Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29,187, Matthew Gray, Mass

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Gray, Matthew
8 29.187
CONTENTS
Twelve horizontal dotted lines for writing entries.
Twelve horizontal dotted lines for writing entries.

3696
New York
Matthew Gray
of Salem in the State of New York who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Bowden of the Regt commanded by Col. Woodbridge in the Massachusetts line for 11 Months — — — — —
Date of death not on A.B.
$35
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 36 Dollars 66 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 20 th day of Dec. 1839 — and sent to H. A. Pierson H. of Lep
Arrears to 4th of Sep. 1832 $54.99 Semi-ann. allowance ending Dec r 33 18.33
$73.32
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Not June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Geo. C. Stiles Clerk Book D Vol. 5 Page 92

9531
Matter of Matthew Gray a revolutionary soldier - - - F o
admitted
527 71  713663  1955
See

State of New York County of Washington } Town of Salem ss.
Page 1. Line 1
In this 28 th day of August 2 in the year of our Lord one thousand eight 3 hundred & thirty two personally appeared in 4 open court before the Judges of the court of 5 Common Pleas (being a court of record) now 6 sitting Mathew Gray a resident of Salem in 7 the county of State aforesaid aged 83 years 8 who being first duly sworn according to law 9 doth on his oath make the following decla- 10 -ration in order to obtain the benefit of the 11 act of Congress passed 7 th . June 1832.
12 That he entered the service of the 13 United States as a private in the company of 14 Captain David Cowden in the Regiment com- 15 -manded by Colonel Woodbridge of the State 16 Troops of the State of Massachusetts at Pelham 17 in Hampshire County (Massachusetts) under an en- 18 -listment for nine months in the month of March  June that they marched to Boston or to Cambridge within a few miles from 19 in the year Seventeen hundred & Seventy  Seven  four  one of Boston as soon as the regiment was full which left the  the was 20 Soon after the battle of Bunker Hill & that he 21 continued in such service in the company of 22 Regiment aforesaid until sometime in January  March 23 Seventeen hundred & Seventy six till the expira- 24 -tion of the said term of nine month when 25 he was discharged from the same - That the 26 Regiment in which he served was marched 27 to Boston soon after his enlistment & contin- 28 -ued within a few miles of that City until 29 the expiration of the term aforesaid and that 30 one Robert Selfridge who now resides within 31 the County of Washington aforesaid served 32 in the same company with him during the 33 whole of said term and that he knows of no other.

line
1 persons now living who were personally knowing 2 to such Service - And this deponent further 3 says that he again entered the service of 4 the United States under Captain John Thompson 5 in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Moore 6 of the Town of Belcher Hampshire County in the 7 State of Massachusetts at Pelham in the county 8 of State last aforesaid sometime in September 9 in the year seventeen hundred & seventy six 10 under an enlistment for Two months of that 11 he continued to serve in said company until 12 the expiration of said term - part of the time 13 at Fairfield in the State of Connecticut & 14 was there when the British Troops landed 15 at Kings point within sight of the landing 16 which was in October 1776 - From this place 17 his company proceeded to Whiteplains & were 18 there at the Battle at that place soon after 19 but this deponent was sent into Connecticut 20 a few miles east of Kings bridge with two 21 soldiers (one a cousin & the other a neighbor of 22 his) who were sick & continued with them 23 till after the battle - was within hearing of 24 the firing on the day of the battle above 25 spoken of - And this deponent further says 26 that he does not recollect as he ever received 27 any written discharge & if he ever did he 28 has not preserved them and that he knows 29 of no person now living who served with 30 him except as before mentioned & that he has 31 no documentary evidence of his service - And 32 he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to 33 a pension or annuity except the present & 34 declares that his name is not on the

line 1 pension roll of the agency of any State. 2 And this deponent further in fact says 3 that he hired one Peter King of Pelham 4 aforesaid in the Spring of 1847 to serve in 5 his place for six months and paid him 6 sixty dollars & that said King did so serve 7 as a substitute for him as he was informed 8 & believed and this deponent does not know 9 whether he is yet living or not - and further 10 that he was one of a class of either five or 11 six persons who were required to send one 12 soldier for a term of five years - & that they 13 hired one Burtlet Robinson of Pelham aforesaid 14 for the said term of five years & that this 15 deponent paid for his share to said Robinson 16 five pounds sterling & that said Robinson 17 entered the service & continued to serve for 18 the said term of five years or during the war 19 as this deponent was informed & believes and 20 that he is now dead - and this deponent 21 further says that he thinks his sister Esther 22 Lyon and her Cousin Deborah D. Gray were 23 acquainted with him at the time of the servi- 24 -ces above mentioned & he thinks she can relate 25 some facts in corroboration of the above alle- 26 -gation & further he says not
Sworn and subscribed the day & year first aforesaid
J. S. Leigh CBT
Matthew Gray
of Argyle county of Washington
Robert Selfridge being duly sworn says that he served with the above named Matthew Gray nine months in the company of Capt. Cowdun as the said Gray has above set forth & knows that the said Gray served the said term as he has set forth -
Sworn in open court this 28 th day of August 1852. J. S. Leigh CBT
Robert H. Dyer

State of New York Washington County } Town of Salem ss.
Esther Lyon of said Town being duly sworn says that she is a sister of Mathew Gray the person who has subscribed & sworn to the said above declaration & is of the age of eighty three years. That the said Mathew Gray is as she has always understood & believed of the age of eighty three years & that she remembers of his leaving his father's in Pelham once in the season of 1775 & once in 1786 for the army of the united states as he has above in his said declaration stated & recollects that it was said at the time & that she has always understood & believed that he served in the army for the term of eleven month under two engagements one of nine months & the other of two month as he has set forth in his said declaration and that he hired one Peter King for the term of six month & one Bentle Robinson for five years as he has in his said declaration set forth —
John Gray Mathew Gray's brother We Alexander Proudfoot & James  the undersigned do certify that we are well acquainted with Mathew Gray who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration & that we believe him to be eighty three years of age a man of truth & veracity and that he is reputed & believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution & that we concur in this opinion —
Subscribed & sworn the Day of year first forsook in open court. J. J. Leigh Clerk
Allen Proudfoot John Gray

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter of after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department that the before named applicant Mathew Gray was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the court further certify that Alexandra Broadfoot who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman of that Christian Church John Gray James Esquire who has also signed the same is a credible person of that both of said persons are residents of Salem under that their statement is entitled to credit - And the said court further certify that Robert Selfridge of Aspel who has made the within affidavit, is a person of good moral character, and is a person of credibility, and his statement is entitled to full credit. I Jesse J. Leigh clerk of the court of common Pleas of the county of Washington do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Mathew Gray for a pension - In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & the seal of this court this 28 th day of August 1882 - J. J. Leigh C.R.
I Jesse J. Leigh clerk of the county of Washington, do further certify, that the addition made to the above certificate, was this day made in open court at this present December term of the court - And I do further certify, that I am personally acquainted with Robert Selfridge, whose affidavit within contained was sworn to before me. That said Robert Selfridge is a person of good moral character, and of credibility and that his statement under oath is entitled to

full credit. And I further certify, that the three several half sheets of paper herewith connected, were presented to the said court of Common Pleas on the 28 th day of August last. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of this court on the first page of these papers. This 7 th day of December 1832. CHS
J. S. Leigh Clerk
9531 Matter of Mathew Gray a revolutionary soldier
permitted
523 11 113665 1955
See

September 4, 1936.
Mrs. Frank J. Argersinger 506 S. William Street Johnstown, New York.
BA-J/ILL Matthew Gray S. 29187
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Matthew Gray, a pensioner of Washington County, New York.
The data given herein were found in pension claim, S. 29187, based upon service of Matthew Gray in that war.
Matthew Gray, while residing at his father's house in Pelham, Hampshire County, Massachusetts, (name of his father not shown), enlisted sometime in March 1775, and served nine months as private in Captain David Cowden's company, Colonel Woodbridge's Massachusetts regiment, stationed most of the time in the vicinity of Boston. He enlisted in September 1776, and served two months as private in Captain John Thompson's company, Colonel Howe's Massachusetts regiment, first at Fairfield, Connecticut, then at White Plains, New York.
He was allowed pension on his application, executed August 28, 1832, at which time he resided in Salem, Washington County, New York. He was aged then eighty-three years; the date and place of his birth are not shown.
In 1832, Esther Lyon, the soldier's sister, was a resident of Salem, New York; the name of her husband was not given. She was just the same age as the soldier, Matthew Gray. One John Gray was a resident of Salem, New York, at that time; he did not state any relationship to the soldier's family. No further family data are shown.
In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name of person paid, and, possibly, the date of death of Matthew Gray, you

should apply to The Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, and furnish that office the following data:
Matthew Gray Certificate #3696 Issued December 20, 1832 Rate $36.66 per annum Commenced March 4, 1831. Act of June 7, 1832. New York Agency.
Very truly yours,
A. D. HILIER, Executive Assistant to the Administrator.

506 S. William St., Johnstown, N.Y., August 19, 1936.
Mr. A.D.Hiller, Executive Assistant, Veteran's Administration, Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:
Revolutionary
From United States War Records, I find that MATTHEW GRAY, private, Massachusetts Militia, received a pension. He was placed on the pension roll, Dec. 20, 1832, and the commencement of the pension was Mar. 4, 1831, and he was ae. 84. I found the record in the Washington Co., New York records.
Will you please send me a copy of his pension paper? Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Frank J. Angersinger.

1936 - Sept. 4 - Hist. to Mrs. Frank Engeninger - SLH.
29 187
Rev
INVALID.
File No.
29,187
Matthew Gray
His Rev. Rev.
Act:
June 7" 89"
Index: -Vol.
9
, Page
165
[Arrangement of 1879.]