Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 17,048, for Elijah Rich, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Rich, Elijah
S. 17,048
carded
CONTENTS

Indiana 7415
Elijah Rich
of Scarbro in the State of Indiana who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Newell of the regt commanded by Col. Wade in the Maumee Valley line for 9 months
Inscribed on the Roll of Indiana at the rate of 36 Dollars — Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 19 day of Nov 1833 and Henry Hopkins Marchant
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 75 — Semi-annual allowance ending March 15
$90 —
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Sam Lloyd Clerk, Book E Vol. 1 Page 127
Certificate sent back and new one issued & sent to Henry Hopkins Marchant & reported to agent 20th Nov. 1833
Dead Letter to J. K. Lee 3rd Auditor 31 March 1840
Paid at the Treasury under the Act of the 6th April 1838 from 4 Sept 1838 to 4 March 1839. Agt notified 25 April 1840

17221
Elijah Rich Dearborn co Indiana.
from 1777 private 9 months. $30.
Henry Hopkins Manchester Indiana

BRIEF in the case of  Elijah Rich  of Dearborn co in the State of Indiana  (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? 70  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.     Volunteer In 1777 6 As a Gen. Capt. Mirel, Col. Keyes   do 1780 or 1781 3 Capt Page, Col. Wade  
 5. In what battles was he engaged?  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Wooster co. Massachusetts  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? traditional  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. B. Bradard. Examining Clerk.

Elijah Rich
17221

The State of Indiana County of Dearborn } ss Dearborn Circuit Court of Indiana for Dearborn County On this 29 th day of September 1832 personally appeared in open Court Before the associate judges President of the  Dearborn Circuit Court of common pleas for Dearborn County now sitting Elijah Rich a resident of Manchester Township in the County of Dearborn & State of Indiana aged Seventy 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 entered the Service of the United States under the following named officers & served as therein stated to wit: Under Colonel Daniel Keyes, Lieut. Col. Wade Major Boyd. Capt. Mewel Lieutenant John Culler 2 d Lieut. or Ensign Jonathan Garrafs & all Under General Spencer about the last of June or first of July 1777 & left the Service in January 1778 having served faithfully six months as a Volunteer that he volunteered at Weston in the County of Wooster in Massachusetts where he also resided at the time, the company under Capt. Mewel was Marched directly from Weston to Providence from Providence town then went by land down the river to a place then called Obdick Newtown with the whole of Colonel Keyes Regiment where they lay about 6 weeks then an expedition was undertaken against Newport island then in possession in the British, Keyes Regt crossed Providence River at a place called 4 corners where they joined General Spencers Brigade in about ten days the expedition was abandoned Col. Keyes Regt ordered across to Obdick town the Regt lay there until about Christmas there fell a light Snow & the Regt was ordered to Prov- idence town which was about 25 miles up Providence river & in two weeks thereafter the whole of Colonel Keyes Regt was dismissed that he received a written discharge signed by Capt. Mewel He carried the discharge until he (continued over)

wore it out That about the first of June 1780 or 1781 he volunteered for three months at Weston, Wooster County State of Massachusetts under Br. Genl. Arnold Colonel Wade, Capt. Page Lieut. Walker that Capt. Pages Company rendered at Weston & Marched through Springfield then crossed Connecticut river into Litchfield Can. from there to Claverack off then to West Point. that he was at West Point in Sept. when General Arnold turned traitor that he knew Major Bowman of the Continental heavy artillery. - Was present when General Washington came to the Garrison at 9 or 10 O'clock AM & Washington ordered Major Bowman immediately to put the artillery in readiness & in order. That when the guard was on duty the only ammunition for the whole guard would be one cartridge which was handed successively to the reliefs, before Washington came. that he has no documentary evidence in his possession & that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service that he was born the 3 d day of January 1762 at Weston in Worcester County Massachusetts The record of his age is in the town clerks office there that he was living in Weston when called into service. That since the revolutionary he lived at Weston for 2 years next after & from there to the town & County of Addison State of Ver- mont & lived there 7 years moved from there to Essex town & County of Essex in the State of New York lived there about 7 years from there I moved to the town of Jay County of Essex lived there about 7 years & from there I removed to Cincinnati & lived there 2 years, from there I removed to Manchester township Dearborn County State of Indiana where he has resided for Eleven years & still resides That he was a Volunteer in both terms of service that the last term of his service for which he volunteered was out in about 2 weeks after Arnold left the Garrison for the british & that at time Colonel Wades Regt were all dismissed & that he received an

honorable discharge signed by Capt Page
& that he lost the same or wore it out in his pocket 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 & Subscribe the day & year aforesaid in open court
James Dill Clerk Elijah Rich We Daniel Plummer a Clergyman residing in the township of Manchester County of Dearborn & State of Indiana & H Hopkins residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Elijah Rich who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration, & that we believe him to be 70 years of age, that he is reputed & believed, in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the revolution & that we concur in that opinion Sworn & Subscribe the day & year aforesaid Daniel Plummer James Dill Clerk Henry Hopkins
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Daniel Plummer who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the township of Manchester in the County of Dearborn & State of Indiana & that Henry Hopkins who has also signed the same is a resident of the same place & is a credible person & that their statement is entitled to credit.
Isaac Durre John McPike
I do hereby certify James Dill Clerk of the Dearborn Circuit Court for Dearborn County do certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Elijah Rich for a pension In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 10th 29 th day of September A 1832
James Dill Clerk D. C. C.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
Second Comptroller's Office,
April 14 th , 1840.
Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1833, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States," The widow of Elijah Reich, deceased, a Pensioner on the Roll of the Madison, Ind: Agency, at the rate of Thirty — Dollars and — Cents per annum, under the law of the 7 th June 1832, has been paid at this Department, from the 4 th of Sept. 1838, to the 4 th March 1839, the day of his death.
Respectfully, yours,
William H. Harrison
Comptroller.
To the Commissioner of Pensions,
Present.

17.048 INVALID.
File No. 17.048
Elijah Rich Pris Rev War
Act: June 7 th 92
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 44 3
[Arrangement of 1870.]

7415- West Tennessee
Elijah Rich
of Dearborn in the State of W Tenn who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Newel of the Puff commanded by Col Wade in the Mississippi line for 9 mos
Inscribed on the Roll of W Tenn at the rate of 30 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 9 day of April 1833 and sent to Henry Hopkins Manchester
Arrears to the 14th of March 60.00 Semi-annual allowance ending 4 Sept 15.00
$75.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Daniel Bay Clerk, Book 6 Vol. 7 Page 94

Sir)
I am instructed by the parties making the enclosed declarations - that any com- munications on the subject of their papers are requested to be made to Henry Hopkins Esquire Manchester Post Office, Dearborn County Indiana
Respectfully yo obdt Servt James Dill
Sayreburg
Ind. 9 Oct 1832

Payments to be made at Nashville by the Pres. of MS B Bank Agent for paying Pension- ers, in the Agency of West Tennessee
Recorded in the Pension Of- fice, in Book 6 Vol. 7 Page 94 by Daniel Gay Clerk.

WAR DEPARTMENT.
Revolutionary Claim.
I certify that, in conformity with the law of the United States of the 7th June, 1832, Elijah Rich ————— ————— of the State of West Tennessee ————— who was a private in the army of the Revolution
is entitled to receive ————— Thirty ————— dollars and ————— cents per annum, during his natural life, commencing on the 4th of March, 1831, and payable semi-annually on the 4th of March, and 4th of September, in every year.
Given at the War Office of the United States, this Sixth day of ————— April one thousand eight hundred and thirty- three
Loeb
Secretary of War.
Examined and } Countersigned. }
J L Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions.

B R I E F objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Elijah Reich of Dearborn co. Indiana 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? yes 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? As 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? Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? 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? 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? 5-7
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 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.
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