Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 19695, Abraham Harding, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Harding, Abraham
S 19695
carded
CONTENTS

31.915-
Agent notified Feby 9. '42
Massachusetts.
Abraham Harding, of Medfield in the State of Mass: who was a private in the Comp commanded by Captain Felly of the regt. commanded by Col. Haines in the Mass. time for Militia for 6 mos 11 days.
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass: at the rate of 25 Dollars 20 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 8: day of Feby, 1842 and sent to Hon: Wm Parmenter, H. Repis
Arrears to the 4th of Sep. '41 222.81 Semi-annual allowance ending " 2 March 1842 10.61
$ 233.42
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by Thos. L. Moody Clerk Book E. Vol. 2 Page 36

21,22 102 212,20 1061 222,81

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
County of Norfolk ss On this seventh day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty five, personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Judge of the Court of Probate now sitting at Dedham in for said County of Norfolk. Abraham Harding a resident of Medfield in said County aged seventy five 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 seventh A.D. one thousand eight hundred & thirty two - That he was born at Medfield in said County of Norfolk on the thirty first day of January 1760 & that there is a record of his birth in the town records of Medfield.
That he was in the United States Service at Warwick in the State of Rhode Island for the period of twenty three days commencing the eighth day of December A.D. 1776 as a private in a company of the fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Militia under the command of Captain Joseph Lovell - That he then retired at Medway & at the expiration of his said term of service he received a verbal discharge & returned to his place of residence -
Also that he was in the United States Service for three months commencing about the first of January in 1778 1777 as a private in the Massachusetts Militia. That he was residing in that part of Medway called East Medway when he entered the service - That he was drafted & served the period of service under the command of Captain Patty of Colonel Hovey's Regiment - That he marched from Medway to Fort Greenough in the State of Rhode Island where he served for said period of three months with other Militia troops & that at the end of his service he received a verbal discharge & returned to his place of residence -
Also that he was in the United States Service at Scituate in the State of Rhode Island for the period of one month & two days commencing the thirtieth day of September A.D. 1777 as a private in a company of Massachusetts Militia commanded by Captain Asa Farnsworth in Colonel Benjamin Hovey's Regiment - That he served with other Militia troops & at the end of his service received a verbal discharge -
Also that he was in the United States Service in Rhode Island for the period of twenty two days as a private in a company of Massachusetts Militia commanded by Captain Amos Ellis of Colonel Hovey's Regiment - That he served with other Militia troops & at the end of his service received a verbal discharge -

And also that he was in the United States Service, in Rhode Island for the period of twenty four days commencing August 21 st 1778 as a private in a company of discontinued militia commanded by Captain Solomon Peters of Colonel Harris Regiment. That he served with other militia troops & at the end of his service received a verbal discharge - That since the revolutionary war he has resided at Medfield.
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.
Subscribed & sworn to this day & year first above found
Abraha Flodding
We Jonathan P Bishop residing in the Town of Medfield
& Charles Harding residing in said Medfield hereby certify that we well acquainted with Abrahams Harding who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be sixty five years of age; that he is respected & believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution & that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn & subscribed as aforesaid Jonathan P Bishop Charles Harding
And the court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, & after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war department, that the above affidavit was a revolutionary soldier & served as he states. And the court further certify that it appears to them that Jonathan P Bishop who has signed the preceding certificate resides in said Medfield & that Charles Harding who has also signed the preceding certificate resides in said Medfield & that they are credible persons & that their statement is entitled to credit.
Isaac J. Peabody

I Jonathan H. Cobb Register of the Court of Probate for the County of Norfolk do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Abraham Harding for a pension.
In Testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand & seal of office on the day & year first aforesaid
Jonathan H. Cobb Register of Probate
28 Feb 1842 17

Harding
117

Washington Jan y 22. 1842
Sir
I am requested by a correspondent to bring to your notice the application of Mr Abraham Harding of Medfield Massachusetts which was made under the Law of 1832. Mr Harding is represented as a very deserving man and the inspec n is that his pension was refused on the ground of some inf on ality which did not affect the merits of the case.
Respectfully
Yours sincerely
Wm P. Furness
J. L. Edwards Esq r
Comm ee of Pensions

33.309.
Abraham Harding
Mass.
Act y. June 32

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, September 15 th 1835.
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 Abraham Harding is borne upon the following rolls viz:
Upon a pay roll of Capt Joseph Lovell's company in the fourth regt of Militia (Name of Col. not given) as a private, for the period of twenty three days commencing December eighth A D 1776-
Upon a pay roll of Capt Asa Fairbanks company in Col. Haines regt as a private for the period of one month & two days commencing Sept Thirtieth A D 1777.
Upon a pay roll of Capt Amos Ellis company in Col Benjamin Haines regt, as a private, for the period of twenty two days commencing July 26 th A D 1778
Upon a pay roll of Capt Adam Pelias company in Col Benjamin Haines regt, as a private for the period of twenty four days commencing August 21 st 1778.
I further certify that upon examining no rolls of Capt Peter's Company were found except one for about a month's service Sept. & Oct A D 1777 in New York State Edward D Bangs (C)

Medfield Ms Oct 23
Rev
Oct 27
Mass Preside
J L Edwards Esq Commissioner of Pensions Pension Office Washington City

Medfield, Oct 24 1835
Sir I enclose the Documents relating to the Service of Abraham Harding in The Revolutionary Struggle of our Country, Should they be considered proof of facts sufficient to entitle the poor old man to the pension allowed for six months Service, it would be gratify- ing to to him & his acquaintances to have a certificate forwarded
Yours very Respectfully
To J L Edward Esq Commr of Pensions
Pension Office Washington City

James L. Edwards Esq. Comm ee of Pensions — Washington City —

Dedham June 10 th 1840
Mr Edwards
Sir
At the request of Abraham Harding of Medfield Mass tt . I herewith transmit his affidavit with two others in aid of his claim for a Pension. For on an acquaintance with said Harding for twenty years last past, I deem him to be an honest, deserving man, but I know but little about his pending claim for a Pension, other than what he personally informs me, I have never seen his papers in the com. That recollecting, and having noted a statement of Palle Pond of another Town, made some two years ago, of his own services rendered at the same time and place, as those services claimed for, by said Abraham Harding; I thought proper to take and forward Palle Pond's affidavit and that Abraham Harding and Palle Pond, do not as appears recollect each other in this service of 1777-8 at North Kingston, yet they both very readily, and very distinctly, recollect a number of the same men, and some particular acts of the same men, with some others not remembered by both, who served as Soldiers at the time and place, when and where said Harding and Pond served respectively. This circumstance seems to go far to confirm and establish the term of three months, claimed by said Harding.
I would also briefly state that said Harding related to me one circumstance that occurred to his mind, after his affidavit was made and authenticated, which was, that he recollected that there was a requisition made on the Standing Company of Medway for a number of men to serve three months as Soldiers at Rhode Island, and that a draft was made for that purpose, and that Henry Daniell, the man with whom he, Harding then resided, was drafted as one of the men for that service - and that said Henry Daniell having a family refused or declined serving so long a period, and that he, Abraham Harding volunteered as a Soldier in his stead, and performed the three months service described in his said Affidavit.
If further explanation be necessary, or whatever may be the result in Mr Harding's case, please to communicate it to the subscriber as usual.
I am Sir, Respectfully your Ob-Servant
W. G. Ellis
J. L. Edwards Esq. Washington City

Bombation 19695 INVALID.
File No. 19695
Abraham Harding
Dr Geo War
Act: June 7 32
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 166
[Arrangement of 1870.]

N o 33309
Massachusetts
Wraham Harding
Suspended
Sit to J. P. Bishop 30 Oct 1835 " " W m Ellis Esq. - June 19 '40
Act. J. June '32

I David Sanford of Egremont in the County of Berkshire Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged Seventy five years and upwards do testify and say that in the War of the Revolution, I was drafted into the Service at West Medway (Massachusetts) where I then resided, & was marched to North Kingston in the State of Rhode Island, where I served as a private all of three months. I think my Colonel's name was Hawes & my impression is that the Captain's name was Pond or Pettit but I cannot be positive as my memory fails in regard to names - I distinctly remember that during this tour of service Abraham Harding, whom I well knew & who lived in East Medway (so called) was at said North Kingston, and served there all of the term of three months, as a private. My recollection is that the draft was for three months - Further I say not.
Dated Sept 4, 1835.
David Sanford
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Berkshire ss. Great Barrington Sept: 4, 1835.
Then personally appeared the above named David Sanford to me well known and who is a person of credibility and subscribed and made oath to the foregoing affidavit.
Before me. Increase Sumner Justice Peace.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Berkshire ss. I. Henry W. Bishop Register of the court of Probate in & for said County of Berkshire do hereby certify that Increase Sumner Esquire before whom the foregoing deposition was taken is and was at the time of the

taking thereof one of the Justices of the Peace within & for said County, duly & regularly commis- sioned & qualified & appointed & that I am well acquainted with his hand writing and have no doubt that the signature subscribed to said deposition purporting to be his is genuine. ~
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed the seal of said County this seventh day of September A D 1835 Henry M. Bishop Register Probate

Abraham Harding's Claim
Please to report the result to the Subscriber at Dedham Mass ts
Yours W m G. Ellis

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, June 6 th 1840.
I hereby Certify, That William Ellis is a Justice of the Peace for the County of Norfolk,
in the said Commonwealth, duly constituted and commissioned; and that to his acts and attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given, in and out of Court.
In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed the Seal of the Commonwealth, the date above written.
John D. Sleeper
Secretary of the Commonwealth.

To the U.S. Commissioner of Pensions, Washington City.
I Abraham Harding of Medfield in the County of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, being eighty years of age; and in confirmation of my claim for a Pension, pending at the War Department, hereby testify and say, That in the early part of Autumn in the Year A.D. 1833, I made application for a Pension in what I thought due form, under the U.S. Act of June 7 th 1832, for six months and eleven or twelve days military services, which I rendered to the Country as Soldier, in the Revolutionary War, and accompanied my application with all the proofs in aid thereof, in my power to obtain.
That some time afterwards, my Assistant (Mr Bishop) received an answer from the Pension Department, which informed, (as it was understood), that my services claimed for, were admitted, excepting some further proof was necessary to establish the three months service as Soldier rendered under Capt. Pettee or Pettess in the Year 1777-8.
In aid of my claim, I transmitted therewith the deposition of David Sanford a credible witness who certainly served with me in this identical term of three months service, and who I understood, is since dead, - that I have from time to time made inquiry in hopes of finding some further evidence that I could forward to strengthen the proofs of this three months service, but having no Revolutionary Rolls or Documents in my possession; I have not been able to obtain and send forward any additional evidence better than that already in the case; and my claim yet remains as it was; so far as I am informed on the subject. - In this situation; I here again declare and say, that I served as a Soldier for a term of three months at one engagement, in the Company of Capt. Pettee or Pettess, (I think his given name was Thomas) near Naragansett Bay, in or near the Towns of East Greenwich and North Kingston, in the State of Rhode Island, and in the winter season of the year, and of this term of service I am positive; that according to my best recollection and confident belief; I performed this three months service, between the twentieth day of November A.D. 1777, and the fifteenth day of March A.D. 1778. It is fresh in my memory, that some snow remained upon the Earth when I returned home to Medway, from this said tour of duty. That on mature reflection, I am certain, that beside said David Sanford, four other men viz. Nathan Hall - John Hill - Reuben Adams and a man by the name of Witherly. (I think his name was William Witherly) were in my mess. or my constant associates, in this three months service of 1777-8, but I know not that either of them are among the living at the present time. - That feeling positive, that I faithfully performed the term of service claimed for as aforesaid, as well as the other terms admitted, and believing I am justly entitled to a Pension under the Act of Congress of June 7 th 1832; I humbly request, that a final examination and decision may be had on my claim at the Pension Department.
Abraham Harding
State of Massachusetts County of Norfolk ss.
June 5 th 1840. Then the above named Abraham Harding a man of sound mind and memory and a credible Witness, subscribed to, and made Oath, that the matter set forth in the foregoing Statement by him so subscribed, is true.
Before me W. G. Ellis Justice of the Peace

To whom it may Concern
I Amos Wight of Medfield in the County of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, being seventy nine years of age, hereby testify and say, that for more than fifty years last past, I have resided a neighbor to and have been personally, and constantly acquainted with Abraham Harding formerly a resident of Medway in said County, and now living in said Medfield; That more than forty years ago, I well recollect hearing said Harding on several occasions, state that he served as a soldier several tours of duty I think at Rhode Island in the Revolutionary War, but I do not remember nor have I any means to determine how long a term of duty he rendered in that service, that these terms of military duty were performed by said Abraham Harding as stated by him, I know of no reason to doubt; nor do I recollect ever hearing their services ever doubted by others, — That I should judge nearly eighty years of age at the present time; that he has been, and now is, a man of industrious habits, and enjoys more than a common share of bodily vigor and activity, for a man of his years; and that in my belief, the said Abraham Harding deservedly sustains a good reputation for truth and veracity —.
Amos Wight.
State of Massachusetts County of Norfolk ss.
June 6 th 1840. Then Capt Amos Wight above named, a man of known respectability and a credible Witness, subscribed to, and made Oath, that the matter set forth in the foregoing statement by him so subscribed, is true.
Before me W m Gellis Justice of the Peace

To whom it may concern
I Pallie Pond of Wrentham in the County of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts a Pensioner of the United the United States, being eighty two years of age hereby Testify and say, that I served as soldier at or near North Kingston in the state of Rhode Island for a term of six weeks or more, in the Company of Capt Samuel Fisher, that this service began according to my best recollection, in the latter part of November A.D. 1777, and ended in the fore part of January A.D. 1778, that after I was discharged another man took my place and served a sufficient time, to make his service and mine, amount to three months, the length of the campaign. That while in this said six weeks service, I recollect that Capt. Thomas Pettee commanded a Company stationed near that of said Capt Sam e Fisher, and in the same line of service; And I fur say, that I distinctly recollect the names of several men who performed soldiers duty at said time and place. Viz - Nathan Morse - Joseph Barker, Nathan Hall, Elias Ware, David Sanford and William Witherly - but I am not positive but some of these men served in said Capt Thomas Pettee's Company, at the same time, but I believe most of them belonged to said Capt n Samuel Fisher's Company -
Pallie his  Pond mark
State of Massachusetts County of Norfolk ss. June 6 th 1840. Then the above named Pallie Pond a credible Witness, subscribed to, and made Oath that the matter set forth in the foregoing statement by him subscribed is, according to his best recollection and confident belief, true in every part thereof -
Before me Myrs "Gellis" Justice of Peace
Note. The word "near" is in the above deposition was inserted by me, before it was subscribed and sworn to by the deponent - Myrs "Gellis"

Medway Abraham Harding 1777-78 to R.B. 3 mo. by P. = Haws.
Peller Ponds au. 1833 M o : 15981 ad 3 Map. Eng 3
Jan 1, 77 2 mo 2 mo. life M o 1777 allow 3 mo Coph Peller no roll a file —
Then Wae say Pona Su? 3 mo & 1 st age
Dan Sandford Dec 76 1 1/2 mo Cap 7 out ash South
Oct 77 3 mo. Holbrook
See Vol 2 p 9 Jp Holbrook Cap 11/17/76
to Harding on Vol 1 p 205 See B. / Stephen Harding
Oct 1777 1 mo T. d. v. p.

Abraham Harding Mass. Ad June 7 1832
Allow one P. 11 days $21.20 per am Mass Militia Capt Perry Col. Haws.
For Mrs. Parmenter H c Rep.

born Jan'y '60.
8 Dec 76 to 1 Jan'y 77. Capt. Lovell. Bangor
S. — 2
1 Jan'y 77 or 78. (Patten) Petty - Col. Hawes. 1 witness
3. —
30 Sept 77.
Fairbanks " Bangor
S. 1. 02
Ellis
" "
S. 22
21 Aug 78
Peters
" "
S. 24
4. 48
6. 11.