Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 34,489, for Robert Smiley, New Jersey
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(3-1776)

SERVICE

New Jersey

Smiley, Robert

NUMBER

S 34489
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See Letter to Th. L. Woodruff
June 17 1830 - Smiley is dead.

Notification dead the 7th July 1820, to Wm P. Deare Esq N. Brunswick N. J.

2091

New Jersey

Robert Smiley

Capt. Pyatt

Private

Jersey Line

In the army of the United States during the Revolutionary War.

Inscribed on the Roll of New Jersey - at the rate of 8 Dollars per month to commence on the 10 of April 1818

Certificate of Pension issued the 6 of Aug. 1818 and sent to Wm P. Deare Esq. New Brunswick - NJ.

Arrearages to 4th Sept. 1818
4 mos 25/30th                                      $38.66

{Revolutionary claims Act 18th March, 1818}

[checkmark] 3 years
Confirmed
South Brunswick
Middlesex
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Robert Smiley

2091

Sept. 1818
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SCHEDULE

State of New Jersey
Middlesex County ss.

On this Twentieth day of June 1820, personally appeared in open court, in the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county of Middlesex in said state, being a Court of Record, proceeding according to the course of the common law with jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount, keeping a record of its proceedings, Robert Smiley, aged sixty four years resident in said county who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath, declare, that he served in the Revolutionary war as follows:

In the first Jersey Regiment commanded by Col. Dayton - that he made a Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of March 18, 1818 in April of the same year and that his pension certificate is No. 2091

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 in any manner, disposed of my property, or any part thereof, with intent thereby so 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, contacts, or debts, due to me; nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed. 

Schedule

1 old weaver loom Flakliny. 1 table, 1 pot, 1 kettle, a little crockery & earthen ware, 1/2 doz knives & forks. one tong, 12 bowls

And I do further declare that my wife is about seventy years of age and very infirm, cannot walk without assistance - that I am crippled and  infirm from an injury received some years since, on the wrist of my right hand am incapable of obtaining a living by labour, and that I have no children living with me nor have I any trade or occupation

Robert Smiley

Sworn to, and declared and subscribed on the day aforesaid

Robert M. Chancey,  Presiding Judge

I, William P. Deare, clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the county of Middlesex - do hereby certify, that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the record of the said court; and I do further certify, that it is the opinion of the said court, that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is Ten dollars and -- cents.  In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said court, on this twentieth day of June 1820.

Wm. P. Deare Clk
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Additional Testimony
Case of 
Robert Smiley

Jersey Line

To the case of Wm P. Deare New Brunswick
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Additional evidence in the case of Robert Smiley  of New Jersey claiming to be entitled to a pension under the 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" 

State of New Jersey
Middlesex Co.

Nicholas Stillwell of the County of Hunterdon in the state of New Jersey being duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith that he is acquainted with Robert Smiley the applicant that he has always understood that the said Robert Smiley was a soldier in the Army of the Revolution in the Jersey line and that he served till the conclusion of the war, and this deponent further saith that some few years after Peace he purchased from said Smiley his right to one hundred acres of land allowed by Congress to the soldiers of the Revolution - that the said Robert smiley furnished this deponent with the documents and as far as deponents recollects with his discharge - which papers deponent presented at the
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= has offices there in Philadelphia and received a warrant for the land accordingly. [signed] Nicholas Stillwell
Sworn & subscribed this 27th July 1818 before me Thomas Hance one of the Judges of Middlesex pleas
The aforesaid Nicholas Stillwell further deposeth and saith that he is well acquainted with the circumstances of the applicant Robert Smiley and knows him to be a person in indigent circumstances, and so stand in need of assistance from his country for support [signed] Nicholas Stillwell
Sworn & subscribed this 27th day of July 1818 before me [signed] Thos Hance Judge
I certify that from the testimony above set forth as well as  my own knowledge that Robert Smiley is in indigent circumstances and stands in need of assistance from his country for support. [signed] Thos Hance, Judge July 27, 1818
I William P Deare clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Middx County certify that Thomas Hance Esq above named is a Judge of said Court duly commissioned & sworn 
Witness my hand & the seal of said Court this 27th July 1818 [signed] Wm P. Deare Clk
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Robt Smiley
1st Jersey Regt.

not to be found on the New Jersey Register.

[illegible signature at bottom of page]
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State of New Jersey Middlesex County ss
On this tenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen before me the subscriber one of the Judges of the Court of Common pleas of the County of Middlesex in New Jersey personally appears Robert Smiley a resident in the township of South Brunswick in the County and State aforesaid aged sixty years, who being by me first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath [crossed out word] , make the following declaration, in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress entitled "An Act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval services of the United States in the Revolutionary War"
That he the said Robert Smiley enlisted about the year Seventeen hundred and eighty at Elizabeth Town in New Jersey in the company commanded by Captn William Pyatt in in the first Jersey Regiment commanded by Col. Ogden on the continental establishment; that he continued to serve in the said Regiment until the end of the War when he was discharged from service at Smiths Clove near NewBurgh in the State of New York - that he was
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in the battle at York Town and capture of Cornwallis - and that he is now in such reduced circumstances of life as to need assistance from his country for support - and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his services save that of his neighbour Garret Williamson.
[signed] Robert Smiley
This deponant further saith that he has [illegible word] a resident Citizen of the United States and that from his reduced circumstances he is need of assistance from his country for support [signed] Robert Smiley
Sworn to and declared before me the day & year aforesaid - Thos Hance
Middlesex County ss: Garret Williamson of the county of Middlesex & State of New Jersey being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that he was during the revolutionary war acquainted with Robert Smiley the applicant and that he the said Robert did serve as a soldier on the continental establishment. [signed] Garret Williamson
Sworn & subscribed this 10th April 1818 before me - Thos Hance
I Thomas Hance one of the Judges of the Court of Common pleas of the County of Middlesex in the State afod. do certify that it appears to my satisfaction that the said Robert=
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=Smiley the applicant did serve in the Revolutionary War as stated in the preceding declaration against the common enemy; and I now transmit the proceedings and testimony taken and had before me to the Secretary for the Department of War, pursuant to the directions to the aforementioned act of Congress - April 10th 1818 - Thos Hance
State of New Jersey Middlesex County ss
I William P Deare clerk of the Court of Common pleas of Middlesex County certify that Thomas Hance Esq. above named is a Judge of said Court
Witness my hand & the seal of said Court this tenth day of April Eighteen hundred and eighteen.  Wm P. Deare Clk Middx
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[typed form] 3-525 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF PENSIONS. Washington, D. C., [blank space], 19[blank space]
[handwritten to the left] S. F. 34489
In reply to your request of [blank space], received [blank space] for a statement of the military history of Robert Smiley [name handwritten in blank space] 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.
[table]
| DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. | LENGTH OF SERVICE. | RANK. | OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. | STATE. |
|  |  |  |  CAPTAIN. | COLONEL. |  |
[handwritten entries]
| 1780 | to end of war | Pvt. | William Pratt | Ogden | N. J.|
|  |  |  |  |  Dayton |  |
[several blank lines]
Battles engaged in, Yorktown [handwritten]
Residence of soldier at enlistment, enlisted at Elizabethtown N. J. [handwritten]
Date of application for pension, Apr. 10 1818 His [illegible word] [handwritten]
Residence at date of application, Twp of South Brunswick, Middlesex Co, N. J. [handwritten]
Age at date of application, 60 years [handwritten]
Remarks: [all the following handwritten] In 1820 he stated that his wife was about 70 years old name not given and that there were no children living with him. There is no other data on file as to his family. The only soldier of that name found on the Rev War records of this Bu.
Respectfully, Commissioner.
d-285G
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[large initial H in old English script in upper left corner]
Sanborn La. May 25th, 1917
Department of the interior
Dear Sir
I wrote to you the 23rd of this month asking if a Thomas Smiley received pension. but since I find it was a "Robert Smiley instead of Thomas. Robert Smiley served six or seven years in the Rev. war I wanted to see if he applied
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or received a pension. I am looking for records. his wifes maiden name was Rhoda Boyd. I hope this will not make you extra work. hope to find something. and to hear from you soon.
Yours Very Respectfully.
Harriet M. Horton
[circular stamp in the upper right corner covering a portion of the above text] US PENSION OFFICE MAY 31 1917
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34489 [handwritten]
Revy [handwritten] INVALID.
File No. [following are hand-written entries] 34,489 Robert Smiley Pri Rev War
Act: 18th March 18 [date is handwritten; year not legible] , Page 382 [handwritten]
(Arrangement of 1870)
[checkmark in lower right corner]
[handwritten at top of facing page] 1917 June 4 Hist. to Harriet M. Horton