Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 15707, Elijah Whitney, Mass. Vermont
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SERVICE
Mass.
Vermont

Whitney, Elijah

NUMBER
S. 15707

carded
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Vermont 17659

Elijah Whitney

W Manstown in the State of Vr
who was a Pri in the [illegible] commanded by Captain -- of the Regt commanded by Col Whitcomb in the Massa [Massachusetts] Militia for 9 mo [months]

Inscribed on the Roll of Ver
at the rate of 30 Dollars 00 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.

Certificate of Pension issued the 10 day of Sept
1833 and sent Pensioner Williamstown Vt

Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833 $ 45
Semi-anl allowance ending  15

$70

{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by E D Bullock Clerk
Book 2 Vol U Page 98
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Elijah Whitney
No. 6540
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Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832 State of Vermont Orange County and District of Randolph} ss   On this 17th day of August AD. 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Probate Court within and for the District of Randolph, County of Orange and State of Vermont now sitting at Brookfield in said County Elijah Whitney a resident of Williamstown in the County of Orange District of Randolph and State of Vermont aged seventy seven 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 in the summer of 1774 I resided in Bolton County of Worcester and State of Massachusetts that the country was there in a State of Alarm the British were said to be in Boston and a war was expected with England, that Capt Benjamin Hastings then of said Bolton raised a company of minute men, had frequent trainings, and were to hold themselves in readiness to march at a moments warning in case hostilities should commence, in the month of February 1775 I removed to Pictney, County of Windham and State of Vermont. that soon after the Battle at Lexington in Massachusetts I Joined the company of the said Capt Hastings at Cambridge where I enlisted to serve for the term of eight months and that I served in said Company the said term of Eight months, that the said Company was attached to Col. John Whitcombs Regiment I further testify and say that in the month of September 1777 Soon after the battle at Bennington, Lieut Moses Johnson of
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Putney Vt. returned from Bennington with orders for a draft of every fourth man from the company in said Putney on the company being called together there were thirty five turned out voluntarily and the said Whitney was one of that number, that we that were marched as far as Brattleboro, the same night and the next day to Bennington where we were under the command of Capt Ephraim Clay of said Putney - our company was attached to Col. Williams Regiment (the given name of Col. Williams I have forgotten) from Bennington we marched towards Stillwater within about five miles of that place where we encamped for a few days at this place one of our company by the name of Pierce was killed by the Indians our company were then march up the river a short distance (the name of the town I have forgotten, where we were stationed until Burgoynes surrender Burgoyne being on the opposite side of the River and a few miles below us. I was discharged in two or three days after Burgoynes surrender and returned to Putney making this time of service one month and one or two days-- was born in Howard Mass age recorded in town clerks office. has a copy of the record signed by T. [illegible] and dated 1783 living as above stated when in service. since the revolution have mostly resided in Williamstown Vt. went into service as above stated. does not recollect very particularly other names than those above named. does not remember that he had a written discharge He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a Pension except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension agency of any State} Elijah Whitney Sworn to and subscribed the day and year afsd [aforesaid] Frederick Griswold Judge of Probate
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We Joel Davis a Clergyman & Darius Pride both residing in Williamson hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Elijah Whitney who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be 77 years of age. that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a solder of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion
Joel Davis Clergyman
Darius Pride Town Clerk
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Frederick Griswold Judge of Probate

And the said Court do hereby declare the opinion after investigating the matter & putting the interrogatories prescribed by the Department that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier & served as he states and the said Court further certify that it appears that Joel Davis is a Clergyman & that Darius Pride
who has also signed the preceeding certificate both residents of Williamstown (and to said Court well known) are credible persons & their statement is entitled to credit
I J.K. Parish Clerk or Regr of the Probate Court aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the
application of Elijah Whitney for a pension
In testimony whereof I J.R. Parish Clerk or Reg of the Probate aforesaid have hereunto set my hand and seal this 17th day of August AD 1832
J. K. Parrish Clerk or Reg
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In reply to your request of ..............., received............ for a statement of the military history of Elijah Whitney a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his [crossed out] (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.  S.F. 15,707
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
DATES OF ENLISTMENT ON APPOINTMENT| LENGTH OF SERVICE.| RANK| CAPTAIN.| COLONEL..| STATE.|
1775. | 8 mos.| Pvt.| Benjamin Hastings| John Whitcomb| Mass.
Rept. 1777 | 1.. |  | Ephraim Clay| Williams| VT.
Battles engaged in,......[check mark]....
Residence of soldier at enlistment,...{Button, Worcester, Co Mass in 1774. Putney, Windham Ca Vt in 1775
Date of application for pension, Aug. 17, 1832. His cl. was al.
Residence at date of application, Williams Town, Ca, VT.
Age at date of application, 77 yrs. Born at Harvard, Mass.
Remarks: There is no date relative to family.
Respectfully,
Commissioner
S-2888
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P
15707
INVALID.
No. 15707
Elijah Whitney
Pri Rev War
---
Act: June 7" 32
Index: -- Vol. 1, Page 455
(Arrangement of 1870)
1917, Mch. 22. History to Mrs. Wm. W. Neispert. F. W.
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Mrs Wm W Neifert.
18 Stanley St
East Hartford.
Conn
Personal inquiry of March 20, 1917.
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1540
Elijah Whitney
9 mo private
$80
Claimant
Williamstown Vt
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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 Elijah Whitney which require further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? Yes
II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? Yes
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?
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? Yes
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? Yes
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? Yes
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes
VII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? Yes
X. Is the Clerk's seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished by from any other seal? Yes
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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? Yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
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? N does not appear, that the best evicen [evidence] has been produced
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? Yes
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? Yes
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? Yes
XVI. ++Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? No
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 1-5 & subsequent
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 ____. For ____ months and ___ days, I served as a ____ ; and for such service I claim a pension."
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8
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 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 be 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.
++ QERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
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I Nathaniel Oak of Chelsea in the County of Orange and State of Vermont aged Eighty one despose [depose] testify and say that in the in the spring of 1775 I resided in Winchester in the County of Cheshire and State of New Hampshire and in that Spring was enrolled and engaged to serve in the body of the Militia, commonly called minute men. On the occurrence of
the battle at Lexington in Massachusetts I joined the company minute men aforesaid commanded by Capt Benjamin Hastings in Col John Whitcombs Regiment. At the same time Elijah Whitney then residing in Putney in the State of Vermont belonged to the same company and Regiment and joined the same and marched with the troops to Cambridge in Massachusetts and
after arriving there said Whitney enlisted to serve for the term of eight months in the same company and Regiment. I remained with the said Company at Cambridge about six week during which time said Whitney was present with said company and serving therein. I left the army at Cambridge after about six weeks, and when I left said Whitney remained with the army and I have always understood and believe that said White completed his term of service of Eight months at that time
Nathanl Oak

State of Vermont } 
Orange County}
At Chelsea in said County July 21 1832 personally appeared Nathaniel Oak  well known to me and a credible with and made oath that the foregoing deposition by him subscribed contains the truth and nothing but the truth.
before me 
D Azro A Buck Justice Peace
State of Vermont
Secretary of States office
Montpelier Augt 20th 1832
I certify that D. Azro A. Buck is a Justice of the Peace within and for the County of Orange & State of Vermont & that to his acts & attestations as such due credit is to be given and I believe the above to be his signature
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name & affixed the seal of office at Montpelier this 20th day of Aug A. D
Timothy Merrill
Secty of State