Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 30,269, John Belding, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Belding, John.
S. 30,269.
CONTENTS

Order to pay 8 letters to Sam l W. Hall 28 March 1838.
77 Franklin
75618
Massachusetts
John Belding
of Franklin in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Dinsmore of the Regt. commanded by Col. Woodbridge the Mass line for 6 months
W.H.
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 20 Dollars — Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 1 st day of July 1835 and Lieut. Elijah Wood Greenfield Mass
Arrears to the 4th of March 1835 $40.00 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4th Sept. 10.00
$50.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W.C. Addison Clerk Book 2 Vol 2 d Page 7

Ch o 22282
John Bedding Franklin County Massachusetts
Print 6 Month-
E. Alvah Greenfield Massachusetts

County of Franklin  BRIEF in the case of John Belding  in the State of Massachusetts  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 75 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.     Enlisted In 1776 - - 3 - private Gen. Col Wayne Col Ben Phillips, Col Robinson   Enlisted 1777 - - 3 - private Col Dimmick, Col Woodbridge  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Saratoga, White Plains  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Franklin County, Massachusetts  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Living Witnesses  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. Matthews Examining Clerk.

The Declaration and Application of John Belding for a pension
Rs 1.00

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Franklin ss
On this fifteenth day of november A.D. 1832, personally appeared, in open court, before the Court of Common Pleas of the said Commonwealth, now sitting at Greenfield within and for the said County of Franklin, John Belding a resident of Ashfield in the county and Commonwealth aforesaid, aged seventy five 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 John Belding of Ashfield in the County of Franklin and Commonwealth of Massachusetts was born in Deerfield in the said County of Franklin in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and fifty seven. I know of no record of my age. At the time of the two following enlistments, I lived in Ashfield from which in which town I have lived ever since the revolutionary war, and I live there still.
I enlisted into the service of the United States in the month of December one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, I think about the middle, in a company commanded by Capt Benjamin Phillips. Col. Robinson's regiment for the term of three months, in the militia of the Massachusetts line and marched to Woonsocket and there did garrison duty during the said three months at the expiration of which I was dismissed had no written discharge. For testimony to recollections the above service I have the Rev. Preserved Smith's affidavit which is hereunto annexed
Again I enlisted into the service of the United States about the first of September in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and seventy seven for the term of three months, in a company commanded by Capt. Dinsmore, in Col. Woodbridge's regiment

of militia of the Massachusetts line and marched through Bennington, (where I saw the prisoners just before taken in that place) to Still Water New York, and was detached to Schenectady to watch the Indians, and when Burgoyne surrendered I was at Saratoga, afterwards I marched through the country to White Plains near New York and I was in the service in that campaign during three months, at the expiration of which about the first of December, at White Plains I was dismissed, had no written discharge. the testimony to prove the last service is contained in Rev. Preserved Smith's Affedevic annexed
And I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity, except the present, and I declare that my name is not on the pension roll of any agency of any State. John Belding
We Elijah Paine and Thomas White residing in Ashfield hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Belding who is subservient and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy five years of age, that he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier in the revolution and that we concur in that Opinion
Elijah Paine Thomas White

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 aforesaid applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states - And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that it is inconvenient and expensive for the said applicant to procure the attendance in court of a clergyman from said town of Ashfield; that Elijah Paine Esq. and Thomas White Esq. who have signed the preceding certificate are residents in said Ashfield and Justices of the Peace and for credible persons; and that their statement is entitled to the fullest 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 John Belding for a pension.
I further certify that Solomon Reed Esq before whom the annexed affidavit was verified is a Justice of the Peace for the said county of Franklin and that his name subscribed to the certificate of the caption thereof is his genuine signature.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court on the fifteenth day of November A. D. 1832. E. Alvord Clerk

30269 Rev INVALID.
File No. 30269
John Belding Rev Rev was
Act: June 7 th 82 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 88
[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 John Belding 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? 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? Witness
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?
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?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
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 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.

Mar 26 Norway
St. Johnsbury Me 3 Mar 21
J. J. Gilman Esq. Comm. of Seniors Washington City
25

Alfield mass March 21. 1838
J. L. Edwards Esq 3 Com. of Pensions, Sir, herewith inclosed I transmit to you, John P. Dancy's certificate of identity, and do so for obtaining his pension from March 1836. to 38. For your special direction. The magistrate before whom name they bear, has a certificate of his office in the Pension Office at Boston. If any further proof is necessary, I can forward it, please return the papers to me after giving the direction.
Very Respectfully Your Ob t Serv t
Sam l W. Hall

John Belding Ashfield
22282

I Preserved Smith of Rowe in the County of Franklin and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, hereby
Testify and say That John Belding of Ashfield in said county, enlisted as a Soldier in the company commanded by Capt Benjamin Phillips, Col n Robinson Regiment of Massachusetts Militia, in the month of December 1776, and served in said company in the service of the United States at Tiendenege under the command of Col n Wayne until the 18 th day of March 1777, I served as a soldier in the same company and am knowing to his serving in that campaign Three months —
knoweth that the said John Belding enlisted first Sept r 1777 for three months in Capt Densmore's company, Col n Woodbridge's Reg t Massachusetts Militia in the service of the United States at Stillwater N.York until after the taking of Burgoyne; he then marched to White Plains near N.York, and was there dismissed from the service the first of December, That I was in the service at the same time & know that he served Three months in that campaign
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, County of Franklin ss.
Preserved Smith
On this 8 th day of August AD 1832 Rev d Preserved Smith personally appeared, before me Solomon Root Esq r , a justice of the Peace for the County of Franklin and, made solemn oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is substantially true and testify that the said Preserved Smith is a Minister of the gospel and a credible person, and is unable by means of bodily infirmity, and old age, to attend a Court of Record
Solomon Root justice of Peace