Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 2022, William Clark, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass-
Clark, William
R 2022
CONTENTS

William Clarke
Deserted 3 Jan'y 48
Inadmissible

State of Massachusetts
I William Clark a citizen of the United States now resident at Misiaspet in the County of Lincoln and State aforesaid, do on oath testify and declare, that, in the war of the revolution, in the latter part of March, or the first of April 1777, I re-entered and was engaged in the land service of the United States on the continental establishment, and served from that time to some time in the month of March 1778 as a private soldier against the common enemy, without any interruption or absence; that I belonged to Capt. James Bancroft's company, in Col. Michael Jackson's regiment, & Gen. Learned's brigade, in the Massachusetts line: That I left the army in March 1778 as aforesaid, on furlough, & in May following, went to Col. Jackson, at Newton, with a younger brother, whom I offered as my substitute, who was received as such by the Col. and I received an honorable discharge, which I have lost, & that my said brother served out the term of my enlistment, which was three years: That during my continuance in the service I was at the taking of Gen. Burgoyne, & afterwards of the Hessian troops, and that by reason of my reduced circumstances in life and poverty, I stand in need of assistance from my country for support, being now of the age of sixty five years: And that I have no further evidence now in power of said services.
And I hereby relinquish all claims to every pension heretofore allowed me by the laws of the United States, if any may or hath been so allowed,
April 23. 1818
William Clark

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Lincoln ss. Be it remembered, that on this twenty third day of April in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and eighteen, Pursuant to a law of the United States entitled "an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war", made and passed on the 18 th of March 1818, personally appears before me Jeremiah Bailey Judge of the Court of Probate in & for said County of Lincoln, in the Commonwealth aforesaid the same being a Court of record of said County, the aforesaid William Clark, and after due examination and caution to testify and declare the whole truth, he makes oath to the declaration aforesaid, and subscribes the same in my presence. And, on examination duly made by me the said Judge, it appears to my satisfaction that the said declaration is true,
Jer Bailey
I John H. Sheppard Register of the Court of Probate for the County of Lincoln, hereby certify that the aforesaid Jeremiah Bailey is Judge of said Court of Probate above named & that his signature to this caption is genuine, & that the seal aforesaid is the seal of said Court
April 23. 1818 -
John H. Sheppard.

I James Clark of New Port in the County of Penobscot & State of Maine, aged seventy one years, a pensioner on the Maine Roll, do upon oath testify & declare that I well recollect that my brother William Clark enlisted & served as he has stated in the foregoing declaration, that in May 1778 I went with my said brother to Col. Jackson at Newton and the said Col. Jackson accepted me as a substitute for my said brother in Capt. Bancroft's company in Col. Jackson's regiment, that I went immediately to Boston & by some mistake of my officers I was induced to sign enlisting
paper which I afterwards found was for himself myself as a soldier for three years. That under that enlistment I served about two years & then reenlisted for during the war. My having enlisted for three years as I have stated & which was done thro' ignorance was probably the reason why my name was not entered on the Roll as a substitute for my said brother William -
James Clark
State of Maine } Sworn to & subscribed this 6th Kennebec } day of September A.D. 1832.
the deponent being well known to me as a credible & disinterested witness,
Before me Mr. Ward Justice Peace

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1879.
REJECTED
2022
P. O.
William Clark
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized.
_____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis.
Searched for _____, 18

1822 Maine
2022
William Clark
Rejected
deserted 5 days
1778
See letter R6 vore
22 o Jan 1833

The secretary of War decides that the claim must be rejected 28 July 1883

By the rolls of Col. Michael Jackson's Reg t of the Massachusetts line in this office it appears that William Clark enlisted as a corporal in Capt Bancroft's Company in that Regiment on the 5 th of March 1777 for the term of 3 years - and that he deserted on the 5 th January 1778.
It also appears by the same Rolls that James Clark enlisted as a private in Bancroft's com- pany on the 2 d of May 1778 for 3 years - and that on the 25 th of October 1779 he re-enlisted for during the war, and served accordingly.
By the affidavit of James Clark on oath
In his declaration under the act of March 18 th 1818 William Clark stated that he left the army in March 1778 on furlough, and in May following he went to Col. Jackson at Newton with a younger brother whom he offered as a substitute who was

received as such by the Col. and received an honorable discharge which he lost - and that his brother served out his time.
James Clark testifies that in May 1778 he went with his brother William Clark to Newton & Col Jackson who accepted him as the substitute & went immediately to Boston - where by some mistake he was induced to sign the enlisting papers. This affidavit was made 6 th Sept 1832
Abner Wade in an affidavit dated 23 rd Jan y 1819 stated that W m Clarke left the army before his time expired, and soon after his brother James Clarke came to the Army and took the place of said William, and he understood at the time that James was accepted as a substitute for said William.
In cases where individuals are taken as substitutes for soldiers who are discharged before the term of their service expired, the proper entry is usually made upon the rolls

as in such cases the substitutes were not entitled to the Continental Bounty. In this case no such entry was made - but James Clark's appear to be a case of original enlistment, and he no doubt received his Bounty money.
Upon these facts is William Clark who is marked as a deserter, entitled to the benefits of the act of 7 June 1832?
Pension Office
Jan'y 28 th 1833

House of Representatives
Washington 15 th December 1832
I am acquainted with Mr William Clark, of Wiscasset in the State of Maine, an Applicant for a Revolutionary pension under the late Act of Congress, and from my knowledge of his character I have no hesitation in saying that his declaration is entitled to full credit.
Edward H. Hough -

I Almer Wade of Woolwich in the County of Lincoln & District of Maine of lawful age testify and say, that I am acquainted with William Clarke of Wiscasset in said County and that he was a private soldier in the war of the Revolution. In March 1777 he enlisted into Capt. Bagleys Company in Col. Michael Jacksons Regiment in the Massachusetts line. I was then a Seventeenth  private in the same company. In the spring of the year 1778 said Clarke left the army before his time expired, he having enlisted for three years, and soon after his brother James Clarke came to the army and as I then understood took the place of William Clarke. Said James Clarke served out the said term of three years, and then enlisted for & during the war in Capt. Ban- crofts Company in the same Regiment. When said James came to the army he took the place of William, said Bancrofts in Bagleys Company to which William had belonged, and I understood at the time that he was accepted as a substitute for said William. —
Almer Wade

Commonwealth of Massachusetts State of Maine
Lincoln ss. Jan. 23. 1819. Personally appeared the fore- named Abner Wade before me Jeremiah Bailey one of the Justices of the Peace within & for said County of Lincoln and after due examination & caution to testify & declare the whole truth, maketh oath to the truth of the above deposition by him subscribed on the opposite side of this paper — the aforesaid deponent is a disinterested person as to said William Clarke's petition for a pension, and in whose testimony great confidence may be placed. —
Jer. Bailey Justice of the Peace —
State of Maine
Lincoln ss.
I Nathaniel Coffin Clerk of the Judi- cial Courts in & for said County of Lincoln certify that Jer. Bailey Esq. was on the 23 d of January A.D. 1819 & is now a Justice of the Peace in said County duly commissioned & qualified to act as such therein & that the foregoing is his own proper signature. In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of the Court this Eighth day of February A.D. 1823 Nath. Coffin
Abner Wade depts

William Clark Private & Corp
Capt. Bancroft's Co. M. Jackson Regt Miss? from March or April 1877. One Year
Capt Scott's Co - Col. E. Worth Regt 3 mo.
Hon E. Kavanagh Col - James Clark's dist -
exams rolls
Enlist'd Corporal
5 March 77 -
Discharged 5 Jany 78
W. B. Rose,
Augusta, me.

State of Maine.
KENNEBEC, ss.—I, JOHN A. CHANDLER, Clerk of all the Judicial Courts held within and for the County of Kennebec, hereby certify that the HON. NATHAN WESTON, Jun'r, before whom the within proceedings was had, is a Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of said State; I also certify that the within contains the original proceedings of the said Judge, in the matter of the application of William Clark for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the said Court, this 17th day of September
A. D. 183 2 ,
J. A. Chandler

Declaration.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
STATE OF MAINE, } ss. KENNEBEC COUNTY, }
On this seventeenth day of September A. D. 1832 personally appeared before the Hon. NATHAN WESTON, Jun'r, a Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, of said State, William Clark a resident of Wiscasset in the County of Lincoln and State of Maine, aged Seventy nine 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 provision made by the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year 1777 with Captain Barn Croft and served in Col. Michael Jackson's regiment of the Massachusetts line or troops under the following named officers: Barn Croft captain Jackson Colonel. That in March or April 1777, he enlisted as a private for three years in that company and regiment. That he continued to serve, the latter half of the time as orderly corporal until some time in the month of March 1778, when he returned home on furlough. That in May following, for the better accommodation of the family at home, he hired his younger brother James Clark as his substitute, and that they went together to Col. Jackson at Newton , who accepted the said James as a substitute, and he served accordingly, and afterwards during the war. That Col. Jackson gave him an honorable discharge under his hand, which he has since lost. That prior to that he served the latter part
ADD to the interrogatories propounded under the instructions of the war department, he answers: That he was born in the town now called Hancock Port in November 1750, where his age is recorded. That at the age of nine he removed to what is now Alma Maine , where he lived during his revolutionary services. That about 1797 he removed to Wiscasset , where he now lives. That he enlisted, was not drafted or received as a substitute. That he was in both the battles at the taking of Burgoyne .
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity; except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any agency in any State.
William Clark
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid, Before
Nathan Weston Jun not S.P.C.
And the said Judge does hereby declare his opinion that the above named applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states.
Nathan Weston Jun
Sept 17