Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 9,239, William Cross, Mass. N.H.

SERVICE
Mass. N.H.
Cross, William
NUMBER
S. 9239
carded.
CONTENTS
[Lined area for contents]
[Lined area for contents]

Application William crops
20731

DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
State of New-Hampshire, } ss. County of Grafton
On this 20 th day of December 1832, personally appeared in open Court before the Judge of the Court of Probate of Grafton, now sitting, William Croft a resident of Hanover in the County of Grafton and State of N. H. aged 84 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.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated - viz.
That he on the 25 th day of April in the year of our Lord 1775 as nearly as he can recollect, at Portsmouth in the said State of New-Hampshire volunteered & entered into the Company of New Hampshire Volunteers commanded by Capt. Gilbert Satter in the Revolutionary army was for the term of six months & served therein as a private soldier during all of said term - That he with said company was stationed at New Castle & Pease's Island in the vicinity of said Portsmouth for the defence of Portsmouth harbor & the town - That he assisted in dismantling the King's fort at said New Castle & in building fort Sullivan on Pease's Island in said harbor - That they had not a Pigeon or were not attached to any Pigeon & that he knows of - Also that he on or about the 1 st of August in the year of our Lord 1777 at Methuen in the State of Massachusetts enlisted into the Company of Massachusetts State Troops commanded by Capt. Samuel Johnson in the Regiment commanded by Col. Johnson & Lieut. Col. Ralph Croft for the term of four months, & in mediately thereafter he entered said company & served therein as a soldier the whole of said term of four months - That he marched to Manchester & Pawtucket in the State of Vermont, & afterwards to Stillwater in the State of New York & joined the army under Genl. Gates - That he was in the battle there & after the surrender of Burgoyne marched to White Plains where he was discharged - That he was born at said Methuen when he supposes there is a record of his age, on the 11 th day of August 1748 - That he resided at said Portsmouth at the time he volunteered as aforesaid & at said Methuen when he enlisted as aforesaid stated - That he does not recollect the names of officers other than he has stated - has no documentary evidence of his service & has not had, & had no written discharge but was with the army until discharged. Can he recollect Rev. John Kimball & Genl. Moody as such persons to whom he is known to have testified to his character in regard to the value of his services as a Revolutionary soldier.
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.
Wm Croft
Sworn to and subscribed, the day & year first above written
We John Kimball residing in Hanover N.H. and Moody Buel (formerly residing in said Hanover now in Bath in said County) William Croft, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 84 years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Moody Buel John Kimball
Sworn and subscribed the day & year first above written
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 above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court certifies, that it appears to them that John Kimball who has signed the preceding certificate, is a well known resident in the said Hanover and that Moody Buel, who has also signed the same is a resident in the said Bath (formerly in said Hanover) and are credible persons, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Edward Atkinson Judge of Probate I, Moses Dow 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 William Croft for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court, this 20 th day of December A.D. 1832
Moses Dow

10 826 New Hampshire William Crop
of Grafton in the State of N. Hampshire who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Tilton of the Regt. commanded by Col. Johnson in the N. Hampshire army for 10 months
★ N.H. & Mass.
Records completed. Rec. 5/12/31
Inscribed on the Roll of N. Hampshire at the rate of 33 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 27th day of April 1833 and sent to B. L. P. Water hill New Hampshire
Arrears to the 14th of March 1833  $116.66 Semi-annual allowance ending 1/1/34  16.67
$83.33
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by N. H. Adams Clerk, Book 8 Vol. 151 Page 76

William Croft A Hampshire
Paid 10 3/4
Admiral
20/31.
S. Bliss
Haverhill
N. H.

BRIEF in the case of  William Croft  Co of Grafton  in the State of N H  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Open Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 84  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.     April In 1775 volunteered x 6 Private Gen. Gates was not attached to N.H.   1777 4 " Gen. Sam d Johnson Col. Johnson   x in Roll of Service  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Battle of Saratoga, surrender of the British Army.  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Portsmouth N Hampshire  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional two living witnesses  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? The the witness are Certificate Concluded , but one has not got the seal of office  I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
George Payson
Examining Clerk.

I Abijah Croft of Methuen in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged seventy four years, depose and say, that I know William Croft of Haverhill in the county of Grafton and state of New Hampshire and I know that he served the United States as a soldier in the Revolutionary War four months in the latter part of the summer and fall of 1777; that he enlisted at Methuen of course under Capt Johnson of Andover, Mass. and served in Col. Johnson's Regiment, marched to Stillwater N.Y. and joined the army under Genl. Gates, was in the battle at that place, after the surrender of Burgoyne , marched to White Plains where he was honorably discharged after serving the full term of his engagement, viz. four months. I enlisted with him at this time served in the same company with him and was discharged with him, I therefore know that he served as above stated
Abijah Croft
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Essex County ss Oct. 15 th 1832. Personally appeared the above named Abijah Croft and made oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true.
Before me,
John Terrey, Jus. Peace
I hereby certify that I am well acquainted with the above named Abijah Croft and that he is entitled to full credit for truth & veracity.
John Terrey Jus. Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Essex ss.
I John Prince jr. Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in said County do hereby certify that John Tenney is a Justice of the Peace in said County & that I believe his signature within is genuine. Witness my hand & the seal of said Court at Salem this 18 th day of October 1832.
John Prince Clerk
for each application above each affidavit

Rev War
9239
INVALID.
File No. 9239
William Crop
Rev War
Act: June 7 th 1832
Index:—Vol. 22 , Page 81
[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 William Grap which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yy II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yy 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? yy 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? yy VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yy VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yy VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yy IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yy 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? yy

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? Certified by two clergymen
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?
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?
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.

I, Mark Randall of Rye in the County of Rockingham, and State of New Hampshire of the age of Seventy Five years. Depose and say, that I am well acquainted with William Cross, now of Warhill, in the County of Grafton and State of New Hampshire, and knew him well several years before the year 1775: and knew him well at Peirce Island, and at New Castle New Hampshire, in the year 1775: and that he the said William Cross, belonged to a Company of Volunteers, under the command of Capt. Elias Dutton of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in the Revolutionary war, and was stationed at said New Castle, and Peirce Island, in the harbour of Portsmouth in the State aforesaid, for the defence of said Harbour, as a private Soldier, and that he must have enlisted in the month of April in the year 1775: about the 25 th of April, for Six months, as I was then stationed as a Private Soldier at those places, for the most of that time, with said William Cross, and under the command of George Gains Esquire, Capt. Elias Dutton, and Maj. James Hackett, and we both of us assisted in taking the Guns from the Fort, at Jerry's Point at New Castle New Hampshire, and assisted in building of Fort Sullivan on Seavey's Island in said Harbour of Portsmouth, and I think said Cross assisted in building of Five Rafts, to destroy the British Armed Ships then lying in the outer Harbour of said Portsmouth, with me, and that the said William Cross, served his time of Six months out, and was honorably & verbally discharged.
And the said Mark Randall served only for Five months, and was then honorably and verbally discharged. — And that previous to the above Services performed by the said William Cross, I know that he was one of the persons engaged with the late Venerable John Langdon, then of Portsmouth New Hampshire, and others, in taking the British Powder, from Fort William & Mary at New Castle New Hampshire, in the year 1775: and I think in the month of March, and altho I was not with him the said William Cross, in taking the Powder as before mentioned, yet I knew that he assisted in performing that service, as I perfectly recollect it, and think that the time he spent in performing that Service, and other services as a Soldier, and in removing the Powder from New Castle to Portsmouth, must have taken up about one month's time, previous to the before mentioned Six months services performed by him the said William Cross. — Mark Randall

State of New Hampshire } Rockingham County ss. } Portsmouth October 15 th , 1832. Then the within named Mark Randall, personally appeared, and made Solemn Oath, to the truth of the within Deposition by him subscribed
Before me
Benjamin Pinhallow Justice Peace
I certify that the within named Mark Randall is a reputable man.
Benjamin Pinhallow Justice Peace
Mark Randall left in the presence of the above Justice