Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30,195, James Walker, Mass.

SERVICE
Walker, James
NUMBER
S. 30. 195.
Mass.
CONTENTS

5655:
Massachusetts
James Walker
of Taunton in the State of Mass who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Reding of the Regt commanded by Col Whitney in the Mass line for 15 May 15 Days
93 Pistol
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 57 Dollars 66 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 14 th day of Feb y 1832 and sent to J. L. Hoag F. of Mass Arrears to 4th of Feb y 1832 $77.49 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Mar 33 25.83 $103.32
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J. F. B. Blair Clerk, Book D Vol. 20 Page 99 .

3998.
James Walker
of Taunton
(Mals)
Private
15 mi 15 day
Adm d
ob 12/10
$51.66
P-196.
A Babbett
Taunton
Mals.

BRIEF in the case of
James Walker  of Taunton Brittn the State of Mass  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? in Open Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 72 Years  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.     In 1776 May 7 Private Col J McIntire Col J Read   " 1 " " Fales   1778 - - - 45 " " Dr " B Darny   1780 July " 6 - " Vose " Williams  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none - some skirmishes  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Taunton  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Living Witness. Traditional evidence  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.
H. H. Bliss Examining Clerk.

James Walker P.S. B.
James Walker P.S. B.
3998

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, ) BRISTOL, ss. )
At a COURT of PROBATE holden at Taunton — in and for said County on the twenty seventh day of August — one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, before the Honorable HODJAH BAYLIES, Judge of the Probate, &c. for said County, personally appeared James Walker a resident of Taunton in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid, aged seventy two years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832, make the following declaration, That he entered the service of the United States under the officers hereinafter mentioned & served in the revolutionary war as hereinafter stated; to wit under Capt. Zebedee Reading Lt. Fisher & Abel Babbitt, Col. Josiah Whitney; again under Capt. Samuel Fales Lt. Josiah Crocker & Seth Cooper not in any regiment; again under Capt. Rufus Paine, other officers of Company not recollected Col. Josiah Whitney; again under Capt. Williams, first name & other officers not recollected. First Massachusetts Regiment of Continentals, Col. Joseph Vose & Col. Diah Vose; and the particulars of his several services he will state in his reply to the fifth subjoined interrogatory; and further declares as follows, in reply to the interrogatories propounded by the Secretary of War; to wit:
1. Where, and in what year were you born?
Ans. That he was born in Taunton in the County of Bristol and on the twenty third of November in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty nine .
2. Have you any record of your age; and if so, where is it?
I have no record of my age, and as my father died when I was but eighteen months old I doubt if he made any record of my birth.
3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary War, and where do you now live? I have always lived in Taunton.
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? and if a substitute, for whom? I entered the service four times during the war, three twice by voluntary enlistment in militia companies, once I was drafted, and lastly I volunteered to join the Continental troops.

4. How were you called into service ; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? and if a substitute, for whom? I entered the service four times during the war, twice twice by voluntary enlistment in militia Companies, once I was drafted, and lastly I volunteered to join the Continental troops.
5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers who were with the troops when you served ; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service. The first time I entered the service was by enlisting in the militia company commanded by Captain Lebedee Reding, in the month of May, day not recollected, in the year seventeen hundred & seventy six, Col. Josiah Whitney commanded the regiment, I do not remember the other officers in the regiment, our Lieutenants were Fisher of Norton whose first name I have forgotten, and Abel Babbitt, we marched from Taunton to Boston, staid there about a fortnight, then crossed to Noddles Island & there assisted in building a fort, Gen. Lincoln was there Commander in Chief, at that time, other troops were in & about Boston, but I cannot now remember the names of the officers or regiments; we went afterwards to Point Shirley a little east of Boston, to assist in repelling an apprehended attack from a British vessel or barges; we were in & around Boston and on the Islands in Boston harbour for seven months the term for which we enlisted, engaged in building forts & repelling parties of the enemy, but had no engagement, in which our company was much exposed tho' we sometimes fired at the enemy & they sometimes fired on us; but with little loss on either side; all the above named officers are, I believe, dead. The next time I entered the service was in a company of militia commanded by Capt. Samuel Fales, Lieutenants Josiah Crocker & Seth Cooper, I do not remember the month, but I think it was in December it was in the year seventy hundred & seventy six ; but we marched from Taunton down the river to Swansey  Freetown in this State & afterwards crossed the river to Swansey  Swansey and were stationed along the coast to prevent the enemy from landing from Rhode Island, we were not a part of any regiment, we were employed on this occasion a month; all the officers in this last mentioned company are dead; the next time I entered the service as a drafted militia man under the Command of Captain Rufus Barney, I do not recollect the other officers of the Company, the regiment to which it belonged was commanded by Col. Josiah Whitney, but the

other officers of the regiment I have forgotten; we marched as well as I can recollect in the month of August in the year seventeen hundred and seventy eight to join what is commonly called Sullivan's Expedition, we marched from Taunton to Howland's Ferry in Tiverton & thence to Fogland Ferry in Little Compton both in the State of Rhode Island; afterwards we countermarched to Howland's Ferry, and then crossed to Rhode Island in boats, and joined the American army on Butts's Hill, then we marched down towards the British Lines near Newport, where we erected batteries & threw up intrenchments & cannonaded the enemy for some days, then retreated to Butts's hill in the night, and the next day the British came out to Quaker hill opposite Butts's hill & the two armies were engaged, our regiment during the battle lay on their arms on the side of Butts's Hill "ready for action" and at one time advanced, but were ordered back; the officers of the regular troops in that battle that I knew and saw, were Col. David Jackson, & Lt. Col. David Cobb, which last was a neighbour of mine in Taunton, the same who was afterwards aid to Gen. Washington & subsequently A. Gov. of this Commonwealth; the second day after the battle in the evening we safely retreated across Howland's Ferry, thence our regiment marched to Slades Ferry where we crossed and marched to Providence, and thence to Pawtucket in Rhode Island where we performed the duty of guarding the Coast until our term of service expired; we were in service at this time six weeks. I do not know what has become of Col. Whitney or Capt. Barney; Col. Jackson & Gen. Cobb are dead; the next time I entered the service I voluntarily entered to go as one of the quota of our Town to join the Continental troops at Westpoint in July in the year seventeen hundred & eighty; I went from Taunton to Springfield in this State where I passed muster under Lieutenant Cannady, then on the twenty fifth day of said July, we marched through Connecticut and marched till we reached and joined the army at Pickett's Hill at what was called King's Ferry and went by Westpoint where we crossed  the river army six months marching & countermarching in the States of New Jersey & New York; I belonged to the first Massachusetts regiment Col. Joseph Vose Lt. Col. Elijah Vose, in the second Company, the Capt. of which was named as well as I can recollect Williams; but he was not with the Company while I was in it; the Company was commanded by a Lieutenant whose name I do not remember. While in this service we had several skirmishes and some pretty hard fighting but no general engagement. I was discharged at Westpoint after the army had gone into winter quarters. I know of no person living who can testify to my service under Capt. Fales; for proof of my other services above stated I refer to the annexed affidavits.
6 m. 2 weeks.
6 m.

6. Were you a Soldier or an Officer? if a Soldier, did you ever receive a discharge from the service; and, if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it? if an Officer, did you ever receive a commission, and if so by whom was it signed, and what has become of it? I was a soldier, I never had a written discharge when I served in the militia; and the discharge which I received at Westpoint I gave to Nicholas Baylies representative of Taunton in the Legislature of this State, who took it to Boston to get my wages and I never saw the discharge after.
7. State the names of the persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a Soldier of the Revolution.
I refer to the Reverend Erastus Maltby & the Hon. James L. Hodges both of said Taunton.
And the said James Walker doth further declare that he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency of the State of James Walker
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
H. Baylies, Judge of Probate.
WE Erastus Maltby a Clergyman residing in Taunton in said County and James L. Hodges residing in the same Town hereby certify that we are well acquainted with James Walker — who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be about Seventy two 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.
Erastus Maltby James L. Hodges,
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
H. Baylies, Judge of Probate.
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 abovenamed applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Erastus Maltby — who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman — resident in the Town of Taunton — in said County of Bristol, and that James L. Hodges who has also signed the same is a resident in said Town, and is a credible person, and that their — statement is entitled to credit.
H. Baylies, Judge of Probate.
Register of Probate.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, BRISTOL, ss.
I Anselm Bassett Register of the Court of Probate in and for said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of James Walker — of Taunton — in said County, for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the said Court the day and year first above written.
Anselm Bassett

30195 Very INVALID.
File No. 30195
James Walker Pis. Rev. War
Act: James J. 82 nd
Index:—Vol. 2, Page 438
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I, Uriah Reed, of Taunton in the County of Bristol Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy five years, do testify & say, that I am well acquainted with my neighbour James Walker of said Taunton & have known him all my life; I know that he entered Capt. Rufus Barney's Company in the year seventeen hundred and seventy eight, I was then a continental soldier, and after the battle of Quaker Hill in Sullivan's Expedition on Rhode Island, I saw him there in the army, and conversed with him as to the Company he belonged to; I do not know how long he served; afterwards in the year seventeen hundred & eighty in the summer, I saw him in the army in New Jersey, I was then & there a Continental soldier, said Walker then belonged to Col. Vose's regiment, (the first Mass ts regiment I think) in Glover's Brigade, I do not know what company he was then in; I understood that he regiment was engaged for six months, my time of service expired soon & I returned, leaving said Walker in the army; he being an old neighbour we frequently saw and conversed together during the time I staid in New Jersey after his arrival. Uriah Reed
Commonwealth of Massachusetts — Bristol ss. August 16. 1832. Uriah Reed made oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him signed. Before me A. Brannett Just. of the Peace
Bristol ss. Jury. 15. 1833. I certify that Uriah Reed who signed the above affidavit is a disinterested & credible person. — A. Brannett Just. of the Peace

I, Ebenezer Read of Dighton in the County of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy three years, do testify and say, that I am well acquainted with my neighbour James Walker of said Dighton whom I have known from a boy, and I was with him about three months in the Revolutionary army in the same company, in the year seventeen hundred and seventy six, under Capt Lebedee Reding, we went then in the spring of the year to Boston, and thence to Noddle's Island, thence to Nantasket, I served with him there three months; we had both enlisted in this Company for seven months, but at the end of three months I was told that I might enlist in another Company for a longer term; which I did, and left said Walker then serving in said Company, afterwards in the year seventeen hundred and eighty in the month of June, I know he enlisted to go in the Continental service, and I took his farm to manage for him in his absence; he was absent six months on this service.
Ebenezer Read
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Bristol ss. August 16. 1832. Ebenezer Read made oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed - Before me A. Barrett Just. of the Peace
Bristol ss. June 15. 1833 - I certify that Ebenezer Read above named is a disinterested credible person A. Barrett Just. of the Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts -
Bristol ss. I Anselm Bassett, Register of the Court of Probate in for said County of Bristol, do hereby certify that Alonzo whose signature is affixed to the Certificates of William Read and Ebenezer Read aforementioned, is a Justice of the Peace & qualified to administer oaths - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this fifteenth day of January eighteen hundred & thirty three - Anselm Bassett

2998 James Walker
Private 15 Mar 15 days A.M.P.
A B Nott

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of James Walker of Taunton 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? 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? ~~~~~
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? Yes  NO
And is the official character and signature of the magistrate certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? Yes  NO
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? Yes
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? 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."

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.
14. Requirement complied with