Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 21,914, for Samuel Parks, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Parks, Samuel
S 21,914
CONTENTS

9165 Vermont
Samuel Parks Jerico in the State of Ver — who was a Pri — in the Com commanded by Captain Newton of the Reg commanded by Col. Stern in the Mass — was for militia 6 mo
Inscribed on the Roll of Ver — at the rate of 20 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 9 day of April 1833 and sent David Russell Burlington vt Arrears to the 4th of March 33: $4,000 Semi-ant. allowance ending Sept. 4. 33 10,000 $5,000
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by E. D. Russell Clerk, Book 6 Vol. 3 Page 83

Revolution
21914 INVALID.
File No. 21,914
Samuel Parks
Rev Rev War
Act: June 7 th 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 312
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Palmer this
admit
6 00 / minutes
$ 20
David Ruffel Esq Burlington Vt

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

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 ?
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 ?
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?
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office?
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 ?
No: Lee Lany 16
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 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.

Revolutionary Claims.
STATE OF VERMONT, } Chittenden County, ss. }
On this seventeenth day of August A. D. 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before the Honorable County Court for the County of Chittenden, now sitting, Samuel
Parks a resident of Jerico in the County of Chittenden
and State of Vermont, aged seventyone 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, 1832, That he entered the service of the United States under the following
named officers, and served as herein stated. That he volunteered in the service as a soldier for three months, in Capt Newton's Company in Col. Stern's Regiment of the Massachusetts Militia, The first day of April 1778 and was dismissed in July 1778. That in September of the same year he entered the service of the revolution in Capt Belknap's Company, in Col. Wall's Regt. of Massachusetts State Troops, served three months and was dismissed the last of December 1778. He knows of no person who can testify to his knowledge of said service.
Answers to the interrogatories propounded by the Court as directed by the Secretary of War
Answer - 1 I was born at Shrewsbury in Massachusetts 1761
" - 2 I have no record of my age except in the family Bible
" - 3 I was living in and at Shrewsbury. Since the revolutionary war I have lived in Wendell in Massachusetts in Westmoreland in New Hampshire and in Jerico where I now live
" - 4 I volunteered the first time. The second I served as a substitute for John Parks who enlisted for six months, served three months, when I was exempted in his stead and served his time out
" - 5 Col Green was with the troops where I served
" - 6 I never had a written discharge but was dismissed
" - 7 Joseph M. Grimes & Truman Gale
No 2.964

STATE OF VERMONT. Chittenden County ss.
I Nathan Mearns Clerk of Chittenden County Court, do hereby certify that, Thomas Reed — Esqr. before whom the annexed affidavit is taken, was at the time thereof, a Justice of the Peace, duly qualified, acting under the authority of this State, and that I believe his name thereto subscribed, to be his own proper signature.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, at Burlington, this 17 day of August A. D. 1832
Nathan Mearns
noted with the county high- court
putting the Interrogatories...

We J. M. Graves a clergyman residing in the town of Jerico County of Chittenden and State of Vermont and Inverness Colonna of the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Samuel Parks of the same place that we believe that he is of the age that he represents himself to be namely seventy one years and that he is respected and beloved in his neigh- borhood to have been a revolutionary soldier and that we concur in that opinion — Joseph M. Graves
Inverness Colonna State of Vermont } Jerico August 11. 1832 The above Chittenden County ss } certificate sworn to Before me Thomas Reed Justice Peace

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 agency of any State.
Sworn to and Subscribed } the day and year aforesaid, }
Samuel Parks
Before Nathan B. Masmell Clerk
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 certify, that it appears to them, that Truman Galeslee and Joseph M. Graves
who have signed the annexed certificate and who are residents of the town of Jericho are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Attest Elihu Thomson } Judge of Chittenden John Mansfield } County Court
STATE OF VERMONT. } Chittenden County, ss. }
I Nathan B. Masmell, Clerk of Chittenden County Court, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Samuel Parks for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this 17 th day of August A. D. 1832.
Nathan B. Masmell