Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 7445, for James Morton, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Morton, James Abigail
R. 7445
CONTENTS

Hazelton about McCulloch v. Curtis
2 in 5 26
5 23
Preston
 13 4  20 26  18 10  18 26  64 24  169 11  293 17  117 14  480 17  436 17  254  87 

This is to certify that I James Manton then of Providence received my Commission of the Providence Continentals in 1776 then being at Watertown in July therefor to attack some of our to drive the British out of Narragansett Bay in Boston harbor and I was there 2 weeks 1777 in the summer at Providence 2 months under General Greene in Colonel Weeks Regiment 1777 in Boston 3 months under General Heath in Colonel Heath's Regiment 3 months 1778 at Governor's Island and Boston 4 months under General Heath in Colonel Weeks Regiment I received orders from Colonel Webb to draft men per 1000 pounds to go themselves or pay the money and if I had the money I had to bestow for the use I was the only officer in the Company I drafted. the alarm last and having the first rank am I now on the list 5 pounds for all my services I should be glad if you pay your old man in 95 years I had my Commission to the to the end of the war and listed men for both arms in the state of Rhode Island at Bristol 5 miles from the West of the James Manton
John Barker of Boston will state that he was eight months in the service of the United States at Rhode Island with Lieut. James Manton in 1777

James J. Ward mentions 2 men John Alford and Samuel Pulverton both in Colonel Lewis Regiment of Artillery Canaanville. I have my Commission up now I was under command to the end of the war James Norton

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston:
April 26 th 1848.
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 James Merton is borne upon a List of Commissioned Officers as a Lieutenant in Capt Ebenezer Dyer's Company. Commissioned May 10 1776. — Upon a Return of Men under his command, drafted to go to Nantucket to drive the ships out of the harbor in June 1776, as a Lieutenant 3 days. Upon a Pay Roll of Capt Ebenezer Dyer's Company in Col Jonathan Trumbull's regt for service at Rhode Island, as a Lieutenant of Roxbury, from May 8 to July 8 1777. inclusive, 2 months and 1 day. — Upon a Pay Roll of his company in Col Pierce's Regt for service at Rhode Island as a Captain, from March 3 to April 8 1778, inclusive, 36 days. — Name not found as an Artificer — The preceding is all the

evidence of service of any one of the name as an officer, shown by the military records in this Office.
And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
W. B. Calhoun Secretary of the Commonwealth.

To the Secretary of State Massachusetts Abigail Morton, widow of James Morton an officer in the army of the Revolutionary war requests evi- -ence of her husband's service. This applicant states that her late husband James Morton was a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary army and enter- -ed the service, from Roxbury Massachusetts, where he resided at that time. She thinks her husband served at Rhode Island as a Lieutenant - She also states that he was employed in the recruiting service. She said James Morton was a blacksmith by trade and might have served as a private, mechanic or artificer. She thinks he served with the troops stationed at Roxbury, and that he worked at his trade for the army in some part of the war - The length of his service she is unable to state. She therefore respectfully requests the Secretary to cause the rolls and Revolutionary documents in his office to be examined and a Certificate granted of all the service of James Morton of Roxbury aforesaid and the grade of his service.
Abigail for Morton mark
State of Maine Cumberland ss April 12 th 1898 Signed in my presence,
Jacob Merrill Just here

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston, June 3 d 1850.
I hereby Certify, That at the date of the annexed attestation Joshua Seaver was a justice of the Peace for the County of Norfolk,
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.
W. H. Wallcut
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

State of Massachusetts County of Norfolk City of Roxbury
Feb ye Fifteenth, Seventeen Hundred and sixty nine "James Morton & Abigail Seaver were married by Rev d Mr. Adams"
I certify that the above is a true copy of the record, with the exception of the date, which is expressed on the record in fair legible figures, as follows:
"Feb: ye 15 th 1769"
Joseph W Tucker City Clerk
I Joseph W. Tucker above named, depose and say, that I hold the office of City Clerk, in the City, County and State aforesaid, and that the above is a true copy from the records of said city, with the exception above named, as certified by me Joseph W Tucker Clerk of said City
Subscribed and duly sworn to before me, this First day of June A.D 1850.
Justus Haver Justice of the Peace

State of Maine Lincoln County ss: On this twenty fourth day of August AD 1850, before me, Hon. Arnold Blaney, Judge of the Probate Court for the said County of Lincoln, being a court of Record, in open Court, being a special session of said Court, personally appeared Robert Morton a resident of Bristol in said County aged seventy seven years, who being first duly sworn, de- claring to law, doth on his oath in chief the following declar- ation in order to obtain the benefits made by the Act of Congress passed July, 4, 1836, that he is the administra- tor of Abigail Morton late of said Bristol deceased, who was the widow of James Morton late of said Bristol de- ceased, who served as an officer in Revolutionary army of the United States in the war with Great Britain as follows: I believe James Morton aforesaid served in the Massa- chusetts State Troops and in the continental estab- lishment, that he served as a commanding officer or Captain at the Lexington alarm; that he served as a Lieutenant in the Massachusetts State Troops; that he was commissioned a Lieuten- ant by the Congress at Watertown, that he was commanding officer at an attack made on King's shipping at New Bedford roads; that he served in Rhode Island in 1777 two months, and that he served as in an enlistment set forth attached to the deposition of Pease

m. Wells, and that he served as in the deposition of John Mears hereunto annexed, & as set forth in the Certificate of the Secretary of State of Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that he served more than two years as a captain & lieutenant in the service of the United States in the Revolutionary War.
He further, on oath aforesaid, declares, that the said James Morton died at said Bristol on the twentieth day of January eighteen hundred & thirty, that he was married to the said Abigail Morton on the fifteenth day of February seventeen hundred & sixty nine, that said Abigail Morton died on the fourteenth day of May in the year eighteen hundred and forty nine and that Robert Morton Mary Plant William Morton, Charles Morton & Thomas Morton are the children & only surviving children of the said Abigail Morton & James Morton. Witnesses,
Robert Morton
Person M. Mear.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year first above written.
Before me Amos H. Hovey Judge of Probate

State of Maine
Lincoln ss I Edwin S. Hovey Register of Probate within and for the County of Lincoln within said State -
We hereby Certify that Arnold Blaney Esq whose signature is affixed to this sheet of paper is the Judge of the Probate Court in said County of Lincoln, that his attestation thereto is in due form and that full faith and credence is to be given to the same -
In witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of said Court this twenty fourth day of August in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty
Edwin S. Hovey } Register of Probate for the County of Lincoln

REJECTED
7445
P. O. Abigail Morton
Service: David James
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____ _____
Re-enlisted: _____ _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____ _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.

No. 711
Abigail Morton dec d wid: of James.
Mee
Act of 4 th July 1830.
Letter to J. E. Benit June 3 rd 1857 M c Donald Octo 11 1853 To Hon H. Hamlin 30. June '54
7H 45
1836

STATE OF MAINE.
CUMBERLAND, SS.
Clerk's Office, Judicial Courts, PORTLAND, September 12th A. D 1850 }
I, Charles C. Harmon, _____ CLERK OF ALL THE JUDICIAL COURTS,
in and for said COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, certify that _____
_____ Arthur M c Arthur Esq is an _____
Acting Justice of the Peace,
each and every within and for the County of in the State of Maine as appears by the paper hereto annexed; that _____ he is _____ DULY QUALIFIED TO ACT as such; that the COMMISSION of the said M c Arthur _____ is dated August 6th _____ A. D. 1850 and will expire _____ August 6th _____ A. D. 1857. _____
and that the following SIGNATURE purporting to be his, are _____ Genuine.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the Seal of the Supreme Judicial Court, for said State, the day and year first above written.
Chas C. Harmon, _____ CLERK.

I Samuel Blunt of Bristol in the county of Lincoln & State of Maine aged seventy four years do hereby testify and say that I was personally acquainted with James Morton late of said Bristol deceased who was reputed to have been a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary war and who died at said Bristol in 1820 & his widow Abigail Morton died in 1849. Said Morton was generally considered in the community where he resided as having served as a Lieutenant & sometimes commanding officer of a company for nearly the whole of the war. Said James Morton applied to George Reed Esquire a lawyer at Nobleborough, Maine to make his application for a pension and deposited with said Reed his commissions - said Reed did not succeed in obtaining a pension, moved to East Boston and died about two years since and said commissions have never been found. I was always very intimately acquainted with James Morton & with George Reed who used to call on Lieut. Morton frequently and when  he Morton made his application to the Reed he gave

him up, to my knowledge, all his papers relating to his military service in the Revolution and among the rest his commissions, which by some of the family it is supposed he might have sent to Washington as they cannot be found among his papers since his decease. I have frequently at times to hear James Morton state the events of his revolutionary services and inferred from his statements that he had served most of the war as an officer.
Witness Sam H Root. Sam L Blunt
State of Maine
Lincoln ss: On this eleventh day of September A.D. 1850 personally appeared Samuel Blunt abovenamed who made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed Before me Arthur M c Arthur Justice of the Peace throughout the State of Maine.
I certify that I am personally acquainted with Samuel Blunt the affiant and that he sustains a good reputation for truth and veracity Arthur M c Arthur Justice of the Peace throughout the State of Maine.

I Peasee M. Wells of Bristol in the county of Lincoln and State of Maine over fifty five years on oath to testify & say that James Morton of Bristol at one time applied to me to assist him in obtaining a pension and exhibited to me his papers in relation to his service among which I am very certain was a Lieutenants commission which was issued from the Provincial Congress at Watertown he also at the same time showed me a small book as I have stated in a former deposition as being the one in which he kept the minutes of his service and from which I infer that he had served at least two years in the service as a Lieutenant - He after wards applied as I understand to George Reel of Nobleborough and left all his papers with him including his commission -
Witness
Peasee M. Wells
H. L. Leaby
State of Maine Lincoln County ss: On this twelfth day of September A.D. 1850 personally appeared Peasee M. Wells above named and made solemn oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition by him subscribed
Before me Arthur McArthur Justice of the Peace throughout the State of Maine
I certify that I am personally acquainted with Peasee M. Wells the affiant and that he is a Justice of the Peace for Lincoln County and sustains a good character for truth and veracity Arthur McArthur Justice of the Peace throughout the State of Maine

7.711
Abigail Morton dec. widow of James Me
Act July 4 1836

STATE OF MAINE.
Lincoln County.
The subscriber, Register of the Court of Probate, for said County, Hereby Certifies and Attests, That on the fifth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty fifty, Robert Morton of Bristol was duly appointed Administrator of the goods and estate of Abigail Morton
late of said Bristol deceased, intestate and become bound according to law for the faithful discharge of said trust.
Given under my hand and the seal of said Court, at Wiscasset, this fifth day of August in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty fifty
Ebenezer S. Hovey }
Register of the Court of Probate, Lincoln County.

State of Maine
Lincoln County ss Probate Court
Special Court May 23 d 1880
at a special court of Probate held at Bristol in said County on the twenty third day of May A.D. 1880. It was satisfactorily proved in open court being a court of record that Gomez Morton late of Bristol in said County deceased, who was reputed to have been an officer in the revolutionary war with Great Britain & that he died at said Bristol on the twen- tieth day of January A.D. 1880 said to have been aged eighty six years leaving a widow by the name of Abigail Morton who remained his widow & unmarried until her death, and that she died at said Bristol on the fourteenth day of May A.D. 1849 said to have been aged one hundred years eleven months and twelve days and

that Robert Morton Mary Blunt William Morton Charles Morton & Thomas Morton are the children and only surviving children of said James Morton & Abigail Morton deceased
In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand & seal of the Court of Probate this 23 d day of May A D 1880
Ellison V. Young } Register } of } Probate } for } Lincoln Co.

301 Dec 18 Mass James Morton Jun 7 1850 • certificate •

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston :
June 7 1850.
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 James Norton is borne on a list of officers commissioned, as a Lt. in Capt. Eben Gore's Co. On a return of men drafted from Co's of Capt. Gore & others, at Nantasket, as Lt. Commanding, June 1776. 3 days.
On a pay roll of Capt. Eben: Battles Co. Col. Jon: Titcomb's Regt. at R.I. as a Lt. of Roxbury, from May 8, 1777. 2 mos. 1 d.
On a pay roll of his Co. in Col. Pierce's Regt. at Governor's Island, as Capt. from March 3, 1778. 36 days.
There appear to be no rolls of Capt's Ebenezer Gore or Aaron Davis.

And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth the date above written.
W m L. D. S. Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Application of Robert Morton of Bristol in the county of Lincoln & State of Maine one of the children of James Morton late of said Bristol deceased for evidence of his late father's services in the war of the Revolution.
The Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is hereby requested to furnish evidence from the Rolls in his office of the services of James Morton my late father in the Revolutionary War.
• He my late father was a native of Bristol, Maine, from which place he emigrated when he was three years old with his parents to Roxbury, Massachusetts, to escape the Indians, and where he resided when his Revolutionary services were rendered.
• I believe James Morton my late father served as a Lieutenant of Artillery in Massachusetts State Troops in 1775 & long after. He was under Capt. Aaron Dyer's command under Captain Ebenezer Gore. He was present & commanding as Lieutenant in the erection of the breastworks on Dorchester Heights just before battle of Bunker Hill, served nine months in Rhode Island in which town he was Lieutenant commandant. He was more than a year a Lieutenant in the recruiting service for said company. My age is seventy-eight years, Dated on the twenty first day of May A D 1850. Signed by the said Robert Morton in my presence. Arthur M c Arthur Justice of the Peace. Robert Morton

Winchester May 27 1857
Sir,
Inclosed is the application of Robert Morton for evidence of his fathers services in the war of the revolution & since taking the above application I have seen an old document in the hand writing of James Morton his father in which he makes a memorandum of services as follows, viz,
 " I received my commission of the Provincial Congress (Oct 1776) then setting at Watertown - was ordered to attack Kings Shipping at Nantasket  " Roads Boston Harbour on duty 2 weeks and served at Providence 1777 2 months Service  " in Col. Dole's Regt. in 1777 in Boston in General Heath's in Col. Hildreth's Regt.  " in 1778 at Governor's Island Boston 4 months  " I was engaged in planting men - I established alarm list Some of this is nearly illegible - I insert it to direct you in the search - 
I am very respectfully 10 Br 13 Colhoon Sq      Yrs of Servt See Y of manuscript      Arthur M. Easton Boston Mass

I John Mears of Belmont in the county of Waldo & State of Maine, aged eighty six, depose testify and say, that I was a native of Roxbury in the county of Norfolk Commonwealth of Massachusetts and resided there during the revolutionary War with Great Britain and at that time, although I was very young, I was acquainted with James Morton of Roxbury who was a Lieutenant in Captain Ebenezer Gore's company, which company which company was very often called out into service and Lieutenant James Morton with them; that Lieutenant Morton was a married man when he was in the service and his house was nearest my father's within six or eight rods; I was eleven years old first year of the war and could play the fife and wanted to go out as fifer, that I applied to my parents to go out the first year and several years in succession, but my parents would not permit me to go into the service; that in the first year of the war James Morton commanded a company of volunteers and went off from Roxbury at the Lex

-ington alarm; that the said Morton in 1776 was Lieutenant in Capt Ebenezer Gore's company and excepting a time that he was at Rhode Island as an officer two or three months, and a short time at Nantasket, I used to see him in uniform as an officer and official long as such for three or four years in the first years of the American Revolutionary war and during said military services he was called Lieutenant James Morton; that his residence during the whole of said service was at Roxbury, Mass a chusets near where my father dwelt and at residence before described; that he then resided with his wife, whose name was Abigail; that after the war he moved to Bristol, Maine where he died I moved to Bristol Maine and resided at Bristol many years in the neighbor- hood of said James Morton; that during the three or four years of said Morton's service as a Lieutenant I used to see him in uniform every week and almost every day
Witnesses Abigail Morton
James Morton
State of Maine Bethel County ss; On this twenty fifth day of July A.D. 1850 personally appeared John

Mears the affiant and made solemn oath to the truth of the forgoing deposition by him subscribed Before me John M. Bailey (Justice of the Peace)
I certify that I am personally acquainted with John Mears the affiant & that he sustains a good character for truth and veracity.
John M. Bailey (Justice of the Peace)
State of Maine.
Waldo Co.
I Nathaniel Patterson clerk of the Judicial courts of the State of Maine for said county do certify that John M. Bailey is an acting Justice of the Peace for said county duly appointed & commissioned on the 15th day of June A. D. 1848 & qualified to administer oaths. and that the signature to the foregoing certificate purporting to be his, is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have here- unto set my hand & affixed the Seal of the Supreme Judicial court the thirteenth day of July A. D. 1850 N. Patterson

I Plead Mr. Wells of Bristol in the State of Maine on oath etc testify & say that I was well acquainted with Mr. James Morton who formerly resided in this town (Bristol) but now deceased and that it was generally believed in the community where he lived that he was an officer in the service of the United States during the Revolutionary war at which time or the most of it he lived in Roxbury Massachusetts. Sometime in 1824 or 1825 he first applied to me (I think) to assist him in obtaining a pension but suffering that he did not serve long enough at one time of service and not being in indigent circumstances I did not proceed with the claim; again in 1828 or 1829 he applied to me again I had several conversations with him upon the subject and at that time he drew up the paper which is herewith annexed and which is in his own hand writing and signature and has been in my possession up to the present time. He also showed me a small book he had in which he had kept some memorandum of his services and from which he I think took the dates for the statements in the paper annexed, he also showed me his commission which was that of a Lieutenant. He died I believe in 1830 at any rate it was before I had been able to make any definite progress in the business, at or about that time I obtained the information in the small paper

annexed which is in my own hand writing and made at the time , I am now rising fifty five years old and was acquainted with Mr. Norton since 1816 to the time of his decease & he ever so far as my knowledge or belief extended sustained a good character for truth
Witness James Erskine      Peabody M. Wells
Thomas Loughton in State of Maine
Lincoln ss. June 28 th 1850. Personally appeared Peabody M. Wells and made oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition by him subscribed before me
James Erskine Justice of the Peace
I certify that I am personally acq- uainted with Peabody M. Wells Esq. the affiant and that he sustains a good character for truth and veracity
James Erskine Justice of the Peace

STATE OF MAINE.
Lincoln, ss :
I, Edmund B. Bowman, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts in said County, certify that James Erskine .
is an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County, as appears by the papers hereunto annexed ; that he is duly qualified to act as such ; that his Commission is dated June 4 th 18 4 50, and will expire June 3 d 1857 ; and that the above signature, purporting to be his, is genuine.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT, for said State, this eighth day of July Anno Domini, 18 4 50
Edmund B. Bowman Clerk.

Washington
7 March 1851.
Hon. J. D. Heath Commr. &c &c Sir.
I enclose the application of Robert Morton adm r of Abigail Morton dec d . widow of James for Pensions under the act 4 July 1836.
Very Respectfully Your obed Servt. James G. Burd

Portland, Sept 21 1883
Edward
Com. of Rev.
Sir
Mr Robert Morton adw of Abigail Morton of this State dec d , made appli- cation for the benefits of the law of Congress (Act July 4/36)
The papers are supposed to have been filed in your office between Sept 1 st 1850 & Jan 7 th 1851 and Mr Morton desires me to enquire what if any disposition has been made of the case
Yrs Most Truly Richard D. Webb