Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29750, Samuel Davidson, Mass.

SERVICE
Davidson, Samuel
NUMBER
S. 29750
Mass.
CONTENTS

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Davidson, Samuel
S. 29750
CONTENTS

Massachusetts 30,804
Samuel Davidson
of Worcester Co. in the State of Mass. who was a Private in the company commanded by Captain Scagrove of the Regt. commanded by Col. Reed in the Genl. Mass line for 6 months & 2 days
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 20 Dollars 22 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 17 th day of August 1836 and sent to R.P. Church Douglas, Mass
Arrears to the 4th of March '36. 101.10 Semi-ant. allowance ending 1 st Sept. '36. 10.11
$111.21
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by D. Brown Clerk, Book E. Vol. 2 Page 18

Samuel Howden Massachusetts Suspended
Admitted Poirato 6 mo. 22 days
Mr. Levi Lincoln H. K.
R. S. Church Esq. Douglas Mch 3

DECLARATION, in order to secure the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
COUNTY OF WORCESTER, ss.
ON this fifth day of March in the year of our Lord, eighteen hundred and thirty six personally appeared in open Court, before the Boston Lyceum  Julius A. Root now sitting Samuel Davidson a resident of Douglas in the County of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged Eighty two 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 7th 1832.
THAT he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
I enlisted into the Continental Line of the United States Army, as near as I can recollect the  as early as the middle of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & seventy five under Lieutenant Job Knapp in Capt Segraves Company & in Colonel Joseph Read's Regiment. - I recollect the time of enlistment from the fact that I was at meeting & enlisted at noon-time. - I resided at this time in Douglas in the County of Worcester & Commonwealth of Massachusetts & enlisted for the term of Eight months, in what was then here termed the first Eight months service. - I then went to Roxbury & was stationed with S d Segraves' Company at a place called Brooklyn & helped build the fort there, then called Brooklyn Fort. - I was at S d station when Charleston was burnt & saw the first smoke which arose from the fire. - I was not in the Battle of Bunker Hill, our station being on Roxbury side, which battle was fought the same day with the burning of Charleston. I continued to serve at the above named station in the Company and Regiment aforesaid until sometime in the summer, I think July, when I was attacked with a severe form of Dysentery & thrown into the Hospital from whence after about a fortnight I was removed home, & left the Army, about the 12th  twenty fourth of July next after my enlistment. - I did not recover my health until the next spring. - I Rec d my discharge from the Army from General Ward on the 17th of October 1775 which discharge is the evidence of my service in the Army, & is herewith annexed. - I was born in the aforesaid Town of Douglas in the year 1753. and my age is recorded on the Records of S d Douglas. - I have lived in Douglas since the Revolution, except twenty years, in which time I lived in the town of Oxford in S d Worcester County in S d State of Massachusetts. - I now reside in Douglas where I have lived here since my return from Oxford. Rev David Holman & Samuel Bolcom know me & can testify as to my character as to truth & veracity. The reason I have
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.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
not applied before, is that I am blind, my discharge was lost & my friends have but recently found it.
Samuel his Davidson
mark by me William P. Root

We David Holman a Clergyman residing in the town of Douglas (Isle) and Samuel Balcom residing in Douglas hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Samuel Davidson who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be Eighty two 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.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Before me R.P. Church Just. Prob. David Holman Samuel Balcom
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 mentioned applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states. And the court further certifies, that it appears to them that David Holman who signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the township of Douglas and that Samuel Balcom who has also signed the same is a resident in the same township and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
McBride
I Theophilus Wheeler  Registrar Clerk 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 Samuel Davidson for a pension. That the P. Church whose name is above written is a Justice of the Peace for the County of Worcester. IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Probate Court this
16 th day of April
in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and thirty Six .
Theophilus Wheeler Reg t of the Court of Probate for the County of Worcester in Mass.

29 750 Reog INVALID.
File No. 29,750
Samuel Davidson
Pa Rev War
Act: June 7 th 89 th
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 102
[Arrangement of 1870.]

33. 621 Samuel Davidson of Massachusetts
Suspended See let to H. Underwood Lincoln Ap l 26. '56 Let to R. P. Church July 16 th 1836
Copy June 1832

Daughters July 10 Saml. Apperson July 16 Mrs.
free
Hon. J. L. Edwards. Commissioner of Pensions City of Washington.
15 - Apr 7 21 July 3.9

State of Massachusetts Worcester County -
Douglas - July 8-1836
Sir, I had the honor in April last to transmit to the war department, through the Hon. Levi Lincoln, the application of Samuel Davidson of this place for a pension. - Enclosed are the affidavits of two of his companions in some of that memorable campaigns. - Some time has been spent, since your recommendation through Gov. Lincoln, of the 26 th April last in writing to several places in hopes of finding more testimony, but the grim reaper seems every where to have preceded us, and the enclosed is all the direct testimony we have been able to discover. -
Mr. Davidson is a man of moderate intellectual capacity, has been entirely blind for a great number of years, lives in an remote part of the town, & when questioned why he did not sooner apply for his pension, he answers in substance as follows. to wit.
"I have been a long time blind, my discharge was lost, & could not, or was not until recently found." (see the close of his Declaration) "I also thought

-at the time of the first application under the present law, that as my discharge was lost, the pension small & my health at that time very feeble rendering it probable that I should survive but a short time, that perhaps it would not pay the expense of obtaining it." "Having therefore given up the idea of making application at first, I did not again think of applying until my discharge was accidentally discovered in an old chest, among some refuse papers, which had long lain undisturbed."
This Sir I believe embraces all the reasons of delay, and is, I have every reason to believe true! — Mr. Davidson is yet living, his health comfortable, & if a favourable action is had on his application by the department, he would consider it a favour to receive his certificate, as early, as may be convenient.
Very Respectfully, Your Att. Servt.
W. P. Church Hon. J. L. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions

Jonah Brown of Douglas in the County of Worcester & Commonwealth of Massachusetts depones & say, that he is an aged eighty one years. I am & have been from my youth up personally acquainted with Samuel Davidson of Douglas. That he enlisted with me into the United States Service, under Capt Sequres in Col. Joseph Read's Reg't for eight months & which has since been rolled the first light inf't Inf'ty Service. - We enlisted some time in the month of April - 1775 & served together in sd Company & Reg't at Roxbury in sd State of Massachusetts. - I served out my eight months, but cannot say whether Davidson did or not. - According to the best of my recollection he must have served the greater part of his eight months. - I have some recollection of Davidson's being sick in the army, but cannot say whether he left before his time was out or not. - He is the only Samuel Davidson whom I have ever known in this town or vicinity.
And further your Deponent saith not. —
Jonah his X Brown mark
State of Massachusetts Worcester County ss. Douglas July 2-1836. Personally appeared the above-named Jonah Brown whom I hereby certify to be a man of good moral character, sustaining a good reputation for truth & veracity, & made solemn oath that the above Deposition by him subscribed is substantially true. - Before me A. P. Church Justice of the Peace

St Thomas Hospital July 24. 1775
This may certify that the bad Health of Samuel Davidson renders him unfit for Duty & that the most likely method of his recovery is to retire to his Friends Dr. Pay  Pay Surgeon
Pay

This may Certify that Sam Davison has been Sick with an Intermittent fever Attend. with a Diarrhoea & since has been with an Hectick fever & is not recov. his health so as to be able to do the duty of a soldier at Present Oxford Vt. Oct. 10 th 1875. Alex. Campbell Dr. Phys.
To Col Read at Brattlebury I desire the above. Named Sam Davison may be Discharged from the Army To - The Hon. Genl. Joseph Mead Col. C.O. Ward Camp at Morristown Vt. Oct. 10 th 1875

Camp at Roxbury 17 Oct 1775. By order of General Ward, the within named Soldier is discharged from the Continental Army.
DAVIDSON, SAMUEL (MASS.) 5-29750
J. Ward, Aide de Camp

I Seth White of Douglas in the County of Worcester & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, husbandman, eighty years of age Depose & say that I am & have been from my youth up personally acquainted with Samuel Davidson of sd Douglas in sd Worcester County, that he enlisted with me into the United States Service, under Capt. Segroves, in Colo. Joseph Read's Regiment, for eight months, & which has since been rolled the first eight months service. — We enlisted some time in the month of April 1775, & served together in sd Company & Regiment at Roxbury in this State — I served eight months according to my enlistment. It is not now within my recollection whether Davidson served his full time or not. —
He is the only Samuel Davidson, whom I have ever known in this town or vicinity. And further your Deponent saith not. —
Seth White
State of Massachusetts Worcester County ss
Douglas May 17-1836. Personally appeared the above named Seth White, whom I certify to be a man of good moral character, sustaining a good reputation for truth & veracity, & made solemn oath that the above Deposition by him subscribed is substantially true. — Before me —
R.P. Church. Justice of the Peace.

R. P. Church
July 21. 1886
Hon. O. G. Burham. Judge of Probate. Gloucester.

Douglas July 21-1836. Esq r . Boston. Sir.
I forwarded to the War department the Papers of Mr. Davidson as preferred when you were at Douglas for that purpose, supposing that his discharge was the best, & ample evidence of his Service. — Those papers were retained & placed in the files of the Department & I was informed that other testimony was necessary to establish his claim. 2
I then procured & forwarded the enclosed affidavits, which are now returned, for the purpose of having appended to them a certificate from the proper authorities that I am a justice of the Peace, which I supposed was sufficiently verified in Davidson's Declaration. — Will you, Sir, cause the proper certificates to be put on each of the enclosed affidavits, & return them by the bearer, & I will satisfy you therefor when I am at Worcester. — I was qualified as a Magistrate before Judge Payson & Esq r . Wheeler, Sept. 2-1834. — Perhaps I might have

more properly addressed this to Esqr. Wheeler, but as you were acquainted with the circumstances. I preferred to send them to you — Yours &c Respectfully R.P. Church.
Hon. J. Boston
I hereby certify that the signature affixed to the Magistrate's certificate in the enclosed affidavits, is my own proper signature. & was there placed at the time & place at which it purports to have been by me — R.P. Church.
Douglas July 21-1836.

Worcester, ss.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Probate Office -
I Theophilus Wheeler Register of the Court of Probate for the County of Worcester, certify that the same R. P. Church affixed to the three annexed certificates appears to have been written by himself and that he is a justice of the peace in & for the said County of Worcester, duly commissioned & sworn -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the Seal of the said Probate Court this 22 d day of July A.D. 1836 -
Theoph l Wheeler Reg d of said Court of Probate

Aug 1 st 78
My
July 27. Rec. L. W. Fletcher M c
General Davis M c
Hon. J. L. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions. City of Washington.

Danville July 26 th 1836.
Sir I herewith enclose the affidavits of Seth White & Jonah Brown, in regard to the application of Samuel Davidson, together with the certificate of the official character of the justice before whom they were sworn. Very Respectfully your obedt Servt.
B. D. Church
Hon. J. L. Edwards, City of Washington

Apr 25.
Immediate attention
Mass.
Abraham Lincoln
Mr. Lincoln
James L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions City of Washington

House of Reps. April 23 '36
James L Edwards, Esq Comm r of Pensions
Sir Duty to a constituent again constrains me to give you the trouble, which the enclosed papers, presenting the claims of a Revolutionary Soldier to a Pension, may occasion; and I beg to avail myself of this opportunity, to assure you of the grateful sense of obligation for the prompt attention to my former communications, with which I have the honor to be very truly, Your obliged & obed Servt
Levi Lincoln