Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 5,950, for Edward Pratt, Connecticut

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Conn.
Pratt, Edward
S. 5,950
carded
CONTENTS

See letter to Hon. S. Fugate. Dec. 11 or 11 31
18861
14314 New York
Edward Pratt
of Otsego Co in the State of New York who was an Artificer in the Company commanded by Captain Wall of the Regt. commanded by Col. Walcutt in the St. Lawrence line for Quebec.
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 4 4 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 18 day of May 1833 and sent to Henry Gill Burlington
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $288.00 Semi-ant. allowance ending Sept. — 72.00
$360.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk, Book C Vol. 4 Page 70

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th June 1882 - State of New York } County of Otsego }
Be it remembered that on the second day of July 1882 before James C Walworth Esq. a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County aforesaid, (said Court being a Court of Record having unlimited powers as to the amount of its jurisdiction, and a court proceeding upon the principles of Common Law, with the power of fine & imprisonment,) personally appeared Edward Pratt aged Seventy three years on the 8th of Aug. Next for the purpose of obtaining a Pension from the United States for Revolutionary Services under the Law of the United States of 7th June 1882 entitled an Act An Act supplementary to the Act for the relief of certain surviving officers & soldiers of the revolution passed the 15th day of May 1828."
Who being duly sworn deponeth and saith that he enlisted at Lyme in the State of Connecticut some time in the month of May in the company commanded by Captain Samuel Mather in Col. Erastus Wolcott's Regiment for a term exceeding six months and that he served out his term of service in the erection of Fort Trumbull at New London in the State of Connecticut but this deponent cannot now ascertain the precise day he entered or the day he was discharged. And further that this deponent at Lyme aforesaid was detached from the Militia of the State of Connecticut in the company commanded by Captain Abiel Hall in Col. Ledyard's Regiment at Groton on the erection of Fort Griswold in the State of Connecticut a term of time not now recollected. And further that this deponent on or about the 15th day of June in the year 1778 at Lyme in the State of Connecticut entered the service of the United States in the company of United States Artillery Artificers commanded by Captain Anthony Pest under the Command of General Knox, as a Master Workman at the rate of thirty dollars per month wages for the term of two years

And that this deponent continued in the said service of the United States until the full term of his service expired when he was regularly discharged at Frederickburgh in the State of New York. His discharge if he received a written one of which he is not positive is lost mislaid or destroyed so that he cannot now produce it to corroborate the above statement - The time that he was discharged as near as he can now recollect was about the middle of June 1780. Edward Pratt
Sworn and subscribed to this 2 nd day of July 1832
Before me James B. Walworth a Judge of Allegany County Common Pleas

State of New York } County of Otsego } ss. Andrew Sill of Burlington in the county aforesaid aged Eighty seven years, being duly sworn deponeth, and saith that he has been well acquainted with Edward Pratt, (the person who herewith makes an application for a pension from the United States under the law of Congress of 7 th June 1832) from his childhood to the present time that this de- ponent well knows that said Pratt did enlist at Lyme in the State of Connecticut in the month of May in the year 1776 in the Company commanded by Captain Sam- uel Mather in Col. Erastus Wolcott's Regt for the term of six months or more and that he did perform said service at New London on the erection of Fort Trumbull - and that said Pratt in the early part of the summer of 1777 was detached from the militia of the State of Connecticut at Lyme in the Company commanded by Captain Abel Hall in Col. Ledyard's Regiment the term of time whereof deponent cannot now ascertain and that he did serve in the erection of Fort Griswold at Groton in Connecticut untill he was discharged. And that on or about the 15 th day of June 1778 said Pratt and this deponent both entered the service of the United States at the same time at Lyme in the State of Connecticut in the Company of United States Artillery Artificers commanded by Captain Anthony Post under the command of General Knox said Pratt being then a first rate workman entered the service as a Master Workman at the rate of thirty dollars per month wages for the term of two years and that said Pratt did faithfully perform said last mentioned term of service
Sworn and subscribed to this
20 th day of July 1832
Before me
Andrew Sill
Jamies C. Wandsworth a Judge of Otsego Common Pleas

Otsego County ss I hereby Certify that I am personally and well acquainted with Edward Poate the person who makes the within application for a Pension and Andrew Sill the person whose deposition is thereto annexed and they are both known to me to be men of the first degree of credibility and respectability, and they are both reputed to have belonged to the Revolutionary Army Given under my hand this 2nd day of July 1832
James C. Walworth a Judge of Otsego Common Pleas
Otsego County ss I hereby further Certify that Edward Poate before named has heretofore been a Judge & Justice of our said Court of Common Pleas. And that there will be no open court of record in our said County till September next. And that Andrew Sill the only witness that he can prove his service by is a very aged and infirm man and altogether unable to attend in court & there is no probability that he will ever be able to attend. The testimony adduced before me is clear and indisputable in the case of Judge Poate that he did perform the service set forth in his declaration and admits of no doubt. In the case of Andrew Sill his discharge & his Commission accompanying is the best proof that can be had & corroborates with Judge Poate's declaration Given under hand at Burlington
this 9th day of July 1832 J. Atkinson First Judge James C. Walworth a Judge of Otsego Common Pleas
Declaration of Colonel Poate

18061
Edward Pratt
Roll June 16 '78 2 years
admitted.
24 mo. Artificer.
Henry Sill Burlington Oswego Co N York

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office.
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. Those points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: { ). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A Statement, shewing the Service of Edward Pratt Osborn  New York
   Period when the service was rendered. Duration of the claimant's service. Rank of the claimant. Names and Rank of the Company officers under whom he served. Names and Rank of the General and Field officers. Battles in which the applicant was engaged. Country through which he marched. Place of abode when he entered the service, and age at the present period. Evidence by which the declaration is supported.   Years. Months. Days.     Ent. May 1776 1 6 10 priv Capt Mather Cols Wallcut St. John's Lyme New London County   Left 1777 priv 1st Lieut Post Lieut and Genl Knowl Westport Connecticut   June 1778 2 Months workman Francisburg aged 73 years Living Witness  
I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS, Commissioner of Pensions.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted: This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c. Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of Private Armed Vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service.
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
 1. The Regular Troops.  2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers.  3. Persons employed in the Naval service.  4. Indian Spies. 
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons, claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.
DECLARATION,
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
State, Territory, or District of } ss. County of }
On this day of personally appeared (a) before A. B. a resident (b) of in the county of and State, Territory or District of aged (c) years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d) , with and served in the (e) regiment of the line, under the following named officers:
[Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.]
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
A. B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion (g) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I of the Court of do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this day of &c.
If, on examination of the proper record the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out.
Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz:
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the and C. D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with , who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said 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 A. B. who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the
and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, Clerk of the Court of do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this day of &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration (l) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person

will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County, in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following ( m ) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
 1. Where and in what year were you born?  2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?  3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?  4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?  5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.  6. { To a Soldier. } Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given and what has become of it? { To an Officer. } Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it? 
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution.
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons—one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify, to the character and standing of other persons, giving such certificates.
The traditional evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the enquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.
[a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
[b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
[d] The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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. 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. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours, the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must, in every case, be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required.
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no public seal of office, the certificate of a Member of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
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 papers 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.
Proof of Service.
[j] 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 claimant's 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.
[k] The notes from [a] to [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in note [j] applies to continental troops only.
[l] This traditional evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[m] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[n] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.

Rev War
5950
INVALID.
File No. 5950
Edward Pratt Artificer Rev War
Act: June 1 st '32
Index:—Vol. M , Page 302
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Declaration of Edward Pratt vs J. G. W.
18051
✓
Henry Lill

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7. 1832.
State of New York County of Otsego ss. On this 15th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court before the judges of the court of common pleas in and for the County of Otsego Edward Pratt a resident of the town of Burlington in the County of Otsego and State of New York aged seventy three years, who being first 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 7th. 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
That his place of residence during the Revolutionary war was at Lyme New London County in the State of Connecticut That at Lyme aforesaid in the month of May in the year 1776 he enlisted into Captain Samuel Mather's company in Colonel Erastus Nobell's Regiment in the State service of the State of Connecticut for the term of at least six months but whether it was six, seven or eight months he cannot distinctly recollect he was ordered to Fort Ticonderoga at New London and he served out his term of service there on the building of said Fort. and was discharged. He was again detached at Lyme aforesaid in the forepart of the summer of 1777 from the Militia of the State of Connecticut and served in Captain Abel Hall's company in Colonel Sedgwick's Regiment at Groton in Connecticut on the erection of Fort Griswold the term of In the next place at Lyme aforesaid on or about the 15th day of June in the year 1778. he entered the service of the United States in the company of artillery artificers commanded by Captain Anthony Post under the command of General Knox, as a master workman at the rate of thirty dollars per month wages for the term of two years and that he continued in the said service and served out his term of service principally at Fredericksburgh and at West Point in the State of New York and when his full term of service had expired he was discharged at Fredericksburgh in the State of New York about the middle of June 1780 that he does not recollect whether he received a written discharge or not, if he did it is lost

or destroyed; that he has no documentary evidence, and that he knows of no person, whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service except Andrew Sill whose affidavit is hereto annexed with whom he lived at the time he engaged in the aforesaid service.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Army of any State
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court.
Horace Lathrop, Clerk.
Edward Peall
And the said 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
J. D. Morn
J. H. Warwouth
J. Sage

State of New York Otsego County ss I, Horace Lathrop Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the said County do certify that the foregoing contains the original proceed- ings in the matter of the application of Edward Pratt for a Pension & I further certify that James C. Walworth before whom the preceding affidavit of Andrew Sell purports to have been sworn was at the date of the same a Judge of Otsego County Courts & that I am acquainted with his hand writing & verily believe his name subscri- bed to the said affidavit to be his proper hand writing & signature In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of Office this 19 th day of October 1832
Horace Lathrop By T. K. Clegg Deputy