Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29748, Abel Davis, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Davis, Abel
S. 29748
CONTENTS

10575.
Massachusetts
Abel Davis
of Middlesex in the State of Mass, who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Brown of the reg t commanded by Col Robinson in the Mass line for 7 Days
Mile
78 Middlesex
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 21 Dollars 10 Cents per annum, to commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 13 th day of Sept 1833 and Sgt J Fiske Cambridge Mass
Arrears to the 14th of Apr 1833 $48.20 Semi-ant. allowance ending 21 Sept 12.05
$60.25
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J H Blair Clerk, Book 2 , Vol. 2, Page 16.

C. Abel Dac.
N o 5421.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Middlesex ss.
On this eighteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open Court, before the Honourable Judge of the Court of Probate, in and for the County of Middlesex aforesaid, now sitting, Abel Davis a resident of Concord — in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged Seventy Six 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, A. D. 1832:
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated:
In July 1777 he enlisted as a Drummer in the company of Captain Abisha Brown of Concord, in the Regiment commanded by Col. Robinson of Westford — the name of the Lieut. Colonel was Jacob, & of the Major, Pope — The company marched to Rhode Island. 1 st to Providence. Then to Narragansett Bay, where they were stationed for a time — & then to different parts on the eastern side of the Island State. The British occupied the Island on which Newport stands — Preparations were made to go over & attack the British & the militia were called in from Massachusetts & other neighboring places, the boats were prepared & for two or three nights the troops expected to go over — General Spencer was then in command having his head quarters at Providence — assisted in getting some prisoners from British vessels that got on shore at point Judith — he was discharged the first of January 1778. About six months after he enlisted, and was made up on the pay roll for six months according to his recollection — It is possible that the discharge was a week or two before the six months had expired — He also was marched in the year 1776 as he thinks in March in the company of militia to which he belonged in Concord under the command of Lieut. Russell, Captain Barrett being Captain, to Dorchester Heights near Boston to aid in the blockade of the British in Boston — and was engaged in that service according to the best of my remembrance the first seven days — he does not recollect any person now living who was in that detachment — Thaddeus Blood, was a member of the company in which the applicant enlisted in 1777 — commanded by Capt. Brown — I was an orderly sergeant & he is now living — He was also ordered into the service for Boston immediately after the 19 th of April 1775, when the prisoners taken on the surrender of the British from Boston to destroy the stores at Concord, were brought to Concord — He served as one of the guard for said prisoners & for the stores which were not destroyed.

from the 20 th of April 1775, until the prisoner was removed which according to his information, was about the first day of June 1775. and he believes that he served as much as four weeks at that time, under the orders of the captain of the company Nathan Barrett to which I belonged. Nathan Barrett also was a member of said company Squad & was known to my service. He was born on the 25 th of Dec r 1755 in Concord & has always lived there - my birth is recorded in the town records & has been transferred from them to the family bible. I served in 1777 by enlistment - before that time under the orders of my company officers - Col James Barrett was Col of the Reg t at Concord Sept r on the 19 th of April & John Buttrick was Major - never received any written discharge but served as I was ordered & during my engagement until regularly dismissed.
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 any state,
Abiel Davis
We, Ezra Ripley Concord a clergyman, residing in the Concord and Abiel Heywood Ezra hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Abiel Davis who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; — that we believe him to be 80 years of age: that he is reputed and believed, in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Ezra Ripley
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Abiel Heywood
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 further certify, that it appears to them that Ezra Ripley who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in Concord and that Abiel Heywood who has also signed the same, is a resident in Concord and is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.
J. P. Fay Prob
Isaac Fisher
Register of the Court of
Probate in and for the County of Middlesex, do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Abiel Davis for a
pension. Also certify that Sam l O. May whose own proper signature is set to the description of Nathan P. Dyer here annexed, is a judge of Probate & justice of the Peace in the said County. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first aforesaid.
Isaac Fisher

N o 5421 Abel Davis
7 mo 7 da 7 hrs
AM
14.81606
20 Dec 1832
$24.10
J. Fiske Esq. (P. 170) Cambridge Mass.

BRIEF in the case of  Abel Davis of the County of Middlesex in the State of Mass.  (Act 7 June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 76 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 1777 July — 6 — Private Gen. Col. Robinson, Capt. Brown   "76 March — — 7 do. Capt. Barret, St. Russell   "75 Apr. 19 th — 1 — do. Same Capt.  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Concord  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Deposition  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Regular 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Levin Bell Examining Clerk.

L. W. B. I. 29748. Con
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF PENSIONS, WASHINGTON, D. C.,
December 8th, 1897.
Madam:-
Replying to your request for information concerning Abel Davis , a soldier of the Revolutionary war, you are advised that he made an application for pension on August 18th, 1832, at which time he was 76 years of age and residing at Concord, Mass., and his pension was allowed for seven months and seven days' actual service as a private in the Mass. troops, Revolutionary war; a part of the time he served under Capt. Brown and Col. Robinson. He enlisted at Concord, Mass.
Very respectfully,
Commissioner.
Miss Alice L. Davis,
13 Pleasant Avenue,
Somerville, Mass.

Miss Alice Davis
29748 Resy INVALID.
Dec. 8/97. History to Alice L. Davis, Somerville
File No. 29748
Abel Davis
His Res. No.
Act: June 7 th 1897
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 102
[Arrangement of 1870.]

I Thaddens Blood aged Seventy seven do depose Asay, that I am well acquainted with Abel Davis of Concord, that he was in summer in Capt Abithai Brown's company in 1777, was with me in the expedi- tion to Rhode Island that year from sometime in July to some time in January 1778 - until the company was dismissed - I was orderly sergeant of said company - it was called the six months ser- vice & I also know that he belonged to the same company with me on the 19 th of April 1775 & served as one of the guard for the prisoners who were taken on that day & went to Concord to guard the stores at Concord, the prisoners continued in Concord to the first week in June 1775 according to the best of my belief - our company was divided into three squads, who mounted guard alternately every third day Mr Davis & I were in the same squad - We were ordered out by our officers on this service
Thadd Blood
Midd le . Aug. 17 th 1832. Sworn to by said T Blood. J. W. Day W. P. Root
I do hereby certify that Thaddens Blood who signed the foregoing deposition, was duly sworn to the truth of the same before me is known to me, is a most respectable man & of unquestioned credibility
J. W. Day W. P. Root

EastCambridge, (Mafs.)
June 27, 1833
Dear Sir,
I received by Mail this day the inclosed certificate; there is a mistake as to the name of the Pensioner, it should be Amos Rockwood, not Rockford; - will you have the goodness to cause the error to be corrected, both as to the Certificate & the notice communicated to the Pension Office, Boston, if the same error has been committed there: -
Also is inclosed Pension Certificate for Steel Davis . I do not find any person on the records in the Probate Court by the name of Steel ; - Perhaps the error may be with me; - Will you have the goodness to compare the Certificate with the original Application; - And if the error be in your Department, cause the same to be corrected both in the Certificate & notice thereof at the Pension Office in Boston; - If the error be with me, please to return the Certificate to me & I will await the call of the applicant.
I am respectfully yours Isaac Tinker
Hon. J. L. Edwards

N o 51121
Abel Davis
J. Fiske Esq.
E. Camb o 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 Abel Davis 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 has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? no Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office? 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? no. 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 the 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.
† 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 authenticated 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 end 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.

G.W.M.
✓
13 Pleasant Ave., Somerville, Mass.
To the Pension Bureau, Washington, D.C.
Will you kindly inform me if Abel Davis of Concord, Massachusetts, was a pensioner of the Revolutionary War, and greatly oblige
Respectfully yours,
Alice L. Davis.
Nov. 22, 1897.
OLD WAR & NAVY
NOV 26 1897