Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30775, Caleb Ward, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Ward, Caleb
S. 30775
CONTENTS
Twelve horizontal dotted lines for writing.
Twelve horizontal dotted lines for writing.

80 Franklin
15614
Massachusetts
Col. Ward
of Franklin in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Woodward of the Dept. commanded by Colonel Dodge in the Brigade line for 8 months
Ward
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 26 Dollars 67 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 15th day of July 1833 and Lieut. Elijah Mood  Glencoe  Brig.
Arrears to the 4th of Mar 1833 $53.34 Semi-ann. allowance ending 4 Sept. 13.33 $66.67
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. W. D. Smith Clerk Book 2 Vol. 2a Page 92

30 775 Rev INVALID.
File No. 31,775
Caleb Ward
His Rev War
Act: June 7 th 82
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 438
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I Amos Crittenden of Savoy in the County of Berkshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Do certify that I knew Caleb Ward of Ashfield in the County of Franklin and Commonwealth aforesaid in the time of the revolutionary war that I saw him in the eight months service at Cambridge in the 1775 in the month of September Amos Crittenden
Berkshire ss. August 25 th 1832 then the above named Amos Crittenden personally appeared before me and made oath to the truth of the above deposition by him subscribed; I certify that I am acquainted with the above Deponent and consider him a man of truth and veracity
Isaac Babbitt justice of the Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Berkshire ss
I, Charles Sedgwick, a clerk of the Supreme judicial court, being a court of record for the county of Berkshire, do certify that Mellem Babbit is a justice of the peace within & for the county of Berkshire & that the within signature, purporting to be his, is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal affixed the seal of the Sup. Jud. Court. This third day of October A.D. 1832 Chas Sedgwick Clerk
Caleb Ward John H. Howard

No. 22286 Calo Ward. Franklin County Massachusetts
Plant 8 Mts
E. Alvord Greenfield Massachusetts

BRIEF in the case of  Calib Ward  County of Franklin  in the State of  Massachusetts  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 78 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. Mass   Years, Months, Days.     Enlisted In 1775- - 8 - private Gen. Lord Howe, Col Woodbridge  
 5. In what battles was he engaged?  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Franklin County Massachusetts  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional  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.
Richd H. Stearns Examining 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 Caleb Ward 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 clergyman certificate Witness
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? Yes
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? Witness
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? Yes
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 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 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.

Caleb Ward Ashfield
22288
Caleb Ward Declaration for Pension
12.41

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
FRANKLIN COUNTY SS.
ON THIS fifteenth day of November A. D. 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before the said Commonwealth, now sitting at Greenfield within and for the said County of Franklin, Caleb Ward a resident of Ashfield in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid, aged seventy eight years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of an act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. I Caleb Ward of Ashfield in the County of Franklin and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, was born in West Springfield now in the County of Hampshire and Commonwealth of Mass, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty three. I know of no record of my age, I lived in Ashfield in the County of Franklin aforesaid when I entered into the service, and I have lived in Ashfield ever since the revolutionary war and I live there still. I enlisted as a private soldier in the service of the United States the forepart of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy five for the term of eight months, in a company of militia commanded by Capt Bowden, and Lieut. Robert Hamerton, in Col. Woodbridge's regiment. I joined the regiment at Cambridge in a few days after the battle at Bunker Hill. The reason why I did not join the Army sooner was on the account of bodily infirmity. Our regiment lay for the most part near the foot of Prospect Hill, Capt Baker and Captain Murray's companies belonged to our regiment. And I served my country during the said eight months when I was dismissed, had no writing on the first day of January 1876 had no written discharge, and I know of no person whose testimony I can prove, who can testify to my service, except the Affidavit of Simon Norton my friend.
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. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Attest E. Alvord Clerk
Caleb Ward
WE, Elijah Paine and Thomas White
residing in Ashfield
believe him to be Seventy eight
hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Caleb Ward who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we
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.
Attest E. Alvord Clerk
Elijah Paine Thomas White
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 it was inconvenient and too expensive to procure the attendance of a clergyman from Ashfield at the court. That Elijah Paine Esq and Thomas White Esq are residents in said town of Ashfield, they are Justices of the Peace and are persons of the first credibility and that their certificate is entitled to credit.
Attest E. Alvord Clerk
I, ELIJAH ALVORD, 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 Caleb Ward for a pension.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed the Seal of the said Court, this fifteenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
E. Alvord
Clerk.