Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18716, Jonah Bisbee, Mass.

SERVICE
Mass.
Bisbee, Jonah
NUMBER
S. 18716
CONTENTS
carded

21.9129  Massachusetts  Sonah Bisbee
of Plymouth in the State of Mass who was a private in the Mass - commanded by Captain Chapman of the Reg - commanded by Col. Carey in the Mass line for 10 Months
Civil & State
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 22 Dollars 23 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 21 day of Aug.  1832 and unto J. H. Sonah Plymouth
Arrears to the 4th Feb '33 $66.66 Semi-ant. allowances ending 4 Sep '33 16.66  $83.33
Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by J. H. Sonah Clerk, Book E Vol. 2 Page 9
88 Pym

REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONERS.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
COUNTY OF PLYMOUTH, ss.
ON this twenty second day of August 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before Hon d Withers Wood Judge of the Court of Probate for the County of Plymouth now sitting at Hanover, being a Court of Record within and for said County of Plymouth, Jonah Bisbee a resident of Pembroke in said County of Plymouth, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged eighty seven 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.
For the year 1776 then living in the Town of Pembroke in the County of Plymouth, I enlisted as a Soldier, in what was then called the State service in the Company commanded by Capt. Freeman Chamberlain of Pembroke and in the Regiment that was commanded by Col. Simeon Carey, and march'd to New York in the month of June 1776, where I served under said Enlistment five months, on the Continental Establishment a Massachusetts Line, and at the expiration of that Term was discharged but the discharge is lost
In the year 1777 and in the Autumn of that year, I again enlisted a Soldier in the Company of Company of Capt. John Turner of Pembroke and under him march'd to Cambridge and joind the Regiment of Col. John Brooks, where I served five months and was discharged, but the discharge is lost and I have only the Certificate of my Captain as a Document

to prove the evidence of service, the said Captain Turner being dead since giving the certificate I further state, that I was born in the Town of Pembroke, that I have no record of my age, that I have allways resided in the Town of Pembroke in the County of Plymouth, State of Massachusetts - I voluntarily enlisted in both campaigns in which I served - I am known to the Revd Morris Allen a Clergyman of the Town of Pembroke and the Hon ble William Whitman and who can testify to my character for veracity and their belief of my services as a soldier of the Revolution
of April 12 th 1814 Sworn to and subscribed the day & year aforesaid. Attest Jacob H. Lord Register

We, Merrill Allen - - - a clergyman, residing in the town of Pembroke and William Whitman residing in the same Town - - hereby certify, that we are well ac- quainted with Jonah Bisbee who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be eighty seven 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. and I Alden Briggs well knowing the said Jonah Bisbee to be a man of veracity
Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
{ Merrill Allen William Whitman Alden Briggs
Attest Jacob H. Lord Register
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 Merrill Allen who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the town of Pembroke and that William Whitman who has also signed the same, is a resident in the same Town and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
By the Court, Attest, Jacob H. Lord Register
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 Bisbee for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this twenty second day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two
Jacob H. Lord

N o 12, 218.
Jonah Bisbee
Yrs at 10 Months
16 06
May 17 1835
2407
J. N. Lord Plymouth Mass.

BRIEF in the case of Jonah Bisbee of Plymouth County in the State of Massachusetts. (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? A Court.  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 87 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.     In 1776 — 5. — private Gen. Col. Freedom Shambulain - Col. S. Hovey Capt. John Turner, Col. John Boston.   1777 — 5. — do.  
 5. In what battles was he engaged?  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Plymouth County, Massachusetts.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? By traditional evidence First term proven by Henry Hovey, - 2nd term proven by Joshua Hovey - 3rd term proven also by Gad Hovey  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? No. 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
R. T. Henshaw Examining Clerk.
2 1/2

18 716 INVALID.
File No. 18,716
Leah Biske
Per Rev War
Act: Jan 7 th 82
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 126
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Joshua Mayoun Deposition for Jonah Bisbee

Joshua Magoun of Pen broke in the County of Plymouth of Lawful age to give evidence testify & say - That I was hired as a substitute to one William Clift of Mansfield and went to Cambridge & there joined the Company that was commanded by Capt John Turner of Pen broke, in the Regiment commanded by Col John Brooks, and when I arrived at Cambridge, which I think was in the Winter of 1778, I found Jacob Wisbee there a Soldier, in Capt Turners Company - doing duty, as a Soldier, I staid there three Months - and during that time the said Jacob Wisbee was there, doing all that time according to my knowledge & belief and after my time of three months were out, I returned home, and before my return I was discharged - and so was the said Wisbee - I lived with him in the same room while at Cambridge and further your Deponent saith not Joshua Magoun
Plymouth J. Pen broke July 28 1832
Personally appeared before me the above named Joshua Magoun & made solemn oath, that the above Deposition by him subscribed, is true -
Plymouth J. June 15 th 1832
I further certify that I believe the above named Joshua Magoun who has subscribed this affidavit to be a person of credibility.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Plymouth J. Jacob H. Lord Register of the Court of Probate for the County of Plymouth do hereby certify that Kilborn Whitman and James Whitman Esq d are Justices of the Peace in the said County & that I believe their names subscribed to the annexed Certificates are true & genuine signatures
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this twenty second day of Sep- tember in the Year of Our Lord One One thousand eight hundred & thirty two. Jacob H Lord

I Henry Monroe of Hanson in the County of Plymouth - do hereby say, that I have known Zorob Bishbee for more than sixty years - and that I was with him, in New York in seventeen hundred & seventy six and that to my knowledge he was a Soldier in the Revolutionary army in the year 1776 for five months for I was with him in said time, and know of his service during that period - & further your Deponent saith not
Henry Monroe
Plymouth J. Rem broke July 31 1852
Personally appeared before me the above named Henry Monroe & made solemn oath to the truth of the above Deponion by him subscribed — Gilborn Whitman J. Bae
I further certify that I believe the above named Henry Monroe who has subscribed this affidavit to be a person of credibility.
Plymouth J. June 15 th 1853. — Gilborn Whitman J. Bae

Peter Sabin on says he gave me John Sabin's discharge
Pembroke the 3 d of April 1818 This may Certify that the bearer of this Jonah Bisbee was a Soldier in the revolutionary army and Servied under my Command five months at Bunker Bridge in the year 1777 & in a Regiment Comanded by Col n Brooks John Turner Hon ble Nathan Mitchell

Jonah Bisbee 12.2.18
I further certify that the above is the entire name of Grace H. Bisbee who has subscribed this affidavit to be at present of the county of ... Symon H. Jones 1883
Grace H. Bisbee Deponent

To the Hon. Secretary of War
I Gad Hitchcock of Abington in the County of Plymouth and Commonwealth of Massachusetts - Physician - do testify and say that Jonas Bishop of Pembroke in said County of Plymouth - an Applicant for a Pension under the Law of Congress - of June 10 th 1832 - to my personal knowledge served in Capt Chamberlain's Company Col. Cury's Regiment - and Brigadier Gen. Dillens Brigade as a Soldier - for a term of five Months - the service was principally in New York and vicinity - I was a Sergeant of the same Regiment and frequently saw the Applicant - he was a townsman of mine and an acquaintance - and further saith not.
Gad Hitchcock
Plymouth ss. Personally appeared the above named Gad Hitchcock and made oath that the above declaration by him subscribed is just and true in all its parts - the said Hitchcock by reason of great age and bodily infirmity could not, without great inconvenience attend in Open Court and give his testimony there. - Taken before Jared Whitman Just Peace.
July 27. 1832 -
Plymouth June 10. 1833 -
I further certify that the above named Gad Hitchcock is a person of truth and veracity and his testimony entitled to full belief -
Jared Whitman Just Peace

12118
Isaac Bickel
Jacob H. Lord & Weymouth Mass

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 Birbe 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? 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? yes . 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? no 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.