Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21,372, for Philip Meechum, Connecticut

SERVICE
NUMBER
Comm.
Meechum, Philip
S 21,372
CONTENTS

15239 Massachusetts
Philip Meechum
Hampshire Co in the State of Massachusetts was a private in the Company commanded by Captain King of the Regt: commanded by Col Starr in the Mass s line for Bennington.
Ct Cont
72 Hampshire
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 20 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 3 day of June 1833 and sent to Samuel F. Lyon an Hampton
Arrears to the 14th of March 1833 $40.00 Pension allowance ending Sept 1 20.00
$60.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Not June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk, Book E Vol. 2 Page 57

Revolution
21 372
INVALID.
File No. 21,372
Philip Meehan
Dis Rev War
Act: June 7 82
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 267
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Suffield April 16 th 1781 —
These certify that I the Subscriber on the 1 st of July 1780 enlisted Philip Meechum, a Soldier in my Company, to service the Connecticut line Continental Army for the Term of six months To Com tee of Pay Sable (Enlisted) By Josiah King Capt
Meechum, Philip Conn. 321372

Philip McChern Application for a Pension Octr. 30. 1892
17402
Please to make return to Samuel Hinckley, North- ampton Mass.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Hampshire ss - On this 30 th day of October 1832 Personally appeared in open Court before me Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate in and for said County now in session Phillip Meechum of Middlefield in said County aged seventy one 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 of June 7. 1832 -
That he was enlisted by Capt. Joseph King at Suffield in Connecticut on the first day of July 1788 to serve as a private soldier in the army of the Revolutionary war for the term of six months, and was mustered at Hartford in Connecticut, and marched with others who enlisted at the same time to Robinson's Farms so called near to or not far from West Point in the State of New York and was there placed in the Company of Capt. Holmes in the Regiment of Col. Sturtevant in Genl. Huntington's Brigade and he served in the State of New York & New Jersey for six months, and was present at the execution of Maj r Andre - he was at the expiration of said term of six months discharged, regularly, at what were called the Highlands in the State of New York - He was in his youth a resident in Enfield in Connecticut & in West Spring- field in Massachusetts, and from thence moved to Middle- field said where he has resided for more than forty years. He obtained a Certificate of his service at hereto annexed 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 above mentioned
Philip Meechum
Before me Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate for said County and the said Judge in open Court as aforesaid hereby declares it to be his opinion after after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war Department that the above named applicant actually served in the Revolu- tionary War for the term of six months as stated in his Declaration etc.
Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate -
I Samuel F. Lyman Register of the Court of Probate in and for said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of Philip Meechum for a pension - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 30 th day of October 1832 Sam l F. Lyman Register

17402 Philip Muhum Mass
Private 6 mos Adm'd
and J Lyman Northampton Mass

BRIEF in the case of  Philip Muzzey  County of Hampshire  in the State of  Massachusetts  (Act 7th June, 1839.)
 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? 71 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.     Enlist In 1780 — 6 — As a private Genl Huntington Capt King Colstarn  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Suffield Connecticut  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Documentary  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. W. Fletcher Examining Clerk.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Philip Stevenson 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? No
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No
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? documentary
XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? —
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? —
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? —
XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? Jys
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 1 2 6, 7
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.

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each 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. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shewn under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
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 authenticates 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 ends 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.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.