Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11667, Bigelow Waters, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Waters, Bigelow
S. 11667
CONTENTS
carded

Head. See letter to P. 28 th July 19. 1834
20. 575 New York
Bigelow Waters
of Chenango Co. in the State of NY who who was a Private in the Comp y commanded by Captain Durney of the Reg t . commanded by Col. Abbott in the Gen l line for 20 months
Inscribed on the Roll of NY at the rate of 66 Dollars 66 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 15 day of Sep. 1833 and with R. Cash Enirina
Arrears to the 4th of Sep. 33 $166.66 Semi-ant. allowance ending Mar. 31 33.33 $200.00
Revolutionary Claim Act June 7, 1832. G. Estlin
Recorded by Book E, Vol. 1, Page 39

State of New York & / County of Chenango /
On this day of October 1832 Personally appeared in open court before the court of common pleas now sitting Bigelow Watkins a President of the town of Sherburne in County of Chenango and State of New York Aged about two 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 7 th 1832 your deponent says he was born in the town of Hebron County of Tolland and State of Connecticut and further saith at the age of sixteen he was drafted as a soldier and soon after was marched under the command of Captain Dwight to Providence in Rhode Island and there joined the army but does not recollect the name of the Col who commanded the Regiment your deponent says he served two months and was honorable discharged in the year 1776. and three years after which was in 1779 he enlisted as a soldier in the militia under Capt Adgate in Col Abbott's Regiment and was marched to the town of Grotton on the lines where I served for six months and was again discharged and went home and in the year following 1780 I enlisted under Captain Buel and went to Grotton again and served three months and was discharged Verbally in all the above cases and in the same year I enlisted was drafted and went to West Point under command of Col Garrison there I staid but few days was marched to Bedford on the lines and after a short time I was marched back to the highlands opposite of West Point, and was employed in building barracks for the reception of the troops for winter quarters until discharged which service amounted at the three different places to nine months and then was discharged and went back to Connecticut

And in the fore part of the year 1781 I enlisted under captain John Waters as a teamster and was employed in driving teams to transport forage to Tappan and other places for a brief time. Thereafter and dismissed and returned home. Bigelow Waters
I here by relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the general and declared that his name is not on the pension roll of the Army of any State. Bigelow Waters Sworn & Subscribed The day & year aforesaid
J. K. Pike Clk
We Rufeal Gase Perry Randall residing in the county of Chautauqua do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Bigelow Waters of the town of Sherrill who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be nearly two years of age 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. Rufeal Gase Sworn & Subscribed the day and year aforesaid Perry Randall
J. K. Pike Clk
and the said court do here by declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War department the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states and the court further certifies it appears to them that Rufeal Gase & Perry Randall who has signed the same are Residents of the town of Sherrill & town of Norfolk both of the county of Chautauqua and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit

I Jarvis E. Pike clerk of the court of common pleas do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original of the said last in the matter of the application of Solomon Waters for a pension
in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed this 9th day of October 1832
J. E. Pike C.M.
 1 When and in what year was you born  2 have you any record of your age and if so where is it  3 When you were you living when called into service when have you lived since the revolutionary war and where do you now live  4 How were you called into service were you drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if a substitute for whom  5 State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you served and such continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service 
Answer 1. I was born in the town of Hebron county of Tolland State of Connecticut in the year 1780
2. I have a record of my age in my bible at home
3. I lived in the town of Hebron county of Tolland State of Connecticut when I was called into service and since the war I have lived in the town of Shubert county of Ohio and State of New York & where I now reside
4. I was drafted and enlisted twice
5. Captain Bracy Capt Adgate and Col Abbot Capt Bull Col Fairchild

6 did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was given and What has become of it did you receive a commission and if so by whom was it signed and What has become of it -
Answer I did not receive any discharge other than a verbal one, I did not receive any commission
7 State the names to whom you gave an Order in your Present Neighborhood and What can testify as to your Character for Veracity and their belief of your services as a Soldier of the revolution
Answer Rupert and Bang Mandall & Symonds. Respond

Waters, Bigelow Conn Stillborn
Archibald G. Dyer
Admitted Private 20 months
Wiggin - 1868
Admission 133 28 77 25 110 53 JUN 12 1868 N.Y.
...who has signed the... ...and that C. P. ... who has also signed the... ...is a credible person, and that their statements... ...Clerk of the Court... ...the original proceedings of the said Court... ...for a petition.
Every applicant shall produce the best proof in his power... ...and if failure of them to do so, the party will be subject... ...the testimony of the witnesses... ...the original proceedings of the said Court... ...for a petition.

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office.
May 21 1833
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. These points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: { ). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A Statement, showing the Service of Bigelow Waters of Chenango Co. New York
   Period when the service was required Duration of the claimant's service. Rank of the claimant. Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. Names and Rank of the General and Field officers. Battles in which the applicant was engaged. Country through which he marched. Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period. Evidence by which the declaration is supported.   Years. Months. Days.     Drafted 1776 2 Private Capt Drown Saratoga Town of De- Falls Co. N.Y. Original listing during the war   Enlisted 1777 0 Capt Daza Capt Abbott Burlington aged 72   Enlisted 1780 9 Capt Durt Burlington   Drafted 1781 9 Col. James Forest Point   Enlisted 1781 9 Private Capt Drown Woodford   28 9 20  
I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS, Commissioner of Pensions.
Seam service in the corps of enlisted coast naval seamen is rendered military by act of Contl Congress - The alleged service not having been rendered in that corps, is not provided for by the act of June '32.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops. 2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers. 3. Persons employed in the Naval service. 4. Indian Spies.
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.
DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of } ss. County of }
On this _____ day of _____ personally appeared (a) before A. B. a resident (b) of _____ in the county of _____ and State, Territory or District of _____ aged (c) _____ 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 provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d) _____, with _____ and served in the _____ (e) regiment of the _____ line, under the following named officers:
[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. [This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of _____
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
A. B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion ( g ) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I _____ of the Court of do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of _____ for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this day of _____ &c.
 If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out. 
 Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz: 
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the _____ and C. D. residing in (the same) _____ hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with _____, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be _____ 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 the day and year aforesaid.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
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 certifies, that it appears to them that A. B. who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the
who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, _____ Clerk of the Court of _____ do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of _____ for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this _____ day of _____ &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (1) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person

will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following (m) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
 1. Where and in what year were you born?  2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?  3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you been since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?  4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?  5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.  6. { To 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? { To an Officer. } Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?  7. State the names of 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. 
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons -one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates.
The traditional evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.
[a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
[b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
[d] The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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. 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 that 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 shown 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 other pursuit.
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required.
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from the seal of office, the certificate of a Member of Congress, proving the official character and papers.
Mode of authenticating
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attested by the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent an
[j] In a case where the name of the applicant is not found in the list of the names of the officers and soldiers of the war, the declarant must set forth in their affidavits the time of the war, the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged, the names of the officers, and the official character and signature of the
[k] The notes from [a] to [j] are all equally applicable to all claimants. Note [i] applies to continental troops only.
[l] This traditional evidence is indispensable in all cases.
[m] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must subscribe to the answers to the interrogatories.

Chunango County Pa
I, Joseph  Biglow  Watrous  Watrous appeared before me the undersigned a justice of the peace Biglow Watrous who being duly sworn deposed and saith that he served as a private in the service of the Revolution during the War twenty months as a private and nine months a teamster in the continental service under the General officers named in my declaration - all of which he to and was honorable discharged from the service and saith not sworn and subscribed this 5th day of June 1833 - before me
Biglow Watrous
Joseph Guthrie F.D.
State of New York } Chenango County } I, Francis H. Pike Clerk of said County do certify that Joseph Guthrie before whom the proceed- ing and the within affidavits purports to have been sworn was at the date of the same, one of the justices of the peace in and for the said County that I am acquainted with his hand writing and verily beli- eve his name subscribed to both of the said affidavits to be his genuine hand writing and signature - Witness my hand and Seal of Office this 11 Day of June 1833
F. H. Pike Clerk

State of New York } Chautauqua County } To J Francis H. Pierson Clerk of said County do certify that Joseph Guthrie before whom the within affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date of the same one of the Justices of the peace in and for the said County that I am acquainted with his hand writing and verily believe his name subscribed to the said affidavit to be his proper hand writing and signature
Witness my hand and Seal of office this 29 th Day of October 1832
J. H. Pierson Clerk
I also certify that the said Guthrie was at the date of the within certificate of credibility of Charles Hunt, a Justice of the peace of said County - And that his signature to the same is genuine
Witness my hand and Seal this 11 th June 1833 -
P. B. P. Dudley Dep. Clerk

I Charles Hunt of the Town of Lebanon in the County of Madison and State of New York aged 69 years or nearly do depose & swear that Bigelow Waters of the Town of Sherburne in the County of Chenango & State aforesaid is personally known to me - and I did know the said Bigelow Waters in Hebron, in the County of Tolland in the State of Connecticut in the year 1786 - and I can further more State that the said Bigelow Waters, has often told me that he was out in the revolutionary war as a soldier - and long before the said Bigelow had any idea of getting a pension - the said Bigelow has told me that he was out in Capt John Waters' Company, I was knowing to John Waters being out in the service of the united states before and that the said John commanded a company of teams - and do believe that the said Bigelow Waters was out in the revolution war as a soldier
Charles Hunt
Subscribed and sworn this sixth day October 1832
before me - Joseph Guthrie Justice of peace
This may certify that I am personally acquainted with the above named Charles Hunt and believe him to be a man of truth and veracity and is entitled to full credit as such Joseph Guthrie J.P. June 5 th 1833 -
Bigelow Waters Debut 18452

State of New York } Chautauqua County } I Francis H. Pike Clerk of the County do certify that Melo Hunt whose name is subscribed to the within affidavit and before whom the within affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the time thereof one of the justices of the peace in and for the said County, that I am acquainted with his hand writing and verily believe his name subscribed to the said affidavit to be his genuine hand writing and signature
Witness my hand and Seal of office this 29 th October 1832
F. H. Pike Clerk

State of New York Chautauqua County ss }
Lyman S. Ruxford a Presby- terian Clergyman of Sherburne Chautau- qua County being duly sworn deponeth & saith that he this deponent has been personally acquainted with with Big- low Waters of the Town & County aforesaid, for twenty years or more and has heard it reported & verily be- lieves that the said Biglow Waters did serve in the revolutionary army as a soldier, and further this deponent saith he believes the said Biglow to be a person entitled to full credit as a man of truth and veracity & his testimony may be taken with confidence in any court & further this deponent saith not
Sworn & subscribed & this 9 th day of October } Lyman S. Ruxford 1832 before me } Mira Hunt J.P.

State of New York Chenango County ss
I Nathan Baxter Junr being sworn deposeth and saith that Bigelow Waters enlisted in the Militia of the State of Connecticut Connecticut in Colo. Abbot Regiment and Capt. Seligant Company and served in said Regiment six Months in the town of Grotton and other places on the Lines in the state of Connecticut in the yeare one thousand Seven hundred and seventy nine and further saith that he was acquainted with the said Bigelow Waters and thinks that he served in the United States Troops in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty as he all ways understood for the time of nine Months and further saith not
Nathan Baxter
Subscribed and sworn
this 30 th day of June 1829
before me
Joseph Guthrie Justice of peace
This may certify that I am personally acquainted with the above named Nathan Baxter and believe him to be a man of Truth and Morality and is intitled to full credit as such
June 5 th 1858. Joseph Guthrie J.P.

Provisional
11.667 INVALID.
File No. 11.667
Bigelow Waters Priv Beer War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index: — Vol. 2 , Page 894
[Arrangement of 1870.]