Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 5152, for Nathaniel Phelps, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Phelps, Nathaniel
S 5152
Carded
CONTENTS

2302
Massachusetts
Nathaniel Phelps
of Northampton the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain of the Regt commanded by Col Fellows in the Mass were for 18 Mos 9 Days
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 60 Dollars 99 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 23 rd day of Nov 1832 and Deut Chas P Sturtevant Northampton Mass
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832 $ 91.48 Semi-annual allowance ending 2 Oct 33 30.49 $122.97
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J H McBlain Clerk Book D - Vol. 2 nd Page 75

2659
Nathaniel Phelps
Puah
18 Months & 9 days,
The witness not cer- tified to be credible
Admitted
$60.99.
E. P. Huntington
Nashampton Mass

BRIEF in the case of Nathaniel Phelps of Northampton in the State of Massachusetts (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? Seventy five 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.     In 1774 10 21 Minuteman Capt Jonathan Allen   75 9 9 Private Col. Fellows   78 9 = B.H.C. Smith Col. Putnam  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Nine States  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? Living Witness & traditional evidence  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Witness not stated as credible - 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
L. S. Adorn Examining Clerk.

Nathaniel Phelps.
Militia.
 1 st term procured by application of Jonas Clark & Asahel Wright.  2 nd By affidavit enclosed.  Two company officers besides. 
No 2659

DECLARATION,
IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE BENEFIT OF THE ACT OF CONGRESS OF THE 7TH OF JUNE, 1832.
STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS, } ss. COUNTY OF HAMPSHIRE. }
ON this Eighth day of August 1832 personally appeared in open court, before Samuel Hine  the court of Probate now sitting, Nathaniel Phelps a resident of Northampton in the County of Hampshire, and
State of Massachusetts, aged 75 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, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
He enlisted as a minute man about the first of June 1774 & was bound to military service, doing military duty once a week & holding himself ready to obey the call of his country under Capt Blamard till April 21 st 1775 when he marched to Cambridge in said U S service in the company of Capt. Jonathan Allen Lieut. Oliver Lyman, 2 Lieut. Jonathan Stearnes. He marched through Hadley Belchertown Worcester etc. the "Old Bay Road" to Cambridge. He belonged to the regiment of Col Fellows of the Reginn Brigade of Gen Ward as he thinks (They enlisted in said service again on reaching Cambridge & continued in said service till the 1 st of February following, a little more than 9 months). He was stationed at Roxbury till sometime after the battle of Bunker Hill in Aug 7 th . Then marched to Dorchester & quartered in houses instead of tents. There remained the rest of the campaign. He assisted in building a fort on Roxbury Hill back of the meeting house. Mr Jonas Clark served as a minute man entered the service again in April & continued in said service in the same company to which I belonged during said whole term, viz till the 1 st of February 1776. & was a private. Mr Thomas Lyman also entered the said service in said April & belonged to one said company. He does not know how long he continued in the service. Said Nathaniel enlisted again in June 2 nd 10 th 1778 for 9 months & marched through Westfield Hinsbury, Farmington Litchfield, Greenwich, Dover, Fishkill, West Point, there joined Capt Goodell's company (Col Putnam's) regiment. The 30 th of June he went into blacksmithing work in said service at Fishkill & there continued the whole term remaining of 9 months, as a blacksmith. He knows that Eleazer Almond was of Northampton was in said service as a private said second term of service, having seen him in said service once or more times at Putnam's heights he thinks, but how long he does not know. Said Nathaniel was also out a few days at a time on alarms, especially at the capture of Burgoyne. He has a journal of both said campaigns related before which was kept at the time from day to day, relating the incidents of his service. He also has the testimony of Mr Jonas Clark aforesaid for the first term of service, & also of Almond & Blish Blish Bridgman for said second term. He supposes that the record of his age was burnt with his father's house which happened when he was quite young. He was born in 1757 at Northampton. He has always belonged to said Northampton. He does not recollect that he ever received a written discharge. The Rev Sol Williams & Mr Jonas Clark can testify as to belief of service, & reputation for truth -
He hereby relinquishes every claim 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. Nathaniel Phelps
Samuel Hine Judge of Probate
We, Solomon Williams & Jonas Clark residing in the town of Northampton and
residing in Northampton hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Nathaniel Phelps who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 75 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. Solomon Williams
Before me Samuel Hine Judge of Probate for Hampshire County
Jonas Clark
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 abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Solomon Williams who has signed the preceding certificate, is a Clergyman resident in Northampton and that Jonas Clark who has also signed the same, is a resident in said Town and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Samuel Hine Judge of Probate
I, Samuel Lyman Register of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Nathaniel Phelps for a pension.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this
day of August thirty two -
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight  Samuel Lyman Register

Rev. Hays ✓
5152
INVALID.
File No. 0152
Nathaniel Phelps Print Rev War.
Act: June 7 th 1832.
Index:—Vol. M , Page 295
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Nathaniel Phelps Northampton Mass
m 2659.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Nathaniel Phelps which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? it does II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? he did 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? he has 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? he has 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? he has VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes, in his favor IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? he has 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 - it has an inscription whereby it can be distinguished -

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? He has
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? no
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? They are in his
Declaration —
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.
† 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 affidavits must be properly authenticated, as above directed.
‡ 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.

Elishe Bridgman A# for Nathaniel Phelps

I Elisha Bridgman of Westhampton County of Hampshire aged 72 do testify depose & say that I knew Nathaniel Phelps of Northampton before the Revolutionary War & have since known him. Said Nathaniel in 1778 entered into the service of the United States to fill up vacancies in the continental service for 9 months. I served at the same time in another company at White Plains as I have stated in my application. I recollect seeing him in the service during said time as a blacksmith in the continental works at Fishkill. I do not know of my own knowledge that he served 9 months but I know that he was a 9 months man & have always heard that he served his time out & believe confidently that he did. July 31 st 1832.
Elisha Bridgman
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampshire ss July 31 st 1832.
Then personally appeared the above named Elisha Bridgman & made oath to the truth of the foregoing instrument by him subscribed before me
Chas. P. Huntington
Justice of the Peace.
Hampshire ss Nov 7 th 1832
I hereby further certify that the above named Elisha Bridgman is a man of truth & veracity & that he made the foregoing affidavit before me
Chas. P. Huntington
Justice of the Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
HAMPSHIRE ss. I, SAMUEL F. LYMAN, Register of the Court of Probate in and for said County, do hereby certify that Charles  P. Huntington Esquire, before whom the annexed deposition taken, is one of the Justices of the Peace within and for said County, duly and regularly appointed, and that I am well acquainted with his hand writing, and have no doubt that the Signature annexed to said deposition is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this Tenth day of August A. D. 1832.
Sam. F. Lyman Register of Probate.
Charles Huntington Atty. for National Register