Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18439, James Head, N.H.
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N.H.                  Head, James           S 18439

                                                           Carded
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Let to Miss Adeline Barnard
October 19, 1856
1.0234
Maine
James Head
of Oxford in the State of Maine
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain Barnes of the Reg. commanded
by Col. Wingate in the Maine [crossed out]l N.H.
use for 9 months
Inscribed on the Roll of Maine
at the rate of 30 Dollars -- cents per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March 1831
Certificate of Pension issued the 25 day of March
1833 and sent Joseph G. Cole Paris Maine
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $60.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. 15.00
$75.00
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by DD Addison Clerk,
Book 6 Vol. 131 Page 20
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James Head
Private
9 months
Admit

14008

Joseph G Cole Esq
Paris 
Maine
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BRIEF in the case of James Head
County of Oxford
in the State of
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Open Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 73
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period.
May In 1775
Duration of Service.
Year, Months, Days
3
6
in roll of service
Rank.
As a
private
Names of General and Field Officers
under whom he served.
Gen.
Cap Barnes
Col Wingate

5. In what battles was he engaged? none mentioned
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service?
Pembrook, N Hampshire
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by
incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditionary and two living witness
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
one witness not certified to be credible
Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above
George Taylor
Examining Clerk.
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14008
James Head
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STATE OF MAINE.

COUNTY OF Oxford  ss.
On this 26th day of September A.D. 1832, personally appeared in open
Court, before the James Head [crossed out] Court of Probate now sitting, James
a resident of Denmark in the county of Oxford
and State of Maine, aged 73 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.
He's credited with the service of the United States in the month
of May 1775 in the company commanded by Capt. Bains
in Col. Wingate's Regiment He lived at Pembroke N.H.  at the time was [illegible] there
and marched to Winter Hill near Charleston Mass three months
and was dismissed without any written discharge. Soon after
he returned he enlisted into the service again under the same
officers and marched to Mount Independent, Ticonderoga +
there remained six months and was dismissed without
any written or printed discharge. After he was discharged
from the service he lived in Pembroke about thirty years
and after that in Sanbornton N.H. six years and since
that in Denmark where he now lives. He knows of no
person living who can certify as to the first term of service
the second term he has the deposition of Ebenezer Bean
which accompanies this document. He is known to Hon. Judah Dana of Fryeburg, Major 
Major Elias Berry, Eli Witham,
Samuel Thomas all of Denmark who can testify as to
his character. He was born in Bradford Mass in
the year 1759. He has no record of his age.
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.
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. James Head
Before
Stephen Emery, Judge
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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 applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states, said applicant
having adduced the deposition of Ebenezer Bean, on oath duly administered, and the certificate of the Hon. Judah Dana, Elias Berry,
Esq. and Samuel Thomes, all well known to the Court as men
respectable & credible, in corroboration of his own declaration
there having been no settled Clergyman in said Denmark
for many years, except that one has been recently settled, a
Stranger to the applicant.
Stephen Emery, Judge
I Joseph G. Cole
Register Clerk [crossed out] 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
James Head
for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 26th
day of September A.D. 1832
Clerk [crossed out]
Joseph G Cole, Register
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18439
INVALID.
File No. 18439
James Head
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7 82
Index: --Vol. 1, Page 171
Arrangement of 1870.
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The Successor of Hon. J. L. Edwards
Commisioner of Pensions
Washington
D.C.
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Warren Maine Oct 11th, 1850
Sir,
I trust you will pardon the liberty I take, in
now addressing in behalf of a most worthy & respectible revolutionary soldier by the name of Head who thinks as also his
friends that he is justly entitled by law to a much pension than he now recieves, in consequence of an injury sustained
by him, when engaged in battle in defence of country at the sacking of Charlestown Mass. during the
revolutionary war. He entered C. in the morning with
perfect hearing but the noise occasioned by discharge
of cannon while standing near it so completely parallized
the nerves of one ear as to cause total deafness
in that & he has laboured under that deprivation
ever since.
When he employed an agent to secure his pension
he desired him to make the above statement; but
he either did not understand his business or willfully
neglected to discharge his duty, as he never stated
it to Government. And the result was he only
receives the small pension of $30 per annum.
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His late friend the Hon. John Holmes, once a distinguished United
States Senator from Maine, told him it was his opinion
that in consideration of the serious injury sustained by
him, he was justly entitled by law to a pension of $100
per annum & that he ought to draw arrearages ever since
pensions had been granted by Government.
He is now very desirous to learn
what evidence is required by law to establish his
claim in such cases, & would, therefore, be very gratifed
if you would have the goodness to grant him all necesing
information in regard to obtaining a remuneration for
the injury he has sustained in the loss of hearing
In granting this favor I trust you will have your
reward in the consciousness of cheering the heart & smoothing
the disperities of one who has felt the reverses of fortune
reduced from affluence to dependance, & in his younger
days did not hesitate to sacrifice on his his life
if necessary, for his country's good.
-
In immediatly complying with this request
you will greatly oblige a most worthy old person
as well as my self his friend
Adeline Barnard
Please to direct your answer to Miss A. Barnard
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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
James Head
which require
further proof or explanation.
1. 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 amout 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
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? 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? yes
XIV. [cross symbol] 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? yes
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 as to one
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
XVI. [double cross symbol] Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And,
if not, which of them is not so answered? yes

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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It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each 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 [italic] about three or four months [/italic] 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
officers, 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 term of 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.
[cross symbol] 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.
[double cross symbol] 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 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.
[finger pointing symbol] In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no 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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We Judah Dana of Fryeburn and Elias Berry
Eli Witham and Samuel Thomas all of Denmark
and all in the County of Oxford, hereby certify
that we are well acquainted with James
Head of said Demach who has subscribed
the foregoing
application and that in their opinion
he is entitled to be believed and that it is and
has been generally reported and believed in the
neighborhood where he resides to have been a
Revolutionary Soldier and the undersigned cora- [illegible]
in that opinion
Judah Dana
Elias Berry
Samuel Thomas
Oxford p. Sept. 27. 1832 Subscribed and sworn
to and I certify that the above witnesses are
credible and entitled to be believed
Before me Charles Whitman Justice of the peace
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STATE OF MAINE.
OXFORD COUNTY, SS.
I, RUFUS KING GOODENOW, Clerk of the Judicial Courts in and
for said County of Oxford, hereby certify, that Charles Whitman
whose genuine signature is annexed to the foregoing Depositions of Judah Dana
Elias Berry & Samuel Thomas is a
Justice of the Peace in and for said county of Oxford.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of
office, this twenty sixth day of September in the
year A.D. 1832
R K Goodenow
Clerk of Oxford
County Courts.
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I Ebenezer Bean of Conway in the County of Strafford
and State of New hampshire depose testify and say
I was acquainted with James Head now of Denmark
in the County of Oxford and State of Maine in the
army of the Revolution, he belonged to the New hampshire
State troops-- he was in Col. Wingate's Regiment
when that Regiment was stationed at Mount Independance in the year 1776. I do not recollect to
what company said Head belonged in said Regiment-
I belonged to Col. Wymans Regiment and was stationed
at the same place. The two above named Regiments
were stationed at Mount Independance five months
and I am not certain but six- I know we were out
more than six months from the time we joined the
army. said Head lived at Pembrook in the State of
Newhampshire at the time he joined the Army, I was
acquainted with him before that time
Ebnezer Bean
State of New hampshire
Strafford ss Conway August 10th 1832
Personally appeared Ebenezer Bean and made Solemn
oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is in
his belief true. Before me Lance Cutler Justice of the Peace
of Newhampshire, Strafford ss. I hereby certify that Lance
[seal covers text] Esq. whose name is affixed to the within above certificate is
duly qualified acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County of Stafford
and that the above signature purporting to be his is genuine
In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my seal of Office
this Ninth day of August AD 1832 - John Hill Notary Pub.