Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 23753, for John Kneeland, Massachusetts

SERVICE
Freeland, John
NUMBER _____
S. 23753
Mary
CONTENTS

11480
Pennsylvanica
Solomon Mueland
of Bradford in the State of Pennsylvania who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain J. McCallender of the Brig command by Col. J. McCallender in the Massachusetts line for six months
Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvanians at the rate of 20 00 Dollars. Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the first day of May 1833 and issued by J. McCallender Towanda Pa.
  Arrears to the 4th of Mar 1833  $40.00    Semi-annual allowance ending 1 st Sept 33  10.00     $50.00  
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by Scott B. Whiting Clerk Book 66 Vol. 5 Page 31
Alt 6 due pay, Eng. March 2nd 1833 Same January 2, 1847.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston;
June 1. 1845.
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 the name of John Anneland is borne as a matross from Braintree, upon a pay roll for the men detached as a reinforcement to the Continental Army in the year 1780, signed by the Selectmen of said town. Service from July 4. to Decr. 22, including allowance for travel, 6 months. — also upon a Descriptive list of the ninth division of 6 months men marched from Springfield, under the command of Lt Jackson of Col. Crane's Artillery. "arrived at Springfield July 8, and marched July 9. 1780. — His name does not appear upon the Rolls of Capt n Callender, which are for the longer services from 1777 to 1780, except one roll considerably defaced, and from which a number of names have been completely worn out. There is but one list of the crew of the crew of the Essex in this office, on which the name of said Anneland does not appear,

and the preceding is all the evidence of service in the case.
And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John G. Sawyer; Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Application for certificate of Revolutionary Service made by the party who rendered the Service - State of Pennsylvania County of Bradford town of Orwell
The Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is hereby requested to furnish evidence from the Rolls in his office of my Service in the War of the Revolution -
I enlisted from the town of _____ in the County of _____ and State of Massachusetts in the year _____ as a _____ in the Company commanded by Captain _____ in _____ Regiment _____ and served as follows - Vir.
I was born in Milton, Norfolk County, Mass c but resided during the Revolution, in Braintree, now called Quincy. Served with Capt John Cullen, Col. Brain, Genl. Knox - was also in Service on board the Essex under Capt. John Cuttcutt, a Capt. of Marines, a William Clark was a Marine, he was taken prisoner &c - was in the Army one year or more & in the Navy more than two years -

I am now — years old, and my memory does not enable me to state my services more fully than above stated.
And I do hereby constitute Arad Day of Wirt, Seneca County, New York, My attorney in the premises —
Witness my hand this 3 rd day of December A D 1844 Signed by Said John Fenceland John Fenceland in My presence, By his atty By Arad Day his agent
James Foster Justice of the peace The said Arad Day appears by documents exhibited before me to be the lawful agent, of John Fenceland — James Foster Justice

John Kneeland
17481 ✓
$20. Dr To Barnston 29 o Torrance Pa

State of Pennsylvania
Bradford County ss: On this 10 th day of September AD 1832
personally appeared in open court before the judges of the court of Common Pleas now sitting being a court of Record John Kneeland a resident of the Township of Orwell in the County of State aforesaid aged sixty seven years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832 That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. He enlisted for the term of six months in the Militia of the United States about the middle of the month of May as near as he can recollect, in the year 1780 at Braintree now called Quincy in the State of Massachusetts. He was enlisted by a recruiting officer or agent whose name he has forgotten into the company commanded by Capt. John Calender who commanded the company during the term of his enlistment. His company was attached to the regiment under command of Col. John Crane of the artillery. Immediately after his enlistment  and having received a written discharge this declarant was ordered to take charge of a field piece for a few days which he did, and after that he served as the waiter of Capt. Calender. They, to wit, this declarant his comrades were kept in constant readiness and continually ordered to remove from place to place and it was this declarants duty to attend & guard the baggage waggon & effects of the Captain. During the time of his enlistment he was engaged in no battle. He continued in the service during the term of his enlistment and at the end of the six months, rec d a written discharge under the hand of Col. Crane. This declarant after receiving his discharge in the State of New Jersey, immediately returned home and in the spring following enlisted on board a privateer at Braintree aforesaid and sailed from Boston in April  the same  year 1781. His company was taken prisoner by the British and carried to Kinsale in Ireland. He was there imprisoned about

four months when he taken out and carried to Portsmouth in England at which place the prison being full he was not put in, after remaining a few days at Portsmouth he was taken to Old Plymouth, and put on board a seventy four gun ship and entreated and threatened to induce him to enlist in the British service. He was stripped and lashed to an 18 pounder and threatened to be whipped if he did not enlist. He told them he was an American & would not enlist, he was a prisoner and demanded to be treated as such, told the Capt of the 74, if he intended to whip him to put it on, & not keep him in suspense. The Captain replied that he was a stuffy Chap and would do them no good if they had him & ordered him to be unlashed, which was done. He was on board the 74 about six weeks and was then carried ashore and in put in "Noll Prison" and there kept till May 1783, when he was exchanged & sailed in a Cartel to Boston & returned home. When taken prisoner he was robbed by the sailors of all he had except a shirt & trousers, having his discharge with him he was robbed of that. John Bicknell was the Captain of the Privateer on board which this declarant enlisted, the name of the ship was Essex. He has no documentary evidence and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service. He was born in Milton Eight miles Boston in the state of Massachusetts in the year 1765. He has no record of his age. He has lived since the revolutionary War in Braintree aforesaid for several years, he then removed to Ellington in Connecticut where he resided two years, since that time for about sixteen years he has resided in Orwel aforesaid where he now resides. William Meyer & Aaron Chubbuck are person in the neighborhood who know this declarant. 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 known to him to be subjected the day & year aforesaid. For himself & his heirs forever John Bicknell

We William Myer residing in Wysox Township Bradford County State of Penn a and Aaron Chubbuck residing in Owell Township in the same county / state hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Kneeland who has subscribed hereto to the above declaration, that we believe him to be sixty seven 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 & subscribed in open court Sep 10. 1832 before me J. M c Neil Prothonotary for E. G. Goodrich
William Myer Aaron Chubbuck
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after investigation of the matter, and after putting the interroga- tories presented by the war Department, that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and seward as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that William Myer and Aaron Chubbuck, who have signed the preceding certificate are resident in the town, county and state by them certified as being their place of residence, that they are credi- ble persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
By the Court,
J. M c Neil, Prothonotary
Bradford County ss.
I, James P. Bull, Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of said county do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of John Kneeland for a pension. Witness my hand and offi- cial seal this 23 d day of October Anno Domini 1832.
J. P. Bull

Quid N.Y. Dec 21. 46
Sir
In yours of the 24th March 1845 in the case of John Kneeland of Pa a pensioner, you refuse to increase his pension, pardon me for supposing that you may have omitted to notice, that he served as a "Matross" you only allow a pension as I understand it, as a common private soldier; is there not an increase due
Respectfully Your Ob d Serv t Abad Joy
Hon d L. Edwards Comm d of Pensions Washington D.C.

Dec. 18. 1885.
Gen. M'Clain,
Apph for increase.
Gen. J. S. Edwards Comm of Pensions Washington D. C.

Ovid Jan. 9 th 45
Hon J. L. Edwards
Com d of Pensions
Dear Sir
I beg leave to enclose Secy certificate, if you consider it as applying to the service of John Wm. Leland, who is now a pensioner from Brad- ford 6 th Pa. I respectfully ask if there will not be an increase of pension due to him, & if so. how much increase per year -
Respectfully Your Ob d Servt Wad Joy

Towanda Penn a 25 March 1833
Sir
I herewith enclose to you the papers of Anthony Vanderpool Paul Dewart & John Kneeland. I also return the brief accompanying the applications - also the letter written by you to Hon. J. Ford. The Papers of Vanderpool & Dewart are amended so as to conform to the requisitions of the Department, and Kneeland claims only for his six months service as a militiaman. Vanderpool is an aged blind & almost helpless man and extremely poor I would therefore respectfully request early attention to his claim. The claims of Samuel Woodruff William Elliott David Campbell & Ebenezer Chubbuck were transmitted by me to the Department some months since the fate of whose applications I have not learned. Should certificates be granted in any of the above cases they may be transmitted to me.
I am very respectfully
J. L. Edwards Esq. Com r . of Pensions
yours &c D. F. Barstow

In' Naulana
#20. 29. H. Warstow agt Lorain Pa

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of John O'neeland which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? 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? 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? VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? 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?

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 ?
Ad
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it ?
Ad
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?
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?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
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, deposeeth 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.

Revolution
23/53.
INVALID.
File No. 23,753
John Knowland
His Rev War
Act: June 7 th 1822
Index: — Vol. 2 , Page 225
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Dec. 29-1902 C. R. Novak - Parma, Pa