Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 34218, Josiah Cotton, Mass.
Page 1

(8-1776)
Service
Mass.
Cotton, Josiah
Number
S. 34218
Contents
Page 2

1060 4
Massachusetts

Josiah Cotton
of Plymouth in the state of Massachusetts who was a ensign in the regiment commanded by Colonel Boridy of the Massachusetts [illegible], for the term of 1 year

Enscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 20 Dollars per month, to commence on the 10th of April 1818

Certificate of Pension issued the 5th of March 1819 and sent to Hon. Mr Sampson H. of Reps

Arrears to 4th of Mar 1819 10 mo 21/30 4/31 - 216,, 12
Semi-anl, all'ce ending 4 Sept 1819 120,,
$336.12

Revolutional claim, 
Act 18th March, 1818.

Continued
Left 1819
Page 3

Josiah Cotton, Jr
Plymouth.
Page 4

I Josiah Cotton junior of Plymouth in the County of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a citizen of the United States and now resident there can set forth and declare that I was an officer in the war of the Revolution on the Continental establishment for more that nine months, that I am [illegible] in my [illegible] and need the assistance of my country for the support, that I am therefore deserving of obtaining a pension from the United States agreeably to the late law of [illegible] of the 18th of March last, and do relinquish all claim to any pension heretofore granted me by any former law of [illegible], that I entered the service early in 1775 and served eight months at Roxbury, and then engaged for one year and had a Commission of Ensign in Capt Mayhew's Company and Col. Bond's Regiment and Massachusetts line and served out the year in that office at [illegible] and Ticonderoga, excepting one month, from Genl. Schuyler, and was not able to return. My commission and furlough I lost many years ago with many other valuable papers, at a particular time when I was cast away at sea.

Josiah Cotton Junior
Sworn to April 10. 1818
Page 5

Josiah Cotton
7060. 5 Mar '19
Page 6

Schedule.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
County of Plymouth 88.

On this seventeenth day of July 1820, before the Circuit Court of Common Please for the Southern Circuit, proceeding according to the course of the common law with a jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount, having a power also of tine and imprisonment, and keeping a record of their proceedings, personally appeared in open Court, being a court of record for the said County Josiah Cotton aged sixty six years, resident in Plymouth in said County, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on his oath, declare that he served in the Revolutionary war as follows, viz. for the term of one years as Ensign in Cap Tho Mayhew's Company in Col [illegible] Bond's Regiment 8 months at Roxbury under Col [illegible] Cotton, & 4 months on different expeditions to [illegible] and that he has received a pension certificate dated March 5th in 1819 and numbered 7060 in pursuance of his original Declaration made April 10th in the year of our Lord 1818 and also takes and subscribes the following oath, viz.
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 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 navel service of the United States, in the Revolutionary war," passed on the 18th day of March, 1818; and that I have not, nor ahs 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 my me subscribed.

I am by occupation a carpenter & that I am unable to [illegible] it steadily so as to afford me much support and I further state that I have no family that excepting necessary clothing I have no property real or personal that I am in debt thirty dollars & have nothing else to me.
Josiah Cotton

Sworn to, and declared, on the 17th day of July [illegible] 1820 before Nahum Mitchell, C Justice of the Court

I, [illegible] B Thomas clear of the said Court do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied form the record of the said court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of said court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is nothing cents. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said court, on the twenty second day of July 1820.
[illegible] B Thomas
Clerk of the Court for the County of Plymouth
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34218
Reg Invalid.
File No. 34, 218
Josiah Cotton
Ensign Rev War
Act: 18th March 18
Index: -- Vol. 2, Page 83
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 8

The within named Major Benjamin Warren is a man of strict veracity and was an officer during most of the revolutionary war, is now a weigher and measurers in the Collection department at Plymouth, and full credit may be given to his certificate within given; Cotton himself is also a man of veracity, and is well known, by verification, to have served in said war for he has stated.
Nahum Mitchell: Judge
Page 9

I hereby certify that Josiah Cotton was in the aforementioned service in the revolution was in the year 1775 & 1776 in the company and regiment with me the first eight month & in [illegible] years service as ensign in [illegible] till y a close of each campaign.
Benja Warren
April 1, 1818
Page 10

I Benjamin Warren of lawful age testify & say that Josiah Cotton person of Pymouth was an officer in the company of which I was lieutenant in the Revolutionary war. In the year 1776, he was an ensign and served a whole year in the continental establishment with me in Canada. He was ensign of the company and served faithfully during the year.

Plymouth Feb 12th, 1819 Benj Warren

Personally affirmed the abovenamed Benjamin Warren and made oath that the foregoing deposition by him subscribe as just & true.

Nathl M Davis
Just of Peace of the County of Plymouth

I further certify that the [illegible] Benjamin Warren is a man of undoubtable veracity and truth.

Nathl M Davis
Jus. Peace
Page 11

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The within named Benjamin Warren is a credible & reputable witness and the within named Nathaniel Morton Davis is a magistrate and Justice of the Peace for the County of Plymouth and authorised by law to take [illegible] and the within is his true and genuine signature
Nahum Mitchell Judge [illegible]
Page 12

Josiah Cotton Jun
Plymouth
(Officer)
10th Apl 1818 Ensign
Bonding to Mass S line
76 One year
Lost Major Benjamin
Warren or the and the chaplain of the
company to which the applicant belonged
declares positively the
the claimant died nine
months on the continental
establishment.
Left by Mr Sampson
H,R
Adm @
date 5 March
Page 13

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
On this tenth day of April AD. 1818, before me
the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas,
for the Southern Circuit, personally appeared Josiah Cotton jun.
of Plymouth aged
years, resident in
the said Circuit, who being by me first duly cautioned according to law, on
his oath made the following declaration, by him signed, 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," See his said Declaration
enclosed
&
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And I, the said Judge, do certify, that it appears to my satisfaction. that the said Josiah Cotton jun. 
did serve in the
revolutionary war. as stated in the preceeding decladration, against the common enemy, for the term of nine months, on the continental establishment;
and I now transmit the proceedings and testimony taken and had before me, 
to the Secretary for the Department of War, pursuant to the directions of
the aforementioned act of Congress, and that he needs the
assistance of his country for support.-
Nahum Mitchell

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
ss            1818.
I HEREBY CERTIFY, ThAT
is one of the Judges of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the Southern
Circuit, consisting of the Counties of Plymouth, Norfolk, Bristol, Barnstable,
Dukes and Nantucket in said Commonwealth - that the same Circuit Court
of Common Pleas is a Court of record - that the signature to the above certificate is the true signature of said Judge, and that the seal thereunto affixed is the seal of the said Court.

Clerk of the Judicial
Court for the County
of
Page 15

I Joshua Thomas of Plymouth, in the County of
Plymouth, & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, hereby
certify, that I was an officer in the army of the United States
in the war of the revolution, in the regiment
of Col. Cotton, that Josiah Cotton of the county Plymouth was a sargent in the company of Capt Thomas Mayhew
belonging to said regiment, that after the expiration
of what is sometimes called the eight months campaign, a new organization of the army took place and
Cotton was promoted to an Ensign, & served as such in said Mayhew company, in which Benjamin Warren
of said Plymouth was Lieutenant, & was then attached to Col. Bonds regiment, that in May or June 1776, I
saw said Cotton in Canada, & have every reason to believe
that he completed the years service. I further certify
that I never knew or heard any thing in the conduct 
of said Cotton, unbecoming an officer, & that I have no
interest in making this certificate
Joshua Thomas
Plymouth to Feby 12
the 1819
the above named
Joshua Thomas personally appeared
and made oath to the truth
of the foregoing declaration by him
subscribed
before me
Nathan Davis Justice of
the Peace.-
Page 16

Mynco Feby 12 1819
I further certify that 
Joshua Thomas by the within deponent
is a gentleman of high standing &
of unquestioned veracity and
truth 
Nathan Davis
Jus. Peace
-
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
the within named Joshua Thomas is a reputable
and credible Witness and Judge of the Probate
Court, in the County of Plymouth, and the said
,
Nathl M. Davis is a magistrate for said County
and authorized to take Deposition and the fore
going are his true hand writing and 
signatures

Nahum Mitchell, Judge &