Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 18444, John Hill, Mass.

SERVICE
Mass.
Hill, John
NUMBER
S 18444
bearded
CONTENTS

64 70 11/11/31
Interest on the sum of Dollars per annum at the rate of 4 1/2 Dollars per cent per annum to commence on the 11th day of March, 1831.
Confessors of Present... D. L. ... Name after of ... Present ...
Residuary ... No June 7, 1831
Daniel Page
Recorded By Book 2
Vol. 2
Page 99

John Hill.
Dorchester Massachusetts
No 6059.
Pinch
13 Mar 8 28
$46.44
Washburn
Goldish
D. Lee Childs Esq.
Boston
Mass

BRIEF in the case of John Will.  Suffolk County in the State of Massachusetts. (Act 7th 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? 71 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.     1 July In 1778 enlist 6 " Private Gen. Col. Gnish's Regmt   28 August 1779 Enlist 4 4 Private Capt. Col. Washburns Compy   17 August 1781 " 3 24 Private Col. John Jacobs Regmt   13 28 Capt. Jacob Howkins Compy   Col. Webb's Regmt   Capt. Bras Compy  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? —  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Bridgewater Mass,  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? one living witness in part and documentary,  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? No defect 
X certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Chas. Little, Examining Clerk.

John Hill
No 6059

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
County of Suffolk ss.
On this fifteenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open court before the Honorable Judge of the Municipal Court now sitting at Boston in and for said County, John Hill a resident of Boston in said County, aged 71 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 7th A. D. 1832.
THAT he was born at Bridgewater in the County of Plymouth  on the  twentieth day of August A. D. 1760, and that there is a record of his birth Bridgewater Records : that he was in the United States service from the first day of July A. D. 1770, to the first day of July A. D. 1779 as a private in the Massachusetts Militia : that he was residing at Bridgewater
when he entered the service; that he was drafted and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Col Jacob Gernish in Capt Abram Washburn's Company
: that he marched from Bridgewater to Boston , from  to  from  to
: that he served at said Boston with some but he does not recollect what  the regular troops; and
no regular officers were known to him: that he was in no battle
and at the end of his service received no written discharge: that since the Revolutionary war he has resided at said Boston but has been at sea much of the time and left the service on said 1st of January .
ALSO: that he was in the United States service from the twenty eighth day of Aug t A. D. 1779, to the thirty first day of July A. D. 1780 as a private in the Massachusetts Militia : that he was residing at said Bridgewater
28 th of Aug t when he entered the service; that he entered as a volunteer on or about and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Col John Jacob in Capt Jacob Haskins' company
: that he marched from Slade's Ferry to Newport , from  to  from  to Providence &
: that he served at said places with some but does not recollect what  the regular troops; and or militia
Gen Cornell a regular officers were known to him: that he was in no battle
and at the end of his service received no written discharge. and left the service on said 31st of January
seventeenth  August ALSO: that he was in the United States service from the first day of Sept r A. D. 1781, to the first day of Dec r A. D. 1781 as a private in the Massachusetts Militia : that he was residing at said Bridgewater
said 1st of September when he entered the service; that he entered as a volunteer on or about and served for the period aforesaid under the command of Col Webb in Capt Bird's Company
: that he marched from Boston to West Point , from  to  from  to
: that he served at said West Point with Gen Jackson's Brigade of the regular troops; and said Jackson & John Porter, Brigade Major & adt Bradford regular officers were known to him: that he was in no battle
and at the end of his service received no written discharge. and left the service on or about the fifteenth day of December

The General Circumstances of my service were as follows, to wit: I was small part of the time of my first term of service on Castle Island. in Boston Harbor During the service at Newport and Providence the British were getting off as fast as they could, there being about 7000 of them and they begged us not to hurry them, and we were getting cannon & balls onto the fort as fast as we could. While I was at West Point 1781 the officers celebrated the surrender of Cornwallis by a dinner, at which about 4000 to 5000 were present. They dined in the open air. As well known to Edward Blochard Esq. & Charles Coolidge gentlemen of this city. Recapitulation
  Service in Washington county  6 months     " " Haskins "  5 "  3 days    " " Bird's "  3 "  24 "    Total  14 months 27 days  
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the same 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 first aforesaid.
John Hill a merchant, residing in the City of
hope me Peter O. Thacher, Judge &c We John Bradford — Boston
and Ebenezer Sumner in Dorchester residing on business in said
Boston hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Hill who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be seventy one 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 as aforesaid.
John Bradford
Before me Peter O. Thacher, Judge &c.
Ebenezer Sumner Jr
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter, and the answers to which are embodied in the foregoing declaration 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 certify that it appears to them that John Bradford, who has signed the preceding certificate, is a merchant, resident in the City of Boston; and that Ebenezer Sumner Jr, who has also signed the same is a resident in Dorchester and is a credible person; and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Peter O. Thacher, Judge of the Municipal Court of the City of Boston.
I of the 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 hereunto set my hand and seal of office on the day and year first aforesaid.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Suffolk ss.
I Thomas W. Phillips, Clerk of the Municipal Court of the City of Boston, a Court of Records, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Hill for a pension, also that the Honorable Peter O. Thacher is sole Judge of said Court and that the signatures on these papers are his genuine signatures.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and the seal of said Court, at said Boston, this fifteenth day of August A.D. Eighteen hundred and thirty two.
Thomas W. Phillips, Clerk

John Hill.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
By his Excellency JOHN HILL Governor and Commander in Chief of the Commonwealth.
TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME
Given under my hand and seal
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and

1832 ind of Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
By his Excellency LEVI LINCOLN, Esquire, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over said Commonwealth.
TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN :
Know Ye, That William Ferson Esquire , is a Justice of the Peace, and of the Quorum, through- out all the Counties; — Stephen Godman Esq re is a Justice of the Peace and of the Quorum, for the County of Suffolk; — Dennis Howard , is a Justice of the Peace, for the County of Plymouth; and David See Child , is a Justice of the Peace, for the County of Suffolk;
in the said Commonwealth, duly constituted and commissioned, and that to their Acts and Attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given in and out of Court.
In Testimony Whereof, I have caused the Public Seal of the Commonwealth to be hereunto affixed, this Sixteenth day of August A. D. 1832, and in the fifty Seventh year of the Independence of the United States of America.

commissioned, and that to their Acts and Attestations, as such, full faith and credit are and ought to be given in and out of Court.
In Testimony Whereof , I have caused the Public Seal of the Commonwealth to be hereunto affixed, this Sixteenth day of August A. D. 1832, and in the fifty Seventh year of the Independence of the United States of America.
By His Excellency the Governor,
Edward D. Dangs
Secretary of the Commonwealth.
N. B. The above certificate will be referred to in all cases where the same Justices of the Peace, mentioned therein, shall receive and certify the oath of any witness agreeably to regulations of the Department in that behalf D. Lee Child

Boston August 9 th 1832
Hon Secretary of War
Sir,
In transmitting five for pensions more cases, I have only to ob- serve that the applicants, whose cases I have heretofore presented, are expecting to receive communi- cations from the Department thro me, and are frequently calling for that purpose.
Respectfully
Yr most Obedt Servt
D Lee Child

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of John Will 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?
No Clergyman
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?
one living witness & documentary
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?
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."

I
18444
INVALID.
File No. 18444
John Koill
Pri Rev War
Act: June 7 th 32
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 452
[Arrangement of 1870.]

Hon Lewis Cags Boston Jan 27. 1833
Sir,
Mr John Hill of Boston has requested me to represent to you that he is in great want, and is unable to account for his pension, or at least a rejection of his claim not coming before this time as it is now four to five months since he preferred his claim; and a number have rec d answers from the Dept above claims went on subsequently to his.
I have the honor to be your obed Servt
D Seebold

I Ephraim Sturtevant of North Bridgewater in the county of Plymouth and state of Massachusetts of lawful age do testify and say that in the year 1778. that I was — in a company of Militia & commanded by Capt Abraham Washburn in the service of the united States Stationed at Boston and on the Eagle for six months that the s d Hill enlisted or was drafted July 5 th 1778 and continued in s d service until Jan'y 5 th 1779. and that the s d Hill did his service as a good soldier and a man of truth and veracity Aug st 13 1832.
Ephraim Sturtevant
Plymouth ss, Aug st 13 th 1832. Personally appeared the above named Ephraim Sturtevant and made oath to the above statements by him subscribed to be a true statement before me
Linus Howard Justice of Peace.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Secretary's Office, Aug. 3 d 1832.
* hereby Certify, That, from an examination of the Books and Documents, relating to Military Services in the War of the Revolution, which remain in this Department, it appears that
The name of John Hill is borne on a Roll of "Capt. Jacob Hoskins Company, Col. John Jacob's Regiment," in the service of Massachusetts; & that he is therein stated to have served from Aug. 28. 1779 to Jan. 31. 1780 — also his name is borne on a Roll of "Capt. William Bird's Company in Col. Webb's Regiment stationed at West point;" & is therein stated to have served for the period of three months & twenty four days commencing August 17. 1781.
Edward D. Bangs. Secy of Com th