Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 9802, for John Smith, Virginia
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SERVICE
Penn.
Va.

Smith, John
Mary

NUMBER
R. 9802
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Pension Office
22d June 1853

Sir,
  The application of the heirs of Mary Smith Decd. widow of John of Kentucky has been received and filed under the Act of 7th July 1838.
   The evidence adduced is insufficient to entitle them to the increase claimed.  it is certain that at the time the claim was admitted, the proof was as good for two years, as it was for thirteen months - but a re-examination of the record, makes it evident the admission was then wrong.  The dates when John and Mary died, and the heirship of the children has not been proved by one of the witnesses.

F.F.C. Triplett Esqr.
Washington
D.C.
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Fayette County SS.  To All Whom it may Concern;

I Do hereby Certify that John Smith & Mary Stephens Came before me the Subscriber one of the Commonwealth Justices for foresd. County &  Were Lawfully Joined in Marriage this thirtifirst Day of March A.D. 1785

John Allen
State of Pennsylvania
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Washington City, May 22nd 1854

Hon L P Waldo,

   I enclose herewith a letter received from George Smith Esq. of Versailles Ky, authorizing me to prosecute the claim of the heirs of John Smith of Ky admitted under act 1832 admitted.  I am aware that there is no claim for the widow she having died prior to 16 Aug 1842, I would, however, ask if the heirs are not entitled to an increase for the services of their father for his first period of services.

I am Very Respectfully
Your Obt Svt

A.H. Markland
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Woodford County Kentucky  SS

Lucinda Bigwood of Said County aged 38 years being sworn makes this following declaration.
   That Mary Smith the widow of John Smith deceased a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States died in this county as she believes on the 2nd day of August One thousand Eight hundred and thirty Eight (1838) at the residence of her Son John Smith having remained the widow of her husband the said John Smith the pensioner and never married again after his death.
   She recollects that the death of the above named Mary Smith took place at the time stated above from the fact that she, this declarant, was then living at Colonel Zachary Whites in this county; in whose family there were several sick at the time.
   The wife of John Smith the son of John and Mary Smith above named is sister of this declarant and they sent for me to come up
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to them on account of the old lady being so sick and they not expecting her to live; but owing to the sickness in the family of Colonel White as mentioned above I could not go.
   I remember very well that Lucy Jane White died before Mrs. Smith named above; and her death took place on the 17th day of July - Eighteen hundred and thirty Eight (1838) as I remember very distinctly and that Mrs Smith died not many days afterwards  And I state further that the said Mary Smith left at her death the following named her surviving and only surviving children
1.  Nancy intermarried with Daniel Bell
2.  Mary Smith
3.  John Smith.
This I state from my acquaintance with the family and agreeing with what I have always heard and believed.
   And I further state that I am a disinterested witness
   Witness my hand and Seal in Woodford County Ken
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-tucky on this 11th day of March, AD 1853
    Lucinda Bigwood

   Sworn to and Subscribed before me a justice of the peace in and for said county on the day and year above written and I do certify that said Lucinda Bigwood has been known to me for many years as a lady of undoubted truth and veracity  I believe her to be of the age she calls herself and to be a disinterested witness
   The word "took" was interlined before signing
   B.W. Twyman J.P.

State of Kentucky Woodford County  Sct
I Herman Bowmar Clerk of the County Court for said County do certify that Broadezal Twyman whose genuine signature appears to the foregoing certificate is and was at the date thereof a Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly commissioned and sworn.
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and affixed the seal of said 
Court at Versailles this 12th day of March
1852  
Herman Bowmar  Clk
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(bold, large print) Know all men by these Presents, (end) That I, John Smith of Woodford County Kentucky one of the sons of Mary Smith deceased and John Smith deceased who died in said County on the first day of October, 1834 and who was a pensioner of the United States at the time of his death on Kentucky Agency and who was a Soldier in the Army of the Revolution, do hereby consitute and appoint F.F.C. Triplett my true and lawful Attorney for me and in my name to prosecute against the Government of the United States, before any Department thereof, any and all claim or claims I have to arrears of pay or Pension money, under any Act or Acts, Revolution or Resolutions, of the Congress of the United States, and especially the Acts 4th July 1836, 7th July, 1838, 3d March, 1843, 17th June, 1844, 2d February, 1848 and 29th July, 1848 - as well as the more ancient Acts of 18th March, 1818, 15th May, 1828 and 7th June, 1832.
   Said Attorney is moreover authorised in my name to demand at any Department of the said Government, a re-consideration of any decision hitherto or hereafter to be given, touching my interests, and to obtain from any Department or the archives thereof, any and all information or evidence of whatever character relating to or in anywise bearing upon the claim or claims we hereby seek the investigation of.
   Said Attorney is moreover authorised to any and all things necessary to carry out the foregoing purposes, and to receive the Certificates of Pension or other character of drafts or evidences of the amounts due me and to appoint one or more Sub-Attorneys, and to confer upon him or them all the powers herein conferred upon himself hereby ratifying and confirming all that my said Attorney may do by virtue of these presents.
   Witness my hand and seal this 24th day of February 1853

   John Smith

State of Kentucky Woodford County, sct.

  BE IT KNOWN, that on the 24th day of February 1853 before the subscriber, a Justice of the peace in and for the County and State aforesaid, personally appeared John Smith the subscriber to the foregoing Power of Attorney, and acknowledged the signing, sealing and delivering the same to be his own voluntary act and deed for the uses and purposes therein set forth   The words "Mary Smith deceased and" were interlined before signing
   In Testimony Whereof, I do hereunto subscribe my name.
   B.W. Twyman  J.P.
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Woodford County Kentucky SS
   John Smith of the said county aged 55 years being sworn says he is one of the children of John Smith and Mary his wife both deceased, Viz.  The said John Smith died in this county on the first day of October Eighteen hundred and thirty four (1834) and who at the time of his death was a Revolutionary pensioner of the United States at the rate of Forty three dollars and thirty three cents per annum at the Agency At Lexington Kentucky as will appear by his original certificate of pension hereto annexed "Given at the War office of the United States, this 17th day of August one thousand Eight hundred and thirty three" under the Act of June 7th 1832 My mother the above named Mary Smith survived my father and never again married but remained his widow and died also in said County of Woodford on the second day of August Eighteen hundred and thirty Eight (1838) leaving at her death the following named her surviving and only surviving children  Viz
1  Nancy intermarried with Daniel Bell
2  Mary Smith
3  John Smith, this declarant
   My father always said that he did not get as much pension as he was entitled to.  I always understood and believed from him that he served in the Revolutionary War about three years in all;  Two years in Succession.  I do not know however of any proof of his services except what he procured himself when he obtained his pension but as stated above he was disappointed in the amount of it but being a man who did not care much for anything but present necessity he neglected to apply for any increase; I refer to the proof on file on which he drew his pension.
   My father and mother were married in Fayette County Pennsylvania on the 31st day of March 1785 by John Allen a magistrate
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as will appear by their marriage certificate hereto annexed which has been among my papers ever since my mothers death and I have always believed it to be their genuine original certificate of marriage but I do not know of any person living by whom I can prove its genuiness.
   Copy of Marriage Certificate
Fayette County SS   To all whom it may concern:
   I Do hereby Certify that John Smith & Mary Stephens came before me the subscriber one of the Commonwealth Justices for foresd County & were lawfully joined in Marriage this thirty first day of March AD 1785 (Seventeen hundred and Eighty five)
   John Allen

   State of Pennsylvania
I make this declaration for the purpose of receiving the arrears, allowance or increase of pension to which we may be entitled as the children of the above described John and Mary Smith deceased. and also the County land (if any) to which we may be entitled on account of the services of said John Smith in the Revolutionary War.
   Witness my hand and seal in Woodford County Kentucky February 24th A.D. 1853 (have no record of the date of my mothers death but depend on the recollection of my wife)
   John Smith

   Sworn to and subscribed before me a justice of the peace in and for said County on the day and year above written and I do certify that Said John Smith has been known to me for many years; and I am fully satisfied of his identity as one of the sons of the above described John Smith deceased a Revolutionary pensioner of the United States, and that the pension certificate mentioned in his declaration
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and which I have examined carefully did belong to his father, I certify further that I am fully satisfied that the three surviving children of his parents mentioned by him were the only ones who survived their mother the above named Mary Smith decd.  And I further certify that I have examined the marriage certificate mentioned in his declaration and I believe it to the genuine original marriage certificate of the said John Smith and Mary his wife; and the foregoing is a correct copy of the same with the addition that the date of the year is written in the copy but in the original it appears only in figures
   The word first was erased and second interlined before signing
   B.W.Twyman J.P.

Woodford County Kentucky SS.
   I, Herman Bowmar Jr clerk of the county court for the county aforesaid do certify that B.W. Twyman whose genuine signature appears to the two foregoing certificates was at the time of signing the same an acting justice of the peace in and for said County duly commissioned and qualified.  In Witness whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and
affixed the seal of said Court at
Versailles this 24 February 1853.
    Herman Bowmar Jr
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State of Kentucky Woodford County
To wit

On this [illegible] day of September 1832 personally appeared before the County Court for Woodford County & State of Kentucky John Smith a resident of said state and County formerly of Fayette County in the State of Pennsylvania aged Eighty years who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.  That in July 1776 he then being a Resident of Pennsylvania he entered the service of the United States under Capt. George Gibson & William Trask Lieutenant and went with a packet from the Virginia Convention to the Governor at New Orleans & Returned to Fort pat, and was Engaged Eleven months in that service.  That in May 1778 he joined Capt (?)
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Brady at Fort Pat who commanded a Company of Spies - and served under him spying up and Down the Otto river for between thirteen & fourteen months being released from his service in July 1779 - and received a Certificate of Discharge from Capt Brady which he lost in orange County in the State of Virginia in assisting to erecting (?) a pier on the Farm of Mr. Morrison. - He hereby relinquishes every Claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State - 
Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid -
   John (his E mark) Smith

We being sworn W. Rhoton a Clergyman, and William B Blackburn Residing in the County of Woodford & State of Kentucky hereby certify that we are well
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acquainted with John Smith who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be eighty years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a Soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
   B.W. Rhoton 
   W B Blackburn

and the said Court do hereby declare their opinion that after 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 Benjamin W. Rhoton who has signed the preceeding Certificate is a clergyman residing in the County of Woodford and that William B. Blackburn who has also signed the same is a resident in the County of Woodford and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to Credit.

   I John McKinney Jnr. Clerk of the Ciruit Court in and for the Court and County of Woodford, do hereby Cartify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of said Court in the matter of application of John Smith for a pension.
[seal affixed]
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto
set my hand and seal of office at
Versailles this 18th day of September 1832
and in its 41st Year of the Government
   John McKinney Jr.  circt
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The Amended declaration of John Smith in order to obtain a pension under the Act of Congress of the 7th of June 1832  this supplement further makes oath in open Court that he served as a Volunteer Soldier as stated in His original declaration for Eleven months under Capt. Gibson and fourteen months under Capt William Brady also as a volunteer (smudged) a private Soldier during which time they had several skirmishes with the Indians  in at the mouth of the Brush Creek on the allegance river above fort pit, one about seven miles from (?) town I was then on the allegance river about six miles above fort pit the officers under whom he served were under the command of General Mathewson.  upon being interrogated he states that he was born in frederick County in the State of Virginia as he has been informed by his parents (smudged) 1752 and has no register (smudge) or any record by which it can be proven  he served in Fayette County  in the State of Pennsylvania when he Volunteered & entered the service of the United States as a Soldier and was a Volunteer both times as to the names of the officers which were with him he states that there were no other officers except the Capt Lieutenants & Ensigns where he served it being
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the Frontier, as to the persons to whom he is known in his neighborhood who can testify as to his veracity and their belief of his services he would name Charles Renly Esq Randolph Renley (?) Willis Field Samuel Berry Esqr Absalom Ford and as many others as would fill this shell of papers  sworn to and subscribed in open Court this 3rd day of June 1833
   John (his mark) Smith

State of Kentucky Woodford County Sct
    At a County Court begun and held for the County of Woodford on Monday the 3rd day of June 1833.  Among other orders & proceedings of sd. Court the following is contained - "John Smith, again produced in Court an amended declaration for the purpose of receiving the benefit of the provisions of the act of Congress passed 7 June 1832, which declaration as amended was subscribed and sworn by J. Smith, which with the original & former declaration is ordered to be Certified - which is done accordingly.
   I, John McKinney Jnr. Clerk of the County Court for the County of Woodford do hereby Certify that the foregoing contains the (smeared) Seal of sd. Court, in the matter of application of John Smith on his amended declaration for a pension.
[seal with ribbon affixed]
In Testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and affixed
the seal of my office at Versailles
3rd day of June 1833, and on
41st Year of the Commonwealth
   John McKinney Jnr  Circt
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BA-J/MCS
John Smith, R.9802

Mr. Robert S. Shelton
2 Sheldon Close
Mariemont, Ohio

Dear Sir:

   Reference is made to your request for information relative to John Smith, a Revolutionary War soldier who was pensioned while living in Woodford County, Kentucky.

   The data which follow were taken from papers on file in the pension claim, R.9802, based on the Revolutionary War service of John Smith.

   John Smith was born in 1752 in Frederick County, Virginia.  The names of his parents are not shown.

   While a resident of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, John Smith enlisted in July, 1776, and served eleven months as private in Captain George Gibson's Company..  He enlisted in May, 1778, and served until July, 1779. in Captain William Brady's Company of Spys and was engaged in "spying up and down the Ohio River."

   John Smith married in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, March 31, 1785, Mary Stephens.

   John Smith was allowed pension on his application executed September 18, 1832, at which time he was living in Woodford County, Kentucky.

   John Smith died October 1, 1834, in Woodford County, Kentucky, and his widow, Mary Smith, died in that county August 2, 1838, at the residence of her son, John.

   Mary Smith was survived by the following children; John Smith who was living in Woodford County, Kentucky, in 1853, aged fifty-five years, and who married the sister (name not stated) of Lucinda Bigwood who (Lucinda)
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was living in Woodford County, Kentucky, in 1853, aged thirty-eight years.

   The papers in this claim contain no further data relative to the family of John Smith.

Very truly yours

A. D. Hiller
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
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Pension Office
25th May 1854

Sir,

   The claim of the children of John Smith decd. of Kentucky for an increase of the pension, heretofore granted him, has been examined but no proof is found which would justify such an allowance.  His pension was originally allowed upon evidence wholly insufficient.  I return Mr. George Smith's letter.

A.H. Markland Esqr
Present.
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Washington D.C. 19834

Sir:

   I enclose evidence in the case of Mary Smith, widow of John, Ky. Act 7 July 1838 - and ask its allowance.

Very Respy
F F C Triplett