Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 6,454, Asahel Wright, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Wright, Asahel
S. 6.454
carded
CONTENTS

2305.
Massachusetts
Isahel Wright
of Hampton in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain of the Regt Woodbridge in the Mass line for 16 May 25 Days
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 55 Dollars 77 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 23 rd day of Nov 1832 and paid C O Huntington (N Hampton Mass) Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832 $ 83.65 Semi-ann. allowance ending 1 st Mar 33. 27.88 $111.53
{ Revolutionary Claim, { Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by J H McBlain Clerk Book D Vol. 27 Page 93.

2650
Asahel Wright
Map
The 14 interrogatories not complied with admitted
16 Months & 25 days
$55:77.
C. P. Huntington Northampton Mass

BRIEF in the case of  Asahel Wright  of  Northampton  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? Seventy Six 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 74 0 (10 - 21) Minute Man Gen. Col. Barnard   75 " 1 - 0 Private Col. Jonathan Allen   75 0 6 - " Col. Allen   76 0 5 - " Col. Woodbridge   77 0 2 " Maj. Clapp   2 - 25 " Col. Chapin  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? nine stated  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Northampton Mass.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Living witnesses, traditional evidence  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? State as on file - 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
D. S. Addison Examining Clerk.

Asahel Wright Militia.
1 st term proved by Jonas Clark's application.
4 th term by applications of Thomas Lyman, Simeon Clapp.
3 d By affidavit
2 Compuyators.
No 2,650 Asahel Wright

DECLARATION,
IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE BENEFIT OF THE ACT OF CONGRESS OF THE 7TH OF JUNE, 1832.
STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS, } ss. COUNTY OF HAMPSHIRE. }
ON this Eight day of Augst. 1832 personally appeared in open court, before Samuel Hinckley Judge of the court of Probate now sitting, Asahel Wright a resident of Northampton in the County of Hampshire, and State of Massachusetts, aged 76 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 7, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
1 st Capt Brannan & was bound to military duty till the 21 st of the ensuing April. Then he marched to Cambridge in the company of Capt Jonathan Allen. Lieut Oliver Lyman & Jonathan Stearnes on the old "Bay Road" so called. He was stationed at Roxbury & served as a private in said company a month viz till the 24 th of May. He then returned home but in the latter of June same year he entered said service again as a substitute for his brother in the same company & served till the 1 st of the ensuing January as a private. Till August he was stationed at Roxbury, then at Dorchester till discharged. He aided in raising breast works at Dorchester. Jonas Clark & Nathaniel Phelps both of said Northampton were in the same service in the same company & regiment as privates the whole period viz till said 1 st of January. Thomas Lyman of Northampton was in the same service & company till the said 24 th of May. In 1776 the 1 st of July said Asahel enlisted as a private at said Northampton for 5 months in Capt Jos. Lyman's company, in Col. Woodbridge's Regiment & marched through Bennington & to Ticonderoga. The small pox being prevalent at Ti. he was detained at Skeneateles a few weeks & then was stationed at said Ti. the remainder of the time & served said 5 months. He was in hearing of an engagement on the lake between Burgoyne & the American troops. Justus Clark of Hadley, & Timothy Edwards of Northampton were in the same service, same company same length of time as privates. The former was his messmate. Oliver Bartlett of Northampton he thinks was also. In June 1777 said Asahel entered said service again as a private & volunteer & served 2 months in Capt Jonathan Stearnes company, in Maj. Clapp's regiment. He marched to Moses's Creek, joined the army & retreated with it before Burgoyne to Stillwater. Thomas Smith of Hadley was a private in the same company. Same service same period of time. In October 1779 on account of an Indian alarm said Asahel enlisted for 3 months in Capt Jo. Clapp's company, Lieut. Lyman, Col. Chapin's Regiment. & served said term except a few days at the close perhaps. Marched through Blandford to Great Barrington & waited for orders, then to Claverick, then to Albany & there stationed till dismissed. Tho s Lyman, Pimeon Clapp & Eli Edwards all of said Northampton were in the same service & company the same length of time as privates. Said Asahel has no record of his age. He was born in Northampton in 1756 & has always belonged there excepting 3 or 4 years when he lived in the adjoining town of Hadley. He received a written discharge at no time except in the service of 1776 which was kept 40 years & then burnt as useless. Rev Sol Williams & Samuel Clapp can testify to a belief of services & reputation for truth -
He hereby relinquishes every claim 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. Asahel Wright his mark Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate
We, Solomon Williams residing in the town of Northampton and Thomas Lyman residing in Northampton hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Asahel Wright who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 76 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. Solomon Williams Thomas Lyman Samuel Hinckley Judgeu of Probate
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 certifies, that it appears to them that Solomon Williams who has signed the preceding certificate, is a 60 years old & resident in Northampton and that Thomas Lyman who has also signed the same, is a resident in Northampton and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Samuel Hinckley Judgeu of Probate
I, Sam l F. Lyman Register of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Asahel Wright for a pension.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this eighth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
Sam l F. Lyman Register

Rev War
6454.
INVALID.
File No. 6454
Ashe Wright Print Rev War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. a, Page 417
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Asahel Wright
Northampton
Mass.
MS 650.
credibility.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Asahel Wright
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? he has 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? he has VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? he has VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? he has VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes in his favor IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? he has 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? Seal affixed with an inscription whereby it can be distinguished

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? He has
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
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 has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? no
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? They are, in his declaration
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.
† 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 affidavits must be properly authenticated, as above directed.
‡ 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.

Thos. Smith for Asahel Wright.

I Thomas Smith of Hadley Mass. aged 70 do testify, depose & say that I have known Asahel Wright since I began to live in Northampton in 1775. In June 1777 I entered the service of the U States, in the State troops for the Northern campaign, & served at Moses Creek & on the retreat to Tillamook Saratoga with the American army in Capt Jonathan Stearnes company Major Clapp's regiment. Said Asahel was a private soldier in the same service same company, the same length of time. We served about 2 months, perhaps a little less.
Aug 6 th , 1832.
Thomas Smith
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Hampshire ss Aug 6 th , 1832. Then personally appeared the above named Thomas Smith & made oath to the truth of the foregoing instrument - by him subscribed before me.
Chas. P. Huntington
Justice of the Peace.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
HAMPSHIRE ss. I, SAMUEL F. LYMAN, Register of the Court of Probate in and for said County, do hereby certify that Charles J. Huntington Esquire, before whom the annexed deposition taken, is one of the Justices of the Peace within and for said County, duly and regularly appointed, and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing, and have no doubt that the Signature annexed to said deposition is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this tenth day of August A. D. 1832.
Sam F Lyman Register of Probate.
Hampshire ss. No 5 th 1832. I hereby further certify that the above named Thomas Smith who made oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit before me is a person of truth & veracity to me known Chas. P. Huntington Justice of the Peace.