Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 4908, for William Sumner, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Sumner, William
S 4908
boarded
CONTENTS

N.Y. 30 Massachusetts
John Sumner
of a Regiment in the State of Massachusetts who was a Midshipman in the Company commanded by Captain 1020 of the Dept commanded by Col Robinson in the Mass line for 2 months 1798  Service 8 " 11 " Ensign
84 Norfolk
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 12 - Dollars - 25 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 20 th day of July 1832 and sent C. H. City Boston Massachusetts Arrears to the 4th of March 1832 $184.46 Semi-annual allowance ending Sept 216.12 $300.58
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J. H. Garrison Clerk, Book 2 Vol. 21 Page 78

1885
Wm Sumner
W. E.
16 06 Apr 27. 1835
P 357
  Emery  8  Mr  11  dan    Prod  2  "  17         10   28   
  22     1  67    8  67       12  23    50  6 1/2  
E. A. Derby Esq Boston Mass

6685  BRIEF in the case of William Sumner of Dorchester in the State of Mass  Norfolk (Act 7th 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? 83  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. As a Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days. Gen.     19 April In 1775 - till 1 Jan'y. 1776 from 1 Jan'y. 76 till the 17 March 76 8 19 Ensign of minute company Capt. Vose Col. Robinson Col. Preaton Genl. Heath   2 17 Private Capt. Pierce an alarm company  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none mentioned  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Dorchester  Mass 
 7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? 
Commission of Ensign - 2 living witnesses
 8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? 
The depositions were taken before the Judges of Probate
Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
H. C. Easton Examining Clerk. 24 Jan 33

Commonwealth
of Massachusetts.
Norfolk
ss. Quincy
On this fourteenth day of August A.D. Eighteen hundred & thirty two personally appeared in open Court before the Court of Probate now sitting at Quincy within and for the County of Norfolk aforesaid William Sumner aged eighty three years
Who being 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, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States, under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. That is to say
That previous to the revolutionary war he had served as Ensign of a Minute Company commanded by Captain Wheeler of Dorchester and on the nineteenth of April 1775 he in that capacity & in the same Company entered the service of the Province of Massachusetts at Dorchester as a volunteer. he marched to Cambridge & the next day to Dorchester Roxbury. He was first appointed Ensign by Col. Robinson who commanded the Regiment of Minute men. On the twentieth of April he was transferred to Capt. E. Pyles Company in the service of the Province & on the nineteenth of May ensuing he received a regular commission as Ensign from the President of the Congress of Massachusetts. He continued to serve in said Company & in the Regiment commanded by John Green & Brigade commanded by General Heath until January 1 st 1776 in the rank & station of Ensign. He was stationed with the Company a part of the time at Fort No 2 Cambridge, some time at Dorchester & engaged a portion in fortifying Plumbe Hill, Cobble Hill, & Sewells Point, besieging Boston. aided in destroying the Light house & other buildings in Boston Harbour. Jan 1 st 1776 he was discharged. After a service of more than eight months. — From & after the first of January 1776 & until March 17 th the same year he was a member of an alarm Company of Massachusetts militia commanded by Capt Pierce & stationed at a Guard house at Pine neck Dorchester until 17 th March ensuing when the British left Boston. He was frequently

called into action during this time to repel the incursions of the enemy
He relinquishes every claim, whatever, to a pension or annuity whatever, 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 aforesaid
Wm Sumner
We Abel Cushing Esquire, Nathaniel Tucker Esq., John Ruggles Esq. & Samuel Gile the latter a Clergyman residing in the town of Milton in the County of Norfolk and County of Dorchester in Mass hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Sumner who has subscribed and sworn to the above, and that we believe him to be eighty three years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood, where he resides, to have been a soldier in the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion. Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid,
Abel Cushing Nathl Tucker John Ruggles Sam. Gile
And the said Court thereupon proceeded to propound the following interrogatories, which he answered under oath, as follows:
1. Where and in what year were you born?
Answer,
At Milton Aug 6th 1748 Old Style
2. Have you any record of your age, and where is it?
Answer,
I have such record in a family bible owned by my sisters in Milton
3. Where were you living, when called into service, where have you lived since the Revolutionary War, and where do you now live?
Answer. I lived at Dorchester when called into service, Since the revolution where I have lived six years in Milton, the residue of the time at Dorchester where I now live
4. How were you called into service, were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute, and if a substitute, for whom?
Answer,
I volunteered
5. State the names of some of the regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served, such Continental, and Militia Regiments, as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service?
Answer,
I refer for an answer to this to the bedg of my deposition in which I have particularized
6. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a Soldier of the Revolution?
Answer,
Abel Cushing Esq., Reverend Samuel Gile & John Ruggles
Esq

7th Did you ever receive a commission if so by whom was it signed & what has become of it?
Answer I did. signed by General Joseph Warren President of the Provincial Congress. which I annex. I never received a written discharge.
Wm Sumner
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, that after the investigation of the matter, and putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them, that Samuel Gile who has signed the preceding Certificates is a Clergyman resident in the said Town of Milton & that said Abel Guling & other John Prugg & other credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. He was an able and judg of Probate
Samuel Hovey, Register of the Court of Probate for the County of Bristol Clerk of the Court of
do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of William Sumner for a pension. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this fourteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
Samuel Hovey

Wm Sumner 16685.
11 mths 2 mos 29 days.

I John Adams of Milton in the County of Norfolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts yeoman on oath depose and say that I have from my childhood to the present day been well acquainted with William Sumner of Dorchester in said Norfolk Gentleman, & remember well to have served with him in a Company of Massachusetts State Troops in the revolutionary war 1775. He joined Captain E. Pares Company to which I was attached on the twentieth of April 1775 was soon after appointed Ensign of the Company & served in it in that station until January first 1776 a period of more than eight months. = John Adams
2 Norfolk August 14 th 1832 I subscribed & sworn to, & I further certify that said John Adams is a credible, worthy & true person before me a Judge of Probate

I Joshua Ward of Milton in the County of Norfolk & born monmouth of Massachusetts on oath depose and say that I have been from youth to the present time on terms of intimacy with William Sumner of Dorchester in said Norfolk Gentleman. I remember him when I was an ap- prentice to a Bond of Dorchester. In April, 1775 on or about the 20th of that month I enlisted in a Company commanded by Lt Pore of which the said Sumner was immediately after appointed Ensign & served thereon as ensign until the close of that year a period of eight months & eleven days. I have known him well until the present time & believe him to be a man of the most unquestioned veracity. The word 1775 first inserted
Joshua Ward
Witness my hand this 14 th August 1832. Subscribed & sworn to & further certify that said Joshua Ward is a credible witness - before me a Notary Public of Probate

Rev War
4908
INVALID.
File No. 4908
Wm. Summers
Ensign 1st Regt. Colo.
Act: June 1 th 1882
Index:—Vol. IV , Page 364
[Arrangement of 1870.]

THE CONGRESS OF THE COLONY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS-BAY.
To William Sumner Gentleman
GREETING.
WE, reposing especial Trust and Confidence in your Courage and good Conduct, Do, by these Presents, constitute and appoint you the said William Sumner to be Ensign of the Foot Company in the Regiment of Foot Oliver William Heath Esq. is Col. raised by the Congress aforesaid, for the Defence of said Colony.
You are, therefore, carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of an Ensign in leading, ordering, and exercising the said Company in Arms, both inferior Officers and Soldiers, and to keep them in good Order and Discipline; and they are hereby commanded to obey you as their Ensign , and you are yourself to observe and follow such Orders and Instructions as you shall, from Time to Time, receive from the General and Commander in Chief of the Forces raised in the Colony aforesaid, for the Defence of the same, or any other your superior Officers, according to military Rules and Discipline in War, in Pursuance of the Trust reposed in you.
By Order of the Congress,
John Hancock President P. T. A. D. 1775.
Sam Freeman Secretary P. T. , the 19th of May

State 4901 William Sumner Mass.
Wm Sumner Commissr.
Suffolk ss. Dorchester June 21. 1775 Personally appeared Wm Sumner Genl and Took and repeated the Oath appointed by Congress to be taken by the officers of the Massachusetts army. Before me Wm Holden J d Peace