Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30,286, Caleb Bryant, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Bryant, Caleb
S. 30,286
CONTENTS

15619 Massachusetts
Salet Bryant
Franklin in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Kitchen of the Rgt. commanded by Col. Woodhull in the Mass line for 16 months
Mil
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of $3 - Dollars 33 - Cents per annum, commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 1 st day of July 1833 and Subt E Alford Greenfield Massachusetts
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $104.44 Semi-ann. allowance ending Sept. 26. 67 $133.33
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. Addison Clerk, Book 2 Vol. 9a Page 7

Caleb Bryant Ashfield
22291
The Declaration of Caleb Bryant for Pension

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
FRANKLIN COUNTY SS.
ON THIS fifteenth day of October A. D. 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before Richard E. Newcomb Esq. Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the Probate said Commonwealth, now sitting at Greenfield within and for the said County of Franklin,  Caleb Bryant a resident of Ashfield in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid, aged seventy nine 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. Stated That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein
Caleb Bryant President in Ashfield in the County of Franklin and Commonwealth of Massachusetts was born in the Town of Reading in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty two, there is a record of my age in the town clerk's office of the town of Reading for; At the time of the following instruments I lived in the town of  Reading  for  Town of  Petersham in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts . Since the revolution I have lived in Hardwick in the County of Worcester , in Conway in the County of Franklin in Goshen in the County of Hampshire and Commonwealth, and in Ashfield for; where I now live.
I enlisted as a minute man under the command of Capt Boulton some time in fall of the year of 1774 for the purpose of exercising and being ready to march against the enemy on a sudden alarm and on hearing of the battle of Lexington I marched immediately to Watertown in the County of Middlesex and about the first of May in the year of our Lord 1775 I enlisted into the service of the United States as a private into a company commanded by Capt Joel Fletcher in a regiment commanded by Col. Ephraim Doolittle for the term of eight months and marched to Cambridge near Boston where I was stationed and in June of the same year I was in the latter part of the battle on Bunker's Hill when Major Moore of our regiment was killed, after this I was stationed on Winter Hill , and I served in said company during the said eight months and the latter part of December of the same year I was dismissed at Winter Hill I had no written discharge. For proof of the above service see the affidavit of Stephen Hall .
Again some time in the month of June in the year of our Lord 1776 I enlisted as a private, for the term of five months into the service of the United States into a company commanded by Capt Benjamin Gates in Col. Holman's regiment and marched to New Haven in Connecticut, and from that place sailed to the city of New York and I was there when the battle was on Long Island , and afterwards I was in the retreat from New York and was stationed on Heaven's heights and from thence I was in the retreat to White Plains where I was in the remainder of the time of my

3 December of the same year I was dismissed at Winter Hill I had no written discharge. For proof of the above service see the Affidavit of Stephen Hull.
Again some time in the month of June in the year of our Lord 1776 I enlisted as a private for the term of five months into the service of the United States into a company commanded by Capt Benjamin Gates in Col. Dalmann's regiment and marched to New Haven in Connecticut and from that place sailed to the City of New York and I was there when the battle was on Long Island; and afterwards I was in the retreat from New York and was stationed on Haverden heights and from there I was in the retreat to White Plains where I was stationed during the remainder of the term of my enlistment, and I served in said company during the said five months and I was dismissed at White Plains in the month of November of the same year. I had no written discharge. For proof of this service see the affidavit of Stephen Hull.
Again in the month of September in the year of our Lord 1777 I enlisted into the service of the United States as a private for the term of three months into a company commanded by Capt. William Spooner in Col. Cushing's regiment and marched through Bennington to Stillwater on the Hudson and from there we pursued the enemy to Saratoga and I was there when Burgoyne was taken prisoner. I marched to Albany, and down the Hudson to White Plains and I served in said company during the said three months and at the expiration of said three months I was dismissed at White Plains in the month of December in the year of our Lord 1777 had no written discharge. The above services were performed in the Massachusetts line. For proof of the above last service see the Affidavit of Solomon Dennis. And I know of no person whose testimony I can procure, who can testify to my services above or any of them, except those, whose Affidavits I have procured. and I served sixteen months in the whole
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.
N. S. Mansfield Judge of Probate Caleb Bryant
WE, Orsa Martin a clergyman and Elijah Paine
residing in Ashfield hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Caleb Bryant who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 75 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.
N. S. Mansfield Judge of Probate Orsa Martin Elijah Paine
And the said Court do hereby declare his 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 Orsa Martin who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in said town of Ashfield and that Elijah Paine who has also signed the same is a resident of the same town, and is a Justice of the Peace and a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit. And the said Judge also certifies that the above named Caleb Bryant is unable from bodily infirmity to attend court and that he therefore proceeded to said Ashfield where the said applicant resides and there took his declaration and examination aforesaid under oath.
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 for a pension.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my Hand and affixed the Seal of the said Court, this day of in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty
Clerk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Franklin ss. I Elijah Alvord, Register of the court of Probate for said county of Franklin, do hereby certify that Richard E Newcomb Esq. before the within proceed- -ings purport to have been had is the Judge of the court of Probate for said county; that he delivered the said proceedings to me and in my presence attat- -ed the same with his own proper signature.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said court at Greenfield on the fifteenth day of October A. D. 1832
E. Alvord Reg. Prob.

c No 22291
Caleb Bryant Franklin County Massachusetts
That 16 Month
E. Alvord Greenfield Mass

BRIEF in the case of Caleb Bryant County of Franklin in the State of Massachusetts (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court Judge  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? yes  3. How old is he? 79 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. Massachusetts Line -   Years, Months, Days.     Enlisted In 1774 minute man Gen.   Enlisted - 1775 - 8 private Capt Joel Fletcher, Col. E. Doolittle, Mayn Moore,   Enlisted - 1776 - 5 private Capt Ben Gates, Col. Holman   Enlisted - 1777 - 3 private Capt Wing Sproun, Col. Cushing  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Bunker Hill, Saratoga  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Worcester County Massachusetts  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? living Witness & traditional  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? correct 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Richd. H. N. Webb Examining Clerk.

30 286 Rev  INVALID.
File No. 30,286
Caleb Bryan
Dr Rev me
Act: June 7 n 39 7
Index:—Vol. 3 , Page 53
[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 Caleb Bryant 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? the Judge has 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? Yes 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? 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 each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the definite, 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 shewn 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.

Adonijah Dennis' Deposition
Will Bryant off

Adonijah Dennis of Hardwick in the County of Worcester & Commonwealth of Massachusetts Yeoman of Lawful Age (being duly sworn) do testify & say that in the year 1777 in the Month of September Caleb Bryant now of Ashfield in the County of Franklin but then of Petersham in said County of Worcester Enlisted into Capt. Wing's Spencers Company. Luther Holland was first Lieut. Mr. Townsend E. Lieut and served with me in said Company in Col. Cushing's Regiment Three months we marched from Petersham through Brimington to Stillwater where we were stationed until the taking of Burgoyne the said Bryant & my self were both at the taking of Burgoyne then we were marched to Albany & from thence to White Plains where we were both dismissed at the three months end
Adonijah Dennis
Worcester ss. September 24 th 1832
the above named Adonijah Dennis made solemn oath to the truth of the above deposition by him subscribed before me — and I certify that I am well acquainted with the said Dennis, and have no doubt of the truth of the above deposition —
Daniel Ruggles Justice of the Peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Worcester ss. I Abijah Bigelow, Clerk of the Judicial Courts holden within and for the County of Worcester, do hereby certify, that Daniel Ruggles, Esquire, before whom the above affidavit was made and sworn to is a Justice of the Peace within and for said County of Worcester, and that his signature thereunto appears to me to be in his own proper hand writing.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the County Seal, this twenty six th day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two.
Abijah Bigelow, (Clerk)

10
Mr. Caleb Bryant Ashfield Massachusetts
The Affidavit of Stephen Hall Caleb Bryant AK

I Stephen Hall of Petersham in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts testify and say that during the revolutionary war, to wit, on or about the first day of May A.D. 1775 I enlisted as a private for eight months, in the Company under the command of Capt. Joel Fletcher, attached to the regiment, under the command of Col. Ephraim Doolittle; that I was stationed near Boston and continued in the service during the said term of eight months. I further testify and say that Caleb Bryant, then of said Petersham but now of Ashfield  Northfield in the County of Franklin entered the same company as a private at the same time, and continued in the service during the same term of eight months, when we were dismissed and returned home to Petersham.
I further testify and say that in the summer of the year A.D. 1776 I enlisted in the company, under the command of Capt. Benjamin Gates, then of Barre in this County for the term of five months, attached to the regiment, under the command of Col. Holman; that I was first stationed in the City of New York, afterward at Harlem heights, and then at White Plains. And I further testify and say that the said Caleb Bryant entered the service in the same Company as a private and for the same term of time, and that he continued in the same company during the said time of his enlistment, when we were dismissed and returned home to Petersham.
Witness Jared Weed,
Stephen his Hall

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Worcester ss. September 28, 1832 Then personally appeared Stephen Hall, and made oath, that the within affidavit, by him subscribed, is true. And I further certify that the said Stephen Hall is reputed to be a person of truth and veracity.
Jared Weed, Justice of the Peace.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Worcester ss. I Abijah Bigelow Clerk of the Judicial Courts, holden within and for the County of Worcester, do hereby certify, that Jared Weed Esquire, before whom the within affidavit was made and sworn to, is a Justice of the peace, within and for said County of Worcester, and that his signature thereto appears to me to be in his own proper hand writing.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the County Seal, this third day of October in the year of our Lord, one thousand, eight hundred and thirty two.
Abijah Bigelow, Clerk.