Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29,303, for Silvanus Ludden, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Ludden, Silvanus or Sylvanus
S. 29,303
CONTENTS

21 1866 Massachusetts
Sylvanus Liddell
of Norfolk in the State of Mass who was a private in the Cont. commanded by Captain Hagar of the Regt. commanded by Col. Francis in the Mass. line for 11 mos. 507
Male
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass. 1831 at the rate of 37 Dollars 21 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 16 day of Aug. 1832 and to the E. S. Selby Regt. 8
Arrears to the 4th of Dec. 11 $ 74.42 Semest. allowance ending June 30 18.61 $ 93.03
5 Revolutionary Claim, Recd. June 7, 1832. W. Estlin Clerk
Recorded by Book 6
Vol. 2, Page 50

Sylvanus Luederwald Map
Print 11 Mo 5 days
1406
May 9 1833
O. 386
8667
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E. S. Leland Agent

BRIEF in the case of Sylvanus Ludden County of Norfolk, in the State of Mass. (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? in open Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by want of capacity?  3. How old is he? 78  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.     March In 1776 2 — Private Col. Shayer   August " " 4 " Col. Hemenway Col. Francis   1777 " " 3 " " " Dyke   1778 " " 2 5 " Col. French " Pitcomb   11 5  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none mentioned  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Barnstable Massachusetts  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditional one living witness and a document  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? The papers are not attached agreeably to the regulation, nor is the execution of the living witness certified - nor the official character of the magistrate  X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
George Gaylord
Examining Clerk.

I Moses Whitcomb of Randolph in the County of Norfolk & Commonwealth of Massachusetts of lawfull age, do tes- tify and say, that Sylvanus Ludden of Braintree County & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, served as a soldier in the war of the revolution in the company commanded by Capt Stephen Puncheon & Regiment commanded by Col. Ebenezer Fran- cis, that he was  from from the first of August 1776 to the first of December 1776 four months at Dorchester Heights near Boston. Also from the first of December 1776 to the first day of March 1777 - three months at Dorchester Heights above mentioned during all of which time I the said Moses Whitcomb served with them said Sylvanus Ludden and for the deponent saith not
Moses Whitcomb
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Norfolk ss. August 14. A.D. 1832 Then personally appeared the above named Moses Whitcomb and made solemn oath to the truth of the above affidavit by him subscribed before me
Silas Parsons Jr. Justice of the Peace
I hereby certify that said Moses Whitcomb is a credible witness
Shepard P. Dole
Subscribed in Shepard P. Dole

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Aug 8 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 the name of Silvanus Ludden is borne upon the pay rolls of Capt Moses French's Company in Col. Pitcain's Regt for the period of two months & five days from the fifteenth day of May 1777. — The name of Silvanus Ludden is also borne upon the Regimental Muster roll of Col. Dikes Regt, in the Company of Capt Stephen Pinniman, for the period of three months from the first day of December 1776.
Edward D Bangs. Secy

Bylooms Ludecum
8867
Edwin S. Leland

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
County of Norfolk ss. On this fourteenth 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 Court of Probate now sitting at Quincy in and for said County, Sylvanus Suddens a resident of Randolph in said County, aged seventy eight , 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 Braintree in said County
on the 21 st day of June A. D. 1754, and that there is no record of his birth to his knowledge : that he was in the United States service from the first day of March A. D. 1776, to the first day of May A. D. 1776 two months as a Soldier in the Massachusetts Militia : that he was residing at said Braintree
when he entered the service ; that he was a volunteer and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Captain Isaac Thayer of the Regiment whose Colonel he does not recollect
: that he marched from to
, from  to  from  to
: that he served at said Braintree with
to guard the coast with none of the regular troops ; and
none of the 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 Randolph - & that there is no person living to his knowledge who can testify to his service & that he has no documentary evidence thereof
ALSO : that he was in the United States service from the fourth day of August A. D. 1776, to the fourth day of December A. D. 1776, 4 months as a Soldier in the Massachusetts Militia : that he was residing at said Braintree
when he entered the service ; that he was a volunteer and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Captain Stephen Penniman of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Ebenezer Francis -
: that he marched from Braintree to
Dorchester , from  to  from  to
: that he served at on Dorchester
Heights with 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 there is no person living to his knowledge who can testify to his service & that he has no documentary evidence thereof
ALSO : that he was in the United States service from the first day of December A. D. 1776, to the first day of March A. D. 1777, Three months as a Soldier in the Massachusetts Militia : that he was residing at said Braintree
when he entered the service ; that he was a volunteer and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Captain Stephen Penniman of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Dyer -
: that he marched from to
, from  to  from  to
: that he served at on Dorchester Heights
with 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 there is no person living to his knowledge who can testify to his service & that he has no documentary evidence thereof

And also that he was in the United States service from the fifteenth of May 1777 to the fifteenth of July 1777, two months, as a soldier in the Massachu- setts Militia: that he was residing at Milford at the time when he entered the service: that he was a volunteer & served for the period of service under the command of Captain Moses French of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Titcomb - that he marched from Braintree to Rhode Island & served there for some time with some of the Regular Troops & has not recd any regular pay from the Government & that he was in no battle & at the end of his service received no written discharge - That he has no disqualifying reason & has never recd any other pension than the one the offer of the Secretary of the War Department
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.
We David Brigham
a clergyman, residing in the Randolph
and Silas Paine Jr. residing Randolph hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Silvanus Ludden who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be twenty eight years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood, where he resides to have been a soldier in the war of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed as aforesaid.
David Brigham Silas Paine Jr.
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 appli- cant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the court further certify that it appears to them that David Brigham, who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the Randolph; and that Silas Paine Jr. who has also signed the same is a resident in Randolph and is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Thermon Leland Judge of Probate. The court further certify that Silas Paine Jr. is a son of the said Silvanus Ludden county of Norfolk & that the name signed to the certificate is the correct name of the son of Silvanus Ludden
I Samuel Haven, Reg. of the court of Probate aforesaid, do hereby certify
that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Silvanus Ludden, for a pension.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first aforesaid.
Samuel Haven

(Photograph of 1870.)

8867
Sylvanus Ludden
E. L. Leland Esq Roxbury 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 Sylvanus Indolm which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yy II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yy 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? yy 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? yy VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yy VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yy VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yy IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yy 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? yy

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? yes
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's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? yes
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? no
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? no
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? yes
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, deposeth 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 shown 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.