Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 8583, Joseph Gould, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Gould, Joseph
S. 8583
CONTENTS
carded

Reorgan
8583
INVALID.
File No. 8583
Joseph Gould Prison Exp. Warden
Act: June 7th 1832
Index: Vol. 102 , Page 1215-
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Ohio 25.721
Joseph Gould of Brown Co. in the State of Ohio who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Allen of the 1st commanded by Col. Marsh in the Regt. for service —
8.10 P. $ 26.66
Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio at the rate of 26 Dollars 66 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 27 th day of Oct r and sent to Prin Co. 1833. Tho s H. Smith, Georgetown O
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833 - 66.65 Semi-ann. allowance ending 4th March 34, 13.33
$ 79.98
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J. S. Sprague Clerk Book Vol. 8 Page 9

The state of Ohio Brown County ss-
On this 19 th day of Novem- ber 1833 personally appeared before me Hugh B. Payne one of the associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County & state aforesaid Joseph Gensea sen. resident in said County aged now eighty seven years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following dec- laration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832.
That in the month of April 1775 he enlisted at Scarborough in the Province of Maine to serve the United States as a soldier his company officers were Capt. John Rice Lieut. Silas Burbank Ensign Edward Mill- kin Colonels Finney & Marsh, Major Brown & Adjutant Smith was regimental officer he was marched under said officers to Cambridge in Massachusetts the British at that time had possession of Boston, he continued in the service until in December 1775 the whole time he was in service was eight months and a few days, he asks a pension for eight months only as he can not state the odd days he served - he was not in any general battle but while stationed near Boston aiding to erect fortifications was constantly exposed to the firing of the British during part of the eight months service he was kept on guard in Portsmouth in Maine

he states positively that he served eight months as before declared except a few days which he cannot recollect and no longer, - his regiment was stationed in number 2 he assisted to build Leechmore's Point - Cable hill - Prospect hill - and Winter Hill Forts - while at Cambridge and Boston he frequently saw Generals Washington, Lee, Putnam & Sullivan - He was born 24 th of June (O. S.) 1746 at Pepperborough or Saco in Massachusetts - York County - In 1790 he came to Columbia in the N.W. Territory has lived in Brown County Ohio nearly thirty years - he once received a written discharge signed by Col. Marsh which has long been lost - He has no no record of his age - he has no documentary evidence of his service he knows of no living witness by whom he can prove his service but is well known to the Rev. Jeremiah Lawson Wm Dickson both Dutton and  of Brown County Ohio and others all residing in Brown County Ohio and are well acquainted with him and his reputation as a soldier of the revolution he never received a pension. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on pension roll of the agency of any state
Joseph Gould Genl
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid J. H. Payne Associate Judge B.C.O.
Joseph Gould We Jeremiah Lawson clergyman residing in the County of Brown state of Ohio and Joseph Vandermere William Dickson residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Joseph Gould a son who

has subscribed to the foregoing declaration that we believe him to be eighty seven years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion
sworn and subscribed this
19 th Nov 1833 before me
H. B. Payne Associate Judge B. C. O.
Jeremiah Lawson his mark William J. Dickson Jacob Vandament
I Jesse Gould son of the above named Joseph Gould, aged sixty one years residing in Brown County Ohio do certify that my father resided in Pepperellborough or Lacoo in the year 1775 that he remembers distinctly his father coming home from the American army and the excitement in the family on his return after a considerable absence but as to the length of his absence or the fact of his service he knows nothing from personal knowledge. It has always been believed in the family that his father was a soldier of the revolution and I feel no doubt of the fact
sworn and subscribed this
19 th Nov 1833 before me
H. B. Payne Associate Judge B. C. O.
Jesse Gould
I Hugh B. Payne One of the Associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Brown and State of Ohio do hereby declare my opinion after investigating of the matter and after hearing all the evidence above set forth that said Joseph Gould was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states I am further satisfied that the Rev Jeremiah Lawson who signed the above certificate is a clergyman resident of said County of Brown and that Jacob Vandament and Jesse Gould who have also certified as above are credible persons and that their statements are entitled to credit - I also certify that

I am satisfied from personal knowledge that the applicant is unable from age and bodily affliction to attend at Court for the purpose of making his declaration Given under my hand and seal this 19 th day of November 1833
H. B. Payne
The State of Ohio Brown County ss I G. M. King Clerk of the Court of Com- mon Pleas of Brown County aforesaid certify that H. B. Payne is an associate Judge as above and that the foregoing signature purporting to be his are genuine In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of my office this 6 th December 1833
G. M. King Clerk

24.438 25.721.
Joseph Gould Brown County Ohio.
Return of Adm 8 Months
26.66 27 53.32 13.33 66.65 Thomas J. Smith
G. H. King Clerk Georgetown, Brown County Ohio

WAR DEPARTMENT,
Pension Office,
12 th October 1833
Sir:
The evidence in support of your claim, under the act of June 7, 1832, has been examined, and the papers are herewith returned. The following is a statement of your case in a tabular form. On comparing these papers with the following rules, and the subjoined notes, you will readily perceive that objections exist, which must be removed, before a pension can be allowed. The notes and the regulations will shew what is necessary to be done. These points to which your attention is more particularly directed, you will find marked in the margin with a brace, (thus: { ). You will, when you return your papers to this Department, send this printed letter with them; and you will, by complying with this request, greatly facilitate the investigation of your claim.
A Statement, shewing the Service of Joseph Gould Sen d .
   Period when the service was rendered. Duration of the claimant's service. Rank of the claimant. Names and rank of the Field officers under whom he served. Age at present, and place of abode when he entered the service. Proof by which the declaration is supported.   Years. Months. Days.     April 1775 John Rice Cap. Col. Hiram 86 years Lake Maine Traditionary and a living witness Living witness not cer- tified to be credible  
I am, respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
J. L. EDWARDS,
Commissioner of Pensions.

REGULATIONS UNDER THE ACT OF JUNE 7, 1832.
The following regulations have been adopted:
 This law has been construed to extend, as well to the line, as to every branch of the Staff of the Army, and to include under the terms "Continental Line," "State troops," "militia," and "volunteers," all persons enlisted, drafted, or who volunteered and who were bound to military service, but not those who were occasionally employed with the army upon civil contracts, such as Clerks to Commissaries and to Store Keepers, &c, Teamsters, Boatmen, &c. Persons who served on board of private armed vessels are also excluded from the benefits of the law, as well as persons who turned out as patrols, or were engaged in guarding particular places at night, and were not recognized as being in actual military service. 
Four general classes of cases are embraced in this law:
1. The Regular Troops. 2. The State Troops, Militia, and Volunteers. 3. Persons employed in the Naval Service. 4. Indian Spies.
As rolls of the regular troops in the Revolutionary War exist in this Department, all persons claiming the benefit of this law as officers, non-commissioned officers, musicians or privates, will, in the first instance, make application by transmitting the following declaration, which will be made before a Court of Record of the County where such applicant resides. And every Court having by law a seal and Clerk is considered a Court of Record.
DECLARATION.
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress of the 7th of June, 1832.
On this _____ day of _____ personally appeared (a) before A. B. a resident (b) of _____ in the county of _____ and State, Territory or District of _____ aged (c) _____ 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 provision made by the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States in the year (d) _____, with _____ and served in the _____ (e) regiment of the _____ line, under the following named officers:
 [Here set forth the names and rank of the Field and Company Officers; the time he left the service; (and if he served under more than one term of enlistment, he must specify the particular period, and rank and names of his officers;) the town or county and State in which he resided when he entered the service; the battles, if any, in which he was engaged, and the country through which he marched. This form is to be varied so as to apply to the cases of officers and persons who belonged to the militia, volunteers, navy, &c.] 
He hereby relinquishes every claim (f) whatever to a pension or an annuity, except the present, and he declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of any Agency in any State, or (if any) only on that of the Agency in the State of _____.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
A. B.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion ( g ) that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states.
I do hereby certify (h) that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of _____ for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office (i) this day of _____ &c.
 If, on examination of the proper record, the names of applicants, making such declaration, cannot be found, they will produce such proof as the rule given in note (j) points out. 
 Every applicant who claims a pension by virtue of service in the State Troops, Volunteers or Militia, except those who belonged to the New Hampshire Militia and State Troops of Virginia, will make and subscribe a declaration similar to the foregoing, with the following additions, viz: 
(k) We, A. B., a Clergyman, residing in the _____ and C. D. residing in (the same) hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with _____, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighborhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed the days and year aforesaid.
[And then will follow the certificate of the Court.]
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 certifies, that it appears to them that A. B. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman, resident in the and that C. D., who has also signed the same is a resident in the and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
I, _____ Clerk of the Court of _____ do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court, in the matter of the application of _____ for a pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this                      day of                      &c.
Every applicant will produce the best proof in his power. This is the original discharge or commission; but if neither of these can be obtained, the party will so state under oath, and will then procure, if possible, the testimony of at least one credible witness, stating in detail his personal knowledge of the services of the applicant, and such circumstances connected therewith, as may have a tendency to throw light upon the transaction.
If such surviving witness cannot be found, the applicant will so state in his declaration, (1) and he will also, whether he produce such evidence or not, proceed to relate all the material facts, which can be useful in the investigation of his claim, and in the comparison of his narrative with the events of the period of his

alleged service, as they are known at the Department. A very full account of the services of each person will be indispensable to a favorable action upon his case. The facts stated will afford one of the principal means of corroborating the declaration of the applicant, if true, or of detecting the imposition, if one be attempted; and unless, therefore, these are amply and clearly set forth, no favorable decision can be expected. All applicants will appear before some Court of Record in the County in which they reside, and there subscribe and be sworn to, one of the declarations above provided, according to the nature of his case.
The Court will propound the following ( m ) interrogatories to all applicants for a pension, on account of service in the Militia, State troops, or Volunteers, except the Militia of New Hampshire and the State troops of Virginia.
 1. Where and in what year were you born?  2. Have you any record of your age, and if so, where is it?  3. Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary war, and where do you now live?  4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute, for whom?  5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers, who were with the troops, where you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your services.  6. { To a Soldier. { Did you ever receive a discharge from the service, and if so, by whom was it given, and what has become of it? To an Officer. { Did you ever receive a commission, and if so, by whom was it signed, and what has become of it?  7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood, and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the Revolution. 
The Court will see that the answers to these questions are embodied in the declaration, and they are requested to annex their opinions of the truth of the statement of the applicant.
The applicant will further produce in Court, if the same can be done, in the opinion of the Court, without too much expense and inconvenience to him, two respectable persons—one of whom should be the nearest clergyman, if one lives in the immediate vicinity of such applicant, who can testify, from their acquaintance with him, that they believe he is of the age he represents, and that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood to have been a Revolutionary soldier, and that they concur in that opinion. If one of these persons is a Clergyman, the Court will so certify, and they will also certify to the character and standing of other persons giving such certificates.
The traditional evidence of service is deemed very important, in the absence of any direct proof, except the declaration of the party. And the Courts are requested to be very particular in the inquiry whether the belief is general, and whether any doubts have ever existed upon the subject.
Applicants unable to appear in Court, by reason of bodily infirmity, may make the declaration before required, and submit to the examination, before a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record of the proper county, and the Judge or Justice will execute the duties, which the Court is herein requested to perform, and will also certify that the applicant cannot, from bodily infirmity, attend the Court.
Whenever any official act is required to be done by a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or by a Justice of the Peace, the certificate of the Secretary of State or Territory, or of the proper Clerk of the Court or County, under his seal of office, will be annexed, stating that such person is a Judge or Justice of a Court of Record, or a Justice of the Peace, and that the signature annexed is his genuine signature.
No payments can be made on account of the services of any person, who may have died before the taking effect of the act of June 7, 1832; and in case of death subsequent thereto, and before the declaration herein required is made, the parties interested will transmit such evidence as they can procure, taken and authenticated before a Court of Record, showing the services of the deceased, the period of his death, the opinion of the neighborhood respecting such services, the title of the claimant, and the opinion of the Court upon the whole matter.
[a] The declarant must appear in open Court, unless prevented from doing so by reason of bodily infirmity; in which case the declarant will follow the rule laid down for his guidance.
[b] The declarant must make his declaration in the county where he resides. If he should fail to do so, he must assign a sufficient reason for not conforming to the rule.
[c] The age of the claimant must invariably be mentioned.
[d] The declarant must mention the period or periods of the war when he served.
[e] Every continental officer or soldier must give the name of the Colonel under whom he served; otherwise a satisfactory examination of the claim cannot be had. Every claimant must state, 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. 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 each 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. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state that they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours, the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must, in every case, be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
[f] The law makes the relinquishment indispensable.
[g] The opinion of the Court is always required.
[h] The Clerk must give his certificate in every case.
[i] The Clerk must affix his seal, and if it has no device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal, or if he has no public seal of office, the certificate of a Member of Congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other papers authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends 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.
Proof of Service.
[j] 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 claimant's 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.
[k] The notes from [a] to [i] are all equally applicable to the cases of Militia men, Volunteers and State Troops. The proof required by rule in note [j] applies to continental troops only.
[l] This traditional evidence is indispensable in militia cases.
[m] If a witness cannot be found, the declarant must state the fact.
[n] The answers to the interrogatories must all be written, and sent to the War Department, with the declaration.