Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 13535, for William James, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
James, William Mary
W. 13535
CONTENTS

Mary Jane M. 78 William d. 80 75 7. 1. baptisms Clifton 76 12. " "

Mary Fanny widow of William Mass.
Set 7 July 1838
See let to Jas Gregory 24 May '39

Massachusetts - 3,766
Mary James
widow of William James ,
who was a pensioner under the Act of
and who died on the 23 d August 1782
of Essex in the State of Massachusetts
who was a Pen. in the County commanded
by Captain Symon or of the Regt commanded
by Glover in the Mass'ts
line for 7 mos & 1 day
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 2 3 / 4 Dollars 44 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4 th day of March, 1836.
Certificate of Pension issued the 6 th day of Sept. '39, and sent to Mrs. James Gregory, Marblehead, Mass.
Arrears to the 4 th of Mar. - $ 70 32
Semi-annual allowance ending 11 72
$ 82 04
{ Act July 7, } 1838. }
Recorded by R. Burdick Clerk, Book A Vol. 17 Page 99.

Rev
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 13535
Mary James Widow of William James Pris. Mans. Sim.
Act: July 7 th 1838
Index: Vol. a , Page 378
[Arraignment of 1870.]

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
ESSEX, ss.
I, JOHN PRINCE, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, within and for the County of Essex, do certify, that Hon. David Cummings is Judge of the Court of Common Pleas within and for said County. That
is a Justice of the Peace, within and for said County, and that their signatures hereon are genuine. James Gregory Esquire
WITNESS MY HAND, and the Seal of said Court of Common Pleas,
November 28. A. D. 1838.
John Prince Clerk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, November 24 th 1828
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 William James of Marblehead as a private is borne on a Muster Roll of the Company commanded by Capt. Francis Symmes, Colonel John Glover's Regiment, where it appears he rendered Service from May 30 th to August 1 st 1775 viz 2 Months - 7. days —
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John D. Sleeper
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

3579 Mary James wid of William Map. 3766
3579
act 7. July 38
adm
7 mo. 10 days hi
$23.44
no deduction
James Gregory Marblehead Mass.

State of Massachusetts, } ss Marblehead. County of Essex - - - }
On this thirtieth day of August A. D. 1888 personally appeared before me David Cummings Esquire a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of a Court of Record within & for said State & County, Mary James, a resident of said Marblehead, aged Seventy-nine years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath & from the best of her knowledge & belief, make the following Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed July 3 rd 1888, entitled "An act granting half pay & pensions to certain widows": That she is the widow of William James, who was a private in the Company of Francis Symonds of the 21 st Regiment of Massachusetts Foot, commanded by Colonel John Glover, in the War of the Revolution; that her said husband resided in Marblehead at the time of his enlistment & enlisted in said Corps & in said town, in the eight months' service, as a volunteer, on the thirtieth day of May, A. D. 1775: that he continued in said Corps doing his duty in & about said Marblehead until the 22 nd day of June following, when he marched with said Regiment to Cambridge, near Boston, & joined the American Army encamped there under the command of General Ward; that in a short time after General Washington arrived, took the command; that her said husband continued with said Regiment doing his duty at said Cambridge & around said Boston, until the thirtieth day of December following, when the term of service having expired said Regiment was discharged.

She further Declares that her said husband again immediately enlisted as a volunteer & Private, at said Cambridge, for the term of one year, in a Company commanded by the same Francis Symonds, aforesaid, & was attached to a Regiment of Infantry (Volunteers) of the Rhode Island Continental Line commanded by Colonel Hitchcock: that he continued with said Regiment at said Cambridge, until the day the British evacuated said Boston on the seventeenth of March following when he marched with said Regiment to New York, & continued doing his duty there until the capture of the City, & afterwards around said City & neighborhood until they went into Winter Quarters at a place called "Red Hills" on the East Bank of the Hudson River, & about 65 miles north of the City, where he continued until on or about the first of January 1777, when the term of enlistment having expired said Regiment was discharged, & he returned home: that she has no Documentary evidence & knows of no person whose testimony she can procure to prove this last period of her said husband's service, & begs to refer to the evidence thereof understood to be among the Records of the War Office at Washington for the necessary proof. She further Declares that after her said husband's service in the Army he was in much Private service by Sea, & among others he was in the Ship Bunker Hill. Ship Roeback of Salem, Capt. Hensfield - himself first Lieutenant - was taken in the last named & imprisoned 18 months - was wounded in the arm in a small Private of the coast of

Nova Scotia in 1778 by a musket ball. Also commander of the Privateer Schooner Adventure of Beverly & Lee of Marblehead, but that she does not at present recollect of any other Public Service performed by her and late husband than that which she has herein stated.
She further declares that she was married to the said William James, on the eighteenth day of October in the year seventeen hundred & seventy-eight; that her said husband the aforesaid William James, was killed by a musket ball in the temple, on the twenty-third day of August A.D. 1782, while commanding the Privateer Schooner Lee of Marblehead - fired by a party of Artillery at and near while entering a Port in the then wild of Nova Scotia for supplies; & that she has remained a widow ever since his death; that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January, seventeen hundred & ninety-four, viz; at the time above stated, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
Witness James Gregory
Mary her X James
Sworn to & subscribed on the day & year above written - the said applicant being unable by reason of infirmity to appear in Court. Before me, David Cussens.

Extract from the Record of Marriages in the Town of Marblehead, County of Essex, State of Massachusetts
Seventeen hundred Seventy eight October Eighteenth William James and Mary Power, both of this Town
I certify that the above is a true extract from the Record, with the exception of the date, which is expressed on the record in fair, legible figures as follows. Oct. 17, 1778 Richd Homan
I, Richd. Homan, depose & say that I hold the office of Clerk of the Town of Marblehead County & State aforesaid, & that the above is a true extract from the records of said town with the exception above named, as certified by me.
Richd. Homan Clerk of the Town of Marblehead
Marblehead September 13th 1838
Essex ss.
Then personally appeared Richard Homan, a credible witness & made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit subscribed by him.
Before me
James Gregory, J. of the Peace.
I, William Hooper, of Marblehead, in the County of Essex, & State of Massachusetts, do on oath testify & declare that I am in the eighty- first year of my age: that I was in Public Service both by Sea & Land in the War of the Revolution: that I was pensioned on the 21st of August, 1833 — under the law of June 7th 1832 — for said service I knew William James, the late husband of Mary James, who is understood to have signed the Declaration hereon — And I have always understood said William James was in much service in said War but the particulars of it

in the War of the Revolution: that I was pensioned on the 21st of August, 1833 - under the law of June 7th 1832 - for said service. I have William James, the late husband of Mary James, who is understood to have signed the declaration hereon - And I have always understood said William James was in much service in said War, but the particulars of it I cannot state from my own personal knowledge. I have always understood & believed that said William James was killed while engaged in Private service in said War, & I further have no doubt that he was killed at the time & in the manner his said widow has hereon declared. I have known the widow of said William James from my youth up, & I also know that her maiden name was Mary Powers; & I do further know that she has continued the widow of the said William James & never intermarried since his death. Witness
Hannah Hooper J. Gregory
William Hooper
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, } ss Marblehead, October 13th 1838. County of Essex } - - - - -
Then personally appeared the above named William Hooper, a credible witness, undoubted witness, & made solemn oath that the above affidavit by him in any presence subscribed, is in all respects true -
Before me, James Gregory, J. of the Peace.