Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 42,286, for James Shearer, New York
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(3-1776)
SERVICE
New York

Shearer, James or Sherwood 

Number
S.42,286

Contents
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10.971 
New York R 
James Shearer als. [alias] Sherwood of Schenectady County in the State of New York who was a private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Gansevoort of the New York line, for the term of three years 

Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of Eight Dollars per month, to commence on the 27th of April 1818 

Certificate of Pension issued the 22d of May 1819 and sent to J Bell Agent Albany 

Arrears to 4th of March 1819  10 mos [illegible fractions]  82:9
Semi-anl. all'ce ending 4 Sept 1819   48:- 
Death on Agency Book Dec 31, 1818.   $130:9 

{Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March, 1818.} 

Dead –
See roll -
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James Shearer alias Sherwood 
Schenectady County, N. Y. 
Private Col Gansevoorts Regiment New York Lines, 3 years
27. April, 1818. 
service to be proved. 
Admitted 
John Yates, judge,
J. Bell, agent,
Albany, N.Y.
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State of New York 
Albany County Clerks Office 
I hereby certify that Estes Howe and Samuel Haring, who signed the within affidavits were both Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the City & County of Albany at this time and that full faith and reliance is to be given to their acts as such, and that the Signatures both appear in their own hand writing In witness whereof I have signed my name and affixed the Seal of said Court this 13th day of Nov 1818 
[signed] Horatio Merchant Dep Clk

N. B. Certificate to the Care of J. Bell Albany New York
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State of New York 
Albany County }Affidavit 
William Ostrander [illegible] being duly sworn saith that he has been intimately acquainted with James Shearer or Sherwood for forty odd years, remembers that he was a soldier in the revolutionary army in the three years services knows him to be the same person who applied for a pension the 27th of April last before Judge Yates of Schenectady Considers him a man entitled to Credit in verry low circumstances 
[signed] William Ostrander  X his mark
Witness [signed] John F. Bacon 
State of New York
Albany County } ss
On this third day of November AD 1818 personally came before me the above named William Ostrander, who was satisfactorily made known to me a person entitled to full credit & belief, and made oath that the above affidavit to whit he had annexd his mark is in all respects correct & true – 
[signed] Estes Howe Judge Albany Com. pleas State of New York
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Judges Certificate 
from Satisfactory testimony I am satisfied that the within deponent is a man entitled to full credit 
[signed] Saml Haring 

To be returned to the care of J. Bell Albany New York
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State of New York 
Albany County Affidavit 
Gashum VanDerheyden of the City of Albany being duly sworn States he was in the same Regiment between two and three years with James Shearer otherwise written Sherwood, from 1776 to 1779. Remembers that he served under Capt Swartout in Col. Peter Gansevoorts Regiment. that he never heard any complaint, but that he was a faithful soldier Considers him a man entitled to full credit. knows him to be in reduced circumstances, and to be the same person who signed the declaration before Judge Yates of Schenectady the 27th of April last and further this deponent saith not 
[signed] Gashum Vanderheyden  X his mark
Sworn before me this 12th day Nov 1848 
[signed] Saml G. Waring 
Judge of Albany Com. Pleas
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State of New York 
County of Schenectady } ss - On this 27th day of April 1818 before me the subscriber John Yates one of the Judges of the Court of Com Pleas of the County of Schenectady, personally appeared James Sherer aged sixty two years, resident in the City of Schenectady who being by me first duly sworn, according to law - doth on his Oath, 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 & naval services of the United States, in the revolutionary war, that the said James
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Sherer enlisted as a soldier at Fish Kill. 1776 - in Captain Durhams Company - for three Months & afterwards reinlisted with the said Captain Durhams for nine Months & was stationed at Fort Montgomery until he was discharged - and that he afterwards enlisted in Captain Swartwouts Company Col. Gansevoorts Regiment of Continental troops, and served three years on the establishment and was discharged - which discharge is lost and that he was at Fort Stanwicks when it was besieged by the British - and that he is in reduced circumstances, and stands in need of the assistance of his Country
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for support and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services –
[signed] James Sherer X his mark
Sworn & declared before me the day & year aforesaid 
[signed] John Yates one of the Judges of the Court of Common pleas for the County of Schenectady 
I James Gates Judge of the Courts of Conmon Pleas of the County of Schenectady do certify that it appears to my satisfaction, that the said James Sherer did serve in the revolutionary war as stated in the preceeding declaration against the common Enemy and I now transmit the proceedings & testimony taken & had before me, to the Secretary for the Depart[ment]
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[Depart]ment of War pursuant to the directions of the aforementioned act of Congress 
[signed] John Gates 

State of New York
County of Schenectady } ss - In testimony that the above named John Yates before whom the above affidavit of James Sherer is taken, & who subscribed the foregoing certificate was, on the twenty seventh day of April 1818 one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, in & for the County of Schenectady - I subscribe my name & affix the seal of the County of Schenectady this 27 day of April 1818 –
[signed] Jelles A Fonda Clerk
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The applicants name is generally written Sherwood, but among the High Dutch he goes by the name of Shearer, his name is registered answering his Declaration. Sherwood I am informed it is also written in Schenectady some times one way and some times the other he is very trembling and poor- 
[signed] J Bell
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REVOLUTIONARY WAR RECORDS SECTION.
3-525 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. 
BUREAU OF PENSIONS. 
Washington, D.C. 4-8-, 1920[?]
In reply to your request of --- received  ---. a statement of the military history of Jas. Shearer or Sherwood a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his [(or his widow's), crossed out] application for pension on file in this Bureau. S.42286 
DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. 1776 
LENGTH OF SERVICE. 12 Mos  | 3 yrs.
RANK. Pvt.
OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. 
CAPTAIN. Durham | Swartwout
COLONEL. Peter Gansevoort
STATE. NY
Battles engaged in at siege of Fort Stanwix
Residence of soldier at enlistment, enl Fishkill N.Y.
Date of application for pension, Apl 3, 1818  al
Residence at date of application, Schenectady. Schenectady Co. N.Y.
Age at date of application, 62 yrs  He died Dec 31, 1818 
Remarks: Soldier stated that his name was Generally written Sherwood but among the High Dutch he generally went by the name of Shearer. There is no data on file as to family 
Respectfully, 
Commissioner.

6-2856
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June 1 1901 - Hist to Mrs. Chas C. Hopkins Rome N.Y. 

42286 INVALID. 
Revy
File No. 42.286 
James Shearer Pri Rev War

Act: 18th" March 18 
Index: - Vol. 3 , Page 458 
[Arrangement of 1870.]

1922 Apl. 8 hist to Lilian Skillman  E
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[stamp U.S. Pension Office May 39 1901]

[stamp O  War & Navy Files May 31 1901]
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200 W. Garden St. Rome. New York  May 27, 1901. 
Department of Pensions 
Washington D.C. 
I wish to obtain Copy of the Pension papers of my great grandfather James Sherwood He applied for a pension April 16 1818 and resided at that time in Poulteney N.Y. What would be charged for a copy of
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the papers. 
Is there at this time a pension being drawn by a soldier of the Civil War named Van Rennsalear Falkner, or wife of same? He enlisted in Pennsylvania I think but it may have been Illinois
Respectfully yours 
[signed] Mrs. Chas. C. Hopkins

784320
Rensselaer Falkner
H2 Cole
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[stamp Records Division Mar 13 1922]
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418 North Ave N. E. Grand Rapids, Mich 
Mar 9 1922
Commissioner of Pensions 
Washington D.C.: Dear Sir will you be so kind as to give me what information you have about our ancestor James Sherer Alias Sherwood
James Shearer who was pensioner under act Mar 1818 
He served as private in the 2nd Regiment in N.Y. "The Line" with Col Lamb. Major Sebastian Bouman we want to know if he was the same James Shearer as was from Dutchess Co. Militia 2nd Regt. Col. Abraham Brinkerhoff, Lieut. Col. Jacob Griffin 
We have the family tradition that our Revolutionary ancestor drove the British out of N. Y. City and was in the State Militia. I hope your records will help to prove this.
Please give me all the information contained in his records I went to prove just when he died and the last Pension voucher would give this. Do you have that or is there other office I should apply to for this 
Thanking you sincerely 
Lilian Skillman 

send James Shearer S42286 or Sherwood – 
although he did serve as described by writer, he did serve in Militia

[stamped U.S. Pension Office Mar 31 1922]