Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18410, John Freeman, Mass.

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Mass.
Freeman, John
Number S18410
Carded

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10231
Maine
John Freeman
[illegible] Lincoln in the State of Maine
who was a Private in the Company commanded 
by Captain Prince of the Reg t commanded
by Col. Keys in the Maine line for 9 months
Mars [handwritten in lighter ink or pencil]

Inscribed on the Roll of Maine
at the rate of 30 Dollars _ Cents per annum,
to commence on the 4the day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 25 day of March
1833 and sent Nathl.
Groton Bath Maine

Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $60.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending Sept 4 15.00
$75.00

Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by D.D. Addison, Clerk
Book 8 Vol. 1st Page 15

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John Freeman
Maine
Paid 
9 Mar
A A[illegible]

14015

Nathl Groton En
Bath
Maine

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Brief  in the case of John Freeman
County of Lincoln in the State of Maine
(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?  72
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 | 6  months | Private | Cap Prince Col Keys
In 1777 | 3 months | Private | Cap Dodge
5.  In what battles was he engaged? none mentioned 
6.  Where did he reside when he entered the service? Ipswich Mass
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 witnesses
8.  Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? And if so, in what respect?

I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above.
George Taylor, Examining Clerk.

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14015
John Freeman
27 [checkmark]

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COUNTY OF LINCOLN SS.

                       At a Court of Common Pleas 
                       holden at Bath in said County on 
                       the 11th day of August A.D. 
                       eighteen hundred and thirty-two, 
                       personally appeared in open 
                       Court, before John Ruggles, Esq. 
                       on of the Judges thereof,
John Freeman a resident of Bath in the County of Lincoln and State of Maine, aged seventy two years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832, That he is seventy two years of age as he verily believes by information [illegible] from his parents & others, but has no record of his age, that he enlisted as a soldier in the Militia of the Revolutionary War in the year 1777 at Ipswich in Massachusetts where he then lived, to go to Rhode Island in defence of the country, his captains name was Prince, the first Leut. Billings - the sec. Leut Lord, the [illegible] Sargeant Robert Farley of Ipswich & his Colonel name was Keyes - that the company marched immediately to Rhode Island and the first [illegible] a Regiment while he remembers was at Tiverton - that he was employed in guarding the coast for a considerable time & stationed [illegible] island but upon alarm given that Providence was to be burnt his Regiment was marched new place & continued then [illegible] served six month when he was discharged, that during this service Burgoynne was taken and soon after his return to Ipswich he again enlisted in the Militia under Capt Dodge & was marched to Prospect this to guard the prisoners belonging to Burgoynne's army.  Then he continued in service three months & was discharged [above the word discharged is an illegible phrase] the only person living, to his knowledge, who can testify to his service as services stated, are Peter Freeman of Brunswick & Jans Wilson of Bath - but that he is known to Rev Silas Stearns & David Shaw  of Bath who will certify to his veracity & that the representation by him [crossout] [illegible] made is worthy of credit & believed by them he also states that soon after his services as a soldier he came to Brunswick & afterwards to the Town of Bath to reside & that he has his home in said Bath -

he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on any pension roll of any agency in any State, [the following phrase is crossed out] or (if any) only on that of the agency in the State of
                         [Signature] John Freeman

Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.  Before
                     [Signature]  John Ruggles
                      Judge of the Court of Com. Pleas
                               for the State of Maine

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We Silas Stearns a clergyman and David Shaw a Justice of the Peace both residing in Bath, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Freeman who has subscribed & sworn to the foregoing declaration, that we believe him to be about seventy two years of age that he is a man of veracity and [illegible] and believed in his neighborhood to have been a soldier in the Revolutionary War as he has stated & we concur in that opinion
             [Signature] Silas Stearns
             [Signature] David Shaw

Subscribed and sworn on the day and year aforesaid - 
[Signature] J. Ruggles J__P

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatives prescribed by the War Department) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appeared Silas Stearns who had signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in Bath and that David Shaw who has also signed the same is a resident in the same town,and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
                     [Signature] J. Ruggles J__P
Attest[Signature] Nath Coffen  Clerk

[The next section of this typed document is crossed through]

I Jans Wilson of Bath in the County of Lincoln & State of Maine, in the seventy ninth year of my age, on oath declare that I am well acquainted with John Freeman of Bath who has signed the foregoing application, he is about seventy two years of age, I was born in Ipswich, in the County of Essex & now Commonwealth of Massachusetts and knew John Freeman before and during the Revolutionary War, he was born in Ipswich and then lived there.  I remember that he enlisted in the service at Ipswich in the year 1777, under Captain Prince, and went to Rhode Island as a soldier, he was gone over six months.  I had a letter from him during that time, and while he was

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a soldier, this letter I have lost, but it was dated in the year 1777, and was written from some part of Rhode Island while he was a soldier thus in the American Army.  After he returned from Rhode Island he immediately enlisted again at Ipswich under Capt Dodge & went to Cambridge or Prospect hill now Boston, to guard Burgoyne's troops then prisoners at that place, this was the latter part of the year 1777 and winter of 1778, he was on this service three or four months, I have known John Freeman ever since, and removed  from Ipswich to Bath about fifty two years since, and have lived near him ever since in Bath in the State of Maine, he is a man of truth & entitled of full credit on oath.

                        [Signature] Jon Wilson

                      State of Maine
____________________________________________
Lincoln Ss.  August 17, 1832 this day the above [illegible] Jabe Wilson, personally appeared and caused the foregoing deposition to be reduced to writing and the same being read to her she subscribed, her name thereto and made oath thereto the same, I further certify that she is a person of truth & veracity was time         
   Before me   Signature] Nathl Groton
                               Justice of the Peace

I Peter Freeman, living in Brunswick, in the County of Cumberland, on oath do say that I am well acquainted with John Freeman of Bath who has signed the foregoing application, he is about seventy two years of age.  I am in the seventieth year of my age.  I know John Freeman before named, before he was of the Revolution and lived in Ipswich with him, He enlisted in the service of the Country in the year 1777, and marched to Rhode Island and there joined the American Army, and was gone as much as six months.  I often heard from him while gone and I saw him when he returned, on his return to Ipswich he again enlisted
[the remaining section of the page is cutoff]

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[Since the first part of this page is the same as Page 8, to avoid redundancy, this page will begin where page 8 ended]

in Capt Dodge's company and went to Cambridge or Prospect hill to guard Burgoyne's troops taken at Saratoga, he was gone the last time three or four months, and I saw him again when he returned, I have known him ever since, he moved from Ipswich to Bath, just after the peace of 1783.  I came with him and have known him ever since, he is a man of truth and veracity.
                            [Signature] Peter Freeman

               State of Maine
             __________________

Lincoln, Ss, Bath.  August 18, 1832.  This day the above named Peter Freeman, personally appeared and caused the foregoing deposition to be reduced to writing and the same being read to him he subscribed his name thereto and made oath that the same every time.  I further certify that he is a person of truth & veracity.
 before me   [Signature] Nathl Groton
                        Jus. of Peace

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                     State of Maine
           TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
Lincoln, ss - I Nathaniel Coffin, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts within and for the County of Lincoln, do hereby certify that Nathanial Groton Esq. whose name is [illegible insert] affixed to the annexed paper, as a Justice of the Peace is legally commissioned and duely qualified to act as such, and that the names so affixed are his own proper signature, is to me well known.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Court of Common Pleas this 29th day of August A.D. 1832. 
                [Signature] Nathl Coffin,  Clerk

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                    State of Maine
Lincoln,ss. - I Nathaniel Coffin, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts within and for the County of Lincoln, do hereby certify that the annexed paper, signed by the Judge and attested by the Clerk, contains the original proceedings of the Court of Common Pleas, at a special session thereof holden at Bath in said county, by the Hon. John Ruggles one of the Judges of said Court on the eleventh day of August A.D. 1832, in the matter of the application of John Freeman for a Pension.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said Court this 14th day of August A.D. 1832.
[Signature] Nath Coffin, Clerk

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P                    18410   [initials illegible]
                       _____________

File No. 18,410
John Freeman
Priv.     Rev   War
___________________

Act:  June 7th '32

Index: - Vol. [Blank],       Page  199

[Arrangement of 1870]

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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 John Freeman which require further proof or explanation.

I.     Does the declaration show where the applicant resides?  
[response] yes

II.    Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? 
[response] 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? 
[no response]

IV.  Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? 
[response]  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? [response]  yes

VI.   Has he given names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? [response]  yes

VII.  Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? 
[response]  yes

VIII.  Has the Court given their opinion? [response]  yes

IX.   Has the Clerk given his certificate?  [response]  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?  
[response]  yes

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                               2

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?  
[response]  yes

XII.   If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
[no response]

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?
[no response]

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?  
[response]  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? 
[response]  yes
           Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
[response]  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?
[response]  yes 

XVI.  #Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?
[response]  yes

XVII.  Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered
[response]  yes
                                 ex 1-2
________________________________________________

                  EXPLANATORY NOTES
* QUERE V.  In 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 the consequent loss of memory, he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best 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 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 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 officers, and other particulars respecting their service.  This form of declaration is highly objectionable.  It must in every case be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where 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.
^Quere XIV.  Proof of Service
     In the 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 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 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.