Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 37239, for William Merritt, Massachusetts

SERVICE
Mass.
Merritt, William
NUMBER
S. 37239
CONTENTS

Respecting app n for duplicate certificate, see letter 3 d Dec. 1828 to Hon. J. O'Brien H. R.
Duplicate Certificate issued 20 th January, 1829. and sent to Hon. J. O'Brien, Ho: of Representa- tives -
No. 12,465.
Maine
William Merrill
of Addison in the State of Maine who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Lane of the Reg t . commanded by Colonel Alden in the Massachusetts line, for the term of three years from August 1777 to August 1780.
Inscribed on the Roll of Maine at the rate of eight Dollars per month, to commence on the 18 th day of April 1878. and
Certificate of Pension issued the 28 th of June 1819 and sent to James Campbell Esq. Kennebec (Maine)
Continued on the Roll on 25 th day of July 1828 and notification sent to Josiah Harris Esq. at Machias (Maine) Pension commencing on the 14 th of July 1828
Amount due on 4 th of September 1828 }
$ 13.70
{ Revolutionary Claim, Acts March 18, 1818, & May 1, 1820.

Declaration.
In order to be restored to the Pension List under the act of first march eighteen hundred twenty three.
County of Washington ss. Supreme Judicial Court. On the second day of July 1828 personally appeared in open Court being a court of Record County of Washington in the State of Maine William Merrill of Addison and resident in said County aged sixty nine years who being first duly sworn doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the acts of congress of the 18 th march 1818 and the first of may 1820, that he the said William Merrill enlisted for the term of three years on the first day of august in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven in the State of Massachusetts in the Company commanded by Captain Daniel Lane, in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Alden, in the Line of the State of Massachusetts. In the Continental establishment; that he continued to serve in the same corps until the first day of august in the year one thousand seven hundred & eighty, when he was discharged from the service at West point in the State of New York that his name has been placed on the Pension list and dropped therefrom on account of his property.
And in pursuance of the act of the first of may 1820 I do solemnly swear that I was a resident Citizen of the United States on the 18 th day of march 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift sale or in any manner disposed of my property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of the act of congress entitled an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary war" passed on the 18 th day of march 1818 and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities contracts or Bills due to me, nor have I any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed, That since the exhibition of my first Schedule the following changes have been made in my property.
(Sworn)
William his Merrill mark
Schedule of the real and personal Estate (necessary clothing and bedding excepted) belonging to me the subscriber, VIZ. About Eighty acres of Land - a small one story unfinished dwelling house about twenty years old - a small barn twenty two years old, both very much out of repair the house is but half glazed and hardly tenantable. The land has been twice overrun by the fire within seven years

since which scarcely a green tree has been on it and entirely unfit for cultivation - two cows two yearlings and two calves about four weeks old - one pine table four chairs two iron pots - one kettle and one Spider and a little Crockery ware.
I have not disposed of any real estate I have now about the same amount of personal property I had on the 18th day of March 1818. but the real estate is of very much less value than it was then by reason of its being overrun by the fire and the dilapidated state of the buildings.
William his  mark Merrill
Schedule of the family residing with me William Merrill who by occupation am a labourer or farmer which I am unable to pursue by reason of a very bad rupture which happened about two years ago, which still continues and has disabled me from Labor
Names Ages Capacity of each to contribute to their support William Merrill 89 Disabled as above stated Hannah Merrill 82 Infirm & in feeble health Seth Cotton 11 Grand children left on his hands by their father William Cotton 8 who went to the West Indies about seven yrs ago has not returned & is supposed to be dead.
William his  mark Merrill
And I further on oath declare, that after being on the pension roll I was dropped therefrom in the year 1820. that I have not since applied to be restored till now because I had then the real estate I now have & was able to support my family by my labour but since I was ruptured being unable to labor I now need the assistance of my county for support.
(Sworn)
William his  mark Merrill
Sworn & declared in open court the second day of July 1828.
Before Prentiss Mellen C. Justice.
I Jonas Harris Clerk of all the Judicial Courts holden within & for the County of Washington in the State of Maine, Do hereby Certify that it appears to the Satisfaction of the Supreme Judicial Court holden in & for said County, as aforesaid the said William Merrill did serve in the Revolutionary war as stated in the preceeding declaration, against the common enemy for the term of Nine months under one engagement, on the Continental establishment.
I also Certify that the foregoing Oath and the Schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the records of the said Supreme Judicial Court, and I do further Certify, that it is the opinion of said Court that the total amount in Value of the property exhibited in the

aforesaid Schedule is Two hundred & ten dollars
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of the said Supr. Jud. Court, on this eighth day of July A.D. 1828.
Jonah Harris Clerk of the Judicial Court, in Washington Co.

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 William Merrill , 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. S. 37.239.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Aug. 1, 1771. 3 years Pvt. Daniel Lane. Alden Mass.          
Battles engaged in, Sullivan's expedition against the Indians.
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Enl. in Plantation No 6, later called Addison, Mass.
Date of application for pension, April 18, 1818. His claim was allowed.
Residence at date of application, Addison, Washington Co. Mass.
Age at date of application, 69 years in 1818
Remarks: In 1828 soldier refers to his family as Hannah Merrill 62 years and to 2 grandchildren. Seth Gotton 11 years, William Gotton 8 years. Soldier died June 21, 1848.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

Hon. J. O'Brien H. R. Jan. 20. 1829

Application for a new Certificate
County of Washington ss.
On this Twenty fifth day of December 1828 before me the Subscriber, a Justice of the Peace for the said County of Washington personally appeared William Merritt, who, on his oath, declares that he is the same person who formerly belonged to the company commanded by Captain Daniel Lane, in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Alden in the service of the United States; that his name was placed on the pension roll of the state of Maine, that he received a certificate of that fact, under the signature & seal of the Secretary of War, which certificate, on or about the third day of July 1828, was lost. Having been at Court at Machias on business relating to my name being again placed on the pension roll, and returning on a warm day with my Coat under my arm, and when about four miles from Machias, on my way home, I discovered that my pocket-book had dropped from my pocket. The above named Certificate was in the pocket-book, and although I have made diligent search, have not found my Certificate or Pocket-book.
his William T Merritt mark
Sworn & Subscribed to before me? the day & year aforesaid
John B Webb Justice of the Peace
State of Maine, Washington ss. I, Josiah Harris Clerk of the Courts for the County of Washington do hereby certify that John B Webb before whom the foregoing following Affidavit was sworn, was at the time a Justice of the Peace for said County, and duly empowered to administer Oaths. In testimony whereof, I have hereto set my hand, & affixed the seal of the Court of Common Pleas, this seventh day of January in the year One Thousand eight hundred & twenty eight nine.
Josiah Harris Clerk of Court

State of Maine
County of Washington ss:
On this Twenty fifth day of December 1828 before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace for the said County of Washington personally appeared James Wass of Addison in said County, a person well known to me, & who is a person of undoubted truth & veracity, who, on his oath, declares that he has been acquainted with and lived near to the within named William Merritt for more than Thirty years last past & that he well knows him to be the same person described in the within affidavit James Wass
Sworn & Subscribed to before me the day & year aforesaid
John B. Wass
Justice of the Peace

12,465
L
Maine.
William Merritt
of Addison in the District of Maine who was a Private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Olden of the Massachusetts line, for the term of Ten Years
Inscribed on the Roll of Maine district at the rate of Eight Dollars per month, to commence on the 1 st of April 1818
Certificate of Pension issued the 28 th of June 1819 and sent to James Campbell Esq re
Narraguagus Maine.
Arrears to 4th of March 1819  107 \frac{13}{30} + \frac{4}{31} - 84:49
Semi-ann. all'ce ending 4 th Sept r 1819 — 48:—
$132:49
{ Revolutionary claim, } { Act 18th March, 1818. }

37 239 Rev  INVALID.
File No. 37, 239
William Merritt
Rev Rev War
Act: 18 th March 18 th
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 269
[Arrangement of 1870.]
1915. Jan 18. History to Mrs. C. Clark. M.B.H. Letter in S.F. 17341. Daniel Clark

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
SECOND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE,
Sept. 15, 1853.
Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, 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," and the third section of the Act of August 23, 1842, extending the time within which pensioners may receive their pensions from the pension agents,
The Adm rs of William Merritt, dec., a Pensioner on the Roll of the Maine Agency, at the rate of Eight Dollars and Cents per annum month, under the law of the 18 th March 1818 has been paid at this Department, from the 4 th of March 1848 to the 21 st June 1848
Respectfully, yours,
J. M. Brooke Comptroller.
To the COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS,
Present.

Last evidence 14 July 1828.
20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

I Bartlett Ramsdell of Candler in the County of Wash- ington & State of Maine do on oath testify & declare that I have been acquainted with William Merritt of Addison in said County for about thirty years & also with the place on which he lives, he has about eighty acres of land a small house & barn, the buildings are unfinished old & decayed, the land has been twice entirely overrun by the fire within six or seven years, which has rendered it unfit for cultivation, & is nearly un- productive under the best management. I should think the whole place would not sell for more than one hundred fifty dollars. Said Merritt is otherwise poor & without property except a little stock & his furniture is old & of but little value
Bartlett Ramsdell
Washington p: July 2 1878
Then personally appeared the above named Bartlett Ramsdell & made oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed
Before me J. D. Weston, J. of Peace

State of Maine
Washington ss.
I Jonah Harris Clerk of all the Judicial Courts, holden in & for the County of Washington in the State of Maine, Do. Certify, that Jonathan Weston, before whom the within Deposition appear to have been made - was at the date of his certificate thereto & still is, a Justice of the Peace, duly commissioned & acting under the Authority of said State - and his signature to said Certificate is his real & proper signature.
In Witness whereof I have hereto set my hand & affixed the Seal of the Supreme Judicial Court, this fourteenth day of July A D 1828.
Jonah Harris Clerk Jud. Courts Washington Co.

William Merritt (389) Private Alden's Mass s Reg t Aug t 1 st 1779 to Aug t 1 st 1780
found in the rolls of Col o Alden's regim t — Service admitted — Judge's Certificate of Reduced Circumstances under the Seal of the Court wanted.

I William Merritt of the Town of Addison in the County of Washington in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts do testify and say that I was enlisted into the Continental army for the term of three years by Nathaniel Goodfellow a recruit- ing Sergeant on the first day of August in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven, in the 2 d Town of Addison (then called Plantation Number Six) from thence was mar- ched to Boston from Boston to Albany in the State of New York there turned to Captain Daniel Lane's company in Colonel Alden's Regime- nt which was Number Seven Massachusetts Line in General Patterson's Brigade was with General Sullivan in his campaign against the Indians, after that was generally stationed at West Point - Albany and the White Plains, I served my time out faithfully and was discharged at West Point on the first day of August in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty by I further testify that I have lost my Discharge thinking that it would be of no value to me after the War took place I did not take the care of it I should have done if I had thought it would ever be of any value to me
William Merritt

Washington April 18-1818 then the within Named William Merritt made oath to the truth of the within Declaration by him signed before me
James Campbell Judge C.C.P. Third Eastern Circuit of Massachusetts
Washington D.C. June 2 d A.D. 1819. I am satisfied that within Named William Merritt by reason of his and circumstances in Life is in need of assistance his Country for support
James Campbell Judge of the C.C. Court of Common Pleas for the Third Eastern Circuit Massachusetts
WASHINGTON, ss.
April 18
A. D. 1818-
IT appearing to my satisfaction, that William Merritt subscriber to the annexed declaration, sworn to before me, did serve in the revolutionary war against the common enemy, as stated in said declaration, I now transmit the testimo- ny in the case, with the proceedings had thereon, to the Secretary of the department of war, pursuant to the directions of the Act entitled "An Act to provide for certain per- "sons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary "war;" the testimony and proceedings in the premises being the declaration aforesaid, with the accompanying documents marked — a Certificate from Secretary together with this certificate. A Bradford June 16-1818.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the third East- ern Circuit of Massachusetts to be hereunto affixed.
James Campbell
{ Judge of the Circuit Court of Common Pleas for the third Eastern Circuit of Massachusetts.

BOUNTY LAND WARRANT RECORD CARD*
NAME Merritt, William GRADE Private LINE Lamb's Artillery (New York)
WARRANT NUMBER 7530 ACREAGE 100 ISSUED Oct. 11, 1790 To Asa Rice, assignee
*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the applications for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800. Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.