Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 22358, for Joseph Swift, Massachusetts
Page 1

Service - Mass.
Swift, Joseph
          Lucy

Number
W22358

Contents
Page 2

No. 11,212
Maine
Joseph Swift of Paris in the State of Maine
who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Swift of the Regt commanded by Col. Porter in the Mass. troops
line for 8 months Private $27.97

Inscribed on the Roll of Maine at the rate of 27 Dollars 97 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 12th day of April 1833 and sent to J. Thomas Paris Me.

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833             55.94
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept 1833 13.98
                                                                 $69.92
⎨ Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by D. Brown     Clerk
Book  E     Vol.  1      Page 53
Page 3

2522
MAINE
Lucy Swift
widow of Joseph Swift, Mass.
who served in the Revolutionary War,
as a Private
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Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 
27 Dollars 97  Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1848.
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Certificate of Pension issued the 21st day of Dec. 1841
Hon. D Hammons
H of R
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Recorded on Roll of Pensioners under act of Feb, 2 1848, Page 34, Vol. 1.
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Reported Dec 21/48
Page 4

Married by the Rev. Chandler Robbins
Seventeen hundred and Eighty eight January eleventh, Joseph Swift and Lucy Holmes both of Plymouth
A true copy of record
Plymouth April 18. 1844
Timothy Berry Town Clerk

The above is a true copy of record with the
exception of the date which is expressed
in fair legible figures as follows 1788
Jan'y 11.
Timothy Berry Town Clerk

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Plymouth ss. April 18. 1844 Then the above named Timothy Berry Clerk of the Town of Plymouth personally appeared & subscribed & made oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed before me & I certify that he is credible person
Jacob H Loud Jus. Peace
Page 5

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Plymouth Ss

Clerks Office April 10 1844
I Jno. B. Thomas, Clerk of the Judicial Court for
the said County of Plymouth do hereby certify that Jacob H. Loud before whom the foregoing deposition was sworn is a Justice of the Peace
for the said County of Plymouth duly commissioned & qualified and acting under the authority of said Commonwealth and that his signature to the part thereof is genuine-

The testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand & affixed the seal the Supreme Judicial Court on the day year aforesaid
Jno. B. Thomas,  Clerk
Page 6

State of Maine
County of Oreford ss
On this fifth day of August eighteen hundred
and forty-four personally appeared before the subscriber, Judge of Probate within & for said County of Oxford, Lucy Swift a resident of Paris in said County of Oxford aged seventy-eight years, who, being first duly sworn, according to Law, doth on her oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of
the provision made by the act of Congress, passed March 3d 1843 entitled "an act granting a pension to certain widows of Revolutionary soldiers" & also by the act of Congress passed June 17th 1844, entitled "an act to continue the pensions of certain widows." That she is the widow of Joseph Swift, late of said Paris, who was a Private in
the Army of the Revolution & a Revolutionary Pensioner, for the nature of whose service she respectfully refers to the evidence on file in the Pension office in his particular case. She further declares that she was married to said Joseph Swift on the eleventh day of January in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and
eighty eight, that her husband, the said Joseph Swift died on the fifteenth day of March eighteen hundred forty one-- that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January, seventeen hundred & ninety four viz at the time above stated -
Her
Lucy Swift  X
Mark

Witness-
Levi Whitman
Lyman Ranson
Page 7

Subscribed & sworn to the day and year above
written before Lyman Ranson,  Judge
Page 8

State of Maine
Oxford SS:  I the Subscriber, Register of the Court  Probate in for said County, hereby certify that Lyman Ranson, before whom the foregoing proceedings were had is Judge of the Court aforesaid. I also certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Judge in the matter of the application 
of Lucy Swift for a Pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand &
the seal of said Court this fifth day of August
in the year eighteen hundred & forty four.
Geo. T. Emery  Register
Page 9

Admitted
8 mos  12 days
Private
$ 27.97
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Thomas Clark Esq.
Paris
Maine
Page 10

BRIEF in the case of Joseph Swift
of Paris in the State of Maine
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? open Court

2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?

3. How old is he? 72 years

4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.              Duration of Service.   Rank
Fall of 1776      1 Month                      Private
1777 or 1778    1 Month  12 Days           "
26 May 1780     6 Months                        "
---
Names of General and Field Officers
under whom he served.

Capt Swift
   "      "
Col. Coburn   Col Porter

5. In what battles was he engaged? None

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Sandwich Massachusetts

7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Documentary

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
Page 11

Joseph Swift
9661 -





Thomas Clark, agent
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STATE OF MAINE.
COUNTY OF Oxford  ss.
On this 20th day of August A.D. 1832, personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Probate now sitting Joseph Swift 
a resident of Paris, in the County of Oxford
and State of Maine, aged 72 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 served as herein stated. In the fall of the year 1776, as a private soldier, he volunteered in the militia
Company of Sandwich, his then residence, in Massachusetts under Capt Ward Swift and Lieut Toby, and marched to Rhode Island, where he served one month, and was there verbally discharged-
He again volunteered in the year 1777 or 1778, in the same company and under the same officers at said at Sandwich, on an alarm, and marched to Falmouth on Cape Cod where he served six weeks and was again verbally discharged at said Falmouth
He enlisted on the 26th day of July 1780 in the company commanded by Capt. Coburn in the 7th Massachusetts Regiment, at Sandwich aforesaid, for the term of six months, and marched to West point in the State of
New York and at the expiration of said term was then and there honorably discharged by Col. Billy Porter, as will fully appear by the discharge hereunto annexed -He has no documentary evidence, to prove his service as a volunteer as aforesaid, and he knows of no person, whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service as volunteer as aforesaid -
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 Swift
 Before,       Stephen Emery,   Judge
Page 13

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the
matter, that the above applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states, said applicant having adduced an original discharge in proof this service of six months, which is hereunto annexed, in connexion with which, reliance is placed upon the declaration
of the applicant.
Stephen Emery, Judge
-
Joseph G. Cole Register of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of
Joseph Swift for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 28 day of August
A. D. 1832
Joseph G. Cole    Register
Page 14

February 2, 1931

Hon. W. F. Kopp    Rev. & 1812 Wars  Section                                 
                               MCSMLB            
House of Representatives

My dear Mr. Kopp:

Reference is made to your letter of January 24, requesting the Revolutionary War record of Joseph Swift.
You are advised that it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, W. 22358, that Joseph Swift, while residing in Sandwich, Massachusetts, enlisted and served as a private with the Massachusetts troops, as follows:
In the fall of 1776, one month in Captain Ward Swift's company; in 1777 or 1778, six weeks in Captain Ward Swift's company; from
July 25, 1780, six months in Captain Coburn's company. It was not stated that Captain Ward Swift was related to Joseph Swift.

Joseph Swift was allowed pension on his application executed August 23, 1832, at which time he was seventy-two years of age and was living in Paris, Oxford County, Maine.

He died March 15, 1841.

The soldier married January 11, 1788, Lucy Holmes, and both were residents of Plymouth, Massachusetts.
His widow, Lucy, was allowed pension on her application executed August 5, 1844, at which time she was seventy-eight years of age and was living in Paris, Maine.
In 1848 one Jonathan Swift was justice of peace in Oxford County, Maine. He lived in North Norway, Oxford County, Maine.
Page 15

relationship to soldier not shown.
The papers in this pension claim contain no further data relative to the soldier's family,
The above noted is the history of the only soldier namedJoseph Swift that is found on the Revolutionary War records of this bureau
Very truly yours

E. W. MORGAN
Acting Commissioner
Page 16

Lucy Swift
Widow of Joseph Swift
$27.97 per ann
act '43 }
of '44 }
Maine Roll
Married Jan. 11. 1788
husband died March 15, 1841
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Send to Levi Whitman, Esq
of Norway Norway,
Maine,
>> care of Hon. A.K.Parris,
Present
case of Hon. A. K. Parris
Present
Page 17

Please Direct the certificate to me
at North Norway, Oxford Co. Me.
--Johnathan Swift.
Page 18

Mrs. Swift's
Declaration

a d
6322
Page 19


State of Maine
County of Orxford ss
On this eighth day of September in the
year of our Lord eighteen hundred forty-eight
personally appeared before the subscriber, Jonathan Swift a Justice of the Peace within & for said County of Oxford Lucy Swift, a resident of Paris in the County of Oxford aged Eighty two years who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the act of Congress passed on the second of February eighteen hundred forty eight, granting
pensions to widows of persons who served during the Revolutionary War. That she is the widow of Joseph Swift, who was a Revolutionary Pensioner & a private
in the Revolutionary Army; for the character of whose services she respectfully refers to evidence on file in the pension office in his particular case -  that she received under the act of June 17th 1844 pension at the rate of twenty-seven dollars and ninety seven cents per annum -
She further declares that she is still a widow -
Her
Lucy  X  Swift
Mark

witnesses
Jonathan Swift
Charles P. Fueller

Sworn to & subscribed on the day and
year above written -  before Jonathan Swift Justice of the Peace
I certify that the above named affiant is personally known to me & she is the same individual she represents herself to be in the
above declaration.
Jonathan Swift    ---   Just. Peace
Page 20

STATE OF MAINE.
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Oxford County, ss:
I the subscriber, Clerk of the Judicial Courts within and for said County of Oxford, hereby certify that Jonathan Swift whose proper signature is affixed to the foregoing
Declaration of Lucy Swift is a Justice of
the Peace within said County of Oxford, duly appointed and qualified, and that full faith and credit are due to his acts as such,
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name and set the Seal of the Supreme Judicial Court, this twelfth
day of September A.D. 1848
Charles Andrews
CLERK.
Page 21

Hon James L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City - D.C.
Page 22

Norway, Me. August 8th 1844
Hon J. L. Edwards in
Sir
I herewith enclose the application of
Lucy Swift & Nancy Atterton for pensions,
under the acts of 1843 & 1844 -
the cases are plain, &  I presume nothing will be necessary but to compare these papers
with those on file in the cases of their husbands -
I shall be pleased to have a speedy return-
---
Very Respectfully yours
Levi Whitman

P.S. I beg leave to refer you to my
friend, Judge Parris, for any information in
these cases not necessary to go on file
as matter of record-- I presume he knows the parties applying -
L. W.
Page 23

Jan 28 47
Lucy Swift
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
J. L. Edwards, Esq
Comm'r of Pensions
Page 24

Will Col. Edwards be so kind as to give me such
information as will enable me to answer the enclosed letter from Mr. Whitman
Respectfully Yrs
C. K. Parris

J.L. Edwards Esq
Commr of Pensions
Page 25

Will Mr Scammon please just & enclose, the enclosed paper in Mrs Swifts case, to the
Pension Office requesting the Certificate
which this calls for may be delivered to you, &
then when it comes to hand will you, Sir,  enclose the same to me through the Post Off.
and oblige
Very obediently yrs & True
S. Blanchard 

Hon John F. Scammon
House Rep
May 22d/46
Will Col Edwards please be obliged Mrs Swift
as requested

Respectfully J. A.  Scammon
Page 26

Whereof the Act of the 30th April 1844 prohibited me from drawing a Pension for the same period during which my Husband was a Pensioner
I now make the following Statement under Oath, in order to obtain the benefit of the joint
Resolution 23 January 1845. I am the Widow of Joseph Swift who was a private the War of the Revolution, I have drawn a Pension at the
rate of Twenty eight dollars per annum from
the fourth day of September 1843. and now ask for the amount due me from the fourth
day of March 1836 (1836) to the fourth
fourth (sic) day of September 1843, when my
former Pension commenced.
Signed,
her
Lucy Swift  X
mark

Witness Sullivan Churchill
Sworn to and subscribed before me this Eleventh day of May in the year of our Lord 1846, at Paris, Oxford County, Maine.

John Donnett - Justice of the Peace
I certify that the declarant is personally known to me and that she is the same person she presents herself to be in the foregoing affidavit
John Donnett - Justice of the Peace.
Page 27

State of Maine
Oxford ss.
I Charles Andrews Clerk of the Judicial Courts for said county do hereby certify that John Donnett who has signed the foregoing is a 
Justice of the Peace for the County of Oxford
in the State of Maine and that the foregoing
is his signature.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal of office this eleventh day of May 1846.
at Paris in the State of Maine

Charles Andrews  Clerk as aforesaid
Page 28

The Bearer hereof Joseph wife Soldier in the
7th Massachusetts Regiment having served as
faithfull good soldier the term six months
being the full term for which he enlisted is hereby Discharged from sd Reg
Issuing Commissioned to furnish him with his rations of (Illegible) for on his road.
Given under my hand at West Point this 20th day of July
Providence July 1781 
Issued three days rations in behalf 
James Wallace
Jonathan Almey
Billy Porter Maj'r  Com'd
Page 29

I, The within Joseph Swift is Victualed for the
twenty Eighth instant & no longer

Whendy  DM
Page 30

Joseph Swift

Discharge  (Illegible)
Page 31

Rev.  WIDOW, &c.
File No. 22,358

Lucy Swift
Wid. of
Joseph Swift
Priv. Rev. War
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Act Feb. 2d 1848
Index: Vol......M....., , Page ...258
[Arrangement of 1870.}
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1931 Feb 2. hist to
Hon. W.F. Kopp  MCS
Page 32

Maine- 6322
----------------------
Lucy Swift
widow of Joseph Swift
who was a private
in the Massachusetts line
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of
27 - Dollars 97
Cents per annum, to commence on
the 4th day of March, 1843.
Certificate of Pension issued the
30th day of October, 1844
and sent to case of Hon A.K.
Parris,
Present
[Act of March 3, 1843.]
& 17 June 44]
Recorded in Book A
Vol. 2 Page 9

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Acp't 31 Oct 1844
17 June No 206
See letter to H. A. K. Parris
Feb. 28. 1845.
Hon. J. F. Scammon June 3.'46
Att Hon. A. K. Parris Jan 28 1847,
Page 33

I Martha Churchill of Paris in the County of Oxford State of Maine on oath say that I was well acquainted with the late Joseph Swift of said Paris, a Revolutionary pensioner, & the husband of Lucy Swift, and that I was
present at the time of his death, which was on the fifteenth day of March in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred & forty one
Martha Churchill

State of Maine
Oxford County ss.
on the thirty first day of July in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred & forty four, personally
appeared Martha Churchill of Paris in said County of Oxford a person well known to me & of good reputation for truth & veracity; & subscribed & made oath to the truth of the above deposition
--before me Levi Whitman Justice of the Peace
Page 34


Paris Maine
County of Oxford
I Joseph G. Cole Clerk of the Judicial Court within and for the County of Oxford hereby certify that Levi Whitman whose genuine signature is affixed to and within certificate of the affidavit of Martha Churchill is a Justice of the Peace within and for said County duly
commissioned and qualified as such
In testimony whereof I have hereto subscribed my hand and affixed the seal of the Superior Judicial Court this 2nd day  of August 1844
Page 35

CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WASHINGTON, D. C.

W. F. KOPP
1ST DISTRICT IOWA
COMMITTEES:
PERSONS, CHAIRMAN
FLOOD CONTROL
LABOR
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS
January 24, 1931

Hon. E. W. Morgan,
Acting Commissioner of Pensions,
Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D. C.


Dear Mr. Morgan:
Will you kindly advise me whether or not
there is any record of the service during the Revolutionary War of one, Joseph Swift of Bay Colony, Mass., who was born in 1760 and married to Anne Freeman in 1780.
Very sincerely,
W. T. Kepp
Page 36

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Form VAN-51
12-5-41
Division of Veterans' Administration Archives
Name: ....Swift, Joshua   Grade....... Private
Line ...Massachusetts.....
WARRANT NUMBER... 4998  Acreage......100
Issued...Mar. 7, 1792....  to John Heaton


*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent
dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.