Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S 3920, for William Smith, Virginia
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service number
Va. Smith, William S3920
carded
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7886
Ohio. - Pittsburgh
William Smith
of Monroe Co. in the State of Ohio
who was a Private in the Company commanded
by Captain Miller of the Regiment commanded
by Col. Watts. in the Va. Contl.
line for two years. $80.00
Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio. Pittsburgh
at the rate of 80 Dollars 00 Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831
Certificate of Pension issued the 10 day of April 1833 and sent to
Wm Kennon St. Clairsville, ohio
Arrears to the 4th of Marth, 1833 160.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 Sept. 33 40.00
$200.00
Revolutionary Claim
Act June 7, 1832
Recorded by Wm. R. Palmer, Clerk
Book E. Vol. 8, page 127
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State of Ohio Monroe County On this twenty first day of September AD 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Honorable the Judges of the court of common pleas of Monroe County and State of Ohio now sitting William Sith a resident of the county and State aforesaid aged seventy one 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 act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States in the following manner under the following named officers and served as hereinafter stated he enlisted in Martinsberg Virginia under Captain John Melton of the Virginia state troops some time in the fall of the year 1779 the day not recollected for two years the time commenced on the 22nd day of November 1779 he served two years and was honourably discharged on the [illegible possibly 18th] of December 1781. he served under lieutenant John [illegible] and under Captain John Melton until he resigned his Major was George Walls collonel Joseph Crocket and General was George R. Clark he was marched from Martinsburg where he enlisted to Albemarle barracks which he believes was in Albemarle County Virginia he was there employed in guarding Burgoins prisoners for 7 or 8 months in the best of his recollections untill orders come to remove the prisoners for fear of Cornwallis when they were  marched to the town of Frederick in Frederick County Maryland where they left the prisoners and he was marched to Shepherds town Virginia where he was billeted a few weaks he was then marched to Elizabethtown on the the Monongahela river then called the new store in Pennsylvania where he remained on duty from some time in May untill August 1781 - they were engaged during that time in collecting flour and taking it to Pittsburg he was then taken from
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Elizabethtown by way of Pittsburg to the falls of Ohio on the Ohio River accompanying the aforesaid flour from thence he with two others was sent to Port St. Vincent at time called the Oak Post from thence he returned to falls of Ohio where he was discharged by General George R. Clark he had a little brush with the Indians at the falls of Ohio the country through which he marched is mention in the preceding he was in company with major Slaughter who commanded at the falls he has no documentary evidence and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service, he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State in answer to the several questions he answers as follows viz 
1st he was born in York County Pennsylvania near McCalls ferry on the Susquehana in the year 1761
2nd he has a record of his age taken by himself from a record kept by his father his record is at his dweling
3rd he was living in Martinsberg in Virginia when he entered the service since the Revolutionary war he lived in Berkley County Virginia five or six years after that he lived in Washington County five years after that he lived about 16 years on the [illegible] from which he moved to the State of Ohio where he has lived to the present time. he now lives in Union township Monroe County.
4th he enlisted in the State troops of Virginia as before stated
5 there was no continental and militia regiments in company that he recollects of nor regular officers, they were all state troops as he believes
6th he received a discharged from General George R. Clark from the service and which he has lost he cannot tell what has become of it
7th he is known in his present neighborhood
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to Isaac Parresh Esq. Samuel Powel Silas Methina Cary Headley John David Megary who he believes can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution - he is not particularly acquainted with any clergyman in his neighbourhood who he can get to testify to his characters -
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Wm. Smith his mark

We Samuel Powel and Cary Headley residing in Union township Monroe County and Isaac Parresh Esq. residing in Cambridge Guernsey County Ohio hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Wm Smith who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be about seventy one 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 sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
Samuel Powel
Cary Headley
Isaac Parish
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories proscribed 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 Samuel Powel Cary Headly and Isaac Parrish who has signed the preceding certificate are residents i the counties as stated above and credible persons and that their statements are entitled to credit -
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H. Hallock} Justice of the
J Hollister} County Court
Amos B. Jones} House of Monroe
John Linn} County

I, Robert F. Naylor Clerk of the court of common pleas of Monroe County Ohio do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the sd court in the matter of the application of Wm Smith for a pension -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 22nd day of Sept 1832
Robt F. Naylor Clerk
11933
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11.933. - 7886
Wm Smith
Monroe County
Ohio
look on Va State roll
as note -
Adm for 2 years from 1779.

Wm Kennon
St Claursville
Belmont County
Ohio
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BRIEF in the case of Wm Smith
of Monroe County in the State of Ohio
(Act 7th June, 1832.)

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

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

3. How old is he? 71

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

Period.
Nov 22d In 1779 he served 2 & honorably discharged
Dcr - - 1781
Duration of Service.
Years, Months, Days.
Rank. As a
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served. Gen.
Colo Watts & Captn Mellon
Va continental line -

5. In what battles was he engaged? none

6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Martinsburg Virga

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? Correct

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

John N Ashton
Examining Clerk.
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Rev. and 1812
Wars Section.
AW

July 3, 1928

Mrs. W. W. Johnson
Jamestown
Ohio.

Madam:
I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim S. 3920, it appears that William Smith was born in 1761 in York County, Pennsylvania.
While residing in Martinsburg, Virginia, he enlisted in the fall of 1779 and served two years in Captain John Mellon's Company, Colonel Joseph Crockett's Virginia Regiment, was in a skirmish with the Indians at the Falls of the Ohio.
He was allowed pension on his application executed September 21, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Unoon Township, Monroe County, Ohio.
There are no data as to family.

Respectfully,

E. W. MORGAN
Acting Commissioner.
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11933
Monroe County
Ohio
Wm Smith

Wm Kennon
St Clearville
Ohio
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Wm Smith which require further proof or explanation.

I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes

II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes

III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for him not doing so? 

IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yes

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? yes

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

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

VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes

IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes

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? yes
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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? no but 2 Citizens -

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

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? Yes he knows of none

XIV. [notation sign 1]If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness or witnesses as to his service? no
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses? 
Has the proper officer certified the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct? yes

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? no

XVI. [notation sign 2]Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes

XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 
_________________________
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 each 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 "about three or four months" is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served; the duration of each term of engagement; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or in garrison; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit.
[notation sign 1]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 he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office.
[notation sign 2]QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying officer who authenticates 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 paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends 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.
[symbol of pointing finger]In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature of the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
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MRS. W. W. JOHNSON
JAMESTOWN, OHIO
Sept 27 - 1927
To the Commissioner of Pensions
Washington D.C.

Dear Sir:
Will you kindly advise me what your records show concerning William Smith who served in the Revolutionary War as a private soldier
He lived in what is now Berkley Co. W Va - and a history of Shepherdstown states that he was granted a pension
I hope you will be able to give some data as to his family - This information is for use in DAR application Thanking you for an early reply - I am Very truly yours
(Mrs. W. W.) Ethel A. Johnson
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1928 - July 3 - Hist to Mrs. W. W. Johnson AWF.

3920.
Rev War
INVALID.
File No. 3920
Wm. Smith
Pri. Va. Cont Line
Act: June 7, 1832
Index:-Vol. A, Page 345
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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Pension papers
Free
Hon Lewis Cass
Secty at War
Washington City
D.C.a

Oct 5.
2

11933
Ohio.
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The answer of the Secretary will be directed to the care of the Subscriber at St Clairsville Ohio
William Kennon