Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 29,767, William Drake, Mass.
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SERVICE
Mass.
Drake, William 

Number
S 29767
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[left page]
73 Plymouth $96 compy 6 May 
1818 iss 8 July 1819 
Suspended

[right page]
10.643 
Massachusetts William Drake 
Plymouth in the State of Mass was a private in the Company commanded Captain Merrill of the Regt commanded Col Brewer in the Mass line for 15, month 
State & Couse

Inscribed on the Roll of Mass the rate of 50-Dollars - Cents per annum, commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 

Certificate of Pension issued the 18 day of April 1853 Sent J. H. Lord - 

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $100.00 
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept 25.10
========
 $125.00 
========

Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. 
Recorded by D. D. Addison Clerk 
Book 2 Vol. 2 Page 16
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No 29 - Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th June 1832 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
County of Plymouth SS 
On this Eighth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand, Eight hundred & thirty two, personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Probate now holden always within & for the County of Plymouth aforesaid, present Hon Wilkes Wood Judge, William Drake a resident in the Town of Middleborough in the County & State aforesaid, aged seventy one years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of pension made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. 

That on the Eighth day of July 1819 he was put upon the pension roll of the United States, under the act of March 18th 1818, and received a certificate thereof from the then Secretary of War; which certificate is hereunto annexed, and that he was afterwards stricken from said Roll on account of property, and that he is the same person named in said certificate and he doth further on oath declare that he entered the service of the United States, upon the continental establishment, by enlistment in the month of July 1779 for the term of nine months, and marched from Springfield in the State of Massachusetts to West Point in this State of New York, that he belonged to the Company
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commanded by Capt Merrit in Col. Brewer's Regiment & Genl Patterson's Brigade and was stationed at said West Point & other places in the vicinity thereof for the said term of nine months, when he was discharged, the proof of which service was forwarded by him to the Department of war when he applied for a pension under the act of March 18th 1818 

and he doth further on oath declare, that previous to the time of the service herein before mentioned, he entered the service of the United States, in the militia, under the following named officers & served as herein stated 

That in the fall of the year 1777 he enlisted for the term of three months in the company commanded by Capt. Nathaniel Wood in the Regiment commanded Col. Sproat and marched to & was stationed at a place called Obdike New Town in or near North Kingston in the State of Rhode Island for the said term of three months when he was discharged that he did not receive any written discharge, but Nathaniel Cole who was with him in the same company can testify to his service during this period- 

That at one other period during the war he was drafted and attached to the Company of Capt. Henry Peirce and marched to a place called Butts Hill on the Island of Rhode Island & was then stationed for the term of three months when he was discharged & that Nathaniel Cole was in the same company whose deposition he has taken-
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That he has no documentary evidence of his said services, 

That he was born in the Town of Middleborough on the first day of April 1761 resided in said Middleborough at the several times he entered the service as aforesd that he has no record of his age 

That Rev. William Eaton & Joseph Clark both reside in his present neighbourhood & can testify as to his character for veracity & then belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution- 

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a Pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the agency of any State 
William Drake 

Sworn to & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid 
Attest Jacob H. Loud Register 

 We William Eaton a Clergyman & Joseph Clark & residing in Middleborough in the County & State aforesd hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Drake who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy one years of age, that he is reputed & believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a a soldier of the Revolution & that we concur in that opinion 

Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid
William Eaton Joseph Clark
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Sworn to & subscribed in Probate Court the day and aforesaid 
Attest Jacob H. Loud, Register 

and the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a soldier of the Revolution and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that William Eaton who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman resident in the town of Middleborough and that Joseph Clark who has also signed the same is a resident in the same and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit 
By order of the Court 
Attest Jacob H. Loud, Register 

I Jacob H. Loud Register of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings the said  Court in the matter of the application of William Drake for a pension

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this eighth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty two 
Jacob H. Loud year
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Sworn to & subscribed in Probate Court the day and year aforesaid 
Attest Jacob H. Loud, Register 

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a Soldier of the Revolution and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that William Eaton who has signed the preceding Certificate, is a clergyman resident in the town of Middleborough and that Joseph Clark who has also signed the same is a resident in the same town and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit 
By order of the Court Attest Jacob H. Loud Register 

I Jacob H. Loud Register of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter the application of William Drake for a Pension 

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this eighth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty two 
Jacob H. Loud
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29767
Revy INVALID
File No. 29767
William Drake
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7" 32"
Index:- Vol 2, Page 114
[Arrangement of 1870]
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13.976 R 
Massachusetts 
William Drake of Middleboro in the State of Mass who was a Private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Brewer of the Mass fine, for the term of 9 month 

Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on to the 4 of May 1818 

Certificate of Pension issued the 8 of July 1819 and sent to Mitchell Esq Bridgewater Mass 

Arrears to 4th of Mar 1849 80.25 
Semi-anl, all'ce ending 4 Sept 1849 48 
7 mo 28/32 4/30 
==========
 $ 128.25
==========

{ Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March, 1818.} 

[right page, upside down]See Letter to Jacob H. Loud 2 Oct 1832
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William Drake Middleboro Payable semi-annually. The first payment on this Certificate  be made on the 4th of next in Boston Masstts at the U. S. Branch Bank
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War Department 
REVOLUTIONARY CLAIM. 

I CERTIFY that, in conformity with the Law of the United States , of the 18th of March, 1818, William Drake late a private in the Army of the Revolution, is inscribed on the Pension List, Roll of Massachusetts Agency, at the rate of Eight dollars per month, to commence on the Fourth day of May one thousand eight hundred and Eighteen 

GIVEN at the War Office of the United States , this Eight day of July one thousand eight hundred and nineteen 

J. C Calhoun Secretary of War.
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Plymouth ss. 

On this Eighth day of January in the year of our Lord 1833, personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in & for the County of Plymouth aforesaid, William Drake a resident of Middleborough in said County who being duly sworn deposeth & saith that by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot positively swear as to the precise times of his entering & leaving the service at the several periods stated in his original declaration made in the Court of Probate for said County on the 8th day of August 1832; but according to the best of his recollection as to the service therein mentioned which was at North Kingston R. Island in the Company of Capt Nathaniel Mook in Col Sproat's Regiment; it commenced in the fall of the year 1777 and probably some time in the month of November of that year, that he enlisted as a private for the term of three months and served out the term which expired in the month of February 1778 as he thinks - that he was discharged at the same with the rest of the Company but had no written discharge. that he believes their Ensigns name was Isaac Perkins who lived in the same neighbourhood with him at that time - that the company was engaged in performing guard duty, & that he has now taken the Deposition of John Shaw who served in the same company with him, in addition to the evidence which is annexed to his original declaration. 

and as to the period of service at Butts Hill lastly mentioned in his original declaration he says that he can
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not recollect with certainty the year in which that service was performed, he however recollects, that it was after the taking of Genl Prescott & that the House in which Prescott was taken was pointed out to him while there, and it seems to him that it was before he went to West Point in the year 1779 He stated in his original declaration that it was in the fall of the year - the duty performed at Butts Hill was in guarding the fort & Stones - that he does not recollect the names of the field officers during this period, but he does recollect of being stationed at said Butts Hill during the Revolutionary War for a term of time which according to the best of his recollection was three months, and that this was another & different period from the service at West Point and North Kingston & that he knows of no further evidence that he can procure in relation to this period of service- 
William Drake - 

Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid 
before me Isaac Stevens Justice of the Peace ---
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
Plymouth Ss 

I Jacob H. Loud Register of the Court of Probate for said County do hereby certify that Isaac Stevens Esq is a Justice of the Peace for said County and that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine 

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this twenty first day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three Jacob H. Loud
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Wm Drake
Private - 15 months

Old case
Mil not sent to the capable refs the Court

J.H. Loud
Plymouth Mass
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I Nathaniel Cole of Middleborough in the County of Plymouth  Commonwealth of Massachusetts anged seventy two years years on oath declare & say I am well acquainted with William Drake of said Middleborough & that the said William Drake in the fall of the year 1777 enlisted into the company of Capt. Nathaniel Wood in Col Sproat Regiment for the term of three months and served at North Kingston in the State of Rhode Island for said three months & he was discharged & that I served in said Company during that time 

and I further testify & say that said William Drake served at one other period during the Revolutionary war for the term of three months in the company of Capt Henry Peirce in Col. Collins Regiment on the Island of Rhode Island at the expiration of which term said Drake was discharged & that I was with him in the same company during said Term 
Nathaniel Cole 

Plymouth ss. August 8, 1832 
Sworn to & subscribed in open Probate Court the day & year aforesaid, 
Attest Jacob H. Loud Register

I certify that it was made to appear to the satisfaction of said Court that said Nathl Cole is a credible person 
Attest Jacob H. Loud Register
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William Drake Middleboro 
(9 months) 1779 
Private 
Co Brewers Regiment Massachusetts Line 1779 - 
9 months 

Judge certificate as to claimants circumstances wanted 

I have made enquiry into the claimant's circumstances and added my certificate as within- 
N. Mitchell
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COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. Plymouth Ss
On this fourth day of May 1818, before me the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Cirenit Court of Common Pleas, for the Southern Circuit, personally appeared William Drake of Middleborough aged fifty seven 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."" viz 

That he enlisted in August 1779 into the continental service for nine months and joined the army at West point in New York state in Capt Morris Company & Col. Brewers Regiment in the Massachusetts line & in Genl Patterson's Brigade and continued to serve in said corps for nine months and was discharged at Fishkill in New York on the 24th of April 1780, that he was one of the nine months men enlisted to reinforce the continental army - that Ezra Clark served with him during said nine months- that he has no written discharge, but thinks he had one but has lost it-- and has no further evidence of his services in his power-- that from his reduced circumstances he needs the assistance of his country for support - that he performed services in the war but not more than five 

[sidebar sideways] #  Col. Sproats Regt afterwards
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or six months at one enlistment previous to said nine months service- 


Sworn to and declared before me the day and year aforesaid

And I the said Judge, do certify, that it appears to my satisfaction, that the said William Drake did serve in the revolutionary war, as stated in the preceding declaration, 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 I am satisfied the claimant 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 the said Judge, and that the seal thereunto affixed is the seal of the said Court. Clerk of the Judicial Court for the County of
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I John Shaw of Norton in the County of Bristol Commonwealth of Massachusetts being Seventy one years of age do hereby testify give evidence & say, that I have long been acquainted with William Drake of Middleborough in the County of Plymoth in said State of Massachusetts and that he the said Drake did serve as a private soldier in the army of the American Revolution one Campaign in a Company with me, and at a place called Updikes Newtown in the State of Rhode Island, said Company was commanded by Captain Nathl Wood, & our Lieutenants were Kingman of Perkins all of said Middleboro, and our regiment was commanded by Col. Eben Sproat & our Lieut Col was Tyler, and it was in the winter as I think 1777. I enlisted at this campaign, and think that said Drake was also a volunteer. & I think we were called Militia or State troops of Massachusetts the above Said Campaign was three months. Dated at Norton Novr 2nd 1832 
John Shaw 

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bristol County SS
Before me one of the Justices of the Peace within & for the County of Bristol personally appeared John Shaw Subscriber to the above affidavit and who is to me well known, and reputed a credible witness, and made oath that the same is true in all its parts. In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name of quality this second day of Novr 1832 
Croml Leonard Justice of Peace
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bristol Ss. 

I Anselm Bassett Register of Probate in for said County of Bristol, do hereby certify that Cromwell Leonard is a Justice of the Peace within for said said County of Bristol and that the signature as such of the said Cromwell Leonard which is applied to the within affidavit is his genuine signature

In testimony of which I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said Court the twenty fourth day of ber Eighteen hundred and thirty two 
Anselm Bassett