Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 1,727, Caleb Curtis, Mass.
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20.203
Maine
Caleb Curtis
of Kennebec Co in the State of Maine
who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Blasdell of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Higglesworth in the Massachusetts line, for the term of ten months from March 1 1776 to January 1 1777

Inscribed on the roll of Maine
at the rate of Eight Dollars per month, to commence on the 10 day of August, 1830

Certificate of Pension issued the 11 of August 1830 and sent to R. C. Vose
Augusta, Maine
Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1830 $6.73
Semi-annual allowance ending 
$6.73

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Caleb Curtis born in Harpswell May 22d 1758
A true Coppy of Record
Harpswell Reggd attest
Paul Randall Town Clerk
1830

I Caleb Curtis Testify and say that I have been to Harpswell on the day above stated, and examined the record and found that according to said records I was born 22 May 1758 as above stated by the Town Clerk of said Town of Harpswell and from the loss of memory or some other cause I find that I have made a mistake in my [ ] 
Caleb Curtis
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Susan Curtis aged fifty seven years, a resident of Topsham, in said county and State. who being duly sworn according to law declares that she is the widow of Caleb Curtis, deceased who was a private soldier in the war of the Revolution and a pensioner there for, of the U. S. at 96 dollars per annum, and she further swears that she was married to the said Curtis on the sixteenth day of September Eighteen hundred and thirty nine, and that her said husband is now dead, and that she has not again married but is now a widow and that she is a pensioner of the U. S. as the widow of said Curtis, under act of Feb 3d 1853, which she receives from the agency of Maine at Portland at the rate of 96 dollars per annum, her certificate is No. 2.282. She  further states that over
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for further Proof of her claim she refers to her papers & declaration supposed to be on file by which she obtained her pension, and that she further swears that she never before made application for bounty land, under this or any other act of Congress applicable to the same, and that she makes this application for to obtain a Bounty Land warrant of 160 acres by virtue of the act of Congress passed March 3d A.D. 1855, granting the same, and she requests that any communication in said case may be addressed to John M. Ayer at North Pownal, Maine.
Witness Ai Waterhouse
Godfrey G Husmaville

Susan Curtis
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To all whom it may concern, this is to certify that Mr. Caleb Curtis and Mrs. Susan Mitchell both of Topsham in the County of Lincoln and State of Maine, were joined in marriage at said Topsham agreeably to the laws of said State on the 16th day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty nine.
By me Octavius A. Merrill, Justice of the Peace 
[Reced.] March 1839. And recorded from the original by O. E. Frost, Town Clerk
State of Maine, Topsham, March 7th 1853
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Records of Deaths.
1850. Aug. 5 Caleb Curtis in Topsham June 20. 1850
aged 95

State of Maine County of Lincoln Topsham

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Your declarant states, that it appears that it was the intention of the law, to place those who were married since 1800 on the same footing as those who were married before 1800. She therefore claims a pension from 4th of March, 1848. - She now, for the purpose of this application, [constitutes] and hereby legally appoints as her attorney and agent Ai Waterhouse, and his agent in the premices to do all and every thing legally, that can be done, to secure the [spede] necessary of my said claim, 
Please recognize my agent Atty. A. Waterhouse at North Pownal, Maine.

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Caleb Curtis, resident in said County, aged seventy years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the provision made by the Acts of Congress, of the 18th March 1818, and the 1st May, 1820; that he the said Caleb Curtis, enlisted as a private soldier, for the remainder of the years service, then about ten months, on the first of March, in the year 1776. in the State of Massachusetts, in the Company Commanded by Captain Blasdell, in the regiment Commanded by Col. Wigglesworth, of the troops of the State of Massachusetts, on the Continental establishment; that he continued to serve in the said corps until January 1st 1777 when he was discharged from the service at Ticonderoga in the State of New York, that he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension, except the presant, that his name is not on the role of any State, except Maine, and that the following are the reasons for not making certain application: 
He made application for a pension before the late Judge Stebbins in 1818, but failed in obtaining evidence, the Judge died, & living remote from any one who could assist him in obtaining his pension, he has not again applied until the present time.- And in pursuance of the act of the 1st May, 1820, I do solemnly swear, that I was a [revelent] 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,
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Schedule of my whole estate & income, (necessary bedding & clothing excepted) - Viz. No Real and have not owned any for the last thirty years, and no personal property, except a few articles of old house hold stuff, bedding excepted viz. 3 chairs & table, 1 old chest, a few articles dinner ware & also cooking ware all not exceeding eight dollars in value - 8.00

No debts due me, and have had assistance of the town as a pauper, but when I am in health, I support myself & family by my daily labor. My family consists of my self, subject to the cramps & phthiscik,  anna, my wife, aged 50. feeble health, Robert, son, aged 18. as healthy as common, Hannah daughter, aged 12, and Joseph & Daniel, twin sons aged 9. 
My children are all as healthy as common. 
That since the 18th of March 1818. there has been no change in my property or situation, except my health & strength, which have failed me, much
Signed
Caleb Curtis.-
Sworn to, and declared, in the seventh day of Oct. 1829 before Nathan Weston Jr. Just. S. J. C. 

We Robert Jack, and Asa Miller, both pensioners on the Maine Roll, do severallly depose and upon oath declare, that, we well know Caleb Curtis a Continental soldier in the war of the Revolution
To our knowledge the said Caleb Curtis, did serve in Captain Blandell, company & Col. Wigglesworth, Massachusetts Regement, in the year 1776.
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I William Mallet aged seventy four years next March do depose and Say that I have known Caleb Curtis an applicant for a pension from his youth. I lived in the Town of Harpswell where I suppose he was born 
I have been a School mate with him in said Town of Harpswell.- I know of his being a Continental Soldier in the year 1776. I saw him while in the service at Ticonderoga in the year 1776. altho I did not serve in the same Regiment with him yet we were frequently together while in the service. I know every one in his m. they were all from Harpswell Except John Wyer. and I have no doubt he served as he has stated. he has always been reputed to have been a soldier of the Revolution. I should say according to the best of my Judgement that said Curtis was about nineteen years of age when I saw him doing duty as a soldier at Ticonteroga in the year 1776. I further testify and say that I have drawned pay as a pensioner one year and [ ] [ ] [offers]
(I suppose) on account of my having property.
William Mallet

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Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston
January 1. 1856

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 Calib Curtis is borne on [travel] roll of Capt. Nicholus Blusdell's Comp. Col. Wigglesworth's Regt from Albany to their respective homes, service in 1776 220 miles from Haverhill. 
Company was made up from Falmouth, N. Yarmouth, Topsham, &c Allowed in [Counsil] Jany. 21. 1777.
Also on [pay] [roll] of Capt. Nehemiah Curtis Comp. Col. Jonathan Malehill's Regt. on Penobscot espedition from July 7. to Sept 25. 1779 2 mos. 18 days as Corporal.

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Pension Office
July 29th 1853.

Sir,
The claim of Mrs Susan Curtis has been considered and suspended to enable you to complete your proof in conformity to the enclosed [ ]. 
The claimant is not identified by the evidence, as the widow of Caleb Curtis the Revolutionary pensioner. 

Very Respectfully,

L P Waldo
Commissioner
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To the Hon. L. P. Waldo,
Commissioner of Pensions,
City of Washington, D. C. 
Sept 27th AD. 1853.

[I can], Sir,
I herewith disclose the cause of the tremendous error in case of the aforesaid Susan Curtis, widow of Caleb Curtis, deceased pensioner of the U. S.-

When the claim was set up, by the widow Susan Curtis, the first evidence that I tried to obtain was the date of the death of Caleb Curtis, the pensioner. I therefore applied to the Town Clerk of Topsham, for said evidence & by paying a fee I got the evidence annexed to her claim, which was not correct, as it plainly appears,-
It was a tremendous blunder of the town Clerk of Topsham.- After the date of the death of Curtis was obtained, it was incerted in her declaration. & an error kept in all her papers, thereby.- I now certify that I have examined the record of the date of the pensioner's death, the husband of said Susan Curtis, and do know, that Mr. Thompson's certificate is correct, and a True extract of the Town record, showing the date of death of Caleb Curtis, the Revolutionary pensioner, & husband of Susan Curtis whose claim is suspended for the foregoing explanation & evidence as is herewith annexed.-  It plainly appears, that the date of entry of the death of Curtis was had, instead of the true date. That is probably the cause of all the trouble. by that error.- Respectfully &c
Ai Waterhouse
North Pownal [ ]
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Pension Office
September 2d 1853.

Sir,
Discrepancies which appear in the evidence in the application of Susan Curtis, relating to the death of the pensioner Caleb Curtis, will require to be explained before further action can be had upon the claim.
The auditor reports his death to have been proved before the Probate court of the County of Cumberland Maine, to have taken place on the 16th July 1850, and the arrears were paid upon that proof. The claimant avers that her husband dies on the 5th day of August 1850, and the record produced proves it. This state of the proof raises a strong presumption against the case.

Very Respectfully,
S. Cole
Acting Commissioner

Ai Waterhouse, [Atty ]
North Pownal Maine