Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 9499, for Lewis Sherrill, North Carolina
Page 1

(3-1776)

SERVICE N.C.
Sherrill, Lewis
NUMBER R. 9499.
__________________________________________________
CONTENTS
[blank]
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9499
Lewis Sherrill
of 
South Carolina


[illegible]


7.5.9.
Jno. 1.v.4.5.6.7
Let. Hon J. R. Griffin
Feby 13 1833


Pen 243
Rejected. See let 8 Nov:
1832 to
Van A Lawhon
Anderson
N C
Page 3

BRIEF in the case of Lewis Sherrill of Anderson District in the State of South Carolina
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

1. Was the declaration made before a Court of a Judge?  Court

2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? [blank]

3. How old is he?  71

4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.

_________________
[table with the following headers: Period. (In.) | Duration of Service (Years, Months, Days,) | Rank (As a) | Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served (Gen.) | ]
______________________

"That he was In actual service exceeding 2 Years in the whole during the Revolutionary War" | Pri ~ | Genl McDowell, Capt Levitis, Col Bovard



5. In what battles was he engaged? skirmishes with Indians

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Burke County North Carolina

7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?  Traditionary

8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? [illegible] dates of service omitted & no signatures of the Clerk, neither date

I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.


[illegible signature] Examining Clerk.
Page 4

Lewis Sherrill
Page 5

The State of South Carolina
Anderson District.
On the twenty seventh day of September, one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open Court, being the Court of general Sessions. and common Pleas for said District Lewis Sherrell [sic: Sherrill]. a resident of said District aged seventy [strikethrough] years on the fourteenth day of April last who being first duly sworn according to law on his oath makes the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 - That he entered the service of the United States, at the age of eighteen under General McDowell in Burke County, North Carolina where he then resided; in Captain Levitt's Company, [crossed out: and also under General Brevard till the close of the War.] at the close of his services under said officer he immediately commenced service again under [crossed out: General] ^Colonel^ Brevard in whose service he continued throughout the whole struggle. During this period your petitioner was engaged in several little skirmishes with the Cherokee Indian[s] on the frontier of said State but in no celebrated engagement which he deems worthy of recording - . In the former of these services he was regularly drafted. and in the latter he served as a volunteer, under General Brevard: from whom he received a discharge. He has no documentary evidence and knows of no person now alive by whom he can prove his services.

His name is not on the pension Roll of any agency whatever, and he hereby relinquishes his claims to any pension or annuity whatever except the present.

C.C.P
Page 6

[crossed out: sworn to and subscribed]
This Deponent is satisfied that he was in actual service exceeding two years in the whole during the Revolutionary War.

Sworn to in open Court. 
S/Van A Lawhon 
C.C.P.
S/ Lewis Sherrill
Page 7

We S. Vandin a Clergyman residing in Anderson District and J C. Griffin residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Lewis Sherrell [sic: Sherrill] who as subscribed, and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be [blank] years of age; that he is reputed, and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier. of the revolution. and we concur in that opinion.
S/Sanford Vandin
S/ James C Griffin


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 mentioned applicant was a revolutionary soldier, and served as he states; and the court further certifies that it appears to them that Sanford Vandiver [sic: Vandin] who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman, resident in Anderson. and that J. C. Griffin who has also signed the same is a resident in Anderson, and is a credible person. and that their statement is entitled to credit. as appears from the certificate of those in whom I have implicit confidence
S/Richard Garett


I Van A. Lawhon Clerk of the said court of Anderson do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Lewis Sherrell [sic: Sherrill] for a pension. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and seal of office this [blank]
S/Van A. Lawhon
C. C. P.
Page 8

Lewis Sherrill
1832
______

S C. - Rj'd [rejected]
Page 9

State of Georgia }
County of Cass County }

Be it Known, that on this fifth day of August A. D. 1853 before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, personally appeared (1) Mahala Sherrill - resident of (2) Stilesboro in said County, and made oath according to law that (3) She is the legal heir of the Identical man who was a Soldier in the war of the Revolution, and who has heretofore made application for the benefit of the Pension Act of (4) [blank] that (5) She is directly interested as a claimant in said pension and makes this affidavit to be filed with such additional evidence or arguments as my Agent may use in prosecuting said claim.

Countermanding and revoking all Powers of Attorney, and authority heretofore given, I hereby constitute and appoint SAMUEL M. KNIGHT, of Washington City, my true and lawful Attorney, to prosecute the claim of (6) Lewis Sherril [sic: Sherrill] for any amount of Revolutionary Pension, or increase of Pension that may be due; and I hereby authorize my said Attorney to examine all papers or documents in relation to said claim on file in the Department at Washington City, or elsewhere, to file additional evidence or arguments, and to receive for my exclusive benefit, the certificate which may be issued for said claim, which certificate I wish made payable at the Washington City, D. C. Agency; to appoint one or more substitutes under him for the purposes herein expressed, and to do all things that I might or could do were I personally present. Hereby ratifying and confirming all that my said Attorney and Agent shall lawfully do in the premises.
(7) S/Mahala Sherrill

Sworn to Subscribed and Acknowledged before me the day and year above written, and I hereby certify that I believe the said (8) Mahala Sherrill to be directly interested in said claim as set forth, and to be the identical party therein alleged.
(9) S/Wm L Crow J P


State of Georgia }
County of Cass }
It is hereby Certified, that satisfactory evidence has been exhibited before me, Clerk of the Court of Superior Court that Mahala Sherrill the party who has sworn to, and acknowledged the foregoing Declaration and Power of Attorney is the (10) child of the reputed soldier aforesaid. I further certify, that (11) William L. Crow Esq. before whom the preceding affidavit and Power of Attorney were made and acknowledged, was, at the time of so doing, a Justice of the Peace, in and for said County, and that the signature purporting to be his, I believe to be genuine.

[seal]
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal of Office, this Sixteenth day of August 1853
(12) S/Humphry W Cobb Clk
_______________________________________

1. Claimant's name or names in full. - 2. Post Office address. 3. "That he is the identical man," or "that she is the widow of the identical man," or, "that he or she is the legal heir of the identical man," &c, &c. 4. Leave this line blank. - 5. "He is," "she is," or "they are," - 6. Revolutionary soldier's full name. - 7. Claimant's signature. - 8. Claimant's name. - 9. Magistrate's signature. 10. "Identical," "widow of," or, "child of." - 11. Magistrate's name. - 12. Clerk's signature.

N. B. - Should two or more heirs join in the foregoing, the plural should be substituted for the singular number.
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December 6, 1933
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lewis Sherrill - R. 9499
BA-J/AWF  om

Alice Dent

Salem, Missouri

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your request for the Revolutionary War record of Lewis Sherrill.

The data furnished herein were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, R.9499, based upon the Revolutionary War service of Lewis Sherrill.

He was born April 14, 1761 in Burke County, North Carolina; names of his parents are not shown in the claim.

Lewis Sherrill stated that while residing in said Burke County, when eighteen years of age, he enlisted and served under Captain Smith, Colonels Brevard and McDowell, in the North Carolina troops, was in several skirmishes with the Cherokee Indians, and served until the surrender of Cornwallis.

After the Revolution he moved to Laurens District, South Carolina, where he lived two or three years, and moved to Anderson District, South Carolina. He applied for pension, September 27, 1832, while living in said Anderson District.

The claim was not allowed as he did not prove that he rendered six months' service in a regularly organized military corps, as was required by the pension law.

In 1853, Mahala Sherrill, the soldier's daughter was living in Stilesboro, Cass County, Georgia. There are no further data in this claim in regard to the family of Lewis Sherrill.

Very truly yours

A. D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrator
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[left side, written sideways]
1930-Dec. 3- Hist to Mrs. Wm. T. Hefley awf
1933-Dec. 6-  "    "    Alice Dent awf


[right side]

[crossed out: Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 8, 1873.]

9499.
P. O.  Lewis Sherrill
Service: _______________________
[stamp: REJECTED]

Enlisted: ____________________, 18
Discharged: _________________, 18

Application filed: _________________, 18

The printed list of 1852 shows reasons for suspension -

Alleges: ______________________________
Re-enlisted: ______________________________
"He did not serve in any regularly organized corps"
Attorney: _____________________
P. O. ________________________________

___________ Recognized. ________________ Co
______________ Cert. of Dis.   Searched for __________, 1
Page 12

S.C.

Van A. Lawhon. ~
8th. Novr. 1833 - 
O. O.
~~~~~~~~~~








Re. vol. 16s 
pa 390
Page 13

Department of War
P O
Nov 8 1833

Sir
The amended declaration, and other papers of Lewis Sherrill and William Harper have been received.

Their claims have been attentively examined and it appears from the evidence in their cases, that the service alleged to have been performed by the claimants was principally, if not exclusively, that of patrol duty, and occasional conflicts with the Tories - that it was a service performed in accordance with that system of domestic police which the frequent assaults of the Tories and other dissaffected persons rendered necessary for the mutual protection of their lives and properties - that [crossed out: much] much of his time was spent in the partizan warfare in which all good citizens alike participated whether members of militia companies or not.

Under this view of the subject, their claims have been rejected, and their papers placed upon the files of this office.


Van A. Lawhon
Clk. at. Anderson Dist.
S. Co.
Page 14

Lewis Sherrill
of 
South Carolina










M M Norton
Page 15

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Lewis Sherrill  which require further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides:   does

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides:   did

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?  [blank]

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served?   Has Not.

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?   Has Not

VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations?   Has

VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832?   Has

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion?   Have

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate?  Has Not.

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?  Has
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2

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?  Has

XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it?  [blank]

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?  Has

XIV. If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility?
Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office?  [blank]

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?  [blank]

XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct?  Are

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And if not, which of them is not so answered?  1. 2. 4. 5. 6. 7

_________________________________

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."
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3

It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which the applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to the grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase [italics] about three or four months [end italics] is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable.

QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.

In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which be belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.

QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.

In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticated the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the end of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.
Page 18

The State of South Carolina
Before me the undersigned Notary Public and Ex Officio a Justice of the Quorum in and for the District of Anderson
Personally appeared Capt. Lewis Sherrell [sic: Sherrill] who after being duly sworn deposeth and saith that from old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively to the date or times of entering the service nor the exact length of time he service in the Revolutionary War, but from the best of his recollection In the 1779 he turned out [underline] Volunteer [/underline] under Col. Brevard of Burke County in North Carolina, and in the fall of the year he thinks the same Fall after the Battle of Ramsours Mill [Battle of Ramsour's Mill, June 20, 1780] - Col. Brevard was directed to raise  a Troop of Cavalry which he did & went with and commanded in person, they went up the South fork of the Catawba [River] in the neighborhood of the place where Ramsours [underline] Battle [/underline] was - We were [strikethrough] out in the Country against the Tories not less than Two ^months^ -. Afterwards a part of the Troop of which he was one went under Col. McDowall against the Cherokee Indians and went to the Valley Towns - by several Towns before they got there - They killed some warriors and took some prisoners - He was out on this expedition not less than one month - Then afterwards he was with Col. Brevard in the County of Burke until peace was made except at times he was out - One time he recollects when Cornwallis - came thro' North Carolina they pursued him or rather was stationed at the several Fords on the Catawba [River]
Page 19

Cornwallis [General Charles Lord Cornwallis] - crossed at Beatys Ford, this deponent was at the Buffalo Shoals he heard the firing at Beattys ford when Cornwallis crossed - after he had crossed those who were with deponent were sent home to prepare to follow Cornwallis. Deponent went home 6 or 7 miles and prepared the next or day after went & pursued Cornwallis [General Charles Lord Cornwallis] to South Yadkin [River, North Carolina] there they met old Genl. McDowall - and Col. Brevard & his men were sent home or back to guard the frontiers [.] deponent was in the service with Col. Brevard who commanded the Troop & was nearly constantly out until the Battle at York Town [Battle of Yorktown, September 28-October 19, 1781] and Surrender of Cornwallis where he was discharged - During this last service under Col. Brevard he was out and in actual service not less than six months but he thinks near a year [.] But he is very certain he served not less than nine months altogether and as a private and found his ow Horse and Gun. He does not know of a single person who can testify to his said services now living [.]

Answers to the Interrogatories, 1. He was born 14 Apl. 1761 in Burke County, in the State of North Carolina. 
2d. He has a copy from the Record in his Fathers Bible at his own house now in Anderson District - 
3d. He lived in Burk [sic: Burke] County in N.C. when called into service, and after
Page 20

the close of the war he moved into S. C. Lawrens County [sic: Laurens District], lived there two or three years he then moved to where [underline] he now lives, [/underline] in Anderson District 
4. He was a volunteer!
5. He cannot recollect the names of any regular officers he was with
6. He got discharges, but when he left North Carolina he left all his papers & does not know what become of them -
7. He believes there is no man living that is acquainted with him but would testify to his credibility. The most noted are Genl. J. B. Earle [,] 
Genl. Jos.N. Whitner, Col A. Rice, Col Norris - Van A. Lawhon Esq. Clk of the Court [,] James M, Kinney Shff., George E. W. Foster Esquire late Sheriff of the District
S/Lewis Sherrill

Sworn to & Subscribed the 25 October 1833 Before George E. W. Foster
Notary Public
& E. M 2. U.
Page 21

The State of South Carolina
Clerks Officer Anderson District.
I Van A. Lawhon Clerk of the Court of Sessions. and common pleas for Anderson District do hereby Certify that George E W Foster whose signature appears to and before whom the within attestation was made is an acting Notary Public and Ex Officio one of the Justices of the Quorum for Anderson District [,] that full faith and credit is due and given to his Official acts as such [.]

[seal]
In Testimony of which I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal at Office the twenty fifth day of October one thousand Eight hundred & thirty three & fifty Eighth year of American Independence -
S/Van A Lawhon
C.C.
Page 22

Salem, Missouri,
November 15, 1933.

Commissioner of Pensions,
Department of the Interior,
Washington, D.C.

Dear Sir:

Will you please inform me whether the names of Uriah Sherrill of North Carolina and of Lewis Sherrill of either North Carolina or South Carolina appear on government records as having served in the Revolutionary War?

I am seeking proof of service for these men in order to extend my membership papers in the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Thank you very much for any information.

Very truly yours,
Alice Dent

[round stamp: arrow pointing to 10:30
RECEIVED NOV 18 1933
MAIL SUB-DIV.
VETS. ADM. READER #65]

[round stamp: arrow pointing to 2:30
RECEIVED DEC 4 1933
MAIL SUB-DIV.
VETS. ADM. READER #65]
Page 23

915 Marion
Fort Worth, Texas, 
November 8, 1930.

The Commissioner of Pensions, 
Washington, D. C.

[round postal stamp: [illegible]
U. S.   Nov 11 1930
OFFICE]

Dear sirs:

I shall greatly appreciate it if you will be so kind as to give me what information your office has on the record of my Revolutionary ancestor [underline] Uriah Sherrill [/underline] (b Mar 1, 1728 m. 1753 to Judith Lewis and d. Nov. 27, 1779 - she probably drew pension till death in 1815). His sons numbered among them one [underline] Lewis Sherrill [/underline] b. April 14, 1761. - He received a land allotment perhaps, in S.C. - his family as late as 1840 or just prior to his death in 1840, (probably), was offered [underline] his [/underline] pension. Will you be kind enough to give his record?

I shall be deeply indebted to you for this information.

Very truly yours,
Gladys Walker Hefley
(Mrs. William T. Hefley)
Page 24

[letterhead] [official seal of Veterans Administration]
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION
WASHINGTON  [/letterhead]

November 27, 1933
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

IN REPLY REFFER TO:
BA-J/MLB

Alice Dent
Salem, Missouri

Dear Madam:

Reference is made to your letter in which you request information relative to Lewis and Uriah Sherrill, soldiers of the Revolutionary War.

Revolutionary War data furnished by this office are obtained from claims for pension and bounty land made to the United States based upon military service of soldiers in that war.

A careful search of the records fails to show such claims on file on account of the Revolutionary War service of any Uriah Sherrill (under any spelling of the surname).

In order to identify the record of the particular soldier named Lewis Sherrill, should it be on file, as much as possible of the following data in regard to him should be given: approximate dates of birth and death, places of residence at enlistment and after service and given name of widow.

Please return these letters with your reply.

Very truly yours
[signature]
A. D. HILLER
Assistant to Administrator

[hand written in margin:
Lewis Sherrill
born Apr. 14, 1761
died Dec. 16, 1840
was married on Feb. 17, 1783 to Mary Mason
The Sherrill home was in Lincoln (now Catawba) County, North Carolina.
Lewis Sherrill settled near Pendleton in Anderson District, South Carolina.

Thank you very much for any information you can send me.
Alice Dent]
Page 25

December 4, 1930

Rev. & 1812 Wars Section
AWF: MLB

Mrs. William T. Hefley
915 Marion
Fort Worth, Texas

Dear Madam:

You are advised that it appears from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, R. 9499, that Lewis Sherrill was born April 14, 1761 in Burke County, North Carolina.

He alleged that while residing in Burke County, North Carolina, when eighteen years of age, he enlisted and served under Captain Smith, Colonels Brevard and Mc Dowell and was in several skrimishes [sic: skirmishes] with the Cherokee Indians, no specific dates of service given.

He applied for pension September 27, 1832, at which time he was living in Anderson District, South Carolina, having moved there from Laurens County, South Carolina.

His claim was not allowed as he did not prove that he rendered six months service in a regularly organized military corps as was required by the pension law.

In 1853, Mahala Sherrill, the soldier's daughter, was living in Stilesboro, Cass County, Georgia.

There are no further family data.

Very truly yours

E. W. MORGAN 
Acting Commissioner