Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 19097, for Aaron Smith, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Smith, Aaron
S. 19097
Carded
CONTENTS
b. at Needham, Norfolk Co. Mass. Oct. 5, 1756 d. at Needham, Apr. 26, 1833.

June 6 th 1833
75 Norfolk
24333 27388 Massachusetts Aaron Smith Needham in the State of Mass who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Tilton of the Regt. comman- ded by Col. Peterson in the Mass. line for 10 Months 10 days
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass the rate of 32 Dollars 21 Cents per a- month commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Her share of Pension issued the 13 th day of May 1834 — and sent to Jarius Ware Esq. Dedham.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833. $64.42 Semi-annual allowance ending . 6.22 $70.64
{ Revolutionary Claim 1832
Recorded by G.W. Hook

Aaron Smith
S
15210

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 D. Sleeper of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting at Dedham in and for said County, Sarah Smith a resident of Needham in said County, aged seventy five 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 act of Congress passed June 7th, A. D. 1832.
THAT he was born at Needham on the fifth day of October A. D. 1755, and that there is a record of his birth : that he was in the United States service from the nineteenth day of April A. D. 1775, to the about the first day of May A. D. 1776 as a private in the infantry : that he was residing at Needham when he entered the service; that he volunteered as a minuteman and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Capt. Hulton Smith
: that he marched from Needham
: that he served with
of the regular troops; and
regular officers
were known to him: that he was in Lexington battle
and at the end of his service received a discharge
verbally
: that he left the service on or about the first of May
and that since the Revolutionary war he has resided at Needham of course
& at Natick
ALSO: that he was in the United States service from the about the first day of May A. D. 1775, to the about the first day of January A. D. 1776
as a private in the infantry ,
that he was residing at Needham ,
when he entered the service; that he enlisted for eight months
and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Capt. Hulton
Col. Patterson
: that he marched from Needham
: that he served with
of the regular troops; and
Gen. Ward Gen. Putnam & Gen. Washington
regular officers were known to him: that he was in no battle
but was at his post at Fort No. 1 on the day of Bunker Hill battle
that at the end of his service he received a discharge verbally
and left
the service on or about the first day of January A D 1776 .
ALSO: that he was in the United States service from the day of _____ A. D. 17____, to the _____ day of _____ A. D. 17____
as a _____ in the _____
that he was residing at _____
when he entered the service; that he _____
and served for the period aforesaid under the command of _____
: that he marched from _____
: that he served with _____
of the regular troops; and
regular officers were known to him; that he was in _____ battle
that at the end of his service he received a discharge _____ the service on _____
and left

That he was out on an alarm at the time of the evacuation of Boston & marched on to Dorchester heights the morning after the British left. That he was one month in the service of the state on Castle William & one month on Governors Island in Boston Harbour in the like service soon after the British left Boston but has no evidence of it. In the spring of the year 1777 he was two months in the service under Capt. Battle of Dover at Rhode Island but has no evidence at this late day of that service.
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.
Aaron Smith
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first aforesaid. J. M. Williams J. C. C. P.
We Benjamin Slack a Justice of the Peace residing in the town of Dedham and Thomas Noyes a Clergyman residing in Dedham hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Aaron Smith who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy five 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 as aforesaid.
5 Benj t Slack 6 Thomas Noyes
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 certify that it appears to them that Benjamin Slack Esq. who has signed the preceding certificate, is a Justice of the Peace resident in the town of Dedham; and that Thomas Noyes who has also signed the same is a resident Clergyman in said town and a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.
J. M. Williams J. C. C. P.
I Laurens Wane 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 Aaron Smith for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first aforesaid.
Laurens Wane

19097 INVALID.
File No. _____ 19097
_____
_____
Act: _____
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 388
[Arrangement of 1870.]

13.2.10 Aaron Smith of Needham Norfolk County Mass
who died 26 th April 1833 Widow Susanna Smith
Admitted Invent. 18 th July, Capt. William Gols. Peterson $32.21
Jarius Mace Esq r Dedham Mass J. Mace Dedham

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Aaron Smith Abraham Wife 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?
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'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? 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?
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 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.

I William Flagg of Sudham in the County of Norfolk yeoman on oath depose & say that Aaron Smith the within named applicant for a pension, deceased on the 26 th day of April last, leaving a widow Susanna Smith aged about 67. On the first Tuesday of May last after his decease I took out letters of Administration on his estate from the Court of Probate & have since taken possession of his effects. I have made diligent search for further evidence to substantiate his claim to a pension & have found in the secretarys Office of this Commonwealth the documentary evidence enclosed which I suppose the applicant was unable to obtain himself on account of his feeble health — His services in the Revolution were briefly as follows.
  as a volunteer at Lexington, nine days, of which are proved the secretarys certificate in 1775  } ninety days 0 0 9  
  as a militiaman in the eight months service in the neighborhood of Boston in 1775 — a part of which service is proved by the secretarys certificate & the rest by his own oath & probably by the records at Washington  } 8. 0  
  as a sergeant at Rhode Island in 1777 as by secretarys certificate  } 2. 1  
 10 10

making as I suppose the term of service for which he can claim a pension ten months & ten days, I have no doubt but that there are other short terms of service for which he would be entitled (if evidence could be found) to something more - But as nothing further can be found here, the above is respectfully submitted to the department.
William Flagg
Norfolk p. Sept. 2 1833
Then the above named William Flagg Administrator on the estate of Aaron Smith deceased personally appeared & made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed.
I further certify that said Flagg is a man of reverency & that his statement is worthy of credit.
Jonathan H. Cobb
Justice of the Peace.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Attest
I James Ware Clerk of all the Superior Courts within and for the County of Norfolk hereby certify that Jonathan H. Cobb Esquire above named is a Justice of peace within and for said County of Norfolk duly appointed commissioned and qualified to discharge the duties of said Office and that his signature above is genuine and true - -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed the seal of the Superior Judicial Court of said Commonwealth hereunto at Dedham the third day of September A.D. 1833
James Ware

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Norfolk, ss.
I Jonathan H. Cobb Register of Probate for the County of Norfolk, hereby certify that it appears from the records of the Court of Probate for said County that William Flagg of Dedham in the County of Norfolk was duly appointed administrator of the estate of Aaron Smith late of Dedham in said County Esquire deceased at a Court of Probate held at Dedham in said County on the first Tuesday of May A.D. 1833 that he accepted said trust & gave bond & was confirmed according to law.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my hand & the seal of said Court this seventh day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty four
Jonathan H. Cobb Reg.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, June 20 th 1833.
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 Aaron Smith, jun. as a Private, is borne on a roll of Capt. Aaron Smith's Company of Militia, in Col. William Heath's Regt. who marched in consequence of an Alarm on the 19 th of April, 1775, - where he is allowed for nine days' service and travel.
Aaron Smith's name, as a Private, is borne also on the Muster-Roll of Capt. Samuel Hilton's Company, in Col. John Paterson's Regiment, - having enlisted April 28, 1775, and serving to August 1, 1775, where he is allowed, for service and travel, three months, and ten days. - Said Smith claims for service, eight months, on this last service expedition, - but the rolls in this Office, for said service expedition, do not extend beyond August 1, as above.
Aaron Smith's name is further found, as a Serjeant, on the Pay-Roll of Capt. Ebenezer Kuttler, Company, in Col. Jonathan Pitcomb's Regiment, on duty at Rhode-Island, from May 8 th to July 8 th 1777, - where he is allowed two months and one day's service.
Edward D. Bangs. Secy

22 Edwards St
I herewith forward to you the application for a pension that was made by Aaron Smith since making the same he has deceased - and William Flagg the administrator is desirous of obtaining all arrears that may be due. -
Probably the certificates enclosed will be deemed sufficient to substantiate the claim.
Respectfully
Your
Friend Moore
Dickson. Mass. May 6. 1834.