Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29510, Abraham Tower, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
★ Tower, Abraham
S. 29510.
CONTENTS

No. 0.84 Massachusetts William Fowler
of Norfolk in the State of Mass who was a private in the Camp commanded by Captain Cushing of the Regt commanded by Col. Grafton in the Mass line for 8 Mos
W. Fowler
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 16 day of Aug, 1831 and to Martha E. S. Grafton
Rept. W. Fowler
Arrears to the 4th of Dec '31 $53.33 Semi-ant. allowance ending Dec '31 13.33 $66.66
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Geo. L. Stiles Clerk, Book 6 Vol. 2. Page 85
82 Norfolk

29 570 Very INVALID.
File No. 29,570
Abraham Power
Rev Rev Mr
Act: June 7 th 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 421
[Arrangement of 1870.]

8879 Abraham Tower
With 8 Months Capt. Bushing. Col Greaton's Reg
E. G. Leland Roxbury Mass

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Abraham Tower
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? yy
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? no
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? no
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? yy
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.

Hersham Tower 8879
Edwin S. Leland

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
County of Norfolk ss.
On this Twenty eighth day of August
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Judge of the  Abraham Fowler  now sitting at  Council of Probate in for said County, Abraham Fowler a resident of Cohasset in said County, aged Eighty  by reason of bodily infirmity is unable to attend court 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, A. D. 1832.
THAT he was born at Cohasset aforesaid
on the Eighteenth day of April A. D. 1752, and that there
is a record of his birth about in the town records of Cohasset  about : that he was in the United States service from the first  first day of May A. D. 1775, to the first  first day of January A. D. 1776 8 months as a private in the Massachusetts Militia
: that he was residing at Cohasset when he entered the service; that he was a volunteer
and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Capt. Job Cushing in the Regiment commanded by Col. John Greaton  part of the time  and a part of the time  attached to his regiment to his knowledge that he marched from Cohasset to Newmarket and from Hingham to Cambridge
: that he served with the Militia only and none
of the regular troops; and Genl Washington
of regular officers
were known to him: that he was in no battle
and at the end of his service received his discharge
in writing : that he left the service on or about the 20 th  20 th day of Jan y 1776
and that since the Revolutionary war he has resided at Cohasset
That he has no documentary evidence of this service
ALSO: that he was in the United States service from the
day of  A. D. 17  , to the  day of  A. D. 17 
as a  in the 
that he was residing at  when he entered the service; that he
and served for the period aforesaid under the command of
: that he marched from
: that he served with
of the regular troops; and
regular officers were known to him: that he was in  battle
that at the end of his service he received a discharge the service on
and left
ALSO: that he was in the United States service from the
day of  A. D. 17  , to the  day of  A. D. 17 
as a  in the 
that he was residing at  when he entered the service; that he
and served for the period aforesaid under the command of
: that he marched from
: that he served with
of the regular troops; and
regular officers were known to him; that he was in  battle
that at the end of his service he received a discharge the service on
and left

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.
Abraham Tower
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid.
We Jacob Flint  Clayyman residing in the Town of Cohasset and James C. Coane residing at Cohasset hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Abraham Tower who has
subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be Eighty 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.
Sworn and subscribed as aforesaid.
Jacob Flint James C. Coane
And the said court  Judge do hereby declare their  his opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And the court  Judge further certify that it appears to them  him that Jacob Flint who has signed the preceding certificate, is a Clayyman resident in the Town of Cohasset ; and that James C. Coane who has also signed the same is a resident in said Cohasset and is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit, the said Judge further certifies that said Abraham Tower, by reason of bodily infirmity is unable to attend court  Therman S. Lander Judge of Probate
I Samuel Haven , Register — of the Court of Probate of said do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Abraham Tower , for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first aforesaid.
Samuel Haven 3

I Joshua Beal of Cohasset in the County of Norfolk aged eighty seven years do hereby testify and declare That I entered the service of the United States in the year 1775 in the month of May in the company commanded by Capt Job Cushing and served in said company until January 1776 That I personally know Abraham Town the within named applicant for a pension and that he entered the service at the same time with myself and served eight months as set forth in his declaration within.
Joshua his  Beal mark
S.
Norfolk ss August 20 th 1832 Subscribed & sworn to
before S Leland Judge of Probate
I further certify that said Joshua Beal is a credible witness S Leland Probate