Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21,373, for Samuel Merrill, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Merrill, Samuel
S 21,373
CONTENTS

15764
Massachusetts
Samuel Merrill
of Essex in the State of Massachusetts who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Clapp of the Regt: commanded by Col. Miller in the line for Amos
Cont
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 20 Dollars 00 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 27 day of May 1833 and sent to C. Merrill Haverhill
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $40.00 Semest. allowance ending Sept. 10.00 $50.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk Book E Vol. 2 Page 52
73 Essex

Samuel Merrill Maps
on Roll of paper 6 Months Private
15166
6 Minot Haverhill Mass

BRIEF in the case of  Samuel Merrill  vs of West  in the State of Me  (Act 7th June, 1889.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? of course  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 71  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. As a Gen.     10 th June In 17 th 80 entered and in going and coming 6 private Col. Bliss Col. Miller  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? does not say  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditional and two living witnesses  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? The papers are not attached according to the regulations one of the witnesses is credible the other not 
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
George J. Dyer
Examining Clerk.

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress. passed June 7. 1832.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts - Essex ss. On this sixteenth day of October A. D. 1832. personally appeared in open court, before the Honorable Daniel A. White, Judge of the Court of Probate, for the County of Essex aforesaid, Samuel Merrill a resident of Haverhill  Methuen in the said County of Essex, aged 70 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 7. 1832. That he was born at Haverhill in said County of Essex January 6. 1761, and that he has a record of his age in the town books of Haverhill. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers & served as herein stated: That June 10. 1780; he enlisted under a resolve of the General Court of Massachusetts, by the name of Samuel Merrill Junior, (his father being then alive) as a private soldier for the term of six months; he marched to Andover, Mass. June 10. 1780, where he passed muster, and again he passed muster at Danvers, Mass. at Springfield, Mass. and at West Point N.Y. that he served served in Captain Clark's company, in Col. Millins Regiment, (Col. Weston commanded it at first, but was taken sick) the whole of his time of six months out; he marched from said Haverhill through said places to West Point, where he served guarding the camp and the stores, till about the middle of December 1780; when he was discharged at West Point, and had a written discharge, but has since lost it, many years ago. He served as a soldier aforesaid 6 months, beside the time employed in going to West Point, and in returning home; which was one month more. He was in no battle. He has had in his possession till June 26. 1832. the original enlisting paper of the company, on which his name was, and on that day William Beard of Dunbar

to N. H. called on him me to get evidence of his service and I gave my deposition for him and shewed him the existing papers; and he wished me to give them to him; and I did, not knowing their use for me, and I suppose that the papers are forwarded to Washington in said Beard's case;
He further states, that he has lived since his discharge in said Haverhill and Methuen, and that Abijah Cross, Moses Wingate Esq. & William Merrill, all of his neighborhood will testify to his veracity and their belief in his services as a soldier of the Revolution.
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.
Samuel Merrill
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
We Abijah Cross, a clergyman residing in Haverhill aforesaid and Moses Wingate a magistrate residing in said Haverhill do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Samuel Merrill who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 70 years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Abijah Cross. Moses Wingate
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
William Pitt Judge
And the said Court hereby declares its opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary soldier, and served as he states, and the Court further certifies that Abijah Cross

who has signed the preceeding certificate, is a Clergyman resident in Haverhill, and that the said Moses Wingate Esq who has also signed the same is a magistrate resident at Haverhill and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit
D. A. White Judge of Probate
I Nathaniel Lord junior, register of the court of probate, do hereby certify, that the forego- ing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Samuel Merrill for a pension. I further certify, that Stephen Minot and James H. Duncan esquires, whose names are subscribed respectively to certifi- cates of oaths on affidavits hereto annexed, are justices of the peace and of the quorum for said county of Essex; and that the signatures of their several names to said certificates are their genuine signatures.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this sixteenth day of October, A.D. 1832.
Nath. Lord Jr.

In reply to your request of without date , received August 24. 1910  S.M. for a statement of the military history of Samuel Merrill a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau. S. F. 21,373.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     June 10 1780 6 mos Pvt. Clapp. Wesson Wheeler Mass.                                                   
Battles engaged in, _____
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Haverhill, Essex Co. Mass.
Date of application for pension, Oct. 16. 1832. His claim was allowed.
Residence at date of application, Methuen, Essex Co. Mass.
Age at date of application, born at Haverhill Essex Co. Mass. Jan. 6 1761.  Son of Samuel Merrill
Remarks: There is no family data

Resolution
21 373
INVALID.
1910 Sept 1. Hist to Mrs. K. G. Brümmer M.B.H.
File No. 21 373
Samuel Merrill
Rev War
Act: June 7 th 89 th
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 267
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D.C.
Gentlemen:-
Can you give me any information concerning the Revolutionary War record of Samuel Merrill. It is family tradition that he was a Captain and that he fought against Burgoyne. I would like proof of this if it is to be had.

Any information will be greatly appreciated by Yours very truly,
Mrs. H. J. Brimmer, Lisbon
Next Hampshire
P.S. He probably went to the War from Haverhill or Newbury Mass.

I Samuel Bradley of Haverhill, County of Essex Massachusetts, of the age of Seventy two years Upon and say, That in 1780 I enlisted at said Haverhill as a Volunteer in the Massachusetts Militia in Capt Jonathan Ayers Company and was marched to West Point where and at Fishkill and other places in that vicinity, I served for the term of five months or longer That I was acquainted with Samuel Merrick then of Haverhill but now of Methuen and can testify and say that said Merrick was in the Service at the same time as I remember seeing him at West Point at different times while in the Service Witnes, J. H. Duncan Samuel his mark Bradley
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex. On the Sixteenth day of October A.D 1832 personally appeared before me, Samuel Bradley and made oath in due form of law that the above affidavit by him subscribed was true and I further certify that I know said Bradley and that he is a credible Witness
James H. Duncan Justice of Peace and Quorum suus

I, William Beard of Dunbarton in the County of Merrimack & State of New-Hampshire, aged 74 years, testify & declare that I am acquainted with Samuel Merrill of Methuen in the County of Essex & Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He is now present with me. On the 10 June 1780 he enlisted by the name of Samuel Merrill Junior, in the service of the United States, as a private soldier, for the term of six months, under a resolve of the General Court of Massachusetts. — I have this day seen the original enlistment paper, & I enlisted for the same term with him. — We passed muster at Andover, at Danvers, at Springfield, & at Westpoint. We went into Capt. Clapp's company, Col. Miller's Regiment. — I was soon after drafted into the light infantry, & have no doubt that he served his six months out, for I frequently heard from him as doing his duty during the six months; & I was discharged or dismissed with others at the end of the six months, & on arriving at home, found him, & then understood he had just returned from said service, to his home.
William Beard
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Essex, ss. — Haverhill, June 26. 1832. Then the above named William Beard, subscribed the above declaration, & made oath that the same is true, before me,
Stephen Minot, Justice of Peace.