Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 28692, William Collins, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Mass-
Collins, William
NUMBER S. 28692
CONTENTS

New York 298,
William Collins Genl. Germantown in the State of New York who was a Corp & Sgt in the Com commanded by Captain Kelley of the regt commanded by Col Brewer in the Massachusetts line for 3 months Corporal 3 Mos & 8 days Sergeant Certificate issued to Mary Collins widow of the deceased
scribed on the Roll of New York the rate of 27 Dollars 35 Cents per annum, commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 27 day of March 1835 and sent to Isaac Wilson Attica
years to the 4th of month allowance ending years to 18th Dec 33 the day of pensioner's death $76.33
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Sam Boyd Clerk, Book E 2 Vol. 4 Page 11

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7. 1832. State of New York County of Genesee ss.
This 23 d day of August 1832 personally appeared before me Isaac Wilson first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County of Genesee William Collins a resident of the Town of Middlebury in said County of Genesee and State of New York. Aged Seventy one years the 29 th day of October next who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on this oath make the following declarations 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 Service as herein stated, to wit, That he entered the service the latter part of June 1775 in the 14 th year of his age as a volunteer in Capt. Scilly's Company of the Massachusetts State troops raised partly in Brimfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, & Marched from said town of Brimfield to Roxbury near Boston. & was attached to a Regiment of which Major Donaldson was Major, and thinks that Col. Brewster was Colonel. Was stationed some part of the time at Dorchester Hill while out that season in the service he see & well knew General Washington, Gen. Worcester, Gen. Green, Gen. Sullivan, Col. Putnam, Huntington, Nickerson & C. & that he remained in service near Boston until the latter part of December or forepart of Jan y . & until the termination of the 8 or 9 months campaign when he was regularly dismissed & permitted to return home having been in the service as he believes about seven months.
That on the 14 th day of March 1778. he again entered the service of the United States by enlistment into Capt. Carpenter's Company of the Massachusetts State Troops for six months at the Town of Brimfield aforesaid & Marched from thence to Springfield Mass. & was attached to a Reg t Commanded by Col. Mason & Major Chivens, he remained at Springfield for some time when was a Laboratory, Park of Ordnance & C. & C. but in the summer was detached with a party of men and marched to Long Island bound for the purpose of removing to Springfield a large quantity of Powder which they effected. at the expiration of his term of enlistment which was six months, he still continued in the same service, as a substitute for a soldier by the name of Philip (Phil) Williams & others without any interruption until some time in the month of Feb y following, when he was regularly dismissed & permitted to return home (receiving no written discharge.) Having continued in service uninterruptedly almost one year. And he further declares that he has now no documentary evidence, and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his said services. And he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a

pension or Annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the Agency of any State.
Sworn to & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid William Collins Before me.
Isaac Wilson first Judge of Genesee County Com. Pleas.
We, Joseph Elliot a clergyman residing in the Town of Middlebury County of Genesee & State of New York and Edmund Gould residing in the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Collins who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration & that we believe him to be seventy one years of age next October as he states, That he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution, And that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn & Subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me Isaac Wilson first Judge of Genesee County
Joseph Elliot Edmund Gould
State of New York Genesee County
On this 23 rd day of August 1832. I Isaac Wilson first Judge aforesaid do hereby declare my 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 I further certify that it appears to me & that from my personal knowledge that Joseph Elliot who has signed the preceding Certificate is a Clergyman residing in the same Town & neighborhood with the Applicant & that Edmund Gould who has also signed the preceding Certificate is a resident in said Town of Middlebury & is a near neighbor of said Applicant and is a credible witness and that that their statement is entitled to full credit. And I further certify that the Applicant cannot from bodily infirmity attend the court being confined to his bed & probably but a short time to live.
Isaac Wilson
State of New York Genesee County
J. Timothy Fitch, Clerk of said County

do hereby certify, that Isaac Wilson Egle before whom the foregoing affidavit purports to have been taken and the foregoing certificate made, was on the day the same bear date, first Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of said County duly qualified and authorized to act as such, and that I am well acquainted with the signature of the said Isaac Wilson subscribed to said affidavit and certificate and verily believe them to be genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name and affixed the seal of the court of Common Pleas of said County this twenty seventh day of August 1832
Simothy Fitch Clerk By B. Pringle Dep. Clerk.
State of New York } Additional Affidavit to answer objections of Brd. County of Seneca } On this 8th day of December 1832 personally appeared before me the undersigned first Judge in and for said County of Seneca William Collins who being duly sworn, deposed and said that by reason of old age & bodily infirmity and consequent loss of memory he can not 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 six months I served as a private soldier near Boston in 1775 as stated in the foregoing declarations, and thinks the time was something more than six months. For Eleven months and twenty days I served as a Sergeant in Capt. Can- penter's Company of Massachusetts State Troops, generally stationed at Springfield Mass. as stated in the foregoing. And for such service I claim a pension. And he further said in answer to the interrogatories prescribed, and not already answered in the foregoing 1 st That he was born in the Town of Brimfield in the County of Hampshire & State of Massachusetts in the year 1761. 2 nd That he has no record of his age, but supposes his birth was recorded on the Townbook in Brimfield aforesaid. 3 rd That he resided at Brimfield aforesaid at the time he first entered the service in 1775 and also at the same place when he entered the service in 1778. That before the close of the Revolutionary war he removed with his Father's family to the Town

of Worthington in the same County of Hampshire. Mass. where he continued to reside for about five years after the close of the war, & then removed to the Town of Chester & thence the County of Hampshire. Mass. where he lived about fifteen years, from thence removed to what is now called Hindale Berkshire Co. Mass. where he lived about twelve or thirteen years & removed to his present residence in Middlebury, Georgia Co. Ga. At Worthington he has lived about seventeen years — I. That in addition to the officers before named he recalls the first year General Gates Gen. Nickerson Gen. Timothy Donalson — That this defendant was young at the commencement of his service, not quite fourteen years old, that his principal duty through that years campaign was "Captain's Waiter." — That in 1778-9 at Springfield there was no other Regiment than his own, commanded by Col. Mason. the General said the Regiment was guarding the Ordnance, Arms & Military stores — a large number of men were making cartridges — Cartridges etc etc. — And further witness not.
William Collins
Sworn and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me Isaac Wilson Jist Judge as aforesaid
Mr. Collins Recd
6992
acknowledged
22 Nov 1832
To Gen. Wilson
Resides Franklin Co. Pa.
Settlement
3 mo Coupon — $11.00 3 " " " " 16.35
Mr. B's certificate 37.55
3 mo Coupon
3 mo 8.50 Serf
Certificate to be paid to attorney Collins, Master of Chancery
due 18 December 1833
Worth to be paid up to that
time —
27.35 27.35 13.67

Ex. Affidavit W. Collins

Explanatory Affidavit of William Collins (State of New York) County of Genesee ss.
On this 19th day of January 1833 personally appeared before me the undersigned a Judge of said County of Genesee William Collins who being duly sworn doth on his oath make the following Explanatory Affidavit in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7. 1832. Viz He deponeth and saith that at the time he made the original Declaration for the purpose aforesaid before the said Judge he was confined to his bed in a very reduced state of body by reason of a large bruise upon his face, principally upon his under lip, which was greatly swollen and so exceedingly painful that he could converse but very little or suffer but a very partial examination. Nor was he at that time apprized of any particular distinction under the law of Congress between a non commissioned officer and a private, nor does he recollect of being examined to that point & the most he recollects of that transaction was to try to answer correctly such questions as were put to him. And he further deponeth & saith that at the 2nd examination for the annuity affidavit by the aid of Medicine the excessive pains of his disease had been much mitigated, although still very feeble in body & mind. And he further says that on said second examination Judge Nelson ascertained that he had served as Sergeant in Capt Carpenter's Comp y , and informed him that it ought to be so stated in his Affidavit.
And he further deponeth and saith that he enlisted into Capt Carpenter's Comp y as set forth in his original declaration, and having been at the Rendezvous one day only he was appointed Sergeant and continued to do duty as a Sergeant in the Company not only through the first six months under his enlistment but afterwards. And although he continued in the Comp y for several periods as a substitute for several privates for short periods each, some of whose names he can not recollect, the first or one as before stated he thinks was John Williams, he nevertheless all the while retained his rank, and did & performed the duty of Sergeant in the Comp y during the whole of the eleven months & twenty days.
And he further says that although he retained his rank and performed the duty & received the pay of a Sergeant during that whole term, yet if the Department shall be of the opinion that he ought to be taken into the account for the last five months and twenty days as a

private, under the circumstances of his substitution, he will be content with that determination. I need further say not.
Sworn and subscribed
William Collins
the day and year aforesaid
Isaac Wilson
first Judge as aforesaid.
Isaac Wilson, first Judge of Genesee County Common Pleas Courts do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with William Collins maker of the foregoing affidavit and of the original declarations of which this is an explanation, having resided about 18 years in the same town with the said Collins. — And I further certify that in the foregoing affidavit Mr Collins is a man of high moral standing & of unimpeachable integrity for many years a respectable member of a Christian communion. — And I further certify that he has herein truly set forth his situation at the time of taking his original declarations & that in consequence of his extreme pain of body and difficulty of speaking that examination was very much limited, which I have no doubt is the true and only cause of the apparent "discrepancy" in his papers.
Isaac Wilson

6992
William Collins
P-58
5 5 4 Sep 1832 14 Nov 1832
Isaac Wilson Lindon, New York (Greene co.)
Admitted

6992
BRIEF in the case of  William Collins, - Middlebury,  Co. of Tennessee in the State of N. York.  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Judge  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? It does.  3. How old is he? 71 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.     latter part June in 1775 abt 7 private Gen. Lilly, Maj. Donaldson Col. Brewer   4 March 1778 "almost 1 year" " Cap. Carpenter Col. Mason -  
 5. In what battles was he engaged?  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Brinsfield, Hampshire Co. Massachusetts.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional.  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
W. Hawe Examining Clerk.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Decem r 9 th 1834.
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 William Collins, as a Corporal, is borne on a pay-roll of Capt. John Carpenter's Company of Guards stationed at Springfield, where he is allowed from March 6 th to June 6 th 1779. m. d. three months, ————— 3-00
William Collins' name as a Serjeant, is borne on a pay-roll of Capt. John Carpenter's Company of Guards stationed at Springfield, where he is allowed from June 17 th to Sept. 25 th 1779. three Months and eight days. ————— 3-8 6-8
William Collins claims for services under Capt. Walbridge, in Col. Brewer's Regt. in 1773. The Muster roll of Capt. Amos Walbridge's Company, in Col. Brewer's Regt.

from April 24 th to August 11 th 1778. is found in this Office, - but the name of William Collins is not borne thereon.
William Collins claims for services under Capt. Carpenter, in Col. Mason's Regt. in 1778. but the roll is not found in this Office - The pay-roll of Capt. John Carpenter's Company, in Col. Ezra Wood's Regt. for seven months and eleven days from June 23. 1778. for services at the North River, is found in this Office, - but the name of William Collins is not borne on it.
Edward D. Bangs Secy
I read above a new Certificate in the case of Collins. I can not tell any thing about the former Certificate; as these cases are so numerous that no particular one can be borne in mind - but there is a book containing minutes of the officers under whom he claimed to have served when he before made application for an examination of the Rolls - and this book will be a guide to the search in the present case. It does not appear that he then claimed any services under Capt. Seely, or if he did that any was found. There are no rolls of any such Captain among the rolls of 1778.
Edward D. Bangs Secy

William Gullery
Decl. Steara 1919 November 23
Steara
NY.
Frank J. Edwards Com. of Review
Mr. Sparre Washington D.C.

New York, Genesee County. Attica Nov. 22. 1834 Hon. J. L. Edwards, Comr. of Pensions, Sir.
Under Cover of July 31. 1833 of E D Bangs Secretary of War. I received his certificate proving the Service of William Collins as Sergeant in Capt Carpenter's Comp y of the Mass Troops. This  before I think a little more than ten months this certificate forwarded to the War Department in August or for part of September 1833 and expected a pension certificate for at least the amount proved. Since which time I have not heard from the application. And whether Mr Secretary Bangs certificate reached the Department or I know not miscarried. If that certificate failed to reach the Department or is lost - Another might be obtained forthwith by writing to the Secretary of War.
M c Collins is now dead but he did not die until a number of months after I sent Mr Bangs certificate in his favor. which was the only thing necessary on his part to entitle him to a Pension certificate. Mr Collins widow is poor and deserving and entitled to the back pay.
If convenient I desire an early answer
I am Respectfully
Your Obedt Servt
Isaac Wilson

Thomas W Lay
2 Jan'y 1835
O.C.
Rec Vol. 33. pa. 301.

Warble Pension A Dec 34
Sir
The certificate of Mr. Bangs respecting the service of William Collins dec d has been rec d . It establish- es 3 mos as a Corp t & 3 mos 8 days as Sergt. in Capt. Carpenter's. It is alleged service in 75 at 14 years of age, is discredited by that certificate. - If the last certificate of the day of his death & the name of his widow if he left one or of his children if he left no widow be forwarded to this office a certificate will be issued for the service and bra- -ced by Mr. Bangs's certificate
at 7 Jan
Coye
G.W. Layton

6992
William Collins
Isaac Wilson
Linden Genesee Co. N.Y.
not Greene

6992
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 Collins — which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides ? It does. II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides ? He did. 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 ? He has 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 ? He has not. VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations ? He has not. VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832 ? He has VIII. Has the Court given their opinion ? It has IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate ? He has 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 ? It is, & is so distinguishable.

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? He has. 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? He has 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? 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? XVI. ‡Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? They are not XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 1, 2, 3 & 5 are not.
 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 affidavits must be properly authenticated, as above directed.
†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.

House of Representatives,
Dec r 15. 1834.
Sir,
It is stated to me in a letter this day received, that in August 1833, William Collins, late of Middlebury in the County of Genesee and State of New York sent in order to the Pension Office, the Certificate of E. D. Banks Secretary of the State of Massachusetts, proving the Service of one Collins for 10 months in the Massachusetts Troops in the Revolutionary War — Since this the Agent Judge William Walter has heard nothing from it. Collins died Dec r 18 th 1834. The inquiry is 1 st whether the Certificate above alluded to was ever received? If it was, is his heir not entitled to the amount he was entitled to draw under this Certificate? 2 d If the Certificate has not been rec d at the Office, by procuring a new one, will not his heir be entitled to the same? Judge William says

that Collins lived more than 3. months after the papers were presented to the proof forwarded to the Department.
An early answer will much oblige
Yours Respectfully
George W. Day
Jan. 2. Edwards Esq.

Wm Collins
Hon. J. H. Edwards House of Commons Washington D.C.
PRIME

Feb. 27. 1875
Hon. J. H. Edmunds Comr. of Pensions
Sir - I enclose the Order and Certificate of the Court in the matter of the Application of Mary Collins for the Pension of her husband William Collins deceased. Please direct the Certificate to me at "Attica Genesee County N.Y."
Yours (Abate first) Isaac Wilson

William Collins
New York Oct 7 June 1832
Suspended . See Letter to S. Wooster
December 22 nd 1832
do. J. Wilson of Linc o 1 st June '32 Lett to C. Bangs 3 rd Dec r 34 " " 2 Wilson " " " u " O. H. May 12 th Aug 1835

28 692 Rev  INVALID.
File No. 28,692
William Collins
Sergt Rev War
Act: June 7 th 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 81
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Certificate of Proof in case of William Collins - an Applicant for a Pension, deceased, - who left his widow, Mary Collins, now an applicant for his certificate. —
Isaac Wilson, Ag't. — Batavia, N.Y. —

State of New York } County of Genesee } ss:
I, Timothy Fitch, Clerk of the Court of General Sessions in and for said county of Genesee, being a Court of Record and keeping a Record of its proceedings, do hereby certify that on this fifth day of February in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty five personally came into open Court and while said court was in session, Mary Collins and Oran Dustin, who were examined by the Judges of said court relation to the decease of William Collins who before his decease was an applicant for a Pension under the Act of Congress passed June 11. 1832 - And I further certify that the said Mary Collins, on such examination, testified that she is the widow of the said William Collins, who died on the 18 th day of December 1833 and at the time of his decease resided in the town of Middlebury in the county of Genesee where the she the said Widow now resides - that her said husband made application for a pension under the late Act of Congress some time before his decease, that the Hon. Isaac Wilson acted as his Agent, that she had always understood from her said husband that he was a Revolutionary Soldier and further that at the time of his decease he had not obtained a pension. —
And I further certify that Oran Dustin on such examination, testified, that he resides in Batavia in Genesee County aforesaid, that he was well acquainted with William Collins, who formerly resided in the town of Middlebury in the said county of Genesee, that the said William Collins died at the said town of Middlebury on the eighteenth  tenth day of December 1833, that he is well acquainted with Mary Collins, the individual who has appeared in court with him and has testified to the foregoing facts, that she is the widow of the said William Collins and is a resident of the said town of Middlebury. —
And I further certify that the foregoing facts and the proof thus adduced to the said court was satisfactory to the Judges thereof relation to the circumstances herein before stated, viz, that the said William Collins was an applicant for a Pension under the late Act of Congress, that he died at the

town of Middlebury in the said county of Genesee, on the 18 th day of December 1833. That he left a widow, that Mary Collins, who appeared in court, is the widow of the said William Collins and is a resident of the said town of Middlebury. —
In Testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court this Tenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five. — In 22 d line from bottom of first page "the" erased — in 10 th line from bottom "eighth" erased and "eighteenth" interlined and in 5 th line from top of 2 d page, hereto interlined. —
Timothy Fitch Clerk