Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30157, for Ephraim Thayer, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Thayer, Ephraim
S. 30157
CONTENTS

10589.
Massachusetts
Ephraim Thayer
Suffolk in the State of Mass who was a artificer in the company commanded by Captain Endecott of the regt commanded by Col. Wheelock in the Mass line for 1 year & 1 mo artificer 8 " Private
W.L.
Enrolled on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 122 Dollars 66 Cents per annum to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 13 th day of Apr 1833 and sent to the Derby Boston Mass
Arrears to the 4th of Mar 1833 $245.32 Semest. allowance ending 21 Sept " 61.33 $306.65
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J. H. Blair Clerk Book 8. Vol. 2 Page 83.
See Mss. Diary files in Compts room
Mar 28. 1851 - 83 Suffolk
E. Thayer

State of Massachusetts, County of Suffolk
I, Geo. C. Wilde , Clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court in & for said County of Suffolk , do hereby certify that satisfactory evidence has been exhibited to said Court that Ephraim Thayer was a pensioner of the United States, at the rate of Dollars per was a resident of Boston in the County of Suffolk in the State of Massachusetts, and died at said Boston on the twenty fifth day of March in the year 1836 that he left no widow, that Lucretia Jackson and Betsey Thayer are the only children of the said Ephraim Thayer now surviving
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, at Boston this Seventh day of December in the year of our Lord 1850.
Geo. C. Wilde, Clerk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston, October 16 th 1850.
I hereby Certify , That at the date of the annexed attestation James Rice was a Justice of the Peace for the County of Suffolk,
in the said Commonwealth, duly commissioned and qualified; and that to his 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 hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
R. D. Walcutt
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

State of Massachusetts County of Suffolk ss.
On this twentieth day of October 1850 before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for the said county personally appeared Lucretia Jackson and made oath in due form of Law that Ephraim Thayer late of Boston in the county aforesaid was a soldier in the War of the Revolution and a Pensioner of the United States and that that he died on the twenty fifth day of March that he died on the twenty fifth day of March eighteen hundred and thirty six that she the deponent and Betsey Thayer both of said Boston are the only surviving children of the said Ephraim Thayer, that they ask for any increase of the Pension of the said Ephraim Thayer that may be found due under any of the Acts of Congress for his services as Artificer. Sworn to & subscribed the day of year first above written.
Lucretia Jackson
Before me James Rice Just Peace

N o 4491
Ephraim Thayer
1 year to Mrs. Whipple & do P. P. P.
5 1/4 & 1/2 interest not cashed until Nov 23 1832
$122.66.
E. H. Derby Esq. Boston Mass.

BRIEF in the case of Ephraim Thayer of the County of Suffolk in the State of Mass. (Act 7th June, 1839.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Judge  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? bodily infirmity.  3. How old is he? 52 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 1775 May — 8 15 Private Gen. Capt. Vinton   276 " Autumn several months in Washington's Independent Artificers   In Apr. in 77 until the close of the ensuing Autumn 3 or 4 — Sergeant Col. Wheelock, Capt. G. duett   1778 for the term of service refers to the declaration of Solomon Thayer 8 Volon. Same Capt. Baxter  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Braintree  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Deposition & documents  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Levin Bell Examining Clerk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Suffolk ss. Boston
On this first day of December A.D. Eighteen hundred and thirty two.
Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace & Clerk of the Municipal Court of said Boston, Ephraim Mayes, who being duly sworn, deposeth and saith that by reason of old age & 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 in the following grades
For one year & four months as an Artificer at the rate of twenty dollars per month for three months as a sergeant in Massachusetts State troops —
for ten months as a private — for the two first of which services & for seven months of the last he claimed a pension —
Sworn & subscribed to before me, the day & year aforesaid. Ephraim Mayes
Thomas W Phillips Clerk Justice

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Suffolk ss
I Thomas W Phillips, Clerk of the Municipal Court of the City of Boston & Justice of the Peace for the County of Suffolk, have subscri- bed my name & affixed the Seal of said Court on the other side of this sheet. I also certify that Solomon Thayer who has signed a dep- osition, connected by a piece of green ribbon with this certificate, is a person entitled to a credit
Thomas W Phillips Clerk and Justice.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Suffolk ss Boston
On this twenty first day of August A D one thousand eight hundred & thirty two I Peter Oxenbridge Thacher Judge of the Municipal Court of the County of Suffolk at the instance of Ephraim Thayer an ensign soldier of the revolution residing in Boston aforesaid aged eighty two years whose feeble health prevents him from attending Court - referred to his dwelling in said Boston. And the said Ephraim Thayer 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 7 th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers & served as herein stated. That is to say, that on the third of May 1775. he enlisted in a Company commanded by Johniston & marched to Cambridge & joined the American Army, took part in the siege of Boston continued in this service under General Washington until January 1776 when he was discharged after a service of eight months & two weeks. He then immediately enlisted in Washingtons Independent Artillery at Cambridge attached to Knowles regiment of Artillery and served with them several months until late in the summer when he returned home. he remembers well General Washington & Major Agassiz. In the autumn of 1776 he enlisted again at Braintree in the company commanded by Capt Endicott & regiment commanded by Col

Wheelock was made a sergeant, marched to Ticonderoga & served three or four months. = In April 1777 he again enlisted at Haverhill in the same Company & Corps of Artificers & served with them until the close of the ensuing autumn when he returned home. He remembers well Colonel Mason & Major Ayres of the Artificers. His wages in the Artificers were twenty Dollars per month. Some time in or about 1778 he served again as a volunteer in a company of Massachusetts State troops on Rhode Island under Capt. Joseph Baxter. The exact period of his service he does not recollect and for a more particular statement he refers to the deposition of his brother Solomon Thayer, his own memory having become very imperfect. = He is quite confident however that he served his country as a soldier between two & three years during the revolution. =
And in answer to the several interrogatories prescribed by the War Department he says, that he was born in Braintree in Norfolk County Massachusetts Oct 14. 1749; His age is recorded in his family records. He lived at Braintree when called into service but has resided in Boston for more than fifty years past; He volunteered; He has stated all the particulars & circumstances of his service that he recollects & the names of his officers; He is known to many of the most respectable inhabitants of Boston among others to the Reverend Mr. Peabody & Samuel May Esq. He does not remember receiving any discharge in writing. He re =

renounces 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. Ephraim Thayer Subscribed and sworn on the day and year aforesaid before me Peter O. Thacher, Judge
We Samuel May Esquire & John Pierpont the latter a clergy- man residing in the City of Boston & Minister of the Hollis Street Church hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Ephraim Thayer who has subscribed and sworn to the above, that we believe him to be eighty two years of age that he is respected & beloved in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion
Sam l . May. Subscribed and sworn on the day & year aforesaid before me J. Pierpont Peter O. Thacher, Judge
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion that after the investigation of the matter, and putting the interrogatories presented by the War Department the answers to which are embodied in the forego- ing declaration, that the above named Applicant, Ephraim Thayer, was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them, that the Rev. John Pierpont who has signed the foregoing certificate is a clergyman resident in Boston aforesaid that Samuel May Esq who has also signed the foregoing

certificate is a merchant residing also in Boston, are both credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit. Further certify that the said Ephraim Thayer is unable by reason of age and infirmity, to attend Court.
Peter O. Thacher, Judge of the Mu- nicipal Court of the City of Boston.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Suffolk ss
I, Thomas W. Phillips, Clerk of the Mu- nicipal Court of the City of Boston a court of record, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceed- ings of said court in the matter of the applica- tion of Ephraim Thayer for a pension and that the Honorable Peter O. Thacher is sole Judge of said court and that the signatures on these papers, purporting to be his are genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said Court at said Boston this twenty first day of August A.D. Eighteen hundred & thirty two.
Thomas W. Phillips, Clerk.

I Solomon Thayer of Braintree in the County of Norfolk & Commonwealth of Massachusetts gentleman do hereby declare & say that previous to the revolutionary war I resided in Braintree with my Father on an estate which has been in our family from the first settlement of the County. I was taught the trade of a wheel- wright & at the commencement of the war served as an journeyman apprentice under my brother Ephraim Thayer who still survives and resides in the City of Boston at the ad- vanced age of eighty two years.
In May 1775 we enlisted & served together in a company of Massachusetts state troops commanded by Capt John Vinton rather more than eight months & a half with the American Army besieging Boston.
At the expiration of this enlistment in January 1776 according to the best of my recollection we enlisted together in Wash- ington Independent Artificers a corps then organized and attached to Knox's regiment. About March we marched in to Boston & were stationed there until the 6th of Septem- ber ensuing when I was detached to the South with some heavy mortars. somewhere about this time he returned home.
I did not see my Brother Ephraim again

until April 1777 when he joined me at Springfield Massachusetts where I was stationed with the Artificers. I then understood from him and others that he had been to Leon-Deraga where he had served as a sergeant in the Massachusetts troops, the length of his campaigns at the north I do not recollect but believe it was about four months.
Early in April 1777 he again enlisted in Capt Ayres Company of Artificers annexed to Knox's regiment of Artillery & served with me in that Company until some time in the course of the summer when I returned home leaving him still in service. He did not return from Springfield to Braintree until the corn harvest was over about November or December 1777 as nearly as I can recollect.
When in the Artificers we received twenty Dollars per month the usual wages paid at that time to skilful artisans. =
In 1778 my brother Abraham  Abraham served one campaign in Rhode Island. I do not remember his term of service but believe he was gone from six weeks to three months. He served in Captain Joseph Baxters Company of Massachusetts troops. I remember hearing from him & others many anecdotes of this campaign.
After his return from the war the Abraham Thayer returned to Boston where he established himself in Boston & acquired a very considerable reputation as an Engine builder -

For a period of eight or ten years he represented the town of Boston in the Legislature of Massachusetts. =
Solomon Shayer
Sworn to in open Court this twentieth day of August A.D. 1832; Attest, Thomas A Phillips, Clerk of the
Municipal Court the City of Boston

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, August 16 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 Mr Ephraim Thayer served as a soldier under Captain John Vinton for the period of eight months, two weeks & four days from May 3 d 1775: as a Corporal
Edward D. Bangs. Secy

30157 Rev. INVALID. Rev
File No. 30157
Ephraim Shayer Antifine Rev. etc
Act. June 7 th 827
Index:—Vol. 2, Page 118
[Arrangement of 1870.]

166
Dec 14/50
Boston Mass
Dec 11. 1850
J. M. Thayer
Enc; Application of the children of Ephraim & Thayer d ied for an increase of Pensions.
Dec 14. 1850
x Mass 32
ack d and referred to the Commissioners of Pensions Det ach Mt Dec 13/50

Boston Mass. Dec. 17 th 1850.
Hon. A. H. Stuart Secy of the Interior Sir,
I herewith transmit the application of the children of Ephraim Thayer, late a pensioner of the Mass. agency under the act of 1 st June 1832, asking for an increase of pension of their Father for his services as an artificer in the Revolution.
Very Respectfully Your obedt Servt J. W. Thayer.

N o 4.1171
Frederick Thayer
S. Hackett Derby Esq. 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 Ephraim Thayer — 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? no 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? 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 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 And is the official character and signature of the magistrate certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? 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, 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 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.