Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 7397, for Richard Morrell, Massachusetts

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Morrell, Richard or Morrill, Ruth
R 7397
CONTENTS

December 31, 1852.
Power of Attorney in the case of Ruth Merrill-
J. Noyson. Amending Deed
No action required in this case till called for.

State of Massachusetts County of Essex
Be it Known, that on this twenty seventh day of December A. D. 1852 before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, in and for the County and State aforesaid, personally appeared Richard Landis and William Frost the first the grandson and the other husband of the granddaughter of the late Richard Morris resident of Essex in said County, and made oath according to law that they are the legal heirs  widow Ruth Morris who was a Soldier in the war of the Revolution, and who has heretofore made application for the benefit of the Pension Act of 1818 . That they are directly interested as claimants in said Pension, and makes this affidavit to be filed with such additional evidence or arguments as my Agent may use in prosecuting said claim.
Countermanning and revoking all Powers of Attorney and authority heretofore given, I hereby constitute and appoint Washington City my true and lawful Attorney to prosecute the claim of Richard Morris for any amount of Revolutionary Pension, or increase of Pension that may be due; and I hereby authorize my said Attorney to examine all papers or documents in relation to said claim, on file in the Department at Washington City or elsewhere, to file additional evidence or arguments, and to receive for my exclusive benefit, the certificate which may be issued for said claim, which certificate to be made payable at the Washington City, D. C.; to appoint one or more substitutes under him for the purposes herein expressed, and to do all things that I might or could do herein personally present. Hereby ratifying and confirming all that my said Attorney and Agent shall lawfully do in the premises.
Subscribed, and Acknowledged before me the day and year above written, and I hereby certify that I believe the Richard Landis & William Frost to be directly interested in said claim as set forth, and to be the identical persons therein alleged.
State of Massachusetts County of Essex
It is hereby Certified, that satisfactory evidence has been exhibited before me, Clerk of the Police Court of Newburyport , that Richard Morris & William Frost the party who has sworn to, and acknowledged the foregoing Declaration and Power of Attorney, are the identical persons  reputed soldier aforesaid . I further certify, that James A. Clarke Esq. before whom the preceding affidavit and Power of Attorney were made and acknowledged, is a Justice of the Peace, in and for said County, and that the signature purporting to be his, I believe to be
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of Office, this twenty seventh day of December 1852
1. Claimant's name or names in full.—2. Post Office address. 3. "That he is the identical man," or, "that she is the widow of the identical man," or, "that he or she is the legal heir of the identical man," &c., &c. 4. Leave this line blank.—5. "He is," "she is," or "they are."—6. Revolutionary soldier's full name.—7. Claimant's signature.—8. Claimant's name.—9. Magistrate's signature. 10. "Identical," "widow of," or, "child of."—11. Magistrate's name.—12. Clerk's signature.
N. B.—Should two or more heirs join in the foregoing, the plural should be substituted for the singular number.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston, December 27 1852.
I hereby Certify, That at the date hereof Thomas J. Clark is, a Justice of the Peace for the County of Essex.
in the said Commonwealth, duly commissioned and constituted; and that to his acts and attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, in and out of Court.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
Marcus Walker
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the 5 th Section of the Act of Congress of July 2 nd 1836
State of Massachusetts S ss
On this tenth day of April in the year of our L rd one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven personally appeared before the Honorable David Cummins, one of the Justices of the Court of Common Pleas, for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Ruth Merrill, a resident of Amesbury, in the county and State aforesaid aged Eighty seven years, who being first duly sworn, according to Law, do hereby depose, and make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed July 2 nd 1836.
That she is the widow of Richard Merrill, who was late a Lieutenant, in the army of the United States, in the War of the revolution, and particularly a private in said service, as she has reason to believe and duly believes for several campaigns but by reason of age and infirmity, she is not now able to state the time, or term of his service but respectfully refers to the Rolls and documents which are or may be in file at the Office of the War Department at Washington, with such as she may be able to annex to this declaration.
She further declares that she was lawfully married to the said Richard Merrill on the twenty eighth day of April, in the year of our L rd one thousand seven hundred and seventy three by the Reverend Thomas Richeson, was deceased, that by her said husband she had three Children all deceased.
That said Richard Merrill, her said husband died on the first day of January A D 1798 That she has remained his widow ever since the decease of her said husband, as will appear by reference to the proofs annexed, sworn and subscribed on the day and year above written the said Ruth Merrill being unable to attend Court, by reason of bodily infirmity.
her Ruth Merrill
David Cummins
Yrs C. C. Plummer mark Witness W. W. O'Neil

I Jonathan Morrill of Amesbury in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged more than eighty two years, on oath do testify and declare, that I am well acquainted with Ruth Morrill, who is now living in said Amesbury, & who is widow of Richard Morrill, late of said Amesbury, deceased, and do know, that said Richard Morrill, was a Lieutenant in the Army of the United States, in the War of the Revolution, and in the Company commanded by Captain Benjamin Eams, in Colonel Timothy Pickering's Regiment in the years 1776 & 1777, and that he served in said Company the full term of three months. I know that he enlisted in said Eams's Company, in December 1776 and marched to Jersey and Brandywine and continued to serve, the term for which he enlisted, and was discharged at said Brandywine, when his term of service expired. - I was a private in the same Company, and served the same time with said Richard Morrill.
I do further on oath declare, that I was well acquainted with said Richard Morrill, who was a distant relation of mine, before his marriage to Miss Bartol of said Amesbury - which took place at Amesbury aforesaid, in or about the year 1776, or before that time. I lived at that time, the next neighbor to them and within ten or twelve rods of their house, and do know, that they lived together as man and wife, before he went into said Service, and at that time they had a child then living, which must have been then about a year old.
- I do also know that Ruth Morrill, who is now living, at said Amesbury, as I have herein before stated, is the widow of said Richard Morrill deceased, and that she was not intermarried since the decease of said Richard - I was not present when they were married - but know that they were considered man and wife before said Richard entered the said Service - they then lived together as such - and I have no doubt witnesses were such.
Jonathan Morrill
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex ss. Newburyport February 10th 1837. Then Jonathan Morrill above named personally came, and made oath to the truth of the above written affidavit by her subscribed in my presence. - I do also certify that said Morrill is personally well known to me, and fully believed by me to be a credible witness.
W. W. Gann, Justice of the Peace

April 28 th 1833. Married Richard Morrill & Ruth Martlet both of this Town.
I hereby certify that the above is a true copy of record from the records of the first Church in Amesbury as kept by Thomas Richford who was then Pastor of said Church and that said records are now in my possession there being at present no Pastor of said Church.
Amesbury February 20 th 1837. - Hezekiah Colby Deacon.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
County of Essex. February 20 th 1837.
I, the subscriber, a justice of the Peace, in and for the County of Essex. Here by Certify that Hezekiah Colby, above named is a Deacon of the first Church in Amesbury; and that said Church is now destitute of a Pastor; and that said Colby subscribed to the above in my presence.
Edward Dorr, Just' Peace.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Essex ss.
I John Prince Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in said County do certify that Hon. David Cumming is one of the Judges of said Court - that W. Went & Edward Dorr are Justices of the Peace in & for said County & that their signatures hereon are genuine -
Witnesses my hand & the seal of said Court July 27. 1837.
John Prince

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1872.
7397 P. O. Ruth Morrell
Service: Richard
REJECTED
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

2434
Ruth Morrell widow of Richard Map
Wm Woart Octo 10 1837 J Naysom June 12 1852 Honcho! W Upham July 14 1859
7397
July 4 1856

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston:
May 19 th 1854.
I hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that The name of Richard Morill is borne on pay roll of Capt. Joseph Hsley's Company including the time to return home, from Sept. 30. 1776. 260 miles. 2 mos. (Salut North Castle. Nov. 20. 1776.
Also on pay roll of Capt John Peabody's Comp. (Col. Ebenezer Francis' Regt. for travel into Camp and back again as Corp. from Bradford Wages £ 0. 16. 1. 1776.
Also on pay roll of Capt. Joshua Reeds Comp. Col. John Robinsons Regt. from July 13. 1777. 5 mos. 22. days as private.
Also on pay roll of Capt. Joshua Reeds Comp. Col. John Robinsons Regt. for the mos. of Nov. & Dec. 1777 showed as above from Bradford.
Also on pay roll of Capt. Jonathan Evans' Comp. (Col. Nathaniel Wades Regt. doing duty at North Kingston R. Island. from July 6. 1778. 6. mos. 1 day, as private.

And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears: that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
W. H. Wright Secretary of the Commonwealth.

The following REGULATIONS, to be observed in the examination of the Revolutionary Rolls in this office, have been rendered necessary under the rules which are established in the Pension Department at Washington, viz:
1. Every application requiring search, or certificate, must be made to the Secretary, in writing, by the claimant, or by some person duly authorized by the claimant; and the signature to the application must be attested by some magistrate. 2. In all cases where the application is made by any person other than the claimant, a power of attorney, attested by a magistrate , authorizing such person to act in the claimant's behalf, must accompany the application. 3. The application must set forth, as fully as the circumstances of the case will allow, the residence and service of the soldier, and the names of the officers under whom he served; and no search will be made until after the filing of such written application.
"Regulations to be observed in the examination of the Massachusetts Revolutionary Papers in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth."
"The application must be made to the Secretary in writing, by the claimant, or by some person duly authorized by the claimant, by a written power of attorney, attested by a magistrate. The signature of the claimant must in all cases be attested in like manner.
"The application must set forth, as fully as the circumstances of the case will allow, the residence of the soldier, &c., at the time of the service, and the names of the various officers under whom he served, as well as the nature of such service.
"The certificate of the Secretary must show that the search was made, after the filing of such application, by himself, or by one of his Clerks alone, and must be accompanied by the original application of the claimant, or of his attorney, and by a detailed statement, under the signature of the Secretary, and the Seal of the State, of the circumstances which satisfied that officer of the identity of the party described in the application, with the individual who rendered the service.
J. L. EDWARDS, COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS."
The following is an extract from a letter, received by the Secretary, from J. E. Heath, Esq., Commissioner of Pensions, dated March 19, 1852:—
"I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 3d inst., accompanied by a copy of the Regulations now in force in your office in the examination of your Revolutionary Rolls; and, in reply to your questions, have to state that, in my opinion, the said Regulations could not be relaxed in any particular, without serious injury to the Government and the rights of individuals justly entitled to the benefits of the Revolutionary Pension Laws. Indeed, even with those guards around your Rolls, I am satisfied they are frequently used by unscrupulous individuals to sustain applications not embraced by the laws, and as a means of obtaining exorbitant fees."

APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATE OF REVOLUTIONARY SERVICES, made by the Widow & Heirs of the party who rendered the service.
County of Essex State of Mass. Town of Amesbury
The Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is hereby requested to furnish evidence from the Rolls in his office, of the service of Richard Mornillo in the war of the Revolution.
He was a native of the Town of Amesbury in the County of Essex and State of Mass
He enlisted from the Town of Amesbury in the County of Essex and State of Mass in the year 1776 as a Private in the Company commanded by Captain in Regiment and he served as follows,* viz: —
May 16, 1854.
J. Haysome, Attorney for Heirs.
* Here describe as fully as may be, the length of service, the rank, &c., of the claimant, or the capacity in which he served, and all other particulars known.

May 16.
I am now _____ years old, and my memory does not enable me to state the services more fully than above stated.
WITNESS my hand, this _____ day of A. D. 18_____
Signed by said in my presence,
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE.

Hon Mr Ward Com. of Privileges

Annesley, Mass. June 7 th 1854 Dear Mr. Waldo,
Commission of Pensions.
Sir, I have the honor to enclose to you the Certificate of the Secretary of State, as to the credit a de service of Richard Merrill, in the Revolutionary War - and for the service thus rendered his Widow (Ruth Merrill) made application for a Pension - the papers in the case being filed among the "Disputed applications." Having been appointed Attorney for the party in this case - evidence of which is in the same file with other papers - I took occasion, when in Washington a year or more since, to examine these papers and I learnt that the case had been stopped in consequence of an omission of evidence as to the credit, length of service of Richard Merrill. Not finding his name upon the Rolls in the Pension Dept. I have since applied to the State Dept. here, and the result is as is stated by the Secretary. Having then, as I conceive, furnished all the evidence in the case which is required, I trust that it may receive early attention. This is a bona fide case - and one that will bear the closest scrutiny. It seems also to be a plain case, and I trust that

the Department has the necessary documentary evidence of the services performed, I hope to hear of its favorable consideration and decision.
Any further facts or evidence which may be required, will be readily furnished, if within my power.
As evidence of my own position in this case and also of my standing generally, I beg to refer the Honorable Commission to Hon. Attorney General Cushing, Hon. Mr. Banks, Hon. Mr. Updegraff and James Holbrook Esq. (Post Office Agent.)
Respectfully, Your obedt Servt
J. Mayson.

Newburyport August 2 nd 1837
J. L. Edwards Esquire, Commissioner of Pensions.
Sir I have been requested to forward you herein, the application of Mrs. Sarah Merrill, widow of the late Richard Merrill, who was an Officer in the army of the United States, in the War of the revolution, for the benefit of the 8 th Section of the Act of Congress of 4 th July, 1836. She is unable by reason of age and infirmity, to make declaration of more particular service, but humbly respectfully asks leave to rely, upon the records in your Department, and the rolls of Massachusetts in your Office, her husband having been an Officer, in the State of Massachusetts.
with great respect
A. P. Merrill
W. W. Oart