anl. allowance ending Sep 6 33  1333
$66.65

Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.

Recorded by E D Bulloch Clerk
Book E Vol. 3 Page 27
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3818

Joseph Marvin

Admitted
Private   8 months

Claimant
Lyme.
N. London
Cont.
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WAR DEPARTMENT 
Pension Office, 
June 25th 1833
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 a 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 shew what is necessary to be done. Those 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. 
A Statement, showing the Service of   Joseph Marvin, Lyme Ct.
Period when the service was rendered.  1776  Duration of Claimant’s Service.   7 Months   Rank of claimant.  Names and rank of the Officers under whom he served. Captain Mather Colonel Wolcott   Age at present and place of abode when he entered the service.  77 years  Lyme, Ct.   Proof by which the declaration is supported.  Living Witnesses 4 – each term proved
Period when the service was rendered. ‘79   Duration of Claimant’s Service. 1 month   Rank of claimant. Names and rank of the Officers under whom he served.   
I am respectfully 
Your obedient servant 
JAMES L. EDWARDS, 
Commissioner of Pensions.
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REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.            
The following regulations have been adopted:                  
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.              
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:  
1. The Regular Troops.  
2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.    
3. Persons employed in the Naval service.             
4. Indian Spies.                 
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first in stance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.             
DECLARATION.                        
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.           
State, Territory, or District of 
County of } ss.
On this day of A.B. a resident (b) of personally appeared (a) before in the county of and State, Territory or District years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the in 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 year (d) served in the (e) regiment of the line, under the following named officers:    
[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]            
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) 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, or (if any) only that of Agency in the State of    
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. A. B. 
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]            
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. 
I of the Court of hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of for a pension.               
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this day of & c.            
If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.          
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz: (k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be and C.D. residing in (the same) who has 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 the day and year aforesaid.                 
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]     
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 A. B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the and that C.D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.               
I, Clerk of the Court of contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of for a pension. do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this day of & c.         
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission ; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.            
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his
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alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted ; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.            
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.    
1. Where and in what year were you born?                
2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?          
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war , and where do you now live?               
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?              
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 services.           
6. To a Soldier. { Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it? 
To an Officer. {Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what Town officer has become of it?              
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.                 
The Court will see that he answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.         
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons -one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates. 
The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject     
Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.        
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed his genuine signature.          
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can cure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the person of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.        
[a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.    
[b]   The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.     
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.    
[d]  The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served. 
[e]  Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had.        
Every claimant must state, 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. 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 - months and --- days, I served as and for such service I claim a pension."   
It is important, in all cases, to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held 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 that they served two 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.    
[f]  The law makes the relinquishment indispensable. 
[g]  The opinion of the Court is always required.  
[h]  The Clerk must give his certificate in every case. 
[i]  The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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.               
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.         
Proof of Service.         
[j]  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 claimant's 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. 
The notes from [a] to [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops, The proof required by rule in note [j]  applies to continental troops only.     
[k]  This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases. 
[l] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact. 
[m] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.
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I Seth Smith of Lyme in the county of New London and state of Connecticut aged 79 years on oath depose and and say that I am well acquainted with Joseph Marvin of said Lyme we were both born and brought up in said Lyme. In the summer of 1776 I served seven months at Fort Trumbell in New London in Captain Samuel Mathers company, I was a sergeant in the company and the said Joseph Marvin was a private and served seven months in the same company with me at New London. We were drafted the latter part of April 1776 and were discharged at New London. The company was composed of a few enlisted men and a large number of drafted men. The company was a large one. The men that were drafted were drafted for two months, but at the end of that time, generally enlisted for another five months. The said Marvin after serving the first two months enlisted for five months more - and actually served the whole seven months. The company was in actual service the whole of that time. They were principally employed in building Fort Trumbull. Colonel Erastus Wolcott was the Colonel of the regiment to which we belonged 

Seth Smith
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State of Connecticut County of New London ss:

Lyme December 21st 1832

Personally appeared before me Henry McWaite Justice of the Peace for New London County Seth Smith and subscribed and made oath to the foregoing deposition. And I certify that the deponent is personally known to me and is a credible person.

Henry McWaite Justice of Peace
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I Caleb Champlin of Lyme in the County of New London and State of Connecticut  aged 78 years on oath depose and say that I am well acquainted with Joseph Marvin of said Lyme – in the with of April 1776 I was drafted into Captain Samuel Mathers Company in Colonel Erastus Wolcotts Regiment & continued to serve in it until the first of December following.  The said Joseph Marvin entered the company as a private at the same time I did and continued continued to serve with me in the same company the whole time I did a period of seven months.  The Company was stationed at Fort Trumbull in New London and was in actual service the whole seven months.  
Caleb Champlin 
State of Connecticut
County of New London [unreadable] Lyme December 15 AD 1832 
Personally appeared Caleb Champlin and before me subscribed & made oath to the foregoing deposition. And I certify that the deponent is personally known to me and is a credible person 
Henry M. Waite Justice of Peace
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I Joseph Latham of Lyme in the County of New London and State of Connecticut aged 73 years on oath declare and say that I am well acquainted with Joseph Marvin of said Lyme and know that he served seven months in Captain Samuel Mathers Company at Fort Trumbull in New London in the manner stated at the foregoing deposition of Caleb Champlin.   I was a member of said company myself and served in it the whole seven months.  This service was in the year 1776. He was a private.
Joseph Latham
State of Connecticut 
County of New London ss  Lyme December 15 1832 
Personally appeared Joseph Latham & before me subscribed made oath to the foregoing deposition. And I certify that he is personally known to me is a credible person. 
Henry M White Justice of the Peace 
State of Connecticut County of New London ss Lyme Be it remembered that on this 15th day of December AD 1832 before me Henry M Waite a Notary Public of the state of Connecticut personally came Caleb Champlin and Joseph Latham and severally subscribed and made oath to the foregoing depositions. And I certify that both deponents are personally known to me and are credible persons.  In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal - Henry M. Waite Notary Public
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I Ambrose Niles of the Town of Lyme in the County of New London and State of Connecticut on oath depose and say that during the revolutionary war, I was drafted to serve in the guard stationed in same upon the north shore of Long Island sound for the term of one month. I was drafted in the month of March and reached the guard about the tenth of the same month, and served the term out.  Joseph Marvin of said Lyme served in the guard at the same time I did.  I was then acquainted with him, and have ever since lived in the same county with him, understood at the time, he was drafted and the guard was drafted, according my best recollection and belief drafted for one month.  He was Corporal of the guard and according to my best recollection and time belief he served the whole that I served - I am not certain what year it was, but believe it was in the year 1779.  It was in the spring, just before Deacon John Brockway, and Zebulon Brockway joined the guard. Joseph Smith an Ensign, had command of the guard when we were in service.
July 25 AD 1832- Ambrose Niles  
State of Connecticut  
New London County} ss of Lyme July 25 AD 1832 Personally appeared Ambrose Niles and subscribed and made oath to the above declaration Before me 
Henry M. Waite Justice of Peace
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        I hereby certify that the said Ambrose Lily is personally know to me and to a credible person.

Henry M. Waite   Justice of the Peace
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State of Connecticut 
New London County 
Probate District of Lyme} ss Lyme
On this 7th day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Probate Court for the District of Lyme in the County of New London aforesaid now sitting 
Joseph Marvin a resident of the town of Lyme in the County of New London and state of Connecticut 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 act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. 
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and service as herein stated-
1. In the forepart of the year 1776 he enlisted in a company commanded by Capt Samuel Mather called a company of minute men who were required to be in readiness to march whenever required About the first of May following and in the same year, additions were made to the company by drafts from other militia companies in the town, and the company was marched to New London and there remained until the December following.  He served in the company at New London, besides his service previously seven months. Samuel Mather was Captain . Abner Lord first Lieutenant, Lee Lay. second Lieutenant and John Johnson Ensign of said company Erastus Wolcott was colonel of the regiment, Samuel Mather, the captain; Seth Smith, one
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of the sergeants Richard Chadwick, one of the corporals Joseph Latham, Caleb Champlin, George Tillotson, and Amos Smith still survive and all of them except Richard Chadwick served the seven months with me at New London.  Richard Chadwick served only about two months. He was a private in said company.   
In March 1779 at Lyme aforesaid the deponent was drafted to serve in the guard upon Long Island Sound, and served in the guard at a place called Black hole in said Lyme, according to the best of his recollections one month. The part of the guard in which deponent belonged was under the command of Joseph Smith an Ensign Deacon Ambrose Niles of said Lyme served in the guard with him at the same time and can testify to said service.  He know of no other witness.  He served as a corporal at this time.
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The deponent was born in said Town of Lyme on the 14 day of February 1755 and has lived there ever since.  He resided there at the times of entering the service as aforesaid. He never received any written discharge and has no documentary evidence of his service.  Entered and served as a private, was in no battle and never on the pension list.  He enlisted once and was drafted once.  He is known to most of the inhabitants of the town of Lyme who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution. In particular he is known to the judge and the clerk of the Court of Probate.  He knows of no record of his age except in his family bible.  
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. 
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid 
Joseph Marvin
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We Josiah Hawes a clergyman residing in the Town of Lyme, County of New London and State of Connecticut and Lodowick Bill residing in the same town of Lyme hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Joseph Marvin who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 77 years of age that he is refuted and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in the opinion. 
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. 
Josiah Hawes 
Lodowick Bill 
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 name applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states.  And this Court further certifies that it appears to them that Josiah Hawes who has signed the preceding Certificate is a Clergyman, resident in the Town of Lyme and that Lodowick Bill who has also signed the same is a resident in the town of Lyme aforesaid and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit. 
Jack Loomis Judge of said Court
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I hereby certify that Henry M. Waite before whom the annexed depositions of Seth Smith, Caleb Chamblin, Joseph Latham, and Ambrose Niles were taken is an at the time when said depositions were taken was a Justice of the Peace for the County of New London in the State of Connecticut duly appointed commissioned and qualified.
3818 
Joseph Marvin
1 – 7 months
2 – 1 month
whole-- 8 months 
Proof 
1 Samuel Mather depn & documents
Seth Smith depn
Richard Chadwick depn
Joseph Latham depn
Caleb Champlin depn
George Tillotson depn
Admitted
Private 8 months
Ambrose Niles depn.
See Captain Mathers 
Documents with petition no 3817
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I hereby certify that Henry M. Waite before whom the annexed depositions of Seth Smith, Caleb Chamblin, Joseph Latham, and Ambrose Niles were taken is an at the time when said depositions were taken was a Justice of the Peace for the County of New London in the State of Connecticut duly appointed commissioned and qualified.
3818 
Joseph Marvin
1 – 7 months
2 – 1 month
whole-- 8 months 
Proof 
1 Samuel Mather depn & documents
Seth Smith depn
Richard Chadwick depn
Joseph Latham depn
Caleb Champlin depn
George Tillotson depn
Admitted
Private 8 months
Ambrose Niles depn.
See Captain Mathers 
Documents with petition no 3817
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I Joshua R. Warren Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of Lyme aforesaid __
do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Joseph Marvin for a pension

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this seventh day of August AD 1832
Joshua R. Warren Clerk

I certify that Henry M. Waite 60 yr.
before whom the forgoing Deposition of Seth Smith, Caleb Champlin, Joseph Latham & Ambrose Niles
were taken, was at the time of taking the same & ever since has been, a Justice of the Peace within & for the County of New London & State of Connecticut, & that his certificates accompanying said Depositions are genuine & in his own proper handwriting__
City of Washington D. C.  
December 29th 1832
William L Horrs
Member of Congress from
Connecticut
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15.516
√ INVALID.

File No. `5516
Joseph Marvin
Pri Rev War

Act:  June 7" 32
Index:-Vol. 1, Page 240
[Arrangement of 1870.]