Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18455, Benjamin Landon Hood, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Wood, Benjamin Landon S 18455
Carded
CONTENTS

6711.
6711
Massachusetts
Benjamin L Hood
of Bristol in the State of Mass who was a sergeant Private in the company commanded by Captain _____ of the regt commanded by Col Walker in the Mass line for 4 mos Private } 16 " Serge }
Miles Hall
84 Miles
Inscribed on the Roll of Mass at the rate of 93 Dollars 33 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 6 th day of March 1833 and since then
J S Hodges At of Reps Arrears to 4th of Oct 1833 $186.66 Pension allowance ending 21 Sept " 46.66 $233.32
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by J H Blair Clerk Book D - Vol. 2nd Page 99.

No 9870
Benj n Landon Hood
4 mos Private 16 mos Sergeant
Alma
2 Sickness 14 dff Feb 19. 1833
$260 $93.33
4 mos Private 16 " Sergeant 20 months Alma
J. L. Hedges

BRIEF in the case of Benj d Landon Hood of the County of Bristol in the State of Mass. (Act 7 th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 82 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 — 4 — Private Col. Walker, Capt. Durcombe   " 76 July — 4 at  at  at at  at  at Detached Col. Francis, Capt. Wilburn   " 77 Augt — 3 do Private Capt. King   " 78 July — 5 do Private Col. Mitchell, Capt. Macomber   " — 3 do Private Capt. Macomber   " — 1 do not named  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Quaker Hill  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Taunton  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
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Levin Belt Examining Clerk.

9870 Benj. Landon Hood J.S.M.
Benj. Landon Hood J.S.M.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts, ) BRISTOL, ss. )
At a COURT of PROBATE holden at Taunton — in and for said County on the twenty seventh day of August — one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, by adj. before the Honorable HODIJAH BAYLIES, Judge of the Probate, &c. for said County, personally appeared Benjamin Landon Hood a resident of Taunton in the County and Commonwealth aforesaid, aged eighty two years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress, passed June 7th, 1832, make the following declaration, That he entered the service of the United States & under the following named officers and served therein as hereinafter mentioned in reply to the fifth subjoined interrogatory; to wit, under Capt. Francis Luscombe Lt. Matthew Randall, Col. Walker, Lt. Col. Nathaniel Leonard & Major Mitchell; again under Capt. Joshua Wilbor, Lt. Jacob French & Prince Peckham, Ensign John Godfrey, Col. Ebenezer Francis Lt. Col. Ebenezer Thayer, Maj. Nathan Soggett; again under Capt. Josiah King; but the other officers of the company I do not recollect, again under Capt. James Macomber Lt. Abraham Hewitt, Col. Mitchell; the other officers I do not recollect, again under Capt. James Macomber, Col. Robert Crossman, Lt. Col. Slade Maj. Joshua Wilbor; I also served on five different alarms at different places for a few days each time; and further declares as follows, in reply to the interrogatories propounded by the Secretary of War; to wit:
1. Where, and in what year were you born?
Ans. That he was born in Boston in the County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty.
2. Have you any record of your age; and if so, where is it? The record of my birth is on my father's large Bible now in my possession.
3 Where were you living when called into service; where have you lived since the Revolutionary War, and where do you now live? I lived in Taunton aforesaid when called into service & have lived there ever since.
4. How were you called into service; were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? and if a substi- tute, for whom? The first & second times I enlisted; the other times I was drafted.

5. State the names of some of the Regular Officers who were with the troops when you served; such Continental and Militia Regiments as you can recollect, and the general circumstances of your service. Under Capt. Luscombe my brother and I engaged to serve alternately eight months, the company marched from Taunton to Dorchester near Boston on the thirteenth day of May in the year seventeen hundred & seventy-five, my brother went with it; in the beginning of July following I went there and took his place, and we continued to serve out the said term alternately relieving each other and divided the time of service between us pretty accurately; we were in the army besieging Boston, and during one of my turns of service the expedition to the Light House in the Harbour took place. I was on this expedition, when we reached the shore it was found necessary to leave a guard to cover the retreat of our party from the Island, and I was appointed Capt. of the guard left; the enemy came to attack our position, but we having a field piece kept them off; if they had taken our position they would have captured our boats &c. on their return; as it was, the expedition succeeded, and a number of prisoners & arms were brought off; On the thirtieth of July seventeen hundred & seventy six I entered under Capt. Wilbur and marched to Dorchester again and there served four months there, rebuilt the breastworks & daily sent detachments to Castle Island to repair the fortifications which the enemy had blown up; Under Capt. King I was drafted to go on Sullivan's expedition, we marched on the twenty first day of August, crossed at Howland's Ferry to R. Island, our company was in the battle at Quaker Hill in close engagement with the British forces, and lost some killed and wounded, we were in the hollow between Bull's hill & Quaker Hill; after the Battle I saw many of Col. Greene's Black regiment carried by disabled, I understood that regiment fought very bravely and suffered severely; during the retreat the following night about midnight, Gen. Lafayette took the command of that body of troops in which we were, and conducted us to the main; after this we were were employed in guarding the coasts in Freetown in this State, and though we were drafted for six weeks only we were compelled to serve longer, and served in all a little more than three months; - After we had left the Island Capt. King returned home, and Capt. Macomber & St. Hewitt took the command of the company; Again in July the first seventeen hundred and eighty I was drafted under the same Capt. Macomber to serve at Newport, on the thirty first we had leave to return home; but were commanded back on the third of August, we then marched to Slades Ferry in Freetown in this State and were employed on guard duty & fatigue duty till about the last of November in the same year, I served on this occasion about five months; Again under the same Capt. Macomber I was drafted to guard the shores, on the twenty first day of July seventeen hundred & eighty one, we served three months first at Slades Ferry, then at Freetown, then at
4 m o
4 m o
3 m o
3 m o
3 m o

19 m .
Howland's Ferry, then in Tiverton, then back to Slade's Ferry, and returned home about the last of October; besides the aforesaid services I was on various alarms called out a few days at a time; to wit; on the twenty first of May seventeen hundred & seventy five to repel a landing of the enemy at Weymouth; on the first of December seventeen hundred & seventy six to Providence, and to the same place on the twenty first of July, seventeen hundred & seventy seven, and on the thirty first of May, seventeen hundred and seventy eight to Fall River, where the enemy had landed and set the mills on fire. In all these alarms together I served about one month. For my services on these alarms and my five months service in seventeen hundred & eighty I do not know any one living who can testify to them; for proof of the other services I refer to the annexed affidavits. I was the orderly sergeant of the Company in all the aforesaid campaigns, except the first, and have preserved some of my notes & memoranda which enable me to be certain as to some dates; but in the course of years many of my papers have been destroyed or lost, so in some of the dates I have to depend on my memory, which may not be exactly correct, though I believe in no instance far from the true time. —
1 m .
20 m .

6. Were you a Soldier or an Officer! if 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? if an Officer, did you ever receive a commission, and if so by whom was it signed, and what has become of it? I was a soldier Sergeant, I have no written discharge.
7. State the names of the 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 hon. James L. Hodges & the reverend Erastus Maltby.
And the said Benjamin Landon Hood doth further declare that he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State, or (if any) only on that of the agency of the State of
Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.
Benjamin Landon Hood H. Baylies, Judge of Probate.
WE Erastus Maltby — residing in Faith in The County of Bristol and James L. Hodges — residing in the same town hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Benjamin Landon Hood who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be about eighty two - 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.
Erastus Maltby James L. Hodges. Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. H. Baylies, Judge of Probate.

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 abovenamed applicant was a Revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that Erastus Maltby — who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman — resident in the Town of Taunton — in said County of Bristol, and that James L. Hodges who has also signed the same is a resident in said Town, and is a credible person, and that their — statement is entitled to credit.
H. Baylies,
Judge of Probate.
Register of Probate.
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, } BRISTOL, ss. }
I Anselm Basset — Register of the Court of Probate in and for said County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Benjamin Landon Hood — of Taunton — in said County, for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of the said Court the day and year first above written.
Anselm Basset
Isaac Washburn Jacob Phelps Zebulon Falm

18455 INVALID.
File No. 18455
Benjamin L Hood
Sergt Rev War
Act: June 7 th 39
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 181
[Arrangement of 1870.]

No 9870
Benj'n Sanden Hood
Hon. J. S. Hodges.
Staunton Va.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Benjamin Landon Hood 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? 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? yes XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? yes
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, Isaac Washburn, of Taunton in the County of Bristol & Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy seven years, do testify and say, that I am well acquainted with Benjamin Landon Hood of said Taunton and that I know he served in the revolutionary war as I saw him serving during the battle at Quaker Hill on Rhode Island and I remember seeing a cannon ball fall near him during that battle; the ball was fired from a British ship of war which had come up to rake our position; but was compelled to tack about by the superiority of our fire. I was one of the last drafted to go on this expedition, which was called Sullivan's expedition & was not in the same company with said Hood, & cannot tell how long he served; this said Hood has been for very many years my neighbour and acquaintance. Isaac Washburn
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
August 23. 1832 Bristol ss - Isaac Washburn made oath to the truth of the foregoing affidavit by him signed - Before me A Basset Just. of the Peace

I Jacob Phillips of Taunton in the County of Bristol Commonwealth of Massachusetts aged seventy five years, testify and say, that I have been acquainted with my neighbour Benjamin Landon Hood of said Taunton for more than fifty years; that in the year seventeen hundred & seventy five when I was a soldier in Capt. Oliver Soper's Company at Dorchester in the army then besieging the British in Boston, I remember that Joseph Hood & his brother the said B. L. Hood used to serve alternately as soldiers in the company commanded by Capt. Francis Luscombe; it was in what was called the eight months service; the said Hoods served out the term as aforesaid; one relieving the other to go home; but how long each of them served I cannot at this distance of time well recollect; on the expedition to the light house in the harbour during this term of service I remember that said B. L. Hood was detached as well as I; the said Joseph Hood is dead.
Jacob Phillips
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bristol ss. August 22 d 1832 - Jacob Phillips made oath to the truth of the above affidavit by him signed - Benjamin D. D. D. Just. of the Peace

I Zebulon Field of Taunton in the County of Bristol and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, aged seventy two years, do testify and say, that I have been acquainted with Benjamin the Sandon Hood of said Taunton nearly all my life; that in the beginning of August in the year seventeen hundred and seventy six, he and I were both in the Company, whether of State Troops or Militia I do not know, commanded by Capt. Joshua Wilbar, Lt. Jacob French & Prince Peckham and Ensign John Godfrey, in the regiment commanded by Col. Ebenezer Francis; we marched from Taunton to Dorchester Heights near Boston & there served four months building Forts; no other regiment was with us.
Zebulon Field
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Bristol ss. August 15. 1832. Zebulon Field made oath to the truth of the above affidavit by him signed —
Before me A. Basset Just. of the Peace —
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Bristol ss.
I. James Groat, Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas for said County of Bristol, do hereby certify that Asahel Basset Esq., whose signature is affixed to the above certificate, is a Justice of the Peace, in the said County of Bristol, and duly qualified to administer oaths.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of said Court, this fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred & thirty two.
J. Groat

Washington Febr. 22 d 1833
I hereby certify that full credit may be given to the testimony of the preceding witnesses, Isaac Warburton, Jacob Phillips and Zebulon Fife — James L. Hooton