Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29514, Ezra Trask, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Trask, Ezra
S. 29514
CONTENTS

~ 15093 - Massachusetts
Ezra Trask
of Bridgewater in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Webster of the Regt. commanded by Col. Gerrish in the Mass line for 7 months 12 days
Mid
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 24 Dollars 47 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 25 day of May 1833 and sent Charles Mount Waterville Mass
Arrears to the 14th of March 1833 $41.34 Semi-ant. allowance ending 1 Sept. " 12.33 $53.67
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W.H. Adams Clerk, Book 6 Vol. 24 Page 84
Dead
Paid at the Treasury under the act of the 8 th April 1838, from 4 th March 1838 to the 19 th May 1838, the day of his death. Aged Notified 29 th April 1839.
73 Ezra

Line Tank 13.019

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
County of Essex ss. On this twenty fifth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Court of the Probate now sitting at Haverhill in and for said County, Dora Trask a resident of Bradford in said County, 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 7th, A. D. 1832.
THAT he was born at Bradford aforesaid on the seventh day of May A. D. 1761, and that there is a record of his birth in the Towny Books of Bradford : that he was in the United States service from the  about the first day of August A. D. 1778, to the middle  day of September A. D. 1778 as a private in the Militia : that he was residing at Bradford Mass. when he entered the service; that he enlisted for six weeks being drafted and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Capt. Timothy Ayer in Col. Wadsworth's regiment : that he marched from said Bradford Through Boston through Taunton Ms. and Tiverton to Bristol R.I. and : that he served with several regiments of the regular troops; and Gen. Sullivan, Gen. Green and Gen. Lafayette Col. Jackson and Lieut. William Greenleaf regular officers were known to him: that he was in no battle with the British when we were retreating from the lines and at the end of his service received no  discharge : that he left the service on  about one seven weeks from the time he marched and that since the Revolutionary war he has resided at said Bradford
ALSO: that he was in the United States service from the First  day of September A. D. 1779, to the First  day of December A. D. 1779 as a Private in the Militia that he was residing at Bradford when he entered the service; that he volunteered for three months and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Moses Webster and Col. Gerrish : that he marched from Bradford to Gloverick N.Y. where and Albany N.Y. & Greenbush N.Y. we were stationed for the purpose of driving away the Indians : that he served with some of the regular troops; and
regular officers were known to him : that he was in no battle and there was no other regiment stationed there that at the end of his service he received no discharge and left the service on the expiration of his time of enlistment
ALSO: that he was in the United States service from the Fifteenth day of July A. D. 1780, to the  about the twentieth day of October A. D. 1780 as a Private in the Militia that he was residing at said Bradford when he entered the service; that he enlisted for three months and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Capt. Jonathan Myers and Col. Wade : that he marched from Bradford through Springfield Ms. and Gloverick N.Y. to West Point : that he served with some of the regular troops; and but none of the  they not serving near him regular officers were known to him; that he was in no battle that at the end of his service he received no  discharge and left the service on the expiration of his time and was dismissed this time and last 230 miles from home; To prove the above service he produces the following deposition;

I Samuel Eaton of Haverhill Mass. aged 72 years depose and say that I know Ezra Trask above named that in the year 1780; I served with said Trask in Capt. Ayers company in Col. Wades Regiment, that to my knowledge the said Trask did serve as he has above stated and for the time he has stated; I served with him which is my means of knowing the fact.
Teste Charles Minot
Samuel Eaton his mark
I Michael Carleton of Haverhill Ms. aged 75 years depose and say that I know Ezra Trask above named that in 1779, I served with said Trask in Capt. Websters company in Col. Gerrishes Regiment in the same manner and time that Trask served & know that said Trask did serve as he has within stated.
Michael Carleton
Essex ss September 1832 Then the above named Samuel Eaton and Michael Carleton who are known by me to be credible witnesses, and men of truth and veracity, personally appeared, and made oath that the above declarations by them respectively signed, are true before me Stephen Minot justice of Peace
Jesse Kimball Esq. Eliphalet Kimball Esq. Samuel Chadwick Leonard Johnson all of his neighborhood in said Bradford would testify to his character for veracity and their belief in his services as a soldier of the Revolution
He 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.
Ezra Trask
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid.
D. W. Stone Judge of Probate
We Gardner B. Perry a clergyman residing in the said Bradford and Eliphalet Kimball Esq. a magistrate residing in said Bradford hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Ezra Trask 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.
Sworn and subscribed as aforesaid.
D. W. Stone Judge of Probate
Gardner B. Perry Eliphalet Kimball
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 certify that it appears to them that Gardner B. Perry who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman resident in the said Bradford; and that Eliphalet Kimball Esquire who has also signed the same is a resident magistrate in said Bradford and a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.
D. W. Stone J. B. Perry
I Nathaniel Lord Jr. Register of the Court of Probate aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Ezra Trask for a pension. And that Stephen Minot Esquire is a justice of Peace for the County of Essex and his signature to the annexed certificate is genuine. In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first aforesaid.
Nathaniel Lord Jr.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
Second Comptroller's Office,
April 16 th , 1839.
Sir:
Under the act of the 6 th of April, 1833 entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," The children of Ezra Brask, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Massachusetts Agency, at the rate of Twenty four Dollars and sixty seven Cents per annum, under the law of the 7 th June, 1832, — has been paid at this Department, from the 4 th of March, 1838, to the 19 th May, 1838, the day of his death.
Respectfully, yours,
William E. Parrish Comptroller.
To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.

BRIEF in the case of Ezra Frost  of Bradford in the State of Maine  (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 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.     In 17 1 12 Private Gen. Cop' Ayer Col' Knowlton   Sept 1779 - 3 " Col' Hildreth Col' Gurnh.   15 th July 1780 3 " Cop' Myers Col' Wood  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Bradford Maine  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? By living witnesses  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.
Richard Curtis Examining Clerk.

29 514 INVALID. Rev
File No. 29, 514
Cyra Leach
His Rev. Wm.
Act: June 7 th 89 th
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 129
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Ezra Tuck
Ymos 4/2 my Private Admire
Charles Nisbet Naverhill Mass

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Ezra Cook - Broadus a copy which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? ut II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? ut 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? ut 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? ut VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? ut VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? ut VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? ut IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? ut 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? ut

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? 4 XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? 4 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? 4 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? 4 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? 4 Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? 4 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? 4 XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? 4 XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 4
 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.