Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21591, Eliab Wight, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
mass
Wight, Eliab for Wright
S. 215-91
carded
CONTENTS

15755 Massachusetts
Eliab Wright
Billingham in the State of Massachusetts who was a po st H art in the Com pany commanded by Captain Peters of the Reg t : commanded by Col l Haws in the Mass ts — time for 1 mo for 247 " 8 ds for 146 }
Not only
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 24 Dollars 53 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 27 day of May 1833 and sent to J. Ware Dedham
Arrears to the 14th of March '33 $59.06 Semi-ant. allowance ending Sept — 14.76 $73.82
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk, Book E Vol. 2 Page 91
79 Norfolk

BRIEF in the case of Eliah Wight of Billingham in the State of Ala. (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? 72 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,     order In 1776 6 8 Private Gen. Lord Cornwallis   1778 1 " Gen. Peter Lord Howe  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Billingham Ala.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? See documents  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.
Arthur A. Coombs Examining Clerk.

Eliot Wright
S.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
County of Norfolk ss On this twenty first day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open Court, before the Honorable John M. Williams Presiding Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, now sitting at Dedham in and for said County of Norfolk.
Elizabeth Wright Broot Bolingham in the County of Norfolk, aged seventy two years and upwards, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832.
That he was born at said Bolingham June 29. 1760 and that there is a record of his birth upon the books of the town.
That he was in the United States services from about the first day of October 1776 to about the 8 th of May 1777 as a Private in the Massachusetts line.
That he resided at Wintham and Franklin  Bolingham when he entered the service as a Volun- teer (having been previously enlisted by Capt Perry Cushing) and served at Bos- ton and New Bedford in a company of Artillery under the command of said Cushing in Col. Croft's Regiment. He served with no regular troops - Reason regular officers, was in no battle and had no written discharge when he left the service.

After his term of service had expired, he was conveyed by water to Dorchester Point, and marched to Boston where he was discharged upon the common. Since the Revolutionary War he has resided principally at Billingham.
Also,
That he was in the United States service from some time in the month of August 1778 to some time in the month of Sept. 1778 as a Private in the Massachusetts line that he resided at Wrentham near Franklin said Robert  Robert  Franklin when he entered this service - that he was detached from the Militia in said Franklin as a reinforcement to the troops on Rhode Island and marched to that place where he served under the command of Gen Sullivan in the Regiment of Col Benjamin Harned - and in the company of Capt Ad- ams Peter - for several days he drew no provisions & finally went into said Peter's company and was in the same mess with the captain - he did not serve with any regular troops - knew no regular officers was in no battle and received no written discharge when he left the service - He was sick and in the Hospital when Gen Sullivan retreated. He hereby relinquishes all claim whatever to any pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any State. However and so forth
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid
Eliah Wight

I Nathan Woodward of Franklin in the County of Norfolk 74 years of age do testify that I have been acquainted with Elias Wight Esq who has signed the foregoing declaration since the year 1776, and personally know that he served as a Private in Capt Cushing's Company of Col Crops's Regiment during the time that I belonged to said company, which was from sometime in November 1776 to the 8 th of May 1777 and I have no doubt that he served during the whole period stated in his declaration - we were discharged at the same time on Boston Common Nathan Woodward Sept 21. 1832 Norfolk ss Then the above named Nathan Woodward being a credible witness made oath to the foregoing deposition by him subscribed before me  Josiah J. Fiske Jus. Peace
We Jacob Ide a Clergyman residing in the W. Parish in Midway near Billingham and Stephen Metcalf residing in said Billingham do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Elias Wight who has for many years been a justice of the peace and of the Quorum for the County of Norfolk, and who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy years of age; that he is reputed to have been in the army of the revolution and that we are in that opinion -  Jacob Ide Stephen Metcalf  Sworn to and subscribed as aforesaid - Sept 21 1832
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 Jacob Ide who has signed the foregoing certificate, is a clergyman, residing in Midway near Billingham and that Stephen Metcalf who has signed the same is a resident in Billingham and is a credible person; and that this is entitled to credit.  J. M. Williams, J. H. C.

I Laurens Ware Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Elias Wright Esq. for a Pension
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first above said
Laurens Ware
Elias Wright

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
NORFOLK ss.
I, JAIRUS WARE, Clerk of the Judicial Courts, being Courts of Record, within and for the County of Norfolk, hereby Certify, that
John Bates & Esquire, Josiah J. Fiske Esquire
are Justices of the Peace in and for the County of Norfolk aforesaid, duly appointed, commissioned and qualified to discharge the duties of said office, and that his signature to the annexed affidavits respectively is genuine and true.
In Witness Whereof, I have subscribed my name and affixed the Seal of the Supreme Judicial Court of said Commonwealth hereunto at Dedham, this twenty fifth day of September A. D. one thousand eight hundred and thirty two .
Jairus Ware

I William H Metcalf of Franklin in the County of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts being in the seventy eighth year of my age; do testify and say, that in the month of August 1878, that I marched from Franklin in company with Eliab Wight then of said town but now of Bellingham in said County we being detached from the militia of said Franklin, as a reinforcement to the troops on Rhode Island under the command of Genl Sullivan, in the regiment commanded by Coln Benj Hawes in the militia of Massachusetts, for six weeks, and that we returned in September next following, and further the deponent saith not
William H Metcalf
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Norfolk ss Bellingham to wit the 22 d of 1882 then personally appeared William H Metcalf who signed the above deposition and made solemn oath to the truth of the same. I do further certify that I am acquainted with the said deponent and believe him to be a credible witness
John Bates Justice of the Peace

Revolution
21591 INVALID.
File No. 21,591
Eliab Wright
Pr. Rev War
Act: June 7 th 82 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 471
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Eliab Wright Esq.
15220

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Oct. 4 th 1832.
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents, relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that Elias Wight, the name being written "Eliab White" was a private in the 9 th company of the Mass. Train Artillery under the command of Capt Perez Cushing in Col Crafts Regiment
"Time of joining Regiment" — "Nov 1. 1776" Pay on the Roll is made up to — "May 8. 1777"
Also
A private in Capt Adams Battery company Col Haines Regiment
"Time of entering service" (in the Col) — "Aug 15 1778" "Time of leaving service" — "Sept 12. 1778" "Time of service" — "29 days"
I further Certify that previous to issuing this Certificate the Claimant had made his declaration agreeably to the Acts established by

the War Department and exhibited it to me Edward D. Bangs, Esq.

Black Wight
Combs & 8 days. Br of cattle 1 " Brade of Infancy admiral
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Man Deitham Mull

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Eliza Wright  Burlington  Ills 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? 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

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? 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? yes 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?
 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.