Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1,481, Nathan Burnham, Mass

SERVICE
Mass
Burnham Nathan Mary
NUMBER
R. 1481 B.L. Wt. 38825-160-55
CONTENTS
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no7546
1481 Rpt to Amel Saltonstall HOR H
194107

State of Massachusetts, Essex ss.
On the second day of December A.D. 1840, personally appeared before the subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace for the county of Essex, Elizabeth Linnell of Essex, in the county and Commonwealth aforesaid, aged seventy years seven years of age, on her oath made the following declaration - deposes and says That she was well acquainted with Nathan Burnham deceased, late of Essex, formerly a part of Ipswich in said county of Essex, - that she knew of his going into the army in the year 1836. - He was an only son; and she, the deponent declares that - she often went to see the mother of the said Nathan Burnham while he was absent in the army, and she the deponent says that she often saw the mother of said Nathan Burnham and heard her say, "she never expected to see poor Nathan again" The deponent further swears that - she often saw the said Nathan Burnham after he came home from the army and heard him say he was sick while in the army of a bowel complaint; and that - he took mutton broth - by the doctor's order, and when getting better, that - he took mutton broth. -

The deponent further swears that the said Nathan Burnham was either a six months man or an eight months man, but she cannot be positive which -
Elisabeth Quimby
Essex ss. Sworn to and subscribed this sec- ond day of December 1840 - the said Quimby being a credible witness. Before me,
David Choate Justice of the Peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Essex ss. I John Prince clerk of the court of Common Pleas within & for the county of Essex hereby certify that David Choate Esq o of Essex is a justice of the Peace within and for the county of Essex and that his signatures to the above and for other affidavits are genuine. -
(Witness my hand and the seal of said court at Salem this thirtieth day of December A.D. 1840..
John Prince clerk

Settler J. Davis, Feb. 21/57
1921101
Act March 3/55
July 23/55
Mary Brumham widow of Nathaniel Brumham Private
Leah Robert Dodge Col. Johnson 3 rd Reg Mass Mil
Ent Aug 15 3/77 dis Rec 14 3/77
Private War Rec.
Col Johnson Mass Dis July 28
Ad. 16 Dec Aug 18 56
(Signature)
Claimant Salem Mass.
Vol. B - 149.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. County of Essex ss.
I Moses Foster Jr., of Andover, — Town Clerk of Andover in said County, and keeper of the Records of said town hereby certify, that by said Records, it appears that, on the twentieth day of November A.D. 1783 Nathan Burnham of Ipswich and Mary Goldsmith of Andover were mar- ried, the records of said Marriage being in the words and figures following viz "Married in the South Parish.
1783 Nov br 20 Nathan Burnham of Ipswich & Mary Goldsmith of Andover.
A copy of marriages attested
By Jonas French { Pastor of the Church in the South Parish in Andover,
Given under my hand this twenty ninth day of March A.D. 1835.
Moses Foster Jr.
} Clerk of the town of Andover in Essex County. 4-
Essex ss. March 29 th 1835.
Moses
Foster Jr. Clerk of the town of Andover, above named, makes oath to the truth of the foregoing Certificate by him subscribed; and he is to me well known as Clerk as therein mentioned, and credible as such. Before John Flint Justice of the Peace.

State of Massachusetts Essex ss.
On this twenty ninth day of December A. D. 1840, personally appeared before the Hon- orable Daniel A. White Judge of Probate in the county of Essex & State of Massachusetts.
Mary Burnham, a resident of Essex [formerly a part of Ipswich] in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, aged seventy five 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 7th, A. D. 1838, entitled "an act granting half pay and pensions to certain wid- ows;" — That she is the widow of Nathan Burnham, of said town of Essex, deceased, who served as a private in the war of the Rev- olution during the period of eight months as she believes, in the year 1777, as will appears by the rolls of the army & the accompanying affidavits.
She further declares that she was married to the said Nathan Burnham on the twen- tieth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & eighty three, and that her husband, the above mentioned Nathan Burn- ham died on the 10th day of September in the year 1838, and that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the army, but the marriage

took place previous to the first of Janu- ary, in the year seventeen hundred and ninety four, viz. at the time aforesaid.
Mary Burnham
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written, at the house of the applicant being unable by reason of infirmity to appear in court. -
Before me D r A l White Judge of Probate

State of Massachusetts } Essex ss }
On this thirteenth day of March — A.D. 1855, personally appeared before the Honorable Joseph G. Waters Judge of the Police Court for the city of Salem in said County
Mary Barnham, a resident of Essex, (formerly called Che- bacco parish, in Ipswich, in said county, aged eighty nine years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following Declaration in order to ob- tain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed on the 3rd day of March A.D. 1855, granting Bounty Pensions to the widows of the Officers and Soldiers of the Revolutionary War.
That she is the widow of Nathan Barnham, who also served in the Northern department of the Army in the company of Capt. Robert Dodge, in the Regiment of Col. Johnson, the said company having been raised from the 3rd Regiment — that he enlisted as a private from Ipswich, and served from August 15. to December 14. 1777, — 4 months and travelled 275 miles. on which facts are derived from the Army Rolls, as certified by the Ex-Secretary of this State, and partially confirmed by the traditions of the family of said soldier.
She further declares that she was married to said Na- than Barnham on the 20th. day of November A.D. 1789, and that her said husband died on the 10th. day of September A.D. 1821, and that she has remained his widow ever

said that period, as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
plus she
Mary Burnham
I sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above
written
Joseph G. Waters
Jus. Police Court District of Salem
Essex ss
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
I Samuel P. Andrews Clerk of the Police Court for the District of Salem
hereby certify that Joseph G. Waters Esquire at the time of affixing the above signature was & still is Judge of the Police Court for the District of Salem and that the above written signature is genuine.
In Testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand & affix the Seal of said Court, this seventh day of April A.D. 1855.
Samuel P. Andrews. Clerk
State of Massachusetts
County of Essex ss.
We Oliver Pierce and Zacheus
Burnham Esqs. having been duly sworn, depose and say that we well knew Nathan Burnham who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, whose name now applies for Bounty and that we knew him for more than two more years before his death which occurred at Essex about twenty three or four years ago. That we know he died about that time because I said Pierce, sat up with his corpse before burial and said Burnham watched with him one night before he died. That we have known his widow from his death to this time, that she has remained unmarried, and that we are disinterested. We also depose and say that the Cap-
plus she the who has not the se b one of a

pliant - signed the foregoing declaration in our presence, and that we fully believe she is the identical person she represents herself to be. Zachariah Burnham. Deputy
Oliver Dine
Sworn to and duly subscribed before me this thirtieth day of March A. D. 1855.
David Groat } Justice of the Peace.
It is hereby certified that satisfactory proof has been exhibited before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, by the Affiants of Oliver Pierce and Zachariah Burnham Esq. of Essex, in the county of Essex, and State of Massachusetts, who are personally known to me, who are entitled to credit, and who swear that they have no pecuniary interest in the result of the above application that Mary Burnham is the widow of the late Nathan Burnham, who was a Soldier in the war of the revolution, and that the said Nathan Burnham died on the 10th. day of September, A. D. 1831; also that I have no interest in this claim.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of March A. D. 1855.
David Groat - Justice of the Peace.
I, Robert Grewell D. D. Minister of the first parish in the town of Essex, formerly Gloucester parish in Ipswich, and keeper of the Records of the Church in said Parish, on oath depose and say, that I found a record of the funeral of Nathan Burnham, of said town, husband of the above named applicant for Bounty Land, on the 12th day of September A. D. 1831, in words and figures as follows,

"Famer-als. 1831- Sept. 12. Nathan Burnham."
Given under my hand this thirteenth day of March A.D. 1855. Robert Brownell
Essex ss March 20th A.D. 1855, Robert Brownell S.D. makes oath to the truth of the above certificate by him subscribed; and he is known to me as a minister as therein mentioned, and credible as such.
Before David Rootes Justice of Peace.

38,825
Nov 1895

Mary Burnham Nathan of Massachusetts
Letter to Noble Leverett Shelburne Feb 27 th
1841
act of July 7. 1838

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
ESSEX, ss.
I JOHN PRINCE, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas within and for the County of Essex, do certify that Hon. Dan l A. White is Judge of the Court of Probate within and for said County; that David Choate, of Essex
and M. Newman Esquires are Justices of the Peace within and for said County; that his commission is dated A.D., 18 and will expire in seven years from that date; and that their signatures hereon are genuine.
WITNESS my hand and the seal of said Court, at Salem, Dec r 29 th A.D., 1840
John Prince Clerk.

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
1481
RECEIVED MAY 10 1881
P. O. Mary Bunkham
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18 .
Discharged: _____, 18 .
Application filed: _____, 18 .
Wages: _____ _____
Re-enlisted: _____ _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____ _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18 .

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
Essex, ss.
To all People to whom these Presents shall come.
I Asahel Huntington Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for the County aforesaid, do certify, that
David Choate and John Flint esquires
before whom the accompanying affidavits were was made, was , were , at the date thereof, a Justices of the Peace, within and for said County, duly authorized and qualified to administer oaths, and take acknow- ledgements, and that his  their signature thereto is  are genuine.
In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and the seal of said Court, at Salem, on this twentieth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty- five .
Asahel Huntington , CLERK.

Nathan Dunham
1941-01

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston :
July 27 1852.
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 Nathan Burnham is borne on a roll of Capt. Robert Dodge's Co., Col. Johnson's Regt. This Co. raised from the 3 d Regt. Service in the Northern Department, as privates from Ipswich, from Aug. 15 to Dec. 14, 1777. 4 months & 275 miles travel.
There appears to be no further evidence of his service.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
Marcus Walker Secretary of the Commonwealth.

P.Sep July 22 1852.
To Hon. Amasa Walker, Secretary of State,
The undersigned hereby requests you to furnish her with a certificate containing all the facts that can be derived from documents in your office, relating to the services of Nathan Burnham in the war of the Revolution.
It is known or believed that said Nathan Burnham (of Ipswich) served as a private in the war of the Revolution during the period of eight months in the year 1776 - that he served in capt. Burnham's company, in the regiment of Col. Robert Dage.
It is also known or believed that he was one of the six men drafted Aug. 15. 1777 from capt. Dage's company to join the reinforcement for the Northern Army, as certified by capt. Dage's letter to Col. Genl. Gage on that day. -
Mr Burnham the soldier referred to, was born and lived in that part of Ipswich, then called Chebacco, now Essex, and went into the army at the age of seventeen years. The above are all the facts within my knowledge at present, which I suppose to be material, my object being to obtain a Pension. - Mary Burnham Widow of said Nathan Burnham.

July 22. 1852
Essex ss. 1 I certify and declare that the foregoing signature was affixed in my presence by the verbal request of the claimant.
David Choate Justice of the Peace.

146 147 150
of Essex. Nathan Purnham d. 1831.
Mary Purnham m. 1783. S.
'77 8 mo. (Dodge)
Vol 18 p 146 Robt Dodge
Aug 15 1777 4 mo - on
the same
  Jas Andrews. Wm Andrews J B Purnham Eben Haskell Wm Purnham Eliz Quimby  } Witnesses - all hearsay  

"In the year of our Lord one thousand seven "hundred eighty three November twentieth "Nathaniel Burnham of Ipswich and Mary "Goldsmith of Andover were married by "Jonathan French Pastor of the Church in the "South Parish of Andover."
And I Samuel Johnson Jr certify that the above extract is a true copy from the Records of said town of Andover with the exception of the date which is expressed on the record in fair legible characters & figures as follows.
"A.D. 1783. Nov r 20."
I Samuel Johnson Jr above named declare and say that I hold the office of Clerk of the Town of Andover in the County of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts and have the custody of the Records of said town and that the above is a true extract from the Records of said town of Andover with the exception above named as certified by me.
Samuel Johnson Jr. Town Clerk of Andover
Essex Jr. August 31. 1840. Sworn before me M. Newman, Justice of the Peace

State of Massachusetts, — Essex St. —
On the thirteenth day of November A.D. 1840, personally appeared before the subscriber one of the justices of the for the county of Essex, in the state of Massachusetts, James Andrews, of Es- sex in said county of Essex, aged 77 years years, and on his oath made the following declaration — that he remembers the time when Nathan Burnham, late of Essex, formerly a part of Ipswich in Massachusetts, went into the revolution- ary war — and that particularly recollects his com- ing home from the army, from the fact that he the said Nathan Burnham came home sick, or partly recovered from the camp sickness and rode a horse which the deponent's brother John Andrews then in the army took from the English while out to graze; he further declares that he has heard his brother John Andrews aforesaid since dead say that Nathan Burnham aforesaid was in the army at Lake Champlain, and that he John Andrews did request Nathan Burnham aforesaid to ride home the horse before mentioned, for the reason that he John was not ready to come home & that he Nathan Burnham was

unwell and not able to travel. — The deponent further says he is not certain whether the said Nathan Burnham was out in 1876, or 1877, nor is he certain whether the the said Nathan Burnham was a six months man, or an eight months man, but he is positive that he was in the army in one or the other of those two years.
The deponent further states that he often saw the mother of Nathan Burnham aforesaid, while he, Nathan, was absent in the army, and frequently heard her lament that her only son Nathan was in the army and she was afraid she should never see him again. [The deponent wishes to add by way of explanation that the horse referred to upon which the said Nathan Burnham rode away from the army, was owned not exclusively by John Andrew aforesaid, but by said John Andrews & Jeremiah Hinsman both of Ipswich aforesaid, and was taken by them while they were at a certain time, out at deer hunting.]
The deponent further adds that Dodge was the name of the captain under which the said Nathan Burnham served, but he cannot swear whether it was Robert Dodge or Abraham Dodge.
James Andrews

Eps 11. Nov. 30. 1840. Sworn to and sub- scribed before me
David Root Justice of the Peace -
I certify that the said Andrew is a credible witness
David Root Justice of the Peace -

State of Massachusetts Essex ss
On this twenty second day of November December A. D. 1840, personally appeared before the subscriber, one of the Justices of the Peace for the county of Essex, in the State of Massachusetts, William Andrews, of Essex, in the said county of Essex, Yeoman, aged eighty one years, and on his oath made the following declaration — that he has a perfect recollection of the time when Nathan Burnham of Essex, aforesaid, then a part of Ipswich in the county and State aforesaid, went into the army in the Revolutionary war that on the second or third day after the said Nathan Burnham and others left home to join the army, he the deponent took a horse and waggon, and carried his brother John Andrews & brother-in-law Jeremiah Kimball both of said Ipswich on to overtake and join the said Nathan Burnham and others, and that he, the deponent, did overtake the said Nathan Burnham and others on their way to the army, at the town of Wilmington, a little beyond what is now Lowell in Massachusetts; — that he the deponent, slept one night in a barn with the said Nathan Burnham and other soldiers; that the said Nathan

Burnham was equipped for the army, having a gun, and other equipments, which he the said deponent saw - that the said Nathan Burnham went on from the said town of Wilmington with the company of soldiers to join the army, and the deponent returned home - The deponent further says that this took place in the year 1776 or 1777, but he is not certain which of those two years; but deposes & says it was near the last of June or the first of July. William Andrews
Sworn to and subscribed before on the day and year above written, before me, (the said Andrews being a credible witness) David Hoate Justice of the Peace

State of Massachusetts, Essex, ss. —
On the twenty eighth day of November  December A. D. 1840, personally appeared John Mike Burnham, of Essex, in the said county of Essex, (of lawful age to testify) be- fore the subscribers, one of the justices of the Peace for the said county of Essex, and on his oath, made the following declaration — that he was ac- quainted with Nathan Burnham late of Essex (formerly a part of Ipswich) in the county afore state aforesaid, and that he, the deponent, often heard the said Nathan Burnham, in his life time speak of being in the army in the year 1776 — that he heard him the said Nathan Burnham say that he was an eight months man and was at the capture of Burgoyne — and more in detail, that the deponent has heard the said Nathan Burnham say that he was seventeen years old when he went into the army — that he was in that part of the American army which was ordered to go through the wilderness to cut off the retreat of Burgoyne's army — that while so going through the wilderness, they drove their cattle before them, and stopped one day out of every three or four days to kill cattle and take their rations of flour.

and beef. — that he the said Nathan Burnham, had the measles, while going through the wilderness, & suffered severely — that after recovering from the mea- sles, he had the camp disorder — and that he was always subject to it afterwards whenever he ate fresh meat — that he saw the Hessians after they were captured sitting and smoking together in great numbers — that the English soldiers bent & otherwise injured many of their guns after their surrender and before they gave up their guns — that in some place in the army, a piece of one of the fingers of him, the said Nathan Burnham was cut or struck off, leaving a stub finger — the foregoing statements, the deponent declares he has heard the said Nathan Burnham make in conversation with himself and others, together with many other incidents not so distinctly recollected by the depo- nent.
John F. Burnham
Sworn to and subscribed on the day and year above written, the said Burnham being a credible witness. Before me
David Root, Justice of the Peace

State of Massachusetts Essex ss.
On the twenty third day of December A. D. 1840, personally appeared Ebenezer Haskell, of Essex, in the said county of Essex, aged seventy eight years, before the subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace for the said county of Essex, and on his oath made the follow- ing declaration viz - that he was well acquainted with Nathan Burnham late of Essex, formerly a part of Ipswich in the county aforesaid deceased, and remem- bers the time when he, the said Nathan Burnham left home to go into the ar- my of the Revolutionary War; - and he the depo- nent further swears that he the said Nathan Burn- ham, came to the father of the deponent and borrow- ed a gun to carry into the army, and did so bor- row a French gun of the deponent's father, and when he came home from the army, he the said Nathan Burnham did return the said gun. The deponent cannot recollect whether it was in the year 1776 or 1777 that the said Nathan Burnham went into the army, but is positive that it was in the year that Burgoyne's army surrendered.
Ebenezer Haskell
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year above written the said before me Haskell being a credible witness David Rootes Justice of the Peace

State of Massachusetts } Essex ss. }
On the twenty third day of December A. D. 1840, personally appeared William Burnham Dim. of Essex, in the county of Essex of lawful age, to testify, before the subscribers, a justice of the Peace for the said county of Essex, & on his oath made the following declara- tion — that he was well acquainted with Na- than Burnham late of Essex (formerly a part of Ipswich) in said county of Essex, & that he the de- ponent has often heard him, the said Nathan Burn- ham describe the events of the campaign he served in the army — and in particular says that he heard him say he was about 17 years old when he started for the army — that they were seventeen days in going through the wilderness to set off the enemy — that they succeeded in ter- ring the provisions of the enemy & their battalions — this was at the time of taking Burgoyne's ar- my — that 7000 of the militia men were sent through the wilderness to set off and prevent the retreat of Burgoyne's army, & that they blockaded up the road to embarrass the English if they should retreat — and that he the said Nathan Burnham was one of the soldiers sent upon this service expedition. — that after the capture of Burgoyne, he the said Nathan Burn- ham was sent to West Point with the army, and that he was sent out with others about fifteen

2 miles as a picket-guard. —
William Burnham
Sworn to and subscribed, on the day and year above written, the said Burnham being a noble witness. Before me,
3 David Choate Justice of the Peace.
W.B.

State of Massa- chusetts. Essex ss. }
Dexter We John Boyd and Charles both of Essex (formerly apart of Ipswich) in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, of law- ful age, testify and say, on oath, that we personally knew Nathan Burnham, deceased, a soldier in the Revolutionary War; we also depose and say, that we are acquainted with Mary Burnham of said Essex, and that she is the widow of the said Na- than Burnham deceased, and that she has never married since the decease of the said Nathan Burnham, but still is his widow. —
Essex September 19. 1840. —
John Boyd Charles Dexter
Essex ss. } Sept. 19. 1840 }
Sworn to and subscribed before me
David Choate } Justice of the Peace
I certify that the said John Boyd & Charles Dex- ter are credible witnesses
David Choate Justice of the Peace —