Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14881, Theodorus Woodward, N.H. Vt.

SERVICE
NUMBER
N. 16.
Woodward, Theodorus
S. 14881
Q1
carded
CONTENTS

20. 570 New York
Theodorus Woodward
of St. Lawrence in the State of New York who was a Private in the Comp. commanded by Captain Debeaupoir of the Regt. commanded by Col. Watts in the Vermont line for 11 Months and N.H.
no. June 17. 08
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 36 Dollars 66 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21 day of Sep. 1833 and Supt. A. B. Low Colk. St. Lawrence Co. N.Y.
Arrears to the 14th of Ap. 23 $91.06 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Mo. 24 18.33
$109.39
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by G. Estlin Clerk, Book E. Vol. 1, Page 29.

No 14587- Theodorus Woodward Jr. Law Albany County New York
11.12.16.17.
specimen & some proofs neg
P. 383
May 9 th
7 3 57 118 57 91 06
at Law Clerk's Laurens County Court New York

County of St Lawrence  BRIEF in the case of  Theodorus Woodward  in the State of New York  (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.     Enlisted In 1778 Feb 2 Private Gen. Capt. Schuyler   1781 " 9 Corporal Lowell Col. Watts   1778-9/1780-81- 3 " Capt. Martin Smith  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Faile Co Vermont  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional evidence  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Not corrected as the regulations require 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Dyer Castor
Examining Clerk.

In the matter of Theodore Woodward.
Application for a pension under the act of June 7 th 1832.
14587.
3 mo. aggregate earnings under alarms not specified & disallowed
admd 11 mo pri $36.66.
Miss Baldwin agent, P. O. Box Hudson Co. N.Y.

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7. 1832.
State of New York St Lawrence County } ss. On this 25. th day of Feb- ruary A.D. 1832,
personally appeared in open Court, before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County and State aforesaid, now sitting, Theodorus Woodward, a resident of the town of Norfolk in the County and State aforesaid, aged 71 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 Con- gress, passed June 7. 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers,
and served as herein stated.
That about the month of February in the year 1778, (as he believes, but he is not certain that it was not in the year 1779,) this Claimant then living in Fairlee in Vermont, went to St Or- ford in New Hampshire, and there enlisted for the term of two months, with a view to march into Canada and was mustered under Captain Devenport  Briggs  Halleck , and Lieutenant Ephraim Moore  Lyons , and was ordered to remain in rations, and did remain in rations for service until about the expiration of the said term of his enlistment when he and his said Company were discharged, and were soon after paid for the full term of the said enlistment, as for so much actual service.
And this Claimant further saith that about the month of February 1781, he re-enlisted at Fairlee aforesaid, and

was hired by that town to enter upon a term of service for nine months , in compliance with a requisition made upon that town, its proportion of soldiers for that term of service; that he was immediately sent upon such service, to the town of Brattleboro in Vermont, where he was soon joined by a small party of soldiers, when he remained stationed under Captain Neshannah Lovell, in Colonel Waits Regiment, (called as he thinks, a Regiment of Rangers) that the said Lovell was Commandant of the place with about 50 or 60 men, consisting of a part of three companies, the Colonel being there only two or three days, this Claimant stay as a soldier at that place, which was until the day of the expiration of the expiration of his said last mentioned term of nine months engagement in the service, when he and all the other soldiers there at Brattleboro, were marched down to Groton, distant about 18 miles, and dismissed, but received no written discharge; that he served as a Corporal during the whole of the same nine months service, and that his duty during that time was keeping guard and scouting, that he was in no action. The head quarters of the Colonel was at Corinth.
And this Claimant saith that besides his aforesaid term of enlistment and term of actual service, he performed various short

terms of service in the year 1778, 1779 and 1780, in January 1781, on occasions of alarms and sudden emergencies, amounting in the whole to about three months service, that which was performed by him as a Corporal in the militia Compa- ny of the said town of Fairlee, and so much as was rendered in the said years 1778, and 1779, was under Captain Jacob Martin, and the residue was under Captain Samuel Smith, that for such service rendered by him under the said Captain Martin, was returned (as this Claimant from his recollection, verily be- lieves) was two months, service and for which he was paid as for so much service by his said Captain; that this Claimant does not recollect to have received any pay for his said service rendered under the said Captain Smith. This Claimant saith that, as far as he can recollect, at this time, the different terms and terms of service, composing the said last mentioned three months service, were as follows; he was out on such service at for about three weeks at at the time when the town of Royalton in Vermont, was burnt, and in January 1781, (as he thinks) at a time when one Colonel Thomas Johnson of Newbury in Vermont (a then late Colonel of militia) was taken prisoner by the En- emy and carried off, this Claimant and all his said Company turned out in pursuit of the enemy, and were gone on such pursuit about four days; and this Claimant was on duty as such soldier, keeping guard & patrol- ing at and about a pond partly lying

partly in the said of Fairlee & colored town, & Fairlee Lake for about one week at least, that he was out a few days upon an alarm made at Bradford Vermont, and was out on various other occasions, of a few days at each time, similar to those above mentioned, the particulars of which, for the most part, he cannot very distinctly recollect, and supposes it unnecessary to mention, but he has no doubt that they all together amounted to three months service as above stated, for such was always his impression and belief of the fact.
And this Claimant saith that he does not, at present, know, and has not been able to learn, from inquiry, hitherto, that there is any living witness by whom he could prove either his said two months enlistment or his said nine months term of engagement and service; and does not know of any proof he can make of any of his said other service, but that the same consisted of such short terms, that he has not made any effort to obtain proof thereof; and this Claimant saith that he was born in the town of Rust in Connecticut, and resided most in Oxford aforesaid, and most in Fairlee aforesaid, and not in Stockbridge Vermont, after that, in different places in Vermont until until the year 1823, since which time he has lived in Norfolk aforesaid; and he saith that there is no minister of the Gospel at present residing either in the vicinity or neighborhood or society to which he belongs.
This Claimant further saith

that he hath no documentary evidence of any of his said Service.
And this Claimant saith that he was born in the year 1768 that he has no record of his age except at home in his bible
Theodorus Woodward
This claimant 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.
I have subscribed the day of year aforesaid
J. C. Clk
We Christopher G. Stow and William Blankford residing in the town of New Bedford in the County of St Lawrence and State of New York hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Theodorus Woodward who has subscribed to the above Declaration; that we be- lieve him to be about seventy one years of age; that he is a person of great ve- racity and perfect credibility; and that he is reputed and believed in the neighbor- hood where he resides to have been a sol- dier of the Revolution; and that we con- cur in that opinion. The said Blan- ford now resides in Canton in said County, but lately resided in Norfolk aforesaid.
C. C. Stow
From the day and year aforesaid J. C. Clk
Wm Blankford

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 named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the court further certify that it appears to them that Christopher G. Stone and William Blanchard, who signed the preceding certificate, reside in Norfolk aforesaid and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I Alvin G. Saw. Clerk of the said Court of Common Pleas in & for said County of St Lawrence do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Theodore Woodward for a pension.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this twenty fifth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two. A Saw clk
St Lawrence County ss; I Theodore Woodward the above named applicant being sworn saith that no clergyman resides within twelve or fourteen miles of him and he is not acquainted with any one who could
testify as to the reputation of his revolutionary services in his neighborhood and that this is the reason why he did not present such evidence at court, and he further saith that he was born in the
For the matter of the application for a pension by Theodore Woodward

Society of Greenwich, in the County of Litchfield in the State of Connecticut the 20 th of December 1760, that Soon after he became of age, by the direction of his parents, he made out a record of his age which he has in his possession now in his bible at home. He further saith that he cannot state any more circum- stances with respect to his first enlistment above- named than he has stated in his declaration above subscribed, and that as to his service of nine months he cannot state any further particulars. Then even the place  the Continental Troops within many miles of the place  the place he performed said service, unless a Regiment called Whitcomb's Rangers, stationed in the Upper Coos were there at that time. He don't know but they were dismissed the year before. Col. Hazen's Regiment was in that section of country some years before and cut a road from Acworth into the Great North of the Green Mountain, about 44 miles. Continental Troops were seldom sent into that section of country. He further saith that he is very clear in his recollection of said service of nine months. He cannot give any further par- ticulars of his short services on a alarm, other than given by him in his said declaration but he has also always believed & still believes that his said services amounted to at least nine
months to as much as three months. He further saith that he is well acquainted with Christopher G. Stowe and Mr. Blanchard of Norfolk who have testified as to the separation of his said services. He further saith that if the said nine months service cannot be allowed, he will make still further effort to send to the east in part of Vermont again to prove evidence of such services. Subscribed & sworn to this 28 th day of May 1833 before me, Horace Allen, Justice of the Peace.
Theodorus Woodard

Abstract of Said Woodwards Services - From February 1778 or '79 = 2 months. " 1781 - 9 do Short services upon alarums &c - 3 do. 14 months -

Saline County ss: I, Alvin C. Low Clerk of said County certify that Horace Allen before whom the following affidavit of Theodorus Woodard appears to have been taken was at the rate there of a justice of the peace of said County and that his signature thereto
is genuine also that the papers hereto an- nexed are the same as returned from the Pension Office, except the said affidavit of the said Wood- ard, and that, through inadvertence, the ends of the same were omitted to be passed under the seal hereto the for annexed. As witness my hand & seal of office this 31 st day of
May 1833
A. C. Low 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 Thos dury Woodward which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? 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? 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? VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? 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?

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?
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? X
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? No
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
1 2. 5 7.
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."
Some proof of such an alleged length of service should be produced. No service which is not as definitely set forth as the regulations require will be taken into the computation of 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.

Rebating
14881 ✓ INVALID.
May 12, 1903 - His w Mrs. P. P. Hazen St Johnsbury Vt
File No. 14, 881
Theodorus Woodward of Corpl Rev Beer War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. 1, Page 416
[Arrangement of 1870.]

WAR & NAVY MAY 9 1903 FILES. S. B.
to the Commissioner of Pensions. Dear Sir:
Can you give me the record of Theodore Woodward who was born in Vergennes Vt. He drew a pension in 1837 while living in Norfolk, N.Y. So must have been

in the Revolutionary War.
Your truly Winnie B. Hagen Registrar of the St. John de Vincour Chapter St. Johnsbury Vermont Mrs P. L. Hagen.