Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 22,445, John Totman, Continental Mass.
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(0-1770)
SERVICE.                                     NUMBER
Continental     Totman, John    W.22445
Mass.                Hannah    B. L. Wt. 8009-160-55 

Contents
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63165 Act Mar 3/55
Apl 2/55
Hannah Totman wid
John Totman, Paid.
Totman
Mass; Mil
Ent.
Died.
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4345 Albany
[unreadable]
Hannah Totman widow of John Totman who served in the Revolutionary war, as a Private Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 80 Dollars – Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1818.
Certificate of Pension issued the 14th day of March ’49 and sent to J. D. Woodward of Elliottsburg 
Morthesen Recorded on January 2 [unreadable]
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Plymouth Sept, 6th 1867 J. D. Woodward Esq. 
Sir Yours of Aug. 24th was received yesterday the 5th of Sept, and the Post Master said that it arrived on that day. 
I have examined the records as you requested and find that John Totman was the son of John and Elizabeth Totman. "John Totman was born Dec. 26, 1759" This is all there is upon my records or the records of the town. 
But there is now living Mr. Nathaniel Goodwin who has in his possession the papers of General Nathaniel Goodwin, who was in the Revolution as Inspector of the troops kept an account of all the soldiers in the County of Plymouth. These papers are official (not the private papers) and are those from which the returns were made. These papers came into the hands of the present Mr Goodwin as the Executor of his fathers Estate 
over
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The following is a copy of this return as found in the possession of the Executor Mr Nathaniel Goodwin from whom you may obtain an affidavit attesting his official character. In this return is the number of 94 who all enlisted for three years. "A return of men enlisted into the continental service from the Town of Plymouth for three years January 1777" then follows the names among which is "John Tatman Priv" 
If you think this testimony will be available and you wish for the affidavit of Mr Goodwin you can write me on the receipt of this and I will obtain it for you. 
The affidavit of Mr Goodwin drawn by a Justice of the Peace $ 1.00
the attestation of the Clerk of Court .50 
My fee in addition .50 
 $2.00 
Yours Respectfully 
Timothy Berry Town Clerk
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[seal]
7559
Hannah Totman
Act July 7 1838
New York
M. 85 d. 13
[crossed out text: on Roll Colonel Bradford Dec 76 3 gm. Dischd. 79  2004 35 Abingdon}
J. S. M.
J. D. Woodward, Esquire
Albany New York
[postmarks]
[unreadable]
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State of New York
County of Clinton   I, On this nineteenth day of February 1841 personally appeared before me William F. Haile First Judge of the County Courts of said County, Hannah Totman a resident of (illegible) in said County aged seventy four years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed July 7, 1838, entitled an act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows.  That she is the widow of John Totman who was a private in the army of the Revolution and served as follows.  He entered the army as she believes during the early part of the war at Abington Massachusetts and served under Captain Stetson, Lieut. Peterson and Sergeant Thorp of the Massachusetts Troops.  He was one of General Washington’s life guard as she believes & was in the service at Ticonderoga, Lake George at Saugerties & Crest Point & in the battle of Bunker Hill & served until the end of the war, Has heard him say he enlisted for during the war, and was at one time a sergeant, and served until he was honorably discharged.  She cannot state the length of time he served either as a private or Sergeant, but she believes he served more than two years and in fact until the close of the war or until the Troops were discharged.
She further declares that she was married to the said John Totman on the first – day of September Seventeen hundred and Eighty five at Fitchburg, Massachusetts, by Israel Nichols Justice of the Peace.  Her maiden name was Hannah Pierce – and she was born at Lunenburg Mass. On the fourth March 1766.  Her husband had as she believes an Honorable discharge which with his other papers has been lost or destroyed.  She further declares that her said Husband died at Salisbury (illegible) in the fall she thinks in the year 1813, leaving her a widow, and she has ever since remained a widow.  She has not applied before for a pension because she supposed her case was not embraced by law, and she had no evidence in support of her claim.  She was not married to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage took place previous to the first of January seventeen hundred and ninety four viz at the time above stated.
Sworn and subscribed to before me the day and year first above written & I certify that the applicant cannot write her name having never learned how to write and that she is unable by reason of bodily infirmity to attend court which sits ten miles from here where this declaration is take.  She is old, feeble & has difficulty in moving
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about and her statement is entitled to full credit. Wm F. Haile First Judge of Clinton County Court State of New York Count of Clinton p. I the subscriber clerk of said County certify that William F. Haile before whom the foregoing affidavit or declaration of Mrs. Hannah Totman was taken at said time first Judge of said County and his signature to the jurat of said affidavit above written is genuine. In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand and official seal this second day of March 1841 Smith Mead Clerk [seal] Clerk of Clinton County Plattsburg, N.Y.
Single
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John Nash
Town Clerk of Abington
R. April 28, 1847




J. D. Woodward Esq.
Plattsburg
New York

(Stamped) 
Abington 
Apr 22
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Abington Plymouth County Mass.
April 20th 1847
Dear Sir
Circumstances beyond my control have occasioned so long a delay in writing to you in answer to your letters that you perhaps think I have forgotten you, or rather have been remiss in duty.  I can only inform you that owing to adverse circumstances and the difficulty of obtaining anything definite and satisfactory on the subject I have been waiting and hoping for something more satisfactory in order to give you some information, more definite than anything I have yet learned in regard to the matter, respecting Mr. Totman’s service in the Revolutionary war.  I have examined all the records of this town now in my custody with all the care and attention.  I have been able to do and find but very little in them.  I have also conversed with all the persons within my acquaintance on the subject, who I thought could give me any information in relation to the matter, with very little success.  The time since those events took place is so long that there is but very few persons now living here which are old enough to have any distinct recollection of these things.  I am therefore unable to give you any information, satisfactory and to be relied on except what I derive from the Records which is simply the few following particulars.  I appears that a warrant was granted by the Selectmen of this town dated June 2 1778 directing the Constable to warn John Totman and his family to depart out of this town to Hanover, in accordance with the custom of towns at that time, from this I infer that he removed into this town from Hanover about that time, but whether his wife was then living or of how many his family consisted does not appear – neither could I find any person who could inform me.  I find no record of her Death.  The next thing that appears, is the Reason of the publishment of his intentions of Marriage with Sarah Vining August 26th 1780 – and the Record of their marriage on the 7th of  September following.  It also appears that they had one son named Thomas Vining Totman who was born January 31th 1782.  That John Totman served as a constable and collector of taxes in this town in the year 1784 – That his wife Sarah Totman died in this town March 19th 1813 at the age of 71 years – That he, John Totman, died in this town August 2 1815 at the age of 83 years
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These particulars respecting John Totman I think undoubtedly refer to the John Totman with whom I was acquainted and who was the Father of the John Totman who performed the services in the Revolutionary war – of which you have written.  The Records of this Town are so indefinite in regard to the names of the persons who performed service, that but little is known respecting them, in some cases the Orders are drawn payable to an individual for his services – in other cased the payable to a person to pay his continental man that he hired – in other cases payable to a person as Head of a Class – and in other cases a large order is given to pay several men with – These circumstances render it exceedingly difficult for me to know who the persons were who served as the levy from this town.  I find only one order drawn in favour of John Totman for his services, and that is the one to which I refered dated April 13th 1781 for 278 (L) 8 (p) for his eleven days service on the alarm to Tivertown in the State of Rhode Island – an order was also drawn in favour of twenty one other persons of the same date, cash for the same amount and for the same service.  I think there is no reasonable doubt that this service was performed by the John Totman who lived and died in this town and I also find on the record and account of an order given to John Totman for one pound for his son Seth Totman’s traveling fee from West Point dated June 14th 1784 – and to Micah Reed two or three orders for Seth Totman’s wages.  These I conclude all refer to the same individual John Totman’s son.  There are orders also drawn in favour of seventeen persons for three days service on the alarm to Tivertown for 79 L – 4 p each but the name of Totman is not among them, neither among any others which I could find.
The three days service which you mention as having been performed by John Totman in the North Militia Co. Hanover April 20th 1775 I conclude was before he removed from Hanover to this town and from this circumstance I think in all probability by the same John Totman as went from this town to Tiveron, R.I. but respecting the other service performed by John Totman I feel unable to give you any information, but from all these circumstances I should be inclined to think they were performed by his son John Totman.
As it is probable that John Totman the Father of these Totmans removed from Hanover to this town I thought possibly I might obtain some information respecting the services he performed, his marriage, birth of his children & from the records of that town, I accordingly, through the favour of the Town Clerk of that towns examine the records in his case, in order to ascertain if anything could be learned from them but I could not find any thing there to [illegible] any light upon the subject. I found the name of Sylvester was quite a common name there but could find no record of Mr. Totman’s marriage or the birth of any of his children – and so whether he was married in Hanover or in some other town I could not learn.  I was informed that some part of the early records & paper of the town
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were destroyed by fire many years ago – and it is possible that the papers relating to these things have been destroyed.
On the whole I have not found or learned anything so far as I have been able to obtain information which goes to dissent Mrs. Totman’s statement and see not but what her statement entitles to full credit and belief. 
The most I have been able to find out respecting John Totman Jr. by conversation is that he disliked his Father’s marriage with Sarah Vining and left this town soon after that event – since which it is not recollected that he has been here but once & then tarried only a short time, but whether he served in the Revolutionary was as a levy from this town or from any other town I have not been able to learn from any person and as the records are entirely silent on the subject, I cannot give you any further information, without examining the records in other towns and places.  I sincerely hope Mrs. Totman may succeed in obtaining a pension, and if I could render any further assistance I would cheerfully do it.
Respectfully yours
John Nash
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Plymouth, ss:
I, Timothy Berry, of the town of Plymouth, in said county, being duly sworn, says that he is Clerk of said Town, duly qualified and acting as such, and that in a book containing a record of the Births and Marriages in said town on file in his office, he finds the following entries which are correctly copied from said records, except dates, which are expressed in words, as follows:
“John Totman was born “(in Plymouth)” January 29, 1733 (Seventeen hundred and thirty three.)  His intention of marriage is found in the record thus – “intention of marriage between Elisabeth Harlow and John Totman Feby 19th, 1759” (Seventeen hundred and fifty nine.)  No record of their marriage.
The next record of John Totman is as follows:
“The children of John Totman and Elisabeth, is wife – 
“John Totman was born December 26, 1759” (seventeen hundred and fifty nine.)
“Reuben Totman was born June 23, 1766” (seventeen hundred and sixty six.)
“Asaph Totman was born May 4th, 1769” (seventeen hundred and sixty nine.)
Deponent has examined “a return of
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men enlisted into the Continental services from the town of Plymouth for three years, January 1777” in possession of Nathaniel Goodwin, of said Town, and Deponent verily believes that said John Totman Junior who enlisted as aforesaid, is the same person who was born in said Town of Plymouth.  And further says note.
Timothy Berry
(The attestation of Jacob H. Lowe, Justice of the Peace and Jno. Wm. Thomas, Clerk of the Plymouth county court here follow in the original in due form.)
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I certify that Book No. 2, Page 228, of the records of the town of Leominster, County of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, contains the original records of the marriages solemnized by Israel Nichols Justice of the Peace in said county in the year 1785, and that among said marriages recorded in the book and page aforesaid is the following viz.
“Worcester ss September first one thousand seven hundred eighty five.
Mr. John Totman & Mrs. Hannah Pierce both of Fitchburg in said county was married by me according to law.
Attest Israel Nichols Just. Peace”
And I further certify that the foregoing extract is a true copy of the aforesaid record with the exception of the date which is expressed  on the record in fair legible figures as follows – “September 1st 1785
Luke Lincoln clerk of the town Leominster
January 19th 1841
I Luke Lincoln above name depose and say that I hold the office of town clerk in the town county and state aforesaid and that the above is a true extract from the records of said town with the exception above named as certified by me.
Luke Lincoln Clerk of the town of Leominster
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Worcester County ss. January 19th 1841.
Personally appeared before me the subscribes a Justice of the Peace for said County of Worcester, the above named Luke Lincoln, and made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing Certificate, Declaration and Deposition by him subscribed, and I certify that said Lincoln is a credible person.
Wm. Perry Justice of the Peace
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You write that I have obtained evidence of this claimant service and hasenth send it.  If it be necessary that our County Clerk must certify that William Perry is a Justice of the Peace just return it and we will have it done.  He lives 25 miles from this place and it will be attended with some trouble is the reason we [unreadable] without.
Yours res.
Nathaniel Wood
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
County of Plymouth ss
John Nash aged fifty eight years, being duly sworn says that he is Clerk of the Town of Abington in said County of Plymouth, and has in his possession the Records thereof, and has been such Town Clerk for the fast fifteen years and that letters signed by him addressed to J. D. Woodward Esq. and now on file in the Pension Office, one dated April 20th 1847 – and the other August 1847 of which the above are copies, contain the result of deponents examinations for evidence of the service, and identity of the Husband of Hannah Totman, now an applicant for a pension.  Deponent further says that from his examination of said records and the tradition of the neighborhood where the Totman family formerly resided, he verily believes that the John Totman with whom Deponent was acquainted, and who died in Abington on the second day of August 1815, at the aged of 83 years was born in Plymouth in the County of Plymouth in January 1733 – and was the Father of the John Totman Junior, Reuben Totman and Asa Totman who were also born in said town.  Deponent believes from the tradition of his neighborhood that the last above named John Totman and Asa Totman on the second marriage of their father, left said Town of Abington and never resided there afterwards and Deponent has no doubt that said John Totman the Husband of Mrs. Hannah Totman entered the service, afterwards from Plymouth, and was called John Totman Junior.  Deponent examined the records of the Town of Hanover with the Clerk of that town, but could not find any record there of the birth of any person by the name of Totman, and Deponent is inclined to believe that John Totman Senior removed from Plymouth to Hanover and resided there before he came to Abington.
Deponent has not been able to discover any evidence whatever going to prove that the husband of Mrs. Hannah Totman was a native of Hannover, on the contrary Deponent has no doubt that he was born in Plymouth, and is the same person who entered the
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three years service form that town in 1777.  Deponent recollects to have heard persons in Abington say years ago that John Totman Junior mad a short visit to his father John Totman Senior not long after the marriage of the said John Totman Junior, and further says not
John Nash Town Clerk of Abington
Sworn and subscribed to before me the 10th day of February 1849 and I certify that Deponent is a credible witness
Ezekiel Thaxter  Justice Peace
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Abington Plymouth County Ma
April 20th 1847

Dear Sir:
Circumstances beyond my control have occasioned so long a delay in writing to you in answer to your letter that you perhaps think I have forgotten you, or rather have been remiss in duty, I can only inform you that owing to adverse circumstances, and the difficulty of obtaining any thing definite and satisfactory, on the subject, I have been writing & hoping for something more satisfactory in order to give you some information more definite than any thing I have yet learned in regard to the matter, respecting Mr. Totman's service in the Revolutionary War - I have examined all the Records of this town now in my custody with all the care and attention I have been to do, and find but very little in them, I have also convened with all persons within my acquaintance on the subject, who I thought would give me any information in relation to the matter with very little success, the time since these events took place is so long that there is but very few persons now living here which are old enough to have any distinct recollection of these things. I am therefore unable to give you any information satisfactory and to be relied on, except what I devise from the Records which is simply the few following particulars - It appears that a warrant was granted by the Selectmen of this town date June 2d 1778 directing the constable to warn John Totman and his family to depart out of this town & Hanover, in accordance with the customs of the towns at the time from this & infer that he removed into this town from Hanover about that time, but whether his wife was then living or how many his family consisted does not appear within, neither could I find any person who could inform me, & I find no record of her death - the next thing that appears is the Record of the publishment of his intentions of marriage with Sarah Vining August 26th 1780 - and the Record of their marriage on the 7th of September following - it also appears that they had one son named Thomas Vining Totman who was born January 31st 1782 - That John Totman served as a constable and Collector of taxes in this town in the year 1784 - That his wife Sarah Totman died in this town March 19th 1813 at the age of 71 years - That he (John Totman) died in this town August 2d 1815 at the age of 83 years - These particulars respecting John Totman I think undoubtedly refer to the John Totman with whom I was acquainted and who was the Father of the late John Totman who performed most of the services in the Revolutionary war - of which you have written - The Records of this town are so indefinite in regard to the names of the person who performed services, that but little is known respecting them, in some cases the orders are drawn
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payable to an individual for his services - in other cases payable to a person to pay his continental man that he hired - in other cases payable to a person as Head of a Class - and in other cases a large order is given to pay several men with- These circumstances render it exceedingly difficult for me to know who the persons were who served as the levy from this town - I find only one order drawn in favor of John Totman for his services and that is the one to which I referred dated April 13th 1781 for 278 - 8 - for his eleven day service on the alarm to Tiverton in the State of Rhode Island - an order was also drawn in favor of twenty one other persons of the same date each for the same amount and for the same service. I think there is no reasonable doubt that this service was person performed by the John Totman who lived and died in this town - 
And I also find on the Record   an account of an order given to John Totman for one pound for his son Seth Totman travelling fee from West Point dated June 14th 1784 and to Micah Reed two or three orders for for Seth Totman's wages. These I conclude all refer to the same individual John Totman's son. There are orders drawn in favor of seventeen persons for three day's service on the alarm to Tiverton for 79 - 4-  each but the name of Totman is not among them, neither among any other which I could find-
The three days service which you mention as having been performed by John Totman in the North Militia Co, Hanover April 20th 1775 I conclude and before he removed from Hanover to this town and from this circumstances I think in all probability - by the same John Totman as went from this town to Tiverton R. I., but respecting the other services performed by John Totman I feel unable to give you any information but from all these circumstances. I should be inclined to think they were performed by his son Seth Totman. 
As it is probable that John Totman the father of these Totman's removed from Hanover to this town I thought, possibly, I might obtain some information respecting the services he performed. his marriage, birth of his children &c from the Records of that town, I accordingly through the favor of the town clerk of that town examined the Records in his case in order to ascertain if any thing could be learned from them but I could not find anything there to throw any light upon the subject - I found the name of Sylvester was quite a common name there - but could find not record of Mr Totman's marriage or the birth of any of his children - and so whether he was married in Hanover or in some other town I could not 
learn. 
I was informed that some part of the early Records & papers of the town were destroyed by fire many years ago and it is possible that the papers relating to these things have been destroyed-
On the whole I have not found or learned anything so far as I have
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[illegible]

John Nash
Letter Apr 20/47

Recvd Apri 20/47

10
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been able to obtain information which goes to discredit Mrs. Totman’s statement and see not but what her statement is entitled to full credit and belief.
The most I have been able to find out respecting John Totman Jr. by conversation is that he dislike his father’s marriage with Sarah Vining and left this town soon after that event.  Since which it is not recollected that he has been here but once and then tarried only a short time, but whether he served in the revolutionary war as a levy form this town, or from any other town I have not been able to learn form any person and as the records are entirely silent on the subject I cannot give you any further information without examining the records in other  towns and places.  I sincerely hop Mrs. Totman may succeed in obtaining a pension, and if I  could render any further assistance I would cheerfully do it.
Respectfully yours
John Nash
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Abington August 1847

J. D. Woodward Esq. 

Dear Sir
I regret the necessity that I have been under of so long delaying to answer your request. Circumstances beyond my control have prevented me from obtaining the information which wished and after all perhaps I cannot give you information that will be of much service to you. I went first to Hanover and there I made by Mrs Joseph Brooks in the town clerk a personal examination of the Records of that town but found nothing satisfactory - After that learning that there were several families by the name of Totman now living in Scituate, I went there and called on these several families. I found these families remotely related to the John Totman who formerly lived in this town, but being mostly youngerly people I could not obtain any information from them very satisfactory from them and by examining the Records of the Town of Scituate I came to the conclusion that he married a woman by the name of Sylvester but could not find as they had any children. I was therefore led to suppose that he must have been married three times. I therefore continued my inquiries until I ascertained that he was born & lived in Plymouth until after, or about the time of his second marriage. By the Records of the Town of Plymouth it appears that the John Totman with whom I was acquainted was born in Plymouth January 29th 1733 his parents his parents names were Thomas and Lucretia. He was married about the beginning of March 1759 to Elisabeth Harlow of Plymouth, by whom it appears that he had four sons. John Totman his first son was born December 26th 1759. Reuben was born June 23d. 1766. Asaph born May 4th 1769. They had also a son by the name of Seth, but the time of his birth I could not ascertain - at what time his first wife died I have not ascertained. His second wife was Mary Sylvester who it appears then lived in Scituate and he in Plymouth, they were probably married in the spring of the year 1774.  The Record states that they were published in Plymouth April 2d. 1774. but no record of their marriage was found in Plymouth or Scituate from that time little has been ascertained of him until he removed into Abington probably in the year 1777 and in 1780 he was married to Sarah Vining as I have already informed you - that with the information I have already sent to you comprises about all I could learn of the John Totman which I formerly knew. 
Respecting the John Totman his son and was the Husband of Hannah Totman I have not been able as yet to learn very much that is satisfactory.In looking over and examining a parcel of old papers, now in the possession of Nathaniel Goodwin Esq of Plymouth I found a list or memorandum of the names of persons ninety-four in number who enlisted into the Continental service from that town and among the number was the name of John Totman Jr this was in the month of January 1777 - this enlistment was from three years but the paper or memorandum does not date who any of the officers were or any other circumstances as I could find than these, but taking this in connection
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with Mrs Totman's statement, I think there is no reasonable doubt but that he went from Plymouth for the first three years, but how far this can be was as evidence of the fact I cannot say. I understand that there was a Captain name d Judah Allen who lived in Duxbury a town adjoining or near Plymouth who raised a company of men and a Captain Eddy who if I am rightly informed was the father of Zachariah Eddy Esq who now resides in Middleborough in this county, and there a Col. Branford who resided near Captain Allen in Duxbury, perhaps these may be the men to whom Mrs Totman refers to in her statement - I have made considerable inquiries respecting these matters, but from the length of time that has elapsed since these events took place I find it very difficult to obtain satisfactory information on these subjects.
I shall continue my inquiries and examinations as far as I have opportunity, and if anything can be ascertained I shall be very happy to communicate it to you, or any other assistance I can render you in the case. 
Respectfully yours
[signed] John Nash [/signed]
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No. 63165


ACT OF March 3, 1855

Hannah Totman
of N York

Widow of 

John Totman

Bounty Land.

Original Application

J D Woodward
Plathbury
NY
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DECLARATION FOR WIDOW
Who has never received Bounty Land.
State of New York
County of Clinton ss.
On this fifth day of April 1855, personally appeared before me, a justice of the peace, within and for the County and State aforesaid, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of John Totman who served in the war of the Revolution as stated by her in her declaration to obtain a pension under the act of July 7, 1838, to which she refers for evidence of her said Husband and date proof of her marriage 
And continued in actual service is said war for at least 14 days, and was honorable discharged – He served three years from Plymouth County Mass.
She further states that she was married to the said John Totman in Leominster, Mass. On the first day of September 1785 and that her name before her said marriage was Hannah Pierce – that her said husband died at Salisbury Vermont on the Autumn of '83- and that she is now a widow.
She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the Bounty Land to which she may be entitled, under the Act passed the 3d day of March, 1855.  She also declares that she has never received not applied for Bounty Land under this or any other act of Congress.  She is now a pensioner under act July 2, 1848 at $80 per annum - date of her pension certificate March 14, 1849
J.D. Woodward of  Plattsburg, NY
Is duly authorized to prosecute this my claim, and to receive any warrant which may be issued hereon.
Witness
Asaph B. Totman
Hannah  X (Her mark) Totman (SEAL)
AFFIDAVIT OF TWO WITNESSES
Personally came Asaph B. Totman and Franklin Holland residents of the County of Clinton in the State aforesaid, who upon oath declare, that they are personally well acquainted with Mrs. Hannah Totman and saw her sign (or make her mark) to the foregoing declaration, that they know her to be the identical person therein represented, and that she is now a widow, and that we have no interest in this claim.
Asaph B. Totman (SEAL)
F. Holland (SEAL)
MAGISTRATE’S CERTIFICATE
The foregoing declaration and affidavit were sworn to and subscribed before me, this fifth day of April 1855; and I certify that I believe the claimant to be the identical person she represents herself to be, that I know the witnesses are credible persons, and that I have no interest in this claim.
G. W. Stafford
Justice Peace
State of New York
County of Clinton ss.
I hereby certify that George W. Stafford Esq., before whom the foregoing declaration and affidavit were made, is and was, at the time of taking the same, an acting justice of the peace within and for the county and state aforesaid, duly commissioned and qualified, and that his signature above is genuine.
In testimony whereof, I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office, this 6th day of April, 1855
L. W. Pierce    Clerk
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Plymouth Mass.  Dec. 15 1848
Dear Sir
I should have replied before to your letter, but in truth I did not know what to say.  Mr. Goodwin, at first seemed disposed to comply with your request.  I afterwards became disinclined.  I suggested that he might hand the (illegible) to Mr. Hale of Bridgewater Representative in Congress form this district, but he says the (illegible) contains some private memoranda & he now appears wholly unwilling to part with the (illegible)
I am
Respectfully
J.D. Woodward

J.D. Woodward (illegible)
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Service: 
Continental
Mass.

Totman, John
Hannah

Number:
W. 22,445
B.L.Wt. 8009-160-55

Contents:
(Blank)
Page 29

Plathsbury NY Jany 20 1842.

Col James L Edwards
[illegible]

Sir.

I enclose additional evidence in the case of Mrs Hannah Totman required by yours of the 16th Dec. last.

Yours respectfully

[signed] J. D. Woodward [/signed]
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COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Secretary’s Office, Boston
April 30, 1847
Sir,
I have granted a certificate of John Totman’s service in Col Bradfords regt. of the above date, on the strength of a letter form J. D. Woodward Esq. Attorney for Hannah Totman.
From the minutes of search there appears to have been two or three persons of the name of John Totman who served in the war of the Revolution form the Counties of Middlesex and Plymouth.
Respectfully yours (illegible) forward,
John G. Palfrey

James L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
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Marshall Preston
affdt.
in case of
Mrs. Hannah Totman
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Middlesex SS:

Marshall Preston of Billerica in said County being duly sworn says that he holds the Office of Town Clerk of said Town, and had examined the Records there for the purpose of ascertaining whether John Totman was contributed by that Town for the last three years service in the Revolutionary War; but said Records do not furnish any evidence that a man bearing that name was ever contributed by said Town. And deponent inclines to believe that the soldier of that name who is said to have enlisted in Billerica must have belonged to some other Town as the aforesaid Records prove that John Totman of Billerica died on the first day of May 1782, and of course he could not have been the soldier who served in the Mass. Regiment and was paid to Jany. 1. 1783
Sworn and subscribed to before me this tenth - day of August 1848 and I certify that Deponent is a credible witness [signed] Marshall Preston [/signed]

[signed] Dudley Foster Justice Peace. [/signed]

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Middlesex Ss. I Elias Phinney Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the County of Middlesex, do certify that Dudley Foster Esquire is a Justice of the Peace within & for said County of Middlesex, duly commissioned & qualified, and that his name subscribed to the foregoing certificate is his genuine signature. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court, the Eleventh day of August AD 1848.
[signed] E. Phinney [/signed]
Page 33

Pension Office
July 15. 1842

Sir, 
The additional evidence in the case of Hannah Totman is not sufficient to show that the "3 years [illegible]" in Bradfords Regt from 1776 to 1780 or the "3 years [illegible]" from 1781 to conclusion of the War was her late husband. The only service of her husband was less than 6 months in 1780 as a [illegible] from the town of Abington.
I am, very respectfully
Your Obed. Serv.
[signed] J L Edwards[/signed]
Page 34

Albany March 5 1841
Col. Edwards
(illegible)
Sir
I wish you to cause (illegible) of your records with a view to evidence of the service of John Totman in (illegible) of his widow Hannah Totman’s claim to a pension
Yours (illegible)
J.D. Woodward
 of Plattsburg
Page 35

Abington August 1847
J.D. Woodward Esq.
Dear Sir,
I regret the necessity that I have been under of so long delaying to answer your request, circumstances beyond my control have prevented me from obtaining the information which I wished, and after all perhaps I cannot give you information that will be of much service to you.  I went first to Hanson and then I made by the favour of Mr. Joseph Brooke Jr. the Town Clerk a personal examination of the records of that town but found nothing satisfactory. After that learning that there were several families by the name of Totman now living in Sciluate, I went there and called on there several families.  I found there families remotely related to the John Totman who formerly lived in this town, but being mostly youngerly people I could not obtain any information from them very satisfactory, from them and by examining the records of the town of Sciluate I came to the conclusion that he married a woman by the name of Sylvester, but could not find as they had any children.  I was therefore led to suppose that he must have been married three times.  I therefore continued my inquires until I ascertained that he was born and lived in Plymouth until after, or about the time of his second marriage.  By the records of the Town of Plymouth it appears that the John Totman with whom I was acquainted was born in Plymouth, January 29th 1733 – his parents names were Thomas Totman and Lucretia.  He was married about the beginning of March 1759 to Elisabeth Harlow of Plymouth, by whom it appears he had four sons John Totman his first son was born December 26th 1759 Reuben born June 23 1766 – Asaph born May 4th 1769 – they had also a son by the name of Seth but the time of his birth I could not ascertain.  His second wife was Mary Sylvester, who it appears then lived in Sciluate, and he in Plymouth, they were probably married in the spring of the year 1774.  The record states that they were published in Plymouth April 2 1774 – but no record of their marriage was found in the records of Plymouth or Sciluate.  From that time little has been ascertained of him until he removed into Abington probably in the year 1777 – and in 1780 was married to Sarah Vining as I have already informed you.  This with the information I have already sent to you comprises about all I could learn of the John Totman which I formerly knew.
Page 36

Respecting the John Totman his son and was the husband of Mrs. Hannah Totman, I have not been able as yet to learn very much that is satisfactory.  In looking over and examining a parcel of old papers now in the possession of Nathaniel Goodwin Esq. of Plymouth I found a list or memorandum of the names of persons, ninety four in number, who enlisted into the Continental service from that town and among the number was the name of John Totman, this was in the month of January 1777.  This enlistment was for three years but the paper or memorandum does not state who any of the officers were, or any other circumstances, as I could find them there, but taking this in connection with Mrs. Totman’s statement I think there is no reasonable doubt but that he went from Plymouth for the first three years, but how far this can be used as evidence of the past I cannot say.
I understand that there was a Captain named Judah Allen who lived in Duxbury a town adjoining near Plymouth who raised a company of men, and a Captain Eddy, who if I am rightly informed was the father of Zechariah Eddy Esq. who now resides in Middleborough in this county, and there was a Col. Bradford who resided near Captain Allen in Duxbury, perhaps there may be the men to whom Mrs. Totman refers in her statement.  I have made considerable enquiries respecting these matters but the length of time that has elapsed since these events took place I find it very difficult to obtain satisfactory information on these subjects.
I shall continue my enquiries and examinations as far as I have opportunity, and if anything can be ascertained I shall be very happy to communicate it to you, or any other assistance I can render you in the case.
Respectfully yours,
John Nash
Page 37

[stamp}  Boyles  September Hannah Totman widow of John   James
Page 38

Plattsburg Sept. 8, 1847 Sir From the evidence in the case of Hannah Totman we think it is clearly established that one John Totman was sent to the Bakers Trade in Plymouth (probably about 1775) and disliking the (illegible) he entered the army first as a writer for Capt. Eddy & then enlisted into his Comdr. Col. Bradford’s regiment for three years from Plymouth in January 1777 and served out his time. We suppose that on the expiration of his terms he reenlisted and served to the end of the war. The evidence from the records furnished by Mr. Nash strongly corroborates the statement made to me by Mrs. Totman in March last. Respectfully yours J.D. Woodward Atty for the widow James L Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions
Page 39

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Plymouth, ss:
I, Timothy Berry, of the town of Plymouth, in said county, being duly sworn, says that he is Clerk of said Town, duly qualified and acting as such, and that in a book containing a record of the Births and Marriages in said town on file in his office, he finds the following entries which are correctly copied from said records, except dates, which are expressed in words, as follows:
“John Totman was born “(in Plymouth)” January 29, 1733 (Seventeen hundred and thirty three.)  His intention of marriage is found in the record thus – “intention of marriage between Elisabeth Harlow and John Totman Feby 19th, 1759” (Seventeen hundred and fifty nine.)  No record of their marriage.
The next record of John Totman is as follows:
“The children of John Totman and Elisabeth, is wife – 
“John Totman was born December 26, 1759” (seventeen hundred and fifty nine.)
“Reuben Totman was born June 23, 1766” (seventeen hundred and sixty six.)
“Asaph Totman was born May 4th, 1769” (seventeen hundred and sixty nine.)
Deponent has examined “a return of men enlisted
Page 40

into the Continental services from the town of Plymouth for three years, January 1777” in possession of Nathaniel Goodwin, of said Town, and Deponent verily believes that said John Totman Junior who enlisted as aforesaid, is the same person who was born in said Town of Plymouth.  And further says note.
Timothy Berry
Before me Jacob H. Loud Jus. Peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Plymouth           Clerk Office      April 19 1848
I Jno Thomas clerk of the Judicial Court for said County of Plymouth do hereby certify that Jacob H. Loud (illegible) before whom the (illegible) applicant was sworn is a Justice of the Peace for said County of Plymouth duly (illegible) and that his (illegible) above (illegible) is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have herewith set my hand to (illegible) the seal of the (illegible) Judicial Court on the day & year aforesaid.
Jno D. Thomas
Page 41

Pension Office,
June 11th, 1849

Sir,
The request contained in your letter of the 2o of January last, that the papers upon which the pension of Jesse Peck was granted under the Act of 18th of March, 1818, may be transmitted to Jabez Clark, Esqr., cannot consistently with rules of this office be complied with, nor can copies be furnished for the purpose stated in your communication.
If his widow will file an application for a pension, she will be allowed the benefits of all the evidence by his papers or the records of this Office afford in relation to his service.
I am, very respc
Your Ob Serv
[signed] J L Edwards [/signed]

Andrew T. Judson, Esq;
Canterbury, 
Conn.
Page 42

Plymouth July 6 1846
Dear Sir
I committed your letter of 22 (illegible) to the Town Clerk of this town & today he informed me that he cannot find any thing on the subject to which it relates.  He says that no records of the names of the soldiers disabled or any (illegible) appears in any books or paper in his possession.
The roll and record of these military services may be found in the office of the Secretary of State in Boston.  They were for some time in the Pension Office in Washington but have been lately reclaimed by the Legislature of Massachusetts for the very purpose of (illegible) applicants for pensions in support of their claims & are now in the Office of the Secretary.
I do not feel under the circumstances to make any charge and herewith when the bill (illegible)
(illegible) very respectfully
Jno B. Thomas
Page 43

Plattsburg NY  Dec. 8 1841
(illegible) James L. Edwards
(illegible)
Sir
The enclosed deposition of Amos Allen who is understood to be a pensioner on the rolls of Washington Co. NY. Is supposed sufficient to (illegible) the objections in the case of Mrs. Hannah Totman.
Yours Respectfully
J. D. Woodward
Page 44

Asaph B. Totman
Jan. 4, 1842
Page 45

Mr. Woodard
Plattsburg
Clinton County
N. Y. 
(illegible)
Jan. 5th
Page 46

January 3 – 1842  Mr. Wooard sir
I have talk with Mother and with my brother that is older than I am. He says that he has heard father say that he listed twis [twice] but can’t say weter [whether] he heard him say that he listed three times or not.
And I think that I have heard father say that he listed twis [twice] or three times.
And Mother says that he listed three times
This from yours A. B. Totman

See the declaration of Mrs. Totman in which she says her husband served to the end of the war.
J. D. W.
Page 47

Washington June 22, 1847
Sir
I enclose additional evidence in the case of Mrs. Hannah Totman going to prove that her Husband served more than two years in the Revolutionary war.  I have no doubt form my investigation of the case that he performed two tours of three years each.  The (illegible) from Abington it would seem was the father of claimants husband.
Respectfully yours,
J. D. Woodward
Atty for the widow

James L. Edwards Esq.
Court of Pensions
Page 48

Pension Office
May 22nd 1841
Sir,
In the case of Mrs. Hannah Totman the proof of the date of the marriage is satisfactory and the Massachusetts rolls show that there was a three year’s man in that line in the Regiment to which Captain Isaiah Stetson belonged.  But there is no proof whatever to identify he late husband with that individual.  ON the contrary she asserts that he was enlisted for the War and served to the end thereof as private and Sergeant.
Without some testimony to show very satisfactorily that her late husband was a soldier in the Massachusetts Line her claim cannot be allowed.
I am very respectfully
Your obed. St.
J. L. Edwards

J. Douglas Woodward Esq.
Plattsburg
N. York
Page 49

Nath Goodwin
affdt

(illegible) Clerk
Page 50

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Plymouth ss.
Nathaniel Goodwin of Plymouth in said County aged seventy eight years, being duly sworn states that he this day took this leaf or record which accompanies this affidavit from a book in the handwriting of deponents father Nath Goodwin deceased left by him on his decease with his other books & papers with deponent his evid. That said leaf or record is I believe the original record made by deponent said Father who was (illegible) Inspector for this County of the men enlisted for the war of the Revolution and is the same referred to in an affidavit made by deponent in the case of Hannah Totman widow of John Totman Jr. & sworn to before William Thomas Justice of the Peace in & for the County of Plymouth Mass. on the 29th day of September 1847 and is on file in the pension office, which record is entitled “A return of Men (illegible) into the continental service from the Town of Plymouth for three years in 1777” the aforesaid record is transmitted to the pension office to be compared with deponents aforesaid affidavit and to be returned to him & further says not.
Nathl Goodwin
Sworn & Subscribed to before me this 12th day of February 1849
The words “same” and “to be” (illegible) & erasure in the ninth line – and I certify that the Deponent is personally known to me and that he is a credible witness.
Before me Wm. Thomas Justice of the Peace
Page 51

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Plymouth  Clerks Office  Feb. 12, 1849
I John B. Thomas Clerk of the Judicial Courts for said County of Plymouth do hereby certify that William Thomas (illegible) is a Justice of the Peace of the said County of Plymouth duly (the rest of the sentence is illegible)
In testimony whereof I have (illegible) to set my hand and applied the seal of the Supreme Judicial Court on the day and year aforesaid
Wm. Thomas Clerk
(written on the side)
Nath. Goodwin 
Affdt.
Page 52

Hon Hiram Barber
Nov. 26, 1841
Page 53

Queensbury Nov. 23rd / 41
Sir
After much delay I am able to forward you the affidavit of Amos Allen in behalf of the Widow of John Totman.
The delay was occasioned by our county clerk.  I handed him the affidavit within a week after it was taken & (illegible) the necessary certificate & he promised to make it out & send it to me as he was busy then it being court week.  He delayed it & I wrote him a few days before I received your last letter requesting him to forward me the paper & I have but just received it today.
I mention these circumstances to explain what might otherwise appear a neglect on my part.
Yours Respectfully
H. Barber

J. D. Woodward Esq.
Page 54

Plattsburg January 18, 1848
Sir,
In the case of Mrs. Hannah Totman now pending at the pension office and in which additional evidence is herewith furnished, it will be perceived that it is impracticable for the claimant to (word crossed out) produce for you inspection the Book referred to by Mr. Goodwin in his affidavit.  But inasmuch as such evidence if produced would only be cumulative, we insist that the records of your office in connection with the other testimony  / go to prove that our John Totman was born in Plymouth Dec. 26, 1759 and enlisted form that town in January 1777 for three years into the continental army at the end of which time he was honorably discharged.  From the evidence in the case we have no doubt that after the expiration of his first three years he reenlisted and served until the expiration of that term.  But this cannot be material the first three years service having been clearly established.
Very Respectfully Yours
J. D. Woodward
Atty for the Widow
James L. Edwards Esq.
Court of Pensions
Page 55

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Secretary’s Office, Boston
July 30, 1846
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 John Totman is borne upon a List of Certificates for the 10th Massachusetts Regt. in the last three years Service.  Amount of his certificate is $86  32cts. No town mentioned upon said list.  There was a John Totman, who enlisted into the last three years service from Middlesex County, as appears from documents in this office.  More evidence of any John Totman enlisting into the last three years service from any town in Plymouth County.
Page 56

Plattsburg N.Y. June 22, 1846
Dear Sir,
It becomes necessary in consequence of a decision of Col Edwards Court of Pensions in the case of Hannah Totman Widow (illegible) to show what Town contributed the John Totman who is shown to have been in service in 1782 & it is supposed that “Lists of those years men in 1781” will afford the desired evidence.  I wish you to cause an examination, and send me a certificate of the result with a memorandum of charges which will be paid.  From a certificate of (illegible) Secy & dated July 26, 1844 it appears “that John Totman is borne on the rolls of the 10th Mass. Regt. for the enst. Three years service for $86.32, the date of his enlistment and discharge do not appear.”
We suppose Mr. Totman entered the service from Abington or Plymouth, & probably the latter.  Perhaps you may now be able to determine the time when Mr. Totman entered & left the service
Very Respectfully Yours
J. D. Woodward
Atty for the Widow of John Totman deceased

The Secretary of State
Massachusetts
Page 57

H. of B. July 9, /48
J. L. Edwards
Court of Pens.
Enclosed I forward you an additional affidavit in the case of Mr. Totman.  Also a letter from Judge Woodward which explains some of the difficulties which seem to have arisen in the examination of this case.  The Letter of Judge W you will please examine as well as the affidavit of Mr. Thomas.  I am satisfied this is a good case & hope the objections may be obviated.
Yours truly
S. Lawrence
Page 58

John Totman _ Mass. Line Bounty-Land
15 July ‘42
(signature illegible)
(illegible) not returned in the Mass. lines armory those entitled  to, or who have received bounty lands from the U. States
(signature illegible)
Page 59

Sall Totman
Sam Totman   Pulnam R.
Gak. Co.
Jeb tolman Alden Res
Patent Mar ‘77
Stoughts
John Totman Rcd for
Esq Co. ‘77
Vol. 10 p. 332 Plym – Plym
Eber Totman } Marlan Manhek
4 h. lgn Scituate
Page 60

John Park Vol 14 3 y
Sumon see his m. a paps
Me
John Totman Jr. Vol. 4 p 347
Plym – Eddy Regt 3 yr.
Pl 362 Abingdon
p. 382 Abingdon 23 mo.
North Co. if F. on 
John Totman Abughs
[unreadable] Dv. 5 5m 7 day
Seth Totman  D. 
John Totman final sent cert.  Vol 1 p. 124 12 of pack from 1781 to [unreadable] 1783 134
24
60
80
164
Page 61

Pensions Office
December 28th 1848
Sir,
I have the honor to inform you that the supplemental Certificate of the Town Clerk of Billerica transmitted by you in support of the claim of Hannah Totman, widow of John Totman, furnishes no additional evidence of her husbands identity with the soldiers bearing his name credited with service in the Massachusetts Line wither from that Town or from the Town of Plymouth.
From Applicants Declaration, and from the testimony filed in this case, it appears that her husband was a native of Hanover and at the period of the Revolution he belonged to Abington.  The records at Boston furnish no evidence of service from John Totman of Hanover, and the amount credited to his name from Abington, should it be admitted, would not be sufficient to entitle his widow to a Pension.  We cannot allow a Pension to Mrs. Totman upon the proofs now filed.
I have the honor to be
Very respectfully your obt. Servt.
J. L. Edwards
Hon. S. Lawrence
House of Representatives
Page 62

N. Y.
Hannah Totman
Suspd
Get to J. D. Woodward  Feb 28 '47
same July 15, '42
Honorable J. Russell 15 June 1866

Act July 7, 1838
Page 63

Pension Office
December 16, 1841
Sir,
I have received the affidavit of Amos Allen to be used in the case of the application of Hannah Totman, widow of John Totman, (illegible) for his services during the war of the Revolution.  Since my last letter I have found that there was also a John Totman, a wars (?) man, and was paid up to January 7, 1783.  Whether this was the same individual who was in Col. Bradford’s regt. in 1779 from the town of Plymouth, or the claimant’s husband who was of Abington, or neither of them, is a matter of some difficulty to settle.  Amos Allen in his affidavit states that the widow’s husband came to Fitchburg in 1781.  When did he remove from Abington, which is in a distant part of the State? And to what town did he remove?  Allen says that he lived near Fitchburg, in Worcester County.  The marriage it seems was at Leominster, a town in the same county.  Now if it should appear that John Totman of Abington, in Plymouth County, removed to the county of Worcester after December 1780, when his service as a soldier from said Abington ended, and that he enlisted subsequently thereto, that, in connection with Allen’s testimony, may tend to identify him with the person of the same name found in service from 1781 to 1783.  The claim remains suspended.
I am respectfully
Your Obet. Servt.
J. L. Edwards

J. D. Woodward, Esq.
Plattsburgh
N. York
Page 64

Warsaw Feb. 24, 1849 Hon. H. Putnam I want to trouble you with a short line in relation to the Pension case of Mrs. Ruth Barton widow of Josiah Conant. The proof was sent last September about the 20th and I have repeatedly called the attention of the Commissioner through you to this case but get no answer. Now I wish that, in case you do not get a communication from the Pension Office in this case, you would make a personal application at the Pension Office for an examination of this case before you leave Washington. I expect to send you papers to collect arrears of pension due to the heirs of Moses Holmes as early as next Tuesday. Respectfully yours A. L. Lynde Colonel Edward, Please inform me at an early day as to above cases March 5, 49 (illegible) H. Putnam (over)
Page 65

Shall not leave until last  (illegible) week.
Hon. Harvey Putnam
Washington
D.C.
Page 66

No. 7759
Hannah Totman
NY
Set to J. D. Woodward May 22 ‘41
“ “ Hon. T. A. Tomlinson Aug 10 ‘41
“ “ J. D. Woodward December 16 ‘41
“ “ Hon. T. A. Tomlinson July 21 ‘42
“ “ J. D. Woodward Feb 28 ‘42
“ “   Same                July 15 ‘42
“ “ Hon. J. Russell   June 15 ‘46
“ “ do                        December 23 ‘46
“ “ do                        Jan. 18 ‘47
“ “ J. D. Woodward June 30 ‘47
“ “   Same                Oct 4 ‘47
“ “     “                      Nov. 1 ‘47
“ “ Hon. S. Lawrence March 8 “48
“ “ Same   May 2 ‘48
“ “ Same  July 14 “48
Act 7 July 1838
Page 67

Hon. S. Lawrence
Dec 28, '48
Set to same
Jan. 16, '49
Page 68

H. of R. April 22, /48
J. L. Edwards
Court of Pensions
Sir,
I enclose a letter which many have some bearing in the examination of the Totman case.
Please examine & let me know the results as soon as convenient.
Yours truly
S. Lawrence
Page 69

Hannah Totman
N. York
act 7 July 1838
See letter Feb. 28, 1849
to Hon. S. Lawrence
HR
Page 70

Case of Mrs. Totman
At Pension office
Samuel Andrews
Affidavit

The only Samuel Andrews (illegible) discharged  (illegible) 1782
Page 71

State of New York
County of Franklin   Samuel Andrews of Maone in said County aged eighty seven years on the 23rd day of July last being duly sworn says that he is a pensioner of the United States for services rendered by him in Col. Zebulon Butlers Connecticut Regt. and was discharged at West Point N.Y. the last years of the war in June 1783, that during the last year of deponents service he became acquainted with John Totman at West Point NY and understood from himself that he came from the town of Plymouth Massachusetts.  He was there in service in a Massachusetts Regt. and was employed as a Baker for the troops stationed at that place having been as he understood detailed for that service.  Deponent received his rations of bread from said Totman frequently, while deponent was there in services.  Deponent was discharged in Jun 1783 and I think said John Totman was discharged at same time period but is not certain.  Deponent never met him afterwards, but has been informed and believes that he died in 1813 at Salisbury Vermont, and that his widow Hannah Totman now resides in Clinton County N. York.
Samuel Andrews
Sworn & subscribed before me this 15th day of June 1848. I certify (illegible) deponent is a credible witness.
A.	B. Parmelee Justice of the Peace of said county
Page 72

State of New York
Franklin County ss.
I Henry S. Brewster Clerk of the County of Franklin do hereby certify, that Ashbel B. Parmelee is on this 15th day of June 1848 a Justice of the Peace in and for said county duly qualified to act as such and that his official signature within written is genuine.
In testimony thereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said county this 15th day of June 1848.
Henry S. Brewster, Clerk
Page 73

Secry of Mass.
July 20 1847
Page 74

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Secretary’s Office, Boston:
July 20, 1847
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 John Totman is borne upon lists of certificates delivered to the last Three years men “as of 2nd Regt. 7th company, 10th Regt. and 14th Regt.  No town is mentioned upon said lists.
It also appears from another list that on John Totman enlisted into the last three years service from Billerica.  May 3, 1781, where the other two belonged wo were in the same service cannot be ascertained from military records in the Department.
The Army Books contain the names of several men who were of Genl. Washington’s Guards but the name of said Totman in not one of them.
Page 75

And I further certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John G. Palfrey
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Page 76

In the case of the widow of John Totman in regard to whose claim I regret again to trouble you.  It seems necessary to prove the name of the Town which contributed said John Totman for the last three years service, and in a recent conversation with (illegible) and (illegible) public officer Dr. Crump of the Pension Office, he suggested that a further examination of your records might throw light on the subject, and referred me to the Tabular Statement of men from Plymouth and Middlesex Counties, contributed by towns for the last three years service. As Mrs. Totman supposes her husband to have been in the life guards of Genl. Washington and the names of about 90 (illegible) who were in service at a particular period.  If possible we wish you to furnish the name of the town which contributed the John Totman who served a three years tour in the early part of the war in regard to which service you have (illegible) certified this is doubtful a (illegible) case.  I hope your patience will not be wearied in enabling (illegible) to establish it.  All your certificates and letters to me on this subject have been filed in the Pension Office.
Yours respectfully
J. D. Woodward
Atty for the Widon

John G. Palfrey
Sec (illegible)
Page 77

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Plymouth County ss.
John Nash being duly sworn says that he is Clerk of said Town and has in his possession the record thereof & has been such Town Clerk for the last fifteen years.  That among the records of said town is a record of which the following is a true copy of the original and the whole of such original – viz.
“A copy of the receipts of the 6th months were hired by the Town of Abington for the year 1780.  Abington July 6, 1780.
These may certify that that we the subscribers have each of us received of the Town of Abington by the hand of their committee the sum of one thousand and fifty pounds in continental currency and one hundred bushels of corn for six month service in the continental army as also Blanket money and travelling fees or milage of the select men for one hundred mile, and we promise to give orders to the Town to draw our continental wages and to produce certificates from our commanding officer that we have been supplied with a Blanket at our own expense, of the same to be deducted our of our wages from the Town as witnessed our hands – (the following names have a line drawn around the list)
Joseph Bearce
Jacob Thayer
Daniel Beal
Abner Torrey
Reed Erskine
Whitcomb Pratt
Thomas G. Evyde
Joseph Gurney (illegible)
Micah Reed (illegible) in behalf of Seth Totman bound to said Reed
David Nash
Abington June 29, 1780  Then received of Capt. Edward Cobb the sum of nine hundred pounds for his Bounty and thirty pounds for travel and fifteen pounds for blanket money and also a note for fifteen bushels of corn per month.  John Totman Junior
(A line is drawn between the above and the rest of the page)
Abington July the 4th 1780  Then we the subscribers received of the latest men of Abington the sum of thirty pounds each of us for mileage from Abington to Springfield by the hand of Benjamin Bates Junior we say was received by us.
Clifford Porter
Ephraim Russell
Aaron Hobart Junior
Christopher Benner
Thomas Seymour
Joseph Brown
Peter Nash
Then Recd. Of the Town of Abington by the hand of Capt. Edward Cobb the sum of nine hundred pounds as a bounty and thirty pounds for mileage, and fifteen pounds for Blanket money and also a note for fifteen bushels of corn per month as writ by my hand John White.
Another receipt bearing date on the above said July 4, 1780 and signed by the same men which they read of Capt. Edwr. Cobb each of them fifteen pounds for Blanket money and obliged themselves to bring receipts from the commanding officer or reduce the same out of their wages.
Another receipt signed by Clifford Porter and Aaron Hobart put bearing date July 3, 1780.  Reed of the Town of said Abington by the hand of
(Written vertically along the left side of page:)
This paper is a copy of an ancient paper purporting to be on the files of the Town Clerk of Abington commencing with a copy of the receipts (illegible) and ending with “John Nash, town clerk of Abington.”
Page 78

their committee (illegible) soldiers Nine hundred pounds continental currency and a note of hand for fifteen bushels of Indian Corn for each month he serves, each of them to give order for said Town to draw his continental wages. 
(Signed) Clifford Porter
Aaron Hobart Junior
Abington July 3rd 1780 Recd. of the Town Committee the sum of twelve hundred dollars in full for two months wages.
Ephraim Burrell
A Receipt of Joseph Brown & Peter Nash; bearing date July 4, 1780 of nine hundred pounds to each of them in paper currency and 15 bushels of corn per month to each of them; and the town to draw the continental and states wages and each of them have received of the Town of Abington by the hand of their committee for hiring soldiers Nine hundred pounds Ten shillings of corn and a note for 50 bushels of corn more of said Town Committee to draw his continental wages.  Recd. By
Christopher H. Benner:
The sum of the whole amounting to 51224 L is footed by the select men.  This paper has (illegible) file in my office for the last fifteen years.  John Nash Town Clerk of Abington.
And further says not.
John Nash Town Clerk of Abington
Sworn subscribed to this 10th day of February 1849: and I certify that the deponent is a credible witness.
Ezekiel Thaxter Justice Peace.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Plymouth ss.  I the subscribed Clerk of Judicial Courts of said Count certify that Ezekiel Thaxter before whom the above Deposition of John Nash was taken and sworn on the tenth day of February 1849, was at said time a Justice of the Peace in aforesaid county duly qualified, and that his signature to the (illegible) of said affidavit is genuine as I verily believe, being acquainted with his hand writing.  In witness whereof I have hereto affixed my official seal the tenth day of February eighteen hundred and forty nine.
Jno B. Thomas Clerk

(written vertically on left side of page:)
John Nash affidavit
Page 79

Abington June 3, 1842
J. D. Woodward Esq.
Sometime since Elihu Hobart Esq. put into my hands your request upon the subject of evidence relating to the (illegible) services of John Totman formerly of this (illegible)  I have given a considerable attention to this business and at several different times have called on every old person within the supposed (illegible) of Totman’s former (illegible) have been able to obtain no plausible information.  Thomas Reed thought that he entered into the army and rather thought he went to New York but how long he served he could not say.  The man said Totman after he finds went away.  Several other persons had a recollection of him – and knew that he went away when young, but could not tell which way he went or in which service.  It will be impossible to obtain any information here upon that subject.
Respectfully,
Jared Whitman

Abington, June 4th, 1842
J.D. Woodward, Esq.
Dear Sir, - I duly rec’d. yours of April 6th with $3 enclosed, but having been confined by sickness I put your letter with 2$ into the hands of
Page 80

Jared Whitman, Esq. a counsellor & Magistrate of this town, whose report is herewith.
I do not think it possible to obtain any information in this place that will in the least favour the case of Mrs. Totman whose husband was known to many old persons of this town is possessed of no information in relation to Totman after he left town.
Since the 31st of Dec. last I have not held the office of Post Master, which will account for this not being (illegible).
Gen. Benjn King is the present Post Master.
Yours respectfully,
Elihu Hobart
Page 81

Asaph B. Totman
Affidavit
Page 82

State of New York
County of Clinton p. Asaph Totman of Peru in said county aged forty one years on the twenty fourth day of October next, being duly sworn say I am a son of John Totman late of Salisbury Vermont, deceased, and when I was a boy have frequently heard my said father relate his services in the army of the revolution, and say that he served with the Massachusetts Troops, and enlisted at Abbington, and was one of Genl. Washington’s Life Guards.  I verily believe my said father served a tour of the three years in the Massachusetts Line in the regiments to which Capt. Israel Stetson belonged.
Asaph B. Totman

Sworn & subscribed to before me this 11th day of June 1841 and I certify that deponent is a credible person.
Samuel Hull Justice Peace

State of New York
County of Clinton p
I the subscriber Clerk of said County certify that Samuel Hull before whom the above affidavit of Asaph B. Totman was taken & sworn on the eleventh day of June 1841 was at said county and his signature above is genuine.  Witness my hand & official seal this twenty fifth day of June AD 1841
Smith Mead   Clerk
Page 83

Amos Allen
Explanatory affidavit in the case of Mrs. Hannah Totman
No. 2
Page 84

State of New York
County of Warren
On the 31st day of December One thousand Eight Hundred & forty one before the undersigned personally appeared Amos Allen who being duly sworn doth depose & say – That in the further explanation of his affidavit made in the case of the application of Hannah Totman widow of John Totman deceased for his services during the war of the revolution that his first acquaintance with the said John Totman was when he first came to Fitchburgh Worcester County he thinks in 1781.  That I had all my knowledge of his previous history from Totman himself, that he then said his Father lived in Abbington Plymouth County, that he, Totman, had been in the service before he came to Fitchburgh but how long or under what officers he serviced do not recollect if I ever understood from him.  That Totman told me his mother died and his father married a second time that he was dissatisfied and entered the service, & that he came from Abington to Fitchburgh at the (illegible) of my first acquaintance with him.  That he  has no doubt that Totman’s Father lived in Abbington as he stated for he recollects that after Totman’s death as stated in his former affidavit & whilst he lived in Luzerne Hannah Totman his widow sent to Abbington to his, Totman’s, fathers for the purpose of residing with him, but returned with the man who carried her there, that on her return she informed me that the old man was still living but the family was unwilling to have her remain and further saith not.
Amos Allen

Subscribed & sworn before me this 31st day of December 1841
Hiram Barber first Judge of Warren County Court
Page 85

Dec. 31st 1841
Warren County ss
I do hereby certify that I am acquainted with deponent Amos Allen & that he is respected to e a man of undoubted truth & veracity.
Hiram Barber First Judge of Warrne Co. Courts

State of New York
Warren County s 
I Thomas Archibald Clerk of said County do certify that Hiram Barber Esquire before whom the (illegible) affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date of the same First Judge of the County of Warren and that I am acquainted with his hand writing and verily believes that his name subscribed to the (illegible) affidavit and above certificate to be his hand writing and signature.
Witness my hand and Seal of Office this 17th day of January One Thousand Eight hundred and forty two.
Thomas Archibald   Clerk
Page 86

Abington, Dec. 31st, 1841
J. D. Woodward, Esq.
Dear Sir,
I can obtain no further information in relation to the services of John Totman, which I think will in the least (illegible) aid his widow in obtaining a pension.
Mr. T having left this town during the revolution his after history is not sufficiently known to warrant any statement that could benefit his widow.
Yours respectfully.
Elihu Hobart
Page 87

(Postal Stamp) ABINGTON MAS. AUG 17

5
J. D. Woodward Esq.
Plattsburgh 
New York

John Nash (illegible)
Page 88

Abington August 15th 1846
J. D. Woodward Esq.
Dear Sir, your letter of July 31st and also of Aug. 5th 1846 has been received and in compliance with your request, I have examined the records of this town now in my care, besides spending considerable time on making enquires of most of the elderly people in this town when I thought there was any probability of gaining any information on the subject in question, but cannot learn much that is satisfactory.  It appears from the records of this town that the John Totman who lived in this town and whom I very well remember was married to Sarah Vining as his second wife, Sept. 7th 1780 – by whom he had one son, who was born January 31st 1782, named Thomas Vining, who lived in this town until after his father’s death and then removed to the state of Maine.  This Thomas Totman’s mother died March 19th 1813 at the age of 71 years and his father John Totman died in this town Aug. 2, 1815 aged 83 years – but at what time he came into this town or when he removed from does not appear from anything I can find on the records of this town, or learn from any other source.  From the best information I can obtain it appears that he had a son by the name of John, that he lived in this town about the time of the Revolutionary War, and the old people with whom I have conversed on the subject seen to have an indistinct recollection of his going into the service of the country – but at what time he entered, or how long he continued in it, or whether he went from this town, or from any other place they cannot remember.  Capt. Thomas Reed about whom you wrote is not now living.  Christopher Dyer is living whom I have seen and conversed with on the subject, he said that he remembers John Totman but being in a remote part of the town and being himself then young, he does not have a very distinct recollection of him or of the service he performed.  Mr. Charles Lane said he remembers John Totman, and thinks he has an indistinct recollection of his going in to the service, but cannot recollect enough about it to give any testimony on the subject and this seems to be the case with all with whom I have conversed on the subject.
Page 89

And then the records of the town do not furnish evidence of a very satisfactory character, respecting the transactions of those days.  While there is a great deal written respecting the Bounty allowed by the town in general, there is but little information in regard to Individuals in particular, in many instances an order for a large amount appears to have been drawn in favour of a certain Individual as the head of a class, without naming the individuals who belonged to the class, while other orders were given to certain Individuals to pay “his man he hired for the service” without naming the person who performed the service – these orders being given so indefinite renders it very difficult if not impossible to determine who the person was who performed the service.
The only entries on the Town Records respecting the soldiers Bounty where the name of Totman is mentioned are the following
An order to “Micah Reed for the sum of one thousand five hundred & eighty pounds eighteen shillings & six pence in full for Seth Totman’s note for his service in the continental army in the year 1780 – 
An order to John Totman for the sum of Two hundred seventy-eight pounds eight shillings in full for his eleven days service on the late Alarm to Rhode Island dated April 3, 1781
An order to Micah Reed for the sum of ten pounds one shilling & seven pence, 9L. 9s. 7 of said sum for a horse purchased of Joseph Curtis for the continental service in the year 1780, the remainder of said sum makes the whole of Seth Totman’s wages with Capt. Bicknell to West Point in the year 1781 – DATED March 1782
An order to John Totman for one pound, five shillings & three pence – one pound of said sum for his son Seths traveling fee form West Point, the remainder for an (illegible) he had against the town in the old emission dated April 5th 1784.
The above are all the entries I have been able to find on the town books, when allusion has been had to Mr. Totman or his family in any way connected with this subject.
Page 90

The foregoing is all the information, and embraces all the facts that I am able at present able to give you.  I should be very much pleased indeed, if I were able to give you the desired or requisite information, but feel that I cannot.
Very respectfully yours
John Nash Town Clerk of Abington
Page 91

case of 7709
Hannah Totman
act 7 May 1838

Col James L. Edwards
Comm of Pensions
(illegible)
$80 (illegible)

(illegible)
43
44
48

J D. Woodward
(illegible)
Page 92

House of Reps  March 2, 1849
Sir,
Your letter of the 28th (illegible) in the case of Hannah Totman enclosing a copy of your of the 14th of July last in which certain objections were taken to the affidavit of Samuel Andrews, has been received.  I had supposed that those objections were obviated by the letter of W L Starks P.A. of (illegible) NY dated Sept. 20 1848 in which he explains that Mr. Andrews is a pensioner of the Vermont instead of the New York Roll.  The only point of view in which his statement was deemed at all material was to show that the John Totman when he knew at West Point as a Baker by trade, and baked bread for the Troops there.  A more through examination may confirm the statement of Mr. Andrews, though he may have mistaken the time he saw Mr. Totman at West Point, and the date of his own discharge.
The records of Massachusetts certified by the secretary of that state prove that John Totman served three years as a private in the 7th Company Col. Bradfords Regt. from January 1777 to Dec. 31, 1779.  The letter of Elihu Hobard formerly Post Master of Abington, Mass. dated Sept. 10, 1841 filed with the papers of Mrs. Totman, shows the tradition of the neighborhood, that on the second marriage of her Husband’s Father, he, (John Totman Junior) ran away & never resided in that town afterwards.  “It is therefore probable that he enlisted in some other Town.”
Page 93

Mr. Jared Whitman in his letter of June 3, 1842, says that “Thomas Reed thought he (Totman) went into the army and rather thought he went to New York.”  Under Hobart’s letter of June 4, 1842, he says Totman “was known to many old persons of the town, but of whose history they know nothing after he left it except the common report that he joined the army”.  Mrs. Totman in her amended declaration says that her husband went from Abington to Plymouth to learn the Baker’s Trade and entered the service from that town, and her statement is corroborated by Mr. Hobart’s letter of Sept. 10, 1841.  The affidavit of the Town Clerk of Plymouth also proves that not only John Totman, but his brothers Asa, Reuben & Asaph were born there.  This is the same family described by Mrs. Totman without any previous knowledge of the records of said town proving their birth.  In your letter of the 8th of March 1848, you state that “It has not been shown that her (Mr. Totman’s) husband was born and raised in Plymouth.”  Should this be established, I repeat the certificate of Nathaniel Goodwin cannot be received as evidence of that soldiers being called Junior unless that fact should be verified by the original entry from which his certificate was made.  If Mr. Goodwin will send the book containing that entry to this office it may after inspection be returned to him again.”
Page 94

To comply with the requirements contained in the above letter, the deposition of Timothy Berry Town Clerk of Plymouth has been obtained, showing the birth of John Totman, his Father and Brothers in that place, a copy of said deposition is enclosed the original being in your files.  At very great expense and after considerable delay, Mrs. Totman has procured the aforesaid record, together with Mr. Nathaniel Goodwin’s affidavit, both of which were left at the pension office a few days since.  I presume from your letter that said record and affidavit and also the Deposition of John Nash Esq. Town Clerk of Abington have been overlooked inasmuch as no reference is made to them in your communication.  In that affidavit Mr. Nash (whose statements are entitled to credit) says “that he verily believes that the John Totman with whom he was acquainted, and who died in Abington on second day of August 1815 at the age of 83 was born in Plymouth in the county of Plymouth in June 1733 and was the father of John Totman Junior, Reuben Totman & Asaph Totman, who were also born in said town.”

Deponent (Mr. Nash) believes from the tradition of his neighborhood that the last above named John Totman and Asa Totman in the second marriage of their father left the said town of Abington and never resided there afterwards, and Deponent has no doubt that
Page 95

said John Totman (the husband of Mrs. Hannah Totman) entered the service afterwards from Plymouth, and was called John Totman Junior.”  The Deponent also says in the same affidavit “that he has no doubt that the husband of Mrs. Totman was born in Plymouth, and is the same person who entered the three years service from that town in 1777.  Deponent recollects to have heard persons in Abington say years ago that John Totman Junior made a short visit to his father, John Totman Senior after the marriage of the said John Totman “Junior”.  This last fact corroborates the statement of Mrs. Totman as to the only visit her husband ever made to Abington after he left there.
In several of your letters you have insisted that the husband of Mr. Totman was the Levy from Abington.  In your letter of June 30, 1847 however you say “all services credited to that name John Totman, from Hannover or Abington will be considered as having been rendered by her husband’s Father, unless her husband’s age is duly proved, and very satisfactory evidence afforded of his identity in service “If he had been the short levy of Abington in 1780 as has been prematurely admitted, he would have been styled Junior”
If the above reasoning be correct, it would seem that the John Totman who served three years from Plymouth pervious to Dec. 31, 1779, is the same person who served as a levy from Abington in 1780 – and this is not improbable inasmuch as Plymouth
Page 96

case of 7709
Hannah Totman
act 7 May 1838

Col James L. Edwards
Comm of Pensions
(illegible)
$80 (illegible)

(illegible)
43
44
48

J D. Woodward
(illegible)
Page 97

and Abington are situated in the same county and near each other & the person who entered from Plymouth was styled Junior.  This view would also corroborate Mrs. Totman’s statement that her husband performed a second tour of service.  The records of Billerica do not show that any person by the name of John Totman was contributed by that town, and it is therefore not improbable that the John Totman who served to the close of the war in 1783 was the same person who enlisted from the Town of Plymouth in 1777, and that after the expiration of his first three years in Dec. 1779, and after his service as a levy of Abington in 1780, he then reenlisted at Billerica for the last three years’ service.  However the fact may be, it is sufficient for Mrs. Totman to identify her husband as the John Totman who entered the service from Plymouth, and this is done by the evidence said record produced.  I have therefore to request an allowance of this widow’s claim, and that the record left with you for this purpose of being compared with Mr. Goodwin’s affidavit, may be returned. 
Very Respectfully Yours,
Sidney Lawrence

Jas L Edwards Esq.
Comm. Of Pensions
Page 98

Hanover Nov. 29th 1847
This may certify to whom it may concern that I have examined the records of the Town of Hanover for the purpose of finding a record of the Birth and marriage of John Totman and I have searched for said records form time to time until I am satisfied that no such record is made on any of the Books in my possession.
I acknowledge the receipt of 2 dollars & no further charges.
Yours Respectfully
Joseph Brooks – Town Clerk of Hanover

Plymouth s.s.  Nov. 30 1847

Then personally appeared the above named Joseph Brooks Jr. and made oath that the above statement signed by him is true.
Before me  Wm Morse Justice Peace
Page 99

(Copy)
Nathaniel Goodwin
affidavit.
original on file in the case of Hannah Totman in the Pension Office.
Page 100

(Copy)
Plymouth  Nov. 18, 1847
Dear Sir,
I received yours of Nov. 8, respecting my sending the Book of Records kept by my Father of the soldiers enlisted in the continental service to Mr. Edwards at Washington.  I shall not do it, as there is other things & accounts of money received and expended in his official capacity recorded therein it would be improper for it to go out of my hands, & therein it would be improper for it to go out of my hands, & there has been pensions granted to others by their producing of my certificate of the same, from the said Book, & if he is not satisfied with the certificate I sent you he may appoint any person here to examine & take a copy of the Record he chooses, & may have free access to the book for copying anything relative to the case.  Mr. William Thomas the Justice who did the writing of the case I sent you has received pensions by sending a certificate from the said Book.  I received the enclosed $2, there was but $1.50 owed me for money paid there remains 50 cents subject to your order.
From Yours to Serve
(Signed) Nathl Goodwin

To J. D. Woodward Esq.
10 -
Page 101

Copy Nathl Goodwin
Letter of
Nov. 18, 1847
original on file with papers of Mrs. Totman in the Pension Office.
Page 102

(Copy)
Natanel Goodwin
Affidavit
Original on file in the case of Hannah Totman in the Pension Office.
Page 103

I Nathaniel Goodwin of Plymouth in the County of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts of the age of seventy seven years testify and say that I am the son of Nathaniel Goodwin of said Plymouth who died in said Town in the year 1819, at the age of seventy one years, that I was executor of his estate and that his Books and papers came into my hands.  During the Revolutionary War my father was Military Inspector of the men enlisted for that war, & kept records in books for that purpose of men so enlisted for the County of Plymouth.  In one of his military books which I now have in my possession – and which is all in his handwriting I find the words and figures following viz “A return of men enlisted into the Continental service from the Town of Plymouth for three years in 1777” and then and there follow ninety eight names, and among them is the name of John Totman Junior.  This Book has been in my possession ever since the death of my father and was recently shown by me to John Nash Esq. of Abington in said county in aid of the claim of the widow of John Totman Jr.
(Signed) N. Goodwin

Plymouth ss. 29th Sept. 1847.  Then personally appeared the above named Nathaniel Goodwin and made oath that the above statement by him subscribed in my presence is true and I further certify that said Deponant is personally known to me and that he is a highly credible witness before me.
(Signed) John Thomas Justice of Peace of said County
Authenticated Sept. 29, 1847 by John B. Thomas
Clerk of Plymouth Co.
Page 104

J D Woodward
to
Town Clerk Billerica
Oct. 18, 1847
Page 105

Plattsburgh N.Y. Oct. 18, 1847
Sir,
I wish you would send me a sworn certificate (prepared from your Records) going to prove the name of the town by which John Totman was contributed for the last three years service in the Revolutionary War.  He was paid to January 1, 1783 as a private and is returned as having been enlisted at Plymouth in 1777 for three years, and served in (illegible) Capt. Eddy’s Company Col. Bradford’s Regt. to Jan. 7, 1780, and that on the expiration of his term he reenlisted for three years, and served to the end of the war.  We wish to ascertain whether he is the same person who enlisted at Billerica on the 3rd of may 1781 into the last three years service.  It seems from the Certificate of the Sec’y. of Mass. that a John Totman is borne upon the list of certificates delivered to the last three years men” as of the 2nd Regt. 7th Company, 10th Regt. & 14th Regt. no town mentioned on said list.”   Is this the same person who enlisted from Billerica?  The Father of our man was John Totman of Abington, Mass. and served as a short Levy in 1780.  Please to have your Deposition Authenticated by your County Clerk and forward to me by mail.  All reasonable charges will be paid. - $1 enclosed.  The evidence is wanted in aid of the claim of the widow of John Totman (illegible) to a pension.
Respectfully Yours,
J. D. Woodward
Atty. For the Widow

Town Clerk
Billerica
Page 106

Abington, September 19th, 1847
J. D. Woodward Esq.
Dear Sir,
(illegible) with yours of the 7th & 21st(illegible) but that (illegible) date of June 11th I know nothing about having taken charge of this office on the 3rd July last.
Having made inquiry of several old people respecting John Totman being in the Revolutionary army, under Capt. Stetson, no one of (illegible) has any knowledge of his having so served.
I went to the Easterly part of this town /4 miles from my residence to see a Capt. Thos. Reed about 10 days ago, but he being from home I did not see him until yesterday.  Capt. R. resides in a part of this town where the Totman family formerly resided, but there is none of the family now residing,
Page 107

in this town.  Capt. Reed who is nearly 80 years old insisted that he well knew John Totman and that on his father’s marrying a second wife, his son John, Asa also others ran away and never resided in the town afterwards.  It is therefore probable that he enlisted into the continental service in some other town.  And there was no officer in this town by the name of Stetson according to the recollection of those I have conferred with (illegible) old & new.
One of them – Christopher Dyer, thinks there was an officer in the adjoining town of Hanover by the name of Stetson, who was a Captain in the Revolutionary army, but of this I know nothing.
If I can ascertain anything from any other persons in this town that will be of any interest for you to know, I will (illegible) again.
Yours Respectfully,
Elihu Hobart
Page 108

Plattsburg NY. June 1, 1846
Sir,
The enclosed affidavit of Amos Allen was carefully prepared by me from his statements personally made to me, and doubtless contains all his knowledge relating to the services of John Totman.
On referring to the letter of Mr. Hobart P. M. of Abington under date of Sept. 10/41 it would seem probable that Totman enlisted into the Continental Army in some other town than Abington, & we think from the evidence there is a strong presumption that he served to the end of the war, is the same person mentioned in the certificate of the Secy. of Massachusetts.
Respectfully Yours,
J. D. Woodward
Atty for Mrs. Totman

J. L. Edwards
Comm. Of Pensions
Page 109

Mrs. Hannah Totman
Additional Evidence
Amos Allen's affidavit

Queensbury NY
July 6  (illegible)

H. Barber PM
Queensbury NY

J D Woodward Esq.
Plattsburgh
Page 110

State of New York
County of Warren SS
On the 4th day of July one thousand eight hundred and Forty two before the undersigned First Judge of Warren County Courts personal appeared Amos Allen who being duly sworn doth depose and say that in further explanation in the case of the application of Hannah Totman Widow of John Totman (illegible) for a pension.  That as stated in his second affidavit heretofore made in this case all the knowledge he had of Totman’s history before he came to Fitchburgh was derived from Totman himself.  That in addition to my former statement I will recollect that Totman informed me that his mother died when he was a boy that his father married a second wife & he differed with her and his father put him out to the Bakers trade in Plymouth and that he ran away and enlisted into the service from Plymouth.  Totman’s father lived in Abington as stated in his first affidavit and that was the (illegible) why he stated in his first affidavit that he entered the service from Abington, cannot now say that he did, neither does he know from what town he entered the service as a resident of, all he can say on that subject is that he informed him that he ran away from his master at Plymouth & enlisted, and further (illegible) not.
Amos Allen
Subscribed & Sworn before me this 4th day of July, 1842
H. Barber First Judge of Warren County Courts
Page 111

Queensbury July 6th 1842
Dr. Sir
After much delay I have taken Mr. Allen’s explanatory affidavit as far as he could go.  I have not sent it to the Co. Clerk to have it verified as they have my official signature in this case duly authenticated already in the Pension Office.  However should you deem it (illegible) return it to me & I will have it done.
Yours
H. Barber

J. D. Woodward Esq.
Page 112

(Stamp in corner) BILLERICA MS  NOV 2

(illegible)
M. Preston (illegible)
Billerica Mass.
To the Atty of the Widow John Totman Jr.
Platsburgh  N. Y.

(illegible) will endeavor to forward this letter & oblige (illegible)
M. P.
(On bottom, upside-down)
Town Clerk of Billerica
Nov. 2, 1847
Page 113

(Stamp in corner) BILLERICA MS NOV 2

(illegible)
M. Preston (illegible)
Billerica Mass.
To the Atty of the Widow John Totman Jr.
Platsburgh N. Y.

(illegible) will endeavor to forward this letter & oblige (illegible)
M. P.
(On bottom, upside-down)
Town Clerk of Billerica
Nov. 2, 1847
Page 114

Billerica Nov. 2nd, 1847
Dear Sir,
Yours of 18th (illegible) is received and its contents no (illegible).  Regarding John Totman’s affairs, our records furnish no information.  The (illegible) was to choose a committee to procure our quota of men as called for from time to time, but whom the process does not appear.  There are notes of the town, allowing so much a bounty for those who would enlist into this (illegible) and the other (illegible) but very namely any return of the names of those furnished from time to time.  Now there was a John Totman in town whose marriage and the births of his family are recorded, and as that may be of some service I will give you the extract of the same, and if of service will send you my deposition.
“John Totman
John Totman & Sarah Dickason of Billerica were married by the Rev. Henry Cummings
Oct. 15, 1773
James son of John & Sarah Totman was born Dec. 8, 1773
Rhoda, daughter of John & Sarah Totman was born Dec. 8, 1775
Asa, son of John & Sarah Totman was born May 13, 1778
Sally daughter of John & Sarah Totman was born June 5, 1780
John Totman above said departed this life May 1, 1782
William son of John & Sarah Totman was born Oct. 14, 1782”

The above record proves conclusively that John
Page 115

Totman of Billerica could not have rec’d. pay to “January 2nd, 1783”
I do not exactly understand the point, but suppose that there is some confusion in the records at the Secry. Office.  I have made inquiry of some of our oldest inhabitants, who knew John Totman and they say that he never was engaged in the army of the Revolution.  One says he did not know enough & I went to see an old soldier, who was in the army whom deposition I have probably take 20 or 30 times to prove service of the old soldiers, but he was just gone & probably will not survive but a few hours.  I have been engaged ever since 1818 & 1820 in obtaining pensions for the old soldiers and their widows.  I understand the business having obtained between 50 & hundred pensions.
I will understand our records having been Town Clerk ever since 1821.  
I find that our John Totman was taxed in the years 79, 80, & 81, so I do not believe that he was out, as a soldier.
This much I thought proper & write you before taking depositions for if you think they will be of service to you just write me and I will forward the sum in due form.  You did not sign your letter, by accident I presume – only
“Atty for the Widow”
I recd. the one dollar (illegible)
Page 116

And will return it to you, unless I can be of some service to the widow.
Yours Respectfully
Marshall Preston, Town Clerk of Billerica, Mass.
&
Post Master 
&
Atty at Law
Page 117

Let. to Wm. J. Russell
Dec. 23 '46
same, Jan. 18, 1847

look at the letter this the Secretary of State of Mass.
Page 118

James L. Edwards, Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
Sir,
In reply to your letter of this day I have to state that the Washington Papers do not furnish any “evidence of the service of John Totman in the Life Guard of the commander in Chief.
I am, Sir, very respectfully,
Your Obed’t. Servant
J. Y. Mason
Page 119

Secretary’s Office
Boston, March 3, 1847
Sir,
Enclosed with this is a certificate containing evidence of whatever service there is credited to the name of John Totman from Plymouth County, upon military rolls in this department.  The name of the town which contributed the John Totman from Middlesex County is Billerica.  The name of the town to which the John Totman belonged, who served in Col. Bradford’s regt. 3 years from 1777, cannot be ascertained from any record relating to Revolutionary services in my custody.

J. D. Woodward Esq.
Page 120

Let. to J. D. Woodward Esq.
June 30, '47
Let. to same Oct. 4th, '47
Et. to same Nov. 4, '47
Page 121

Col. Edwards
Comr.
Page 122

Albany NY Feb. 16, 1842
James L. Edwards Esq.
Sir,
I will thank you to direct your answers in the cases of Appha Bitgood & Hannah Totman to me at Albany N.Y. where I am spending a few days.
Yours respectfully
J. D. Woodward
Page 123

Plattsburgh Dec. 22, 1848
Dear Sir,
Mr. Nathaniel Goodwin in his affidavit on file in the Pension office with the papers of Mrs. Hannah Totman (a copy of which is enclosed) gives an extract from a record in his possession showing that John Totman Junior the husband of the applicant, was contributed by the Town of Plymouth Mass. for the three years service ending Dec. 31, 1779.  The Commissioner of Pensions (or rather Dr. Crump) decided that the original record must be produced.  I accordingly applied to Mr. Goodwin & requested him to send it to the Pension office.  He refused, for the reasons contained in his letter on file (a copy of which is enclosed).  Recently I wrote to John B. Thomas Esq. Clerk of Plymouth Co. Mass. requesting him to procure the aforesaid record, & authorized him to pay Mr. Goodwin a liberal compensation for its use, but he still refuses.  It seems that pensions have heretofore been granted upon similar evidence, & inasmuch as the Records of the Pension office corroborate the statement of Mr. Goodwin, & the widow has produced the best evidence in her power & as there is no law to my knowledge which can compel its production at the Pension office, I will thank you to obtain Mr. Secretary Marey’s order that the deposition of Nathaniel Goodwin be received in this case as evidence of the facts therein contained.  The statement of Mr. Goodwin is also corroborated by the Secretary of Massachusetts whose Official Certificate is filed with the papers.  Mrs. Totman ought to have been provided for long since.
Very Truly Yours
J. D. Woodward
Atty for the Widow

Hon. S. Lawrence
H.R.
Page 124

No Text on document
Page 125

Plattsburg, NY  April 22, 1847
Sir,
Your certificate of John Totman’s service dated March 3/47 annexed to my letter of the 5th of February last, & marked by you No 2719 does not embrace the service of John Totman in Capt. Eddys Company Col. Bradford’s Regt. 3 years from 1777 & I will thank you to send me a certificate of (illegible) service as it may prove useful to the widow on whose behalf I write.
Very Respectfully,
J. D. Woodward
Atty for Mrs. Hannah Totman

The Secy. of Mass.
Boston
Page 126

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Secretary’s Office; Boston
April 30, 1847
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 John Totman is borne upon an account in Army Books as a private in the 7th Company, Col. Bradford’s Regt. and there credited by his service from January 1, 1777 to December 3, 1779. 36 months at 4 (illegible) per month.  His place of residence not given.
Page 127

And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John G. Palfrey
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Page 128

Plattsburg N. Y. Sept. 13, 1847
Dear Sir,
It seems unnecessary to produce the affidavit of Mr. Goodwin provided your records prove that our man enlisted at Plymouth in January 1777.  Please examine.
Very Respectfully,
J. D. Woodward
Atty for Hannah Totman

J.L. Edwards Esq.
Comm. of Pensions
Page 129

Asaph B Totman's affidavit
Page 130

State of New York
County of Clinton ss.  Asaph B. Totman of Black Brook in said County (formerly of Penn) being duly sworn says that his mother Mrs. Hannah Totman widow of John Totman deceased a soldier of the Revolution is still living in the family of Deponent.
Monday Dec. 27, 1847
A. B. Totman
Sworn & subscribed to before me this 29 day of December 1847 and I certify that Deponent is a credible person.
L. Stetson
County Judge
Page 131

I certify that Lemuel Stetson before whom the written affidavit of Asaph B. Totman was taken on the 29th December 1847 was at said time (illegible) Clinton County Courts, New York & that his signature written is genuine, I being acquainted with his handwriting.
Feb. 18, 1848
Sidney Lawrence M. C.
Page 132

Plattsburg N.Y.
June 28, 1841
(illegible) James L. Edwards
(illegible)
Sir
(illegible) enclose the affidavit of Mr. Asaph Totman showing that John Totman, husband of Mrs. Hannah Totman, was a soldier in the Massachusetts  (illegible)
Yours Respectfully
J. D. Woodward
Page 133

Mrs. Totman
Col Edwards
February 28, 1842
Page 134

Pension Office
Feb. 28, 1842
Sir,
I have again examined the claim of Mrs. Hannah Totman, widow of Jno Totman deceased in connection with the testimony of Amos Allen by which I is intended to establish the identity and service of the said Jno Totman.
It has been before stated that there were two soldiers in the Mass. service by the same name, one belonging to Plymouth and the other to Abbington.
The latter was the husband of the present claimant, and served between five and six months from that town in the year 1780, the former enlisted in 1777 for three years in the Mass. continental line.
It appears also that a soldier by that name was in the service as late as the year 1783 and was paid to January 1 of that year, as a private.
The widow alleges that her husband was a private and sergeant and enlisted for the (illegible).
The question is was the Jno Totman, who was in the army in 1783, the husband of Hannah Totman, the present claimant.
Page 135

Allen the first witness in his affidavit, stated that he was first acquainted with the claimant’s husband at Abington in 1776, when he entered the army, did not serve with him, but knew him after his return from the army.
Allen was a school master at Fitchburg some hundred miles from Abington as early as 1777 and from that period occasionally in the army, was living at Fitchburg in 1785, when Totman was married, who had returned to that town in 1781 from the army.
In Allen’s last affidavit he states that he first became acquainted with Totman when he came to Fitchburg in 1781, that all the knowledge he had of his previous history was from Totman himself, who told him that his father resided in Abington (illegible)  This apparent contradiction in Allen’s testimony shows clearly that he has but little knowledge on the subject of which he testifies.
We have no evidence from anyone that Totman went into the army after he moved to Fitchburg in 1781, and we have record proof showing that he was serving for the town of Abington in
Page 136

the 6 months service of 1780 up to Dec. of that year.  Even Allen himself does not pretend that Totman performed any service after he came to Fitchburg.
It is but reasonable to presume then, that the Jno. Totman who was in the army in 1783 was the same who enlisted for the town of Plymouth, and that after the expiration of his first three years, reenlisted in 1781 for the war.  Such must be the conclusion of the Dept. unless positive proof is adduced to establish the fact to the contrary.
I am, very respectfully
Your Obed. Ser.
J. L. Edwards

J. D. Woodward Esq.
Plattsburg
 N. York
Page 137

Case of Hannah Totman 
at the Pension Office

John Sidney Lawrence
H. R. 
Please examine & advise us of the results
S. Lawrence
Page 138

Plattsburg NY Dec. 7, 1848
Dear Sir,
We think it probable that our John Totman who is clearly shown to have enlisted from Plymouth, and served three years, re-enlisted at Billerica and served to the end of the war.
Whether he did or not, or whether Mr. Andrews be mistaken in his affidavit, does not alter the rights of Mrs. Totman whose pension has already been too long withheld.
Very Truly Yours,
J. D. Woodward
Atty for the Widow

Hon. Sidney Lawrence
H.  (illegible)
P S. The letter of the P. M. Matildaville & Mr. Preston’s affidavit are enclosed.
J D W
Page 139

Matildaville my pm W. R. Stomk P. M.
Mr. J. D. Woodward
Plattsburg N. York
Page 140

P M Matildaville
Received 23 Sept / 48
Page 141

20 Sept. / 48
Matildaville, NY
Mr. J. D. Woodward
Sir  Yours of the 28 May and the 12 Sept. save in my possession I have been six miles in the woods to see Mr. Samuel Andrews. He is in his 89th year his memory poor, he recollects John Totman as a Revolutionary soldier at West Point who was a Baker by trade.  He (Andrews) does not recollect of Totman’s discharge at West Point. Andrews thinks his own discharge was the 10 of June 1783.  Andrews says that he first applied for his pension at Middlebury V.T. Addison Co.  Andrews does not appear to remember that Totman left the service before him.  Mr. Andrews has not lived in Franklin Co. N.Y. but a short time previous to living in this town.
W. R. Stompk  P. M.

Mr. J. D. Woodward
Of Plattsburg NY
Page 142

Secretary’s Office Boston
January 30, 1847
Sir,
The information you desire as to whether the John Totman who served in the 10 Regt., last 3 years, is the same individual of that name who enlisted from Middlesex County cannot be ascertained from Military records in this office.  And it would be contrary to the regulations laid down by the Commissioner of Pensions to furnish you with the names of officers as desired in your letter of the 29th (illegible)
Respectfully your obt. Servant,
John G. Palfrey

J. D. Woodward Esq.
Plattsburg
N. York
Page 143

Plattsburg Jun 30, 1848
Dear Sir,
The letter of Elihu Hobart formerly Post Master of Abington Mass. dated Sept. 10, 1841, filed with the papers of Mrs. Totman shows the tradition of that neighborhood that on the second marriage of her husband’s father he (John Totman Junior) and his bother Asa ran away and never resided in that town afterwards.  “It is” (says Mr. Hobart) “therefore probable that he enlisted in some other town.”  Mr. Dyer of Abington thought there was an officer in Hanover adjoining Abington by the name of Stetson who was a captain in the revolutionary army.  Mr. Jared Whitman in his letter of Jun 3, 1842 says Thomas Reed thought “that he (Totman) went into the army and rather thought he went to New York.”  In Mr. Hobart’s letter dated Abington June 4, 1842 he says Totman “was known to many old persons of this town, but of whose history they knew nothing after he left it except the common report that he joined the army.  Mrs. Totman in her amended declaration says that her husband went
Page 144

from Abington to Plymouth to learn the Baker’s Trade & entered the service form that town & her statement is corroborated by Mr. Hobart’s letter of Sept. 10, 1841.
The affidavit of the Town Clerk of Plymouth also proves that not only John Totman, but his brother Asa, Reuben & Asaph were born there.  This is the same family described by Mrs. Totman without any knowledge of the records of said town.  The fact that John Totman was a Baker is also corroborated by the affidavit of Mr. Samuel Andrews enclosed and goes to prove the identity of the claimant’s husband.  A careful examination of the evidence will convince any unprejudiced mind that our John Totman was born in Plymouth from which place he went to reside with his father in Hanover & Abington, and from there on his fathers second marriage returned to Plymouth to learn the Bakers Trade and not liking the business he enlisted into the army from that town, and on the expiration of his term reenlisted, and served to the end of the war.  Surely Dr. Crump cannot take pleasure in postponing a claim which is satisfactorily established.
Very Truly Yours
J. D. Woodward Atty.

Hon. S. Lawrence H. R.
Page 145

Pension Office
November 1st, 1847
Sir,
The certificate of Nathaniel Goodwin in the case of Hannah Totman, being a copy of a private paper cannot be admitted as evidence in support of her claim.
The original from which that certificate was made should be submitted to the inspection of this office.  If, however, claimant’s husband was born in Hanover, he could not have been the soldier from Plymouth as it appears that he was born and resided in the latter town.
I am, Very respectfully
Your Obt. Servant
J L Edwards

J. D. Woodward Esqr.
Plattsburg, New York
Page 146

Plattsburg N.Y.  June 29, 1849
Sir,
A few days before the claim of Mrs. Hannah Totman was admitted by you in March last, I left lying upon your table for the sole purpose of being compared with the Deposition of Nathaniel Goodwin Esq. a “Return of men enlisted into the Continental service from the Town of Plymouth for three years in 1777.”
When you examined the case the aforesaid “return” was not among the papers.  The evidence was sufficient without that return and it may have been found since.  Also I will thank you to enclose it to him at Plymouth Mass. or send the same to me at Plattsburg NY.
Respectfully yours,
J. Douglas Woodward
 J. L. Edwards Esq.
Comm. of Pensions
Page 147

Plymouth Nov. 18, 1847
D Sir,
I received yours of Nov. 8 respecting my sending the Book of records kept by my father of the soldiers entered in the continental service, to Mr. Edwards at Washington for his inspection.  I shall not do it as there is other things & accounts of money received & expended in his official capacity recorded therein, it would be improper for it to go out of my hands, & here has been pensions granted to others by their producing a certificate of the same from the said  (illegible) & if he is not satisfied with the certificate I sent you he may appoint any person here to examine & take a copy of the record he chooses, & they may have free (illegible) to the work, for copying anything relative the case.  Mr. Willm. Thomas the Justice who did the entry of the one I sent you, has received pensions by sending a certificate from Mr. T Marks I received the enclosed 2 dollars, there was but 1.50 due me for money (illegible) there remains 50 cents subject to your order.
From (illegible)
Nathl. Goodwin

To J. D. Woodward Esq.
Page 148

Case of Hannah Totman
Nathl. Goodwin's affidavit
Page 149

I, Nathaniel Goodwin of Plymouth in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts of the age of seventy seven years, testify and say that I am the son of Nathaniel Goodwin of said Plymouth, who died in said town in the year eighteen hundred and nineteen at the age of seventy one years, that I was executor of his estate, and that his books and papers came into my hands during the Revolutionary War.  My father was military inspector of the men enlisted for that war and kept records in books for that purpose of men so enlisted for the county of Plymouth.  In one of his military books, which I now have in my possession, and which is all in his handwriting I find the words and figures following, viz; “A Return of Men enlisted into the Continental Service from the Town of Plymouth for 3 years in 1777” and then
Page 150

and there follows ninety eight names, and among them is the name of John Totman Junior.  This book has been in my possession ever since the death of my father and was recently shown by me to John Nash (illegible) of Abington in said county in aid of the claim of the widow of John Totman Junior.
N. Goodwin

Plymouth S.S. 29th September 1847.  There personally appeared the above named Nathaniel Goodwin, and made oath that the above statement by him subscribed in my presence, is true and I further certify that said Deponent is personally known to me and that he is a highly credible witness.
Before me
Wm. Thomas, Justice of Peace for said County
Page 151

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Plymouth Co.
I, John B. Thomas, Clerk of the Judicial Courts for the said County of Plymouth, hereby certify that William Thomas Esquire before whom the foregoing affidavit was sworn, was on the day I of the (illegible) of the same, a Justice of the Peace for said County of Plymouth duly commissioned and qualified under the authority of said Commonwealth to administer oaths & take depositions and that his signature to the (illegible) of the same affidavit is genuine. 
In witness whereof I have (illegible) put my hand & affixed the seal of our Supreme Judicial Court this twenty ninth day of September in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty seven.
William Thomas Clerk
Page 152

Pension Office
December 23rd, 1846
Sir,
I have the honor to inform you that the certificate of the Secretary of Massachusetts in the case of Hannah Totman has been filed with the other papers.
As his records show that the only John Totman who served as a three years man in the Massachusetts Line was an inhabitant of Middlesex County, it is conclusive against her claim for the service credited to that name.
The proofs show that her husband was an inhabitant of Abington, Plymouth County in 1780, and was contributed by that town as a levy, whose service is not sufficient to entitle her to a pension.
I have the honor to be,
Very respectfully,
Your Obt. Servant
J. L. Edwards

Hon. J. Russell
House of Representatives
Page 153

Plattsburg N. Y. February 5, 1847
Sir,
Your letter of the 30th (illegible) does not give a sufficient answer to the interrogations contained in (illegible) of the 29th Dec. last.  I am already advised that a man by the name of John Totman enlisted in 1777 into Capt. Eddy’s Co., Col. Bradford’s (illegible) Regt., and served therein to Dec. 1779.  I am also informed that a man by the name of John Totman is borne in a list of certificates for the 10th Mass. Regt. for the last three years service.  You also state in your certificate, that there was a John Totman who enlisted into the East three years service from Middlesex Co.  Mrs. Totman wishes to obtain your certificate of the service first above names, also the name of the town which contributed the John Totman who served from Middlesex Co.  She also wishes to ascertain whether the above service was rendered by the same individual or by different persons of the same name.  If you cannot furnish the evidence will you please inform me where it can be had.  I was not aware of asking for any information inconsistent with the regulation of the Comm. of Pensions or your own, & hope you will render my client every aid in your power to establish a meritorious claim.
Respectfully yours,
J. D. Woodward
Atty for the Widow

John G. Palfrey Esq.
Secy. Boston
Page 154

P. S. In the declaration of Mrs. Totman to obtain a pension made March 2, 1841 she says that John Totman entered the army as she believes during the early part of the war at Abington & served under Capt. Stetson, Lieut. Peterson, & Sergeant Thorp of the Mass. Troops & was one of Genl. Washington’s life guards & believes he was in service at Ticonderoga, Lake George, (illegible) & West Point & was in the Battle of Bunker Hill & served to the end of the war.  Please send a certificate of any service under any of the above named officers & give record of Town (illegible)
J. D. Woodward
Atty for Mrs. Totman
Page 155

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Secretary’s Office, Boston:
March 3 1847
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 John Totman is borne upon a Pay Roll of the North Militia Company in Hanover for marching to Marshfield in the alarm of Lexington April 20, 1775, under the command of Cat. Joseph Sosser, as a private 3 days.  Upon a Pay Roll of the 6 months men of the town of Abington as a private from July 10 to December 5, 1780, including allowance of 240 miles travel, 5 months, and 7 days.  Upon a Muster roll of Capt. Edward Cobb, company in Major Eliphalet Carg’s regt., that marched from Abington to Tiverton, Rhode Island, as a Corporal from July 30 to August 9, 1780 11 days.  The preceding is all evidence
Page 156

of services of any one of the name from Plymouth County.  Not upon roll of Capt. Stetson, Lt. Peterson, and Sergt. Thorp.
And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John G. Palfrey
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Page 157

Plattsburg July 9, 1842
Sir,
I enclose additional evidence in the case of Mrs. Hannah Totman.
Yours Respectfully,
J. D. Woodward

Jas L. Edwards Esq.
Commr. P
Washington D. C.
Page 158

State of New York
County of Clinton p  I, Hannah Totman formerly a resident of Pen. But now residing with my son in Black Brook in said county in addition to my declaration to obtain a pension do on oath say that I have heard my husband John Totman say that his first services were as a waiter for Capt. Stetson in the early part of the war.  I have heard my husband John Totman say that his Father was married three times, the name of his first wife I don’t recollect, his second wife was a Sylvester and his third wife was Sarah Vining & my husband had three brothers, Reuben, (lost at sea), Asa, & Seth, & a half brother by the name of Thomas.  Asa was the youngest of the family.  Reuben, Seth & Asa & my husband, were the only sons of John Totman & Thomas Vining Totman was the only child of his last marriage.
My marriage with John Totman (a son of the above named John) was solemnized on the first day of September 1785 at Fitchburg, Mass & I became acquainted with him about a year before that event.  He was then at work for Zebulon Simonds & had the fever & ague then, & afterwards, he worked for Asa Perry.  Simonds resided in Leominster and Perry in Fitchburg.  I heard my husband say that he came out of the service at the close of the war & had not returned home to his father & at the time of my first acquaintance, not until after our marriage when he made a short visit to his father & returned to Fitchburg where we lived about two years. I have heard him say that he went to Plymouth to learn the Baker Trade soon after his father’s second marriage & that he disliked the business & enlisted into the army from that town & after his time expired he enlisted again, & that at one time he (illegible) a sergeant.  I have heard him say that he was one of Washington’s
Page 159

life guards & was in the last three years service & I believe he was in said service in the Massachusetts line. I have heard my husband speak of Captain Eddy and Colonel Bradford, & believe he served under them & also in some Regt. as a waiter for Capt. Stetson before his enlistment into that Regt.  He was a waiter for a few months.
Hannah Totman
X her mark
Witnesses present
Alexander Lindsay
Henry Totman
Anna Totman

On this 17th day of March 1847 before me the subscriber a Judge of the County Courts in afore said County personally appeared Hannah Totman above named of Clinton & made oath in dure form of (illegible) of the facts contained in the foregoing affidavit by her subscribed & is unable by reason of bodily infirmity to attend court, & cannot write her name owing to old age infirmity.
J. Douglas Woodward  Judge of Clinton County Courts

State of New York
Clinton County ss   I Charles H. Jones (illegible) of the said county do hereby certify that J. Douglas Woodward Esq. whose name is subscribed to the above (illegible) & before whom the affidavit was taken was in the day of the date thereof a Judge of Clinton County Courts, duly appointed and qualified and that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of said Judge and verily believe that the signature above written is genuine.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said County the 11th day of June 1847
Charles H. Jones
Clerk
Page 160

State of New York County of Clinton ss.  On this twenty-ninth day of December – 1848 before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace.
in afore said county personally appeared Hannah Totman a resident of Peru in said County aged seventy-eight years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her doth make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed February 2, 1848.  That she is the widow of John Totman who, after having served at the Battle of Bunker Hill with the Massachusetts Militia enlisted at Plymouth Mass. in January 1777 for three years in Col. Bradford’s Massachusetts Regt. and served out his time to December 1779 & then as she believes re-enlisted for three years in some other town and served until the close of the war in the 10th Mass. Regt. & was Honorable discharged.  She has heard her said husband speak of Cat. Stetson & Capt. Eddy and believed he served under one or both of said officers.  She has heretofore applied for a pension under the acts of July 7, 1838 & made declarations of her husband’s services & produced record proof of her marriage to which she refers.  Her application is still pending.  She further declares that she was married to the said John Totman at Leominster, Mass by Israel Nichols Justice on the first day of September, Seventeen hundred and eighty five, and resided with the said husband up to the period of his death, which took place at Salisbury, Vermont in the autumn of 1813, leaving her a widow & she has ever since remained and is still a widow, & unmarried.  She was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but her marriage took place previous to the first of January 1800, viz at the time above mentioned.  She wishes her Pension certificates under the acts of July 7, 1838 & February 2, 1848 sent to J. D. Woodward her attorney at Plattsburgh N. Y.   His first service may have been as a waiter for Capt. Stetson, that is, before his enlistment at Plymouth in January 1777 for three years.
Hannah Totman
X   Her Mark

Sworn & Subscribed to before me this day and year first above written & I certify that by reason of great age & bodily infirmity she cannot write her name, & is unable to attend in open court at Plattsburgh which is (illegible) miles from her residence and I also certify that the above (illegible) were made before  (illegible)
Thos. B. Watson       Justice Peace
Page 161

State of New York
County of Clinton ss   I the subscriber Clerk of said county certify that Thomas B. Watson before whom the written declaration of Hannah Totman was taken & sworn on this 29th day of December 1848 was at said time a Justice of the Peace in aforesaid county duly qualified and that his signature to the (illegible) or certificate which follows said declaration is genuine I being acquainted with his handwriting.  Witness my hand and official seal this second of January A. D. 1849.
Charles H. Jones Clerk

(Written vertically on right side of paper):
Mrs. Hannah Totman
(illegible) July. 2, 1848
(illegible) Resolution July 1 /48

(illegible words at bottom of page)

5
Page 162

Hannah Totman
decln for an increase of pension

J. D. Woodward
Plattsburg
N. Y.
Page 163

State of New York
County of Clinton ss.   On this Second say of November 1850 before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in aforesaid county personally appeared Hannah Totman a resident of Peru in said county aged eighty-four years who makes the following declaration in order to obtain an increase of pension under any of the Laws of Congress.  That she is the widow of John Totman who was a private & served three years in the Continental line of the Revolutionary Army & by said services entitles to $96.00 per annum.  She was married to him prior to January 1794 & is now a pensioner under the act of February 2, 1848 at $80 per annum.  She claims an increase of her pension from March 4, 1836 at $96 per annum to the present time & for & during her natural life, deducting the amount she has already received.  Her present certificate is dated March 14, 1849 & is (illegible) surrendered.  She requests that her new certificate may be sent to J. D. Woodward her attorney at Plattsburg, N. York.
Hannah Totman
X  Her Mark
In presence of Asaph B. Totman

Sworn and subscribed to before me the day and year first above mentioned & I certify that applicant is a credible person & cannot write her name owing to age and infirmity.
Abraham Scribner   Justice Peace
Page 164

S. Hannah Pierce
(J.D. Woodward)
The letter says
"Three dollars are enclosed but it was not (illegible)"


(Stamped)
PLATTSBURG N.Y. FEB 20

(Written upside-down on page):
The Secretary of State ss.
Massachusetts  Boston

(Stamped):
PAID
Page 165

Plattsburgh NY January 16, 1844
To the Secretary of Massachusetts
Sir,
I am the widow of John Totman who was a soldier of the Revolution & served as nearly as I can recollect as follows.  He entered the service during the early part of the war at Abington, Mass. as I believe, and served a term of about six months & then reenlisted at Plymouth for three years & served his term, & then enlisted for three years(illegible) during the war.  I have heard him say he was in the battle of Bunker Hill, and was in service at Ticonderoga, Lake George, Saugerties and West Point, & that he served until the end of the war, & until he was honorable discharged & that he was a Sergeant of the time during which he served.  I have heard him speak of Capt. Stetson & Lieut. Peterson, & Sergeant Throp of the Massachusetts Troops.  I believe he belonged to Capt. Eddy’s Company, Col. Bradfords Mass. Regt, because I have heard my husband say that on his father’s second marriage, he, my husband, ran away from his trade & enlisted at Plymouth.  I believe my husband was one of Gen. Washington’s Life Guards.  I was married to him at Fitchburgh, Mass Sept. 1, 1785 & he died in Salisburg, VT in 1813.  I wish you to examine the records of your office & send me a certificate of all the service you find to have been rendered by John Totman, specifying the town from which he entered.  Three dollars for your fees are enclosed.  I have employed J. D. Woodward Counsel of Plattsburgh as my attorney to obtain a pension for me & wish your certificate sent to him by mail.
Yours Respectfully,
Hannah Pierce
X  her mark.

Sworn & subscribed to before me this 19th day of February 1844
Major Powers  Justice Peace
Page 166

And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John G. Palfrey
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Page 167

Mrs. Hannah Totman
additional declaration
Made May 31, 1842
Page 168

Clinton County ss.  I Hannah Totman in addition to my declaration made to obtain a pension do declare that my husband John Totman left the army about a year and a half previous to our marriage which took place at Leominster Worcester County adjoining Fitchburg Mass on the first day of September 1785 & he resided in Fitchburg Mass about a year (illegible) the previous to the marriage.  When he came out of the army he went to Leominster & remained there about nine months & then went to Fitchburg when my husband entered the service under Capt. Eddy in Col. Bradford’s Regt. (illegible) belonged to Plymouth and was there leaving the Bakers trade while his parents lived in Abington.  My husbands service for six months in 1780 was from Abington where his parents lived.  He served as waiter for Capt. Stetson.  His next enlistment was as I believe for three years & after that time expired he enlisted for the war and he served until the end of the war & instead of returning home to his parents in Abington he (illegible) himself to work in Leominster and there I became acquainted with him, & after our marriage we both then resided in Fitchburg.  He went to Abington in a visit to his father & returned after a few days absence.  I have heard my husband say he served three years and nine months during the revolution.  He had an honorable discharge from the army, which (illegible) & that he was entitled to bounty lands.
Plattsburg  May 31, 1842
Hannah Totman
X  her mark

(illegible) 
A. B. Totman
Page 169

Case of
Mrs. Hannah Totman
at Pension Office

Hon. Sidney Lawrence,
H. R. 

(the following written and crossed out):
Chas. H. Jones Clerk
Page 170

My Dear Sir,
I enclose the declaration of Mrs. Hannah Totman under the act of February 2, 1848.  Her papers under the act of July 7, 1838 are on file in the Pension Office.  She claims an allowance in both cases of $98 per annum commencing on the 4th of March 1836 is authorized by the joint resolution of July 1, 1848.  A pension to this widow has already been too long delayed.
Yours Truly,
J. D. Woodward

Hon. Sidney Lawrence
H. (illegible)
P.S. Major Penrose of the army died here yesterday.
Page 171

Amos Allen's 
Deposition in the case of Mrs. Hannah Totman
No 1
Page 172

State of New York SS.
On this 6th day of September One thousand eight hundred & forty one before the undersigned First Judge of Warren County Courts personally appeared Amos Allen a resident of Fort Ann Washington County New York aged eighty eight years who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following deposition.  That he was acquainted with John Totman of Abbington Massachusetts, that his first acquaintance with said Totman was first made about the time he Totman entered the service as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, which he thinks was in the year 1776.  That at the time Totman entered the service he resided at Abbington Massachusetts.  (illegible) at that time were in the regular service.  Totman did not enter the regiment I served in & we was never in the same regiment together & I have no knowledge of the officers he served under nor how long he served.  I knew him after his return from the service, was teaching school in the neighborhood of his residence in the town of Fitchburg at the time of his marriage to Hannah Pierce, did not see them married but heard of it at the time.  I myself served about two years at different times, immediately after the capture of Burgoyne.  I commenced teaching school in Fitchburg, Worcester County Massachusetts & spent the winter & in the spring I entered the service & spent the summer in the service and returned to teaching school in the winter again in which manner I spent several years.  That Totman returned to Fitchburgh I think about the year seventeen hundred & eighty-one.  I understood that he had been in the service during the whole of his absence, have not doubt of it although I did not see him in the service from the fact that I often conversed with him about the war & he told me of many transactions which he could not have been knowing to unless he had been in the service & which I knew to be true, that it was always understood that he was in the service & I never heard it questioned.  I afterwards moved to Luzerne Warren County New York.  Totman also moved there
Page 173

two years before I did & we lived in Luzerne in the same neighborhood for eighteen years, was intimately acquainted with him, and from my whole acquaintance always understood & believed he served in the war of the Revolution for several years, but have no means of knowing how longs.  About the commencement of the Last War I think about 1813 Totman went from Luzerne to Vermont to work did not move his family & then was taken sick & died as he understood at the time.
Our circumstance I recollected which Totman told me he witnessed which in the service, which was an individual being a large man with red hair & which was [illegible] to grow long was charged with robbing a widow woman’s house of much valuable property.  He was tried by a court martial & convicted & sentenced to be whipped twenty-five lashes at the head of each Regiment in the brigade, the last twenty-five he viewed at the head of the Regiment to which I belonged & which I witnessed, & from having heard Totman relate the circumstance often afterwards, as having witnessed it himself, convinced me that he was in the same brigade to which I belonged at that time; this took place in 1778.
Amos Allen
Sworn & subscribed before me this day & year first above written.
Hiram Barber First Judge of Warren County Courts
I hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Amos Allen above named & who made the foregoing deposition & that he is a credible person & his statement is entitled to credit.
Hiram Barber First Judge of Warren Co. Courts

State of New York
Warren County
I Thomas Archibald Clerk of the said county do certify that Hiram Barber Esqr. Before whom the (illegible) affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date of the (illegible) First Judge of the County Courts of the said county Residing in the said County (illegible) and sworn and duly authorized to take the same and further that I am well acquainted with the handwriting of said Judge and truly believe his name subscribed to said affidavit and certificate to be his own handwriting and signature.
In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court & County this 19th day of November 1841
Thomas Archibald Clerk
Page 174

Fort Ann NY
Nov. 8

12 1/2
J. D. Woodard
Plattsburgh
NY
Page 175

(stamped): PLATTSBURGH  N. Y. 
NOV 11 

Clerk of Washington Co.
(The following was written an crossed out):
Fort Ann
Sandy Hills

N.Y.

Argyle
Page 176

State of New York
County of Washington ss.     I Amos Allen of Fort Ann in said County aged ninety-one years being duly sworn say that I first went to Fitchburg to teach school in the year 1777.  I fix upon that year, because I recollect being there when the guns were fired in honor of the surrender of Burgoynes Army.  I had no knowledge of John Totman at that time nor did I hear his name mentioned until several years after I went to Fitchburg.  When I first knew him, he was living with Jonas Kendall at Leominster adjoining Fitchburg, and this I verily believe was four or five years previous to his marriage with Hannah Pierce with whom I was well acquainted.  I became more particularly acquainted with said Totman about twenty years afterward at Luzerne, New York; where I lived near neighbor to him for many years; and often heard him speak of his services in the revolutionary army, and say that he served therein several tours.  I have heard him say that he was born in Abington, Mass., and bound an apprentice to a Baker in Plymouth, but disliked the trade, and enlisted into the army.  I heard him say that he was in service at White Plains, on the North River, and other places, and that he saw a man whipped twenty-five lashes at the head of four Massachusetts Regiments (Nixon’s Brigade) which event I witnessed myself.  I have heard him speak
Page 177

a man whipped twenty five lashes at the head of four [illegible] which event I [illegible] thyself. I have heard him speak of events which to my knowledge occurred in the army, which convinces me that he served therein.  I never know any other person by the name of John Totman, and my knowledge of him at Fitchburg was slight, and as I left that place in 1780, I neither saw nor heard any more of him until I met him at Luzerne, aforesaid where we live together as neighbors & friends for many years, and where he related to me a history of his services.
Amos Allen

Sworn and Subscribed to before me the 8th day of November 1844 and I certify that Deponent a credible witness.
Matthias A. Pike  Justice Peace

State of New York County of Washington ss.  I the subscriber Clerk of said County certify that Matthias A. Pike before whom the above affidavit of Amos Allen was taken and sworn on the eighth day of November 1844, was at said time a Justice of the Peace in and for said county and that his signature to the (illegible) of said affidavit is genuine as I verily believe, being acquainted with this handwriting.
Witness my hand & official seal this 22nd day of November A. D. 1844
H Shipherd  Clerk
Page 178

Plattsburg N Y Nov. 4, 1850
Sir, 
I enclose the application & certificate of Mrs. Hannah Totman who supposes herself entitled to an increase of her pension.
Respectfully Yours,
J. D. Woodward
Attorney  (illegible)
J. L. Edwards Esq.
Court (illegible)
Page 179

Plattsburg NY  February 12, 1851
Dear Sir,
I enclose the pension certificates of Dorcas Shutters widow of Samule Walker, Clarissa Marvin widow of John C. Marvin, Edna Robers widow of John Roberts, Hannah Totman widow of John Totman, & Huldah Moore widow of Elias Moore, and which you to issue fresh certificates in their favor under the joint resolution of July 1, 1848.  Their declarations under that act were on file in your office last autumn when their claims were rejected.  I renew their application I the hope that you will make a more correct decision upon that resolution than was made by your predecessor.
Very Respectfully Yours,
J. D. Woodward
Atty for Claimants

Jas. E. Heath  Court C
Page 180

10598
New York
Hannah Totman Widow of John Totman who was a pensioner under the Act of – and who died on the August 2nd 1815 of Clinton in the State of N. York who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain – of the Regt. commanded by – in the Revolution for 2 years.
Inscribed on the Roll of Albany at the rate of 80 Dollars – cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1836.
Certificate of Pension issued the 14th day of March, 1849 and sent to J. D. Woodward Esq.
Present
Total amount,   $400.00
[Act July 7, 1838.]
Recorded by Th. Lumpkin   Clerk,
Book D   Vol. 7   Page 183
Page 181

Abby
New York
Hannah Totman widow of John Totman who was a Private in the Revolution
Husband died August 2, 1815
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 80 Dollars – Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1843.
Certificate of Pension issued the 14th day of March 1849 and sent to J. S. Woodward Esq. of Plattsburg, N. Y.
Now Present
[Acts of March 3, 1843, and June 17, 1844.}
Recorded in Book
Vol. 2  Page 87
Page 182

Rev.  Mass.
WIDOW. & c. 
File No. 22445
Hannah Totman
Widow of John Totman
Pri. Rev War
Act:  March 3rd, 1838 & June 17th ‘44
Index: - Vol. M, Page 423
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Page 183

8109
(illegible)
Page 184

(illegible)  Feb: 2nd, '48
NY
Boynton
Page 185

No. 63165
ACT OF MARCH 3, 1855
Received April 12, 1855
John Totman
Rev War

Warrant 8002-160-55

J. D. Woodward
Plattsburg
N. Y.