Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 34,856, Bethuel Finney, Mass.
Page 1

Mass.

Finney, Bethuel

S. 34856
Page 2

Left side

Transfer to Massachusetts
1 March1830 from 4 Sept. 1829
and notification sent to W.C. Brayton Esq.
Adams, Berkshire Co., Mass

Notification sent 13th April 1822 to Honorable Charles Rich H.R.


Right side

14912
To Vermont
from New York
To Massachusetts

Bethuel C. Finney
of Berlin in the state of New York who was a private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Brooks of the Massachusetts line, for the term of One year, 1780

Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the rate of Eight dollars per month, to commence on the 29th of April 1818.


Certificate of Pension issued the 27th of Sept. 1819 and sen to John P. Cushman Esq. 
Rensselaer Co. NY

Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1819   $128.53
Semi-annual'ce ending 4 March 1820   $48.00

Dollars - 176.53

16 months 2/30

{Revolutionary claim,}
{Act 18th March, 1818}


Continued
Page 3

State of New York
Rensselaer County

On the 29th day of April 1818 before me the subscribed one of the Judges of Rensselaer Common Pleas personally appeared Bethuel Finney aged fifty eight years, resident in the Town of Berlin  State aforesaid who being by me first duly sworn according to law on his oath doth make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress entitled an Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War that the said Bethuel Finney enlisted in the Town of Richmond in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in a company commanded by Captain Enoch Noble of Sheffield in the same state that he continued to  serve in said Company in Colonel Woods Regiment in the United States service about eight months when he was discharged from the service in the first part of the Winter in the year 1779 on the snowy Mountain thru miles west of Pigskin barracks  in the State of New York he also enlisted in the same Richmond in the spring of the year 1780 for the tern of nine months and immediately marched to West Point and joined the United States and service during his said enlistment under the command of Captain Buffinigton and W. Ruggles Clothing Master General and Captain White in Colonel Brooks Regt.
Page 4

for the term of his said enlistment and was discharged there from by said Brooks at said West point in the Winter or first part of the yaer 1781 and at the same time enlisted with out quitting the service for a further term of about two months, and continued until this term was also expired that he faithfully performed his said several terms of service in the services of the United States against the common enemy and that he immediately after his said last enlistment had expired engaged in privateering against the enemy and in the fall of the year 1781 lost every dollar of his property, prizes,  ? many clothing, papers, and everything else that he possessed  in the conflagration made by the enemy in the burning of New London, that he was a number of times called out as militia man that he was at what was called Bennington Battle that he went on a tour to New Haven in the state of Connecticut and has been called out a number of other times and places and has even been submissive to the calls of his Country and that he is in reduced circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his country for support and that he has no other evidence  now in his power of his services.

Bethuel Finney

Sworn and declared before me this day and year aforesaid
Daniel Gary Judge of Rensselaer Common Pleas
Page 5

Bethuel Finney's 
Declaration

Bennington County
Page 6

District of Vermont, SS.

On this 7th day of August 1821 personally appeared in open court, being a Supreme Court and court of record, which has power to fine and imprison, and is constituted a court of record by a special act of the Legislature of the state of Vermont, creating said court, within and for  the county of Bennington, and state of Vermont, Bethuel Finney, aged 61 years, resident in Hillsborough in said county of Bennington, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, declare that he served in the Revolutionary war, as follows:

I served in the _____ company, commanded by White in the 7th Mass. regiment commanded by Col. Brooks of the Massachusetts line,
I served under different Captains during the time I was in service

as will appear by my original declaration on file in the War office, dated the 29th of April 1818 on which original declaration I have received a pension certificate bearing the number 14912

And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March, 1818; and that I have not since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so to diminish it, as to bring myself within the provisions of an act of Congress, entitled "An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States, in the Revolutionary war" passed on the 18th day of March, 1818; and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me, any property or securities, contracts, or debts, due to me; nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed.

The following is a schedule of all the real and personal estate, to wit:

Two old horse collars, one neck yoke, one grindstone, one old mens saddle, iron bar, harrow teeth, one old plough irons, 1 chain, iron pot, 2 iron kettles, one spider, 1 pair of flatirons, 1 pair andirons, one shovel, and tongs, 1 old brass kettle, 1/2 dozen tablespoons , crockery, 5 tables, 3 chests, 2 trunks, one Desk, 12 old chairs, 2 looking glasses, 1 old gun, 1 stove and pipes, 1/2 dozen tea spoons, 1 dozen old knives and forks, 8 tin pans, butter and rings wedge, 6 pails, 1 cow, 13 sheep, 4 lambs, one swine - 
My occupation was a farmer but so ? in both my hands as to be unable to labour.  I have a wife, Anna Finney, aged 58 years afflicted with asthmatical and dropsical complaints that she has been wholly unable to labour for several years.  I have a son named Henry  aged 22 years who temporally resides with me also a daughter aged 29 years of feeble constitution named Polly - another daughter aged 18 now absent for her health and now breathing named Harriet.
I further state that I am indebted to a larger amount.

Bethuel Finney

Sworn to and declared at Manchester in the county of Bennington, and state of Vermont, on the 9th day of August, 1821.
Joel Pratt, Clerk

Joel Pratt, clerk of the Supreme Court in and for Bennington County, do hereby certify that the foregoing declarations and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of the said court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is one hundred and nine dollars.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court, on this 9th day of August 1821.

Joel Pratt
Clerk of the Court for the county of Bennington
Page 7

34856
Rev. Invalid

File No. 34856
Bethuel Finney
Private Rev. War

Act: 18th March 1818

Index: - Vol. D, Page 139


[Arrangement of 1870]
Page 8

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Berkshire Co.

On the 7th day of August in the year of our Lord 1819 before me the subscribed one of the Justices of the Peace within and for said county of Berkshire personally appeared David Chapin and his wife Lydia Chapin residents in the Town of Richmond in said county who being by me first duly sworn according to law the said David one of said deponents makes the following declaration , namely that Bethuel Finney according to the best of his, this said deponents belief, entered the service of the United States as a soldier in the spring of the year 1780 that he the deponent at said Richmond hired the said Bethuel for the term of nine months and stipulated to pay him a certain sum of money amounting to Ninety dollars one half in the hand and the other half when he served his time out and obtained an honourable discharge and delivered it with a proper order to enable the deponent to draw his wages. an din the following spring of 1781 said Finney returned home to said Richmond and did deliver to this deponent an order for his wages with such a discharge as above mentioned this deponent then paid the said Bethuel Finney the other royalty and said Lydia the other deponent testify to substantially to the same facts and David one of said deponents according to his best recollection thinks he first said discharge and order in to a certain persons hand to obtain said Bethuel Finney's wages and has it not now in his possession - the aforesaid deponents further say that said Finney continued in said service after he obtained said Discharge )as a substitute, about or near two months before  he returned to their best recollection
further these deponents say not

David Chapin
Lydia Chapin

Sworn before me this seventh day of August 1819

William S. Leadbetter
Justice of the Peace
Page 9

I William S. Leadbetter, Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Berkshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts do from my own personal knowledge of the within mentioned deponents David Chapin and Lydia Chapin do certify that they are persons of good name, fame and reputation and persons of strict truth and veracity whose words may be relied on.  Certified this 7th day of August 1819
By William S. Leadbetter
Justice of the Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Berkshire ss.  I Joseph Woodbridge Clerk of the Judicial Courts within and for the County of Berkshire do certify and attest that William S. Leadbetter is a Justice of the peace, within and for the same County, duly commissioned and acting under the authority of this Commonwealth and that the foregoing is his signature.  

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said County this seventh day of August AD 1819.

Joseph Woodbridge
Clerk
Page 10

Application for a Transfer

State of Massachusetts
County of Berkshire

On this eighteenth day of February 1830, before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace for the said County of Berkshire personally appeared Bethuel Finney who, on his oath, declares that he is the same person who formerly belonged to the company commanded by Captain White in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Brooks in the service of the United States; that his name was placed on the pension roll of the State of New York,  from thence transferred, to the state of Vermont, from whence he has lately removed; that he now resides in the State (District, or Territory,) of Massachusetts, where he intends to remain, and wishes his pension to be there payable, in future.  The following are his reasons for removing from Vermont to Massachusetts - viz. 
For the better accomodation of himself and family - Bethuel Finney

Sworn and subscribed to, before me
the day, and year aforesaid.

William E. Brayton
Justice of the Peace in said county



_________________________________________________
The oath to be taken before a duly qualified Magistrate, whose official character and signature must be properly authenticated.  The county Clerk, Secretary of State, or some other officer, must certify, under his seal of office, that the officer who administered the oath is a Justice of the Peace, Judge, Mayor, Alderman, or Notary Public, as the case may be, and that the signature purporting to be his is genuine.

The oath must be supported by the testimony of some respectable person, as to the Pensioner's identity.  He must swear, that the person who has taken the above oath is the person described in the affidavit.  The Magistrate must certify, that the witness is a person of veracity; and the affidavit must also be authenticated in the manner above directed.
Page 11

I hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Bethuel Finney who has in my presence taken the within oath, and that he is the same person described in the within affidavit Jeremiah Colegrove. 

State of Massachusetts - Berkshire Co. 
February 18, 1830
Then the above named Jeremiah Colegrove has personally appeared and made oath to the truth of the above statement and I certify that said Colegrove is a person of truth and veracity.

Before me,

William E. Brayton
Justice of the Peace in said County

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Berkshire Co.

I Charles Sedgwick Clerk of the Judicial Courts within and for said County do certify that William E. Brayton Esquire is one of the Justices of the Peace within and for said County duly commissioned and qualified as such and acting underneath the authority of said Commonwealth, that full faith and credit are and ought to be given to his acts and attestations done in that capacity and that the signature purporting to be his is genuine.

In testimony whereof
I have hereunto set my hand affixed the seal of the Court of Common Pleas this twentieth day of February 1830

Charles Sedgwick Clerk
Page 12

Bethuel Finney
a soldier

29 April 1818 - private
Brooks regt. Massachusetts
80 One year


Further proof of service under second enlistment required
Page 13

I Daniel Gray Judge of Rensselaer Common Pleas do certify that it appears to my satisfaction that the said Bethuel Finney did serve in the Revolutionary War as stated in the preceding declaration against the common enemy and I now transmit the proceedings and testimony taken and had before me to the Secretary for the Department of War pursuant to directions of the aforementioned act of Congress April 29th, 1818

Daniel Gray

I Daniel Gray Judge of Rensselaer Common Pleas aforesaid do from my own personal knowledge further certify that the within named Bethuel Finney is in under circumstances and stands in need of the assistance of his Country for support. 

State of New York
Rensselaer County Clerk's Office

I certify that Daniel Gray Esq. whose signature is affixed to the foregoing declaration was on the Twenty ninth day of April last past, one of the Judges of the court of Common pleas in and for the county of Rensselaer.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name and affixed the seal of the said Court this twelfth day of June AD 1818.

Joseph D. Selden, Clerk
Page 14

On New York Roll

Bethuel Finney's application for transfer from New York to Vermont

Transferred 13 April 1822
Page 15

Application for a Transfer

County of Bennington

On this 14th day of December 1821, before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace for the said county of Bennington, personally appeared Bethuel Finney who, on his oath, declares that he is the same person who formerly belonged to the company commanded by Captain White in the regiment commanded by Colonel Brooks in the service of the United States; that his name was placed on the pension roll of the state of New York from whence he has lately removed; that he now resides in the state(district, or territory) of Vermont where he intends to remain, and wishes his pension to be there payable, in future.

Sworn and subscribed to, before me, the day and year aforesaid.

John H. Olin 
Justice of the Peace
Page 16

State of Vermont

I Joel Pratt Clerk of Bennington County Court do hereby certify that John H. Olin is a Judge of the County Court in and for Bennington County as a Justice of the Peace ex. offices acting under the authority of their state.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at Bennington this 14th day of December AD 1821.

Joel Pratt Clerk
Page 17

March 1,1830

J.L. Edwards Esq.

Pension Office

War Dept.
Page 18

Please direct the transfer to W.E. Brayton Esq. Adams Berkshire Co.
Mass.