Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29,644, John Bowker, Mass.

SERVICE
Mass.
Bowker, John
NUMBER
S. 29,644
CONTENTS

74 Moses
21, 864 Massachusetts
John Brooks
of Hopkinton in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Brooks of the Regt commanded by Col Duke in the Mass line for 6 months & 29 days
me
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 21 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 8th day of Nov 1833, and said Matthew Nichols Hopkinton Mass
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833 $52.50 Semi-ant. allowance ending Mar 31 - 10.50 $63.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by John G. Johnson Clerk, Book 2 Vol. 2 Page 42

John Bowden
Mch,
27.542
Return hereon to be made to Matthew Metcalf Esq. Hopkinton Mch. - Green Fiske Esq
Private 6 mos & 9 days adm'd
20.00 1.00 21.00 2 42.00 10.50 52.50
Matthew Metcalf Hopkinton Mass

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Middlesex ss.
On this twenty ninth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared in open Court, before the Honorable Judge of the Court of Probate, in and for the county of Middlesex, aforesaid, now sitting John Bowker a resident of Hopkinton in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy two 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 7th. A. D. 1832:
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated: That about the middle of December 1776 he went as a volunteer from Hopkinton to Boston and enlisted into a Company commanded by Capt. Caleb Brooks in Col. Nicholas Dyer's Regiment and was stationed in Boston, near the south end and served as a private in said Company two months and fourteen days when he was dismissed and returned home to Hopkinton. And in the latter part of December 1778, a number of men was sent for to go from Hopkinton to the State of Rhode Island, and that he went with twelve or fifteen others from Hopkinton to Providence in the State of Rhode Island and there joined a Company commanded by Capt. Samuel Burbanks in Col. Sprout's Regiment and marched from Providence to a place called Quidnissit Point in North Kingston where said Company was stationed, and that he served as a private in said Company until the first day of April, which was three months when the term of his enlistment expired and he was dismissed and returned home to Hopkinton. And that in the latter part of July 1780, he turned out as a volunteer to go to the State of Rhode Island in a Company commanded by Capt. Thomas Mellen, and that he joined the Company at Hopkinton and marched in said Company from Hopkinton to Tiverton in the State of Rhode Island and joined Col. Abner Dyer's Regiment, and was stationed at Judge Dyer's house in Tiverton, and that he served as a private in said Company fourteen days when he was dismissed and returned home to Hopkinton. And that in the fore part of March 1781 he turned out as a volunteer to go to the State of Rhode Island, and that he went with a number of others from Hopkinton to Seekonk and there joined a Company commanded by Capt. Staples Chamberlain of Holliston and stayed at Seekonk two days and then marched on to Rhode Island, passing over Howland's Ferry, and joined Col. Dean's Regiment and was stationed

at a place called Butt's Hill and remained as a private in said Company doing fatigue duty eleven days when he was dismissed and returned home to Hopkinton. - And that he never was in any battle, and that he knows of no person, whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service in Capt. Brooks' Company or in Capt. Chamberlain's Company, and only Cleophas Green whose affidavit is herunto annexed, who can testify to his service in Capt. Mellen's Company, and that there are a number living who can testify to his service in Capt. Burbank's Company, and that he has procured the testimony of Hezekiah Rockwood and James Ware, two credible witnesses, who served in the same Company with him, which he supposes is sufficient, and that he sent to the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and obtained from him certificates of his service, which are herunto annexed, except when he served in Capt. Burbank's Company at North Kingston, which Company he joined in Providence in the State of Rhode Island, and he was informed that the roll of Capt. Burbank's Company could not be found in the office. -
That he was born in said Hopkinton on the nineteenth day of November, A. D. 1764, and that a record of his age is on the Town Records in said Hopkinton a copy of which is herunto annexed; that he lived in said Hopkinton when he was called into the service and that he has lived in the same Town ever since; that he never was drafted but when men were sent for to go from Hopkinton into the service of the United States he turned out as a volunteer, after he was old enough to go into the service, as often as it came to his turn. -
And that he does not recollect the names of many of the Officers except in the Regiments in which he served; he recollects that Major Wadsworth was Brigade Major at Boston when he served in Capt. Brooks' Company at Boston, that his service in Capt. Brooks' Company was in the winter and his business was to stand on guards at Fort Hill, and at the Magazine, and at the stores on Long Wharf, and he did not see much of any of the officers except those of his own Regiment; and that at North Kingston his service was in the winter and guarding along the sea shore so that he did not see any troops except those which belonged to his own Regiment; and that at Tiverton and on Rhode Island his duty was fatigue duty, and he recollects of seeing French Troops and French Officers but does not recollect their names; he recollects of seeing a number of Officers pass one day and it was told to him that General Washington was one of them, but they did not pass near enough to him so that he could tell who they were; and that he never received a written discharge but was dismissed verbally when his time was out, and that he has no documentary evidence except what is herunto annexed; and that he is known in his present neighborhood to Moses Phipps, Cleophas Green, Nathaniel Soring, and Isaac Haven who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution. -

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 any state.
Sworn & subscribed to the day John Bowker Year aforesaid - J. P. P. Fry Wob
We Nathanael Howe a clergyman, residing in the Town of Hopkinton and Matthew Metcalf residing in said Hopkinton hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with John Bowker, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy two 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. Nathanael Howe Matthew Metcalf
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid. J. P. P. Fry Wob
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 certify that Nathanael Howe, who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman resident in said Hopkinton, and that Matthew Metcalf who has also signed the same is a resident in said Hopkinton and is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.
J. P. P. Fry Wob
I Isaac Fiske Register of the Court of Probate in and for the County of Middlesex, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Bowker for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have herunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first aforesaid.
Isaac Fiske Reg

John son of Uriah Bowker, and Sarah his wife was born November the 19-1761. —
A True copy from Hopkinton Town Records, Attest. Daniel Singletary, Town-clerk.
Hopkinton, June 24. th 1833.
12 3 / 4

29644 Rey INVALID. am
File No. 29,644
John Bourke His Rev War
Act: June 7 th 82 nd
Index:—Vol. 2, Page 45
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, May 15th 1833.
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 of John Bowker is borne on a roll of Capt. Thomas Mellen's Company in Col. Abner Perry's Regiment, and is therein stated to have served as a private fourteen days from July 28th 1780
Edward D. Bangs Secy

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, December 26 th 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 the name of John Bowker is borne on a roll of Capt. Caleb Brooks Company in Col. Nicholas Dike's Regiment, and is therein stated to have served two months and fourteen days from December 16 th , 1776. Also on a roll of Capt. Staples Chamberlain's Company in Col. Dyer's Regiment of Militia who marched to the State of Rhode Island and is therein stated to have served eleven days from March 7 th , 1781.
S Edward D. Bangs Secy

I Cleophas Green of Holliston in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Yeoman, aged seventy eight years, testify and say, that I served in the latter part of July and the fore part of August in the year 1780 two weeks in the Revolutionary War in a company of Militia commanded by Capt. Thomas Millen in Col. Abner Perry's Regiment stationed in the State of Rhode Island and that John Bowker, who now lives in Hopkinton in said County did duty as a private in said Company during the whole of said term. -
Cleophas Green
Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Middlesex ss. June 17th. A.D. 1833.- Then the above-named Cleophas Green, who is personally known by me to be a man of truth and a credible witness, personally appeared and made solemn oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true, - before me Matthew Metcalf, Justice of the Peace within and for said county of Middlesex

I am Hezekiah Rockwood of Upton in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Yeoman, aged seventy two years. Testify and say, that I served as a private in the Army of the Revolution three months from the last of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy eight, in a Company commanded by Capt. Burbanks in Col. Sprout's Regiment stationed at North Kingston in the State of Rhode Island; and that John Bowker who now lives in Hopkinton in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aforesaid, served as a private in said Company during the whole of said term of three months. Herb. Rockwood
Commonwealth of Massachusetts County of Middlesex ss. June 17th A. D. 1833. Then the above named Hezekiah Rockwood, who is personally known by me to be a man of truth and a credible witness, personally appeared at Hopkinton in said county of Middlesex and made solemn oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true, — before me,
Matthew Metcalf Justice of the Peace within and for said county of Middlesex