Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29961, for Caleb Lane, Massachusetts

NUMBER
Lane, Caleb
S. 29.961

1291. Massachusetts Caleb Lane
of Gloucester in the State of Massachusetts who was a Sergeant in the Company commanded by Captain Dyer of the Regt commanded by Col. Folsom in the War of 1775
Granted on the Roll of Pensions at the rate of 10 Dollars - Cents per annum. to commence on the 15th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 31st day of October 1832 and sent to William Lane, Gloucester Mass.
  Annual rate of Pensions  $ 60 -    Permitted allowance ending at 20 -  20 -     80 -  
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J. H. [unclear] Clerk Book [unclear] Vol. 2 nd Page 64

2729 Caleb Lane Prat 1 year
His Service of 1 year & 10 Months on board of the private armed ship not from Ga
$110
Adm JL
Mr Freeman E Gloucester Mass

BRIEF in the case of of Gloucester
Caleb Lane in the State of Massachusetts (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? Seventy Three 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 1776 1 0 0 Private Col. Joseph Foster   not proven for { 1 10 0 Seaman Capt. Babson of the private armed ship   He was { He was of the last army a prisoner in England   Genl. Mercer  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Moor's State  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Gloucester  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Living Witnesses  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct 
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
H. D. Addison Examining Clerk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex, ss
On the first Tuesday of August, 1832, being the seventh day of said month, at a Probate Court held at Ipswich for the County of Essex before the Hon. Daniel A. White, Judge of Probate of Wills, granting Letters of Administration, &c. personally appeared Caleb Lane, a resident of Gloucester in the County of Essex & State of Massachusetts, aged seventy three years, who being first 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, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. Vizt. he enlisted as a PRIVATE in Capt William Parsons Company in Col. Joseph Foster Regiment of Mass ts militia, or state troops, on or about the 20th January 1776, stationed at said Gloucester for the defence of the sea coast and continued to serve in said company at said place One year, when his time expired on or about 20th January 1777; that he received no written discharge.
That he shipped as a SEAMAN on board the private armed Brig Genl Mercer of Gloucester, a letter of Marque, of 14 guns, commanded by Capt James Salton, he thinks about 1st September 1777; and after cruising 8 months, during which time we captured a number of vessels; and in the last of April or first part of May, 1778, was taken by the British Ship Grampus (on board of which was Genl. Burgoyne on his return to England) and carried into Portsmouth in England and there confined as prisoner of War for 14 months in the Fortune Prison, when he was exchanged.
That he has no documentary evidence as required by the War Department — that Jonathan Robenson and Winthrop Sargent will testify positively to their knowledge of his service in Pearsons company in 1776; S d Sargent to his general knowledge and belief of his service at SEA. That the Rev d Ezra Gona, his Clergyman died last March and there is no other living in the immediate neighborhood with whom he is acquainted.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
That he was born at said Gloucester on the 23 d day of May A.D. 1759; and that he has a copy of a record made by his father and transferred to his Family Bible
That he lived in said Gloucester when he was called into the service; that he has lived there since the Revolution; and he now lives there. That he entered the service each time by voluntary enlistment
Caleb Lane
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid
D r A. White Judge of Probate

Jonathan Robinson of Gloucester, State of Massachusetts, age 72 years on oath testify that I served ten months in Capt. Pearson's Company, Fosters Regt in 1776, stationed at Gloucester as Sea Coast guards; and that the Caleb Lane to served and barracked together, and to my knowledge his statement of his service is true
That he is my neighbor, have all my life been well acquainted with him; that I have no doubt of his service on board the Genl Mercer; that I believe him to be 73 years of age; and that Caleb Lane, now present, is the identical person who served as within stated as a Soldier & Mariner in the Revolution.
Jonathan Robinson
I Winthrop Sargent of Gloucester, State of Massachusetts, aged 71 years on oath testify that I am well acquainted with Caleb Lane named within (who has lived all his life in my neighborhood; that to my knowledge he served in Capt. Pearson's Company as he has declared; that I have a general knowledge of his sea service; that I believe him to be 73 years of age; and that Caleb Lane, the person now present, is the identical person who served as a Soldier in the Revolution as within stated
Winthrop Sargent
Sworn to and subscribed, the day & year aforesaid
D. B. Tuttle Judge of Probate

And the 5 th Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter, and after 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 Jonathan Robinson and Winthrop Sargent who have signed the same are residents in the town of Ulverston; are credible persons; and that their statement is entitled to credit.
D. H. Nute Judge of Probate
I Nathaniel Lord junior register of probate for the county of Essex do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Caleb Lane for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this seventh day of August eighteen hundred and thirty two.
Nath l Lord jr.

29961 REG INVALID.
File No. 99,961
Call Lane New York
Act: June 1 st 1894
Index — Vol. 2 Page 286
[Arrangement of 1871]

Walt Lane
Forman in w by
Wmerson
Gloucester
Mass
No 2729.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Caleb Dani 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? He has VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? He has VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? He has VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes, in his favor 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? The seal is affixed and the inscription is good -

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? Yes, he died last March & he knows no other -
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? yes
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? all answered in his declaration -
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.
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 affidavits must be properly authenticated, as above directed.
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.