Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30494, Cornelius Holmes, Mass.
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE
Mass.

Holmes, Cornelius

NUMBER
S. 30494

CONTENTS
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15610.
Massachusetts
Cornelius Holmes
of Bridgewater in the State of Mass
who was a Sergt in the company commanded
by Captain Bryant of the regt commanded 
by Col Mason in the Mass
line for 3 mo serv
3-14 D P
3 - Seaman

Inscribed on the Roll of Mass
at the rate of 38 Dollars 55 Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 27th day of June 1833 and sent Jacob
H Lond Plymouth

Arrears to the 4th of Mar 1833 $77.10
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. 9.27
$96.37

{Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by J H Mc Blair Clerk, 
Book E. Vol. 2. Page 33.

79
Plyms
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Segt 3 Mont
Private 3 14 days
Seaman 3
9-14

$71.665
$38.665

Jacob H Lond
Plymouth
Mass
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BRIEF in the case of Cornelius Homes
of Bridgewater in the State of Mass
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 77 years
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

Period. 
Duration of Service.
Rank. 
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.

In 1777 -- 3 Months -- 14 days As a Private Capt Bryant Col Mason
78 --3 Months -- Sergeant C Patridge Col Cotton
--3 months-- Seaman MS Schooner Hazard was captured and taken to Halifax
5. In what battles was he engaged? A Sea Fight 
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Plymouth Mass
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? three living witnesses &
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
documentary evidence
Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.

[signed] JW Clagett
Examining Clerk
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Cornelius Holmes
21528
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REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
COUNTY OF PLYMOUTH, SS.
ON this twentieth day of August 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before Hon. Wilkes Wood Judge of the Court of Probate now sitting at Plymouth within and for said County of Plymouth, Cornelius Holmes a resident of Bridgewater in said County of Plymouth, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 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. 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. That is to say, that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
In 1777 about the month of July he enlisted in the military service of the United States in a Company commanded by Capt Bryant in Col. Mason's Regiment, for the term of three months. He enlisted with several others at Plymouth, who repaired to Springfield Massachusetts where they joined the company & were employed generally in making cartridges & remained there until after the taking of Burgoyne's Army & served out his term of time and two weeks in addition thereto. He has no written discharge & was in no battle.
In the year 1778 he went to Roxbury & Boston as a substitute for John Rickard now deceased in Capt Partridges Company and had a Sergeants
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warrant from Col. Cotton the remains of which is annexed. He served in this campaign three months. He has no discharge. He has the Deposition of David Diman & Lemuel Cole to this service which are hereunto annexed.
In 1778 he enlisted in the States schooner called the Hazard of which John Rickard was master bound to France with Despatches from the Congress. After four days out from Boston she fell in with two British vessels the Invincible 74 & Guadaloupe frigate & was captured by them & carried into Newfoundland & afterward to Halifax & imprisoned and was afterward in exchange of prisoners returned to Boston having been absent for the term of three months. He has no discharge in writing, And he does not know of any person living who was with him in said service.
He was born in Plymouth in 1754 & lived there during the said several services of enlistment and removed to Bridgewater where he now resides in 1779 in December. He does not know whether his birth is recorded in any record or not.
[signed] Cornelius Holmes

Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid}
Attest
[signed] Jacob H. Lond
Register
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We, Richard M. Hodges a clergyman, residing in the town of Bridgewater and Artemus Hale residing in the same town hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Cornelius Holmes, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy seven years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and we concur in that opinion.
Bridgewater August 29th 1832
[signed] Richard M. Hodges
[signed] Artemus Hale

Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Before me [signed] Avery Fobes Justice of Peace 

Avery Fobes Esq is a Justice of the Peace for said county & the above is his signature
Attest [signed] Jacob H Lond Register

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 abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Richard M. Hodges who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the town of Bridgewater and that Hon Artemas Hale who has also signed the same, is a resident in the same town & a [illegible] for this county & and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
By the Court Attest [signed] Jacob H. Lond
Register

I, Jacob H. Lond Register of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Cornelius Holmes for a pension. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of my office, this twentieth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
[signed] Jacob H. Lond
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In reply to your request of____, received ____ for a statement of the military history of Cornelius Holmes a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
S. File 30.494
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT
LENGTH OF SERVICE.
RANK.
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.
CAPTAIN. COLONEL.
STATE.
July 1777 3 mos 2 wks Captain Bryant Colonel Mason Mass.
1778 3 mos. Sergt. Captain Calvin Partridge
1778 3 mos Captain John Rickard Hazard" captured by the Invincible 74 & Guadaloupe & carried to Newfoundland & imprisoned at Halifax until exch.
Battles engaged in, 
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Plymouth Mass.
Date of application for pension, Aug  20 1832. Alld.
Residence at date of application, Bridgewater, Mass from 1779
Age at date of application, b. 1754 Plymouth, Mass.
Remarks: no family late
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30494
Revy
INVALID.
File No. 30,494
Cornelius Holmes
Sergt Rev War
Act: June 7th 32:
Index: - Vol. 2, Page 193
[Arrangement of 1870.]

1910 Nov. 30. History to Mr. Elton H. Beals
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Duly at [illegible] under the Command of Captn Calvin Partridge You are therefore to notify the Detachments from the Severall Companys in this Town, that they hold themselves in readiness to march on Monday so as to Joyn Capt. Partridge at Wales Tavern in Hanover by 6 O'Clock Afternoon If that they appear compleat at that Liberty pole by 10 OClock in the morning
[signed] Theo. Cotton Col
48
Holmes, Cornelius
Mass. S30494

[stamp]
NATIONAL ARCHIVES [illegible] UNITED STATES
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Mr Cornelius Holmes.
Bridgewater. Mass.
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Chelsea near Boston. Augt. 30th. 1832
Respected Sir
On receiving your letter, I entertained a Doubt whether I should find any thing which would be of any service to your respecting the Schooner Hazard ~ on searching papers in the Secretarys Office I find that in Jany 1777, the Board of War of Massachusetts, Chartered a Schooner named Hazard of sixty two tons. Benjamin Hammond, Master of Caleb Loring, to go from Boston to some of the Southern Ports in the States, & to return to Boston; this is all [illegible] I can find relating to the Schooner Hazard, and if the Schooner Hazard was taken up & fitted to go to France, by Congress, whatever relates to her will [illegible] be found in the Naval Department of the United States
I shall take another look, but , at present doubt of finding any thing; as Records & papers, in this Office are not very correctly filed, if they were returned - perhaps you may find [illegible] evidence -
From sir your Humble Servant.
Chas. Turner 

Mr. Cornelius Holmes -
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I Seth Sprague of Duxbury Mas. aged seventy two Testify + say that I was a soldier at Springfield in the year 1777 + [crossed out] played making cartridges + well remember Cornelius Holmes an applicant for a pension under the act of congres. of June 7 1832 paid Holmes served in Springfield at the same time + served three months I saw him him in Boston. at the time [illegible] + he went to Springfield a few days before me + I found him there when. I arrived we belonged in Capt. Bryant. company in Col. Morans Regiment we were there when. Burgoine was taken. our enlistment was for 3 month but I have a strong [illegible] [illegible] that we were then [illegible] [illegible] under my hand the Twenty first day of August 1839.
Seth Sprague
State of Massachusetts
Plymouth [illegible] Personally appeared + [illegible] the day + year above [illegible] - above named Seth Sprague. + made Oath that the foregoing deponation by him [illegible] was there before me I further certify that the above named Seth Sprague is a man of good character + is entitled to credit
Seth Sprague Jr [illegible]
of the [illegible]
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Plymouth [illegible.] I Jacob H Loud Register of this Court of Probate for said County do hereby [illegible] that Seth Sprague Jr. is a Justice of the Peace for said County + that his revenue within [illegible] cited in his true + genuine signature.
[Illegible] testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand + seal of Office this first day of January a.D. 1833.
Jacob H. Loud
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D Diman
for 
C Holmes
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I Lemuel Cole of Plymouth Massachusetts testify that I was a private in the Revolution in 1778 in Roxbury & Dorchester near Boston for 3 months in Capt Partridge's company. Lt. Tho Dueer & Richard Bosworth, that from circumstances which are notated by Cornelius Holmes of Bridgewater, in the county of Plymouth, Massachusetts, such as naming several of our company before. He; or I disclosed our ______. I have no doubt he was in the same company.

Leml Cole

Plymouth Aug 20 1832

Thou Leml Cole aforesaid subscribed & made oath to the truth of this deposition before me

Zacheus Bartlett Justice of Peace
I certify that the above named Lemuel Cole is a  available witness
Zacheus Bartlett Justice of Peace
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I David Diman of Plymouth in Massachusetts testify that I was a private in the Revolution for 3 months in the year 1778 in Cambridge & Boston in Massachusetts and distinctly remember Cornelius Holmes, then of said Plymouth, now of Bridgewater in said state, & petitioner was for a pension to have been a private in the same company commanded by Captain Partridge, for we barracked in the same building on Wheelwrights wharf, & verily believe that he served the three months for which we enlisted

David Diman

Massachusetts Plymouth Aug 20 1832
Then David Diman above written subscribed & made oath to the truth of this disposition, & from 40 years as acquaintance with him, I believe his _____ for truth cannot be called into question
Zacheus Bartlett Justice of peace
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Plymouth Cty. I Jacob H. Lond Register of the Court of Probate for said County do hereby certify that Zacheus Bartlett Esq is a Justice of the Peace for said County  & that I believe his name subscribed to the foregoing and annexed certificates to be true and genuine signatures.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said county this thirty first day of December A.D. 1832.

Jacob H. Lond
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Cornelius Holmes
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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 Cornelius Holmes 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 other than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? No

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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2
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their believe 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? [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's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?  Yes
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?  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
XIV [+ over +] Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?  Correct
XVII.  Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily?  And, if not, which of them is not 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 [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 to all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, an  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 of fourth months [italics] is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years on the militia, &c, without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of declaration is highly objectionable. It must be in every case clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served which an embodied corps called into service by a competent authority; that he was either in the field or 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 officer who authenticates 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 ends of this which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any aper from being improperly attached to the certificate
[pointing finger] 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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Law Offices of Kenefick, Cooke, Mitchell & Bass
558 Ellicott Square
Buffalo, N.Y.
Nov. 23, 1910
Department of [Illegible]
Bureau of Pensions
Record of [Illegible]
Dear sir,
Will you kindly give me military history, and family data as shown by [illegible] [illegible] of the following two Revolutionary [illegible].
1. Cornelius Holmes, given in [illegible] of Pensioners of 1840 an at Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Mass. aged 85.
2. Jonah Benson given in name [illegible] and at name place aged 81.
Also have you any record of application for Revolutionary Pension from David Beal of Pembroke in Hanson Plymouth
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Law Offices of Kenefick, Cooke, Mitchell & Bass
558 Ellicott Square
Buffalo, N.Y.

[Illegible] Man n (2) Elijah Hayward of Bridgewater Plymouth County, Mass n (3.) Joseph Allen of Bridgewater Plymouth County, Mass. n (4) William of [illegible] ^ Middleboro for alone.
Very truly yours
Elton H. Beals