Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 12365, Peter Butterfield, N.H.

SERVICE
NUMBER
N. 16
Butterfield, Peter
S. 12365
CONTENTS
carded

Rev War
12365
INVALID.
File No. 12,365-
Peter Butterfield Corp. Rev. War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. A , Page 57
[Arrangement of 1870.]

1974. New Hampshire
Peter Butterfield
of Hillsboro in the State of N H who was a Corporal in the company commanded by Captain of the  the  Regt commanded by Col Stark in the N H line for 8 Mos Corporal 23 Days Private }
Inscribed on the Roll of N H at the rate of 31 Dollars 88 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 14 th day of Nov 1832 and sent to Col Stark Dove Goffstown N H
  Arrears to 4th of Sept 1832  $ 47.82    Pensional allowance ending 21 (Nov 33)  15.94         $ 63.76  
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J. H. for Blair Clerk Book D. Vol. 12 th Page 143
IV

No 35. Butterfield
7468

DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
State of New-Hampshire, } ss. County of Hillsborough
On this Twenty seventh day of August 1832, personally appeared in open Court before the Judge of the Court of Probate in & for said County, now sitting, at Amherst Peter Butterfield a resident of Goffstown in the County of Hillsborough and State of N. H. aged 77 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 is to say - In April A.D. 1775 on the day after Lexington Battle, news of that event having been received at Goffstown aforesaid where the said Butterfield then & ever since has resided, he started in company with several others, taking their guns & such military equipments as they possessed, and marched to a place then called Mystic near Charlestown Massachusetts, where he enlisted for the term of eight months into the service of the United States, in the company commanded by Captain Samuel Richards, Lieutenant Moses Little & Ensign Jesse Carr (all of said Goffstown), and which was attached to the Regiment commanded by Colonel John Stark of N.H. - Major of Epsom was Major. & under the command of General Sullivan - He remained in the service till the last of December following, when his term of enlistment expired, and for not choosing to enlist for a further term & having a good gun, it was taken from him by order of Col. Stark, and given to one Nathaniel Stevens, who had re-enlisted, the army at that time being very deficient of good guns - In July or August A.D. 1778 he enlisted again and went to Rhode Island in the company commanded by one - Nichols Captain James Aiken Lieutenants and attached to the Regiment commanded by Moses Kelly Colonel & under General Sullivan I was a corporal at both of the above terms of service - At the last mentioned term I enlisted for two months, and served out my term - He was born at Litchfield N.H. January 6th A.D. 1755 -
 2 Has no record of his age  3 Lived at Goffstown, County of Hillsborough State of New Hampshire at the time of his enlistment and ever since, and now lives in said Goffstown -  4 He entered the service as a volunteer 
Never received any written or printed discharge from the service Is acquainted with Elphebat Richards Esq of Goffstown David Carr Esq also of Goffstown There is no clergyman in Goffstown who is acquainted with me
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 27th day of August A.D. 1832 Colmurend Parker Judge of Probate
We, Jesse Carr residing in Goffstown and Charles F. Gove residing in Goffstown hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Peter Butterfield, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 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 and subscribed the 27th day of August A.D. 1832 Colmurend Parker Judge of Probate
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 certifies, that it appears to them that Jesse Carr resident in the town of Goffstown and that Chas. F. Gove, who has also signed the same is a resident in the same town and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Colmurend Parker J. Probate - of the Court do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of Peter Butterfield for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, this 27th day of August A.D. 1832.
C. H. Atherton Regr &c

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Peter Butterfield 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? No XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? Yes 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? No 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? Yes And is the official character and signature of the magistrate 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? No 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.

7468
Peter Butterfield
NH
Capital 8 Months
Profit 23 days
Admitted
$31.88.
Charles F. Gurney
Goffstown
NH

BRIEF in the case of  Peter Butterfield of Goffstown  County of Hillsborough - in the State of  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? in open Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 77 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 - " 8 " Corporal Gen. Sullivan - Col. John Stark, Capt. Samuel Richards   " 78 - - 2 * - " Sullivan, Col. Nichols   on Roll of service for 23 days only in a Pioneers  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Goffstown, Hillsborough County, N. Hampshire  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional evidence  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Not defective 
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
H. S. Blair Examining Clerk.