Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,085, Moses Gunn, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass
Gunn, Moses
S. 31,085
CONTENTS

6393
Massachusetts
Moses Gunn
of Montague in the State of Mass who was a Pte in the Company commanded by Captain Petty of the Regt commanded by Col. Pomeroy in the Mass line for 3 months Pvate S 3 ,, Sergeant S
Miles
Entered on the Roll of Massachusetts at the rate of 25 Dollars Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 25th day of Feb 1833 and sent Hon. Geo. Bennell House of Reps
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1832 $37.50 Semi-ann. allowance ending 4 Mar '33 12.50 $50.00
Revolutionary Claim, { Apr June 7 1832 }
Recorded by D. H. Addison Clerk, Book D Vol. 2a Page 51
80 Franklin

Moses Gunn Moses Gunn's Montague Statement -
19506
✓

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Franklin County S.S.
on this fourteenth day of August A.D. 1832.
Personally appeared in open Court, before the Court of Common Pleas
of the said Commonwealth, now sitting at Greenfield within and for the said County of Franklin Moses Gunn a Resident of said Montague in the County and Com- monwealth of said aged Seventy six years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of an act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
I Moses Gunn of Montague in the County of Franklin and Commonwealth of Massachusetts do say that I was born at said Montague on the third day of May A.D. 1754. as appears by the Book of Records of said Town of Montague. I was living in said Montague when called into the service of the Revolution where I there have ever since. In the year A.D. 1776. I entered the service of the Revolution a Volunteer in the Militia under Capt.

Petty of Warwick Mr. Lieut. Archie Nest in Col. Pomeroy's Regiment Major Stetson Williams and Lieut. Col. Samuel Williams for the term of three months. I marched from said Montague to Poughkeepsie in the State of New York - from thence to Morristown in the State of New Jersey where I continued till the expiration of the term of my enlistment and was dismissed but received no written discharge - In the year 1780 I again entered the service a volunteer for the term of three months and acted as Quarter Master's Sergeant in Col. Seth Murrays Regiment. Marched to West Point and continued there until the close of said term of three months and then as before was dismissed and returned home. I was at West Point when Arnold went over to the enemy - Mr. Solomon Root and Apollos Gurney are my neighbors who can state my character for truth and veracity and their belief as to my services as a soldier of the Revolution
He hereby relinquishes any 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

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Attest E. Alvord clerk
Moses Gunn
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 the State - and the Court further testify that it appears to them Attest E. Alvord clerk
I Elijah Alvord, clerk of said Court do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Moses Gunn of said Montague for a Pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court. This fourteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
E. Alvord clerk

Moses Gunn
Asahel Gunn aff
Moses Gunn

I Salmon Gunn of Montague in the County of Franklin of lawful age do testify and say that I am well acquainted with Mr Morris Gunn of said Montague, was in the army of the revolution with him while stationed at West Point for the term of three months in the year 1780. he acted as Quarter Master Sergeant in Col. Smith Murrays Regiment. Salmon Gunn
Franklin ss. August 11 th 1832 Then Personally appeared the above named Salmon Gunn before me and made solemn oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true and I do hereby certify that the said Salmon Gunn is a credible Witness
Jonathan Hartwell Justice of the Peace
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Franklin ss. I Elijah Alvord, clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for the county of Franklin do certify that Jonathan Hartwell Esq before whom the preceding and annexed affidavits purport to have been verified is a Justice of the Peace for the said county. And I believe his name subscribed to the certificates subjoined to the said affidavits respectively to be his true and proper signature.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court at Greenfield on the fourteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
E. Alvord Clerk

Moses Gunn
Salmon Gunn aft
Moses Gunn

I Asahel Gunn of Montague in the County of Franklin and Commonwealth of Massachusetts of Lawful age do testify and say that I am personally acquaint- ed with Mr Asahel Gunn of said Montague, I was acquainted with him when a soldier of the Revolution in 1776 & 1777 I was with him for the term of three months, he was stationed at Peekskill N.Y. about a month and from there he marched to Morristown in the State of New Jersey, he remained at said Morristown till discharged at the expiration of the said term of three months
Asahel Gunn
Franklin ss August 11, 1832 Then Person- ally appeared the above named Asahel Gunn and made solemn oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true before me and I do hereby testify that the said Asahel Gunn is a Credible Witness
Jasathan Hartwell Justice of the Peace

Moses Gunn
No 19,506
3 months private 3 " 2 d Marksmanship Adm'd
Hon: Geo: Grennell

BRIEF in the case of Moses Gunn of Montague in the State of Massachusetts (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? In Open court  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? Seventy Eight years  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.     In 1776 3 As a Private Gen. Col: Pomeroy & Cap: Petty   1780 3 Acted as Quartermaster Sergeant - Col: Mundy  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? None Named  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? In Montague, Mass.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Two living witnesses  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? correctly authenticated 
X Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
D. D. Addison Examining Clerk.

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims , of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of
Moses Gunn 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? No XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No 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? yes 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?
 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.

31 085 Rev INVALID.
File No. 31,085
Moses Gunn Sergt Rev War
Act: June 7 th 32 nd
Index:—Vol. 2 , Page 163
[Arrangement of 1870.]