Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 15869, Jonathan Adams, Mass.
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(8--1776)
SERVICE Mass. Adams, Jonathan Abigail 
NUMBER W. 15869.
CONTENTS b. Oct. 13, 1757 in Alford, Berkshire Co. Mass. & enl. there d. 1811 at Bloomfield, Ontario Co. N. Y.
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1883 Augt  N. D Adams history
A Reported 
The name of Polly Sperry, corrected to Polly Spring [name underlined] 
Jany 22, 1850 --
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[printed form with hand written responses] [top right corner of page missing]
4921 New Y
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Abigail A
widow of Jonathan Adams who died in the year 1811. of in the State of N.Y. who was a Drr. & Pri. in the Compy command by Captain Bacon of the Regt  command by Col Schuyler in the Mass line for Mass
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Inscribed on the Roll of Albany at the rate of 35 Dollars 73 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day March, 1831, & end 27 May 184 when she died.
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Certificate of Pension issued the 27th day of December 1841 and sent to Hon H.L. Rose, House of Rep
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Arrears to the 4th of Semiannual allowance ending Payable to surviving children, Polly Spring, Abigail Kimberly, Jonathan Adams, Sarah Paxley, John Adams, & Mark Adams
{Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 
Recorded by J P Chase Clerk 
Book D. Vol. 2 Page 353
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Omit [in top right corner of page] 
State of New York County of Ontario Ss.
On this 29th day of September 1849 personally appeared in open Court Polly Spring a resident of East Bloomfield in said county aged seventy one years in February last past who being first duly sworn according to law doth make the following declaration in order to obtain the amount due to the heirs of Abigail Adams deceased widow of Jonathan Adams under the act of 4th July 1836.
This declarant states that she is the daughter of Jonathan Adams deceased who was a native of the town of Alford in the state of Massachusetts,  and who was as this declarant believes a soldier in the war of the revolution and who served as particularly set forth in the annexed Certificate issued from the Secretary's office at Boston, & hearing date the 30th day of August 1849. This declarant further states that her father (the said Jonathan Adams) was married to her said mother whose maiden name was Abigail Sperry, in the year seventeen hundred & seventy seven, as this declarant has been so informed by her said parents, in the town of Alford and state of Massachusetts, that this declarant was from in the next year after her said parents marriage, as appears by the annexed family record. 
This declarant states that the annexed is the original family record of her said mothers, that it was, very soon after the death of her said father, copied by the direction of her said mother from an older record in a family bible, which had been made by this declarants said father. that the older record was prepared & was in the hand writing of her said father. that the bible containing it had become nearly worn out and the new bible was purchased to take its place, and by direction of this declarants said mother the annexed was made from the older one. that ever after that time the annexed
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Omit [in top left corner of page]
record was regarded by her said mother as her family record, & was the only one on which she relied for evidence of the date of her children's births, and that it contains, as this declarant firmly believes as to the whole, and as she knows respecting a part, a true statement of the time of the births of her said parents, & of their children, and she knows that the said record has been in existence more than thirty years. 
This declarant further states that her said father died in the year eighteen hundred & eleven, in the said town of Bloomfield - that her mother, the said Abigail Adams died in the said town of Bloomfield, on the twenty seventh (27th) day of May in the year eighteen hundred & forty three (1843.) that after the death of the said Jonathan Adams. this declarant said mother did not again intermarry, but died being his widow.
This declarant further says that her said mother left six children surviving her whose names are Polly Spring, Abigail Kimberly, Jonathan Adams, Sarah Pixley, John Adams, & Mark Adams. Polly Spring [signature] 

Sworn & subscribed to the day & year first above written. Julius W Granger Associate Justice of Sessions. [signature] 

State of New York County of Ontario Ss. 
I Alexr. H. Howell Clerk of said County do hereby certify that At a County court held in afor said [aforesaid] County on the 29th day of September 1849, it was duly proved by the exhibition of testimony satisfactory to said Court that Jonathan Adams of Bloomfield in said County died in the year 1811. that he left a
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Omit [in top left corner of page]
widow surviving him whose name was Abigail Adams. & that she died on the twenty seventh (27th) day of May in the year eighteen hundred & forty three (1843.) And that the said Jonathan & Abigail Adams left six children surviving them, whose names are Polly Spring, Abigail Kimberly, Jonathan Adams, Sarah Pixley, John Adams & Mark Adams. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this 29th day of September 1849. Alexr. H. Howell Clerk [signature]
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[decorative line of circles around the top, left and bottom margins of the page] 
[678  [in top right corner of page between decorative margin line and edge of page]
FAMILY BIRTHS.
{Jonathan Adams born Oct: 13th 1757. Abigail Adams born May 15th 1756}
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Polly Adams born in Alford Massachusetts Feb. 1st 1778 --- 
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Betsey Adams born April 8th 1780
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Abigail Adams Jun. born Oct: 9th 1782.
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Mark Adams born March 11th 1785
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Sally Adams born August 11th 1788
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Jonath. Adams Jun. born May 29th 1791
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John Adams born Oct. 19th 1794
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Achisah Adams born Aug: 5th 1796
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Luke Adams born August 7th 1800
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[printed form with hand written responses] 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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Omit Secretary's Office, Boston: August 30. 1849.
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 Jonathan Adams is borne on the rolls of the 1st 8 ms. Service in Capt. Wm. Bacons Co. Col. John Fellows Regt, as a drummer from Alford; - the order for delivery of his coat is dated Dorchester 19th Decr. 1775.
Upon a pay roll of Capt. John Kings Co. Col. John Browns Regt. from Co. of Berkshire, Service under Col. Schuyler, as a private from June 29 to July 4. 1777. 6 days. 50 miles from home.
Upon a payroll of Capt. Thomas Cowdins Co. Col. Saml. Dennys Regt. as private or drummer, from Oct. 26 to Nov. 23, 1779. 1 mo. 17 days: in N.Y. 
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written. 
Wm. Tufts Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth. [signature]
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Omit  The Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is hereby requested to furnish evidence from the rolls in his office of the service of my father Jonathan Adams in the war of the revolution. 
He was a native of the Town of Alford County of Berkshire & State of Massachusetts. 
He entered the [service -- crossed out] Army of the revolution from said town in the early part of the war & served in the Northern Campaign, went to Quebeck. & had the small pox. It is not known how long he served on this tour, nor the names of the Officers. It is believed he was a drummer. He was out on an an [word repeated in original] another expedition in said war & served at a later period. & served about five or six months under Capt Bacon. 
I am now fifty Eight years of age and my memory does not enable me to state my father's services more fully.
Witness my hand [the -- crossed out] at Bloomfield this 16 day of July 1849.  Jonathan Adams [signature] 

Signed in my presence} Josiah Porter Justice of the peace in and for the County of Ontario
in the State of New York}
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"May 27th 1843 -- Died, Abigail Adams (widow) aged 88. years." 
Omit State of New York County of Ontario ss
Henry Kendall of the town of East Bloomfield in said County being duly sworn doth depose & say that he is the Pastor of the Congregational Church in said town & has in his custody the records of said Church, and that the forgoing is a true & accurate transcript from said records of the date of the death of Abigail Adams-- Henry Kendall. [signature] 

Sworn & subscribed this 15. day of October 1849. Before me. Orson Benjamin Justice of the Peace of Ontario County N.Y. [signature] 

State of New York County of Ontario Ss I Alexander H. Howell
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Clerk of said county hereby certify that Orson Benjamin. Esqr is a Justice of the in & for said County duly elected & qualified, and that his signature to the above affidavit is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said county this 18th day of October 1849. 
Alexr. H Cowell Clerk
Omit
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[left side of page]
Abigail Adams decd. Act of 4th July 1836. Omit

[right side of page] 
7580 Abigail Adams and wd of Jonathan NY act 4 July 1836
Drummer & Pr 9m 23 day $35.73 Rev
Pr a Cn  4 March 1831 to 27 May 1843 when she died. Children Polly Spring, Abigail Kimberly,  Jonathan Adams, Sarah Pixley, John Adams & Mark Adams.
Hon R. L. Rose H.R
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I James Sperry of the town of Henrietta County of Monroe NY do depose and say: That I am now sixty two years of age, that I was born, according to my best knowledge and belief in the town of Alford Berkshire Massachusetts and moved with my father and his family in 1794 into the town of East Bloomfield Ontario County NY -- that I lived in that town til 1813 when I moved to where I now reside, that I was well acquainted with Jonathan Adams deceased and with his wife Abigail who was my fathers sister, that I knew them from 1795 or 1796 to the time of their decease, and was verry [very] familiar with them & their children visiting them often and frequently residing in their family-- That I have always understood that they were both natives of the town of Alford in Berkshire County Massachusetts. That it was a matter of general notariety [notoriety] among his friends and acquaintances, that he was a Revolutionary soldier and I frequently heard him relate his military adventures, one of which was a night attack & capture of a Brittish [British] foraging detachment near Boston -- I have no doubt [that -- inserted] he was a soldier of the Revolution. -- He was a man of superior inteligence [intelligence] and integrity. he stained that character among all who knew him. He died in the winter or spring of 1811, soon after which while teaching school in the neighborhood, I resided a part of the time in his widow Abigails family-- That while there she showed me their old family Bible much worn with use and age, and pointed out the record of Jonathan & Abigail Adams birth and that of their children and told me that it was made by her husband; which
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knew to be true from his hand writing which I was well acquainted with. She then handed me a new bible which she had lately purchased and requested me to make a [correct & true -- inserted] copy of the record from the old Bible into the new, which I did, and verily [I believe -- inserted] that the record was a correct statement of facts, and that Jonathan Adams married Abigail Sperry some time in the year 1777 and that [thier -- crossed out] their children were born as therein set forth. I would further depose and say that I am well acquainted with Polly Spring of East Bloomfield and know that she has always been called the daughter of Jonathan & Abigail Adams and fully believe she is. That I would say she must be about 70 years old, as she was the oldest of the children, and Betsey Abigail and Mark, born after, were older than I am (62) And further I would say not  James Sperry [signature] 

Monroe County NY Ss -- Personally appeared before me Orlow Beebee justice of the peace of the town of Henrietta, James Sperry known by me and generally considered as a man of truth and veracity, and made oath, that the facts set forth in the above affidavit are 

[printed form with hand written responses, attached to bottom of this page] 
================= [decorative line]
STATE OF NEW-YORK. MONROE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE,} ss.
I Certify, that Orlow Beebee Esquire, before whom the annexed Affidavit in writing was taken, was, at the time of taking such affidavit, a Justice of the Peace in and for said county, duly authorized to take the same; that I am well acquainted with his hand-writing, and verily believe that the signature to the Jurat to such affidavit is genuine. 
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of said County, at Rochester, this 12 day of December 
A. D. 1849  John C. Nash Clerk. [signature] Smith & Clough, Printers. 
================= [decorative line]
[round imprinted circle in bottom left corner of page with word SEAL inside circle]
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knew to be true from his hand writing which I was well acquainted with. She then handed me a new bible which she had lately purchased and requested me to make a [correct & true -- inserted] copy of the record from the old Bible into the new, which I did, and verrily [verily] [believe -- inserted] that the record was a correct statement of facts, and that Jonathan Adams married Abigail Sperry some time in the year 1777 and that the [thier -- crossed out] their children were born as therein set forth. 
I would further depose and say that I am well acquainted with Polly Spring of East Bloomfield and know that she has always been called the daughter of Jonathan & Abigail Adams and fully believe she is. That I would say she must be about 70 years old, as she was the oldest of the children, and Betsey Abigail and Mark, born after, were older than I am (62) And further I would say not  James Sperry [signature] 

Monroe County NY Ss - Personally appeared before me Orlow Beebee Justice of the peace of the town of Henrietta, James Sperry known by me and generally considered as a man of truth and veracity, and made oath, that the facts set forth in the above affidavit are true according to the best of his knowledge and belief  Henrietta Dec. 7th 1849
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State of New York County of Ontario Ss
Silas Eggleston of the town of East Bloomfield in said Court aged Seventy years being duly sworn doth depose & say that he was intimately  acquainted with Jonathan Adams & Abigail his wife (whose maiden name was Abigail Sperry) in their life time -- that this deponent knew them from an early period of his life, & he married a sister of the said [Jonathan. -- inserted] [Abigail. -- crossed out] This deponent states that the said Jonathan & Abigail Adams were natives of the town of Alford in the State of Massachusetts and were married in said town more than seventy years ago. that the said Adams was as this deponent believes a soldier in the war of the revolution & that he had the reputation where he was known of having been such a soldier & he [has -- crossed out] [did -- inserted] during his life time often speak & converse with this deponent about his services as a soldier. that he served in the early part of the war on an expedition to Quebeck. and this [deponent -- inserted] often heard the said Adams in company with other revolutionary soldiers relate his adventures as a soldier in said war, and this deponent has no doubt that the said Adams was a soldier in said war & served a considerable time, but the precise length of time this deponent is unable to say --
This deponent further states
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he is well acquainted with Polly Spring of East Bloomfield, who is a daughter of the said Jonathan & Abigail Adams and that the said Polly Spring is as this deponent believes one or two years older than this deponent. [Sworn & subscribed to this 4th day of December 1849. -- crossed out]  This deponent further states that it is his impression gathered from what he has heard the said Adams [& others -- crossed out] himself & others say that he served in the whole during the revolutionary war as much as three years in all.  Silas Eggleston [signature] 

Sworn & subscribed to this 4th day of December 1849.} Before me. The word "Abigail" erased & the words "Jonathan." & the word "deponent" interlined before signing.  Orson Benjamin Justice of the Peace of Ontario County N. Y. [signature] 

I hereby certify that I have been personally acquainted with the above named Silas Eggleston for more than twenty five years. & I certify that he is a person of the highest respectability of character - a man of integrity & intelligence whose statements are entitled to the fullest credit Orson Benjamin Justice of the Peace of said County of Ontario [signature]
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State of New York Ontario County Clerks Office Canandaigna 17 Decr. 1879 } Ss
I Alexander H Howell Clerk of Ontario County do hereby certify that Orson Benjamin Esquire before whom the foregoing affidavit was Subscribed and sworn was at the time of taking the same a Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly elected & sworn and authorized to act as such and further that I am well acquainted with his hand writing and verily believe his Signatures to the foregoing certificates are genuine
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of said County at the time & place to the certificate above written Alexr. H. Howell Clerk [signature]
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I hereby certify that I have examined the Records of this town, and that the marriage of Jonathan Adams with Abigail Sperry is not upon them, nor is there any record of births to them: neither is there any record of Marriages of so ancient a date as 1776. or 1777: nor any church records of that [or those -- inserted] dates that I can learn of. Mark R. Van Deusen, Town Clerk, of Alford. Mass. [signature]  Dated at Alford Nov. 30th. 1849.} 

L.M. Drury, Esq. Sir. Yours of the 27, inst,  reached me yesterday, & above please find my certificate. Not finding the record you desired, I called on Philo Sperry a Nephew of Jonathan Adams, & Abigail Sperry, who lives in this town, thinking he might give me some information concerning them. but he was unable to. Yours Respectfully, Mark R. Van Dusen [signature]
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[page divided into 3 columns]
[left side of page]
1928 July 19 Photos to E. V. Martindale, See John Adams, S.39926. A. D. Y.

[center of page] [printed form with hand written responses]
Rev WIDOW, &c.
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File No. 15869 Abigail Adams widow of Jonathan Adams Pri Rev War
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Act July 4th. 36  Index: Vol. A, Page 3 [Arrangement of 1870.] [square brackets in original] 

[right side of page] 
Gen. notes taken b N. D. Adams are of
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Hon  X S. Cushing 21 April 1838. 
And Hon. F Pierce May 29 1838. 
Len Morrell July 14 1838
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No. 1580
Abigail Adams do Ms
Letter L M. Drury 23d Nov 1849
Act 4 July 1836
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Canandaigua. N.Y. Dec 17th. 1849
Sir: Herewith you will receive additional testimony in the case of Abigail Adams decd. widow of Jonathan Adams under act of 4th July 1836. It is submitted, that the testimony now offered, together with that heretofore furnished, is sufficient to establish this claim under act of 4th July 1836. The testimony of Silas Eggleston & James Sperry clearly show the estimation in which Adams was held by his neighbors as a revolutionary Soldier, and in this respect, identify the soldier with Mrs Adam's husband, as required to be done in the concluding paragraph of your letter of the 25th. Nov. last. The testimony of Sperry, in respect to his having copied the record furnished in this case, from the old record made by Jonathan Adams himself, it is submitted, should be received as establishing the marriage of these parties. Precisely the same kind of testimony has been received in other cases, as sufficient proof of marriage. I refer you to the case of the heirs of Margaret Kelty
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widow of John Kelty under act of 4th. July 1836 , which was allowed in Sept last. The family record, taken from an older record, & sworn to be correct by the party who made the transcript was received as conclusive proof of Marriage. In that case the record was no older than the one presented in the present case.  Both were made about forty years ago. 
The certificate of the town Clerk of Alford shows that there is no public record of marriage or births of a date so ancient as those alleged to have taken place in this case.
In respect to the requisition of your letter that "in case satisfactory evidence of identity is furnished, then the order to bring this case under act of 4th July 1836. It must be clearly shown by the records in Boston that the soldier of Capt Cowdin's Co. was from Alford." I would say in reply thereto, that the certificate already presented provides all the evidence [the -- crossed out] I suppose, that the Records afford. and it will not be denied that such proof as is already exhibited has been deemed sufficient in many instances. It will not be denied that in cases of Militia [underlined]
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service, the only evidence required, has been the fact that the name of the soldier was found on the records of the State [underlined] to which he belonged, even when the name of the town did not appear at all. 
I can refer to cases exactly in point. The case of Hannah Kinney widow of Seth Kinney under act of 4th. July 1836, results allowed, is one. In that case Seth Kinney served 1 year 7. months in 1776 & 1777 -- in the State of Connecticut -- was married in 1778. & removed to Vermont. & the 1780 served nearly one month in the Militia of that state. The only evidence of the last service was furnished in a certificate of the Sec. of Vt. setting forth that the name Seth Kinney was found as served in the militia in 1780 -- nearly one month. It made no mention of the town to which he belonged, or that of any of his officers. 
And yet this certificate was used as evidence of Mrs Kinney's husband's service & the claim allowed under the act of 4th. July 1836.
If such testimony was deemed sufficient in that case (& I can cite others) there is the same decision that it should be deemed sufficient in
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this.
As to the demand for satisfactory reason to be given for the failure of Mrs Adams to make a presentation of her claim. I would observe that no effort has been made to furnish any reason whatever. It will not be questioned that very many claims have been presented & allowed even where the parties had survived the passage of the acts under which they claimed a longer time than Mrs Adams did & no reason whatever was offered or demanded for their failure to present their claims earlier. But I had supposed that this question was put to rest be decisions of the Secretary of the Interior directly upon the point. In three Cases presented by myself under act of 7th July 1838. Viz Rachael Linnett, Lois Patterson, & Polly Sperry, the testimony offered in them was over borne, and a [unreadable] sought to be raised against them because they had not been presented earlier. But the Secretary of the Interior, to whom the claims were taken on an appeal, without the adductions of any further testimony whatever reversed the decisions & allowed each of their claims. 
If it is desired to take his opinion upon the point aggain, [again] it can be done.
I am respectfully Your Obt Servt. L.M. Drury. [signature] 
J L Edwards Esqr. Comr. of Pensions.}
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Canandaigua N.Y. Oct. 18th, 1849,
Sir: Herewith is presented the claim of Abigail Adams widow of Jonathan Adams under the act of 4th of July 1836. The proof of service, as well as that of the marriage. it is believed, will be deemed sufficiently clear to establish the claim.
I am very Respectfully Your Obt. Servt. L.M. Drury [signature] 
J.L Edwards Esqr. Comr. of Pensions Washington. D.C.
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Washington Decr 19 1849.
Dear Sir Please examine the within claim and report the result to me at your earliest convenience Yours Truly Robt L Rose [signature] 
Hon J L Edwards
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Copy 
[printed form with hand written responses]
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. Claim for Military Service.
I certify that in conformity with the law of the United States, of the 4th July 1836, Abigail Adams decd late of New York, widow of Jonathan Adams, who was a Drummer and Private in the Revolution, and died in the year 1811, is inscribed on the roll of Pensioners at the rate of Thirty five 73/100 Dollars, per annum Commencing 4th March 1831 & ending 27th May 1843 when she died
The amount is due and payable to her only surviving children, to wit Polly Spring, Abigail Kimberly Jonathan Adams, Sarah Pixley, John Adams and Mark Adams.

Given at the Department of the Interior, this 27th day of December one thousand eight hundred and forty nine Secretary of the Interior. Examined and Countersigned.} Commissioner of Pensions.