Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File B.L.Wt. 2098-100, for Asa Porter, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Porter, Asa
B. L. Wt. 2098-100
CONTENTS

Heirship Claim Elisha Porter Devisee of Asa Porter

DEPARTMENT OF WAR.
State of Massachusetts } ss. Essex County. }
I, Elisha Porter  as only Divised and  heir at law to Asa Porter , deceased, do upon oath testify and declare, that to the best of my knowledge and belief, Asa Porter aforesaid, about, or in the year 1777 entered, or enlisted into the service of the United States, for the term of "During the War:" and that he continued in the service aforesaid, until the close of the same, when he received an honorable discharge at the ter- mination thereof, from the Fifth Regiment of the Massachusetts line commanded by Colonel Knapse and when he was a
I further testify that my uncle said Asa Porter departed this life in the Town of Topsfield in Essex County & State of Massachusetts, on or about the year 1802
I further declare, that I have never received a warrant for the Bounty Land promised to Asa Porter aforesaid, on the part of the United States, nor do I believe he ever received it, or transferred his claim to it in any manner whatsoever:
Therefore, KNOW All Men By these Presents, that I Elisha Porter aforesaid, do hereby constitute and appoint Jonathan P. Saunders of Brookfield in the State of New York my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name to demand and receive from the Secretary of War of the United States, a Warrant for the quantity of Bounty Land due me as only Divised heir at law of Asa Porter aforesaid. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 22 day of November in the year 1834.
Signed, Sealed, and Delivered, in presence of Jonathan P. Saunders Dan d S. Procter County, ss.
Elisha Porter
Be it known that on this 22 d day of November in the year 1834 Before the subscriber, one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County, personally appeared Elisha Porter subscriber to the above de- claration, who made solemn oath to the truth of the same: and likewise acknowledged the power of attorney thereunto subjoined, to be his free act and deed; dated at Salem in said County the day and year above mentioned.
Jonathan P. Saunders Justice of the Peace. " " "
State of Massachusetts } ss. Essex County. }
I, John Prince Clerk of the Court of Essex County, do hereby certify, that Jonathan P. Saunders before whom the foregoing declaration was sworn, and the subjoined power of attorney purports to have been acknowledged, is and was at the date thereof, one of the Justices of the Peace, in and for the County of Essex duly commissioned sworn and qualified by law to take affidavits, &c. and further that I am well acquainted with the hand writing of said Justice, and verily believe the signature purporting to be his is genuine. In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed the seal of the said Court and subscribed my name at Salem this 22 d day of November in the year 1834.
John Prince Clerk

Boston, Massachusetts
March 31 st 1835
Sir
Your letter of the 27 th Inst t ; enclosing seven U.S. Military Land Warrants, has this day been received — and agreeably to your request I herewith transmit separate receipt in each case —
Boston Mass ts March 31 st 1835
Received this day from the U.S. War Dept t , by due course of mail, Land Warrant N o 2098 for 100 ac res of Land — & Issue to Eliza Porter, nephew of sole devisee of Ara Porter, who was a Private in the Massachusetts line, of the Revolutionary Army.
Reuben Baldwin

Copy of the Will of Ara Porter D

In the name of God amen. I Asa Porter, of Topsfield in the county of Essex and commonwealth of Massachusetts, yeoman, considering my mortal state, and desirous of disposing of my worldly interest at this time, being of sound mind and memory, do make this my last will and testament, in manner following, viz. Imprimis. I give unto my beloved wife Ruth Porter, (after my just debts and funeral charges are paid,) all the residue of my real and personal estate, to her sole use, during her natural life, with full power to sell one acre and one quarter of an acre, (it being the last land I bought of major Baker,) if she should need it for her comfortable support. And, after her decease, it is my will, that the remainder of my estate, both real and personal, go to my nephew Elisha Porter (son of my brother Samuel Porter) and his heirs forever. Lastly. I appoint my said wife Ruth Porter sole executrix of this my last will and testament; hereby revoking all former wills by me made.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this twelfth day of March eighteen hundred and one.
Signed, sealed, published and declared by the above named Asa Porter to be his last will and testament, in presence of us, who have subscribed our names, as witnesses, in the presence of the testator.
Sylvanus Willes Joseph Andrews Jacob Towne 3d
Asa Porter
To all people, to whom these presents shall come, Samuel Holten esquire, judge of probate for the county of Essex within the commonwealth of Massachusetts, sendeth greeting.
Inow

Know ye, that on the fourth day of March, anno Domini 1805, the instrument aforesaid (purporting the last will and testament of Asa Porter, late of Topsham in said county, yeoman, deceased) was presented for probate by Ruth Porter, the executrix therein named, then present Joseph Andrews and Jacob Towne 3d, two of the witnesses thereto subscribed; who made oath, that they saw the said testator sign and seal, and heard him declare the said instrument to be his last will and testament, and that they the said Joseph and Jacob, with Sylvanus Willes, subscribed their names together, as witnesses to the execution thereof, in the said testator's presence; and that he was then (to the best of their judgements) of sound and disposing mind.
I do therefore, upon the above written declaration of the said two subscribing witnesses to the said instrument, approve and allow of the same, as the last will and testament of the before named deceased; and do commit the administration thereof, in all matters the same concerning, and of his estate, whereof he died seized and possessed in said county, unto Ruth Porter, the before named executrix, well and faithfully to execute the said will, and to administer the estate of said deceased according thereto; who accepted of her said trust, and gave bond, with the said Joseph Andrews and Jacob Towne 3d, as sureties, to exhibit an inventory by the fourth day of June next, and to render an account by the fourth day of March, which will be in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and six.
In testimony whereof, I do hereunto set my hand and seal of office this fourth day of March, anno Domini 1805.
S. Holten, J. probate.
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Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Assere, ss. Probate office.
The foregoing is a true copy of record.
Given under my hand and seal of office this twenty eighth day of November, A.D. 1834.
C. Wm. Lord Jr., Register.

Affidavit of Jacob Townjuns Esqr
Returned for Authentication

Asa Porter N o 2098.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Suffolk ss; I, Thomas W. Phillips, Clerk of the Municipal Court of the city of Boston in the County of Suffolk, the same being a Court of Record do here by certify that Augustus Peabody Esquire, is a Justice of the Peace, within the County of Suffolk, and that I believe the signature on the opposite side side of this sheet to be genuine.
Witness my hand and the Seal of said Court hereto set this twenti- eth day of March A.D. Eighteen hundred and thirty five. Thomas W. Phillips

I Jacob Towne Junior of Topsfield in the County of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts do make oath, testify & say, that I am Sixty six years of age, and that I was formerly well acquainted with Isa Porter late of Topsfield deceased. I further testify, that said Isa was always reputed and believed to have been a soldier who served in the Revolutionary Army; but for what length of time I do not know, as he was at that time an inhabitant of the adjoining town of Wenham in said County.
Soon after the termination of the Revolutionary War said Isa removed to said town of Topsfield where this deponent then and does now reside; and soon thereafter I became acquainted with him; - this was according to the best of my recollection about the years Seventeen hundred seventy  Eighty five or seventy  Eighty six. - said Isa was expert in the martial exercises; - I have often seen him officiate as Ensign in teaching the manual exercise to the militia squads then in training. Previous to the death of said Isa he bequeathed his property to his wife Ruth to be held by her during her natural life, and after her decease, to his nephew Elisha Porter of Hamilton in said County then a minor.
I am well acquainted with said Elisha the foregoing named Devisee; - He is a house Carpenter by occupation who with his family resides in Salem in said County of Essex.
I further testify that I am the only surviving signor of the three persons whose names are affixed as witnesses to the last will and testament of the said Isa Porter, and that I am the individual then known and called by the name of Jacob Towne 3 d as one of the three subscribing witnesses to that Instrument, and therefore do know said Elisha Porter of Salem aforesaid to be the Devisee mentioned in said Will. Jacob Towne, Jr.
Attest Geo. W. Adams
State of Massachusetts Suffolk County ss
Personally appeared the above named Jacob Towne Jr and made solemn oath that the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed is true according to his best knowledge & belief. Before me. Suggester Peabody Justice of the Peace for Suffolk County