Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 16134, Thadeus Graves, Conn. Mass.
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[printed form completed in handwriting]
(3-1776)
Service
Conn.
Mass.
Graves, Thadeus
Number
S 16134
Carded
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[printed completed in handwriting]

17.394
Vermont
 Thadeus. Graves.

Of Chillerton Co in the State of  Vermont who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain [blank] of the Regt. commanded by Col. Elmore in the [illegible] line for 13 mos 12 da and Conn. AW
X connt – cont – 

Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont at the rate of 44 Dollars and 65 cents per annum to commence the 4th day of March 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 20 day of Augt 1833 and sent to N B Harwell. Burlington. 

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833	     $89.30
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Septem	22.32
	                                                =======
	                                                     $111.62
	                                                 =======
{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}
Recorded by W L Williams Clerk
Book E Vol. 3 Page 66
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[handwritten]
We Josiah F. Goodhue a Clergyman residing in the Town of Williston and Governor Martin Chittenden residing in the same Town hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thaddeus Graves of Williston who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration  that we believe him to be seventy six 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 the opinion
[signed] Josiah F. Goodhue
[signed] M. Chittenden

State of Vermont
Chittenden County ss
Sworn to and subscribed this 17th day of August 1832

By me Eli Brownson Assistant Judge of Chittenden County Court

I hereby further certify that Joseph F. Goodhue who has signed the foregoing Certificate is a Gospel Minister in good standing June 5, 1833
[signed] Eli Brownson

State of Vermont
Chittenden County
I Nathan B Maswell Clerk of Chittenden County Court do hereby certify that the Honorable Eli Brownson was on the 17th day of August AD 1832 an Assistant Judge of Chittenden County Court duly qualified acting under the authority of this State and that the foregoing is his own proper signature
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court at Burlington this 10th day of June 183[cut off]
[signed] Nathan B Maswell
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[printed form completed in handwriting]
Revolutionary Claims.

State of Vermont,
Chittenden County, ss. }

On this seventeenth day of August A.D. 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before the Honorable Judges of the Court for the Count of Chittenden, now sitting, Thaddeus Graves, a resident of Williston in the County of Chittenden and State of Vermont, aged seventy six 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. I enlisted as a Volunteer about the 10th of May 1776 in the Company commanded by Captain Dickerson and the Regiment was commanded by Colonel Elmore. I enlisted at Tyringham for one year and marched from Albany in the State of New York up the Mohawk River to Fort Dayton on the German Flatts and remained at Fort Dayton until the year that I enlisted for was out and has a verbal discharge sometime in May about the 10th 1777
And in the month of July 1777 I enlisted into the company commanded by Captain Noah Langdon and the Regiment was commanded by Colonel Ashley and served six weeks and was discharged and that I have no documentary evidence and that I know of no person now living whose testimony I can procure who can testify to my service  I made application for a Pension in 1818 and then I had a credible witness by the name of Zebediah Joslin but is since dead  my papers were returned inadmissible on account of it being Militia service.
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[printed form completed in handwriting]
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.
[signed] Thadeus Graves
Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid, }
Before
[signed] Nathan B Maswell Clerk 

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 certify, that it appears to them that Josiah F. Goodhue is a Clergyman in good standing and Governor Martin Chittenden who have signed the annexed certificate and who are residents of the town of Williston are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Attest
[signed] Eli Brownson
[signed] John Vansicklin Jr
Judges of Chittenden County Court

State of Vermont, 
Chittenden County, ss.}
I Nathan B. Maswell Clerk of Chittenden County Court, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Thadeus Graves for a Pension. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this 17th day of August A.D. 1832
[signed] Nathan B Maswell
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[handwritten] 
State of Vermont, 
Chittenden County}
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace for the County of Chittenden, Thaddeus Graves of Williston in the County of Chittenden to me known as the same person who made his declaration before the Honorable Chittenden County Court on the 17th day of August 1832 who being duly sworn, doth on his oath make the following additional declaration, that on the 10th of May 1776 he enlisted at Tyringham, Berkshire County Massachusetts for one year, into Captain Joel Dickersons Company in Col Elmores Regt (and I believe Massachusetts Regt)     I served until the 10th of May 1777 when I was dismissed at Fort Dayton, on the Germany Flatts NY) having served one full year. ----- In the month of July 1777, and the precise day not now recollected by me I enlisted or volunteers to go to Fort Edward as it was then said to mee Burgoyne – I then lived in Tyringham Mass and joined Captain Noah Langdons Company   when we got to Fort Edwards the militia was organized and put into Regiments – Our company was attached to Col. Ashleys Regt, - we were dismissed at Bemis Heights at Still Water in September  the precise day I do not recollect, but in this service I served six weeks, - my service in 1776 and 1777 was that of a private soldier, - my whole service was thirteen and one half months for which I claim a Pension   I was born in Tyringham Massachusetts in
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[handwritten] 
The 4th of June 1768, but I have no record of my age, when I first entered the service I lived in Tyringham Mass, since the Revolution I have lived the principal part of the time in Vermont having lived in Williston the place of my present residence for the last forty two years.
[signed] Thadeus Graves
Sworn and Subscribed this 9th day of June AD 1833 and I hereby certify that the above named Thaddeus Graves is a credible person
Before me
[signed] Nathan B Maswell Justice of the Peace

State of Vermon
Chittenden County}	
I Nathan B. Maswell Clerk of Chittenden County Court, do hereby certify that Nathan B Harwell before whom the above declaration was taken, was at the time thereof a Justice of the Peace duly qualified acting under the authority of this State, and that his name hereto subscribed is his own proper signature. 
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, this 10th day of June A.D. 1833
[signed] Nathan B Maswell
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[printed form completed in handwriting]
IN3
O.W. and N. Division
Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Pensions,
Washington, D. C., May, 1893.

Sir
In reply to your request for a statement of the miliary history of Thaddeus Graves, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, you will please find below the desired information as contained in his application for pension on file with this Bureau.
====================================  
[following is a table – columns are separated by “/”]
Dates of Enlistment./Length of Service./Rank./Officers under Whom Service was Rendered./ Captain./Colonel./State.
May 1776/12 mos/Pri/Joel Dickinson/Elmosre/Mass
July 1777/1 ½ m/Pri/Noah Langdon/Ashley/Mass

Battles engaged in, not stated
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Tyringham Berkshire Co Mass
Date of application for pension, August 1832
Residence at date of application, Williston Vt
Age at date of application, Born June 8 1756 in Tyringham Mass
Remarks: Service at Fort Dayton, at German Flats, NY against Tories & Indians
Very respectfully, 
[blank]
Commissioner.

Mr Russell L. Feff
Burlington Vt

7941b-3m
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[handwritten]
Theadeus Graves

Admit
13 mos 12 days

43.39
1.32
-------
44.65
N B Maswell
Burlington 
VT
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[printed form completed in handwriting]
Brief objections to the admission of a Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Thaddeus Graves of Williston Vermont 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 reside, 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? No See quere 5
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 that the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? Yes
VIII.	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 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? No
XII.	If the clergyman’s affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No
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? Yes
XIV.	†If the applicant's name if not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? [blank]

If he has produced direct proof of to service, ahs the magistrate who administered the oath certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?

Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? No

XV.	Does it appear from any 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
XVII.	Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? No
And, if no, which of them is not so answered?  [blank]

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of 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 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 [blank] year [blank] months and [blank] days, I served as a [blank]. For [blank] months and [blank] days, I served as a [blank]; and for such service I claim a pension.”
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3
	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 be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the offices, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit. 

†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 office who authenticated the paper 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.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has not public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
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[handwritten]
State of Vermont
Chittenden County}

I hereby certify that the papers hereto attached and marked A & B are the same documents heretofore forwarded to the Pension office to substantiate the declaration of Thaddeus Graves of Williston, and that since their return from the Pension office the additional documents marked additional No 1 2 & 3 have been added.
	In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court at Burlington this 10th day of June AD 1833.
[signed] Nathan B Maswell Clerk
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[printed form completed in handwriting]
P 16134
INVALID.
File No. 16,134
Thadeus Graves
Pri Rev War:
Act: June 7 32
Index: - Vol. 1 Page 154
[Arrangement of 1870.]

[right page]
1898 May 19, Hist. to Russell F Teff, Burlington, VT   FS.
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[typed]
Burlington, Vt., 28th April, 1893.

Commissioner of Pensions.

My Dear Sir, -
	In making the tables for a genealogy, I am informed that a revolutionary pensioner, named Thaddeus Graves lived in the town of Williston Vermont and died there; that a pension was granted him commencing I think, 4th of March, 1831, or about that time. I don’t know from what state he served nor in what military organization nor where he came from, but I infer that his application for a pension with the affidavits thereto annexed, might show something of his history, and I would loke to obtain, if I can, a copy of the papers filed by him, showing the facts referred to.
	Can I obtain such copy, and if so, please send me one together the memorandum of the amount I should remit to pay for the same.
Yours truly,
[signed] Russell S. Teff