Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29923, for William Janes, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Janes, William
S 29923
CONTENTS
Blank lined area for contents entry
Blank lined area for contents entry

21.261
Massachusetts
William Paine
of Hampden in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Comp commanded by Captain Sherman of the Reg. commanded by Col. _____ in the Mass line for 8 Mos _____
Memo
76 Hampden
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 27 th day of Aug. (B) and dated W. D. Stebbins Minneapolis
Arrears to the 4th of Mch '31 $ 53.32 Semi-ant. allowance ending Sept '31 13.33 $ 66.66
{ Revolutionary Claim, Age June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. D. Stebbins Clerk, Book E. Vol. 3. Page 38.

William Jones Map
Parish 8 Months
1406
May 28 1835
P 410
15163
L. B. Stabbins
Branford Mass

BRIEF in the case of 60 of Mansfield
William Jones in the State of Mass (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? 74  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.     May In 1776 entered 2 private Gen. Sherman   May " volunteered 4 " Gen. Munn   Feb. 1777 " " 1 " " "   Octo. " " " 1 " Gen. Minger  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Dorchester Mass  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary one living witness  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? The papers are not attached agreeably to the regulation. 
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
George L. Dyer
Examining Clerk.

William James

William Janes of Brinsfield Mass. Application for Pension
151 P.B.
Terms of service
2 mo. in 1776 at Roxbury 4 mo. " " at " Boston 1 mo Feb. 1777 at Tienderoga 1 mo Oct. 1777 at Saratoga
8 months
Please transmit any communications to
Francis B. Stebbins Brinsfield Mass

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832
State of Massachusetts } ss. County of Hampden }
On this Fourth day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred & thirty-two, personally appeared in open court, before the Hon. Oliver B. Norris Judge of the court of Probate within & for the County of Hampden, now sitting, William James, a resident of Brimfield aforesaid, in the county aforesaid, (aged) seventy four 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 acts of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States in January 1776 in the beginning of said month. That he volunteered as a private soldier in a company of Militia under the command of Capt. James Sherman of Brimfield. That the company assembled at Brookfield & marched to Roxbury. & continued there two months & were then dismissed. said company was raised to supply the place of some Regular troops whose time had expired & were dismissed in March just before the British evacuated Boston. that he knows of no one living by whom he can prove this term of service. that about the first of August of the same year (1776) he volunteered to go as a private in a militia company commanded by Capt. Reuben Munn of Monson for four months to Roxbury. That the company assembled at Brimfield & marched to Roxbury. The Lieutenant's name was Fowler. That the company in which he served remained at Roxbury about two months. during which time he and the other soldiers were chiefly employed in erecting or repairing the fortifications on Dorchester hill, that he & the rest of said company were then removed to Boston & remained there during about two months & while there the said company occupied a large brick building which had once been used for a Distillery. that in the early part of February 1777, he volunteered to go as a private soldier, to Tienderoga for one month in a company commanded by the same Capt. Reuben Munn of Monson that the company was stationed
2 mo.
4 mo.
1 mo.

in a block house near a grist mill about two miles westerly from Ticon- deroga on a creek that runs into the lake from the west: that he served out his time of one month and was dismissed with the rest of the company: That about the first of October 1777. he volunteered to march as private to join the northern army at a near Saratoga for one month in a company of Militia commanded by Capt. Jehiel Munger (or Hiel Munger as he was called) & that Jonathan Thompson of Brimfield was Lieutenant in said company. that they marched through Northampton and Bennington & passed over the ground where the Battle of Bennington had been fought. & arrived at the North River a few days after the Battle of Saratoga, that they remained at or near Fort Edward on the East side of the river a week or more in order to intercept the British if they should attempt to retreat; that at Fort Edward they dug up two boats buried near the bank of the river as they supposed by the British. that they afterwards crossed the river and joined the army under Gen. Gates at Saratoga; not long after which Gen. Burgoyne surren- dered: that he served out the time of one month & was dismissed & returned home but that he has never received any written discharge when dismissed. that he knows of no man living by whom he can prove these services in the army, except the term of four months at Boston & Roxbury in the year 1776 which is proved by the Deposi- tion of Benjamin Smith of Holland transmitted herewith that he was born in Brimfield & has resided there ever since while not in the services, that there is a record of his birth in family Bible which belonged to his father & believes, also, upon the town records, that he was born Oct. 4 th 1758.
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 declared in court the day and year aforesaid
William James

We John Wallis of Holland in the county of Hampden & Francis B Stebbins of Brimfield in said county hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Mr. William James who has subscribed & sworn to the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be seventy four years of age as he states; that he is reputed & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Revolutionary Soldier & that we concur in that opinion. We also state that he sustains a good reputation for truth. Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid John Wallis Francis B. Stebbins
And the said Court, after investigating the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department do hereby declare their opinion that the abovenamed Applicant was a Revolutionary soldier and served as he states and the Court further certifies that the John Wallis who has subscribed the foregoing certificate is a resident in said Holland and that Francis B. Stebbins who has subscribed the same certificate resides in said Brimfield and that they are both credible persons & their statement is entitled to credit.
I Justin Willson Register of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of William James for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this fourth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty two.
Justin Willson Register

29923 INVALID.
File No. 29923
William James Rev. Rev. Nat.
Act. June 7 th 82.
Index — Vol. 2 , Page 205
[Arrangement of 1870.]

William Jones 15/63
W B Stebbins Brinsfield Wash

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

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? yy
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?
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? yy
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? yy
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? one not
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? yy
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 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.

Wm Jones Certif of 1 mile

I Joseph Vail a Clergyman residing in Brimfield in the county of Hampden hereby certify that I believe William Janes of said Brimfield to be seventy four years old as he represents and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a revolutionary soldier & that I concur in that opinion; and that he sustains a good moral character. I further certify that business will prevent my being able to attend the Probate Court at Monson on the Fourth day of October instant.
Joseph Vail Pastor of the Church in Brimfield
Hampden Ys. Oct. 2 d . 1832.
Then the above named Joseph Vail made oath to the truth of the above Certificate by him subscribed before me
Francis B. Stebbins Justice of the peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Hampden ss.
I Justin Willard Register & Clerk of the Court of Probate within & for said County, the same being a Court of Record, do hereby certify that Francis B. Stebbins, and John Wallis, before whom the foregoing & the annexed Dispositions were respectively verified, are Justices of the Peace within & for said County of Hampden and that their names respectively subscribed to said the certificates of the oaths to said Dispositions are their own proper hand writings.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Court this fourth day of October in the year of our Lord one Thousand eight hundred and thirty two Justin Willard Register

10 Bang Smith dep.
[Faint, illegible handwriting across the middle of the page]
you may have
[Faint, illegible handwriting at the bottom of the page]

To whom it may concern This may certify that I Benjamin Smith of Holland in the county of Hampshire Commonwealth of Massachusetts being Twenty seven years of age do Testify & say that in the year 1776 in the month of August W m James of Brimfield in said county entered the service of the United States as a soldier with me in a company of militia under the command of Capt Reuben Moor from Monson in said county we marched from said Brimfield through Brookfield Worcester to Roxbury where we incamped two months from thence we were removed to Boston & stayed two months more & were dismissed the last of Nov r or first of Dec r Benjamin Smith
Hampden ss. Holland Sept 12 th 1882
Personally appeared the above named Benjamin Smith & made oath to the truth of the above affidavit by him subscribed in my presence Before me John Wallis Justice of the Peace
This may certify that the above deponent Benjamin Smith is esteemed as a man of truth & veracity John Wallis Justice of the Peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss. I John Ingersoll a Clerk of the Common Pleas Court in and for said County in the County of Hampshire do hereby certify that John Wallis as a Justice of the Peace for said County of Hampshire and that his name there subscribed I believe to be his true & proper signature I testify whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Common Pleas Court at Springfield on this twenty sixth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred & thirty three
John Ingersoll Clerk