Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11618, Reuben Van Guilder, Mass.

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(3 - 1776)
SERVICE NUMBER
Mass Van Guilder, Reuben S.11618
CONTENTS carded

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14110
14494 New York
Reuben Van Guilder
of Washington in the State of New York
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain Walker of the regt. commanded
by Col Jackson in the [illegible]
line for 24 mo
Inscribed on the Roll of New York
at the rate of 80 Dollars 00 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831. 
Certificate of Pension issued the 9 day of May
1833 and sent to
Jacob Holmes Granville
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $160 00
Semiannl. allowance ending 4 Sept. 40.00
$200.00
Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk,
Book C Vol. 4 Page 34

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State of New York
Washington County
on the 28th day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas
in said County now sitting Reuben Van Guilder a resident of the town of Granville in the County of Washington and State of
New York aged about [crossed out]/Sixty/[crossed out] Seventy two 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 7th 1832
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as hereinafter stated
That he the said Reuben enlisted [crossed out]/as a Volunteer/[crossed out] in the Spring of 1781 (thinks in March) for the term of three
years in the State of Massachusetts in the Company commanded by Capt Walker Lieutenant Sturdefant in the Regiment commanded by Col Henry Jackson and Maj. Prescot in the Massachusetts line on the
[illegible] Establishment that he resided in the town of Egremont in [crossed out]/the County of/[crossed out] in Massachusetts that he continued to serve in said Corps for more than a year - that he was then transfered to the Company Commanded by Capt Luther Baily in the second Regiment of said line commanded
by Col. Sprout when he served until the fall of 1783 that in October or November 1783 he was discharged at West Point in the State of New York from said service
That during this time he was in the Battle of Frogs Point that he marched from Egremont to West Point through Lester & Barrington as near as he can remember
That he knows of no living witness or any documents with respect to his service except what is contained in the affidavits herewith presented he hereby relinquishes all claim
whatever to a pension or annuity except the present deed and declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of 
Sworn and subscribed
the day and year aforesaid
Reuben Van Guilder  his X mark
J. S. Leigh Clk

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And the said Court do [illegible crossed out word] certify this opinion after the investigation of the matter [crossed out]/and after putting the interogatories prescribed by the War Department/[crossed out] - that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary solder and served as he states -
I Jesse S Leigh Clerk of the Court of Washington Common Pleas do hereby
certify that the foregoing contains the original procedings of the said Court in the mater of the application of Reuben Van Guilder for a 
pension [illegible] testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office the 28th day of August 1832
J. S. Leigh Clk
[seal]

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State of New York
Washington County
Reuben Van Guilder the within named
applicant for a pension being duly sworn deposeth and Saith that he was born the year 1760 in the town of Egremont and state of Massachusetts and that he knows of no record of his age except as he thinks there's a Record
in the town Clerks office in the town where he was born
lived in Egremont in Massachusetts when he was called into the service moved into the town of Granville in the County of Washington & State of New York in the year 1783 where he has lived ever since - that he enlisted into the service in the year 1781. The only names of
officers under whom he served that he now remembers are Captain Walker & Captain Luther Bailey Major Prescot he thinks the name was called Colonel Henry Jackson
and Colonel Sprout - Received a discharge at West Point does not recollect who it was signed by that he lost said discharge a great many years since
Reuben Van x Guilder [above and below name]/his mark/[above and below name]
Sworn in open Court this
28th day of August 1832
J. S. Leigh Clk

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I Jesse S Leigh Clerk of the Court of Common
Pleas of the County of Washington do hereby
certify that John C Parker and John Moss are two of the Justices of the peace of said County of Washington and that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of each of them and that the name of J C Parker subscribed to the affidavit of Daniel Van Gilder hereunto annexed is in the proper hand writing of the said John C Parker and the name of John Moss subscribed to the affidavit of Stephen Van Guilder also hereunto annexed is in the proper hand writing of the said John Mass. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set the Seal of the said Court and subscribed my name
this 28 day of August 1832
J. S. Leigh Clk

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In the Matter of
Reuben Van Guilder
a Pensioner
Declaration of
14494
Reuben Van Guilder

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Washington County. Daniel Van Gilder of Granville in said County being duly sworn saith he is seventy five years of age that he knows Reuben Van Gilder well has known him for many years, [illegible] in the annexed Declaration for a pension that he knew him in the Revolutionary army that he belonged to the Ninth Massachusetts Regiment & this Deponent to the sixth Massachusetts
Regiment and were stationed near together for most of one Season and knew him to be a soldier in that Regiment that he enlisted for three years and knew him in the army for two years nine months and were stationed on Shake hill so called near the North River north easterly from West Point where both said Regiments stationed [crossed out] in that Region about two years from thence both
Regiments went on to West point where the said Reuben & this Deponent remained some time and this Deponent was there discharged, leaving the said Reuben there in the service. his Discharge he remembers was after Cornwallis was taken, having served two years
nine months, dont know how long Reuben
remained afterwards, but is sure he served more than two years, & that he enlisted for three years -
Sworn this 27th day
of August 1832
Daniel his mark VanGilder
Before me
his
J.C. Parker Peace

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State of New York
Washington County Stephen Van Guilder of Granville in the County of Washington being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he enlisted into the army in the town of Egremont in the State of Massachusetts in the year 1781 that he is well acquainted with Reuben Van Guilder of Granville in the County of Washington that the said Ruben Van Guilder Enlisted at the same
place & time with this deponent and that they were together in the army about a year when this deponent was discharged and left the said Reuben with the Army in the Continental Service -
Stephen Van his mark Guilder
Sworn this 28 day of
August before me
John Moss a Justice of the Peace

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No. 14494
Reuben Van Guilder
Washington Co N York
final settlement certificates
admitted
[Illegible] Private
Jacob Holmes Agent
Granville Washington Co NY

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BRIEF in the case of Reuben Van Guilder
of Washington Co in the State of N. York
(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? About 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.
Years, Months, Days. As a. Gen.
Enlisted In 1781 thinks in March. 
2. 6. Private. Capt Walker & Luther Bailey 2 Maj Prescott Col Henry Jackson.
Col Sprout.
5. In what battles was he engaged? Froggs Point
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Town of Eqremont Mass
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? two living witnesses
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct
I CERTIFY that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Geo B Whitting Examining Clerk

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11618
Rev War
INVALID.
File No. 14618
Reuben Van Guilder
Priv. Rev. War
Act: June 7 1832
Index: -- Vol. A, Page 389
[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 Reuben Van Guilder 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 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
VII. 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 belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? No 2 witnesses
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?
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? 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? [illegible]
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. 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 --- 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 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 a 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 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 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.