Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30756, John Turner, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Turner, John
S. 30756
CONTENTS

101225 Massachusetts John Burner
of Plymouth in the State of Mass who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Warburn of the regt commanded by Colonel in the Mass line for 6 Mths
W.H.
75 Plymouth
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 20 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 23 rd day of March 1833 and sent to Lord Plymouth Mass Arrears to the 14th of Mar 1833 $40 — Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sept " 10 — $50 —
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J. H. S. Blair Clerk Book 2, Vol. 2, Page 83.

John Turner Maps
Prish
6 M n
$20-
13364
J. H. Lord
Plymouth
Mass

BRIEF in the case of  John Turner 60 of Plymouth  in the State of Mass  (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? 71  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.     Same In 17 th 6 Private Col. Washburn  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None Mentioned  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Situate Mass  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional and on living witness  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 mentioned.
George Taylor
Examining Clerk.

John Turner Declaration
13.364

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Plymouth County ss
On this twenty second day of August A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Hon. Walker Wood Justices of Probate for the County of Plymouth now sitting at Hanover in said County, John Turner a resident of Hanover in the County of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, aged seventy 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 th , A.D. 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States in the following named officers and served as herein stated.
In June A.D. 1778 I enlisted in a company commanded by Abraham Washburn of Bridgewater, Lt. Bartlett of Plymouth - other officers not recollected, went directly to Boston and there joined said Company, where I continued until September, and my duty while there was to guard the Public Stores, (magazines, prisoners, ships &c), and in September, I was detached with ten others men and sent to Nantasket, and my duty while there, was to report all vessels that appeared in the bay, by hoisting signals, and there served until the six months for which I enlisted had expired, was then discharged and returned home to Scituate about the 10 th of December. - while I was at Boston the French fleet under De Grasse was in the harbor, and the same fleet went to sea again while I was at Nantasket.
I never received a written discharge, nor have I any documentary evidence, and Elisha Briggs whose deposition is hereto annexed is the only witness living, known to me, by whom I can prove the service stated. - I was born in Scituate
A.D. 1760. The Town clerk's certificate is hereto annexed in proof. I have always lived in Scituate, until within about five years, since which time I have lived in Hanover. I enlisted into the service as above stated, and of course could not have been drafted, nor did I serve any part of the time as a substitute.
I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. John Turner
Attest Jacob H. Lona Register

We Samuel Deane a clergyman residing in the Town of Situate and Ebenezer Dagg, residing in the Town of Situate also. hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Turner who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be Seventy one 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,
Samuel Deane
Sworn to, and subscribed the day and year Ebenezer Dagg aforesaid. Attest, Jacob H. Lourd Register
And the 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 applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states, and the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Samuel Deane who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman resident in the Town of Situate, and that Ebenezer T. Dagg who has also signed the same, is a resident of the town and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
By the Court Attest Jacob H. Lourd Register
I Jacob H. Lourd Clerk of the Court of Probate for the County of Plymouth do hereby certify, that the foregoing con- tains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Turner, for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal of office this twenty second day of August A.D. 1832.
Jacob H. Lourd

I Elisha Briggs of Scituate in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts on oath do testify and say. that John Turner of Hanover in said county of Plymouth served with me one campaign of six months as a soldier in the state militia in the war of the American Revolution at Boston, Nantasket, & vicinity In the year Seventeen hundred and seventy eight. In the company commanded by Abraham Washburn where Lieutenant was Mr Bartlett of Plymouth and further saith not. Elisha Briggs
Plymouth - July 25 - 1832 Then the above named Elisha Briggs made oath that the above declaration by him subscribed is true. Before Me Samuel O. Turner Just Peace And I certify that I have been personally acquainted with the above named Elisha Briggs for many years, and that he is a credible person. Attest Samuel O. Turner Just of the Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Plymouth Y. I Jacob H. Lord Register of the Court of Probate for the County of Plymouth, being a Court of Record do hereby certify that Samuel A. Turner Esq is a Justice of the Peace for said County & that his name within subscribed is his true & genuine handwriting.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this third day of October in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
Jacob H Lord
Ebenezer Briggs Deposition for John Turner

30756 Rev INVALID.
File No. 30756
John Turner Rev Rev Mr
Act: June 7 th 82"
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 424
[Arrangement of 1870.]

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 Turner. 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? 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 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? ///  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?  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? /// 
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 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 shewn 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.