Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 4,716, Obadiah Ward, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Ward, Obadiah
S. 4716
CONTENTS
Carded

7765. Ohio Pittsburgh
Obadiah Ward.
of Ashtabula the State of Ohio, who was a Private in the Compy. commanded by Captain Dwight of the Regt. commanded by Col. Brown in the Mass. time for ten months.
$33 \frac{33}{100}
Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio. Pittsburgh. at the rate of 33. Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 2 nd day of April, 1833 and sent to, O. H. Pitch. Ashtabula P.O. Ohio.
Arrears to the 4th of Mar. 33. 00. 00
Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept. 1833. 16. 66
$83. 32
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Wm. J. Palmer Clerk, Book 6. Vol. 8, Page 132.

20846
Obadiah Ward Ashtabula Co Ohio
Remitted for 10 months from 1875
new account, 7.705,
35.53
O. H. Fitch Esq. Ashtabula Co P.O. at Ashtabula Co Ohio

BRIEF in the case of  Ebenezer Ward  of Ashtabula Co in the State of Ohio  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? No — Made before the clerk of the court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 79  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.     In 1775 8 Private Col. Brum Maj. Donaldson   1776 2 " " Col. E. D. Wright Gen. Washington  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Hampshire Co - Massachusetts  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary  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.
Joseph Rowen Examining Clerk.

Obadiah Wain Application for Pension
20146

State of Ohio Athlatus County 3/3
On this twenty fourth day of September personally appeared in open Court, before me Samuel Hendry Clerk
----- of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting. That at the time and a resident of Kingsville in the County of Ashtabula and State of Ohio aged seventy nine 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 therein stated.
Field Officers: Colonel Brown and Major Donaldson or Donaldson - Company Officers: Captain Boardman, First Lieutenant Gillmore, Second Lieutenant Moses Howe - Commissioned service in April 1775 on one, and the first term, and was dismissed from it in December of the same year; serving under the same field and Company officers during the period of eight months - That he also served one other term commencing in the month of September 1776. and ending in the month of November of the same year making a period of two months - The names of the Field officers during this term not known or not not remembered - Commissioned his march under Captain Elijah Dwight who was soon taken sick and left on the march when the Command devolved upon the Lieutenant whose name together with the name of the other Commissioned officer commanding the Company he has forgotten - Captain Dwight never joined the Company after he was taken sick and left on the march - That he united with Bucklestown Cheshire County of Hampshire, and State of Massachusetts when he entered the service on both terms mentioned - That he commenced his first term by turning out on the call of his officers in case of an alarm, and after arriving at Roxbury near Boston, enlisted and served for the term of eight months as above stated - That the second term he served as a substitute for a man by the name of Timothy Ruggles - That during the first period of service he was in no Battle, tho' while lying at Roxbury the British sometimes fired with their Cannon upon the encampment to which he belonged - On the second term he was at the Battle of the White Plains, but the detachment to which he belonged was not called into action - That during the first period of service he marched from Bucklestown thro' a portion of Massachusetts, in- cluding in the route among other places the towns of Ware, Worcester and Watertown - That during the second term he marched from

the same place to South Hadley falls, thro Hartford and New Haven Connecticut, thro Housatonic and the White Plains to Northcastle-when he was dismissed-While on the first term of service the claimant has no recollection of being paraded, inspected, mustered or of marching or being encamped near or with troops of any description other than than the troops to which he belonged- On the second term at the White Plains he joined the Army under the immediate command of General Washington, after which time til dismissed he was paraded, inspected and marched with the troops that composed that army- At the White Plains he saw both Gen. Washington and Gen. Putnam; was frequently before Gen. Wash- ington's quarters, but recollects no other General officers and the names of field officers of any description- Also that he fears he has no documentary evidence, and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service- He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to any pension or annuity except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any the agency of any State
Obadiah Ward
Sept-24
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. in Open Court
Attest Sam. Hendry Clerk
We Jacob Bailey a clergyman residing in the township of Kingsoria and Stephen Munger residing in the same place, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Obadiah Ward who has subscribed and sworn to the above decla- ration; that we believe him to be twenty nine years of age, that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he lives to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in the opinion-
Jacob Bailey Stephen Munger
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the inter- rogatories prescribed 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 that Jacob Bailey a clergyman who has signed the same

is a resident in the township of Kingsville that Stephen Monger - who has also signed the same is a resident in the township and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit -
The State of Ohio
Ashtabula County ss 3 I Saml Hendry Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas within and for said County of Ashtabula, do hereby certify that the foregoing containing the original proceedings of the said Court in the Matter of the Application of Obadiah Ward for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Affixed the seal of the said Court at Jefferson the 25th day of September A.D. 1832 -
Saml Hendry Clerk

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Obadiah Ward 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? No Declaration made before the Court of the District 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? yes 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'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? yes XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 1, 2, 3.
 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.

Rev May
4716
INVALID.
File No. 4716
Obadiah Ward
Bri. Mass. Line
Act: June 7, 1832
Index:—Vol. A , Page 391
[Arrangement of 1870.]