Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 33768, for John Symonds, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Symonds, John.
S 33768
CONTENTS

Notification sent to the Pensioner at Salem Mar. 23 Sep. 1820
662 Massachusetts Roll
John Symonds 4 Capt Symonds Private Massachusetts line 77-3 years In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of Eight Dollars per month, to commence on the 4 th of April 1818
Certificate of Pension issued the 21 st of May 1818 and sent to Hon. Saml Putnam, Salem, Mass.
Arrearages to 4 th Sept r 1818 5 months 1/30  $40.26
{ Revolutionary claims, } { Act 18th March, 1818, }
Continued
Danvers, Essex
Co.

Mr. Symonds
4 Apr
Corrected DA

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Essex ss.
Be it remembered that on this fourth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen John Symonds of Danvers in the said County of Essex Baker personally appeared before me and made oath, that in the year 1775 he enlisted as a private soldier in the Company of foot under the command of Capt. Francis Symonds belonging to the Marblehead Regiment; that he served in said Company eight months in 1775, and the whole of the year 1776; that he was then discharged from said Company and in April 1777 he enlisted as a soldier in the Company of Artillery in Boston commanded by Capt. Thomas Wells, in Col. Crane's Regiment, and was served in said Company from that time to April 1780, when he received an honourable discharge from the Colonel of the same Regiment. The discharge he kept several years, but it is not now in his possession; he entrusted it with his brother Capt. Francis Symonds who removed from this State to Charleston, South Carolina about twenty years ago, but is now dead.
That he the said John Symonds is in his sixty third year, and is very poor and destitute. He has a wife and one child whom he has to support by his daily labour, and from his reduced circumstances in life he stands in need of assistance from his Country for support. And he hereby relinquishes all his claim to any pension heretofore allowed him by the Laws of the United States.
John Symonds

I John Pope of Salem in the county aforesaid on oath testify that the said Symonds is a fellow soldier now - we have been acquainted nearly fifty years - I saw him at Valley Forge in 1777 or 1778 - I was knowing to his being in the Continental Service the chief part of the War as an Artillerist in Knox's Brigade - He is poor and infirm John Pope

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
It appears: On this fourth day of April A.D. 1818 personally came before me Samuel Putnam Esq. one of the Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court of said Commonwealth, the aforementioned John Symonds of Danvers and the said John Ope of Salem and severally subscribed and made solemn Oath to the aforesaid Declaration and Affidavit by them respectively made: — and it appearing to my satisfaction that said John Symonds served three years above period in the Revolutionary War on the Continental Establishment against the common enemy, I hereby certify the testimony in the case to the Secretary of the Department of War.
Given under my hand and the Seal of said Court at Salem this fourth day of April, A.D. 1818
S. Putnam Just. S. J. Court of Mass.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex.
I. Ichabod Tucker, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts of said Commonwealth in and for the County aforesaid, do hereby certify, that the Hon: Samuel Putnam within named is a Judge of the Court aforesaid, that the signature within is his proper hand, and that the seal affixed is the seal of said Court —
Attest. Ichabod Tucker, Clerk.

662
Mr. Symonds
662-
May 1818
Room 23 pp
1820
EM
age 66
labour
worth only $5. -
bad Rupture

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
ESSEX, ss.
At the Circuit Court of Common Pleas of the Middle Circuit, begun and holden at Salem, within and for the County of Essex, on the third Monday of June, A. D. 1820.
Present, Hon. SAMUEL DANA, Chief Justice.
Hon. WILLIAM WETMORE, and
Hon. STEPHEN MINOT, Associate Justices.
In open Court here, being a Court of Record for said Circuit, proceeding according to the course of the common law, with a jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount, keeping a record of its proceedings, and having the power of fine and imprisonment, John Symonds resident in Salem in said Circuit, who is named in Pension Certificate No. 662 now in his possession, of which the following is a true copy, to wit,
"WAR DEPARTMENT.....REVOLUTIONARY CLAIM.
"I certify that, in conformity with the Law of the United States, of the 18th March, 1818, John Symonds - - - - - late a private "in the Army of the Revolution, is inscribed on the Pension List, Roll of the Massachusetts Agency, at the rate "of eight - - - - - dollars per month, to commence on the fourth "day of April - - - - - one thousand eight hundred and eighteen .
***** * L. S. * *****
"Given at the War Office of the United States, this twenty first day "of May - - - - - one thousand eight hundred and eighteen .
J. C. CALHOUN, Secretary of War,"
appears, and exhibits to the Court here a Schedule, subscribed by him, as follows, to wit,
SCHEDULE,
containing his whole estate and income, his necessary clothing and bedding excepted, to wit, (No real estate)
  six old chairs - an old table - - - - - $2.50   four knives and forks, Andirons - } 1.00   Cups and saucers - - - - - } $ 3.50 
He is sixty six years of age, formerly a Baker, now a day-labourer - His wife aged 58, and his daughter Paulina aged 16, are all his family.
He was a Soldier in Capt. Welles company in Col. Crane's Regiment of Artillery in Massachusetts line three years from 1777 - : He served the eight months in 1775 and as a year's

man all 1776 in capt. Francis Symonds' (his brother's) company in Col. Glover's Reg- iment in the same line of the Continental Army.
John Symonds.
me
I, John Symonds, abovenamed further declare that I am afflicted with a bad Hernia, which disables me from labor so that I cannot subsist without assis- tance: last summer I was confined a long time by it and had the physician to attend me; and I am all times afraid to make much bodily exertion. I am so poor I did not think it necessary to mention this before.
My wife goes out as a washerwoman when she is able able to undergo the fatigue; but she is infirm, and my daughter is weakly, and cannot contribute to our support.
John Symonds
Epscop: Aug t 10. 1820 Then said John Symonds subscribed and made oath to the above affidavit before me
Rev. Merrill Justice of the Peace

and at the same time he produces to the Court here the following Oath, taken and subscribed by him, before the Hon. W m Wetmore a Judge of said Court as aforesaid, to wit,
I, John Symonds 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 so 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. So help me GOD.
John Symonds
Essex, ss. C. C. C. P. June, Term, A. D. 1820.
Then the abovenamed John Symonds took and subscribed the aforeswritten Oath before me
W m Wetmore , Judge of said Court.
I, ICHABOD TUCKER, Clerk of the Court aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing Oath, and Schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of the said Court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said Court, that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid Schedule is
five dollars
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said Court, at Salem, in said County of Essex, on this 17 day of July A. D. 1820
Attr.
Ichabod Tucker, Clerk
Essex ss: Aug 5. 10. 1820 I certify that said Brigham is a Justice of the Peace within this County and the above is his signature.
Attr.
Ichabod Tucker, Clerk above named

J. Joseph Torrey, of Salem, Physician, on testify oath, that I have attended John Symonds within named for the strangury or gravel complaint, and was obliged to use the catheter to relieve his distress: this was several years since, but I have understood he has been troubled with the same complaint several times since.
I know he is very indigent, and I believe a proper object of charitable aid.
Jos. Torrey
Epscop: Aug t 15 th 1820 subscribed and sworn to before
Brig Merrill Asst. Clerk.

19134 - 2
APR 4 1898
Peabody, Massachusetts
To Commissioner of Pensions Washington D.C.
Dear Sir: -
I wish to thank you for information concerning pension of John Symonds. (wife Susanna).
You write that he served under Capt. Webb.
I find a record which nearly agrees with yours. at our Archives in Boston of John Symonds - private under Capt. Benj. Ward - Sea Coast Defence Muster Rolls. Vol. 37 p. 32 + 35

Then, I find John Symonds (Bombadier) who served with Capt. Thomas Hard-Wells, afterwards Another John Symonds, (Bombadier,) is on record as enlisted, from Capt. Lown Co & joining Capt. Allen Co. for 3 years - but his actual service seems to be from Aug 1777 to Apr. 10-1778.
All these men seem to have been in Col Cranes Artillery Regt.
And their actual service is about the same.
I have found no Capt Webb. Could the names Wells or Ward & Webb have been confused?
The John Symonds

am interested in one who was stationed at Salem (Willows) Fort. (or lived there for a time)
You wrote that "part of the time he served with Capt Webb" Is there any record of any other officer?
Perhaps these questions are too many if so we will search nearer home.
Very respectfully yours
Elizabeth C. Osborn
(Mrs Lyman P.)
Box 247 - Peabody
Mass
March 31 st - 1898

33 768 Purge INVALID.
File No. 33, 768
John Symonds His Rev. Wm
Act: 18 th March 18 th
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 511
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Apr 27/91. Mrs. E. C. Osborn, Peabody, Me