Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 9172, Joseph Chaffin, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Chaffin, Joseph
S 9172
CONTENTS
banded

15.802
Massachusetts
Joseph Chaffin
of Middlesex Co in the State of Massachusetts who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Smith of the Regt. commanded by Col. Dikeston in the Mass. line for 10 mos. 12 ds.
Credit of Mula
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 34 Dollars 65 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 29 day of July 1833 and sent to J. W. P. Abbot - Westford
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $69.30 Semi-ant. allowance ending Sept. 17.32
$86.62
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk Book Vol. 2 Page 12
80
Middlesex

Joseph Schappin
No 5568.

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, Joseph Chaffin a resident of Acton in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy eight 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:
That in the year 1775 he voluntarily enlisted soon after Concord fight into the service of the U. S. in company with one Solomon Smith. That he remained at Cambridge a short time in the Colleges and was then ordered to Winter Hill in Charlestown, where he remained until the eight months for which he enlisted had expired, when he again re-enlisted for the further term of six weeks. He was present at the battle of Bunker Hill in said Charlestown. Sullivan was a general and he recollects of seeing Washington at Cambridge while he was in the service. The Col was John Nickerson of Framingham, the capt William Smith of Lincoln. 1 st Lt John Heald of Acton 2 nd Lt John Hartwell of Lincoln. At the expiration of said enlistment he returned home. That again in the year 1777 he voluntarily enlisted for one month in Sept or Oct as he thinks and marched into New York and was present at the taking of Burgoyne. The Col was Jonathan Reed of Littleton. The capt John Buttrick of Concord and 1 st Lt Silas Mann of said Concord. That he was absent about six weeks before he returned to his home and was regularly discharged after guarding the prisoners taken with Burgoyne to Winter Hill in Charlestown.
And the said Joseph Chaffin further declares that that he was born on Sept 30 th 1753. That there is a record of his age in the town books in said town as he thinks that he was living at said Acton at the time he went into the service and has lived there generally ever since. That he voluntarily enlisted. That he has stated in his declaration all the officers that he has members and that Daniel White and Charles Hanchett can testify that the said Joseph Chaffin has always had the reputation of being in the Revolutionary war in said town of Acton.

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,
Joseph his X Chappin mark
We, Daniel White (there being no clergyman in sd Acton)  a clergyman , residing in the town of Acton and Charles Handley residing in sd Acton hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with Joseph Chappin who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; — that we believe him to be seventy eight 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.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Daniel White Charles Handley
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 Charles Handley Joseph Chappin who has signed the preceding certificate (there being no clergyman, resident in Acton) — and that are  who has also signed the same, is a resident in said Acton and is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.
J. P. Day Wood.
I Isaac Tike 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 Joseph Chappin for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first aforesaid.
Isaac Tike
I also certify that Francis Tuttle Esq whose own proper signature is set to the affidavits on the depositions here annexed is a justice of the Peace within & for said County of Middlesex.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this day & year aforesaid Isaac Tike

Middlesex ss. December 20th. A.D. 1832) I James Trask Woodbury, a clergyman in the town of Acton (settle since the twentieth day of August last past), do certify that it is my belief that the within named Joseph Chaplin is seventy eight years of age, & that it is the general belief in his neighborhood that he served as within recited in the war of the revolution.
James T. Woodbury
Middlesex ss. Dec 28 1832 Then personally appeared the above named James T. Woodbury and made oath that the foregoing certificate by him subscribed is true before me.
Horatio S. Suller Just of Peace

5568
Joseph Chaffin
Middlesex Co
Mass
March 10 Mar 12 day
1606.
Dec 21, 1832
Leo. Hale 1833
P. 338
33.33 1.32 34.65
No P Abbe
Westford
173 Middlesex Co
Mass

BRIEF in the case of  Jos Chaffin of Middlesex  City in the State of Mass- (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? open Court -  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 78 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 1775- - 8 - privt Gen. Capt Wm Smith Col J. Hickson   " 1776 Sept - - 7 42 " " do do   " 1777 Sept - - 1 - " John Buttrick " of Reid  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Bunker Hill  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Aston  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditional evidence, living witnesses -  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct - 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J H McBlain Examining Clerk.

Rev. 1870
9172 INVALID.
File No. 9172
Joseph Chaffin Dr. Kraft vols
Act: June 14th 82
Index:—Vol. Net , Page 65
[Arrangement of 1870.]

5568
Joseph Chaffin
J. W. P. Abbott Wolford 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
for Chaffin Juddalely 67 years.
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? no
The certificate of a clergyman has since been obtained in this case
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? yes
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? yes
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? yes
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? yes
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.

I Samuel Hosmer of Acton in the County of Middlesex Commonwealth of Massachusetts of the age of seventy, do testify and say that I am acquainted with Joseph Chaffin of Acton in the County & Commonwealth aforesaid, that in the year AD 1777 said Chaffin was at the taking of Burgoyne and was in said service for the term of one month under the command Col. Jonathan Reed of Littleton & Capt John Buttrick of Concord 1st Lt Silas Mason of Concord
Acton August 17 1832
Samuel Hosmer
Middlesex ss August 17 1832 Then the above named Samuel Hosmer personally appeared and made oath that the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed is just & true
Before me Francis Little Justice of the Peace
I certify that I am acquainted with Samuel Hosmer and believe him to be a man of truth & respectability
Francis Little Justice of the Peace

I Solomon Smith of Acton in the County of Middlesex Commonwealth Massachusetts of the age of seventy eight, do testify and say that I am acquainted with Joseph Chaffin of Acton in the County Commonwealth aforesaid, that in the year A.D. 1775 said Chaffin enlisted into the State service for the term of eight months and was stationed at Cambridge and Winterhill in said County under Col. John Nickerson of Framingham and Capt William Smith of Lincoln, 1 st Lt John Heald of Acton 2 nd Lt John Hartwell of Lincoln, at the end of the term was discharged
Acton August 17, 1832
Solomon Smith
Middlesex ss. August 17 1832 Then the above named Solomon Smith personally appeared and made oath that the foregoing affidavit by him subscribed was true
Before me Francis Tuttle Justice of the Peace
I certify that the above named Solomon Smith is a man of truth and respectability
Francis Tuttle Justice of the Peace