Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 9451, for James Shermon, Rhode Island
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(8-1776) 

SERVICE   R.I.
Shermon, James
NUMBER R.9451
CONTENTS
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[Crossed out] Acts of July 14, 1863, and March 3, 1978
REJECTED [Stamped] 

9451
P.O. [blank]
[Crossed out] James Shearman
Service: James Shermon

Enlisted: [blank] , 18
Discharged: [blank], 18

Application filed: [blank], 18

Alleges: [blank]
Re-enlisted: [blank]

Attorney: [blank]
P.O. [blank]
[blank] Recognized,  [blank] Contra
[blank] Cert. of Dis.  Searched for [blank], 18
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See letter of May 17, 1836 to
Geo C Cahoon
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James Shearman,
Vermont,
Act 7 June 1832
Suspended,
Let to Geo C. Cahoon, July[crossed out]
May 17, 1836
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33.692
James Shearman
Declaration
92157
Geo C. Cahoon   Pres &
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James Shearmon's Declaration

In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th
1832

State of Vermont
District of Caledonia Ss }  At Danville April 25th A.D. 1836

Personally appeared in Open Court before the Court of Probate 
uoco[?] sitting James Shearmon a resident of  Lyndon in the County 
District of Caledonia and State of Vermont in the seventy second
year of his age 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 - that he was born in Warwick Rhode
Island March 6. 1765 and lived there until nearly of age, 
that his Father widower was near where troops of the army or minute
men and the militia were stationed pretty constantly during the 
Revolutionary war to guard Providence River- that as he believes is that 
of the year of 1779 (and he fixes the date by a recollection of his ag[e]
at the time) he had a brother in law by the name of Samuel Spooner
thus serving as a soldier in an Artillery Company stationed at
Warwick under the command of Capt. Anthony Garzee - that said
brother in law was a joiner by trade and could earn greater wages
as such than as a soldier- that said Spooner with the assent of
the commanding officer made a contract with his the said Shearmon's 
Father to have him the applicant serve as substitute for the said
Spooner in said company and let said Spooner be away to work a
his trade to which he consented and served and did the said
Spooner's duty in said company- that the greater portion of the duties
was stationed in the town or village of Warwick but that a Sent[ry]
guard was kept at Warwick- Neck near two miles distant away
lived in a part of his Father's house whose duty consisted in kee[ping]
all vessels and boats passing up the  the River towards the port of 
Providence and elsewhere at which station he served the most
of the time- that a portion of his services was as a minute anxc.
militia man that he was marched on to the Island of [illegible - Rhode]
Island in the latter charcter under Capt Joseph Wilkinsorthe
in the fall of 1781 and remained there one month with

1-
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a man by the name of Randall took his place as a substitute at that
station for another month which ended his service- that the whole term
of time from the commencement of his service to the close was about two
years and six months, the most of which time and as he is confident to
the full extent of two years he served as above stated - that the post
above referred] to at Warwick neck is the same whence the gallant
Barton sailed to capture, Genl Prescott and to which he returned with
his prisoner - that he saw him both going and returning at his Father's
house - that until recently he was not made acquainted with 
the provisions of the act of Congress of June 7. 1832 and the constructions
given it, but had suppond that to entitle a soldier to a pension
he must have served upon his own enlistment and not as a 
substitute -  and that is was also me pay to establish the service. Pay to testimony of some
person knowing to it - that said Spooner has been dead many years and 
he knows of no person who could testify to his services or any past thereof-
that he refers to the Deposition of Keil Carpenter Esq. as being the
most direct testimony that he has been able to produce as fact and
to the same and the certificate of the Hon. Isaac Fletcher
and the Revd Reuben H Deming for testimonials of his 
character - that for about thirty four years past he has resided in
Lyndon Vermont and most of the time previously since the Revolution
has resided in Providence Rhode Island, that he has no record of
his age but that his Father formerly had a family record which
was burnt many years since in his dwelling house

I hereby relinquish my claim whatever to a  pension or annuity.  ex
et   the present and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of 
agency of any State/ - Jeames Shermon

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid - 
Saml Tias Judge of Probate
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I Abel Carpenter of Lyndon in the County of Caledonia
and State of Vermont aged nearly eighty two years a Lieutenant
in the Army of the Revolution in the Rhode Island Regiment
depose and say that I am well acquainted with James Shearmon
Esq. residing in said Lyndon and have been personally acquainted
with him about thirty four years- that I have for many yea[rs]
heard him tell of having been with the guard stationed at
Warwick neck in the State of Rhode Island in the Revolutionary
War, that although I have no personal knowledge of the Services
of said Shearman referred to yet it was a matter of public notoriety
at the time, that a guard was stationed at said Warwick neck
most if not all of the time, during the war. that said Shearman is
a man of good reputation for truth, and that in my opinion
the testimony of the said Shearmon is entitled to full credit-
Abel Carpenter
Lyndon April 22d 1836
State of Vermont, Caledonia Ss-
Sworn and subscribed this 22d day of April A.D. 1836
     Before me George C. Cahoon Justice of the Peace
I certify that Abel Carpenter the above Deponent is a credible
person and that his testimony is entitled to full credit-
George C Cahoon Justice Peace

W. Isaac Fletcher An Attorney. Counsellor and Solicitor of the Superior
Court of Vermont residing in the town of Lyndon in the County of Caledonia
and State of Vermont and Reuben H. Deming a Clergyman
residing in the same Lyndon hereby certify that we are well
acquainted with James Shearman Esqr. of said Lyndon who
on the annexed leaf is making application for a pension for services
in the Revolutionary War, and that we have been personally
acquainted with him for more than twenty years, that he is now
a magistrate, and a man of good reputation for truth
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that we believe him to be over seventy one years of age - that he
reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have
been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that
opinion - Isaac Fletcher
R.H. Deming

Sworn and subscribed this 25th
day of April A.D. 1836.
Before me     George C Cahoon Justice Peace

State of Vermont       } County Clerks Office
Caledonia County Ss } Danville April 25th AD 1836
 
I Samuel B. Mattocks Clerk of
the County Court of the County and
State aforesaid do hereby Certify that
George C. Cahoon Esq is a justice of
the Peace in and for the County
aforesaid, duly commissioned and qualified, that his 
commission is dated the tenth day of November 1835
and will expire on the last day of November
1836; and that his Signature above written is
genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereunto
Set my hand & affixed the Seal of Said Court
this 25th day of April AD 1836 
Saml B. Mattock, Clerk

And the Said Court of Probate 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 R.H. Deming who
had Signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman
resident in the town of Lyndon and that Isaac
Fletcher Esq. who has also signed the Same is a
resident in the same Lyndon & is a credible person
and that their statement is entitled to credit.
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I Samuel B. Mattocks Register of the Court
of Probate aforesaid, do hereby certify that the
foregoing contains the original proceedings of the 
Said Court in the matter of the application of 
James Sherman for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto
Set my hand and Seal of office this
25th day of April AD. 1836.
Saml B. Mattocks
Register