Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11789, Nathan Williamson, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Williamson, Nathan
S. 11789
carded
CONTENTS

Vermont N. 26. 651
Nathan Williamson
Lava Paiada in the State of who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Ducker of the Regt. commanded by Col. Butler in the Conn. Troops time for 1 year
Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont at the rate of 40 Dollars — Costs per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 27 th day of Dec. 1833 and sent to S. F. Redfield Derby, Vt.
Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1833 100.00 Semi-ant. allowance ending 6 March 34 20.00
$120.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by D. Brown Clerk. Book E Vol. 3 Page 99

State of Vermont District of Orleans ss On this 15 th day of August A.D. 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Robert Curtis writing clerk for the District of Orleans Said now sitting Nathan Williamson a resident of Shipton in the county of She broke out Province of Lower Canada aged sixty nine years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, depose and subscribe the following declara- tion in order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed June 7 th A.D. 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 17 th with Ebenezer Dutton and served in the first Regiment of the Connecticut Line under the following named officers. In the months of April of the last named year he disbanded in Connecticut in the State of Con- nieticut and there enlisted a volunteer in said service for the term of one year. in the company commanded by Captain Dutton or Dyer being the first Com- pany in said Regiment, he mustered in Pittsfield in the State of Connecticut & then joined the Regiment of Forts at the Forts on the highlands near West Point in the State of New York, he marched from thence to Newburgh Point down the river Hudson where he was stationed in tents during the summer following said enlistment on guard and in camp near Newburgh Point and General Washington, in November fol- lowing he marched to said West Point and there went into winter quarters where he re-

Also until he received his discharge which is hereto annexed; said Regiment was first commanded during said term by Colonel Grosemer; and at the time of his discharge by Colonel Butler. He then returned home to said Connecticut and in about two weeks enlisted at said Chelseabury in the Company of Artillery commanded by Captain Duke for the term of eight months as a substitute for his brother Cornelius Williamson who had enlisted in said Company for one year and was unable to leave being his only son enlisted about three months; he joined the said Company at New London Fort in the State of Connecticut. Said Company was employed for said term of eight months in guarding said fort when he served said term of eight months at which time he received a written discharge which he has since lost; he knows of no witness whose testimony he could procure to the fact of said term of service except that of General reputation as aforesaid.
He further states that in the summer of 1779 - he believes joined the as said the Militia of Connecticut Army at Groton in a company commanded by Capt. William Latham in Col. Sedgwick's Regiment for four months and served out his enlistment and received a written discharge which discharge is lost - and the said applicant states that he knows of no person who he can obtain to prove his service - He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to pension or an annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state known and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
William Williamson

We Nathan Barlow & William Brandlet of Shipton in the Province of Lower Canada do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Nathan Williamson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be Sixty nine years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion — Sworn to and subscribed to in open Court on the date of the within declaration —
Nathan Barlow
Wm Brandlet
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after hearing the interrogatories prescribed by the Act to be the same that upon the applicant being a British subject residing within the United States and the present Justice certifies that it appears to them that
J Williamson
Nathan Barlow and William Brandlet who have signed the foregoing certificate residing in Shipton of our said Court are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit —
I the undersigned Clerk of the said Court do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Nathan Williamson for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 15th day of August 1832
J. H. Kimball President

To Hon! J. L. Edwards Com. of Pensions
Dr. Sir,
Mr. Williamson has de- ceased some months since. He was a very worthy man but poor and has left a widow in circumstances of need as she writes me and as I learn from all who speak of her or him. (From the character of the man and his manner of giving his declaration I cannot doubt he is or was entitled to a pension for the time he sets forth in his declaration. His discharge shows he had served his full year so nearly out that his Colonel saw fit to discharge him. His other terms of service are only proved by general testimony and his own declaration. His widow knows of no further testimony which she could procure unless the de- partment should require the certificate of a chugymon acquainted with him, which is attended with this inconvenience. He resided seventy miles from the line and a chugymon must come that distance to make the certificate. It would be a mere matter
of form for a pension. Upon his character for truth stood high and fair. Under all the circumstances I trust you will be inclined to admit the claim for full pay. If you can not, send a certificate for what you can, and it will be some relief to the poor widow.
Dubuque A. Aug. 12. 1832
J. Fletcher Ridfield agent for etc.
Mr. Williamson J. Fletcher Ridfield Subj. Pension 363-

Certificate of death of W. Millon Rhoda W. his Indor

State of Vermont, I John Kimball Judge Orleans district p s of the Probate Court within and for said district of Orleans do hereby certify that it has been satis- factorily proved to said Court that Nathan Williamson of Shipton in the Province of Lower Canada who made his declaration before said Court , on the 15 th day of August 1832 for the purpose of obtaining the benefit of the act of bankruptcy passed June 7 th A.D. 1832 died on the nineteenth day of December A.D. 1832 and that Rhoda Williamson of said Shipton is his lawful Widow —
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed the seal of said Court and subscribed my name at Benton in said district this 26 th day of November A.D. 1833 — John Kimball Judge

Nathan Williams Soldier in the first Conn. Regt being recommended by his Officer for a discharge his time Term of Enlistment being nearly Expired Discharged this tenth Day of
Lt: Butler Col 1 st Conn t Regt.

Rev. War
11.789 INVALID.
File No. 11.789
Nathan Williamson Briv. Rev. War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 411
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Nathan Williamson
Has not since his Service in 1779 - By the Roll of Capt. Danks Co of Artillery in 1783 - in the possession of Ho- nig - Colonel Williamson never appears, The term of his enlistment, and dis- charge without substituting the services of a substitute As the claimant alleges
J. S. Sprague

12.363
Wathen Williamson
not on Rolls of Services
Co of matrones
March at New London
March 10 '83
1 Yr Pnde - $40.00
Payment to be made to
Rhoda Williamson his widow
up to the 10 th August 1832
up to the 19 th day Dec r
1832 the time of claimants
death -
S. Fletcher Radfield Esq r .
Derby Vt

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of William Williams 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? no 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
It cannot readily be admitted that the above service is insusceptible of proof, and the regulations require the production of the best to be had.

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?
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? let
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
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.

War Department. Pension Office. October 2 d . 1833.
Sir:
The papers in support of the claim of Nathan Williamson, have been again examined, and are herewith enclosed to you.
He states that he enlisted in Col. Butler's regiment in 1781, served twelve months: and two weeks after his discharge, engaged in a company of Artillery. By the rolls of Butler's regiment, it appears that he enlisted on the 15 th March, 1782, and was discharged on the 10 th March, 1783. There is no evidence in this Office that Capt. Durkee commanded a company of Artillery in 1783, in which year his allegation of entrance upon that service immediately upon his leaving the other, would fix its employment. He must prove his service in 1779.
I am, respectfully,
Your Obedient Servant,
J. L. Edward Comm d Pensions.
S. H. Redfield, Esq. Derby. Vt.
(over)

Dr. Li
Williamson is dead. You have the required Certificate of Rhoda Williamson being his Widow. From the preceding note I infer that the gross service in Butler's Regiment ending March 10 th 1783 is proved by the roll with which the discharge corresponds. In re- lation to the right months service he can of course give no explanation. From the lapse of time he may have confounded the dates. The right months term might have preceded the gross service or there might have been a longer interval be- tween the terms of service than two months. If it be found that he served at a different time, he will of course be equally entitled & his widow is much in want. No proof can be found of the service in 1779; but if the other terms are found as he states or indeed one of them & the other forging in dates; I don't hope this would so far corroborate his statements that you will be inclined to allow the full pay for the time he lived, which is, but start you see. Send a certificate for which you dear friend & accept the grateful acknowledgment of the widow this her agent,
Dec. 7. 1823
J. Fletcher Lefield
Dubry H.
Dear S. L. Edwards Washington City.