Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 11276, for Elisha Randall, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.....
Randall, Elisha.....
S 11276.....
Navy.....
CONTENTS
carded

Letter to J. Bottom 26 Augt 1832
20669 New York Elisha Randall
of (La Narayja) in the State of New York who was a Private in the Com. commanded by Captain Sparre of the Regt. commanded by Col. Shepard in the New York line for 16 mos
★ Mass. Navy . Apr. 10/65. Records corrected.
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 53 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to com. on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 26 day of Apr 1833 and due to Lake Springville
Arrears to the 4th of Apr. 33  $133.33 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 mo '34  26.66
$159.99
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Appt June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by H. B. Sturtevant Clerk, ok E. Vol. 4. Page 14.

as.
No.
Dear S. E. Heath
Commissioner of Pensions Sir
I have
Enclosed Mrs. S. Batten's copy of Her Act my own and lawful attorney to in- vestigate my claim to arrears of pension due my father Elisha Randall, a Revolutionary pensioner of the United States at the rate of fifty Dollars per annum Castleton March 5 th 1882
Polly Smith

14682
Elisha Randall
Cattaraugus co
New York
shepherd's On Noller's Jackson
9 July 80 to 4 Nov
12-14-16-17 06
May 9 th 1833
P. 385
Samuel Lake Springville N.Y.

BRIEF in the case of  Elisha Randall  of  Cattaraugus co.  in the State of  New York  (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? 71 or 72  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.     Enlisted In 1777 6 Private Gen. Capt Sparre   do 1778 3   Shipped 1778 or 1779 1 15 seaman Sloop Providence, Capt Holbrook, Col. Shepard   Re-enlisted 1780 or 1781 6  
 5. In what battles was he engaged?  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Plymouth county, Massachusetts  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? living witnesses and tradition  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Not corrected as required 
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. Woodford
Examining Clerk.

State of New York Cattaraugus County ss. On this 3 rd day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County Elisha Randal a resident of Yorkshire in the County of Cattaraugus in the State of New York, aged 71 or 72 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 7 th 1832 that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated -
That he was born in Rochester Plymouth County in Massachusetts the 29 th day of August 1760 or 1761 according to his best recollection, but he has no record of his age & cannot say positive- ly, that he enlisted in June in the year 1777 for six months under Captain Sparrow served in Rhode Island at a place called Odykes Newtown on the Canoeut side opposite to Rhode Island that they remained there as a guard till winter fol- lowing when he was discharged at Providence after serving the full period of six months that they were occasionally drilled with the Regiment stationed near that place but he does not recollect the name of the Col. or any other Regimental officers, or the name of the Lieutenant, was in no battles that campaign
That in October the next year 1778 he enlisted for three months under a Captain with whom he was not acquainted and cannot state the names of any officers, he served at Doglyn Ferry near Newport in Rhode Island. That he served his time out & was discharged, and returned home, was in no battles this campaign -

That in January 1778 or 1779 he entered on Board the Sloop Providence, he cannot state the precise date as he has no records of the service and had no written discharge, but soon after he entered on board the Sloop, they sailed from Bedford in Massachusetts under the command of Captain Hacker, 1 st Lieut. was Brown 2 d Lieutenant Gardner joined the American fleet at Boston, and soon after put to sea on a cruise. There were several sail of different descriptions of craft but the deponent does not know who had the command of the whole. That the first night out the Providence separated from the other craft in the night, and cruised round Cape Cod on the South side of Long Island, and captured the British Brig called the Delight carrying 12 Guns and 85 men after an action of two and a half hours fighting. took the Brig and 21 prisoners the balance of the crew were dead and mortally wounded. That on board of the Providence there was two killed and ten wounded. The action was fought on the course from New York to the West Indies about 3 days sail from the former place. on the same cruise they retook a French Brig which had been captured by the British, took out 5 or 6 British prisoners and gave the Brig up to the French, afterwards captured a British Schooner with a cargo of rice and put all into port at Bedford, and from that place to Boston, when he was discharged

having served four months and a half. That he afterward received his share of the prize money. That in the year 1780 or 1781 as near as he can recollect he enlisted for six months entire the Service in June under Capt Holbrook in the 4 th Regiment Commanded by Col. Shepard was stationed at West Point. Served the time out and was discharged at West Point in the winter following cannot recollect the date but thinks it was the last of December and returned home, was in no battles and remained in in the fort & Barracks at that point and was not marched to any other place, that he never received any written discharge, and has no other documentary evidence other than the two depositions hereto annexed, and knows of no other persons whose testimony he can procure of his said service —
He hereby relinquishes any 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 and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid Elisha B Randall Israel Day a judge as above.

We Edward Bumps of the Town of Litchfield and Samuel Lake of Concord hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Elisha Randall who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy one years of age, that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the rebel revolution and that we concur in that opinion - Sworn and Subscribed Samuel Lake The day and year aforesaid Edward Bumps Israel Day a Judge
And the 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 Edward Bumps and Samuel Lake who have signed the preceding certificate are credible persons and and that their statements are entitled to credit -
Dan Allen 3 Judges of the court Israel Day first question C Hovey written Leavenworth ?

I John W. Staunton Clerk of the Court of Common pleas in & for said County do hereby The foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the appli- cation of Elish Randall for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this day 3 rd day of October 1832. — — —
John W. Staunton clerk

State of New York
Livingston County } ss. Noah Biglow of the town of Leicester in the said County of Livingston being duly sworn before Ogden M. Willey a justice of the peace of the said County deponeth and saith that he is personally acquainted with Elisha Randall of the town of Yorkshire in the County of Cattaraugus in the State of New York aforesaid - and was acquainted with him during the revolutionary war. that this deponent enlisted, according to his best recollection and belief, in the year 1781 and served in the Continental Army, about nineteen months and was regularly discharged. That he served as a private in the Massachusetts line, in the Fourth Regiment a part of the time under Col. Shepard and the remainder of the time under Col. Jackson, and in the company commanded by Capt. Holbrook. And this deponent further saith that he well recollects that the above named Elisha Randall served as a private in the same company during some part of the above mentioned period of nineteen months. but this deponent cannot tell how long. that this deponent also recollects that the said Randall was in the service while the said Regiment was stationed at West Point, and further this deponent saith not.
Subscribed and sworn this
3 d day of August 1832
before me Ogden M. Willey
Justice of the peace
Noah Biglow
State of New York
Livingston County } ss. I certify that Ogden M. Willey before whom the above affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date thereof a Justice of the peace of said County legally authorized. And that I am well acquainted with his hand writing and will believe his name as it appears above is his own proper hand writing & signature.
Witness My hand & Seal of office this 3 d day of August 1832
Chauncey R. B. and Clerk of Living- ston County by. S. G. Haver Dep. clk.

Elisha Randal application
Militia } Regular } Naval

I certify the within deponent to be a credible witness.
Guasco Augt. 14. 1832
Ogden M. Wiley Section of the press 3
Handwritten text in Arabic script, possibly in Maghrebi style.

State of New York Cattaraugus County. Rebecca Pierce of York Shire in said County being duly sworn according to law, doth on her oaths say, that she is a sister of Elisha Randall, and is sixty four years of age, and both lived at their Fathers during the Revolutionary war, in the Town of Rochester Plymouth County Massachusetts, that she knows her Brother, Elisha Randall, now residing in the same Town of Yorkshire, did enlist and was absent from home, and as she was then informed and believed served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war, but how long or in what Regiments he served the deponent cannot say, that the said Elisha Randall was also absent at one time, and as she was then informed & believed went on the Ocean (privateering), how long he was in service the deponent cannot say, but she recollects that it was reported that he sailed in the Sloop Providence, and that they took a British ship or Brig called the Diligence and some prisoners, that they had a battle that she recollects her Brothers clothes were Bloody when he returned, that there were holes in his clothes which were said were Ball holes, and that she has always understood and now believes that the said Elisha Randall was

a Soldier and served in the Continental Army on the land, and also some part of the time on the Ocean as a Sailor -
Sworn & Subscribed the { Rebelkah 8th day of August 1832 { Pierce
Before me & I certify the above deponent to be a credible Witness -
Arnah Hibbard S.P.
State of New York Callanayes County ss.
I John W. Stanton Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County do hereby certify that Arnah Hibbard before whom the foregoing affidavit appears to have been made in a Justice of the peace and that the I am acquainted with his hand writing and verily believe the signa- -ture subscribed to the said affidavit as such Justice is in his own proper hand writing
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the said Court the 3 rd day of October 1832 -
John W. Stanton clerk
1832 Elisha Randal v. aft. application for Pension Sam. Lake agent
2 nd term disall. no officers named.
en Rolls of Shepherd
acme 16 mo. per

In reply to your request of no date , received Aug. 30. 1910 for a statement of the military history of Elisha Randall a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau. S. File 11.276
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     June 1777 6 mos. Pvt Sparrow ✓ Mass   Oct 1778 3 mos. " " ✓ "   Jan 1779 4 1/2 mos. ✓ Hacken Ship "Providence" Navy   1780 or 1781 6 mos. " Holbrook Col. Shepard Mass.  
ment -1- Battles: engaged in , with and capture of the "Diligence", also captured a British Schooner and re-took a French Brig. Residence of soldier at enlistment, Rochester, Plymouth Co., Mass. Date of application for pension, Oct 3 1832. His claim was allowed. Residence at date of application, Yorkshire, Gallargau etc. So. N.Y. Age at date of application, born Aug 29. 1760 or 1761 Rochester, Plymouth Co. Mass. Remarks: Daughter Polly Smith was alive in 1852.

Rev. Hawley
11276
INVALID.
1910 Sept. 6. Hist. to Mrs Mary M. Hawley. 80.13.14
File No. 11276
Eliska Poandall Rev. Poer War
Ac June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. A , Page 809
[Arrangement of 1870.]

14682
Elisha Randal N.Y.
12. 11. 16. 17
Affidavit annexed explanatory, an answer is requested as soon as convenient. S. Lake
Samuel Lake Springville N.Y.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Elisha Randall of Cattaraugus co New York 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?
No  Explained by affidavit annexed
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
No  Explained by affidavit annexed
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?
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 as to one - as to the other No
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
Certificate of the credibility on the block of the affidavit
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?
No  In Clerk's certificate
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 5-6-7. In affidavit
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.

Hastings Barre Penn March 5 th 1852
Sir
Elisha Randall drew a pension under act - 4 th March 1831 of Fifty Three \frac{33}{100} dollars per annum to the time of his death in Will you have the goodness to inform me from his declaration the respective terms of service set forth and under what offices he claimed to have served and the objections made which barred him from a full pension under the Act which he applied for
Very Respectfully Yours Ob t Serv t W m J. Batture
Edward Heath Comm r Pensions Washington

State of New York Cattaraugus County ss. Elisha Randall being by me duly sworn according to law doth on his oath say, that there is no Clergyman residing in the Town of Yorkshire, in which the deponent resides, whose testimony he can procure in court agreeable to the requisition of the War Depart- ment, nor was there any such Clergyman residing in said Town at the time of making his declaration hereto annexed dated the 2 d of October 1832, that it is therefor impossible for him to comply with the requisitions of the War Department in that particular. — And the Deponent say he never received any written discharge, and never received any Commission — That from the length of time, and imperfection of memory he is not able to state his services or names of Officers more particularly than set forth in his said Declaration hereto annexed. —
Sworn and Subscribed the Elisha Randall 24 th day of May 1833.
Before me. & I certify that I am personally acquainted with the above Deponent and believe him to be a credible Witness —
Deer. Sampson Justice Peace

State of New York Cattaraugus County ss. Samuel Lake of the Town of Concord being by me duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath say that he has been personally acquainted with Elisha Randal for a series of ten years. That the said Elisha made applica- tion to this deponent for his assistance in procuring a pension eight or nine years past that he well recollects that the said Elisha then stated his services in short campaigns and in the Army and on the ocean in the navy or privateering. That he then informed the said Elisha that the laws would not give him a pension, that his periods of service were none of them nine months. Therefore it was of no use to make application — Sworn and Subscribed the 27 th day of May 1833 Before me, and I certify The deponent to be a credible Witness. —
{ Samuel Lake
Peter Sampson Justice Peace

State of New York
Callanagus County ss.
I John M. Staunton clerk of the said County, do certify that Peter Sampson before whom the preceding affidavit purports to have been sworn was at the date of the same, one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the said county, and that I am acquainted with his hand writing and verily believe his name subscribed to the said affidavit, purporting to be his, is his own proper hand writing and signature.
In witness my hand and seal of Office this 8th day of June A.D. 1833.
John M. Staunton. clerk

76 Johnson's Park Buffalo
Pension Bureau Revolutionary Record Department - Gentlemen
Will you kindly send me the Pension Record of Eliza Randall 57. 11.276 Who is credited to Cattaraugus County in the Printed Pension Reports of 1833 & 1840 And oblige Mary M. Hawley

SEP 1 1910

Rev. 11.276 Elisha