Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30514, for John Josselyn, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Gosselyn, John
S. 30514
CONTENTS

10468 Massachusetts
John Gosselyn
of Essex in the State of Mass who was a Capt in the company commanded by Captain Sparr of the Regt commanded by Col Dyer in the War time for 9 months service Pirate Emile V. M.
Inscribed on the Roll of Essex at the rate of 53 Dollars -- Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 9 th day of Apr 1833 and sent to B. Sher- ill Salem Mass
Arrears to the 4th of Apr 1833 $106 -- Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sept " 2650
$13250
{ Revolutionary Claim, { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J. H. Spencer Clerk Book 2, Vol. 2 nd Page 38,

3185
Mr Josephlyn
Map
9 Mr Leonard 6 do P. Mah
W. E.
Papers not properly authenticated
$ 53-
B. Merrill Salem Mass

3185
BRIEF in the case of  John Josselyn of Danvers of Essex by  in the State of Mass. (Act 7 June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? a Court of Probate  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? _____  3. How old is he? 71  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. As a Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served. Gen.   Years, Months, Days.     In 1779 _____ 6 _____ private Capt Spurr Col. N. Tyler   In 1780 X _____ 6 _____ Corporal Capt Marshall - Lieut Marshall   In 1781 - he thinks in summer in route of service 3 _____ do Capt White Col. Enoch Putnam Mass Line Continental  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None mentioned  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Pembroke  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? No living witnesses (able to give any certificate etc)  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? The ribbon does not pass thro' the seal 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
H. B. Easton Examining Clerk.
* Was living by the town of Pembroke

My Corporal Josselyn
N o 3185
Please send reply to Barnes Sargent

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS: COUNTY OF ESSEX, ss.
On this fourteenth day of August A. D. 1832, personally appeared in open court, before the HONORABLE DANIEL APPLETON WHITE, Judge of the Court of Probate for the County of Essex aforesaid, now sitting, John Gosselyn , a resident of Damers , in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts, aged 71 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 7, 1832:
That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated:
That in 1779 at Pembroke he voluntarily enlisted as a private in Capt. Spurr's Company in Col. Nathan Tyler's Regiment of Massachusetts militia and served six months therein; marched to Providence and was stationed there till the British evacuated Rhode Island and then marched into Newport, where he was discharged at the end of said term:
That, again, in 1780 at Pembroke, he was hired by said town and enlisted as a Corporal to serve six months in Capt. Marshall's Company in Col. Marshall's Regiment in Massachusetts line on the Continental Establishment and served therein accordingly: at the expiration thereof he received from Maj. Winslow a written discharge which he has lost:
That in 1781, he thinks in summer, at Pembroke, he again voluntarily enlisted as a Corporal in Capt. White's Company in Col. Enoch Putnam's Regiment in the Massachusetts line of the Continental Army and served therein three months: and had no written discharge:
He now resides distant from the place of his enlistment and it is difficult to find any testimony in this part of the country but he doubts not the rolls of the Army will coincide with his statement:

He was born in 1761 at Pembroke. lived there till he was about 40 years old then removed to Danvers where he now lives - he has no written discharge or record of his birth - and was a Volunteer in enlisting.
He is known to Rev Milton P. Brannan and Brn. Crowninshield Esq. who can testify to my character
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.
John Gosselyn
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
John Niles
JUDGE OF PROBATE.
We, _____ a clergyman, residing in _____ aforesaid, and _____ Esquire, a magistrate, residing in _____ aforesaid, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with _____ who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be _____ 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.
Subscribed and sworn to before

We Milton P. Braman of Danvers in the Co. of Essex & State of Massachusetts, Clergymen & Israel Adams of said Town, County and State, depose & say that we are well acquainted with John Fosselyn of Danvers in the Co. of Essex & State of Massachusetts Yeoman, and believe that he was a soldier in the state troops of the Mass. Militia nine months  one year in the revolution- ary war, and 6 months in the continen- tal service, and that he sustains a good moral character, & we believe what he states to be the truth.
Milton P. Braman Israel Adams
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Essex ss Danvers August 13 th 1832.
Then the above named Milton P. Braman, and Israel Adams after having subscribed their names to the above deposition; appeared before and took their oaths that they believe the same to be true - according to the best of their knowledge - George Osgood Justice of the Peace

And the said Court hereby declares its 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 Rev Mr Braman who has signed the preceding Certificate, is a Clergyman resident in Danvers and that the said Israel Adams who has also signed the same is a Magistrate  respectable citizen resident at Danvers and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Attest  Isaac D. Pease
Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Essex in Massachusetts John Josselyn , who being duly sworn deposeth & saith that by reason of old age & 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 Six months in 1779 as a private: and Six months as a Corporal in 1780: and Three months more as a Corporal in 1781: and for such service I claim a pension
John Josselyn Subscribed and sworn to before Benj Merrill Just. Peace
I, Nathaniel Lord Jr Register of Probate do hereby certify that the above is a Justice of the Peace duly qualified and the above written affidavit is his genuine handwriting.
I, NATHANIEL LORD Junior, Register of the Court of Probate for the County of Essex aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Josselyn for a pension, and that George D. Good is a Justice of the Peace and his signature on the annexed affidavit is genuine. Also, that Benjamin Merrill esquire is a justice of the peace for said county, and his name to the above written affidavit is his genuine signature.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this fourteenth day of August A. D. 1832.
C. Nath. Lord Jr
Signed and sealed anew this tenth day of December, A.D. 1832. C. Nath. Lord Jr

30 574 Ray INVALID.
File No. 30 574
John Gaddelyn Coop Rev War
Act: June 1 st 1861
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 215
[Arrangement of 1870.]

3185-
John Lofelyu
D explanatory Affidavit on 3 rd page of Declaration
B. Merrill Esq. Salem Mass

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negatives in red ink, will apply to the claim of the Jofselyn which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides ? Chic 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 ? [Signature] 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? 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? Yes 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? _____ 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? No XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? No - as to the 5 th
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 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 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.