Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 16,881, Ephraim Buss, Mass.

SERVICE
Mass
Buss Ephraim Lydia
NUMBER
W. 16.881
CONTENTS
2

Utica 14702 New York
Ephraim Buss
of Middle in the State of New York who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain White of the Regt commanded by Col. Barce in the Mass. Militia for 6 Mon 15 days
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 21 Dollars 65 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March; 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 10 th day of June 1833 and sent Sonat Richardson New
Arrears to the 4th of Mar 1833 $ 43:30 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sep 10:82
$54:12
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Geo B. Whiting Clerk. Book 6 Vol. 4 Page 7

3614
Albany New York
Sydia Buss widow of Ephraim Buss, decd.
who died on the 20 th December 1840 at Oneida in the State of N.Y. who was a Private in the Comp y commanded by Captain White of the Regt. commanded by Col. Lawrence Mass the Mass. line for Emmets 15 days
Inscribed on the Roll of Albany N.Y. at the rate of 21 Dollars 67 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4 th day of March, 1834. 20 th of December 1840
Certificate of Pension issued the 25 th day of Sept 1841 to Sydia Buss Albany New York N.Y.
Arrears to the 4 th of Sept 1841 $15.44 Semi-annual allowance ending May 42 10.83
$26.27
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act July 4, 1836, Section the 3 rd }
Recorded by H. H. Addison Clerk. Book C Vol. 1 st Page 107

11/4/16 6 p.m. Epiphany Church 24 Declaration St New Bedford County New York
hand

State of New York Onondaga County ss
On the Eleventh day of September in the year 1832 perso- nally appeared in Open Court before the then Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions .
now sitting Ephraim Bump a resident of the town of New Bedford County and State aforesaid aged eighty five years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the follow declaration in order to obtain the benefit of an Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832 This deponent says that on the 20 day of April 1775 he volunteered and joined Capt David Wildes Company at Cambridge Middlesex County State of Massachusetts Genl Ward of Sunderland then had the command of all the troops at Cambridge This deponent says he served at this time three weeks and belonged to Lancaster Worcester County at the time he volunteered This deponent further says that on the 17 day of October 1775 he entered the service in the revolutionary war as a substitute for Samuel Bump at Prospect Hill near Charlestown in Middlesex County and served at this time about four weeks This deponent further says that in the fore part of the month of December 1775 he volunteered and joined Capt Nathaniel White's Com- -pany at Lancaster Worcester County and marched with said company to Roxbury Norfolk County Massachusetts when the Company arrived at Roxbury we joined Col Formus Baker's Regiment and continued there in the service at this time two months and was then discharged This deponent further says that he again volunteered in the latter part of month December 1776 for three months and in Capt Gates Company of for Eastern Regiment Massachusetts State troops and mar- -ched from the Town of Lancaster through Worcester Spring- -field Mass. thence to Dan Danbury Connecticut to Kings Ferry on North river and crossed the river into New Jersey thence to a place called Brown Brook Genl Warner of Woodstock Worcester County being the the commander Genl Green of the Continental line frequently visit the troops at that place after having served three months this depo- -nent says he was discharged and returned home This de- -ponent says he resided in the town of Lancaster afore- -said a number of years after the war then moved to Jeffery's Swamp where he resided about five years and moved from thence to Whitestown now New Bedford formerly State of New York where this deponent says he has resided for about forty two years

has no documentary or other proof then is her with transmitted to prove his services in the Revolutionary war This deponent says that he never had any writ- -ten discharge was born in the town of Limerick in Cumberland County, Massachusetts in the year 1747 has a rec- ord of his age at time (This deponent hereby ren- ounces every claim whatever to any pension or an annu- -ity excepting the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any state) and further this deponent says not (six months shall suffice) Sworn this 11 th Sept 1832
J B Read Dep Clk Ephraim Buff We, William Stadman Thomas Gaylord of the town of Middlesex hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Ephraim Buff who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be eighty five 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 this 11 th Sept 1832
J B Read Dep Clk
William Stearns
Thomas Gaylord
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 certifies that it appears to them that William Stearns who has signed the preceding certificate is a resident of the town of Middlesex and Thomas Gaylord who has also signed the same is a resident of the same town and are both of them persons credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit
By the Court
C. Hayden, first pres.

I George Brown Clerk of The Court of Common Pleas in and for the County do hereby certify that the foregoing con- tains the original proceeding of the said Court in the matter of the application of Ephraim Bump for a pension In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office This 12 th day of September A.D. 1832 Geo. Brown Clerk

State of New York
Oneida County ss
Asa Priest of the town of Paris County and state aforesaid who first being duly sworn according to law deponeth and says that he is acquainted with Ephraim Bump of the town of New Hartford that the said Ephraim Bump and and himself as he verily believes were both born in the town of Leominster Worcester County and state of Mass This deponent says he was acquainted with the said Ephraim before the revolutionary war as they lived only one mile distance from each other this deponent further says that he well remembers that the said Ephraim was in the service in the revolutionary war in the year 1785 at Cambridge Mass when the troops lay at that place and at Prospect Hill near Cambridge but does not remember the length of time the said Ephraim served in the Revolutionary war This deponent further says that he is seventy three years of age and further this deponent says not
Asa Priest
Sworn in Open Court Sept 11 1832
J. B. Reag (Dep Clerk)

These Certify that William Buss & Lydia Bullerfield were married by me to a man from Governor Kenworth on Feb y 1 st 1775 by his Eminence V. B. M. Hollis Feb y 2 nd 1775
BUSS, EPHRAIM

5.444.
Lydia Buss NY.
act 4. July 36.
m 75. d 40.
Dec 13. 175 - on 19 Days
41. 231 - 300
no roll white 2
Subs. 111 -
cond
6 mo. 15 days, pri
$21. 67 1/2
died 20 Dec. 1840
her pen: com: 21. Dec. 1840
Jeremiah Manchester New Hartford NY -
BUSS, EPHRAIM

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the third section of the act of Congress of the 14th July, 1836, and the joint resolution of July 7, 1838.
State of New York } Oneida County }
On this sixth day of September, One thousand eight hundred and forty one, personally appeared before the subscriber a Justice of the peace in and for said County, Lydia Buss, a resident of New Hartford in the County aforesaid, aged Ninety years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4, 1836, and the joint resolution of July 7, 1838: That she is the widow of Ephraim Buss, who was a pensioner, of the United States as a private in the war of the Revolution at the rate of twenty one dollars and sixty five cents per annum. She further declares that she was married to the said Ephraim Buss, on the second day of February in the year One thousand seven hundred and seventy five, (as will more fully appear by the certificate herunto affixed); that her husband the aforesaid Ephraim Buss, died on the twentieth day of December, Eighteen hundred and forty; and that she has remained a widow ever since that period, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof herunto annexed; and that the certificate of Marriage herunto annexed is genuine and was received at the time of their marriage.
Sworn & subscribed, on the day and year above written before me Jeremiah Manchester Esq In presence of Amos Rogers
Lydia her Buss mark
The affiant says she never learned to write her name.
Jeremiah Manchester Esq

State of New York } Onida County }
On this sixth day of September eighteen hundred and forty one, personally appeared before the subscriber a Justice of the peace in and for said county, Josiah Mosher, a resident of the town of Paris in said county, aged eighty five years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath, say that he was acquainted with Ephraim Buss and Lydia Buttfeld before they were married; that he well recollects hearing people say on a particular day that they had left home for the purpose of being married & that they have since that time, until the death of the said Ephraim Buss lived together as man and wife; and that the common report of their marriage, and their living actually together as man and wife, commenced before the commencement of the revolutionary war.
Sworn and subscribed, on the day } and year above written, before me }
Jeremiah Manchester Justice
2048 m 2 hr
State of New York } Onida County }
On this sixth day of September, eighteen hundred and forty one, personally appeared before the subscriber a Justice of the peace in and for said county, Jeremiah Manchester, a resident of the town of New Hartford in said county, aged thirty six years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath say that he has known Ephraim Buss and Lydia Buss for the space of thirty years last past and during that time until the death of the said Ephraim On the twentieth day of December last, they lived together as man and wife; that for seven years last past, this

deponent has been a justice of the peace, and during that time he has uniformly prepared the papers and affidavit of the said Ephraim Buss for the purpose of collecting his pension, that on or about the 14 th day of March last, the original certificate of pension belonging to said Ephraim Buss, was surrendered at the pension office in Albany for the purpose of drawing the arrears due at the time of the pensioner's death; that the said certificate entitled the pensioner to receive twenty one dollars and sixty five cents per annum was dated "June 10 th " One thousand eight hundred and thirty three; signed by John Robb, acting secretary of war and by J. L. Edwards, commissioner of Pensions, was numbered 14.702, and recorded in Book 6. vol. 4. page 1. by Geo. R. Whiting clerk; and that the said Lydia Buss still remains a widow. Sworn & subscribed the day & year above mentioned before me James M. Gray Justice of the Peace
Jeremiah Manchester
State of New York. Oneida County, Clerk's office ss.
I. P. Sheldon Root, clerk of the courts of Oneida County hereby certify that James M. Gray and Jeremiah Manchester are justices of the peace duly commissioned and qualified according to Law, that the commission of the former is dated on the 13 th day of March 1838, and will expire on the 31 st day of December 1841; the commission of the latter is dated on the 1 st day of January 1840, and will expire on the last day of December 1844 and that their respective signatures to the foregoing affidavits are genuine
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of Office this 7 th day of September. Eighteen hundred and forty One
P. Sheldon Root, Clerk.

State of New York Onondaga County. Personally appeared before me the under- signed a Justice of the Peace in and for said County Ephraim Buss who being duly sworn according to Law deponeth and that he is eighty five years of age and this depo- nant further saith that by reason of Old age and consequ- -ent 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 grade viz six months and fifteen days as private I served as a private and for such service I claim a pension of the above mentioned service I served as a substitute four weeks as near as I can recollect for Samuel Buss. I have mentioned the officers who I served un- der with as much precision as I am able and as near as I can recollect my services were all in the Mass militia this deponent saith he could not obtain the affidavits of a clergyman at the time his declaration was made and further saith Sworn and subscribed this 24 day of February 1833 before me Jonathan Richardson Justice Peace
Ephraim Buss
State of New York
Clerks Office Onondaga County ss: I George Brown Clerk of the said said County that Jonathan Richardson Esq before whom the within affidavit of Ephraim Buss and Asa Priest purport to have been sworn was on the days of the dates of the said affidavits a Justice of the peace in and for the said County and duly au- -thorized by law to act as such and that I am well acquaint- -ed with the hand writing of the said Jonathan Richardson and verily believe the signatures "Jonathan Richardson" to be genuine
Witness my hand and Seal of Office this 15 th day of March 1833 Geo Brown Clerk J. B. Read Deputy Clerk

State of New York } Oneida County } Asa Priest of the Town of Paris County and State aforesaid who first being duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith that he is seventy four years of age and this deponent fur- ther saith that he is well acquainted with Ephraim Bump of the town of New Hartford County and State aforesaid that the said Ephraim Bump and this deponent were both born in the town of Leicester Worcester County Mass as this deponent verily believes and this deponent saith that he was well acquainted with the said Ephraim Bump Bump before the Revolutionary war as this deponent and the said Ephraim Bump lived but one mile dis- tance from each other at the commencement of the Revolutionary war and this deponent further saith that he well remembers that the said Ephraim Bump was in the service in the Revolutionary war in the year 1775 and served at Cambridge Mass when the American troops lay at that place and at Prospect Hill near Cambridge but this deponent does not remember the length of time the said Ephraim served in the year 1775 and further this deponent saith not
Subscribed and Sworn this 8th day of March 1833 before
Asa Priest
Jonathan Richardson Justice Peace
State of New York Oneida County
I do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with the above named Asa Priest who has subscribed and made oath to the above affidavit he is a credible person and his affidavit is entitled to full credit
New Hartford March the 8-1833
Jonathan Richardson Justice Peace

11411
Ephraim Buff
Declaration for 6 1/2 months
New Hartford
Onondaga County N York

State of New York Onondaga County ss Town of New Hartford
The secretary of war will please to direct any communications he may make relating to Ephraim Bump's declaration for a pension to Jonathan Richardson New Hartford Onondaga County New York with great Respect your obedient servant
Jonathan Richardson

Rev WIDOW, &c.
File No. _____
16881
Lydia Bull Widow of Ephriam Bull Prior Rev. War.
Act: _____
July 4 th 1836
Index:—Vol. _____
A
, Page _____
104
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Dear Sir
New Hartford Sep 6. 1841
I herewith send you an application for a pension under the law of Congress of July 7. 1836. I have prepared the application and affidavits as near as possible with the instructions I received from your office. As will appear by my own affidavit I have known the deceased, & the applicant for thirty years and have known the witness J. Mosher more than twenty, and their characters have uniformly been above reproach. Respecting the certificate of Marriage affixed to the application I have learned, that, at the time of the decease of E. Buss it was supposed to be lost, but was recently found among some old papers belonging to the deceased, by one of his grand children. It was my intention to have obtained the affidavit of the only surviving daughter & child of the deceased, but she had been gone some months on a journey & came home sick about six weeks since and died in a few days after her return. Should any thing in the application be amiss, please return the whole & I will have it rectified if possible.
Hon. J. L. Edwards Washington
Very Respectfully Your O b d Servant Jeremiah Manchester New Hartford N. York

Ephraim Bup. Albany th 21.65 - act 7. June 32 last p.d.?
G.W.C.
24 Sept '41 Died 20 th Dec. 1840 p.d. to that period J.H.

No - 11416
Ephraim Buss
Am a Officer given as far as he can in the back Memory from Old Age

N o 11416
BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Ephraim Buss 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?
no
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?
no
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?
no
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?
4/1/82
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?
4/1/82
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
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office?
yes
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
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered?
As
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.