Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 37245, for James Means, Massachusetts

SERVICE
Kass.
Means, James
NUMBER _____
S. 37245 B.L. WT 79-300
CONTENTS

11.682, WAIN
James Means
of Westbrook in the Dist. state of Maine who was a captain in the regiment commanded by Colonel Sprout — of the Mass t line, for the term of 3 years
Inscribed on the Roll of Dist. of Maine at the rate of 20 — Dollars per month, to commence on the 27 th of March 1819
Certificate of Pension issued the 10 th of June 1819 and sent to A. K. Parris, Esq. Portland Maine
Arrears to 4th of Mar: 1819 - 9/31 mo s  5. 80
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4 Sep 1819  120.
$125.80
{ Revolutionary claim, } { Act 18th March, 1818. }

Rev. M c Lean Ragville Cuyahoga Co. Ohio  B

James Means, Captain,
Maine Roll.
Adm l .
Portland Maine

To the Honorable Albion K. Parris District Judge of the United States for Maine District Respectfully Shaws —
James Mearns of Westbrook in said Maine District That he served as a Soldier in the war of the Revolution from the nineteenth of April 1775 to the month of Dec r the same year in the Regiment commanded by Col. Phinney that he then received an appointment as an Ensign in the same Regiment and served therein until the 13th of December 1776 at which time he was appointed a Lieutenant in Silas Durbank's Company in the 12th Massachusetts Regiment commanded by Samuel Brewer, and on the 5th of July 1779 he was appointed a Captain in the aforesaid Regiment and continued therein until the 16th day of September 1782 that he was then transferred to the Second Massachusetts Regiment commanded by Lieut. Col. Ebenezer Sproat and continued to serve therein until the twenty fifth of December 1783 at which time he was discharged in the State of New York by a General order,
That he is now sixty six years of age That he is in reduced circumstances in life and stands in need of assistance from his country for support Wherefore, inasmuch as your applicant verily believes he comes under the provisions of the act, entitled "an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war," he prays your honor to institute an inquiry into the circumstances of his case, and that such farther proceedings may be had touching the premises as are prescribed by law, in order that your applicant may be placed on the pension list of the United States
James Mearns
United States of America, District of Maine, ss. March 27. 1819
Personally appeared James Mearns and gave his name and made oath to the truth of the foregoing declarations by him in my presence subscribed — Before
Albion K. Parris
U. S. Dist. Judge Dep

I. Zachariah Foss of Scarborough in the District of Maine, on oath declare, that I was a soldier in the revolutionary army for three years, commencing in 1777 and belonged to Capt. Burbank's company in Col. Brewer's regiment; - that when I entered the service the within named Means was a Lieutenant in Burbank's company and when I left the service the said Means had been promoted to the rank of captain in the same regiment; - that during the three years in which I served the said Means was constantly in service as an officer. - Zachariah Foss
United States of America District of Maine, ss. March 27. 1819
Sworn to before
Albin H. Parris U.S. Dist. Judge
Zachariah Foss, above named is a credible witness
A. H. Parris U.S. Dist. Judge

We the Subscribers Selectmen of the town of Westbrook do hereby certify that in our opinion, James Means of Westbrook, in consequence of his reduced circumstances in life, does stand in need of the assistance of his country for support
Randall Johnson } Selectmen Silas Estes } of Benja Quinby } Westbrook

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
MAINE DISTRICT, ss.
BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the twenty seventh day of March in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and eighteen  eighteen , personally came James Means the applicant named in the papers hereunto annexed, and after being duly cautioned and examined, made oath that the several statements by him made in the annexed application, signed in my presence, are wholly true.
And the said applicant further offered in evidence his commission as captain, signed by John Hanson, President of Congress which is hereunto annexed, and also the affidavits of Zachariah Foss, a soldier in the Revolutionary army, and likewise the official certificates of the municipal officers of the corporation to which he belongs as to his reduced circumstances
And it appearing to me in the examination here had, that the several persons above named are credible witnesses, I do hereby admit the annexed declarations as evidence, and certify the same as being satisfactory proof to me that the said James Means the applicant, served as a captain in the revolutionary war, against the common enemy, for the term of nine months and upwards in continuation on the continental establishment. And I do further certify, that from the declaration of the applicant made before me, under oath as aforesaid, it does appear that in consequence of his reduced circumstances in life, he is in need of assistance from his country for support; all which I do hereby certify and transmit to the Secretary of the Department of War, agreeably to the provisions of an Act of Congress, passed March 18, 1818, entitled "An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war."
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused my official Seal to be affixed the day and year first mentioned.
Albion P. Parris
Judge of the United States in and for the District of Maine.
And I do further certify that it has been proved to my satisfaction, that the said James Means , in consequence of his reduced circumstances in life, is in need of assistance from his country for support —
Albion P. Parris U.S. Dist. Judge etc

W o 79 James M c Lean
Capt M c Lean's
by J d Madsworth
Atty M c H c R
Pub
Adg d Dec 12. 1801.

I know all men by these presents, that I James Means of Halmouth, in the county of Cumberland commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby do authorize and appoint, Peleg Wadsworth Esq r , of the town of Portland and of the county and State aforesaid, my lawfull attorney, in my name to ask, demand and receive at the War office of the United States, a warrant of survey, for all the Lands promised and due to me as a Captain in the second Mass- achusetts Regiment, in the late Army of the United States, in the late war with great Britain.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 27 th Day of December One Thousand Eight Hundred.
James Means
in presence of William Birse Sub l . Lewis
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Cumberland ss
Be it known that on the twenty five- nth day of December: one thousand eight hundred: before me Nathaniel Lewis Esquire, one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the said County of Cumberland at Halmouth in said County: came James Means above named and acknowledged the above letter of attorney and assignment to be his free act and Deed.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed my seal the day and year last mentioned.
Nathaniel Lewis
And I do moreover certify that the said James Means: making this acknowledgment has been for twenty five years last past personally known by me, and the he is the same person above described. Nathaniel Lewis

Cumberland Dec 21. 1800. I Samuel Freeman Clerk of the Court of said County of Cumberland do hereby certify that the within named Anthony Lewis Esq is a Justice of the Peace of said County and that full faith is due to his Acts as such Given under hand & the seal of said County
Samuel Freeman

L. W. B. I. 37245.
This Bureau can furnish the military record of only such Revolutionary soldiers as were pensioned or whose widows were pensioned for their services.
Such of the original muster and pay rolls of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 as are now in the possession of the Government are on file in the Record and Pension Office, War Department. Original rolls and other records pertaining to service in the Revolutionary War may also be found on file in the archives of many of the original States.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
WASHINGTON, D. C.,
O. W. & N. DIV.
REVOLUTIONARY.
September 26, 1899.
Madam:-
In response to your recent communication you are advised that James Means made an application for pension on March 27, 1819, at which time he was 65 years of age and residing at Westbrook, Maine, and his pension was allowed for three years' actual service as an ensign, lieutenant and captain in the Mass. troops, Revolutionary war. Place of his enlistment not stated. He served under Capt. Burbank and Col. Sprout.
Very respectfully,
Acting Commissioner.
Mrs. Benjamin C. Lincoln,
149 Millett Street,
New Dorchester, Mass.

37 245 Rev INVALID.
Sept 26 '90 Mrs B C Lincoln New Dorchester Mass.
File No. 37 245
James Means Capt Rev M
Act: 18 th March 18 th
Index: —Vol. 2 , Page 269
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Act 1828 Settled at Treasury
Conc'd with James Meant. Small's file # 37.245
Washington Secretary of the Treasury Hon. Richard Rush Revolutionary Claims

For the purpose of obtaining the benefit of an act entitled 'An act for the relief of certain surviving Officers of the army of the Revolution' - approved May 15 th 1828, I James Means of Westbrook in the County of Cumberland and State of Maine do hereby declare that I was an Officer in the Continental line of the Revolution, that I was appointed a Captain in the 12 th Regiment of the Massachusetts line commanded by Col. Samuel Brewer on the fifth day of July 1779, that in the year 1780 or 1781 (my commission being on file in the secretary's office at Washington cannot tell which year) I was transferred to the 2 d Massachusetts regiment commanded by Lieut. Col. Ebenezer Sproat, and continued in that regiment to the end of the war. I also declare that I afterwards received certificates for a sum equal to the amount of five years full pay, which was offered by a resolve of Congress of March 22 d 1783 instead of the half pay for life to which I was entitled under a resolve of Congress of October 21 st 1780 in Westbrook June 19 th 1828. James Means

Before me Moses Quimby a Justice of the Peace for the County of Cumberland & in the State of Maine, personally appeared John Jones and Jonathan Smith Esqrs respectable citizens, and to me well known who each made oaths that James Means by whom the foregoing declaration was signed, is generally respected and believed to have been an Officer in the Army of the Revolution as he has therein declared. Witness my hand at Westbrook this nineteenth day of June A 1828. —
Moses Quimby. —
State of Maine
Cumberland. ss
I Wm J Vaughan, clerk of the Judicial Court for said County, certify, that Moses Quimby Esq. before whom the foregoing affidavit was sworn, was at the time and still is, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County, duly empowered to administer oaths &c. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Courts. This twenty first day of June A.D. 1828
Wm J Vaughan

let, and the
Capt. Means commission was sent on to Washington, some years ago, & in war office - Capt Means is very infirm, & afflicted with a cancer -

300. 327.
No of orig Pay 310  310
REVOLUTIONARY CLAIMS.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
26 July 1828
James Means, _____ of Wittbrook , _____ in the County of Cumberland , _____ in the State of Maine , _____ has applied to the Secretary of the Treasury for the benefits of the act, entitled "An Act for the relief of certain surviving officers and soldiers of the army of the Revolution," approved on the 15th of May, 1828. He states that he was as an officer on the Continental line, and served as such to the end of the war,
at which period he was a Captain in the Second regiment of the Massachusetts line; commanded by Col. Sprout and that he received commutation certificates for the five years full pay granted by the resolve of 22 March, 1783; and, further, that he has received as a pensioner since the 3d of March, 1826, nothing  dollars, paid to him by the agent in the State of
The Third Auditor is requested to report how far these several statements are corroborated by the records in his office.
By order of the Secretary, A. Dickins.
TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
THIRD AUDITOR'S OFFICE,
July 29. 1828.
It appears by the records in this office, that final settlement certificates have been issued for the commutation of five years full pay to Capt n James Means in the Mass s line, amounting to Twenty four hundred dollars.
It further appears that James Means  not is now on the pension list of the  any  the rate of agency, and has been since the 3. March 1826 per month
John Hagan Aud
18316 17 18.

N o 49
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN (Congress) ASSEMBLED
(Greeting.)
To James Means Esquire
We Reposing special trust and confidence in your Patriotism, Valour, Conduct and Fidelity, DO by these presents constitute and appoint you to be a Captain in the Second Massachusetts Regiment in the Army of the United States, to take rank as such from the day of July 1779. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of a Captain by doing and performing all manner of things thereto belonging. And we do strictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers, under your command, to be obedient to your orders, as given. And you are to observe and follow such orders and directions, from time to time, as you shall receive from this, or a future Congress of the United States, or Committee of Congress, for that purpose appointed, a Committee of the States, or Commander in chief for the time being of the Army of the United States, or any other your superior Officer, according to the rules and discipline of War, in pursuance of the trust reposed in you. This Commission to continue in force until revoked by this, or a future Congress, the Committee of Congress before mentioned, or a Committee of the States.
Witness His Excellency John Hanson Esq President of the Congress of the United States of America at Philadelphia the Sixteenth day of September A.D. 1782 and in the Seventh Year of our Independence.
John Hanson
By Order of Congress G. Lincoln Secretary at War

Dept. of the Interior Bureau of Pensions. Washington D.C.
Can you give me a statement of the military history of James Means - who commanded a company during the last four years of the Revolution and afterwards settled at Stroudwater. Think he was born at Old Orchard, died in 1830.
Hoping you can give me the desired information I am
Sincerely yours
Mrs. Benj. C. Lincoln
149 Millett St.
New Dorchester
Mass