Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 17,423, William French, Continental Mass.
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Continental | French, William | S17423
Mass.
Carded
Contents
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21.6.53
Massachusetts ┃
William French
of Middlesex in the State of Mass. who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Brown of the Regt. commanded by Col Durkee in the Mass. line for 2 months & Continental.
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 66 Dollars - 67 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension and the 5th day of Oct 1833 and sent Daniel Richardson, Tyngsborough
And to the 4th of Sept 1833 Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mar 34
$166.67
33.33
======
$200.00
======
Recorded by D. D. Addison Clerk
Book C, Vol. 2, Page 26
⎨ Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.

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See letters to Daniel
Richardson & Wd Pension
Agent April 4 1834
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William French
Mafs
Mr. Bangs & the Committee of Public Accounts at Hartford, region
Augt 22 1833
16 of
May 23 1833
P. 405
Private 20 months
14062
[illegible]
66672
_______
133.34
33.33
_______
66.67
D. Richardson
Tyngfborough
Mafs
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BRIEF in the case of
William French
Co of Middlesex in the State of Mass
(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? 70
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.
April In 1775 inlisted 18 months as a private | Capt Bancroft Col Bridge

1775 volunteered 19 months as a private / Cap Brown Col Durkee

5. In what battles was he engaged? Battle of Bunker hill
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Dunstable Mass
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditionary, one living witness
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? the papers are not attached agreeably to the regulations
Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
George Payton
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I do hereby certify that Jonas French son of Lieut John French of Dunstable Mass was born August 17th 1757
A true coppy of record
September 20th 1832 
Lett Francis Fletcher Town Clerk of Dunstable
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I Jonas French of Dunstable in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged Seventy five years do testify and say that
in the latter part of April in the year 1775 I enlisted for Eight
months into the service of the United States and served that
term at Cambridge Ms in the Company under the command
of Capt Samuel Gilbert in Col Wm Prescotts Regiment - and I further say that William French my brother served eight months at Cambridge at the same time I did but not in the same company - For the said William serving in Capt Ebenezer Bancrofts company - I frequently saw him there doing duty and know that he performed said service of
Eight months.
Jonas French
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Middlesex SS
Be it remembered that on this twenty fifth day of September
AD 1832 the above named Jonas Trench personally appeared before me Daniel Richardson a justice of the Peace in and for said County of Middlesex and made oath in due form of law that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true and I do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with said Jonas French and that he is a credible witness
Daniel Richardson Jus Peace
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Middlesex SS.
I Isaac Fiske Register of the Court of Probate in and for said County of Middlesex hereby certify that Daniel Richardson whose own proper signature is set to the written certificate was at the date of said Certificate and now is a Justice of the Peace within the said County. In testimony whereof I
have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this fourth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and thirty three.
Isaac Fiske, Register
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William French's
case
14,062
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Middlesex SS.
On this twenty fifth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open Court, before the Honourable Judge of the Court of Probate in and for the County of
of Middlesex aforesaid William French a resident of Dunstable in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged eighty 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 A.D 1832.
entered the service of the United States under the following officers and served as herein stated:
That in the year 1775 he was a minute man (so called) in Dunstable, and hearing that the British Troops had come out of Boston and were marching in the direction towards Concord Massachusetts he left his home on the nineteenth April AD 1775 and proceeded to Concord aforesaid and the British troops having left Concord on their return he proceeded on to Lexington where he staid [stayed] over night and the next day went to Cambridge Ms [Ma] and joined the company under the command of Capt Ebenezer Bancroft in Col Bridge's Regiment - that in that company he served for eight months - was in the Battle of Bunker Hill - has no written discharge and produces the deposition of Jonas French to serve this service.
Secondly - that just before the expiration of said eight months service he voluntarily enlisted as Corporal for one year 12 months
in Capt Stephen Browns Company in Col Durkees Regiment - went with the company from Cambridge to New York City - thence to New Jersey was in one or two skirmishes
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was discharged he thinks at Morristown after his years service was out he was urged to stay longer and did continue to do duty in said company a month or six weeks longer and came home in the months of February or March A.D. 1777 - having completed
the full term for which he enlisted and a month or six weeks more

He was born in Dunstable in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on the second day of July in the year 1752, now lives in said Dunstable, and always has lived there except while the service as aforesaid - that the Clergyman in said Dunstable has resided there but a short time - that he is well known to the Rev. Nathan
Lawrence of Tyngsborough Ms which was formerly a part of Dunstable aforesaid and also to Dea John Farwell of the same Tyngsborough having lived within about three miles of them for more than forty years, who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution 
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 any State.
Subscribed & sworn to the day & year aforesaid
William French
S P P Fay
[illegible]
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We Nathaniel Lawrence a clergyman, residing in the town of Tyngsborough Ms. and John Farwell residing in the same Tyngsborough hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with William French who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration: that we believe him to be eighty years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion
[signed]
Nathaniel Lawrence
John Farwell
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
S.P. P. Fay 
J Prob [Judge Probate]

And the Court do hereby declare their opinion that 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 certify that it appears to them that the Rev Nathaniel Lawrence who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident
in Tyngsborough Ms and that John Farwell who has signed the same is a resident of the same Tyngsborough and is credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit
J. P. Fay
J Prob
I Isaac Fiske Register of the County Probate in and for the County of Middlesex do hereby certify that the aforegoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court on the matter of the application of William French for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
seal of office on the day & year first aforesaid
Isaac Fiske Reg
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17423
INVALID.
File No. 17423
William Back
Pvt Rev War
---
Act: June 7th 32
Index - Vol. 1, Page 133
Arrangement of 1870)
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Septem 7th 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 the name of William French is borne on an Alarm Roll having served under Captain
Leonard Butterfield, in Col. Bridges Regiment,
from the 19th April 1775, when he is allowed ten days
The name of William French is also borne on a Roll having served under Captain Ebenezer Bancroft in Col Bridges Regiment from May 4th to August 1775, where he is allowed for service at Cambridge three months and five
days
William French claims service as having enlisted in the same Company as above at Cambridge, for eight months and served the remainder of his time at Dorchester.
He also claims further service, under Capt. Stephen Brown, in Col. Durkee's Regiment for twelve months for which the Rolls are not to be found
Edward D Bangs. Secy
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Tyngsboro Ms
Feb. 24                                Free

J. L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of
Pensions
Washington City
DC
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Tyngsborough Ms. 22 Feb. 1834
J. L. Edwards Esq

William French who holds a pension certificate No 21.653 which he received last October has repeatedly sent for his money but his name is not to found on the Roll of the Massachusetts agency and he has not been able to obtain it.  I wrote a letter to you stating this fact long since but either you did not receive it - or if received no notice was taken of it. - I hope it will be attended to as he is entitled to and ought to receive his money
yours respectfully
Daniel Richardson
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14062
Wm
French
application must be
made to R.D. Bangs Esq
Scy of the State of Mass
for evidence of his service
of 8 months and to the
Comptroller of Public
Accounts at Hartford Ct.
for evidence of his same
in Col Dunker.s Regt.
Aug 22 1833
Daniel Richardson E
Tyngborough
Mafs
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of William French,
which require 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 war 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 amout of pension he is entitled? Yes
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 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 from any other seal? Yes
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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and anther respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his regiment relative to his revolutionary service? Yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not attained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannont be had?
XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? Yes
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? No this must be done in such case
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, is to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? es
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?

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 moment loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according in 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 each 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. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years 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 shewn 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.
QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
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 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 authenticates 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 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.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, 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.