Revolutionary War Service Question: Certificate Delivered to...

Question

I am researching a Josiah Baker who served in the Revolutionary War (Dutchess County Militia, 7th Reg). I have found lists of four certificates delivered to him, all in 1786. Each of the four have language like this:

June 10th 1786 Nathan Todd certificate Delivered to Josiah Baker upon an order. Received frm[from?] me Josiah Baker Jr.

Each of the four certificates has a different name at the beginning where this one says "Nathan Todd." All of them have Josiah Baker listed twice as in this one.

I notice on the page listing these certificates that there are some people listed multiple times as having certificates delivered to them (for example, the page quoted above has 15 certificates listed with 15 different names in the spot where Nathan Todd's name is, and 6 of them are "delivered to John Penny").

Question 1: In this transaction, what was the role of the person whose name is in the position of Nathan Todd's name on this certificate? I cannot find Nathan Todd on any records dealing with the Revolutionary War or with Dutchess County, NY.

Question 2: In this transaction, what was the role of the person whose name is in the position of Josiah Baker's name? Josiah lived in Dutchess County and was an Ensign in the Dutchess County Militia, 7th Reg.

Thanks in advance!

~Scott

Answer 1

The certificates were acknowledgement that the named man had been paid in full for his pay and rations while in the service.  Looking at list it appears that some men signed for the certificates on behalf of others in their unit.