Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18849, Asa Gurney, Mass.
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Mass.
Gurney, Asa
S. 18849
carded
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10.077
Massachusetts
Asa Gurney
of Hampshire in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Thayer of the Regt. commanded by Col. Fellows in the Mass line for 15 mos 15 days
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachuesetts at the rate of 51 Dollars 67 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 
Certificate of Pension issued the 19th day of March 1833 and sent Hon J.C. Bates Northampton, Mass
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $103.34
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept 1833 25.83
$129.17
Revolutionary Claim, 
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by D. D. Addison Clerk,
Book E Vol. 2d Page 28
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Asa Gurney No 4360
Declaration
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DECLARATION
IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE BENEFIT OF THE ACT OF CONGRESS OF THE 7TH OF JUNE, 1832.
STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS
COUNTY OF HAMPSHIRE
On this the twentieth day of August A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open court, before Honorable Samuel Hinckley Judge of the court of Probate now sitting Asa Gurney, a resident of Cummington in the County of Hampshire, and State of Massachusetts, age seventy four 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 provision made by 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.

I was born in the town of Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth, Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the 24th day of October, 1758. I have no record of my age. I resided in said Bridgewater until the fall of 1770 when I moved to Cummington aforesaid where I now live. 
In the spring of 1775, not long after the battle of Lexington and sometime in the month of May, as I believe, I volunteered under a Mr. Whitmarsh to serve in the state troops at Roxbury for the term of eight months, and about the thirteenth of June following, as near as I have recollect, I marched from said Cummington to Roxbury and joined a regiment there commanded by Col. Fellows and a company commanded by Capt. Thayer and served in said company until about the first of January 1776. I again volunteered in the service of the state troops in a company commanded by Capt. Hebber  and in a regiment commanded by Col. Pomeroy, who I think died on the march. I never joined the regiment. I think the regiment was commanded by John C. Williams at the execution of Daniel Strong, as our regiment guarded the prisoner to the [House?] of execution. We marched from the county of Hampshire to the state of Connecticut through the towns of Litchfield and Milford and Danbury, where we [stayed?] a few days. Were then ordered to Peekskill in the state of New York, after a short stay at Peekskill we were marched to Morristown in the state of New Jersey, where we served until the term of our enlistment expired, which was three months - Sometime in the month of July 1779. I again volunteered in the service in a company commanded by Capt. [Bonney?] and regiment commanded by Col. Porter. I was marched to New London in the state of Connecticut , and continued in the service six weeks as near as I can recollect, and was discharged. Again, about the middle of July 1780 I volunteered to go to West Point or other places where [warranted?] for three months, in a company commanded by Capt. Sheldon. I think the Col. of our regiment was Col. [Marry?] but am not certain, as three hundred of our regiment were detached about thirty miles up the river to chop wood for the use of West Point under a Lieutenant [Dickinson?] and I was one of the party. I continued chopping wood there until the expiration of my three months service. I was then discharged.
He hereby relinquishes every claim 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 on that of the agency in the State of (crossed out)
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid Asa Gurney
Before Samuel Hinckley, Judge of Probate [in Plymouth County?] 

(crossed out)
We, residing in the town of     and well acquainted with     residing in      hereby certify that we are well acquainted with          who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be          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 the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary solder, and served as he states. (crossed out)- And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate who has signed the preceding certificate is         resident in          and that          who has signed the same, is a resident in          and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I, [Sam F Ly...?] as a Registrar 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 Asa Gurney for a pension. 
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this twentieth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
[Sam F. Ly...], Registrar
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No. 4360
Asa Gurney
Private 15 Mos & 15 days
A Allen
Witness not certified to be credible
Nov 24 1832
Hon J. C. Bates
Northampton 
Mass
C. P. Huntington (scribbled through)
Northampton 
Mass
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BRIEF in the case of Asa Gurney of the County
of Hampshire in the State of Mass
(Act 7th June, 1832)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 74 years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period. | Duration of Service. | Rank. | Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.
 | Years, Months, Days, | As a | Gen.
In 1775 May | - 8 - | Private | Col. Fellows, Capt. Thayer
"76 Dec. | - 3 - | Volun. | Col. Pomeroy & Williams, Capt. Webber
"79 July | - 1 15 | (illegible) | Col. Porter
"80 July | - 3 - | (illegible) | Col. Murry, Capt. Sheldon
5. In what battles was he engaged? none
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Cummington
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Depositions
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
No Clergyman's Certificate
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned. 
Levin Belt
Examining Clerk.
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18,849
3-068.
(Old No. 3-649) 6-20
Bureau of Pensions
Asa Gurney
Aug 20 1832 - 74
Cummington Mass.
Born Est. 1758 Bridgewater Mass
May 75 Cummington 
Cps Thayer
Col Fellows
pvt - 8 m
Dec 76. Cpl Webber
Col Pomeroy
pvt 3 m
Jul 79 Cpl Bonney
Col Porter
pvt 6 wks
Jul 80 Cpl Sheldon
Col Murray
Pvt 3 m
No Bat
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Navy
July 7 1903
Files

Pension
July 
1
1903
office
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Amherst, Mass.
June 29-1903-
Bureau of Pensions
Department of the Interior:
Have you a record of the pension granted to charity Sortor widow of Henry Sortor (or Sorter) who fought in the Revolutionary War as a private in the New Jersy troops, twelve months, under Captain Polhemus in the Regiment of Col. Freelinghuysen?
Do you know when this Henry Sortor died? Have you a record of a pension Asa Gurney received for service? 
I should be very grateful for any information concerning either of these men. Kindly reply as soon as possible. 
Very respectfully
(Miss) Kathryn E. Darby
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18 849
INVALID.
File No. 18,849
Asa Gurney
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7, 32
Index:-Vol. /,  Page 155
[Arrangement of 1870.]

July, 16 - 1903-(illegible)
Miss Kathryn E. Darby -
Amherst Mass
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No 4360
Asa Gurney
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Brief objections to the admission of Pension Claims of, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Asa Gurney which requires further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes

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 way when he served? yes

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 amount of pension he is entitled? yes

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yes

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7th, 1832? yes

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes

X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished? yes
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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? No (crossed through)
XII. If the clergyman’s affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No (crossed through)
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 has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility?
And is the official character and signature of the magistrate certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? Yes
IX. 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? Yes
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? Yes
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not. Which of them is not so answered? Yes.
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: For__ year ____ months and ____ days, I served as a ____. For __ months and __ days, I served as a __: 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 the 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.

QUERE XIV. Proof of Service
In a case where the name of the applicate 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 authenticated 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 end 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.
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Pension Office
Dec 7, 1753

Sir, Please report time of last payment to or death of within named pensioner.

Respectfully,
F. Burt Esquires.
and Present

S. Cole
for Comm
Asa Gurney, $38.10 per an. Oct 1832 - Died 10th Dec 1837, paid to his death.

F. Burt
Auditor.
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Pension Office
Dec 10/52

Sir,
Please report time of last payment to, or death of within named pensioner.

Respectfully,

F. Burt Esqu
and Present

S. Cole for comm.,
present


Asa Gurney, Act 1832, $51.67 per annum. Died 10 Decr. 1837 paid to his death.

F. Burt 
Auditor
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Mr. Hawkes
Gurney
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We Roswell Hawkes a clergyman residing in the town of Cummington and Darius Ford residing also in the town of Cummington hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Asa Gurney an applicant for a pension and who has subscribed and sworn to a declaration exhibited to us before the Hon. Samuel Hinkley Judge of Probate within and for the county of  Hampshire that we believe her to be twenty four years of age. That he is reputed and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to be a soldier of the Revolution and we concur in that opinion.
Roswell Hawkes
Darius Ford
Cummington Dec 17, 1832

Hampshire for Dec 17, 1832 Personally appeared before me Roswell Hawkes and Darius Ford and made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing certificate by them subscribed  and I further certify that Rosewell Hawkes is a clergyman residing and settled in the town of Cummington and Darius Ford also resides in said Cummington and is a credible person.
Eliphales Peckara Justice of the Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Hampshire JS. At a Court of Probate holder at Northamptons within foresail County. Dec. 20 - 1832 - 
Said Court further certifies that it appears to them that Roswell Hawkes who signed the proceding certificate is a clergyman resident in said Cummington that Darius Ford who also signed the same is a resident in. Cummington and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate 
I, Samuel F. Lyman, Register of said court do hereby certify  that the foregoing contained the amended proceedings of said court in the matter of the application of Asa Gurney for a pension also that Packard is a Justice of the Peace and the above is his signature. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this twentieth day of December A.D. 1832
SamF. Lyman Register
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M Harwood
Affidavit
Gurney
Page 20

William Mitchell of Cummington in the County of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts having arrived at the age of eighty two years testify and declare that in the month of August as near as I recollect 1779 I was knowing to Asa Gurney entering the service of the State of Massachusetts (illegible) Regiment Commanded by Col Porter and Company Commanded by Capt Bonney and in which I served as Lieutenant and marched to Sewlondon in the State of Connecticut and that we were gone from home on the expedition six weeks.
William Mitchell
Cummington August 10 1832
Hampshire August 10 1832 Personally appeared William Mitchell and made solemn oath to the truth of the above statement by him subscribed
Before our Eliphalet Packard Justice of the Peace
Hampshire Dec 13 1832 Thereby further certify that William Mitchell the above deponent is a credible person
Eliphalet Packard Justice of the Peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Hampshire SS. I, Samuel F. Lyman, Register of the Court of Probate in and for said County, do hereby certify that Eliphalet Packard Esquire, before whom the annexed depositions (6) were taken, is one of the Justices of the Peace within and for said County, duly and regularly appointed, and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing, and have no doubt that the Signatures annexed to said depositions is are genuine. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this twentieth day of August A.D. 1832.
Sam F. Lyman Register of Probate.
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Jonathan Damon of Cummington in the County of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts  having arrived at the age of seventy years testify and declare that I personally knew Asa Gurney of Cummington in the Revolutionary war and that I now know the same Asa Gurney and that I was personally knowing to the said Gurneys entering the service of the State of Massachusetts in the Month of July 1780 for the term of three months that I was in the same Company with the said Gurney and in the same Regiment and that said duty was performed at West Point and vicinity the Regiment was Commanded by Col Murry and the Company by Capt Sheldon
Jonathan Damon
Hampshire ss August 17 1880 Personally appeared Jonathan Damon and made solemn oath to the truth of the above affidavit by hi subscribed before me Elephalet Packard Justice of the Peace
Hampshire ss Dec 13 1882 I hereby further certify that Jonathan Damon the above deponent is a credible person
Elephalet Packard Justice of the Peace
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Jonathan Damon
Affidavit
A Gurney
Page 23

I Vincent Curtis of Plainfield in the County of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts having arrived at the age of seventy one years testify and declare that I was personally knowing to Asa Gurney, entering the service of the state of Massachusetts in the month of July 1780 and marched together from the County of Hampshire to West Point in the State of New York and served the term of three month in Col Murry of Hatfield Regiment and Capt. Sheldon of Southhampton Company.

Vinson Curtis

Cummington August 10, 1832
Hampshire August 10, 1832 personally appeared Vincent Curtis and made a solemn oath to the truth of the above statement by him subscribed before me Eliphalet Packard Justice of the Peace

Hampshire to Dec 18 1882 I hereby [illegible] certify that Vinson Curtis the above deponent is a creditable person.

Eliphalet Packard
Justice of the Peace
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Vinson Curtis
affadavit
Gurney
Page 25

Nathan Snow and Obed Shaw of Cummington in the County of Hampshire in the state of Massachusetts having arrived to the age of seventy six years testify and declare that we personally knew Asa Gurney in the Revolutionary War and that we now know the said Gurney and we think we knew of his being in the service of said state in the month of May or early part of June 1775 and that he served during the eight month campaign at Roxbury as a company commanded by Capt. Thu[illegible] and Regiment commanded by Col Fellows.

Nathan Snow
Obed Shaw

Hampshire [illegible] August 19 1832 personally appeared Nathan Snow and Obed Shaw personally appeared and made solemn oath to the truth of the above affadavit by them subscribed before me Eliphalet Packard Justice of the Peace

Hampshire [illegible] Dec 13 1832 I hereby further certify that Nathan Snow and Obed Shaw the above deponents are credible persons
Eliphalet Packard Justice of the Peace
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Snow & Shaw
Affidavit
Gurney
Page 27

I Caleb Packard of Ashfield in the County of Franklin
and State of Massachusetts having arrived at the age of seventy
two years testify and declare that I was personally knowing
to Asa Gurney enlisting and entering the service of the
State of Massachusetts in the month of December 177 [last digit smudged]  and
that he marched from the County of Hampshire to Danbury
in the State of Connecticut staid at Danbury a short time
and marched to Peekskill in the State of New York and staid
at Peekskill a few weeks and then marched to Morristown
in the State of New Jersey and staid at Morristown until
the expiration of the term of enlistment which was three
months the said Gurney served in the Regiment commanded
by Col Pomeroy and the Company commanded by Capt
Webber
Caleb Packard
-
Cummington August 10 1832
Hampsher J  August 10 1832 Personally appeared Caleb
Packard and made solemn oath to the truth of the
foregoing
statement by him
Subscribed before me 
Eliphalet Packard
Justice of the Peace
Hampsher P Dec 13 1832 I hereby
further certify that Caleb Parker the
above deponent is a credible person
Eliphalet Packard Justice of the Peace
Page 28

Caleb ?
affadavit
Gurney
Page 29

I Marville Harwood of Windsor in the County of Berkshire in a State of Massachusetts having arrived to the age of seventy five years testify and declare that I personally knowing to Asa Gurney entering the service of the State of Massachusetts in the month of December 1776 and that he marched from the County of Hampshire to Danbury in the State of Connecticut stayed at Danbury a few days then marched to Peekskill in the Sate of New York tarried there a few weeks and then marched to Morristown in the State of New Jersy and tarried at Morristown until the expiration of term of our enlistment which was three months [illegible] said Gurney served in the Regiment Commanded by Col Pomeroy and the Company commanded by Capt Webber

Cummington August 10 1832 Marville Harwood

Hampshire [illegible] August 10 1832 personally appeared Marville Harwood and made solemn oath to the truth of the above statement by him subscribed before me Eliphalet Packard Justice of the Peace

Hampshire [illegible] Dec 13 1832 I hereby further certify that Marville Harwood the above deponent is a creditable person
Eliphalet Packard Justice of the Peace
Page 30

M Harwood
affadavit
Gurney
Page 31

Mr. Roswell Hawkes a Clergyman residing in the town of Cummington and Darius Ford
residing also in the town of Cummington hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Asa Gurney an applicant for a pension and who has subscribed and sworn to a declaration exhibited to us before the Hon Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate within and for the County of Hampshire that we believe him to be seventy four years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood
when he resides to be a soldier of the Revolution and we concur in that opinion

Thos M Hawks
Cummington Due 17 1832
Darius Ford
Hampshire Decr 17 1832 Personally appeared before Mr Roswell Hawkes and Darius Ford and made Solemn oath to the truth of the fore going certificate by them subscribed and I further certify that 
Roswell Hawkes is a Clergyman residing and settled in the town of Cummington and Darius Ford
also resides in said Cummington and is a credible person
Eliphalet Packard Justice of the Peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampshire. At a Court of Probate holden at Northampton within & for said County. Dec. 20-- 1832-
said Court further certifies that it appears to them
that Roswell Hawks who signed the preceding
certificate is a clergyman resident in said Cummington & that Darius Ford who also signed the same
is a resident in & Cummington and that
their statement is entitled to credit
Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate
Samuel F. Lyman Register of said Court
do hereby certify that the foregoing contains
the amended proceedings of said Court in
the matter of the application of the Gurney
place & that Justice of the
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand
Seal of office this twentieth day of December A.D. 1838