Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30709, for Elijah Smith, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Smith, Elijah
S. 30709
CONTENTS
Sunderland In 1725 in Montague, Hampshire Co. Mass. In Montague at end. In 1732 in of Buckland, Franklin Co. Mass.

5.6115
Massachusetts
Elijah Smith
of Franklin in the State of Massachusetts who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Grinn of the Regt commanded by Col D. Little in the Massachusetts line for 9 m. 47 days service
File 15605
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 30 Dollars 78 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 24 day of June 1833 and sent to E. Alvord Greenfield Mass
Arrears to the 14th of Mar 1833 $ 11.56 Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sept 15.39
$ 26.95
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Book E
W. Blagden Clerk Vol. D. Page 78.
58
Franklin

N o 22363
Elijah Smith Franklin County Massachusetts
Printed 9 Mar 7 days
E. Alvah Greenfield Massachusetts

BRIEF in the case of Elijah Smith County of Franklin in the State of Massachusetts (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 87 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. As a     Enlisted Minute man In 1774 private Gen. Washington, Putnam, Pomeroy Capt. A. Gurney,   Enlisted ~ 1775 - 8 - private Capt. R. Sturtevant, Col. Doolittle   Enlisted ~ 1777 - 1 - 7 private Capt. B. Phillips,  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Bunker Hill  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Frankland County & Massachusetts  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditional  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.
Richd. Heywalls Examining Clerk.

Elijah Smith
22363
Declaration of Elijah Smith for Pension

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
FRANKLIN COUNTY ss.
ON THIS seventeenth day of October A. D. 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before the Buckland Court of Common Pleas of the Probate said Commonwealth, now sitting at Greenfield within and for the said County of Franklin, by adjournment Elijah Smith a resident of Buckland in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid, aged eighty seven years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of an 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.
I Elijah Smith of Buckland in the County of Franklin and Commonwealth of Massachusetts was born in the town of Montague in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid (the County was then a part of Hampshire ) in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred forty five; I have no family register, I believe there is a record of my birth in the town of Sunderland which included Montague at that time. In the fall of the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred seventy four I enlisted into the service of the United States as a minute man in a Company of Artillery commanded by Capt. Isaac Gunn , I then living in Montague aforesaid. In April 21 st day the year following which was 1795 I was notified and marched from Montague aforesaid to Cambridge near Boston in the Commonwealth aforesaid, after ten days or more I enlisted into the army of the revolution in Capt. Robert Oliver's Company of Militia in Col. Doolittle's Reg. as a private soldier for eight months. I was in the Battle of Bunkerhill , I did duty in said Company during said eight months when I was dismissed at Charleston aforesaid but had no written discharge. I knew of Generals Washington , Putnam , and Pomeroy , being there. I again enlisted into the service of the United States in the forepart of July in the year of our Lord 1777 immediately after Ticonderoga was given up (I then living in the town of Asfield ) joining Buckland where I now live in a Company of Militia commanded by Capt. Benjamin Phillips and we retreated by short marches to Stillwater and I served in this campaign five weeks and then was dismissed at Stillwater without a written discharge.
I have no documentary evidence and I know of no person whose testimony I can procure who can testify to any of my services speaking in all nine months and seventeen days.
I am known by Benjamin F. Clark and Joseph Griswold Esq. of Buckland
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 aforesaid.
R. E. Mearns Judge of Probate Elijah Smith WE, Benjamin F. Clark Clergyman and Joseph Griswold
residing in Buckland hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Elijah Smith who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be eighty 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 and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. Benjamin F. Clark R. E. Mearns Judge of Probate Joseph Griswold
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 above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Benjamin F. Clark who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the said town of Buckland ; and Joseph Griswold who has also signed the same is a resident of the same town, and is a Justice of the Peace, and a person of credible and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Register R. E. Mearns Judge of Probate Elijah Smith
I, ELIJAH ALVORD , Clerk of the said Court, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Elijah Smith for a pension.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed the Seal of the said Court, this seventeenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
E. Alvord Reg. Prob. Clerk

Rev. War Section.
awt. Aug. 28, 1923.
Mrs. James Neild, Greenfield, Box 114, Mass.
Madam;
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S. 30709, it appears that Elijah Smith was born in Montague, Franklin Co., Mass. 1745, and while residing there enlisted in the Fall of 1774 as a minute man in a company of militia commanded by Captain Asahel Gunn and on April 21, 1775 marched from Montague to Cambridge, in about ten days he enlisted in Captain Robert Oliver's Company, Colonel Doolittle's Regiment, Mass. troops and served as a private 8 months. July 1777 he served 5 weeks in Captain Benjamin Phillips' Company, Colonel's name not stated. He was in the battle of Bunker Hill.
He was allowed pension on his application executed Oct. 17, 1832, while a resident of Buckland, Franklin Co., Mass.
There is no data on file as to his family.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

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

30709 Rev INVALID.
File No. 30,709
Elijah Smith His Rev Rev
Act: June 7 th 39 th
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 381
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Nov-24-1902 Mrs. W. S. Norton Fremont Ohio
1903-avg-28-visit to Mrs. James Wild. av.

372 S. Arch St Lancaster. Pa.
To the Commissioner of Pensions.
Will you kindly inform me if the records show that Elisha Smith of Mass. rec'd a pension for service in the Rev- olutionary War?
He enlisted at Belchertown and died & was buried at Hadley Mass.
Also if John Duff of N. York State rec'd a pension. He was born & lived in Dutchess Co N. Y. & enlisted at the age of sixteen & served six years, afterwards going to Vermont.

I am trying to distinguish between the two John Huffs who served from N. J. state.
Very truly Yours - Mrs. W. E. Norton.

Sheffield, Mass. July 10. 1923.
Mr. Washington Gardner, Comm. Dept. Interior - - Rev. War. Section Bureau Pensions - Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir - Regarding papers of Catharine Niles, Alice Gerrit & Nellie O. Basson - These three are sisters I found all the material for the papers. When I was in Washington in April

I was told, all that was necessary to put their papers through was to prove that their ancestor, Elijah Smith was on the Pension Roll. Then I went to work in Continental Hall Library & I found the following in 'Pension Rolls U.S.A. Vol. 1. "
under Mass. Franklin Co.
Elijah Smith - Private #20.00 Aug. Allowance - recd. $50.00
Mass. militia - Placed on Pen. Roll.
June 26, 1833
Commencement of Pension 1833 age 76.
Will the above record help

2.
If so, I would be very glad to hear from you.
Thanking you, Dear, Sincerely,
Mrs. James Neild
P.O. Box 114

16 1923 SECTION 1923 SECTION