Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29,207, Mason Harris, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
Mass.
Harris, Mason
S. 29.207
CONTENTS

15803 Massachusetts
Mason Barras
of Essex in the State of Mass who was a Private in the Company commanded by Captain Delmar of the 6th Regt. commanded by Col Glover in the Mass line for 10 months & 29 days
Mh
Inscribed on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 34 Dollars 12 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 Jr. Massachusetts Mass
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $68.24 Semi-ant. allowance ending Sept 17. 16 $85.30
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by N. K. Addison Clerk Book 6 Vol. 2A Page 34
81 Ephraim

M Harris
9/64

State of Massachusetts
County of Essex S.S. Marblehead
On this 10 th Day of August A.D. 1832. Personally appeared before me David Cummings Esq. Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and a Court of Record within and for said County of Essex: Mason Harris of said Marblehead County and State aforesaid aged nearly Eighty 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 1832, That he was a Soldier in the Revolutionary War and on the twenty fourth day of April Seventeen hundred seventy five he enlisted in Capt John Selmans Company and Col John Glovers Regiment of Infantry at Marblehead and performed duty in said Company at Marblehead until the twenty second day of June following at which time the regiment marched to Cambridge and joined the American Forces under Genl Ward in a short time after General Washington came and took Command of all the American troops at Cambridge, and said Col. Glovers regiment continued at Cambridge performing their duty from time to time until the thirty first day of December Seventeen hundred seventy five, and the term of their enlistment expired, and the regiment was discharged
Your declarant further saith, that on or about the second day of August Seventeen hundred and seventy eight he again entered the service in a Company of Volunteers Commanded by Col. William R Lee of said Marblehead and was ordered to march for Providence in the State of Rhode Island, and on their arrival at Providence their Commander was ordered to march the Company to Tiverton and on our arrival there the company was quartered near the Road and fence at said Tiverton and was appointed to the duty of transporting the American troops across the river to Rhode Island on which the troops were encamping with their Munitions of War for the purpose of cooperating by land in the Rear with the French fleet near Newport in the front, and reducing the British Forces then in possession of Newport, and said Company continued in said service of transporting the American troops and their Munitions of War to and from said Rhode Island until the expedition failed and the American troops retreated from the Island and the Siege was abandoned.
Your declarant has no Documentary evidence, and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to the length of time engaged in this last service. . . . .
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 the Agency of any State.
Mason Harris
Sworn to and Subscribed the day and year aforesaid
David Cummings

We Rev. John Bartlett, a clergyman residing in the town of Marblehead and Benjamin Knight esq r residing in said Marblehead hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Mason Hams who has subscribed and sworn to the aforesaid Declaration that we believe him to be nearly of age eighty years, 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 day and year aforesaid John Bartlett Benjamin Knight D Cummins
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 Rev. John Bartlett who has signed the preceding 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 the town of 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. David Cummins
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
I John Prince Jr. Clerk of the Courts of Common Pleas being a court of Record, within and for the county of Essex Do hereby certify, that the Hon. David Cummins esq r 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 Jr. Clk.

No 9764 Mason Harris
March 10 Mr 7 days
5 14. 16 08
Apr 17 1833
P. 321
20 33 78 321 11
J. Purdie Jr Marblehead Mass

BRIEF in the case of  Mason Harris of the County of Opea  in the State of Miss (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? 80  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. As a Gen.     In 1775 th Apr. 24 — 8 7 Private Col. Glover, Capt. Selman.   78 Aug. 2 d to the retreat from R.R. 2 Volunt. Col. Lee  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? none  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Marblehead  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary 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 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Levin Bell Examining Clerk.

In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Mason Harris a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pension on file in this Bureau. S. F. 29,207
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Apr. 24, 1775 to Dec. 31, '75 Pvt. John Selman John Glover Mass.   Aug. 2, 1778 2 mos. ✓ William R. Lee      
Battles engaged in, ✓
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Enlisted at Marblehead, Mass.
Date of application for pension, Aug. 10, 1832. His cl. was al.
Residence at date of application, Marblehead, Essex Co., Mass.
Age at date of application, Nearly eighty years.
Remarks: There is no data relative to family.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

29 207 Rev INVALID.
1917, June 6. History to Cora M. Sturges! F.W. 1924 July 20: Hist. to Robt. M. An- derson. C.W.
File No. 29,207
Mason Harris
His Rev Mrs
Act: June 7 th 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 9 , Page 171
[Arrangement of 1870.]

82 Second St., Muskegon, Mich.
May 27, 1917 Rev Sec Dnr 1
Interior Dept. Wash., D. C.
I have reason to believe that a Gudson Sturges of Connecticut fought in the Revolution, and that his wife received a pension. Will you please investigate and send me any in- formation you may find?
In addition, is there any Revolutionary record for a Mason Harris, of Marblehead, Mass.?
I thank you for your trouble.
Sincerely yours,
(Miss) Coa M. Sturges

JOHN G. ANDERSON
ATTORNEY AT LAW SUITE 48 LYMAN BLOCK MUSKEGON, MICHIGAN
Dept of Interior Bureau of Pensions
Gentlemen:
Have you any record in your office of a man by the name of Mason Harris who served in the Revolutionary War. Also any record of his family and from where he came, that is his address when he applied for a pension and oblige
Yours truly, Robert M. Anderson

Mason Harris No 9764
William ...
J. Pierce Esq Marblehead 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 Mason 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 in one case no in one 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? in one case as to time XIV. † If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? yes If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? no Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? 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? yes, as certified by the Judge
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 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 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 shewn 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.
† 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 authenticates 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 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.
¶ In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, 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.

I William Bean of Marblehead in the County of Essex and State of Massachusetts do hereby depose and say that I was a Soldier in the Revolutionary War and about the second day of August Seventeen hundred seventy eight I joined in a Volunteer Company commanded by Col. William Rice of said Marblehead and I will remember that Mason Harris of said Marblehead joined said Company at the same time and that we marched in our said Company to Providence in the State of Rhode Island and from thence Marched to Tiverton and our said Company was appointed to the charge of transporting the American troops across the river to the Island on which the American troops were then encamping and that our Company was employed in transporting the American troops to and from the Island from time until their Retreat, and the siege was abandoned
William Bean
Essex ss. Marblehead.
Sworn to and subscribed this Sixth day of August Eighteen hundred thirty two: and I certify that the said Bean is a credible witness - Before me John Prince Justice

I Joshua Prentiss of Marblehead County of Essex, State of Massachusetts on oath, depose and say, that in the Revolutionary War in seventeen hundred seventy five I served in Capt John Merritts Company, Col John Glovers, Regiment of Infantry Militia. That I well know that Mason Harris of Marblehead enlisted in Capt John Selmans Company, belonging to said Glovers Regiment, the twenty fourth day of April, seventeen hundred and seventy five. That he continued doing duty as a private in said Company, at Marblehead until the twenty second day of June then following, at which time the Regiment to which he belonged was ordered to march to Cambridge, and joined the American Forces then under Genl. Ward. Genl Washington soon after arrived at Cambridge, and took the chief command. I well know that said Mason Harris continued at said Cambridge, doing his duty as a private in said Selmans Company, Glovers Regiment until the thirty first day of December seventeen hundred and seventy five when the Regiment was discharged.
Joshua Prentiss
Essex ss Marblehead Aug 6 th 1832. Then personally appeared Joshua Prentiss above named and made oath to the truth of the above affidavit, and I further certify — that he is a credible witness. Before me John Prince Esq. Read

Essex Jo. Marblehead April 22 d 1833. Personally appeared before me the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace for said County, Mason Harris, of said Marblehead: 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 in Col. W m R. Lee Company of Volunteers at Rhode Island. But according to the best of his recollection, he served as a private in said Company, two months and for such service, together with the other times of service mentioned in his declaration, he claims a pension.
Mason Harris
Essex Marblehead April 22. Subscribed and sworn to Before me John Prince Justice of the Peace.