Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File Ctf. 10889, Joshua Burnham, Continental Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Continental Mass
Burnham, Joshua Burnam,
W. 23752 Ctf. 10889
Jemima
CONTENTS
Widow Jemima Burnam's application for pension was adjudicated as widow of this Joshua Burnham, but should have been as widow of Joshua Burnam, S. 45658, so her papers are now on file in that claim.

77 Middlesex
10.889. Massachusetts Joshua Burnham of Middlesex in the State of Mass who was a P. of arty in the company commanded by Captain [blank] of the regt commanded by Col Mansfield the [blank] time for 1 Year P. of Arty 1 " " " Arty State Clerk
Inscribed on the Roll of [blank] at the rate of 90 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 31 st day of May 1833 and sent to [blank] Pycott Reading Mass Arrears to the 4th of Mar 1833 $ 180 — Semi-ant. allowance ending 2 Sept " 45 — $ 225 —
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J H Blair Clerk, Book 6, Vol. 2, Page 5.

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS: COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ss.
On this 18th day of September A. D. 1832, personally appeared in open court, before the HONORABLE SAMUEL P. P. FAY, Judge of the Court of Probate for the County of Middlesex aforesaid, now sitting, Joshua Burnham , a resident of Stoneham , in the County of Middlesex 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 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: That he was in the for part of the year 1775 a member of the Company commanded by Cap Ezra Newhall of Lynn in the County of Essex as a minuteman and was called out on the 19th of April 1775 on alarm occasioned by the British Troops marching on that day to Lexington and Concord and went to Lexington and went to Lexington and met the British Troops on their return but having an insufficient force we let them pass and then fell in with them pursuing them from Concord, and harassed them on their way till they arrived at Bunker Hill in Charlestown, which was in the edge of the evening of the same day; then he marched to Cambridge, and was stationed in Cambridge, and soon after enlisted in the same Company for eight months, and there was employed on guard and in erecting Forts and Barracks, and receded from said place on the 19th day of April to the first of January 1776. and was then finally dismissed.
He further declares that he enlisted in June 1776 in the Company commanded by Cap James Bonarcraft in Col. Reed's Regiment in which Benjamin Brown was Lieut. Col. and went with said Company through Reene and Walpole New Hampshire, and Ludlow and Rutland in the State of Vermont and then to Sherbrooke at the head of the Lake Champlain and went by water passage to Siconderoga where he performed duty in said Company as a piper for the said term of five months, and was a little before our time was out ordered to Fort George then to Albany and there discharged when our time was out.
He further declares that he enlisted as a sergeant early in the year in 1777 in Boston in the Artillery Company commanded by Cap John Gill, Lieut. Armstrong and ensign Gibbs, for the term of three years, in Col. Crafts Regiment, and staid in Boston as near as he can recollect three or four months and was on guard and then was with the Company marched on through Taunton to Swanton in the State of Rhode Island, and beyond that place to a Town the name of which he does not now recollect, and intended to have gone on to the Island but the British got knowledge of our intentions and frustrated the plan, he then marched back to Swanton he thinks, and then to Boston again, having been gone as nearly as he can recollect three or four months, He says that he served in said Company after his return till the spring of the year in April he thinks, 1778, a period of service in said Company as near as he can recollect of from twelve to fourteen months.
Handwritten marginal notes: m d 8.11 Lynn Cap Ezra Newhall Lynn I see also messengers New Hampshire Report see Aaron Ashley Deposition see also 12. m

and then being desirous to get a discharge, the Capt told him if he would pro- cure the enlistment of five men he would give him a discharge. He Then obtained permission to go to Lynnfield and procured five men to enlist and took them to Boston, and the Capt. granted them and gave him a discharge accordingly.
He further says that he, soon after his discharge as above, received a recommission Lieutenant's commission from Brigadier General Jonathan M. D. Ditscomb of Newburyport, and joined joined the Company commanded by James Bangs in Col. Poor's Regiment at Fishkill and then went to West Point and there served as Lieut. in said Company between four and five months, and then received a discharge which is now lost, and his commission he has also lost.
He says that he was born on the 28 th day of April, 1737, in Ipswich in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts, that he has a record of his age on the Records of the Town of Ipswich aforesaid, that he was living in Lynn in that part of the Town which constituted a parish called Lynnfield, and which has since been incorporated into a town by the name of Lynnfield, when called into service, that he has lived in said Lynnfield in the County of Essex, State of Massachusetts, in South Reading and Stoneham afterward and now now lives in said Stoneham, that he was called into service as above described, that the names of some of his regular officers who were with the troops where he served, and such continental and militia Regiments as he can recollect, and the general term, terms of his service as aforesaid, that he never recollect of having as a soldier received a written discharge, that he had one commission signed by Genl Jonathan Pitcomb, which is
one commission signed by Gen. Jonathan Trumbull, Col. Thomas Emerson Jr Capt. that Rev. Emerson Emerson, John Hart, Capt. Thomas Emerson Jr Esqrs all of South Reading in said County of Middlesex do hereby certify to his character for veracity and their of his services as a soldier of the Revolution. He further declares that there is no living man in Stoneham with whom he is acquainted and Rev. Emerson the Rev. Emerson is the nearest relation.
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 agency of any State.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
J. P. P. pay
JUDGE OF PROBATE.
We, Merlin Emmons a clergyman, residing in South Reading aforesaid, and John Hart Esquire, a magistrate, residing in South Reading aforesaid, do hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Isaac Barnum who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 75 th 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.
Thoreau Emerson
Subscribed and sworn to before

This pension was furnished this history before the widow Jennings application papers were placed in proper jacket Joshua Burnham S.43658 on Jan. 30, 1930- EWST
June 29 th 1896
Commissioner of Pensions,
Will you
Please inform me if Joshua Burnham of Lynn. was on the pension list roll of Mass. Record states at Wakefield Mass.
"Died Feb 11, 1840
Col Joshua Burnham—

// "A soldier of the Revolution I found in the History of Lynnfield Mass. "Some time after the war he was made Colonel of the Lynn regiment." //
Reply
Mrs Franklin H Blakeman 170 West 130 th Street New York N.Y.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Decem 17 1832.
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 Joshua Burnham served under the following
Officers viz
   No. of Service Captains Colonels Term of Service Where Stationed   When Enlisted Claimed M c Day Service Found Ditto not Found     1 Col. Knowlton Mansfield 1775 April 19 8 " 11 3 " 19 4 " 22 Cambridge &c   3 Jn o Gill as Sergant Crafts 1777 not stated 12 " 14 or 20 { 30 2 " 0 { 9 " 0 D o   4 D o " Ditto D c D o Aug t 1 st from D o to Swanton   5 Jn o Berry as Lieut. Poor 1778 June 10 14 to 5 m c 4 " 14 0 0 Boston & N o River   2 Jn o Bancroft as Sijer Reeds 1776 June for 5 m c 5 . . Ticonderoga & Still Bay   Amount of whole service found on rolls, is 29 " 11 11 " 3 18 " 22   Eleven months & three days  
Edward R. Bangs Secy

A A. I Onesimus Newhall now of New- Ipswich, in the County of Hillsborough State of New-Hampshire, do certify and say that Joshua Burnham of Stoneham in the County of Middlesex & Common- wealth of Massachusetts, served as a common Soldier at Cambridge, & near Boston, in said Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the year 1775. In the war of the Revolution, for the term of Eight months, in a Militia Company, commanded by Capt Ezra Newhall in Col. John Mansfield's Regiment and Gen. Sullivan Brigade; To which Company I belonged.
Onesimus Newhall
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Middlesex ss. August the 17 th day, A. 1832.
Then personally appeared the above named Onesimus Newhall before me Peter Hay One of the Justices of the Peace in said County and made Oath to the truth of the above deposition by him subscribed; and further, I hereby certify, that in my Opin- ion he is a person who may be depended on for truth and veracity
Peter Hay. } Justice of the Peace

Onisri-mar New had Dipr.
for Joshua Burnham
Josephus Newhall deposition

A B I John Apton of Lynnfield in the County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts more than eighty five years of age do depose and say that in the forefront of the year A. 1775. I belonged to Capt Ezra Newhals Company, of Lynn, and was Lieut. of said Company in Col. John Mousfield's Regiment, which was a company of minute men and was called out with said Company on alarm on the 19 th day of April A. 1775 and went to Lexington and when the British troops were sent to that place and to Concord and was in the eight months service in Concord and Charlestown, and with was well acquainted with Joshua Burnham who then lived with me in said Lynnfield and went into the same company with me and served there in for said term of eight months. I well remember also of said Burnham being after words in an artillery company in Boston and went there to see him once, The Col. Name I think was Crafts, and have heard said Burnham speak frequently of him in Rhode Island at a place called Liverton, in said Service the time when he served in Rhode Island I cannot now recollect, I further say that said Burnham was out chief of the time from the time of the commencement of the war till he went to Scituate and now needs longer

I cannot tell, but I am satisfied that he was out much of the time during the Revolution war, This I know from his living at that time with me and the repeated services which it was said at that time he performed. but from the length of the time and by reason of my age I cannot tell precisely the length of his several services nor where he performed them. But I well remember his first eight months service commencing on or about the last of April or first of May 1775 as well as his repeated services at Concord and also at Rhode Island.
September 20 th A.D. 1832. John Upton
State of Massachusetts Middlesex ss. September 20. A.D. 1832 Then the above named
John Upton made oath that the facts stated in the foregoing Deposition by him subscribed were true before me Joshua Prescott Jus. Peace
I further certify that said John Upton is a credible witness. Joshua Prescott Jus. Peace

I Timothy Wakefield of Reading in the County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts do depose and say that I enlisted in the service of the United States in the Revolutionary war in the year 1776. in June or the first part of July in to the Company commanded by James Ruggles and Col. Reed's Regiment for five months to go to Secondaroga in the State of N. York, and marched to that place, and served there during that time and I further say that Col. Joshua Burnham now living in Stoneham in the County of Middlesex aforesaid with whom I was well acquainted enlisted into the same company with me and there also served during the whole time and were at the same time discharged and returned home together.
August 15. th A D 1832.
Timothy Wakefield
Attest - State of Massachusetts Middlesex County ss.
On this fifteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared the above named Timothy Wakefield and made oath that the facts stated in the foregoing Deposition by him subscribed were true before me.
Joshua Piercott Jus. Peace I further certify that said Wakefield is a very credible witness Joshua Piercott Jus. Peace

I Aaron Parker (D.) of Reading in the County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts do depose and say That in the last of June or first of July A.D. 1775 I enlisted as a private in the service of the United States for the term of five months in the Company commanded by Col. James Bowes o'Callaghan in Col. Read's Regiment and went from said Reading to Concord, by the way of Greene and Walnut New Hampshire and Woodstock, in Vermont and to Schuylerville at the head of Lake Champlain and there we took water passage to Ticonderoga where we were stationed there and served in guarding posts and our company till my time was out, when we came by water to Fort George, then were marched from there to Albany where I was discharged with the whole company. During During which time I was well acquainted with Joshua Burnham then resident in Lynnfield in the County of Essex but now in Stoneham in the County of Middlesex who enlisted in the same company with me and served during said term of five months in said company with me and was with me and the rest of the company discharged at Albany as above mentioned. September 1 st . 1832. Aaron Parker.
State of Massachusetts County of Middlesex ss. On this 1 st day of September A.D. 1832, personally appeared the above named Aaron Parker and made oath that the statement of facts in foregoing Deposition by him subscribed were true.
Before me Joshua Prescott Jur. Peace I further certify that said Aaron Parker is a credible witness Joshua Prescott Jur. Peace

Aaron Patten Deps. for Joshua Burnham
Joshua Burnham

And the said Court hereby declares its 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 Reuben  Reuben  Columbian  Columbian who has signed the preceding Certificate, is a Clergyman resident in South  South Reading and that the said John  John  Hart  Hart who has also signed the same is a Magistrate resident at South  South Reading and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
J. P. Fay  W. B. G.
I, ISAAC FISKE, Register of the Court of Probate for the County of Middlesex aforesaid, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Reuben  Reuben  Columbian  Columbian for a pension.
I also certify that Peter Fay & Joshua Prescott, whose own proper signatures are set to the affidavits on the depositions hereto annexed marked A, B, C & D, are justly of the County within said county of Middlesex.
TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this fifth day of September A. D. 1832.
Isaac Fiske  Phy