Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B.L.Wt. 61228-160-55, Jonathan Bacon, Mass.

Page 1

[Document is pre-printed form with handwritten entries.]

(3-1776)
SERVICE
Mass.
Bacon, Jonathan
NUMBER
B.L. Wt. 61228-160-55.
Submit

Page 2

[Document is handwritten.]

Declaration,
of
Submit Bacon, widow of Jonathan Bacon, dec'd a Revolutionary Soldier, of Natick, Massachusetts
State of Massachusetts.
County of Middlesex}Ss

On this twenty fourth day of March A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty seven. Personally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace, within, and for the County & State aforesaid.
Submit Bacon, aged about eighty-five years, a resident of the Town of Natic County & state aforesaid, who being duly sworn according to Law, declares that she is the widow of Jonathan Bacon, deceased, who served as a private soldier, in the Massachusetts State troops, in the Revolutionary War, she cannot state particularly the day or month he entered the service further than to the best of her knowledge, he entered the service of the United States, at the Town of Needham (now in the County of Norfolk) in the State Aforesaid, on or about the. ____ day of ____ Seventeen hundred and seventy-five, as a private, in the company commanded by Captain Shelton, & the Regiment Commanded by Colonel Patterson for the term of eight months, & served in the Company & Regiment Aforesaid, for the term of Eight months. That he continued in the service of the United States, in said War & served as a private soldier in the Company Commanded by Capt. Aaron Smith, in the Regiment Commanded by Colonel McIntosh, during the year 1776 & that he continued in the service of the United States in the Ware Aforesaid & served in the Company Commanded by Captain Joshua Fisk in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Abner Perry, in the defence[sp] of the State of Rhode Island, & the U. States until the latter part of the year 1780, Seventeen hundred and Eighty, when he was honorably discharged at the Town of Natick, in the County of Middlesex & State of Massachusetts. That his discharge is now lost or misled & that she refers to the Muster rolls, or Army Books of said Company & Regiment,

Page 3

[Document is handwritten; appears to be the continuation of the previous page.]

for proof of her Husband's services.
She further states she was married to said Jonathan Bacon, at the Town of Needham (now in the County of Norfolk Massachusetts, on the twenty fifth day of December, seventeen hundred and Eighty eight (December 25th 1788) by the Reverend Benjamin Caryl, dec minister or Pastor of the congregation, or Church at Dover, now in the County of Norfolk (then in the County of Suffolk) State of Massachusetts. that her name before her marriage was Submit Bacon, daughter of John Bacon, an officer of the Revolution and Grand daughter of Lieut. John Bacon of Needham who was killed by the British, at the Battle of Lexington April 19th 1775.
That her said Husband Jonathan Bacon, died at the Town of Natick County of Middlesex and State Aforesaid, on the 17th day of ^February Eighteen hundred and forty four and that she is now a widow.
She makes this Declaration, for the purpose of obtaining the Bounty land, to which she may. be entitled under the Act approved March 3, 1855. and or under the Act Approved May 14th 1856. She further declares, that she has not received or applied for Bounty Land, under this, or any other Act of Congress & that she hereby authorizes Samuel B. Stafford of Trenton, New Jersey, to receive said warrant for her, as her attorney. 
Submit Bacon
Subscribed and sworn to this twenty fourth day of March A.D. 1857
Before me Chester Adams, Justice of the Peach

Mr. James Mann, and Lucy S. Bacon residents of the Town of Natick, in the State of Massachusetts upon our oaths declare, that the foregoing declaration was signed & acknowledged by Submit Bacon, in our presence & that we believe from the appearance & statements of the Applicant that she is the identical person, she represents herself to be & she is still a widow.
James Mann
Lucy S. Bacon

Page 4

[Document is handwritten.]

The foregoing declaration and affidavit were sworn & subscribed before me, on the day & year above written.
And I Certify that I know the Affiants to be credible persons: and that the Claimant is the person she represents herself to be, & is still a widow & that I have no interest in this claim.
Chester Adams, Justice of the Peace.

State of Massachusetts
County of Middlesex} P
On this twenty fourth day of March eighteen hundred and fifty seven (8157) personally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County & State Aforesaid. James Mann and Lucy S. Bacon residents of the Town of Natick, in said County & State Aforesaid, who are well known to me & in whose statements full confidence may be reposed and who being duly sworn according to Law declare that they are and have for a long time, been acquainted with Widow Submit Bacon. That they know that she is the identical person, who was the Lawful wife of Jonathan Bacon, dec. who served in the War of the Revolution, as set forth in the foregoing declaration. that they know said Jonathan Bacon, died at the Town of Natick in the County Middlesex State of Massachusetts, on the seventeenth day of February A.D. (1844) Eighteen hundred, and forty four and said Submit Bacon, is now a widow. they further swear that they are disinterested in her application for Bounty Land.
Chester Adams, Justice of the Peace.
Sworn to on the day & year above written} Seal

Page 5

[Document is handwritten.]

Copy from the Town Record of Needham
December twenty fifth, seventeen hundred & eighty eight. Jonathan Bacon was married to Submit Bacon, both of Needham, by Benj. Caryl.
I Solomon Flagg, depose & say, that I hold the Office of Town Clerk of the Town of Needham County of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts & that the above is a true extract from the Records of the Town of Needham in the County & State Aforesaid (with the exception of the date, which is expressed on the Record, in fair, legible figures, as follows: "December 25th, 1788."

Solomon Glade, Clerk of the Town of Needham, County of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts
Sworn & subscribed before me, on the twenty fourth day of March A.D. 1857.

William Flagg, Justice of the Peace.

State of Massachusetts.
County of Middlesex} 

I ____ Clerk of the Court of ____ in & for the County & State above mentioned, do hereby certify that ____ Esq whose genuine signature appears above is & was at the time of signing the same, a Justice of the Peace in & for the County & State aforesaid duly commissioned & sworn that all his Official Acts, as such are entitled to full faith & credit and that the aforesaid court, is a Court of Record having general jurisdiction.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said dCourt at ___ the ____ day of A.D. 1857.

Page 6

[Document is handwritten.]

[Left side]
272. 044
Act Mar 3, '55

Submit Bacon, wid.
Jonathan Bacon, pri.

Mass, Ma.

AD: 1600G Ap'l. 25/57
[illegible]

Rev'y War.

Mass

Special. April 7, 1857
W. Cole
C.C.
R
Sam'l. B. Stafford
Trenton, N.J.

[Right side]
[illegible] S.B. Stafford. Ap'l. 14/57
End. P

Vol B1. Page 47

Page 7

[Document is handwritten.]

No. 272. 044
Claim of Submit Bacon, widow of Jonathan Bacon, for Bounty Land under March 3, 1855.
Additional Evidence.
State of New Jersey
Mercer County} SP
Personally appeared before the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, in & for said County. Abigail Stafford, Widow of James B. Stafford Esq of the Navy of the Revolution, &now an United States pensioner (who is very far advanced in years) depose & say that she was the only child of Henry Smith of Needhamd & Phebe Bacon of Natick, State of Massachusetts, that she was born & brought up at Natick, State aforesaid. That after peace (War of the Revolution) she went to school, to Jonathan Bacon, a Revolutionary soldier (son of her uncle Richard Bacon) then a Teacher in the old Natick Schoolhouse, in the rear of the Rev. Stephen Badger's Meeting house. That deponent Father Henry Smith, also served in the War of the Revolution & belonged to Natick, served in Capt. Joseph Morse's Company Col. Samuel Bullard's Regiment, & was wounded at the battle of Lexington. Afterwards served in the Company of Capt. James Mellons, Col. Jonathan Ward's Regiment. That she has often seen Captain Aaron Smith in whose company her teach, Jonathan Bacon, served. as said Smith was her uncle & attended the same religious meeting that her family did at Natick. That Jonathan Bacon, the Revolutionary Soldier aforesaid married Submit Bacon, daughter

Page 8

[Document is handwritten, and appears to be the continuation of the previous page.]

of John Bacon, a Lieutenant & Captain in the War of the Revolution & Zeruriah Drury, his wife & Grand daughter of ^her uncle Lieutenant John Bacon of Needham who was killed by the British at the battle of Lexington April 19th A.D. 1775, & that widow Submit Bacon who is now applying for a Land Warrant, she has no hesitation in saying, is the identical person who was the lawful wife of Jonathan Bacon, in his lifetime who served, as one of the eight months men in the early part of the War, and in Captain Aaron Smith's company and was one of the soldiers who went in defence [sp] of Rhode Island.
She further states that her whole family participated in the War of the Revolution, that Abigail Swain daughter of ^her uncle Josiah Bacon & Abigail Smith, widow of Thomas Swain, Ensign of Natick & her aunt Sarah Mansfield of Needham (daughter of Jonathan Smith) she was informed were Revolutionary pensioners. That this Deponent with her uncles & aunt helped to run  bullets in moulds; that were fired at the British, in the War of the Revolution.

Abigail Stafford

Sworn & subscribed before me 17th day f April, A.D. 1857.
Bailey A. West
J.P.

Page 9

[Document is handwritten.]

State of New Jersey
Mercer County}P

On this seventeenth day of April, A.D. 1857 Eighteen hundred and fifty seven personally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peach, in t& for the County & State Aforesaid.
Sarah Smith Stafford, only daughter of James B. Stafford, Esq de'd of the Navy of the Revolution and Abigail his wife (the said Abigail being a native of Natick Massachusetts, a Revolutionary pensioner) who being duly sworn according to law on her oath saith, that she is acquainted with the Bacon & Smith families of Needham & Natick in the State of Massachusetts & has been for many years, by visiting & corresponding by letters that she has visited her Aunt Sarah Mansfield, de'd a Revolutionary pensioner, at Needham, Massachusetts & was informed by her, that Submit Bacon, widow of Jonathan Bacon de'd was living  & that her Husband & others said that Jonathan Bacon served as a private soldier in the Rev. War & she also visited Abigail Swain, Widow of Thomas Swain Ensign, the Revolution & a Revolutionary pensioner & that deponent, while on a visit, at Capt. George Smith de'd (an aged gentleman, son of Capt. Aaron Smith, was informed by him that he attended a Ball of the Young men soldiers at the House of Ensign Thomas Sawin, the night before the soldiers left for Tyconderago [sp] (before the battle at that place) & said widow. Sawin & Capt. George Smith told this deponents that Jonathan Bacon, husband of Submit Bacon, was a soldier of the Revolutionary War.

Page 10

[Document is handwritten and appears to be the continuation of the previous page.]

& Capt. George Smith, said Jonathan Bacon (the old school teacher), husband of Submit Bacon had served under his Father Capt. Aaron Smith in. the Revolutionary War. that your deponent further stats that she visited Ephraim Jackson, dec'd, at West Newton, Massachusetts, who informed her that his father & ^also his GrandFather, Timothy Smith dec'd. where [sp] with Jonathan Smith, Henry Smith & Jonathan Bacon at Lexington, & thro [sp] the War, & expressed his regret that no person had interested themselves for Submit Bacon to aid her to get a pension, that at sundry gatherings of the family and at several social meetings of the neighbors in the neighborhood of Natick & Needham, your deponent heard the neighbors say it was a pity no one had assisted to get a pension for widow Submit Bacon & that no doubt can exist but that Jonathan Bacon husband of Widow Submit Bacon, is the identical person whose services are described in the Certificate of the Secretary of Massachusetts.
Sarah Smith Stafford

Sworn & subscribed on the day & year above. Written before me
Bailey A West, Justice of the Peace

State of New Jersey 
Mercer County}
I William R. Murphy, clerk of the court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Mercer aforesaid do hereby certify that Bailey A. West whose genuine signature appears above was at the time of signing the same, a Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid duly commissioned and sworn.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto at my hand and affixed the Seal of said Court of Trenton this 17th day of April A.D. 1857
Wm. R. Murphy
Clerk

Page 11

v
61.228

[illegible]

Page 12

[document is pre-printed certificate with handwritten entries.]

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Norfolk, SS
I, Ezra W. Sampson, Clerk of the Judicial Courts, being Courts of Record, within and for the County Norfolk, aforesaid, hereby certify that William Flagg Esquire,
was, at the time of making the above, Certificate and now is, a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County of Norfolk, aforesaid, duly appointed, commissioned and qualified to discharge the duties of said office, and that his signature to the annexed certificate is genuine and true.
In Witness Whereof, I have subscribed my name, and affixed the Seal of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth, aforesaid, at Dedham, this twenty fifth day of March A.D. one thousand eight hundred and forty seven.
Ezra W. Sampson, Clerk.

Page 13

[Document is handwritten.]

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Middlesex 
I, M. Preston, officially, assistant Clerk of the Judicial Courts, being Courts of Record within and for said County of Middlesex hereby certify that Chester Adams Esquire, was, at the date of the three foregoing certificates by him subscribed, and now is a Justice of the Peace, within & for said County, duly commissioned and qualified to discharge the duties of said office, and that his signatures to the three foregoing annexed certificates, are his genuine Signatures.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name and affixed the seal of the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth aforesaid for said County of Middlesex at Cambridge in said County, this twenty seventh day of March A.D. one thousand Eight hundred and Fifty seven.
M. Preston Asst. Clerk

Page 14

[Document is handwritten]

Trenton N.J.
March 30, 1857
Commissioner of Pensions}
Sir,
I send the application of widow Submit Bacon, wid of Jonathan Bacon dec' for Bounty Land, Act of March 5, 1855. He was a Soldier of the State of Massachusetts & served in Tours, from 1775 to 1780. Please to let this claim be examined as soon as convenient (she being old & needy) or send me the number of the Claim.
Very Respectfully
Your Humble Servant
Samuel B. Stafford

Page 15

[Document is handwritten.]

Trenton New Jersey
April 17th 1857
Mr. Cole,
Dear Sir,
Herewith I send you additional evidence in the claim No. 272.044. of Submit Bacon, widow of Jonathan Bacon dec' a Revolutionary Soldier, for Bounty Land. 
The affidavit of widow Abigail Stafford who was born in Natick Massachusetts & helped to run bullets which was used to fire at the British in the War of the Revolution. She was a daughter of Henry Smith, a Soldier of the Revolution, of the town of Natick, Mass., & of Phebe Bacon of the same place; she went to school to Jonathan Bacon after the peace of 1783. & knows he was one of the 8 Months Men in the early part of the War. And knows he served in her Uncle Capt. Aaron Smith Company, & that he was one of the Soldiers who went to the Rhode Island defence {sp] (as it was called by the soldiers at that day). She & her daughter Miss Sarah Smith Stafford has corresponded with the family of Jonathan Bacon (her mother, old schoolmaster) for many years past. They know he is the person whose services are described in the Certificate of the

Page 16

[Document is handwritten and appears to be a continuation of the previous page.]

Secretary of State of Massachusetts.
I trust the inclosed [sp] or accompanying evidence will be satisfactory and convincing. The families of the Smiths & Bacons of Middlesex & Suffolk (now Norfolk County) of Massachusetts took a prominent park in the War of the Revolution as you will find by reference to the Records in your office; Mrs. Abigail Stafford maintains her mental faculties unimpaired, & wrote her name to the affidavit without the aid of spectacles. Please sent the Land Warrant as soon as convenient. Submit Bacon is needy. I know them to be the real family, described in the certificate from Secretary of State of Massachusetts. I make no charge for my services. This family having all served the Country so much & suffered by the War of the Revolution.
Very Respectfully
Your Obedient Servant
Samuel B. Stafford

Page 17

[Document has pre-printed portion with handwritten entries.]

Secretary's Office, Boston
March 12, 1857

I Hereby Certify That from an examination of the Books and Documents relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of Jonathan Bacon is borne on pay roll of a return of 8 mos. men in Capt John Kelton's Comp. Col. John Patterson's Regt. name borne on Coat Roll, dated Charlestown Camp, No. 3 Oct. 27, 1775 as private from Needham.
Also on pay roll of Capt Aaron Smith's Comp. Ol McIntosh's Regt. March 4, 1776 4 days and 36 miles travel. Roll dated Needham.
Also on pay roll of Capt. Joshua Fisk's Comp. Col. Abner Perry's Regt. R. Island service, from Aug. 3, 1780 7 days travel included. Roll dated Natick Dec. 12, 1780.

Page 18

[Document is handwritten.]

To the Hon. the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
Application for Certificate of Revolutionary services, made by the widow of th party who rendered the service.
Mrs. Submit Bacon, widow of Jonathan Bacon, a Soldier of the Revolution, a resident of the town of Natick, in the County of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, aged about Eighty -five years. The Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is hereby requested to furnish evidence from the rolls & Army Books in his Office, of the service of Jonathan Bacon, a Soldier of the Revolutionary War.
He was a native of the County of Middlesex in the State of Massachusetts, he was supposed to be a Militia Man & was drafted or enlisted into service in the War of the Revolution. I am now aged & cannot state his services, as my memory does not enable one to state particulars.
Winess my hand, this twelfth day of March A.D. 1857.
Submit Bacon
Signed by said Submit Bacon in the presence of Caster Adams, Justice of the Peace, in & for the County of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts.