JONATHAN BARKER'S PENSION FILE3

For some reason, even though Jonathan Barker's Pension
application had been approved and submitted by Judge
Albion K. Parris, he didn't receive his pension right away.
In fact he appeared before Judge Parris again nearly a year
later:

"UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
DISTRICT COURT OF MAINE, ss.

At a District Court of the United States begun and
holden at Portland within and for the District of
Maine, on the first Tuesday being the sixth day of June
and by adjournment from day to day, on the twenty
ninth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and twenty, before the Honorable
ALBION K. PARRIS, Judge of said Court.

ON this twenty ninth day of June in the year above
written, personally appeared in open Court, the
same having "the power of fine and imprisonment",
and being a Court of Record for said Maine District,
Jonathan Barker, aged sixty six years, late of Newry now
resident in Portland in said District, who being first
duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath
declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as
follows, viz. as a Private in the company commanded
by Capts. Davis and Carr in the Regiments commanded
by Colonels Frye and Wesson in the line of the State of
Massachusetts on the Continental Establishment, as
is more particularly mentioned and described in his
original declaration, made on the 24th day of April
A.D.1818, and on which said declaration his
Certificate of Pension, numbered 7704 was granted.
And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen
of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818;
and that I have not since that time by gift, sale, or
any manner disposed of my property, or any part
thereof, with intent thereby so as to diminish it as to
bring myself within the provisions of an Act of
Congress, entitled "An Act to provide for certain
persons engaged in the land and naval service of
the United States, in the Revolutionary War",
passed on the 18th day of March 1818: and that I
have not, nor has any person in trust for me, any
property or securities, contracts, or debts due to me;
nor have I any income other that what is contained
in the schedule hereto annexed, and by me
subscribed; that my occupation and ability to pursue
the same, together with the number and other
particulars of my family, are in fact and in truth as
is particularly described on the back hereof, also
subscribed by me.

Jonathan Barker

sworn to and declared on the twenty ninth day of June ,
A.D. 1820 before Albion K. Parris, U.S> District Judge
for the District of Maine."

Jonathan's "signature" is in different handwriting than on his
initial affidavit and it appears to be identical to Judge Parris'
signature.

The other side of the page has the "schedule" of Jonathan's
relatives and possessions:

"SCHEDULE of the real and personal estate, (
necessary clothing and bedding excepted) belonging
to me the subscriber, viz:
Real estate___ I have none___ Personal estate__ none
I have no family, nor have any income____ I am by
occupation a laborer.
Jonathan Barker

Sworn to June 29 1820
Before Albion K. Parris
U.S. District Judge. "

The following page is a statement by the Court Clerk, and it
would seem he was the person who signed Jonathan Barker's
name to the statement:

"MAINE DISTRICT, ss.
I, John Mussey, Junr. Clerk of the District Court of
the United States for the Maine District, do hereby
certify, that the foregoing oath, and the schedules
thereto annexed, are truly copied from the Record of
the said Court; and I do further certify, that it is the
opinion of the saidCourt that the total amount in
value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid
schedule, is one cent and no more.

In Testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand
and affixed the seal of the said Court, on this twenty
ninth day of June A.D. one thousand eight hundred
and twenty.

John Mussey Junr,
Clerk of the U. States District Court for the Maine
District."

And so now Jonathan Barker received his pension.:

"7704
Maine
Jonathan Barker
of Newry in the Dist of Maine
who was a private in the regiment commanded by
Colonel Wesson of the Massachusetts
line, for term of nine months.

Inscribed on the Roll of the District of Maine
at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence on
the 24th of April, 1818

Certificate of Pension issued 16th of Nov 1819
and sent to A.K. Parrish, Esq,
Paris, Maine.

Arrears to 4th of Mar 1819 (illegible) 82.89
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4th Sept 1819 48.00
_____
$130.89

Revolutionary claim,
Act 18th March 1818"

The page had been folded in half and it might have been used
as a folder to hold the other documents. Written vertically
along the fold to the left is the following:

"Died July 11th, 1824" (in dark ink)
"Notification sent to John Mussey Jr. Esq.
Portland, Maine." (all in lighter ink)

Several questions arise from reading Jonathan's pension file.

How did he go from being an original settler and landholder
in Newry to being penniless?

What was he doing in Portland in 1820?

And how could he say he had no family when , since I am one of
his descendants, he obviously did?

I'll discuss the answers in the next post on Jonathan Barker.

JONATHAN BARKER'S PENSION FILE1

As I've said previously, the Barker family history is an
interesting one, but at the moment I will concern myself with
the three Barker brothers who filed for their pensions. For a
short overview of the rest of it, I recommend Mitch Barker's
page here on his Newry, Maine Website.

In the following transcriptions, preprinted sections of
forms are boldfaced and handwritten portions are
italicized.


The first page of Jonathan Barker's file lists him as having
served in units from Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
His file number is S.37571.

Congress passed an Act on 18 March, 1818 establishing the
Pension Fund for Revolutionary War veterans. A little over a
month later, Jonathan Barker appeared in Judge Albion
Parris' court to file a petition for his:

"I, Jonathan Barker, a resident citizen of the United States of America,
an inhabitant of Newry in the County of Oxford and the State of
Massachusetts, do testify and say, that on the nineteenth day of April
A.D. 1775, I joined the army of said United States on the continental
establishment at Cambridge in said state for the term of eight months
as a private soldier in Capt. John Davis’ company, Col James Frye’s
regiment, who was soon after our Brigadier General in the Massachu-
-setts line, which term of eight months I served at Cambridge aforesaid
and at the expiration thereof I again enlisted into said army for three
months as a private soldier in Capt. John Allen’s company, Col John
Waldron’s regiment, and Gen Sullivan’s brigade in the New Hampshire
line, which term of three months I served at Charlestown in Massachu-
-setts and was then verbally discharged. In June A.D. 1778, I again
enlisted into the same army on the continental establishment, at
Methuen, Mass. and I joined the army at White Plains, N. York, as a
private soldier for the term of nine months in Capt. Samuel Carr’s
company, Col. James Weston’s regiment and Gen Lerned’s brigade
in the Massachusetts line, which term of nine months I fully served,
principally in the state of N. York and at the end thereof I received,
at Stony Point, an honorable discharge, which has since been
burned with my house. I further testify that I am sixty four years of
age,worship a few days, that by reason of my reduced circumstances
in life I stand in need of assistance from my country for support and
that I am not borne on any pension list of the United States.
Jona. Barker"

On the other side of the sheet of paper is the testimony of
a Joseph Jackson:

"I, Joseph Jackson of Newry aforesaid, do testify and say, that I was
in the continental service in the revolutionary war with the above
named Jonathan Barker during his periods of service of eight months
and of nine months above mentioned and to my certain knowledge
saidBarker served these several periods as he has above stated.
Joseph Jackson "

Apparently Judge Parris felt further evidence as to Jonathan's
service was necessary, and he appointed someone to go about
finding it:

"Maine District , ss.
To James Eames of Newry in the District of Maine, esq.
Whereas, at a special District Court of said United States
for the Maine District holden at Paris in said District, on the
twenty fourth day of April in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighteen Jonathan Barker of
Newry in said District presented an application to the Judge
of said Court, setting forth that he served as a private soldier
in the war of the revolution, on the continental
establishment against the common enemy, and requesting
that an enquiry may be instituted into the circumstances of
his case, and that such further proceedings may be made
touching the premises as are prescribed by An Act of
Congress passed March 18th,1818,entitled "An Act to provide
for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service
of the United States in the revolutionary war," in order that
he may be places on the Pension List of said United States:-
and whereas in the course of the examination here had, it
appears that the testimony of sundry persons, who served
with the applicant in the revolutionary army, at present
residing in or near to the towns of Newry or Bethel in the
Districts aforesaid, is necessary and material in support
of said application:-

THEREFORE, to the end that the testimony aforesaid may
be had, and by virtue of the power vested in this Court by the
laws of the United States, you or either of you are hereby
appointed or authorized, at the proper expense of the
applicant, to take depositions of such persons as he may
cause to come before you, touching the application
aforesaid, and in particular as to the time when the
applicant entered the service, the time and manner of his
leaving it, the company, regiment and line to which he
belonged, and whether the service was performed on the
continental establishment or the militia of either of
the States; and such depositions, when taken, and your
certificate of the administration of the usual oath and of
the credibility of the deponents, together with this Dedimus
Potestam, you will certify and return to the Judge of said
Court without unnecessary delay.

GIVEN under my hand and seal at Paris in said District, the
day and yea r first mentioned.

Albion K. Parris
Judge of the United States in and for the District of Maine."

James Eames found a witness to testify who knew Jonathan
Barker very well.

He found Benjamin Barker.