Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File W. 3523, Benjamin Dike, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Dike, Benjamin Susannah
No. 3523
CONTENTS

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston,
June 10 th 1856.
I  Hereby  Certify , That from an examination of the Books and Documents relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that the name of Benjamin Dike is borne on pay roll of Capt. Noah Sankton's Comp. Col. John Ashley's Regt. on expedition to Bennington from Aug. 17. to 20. 1777. 4 days. Also on pay roll of Capt. Noah Sankton's Comp. Col. Ashley's Regt. from Sept. 19. to Oct. 18. 1777. on Expedition to Stillwater. 30 days and 96 miles travel, as private. Also on descriptive list of 9 mos. men, from Tyringham from their arrival at Fishkill. arrived at said Fishkill June 3 rd 1778.
"Also on descriptive list of six mos. men in 1780. Age, 32; Height. 5. 7; Complex. Light; Hair, Brown; Occupation, Cordwainer; from Tyringham. Col. Ashley's Regt. Capt. Sankton's Comp. Receipted for by Capt. Smith, Superintended by Mr. Edward Green" Also roll signed by the Selectmen of Tyringham for the above six mos. service, from July 1. 1780. 5 mos. 7 days, travel included. Jan'y 21. 1782. and read and allowed in Council Feb'y 25. 1782.
Also the following receipt.
"Tyringham March 23. 1781"
"Received of Capt. Noah Sankton, Chairman of the Committee for raising soldiers for said Town for three years the sum of"

of forty five pounds lawful money in Silver or Gold as an encouragement for my service as a soldier for three years, for said Town — as witness my hand." "Benjamin Dike"
Also on List of Final Settlement in Col. Henry Jacksons Regt.
No. 14092 Jany 1. 1784 $ 76.60 No. 14516 Jany 1. 1783. " 29.17 No. 15378 Jany 1 1783. " 80.00 No. 39970 Jany 1. 1784 " 20.37 No 40695 Jany 1. 1784 " 59.50
And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
Francis D. With Secretary of the Commonwealth.

State of Pennsylvania County of Luzerne
Be it known that on this 13th day of August in the year eighteen hundred and forty seven personally appeared before the court of common pleas in and for said county in open court Susannah Dike who being sworn in due form of law makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the acts of Congress of the 7th of July 1838 - 3rd of March 1843, & 17th June 1844, granting pensions to certain widows, that she is the widow of Benjamin Dike who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution that he enlisted from the town of Spingarn in state of Massachusetts - that he served in Colonel Sackoms Regiment - that she does not profess to be able to set forth his services fully - that their house was destroyed by fire in 1810 and his papers relating to his revolu- tionary services were burned - that she has frequently seen said papers and knows they related to his service - that he made application for for a pension somewhere about the year 1818 and thinks it is on file in the pension office - that she was Maria Dike she thinks in the year 1791 by Esdr Baker in Old Lanesboro in the state of Conn - have not particular recollection of the date of her marriage but knew that I was in the 25th year of my age and I am now 81 years old, my aged recollection from my Fathers family records which is now or was a few years ago in possession of a niece of mine in the town of Gorton Thompson County N.Y. - now in possession of Joseph Gannoy in some town and county I believe -
Widow of Dike Resided

My Husband died on the 25 th day of January 1821 I was not Married to him prior to his leaving the country but at the time above mentioned —
My oldest son James Dike if living was 58 years old the 9 th day February last —
Susannah X Dike. mark.
Sworn and Subscribed in open Court of Record this 15 th day of August, A. D. 1847, (by making her mark.) In testimony whereof, I have here- unto affixed my hand and of- ficial seal, at McMinnville, the day and year aforesaid.
J. C. McFarland Probate.
Susannah X Dike mark

State of Pennsylvania S.S. County of Crawford
On this 20. day of February In the year A.D. 1856, personally appeared in open Court of Common Pleas, being a Court of Record holden in and for said County at the Borough of Meadville Mrs. Hannah Beardlee, aged 45. years, the wife of Jonathan Beardlee a resident of Hayfield in said County, who being duly sworn according to law doth depose and say that she is a child of Benjamin & Susannah Dike decd. That Benjamin Dike her said Father, died at the town of Groton Thompsons County New York, on the twenty fifth (25.) day of January A.D. 1821. That Susannah her Mother died at the township of Hayfield in the County of Crawford, Penna. on the 10 th sixteenth day of November, A.D. 1851. (Eighteen hundred and fifty one, at the advanced age of eighty six years. That the said Susannah remained the widow of the said Benjamin, and did not again marry after his death.
That the said Benjamin and Susannah Dike had the following named children. To Wit: James who was the eldest child. Enlisted in the service of the United States, in the war of A.D. 1812, at the County of Ontario in the State of New York, in the year 1812, or 1813, and died in actual service. The name of his officers she is not able now to state, (continued (Dennis died in infancy.))

The following names Children still surviving when last heard from, but have parted from each other. Jonathan residence New Albany Bradford County Pennsylvania. Mary Intermarried with Abraham Magee, residence not known. Nancy Intermarried with Stephen Carlson, residence in Steuben or Allegany County, N. Y. when last heard from. Abigail Intermarried with Francis Fairchild, residence when last heard from in the State of Michigan. Elizabeth, Intermarried with a man by the name of Salem. Peter, residence in Cayuga County New York, when last heard from. Calvin, in Bradford County Pennsylvania, and Hannah, this deponent, intermarried with Jonathan Boadslie, Crawford County Penn a . And that they so named are the only children of the of said Benjamin, and Susannah Dike
That the said Benjamin and Susannah Dike her said Parents, were married as she was always informed, and so understood by said parents and others, who were connection of the family, at Old Canaan Litchfield County in the State of Connecticut, in the year A. D. 1791 Seventeen hundred and ninety one By one Baker, who was a Justice of the Peace. That Susannah her said Mother prior, to the Marriage with Benjamin her said Father, had been intermarried with a man by the name of Pierce and that her said Mother's maiden name, was Hannah.

That she has not any private Record of the Marriage of her said parents, that she has been informed by her said parents and the older members of the family that a Record had been kept by her said parents, containing the Marriages, & Births, and deaths, of said family, &c, but that said Record was destroyed at the town of Ithaca, Cayuga County State of New York. That at the same time her said Father's discharges for Services in the Revolutionary War, under Colonel — Ashley, was also destroyed this took place in A.D. 1809 or about one year prior to the time she the said respondent was born, (Who was born to the best of her knowledge December 25. A.D. 1810, that she has through her Attorney made application to the County of Litchfield in Connecticut for the Record evidence of said Marriage but have not been able to produce the same as yet. That Daniel Handshaw Father of Susannah kept a Family Record of the Marriages, Births and deaths of his said family that said Record was in the possession of a family by the name of Gurney some years since, at which time the same was in Thompson's County in the State of New York, and have since removed to parts unknown, that she understood said Record to contain the Marriage, and Birth of said Susannah, &c, That said Record was examined soon after Susannah's death for the purpose of ascertaining if she was of the age she stated, as she always stated that she was Born in the

4. A.D. 1765. and on an examination of the record as kept by her Father James H. Hanashaw, was found to fully and perfectly agree.
She further declares that the said Benjamin Dike her Father, in his lifetime always declared himself to have been a Soldier of the Revolutionary War. That at the time of said War, he resided in the County of Berkshire at the town of Tyringham in the State of Massachusetts, that he entered the Service about the time of the Bennington Battle or in 1777 in the Regt. Commanded by Col. Ashley Massachusetts Militia, and continued in the Continental Army for about four years, when he was honorably discharged.
That. She makes this declaration for the purpose of procuring from the General Government of the United States, for her own benefit, and the benefit of her surviving Brothers and Sisters, the arrears of Pension found due and unpaid the children of the deceased Benjamin & Deborah Dike, dec'd. (and that the same was never drawn, or applied for by her said parents in their lifetime) or any one for them.
Sworn and Subscribed } Hannah Burdick in open Court, Feb. 20, 1856 W. H. McLaughlin, Deputy Pro. Thy.

Pennsylvania Crawford County Pa
Personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in & for the said County. Amos Pearce, a good and true man who being duly sworn saith, That he is the son of Amos Pearce, and Susannah his wife, and was born on the 4 th day of June A.D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty one (1861) as he has been informed & several others, that soon after his birth, or about that time, as it is reported, his father died, and his mother married again, Benjamin Dike, which marriage took place, before defendant's recollection & he therefore speaks of it from family tradition. - That James Dike was the eldest child of Benjamin Dike & Susannah his wife, the mother of this defendant. That defendant remained at home with his mother & stepfather , until he was about seven years of age and was then bound out until he was fourteen years, and that after he was bound out, he was sometimes at home, and sometimes off at work, and was well acquainted with his stepfather Benjamin Dike until his decease in 1821. & with his stepmother until her decease in 1857 which resided at defendant's home in Hoyalton township Crawford County Pennsylvania. That in the year one thousand eight hundred and ten (1810) or about that time, the house of said Benjamin Dike, was burnt and with it was destroyed, all the furniture, clothing books & papers of the family, including the record of the marriages & births in the family. - That shortly afterwards, from his own knowledge, and from in- formation communicated to him by his mother, this defendant, made a statement in writing, of the dates of the birth of the several children of the

said Susannah, and for a record of the same, and that the statement hereto annexed, is the same statement so made by him, at the same time. - The statement has been in the possession of the deponent ever since he knows it to be the same, which was written down by him, and that he was at the time about twenty years of age, or near that age. That the said Benjamin & Susannah, had nine children, viz, James Wheaton, Mary Nancy Abigail Elizabeth Calum Dennis (who died in infancy) and Hannah. That from deponent's own knowledge, & from information and family tradition, he firmly believes, his mother was married to the said Benjamin, prior to the year 1794, and the names of the said children, are correctly stated in the annexed statement. - That the said Benjamin & Susannah, had a colored daughter as name of wife & name always Brown & regarded as such - Deponent has no interest in this claim. Sworn & subscribed before me
Ebenezer Pierce
This 24 th day of April 1856 - and as certify that the affiant of good report for truth and that his statements are worthy of full faith. Godfrey May J.P.
and cannot now return.
on for the purpose of obtaining the additional, 1855. He also declares, that he has never grant except the one above mentioned.
and

Sworn & subscribed before me Eben J. Pierce
STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF Crawford .
ss. I. A. J. Davis Recorder of Deeds, Commissions, &c., do hereby certify that Cooper Ray Esq., before whom the within declaration, affidavit, and power of attorney, were made and execu- ted, and who has thereunto subscribed his name, was at the time of so doing a Justice  of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid, duly commissioned and sworn, according to the laws of this Commonwealth, and that his signature thereto is genuine and in his own proper hand writing.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my official seal of office at Meadville in the County aforesaid, this 20 th day of May 1856.
[Signature] Register.
  november  Jonathan  21.1795    march  Samuel  18.1798    march  Samuel  10.180    october  Samuel  27.182    october  Samuel  17.184    june  Samuel  26.187    mary  Samuel  25.189    december  Samuel  25.1810  
1848 1849 57

Saved & submitted before me This 24 th day of April 1918 - and do certify that the affiant of good repute for truth and that his statements are worthy of full faith Godfrey Ray S.P. [initials]
End of Pierce
and cannot now return.
on for the purpose of obtaining the addition 1855. He also declares, that he has never grant except the one above mentioned.
it was pierce v's born in june the 3:1790    february  - j - a - n - e - j -  - 9:1795    november  - j - o - n - a - t - h - a - n -  - 21:1795    march  - e - m - a - r - y -  - 18:1798    march  - n - a - n - e - g -  - 10:180    october  - n - a - n - e - g -  - 27:182    october  - e - l - i - z - a - b - e - t - h -  - 17:184    june  - p - a - l - v - i - a -  - 25:187    march  - j - e - n - n - i - f -  - 25:189    december  - h - a - n - n - a - h -  - 25:1810  
1848 1791 57

Rev WIDOW, &c.
File No. 3523
Susannah Dike
Widow
Benjamin Dike
Rev. Rev. Mass
Act: July 29, 1848.
Index: Vol. A , Page 183
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Susannah Dike, dec d Widow of Benjamin, Crawford County Penn a
adm d July 29 1848,
- 2 years per $80 a year from 4 March 1848 to 16 November 1851, when she died , = Pay to F. F. T. Wilson adm d for Jonathan Dike 1 Mary Magee 2 Nancy Car- son 3 Abigail Fairchild 4 Elizabeth Burr 5 Calvin Dike 6 - Hannah Birdsly 7 or either or any of
Leatt G. C. Jones Esq Present

State of Pennsylvania County of Crawford, ss.
J. A. S. Davis, Register etc., Within and for the County and State aforesaid, do hereby certify that Letters of Administration, on the Estate of Susannah Dike, late of the township of Haysfield in said County deceased, were issued on the 20 th day of May A.D. 1856, to F. F. A. Wilson, Esqr., by the request of the surviving children, and that the same is in accordance with the laws of this Commonwealth.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my Seal of said office at Meadville this second day of June A.D. 1856.
J. A. S. Davis Register

J. F. A. Wilson, Adm.
Benj. Dike died 1821. Susannah Dike D o 16 U o 1851.
Maria
James Dike - Jonathan Dike - Mary Magee Anna, Cassie & Abi- gail Fairchild Elizabeth Burr Alvin Dike & Han- nah Bridgman = 7

The Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is hereby requested to furnish evidence from the Rolls in his Department, of the military service of Benjamin Dike, dec d . in the War of the Revolution, in the Massachusetts line, as set forth in the declaration made by Susannah Dike, his Widow, Meadville Pa. June 2 d . 1856
F. F. A. Wilson Administrator,

Widow of Benjamin Leun
Act. July 29. 1848.

Brief in the case of Susannah, dec d Widow of Benjamin Dike, of Pennsylvania. Act July 29, 1848.
Record evidence of service, with which her husband is clearly identified by his reputation of service, by the fact that he was of the same town at the service of the record, by the fact that the record, obtained in 1856, shows the service which she alleged in 1847, and by the production of an orig- inal writing of his, with his signature attached made in 1812 which was evi- dently made by the same hand that subscribed to the receipt for the service briefly in 1781.
Proof of marriage.
Cohabitation, general reputation of marriage, her identity as the soldier's widow, her continuous wid- owhood to her death, her rights & administration shown especially to an Reputation.
Send to G. C. Ames, Esq. Present.
Thornton D. Dipple Glasgow

Washngn Ind. July 11 1857 Bro. C. Whiting Esq
I present herewith the claim of Susan Dike, widow of Benjamin Dike, for a Pension under the act of 7 May 1838. Mrs. Dike made a declaration in 1847. in which she states her husband entered the service from the town of Tyringham. Mass under Col. Jackson, and that she was married to him in 1791.
Mrs. Dike's declaration has lately been sent to Boston for evidence of the service of Benjamin Dike, and it has been clearly sustained by the records of the State Department of Massachusetts. Not only is the service clearly proven by the records, but Mrs. Dike's husband is identified by a free simile of his signature to the receipt for the bounty to the three years men from Tyringham, compared with his signature to the indenture binding them to service to Henry Pickard in 1812.
The date of the marriage is sustained by the testimony of several

Witness whose Testimony, together with the fact that Mrs. Dike had a son who was engaged in service in the war of 1812 shows that the marriage took place prior to 1794 No record proof of the marriage can now be found. The family record referred to in Mrs. Dike's declaration has been lost, or destroyed or placed beyond the reach of the parties interested in that claim.
Very Respectfully, Yours Obedient Bro. C. Ames

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Boston, October 27. 1850.
I hereby Certify, That from an examination of the Books and Documents relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that among the rolls and documents in this office is found the following receipt. viz.
"Tyngsborough 23 rd March 1781." "Received of Capt. Noah Lunkton Chairman of the Committee for raising soldiers for said Town for three years the sum of forty five pounds, lawful money in silver or gold, as an encouragement for my service as a soldier for three years for said town - as witness my hand." "Benjamin Dike"

And I further Certify, That, before search made for evidence of said facts, the application hereto annexed was filed in this Office, in the form in which the same now appears; that the search was made by myself and my clerks alone; and that said application, and the certificate above set forth, contain all the facts and circumstances within my knowledge, pertaining to the case.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
Francis De Witt Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Meadville Pa Oct 24/56
To the Hon. Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Dear Sir:
This day addressed your department asking for a Fac-Simile of the hand writing of Benjamin Dike a Rev. Soldier from the town Tyngsborough. In which I directed my son to Enclose $100 which he informs me, he neglected to do, by the way of a forget, after having had his money charged for the purpose &c, which will sufficiently explain &c
Your humble Servt. &c
J. F. A. Wilson

CRAWFORD COUNTY, SS.
By the Tenor of these Presents, I, A. S. Davis Register for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration in and for the County of Crawford, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania—To
H. H. A. Wilson
do send GREETING:—
Whereas, Susannah Dike
late of Heavyside Twp
deceased, lately died intestate, (as 'tis said,) having whilst he lived, and at the time of his decease, divers goods and chattels, rights and credits, within the said county, by means whereof the disposition and power of granting Letters of Administration thereof, is manifestly known to belong to me:—I, THEREFORE, desiring that the goods and chattels, rights and credits, which were of the said deceased, may be well and truly administered, converted and disposed of, according to law, DO hereby grant unto the said H. H. A. Wilson
full power, by the tenor of these presents, to administer the goods and chattels, rights and credits, which were of the said deceased, within the said county: also to ask, collect, levy, recover and receive the credits whatsoever of the said deceased, which at the time of his death were owing, or did in any way belong to him, and to pay the debts in which the said estate stood obliged, so far forth as the said goods and chattels, rights and credits will extend, according to the rate and order of law; you the said H. H. A. Wilson
well and truly administering the goods and chattels, rights and credits which were of the said deceased, and making a true and perfect inventory and conscionable appraisement thereof, and exhibiting the same into the Register's Office at Meadville, on or before the
20 th day of June ensuing: and also a true and just account, calculation and reckoning of your administration, upon your solemn oath or affirmation, rendering on or before the 20 th day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty Seven And I do, by these presents, ordain, constitute, and appoint you the said H. H. A. Wilson
to be administrator of all and singular the goods and chattels, rights and credits, which were of the said deceased, within the limits aforesaid, saving harmless, and forever indemnifying me, and all other officers, against all persons whomsoever, by reason of your administration aforesaid, and saving all others their rights, &c.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of said office to be hereunto affixed; dated at Meadville, the 20 th day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty Seven
A. S. Davis Register.

State of Pennsylvania Crawford County ss
I do hereby certify that the within letter of Administration are issued in accordance with the laws of the State of Pennsylvania, and that the renunciation of Hannah Beardlee and Jonathan Dike & Calvin W S Dike are on file in the Register office of said County. Witness my hand and seal of office at Meadville the 20 th of May 1856 J S R Clerk Register

State of Pennsylvania County of Crawford, \frac{1}{3} S.S.
I William Hooper Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, being a Court of Record, held at Meadville in and for the County and State aforesaid, on this fourteenth day of August, A.D. 1855, do hereby certify that Satisfactory evidence has been exhibited, to said Court, by the affidavits of Amos Pierce, and Eliab Steel, resident Citizens of said County, who are persons entitled to full credit, that Benjamin Dike late of the town of Groton, Tompkins County in the State of New York, dec d was a Soldier of the Revolutionary War, in the State of Mass- achusetts, and entered the service from the County of Berkshire at the town of Tyringham, and died at the town of Groton, Tompkins County in the State of New York on the 25 th day of January 1821. And that he left a wife surviving him whose name was, Susanah Dike, who died in the Township of Hayfield Crawford County Pennsylvania on the 16 th day of November, A.D. 1851. And that the said Benjamin Dike and, Susanah Dike, his wife, had the following named Children, To Wit: James Dike, who enlisted in the service of the United States, at the County of Ontario, at the town of Canandaigua A.D. 1812, or 1813, and never returned, is supposed to have died in the service, Jonathan Dike, resident of the Bradford County Pennsylvania, May inter- married with Abraham, Magee, residence not known,

Nancy, intermarried with Stephen Ward, and resided in Steubenville County in the State of New York, when last heard from. Abigail intermarried with Francis Fairchild's residence in the State of Michigan. Elizabeth intermarried with a man by the name of Burr, residence in the County of Cayuga State of New York, Calvin Dike's residence. Bradford County Penn te and Hannah, intermarried with Jonathan Birdsey of Crawford County Pennsylvania. And that Susannah Dike the aforesaid wife and widow, of the fore- said Benjamin Dike, do remain the widow of the said Benjamin Dike, from the time of her said husband's death in A.D. 1821, until the day of her death in November, A.D. 1857.
Emory Dike Eliab Skel
In testimony whereof, I have set my hand and affixed the official Seal of said Court at Meadville this 14 th day of August, A.D. 1855, William Hooper Notary Public

Benjamin Lake to Henry Pitnard

Meadville Crawford County
156
May 20 1856
Amos Pierce
Rev Gilt Shryock
1857 Nov 17th
  7 yes Mules 31 219   1 " Boots " 40   1 Retard 13   Brass Nails 12   2,84 
The above is a true copy of an entry made on our Books to Amos Pierce date above mentioned which we believe was procured for Mr Dykes Shroud
Gilt Shryock Merchants Meadville Pa

Walls Villa Co. Conn. Jan'y 15 th 1856
H. H. A. Wilson Esq
Yrs Sir Your letter of Dec r 7 th to the D. M. at Canaan relative to the Marriage of Benjamin Dike or Van Dike to Susan n Pierce has been handed to me for reply - I have examined the Town Records of Canaan all through, but do not find any record of the above mentioned Marriage —
Yours Very Respectfully
A. H. Miner
Town Clerk of Canaan

This Indenture Made and Concluded This Ninth Day of May in The year of our Lord one Thousand Eight Hundred and Twelve between Benjamin Pike and Susanah his wife of the first part and Henry Richard Both of the Town of Locke County of Cayuga and State of New York Witnesseth That the said party of the first part for and in consid- eration here after mentioned have bound their Daughter Abigail an apprentice unto the party of the second part until she shall be of age according to Law and the said Abigail is Truly and faithfully to obey the said party of the second part and Wife in all their law- full Commands and not to absent her self from her said Masters Service without his or their liberty and Consent nor Contract or testimony before she is of age without her said Masters Consent and the said party of the second part doth promise and agree to and With the said party of the first part to perform his Duty as a Master to Train up said Abigail as well as he Can and to bring her up in Domestic business such as spinning sewing and Fair business and to provide for her in sickness and in health Comfortable Food and raiment and learn her to read and Write and at the expiration of her Time to give her her Common Wearing apparel and Five Suits of Sunday apparel and a good Cow or bed and bedding in Witness Whereof we have here unto set our hands and seals Day and Date First above Written in Presents of us
Benjamin Pike
Nicholas Pickard Joseph Pickard
Susanah Pike

Pennsylvania Crawford County ss
Personally appeared before me the Subscriber a Justice of the Peace in & for the said County, Job Potter, who being sworn according to law, deposes & saith that he is to the fifty ninth year of his age and has known Benjamin Dike & Susanah his wife and family since the year one thousand eight hundred and eight. That he knew James Dike the eldest child of said Benjamin Dike and Susanah, before the late war with England that said James Dike entered the military service of the United States in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, and he now saw him oftentimes that the said James was then about eighteen years of age or upwards, That when first dis- covered he became acquainted with said Benjamin & Susanah they being then cohabited together as man & wife, and were known & reported as such and have always since lived together & been known & reported as man & wife, during the lifetime of the said Benjamin - Deborah was acquainted with the other children of said Benjamin & Susanah viz Jonathan, Mary, Nancy, Abigail, Calvin and Hannah, -
Sworn & subscribed
before me this 24 th ,
day of April A.D. 1856, and Job Potter
STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA, COUNTY OF Crawford ,
ss. I A. S. Davis
Recorder of Deeds, Commissions, &c., do hereby certify that Cooper Ray Esq., before whom the within declaration, affidavit, and power of attorney, were made and execu- ted, and who has thereunto subscribed his name, was at the time of so doing an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the county aforesaid, duly commissioned and sworn, according to the laws of this Commonwealth, and that his signature thereto is genuine and in his own proper hand writing.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my official seal of office at Meadville in the County aforesaid, this 20 th , day of May 1856.
A. S. Davis Register.

Pennsylvania Borough of ...
Personally appeared before me the Subscribed ... a Justice of the Peace in & for the said County, Job Patten, who being sworn according to law, deposes & saith that he is to the best of his knowledge and belief that Benjamin Dike & Susannah his wife are his parents since the year one thousand eight hundred and eight. That he knows James Dike the eldest child of said Benjamin Dike and Susannah, before the last war with England that said James Dike entered the military service of the United States in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, in which year he saw him oftentimes that the said James was then about eighteen years of age or upwards. That when said de- ponent first became acquainted with said Benjamin & Susannah they were and continued to be as man & wife, and were known & reported as such and have always since been together & been known & reported as man & wife. During the lifetime of the said Benjamin & Susannah were acquainted with the other children of said Benjamin & Susannah viz Jonathan, Mary, Nancy, Abigail, Calvin and Hannah. -
Subscribed & sworn to before me this 24th day of April A.D. 1856, and Job Patten I certify that the affiant is of good repute for truth that his statements are worthy of full credit, Cooper Ray, J.P. (Seal)
and received a land warrant, cannot now return. for the purpose of obtaining the addition 355. He also declares, that he has none except the one above mentioned.

I do hereby legally empower, and authorize G. C. Ames, Esqr. of Washington City, D. C. as my true and lawful atty., in the prosecution of the within claim,
F. S. A. Wilson Adm.