Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18,979, for William Millen, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Millen, William
S. 18,979
carded
CONTENTS

10.130.
Massachusetts
William Spiller
of Hampden in the State of Mass who was a Prisoner in the company commanded by Captain _____ of the reg t commanded by Col Potter in the Sp d time for 12 (One) 5 Days
Courts M l
Inscribed on the Roll of Sp d at the rate of 40 Dollars 55 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 20 th day of March 1833 and sent to S r Leland Rootbury
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $81.10
Semi-ann. allowance ending 4 Feb " 20.27
$101.37
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J H S r Blair Clerk, Book 8, Vol. 24 Page 52.
Mr. Miller's certificate was returned to this office from Mr Leland, and on the 30 March 1833 it was sent to Laban M l
78 Hampden

7055 William Millen
PO Private 12 Mo 5th
$40-00
Laban Marcy E Greenwich Mass

7055  BRIEF in the case of William Millen County of Hampshire 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? 76  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.     Drafted In 1775-18th Decr. _____ 3 _____ Private Gen. Capt. Haskins, Lieut. Hamilton   1777, 1st Sept. five weeks _____ _____ do. Capt. S. Harrison, Col. Potter,   Drafted 1779-10th August _____ 8 _____ do. Major Williams, Col. Tisdale, Col. Gratin, & other Officers.  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Pelham  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional & witnesses  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. Waugh Examining Clerk. Jan. 25, 1833.

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832
State of Massachusetts } ss County of Hampshire }
On this Sixteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open Court before the Judge of the Court of Probate now sitting in and for the County of Hampshire. William Miller a President of Probate in the County of Hampshire and State aforesaid aged seventy five years who being first duly sworn according to law, oath to him administered 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, and served as hereinafter stated That he entered the service of the United States and was drafted in Capt. Blackwell's & Lieut. John Hamilton's company of militia at Pelham in the month of December 1776 on the 18 th day of that month, was marched to Pick's Kill in the State of New York served there about six weeks, and then was marched to Morris Town in the State of New Jersey and stayed there until the 18 th of March 1777 and then was discharged by a written discharge which he has lost, and served the full term of three months and then returned to said Pelham where he then lived And the said William Miller on his oath as aforesaid further testifies and declares that he again entered the service of the United States on the or about the first of September 1777 as a Volunteer in a company of militia commanded by Capt. John Thompson Lieut. in Col. Porter's & Maj. William's Regiment marched to Still Water - from there to Fort Greenough, and was discharged on the same spot where he then lived and after serving five weeks, and returned home to Pelham And the said William Miller on his oath as aforesaid further testifies and declares that on the tenth day of August 1779 he again entered the service of the United States as a soldier was first drafted as a militia man in said Pelham, went to the Town of Springfield in Massachusetts passed under the lines and then was placed under Continental officers to wit Capt. Litchfield in Col. Grafton's Regiment then marched from Springfield through Danbury to Peek's Kill, where he was stationed at Ward's Huts West Point and after passing in the State of New York, and was discharged by Col. Grafton on the tenth of April 1780 at or near Ward's Huts in near West Point after serving the full term of eight months

he hereby — voluntarily voluntarily carry Alaris Alaris. What ever to a Pension Pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on any the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State
William Miller
Sworn to the and Subscribed the day & year aforesaid Before me Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate for said County We the undersigned a Clergyman residing in the Town of Prescott, and Stacy Linsin residing in the same Prescott hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with the above named William Miller who has Subscribed and Sworn to the above declaration: That we believe him to be seventy six years of age, that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Subscribed of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn and Subscribed the day & year aforesaid Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate { Ebenezer Brown Stacy Linsin
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after passing the Interrogations prescribed by the War Department, that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as the States - and the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Reverend Ebenezer Brown who has signed the preceding Certificate is a Clergyman residing in said Town of Prescott: and that Stacy Linsin Esq. who has also signed the same is a merchant in the town of Prescott, and is a considerable Person, and their Statement is entitled to Credit Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate
I Samuel F. Lyman Register of the Court of Probate in and for the said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceed- ings of the said Court in the matter of the application of William Miller for a Pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this sixteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
Sam e F. Lyman Register

Boston March 26 th 1833
Sir
In answer to your letter of the 21 st inst, I have to state that the certificate of Noah Ashley was accidentally omitted in the package to which you refer, but was transmitted a few days after. I received this morning the certificate for William Miller, & as the application was not sent to the War department by me, I herewith return it
Respectfully yours
Obt Servant
E. S. Leland
James L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of pensions

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of William Millen 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? yes 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? Witnesses 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 Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? 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? 1, 2, 7.
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.

18949 INVALID!
File No. 18979
William Miller
Pre Civil War
Act: June 7 th 32
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 260
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Greencastle (Md), August 25 th 1832
Hon Lewis Cass
Secretary of War
I enclose to you for your inspection and to have seen the application of Mr Miller. Please advise me anything interesting to him relative to the same and in kind.
Oblige your humble servant
John Mason

I Alexander Conkey of Prescate in the County of Hampshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts of lawful age testify upon oath that William Mellin of Prescate and County aforesaid was a volunteer soldier in the revolutionary history of the United States that he was with me in the same company at the Surrender of Burgoyne that I saw him often in the time and came home in company together and that we served five or six weeks at that time and that I have been acquainted with him ever since that time
Alex d Conkey
Hampshire ss Prescate August 15 1832 This day Personally appeared Alexander Conkey before me and made truth of the oath to the foregoing Affidavit and I certify furthermore the deponent is a person of truth and veracity
Henry L. Dinsmore Justice of Peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
HAMPSHIRE ss. I, SAMUEL F. LYMAN, Register of the Court of Probate in and for said County, do hereby certify that Stacy  Lucius Esquire, before whom the annexed depositions (3) were taken, is one of the Justices of the Peace within and for said County, duly and regularly appointed, and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing, and have no doubt that the Signature annexed to said deposition is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this twentieth day of August
A. D. 1832
Sam l F. Lyman Register of Probate.

Thomas Canby for W. Mellem

I Peter King of less heart in the County of Hampshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts of Lawful Age Testify on Oath that William Mellor of Prescott in said County was a Soldier in the Army of the United States of America and that he Served with me Eight months in the Same Regiment I saw him often during the time we passed muster at the Same time and returned home in Company together Peter King August 8 1832
Hampshire ss Prescott August 8 1832 This day Personally appeared me Peter King and made Oath to the truth of the foregoing of the foregoing affidavit before me Stacy Lenzin Justice of Peace. I further Certify that the said Peter King is a man of truth and veracity Stacy Lenzin Justice of Peace

Peter King for born Mellin

I Thomas Canby of Prescott in the County of Hampshire and Commonwealth of Massachusetts of Lawful Age Testify upon Oath that of said Bygrave offered that William Mellon was a Soldier in the Revolution Army of the United States of America we entered the Service December Eighteenth Seventeen Hundred Seventy Six and was discharged March Eighteenth Seventeen Hundred Seventy Seven I was in the same Company with him during the Campaign and did duty with him and have known him ever since that time. August 8 1882 - Thomas Canby
Hampshire ss Prescott August 8 1882 This day Personally appeared Thomas Canby and made Oath to the truth of the foregoing Affidavit before me and furthermore he is a credible witness - Stacy L. Gier Justice of Peace