Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B.L.Wt. 56859-160-55, for John Mc Master, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
McMaster, John Sarah B.
B.L. Wt. 56859-160-55
CONTENTS

234. 450
56859. Spald March 13 1857
Act Mar. 3. '55 Feb. 9. '56
Sarah B. m c Master, und. John m c Master, bond.
Ad: 160 Ac. Mch: 16/5 Mass.
Int. 12. Amt. 1777. dis. 30. m c . "
B. B. H.
Revij. war.
(227)
No Papers
St. Leonard Lewis Jan'y 24/57 End 9
Vol. No 1-123.
St. Leonard & Lewis Westfield.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
HAMPDEN, SS.
I, George B. Morris, Clerk of the Judicial Courts of the Commonwealth, for the County of Hampden, do certify, that James G Allen & H B Sleeves Esquires whose signatures are  is affixed to the certificates on the papers hereto annexed, were  were at the date thereof, one of the Justices of the Peace, within and for said County, duly commissioned and acting under the authority of this Commonwealth; and that full faith and credit is, and ought to be given, to their  his acts and attestations, done in that capacity; and that I am acquainted with the hand-writing of the said James G Allen of the said H. B. Sleeves and believe their  his signature to said certificate is genuine: also that the instrument hereto annexed, purports to be duly executed and acknowledged, according to the laws of this Commonwealth, for the purposes therein expressed.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the Supreme Judicial Court for said Commonwealth, this third day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty Seven
GOODWIN I
Clerk.

In the matter of Sarah B. Nelson of John the Master Faculty Lodge,
Additional Encl.
Filed by Second Floor's Cottyp Worshipful Mop

State of Massachusetts County of Hampden ss-
On this thirty first day of Jany ad one thou- -sand eight hundred and fifty seven personally appeared before me a justice of the peace within and for the county and state aforesaid - Theron M c Master a resident of Palmer in said County who first being duly sworn according to law, does depose and say, - that he was well acquainted with John, M c Master, (a resident of said Palmer during his life time) and the husband of Sarah B. M c Master - who has applied for bounty land for the service of her husband, - That his acquaintance with said John M c Master commenced as early as the year ad 1800, - and that acquaintance continued intimately till the death of said John M c Master which occurred about 20 years ago, In further says, I know by the general speech of people - and the traditions of the years - subsequent to the revo- lutionary war - in said Palmer - that the said John M c Master was consid- ered - one of the bolders - of the revolutionary army - and I have often heard him spoken of in that manner

forty to fifty years ago - by old residents of Palm who were alive during said Revolutionary War. I also distinctly recollect hearing one James M c Clintock, a Revolutionary Pensioner, and one Keigh M c Master a soldier in the War - but who died before being entitled to a pension - both of whom were residents of said Palm in their life time - speak of incidents of service in War time in which the said John M c Master bore a part, - and speak have heard him say that he was in the War as a soldier. I also heard the said John M c Master in his life time frequently speak of incidents occurring while he was in service, & have heard him say that he served as a soldier in the American Army - I have also since the year 1880 been well acquainted throughout Palm, and vicinity and I never knew, or heard of any other John M c Master (mentioned, or alluded to, as having been in any  connected connected with service in said War.
I do further depose and say that

State of Massachusetts, The foregoing declaration was subscribed and sworn to before me. In the day and Year first above written - April 11th 1840 (That I know the same to be true and know him to be a Credible person - and that I have no interest in the claim of said Sarah B M c Master for Bounty land - James G Allen Hembrook County Ct
I was well acquainted with Sarah B M c Master the wife of said John M c Master - that I am acquainted with her since (as early as the year AD 1800 as aforesaid) - that she was then living with the aforesaid John M c Master in the relation of a wife - and that she continues to live together in that the relation of Husband & Wife till his death - that she has since that remained a widow, & resided in said Palm and - in Belcherton, till about seven years since when she removed to Westfield in said County where I believe she now lives - I also recollect that there was a great disparity - of age - between said John M c Master and Sarah B M c Master - his wife - he being about 22 or 23 years older than she was - I often heard this matter spoken of - by old people - residents of Palm who were about the age of said John M c Master and and I do further swear that I am not in any manner interested in the claim of said Sarah B M c Master for Bounty land!
Attest James G Allen
Theron M c Master

State of Massachusetts County of Hampden } ss
On this thirty first day of January A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty seven personally appeared before me a justice of the peace within and for the county and State aforesaid John Smith a resident of Palmer in said County & State, who being duly sworn according to law does depose and say - that he was well acquainted with John M c Master the husband of Sarah B M c Master who has applied for County Land for the services of her husband during the revolutionary war. - that his acquaintance with the said John M c Master commenced as early as the year 1784 or 1785 - when I was a boy of the age of seven or eight years - and that my acquaintance with the said John M c Master continued till the time of his death which occurred about 20 years ago. During the whole of which time I think I saw him as often as once a week during the whole of the time - I was also well acquainted with

Sarah B M c Master the wife of the said John M c Master; both before & after said Marriage. - her Maiden Name was Sarah B. Hamilton, I recollect her from the time she was about fifteen Years of Age - and as early as the Year 1785, or 1786, - I was present at the Marriage of said John M c Master to the said Sarah B. Hamilton - which said Marriage took place late in the fall, and I think in the Year 1796. - I think it was in that Year from the fact that I was then about 18 Years of age -
The Marriage Ceremony was performed by Rev. Moses Baldwin - then pastor of the Church in Palmyra, I also recollect particularly the matter from the impressions made on my mind at the time, in relation to the disparity of their Ages. the said John M c Master being about 46 Years of Age and the said Sarah B. - then being but about 23 Years of age - I know that they lived together in said

Palmer as Husband & Wife till his death which which took place about twenty Years Ago & since which time the said Sarah B McMaster has remained a Widow - a part of which time she resided in Belchertown - at a distance of about four Miles from where I live - about seven Years ago she removed to Westfield in the County of Hampden where I believe she now resides - and James G Allen John Smith
I do further swear that I am not in any manner interested in the claim of Mrs Sarah B McMaster for County land - for the service of her late husband John McMaster attest James G Allen John Smith
State of Massachusetts
County of Hampden Ss I hereby certify that the foregoing declaration was signed and sworn to before me, and that I know the said John Smith to be a credible person and that I have no interest in the claim of said Sarah B McMaster to County land James G Allen Justice of the Peace

State of Massachusetts County of Hampden ss On this thirtyfirst day of Jany ad one thousand eight hundred and fiftyseven personally appeared before me - a Justice of the peace within and for the county and state aforesaid. Elias Smith now a resident of Palmer in said county and state who being duly sworn according to law. does depose and say that he was well acquainted with John McMaster - a soldier in the revolutionary war, and the husband of Sarah B Mc Master - who has applied for bounty land - for the services of her said husband. during the said war. - That his acquaintance with the said John McMaster commenced as early as the year 1790 - He lived in said Palmer from that time till the time of his death which occurred about 20 years ago. I also remember that it was a common subject of remarks - in the community there from my earliest remembrance that the said John Mc Master was in military service during the revolutionary war - - He used

to be called one of the "Revolutionary Soldiers" - and there was no other John M c Master in the town of Palmer. - was reported as a Soldier of the Revolution to my knowledge I was intimately acquainted with him from early years of 1790 - till his death - and at no time did he live over two miles from where I resided I was also acquainted with his wife Sarah B M c Master before her marriage to said John M c Master - her Maiden Name was Sarah B Hamilton. - I was not present at the Marriage - but knew at the time, by report that the marriage did take place not being in my neighborhood. I also know that lived together from the time of the reputed marriage (which I think about the year 1790) till the time of as husband & wife were so reputed - They lived, at the time of John M c Master death - at the next House Westerly - of where I lived. I recollect the circumstances of their reputed Marriage & subsequent cohabitation

State of Massachusetts to all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting: Whereas the foregoing declaration was signed and sworn to by the deponent, and the same was acknowledged before me this day personally appearing John M c Master, to me known to be the person described in and who executed the foregoing declaration, and acknowledged that he executed the same as his free act and deed. Given under my hand and the seal of the said John M c Master this 23 rd day of March, 1843.  James K. Allen
for the first that there was a great disparity of age between  between them - which was in those days a common subject of remarks - the said John M c Master being then 23 or 24 years of age and was at the time of said marriage quite an old man - I also know that the said Sarah B M c Master the widow of said John M c Master has remained a widow from the death of said John - at the present time being 2 and 3 years after the death of said John M c Master she removed to into the town of Belchertown about 3 miles distant - and remained there about ten years - from which she removed to Westfield in this County where she now resides. I do also swear - that I have no interest in the claim of Sarah B M c Master for Bounty Land.
Elihu Smith
The name of the deponent was formerly here - he the said deponent having hold of the pen - deponent not being able to write from infirmity.
James K. Allen
an error in the above was not noticed

State of Massachusetts County of Hampden
On this second day of February A.D. one thousand eight hundred fifty-seven personally appeared before me a Justice of the peace within & for the County & State aforesaid, Sarah B. McMullen who being duly sworn according to law declares that she is the identical Sarah B. McMullen who made application No 234,450 for bounty-loan under act of March 3, 1855 for services of her deceased husband John McMullen in the war of the rebellion - that she was married to the said John & that the said John died as stated in said declaration that there is no person living within her knowledge who served with her husband in said war - that he frequently talked with the neighbors & with a lawyer in his neighborhood in regard to obtaining a pension for her services in said war but that he never did apply for said pension owing to his not being able to prove the requisite service - that she has frequently in her life time heard him talk of the events of the revolution that transpired while he was in the service - that he was sick while he was in said war - that she has heard

him recount his sufferings & the sufferings of his companions while in said war - that she & her her said husband lived in the same neighborhood, & attended the same meeting that she knew him from her earliest recollection & always he even from the reports of the neighbors reports & her own knowledge of his sayings at the time he was visiting her that she was receiving the address of a soldier of the Revolution that it was always conceded by her her friends & all that knew him that he had been a Revolutionary soldier - that there was no other John McNaughton within her knowledge & that even was a soldier in said war - that at the time she was married to him she was twenty three years of age at the time of her marriage & that he was forty six which caused a general remark at the time & that she was compensated by marrying a Revolutionary soldier for the disparity of their ages - that she knows of no other evidence of identity in regards to herself & husband only that enclosed herewith, but that she from her intimate

acquaintance with her said husband & from often hearing recount the events of the "revolutionary times" when he was in the service" has no doubt but what he served as stated in her declaration & she knows that he is the identical person named in the certificate of the surrender of state files with said affidavit & she also states that she is the widow of said John or this date & the identical widow of the said John M. Austin who served in said war.
Signed by the said Sarah B. Mc Austin Sarah B. Mc Austin by taking hold of the pen of H. B. Dennis while he wrote the name of her own free will & therefor H. B. Dennis she holding the pen at the time Eliza M. Henry
Subscribed & sworn to before me on the 2nd day of June 1882 & I certify that the said Sarah B. is the identical person who represents herself to be & the identical person who made the foregoing declaration before me above & that I have no interest in this claim
H. B. Dennis Justice of the peace

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
HAMPDEN, ss.
I, George B. Morris, Clerk of the Judicial Courts of the Commonwealth, for the County of Hampden, do certify, that
A B Leavitt Esquire, whose signature is affixed to the certificate on the paper hereto annexed, was, at the date thereof, one of the Justices of the Peace, within and for said County, duly commissioned, and acting under the authority of this Commonwealth; and that full faith and credit is, and ought to be given, to his acts and attestations, done in that capacity; and that I am acquainted with the hand-writing of the said
A B Leavitt and believe his signature to said certificate is genuine: also that the instrument hereto annexed, purports to be duly executed and acknowledged, according to the laws of this Commonwealth, for the purposes therein expressed.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the Supreme Judicial Court, for said Commonwealth, this 5 th day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty Six
Geo B Morris Clerk.

State of Massachusetts County of Hampden { 189
On this first day of February A. D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six personally appeared before me a Justice of the peace within and for the county and state aforesaid Sarah B. McMaster aged eighty one years a resident of Westfield in the County of Hampden and State of Massachusetts who being duly sworn according to law, declared that she is the widow of John McMaster deceased who was a Corporal in the War of the Revolution, that her said husband was drafted or enlisted or volunteered, she does not now recollect which, at Palmer in said County of Hampden or at a place in the twelfth day of August A. D. 1777. for the term of, according to her best recollection, three months and continued in actual service in said War for the term of three months and twenty seven days (as will appear from evidence furnished from office of Secretary of State of Mass, herewith enclosed) and was honorably discharged at Boston according to her best recollection, on the thirtieth day of November A. D. 1777.
She further states that she was married to the said John McMaster in Palmer in said County of Hampden on the twenty second day of December A. D. 1776 by one

Moses Baldwin a Minister of the Gospel and that her name before her said marriage was Sarah B. Harrington that her said husband died at Palmer in said County of Hampden on the fourteenth day of March A.D. 1835 and that she is now a widow
She further states that there is no public record of her marriage to her knowledge having caused search to be made for the same, but that there is a private or family record which was kept by her husband's father and which contains a record of the death and birth of her said husband, a copy of which is herewith forwarded - also that there is a private or family record as kept by her said husband in his lifetime wherein said record records their marriage but does not record the death of her said husband that, not having been entered, as yet, a copy of which last mentioned record is herewith enclosed
She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty-laws to which she may be entitled under the act approved March 3, 1855, & that she has never applied for nor received under this or any other act of Congress any bounty-laws whatever
Sarah B. Mrs. Master

she has never applied for nor received under this or any other act of Congress any bounty-land whatever.
Sarah B. Mc Master
We James B. Henry & Sally Mc Master Residents of Westfield in the County of Hampden and State of Massachusetts upon our oaths declare that the foregoing declara- tion was signed and acknowledged by the said Sarah B. Mc Master in our presence and that we believe from the appearance and statements of the applicant that she is the identical person she represents herself to be
James B. Henry Sarah B. Mc Master
Sally Mc Master
The foregoing declaration & affidavits were sworn to before me the day and year first above written & I certify that I know the affiants to be credible per- sons that the claimant is the person she represents herself to be & that I have no interest in this claim. And I further certify that in the certificate of witness above the subscribing name of "Sarah" Mc Master was erased & said "Sally Mc Master" in her name Sally instead of Sarah by your order it both being one & the same person.
H. B. Davis
Judge of the peace
State of Massachusetts } ss County of Hampden }
On this First day of February A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty- six personally appeared before me a Jus- tice of the peace in this and for the County and State aforesaid

# Sally Mc Master, and Eliza Henry both residents of Westfield in the county of Hampden and state of Massachusetts who being duly sworn according to law testify declare and say each for herself and themselves as hereinafter stated to wit the said Sally Mc Master declares that she is forty nine years of age and the said Eliza Mc Master Henry declares that she is forty two years of age and the said Sally and Eliza further declare and testify that the following is a true copy of a family record now in the possession, care & keeping of the said Sarah B. Mc Master and purporting to be a son's deponents have no doubts but what it is, the family record of the John Mc Master the father of John Mc Master the husband of said Sarah B. Mc Master, and that said record is contained in a family bible purporting to have been "printed by John Archdeacon Pitts in the Newbury - "Cambridge" in England" and appointed to be read in the churches by his majesty's special command that it is an old & worn bible & bears evidence in typography that it was then printed - that the record is as follows to wit
"A Record of the births of the  the John Mc Master's children" "James Mc Master Born August 28 1749 "John Mc Master Born December 24 1750 "Katharine Mc Master born August 9 1752 "Elizabeth Mc Master born March 10 1754 "William Mc Master Born April 16 1756 "And deceased January 6 1767

" Joshua Mc Master Born December 5. 1757 " Prudence Mc Master Born July 19 1759 " Clark Mc Master Born December 6 1761 " Eunice Mc Master Born November 8 1763 " And decayed February 1st 1766 " Mary Mc Master Born August 5 1766 " Millicent Mc Master Born June 2 1767 " And decayed May 5 1791 " Eunice Mc Master Born April 11. 1769 " decayed October 3-1779 " Gideon Mc Master born May 25, 1773 " decayed August 14 1775 " son John Mc Master decayed March 16- 1793 " in the seventy ninth year of his age " Millicent Mc Master died January 24 th 1800 " in the eighty third year of her age " John Mc Master deceased March the 14 th 1835 
And the said Sally and Elvira on oath further declare that the following is a true copy of an other family record in the care custody and keeping of the said Sarah B. pertaining to be a family record of the said Sarah B. & her deceased husband & which they know has long been in her possession & of which the following is a true copy to wit
" " Register " Of Mr John Mc Master " Mrs Sarah B. Hamilton Family " She was born December 24 th 1750 and was " Married December 22 nd 1796

"She was born February 13. 1774 & by her "both the following children being-
   " Names Born Died     " Johny Jr Sept 15. 1797   " James Feby 27. 1799 November 10. 1803   " Polly Nov 2. 1800 August 7. 1806   " Esther June 6. 1802 October 22. 1805   " Cherub July 24. 1804 November 3. 1832   " Sally May 24. 1806   " Hamilton July 21. 1808 August 3. 1828   " Luther June 11. 1810   " Elyja April 22. 1813   " Mary Nov 8. 1815  
And the said Sally and Elyja do with further declare that they are daughters of the said John & Sarah B. that from their earliest recollection they ever called the said John & Sarah Father and Mother & that from their own knowledge the said John & Sarah lived together & cohabited as husband and wife that a child or children were born to the said John & Sarah B. subsequent to the births of said persons, whom they recognized as sister to with Mary born after the birth of Elyja, & Hamilton, Luther Elyja and Mary after the birth of Sally, that the said John & Sarah B. were known, in the community as husband & wife & recognized as such till his, the said John's death, - that

The said Sarah B. now resides in the same family with said deponent, has resided with them for years past, that they have been intimately acquainted with her since the decease of her said husband & know that she has not intermarried with any one since his said decease but still continues his widow. And the said Sally & Eliza or both further say that they were present at the death, funeral & burial of the said John Mc Master & know that he died as before stated by his widow
Sally Mc Master Eliza Henry
Sworn to and subscribed before me the day & year first above written, & I certify that the said Sally & Eliza are credible witnesses, that I have no interest in this claim that the copies from the said Records above mentioned are true copies as compared by me, that the said bible is an old edition printed as alleged by said Sally & Eliza, & that it bears on the face of it as being what it purports to be in regard to its contents & being a family record - also that the private record of John & Sarah B. is faithfully copied from a record found by me in the possession of said Sarah B. & which I have no doubt was genuine
And I further certify that the following alterations, erasures & interlineations were all respectfully made before signing to wit on 4th page 8th line from top

the word "Mrs Master" erased & word "Henry" written over it - also on same page, 16th line from top the letters "Dr" were written over & changed into letters "Dea" - also on same page 28 line from top letters "Dr" erased & letters "Dea" written above it - also on 29 line in figures "28" the figure "8" was changed from figure "6" & blot made over same so as to read "28" - also on page 5, 6th line from top last figure in line changed from figure "6" to figure "5" so as to read "1765" also on 7th line same page the figure "2" after June was changed from figure 1 to figure "2" so as to read June 2 nd 1767 also on same page 18th line from top letters "Doct" erased & letters "Dr" written above it - also on same page 2d line from bottom blot made on first word "He". Also on 6" page 5, line from top in figures "1799" figures "99" was altered from "77" so as to read Feby 27, "1799". Also on this page 14" line from top letter "d" after figure 2 erased so as to read June "2", all of which was done & made before my seeing & attesting
H. B. Lewis Justice of the peace
234.450
Application for Bounty Land Sarah B. Widow of John Mc Master
War of the Revolution
Files
By
Leonards & Lewis's attys
Westfield Mass

n Fl. 559
Neo Amos

234. 450
Sarah B. M c Master wid of John
Ad. cv.
Ref to Mrs Boynton
18 May 87/50

FREE
Henry J. Minot Comr of Pensions Washington D.C.
234.480

Additional Application No
John McMaster
Mar 11/35
Admiral Moffatt Scapa Flow 4 Feb 9/5
Rev. G. White Barn of Penn Nashville Ga.

Applications for certificate of Revolutionary services made by the widow of the party who rendered the service State of Massachusetts County of Hampden } S.P.11
The secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is hereby requested to furnish evidence from the Rolls in his office of the service of John McMaster in the war of the Revolution
He was a native of the town of Palmer in the County of Hampden & State of Massachusetts He was drafted at said Palmer or enlisted at said Palmer in the latter part of the year 1776 or the fore part of the year 1777 or thereabouts as a private in a company the captain of which she does not now know the name of that the Colonel of the Regiment she thinks was Abel Chapin but is not certain that he served as follows viz he was at Saratoga or Still Water at the Battle & Surrender of Burgoyne that he served in the Northern portion of the Army & might & probably was under other Colonels he was also with the Army at Roxbury in the State of Massachusetts that her husband informed her in his life time

that the whole period of his service was about nine months in the said war & at two different times the names of his captains she does not recollect nor his colonels more fully nor his regiments the above facts being obtained from memory. He might have served in Col. Woodbridge's or Col. Moseley's Regiments
I am now eighty one years of age & my memory does not enable me to state the services more fully than above stated
Attest H. B. Sewell
Sarah B. McMaster
Witness my hand this twenty sixth day of January A.D. 1856
Attest H. B. Sewell
Sarah B. McMaster
Equally to said Sarah B. McMaster in my presence
H. B. Sewell
Justice of the peace,
See counts of War
Warfield Mass Jan 28/56
Please comply with above request & forward result to us Very Resp'd your obt Servt Hon S. D. With Leonard D. Sewell

Cert of Service of John McMaster War of the Revolution
234. 4150

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston.
January 30 th 1856.
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 John Mc Master is borne on pay roll of Capt. Ephraim Chaplin's Comp. (Col. Ruggles Woodbridge's Regt. from Aug. 12 to Nov. 30, (year not given, probably 1777) 3 Mts. 27. Days, as Corporal. Paid and allowed in Council April 21. 1778.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
J. D. Wells Secretary of the Commonwealth.