Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1153, Benjamin Branch, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Branch, Benjamin
R. 1153
CONTENTS

Benjamin Branch Priv. draft line Original declaration. 9 mo. due June 7. 1823
R. C. Rose assignee me.

Original
DECLARATION,
In order to be placed on  restored to the Pension List, under the act of the 1st March, 1823.
State of Maine.
COUNTY OF Kennebec ss.
ON this seventh day of June 1823 personally appeared in open Court before the Supreme Judicial Court, being a Court of Record for said County, proceeding according to the course of the common law, having original jurisdiction unlimited in amount, keeping record of their proceedings, and having the power of fine and imprisonment Benjamin Branch , resident in said County, aged seventy years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the Acts of the eighteenth of March, eighteen hundred and eighteen, the first of May, eighteen hundred and twenty, and the first of March, eighteen hundred and twenty-three—that he the said Benjamin Branch enlisted for the term of three months on the 1st day of June in the year 1779 in the State of Massachusetts in the Company commanded by Captain House in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Bradford in the line of the State of Massachusetts on the Continental establishment; that he continued to serve in the said corps until March 1780 when he was discharged from the said service in West Point in the State of New York  that his name  has been placed on the pension list, and dropped thereon on account of his property.  that he is now an applicant for a pension
AND, in pursuance of the Act of the first May, eighteen hundred and twenty, I do solemnly swear, that I was a resident citizen of the United States, on the eighteenth day of March, eighteen hundred and eighteen, and that I have not, since that time, by gift, sale, or in any manner, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby, so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress, entitled "An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land and Naval service of the United States, in the Revolutionary War," passed on the eighteenth day of March, eighteen hundred and eighteen, and that I have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any property, or securities, contracts, or debts, due to me; nor have I any income other than what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed.
Benjamin Branch
SWORN to and declared, on the seventh day of June 1823, before
Prentiss Mellen Chief Justice of said Court.
Total value $23.

SCHEDULE of the Real and Personal Estate, (necessary clothing and bedding excepted) belonging to me the subscriber, viz: I have no real Estate or Personal Estate except one cow of the value of twelve dollars I have no farming tools - all my household furniture consists of 1 Iron pot value one Dollar 1/2 Dozen old chairs value four dollars 1/2 doz knives & forks value one dollar 1 Table value one dollar & fifty cents 1/2 doz. Earthen Plates value fifty cents.
Benjamin Branch
SCHEDULE of the family residing with me Benjamin Branch who, by occupation am a laborer which I am unable to pursue by reason of the infirmities of old age but a small part of the time.
   Names. Ages. Capacity of each to contribute to their support.     Mary my wife 65 years Unhealthy Benjamin Branch  
That since the exhibition of my first Schedule, the following changes have been made in my property.
   Names of the persons to whom sold. Time of Sale. Amount of Money, or description of property received in return.       
I, Robert C. Vose Clerk of all the Judicial Courts within the said County of Kennebec do hereby certify, that it appears, to the satisfaction of the Court, that the said Benjamin Branch did serve in the Revolutionary War, as stated in the preceding declaration, against the common enemy, for the term of nine months, under one engagement, on the continental establishment. I also certify, that the foregoing oath, and the Schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the Records of said Court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of said Court that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid Schedule is twenty three dollars and _____ cents.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said Court, on this _____ day of June 1823
Robert C. Vose Clerk of the Court of the County of Kennebec,

March 8, 1938
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Miss Ida B. Dunlap #237 Court Street New Bedford, Massachusetts
DA-J/EEL Benjamin Branch-R.1153
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the records of two soldiers named Benjamin Branch, both of whom served in the Massachusetts troops, one as a private in Captain Tobias Lord's Company, the other in Captain Benjamin Lemont's Company, and under Colonels Wade, Jacobs and McCobb.
There is no claim for pension or bounty land on file based upon service of a Benjamin Branch, in whose claim for pension it is shown that he rendered any of the service cited by you. You are furnished herein the history of the only soldier named Benjamin Branch, that is found on the Revolutionary War records of this office, the data for which were obtained from the papers filed in pension claim, R.1153, based upon his service in that war.
The date and place of birth and names of the parents of Benjamin Branch are not shown.
Benjamin Branch enlisted in the state of Massachusetts, in June, 1779 and served nine months as a private in Captain Haskell's Company, Colonel Bradford's Massachusetts Regiment.
He applied for pension June 7, 1823, at which time he was aged seventy years and resided in Kennebec County, Maine. His claim was not allowed as under an Act of Congress, approved in 1820, applicants for pension were required to submit a schedule of their property and state under oath what disposition, if any, had been made of their property subsequent to 1818, which this soldier failed to do in accordance with the requirements of the pension law. Unless an applicant for pension was in indigent circumstances, he was not entitled to pension under the Acts of 1818 and 1820.
In 1825, soldier stated that his wife, Mary, was aged seventy
Could not find a Benj. Branch with this service in Mass dys,

years. He gave no further data in regard to his wife and made no reference to any children. The date of soldier's death is not given.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator.

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
1152
RECEIVED
O. Benjamin Branch
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Deages: _____
-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18
1938-mar 8-7141 D Miss Ida B. Tomlup. Ed.

19,554
Benjamin Branch, Kennebec Co. Maine.
R. C. Vose, Augusta, Me.
Rec d 5 Feb. 1825
In letter to Mr Vose March 12. 1825
1153

C O P Y
War Department Pension Office March 12, 1825
R.C.Vose Augusta Maine
Sir:
Before a final decision can be had on the claims of Benjamin Branch, Moses Head, John Rouse and John Rider to pension, they must state under oath, whether they have disposed of any property since the 18 of March, 1818, and, if they have, they must give a faithful account of every article, shewing to whom disposed of, the time when- for what amount and how the proceeds have been applied; and this statement should be corroborated by the testimony of credible persons, taken in the usual way and authenticated.
The papers in the above named cases forwarded by you, will remain on our files. I enclose blank forms with instructions thereto attached for the guidance of the claimants and would particularly direct his attention to the note marked (J).
J.L.E

237 Court Street, New Bedford, Mass. Feb. 17, 1937.
Pension Department, Veterans Administration, Washington, D.C.
I should like to know if you have on file any records of pensions having been granted to the two following persons. If so, should like a summary of the papers be sent to me.
The data for the following was taken from Vol. 2, page 439 of the Mass. Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War. / C D
✓ Benjamin Branch- private Capt. Tobias Lord's Co.; service from June 15, 1776 to Sept. 20, 1776- 3 mos. 6 days at Falmouth.
✓ Benjamin Branch- Bowdoinham. List of men mustered in Lincoln Co. and marched to Providence to reinforce battalions under Cols. Wade and Jacobs as returned by Brig. Charles Cushing Aug. 20, 1778; Col. McCobb's (1st) regt; residence, Bowdoinham; also, Private, Capt. Benj. Lemont's Co., Col. Nathaniel Wade's regt; enlisted July 2, 1778; discharged Dec. 31, 1778; service, 6 mos. 12 days, at Rhode Island; roll sworn to at Boston; also, muster roll for Jan.- Sept., 1778, dated East Greenwich; enlistment to expire Jan. 1, 1779; also, muster roll for Jan.- Oct., 1778, dated Warwick & Warwick.
I shall greatly appreciate an answer.
Sincerely yours,
(Miss) Ida B. Dunlap 237 Court Street, New Bedford, Mass.

I Sampson Doe, aged seventy one years, resident in Clinton Maine a Pensioner on the Maine Roll do upon Oath testify and declare that I well knew Benjamin Branch, a continental soldier in the War of the Revolution to my knowledge the said Branch, enlisted in the summer of 1779 in June or July of that year for the period of nine months into the company commanded by Capt Haskell, and in Col. Bradfords regiment of the Massachusetts line - the said Branch served in said company and regiment the full term of his enlistment and was regularly discharged at West Point. I belonged to the same company and regiment and was well acquainted with the said Branch and well knew of his service and discharge as I have above stated Sampson Doe
Kennebec ss June 13 th 1823.
Personally appeared Sampson Doe, above named to me known as a credible witness and he made oath that the above deposition by him signed is correct and true.
Before me Robert C. Vose Just. Peace
I Benjamin Libbey aged sixty one resident in Whitefield, Maine, a pensioner on the Maine roll do upon oath testify and declare that I well knew Benjamin Branch a continental soldier in the war of the Revolution to my knowledge said Branch enlisted in the month of June A. D 1779 for the period of nine months in the company commanded by Capt. Haskell and in Col. Bradfords regiment of the Massachusetts line, said Branch served in said company and Regiment the full term of his enlistment and received his discharge at West Point being at that time well acquainted with said Branch and knowing of his term of enlistment & discharge as stated above.
B. Libbey
Kennebec ss. July 3. 1823 Personally appeared Benjamin Libbey above named to me known as a credible witness, and he made oath to the truth of the above deposition by him signed
Before me Geo. W. Morton. Justice Peace

Robert C. Vose and George W. Morton Esqrs are justices of the peace for the county of Kennebec; and I am satisfied that the deponents within named are credible witnesses.
Nathan Weston Just. J. C.
Defendants - Sampson Doe & Benjamin Lofley, in the cause of Benj. Brannan
State of Maine
Kennebec County ss
I the subscriber clerk of all the Judicial Courts within the County of Kennebec, do certify that Robert C. Vose, and George W. Morton Esquire, are severally justices of the Peace within and for the said County of Kennebec and duly qualified as such on the several days the same purport to have been executed signed by them respectively - and that the Hon. Nathan Weston is a justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of the said State of Maine - In testimony whereof I hereunto set my name and affix the County Seal this third day of July Anno Domini 1825. -
R. C. Vose, Clerk