Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 20,079, for Joseph Swain, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Continental
Swain, Joseph
N. 20,079
Mass.
Melisent
Navy
CONTENTS
[Blank lined section for entries]
[Blank lined section for entries]

18.033
vermont
Joseph Swain
of Windham in the State of Vermont who was a Private in the Regiment commanded by Colonel J. Caldwell of the Artillerists the , for the term of one year 1776.
Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on the 20 of April 1818
Certificate of Pension issued the 17 of Jany 1821 and sent to Hon. Mark Richards.
Arrears to 4th of Semi-ann. all'ce ending
{ Revolutionary claim. } { Act 18th March, 1818. }
Continued
 22 mo 5/4/2 Payable up 8/30/31 } to March 1st 1820.  176 1.33 1.00 $178.36 

Vermont - 836
Melisent Swain - widow of Joseph Swain, dec.
who was a pensioner under the Act of 18 th Mar 18 and who died on the 17 th Feby 1831 - of Windham in the State of Vermont who was a Artificer in the Comp y commanded by Captain [blank] of the Reg t commanded by B. Allen in the [blank] line for 12 months
Inscribed on the Roll of Pensioners at the rate of 72 Dollars - Cents per annum, to commence on the 4 th day of March, 1831
Certificate of Pension issued the 1 st day of Nov r 38 and sent to and Chapman Swain Brattleboro Vt
Arrears to the 4 th of Sept - $ 125 00 Semi-annual allowance ending 25 00
$ 150 00
{ Act July 7, } 1838.
Recorded by R. Burdick Clerk, Book A Vol. 2 Page 56

Joseph Swain 170 Application for Pension Windham County Vermont.
June 1826.
18,033 March 1821.
Windham Co.
Con
1826
James Elliott, Brattleboro, Vt.

State of Vermont.
County of Windham ss
At the County Court, begun and held at New Haven, within and for the County of Windham, on the second Monday of June, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty One.
Present-
Hon. John Roberts, Esq. Chief Judge.
Hon. Jairus Hall,
Hon. Ebenezer Huntington, Esqrs.
Assistant Judges.
On this fifteenth day of June A. D. 1821, personally appeared in open Court, being a Court of Record for the said County, proceeding according to the course of the Common Law, with a civil jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount, keeping a record of their proceedings, and having in certain cases the power of fine and imprisonment, Joseph Swain, aged 66 years, resident in Halifax in said County, who, being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows. That he enlisted in the month of December seventeen hundred and seventy five for the term of twelve months at the Town of Wenham in the County of Middlesex in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in Col. Baldwin's Regiment in the Continental Establishment - that he marched with the company into which he enlisted from Cambridge to the city of New York in the month of April following - that he went with said company under the command of Lieut. Coaton, to Albany in the month of May following - from Albany he marched with said company to Crown Point, from thence he marched to Chamblee in Canada with said Company, from Chamblee he returned with the said company to Ticonderoga, where he served till his year was expired, and was honorably discharged by General Gates, that in lieu of doing duty as a soldier for part of the time he served before the army as an artificer or blacksmith - That he has received a Pension under the Act of the Congress of the United States of the 18th March 1818, that the number of his pension certificate is 18033, and the date of his

original Declaration is April 26th A. D. 1818.
And I do solemnly swear, That I was a resident citizen of the United States on the eighteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighteen - and that I have not, since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner whatever, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby to diminish it, as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress, entitled "An Act, to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land and Naval Service of the United States, in the Revolutionary War," passed on the eighteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighteen. And that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property or securities, contracts, or debts due to me - nor have I any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed.
Joseph Swain.
  One Cow — $18. One old p. blacksmith To old tables 1.50   2 candlesticks — " 17 bellow, only the wood — $3 — One small looking glass. — " 50   One p. Spectacles — " 27 4 old smith hammers — 2 — 10 old chairs — — 2.50   One old blacksmith anvil — 5 — 2 old screw plates — " 50 6 tea cups & saucers — " 25   One old blacksmith vise & pick horn — $3 — 2 p. old hand irons — 2 — one git mug — — " 6   3 p. old smith tongs, 1 — 2 old fire cranes — 2 — 6 earthenware plates — " 25   One broken iron kettle — " 67 4 earthenware bowls — " 16   2 small kettles broken — " 67 One pewter platter — " 67   3 small pots 2 broken — 1 —   ten old pewter plates — 1.67 6 old Bowls — $1 —   One pewter tea pot — " 33 Three old S. Wheels — 1.50   One tin cutter — " 25 two butter boxes — " 36   2 tin boxes — " 17 One old case drawer — 2.00   6 Silver tea spoons old — 1.00 One griddle & toaster — " 36   8 knives, & forks — " 67 Shovel & Tongs — 1 —   9 Pewter Spoons — " 36 One small B. pan — " 67   2 Small old chests — " 67 2 old pgs — 33   3 pails & one tub — " 50 One glass bottle — 12. $58.80 
Joseph Swain.
And I do also swear that my occupation is that of a Blacksmith, that I am sixty six years old, that I am very lame and infirm, that my hands are so palsied that I can only do some light work in the shop, that I can do but very little, that my wife is sixty one years old, not more infirm than women of her age, that Lucy Swain 24 years old lives with me, that James Swain 21 years old, sickly & very infirm, not likely ever to maintain himself, Prescott Swain 17 years old always in poor health, Chipman Swain 25 years of age is obliged to afford me assistance or I must suffer, my other sons Joseph & Kern with their families live in the State of New York & not able to help me I must suffer without assistance.
Joseph Swain.
Sworn to and Declared in Open Court on the fifteenth day of June A. D. 1821.
Before
Jairus Hall, Judge.

I James Elliot, Clerk of the County Court for the County of Windham, do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath and the Schedule thereto annexed, are truly copies from the Files and Records of the said Court. And I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said Court that the total a- mount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid Schedule is forty five dollars and one cent-
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the Seal of the said Court, on this 25th day of July A. D. 1821.
James Elliot, Clerk of the Court for the County of Windham.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
His Excellency EDWARD EVERETT , Governor and Commander in Chief in and over said Commonwealth
To all whom it may concern:
Edward Everett
Know Ye, That Nathan Brooks Esq. is now, and was at the date of his several Attestations a Justice of the Peace for the County of Middlesex,
in the said Commonwealth, duly constituted and commission- ed, and that to his Acts and Attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given in and out of Court; that the within Attestation is in due form, and by the proper Officer.
In Testimony Whereof, I have caused the Public Seal of the Commonwealth to be hereunto affixed, this Seventeenth day of August, A. D. 1838, and in the Sixty third Year of the Independence of the United States of America.
By His Excellency the Governor.
John D. Sleeper Secretary of the Commonwealth.

I Phebe B. Dakin of Concord in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do testify & say, that I am the sister of the late Phebe Dwin of Brattleboro in the state of Vermont, that my said Sister was married to Joseph Dwin, on the sixteenth day of September in the year seventeen hun- dred & eighty three, by her father James Barrett late of said Concord, deceased: That I was present at the marriage, and I can have no doubt that I am accurate as to the day, as my said Sister was married was married the day before she was twenty four years old, and by the record of her age, it ap- pears that she was born on the 17 th day of September 1759 -
Phebe B. Dakin
Commonwealth of Massachusetts - Middlesex County. On this ninth day of August A.D. 1838. personally appeared before me. the above named Phebe B. Dakin

well known to me to be a credible person, and made solemn oath that the foregoing affidavit by her subscribed is true - Nathan Brooks Justice of the Peace

James Barrett of Concord in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Esquire, do testify and say, that I am the brother of Elizabeth Swain of Brattleborough in the State of Vermont; that my said Sister was married to Joseph Swain, in the month of September in the year 1783. That said Joseph Swain resided after his marriage in the town of Halifax in the State of Vermont until the time of his death. And was the same Joseph Swain who was, as I have always understood, a pensioner of the United States for his services in the war of the Revolution.
James Barrett
Commonwealth of Massachusetts - Middlesex County. On this ninth day of August AD 1838, personally appeared before me, James Barrett Esquire, well known to me to be a credible person, and made solemn oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true. Nathan Brooks Justice of the Peace

John Roberts, Esq; Judge, Halifax, Windham County, Vermont.
Joseph Swain, Massachusetts line, Blacksmith - Revolutionary Claim.
See the page of Levi Putnam.
copy to Chapman
Hon. John L. Gathorne, Esquire
Acad
Acad
Acad
Acad
Inadmissible.

Joseph Savin of Halifax in the County of Windham & State of Vermont a Citizen of the United States testifies & says that in the month of December in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred & seventy five he enlisted into the army of the United States, for the term of one year, that is to wit the whole of the year of seventeen hundred & seventy six, that he enlisted into the Company commanded by Capt. Dodge & in the regiment commanded by Col. Mansfield, in the Massachusetts Line, on the Continental establishment, that he mustered at Cam- bridge, & was there detached with twenty three others, by General Mifflin to work at the blacksmithing & armory business, where he wrought at the blacksmithing business for the army, till some time in the Month of March following, when he the said Joseph & the twenty three others, were ordered to go to New York, by General Mifflin under the command of Col. Eaton, to labor or work in the said business before the Army, where they arrived in the Month of April following, & that in the month of May the said General Mifflin ordered the said Company of twenty four Smiths, to go be- fore the Army to Canada under the command of General Sal- ivan, that he the said Joseph march with the said Company to Canada, & arrived there, some time in the last of May or first part of June 1776, & that in the same month of June, was ordered back to Brown Point, & there they made a stand, & that General Gates there took the command, & ordered the said Company of twenty four to go back to Ticonderoga, where he the said Joseph arrived & wrought at the blacksmithing business for the Army till the first day of January in the year seventeen hundred & seventy seven, when & where he the said Joseph was honorably discharged by the said General Gates. Afterwards in the year seventeen hundred & seventy eight in the Month of May, that he the

the said Joseph enlisted as a Marine on board the Brig. Gates a Privateer, commanded by Capt. Skinner of Boston, in the Continental service, & that he sailed out of Boston, & served on board of said Brig on a cruise of four months, in which time they captured five or seven prizes, one of which was an armed brig, & that they fought her three hours & three quarters before they captured her, in which engagement or action, Capt. Skinner, & one hand were killed, & that he the said Joseph, was sixty three years old last August; that he had a fall a few years ago, which dislocated his right hip, & that it is still out of joint & is very lame, & that in the last year he has had a most distressing & painful sore on his left hand by means of which he has lost the use of the same, & never expects to have the use of it again so as to enable him, either to work or even eat with it, that his right hand is very much palsied, & cannot nor never can do but very little to support himself, that all the property that he is worth after his just debts are paid will not amount to more than one hundred & fifty dollars excepting his clothing & household furniture, and of that not more than is necessary to uphold life, that he has a wife nearly his age & two children under his care & under age, and one of them a weak child, & that by reason of his reduced circumstances in life he is in need of assistance from his country for support Joseph Swain
State of Vermont
Windham County ss. Halifax
April 26 th 1818
Personally appeared Joseph Swain who signed to the above declaration & made solemn oath that the same contains the truth & nothing but the truth before me — J. L. Roberts Judge of Windham County Can't State of Vermont

Jesse Guillett — of Halifax in the county of Windham & State of Vermont testifieth & saith that he is very well acquainted with Joseph Swain of said Halifax, that he has understood & believes that the said Joseph Swain served in the army of the United States in the revolutionary War, that he has always been considered to be a very honest Man, & a hard laboring man, that he is very lame in his right hip, that he has within a year past lost the use of his left hand, by a very bad sore that there is no reason to suppose that he can ever do but very little of any thing towards his support, that his whole system is palsied & he is every way very infirm, that he believes him to be worth but very little property, & that he the said Joseph by reason of his reduced circumstances in life is in need of assistance from his Country for support, & further more the Deponant saith not
Jesse Guillett
State of Vermont
Windham County ss. Halifax, April 25 th 1818 Personally appeared Jesse Guillett. I subscribe to the above declaration by him subscribed & made solemn oath the same contains the truth & nothing but the truth before me —
John Roberts Judge of Windham County Court State of Vermont
State of Vermont
April 25 th 1818
Windham County ss. Halifax I do hereby certify that from the declaration of Joseph Swain, within made, the evidence, which he produced, which he said was all in his power to produce at this time (all which is herewith transmitted) I am satisfied that the said Joseph Swain the applicant, served in the revolutionary War, against the Common Enemy, as he hath in his said declaration stated, & that he was honorably discharged, & that he by reason of his reduced circumstances in life is in need of assistance from his Country for support —
John Roberts, Judge of Windham County Court State of Vermont

State of Vermont. Windsor County Court Clerk's Office, Brattleborough, May 21 st A. D. 1818.
I certify that the Honorable John Roberts Esquire is one of the Assistant Judges of the County Court aforesaid, and that the signatures of the foregoing certificates are in the hand writing of the said Judge -
Witness my hand and the Seal of said Court, the day and year above written.
Attest.
James Elliot, Clerk.
Hon. John L. Gailham, Secretary of War.

V 221 V
Melissant Swain widow of Joseph
Vt
act 7 July 3 80
5 years
alleged to have married Nov. 17 83
admitted
12 mo Arifield
$10 ff
no deduction
Chishman Swain
Brattleboro
Vt

State of Vermont District of Newbern B On this thirteenth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight personally appeared before the Probate Court for said district of Newbern having a court of Record having by her a Seal & Clerk Meliscent S. Searin a resident of Brattleboro in the district of Newbern of Windham and State of Ver- mont aged seventy eight years, who be- ing first duly sworn according to law deposits as her oath make the following declaration in order to establish the ben- efit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 7th 1838. entitled "An act granting half pay & pensions to certain widows". That she is the widow of Joseph Searin late of Halifax in said county deceased who was an Artificer and Armorer in the continental service in the army of the Revolution That the said Joseph Searin served in said capacity during the whole year 1776 under Major Baron & Lieuten- ant Eaton, and at other times served

in said capacity in the army of the Revolu- tion, the particulars of which from an time ago and loss of memory she is unable to set forth But that the evidence of said Joseph Drown, same as shown to me is already in the ar- chives of the rear department when said Joseph Drown's declaration & testimony of service was filed & a pension therefor granted January 17, 1821. to which said department is now referred - said Pension being granted under the act of 1818. That she further deposes that she was married to the said Joseph Drown on the 16th day of September (1788.) seventeenth century Eighty Three. That her husband the aforesaid Joseph Drown died on the 17th day of February A.D. 1801. That she was but married to him prior to his leaving the service but the mar- riage took place previous to the first of January seventeenth hundred & ninety Seven to wit at the time when stated.
Melissa Drown
Sworn to & subscribed on the day and year above written Before Dana Hyde Judge of Probate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court the day and year above written. John Phelps Clerk & Register
John Phelps Clerk & Register of the Probate Court for the district of Mendocino in the State of Vermont certify that Dana Hays is Judge of said Probate Court and that the signature above purporting to be his, is his genuine signature. Witness my hand and the seal of said Court this 30th day of July A.D. 1888--
John Phelps Clerk & Register of Probate

Dr. Winchester Salem Sept. 22 - 1818
Thomas, St. Wood. W. H.
Halifax, N.S.

Salem. Mass. Sep 22. 1818.
Dear Sir
My father handed your letter some yesterday, requesting me to make search & answer your inquiries, as I had the means for getting the information requested. I have found that Col. John Francis is living & resides in Upper Merri- ick that Mr. Benjamin Fogg is still living; He lives a few miles from this place on the old Boston road. He has himself obtained the pension. Col. Francis has a brother now living in Salem, who was a Captain in the Revolution and now receives a pension.
This, Dear Sir, is the information requested. I believe. I hope it will answer the purpose. In the greatest possible haste.
Yours
in Yours &c
Very respectfully,
Samuel M. Weston.
in behalf of my father.

We, Benjamin Frye, of Salem, and David Foster, of Danvers, both in Massachusetts, on oath severally testify, - That we are acquainted with Joseph Swain, now resident at Halifax in Vermont, formerly of this vicinity, and know he served all the year 1776 in the Continental Army: we all three enlisted at Cambridge near Boston under Maj. Bacon, & Lieut. Eaton of the corps of Artificers, marched to New York and thence under Col. Sedgwick Baldwin to Canada: Eaton was our Commander: the said Joseph Swain served with us till Jan'y 1777, was discharged with us at Ticonderoga, and then came home with us Benj o Frye David Foster
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Ef rs : Aug t 17. 1820 Then said Benjamin Frye and David Foster, who are both credible and disinterested witnesses, subscribed and made oath to the above affidavit before me
Br is Merrill Inst. Pac t ..
I, Ichabod Tucker, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts of said State in and for said County, certify that said Br is Merrill is a Notary Public in and for said County and the above is his signature
Atty. Ichabod Tucker, Clk.

I Joseph Lewis of Halifax in the county of Windham and State of Vermont do Solemnly swear that I am the same Joseph Lewis who served with Benjamin Sey and David Foster as by them stated in the foregoing Affidavits by them Subscribed - and that after being mustered at Cambridge as by them stated the the service rendered by me was the same with no material variation as stated by them
Joseph Lewis
Sworn to the first day of January 1821 before me John Roberts Sued. & M.C.

War Department,
Pension Office,
April 27 1820.
Sir,
I have examined the declaration of Joseph Livain, who applies for a pension under the act of the 18 th of March, 1818; and find that his claim cannot be admitted. He states that he enlisted in 1775, to serve one year, in Col o Mansfield's regiment — This is not correct; Mansfield's regiment was not in the service after December, 1775. — The service he performed on board of a privateer will not entitle him to a pension. — If, however, he actually did serve a year under one enlistment in a continental regiment and he can establish the fact by the testimony of two credible witnesses, he will be entitled to a pension.
I am, respectfully Your obed Servt.
J. L. Edwards
Hon: Mark Richards, House of Representatives.

We Rebecca Swain and Dency G. Swain of lawful age, testify and say, that Melisent Swain of Brattleboro Vermont, is the widow of Joseph Swain of Halifax Vermont, and late a pensioner of the U. States, who died on the 17. th February A. D. 1831. That the said Melisent has never intermarried since the decease of her husband the said Joseph Swain - and further the deponents say not.
Rebecca Swain Dency G Swain
Swain and subscribed this 2 nd day of August A. D. 1838. Before me Dana Hyde
Justice of the peace.
I further certify and declare that the above subscribing deponents are persons of unimpeachable veracity
Dana Hyde Jus. of the peace.
State of Vermont
Windham County Court Clerks Office
New Fane August 4 th , A. D. 1838.
I Marshall Miller, Clerk of said County Court, do hereby certify, that Dana Hyde is a Justice of the Peace, within and for said County, duly commissioned and qualified, and that his signature above written is genuine. In Testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand and affix the Seal of the said County Court, the day and year above written.
Attest - Marshall Miller, Clerk

V 221 — H. Set. to Chapman Swain, 30 Augt. 1838.

Rev
WIDOW, &c.
File No. 20079 Mecliscent Surain Widow of Joseph Surain Artificer Rev. Mar.
Act July 7 th 1835
Index: Vol. m , Page 258
[Arrangement of 1870.]

222
Hon. James L. Edwards Esq Commissioner of pensions Washington City

VT Brattleboro, Aug. 7 th 1888
Dear Sir I forward you the applications of Lucy Pillsbury and Meliscent Swain for a pensions under the act of July 7 th 1888 please to return to me will you please to inform me whether the act of July 7 th 1888 entitled those widows to a pension whose husbands have died and they have since been married but are now widows
Yours Truly
Chipman Swain
Hon. J. S. Edwards Esq
Washington D.C.
The evidence of the Marriage of Meliscent Swain will be forwarded in a few days at least

Sept 6th Sept 24th Yours Truly Edward Washington City
10

Brattleboro VT September 1st 1888
Sir
Enclosed perhaps  you find the proof of the Marriage of Joseph Joseph Brown to Mehriant Susan formerly Mehriant Barrett whose Declaration I forwarded to the probate office 3 or 4 weeks since
Yours Atty S.H.
Chipman Susan
Hon. S. Edwards Esq Law for probate