Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 2367, for Nathaniel Stearns, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Stearns Nathaniel Mary
W 2367
CONTENTS

13772
Massachusetts
Nathaniel Stearns
of Medfield in the State of Massachusetts who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Mayen of the Regt. commanded by Col. _____ in the Mass. Militia for 7 mo 10 ds.
Nathaniel Stearns (See history)
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 24 Dollars 43 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 29 day of May 1833 and sent to S. Ware Dechan
Arrears to the 14th of March 1833 $48.86 Sem-ant. allowance ending 1 Sept 12.21
$61.07
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. L. Williams, Clerk, Book E Vol. 2 Page 77
71 Norfolk

Report
206 XXXX Massachusetts Mary Stearns widow of Nathl. Stearns who served in the Revolutionary war, as a Private
Inscribed on the Roll at the rate of 24 Dollars 43.
Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March , 1848.
27 August Certificate of Pension issued the 7th day of June, 1849 and sent to
G. V. Balfinch Boston Mass.
Recorded on Roll of Pensioners under act February 2, 1848, Page 321 Vol. 1 29th July, book C.

No. 280
Mary Stevens, wid of Nathaniel Map
act 29 July 1848
Married before 1800 husband died 27 Aug '48
born 24 th Jan
Mar 27 August 1848
G. S. Bulpinch Boston Mass

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Norfolk County ss.
On this Seventh day of March A.D. 1848 personally appeared before the Hon. Sherman Seland judge of the Court of Probate then in open Session Mary Stearns, a resident of Westfield in the county of Norfolk aged eighty three years who being first duly sworn according to Law, doth, on her oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 29. 1848 entitled "an Act for the Relief of certain surviving widows of Officers and soldiers of the Revolutionary Army" that she is the widow of Nathaniel Stearns who was a private in the War of the Revolution and served as set forth in his Declaration to obtain a Pension under the Act of 7 June 1832 now on file in the War Department, and drew a Pension of twenty four dollars and forty three cents per annum under said Act of 7 June 1832.
She further declares that she was married to the said Nathaniel Stearns on the fourteenth day of November in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety one that her husband the aforesaid Nathaniel Stearns

died on the twenty seventh day of August one thousand eight hundred and forty eight, — that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January one thousand eight hundred, viz, at the time above stated. Mary his X Stearns Attest H. Cobb, Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year first herein before written, to wit the seventh day of November one thousand eight hundred & forty eight Before me H. Leland judge of Probate
Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Norfolk ss.
I Jonathan H. Cobb, Register of the Court of Probate for the County of Norfolk & State aforesaid, do hereby certify that Sherman Leland is the judge of the Court of Probate aforesaid duly commissioned and qualified & that his signature above made is genuine & true.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & caused the seal of said Court to be affixed this Seventh day of November, A.D. 1848.
Jonathan H. Cobb

"Nathanael Stearns and Mary Turner both of Medfield were joind in Marriage" on the fourteenth day of November, Seventeen hundred and ninety one
"By the Rev d Thomas Prentiss"
Medfield Nov. 17 th 1848. I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of the record, with the exception of the date, which is expressed on the Record in fair legible figures as follows
November 14 ————— 1791
Isaac Fiske
I Isaac Fiske above named depose and say that I hold the office of Town Clerk in the Town of Medfield in the County of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and that the above is a true extract from the Records of said town of Medfield, with the exception above named as certified by me
Isaac Fiske } Clerk of } the Town } of Medfield
Sworn to before me this twenty second day of November 1848
Jon t Bishop Jus Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston December 13 th 1848
I hereby Certify, That at the date of the annexed attestation Jonathan P. Bishop was a Justice of the Peace for the County of Norfolk,
in the said Commonwealth, duly commissioned and constituted; and that to his acts and attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, in and out of Court.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
W. H. Chace
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Norfolk ss Dec 5 1848
I Seth Cheney of Medfield in said County on oath say that I have lived a near neighborhood to Nathaniel Stearns now deceased from my earliest recollection to the time of his decease and have for the same length of time been acquainted with & lived neighbor to his present widow Mrs Mary Stearns whom I know to be the identical person named in the extract from the Town records here annexed and whose maiden name was Mary Turner I am now eighty years of age and was born & have always lived on the farm where I now live in Medfield in said County
Seth Cheney
Norfolk ss Dec 5 1848
Then the above named Seth Cheney made signed & made oath to the above affidavit
Jon a P r Bishop
Jus Peace
I Jon a P r Bishop Justice of the Peace for said County hereby certify that I have been well acquainted with Dea Nathaniel Stearns & his present wife Mary Stearns such for thirty years and have not a particle of doubt of the identity of said Mary Stearns being the individual called Mary Turner in the certificate of the Town Clerk hereto annexed
Jon a P r Bishop
I certify that I have also been well acquainted with the above named Seth Cheney the thirty years last past He is a highly respectable citizen of undoubted veracity and I have no doubt wholly disinterested being noway related to said Mary Stearns
Jon a P r Bishop Jus of Peace

BRIEF in the case of Nathaniel Stowens of Meafield in the State of Ohio (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Open Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 69 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.     July In 1780 — 3 — Private Gen. Lord Howe   March — 1781 1 — 10 " Capt Fisher   August — 1781 — 3 — — " Capt' Lincoln  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Meafield Ohio  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Testimony  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.
Richard Galt Examining Clerk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
County of Norfolk ss. On this nineteenth 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. Williams of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting at Bridgewater in and for said County, Nathaniel Stearns a resident of Medfield in said County, aged sixty nine 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 in Medfield on the 19th day of September 1763 That there is a record of his birth in the town record) : THAT he was in the United States service from the first day of July A. D. 1780, to the first day of October A. D. 1780, as a Private in the Infantry : that he was residing at Medfield in the County of Norfolk when he entered the service; that he volunteered for the term of three months and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Capt. Nathan Thayer of Medway in said County : that he marched from Medfield through Springfield to Great Barrington then to Hartford : that he was in no battle and left the service on or about the first of October 1780. That since his discharge he has resided at Medfield
ALSO: that he was in the United States service from the first  Monday of March A. D. 1781, to the third  Monday of March A. D. 1781, as a Private in the Infantry : that he was residing at Medfield when he entered the service; that he volunteered for forty days and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Capt. Samuel Fisher of Wrentham : that he marched from Medfield through Wrentham to Rhode Island : that he was in no battle and left the service on or about the third  Monday in March 1781.
ALSO: that he was in the United States service from about the middle day of August A. D. 1781, to the last day of November A. D. 1781, as a Private in the Infantry Battalion : that he was residing at Medfield when he entered the service; that he volunteered for three months and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Capt. John Lincoln , Lieut. Hancock of Wrentham : that he marched from Medfield through Hartford to Hartford : that he was in no battle and left the service on or about the last of November 1781.

Nathanael Stearns
15206
✓
✓

1781. May 24. Paid Nathaniel Stearns one hundred eighty pounds in full for 12 days Service done in the Militia under the Command of Cap t . Samuel Fisher at White Island.
and that the time
1782. Aug t 20 th Paid Nathaniel Stearns four pounds ten -shillings silver Money in part of bounty given him for the Three Months Campaign in the year 1781. the above said sum endorsed on his Note.
1782 July 30. Paid Nathaniel Stearns one pound four Shillings in full for his additional wages for the Three Months Campaign.
A true Copy as Recorded on Town Treasurers Book
Medfield Sep r 14 th 1832
Charles Harrington Town Treasurer.

We Jared Wilson of Wrentham in the County of Norfolk & James Richardson of Dedham in the County of Norfolk hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Nathaniel Stearns who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be sixty nine years of age; that he is respected & beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion
JARED WILSON James Richardson Justice of the Peace & Deacon
Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid

under the act of 18 _____ as a _____ in the application, he was residing at _____ and that the time
He served with the regular troops at Pechskille, was helping there to build the barracks of the regular troops — was acquainted with Col. Greatea a regular officer has no documentary evidence except the copy of letter since's herewith transmitted
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 first aforesaid.
Nathaniel Stearns J. M. Williams J. C. C. P.
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, that the abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states, David Nelson & James Richardson Esq. are credible witnesses J. M. Williams J. C. C. P.
I Jairus Ward 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 Nathaniel Stearns for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first aforesaid.
Jairus Ward

Reg WIDOW, &c.
File No. 2367 Mary Stearns, Widow, Nathaniel Stearns, Prov. Rev. War.
Act: July. 29. 1848.
Index:—Vol. M. Page 238
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Nathaniel Stearns, Map. act 7 June 1832 of 24 th pram
To what time was he last paid?
Pension Office June 4 1849
Yrs A pa to 4 th Mar. 1848. B. J. B.

Waltham Street
Prima Yours Today Adm C.B.
22 1/2 21 1/2 21 1/2
J. Ware Needham Mass

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Nathaniel Stearns  Miafield  Off 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? No 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? 2+ c
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? 2+ c
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? 2+ c
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? 2+ c
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? 2+ c
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? 2+ c
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 claimant's 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.

Murch's Bank Boston 15 Dec r 1848.
Sir,
Enclosed is the Declaration of Mrs Mary Stearns for a Pension under the Act of 29 July 1848. She wishes her Pension certificate to be sent to my care.
Very Respectfully Your obed t serv t G. S. Bulfinch
Gas. L. Edwards Esq Comm r of Pensions.