Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 10,744, William Tuffs, Mass. New York Privateer

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Mass. New York. Privateer.
or Juffs William Juffs.
R. 10.744.
CONTENTS

William Suffs Ohio.
107 L H
Ask Mr. Edwards
Says to this man that the whole narrative is so at variance with well known facts in proposition.
# N 838
of this Dept. that his claim cannot be allow - Place the papers in file
Orville Mitchell Chardon Geauga County Ohio

BRIEF in the case of  William Tufts  of  Orange  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? 81  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.     Spring ... In 1776 enlisted and from this time served as a soldier and sailor on the Lakes under Arnold & Freeman till July 1777 then a prisoner 1 Month. As a private and translator Gen. Cap Sanford Col. Gansboom   then entered on board a privateer Rogue Empire till May 1779 then entered on board a privateer Rogue Prince till October 1779 Engaged 4 months took the British two weeks was taken and carried to England  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? was in Arnold's battle on the Lakes at the battle of Monmouth. Battle of Long Is.  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Albany. N York 
 7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditional 
 8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? the period the time, and length of service is very confused and imperfect the papers are not attached agreeably to the regulations 
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
George S. Taylor
Examining Clerk.

William Tufts 1833

The State of Ohio Geauga County ss On the Eleventh  Eleventh day of August  September 1832 personally appeared in Open Court, before the Supreme  Common Pleas Court of the State of Ohio — for said County of Geauga now sitting. William Tufts, a resident in Parkman in the County aforesaid, aged eighty one 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, and served as herein stated, under the following named Officers to wit
That he enlisted at Albany in the State of New York in the Spring of the year 1776 for the term of three years, in Captain Cornelius Sanfords Company in Colonel Gansevoorts Regiment in the line of the State of Massachusetts New York, and marched with said Regiment un- der the immediate Command of Colonel Gan- sevoort, directly to Fort George. Soon after the arrival of the Regiment at that Fort, he the said Tufts, (having previously been a Sailor) was Ordered to Skeneborough to assist in rigging the Shipping under Colonel Arnolds, and continued in that service until the fleet put out in September or October following, and that he then entered on Board of the Row Galley Tumbull as a common Sailor and served in that Capacity during the en- gagement with the British Squadron on the 11 th day of October 1776 — That the said Row Galley

Trumbull, together with the Row Galley Gates , were the only craft which escaped from the enemy. These Boats made their way to Ticonderoga at the close of the engagement, when they arrived in a shattered condition. The Captain of the Row Galley Trumbull (whose name he does not recollect) was killed in the engagement.
After the Battle he was again employed in fitting up & repairing the said Row Gallies, & when the same were fitted for service, he again entered the said Row Galley Trumbull as a Sailor & continued to serve in that capacity until the evacuation of Ticonderoga by General St Clair in July 1777. That he then sailed up to Skeneborough with the American Shipping. That the Row Galley Trumbull was then blown up, and that he was swam to the Shore, when he was immediately captured by the Canadians & Indians and taken to Ticonderoga. After remaining a prisoner at Ticonderoga about one month he made his escape and proceeded directly to Nyctie near Boston in the State of Massachusetts that being his place of residence.
That immediately after his return home he again enlisted at Boston aforesaid, for the term of three years, in Captain Hoveys Company in Colonel Jacksons Regiment in the Massachusetts line, and marched directly to Rhode Island, from thence to the Hudson River, encamped at Kings Ferry, and proceeded to White
September 1777

Marsh in the State of New Jersey, with the expectation of taking up winter quarters at that place - but owing to the prevalence of the small Pox at the the White Marsh, the Regiment was ordered to Lancaster in Pennsylvania, where the troops were encamped & passed the Winter.
That he the said Suffer having previously had the small Pox, was ordered by Colonel Jackson into the service of General Palpy, who was then acting as paymaster General, to take charge of a team & Wagon, and thereupon entered upon that service, and drove the said team to the place where Genl. Palpy took up his winter quarters, being at a public house (sign of a Black Bull) about three miles from the encampment of the Main Army at Valley Forge.
That he continued to drive the said team, and was quartered at said Public house during the winter, and until the arrival of Colonel Jacksons Regiment at Valley Forge in the Spring of 1778, when he again joined his said Regiment.
That after halting a short time, the Regiment was ordered to a Place called the Gulph near Philadelphia, and remained there, watching the motions of the Tories, until the enemy left Philadelphia in June 1778 - he was then marched into that city, where his Regiment arrived about two hours after the British troops had left the ground, after halting one hour the Regiment took up the line of march in pursuit of

the enemy, and continued the march until the army arrived at Monmouth. That he was engaged in the Battle at that place on the 28 th June 1778. After the Battle the Regiment rested a few days at Monmouth. then then marched to Rhode  Long Island, and was there stationed until the time of the Battle on that Island in which he was actively engaged. After the Battle he retreated from the Island with the main Army. Shortly after leaving the Island, he was marched to Barbour's heights in the State of Rhode Island, and was quartered there about two months, and then moved with the Regiment to Pawtucket, halted there a short time and took up the line of march for New Jersey, and arrived at Morristown late in the fall, where the Regiment went into winter quarters & remained until the Spring of 1779. In the month of May 1779 he obtained a Furlough from Colonel Jackson to return home. That before the expiration of his furlough, he entered as a Common Sailor on Board of the Privateer Royal Empire at Boston, and sailed in that vessel on a cruise of about four months, during which they captured & brought into Port at Boston, the British Frigate, Black Prince . That after remaining in Port about one month he again put to sea in said Privateer on a second Cruise. and after being

out about two weeks. She was captured off New- foundland by the British privateer
That he was carried to the Mill Prison, about thirty miles from London, and confined in that prison about seven months before he was taken out to be exchanged.
That when he returned to Boston after his first cruise in said vessel, he saw Colonel Jackson, who then lived in Boston, and ob- tained a discharge from service in said Jackson's Regiment, which discharge he has since lost.
That he has no documentary evidence, and that he knows of no person whose tes- timony he can procure to prove his service. That he resided at Mystic in the State of Massachusetts during the whole of the Revolu- tionary war, when not engaged in the service of the United States. That he now resides in the Township of Parkman in the County of Franklin aforesaid, and has re- sided there for the space of about eigh- teen months. That there is no clergyman residing in his neighborhood with whom he is acquainted.
He hereby relinquishes every claim what- ever to a Pension or annuity except the present. & declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in

any State - Sworn & Subscribed the his William his Suffs eleventh day of August  September 1832 mark in Open Court. J. D. Aiken, Clerk.
We Thomas Ainslie of Parkman in the County of Geauga aforesaid & William Preston of Glandon in the same County, do hereby cer- tify that we are well acquainted with William Suffs who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be eighty one years of age; that he is respected & believed in the neighborhoods where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution; and that we con- cur in that Opinion. Sworn & Subscribed this 11 th  W. Preston day of August 1832 Thomas Ainslie in Open Court J. D. Aiken, Clerk.
And the said Court do hereby declare their Opin- ion, after the investigation of the Matter, and after putting the interrogatories presented 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 appears to them that there is no bludgeon man residing in the neighborhoods of the said Applicant with whom he is acquainted. And that Thomas

Ainslie and William Preston who have signed the preceding certificate are residents in the Townships set forth in said Certificate, that they are credible persons, and that this statement is entitled to credit.
The State of Ohio } Geauga County } J. D. Aiken, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, within and for said County, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original pro- ceedings in the said Court, in the matter of the application of William Buffum for a pension. - In Testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand, and affix the seal of said Court, at Chardon in said County, this fourteenth day of September A.D. 1832 J. D. Aiken, Clerk.

Act 7. June 1832
Rejected
See letter 25 th April 1832
To
Warren Metcalfe
Chardon
Geauga County
Ohio

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of William Suffs which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yy II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yy 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? yy 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? yy VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yy VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yy VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yy IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yy 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? yy

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 ?  Certified by two Citizens XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it ? Yes 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's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? 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? Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? 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 ? 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."

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
10.744
P. O. William Tuffs
Service: _____
REJECTED
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18