Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 4942, Jonah Benson, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Benson, Jonah
SH942
CONTENTS
carded

71
74
Plymouth
18530 Massachusetts
Jonah Denson of Plymouth Co in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Alden of the Reg t commanded by Spratt in the Mass line for 6 months 190 days
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 21 Dollars 12 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 23 rd day of Jan y 1835 and sent to Amk. Plymouth Mass
Arrears to the 4th of March 1835 $12.24 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 th Sept r , 10.56 $22.80
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by H. K. Addison Clerk, Book _____ Vol. 90 Page 7

Jonah Bensen
20644

REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
COUNTY OF PLYMOUTH, ss.
ON this twenty ninth day of August 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before Hon. Wilkes Wood Judge of the Court of Probate now sitting at Scituate within and for said County of Plymouth, Jonah Bensen a resident of Bridgewater in said County of Plymouth, 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 7, 1832. 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. That is to say, that he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
That in the fall of the Year 1776 he enlisted in a Company of which Nathan Alden was Captain and Elijah Ames was Lieut for the term of three months and that he served that full period of time in said Company at Bristol in the State of Rhode Island. Col. Sproat commanded the Regiment. Tyler was Lieut Col. He was in no battle and had no written discharge. To this service he has the Deposition of Simon Pratt now living at said Bridgewater who was with him in said Company.
In the latter part of the Year 1778 he enlisted in a Company of which Abraham Washburn was Capt. in Col. Sproat's Regiment for the term of three months and that he served the full

period of his enlistment at North Kingston in the State of Rhode Island. He was in no battle & had no written discharge. John Willis now living at West Bridgewater was with him in said Company He has taken his deposition which is annexed.
In September 1778 he was called out on an alarm occasioned by the burning of the village of Bedford & went to Fairhaven and was  out  ten days ten days  fortnight Majors Johnson, Col. Sproat, Col. Nelson & Major Pease were officers. He was out on alarms at other times two or three weeks more.
He was born in Bridgewater in 1760 & his birth is recorded in Town records of that town. He has al- ways lived there. He is well known to Col. Samuel Leonard, Artemas Hale Esq & other citizens of said town.
Joseph Benson Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid Albert Jacob H. Lord Register

We, _____ a clergyman, residing in the town of _____ and residing in the _____ hereby certify, that we are well ac- quainted with _____ who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be _____ years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
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 abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the town of _____ and that _____ who has also signed the same, is a resident in the _____ and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
By the Court Attest Jacob H. Lord
I, Jacob H. Lord Register of the Court of Probate do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Jonah Benson for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of my office, this twenty ninth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two .
Jacob H. Lord

2064 H Jonah Benson Mass
March 6 Mr 9 10 days
Jacob K Sandt Plymouth Mass

BRIEF in the case of  Sarah Hanson  County of Plymouth 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? 72 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 Capt Alden, Col Sprout   1778 3 Washburn same   10 or 15 same  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? at Rhode Island none  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? North Kingston Rhode Island  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? 2 living witnesses for the two first tours and Colaford as record  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.
M. Clagett Examining Clerk.

In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Jonah Benson a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau.
S. file 4942
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Feb 1776 3 mos. Nathan Alden West Mass.   Sept 1778 2 mos. ✓ "   10th Feb 1778 3 mos. Horatio Wadsworth "   ✓ 28 mos. "Ensign" ✓ ✓  
Battles engaged in, none. Residence of soldier at enlistment, Bridgewater Mass. Date of application for pension, Aug 27 1932 - Hld. Residence at date of application, Bridgewater, Mass. Age at date of application, ca - 1760 in Bridgewater Mass.
Remarks: _____ _____  No family info.

1910 Nov. 30. Hist. to Mr. Elton H. Beals letter in S. file 30, 4944 Cornelius Holmes p
Rev War
4942 INVALID.
File No. 4942
Jonah Benson Print Rev War
Act: June 7 th 1832.
Index:—Vol. M , Page 26
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I John Willis of West Bridgewater in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts being seven-ty four years of age do testify and say that I served as a private in the Revolutionary War in the Company Commanded by Abner Washburn of Bridgewater in Col. Spratt's Regiment in the year 1778 three months; and was stationed at North Kingston Rhode Island - That I was well acquainted with Joseph Benson of Bridgewater who is now an applicant for a pension under the late act of Congress - and that said Benson served with and marched with me in said Washburn's Company during the whole term of said three months John Willis
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Plymouth County ss -
I Personally appeared this 28 th day of August 1832 Before me Artemas Hale a Justice of the Peace for said County of Plymouth John Willis above named and made oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true - I further certify that the said John Willis is a man of good character and that his testimony is entitled to credit
Artemas Hale Justice of Peace

I Simson Pratt of Bridgewater in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts aged seventy two years do testify and say that I served as a private in the Revolutionary war three months in the company of which Nathan Allen was Captain and Elijah Ames was a Lieutenant in the year 1776 — That we were stationed at Bristol Rhode Island — That I was then and am now well acquainted with Jonah Benson of Bridgewater who is now an applicant for a pension under the act of Congress passed in 1832 — That said Jonah Benson served with me in the same company during the whole of the said term of three months
Simson Pratt
Commonwealth of Massachusetts } Plymouth County ss — — } Personally appeared This twenty eighth day of August 1832 before me Atter- as Hale a Justice of the Peace for said county of Plymouth Simson Pratt above named and made oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true — And I further certify that said Simson Pratt is a man of good character & that his testimony is entitled to credit Atterness Hale Justice of Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. — Plymouth ss. I Jacob H. Lord Register of Probate for the County of Plymouth do hereby certify that Artemas Hale Esq. is a Justice of the Peace in & for said County and that I believe his name subscrib- ed to the within & annexed certificate to be his true & genuine signature —
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this eighteenth day of December in the Year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
Jacob H. Lord

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Jonah Tenson Benson which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? ys II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? ys 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? No 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? No 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? ys VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? Yes IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? ys 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? ys

 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? 2 witnesses for the first two first terms  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? 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 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 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.