Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 10922, for Nathan Johnson, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Johnson, Nathan
S. 10922
CONTENTS
card

4839.
Massachusetts
Nathan Johnson
of Wrentham in the State of Mass who was a serjt in the company commanded by Captain  of the regt commanded by Col Ward in the Mass line for General 8 mo 10 - 3 -
85
March
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 39 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 29 th day of Jany 1830 and permt  Sten 10 Days  St of Reps
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832 $58.99 Semi-ann. allowance ending 1 Mar 33  19.66
$78.65
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J H  Blain Clerk Book D , Vol. 2  27 Page 60 .

Nathan Johnson
Central 8 March
Pine 3 do
adm
39,33 8433
Hon. J. Davis PR

BRIEF in the case of  Nathan Johnson of the County of Worcester in the State of Mass.  (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? 81 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.     In 1775 May — 8 — Corporal Gen. Col. Ward, Capt. Wood   "76 Sept. — 2 — Private Col. Denny, Capt. Sherman   "77 Sept. — 1 — do — Capt. Mirick  
5. In what battles was he engaged? Bunker Hill 6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Northborough 7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Depositions 8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Levin Pelt  Examining Clerk.

DECLARATION, in order to secure the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
COUNTY OF WORCESTER, ss.
ON this 18 th day of October, in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open Court, before Nathaniel Pierce Judge of Probate now sitting Nathan Johnson a resident of Berlin in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged eighty 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 act of Congress, passed June 7th 1832.
THAT he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
He first joined a company raised by Samuel Wood about the first of May 1775, in the regiment commanded by Col. Jonathan Carse, and performed service in the vicinity of Boston for eight months the term of his engagement and was honorably discharged by verbal orders. He next joined a company commanded by Capt David Sherman in Col. Denny's regiment about the middle of September 1776 and served therein two months the term of his engagement in and near Jersey town in New York. He was a corporal in said first mentioned service. He next joined a company commanded by Capt James Ellis where the platoon officers were Joseph Howe & Timothy Jones. For thirty days and marched to Fort Edward on the North river, in Sept 1777 and remained in the service until after the surrender of Gen Burgoyne & his army when he was honorably discharged. He was in the battle of Bunker Hill - He was born July 30th 1748 in Bolton near Berlin on the estate where he now lives. When he first entered the service he lived in Northborough and at the time of his discharge also. At the time engaged he lived where he now does & has lived there ever since. He believes there is a record of his age in Bolton but has no certain knowledge of it. He has no other evidence of service than the depositions annexed for his character. He refers to his neighbors Silas Burley of Northborough & Col. Joseph Dack of Berlin who know by reputation that he was in the army in the revolution. We have no other clergymen acquaintance with my services or reputation as a soldier.
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.
Nathan Johnson Nathaniel Pierce Judge of Probate for the County of Worcester

We J. John Davis a Clergyman residing in the Town of Worcester and hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Nathan Johnson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that I believe him to be Eighty four years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Before Nathl. Haine Judge of Probate for the County of Worcester —
John Davis
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 mentioned applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the court further certifies, that it appears to them that Hon. John Davis who signed the preceding certificate, is a gentleman resident in the Town of Worcester and that who is also signed the same is a resident in the and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Nathl. Haine Judge of Probate for the County of Worcester
I Asaphus Wheeler Reg. Clerk of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Nathan Johnson for a pension. That I have been sworn before whom the several affidavits were made and known to be the true and correct copies of the originals. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said Probate Court this Eighth day of November in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty two
Asaphus Wheeler Reg. of Probate for the County of Worcester in Massachusetts
Nathan Johnson Berlin

Rev. May
10922 INVALID.
File No. 10,922
Nathan Johnson Corp. Rev. May
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 195
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Nathan Johnson
Hon. J. Davis

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Nathan Johnson 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? no
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? yes
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 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? yes
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? yes
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? yes
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? yes
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 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 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.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts I, Nathaniel Longley of Wor in the County of Worcester aged 75 years and 10 months on oath declare that in the Month of September 1777 a detachment from the Militia of said Commonwealth was ordered to join the army under General Gates and to serve thirty days after arriving in Camp and I volunteered in said service as did also Nathan Johnson then of Bell (that part now Berlin) and we commenced our service the first day of October under Capt James Murch and Lieutenants Joseph Howe and Timothy Jones and did duty at Fort Edward and on the easterly banks of Hudsons River until the surrender of General Burgoyne and his army on the 17 th of said October and the army surrender and some time afterwards was discharged being then nearly 200 Miles from our place of residence
Nath l Longley
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Worcester ss September 5 th 1832 Personally appeared before me the subscriber a Justice of the Peace for said County of Worcester Nathaniel Longley who subscribed the above declaration and made solemn oath that the same is just and true in all its parts to the best of his knowledge and belief The above Nathaniel Longley Thomas Brigham Jr. is well known to me and has been for a number of years and I hereby certify that he is a credible witness

Depositions in the case of Nathan Johnson —
Reuben Babcock James H. Ledy

I Reuben Babcock of Northborough in the county of Worcester & Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged 77 years on oath depose & say, that Nathan Johnson of Berlin in said County was in the service of the United States in the revolutionary war for the term of eight months commencing about the first of May 1775 - Said service was performed at Cambridge & Dorchester near Boston, Mass, in Col. Jonathan Ward's Regiment & Capt Samuel Wood's company -
The said Nathan Johnson was also in the said service for the term of five months from about the middle of September 1776 - in & near Jerry's Town about thirty miles from the city of New York - in Col. Denny's Regiment & Capt. David Sherman's company -
During the first mentioned term of eight months the other Regimental & Company Officers were as follows - Lt. Col. Edward Barnes - Maj: Simon Brattle, Adj: James Hart. 1 st Lieut. Timothy Brigham - 2 nd Lieut. Thomas Seaver - I was a soldier during the said term in the same company with said Johnson -
During the 2 nd term above mentioned the Officers were Lt. Col. Tyler, Maj: Daniel Clapp. 1 st Lieut. Seth Morse, 2 nd Lieut. Amos Rice -
At the expiration of said terms the said companies were regularly discharged by verbal orders -
Reuben Babcock
Worcester ss. Sept 5 1832. Then the above named Reuben Babcock made oath to the truth of the above deposition by him subscribed - Before me & And I certify that the said deposition is well known to me and is a credible witness - Martin L. Stone Justice of the Peace

I, James Longley of Boylston in the County of Worcester & Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged 78 years on oath depose & say - That Nathan Johnson of Berlin in said County was in the service of the United States in the Revolutionary war for the term of eight months commencing about the first of May 1775 - Said service was performed at Cambridge & Dorchester, Mass. under the following Regimental & Company Officers - viz -
  Col. Jonathan Wain  Capt Samuel Wood    Dr. Col. Edward Barnes  1 Lt. Timothy Brigham    Major Timothy Brigham  2 " Thomas Seaver    Adjt. James Hart   
At the expiration of said term the said Johnson was regularly discharged by verbal orders - I was a member in said company during the said term - and the said Johnson was a corporal in said company -
James Longley
Worcester ss. Sept. 3, 1832 - The abovenamed James Longley made oath to the truth of the above deposition by him subscribed - Before me - And I certify that the said deponent is well known to me and is a credible witness -
Martin L. Stone Justice of the Peace