Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 11816, Abner Woodman, Mass N H

SERVICE
NUMBER
mass N 76
Woodman, Afier
R 11816
CONTENTS
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11178
Abner Woodman
11816
in Role of Capt Davis Co. 1 March 410 days of
Service as per his own statement of months previously
3 March 410 days
Received 28 Nov 1832
W. S. Jones 18 July 1835
J. C. West Esq. Emend. M. H.

BRIEF in the case of of William
28 Woodman in the State of (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? a court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 74. 
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.     Dec th (In 1775 - he thinks) 2 Substitute Gen. Col. Poor Col. M c Farlan   1777 4 X Private Col. Davis   1 Month 10 days as per roll of sum  
5. In what battles was he engaged? at surrender of Burgoyne
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Salem N.H.
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Tradition
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? all right
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
W. G. Eaton Examining Clerk.

11.178 Abner Woodman
THE ZOO. Part of Series

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Abner Woodman 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? No
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of
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

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
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. † If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility?
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office?
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?
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?
No to all but 3 4 & 5
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."

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the 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.
†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 authenticated 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 end 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.

Almer Woodman
11.178
Warm
That he entered the service of the ... ... of the ... ... only ... ... of the ... ... in the ...
In order to obtain the ... ... of the ...

DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
State of New-Hampshire, } ss. County of Merrimack }
On this 29 th day of August 1832, personally appeared in open Court before the Judge of the Court of Probate for said County , now sitting, Abner Woodman a resident of Warner in the County of Merrimack and State of N. H. aged 74 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—
That he enlisted at Salem New Hampshire in the County of Rockingham and State aforesaid about the Month of Dec r I think in 1775 for two Months as a Substitute for John Woodman under Capt. W m Farland of Haverhill Mass. Lst not recalled I think in said Prov Reg t in New Hampshire line on Mass line cannot say which the Rev d  Mr. Smith of Haverhill Mass. was our Chaplain marched to Winter Hill near Boston Stationed there and served out the full term of two Months, and Honorably dismissed but did not take a written discharge.
That he enlisted at Salem New Hampshire the last of July 1777. for four Months under Capt. Daw , Lieut. Gordon , he thinks Ensign Kimball , Col t not recalled but think Col t  Smith Reg t in New Hampshire line marched directly to Bennington Vermont from thence to Still Water and Saratoga, was there saw the surrender of Burgoyne, saw the British Prisoners March and on going up to the American Camp without their guns, from thence to Lancaster Mass. served out the full term of four Months, and Honorably dismissed but did not take a written discharge.
That he actually served in the two above, enlistments, six Months That he has no documentary evidence and knows of no Person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service
That he was Born, in Salem New Hampshire line there until he entered the service of the United States, and since that time lived in same place more than forty years and since lived in Warner in County of Merrimack and State aforesaid for eight years last past, and now resides in the same place.
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.
Abner Woodman
Sworn to and subscribed, the 29 th day of Aug. 1832
We, Aquila Davis residing in Warner N H and Isaac Dimond now residing in Warner N H hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Abner Woodman , who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 74 years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Aquila Davis Isaac Dimond
Sworn and subscribed the day & year above written
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 named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court certifies, that it appears to them that Gen. Aquila Davis who has signed the preceding certificate, is a resident in the said Warner and that Isaac Dimond , who has also signed the same is a resident in the same Warner and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Boiswell Stevens Judge of Probate
I, H. B. Chase, Register of the Court of Probate for said County of Merrimack , do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of the said Abner Woodman for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, this 29 th day of August , A.D. 1832.
H. B. Chase, Register of Probate.

Some weeks before Mr Abner Woodman made oath to his declaration before the court. I took his statement on Paper. he then to me there was a man in Salem N.H. who by the name of James Hastings who was with him in the service & could testify for him & that this was the only person he knew of who could testify to his service. I sent immediately to Salem which is about 40 miles from Concord and about 50 miles from Warner and found the said Hastings was dead. his papers are therefore forwarded without positive proof of service.
For the probable correctness of my statements I would respectfully refer to Mr Manahan of the Treasury Department
Your Obed Servt
J. C. West
J. L. Edwards Esq Pension Office Washington City
Concord N.H. Sept. 25. 1832

REJECTED
11,816
P. O. Abner Woodman
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

8 July 1835— Sylvestre.
Hen. d. Edward, Commons Dunsmore Nashborough N.6.

Bradford N.Y. July 2 nd 1835
To J. L. Edwards Com te of Pensions
In accompanying this I send for Mr. Brookbank, his papers for a Pension, which I hope will be sufficient to obtain for him a Certificate, which will be forwarded to me as he lives some distance from a P. Office. —
I am requested by Mr. Simon Woodman of Warner to state to you his case and he wishes an answer, he says some time in Augt. 1832 he applied to J. G. West of Concord N.Y. and related to him his service and J. West made a Declaration and he went before the Probate Court and made oath, he has called on Mr. West several times and sent and has never seen or heard from his Declaration only what Mr. W. told his son that his father must prove his Declaration or service. He says he first served 2 months at Winter Hill near Dover N.Y. a substitute for his Bro. John Woodman. He next served in Capt. M c Farlands Co. of minutemen 8 months, he next served in Capt. Gilmon Co. over two months in the Winter after Bunker Hill Battle, which service he can prove the next service was in Jeremiah Dows Co. of Salina N.Y. in the fall of the year 1777. which service you have, he thinks some over two months. he was at the taking of Bennington. he has called on me a number of times within the year past and I have

consented to write, he wishes to know what has been done with his Declaration, and if nothing be wished to know if he would be entitled to a Certificate. and that whether he could now make a Declaration and Justice be done in the premises. I would say that from his conversation with a soldier who served as a Barber in Mr. Farlands Co. at the time I have no doubt but what he served as he has stated he can prove the 2 nd & 3 rd the 2 nd was from this State.
I received Mr. Hall's Papers returned have sent to the Secretary of War - he says that Roll's are not to be relied on he found one service and requested to know the given name of the Officers. I have not seen Mr. Hall since, his son says he will go to Walpole Mass next Sept. They are both extremely poor. I have sent to Walpole but have had no return as yet. as I stated before I have no doubt he performed the service he has stated, but perhaps not at the precise time when I have obtained all the information I can. I shall return them. I am yours with respect and esteem
Samuel Jones