Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 9535, for Richard Shortridge, New Hampshire
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(3-1776)

SERVICE
New Hampshire

Shortridge, Richard
                   Lois

NUMBER
R9535
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V289
Lois Shortridge
Wid of Richard
N H
Act 7 July 1838


9535
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Declaration,
In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7th July, 1838, entitled "An Act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows."
United States of America
District of New Hampshire} sct. 
On this ninth day of August, in the year of Our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and thirty eight, personally appeared before the Honourable Matthew Harvey, Judge of the District Court of the United States of America for the district of New Hampshire, at a special district court holden at Portsmouth in said district, in the day aforesaid, Lois Shortridge, a resident of Portsmouth aforesaid, aged seventy four years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress, passed July 7th 1838, entitled "An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows": 
That she is the widow of Richard Shortridge, who was a private soldier in his father, Captain Richard Shortridge's company in one of the New Hampshire
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Regiment, that the other officers of said company, when they marched from Portsmouth, N.H. was 1st Lieut. Thomas Chandler, 2nd Lieut. John Hunking and Ensign Richard Wear (Weare), & Orderly Sergeant Samuel Broughton: - That my said husband was very young when he enlisted, and was taken by his father as his Waiter; - She thinks the company left home in 1776 and marched first to Bunker Hill and afterwards to Saratoga, Ticonderoga and Lake Champlain: - That my husband's father the aforesaid Captain Richard Shortridge died at a place called Chimney Point in July 1778, after which event my husband was adopted by eight Colonel Poor or Col'o McDuffee or McFee as his waiter: - that my husband remained in the service for upwards of Two years, she thinks for three or four years. 
She further declares that she was married to the said Richard Shortridge at Portsmouth on the first day of June seventeen hundred & eighty eight: - 
That her late husband, the aforesaid Richard Shortridge died on the fourth day of June Eighteen hundred and eleven: That she was not of course married to him
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to him prior to his leaving the service but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January seventeen hundred and ninety four, namely at the time above stated: As will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed. 
/s/Lois Shortridge 
Subscribed and sworn to on the day, month and year first before written, before me,
/s/Charles W Cutter Clerk
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United States of America
Newhampshire ss - 
[court seal affixed] At a District Court of the United States begun and holden at Portsmouth within and for the District of Newhampshire on the ninth day of August AD 1838 present the Hon. Matthew Harvey Judge of said Court the within mentioned Lois Shortridge appeared in open Court and made the within declaration upon oath. I also certify that William B. Parker Esquire is a magistrate as named in the depositions annexed, and that I believe the signatures to be genuine. In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of said Court this ninth day of August AD 1838 - 
/s/Charles W. Cutter Clerk
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Town Clerk's Office
Portsmouth N.H. 7th Augt 1838
I John Bennett Clerk of the Town of Portsmouth in the County of Rockingham and State of New Hampshire hereby certify: - That the following is an extract from the record kept for recording marriages in said town of Portsmouth Viz.
"Mr. Richard Shortridge and Miss Lois Ham both of Portsmouth were married by the Rev'd Joseph Buckminster first June seventeen hundred eight eight." as appears by the record. 
I John Bennett Clerk of the aforesaid Town, of Portsmouth hereby certify, that the above is a true extract from the original records of said Town, with the exception of the date, which is expressed on the record in fair legible letters and figures, as follows: 
"1 June 1788" /s/John Bennett, Town Clerk
I John Bennett above named, depose and say: - That I hold the office of Clerk of Portsmouth in the County and State aforesaid, and that the above is a true extract from the records of said town of Portsmouth with the exception above named, as certified by me. 
/s/John Bennett
Sworn before me, the day month and year first above written
/s/Wm. B. Parker Notary Public
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I Sarah Ann Adams, widow of William P. Adams Esq. testify, depose and say, that I am the second eldest child of Richard and Lois Shortridge: - 
That my father the aforesaid Richard Shortridge died at Portsmouth N.H. on or about the fourth day of June 1811; and my Mother, the aforesaid Lois Shortridge, has resided with me ever since that period: - That she has never since intermarried, but remains still the widow of said Richard Shortridge. The word second substituted for eldest before signing.
/s/Sarah Ann Adams
State of New Hampshire
Rockingham County} ss
Portsmouth 7th August 1838. Subscribed & sworn to, the day month and year last aforewritten, before me; I also certify that this affiant, is, in my opinion, a credible & respectable witness.
[notarial seal affixed] In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & affixed my Notarial seal. 
/s/Wm. B. Parker, Notary Public.
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I John Rollins of Alton in the county of Strafford and State of New-Hampshire a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States now in the eighty-third year of my age depose and say that I entered the service of the United States in the Revolutionary War on the eighth day of June 1775 in a company over which [illegible: torn paper] about ten days after), Richard Shortridge of Portsmouth who w[illegible: torn paper] appointed Captain That said Shortridge's Company belonged to the Regiment Commanded by Colonel Enoch Poor That said Shortridge served in the capacity aforesaid in said Poor's Regiment until he ['death' crossed out] died at a place called Chimney-Point opposite Crown Point in the state of New York after said Poor's Regiment Returned from Canada That said Shortridge died of the small pox at said Chimney Point in June or July AD 1776
I further depose and say that Richard Shortridge a son of the Captain above mentioned Entered the service at the same time with his Father at Winter Hill - That he served in the capacity of waiter to Captain Shortridge up to the time of the Death of his Father the said Captain Shortridge; and that after the death of his Father he served as a private soldier in said Company until the term of my enlistment expired in December AD 1[illegible: torn paper] at which time I left the said Shortridge with ['with' crossed out] the Army at Mount Independence in the state of New York 
/s/John Rollins 
State of New Hampshire
Strafford County ss On this fifth day of December A.D. 1838 before the subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and for said County of Strafford personally appeared the above named John Rollins and made Oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true
And I certify that character of the said John Rollins for [illegible] is good
/s/John Evans Justice of the Peace
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State of New Hampshire
Strafford County ss.
I Francis Cogswell Clerk of the Superior court for said County hereby certify that John Evans, Jonathan T. Coffin and Francis Cogswell are Magistrates as is mentioned on the annexed affidavits and that I believe the signatures purporting to be theirs are genuine - 
[court seal affixed] Witness my Name and Seal of said Court this twentieth day of December AD 1838 - 
/s/F. Cogswell Clerk
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[typewritten letter]
L.W.B.
R. 9535
[dialog box: This Bureau can furnish the military of only such Revolutionary soldiers as were pensioned of whose widows were pensioned for their services. Such of the original muster and pay rolls of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 as are now in the possession of the Government are on file in the Record and Pension Office, War Department. Original rolls and other records
pertaining to service in the Revolutionary War may also be found on file in the archives of many of the original States.]
O. W. & N. DIV.
REVOLUTIONARY.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
WASHINGTON, D. C.,

August 14th, 1899.

Sir: -
In response to your recent communication you are advised that a very careful search of the Revolutionary war pension and bounty land records on file in this Bureau fails to reveal the name of Captain Richard Shortridge.
Lois, widow of one Richard Shortridge, made an application for pension on August 9th, 1838, at which time she was 74 years of age and residing at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In her application she alleges that her husband served as a private in a company commanded by his father, Richard Shortridge, and in the regiment commanded by Col. Poor, New Hampshire troops, Revolutionary war. He enlisted at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Length of his service not stated.

Very respectfully,
[blank] Commissioner. 

Mr. John H. Shortridge,
219 North 30th Street,
Philadelphia, Penna.
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[verso]
Aug 14 '99
Jno H. Shortridge Phila Pa

[recto]
['Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.' crossed out]
9535
P.O. Lois Shortridge
Service: [blank]
REJECTED
Enlisted: [blank], 18[blank]
Discharged: [blank], 18[blank]
Application filed: [blank], 18[blank]
Alleges: [blank]
Re-enlisted: [blank]
Attorney: [blank]
P.O. [blank]
[blank] Recognized. [blank] Contract
[blank] Cert. of Dis. Searched for [blank], 18[blank]
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V
Lois Shortridge
Wid of Richard NH
Let. WB: Parker Aug't 1838
Let to Hon. S. Cushman Mar 2d 1839. W. B. Parker 4 Apl 1839 - 
Act July 7.
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David Murray of Newmarket is my agent to [illegible] procure for me a Pension under act of July 7, 1838 as the Widow of Richard Shortridge. Dec 26 1838
/s/Lois Shortridge
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I Rama Emery of Dover County of Strafford and State of New Hampshire aged Eighty four years and upwards a Revolutionary Pensioner depose and say That I Entered the Revolutionary Army In May 1775 under Captain Jonathan Wentworth in Col. Enoch Poor's Regt. I further depose and say that Captain Richard Shortridge of Portsmouth Commanded a Company in said Regt from June 1775 until June 1776 when he died at a Place Called Chimney Point in New York of the Small Pox. I further depose and say said Captain Shortridge had a son of the same name with him as his waiter from the time he entered the Service until he died at Chimney Point aforesaid after Col. Poor's Regt had returned from Canada. I further depose and say that after the death of Captain Shortridge his son he said Richard service a private soldier in said Company until some time in October 1776 At which time I left Mount independence and went to New Jersey and left said Richard Shortridge in the Service & Mount Independence. I further depose and say that I was well acquainted with said Richard Shortridge while in the service and up to the time of his death at Portsmouth New Hampshire - 
/s/Rama Emery
State of New Hampshire
Strafford ss. Subscribed and sworn to this 20th Dec 1838 by the above named Emery who I believe is entitled to full credit as a witness - 
Before me /s/F. Cogswell Jus Peace
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I Ephraim Tibbets of Barnstead in the county of Strafford and State of New Hampshire aged Eighty four years and upwards depose and say that I am a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States - That I was acquainted, while in the service, with Richard Shortridge of Portsmouth New Hampshire. He belonged to a company Company Commanded by his Father Captain John (I think his given name was) Shortridge of said Portsmouth attatched  to the Regt. under Col. Enoch Poor. Said Richard Shortridge was in said Company when Poor's Regt left Winter Hill for New York soon after the Brittish evacuated Boston in the Spring of 1776; and went in said Company to New York - Thence to Albany - Thence to Lake Champlain - Thence to Point Surell (Sorel) in Low Canada; and then retreated to Mount Independence where said Regt tarried about three months. I belonged to a Company commanded by Jonathan Wentworth of Somersworth NH attached said Poor's Regt and marched and from the place above named, and saw said Richard Shortridge from the time he left Winter Hill until the Army on the retreat arrived to Crown Point some time in July 1776 about  which time I was sent across Lake George to work at the house carpenter business, and remained there about three months building Barracks when I was sent for to join the Army at Mount Independence. During the time I was acquainted with said Richard Shortridge his being very young served in the capacity of Waiter to his Father said Captain Shortridge
/s/Ephraim Tibbets
State of New Hampshire
Strafford County ss} On this nineteenth day of September 1838 personally appeared before the subscriber a Justice of Peace in and for said county of Strafford, the said Ephraim Tibbets and made oath that the above affidavit by him subscribed is true. And I further certify that his character for truth is good
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State of New Hampshire
Strafford County ss On this nineteenth day of September AD 1838, before the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County of Strafford personally appeared the within named Ephraim Tibbets and made oath that the within affidavit by him subscribed is true; and I certify that the character of said Ephraim Tibbets for truth is good
/s/Jon'a Coffin Jus Peace
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[handwritten letter]
[margin note: O W & N] 
Philadelphia April 1st 1899
219 North 20th St

Commissioner of Pensions

Dear Sir,
My Ancestor and great grandfather Captain Richard Shortridge of Portsmouth New Hampshire Served in the Revolutionary War. he raised the first Company for the War in Portsmouth which was the 10th Company 2nd New Hampshire, Colonel Enoch Poor's Continental Line; he was Commissioned Captain June 18, 1775, and was in the Siege of Boston, in December he and the majority of the Company re-enlisted and after the Evacuation of Boston by the British he went with
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[handwritten letter-continued]
the Expedition to Canada, he died at Crown Point July 8, 1776. his widow was granted a Pension. She re-married July 9, 1783 John Donaldson of Portsmouth. Can you give me a full Statement of Captain Richard Shortridge Services, and a Record of the Pension?
Yours Truly, 
/s/John H. Shortridge per L.E.S.
[receipt stamp: U.S. PENSION OFFICE. H APR 4 1899]
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[receipt stamp: U.S. PENSION OFFICE. H APR 4 1899]