Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18,554, for Elnathan Pratt, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Pratt Elnathan
S 18,554
Carded
CONTENTS

13446.
Ohio Pittsburgh.
Eunathan Pratt.
of Mt. Gilead in the State of Ohio. who was a Pirate in the C. o commanded by Captain Coo. - of the Reg. t commanded by Robison. - in the service. time for 7 months.
Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio Pitts. at the rate of 23. Dollars 33. Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 24. day of July 1833 and sent to author. Spelman. payee. a.c. Ohio.
Arrears to the 4th of March. 1832 46.66 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept 33. 11.67.
$58.33
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Wm. R. Palmer Clerk, Book 6 Vol. 8 Page 123 .

15.078
Elizur Pratt

State of Ohio } ss. Ashtabula County }
On this seventeenth day of September A.D. 1832 personally appeared before me one of the Judges of the court of common pleas for said county Elnathan Pratt a resident of Williamsfield in the county of Ashtabula and state of Ohio Aged seventy-four 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 — — That he entered the state service in Massachusetts about the first of January 1778 under the following named officers and served as herein stated viz — Captain Aaron Boe was his Captain and Colonel Timothy Robinson was his Colonel that his native place was Granville in Massachusetts and that he marched to Ticonderoga and was enlisted for three months which he served and was then discharged that General Anthony Wayne was commander at that time at Ticonderoga — This Deponent further states that in August  September 1779 he again enlisted and or rather substituted in place of Alderton Pratt and went directly to the state of Rhode Island in the company commanded by Captain Rowley of Springfield and according to the best of his recollection one Cornwell was the commandant of the Regiment and his term of service expired at this time about the first of January 1780 — when we were discharged and went home being almost starved — that his two tours together would be about seven months & that he removed into the state of Ohio , about five years ago and that he has no documentary evidence or living witnesses of his said service within his knowledge — 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 } Luther Spelman
Elnathan Pratt
Elias Morse — a clergyman residing in the township of Williamsfield and Josiah Loomis of the same place in Ashtabula county — hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Elnathan Pratt who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration — that we believe him to be seventyfour years of age — that he is believed and reputed 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 the day & year aforesaid
Attest } Luther Spelman
Elias Morse Josiah Loomis

We Elias Morse - a clergyman residing in the township of Williamsfield and Josiah Loomis of the in Ashtabula county same place - hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Elnathan Pratt who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration - that we believe him to be seventyfour years of age - that he is believed and reputed 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 the day & year aforesaid
Attest Luther Spelman
Elias Morse Josiah Loomis
And I Luther Spelman a Judge of said Court do hereby declare it my 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 I further certify that it appears to me that Elias Morse who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the township of Williamsfield, County of Ashtabula and state of Ohio and that the said Josiah Loomis who has also signed the same is a resident in Williamsfield in the County and state aforesaid and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit -
And I further certify that the said Elnathan Pratt is unable to attend court on account of bodily infirmity
Luther Spelman
The State of Ohio Ashtabula County ss 3
I Sam d Hendry Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas within and for said County of Ashtabula do hereby certify that Luther Spelman whose name Appears above subscribed in his own proper hand writing was on the seventeenth day of September Instant, and still is one of Associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said County of Ashtabula duly Commissioned and sworn agreeably to the Laws of the State of Ohio - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Affixed the seal of the said Court at Jefferson the 24th day of September A.D. 1832 Sam d Hendry Clerk

13.098 Elnathan Pratt
13.446.
Aon 7. Months
Luther Spelman Wayne P.O. Ashtabula Co Ohio Sam Hendry Safford Ashtabula Co Ohio -

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Elnathan Pratt 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? No 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? Yes
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? No
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?
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office?
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?
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 the 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 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 authenticated 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 end 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.

P 18554
INVALID.
File No. 18557
Jonathan Pratt
Rev Mr
Act: June 7 th 92
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 305
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Elnathan Pratt

The State of Ohio } Williamsfield May 11 th 1833 Ashtabula County }
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a justice of the peace in & for said Township and County Elneathan Pratt who being duly sworn deposeth & saith: That by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively as to the precise length of time; but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned and in the following years for the year 1877. Three months I served as a private soldier. That for the year of our Lord 1799 I served four months as a private soldier; and for such service I claim a Pension - Sworn to & subscribed before me } Elneathan Pratt The day & year first above written } Zebina Woodworth Justice of Peace -
The State of Ohio Ashtabula County } I Sam d Hendry Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the said County of Ashtabula do hereby certify that Zebina Woodworth whose name appears subscribed above in his own proper hand writing which is to me well known is a Justice of the peace of the township of Williamsfield in said County of Ashtabula duly Commissioned and sworn agreeably to the laws of the State of Ohio - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Affixed the seal of the said Court at Jefferson the 11 th day of May A.D. 1833 - Sam d Hendry Clerk P. Tem.

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Pratt, Ephraim GRADE Private LINE Massachusetts
WARRANT NUMBER 4805 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED Aug. 24, 1790
to Benj. Ives Gilman
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.