Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 5320, Jonathan Huckins, N.H.
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(8-1776)
SERVICE N.H. Huckins, Jonathan
NUMBER
R. 5320
CONTENTS
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N 2. 818
Jonathan Huckins
application & certificate
Return to be made to Simon Short. That-said Orange County Vt.
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Durham in Newhampshire [New Hampshire] in 1747 - that he does not know that he has any record of his age - that he lived in Nottingham as above mentioned when he entered the service - that he continued to live in Nottingham, until about 43 years ago when he moved to Bath NH. where he lived four years & then moved to Topsham Vt where he has [illegible] since [illegible] still lived - that he entered the service voluntarily - that he said Genl. Washington & Major Joseph Scilly at Winter Hill & that he cannot relate other things more particulely [particularly] things he here stated above & does not know any person living who can testify of his service.
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I Simeon Short Clerk of the said Court of Probate do certify that this paper contained a past of the declaration of the said Jonathan Huckins at the time he presented the same to the said Court & was then annexed as it now is to the body of his said declaration
In testimony whereof I do hereunto set my hand this [illegible] of [illegible] Court the day/year - aforsaid [aforesaid] 
[illegible] Short Clk
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State of Vermont} ss. Probate District of Bradford COUNTY OF Orange 
On this first day Aug 1832 personally appeared in open court, before the Probate court of 1.' Bradford District now sitting, Jonathan Huckins a resident of Topsham in the county of Orange and state of Vermont, aged 84 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United states under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. viz. that in month of August (as he thinks, 1775 at Nottingham in Newhampshire [New Hampshire] he enlisted as a private into Capt. Henry Butters Company, Liut. Leathers & Leuit John Gaile and marched to great [illegible] near Portsmouth Newhampshire [New Hampshire] & was stationed there two months; two weeks more than he enlisted for & was discharged & returned home in the month of October - as he thinks - there soon after his return to Nottingham, about the first of December of the same year he enlisted into Capt. Thomas Bartletts Company at said Nottingham for the time of three months. Col. Poors regiment & marched to Winter Hill near Boston & remained there in service two months & was then taken sick & rather than go to the Hospital he hired a man to [illegible] out his time & paid him two dollars thus far & he had permission to return home after serving two months of his time, the man's name was Bickford whom he hired who was accepted as a substitute by the officer.  He also declares that it said Nottingham about the first of Sept 1777, as he thinks, he enlisted in to Capt. Sandborns Company for three month & was attached to Col. [illegible] Regiment, Luit Col Bartlett & marched through Keene, Nehampshire [New Hampshire] & Bennington, Vermont about two or three weeks after the Battle & joined the [illegible] at Hill water & proceeded up to Saratoga & was present at the Surrender of Genl. Burgoyne & was soon after dismissed & permitted to return home w little before his time was out & [illegible] at this time full two months - He states that he never had any written discharge  - that no documentary evidence of his service - He stated in answer to questions propounded by the Court that he was born in 
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declare that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency in any State, or (if any,) only on that of the agency in the State of Vermont. Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. his mark X Jonathan Huckins
We, William Sandborn a Clergyman residing in the Town of Topsham [illegible] and Jonathan [illegible] Esq residing in ? Topsham - hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Jonathan Hickens - who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 84 years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. 
William [illegible]
Jonth. J[illegible]
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& Bennington Vermont, about two or three weeks after the Battle & joined the Army at Stillwater & proceeded up to Saratoga & was put present at the surrender of Gen'l Burgoyne & was soon after dismissed & permitted to return home a little before his time was out, & served at this time full two months - He states that he never had any written discharge & has no documentary evidence of his services - He states in answer to questions propounded by the Court, that he was born in 
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State, or (if any,) only on that of the agency in the State of Vermont. 
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
/s/X his mark Jonathan Huckins
We, William Sanborn a Clergyman residing in the the Town of Topsham afore'd and Jonathan Jenness Esqr residing in s'd Topsham hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Jonathan Huckins who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 84 years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. 
Sworn and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. 
/s/William Sanborn
/s/Jon'a Jenness
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the court further certifies, that it appears to them that William Sanborn who has signed the preceding certificate, is a Clergyman resident in the s'd town of Topsham and that Jonathan Jenness  who has also signed the same, is a resident in the same town and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. 
I, Simeon Short Clerk or Reg'r of the court of Probate aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Jonathan Huckins for a pension.
[court seal affixed] In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this first day of August one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two. 
/s/Simeon Short Clk.
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['Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.' crossed out]
REJECTED
5320
P.O. [blank]
Jonathan Huckins
Service: [blank]
Enlisted: [blank], 18[blank].
Discharged: [blank], 18[blank].
Application filed: [blank], 18[blank].
Alleges: [blank]
Re-enlisted: [blank]
Attorney: [blank]
P.O. [blank]
[blank] Recognized. [blank] Contract.
[blank] Cert. of Dis. Searched for [blank], 18[blank].
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Vermont
Jonathan Huckins 
rejected
deserter
see letter S. Short
4 April 1833
5320
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Return this.
Obj. 16
see NH rolls
deserted from Evans reg't
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Jonathan Huckins which require further proof or explanation. 
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? [blank] 
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? [blank]  
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? [blank] 
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? [blank] 
V. *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? [blank] 
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? [blank] 
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the other under the Act of June 7, 1832? [blank] 
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? [blank] 
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? [blank] 
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? [blank]
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XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? [blank]
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? [blank] 
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? [blank] 
XIV. +If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? [blank] 
Has the official character and signature of  the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? [blank] 
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age, as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service? [blank] 
XVI. ↕Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No. see Quere 16. He must not attach part of his declaration so loosely to the principal part
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? [blank] 
EXPLANATORY NOTES. 
*QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words: "Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades; For ______year______months, and______days______, I served as a______; and for such service I claim a pension.”
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It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.
+QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of  his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
↕QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.