Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18,725, John Blair, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Blair, John.
S. 18 725.
Carded
CONTENTS

Pension Oct. 20. 1830. Certificate issued Oct 6. 1836 for $25.55 Genl. Post Master Bland. fr. 2 Mts
Massachusetts
John Blair 24127
Edw in the State of Mass was a Corporal in the Comp commanded by Captain Augusta of the Regt. commanded by Col. Daniels in the Mass line for 4 Mts. pr. 13.33 3 " 10 d. Comp 42.22 Increased to 25.55
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 25 Dollars 35 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 20 day of Aug 1833 and due to P. Dore Gravelle
Arrears to the 4th of Mar. 71 $50.68 Semi-ann. allowance ending 4 Sep. 12.67 $63.35
Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by G. A. Atty Clerk Book 6 Vol. 2 Page 9

John Bleum No. 142
7 5 1 3 2

Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Hampden } ss
On this eighth day of August A D 1832 personally appeared in open Court before Hon Oliver B Morris Judge of the Court of Probate for the County of Hampden now sitting at Springfield in and for the County of Hampden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts John Blair a resident of Blandford in said County of Hampden aged seventy six years, who being first duly sworn ac- cording to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of leisure, June 7th 1832 - That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and servant as herein stated - That in August 1775 - he went to Roxbury as a Volunteer - after he arrived at that place he went into the service as a substitute for Stephen Stone who then was resident of City of London - That he continued as a substitute in the service from the latter part of said August till the first of January 1776 something over four months That he returned to Blandford the place where he resided - one Danielson whose Christian name he does  he does remember was lost - John Ferguson was Captain David Hamilton was Lieutenant - That in August 1776 a Draft was made upon the Militia - and that he was employed as a substitute for Robert Mont- gomery of said Blandford - That he marched from said Blandford about the 20th August through Springfield and Worcester - and other towns to Roxbury - That soon after he was stationed in Boston - That he was at this time a Corporal - He was at the time of Munroe of Morison Captain - David Hamilton of Blandford Lieut - Solomon Brule

of Springfield Ensign - That he continued in the service till the first of December when he was discharged - That he was in the service at this time three months and ten days - That he served in the militia of Massachusetts at both times That he claims to have served as a substitute at the several times mentioned seven and half months - That he was a resident of said Blandford at both times when he entered the service - That he was born in Rutland Massachusetts 6 April 1786 - That he does not know of any record of his age - That he lived in said Rutland till he was 16 or 17 years old when he went to said Blandford and has made that his principal residence ever since - That he is well known to Solomon Ferguson and Elkanah Noble who have given depo- -sition as to his service - and that his character for truth is known to Rev. Darius Clarke, Miss Fanny Deborah Hunt and others who have known him for many years -
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the emerity of any state
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
John Blair

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, that the abovenamed Applicant was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states And the said Court further certifies that it appears to them that Patricia Doves & John G. Wilson who has signed the annexed certificate is a Magistrate, member of the Executive Council as there is stated & resident in said the Granville and that John G. Wilson who has also signed the same is a resident in the town of Hamford in said County & that they are credible persons & that their statement is entitled to Credit
I Justin Willard Register of the said Court of Probate within & for said County of Hampshire do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Blair for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this eighth day of August in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred & thirty two
Justin Willard Register

No 10.142 John Blair
Print 4 Months - Loan at 3 10 days
7.10
14 06
March 20 1833
P. 304
17.07 10.98 10.120 1.31 25
Patrick Boise Granville Me.
P. Boise Granville Me.

BRIEF in the case of  John Blair of the County  of Hampden in the State of Mass.  (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? 76 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.     In 1775 Augt. Substitute 4 for Stephen Stow As a Gen. Col. Danielson, Capt. Fungson   76 Augt. ditto 3 10 for Robt. Montgomery corporal Capt. Mear, Lieut. Hamilton  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Plainfield  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Depositions  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Regular 
I certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Levin Belt Examining Clerk.

Dr. M. Clarke Certificate. [Handwritten signature]

I Solomon Ferguson of Blandford in the County of Hampden & Commonwealth of Massachusetts of lawful age testify and say that I have been well acquainted with John Blair of said Blandford, ever since our youth, & for several years before the commencement of the Revolutionary war I know that said Blair served at Roxbury in the Massachusetts Militia in the Revolutionary war in the year of our Lord 1775. He served in the company commanded by Captain John Ferguson, whose Lieut. was David Harrington. I was a member of said company when said Blair joined the same, I do not recollect at what time in the summer said Blair joined said company, but should think it was towards the latter part of said summer. and he served in said company till the same was disbanded which I think was the first of January A.D. 1776. —
Solomon Ferguson
Hampden ss. August 6. 1832 Personally appeared Solomon Ferguson Signer of the foregoing Deposition & made solemn oath that the same was true —
Before me Alanson Root, Dist. Dist. I further certify that the said Solomon Ferguson whose name is subscribed to the foregoing Deposition is entitled to full credit Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Hampden ss. I John Ingersoll Clerk of the Common Pleas Court being a Court of Record in the County of Hampden do hereby certify that Alanson Root Esq. before whom the above deposition & the deposition hereto annexed is a justice of the Peace for the County of Hampden that his name thereto subscribed is his true & genuine signature
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of the said Common Pleas Court at Springfield this sixth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
John Ingersoll Clerk

I Elisha Noble of Mansfield in the County of Hampden & Commonwealth of Massachusetts of lawful age testify & say that I am well acquainted with John Blair of said Mansfield & know that he was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, he served in the Massachusetts militia at Roxbury and Boston in the year 1776 in the company commanded by Capt. Munn who then belonged to Mansfield. His Co. was Hamilton his Ensign was Solomon Brewer of Springfield - The second Lieut's name was Fowler - I am confident said Blair entered said service on the twenty first day of August - but am not certain as to the day, and he was discharged or dismissed on the last day of November or the first day of December in the same year, I served in the said company during the same time with said Blair, & started from Boston at the same time, on our return home, as soon as we were dismissed - Elisha Noble
Hampden ss. Augd. 6. 1832 Personally appeared Elisha Noble signer of the foregoing Deposition & made solemn oath that the same was true -
Before me Alanson Root Just. Peace.
I further testify that the said Elisha Noble the aforesaid Deposition has been well known to me for more than forty years, he is a Person of strict truth and integrity and of unquestionable character in all respects and his Deposition is entitled to full credit. Alanson Root Just. Peace.

Patrick Boise a member of the Executive Committee in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a justice of the peace throughout the Commonwealth residing in Greenfield Massachusetts and John L. Wilson of Blandford in said Massachusetts hereby certify that we have long been acquainted with John Blaine of said Blandford who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration - That we believe him to be seventy six years of age That he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that he sustains a fair character for truth and veracity -
Patrick Boise John L. Wilson
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Glens Falls On this eighth day of August A.D. 1832 the said Patrick Boise and John L. Wilson for personally appeared in open court and made oath to the truth of the foregoing deposition by them subscribed
Oliver Merrill Judge of said court

I, Doms Clarke, a clergyman residing in the town of Blandford, hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Mr. John Blair; that I believe him to be 76 years of age; that he reputed & believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, & that I concur in that opinion.
Doms Clarke Pastor of the Congl. Church.
Blandford. } 7. Aug. 1832. }

Blanchette No 3 Rte 20
Rev
Sept 24
John Blair Mass.
J. E. Edwards Esq.
Prison Official
Washington D. C.

Blandford Ms d Sept 19 1836
De Sir
I enclose to you by request of Mr John Blair his certificate — He is inform d that he is entitled to 25.55 100 Dolls instead of 25-34 100 Dolls — He made the power agreeable to this certificate this month, but it has been return d with directions to forward it to Washington and get a new certificate for 25-55 100 — He was notified a year ago that the certificate was not correct and that there was a balance due him of 1.55 100 but he said he thought he should soon go the way of all the earth and that he should not want it much longer —
He is a worthy, poor man, and I would like to have it return d so that I can draw soon as convenient —
I am respectfully
Your obed Servt
J. L. Edwards Esq r
Orion Sage P.M. Blandford Ms

18725 INVALID.
File No. 18725
John Blair Corp New York
Act: June 7 th 82
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 4.22
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Payments to be made at Boston by J. M. M. Agent for paying Pension- ers, in the Agency of
Mass.
Recorded in the Pension Of- fice, in Book E. Vol. 2 Page 9. by E. B. Stiles Clerk.

WAR DEPARTMENT.
Revolutionary Claim.
I certify that, in conformity with the law of the United States of the 7th June, 1832, John Blair of the State of Massachusetts who was a Corporal in the Revolutionary Army is entitled to receive Twenty five dollars and Thirty four cents per annum, during his natural life, commencing on the 4th of March, 1831, and payable semi-annually on the 4th of March, and 4th of September, in every year.
GIVEN at the War Office of the United States, this 20 day of August one thousand eight hundred and thirty- three
Lee Secretary of War.
Examined and Countersigned. }
J. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions.
(Has resided in Blandford more than fifty years past.)

N o 10.142
John Blair
P. Boise Esq. Granville Mr.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of John Blair 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? yes 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 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? yes XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? yes
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.

Oct 19
Dr. H. ... May 27 1827
AS
James A. Schenck Esq. Home of Deeds, Washington D.C.

Commonwealth Bank
Boston Oct. 14, 1835
Sir,
The name of John Blair stands upon the Roll of this Agency as entitled to $25.34 pr. annum but by the Books at the Branch Bank at $25.24 —
Will you be pleased to inform me which is the correct amount.
I am Sir, Very respectfully Your Mo. obt. Servt.
L. W. Stone for J. K. Simpson Agent
James L. Edwards Esq. Comm. Pers.