Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 25,682, for Dougal Mc Pherson, Massachusetts

SERVICE
7 Mass
McPherson, Dougal Mary
NUMBER _____
W. 25. 682.
CONTENTS

Maine 505
Mary M c Pherson Somerset in the State of Maine
who was a in the  commande by Captain of the  commande on the widow of M c Pherson dec d late a Private in the Revolution
Inscribed on the Roll of Maine at the rate of 80 Dollars  Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 20 th day of Febr y 1837 and sent for  the Grand No. of the p er
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1836 $ 440.00 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 March  40.00 $480.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by N. G. Adson Clerk Booke 7 Vol. 13 Page 13

ate my Self by this wife of Dougal m c Pharson m and Victuals. The Searm of heret for fifty Bushells of Oat and Charges of Sickness be the said Dougal m c Pharson of the aforesaid m c Pharson is the Room in my House by her Convenience as Witness my Hand Rahmach Batchellor

971. 3 Sec.
Application of Mary M c Pherson widow of Dougal M c Pherson a private of the Mass s . line in the Revolutionary war served in Col o H. Jacksons Reg t . Aug 15 to Dec 15, 1780 in Col o Bigelows & other Reg t s April 15, 1781 to June 30, 1783
M c Pherson
1 Proof of service
2 Certificate of Secretary of State & testimony of Th s Heald R. McVenny & John Loring Esq s .
2 Proof of marriage
Certificate of Town Clerk of Stow Massachusetts and testimony of Alvin McVenny and Asa Houghton
3 Proof of widow hood & identity See
Testimony of Th s Heald John Loring Esq s Alvin McVenny & Asa Houghton
Ms. A. 9. 2. 20. 10

Declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the 3 d Section of the Act of Congress of the 4 th July 1836
State of Maine
Somerset County ss. On this twenty eighth day of December A.D. 1836 Personally appeared Mary M c Pherson a resident of Madison in said county of Somerset and State of Maine aged seventy five years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 4 th 1836. That she is the widow of Dougal M c Pherson who was a private in the army of the Revolution that her said husband Dougal M c Pherson on the fifteenth day of April 1781 enlisted into the service of the United States for three years to make up a detachment or quota of twelve men required by the Legislature of Massachusetts from the town of Stow where he then resided that he enlisted under a bounty of said town and resided that the town paid him a bounty of one hundred bushels of corn (or more) and some money and abated his tax - that immediately on his enlistment he marched with the detachment to join a Regiment of the Massachusetts troops at Worcester which she thinks was commanded by Col o Bigelow and thence marched to Springfield and thence to West Point where he was stationed and served till he was honorably discharged on the last day of June 1783: That her said husband had previously enlisted August 15. 1780 with the six months men from the town of Acton (Mass) where he then resided and served in Col o Henry Jackson's Reg t , of the Massachusetts troops till the 13 th Dec r 1780 when he was honorably discharged: But from extreme debility and infirmity she is not able to recollect with certainty the names of her officers - that her said husband could not write

but had letters, written to her, for him, by Sergeant McWay who belonged to the same Regiment and who was an excellent writer; that she preserved one of his letters which was dated at West Point as a curiosity for a great many years; and after she became infirm and helpless a few years since this letter as well as her husband's discharge and other papers, the hands of her grand children who destroyed them and she now has no documentary evidence of her service except the certificate of his enlistment and part of the contract made with said Batchelder for her board annexed her said husband was in any battle; but that he was stationed in the garrison at West Point and in that vicinity during the time of his service; that he came home once late in the fall on a furlough of sixty days, and returned to the army as soon as his furlough was out; that he hired her board at Deborah Batchelder's in that part of Stowe now called Boxborough two years while he was in the army; that she had a daughter born in Oct. 1782 while she boarded at Batchelder's. That she resided with her said husband in Boxborough three or four years after the war and then removed to Madison, Maine, where she now lives.
She further declares that she was married to the said Daniel McPherson on the fifth day of April in the year seventeen hundred and eighty one by Francis Faulkner Esq. a Justice of the Peace of the county of Middlesex at his dwelling house in Acton, that

said Justice has been dead more than forty  forty years and his record of marriages can not be found; that she has had the records of the town of Stow examined and has found the record of their intention of marriage duly entered in that town March 10. 1781 but can find no record of her marriage but has procured the testimony of Asa Houghton her sister Alice McKimney & others of the fact. That her said husband died at said Madison in June 1814 and that she has remained a widow ever since that period; as will more fully appear by reference to the proof. hereto annexed Witness W m Allen Jr D. Farnsworth
Mary his mark M c Pherson
Sworn to and subscribed by the above named Mary M c Pherson who is a person of good reputation for truth and veracity and a credible witness the day and year aforesaid before me
D. Farnsworth, Judge W c
I Thomas Heald of Bridgewater in the county of Somerset State of Maine a Revolutionary pensioner of the United States aged seventyfive years depose on oath and say that I was well acquainted with the above named Dougal M c Pherson in his life time; that he was reputed and known to have been a Revolutionary soldier. I know that he has been dead more than twenty years and I know that his widow the above named Mary M c Pherson has not been married to any person since the decease of her said husband; said M c Pherson had the reputation of a faithful soldier and I have no doubt that he served out his enlistment till he was honorably discharged. Thomas Heald State of Maine } County of Somerset } Subscribed and sworn to this 29th day of December 1836 before me The said Thomas Heald being a credible witness D. Farnsworth Judge

I John Loring of Norridgewock in the county of Somerset State of Maine Esquire aged sixty six years depose on oath and say that in the year 1783 I went to the town of Stow in Massachusetts and served an apprenticeship in a tannery seven years and a half: that during that time I became acquainted with the within named Douglas McPherson who then resided in that town, or in that part of the town now called Boxborough. In the year 1802 I removed to the State of Maine and settled in this town said McPherson removed also, before that time and settled in Madison about five miles from me and I often saw him, had conversation with him and did business with him and I know that he was the identical Douglas McPherson who formerly lived in Stow, and who was reported to have been a Revolutionary soldier; he was a pious man and I have talked with him on the subject of religion; I know that he has been dead more than twenty years and that the within named Mary McPherson has not been married since his decease; I also know that Francis Faulkner was at the time of my earliest recollection a magistrate of the county of Middlesex in Massachusetts, and that it was a common thing for persons at that time to go to the house of the justice to be married and that Justices were not always careful to preserve a record I married my wife in Boston a niece of said Francis Faulkner. I have no doubt that said Douglas McPherson and Mary McPherson were lawfully married as she has stated and that he served in the army as she has stated. John Loring State of Maine } Is Subscribed and sworn to this 28th Day Somerset county } of Decr. 1836 by the above named John Loring a credible witness for D. C. Harrington Judge

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Nov 7 th 1835.
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 Dougal McPherson is borne on a payroll for the six months men, of the Town of Acton, where he is allowed from August 15 th to Decem r 15 th 1780, for services and travel, four months and ten days. ————— 4-10
Doagall McPherson's name is borne on a List of the men from the County of Middlesex enlisted agreeable to a resolve of Court of the 2 d of Decem r 1780, where it appears that he enlisted for three years from the Town of Acton, April 13 th 1781.
Edward D. Bangs Esq

I Charles Tower Town Clerk of Shrewsbury in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts do certify that on examina- tion of the records of said town I find the following entries to wit. "Dugal Mc- Pierce and Mary Moore both of Shrewsbury intend marriage entered March 10, 1781" entered among the intentions of marriages for that year. But from a careful examination I can find no return made or entered on record of their marriage. I find the record of a vote passed on the fourteenth day of May 1781 as follows to wit "voted to state the rates of Dugal Mc- Pierce that he was assessed in the rate list delivered to Henry Goodridge to collect viz the silver rate that was to hire men into the continental service" "February 5 1781 voted that the committ- ee should proceed to hire men at as rea- sonable a rate as they can to fill up the continental Army"
The above are true extracts from the record
Charles Tower Town Clerk of Shrewsbury Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middlesex ss Dec 17 - 1836 Subscribed and sworn before me Augustus Tower Justice of Peace

I Alice Mc Kinney resident of Madison in the county of Somerset State of Maine aged sixty five years depose on oath and say that I am the sister of the within named Mary Moore now Mary Mc Pherson; that I well remember the day of the marriage of the within named Douglas Mc Pherson with my said sister Mary and I have no doubt it was in April 1781 I was not present at the marriage they went to the house of Esq s Franklin to be married and returned to my father's to the wedding frolic where I was present and saw them dance I recollect the circumstance well; By the help of memory and I know that said Douglas Mc Pherson soon after he was married enlisted into the army for three years and that he hired my sister's board at one Nehemiah Batchelder in that part of Stow called Boxborough in Massachusetts one or two years while he was in the army; said Mc Pherson came home once on furlough and returned again to the army and served his time out till he was discharged; I have often heard that said Douglas Mc Pherson enlisted first for six months and afterwards for three years - I know that he died in Madison in June 1814 or 1815 and I know that my sister Mary Mc Pherson his widow has remained unmarried ever since that time - I lived at my father's in Stow, Massachusetts at the time of the above marriage in April 1781 -  Alice Mc Kinney
State of Maine } ss. On this twenty eighth day of December Somerset county } 1836 the above named Alice Mc Kinney formerly Alice Moore a person of good reputation for truth & veracity by me well known subscribed and made oath to the above deposition before me D. Farnsworth Judge &c

I Asa Houghton of Harvard in the County of Worcester Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged Seventy nine years Depose on oath and say that I was well acquainted with Daniel McFerson his wife and my wife were Sisters it was said that they were married by Esquire Faulkner of Aston I did not see them married but have no doubt they were lawfully married for they lived together as husband and wife in the State adjoining said Harvard till they moved down to the Town of Madison in the new State of Maine I and my wife about thirty years since went down to pay them a visit he was then living with his wife Asa Houghton
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Middlesex County December 28 th 1836 Subscribed and sworn before me Augustus Tower Justice of peace

Arlton December 5 1830
To William Allen Esq.
Sir I received a Letter from you wishing me to get some information respecting the marriage of Mary McPherson I have been to the Clerk of the Town of Arlton and were searched the records were searched for said marriage But could not be found I understood by the Clerk that Col. W. D. Gaultner had been and searched the records before me and could not find any record of said marriage I have sent that Letter you sent to me to the Town Clerk of Roxborough to see if said marriage had been recorded in the Clerks Book in Roxborough and I have had a letter returned to me from the Clerk and he states in his letter that he has made search for the record of said marriage But could not find any. I do not know of any other information that I can give you respecting said marriage.
Yours sincerely O. Priest
Charles Lane Post Master Arlton Ms

State of Maine Somerset County ss. At a special Court of Probate held at the residence of Mary M c Therson in Madison in said county of Somerset on the twenty eighth day of December A.D. 1836.
The said Court do hereby declare its opinion that the within named Mary M c Therson is the widow of the within named Dougal M c Therson who was a revolutionary soldier and served as she has stated in the within application.
I Gullen Sawtelle Register of Probate of the county of Somerset State of Maine do hereby certify that the within & foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Mary M c Therson for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this twenty eighth day of December in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty six.
G. Sawtelle Register

971. 3 rd Dec.
Application of Mary McPherson widow of Douglas McPherson a private of the Mass. line in the Revolutionary war served in Col. H. Jackson's Reg t . Aug 15 to Dec 15. 1780 & Col. W. Pherson Bigelow's & other Reg t s April 15. 1781 to June 30. 1783.   1 Proof of service  2 Certificate of Secretary of State & testimony of Mrs. Hester R. McPherson & John Loring Esq.  2 Proof of marriage - Certificate of Town Clerk of Housatonic & testimony of Alin McPherson and Asa Houghton  3 Proof of widow hood identity see testimony of Rev. H. H. H. John Loring Esq. Alin McPherson & Asa Houghton 
James L. Edwards Esq Comr. of Pensions
Sir Please make returns to my care at Harnedgewock (Maine) I am Sir, Your obedt Servant William Allen Jr Harnedgewock Me Dec 29/1836

Recd
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 25.682
Mary McPherson wid of Douglas McPherson Pr. Rev War.
Act: June 2 nd 32
Index:—Vol. M , Page 25
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Mary McPherson wid of Dougal McPherson Munro ad $80 pr ann No deduction
Her Ap. Evay H R

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME McPherson, Hugh GRADE Private LINE Hazen's Regiment
WARRANT NUMBER 13468 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED January 22, 1790 to Michael Flemming, assignee
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.