Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 23927, for John Smith, Pennsylvania
Page 1

(3-1776)
SERVICE  NUMBER
Penn.  Smith, John  S.23927

CONTENTS
B. 1755 in Springfield Twp. Bucks Co. Pa.
res. at enl. [enlistment] Gaston, Northampton Co. Pa.
res. in 1833, Bucks Co. Pa.
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25.952
Pennsylvania
John Smith
of Bucks Co. in the State of Pa. who was a Prv. in the Comp. commanded by Captain Ardnt of the Reg. commanded by [blank] in the Penna. line Flying Camp
8 Mo. 14 days $28.20

Inscribed on the Roll of Penna. at the rate of 28 Dollars 20 Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 4th day Feby [illegible] and sent to Henry Chapman, [illegible]

Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1833 70.50
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Mch '34 14.10
[total] $85.60
{Revolutionary Claim. At June 7, 1832.}

Recorded by J.T. Sprague Clerk,
Book C Vol. 5 Page 54

[Written on the form is] A. Feb 28, 1835
Page 3

27.736
John Smith
Pa.
Adm 8 Months & 14 days

26.66
 1.54
______
28.20

[illegible] 333
166
 56

Henry Chapman
Doylestown
Pa.

[The following is written vertically downward on the right margin]
27.736
Application of
Jno. Smith for a
pension.
Page 4

Declaration of John Smith in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
State pf Pennsylvania
County of Bucks ss:

On the tenth day of September A.D. One thousand Eight hundred & thirty three personally appeared in open court before the Hon John Fox Esq. and his appointed Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County & State aforesaid John Smith of Richland Township, County & State aforesaid aged about seventy eight years, who being duly affirmed according to law doth on his affirmation make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States in July 1776 under Captain John Arndt of the "Flying Camp". In the span of one or two weeks after he enlisted he marched under Capt. Arndt from Easton, Penna. to New York and from there in about two weeks to Long Island, arrived at Long Island on Monday and was in the battle at White Plains. He returned to New York on Friday and remained there about two weeks, when he left there with the troops and the city fell into the hands of the English. He then proceeded about ten miles up the North River between N. York and Fort Washington and remained there four or five weeks. Captain Arndt had been wounded at Long Island and went home, Isaac Shimer Ensign of the company had been taken prisoner. The company
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was then placed under the command of Col. Thomas Craig of Northampton Penna., all the Officers in the Company having been killed or taken prisoner except Lieut. Joseph Martin. Peter Keithline was the Colonel of the Regiment and was taken prisoner at the battle of Long Island. He then marched to Fort Washington, remained there two or three days, then crossed the North River to Fort Lee , stayed there two nights, then marched to  Amboy, remained there some time, then returned to Fort Lee when his term of service expired, being six months. (6 months)
He then went home and remained there until the summer of 1777 when he was called out in the militia under Capt. Jacob Berger, thinks Muffley was Lieutenant and John Keller Colonel of the Regiment. He marched from Richland Township aforesaid to Philadelphia, from there to Wilmington, from there to Brandywine in September was in the battle there, then marched to Chester, stayed there two days, he, Michael Young and Henry Nichols and others were left there to build a dam across the marsh to interrupt the progress of the British - the troops had left them when they got it completed, we then followed them and found them up the Schuylkill above the Trap. He then laid a week or two and the term for which he was required to serve expired, which was two months. (2 months)
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He then returned home and remained there [illegible] winter. In May following he enlisted under Christians Slater to drive teams for one year - after enlistment, he went to Reading then drove his horses and wagon, from there went to the Army at the Trap in Montgomery County Penna., there loaded with cartridges, went from there in a short time to Monmouth N.J. and was in that battle there, but only in the above capacity, went from there to the White Plains shortly after the battle, during the rest of the summer had little to do. In October he went with his wagon and horses to Philadelphia then left the wagons and took the horses back to Reading, stayed there the year out and returned home (1 year)
In the middle of October 1781 he was called out in the Militia, under Captain Elias Krider, his brother and Militia were Lieutenants, thinks John Smith was Colonel, went from home to Newtown Bucks County aforesaid and remained there two weeks when he was discharged, Long was Major (2 weeks)
He never received any regular discharges (merely verbal) except as wagoner, which was given by Major Turner and that is lost.
He was born in Springfield Township County of Bucks and state of Penna. in the year 1755.
There is a record of his age in the Church Register of the Lutheran Church in said Township.
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He was living near Easton Northampton County Penna. when he first entered the service, and has lived in Bucks & Northampton Counties (Penna.) ever since, and now lives in Richland Township County of Bucks.
In each instance he entered the service by enlistment, except the second and fourth when he expects he was drafted.
Rev. Wm. B Kaemmer, Phillip Wimmer, Andrew Heller, Christian Bertils and others can testify to his veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution.
He cannot recollect the number or names of the Continental and Militia regiments when he served, nor the names of any Officers except those he has mentioned.
He hereby relinquishes every 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.
[Signed with the note "his mark" and an "X"] John Smith
Affirmed and Subscribed in open court this 10th day of Sept 1833.
//s// Wm Prudy Prott.

Mr. William B. Kaemmer a clergyman and Andrew Heller residing in the County of Bucks aforesaid hereby certify that we are well acquainted with John Smith who has subscribed and affirmed to the above declaration, that we believe him to be about seventy eight 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.
//s// Wm. B. Kaemmer
//s// Andrew Heller
Sworn & affirmed the day & year aforesaid in open court.
//s// Wm Purdy Prott.
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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 he states. And the Court further certifies that it appears to them that William B. Kemmerer who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the County of Bucks aforesaid and that Andrew Heller who has also signed the same is a resident of the County aforesaid and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to Credit.
//s// John Fox Presd. Judge
//ss// William Watts [illegible]
//s// William Long Ass. Judge

Bucks County ss:
I William Purdy Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Bucks in the State of Pennsylvania do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Smith for a pension, and that the said Honorable John Fox Esq. is President Judge and William Watts and William Long Esq. are associate Judges of the said Court of Common Pleas duly commission to act as such. In Testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal of office the tenth of September, 1833.

//s// Wm. Purdy Pronoth.
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION. 3-525
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
S. 23927 BUREAU OF PENSIONS,
Washington, D.C., [blank], 19 [blank]

In reply to your request of [blank], received [blank] for a statement of the military history of John Smith 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.

[The following is in a table.]
[Row 1] 
Dates of enlistment or appointment. July 1776
Length of service. 6 mos.
Rank. Pri.
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. Captain John Arndt  Colonel. {Peter Kechlein, Thomas Craig}
State. Penn

[Row 2] 
Dates of enlistment or appointment. Summer, 1777
Length of service. 2 mos.
Rank. [blank]
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. Captain. Jacob Berger  Colonel. John Keller
State [blank]

[Row 3]
Dates of enlistment or appointment The following year
Length of service. 1 year
Rank. Teamster
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED Captain. Christians Slater Colonel. [blank]
State. [blank]
[Row 4]
Dates of enlistment or appointment. Oct. 1781
Length of service. 2 weeks
Rank. [blank]
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED.  Captain. Elias Krider  Colonel. John Smith
State [blank]

Battles engaged in, Long Island, Brandywine, Monmouth
Residence of soldier at enlistment, near Easton, Northampton Co. Pa.
Date of application of pension, Sept 10, 1833. His case was al. [allowed]
Residence at date of application Richland Twp, Bucks Co. Pa
Age at date of application {b. in Springfield Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. in 1755
d. Feby 28, 1835
Remarks: There is no data on file as to his family.

Respectfully,
Commissioner.

5-2856
Page 10

Pennsylvania  23927
INVALID.
File No. 23,.927
John Smith
Pri. Rev War

Act: June 7" 39"
Index:-Vol. 2, Page 380

[Arrangement of 1870.]

[illegible] 30 Hist. to Wm D. Claroye
Page 11

Pennsylvania Suspended John Smith 
See Letter to Henry Esq. Nov 14th 1833
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J. L. Edwards Esquire
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington
D.C.

[Postmark is partially illegible]

[Following written vertically upward on the left]
Penn. application
18 Jany. 1834
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Doylestown Jan. 15 1834

Sir,
I herewith enclose the declaration of David Leftig in order to obtain a pension.

Some time since, I replied to your letter of the 14th Nov. last requesting additional information respecting John Smith's claim, and, in which you stated that a certificate would issue for his ten months service in the Flying Camp as soon as you obtained that information. As I have not yet received the certificate, will you be good enough to forward it for the ten months, provided as his service as Teamster does no come within the provisions of the act.

I am respectfully
your Ob. Svt.
Henry Chapman

J.L. Edwards Esq.
Page 14

Doylestown Sept    free
J.L. Edwards Esquire
Pension Office
Washington
D.C.

[The following is written vertically upward on the left side]

Admitted
10 Mo. Private
Page 15

Doylestown Sept 17 1833.

Dear Sir,
Enclosed you will receive the declaration of John Weir and John Smith for Pensions which I hope will meet with your early attention.

Very respectfully
you Ob. Sv.
Henry Champman

J.L. Edwards Esq. Com. of Pensions.
Page 16

[Postmark is partially obscured.]
FEB
24
1921
OFFICE.

Winnipeg Canada
Feb. 20th, 1921
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C.
Dear sir, have you in your files any record of Jonas (or Johannes Schmidt) or Smith who served in Revolut. War from Eastern Pennsylvania probably from Bucks or Northampton Co. but later lived in Sussex Co. New Jersey.
Any record of Raum Kittle served either from New Jersey or Eastern Pennsylvania.
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any information that may be in your files will be greatly appreciated.
Yours Sincerely
Mrs. Wm. D. Claroye
466 Ferry Road
Winnipeg Canada
Page 18

[Postmark stamp]

RECORDS 
FEB 28 1921
DIVISION