Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30,279, Josiah Boyden, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Boyden, Josiah
S. 30,279
CONTENTS

15.587
Massachusetts
Isiah Boyden of Conway in the State of Mass a who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Watson of the Reg t commanded by Col. Porter in the Mass a line for 7 months per
End of Vol.
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 23 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 24 day of June 1833 and sent to E. Alvord Greenfield Mass
Arrears to the 14th of Mar 1833 $ 46. 66 Semi-ann. allowance ending 4 Sept 11. 67
$ 58. 33
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. } J. W. L. A. G. B. Clerk,
Recorded by Book 6
Vol. 2 o Page 7
See letter 8 July to P. M. Agent & A. Mason
Paid at the Treasury under the Act of April 6 th 1832 from 4 th Sept 1840 to March 4 th 1841. Agent notified May 18 th 1842
Franklin

Isaiah Boyden Conway 22311

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
FRANKLIN COUNTY ss.
ON THIS fourteenth day of August A. D. 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before the Justices of the Court of Common Pleas of the said Commonwealth, now sitting at Greenfield within and for the said County of Franklin, Josiah Boyden a resident of Conway in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid, aged seventy years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of an 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.
I was a soldier of the revolution. I enlisted in the month of June A.D. 1779 for one month. I served the full month. Our Colonel was Col. Porter of Hadley Mass. our Major was Deakin's son. Our Captain was Abel Densmore of Conway. Ensign Learning. We had a Lieutenant I resided in Conway at the time when I enlisted. I was in the State service of Massachusetts. I joined our company in Hatfield No. 4 and marched to Springfield Mass. Then went direct to New London Ct. Where we fortified ourselves at what was called Fort Nonsense. I have never had a written discharge. I also enlisted again in the month of June A.D. 1780 for six months. I cannot tell the day I enlisted. I know that I served my full time. Our Officers of the Regt. were Col. Semet. Our Captain was Capt. Watson of Hatfield Mass. Lt. White, Ensign had none. I resided in Conway when I enlisted for this term of service. Our company assembled at Springfield Massachusetts. I and James Mc. Buller were appointed to be the company at West Point. We marched direct from Springfield to West Point. This term of service was in the Continental line. General Poor was our General I think. I recollect seeing General Washington at Tottenville. I saw the army back that arrived around the time of the river having been in it. I had a written discharge but have not got it now. At the time of the service I was leader.
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.
Attest E. Alvord Clerk
Josiah Boyden
WE, Daniel Newhall residing in Conway aforesaid and Graves Crafts residing in Whately Mass. hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Josiah Boyden who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy 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 day and year aforesaid.
Attest E. Alvord Clerk
Daniel Newhall Graves Crafts
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 Daniel Newhall who has signed the preceding certificate is a resident in Conway aforesaid, and is a credible person; and Graves Crafts who has also signed the same is a resident in Whately a town adjoining said Conway, and is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Attest E. Alvord Clerk
I, ELIJAH ALVORD, Clerk of the said Court, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Josiah Boyden for a pension.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed the Seal of the said Court, this fourteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
E. Alvord
Clerk.

Frank Boydew
22. 311
Pm at 7 Mon.
E. Alond Eng Greenfield Mass

BRIEF in the case of Isiah Boyden of Conway in the State of Massachusetts (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? 70 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. As a Gen.     In June In 1779 1 Private Col o Porter Kap: Densmore   " " 1780 6 " Col o Smith Kap: Watson  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None named  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? In Conway  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Two living witnesses and traditional evidence  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correctly authenticated 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Examining Clerk.

30 279 Reg INVALID.
File No. 30, 279
Joseph Boyd Rev War
Act: June 7 th 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 45
[Arrangement of 1870.]

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Josiah Boyden 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? No
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's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? yes
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? yes
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? 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?
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 each 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. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
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 authenticates 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 ends 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.
In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
SECOND COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE,
May 3d 1842.
Sir:
Under the date of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury of the United States,"
Isaiah Boyden
a Pensioner on the Roll of the Boston, Mass.
Agency, at the rate of Twenty Three Dollars and Thirty Three Cents per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832.
has been paid at this Department, from the 1 st of September 1840 to the 1 st March 1841.
Respectfully, yours,
Wilson S. Harris
COMPTROLLER.
To the COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS, Present.

Isaiah Boyd
Borelee Smith Aff

I Elizabeth Smith of Whately in the County of Franklin Commonwealth of Massachusetts. do depose and say that I enlisted myself in 1777 to serve in the army at Bennington and did serve one month in Capt Cook's company Col. Porter's Brig. and I am well acquainted with Jeriah Boyden of Conway in the County and state aforesaid and do know that the said Jeriah Boyden did serve one month in Capt Dennmore's company Col. Porter's Brig. as a private soldier.
Elizabeth Smith
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Franklin ss. August the 7 th 1832 then personally appeared the above named Elizabeth Smith and made solemn oath that the above deposition by her subscribed contained nothing but the truth before me.
Daniel Brown Justice of the Peace
H. B.
This may certify that I am acquainted with Elizabeth Smith and do believe her to be a man of truth and veracity ( Daniel Brown )
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Franklin ss I Elijah Alvord Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the County of Franklin do hereby certify that Daniel Brown Esq. before whom the foregoing and and annexed depositions were made and sworn to, is a Justice of the Peace for said County and that his name subscribed to the several certificates appended to the said depositions appears to me to be his genuine signature.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Greenfield on the fourteenth day of August A.D. 1832 E. Alvord Clerk

I Joseph Guild of Flatfield in the County of Hampshire Commonwealth of Massachusetts do depose and say that I enlisted during the revolutionary war and I am well acquainted with Josiah Boyden of Conway in the County of Franklin and State aforesaid and do know that he joined the army in June at West point in Capt William Watson's Company in the ninth Reg. and do know that the said Josiah Boyden did serve six months in said Company and Regiment as a private soldier in the year nineteen Hundred and eighty. Joseph Guild.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Franklin ss. August the 9 th 1832 then personally appeared the above named Joseph Guild and made solemn oath that the above deposition by him subscribed contained nothing but the truth before me.
(Daniel Brown Justice of the Peace)
D B. This may certify that I am acquainted Joseph Guild the above named witness and do believe him to be a man of truth and veracity.
(Daniel Brown)