Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 29214, William Harris, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Harris, William
S 29 214
CONTENTS

15891 Massachusetts
William Harris
of Essex in the State of Mass o who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Drown of the Regt commanded by Nutehcock in the Massachusetts line for 9 months & 9 days
Mil
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 21 Dollars 50 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 6th day of Aug 1833 and sent to Prince Dr. Esq. Marlinton Mass
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $ 65.00 Semi-ann. allowance ending 4 Sept " 15.50 $77.50
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by H.H. Addison Clerk Book 6 Vol. 2A Page 34
72 884

State of Massachusetts. County of Essex. S.S. Marblehead.
On this 10 th day of August A D 1832. Personally appeared before me David Cummins esq r . a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and a Court of Record, within and for said County of Essex. William Harris of said Marblehead, County and State aforesaid, aged nearly seventy seven years: who being first duly sworn according to Law, on his Oath doth make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. That he was a soldier in the revolutionary war and at different periods was in the State and Militia service: And that about the sixth day of May seventeen hundred and seventy five he joined a Company of Volunteers commanded by Samuel R. Trevitt, of said Marblehead, and performed duty in said Company at Marblehead, until the eighth day of June following, then marched in said Company to Cambridge, and on the seventeenth day of said June he was in the memorable battle of Bunker Hill; and that he continued to do duty in said Company, until the twentieth day of said June, and was then discharged.
Your Declarant further saith, that he again entered the service, and on the twenty first day of July, Seventeen hundred seventy five, he enlisted in a Company of Militia commanded by William Hooper of said Marblehead (as appears by documents now in possession of his son) and that he continued from time to time to do duty in said Company, until the twelfth day of February, Seventeen hundred and seventy six.
And your declarant further saith, that he again entered the service, and on the fifteenth day of February, seventeen hundred and seventy six, he enlisted in William Bowers Company, in Col Hitchcocks Regiment of Infantry, then stationed at Prospect hill near Cambridge: in a few days afterward the Regiment to which he belonged with other Regiments was ordered to march to Dorchester and was there employed in building Redoubts on Dorchester heights, to bombard the town of Boston, and drive the enemy therefrom: That he

continued with the Regiment to which he belonged employed in that duty from day to day, until the seventeenth day of March following, at which time the British force evacuated Boston, and embarked on board their Ships; and the next day the American Army under Genl Washington marched in and took possession of the Town. That he continued in said Company until the latter part of said March and was then discharged. That he has no documentary evidence, and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, relating to this last mentioned service. 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, and Subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
William Harris D Cunn
We John Bartlett a Clergyman resident in Marblehead, and Benjamin Knight esq r . also residing in said Town of Marblehead hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Harris of said Marblehead, who has subscribed, and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be nearly seventy seven years of age; that he is reputed, and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a revolutionary soldier; and that we concur in that opinion.
John Bartlett Benjamin Knight D Cunn
Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid
And the said Judge doth hereby declare his 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 said Judge further certifies, that it appears to him that John Bartlett, who has signed the proceeding certificate, is a Clergyman resident in the Town of Marblehead, and that Benjamin Knight esq r . who has also signed the same, is a resident in said Marblehead, and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
And the said Judge further certifies that the above named applicant is unable to appear in Court by reason of bodily infirmity.
D Cunn

I Thomas Barker of Marblehead in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts Do Oath Depose and say that I was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and on or about the Sixth day of May Seventeen hundred and Seventy five, I joined in a company of Volunteers under the Command of Capt Samuel R. Travett of said Marblehead, and I will remember that William Harris of said Marblehead joined in said company at the same time, and did duty at said Marblehead until on or about the eighth day of June following, and then marched with said company to Cambridge, and did duty there, and on the Seventeenth day of said June was at Bunker hill, and that the said Harris continued in said company until the twentieth day of said June and was then discharged.
Thomas Barker
Essex ss Marblehead August 6. 1832. — Then personally appeared the above named Thomas Barker and made Oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is the truth and I further certify that he is a credible Witness — Before me John Prince Justice of the Peace

I William Hooper of Marblehead in the county of Essex State of Massachusetts On oath testify and say: that in the revolutionary war I was well acquainted with William Harris of said Marblehead; and I well remember that he was a soldier with me in a company commanded by William Hooper of said Marblehead (now deceased) and that he enlisted in said Company the twenty first day of July, seventeen hundred seventy five, and continued to perform his duty as a private, in said Company of Infantry, until the twelfth day of February, seventeen hundred and seventy six
William Hooper
Essex ss Marblehead August 6 th 1832 Then personally appeared William Hooper and Declared that the above affidavit is true: and I further certify that he is a credible witness. Before me. John Prine Jus of the Peace

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
I John Prince, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas being a Court of Record, within and for the County of Essex Do hereby certify, that the Hon. David Cummins esq. is a Judge of said Courts, and that the within signature is his genuine signature. And that John Prince of Marblehead is one of the Justices of the Peace within and for said County of Essex, and that the signature annexed is his true signature.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand, and affixed the Seal of said Court of Common Pleas, at Salem this thirteenth Day of August, Eighteen hundred and thirty two.
John Prince Clerk

Wm Harris
No 9754
Print 9 Mar & 9 days
14. 16 of Apl 17 1833
P. 341
I Prisoner for E Marblehead Mass

BRIEF in the case of William Harris of the County of Essex — in the State of Mass. (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? bodily infirmity  3. How old is he? 70 years  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. As a Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served. Gen.   Years, Months, Days.     In 1775 May 6 to the 20th June — 1 15 Volunt r Capt. Sam d R. Trevett   '75 July 21 to 12th Feby '76 — 6 22 Private Capt. Wm Hooper   " Feby 15 to the 12th March — 1 2 ditt o ? Col. Hethercock, Capt. Bowen   9 9  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Bunker Hill  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Marblehead  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Depositions  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Regular 
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Levin Belt Examining Clerk.
30-

29214 Pay  INVALID.
File No. 29,214
William Harris
Rev War
Act: June 7 th 89 th
Index: — Vol. 9 , Page 171
[Arrangement of 1870.]

29214 Rev  INVALID.
File No. 29,214
William Harris
Rev War
Act: June 7 th 89 th
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 171
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Wm. H. Davis
No 97 54
I Prince for E Marklehead. Mess

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 Harris 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? yes as to his last service —
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? So Certified
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.