Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31464, George Walker, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Walker, George
NUMBER S-31464
CONTENTS

6158
Massachusetts
George Walker
Bristol in the State of Mass who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Packard of the Reg t commanded by Col. Jacobs in the Mass line for 7 months 25 days
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 26 Dollars 11 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 23 rd day of Sept r 1833 and sent Hon. J. L. Hodges House of Reps.
Arrears to 4th of Sept r 1832 $39.11 Pension allowance ending 11 Mar 33 13.06 $52.22
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by D. S. Addison Clerk, Book D Vol. 2 nd Page 99

16, 7 34
Geo H. Walbridge
7 a
Private 7 mo 25 days Adm'd
(17)
J L Hodges AR

16,734
BRIEF in the case of  George Walker  of Bristol  in the State of Mass  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? a 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.     '78 July 1st * 6 private Gen. Packard - Col Jacob   '80 July 15 " Capt. Blake   '81 or '82 - March or April 40 Capt. Maskins   7 25  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none mentioned  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Middleborough Mass.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? 2 living witnesses  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Right 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
W. C. Easton
Examining Clerk.
13 July 1833
* drafted for 6 mos. but was taken sick before its expiration

George Walker
18734
J. L. Hodges HR

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Bristol ss—
At a court of Probate holden at Dighton in and for said County of Bristol on the fifth day of October one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, before the Hon. Hodijah Baylies , Judge of the Probate of Wills &c. for said County, personally appeared George Walker a resident of Dighton in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid, aged seventy one 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 7. A. D. 1832 make the following declaration —
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers, and served as herein after stated —
That in the year Seventeen hundred and seventy eight he resided in Middleborough in the County of Bristol Plymouth and Commonwealth aforesaid as an Apprentice to one Montgomery , the father of Hugh Montgomery whose deposition is to be annexed to this declaration — 6 mo. That according to his best recollection, in July of the last mentioned year, he was ordered drafted from the Company of Militia to which he then belonged to serve in the United States service against the British for the term of six months; and was placed in a Company commanded by Capt David Packard of Bridgewater, whose Lieutenant was Ludovick Seward of Middleborough. That he does not recollect the name of the Ensign of said Company — That after being drafted as

as aforesaid, he with others of said company was first marched to Providence in Rhode Island, thence to Howlands Ferry in Tiverton, thence to Brattle Hill on Rhode Island, thence to the vicinity of Fanny m hill near Newport in said Rhode Island, where the British were entrenched — soon after, we were compelled to retreat back to Brattle Hill, when and where he was taken sick — In a few days after he succeeded in getting to the main, where he found quarters in the garret of the house of one Durfee in Tiverton aforesaid — That he remained sick in said garret for five or six weeks, without being able to go out of it — He then got a little better & went below & quartered with the family of said Durfee, where he remained five or six weeks longer, sick and unable to labour — He then succeeded in getting to the Rev d Caleb Turners in said Middleborough where his mother resided & there remained sick and unable to labour until the following spring — He was in no battle, but was taken sick before the battle at Bunker Hill & therefore took no part in it — That he does not know of any person now living who can testify to the above service — { But Hugh Montgomerys affidavit is to be annexed hereto, tending to shew that this part of his declaration is true — }
That after his recovery from the sickness abovementioned he went to live with his brother Peter Walker who resided in Tiverton in the County of Bristol aforesaid — That while there he was ordered out on an alarm, by Capt Edward Blake of said Tiverton, to whose company of Militia, he was then enrolled — This was in July Seventeen hundred and eighty as near as he can recollect — That he was marched to Tiverton aforesaid & there stood guarded on the

15d. shores - That while there he quartered at the dwelling house of one His or Hicks - That he served in this campaign fifteen days - He further says that Simeon Tisdale of Taunton, now deceased was a Lieutenant in said Blake's Company - He refers to the deposition of Benjamin Walker to be hereunto annexed for proof of this service - He knows of no other person now living, who can testify to this service -
40d. He further says that while living with his brother Peter Walker as aforesaid, in March or April in the year seventeen hundred and eighty one or two, (which he cannot recollect) he was drafted or voluntarily enlisted and served as a soldier, forty or forty two days, in a company of militia, commanded by Capt Jacob Haskins of Taunton whose Lieutenant was Nathan Hask. That he marched to Tiverton in Rhode Island thence to Quaker Hill on the Island of Rhode Island & quartered there in the Quaker Meeting house & was employed in keeping guard - He refers also for proof of this service to the deposition of Benjamin Walker to be hereunto annexed - He knows of no other person now living who can testify to this service -
He further says that he was born in Dighton - in said County of Bristol on the seventh day of September Seventeen hundred and sixty one, as he was informed by his mother - That he has a record of his age from the town Clerk of Dighton which is hereunto annexed

That since the Revolutionary war he has resided in Brighton aforesaid; and that while he served therein as above stated, he served as a soldier & that he never received a written discharge — He refers to Nehemiah Walker, Peter Burt, Jeremiah Jones and Crocker Babbitt — in answer to the seventh interrogatory of the Secretary of War, in his instructions —
And the said George 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 in the pension roll of the agency of any State.
George Walker
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first above written — — — — —
H. Baylies, Judge of Probate
We Nehemiah Walker — residing in Brighton in the County of Bristol aforesaid and Peter Burt — residing in the same  at Taunton adjoining said Brighton hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with George Walker who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; and that we believe him to be about seventy one years of age; that he is respected and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion — Nehemiah Walker Peter Burt
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid — H. Baylies, Judge of Probate

I Benjamin Walker of Taunton in the County of Bristol, being of lawful age to give evidence, do testify and say that, George Walker of Dighton in the County aforesaid, to my certain knowledge, was a Soldier in the Revolutionary war a forty day's or more campaign at Rhode Island, in the year Seventeen hundred and eighty one or eighty two, which year I am not certain, in the company commanded by Capt. Jacob Hoskins of Taunton. also, that the said George Walker was a soldier on an alarm at Tiverton in the state of Rhode Island Fifteen days or more in a company commanded by Capt. Edward Blake in the year Seventeen hundred and eighty.
Benj o Walker
Bristol ss. September 17 th . 1832. Then personally appeared the above named Benjamin Walker and made oath that the above deposition by him subscribed is true.
Samuel Morse } Justice of the Peace
Justice Peace

George Walker of Dighton, Son of Elnathan Walker by Phebe his wife was born September 7 th D 1781 A true Copy of record attest Jonathan Jones Jr Town Clerk of Dighton
Justice 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 Samuel Moor is a Justice of the Peace for said county of Bristol and that the signature to the within affidavit purporting to be his, is his genuine signature —
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this first day of November eighteen hundred and thirty two — Anselm Bassett
Witness my hand & seal Feb. 22 nd 1833 I hereby certify that full credit may be given to the testimony of Rev. Walker James L. Hodges

I Hugh Montgomery of Middleborough in the County of Plymouth & State of Massachusetts, do testify & say that I am now Seventy Seven years old & have been acquainted with George Walker now Resident of Dighton in Bristol County ever since he was a School boy. he was an apprentice to my father John Montgomery about the year 1778. And some time in the Summer of that year according to my best Recollections he was drafted as a Soldier from a company of Militia Comanded by Capt. Amos Washburn of said Middleborough to serve in the American Revolution, he then left my father & never returned to his apprenticeship afterwards. And in the fall of that year according to my best recollections I went to Tiverton in the State of Rhode Island to see the said George Walker And found him in the third Storey of a dwelling house of one Darpfe in said Tiverton very Sick. I remained there with him a few hours & then returned home; and in a few Months afterwards I see him at the Dwelling house of the Rev. Caleb Turners in said Middleborough where his Mother then lived: in a feeble state of health & remained not able to labour for some time afterwards this according to my best recollection.
Hugh Montgomery
Bristol ss October 20 th 1832 then the above named Hugh Montgomery personally appeared & made Oath to the truth of the above declaration by him subscribed Before me Godfrey Robinson Justice Peace
This may certify that I am well acquainted with the above named Hugh Montgomery and that he is a credible person and is entitled to my belief Godfrey Robinson Justice Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts - Writs - I Anselm Bassett Register of the Court of Probate in for said County of Bristol, do hereby certify that Godfrey Robinson in a Justice of the Peace for said County, and that the signature affixed to the within affidavit purporting to be his, is the genuine signature of him the said Godfrey Robinson -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of said Court this first day of November. Eighteen hundred & thirty two - Anselm Bassett

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 above applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier & served as he states. — And the Court further certify, that it appears to them that Nehemiah Walker who has signed the preceding certificate is resident in the town of Dighton in said County of Bristol and that Peter Burt, who has also signed the same is a resident in the town of Taunton adjoining said Dighton and that they are credible witnesses, and that their statement is entitled to credit —
H. Baylies, Judge of Probate
Commonwealth of Massachusetts —
Bristol ss —
I Anselm Basset, Register of the Court of Probate in for said County, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of George Walker of Dighton in said County for a pension —
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the said Court the day & year first above written — Anselm Basset

31464
Rev
INVALID.
File No. 31,464
George Walker
Dis Rev War
Act: June 7 th 82"
Index:—Vol. 2, Page 438
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Oct 26 90 recd Paid to Wm L Wal Farmton Mass $1.00

16,734 George Walker
J. L. Hodges. H.R.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of George Walker 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? No 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?  No
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?  No
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?  S
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?  Yes
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?  No
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?  Yes
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 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.

Taunton Octo 19 1896
The Hon the Commissioners of Pensions Washington D.C.
Sir:
I have the honor to request a copy of the Military record of My Grandfather George Walker who was a resident of Dighton Mass and who served in Capt Edward I Blake's Co of Bristol Co Mass Troops in the War of the Revolution
He, George Walker, was a United States Pensioner
My address is Taunton Bristol County Mass P O Box 205.
Very Resp'tly Yours Wm E. Walker

GEORGE A. WASHBURN, PRESIDENT.
GEORGE W. ANDROS, CASHIER.
CAPITAL, $600,000. SURPLUS, 200,000.
The Taunton National Bank.
PRESENTED BY
M rs L Walker

DEPT. OF WAR & NAVY OCT 23 1896 PENSION OFFICE.
PENSION OFFICE OCT 21 1896 U.S.

O. W. & N. Div. I 31464 L. W. B.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF PENSIONS, WASHINGTON, D. C.,
October 26, 1896.
Sir:
Replying to your request for information concerning the military record of George Walker , a soldier of the Revolutionary War, you are advised that he made application for pension October 5, 1832, at which time he was 71 years of age and residing at Dighton, Mass., and his pension was allowed for seven months and twenty-five days' actual service as a private in the Mass. troops Revolutionary War; a part of the time he served under Capt. Packard and Col. Jacobs. He enlisted at Middleborough, Mass.
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.
Mr William L. Walker, Taunton, Mass.
Box 205.