Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 1403, Thomas Buckingham, Conn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn
Buckingham, Thomas
R.1403
CONTENTS

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 1832
State of Ohio Mason County } ss.
On the 24 day of March - A.D. 1838 personally appeared in Open Court before the Court of Common Pleas now sitting, Thomas Buckingham a Resident of Norwalk in the County of Huron & State of Ohio aged Eighty four years, who first being duly sworn according to Law, took on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7  th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as follows:
That he was living at a place called Lebanon Creek - Coark in the Town of Lebanon State of Connecticut & was in the year 1777 by the Authority of said State of Connecticut drafted from the Militia into a Militia company for Eight months service commanded by Simon Howe Captain in a Regiment commanded by him, by Colonel Josiah Hunkingston Colonel. That he first after his being drafted went with others out to Vermont in said State; there he had a furlough with the necessary equipments of war & from thence went to New Haven in said State. They were drilled & disciplined. There about two weeks upon their return an invasion of the British to Danbury in Fairfield County, went to said Danbury that they were there about two weeks - from thence they went to Kings Ferry from thence they went to Morris Town in New Jersey. under way there, taking back with the Capt. - different place They went to Crompton a said war station out with the Corps of distinguished - and not being able to serve further for some time. He having a Negro Slave named Vera Cross - he sent her as his servant

who performed faithfully at different places for the remainder of said Eight Months - and at the expiration of the service of said Slave. The Declarant gratefully recd & emancipated said Slave in consequence of his fidelity. That after the expiration of said Eight Months he & others of the Militia when the British Troops made an incursion to New London in 1781, as he believes, volunteered at that place & he assisted in repairing Fort Griswold & doing other service on the public works belonging to the United States. That he was absent at the time about from home two or three months in the former services as shown in his declaration as far as a dis hyphenated Three Months the whole of his personal services from the time of the that he was besides his aforesaid services called out on different alarms among as testified by his absences were not perhaps more than 100 days and the Declarant states that while he served as aforesaid he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
Since the Declarant further says on oath that by reason of old age & the consequent loss of memory he cannot positively swear positively to the precise length of his services but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than a Private Soldier & that he served just less than five months including in the  including the time of  the service of his said Slave  the service of his said Slave  including the  including the  time of  time of  the  the  service  service  of  of  his  his  said  said  Slave  Slave  there  there  for  for  the  the  war  war  that  that  he  he  does  does  not  not  recollect  recollect  any  any  one  one  Officer  Officer  under  under  whom  whom  he  he  served  served  that  that  he  he  is  is  entirely  entirely  destitute  destitute  of  of  property  property  in  in  very  very  poor  poor  circumstances  circumstances  &  &  entirely  entirely  dependent  dependent  on  on  his  his  children  children  for  for  subsistence  subsistence .
That he was born in the year of our Lord A D 1754 in Lebanon County in the Town of Lebanon State of Connecticut That he has no record of his age
That since the Revolutionary War he has lived in

said Lebanon for a number of years for then lived in Hartford County of Hartford State of Connecticut. From the last mentioned place he came to Norwalk in Huron County State of Ohio where he has since resided. That he never received a discharge after his service.
That he is acquainted with the Rev. Alfred Newton and Abner Baker of Norwalk in said County.
Who can testify to his character for veracity & their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution.
And the Declarant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the pension list of the agency of any State.
The Buckingham
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid D. G. H. C. M. H. G. P.
We Alfred Newton a Clergyman residing in Norwalk in said County and Abner Baker residing in said County hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Buckingham who has sworn and subscribed to the above & is going declaration and we believe him to be eighty four years of age & that he is believed and respected in the neighborhood where he resides & have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion and we also certify that said Thomas is a person of truth & veracity.
Alfred Newton Abner Baker
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid D. G. H. C. M. H. G. P.
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named Applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier & served as he states - And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Alfred Newton who has signed

The preceding Certificate is a Clergyman resident in Norwalk in said County & is a man of truth & veracity and that Abner Baker is a credible person & that their statement is entitled to credit. Also that Henry Buckingham the affiant below is a person of truth & veracity Attest D. Gibbs Clk H. C. P. David W. ...
and at the same time appeared Henry Buckingham of said Norwalk aged fifty nine years & son of James Thomas the Declarant, being duly sworn, declares that from his youth to this time he has always understood that his said Father was conscripted to have been a Revolutionary Soldier.
Given & subscribed Thomas Buckingham Henry Buckingham the day & year aforesaid D. Gibbs Clk H. C. P.
The State of Ohio } David Gibbs Clerk of the Court of Norwalk County } Common Pleas in & for said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Tho s Buckingham for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 24 day of March A.D. 1838 D. Gibbs Clk H. C. P.
V 34. 463 Thomas Buckingham Ohio.

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1863.
14113
REJECTED
P. O. Thomas Buckingham
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18 .
Discharged: _____, 18 .
Application filed: _____, 18 .
Alleges: List of rejected claims printed in 1852, shows cause
Re-enlisted: of rejection as follows: "Not six months service."
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18 .

V 34 463 Thomas Buckingham Ohio
Rejected
act 7 June 1832
See let 5, 2 nd May 1838, David Gibbs, Clk. let 31 (not found) Aug 38, L.B. Stung - do. before. Sept. 22. 1838. do. 22 Oct 38
died not seems six months.
1403
act 7 th June 1832

Comm.
Sept 20.
The Buckingham Ohio
Edward Eng
18.50
Commission of Business
Washington

Norwalk L C 7 Octo 13 Sept r 1838
Sir.
I have rec d your Letter of 31. August. I note what you say respecting Thomas Buckingham's pension claim. I have no desire to question the correctness of your decisions but as possibly you may have misunderstood the facts in this case I would observe that it appears Mr Buckingham served himself five months at the expiration of which time he was taken sick and having a Negro slave who sent him in his room who served three months and half in the whole eight months I did not consider this as a case of a common Substitute the Negro not being hired it being within a universal principle "That what a person does by another he does himself". After the expiration of the Negro's service Mr B. emancipated him. Will you please a short reconsideration on the subject as the applicant is in most indigent circumstances. I don't fully understand what you remark as to the information you received from David Gibbs Esq. will you please to inform me of it.
I have received

The Certificate in favor of Mary Schoelcraft - as I unex- pectedly find that the first payment is not to be made until on the 31 st December 1888. I am uncertain as to the construction. Cannot the arrears from March 1886 be paid now - if so. How much? & to what time? I wish also that you would send me a form of the papers for the pension - & I am doubtful whether any forms which are commonly used will answer
I am respectfully Yours. B. B. Lord Lewis B Sturges

War Dep t Pension Office Sept. 22. 1838
Sir,
The case of Thomas Buckingham has at your request, been reviewed. The Dep t . adheres to its decision in the case. He served five months, and the law provides for none who served less than six months. The claim has necessarily been rejected. Nothing can be clearer than this. The fact of having sent his negro man to serve a certain portion of the time for which he was engaged, constitutes no claim to any gratuity. There never was an instance, since the foundation of this government, of a man's receiving a pension for the service of another. I admit that it is a principle that "what a person does by another, he does himself;" but I do not admit the application of the principle to this case.
E r
Lewis B. Sturges, Esq. Norwalk, Ohio.
Enter this. See Ohio Index. act June '32 -No. 34,463-

War Dept. P. Office May 2 o 1838
Sir
The declaration of Thomas Buckingham has been examined. He alleges to have been drafted for eight months in Connecticut and after serving three months presented a substitute. He also alleges a term of two months and several short terms amounting to twelve days making in all five months and twelve days actual service. The act of 7 June 1832 provides for men who did not perform six months actual service in person. The claim has therefore been rejected and the papers filed.
Car
David Gibbs Esq Clerk Court Marion Co. Norwalk Ohio

ms at Aug 31
Ohio
FREE
James L Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington,
ms at

Norwalk H. of Ohio August 24. 1858 Commissioner of Pensions
Sir
I have received no information relative to the cases of Samuel White & Thomas Buckingham - claims for Pensions under the act of Congress 7 June 1832 which were forwarded to you, a considerable time ago. A line from you will much oblige
Yours very respectfully
Levi D. Hovey

COPY
War Dept.,
Pension Office.
Oct. 22, 1838.
Sir:
In reply to your letter * * * * * * * * * *
In the case of Thomas Buckingham, it does not appear that any information has been received here from David Gibbs, Esq.
L. B. Sturges, Esq., Norwalk, Ohio.

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 1832
State of Ohio Huron County } ss.
On the 24 day of March - A.D. 1838 personally appeared in Open Court before the Court of Common Pleas now sitting, Thomas Buckingham a Resident of Norwalk in the County of Huron & State of Ohio aged Eighty four years, who first being 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 the 7 1832.
That he entered the services of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated.
That he was living at a place called Lebanon Creek Creek in the Town of Lebanon State of Connecticut & was in the year 1777 by the Authority of said State of Connecticut drafted from the Militia into a Militia Company for Eight months services commanded by Simon Howe Captain in a Regiment commanded, as he thinks, by Colonel Josiah Huntington Colonel. That he first after his being drafted went with others out to Vermont in said State; there he was supplied with the necessary instruments of war & from thence went to New Haven in said State. They were drilled & disciplined there about two weeks upon the arrival of an incursion of the British to Danbury in Fairfield County, went to said Danbury that they were there about two weeks from the time they went to Kings Ferry from thence they went to Morris Town in New Jersey. From the latter place they went to Crampton's Gap near Manassas where they were with the Continental Army - and not being able to serve further for some time. He having a Negro Slave named Nero Cross - he sent him as his servant

who performed faithfully at different places. For the remainder of said Eight months - and at the expiration of the services of said Slave the Declarant gratuitously freed & emancipated said Slave in consequence of his fidelity. That after the expiration of said Eight months he of others of the Militia when the British Troops made an incursion to New London in 1781, as he believes, volunteered at that place & he again in repairing Fort Griswold & doing other services on the public works belonging to the United States. That he was absent at the time about from home however on the & in the former services mentioned in his declaration after an extended Three Months the whole of his personal services span five months that he was besides other occasional services called out on different alarms among as testified by his absences were not perhaps more than Twenty days and the Declarant states that while he served as aforesaid he was not employed in any civil service.
Since the Declarant further says on oath that by reason of old age & the consequent loss of memory he cannot speak definitely to the precise length of his service but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than a Private Soldier & that he served for a period of five months in the including the time of the siege of Port Royal the Declarant has the said five months - That he does not recollect any one Officer under whom he served & that he is en- tirely destitute of property & is very poor & described as entirely dependent on his children for subsistence.
That he was born in the year of our Lord A D 1754 in Lebanon County in the Town of Lebanon State of Connecticut That he has no record of his age
That was the Revolutionary War he lived in

said Lebanon for a number of years he then lived in Hartland County of Hartford State of Connecticut, from the last mentioned place he came to Norwalk in Huron County State of Ohio where he has since resided That he never received a discharge after his service.
That he is acquainted with the Rev. Alfred Newton and Abner Baker of Norwalk in said County.
who can testify to his character for veracity & their belief of his service as a soldier of the Revolution.
And the Declarant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the Pension list of the Agency of any State.
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid D. G. H. C. R. H. G. P.
Thos Buckingham
We Alfred Newton a Clergyman residing in Norwalk in said County and Abner Baker residing in said Town & County hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Thomas Buckingham who has sworn and subscribed to the above & foregoing decla- ration and we believe him to be eighty four years of age & that he is believed and reputed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion and we also certify that said Thomas is a person of truth & veracity.
Alfred Newton Abner Baker
Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid D. G. H. C. R. H. G. P.
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter & after interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above named Applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier & served as he states - And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that Alfred Newton who has signed

The preceding Certificate is a Clergyman resident in Norwalk in said County & is a man of truth & veracity
and that Abner Baker is a credible person & that their Statement is entitled to credit. Also that Henry Buckingham the affiant below is a person of truth & veracity
Attest D. Gibbs Clk H. C. P. Norwalk March 24 th 1838
and at the same time appeared Henry Buckingham of said Norwalk aged fifty nine years & son of said Thomas the Declarant being duly sworn, declares that from his youth to this time he has always understood that his said Father was represented to have been a Revolutionary Soldier
Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid Henry Buckingham D. Gibbs Clk H. C. P.
The State of Ohio } David Gibbs Clerk of the Court of Norwalk County } Common Pleas in & for said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Tho s Buckingham for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office This 24 th day of March A.D. 1838 D. Gibbs Clk H. C. P.
V 34. 4 C 3 Thomas B. Buckingham Ohio.