Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21056, Jedidiah Bassett, Mass.
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SERVICE Mass
Bassett, Jedidiah or Basset, Jedediah
NUMBER S.21056

carded
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Vermont 9601 
Jedediah Basset of Windham in the State of Vermont who was a pri: in the company commanded by Captain Billings of the Regt commanded by Col. Larned in the Masstts Line  for 8 months

Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont at the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 

Certificate of Pension issued the 1st day of June 1833
Newfane Vt.  have sent J. Elliott


Arrears to the 4th of March 33 - 53.32 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept " - 13.33 
====
$66.65 

⎨ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.} Recorded by Wm Miller
Book E Vol. 6 Miller Clerk Page 52
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No. 98. Windham Co. Vermont 

Jedidiah Bassett application For Pension Sept. 1832 13.969
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No. 98. Windham Co. Vermont   Jedidiah Bassett application For Pension Sept. 1832 13.969
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State of Vermont District of  ss
on this fifth of September 1832 personally appeared in open court being the court of Probate within and for the District of Marlboro in the County of Windham and State of Vermont now sitting Jedidiah Basset resident of Wilmington in said County of Windham aged eighty 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 the act of Congress passed the 7th day June 1832. 

That he States under entered the service of the [inserted: United States under] the following named officers and and served as herein after stated.

Soon after the Brittish came out of Boston to Lexington and had an engagement, there came orders to Hardwick in the County of Worcester in Manachusetts where he then for solder to enlist to defend the country this applicant does not know whether in the Militia of Massachusetts or on the continental establishment but under those orders he enlisted for eight months at Hardwick aforesaid in [inserted: Lt. Sears and Ensign and Goram Subal] Capt Samuel Billings Company in Colonel Larneds regiment - he thinks in the latter part of April 1775, he left the service he things about the last of December or first of January following cannot state the particular day but he recollects the remained in service some little time after his eight months had expired waiting for the new recruits to arrive then he was dismissed, and had no written discharge [crossed out: was] marched to Watertown before the regiment was formed and then the regiment was marched to Roxbury where he spent the summer there was several regiments there
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he recollects col Serjants regiment and Colonel Spronts regiment General Thomas was the commanding General till General Washington arrived which he thinks was in the month of July he declares that he has no documentary evidence and that he knows of no other testimony of his said services now in his power to obtain except the testimony of Adnah Bangs who was a Sergeant in said company during the said Eight months and when affidavit is herewith transmitted, 

He relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State 

Questions by the Court 
1 in the Town of Norton Massachusetts in the 1752 
2 then our in the town of Norton aforesiad
3 in the town of Hardwick in Massachusetts in Wilmington Vermont where I now reside 
4 I enlisted voluntarily
5 , they are embodied in the declaration 
6 not a written one 
7 James Hall Israel Lawton Judah Mae 
Jedidiah Bassett
Sworn to and duly certified the day and year aforesaid.

We James Hall and [inserted: Marshall Miller, Judge of Probate] and Israel Lawton residents in Wilmington hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Jedediah Basset and believe him to be Eighty one years of age  and that he is reputed [smudged or crossed out: within the neighborhood] when he reputed to have been a solder of the revolution that we concur in that opinion. 
[signed]
James Hall
Israel Lawton 

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year order truth
[signed] Marshall Miller Judge of Probate 

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 applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served
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3 in the town of Hardwick in Massachusetts in Wilmington Vermont where I now reside 
4 I enlisted voluntarily 
5, they are embodied in the declaration 
6 not a written one 
7 James Hall Israel Lawton Judah Mave 
[signed]Jedidiah Bassett

Sworn to and  hereby certified the day and year aforesaid
[signed]Marshall Miller, Judge of Probate]

We Jairus Hall and Israel Lawton residents in Wilmington hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Jedediah Basset and believe him to be Eighty one years of age and that he is reputed [smudged or crossed out: within the neighborhood] when he ready to have been a solder of the revolution that we concur in that opinion
[signed]
Jairus Hall 
Israel Lawton 

Sworn to  and subscribed the day and year are truth
[signed] Marshall Miller Judge of Probate 

And the  said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogation as prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that Jairus Hall and Israel Lawton, who have signed the preceding certificate are citizens of the said Town of Wilmington, and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit- 

I James Elliot Register of the Probate Court within and for the District of Marlborough aforesaid, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Jedediah Bassett for a Pension. In testimon whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of of fice this 6th day of September A.D. 1832. James Elliot, Probate Regist
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I Adah Bangs of Wilmington in the County of Windham and State of Vermont aged Eighty eight years testify and say that in the fact of the revolutionary war he resided in the Town of Hardwick in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts and was well acquainted with Jedidiah Basset who then resided in said Hardwick and now resides in the Town of Wilmington in the County Windham and State of Vermont and is now about Eighty or eighty one years of age has resided in Wilmington about fifty five years I have known him ever since the commencement of the war said Basset some time in the month of April or beginning of May 1775 enlisted in Captain Samuel Billings Company in Col. Larned Regiment for
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4 months and served as a soldier in said Company and regiment the whole of his term of enlistment and a few ays over and was dismissed but had no written discharge This deponant was in the same company during the whole and the said Basset and I massed together and further this deponent saith not
[signed]Adnah his X mark Bangs

Sworn to [inserted: & subscribed] this sixth day of August AD 1832 before John Roberts Justice of the peace 

I certify that I am personally acquainted with Adnah Bangs and believe his character for truth is fair 
John Roberts Justice of the Peace 

State of Vermont Windham County Court Clerk's Office, New Fane, Sept. A.D. 1832. 

I certify that John Roberts, Esquire, is a Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Windham aforesaid, and that the above are his signatures - 

In testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the said County Court on the day and year above written James Elliot, Clerk
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13969 
Jedidiah Barrett Windham County Vermont Admit as private
for [illegible] 

James Elliott Clk New Fane Vermont
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WAR DEPARTMENT Pension Office, 183 

Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. the notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: ⎬) You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by comply with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim. 

A Statement, showing the service of Jedediah Bassett, Windham Co Vermont
[table columns]Period when the service was rendered | Duration of the claimant's service. Years. Months Date | Rank of the Claimant. | Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served | Names and Rank of the General and Field Officers | 
Battles in which the applicant was engaged | Country through which he Marched | Place of abode which he entered the service and age at the present period | Evidence by which the declaration is supported. 
[row 1] Enlisted 1775 | [blank] 8 [blank] | Private | Capt Billings | Col Larned | [blank] | Roxbury | 81 Worcester Mass | tradition 1 witness proves the service 

I am, respectfully, 
Your obedient servant, 
 J. L. EDWARDS, Commissioner of Pensions.
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2
REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832

The following regulations have been adopted: This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia" and "volunteers, all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service. 

Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law: 1. The Regular Troops. 2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers. 3. Persons employed in the Naval service. 4. Indian Spies. 

As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first instance , make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record. 

DECLARATION. In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832. State, Territory, or district of [blank] of County of [blank] ss
On this  [blank] day of [blank] personally appeared (a) before A.B. a resident (b) of  [blank] in the county of and State, Territory or District aged [blank] 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 provion made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d) with and served in the (e) regiment of the line, under the following named officers: (Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he enered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.] He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. A. B. And then will follow the certificate of the Court. And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. of the Court of do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this day of & c. If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out. Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz: (k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with and C.D. residing in (the same) subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be who has years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid, And then will follow the certificate of the Court. 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 Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that A. B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the and that C.D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. 1 Clerk of the Court of do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the applicacation of for a pension. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this day of & c. Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission ; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction. If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person
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3 will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted ; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case. The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia. 1. Where and in what year were you born? 2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it? 3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war , and where do you now live? 4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom? 5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services To a Soldier ⎬ Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it? Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what Town office, has become of it? 7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. The Court will see that he answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant. The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons--one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates. The traditionary evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject. Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court. Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature. No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure , taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter. The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance. The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule. The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned. The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served. Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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 amount of pension he is entitled. 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 consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service; but, according to the best of his recollection, he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades:--For---year---- months, anddays , I served as a- For months and days, I served as a ; and for such service I claim a pension." 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 that 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 shown 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. 1 The law makes the relinquishment indispensable. The opnion of the Court is always required. The Clerk must give his certificate in every case. The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he 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. 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 papers 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. 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 claimant's 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. The notes from to are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops, The proof required by rule in note to applies to continental troops only. This traditionary evidence is indispensable in militia cases. If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration. Buford
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21056
INVALID
Jedidiah Basset
Pri. Rev. Was

Act: June 7 '32

Index:- Vol 2, Page 20

{Arrangement of 1870}