Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 29231, Beriah Howard, Mass.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Mass.
Howard, Beriah
S. 29231
CONTENTS

Michigan 8619
New York A
Jeriah Howard
of Genesee Co in the State of New York who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Birt of the Regt commanded by Col. Howe in the Mass. Militia time for 18 mos.
Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of 60 Dollars 00 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 22 day of Apr 1833 and sent to Horace H. Doper. Batavia
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833 $120.00 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept " 30.00
$150.00
dr. July 27. 1840.
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by W. L. Williams Clerk Book E Vol. 4 Page 59
Letter to Henry Stoty 23. April 1839
Rev to Pen Agent 21. Feb 1840
To Michigan from 4 Sept 1838
27. March 1840

APPLICATION FOR A TRANSFER.
County of Lapeer ss. }
On this Sixth day of January 1840  1839 , before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace, for said county of Lapeer personally appeared Beriah Howard who, on oath declares that he is the same person who formerly belonged to the company commanded by Captain Burt in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Haw in the service of the United States; that his name was placed on the Pension Roll of the State of New York from whence he has lately removed; that he now resides in the State of Michigan, where he intends to remain, and wishes his Pension to be there payable in future. The following are his reasons for removing from the State of New York to the State of Michigan, viz:
To live with his children  his Beriah X Howard mark
Sworn and subscribed to, before me, the day and year aforesaid.
Henry Prit Justice of the peace
OATH OF WITNESS.
STATE OF MICHIGAN. }
County of Lapeer ss. }
On the Sixth day of January 1840  1839 , before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace for said county, personally appeared John R Matteson who, on his oath declares, that Beriah Howard is the identical person named in an original Certificate of Pension in his possession from the War Department, and is also the same person who has sworn to, and subscribed the above affidavit.
Sworn to and subscribed before me, the day and year aforesaid.
Henry Prit Justice of the peace
John R Matteson
INSTRUCTIONS.
☞ The oath to be taken before a duly qualified Magistrate, whose official character and signature must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.—The County Clerk, Secretary of State, or some other officer, must certify, under his seal of office, that the officer who administered the oath is a Justice of the Peace, Judge, Mayor, Alderman, or Notary Public, as the case may be, and that the signature purporting to be his is genuine. ☞ The oath must be supported by the testimony of some respectable person, as to the Pensioner's identity. He must swear that the person who has taken the above oath is the person described in the affidavit. The Magistrate must certify, that the witness is a person of veracity; and the affidavit must also be authenticated in the manner above directed.

MAGISTRATE'S CERTIFICATE OF WITNESS.
STATE OF MICHIGAN, County of Lapeer } ss.
I do hereby certify that the witness aforesaid is a person of truth and veracity.
Henry Rife Justice of the peace.
I, Jonathan R White Deputy Clerk of the Court of Lapeer County, certify that, Henry Rife is a magistrate as above, and that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my Seal of Office, and subscribed my name, this twenty first day of January in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty
J. R. White
Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court of the County of Lapeer

St. Clair County.
Detroit Nov.
1839
Sir Annexed I hand you Mr. Howard's application for a transfer from the State of New York to this State. Which is the second one that I have sent to obtain a transfer. The last one was made out & sent to you in April last, & I have written once, since but have never received an answer from either - The result of this application you will please to make known to me. Much oblige
Yours very Respectfully -
Henry Doty
To Hon. S. L. Edwards.
Comm: of Pensions City of Washington -

Periah Howard's Declaration -
18374
Please make returns to Horace M. Soper Batavia Genesee Co N. Y.
Admitted
18 mo. private
$ 60:00

State of New York County of Genesee
Town of Batavia ss
On this Sixteenth day of October one thousand Eight Hundred and thirty two personally appeared in Open Court before the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Genesee Now sitting Beriah Howard A Resident of the Town of Darien in the County of Genesee and State of New York 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 7. 1832
That He entered the Service of the United States Under the following named officers and served as here in stated
In the Year 1776 about the Tenth of September He was Called by Draft from the Town of Springfield County of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts under Gideon Birt Capt and Colonel Howe to a place Called Frogs Point where He joined the army he thinks under the Command of General Lincoln and marched from thence towards New York and meeting the army under General Washington shifted their Course to White Plains Where a Battle took place the Regiment to which he belonged was sent to the left as a flanking Party from thence to the Camp to the north of White Plains where he was Verbally Discharged after serving two months
In December 1777 He was Drafted and served in a Guard Stationed in the said Town of Springfield under Capt Morgan and was Verbally Discharged after having served six months At then being about June 1778
In Sept 1778 he Volunteered and went from the Town of Springfield to New London where he served one month under Capt John Birt and was Verbally discharged

In Sept 1780 he Volunteered and went under Capt. Browning to West Point on the Hudson River where he remained two months as Guard at the fort at Which time General Arnold left the fort he was then Verbally discharged
In June 1781 he Volunteered and went as Substitute in the place of Aaron Ferry who had enlisted as teamster for Seven months in the Militia
That he went from Springfield Massachusetts to Hills Ferry with his team in company with six other teams under Capt. Metcalf
From thence to Sing Sing where he was stationed under Col. Sheldon by whom he was employed and after serving Seven Months
Was Verbally Discharged
He further States that he was born in the Town of Sterbridge in the State of Massachusetts in the Year 1757 when he lived until about the Year 1772 from whence he removed to the Town of Springfield in the State from thence after the war some years to Manchester in Vermont from thence about twenty years ago to the Town of Pembroke now called Darien where he now resides
He further States that he has no Documentary evidence and knows of no person whose evidence he can procure to testify to his Service
That there is no Clergyman with whom he is acquainted living in his neighbourhood
He hereby relinquishes every Claim whatsoever 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 as above stated in open court Timothy Fitch Clerk
We Jonathan Vaughan and John Williams Jr. residing in the said Town of Darien hereby Certify that we are well acquainted with Benah Howard who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration and we believe him to be 75 Years of age
That he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resided to have been a soldier in the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion
Jonathan Vaughan John Williams Jr. Sworn and Subscribed the day and Year aforesaid
in open court
Timothy Fitch Clerk

And the said Court hereby certify and declare their Opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the Ward examiners, that above named Applicant was a revolutionary Soldier and served at the States. That it appears to them that Jonathan Vaughn & John William, Jr. who have signed the foregoing Certificate are residents of the Town of Darien in said County of Monroe and that they are credible persons and their statement is entitled to credit.
Isaac Wilson Robert Earll Jr. William Mitchell
I Timothy Fitch Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Genesee County do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court the matter of in the application of Bariah Howard for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of office this 16 th day of October 1832
Timothy Fitch Clerk

Personally appeared before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace Beriah Howard a resident of the Town of Darien who being duly sworn deposeth and saith that by reason of old age and consequent loss of Memory being very much debilitated he cannot swear positively as to the precise dates of his service or of the names of all the officers under whom he served but according to the best of his recollection he has stated the length of time he served and the dates when he entered the service as well as the names of the Officers under whom he served except in his campaign to New London in 1788 he since the Declaration was made recollects the name of Colonel under whom he served to be Murray.
He further states that during his service as Guard in the Town of Springfield where he then resided in 1777 there was no officers higher in rank than Captain
also in 1780 while at West Point he was sent back from the fort for the purpose of chopping wood for coal but rather supposed at the time to be an invention of General Arnold to weaken the fort consequently had but little opportunity to become acquainted with the officers or Companies stationed there.
He further states that in the year 1781 at the time he went to Sing Sing as a teamster  he went voluntarily as a substitute for Aaron Ferry who had enlisted or volunteered for a regular term of service that he did not go upon a civil contract neither did he receive or expect pay from said Ferry or from any other source other than Government that he served under Colonel Sheldon and that whenever the army moved he was employed in carrying baggage and at other times in drawing Hay Grain &c for the use of the army.
He further states that there is no Clergyman residing in the neighbourhood where he now resides with whom he is acquainted the Clergyman who formerly resided in the Society having removed and another lately taken his place.

We further states that there is no person living within his knowledge who can testify to his service living now over three Hundred miles from the place where he lived during the revolutionary war and that all of those with whom he served or was acquainted are dead or the place of their residence not known to him Berekah Howard
Sworn and subscribed the 7th day of March A D 1833 before me
Ebenezer North J P Clerk
State of New York Genesee County
Sp. J. Timothy Fitch, Clerk of said said county certify, that Ebenezer North before whom the within affidavit was taken and whose name is subscribed thereto, was at the date of taking the same a Justice of the Peace in and for said county and that I am well acquainted with the signature of said Justice subscribed to said affidavit and verily believe the same to be genuine
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my name and seal of office this eighth day of March 1833
Timothy Fitch Clerk

10004
December 30, 1926
Mrs. Maude M. Lightner 129 West Brookdale Place Fullerton, Calif.
Madam:
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim S. 29231 it appears that Beriah Howard was born in 1757 in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.
About 1772 he moved from said Sturbridge to Springfield, Hampshire County, Massachusetts where on September 10, 1776 he enlisted and served two months as private in Captain Gideon Burt's Company, Colonel Howe's Massachusetts Regiment and was in the battle of White Plains.
He enlisted in December 1777 and served six months as private in Captain Morgan's Massachusetts Company.
He enlisted in September 1778 and served one month in Captain John Burt's Company, Colonel Murray's Massachusetts Regiment.
He enlisted in September 1780 and served two months as private in Captain Browning's Massachusetts Company.
He enlisted in June 1781 and served seven months as

teamster in Captain Metcalf's Company, Colonel Sheldon's Massachusetts Regiment.
Some time after the Revolution he moved to Manchester, Vermont. He was allowed pension on his application executed October 16, 1832 while a resident of Darien, Genesee County, New York. In January 1840 he had moved to Lapeer County, Michigan to live with his children, their names not stated, and there is no reference to his wife. He died July 27, 1840.
Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT Commissioner.

29 231 Rev. INVALID.
1917-Apr. 8 Hist. to Mrs. Earl J. Tullom 1926-Dec. 30- Nick. to Mrs. Maude M. Lighter - MMN
File No. 29 231
Beriah Howard
Rev. Rev. War
Act: June 7 th 39"
Index:—Vol. 2, Page 192
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Mar 2 1840
Mr Swan
Jamie L. Edwards Esquire Commis n of Pensions War Dept. P.O. Washington

MECHANICS' & FARMERS' BANK,
Albany Pension Agency,
Feby. 26 - 1840
JAMES L. EDWARDS, Esquire,
Commissioner of Pensions.
Sir,
In reply to your letter of the 21 st inst. I have to state, that Beniah Howard a Pensioner under the Act of 7 June 1832 at 40 Dollars per annum — was last paid to the 4 day of Sept. 1838.
I am, Sir,
Very respectfully,
Your ob't serv't,
Thos M. Osgood
PRES'T AND PENSION AGENT.

FREE
Hon Lewis Cass Secretary of War
Pension Department — Washington
D.C.
NY w/ Case

Hon. Lewis Cass,
Secretary of War,
Batavia March 8 th 1833— Genesee County N. Y.—
Dr. Sir, I enclose you the papers of Beriah Howard, which I think will now be found sufficient to entitle him to a pension and that his reasons for not stating the names of his officers will be found satisfactory—
Yrs Respectfully
H. W. Soper—

Rev sec 121
Pension Department Washington D.C.
Gentlemen:- As a Daughter of the American Revolution No 341 I desire the war service of Bereah Howard who served in the Revolution, and was a Gensiner - his wife's name was Roxie Chafin, and

I believe they lived in or near Warten N. Y. any information you may be able to give me, I shall appreciate, thanking you in advance I am Yours truly -
Mrs Mabelle C Fellows - (Mrs Earl J.)
1242 Westlake ave. Los Angeles. California -

Fullerton, California October 25- 1926.
Hon. Winfield Scott. Commissioner of Pensions Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:
I have been told by a D. a. R. that I can get a copy of the pension of Beriah Howard of Springfield, Mass., who was a Revolutionary Soldier and a pensioner of Darien, N. Y.
I should appreciate it very much if you would mail me such copy, as I am one of his great- great granddaughters. If there are any charges for this - will gladly pay same.
Very Truly Yours
(Mrs.) Maude M. Lehlwein 129 West Brookdale Place Fullerton, California

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., _____, 19_____
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Benaiah Howard 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.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     Sept. 10. 1776 2 mos. Pvt. Gideon Burt Howe Mass.   Dec. 1777 6 mos. Morgan ✓   Sept. 1778 1 mo. John Burt Murray   Sept. 1780 2 mos. Browning ✓   June 1781 7 mos. Transferred Metcalf Sheldon  
Battles engaged in, White Plains
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Springfield Hampshire Co. Mass.
Date of application for pension, Oct 16 1832. His el. was al.
Residence at date of application, Darien Genesee Co. N.Y.
Age at date of application, born in 1757 at Sturbridge Mass. Died July 27 1840*
Remarks: In 1840 soldier had moved from New York to Lake Co. Mich. to live with his children. Their names are not stated and there is no reference to soldier's wife. The only soldier of this name &c.
* from A.B.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.