Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29917, for Asa Hunting, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Hunting Asa
S.29917
CONTENTS
Blank lined area for contents entry
Blank lined area for contents entry

10.652 Massachusetts
John Hunting
John in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain W  H of the Regt  Inf commanded by Col W  M in the State and for 11 months 13 days service
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 34 Dollars 78 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 15th day of April 1833 and sent K. Lee Child Boston Mass
Arrears to the 1st of March 1833 $ 69.56 Semi-annual allowance ending 4th Sept 17.39 $86.95
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Abel Goddison Clerk, Book 2 Vol. 2 Page 32

Asa Hunting
Boston
Mass
No 1458
up March 10 Mo 13 days
One of the witnesses not certified to be credible. Fraud not properly authenticated.
Dec 29 1832
D. L. Child
Mrs. H. Phillips
Boston Mass

BRIEF in the case of  Asa Hunting  of  Boston  in the State of  Massachusetts  (Act 7 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? Seventy Three 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 17 76 " 4 Private Genl: Manser, Col: Wheeler   77 " 3 12 " Col: Bangs & Sill   81 " 3 " artificer Col: Webb  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Stillwater  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Burying & Norfolk County  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Living witnesses, documentary proof & traditionary evidence  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Incorrect Witness Not sealed as evidence & Paper not properly authenticated 
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
LL! L. Pearson Examining Clerk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
County of Suffolk ss. On this Sixth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Judge of the Municipal Court now sitting at Boston in and for said County, Asa Huntington a resident of Boston in said County, aged 73 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 A. D. 1832.
THAT he was born at Needham in the county of Suffolk now Norfolk on the 24 th day of August A. D. 1759, and that there is a record of his birth in the Rec d of Needham that he was in the United States service from about the first day of August A. D. 1776, to the first day of Dec r A. D. 1776 as a private in the Massachusetts State Troops : that he was residing at Roxbury in said Suffolk now Norfolk
when he entered the service; that he enlisted as a volunteer on 1 st of August and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Col Wheelock in Capt Dyer's company and St Keyes and Jackson were of the same company : that he marched from Roxbury to Charleston N.H. from thence to the Lake from thence to Tienderoga : that he served at Tienderoga with a number of militia Regiments, but none of the regular troops; and
no regular officers were known to him: that he was in no battle
and at the end of his service received no written discharge: that since the Revolutionary war he has resided at said Roxbury about forty years and in said Boston the rest of the time and left the service on or about 1 st of December. (A)
ALSO: that he was in the United States service from the sixteenth day of August A. D. 1777, to the twenty ninth day of Novem r A. D. 1777 as a private in the Massachusetts State Troops that he was residing at said Roxbury
when he entered the service; that he entered the service on 16 th of August as a substitute and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Col Benjamin Gill in Capt Smith's company and St Moses Bellows was of the same company
: that he marched from Needham to Bennington, from thence to Stillwater from thence to Albany & from thence to White Plains : that he served at said Stillwater
with Northern Army of the regular troops; and
Gen Lincoln regular officers were  was known to him: that he was in no battle
and at the end of his service received no written discharge. and he left the service on or about 29 th of November. (B)
ALSO: that he was in the United States service from about the first day of September A. D. 1781, to the first day of Decem r A. D. 1781 as a private in the Massachusetts State Troops : that he was residing at said Roxbury
when he entered the service; that he enlisted on or about 1 st of Sept as a volunteer and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Col Webb in Capt Newcomb's company
: that he marched from Roxbury to West Point, from thence to Albany & from thence to
: that he served at said West Point with Col Greaton's Regiment of the regular troops; and
Col Greaton of the regular officers were  was known to him: that he was in no battle
and at the end of his service received no written discharge. and left the service on said first of December. (C1) (C2)

(A) Dorchester August 1 st 1832. I Jonathan Blake of Weymouth County of Dorset in State of Massachusetts in my Eighty fourth year of age, I was on a visit to my native Town Dorchester in the County of Norfolk State of Massachusetts.
do hereby say that Mr Asa Huntington son of Boston County of Suffolk State of Massachusetts aged seventy three this present month marched with me from Roxbury on the 1 st day of August in the year Seventeen hundred Seventy six belonging to the Company of Artillery under the Command of William Dyer & marched for Providence & remained at Providence till the first day of December, 1776, attached to Col Wheeler's Regiment
Jonathan Blake
Witnesseth that on the first day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred thirty two the above named Jonathan Blake appeared before me the Justices of the Peace in for the said County I was sworn, cautioned & sworn to the deposition of truth. taken at the request of Asa Huntington
Edward Sharp
Justice of the Peace
I also testify that I am personally acquainted with the above Mr Jonathan Blake that he is a man of the first respectability & veracity & that his testimony would be received in any of our Courts of Law in this State Edward Sharp Justice of the Peace
December 14 th 1837 Dorchester

(B1)
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, August 4 th 1832.
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
Asa Hunting served in "Capt. Aaron Smith's Company in Col. Benjamin Gill's Regiment marched to reinforce the Continental Army" in 1777— & that he served therein from Aug. 16. 1777 to Nov. 29. 1777.
Edward D. Bangs, Ly

(B)
(B2)
Norfolk Co. I Jonathan Richards of Needham in the County of Norfolk & State of Massachusetts of the age of seventy two years do depose & say that in the month of August in the year 1777. I was drafted to serve as a private in the Company of Cap. Aaron Smith of Needham in Gill's regiment, Warner's brigade & Lincoln's division of the Massachusetts militia for a term of service of three months; that we marched to Bennington & were present at the battle of Stillwater on the tenth of October of the year abovenamed; that I knew Asa Hunting of Roxbury as a private in said Company from the time I joined the company until the time when we were discharged which was in the early part of December in the same year. And further this

deponent saith not -
Jonathan Richards
Norfolk ss. Then the above named Jonathan Richards personally appeared before me the subscriber a justice of the peace for the County of Norfolk in the State of Massachusetts on this thirteenth day of July 1832 & made oath to the truth of the within statement by him subscribed. I also certify that I am not acquainted with said Richards & that he is a man of a respectable character.
Chas W Greene Just peace
Roxbury Boston Dec 15 1832. I also certify that the above named Jonathan Richards is a man of veracity & that his statements are entitled to belief. Chas W Greene Just peace

(C1) Roxbury August 4 th 1832 I Nathaniel Tilton of Roxbury in the County of Norfolk & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in the sixty sixth year of my age do testify and say that Mr Asa Hunting of Boston in the County of Suffolk Norfolk & Commonwealth aforesaid was a pri- vate soldier with me in Captain Thomas Newcombs company in Col Webb's Regiment in the early part of September in the year one thousand seven hun- dred & eighty one, then stationed at Verplanks Point in the State of New York. That the said Hunting was taken to do duty as an artificer, in the course of the war further the deponent saith not
Nath l Tilton
Norfolk ss. August 4 th 1832
Then Nathaniel Tilton above named appeared before me the undersigned one of the Justices of the Peace within & for the County of Norfolk & made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition by him sub- scribed. Taken at the request of Asa Hunting
before me Abijah Draper Justice of the Peace I also further certify that I am well acquainted with the above named Tilton & that he retains a respect- able character, and that his oath would be allowed in any of our Courts of Law.
Abijah Draper Justice of Peace

(62) This May Certify that the Hunter of 62 nd Webb Regt of Militia hath been Employed in the Public Works as a Carpenter from the twenty fourth Day of Sept 81 Untill the first Day Day of December 1781 by John Warner Esq. West Point December 5 - 1781
John Vivian Capt. Commanding Engineer

for opening as is sole Judge of said Court and that his Signatures on the within papers are genuine
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court at Boston this sixth day of August A.D. Eighteen Hundred & thirty two.
Thomas W. Phillips, Clerk.
for the application of
Sworn
application of

The general circumstances of his service were as follows: At Ticonderoga there was a great scarcity of provision. this applicant had many back rations, which he never was compensated for. The duty for guards & fatigue was severe at that post. The next morning after the battle of the 10th, he was marched to the ground, where he recollects to have seen the horse of Gen Arnold lying dead. The American troops marched round thro the wood on the same day to get ahead of the enemy, and Giles Regiment marched with them. During this applicant's third term of service he was detailed to do duty as an artificer at West Point.
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 first aforesaid. in open court before me Peter O. Thacher Judge
We Nathaniel Hayden aged 73 years clergyman , residing in the City of Boston
and Abel Hayden aged 67 years, residing in said Boston hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Asa Huntington who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy three 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.
Sworn and subscribed as aforesaid. in open court before me Peter O. Thacher Judge
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 abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the court further certify that it appears to them that
who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the are ; and that Nathaniel Hayden & Abel Hayden who had also signed the same are a resident in Boston and are credible persons; and that their statement is entitled to credit. Peter O. Thacher, Judge of the Municipal Court
N.B. See Clerk's certificate on next page.
I of the
do hereby certify
that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first aforesaid.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Suffolk ss:
I, Thomas A. Phillips, Clerk of the Municipal Court of the City of Boston, a Court of Record legally established in this Commonwealth do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Asa Hurling for pension; also that Honorable Peter O. Nash is sole Judge of said Court and that his signatures on the within papers are genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court at Boston this sixteenth day of August A.D. Eighteen hundred thirty two.
Thomas A. Phillips, Clerk.
Asa Hurling
Application of

29917 INVALID.
Rev
File No. 29,917
Ida Hunting
His Rec Mar
Act: June 1 st 82
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 197
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Asa Hunting Boston Mass No 1458
111
D. L. Child Mr. W. Phillips Boston Mass

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Asa Huntington 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?
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
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? no
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? no
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, deposeh 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."
# See next page

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.

Asa Hunting
N o 1458.
L. 6.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
By his Excellency LEVI LINCOLN , Esquire, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over said Commonwealth.
TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN :
Know Ye, That Edward Sharp Esq r , Charles W. Greene and Abijah Draper Esquires are Justices of Peace for the County of Norfolk
in the said Commonwealth, and that to their Acts and Attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given in and out of Court.

commissioned, and that to their Acts and Attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given in and out of Court.
In Testimony Whereof , I have caused the Public Seal of the Commonwealth to be hereunto affixed, this seventh day of August A. D. 1832, and in the fifty seventh year of the Independence of the United States of America.
By His Excellency the Governor,
Edward D. Dangs
Secretary of the Commonwealth.