Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29,401, for Gershom Randall, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Randall, Gershon or Gersham
S 29401
CONTENTS

10087 Massachusetts
William Randall of Northampton  Northampton in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Webber of the Regt. commanded by Col. Chaplin in the Mass line for 11 months
Me
85- Hampshire
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 36- Dollars 67- Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 25 day of May 1833 and Sept 1833 Lyman Northampton Mass
Arrears to the 14th of March 1833 $73.34 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept. 1833 18.33 $91.67
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W.H. Adair Clerk, Book Vol. 2 Page 41

BRIEF in the case of  Joshua Prandall  ll  of  Northampton  in the State of  Mass  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Open Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 84 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. As a Gen.     19 th April In 1775 — 9 Private Col. Webb   16 th Oct 1777 — 2 " Col. Webb Col. Chaplin  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Warren Heights  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Northampton Mass  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Not in all respects  By living 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.
Richard D. Catts Examining Clerk.

13081 Gershon Randall application for a Pension -

Declaration in order to secure the benefit of the act of Congress of June 7. 1832 Commonwealth of Massachusetts -
County of Hampshire ss - On this fourth day of Feb y 1832 personally appeared before Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate for said County, Gershon Randall of Northampton in said County, in open Court now in session, aged eighty four 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 7 th 1832. That he was born in Milford in this State, that he moved from thence to Framingham after he arrived to the age of twenty one years, and lived there nearly sixty years, & has lately moved to this Town. That on the 19 th of April 1775 he enlisted into the company of Capt. Walker at Framingham in said County of Hampshire to serve in the revolutionary war. That he marched to Cambridge in said State and served in said company until the twentieth day of Jan y 1776 when he was discharged at Dorchester near Boston. And afterwards on the 16 th day of August 1777 he again volunteered to go to Princeton under said Capt. Walker & joined the Regt. of Col. Chapin at that time, and marched immediately and served two months - he was in the Battle of Brandy Heights - Genl. Gates was Commander at said Battle. At the end of the two months he returned home being regularly discharged.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year above said first above mentioned Gershon Randall Before me Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate for said County
And the said Judge hereby declares it is his opinion after the investigation of the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above mentioned applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as he was above stated Samuel Hinckley Judge of Probate
2 months in all 2 months in all

I, Samuel F. Lyman Register of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of the application of Deborah Randall for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this fourth day of October A.D. 1832
Samuel F. Lyman Register
Exhibit A to the foregoing

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., _____, 19_____
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Gershorn Randall a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Apr. 19. 1775 to Jan. 20. 1776 Priv. Webber Fellowes Mass.   Aug. 16. 1777 2 mos. " Webber Chapin        
Battles engaged in, Bunker Hill Residence of soldier at enlistment, Worthington Hampshire Co Mass. Date of application for pension, Oct. 4. 1832. His claim was al. Residence at date of application, Northampton, Hampshire Co. Mass. Age at date of application, 84. born in Dighton Mass. date not stated. Remarks: There is no data on file as to his family
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

29 401 Rev INVALID.
Ex by Mrs Johnston (Ad) 1916. Jan. 12. Heir. to J. D. Randall
File No. 29, 401 Gresham Randall Rev War
Act: June 7 th 82
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 353
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I Nicholas Cottrell of Worthington in the County of Hampshire & Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged Seventy eight years depose and say That in April 1775 I volunteered in the Company of Capt Webber of Worthington and Marched for Boston and there enlisted for eight Months and served that term in the Regiment of Col. Fellows. and at the expiration of that time I enlisted into the year service in the Company of Capt Bartlett of Ashfield.
The deponent further says that he then was, and now is, well acquainted with Sushorn Randall now of Northampton in the County of Hampshire that the said Randall marched from Worthington in April 1775 in the Company of Captain Webber and continued in it with him till sometime in January 1776 when he returned home
Nicholas Cottrell
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampshire ss Sept 26. 1832
Nicholas Cottrell who subscribed the foregoing affidavit came before me and made oath that it is the truth. And I certify that I am personally acquainted with the deponent and that he sustains a good character for veracity.
William Ward Justice of the Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Hampshire S. Samuel F. Lyman Register of of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the above end within named William Ward Esquire is one of the Justices of the Peace in for said County duly and regularly appointed that I know the within signature purporting to be his to be genuine -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this fourth day of October A.D. - 1832
Sam F. Lyman Register

Eph. Parish's Deposition for Gordon Russell.

I Ephraim Parish of Worthington in the County of Hampshire in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts being seventy seven years old testify and say I enlisted as a soldier in the Company of Capt. Walker on the 19 th day of April 1865 and marched to Boston and continued in service at Cambridge Roxbury & Dorchester until the 20 th of Jan y 1876 when I was dismissed. and Gershon Rand
2 months
then, to wit on the 19 th of April 1875 enlisted with me into the Company of Capt. Walker and he marched served with me until Jan y 20 1876 when he was with me dismissed at Dorchester aforesaid
2 months
afterwards on the 16 th of Aug t . 1877 I with said Brandall volunteered to go to Bennington under Capt. Walker and joined the Reg t . of Col. Chapin, and we served two months - we were both at the Battle of Bemis's Heights - and at the end of the two months we were both dismissed & returned home together - Bennington surrendered while we were in the service - but we left the service as aforesaid directly after he surrendered -
Aug t . 10. 1832
Ephraim Parish
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Hampshire ss Aug t . 10. 1832 Personally appeared Ephraim Parish known to me to be a credible & disinterested Witness, and made solemn oath that the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed contains the truth the whole truth & nothing but the truth
Before me Samuel Wislsey Justice Peace and Judge of Probate for said County

Commonwealth of Massachusetts N Hampshire ss J. Sam - F. Gyn - in Register of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the above named Samuel Hinckley is a Justice of the Peace for said County duly & regularly appointed & that the above Signature purporting to be his genuine
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this fourteenth day of October A. D. 1832.
Sam - F. Gyn Register

Goshen Randall
11 months Anna Female Adm d
S. F. Lyman J. Y. Adams

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Guthrie Brindall Wittington  which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? u II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? u 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? u 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? u VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? u VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? u VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? u IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? u 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? u

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? no 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's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? yes If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? yes Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? 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?
 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. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state 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 shewn 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.
†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 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.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, 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.

Dr. Randall of Chief Clerk's room wants record of Gershon Randall, Mass. S29401 sent thro. his desk to
Mr. F. D. Randall
Jan. 12, 1916.
18 Maplewood St. Malden, Mass