Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 41,171, for Jonathan Smith, Vermont
Page 1

98-17760
SERVICE Continental (Vt)
Smith, Jonathan
NUMBER S 41.171

CONTENTS
enl. in Vermont
In 1829 res in Rutland Co. Vt. aged 69 years
Page 2

[left side]
20. 197 
Vermont
Jonathan Smith of Rutland in the State of Vermont who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Brennon of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Warner in the N. Hampshire line, for the term of nine months from 1 January 1777 to 15 October 1777

Inscribed on the roll of Vermont at the rate of Eight Dollars per month, to commence on the 28 day of July 1830

Certificate of Pension issued the 29 of July 1830 and sent to R. Temple Esq. Rutland, Vt

Arrears to 4th of September 1820 $10.09
Semi-anu'l all'ce ending
_____
$10.09

Revolutionary Claim, Acts March 18, 1818, and May 1, 1820.

Rec. Book D Vol.4. fol 83

[right side]
see letter July 3. 1830 to R. Temple
respecting com: of pension.
Page 3

STATE OF VERMONT,
Rutland County, ss.
On this 20th day of April 1820 personally appeared before the County Court for said county of Rutland in open court, (said court being a court of record agreeably to the laws of this state, having the power of fine and imprisonment , &c. ) Johnathan Smith  resident in said county, aged 69 years, who being first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the provision made by the acts of Congress of the
18th March, 1818, and the 1st of May, 1820; that he the said Jonathan Smith enlisted for the term of Nine months on the 1st day of January in the year 1777 in the State of Vermont in the company commanded by Captain Brownson in the regiment commanded by Colonel Warner
on the line of the State of New Hampshire on the continental establishment; that he continued to serve in the said corps until about the 15 Oct. 1777 when he was discharged from the service in Saratoga in the State New York that his name has not been placed on the pension list of any State. That he was in the battle of Bennington & Saratoga that he hereby relinquishes claim whatever to a pension except the presents that he has lost his discharge - that the reason he did not make earlier application as he was informed those who enlisted in Vermont could not be admitted.

And, in pursuance of the act of 1st May, 1820, 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, contracts or debts due to me; nor have I any income, other than what is contain ed in the schedule hereto annexed, and by me subscribed 1 cow - 1 set shoemakers tools 

That, since 18. March 1818 no changes have been made in my property except I have lost two cows in this time, & have raised the one  I now have from a calf. My occupation is that of a shoemaker & I have supported myself by working at my trade, I am in pretty good health but my eye sight begin to fail me, and I shall not be able to work much longer. I have no family
Jon'n Smith [signature]

Sworn to and declared on the 20 day of April 1829 before said Court
R. Pierpoint CLERK

I, Robert Pierpoint Clerk of Rutland County Court do hereby certify that it appears to the satisfaction of the Court, that the said Jonathan Smith did serve in the Revolutionary War, as stated in the preceding declaration against the common enemy, for the term of nine months, under one engagement, on the continental establishment. I also certify that the foregoing oath, and the schedule thereto annexed, are truly copied from the records of the said Court; and I do further certify, that in the opinion of the said Court, that the total amount in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is Thirty dollars, and __ cents.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court, on this
20 day of April 1829
R. Pierpoint
Clerk of the Court of the County of Rutland
Page 4

Pension Office
July 28 1830

Jona: Smith
V. Rev.

Pen: to com: July 28. 1830
Page 5

State of Vermont
Rutland County ss
On the 2d day of July 1830 personally came before the undersigned authority, Zebulon Ames of said County, a credible witness, who being duly sworn doth depose & say, that in the spring of the year 1777, he thinks in March, he being then about 16 years old, he enlisted under Lt. Charles Miles of the 7th Court Regt Col Swift - that he enlisted for the term of Eight months only - he was strongly urged to enlist for three years or during the war, but refused, & was received for eight months. On his way to join the Regt in the Highland, N. York in May following, he was finally persuaded by Lt. Miles to enlist for three years, upon condition that his enlistment
should be dated back to March the time of his first enlistment, which was done & he then received his bounty of sixteen pounds. He knew of several others who enlisted dated at eight months in 1777, among whom he recollect the name of Luther Jones, Ezekiel Rude & Jacob Meade

Sworn before me the day & year above written
R. temple Jus. Peace
Page 6

[Envelope]
Free
Hon. John E, Eaton
Sec'y of War
City of Washington

Rutland Vt
July 22 1830
Pension Office
Page 7

41171
Revy INVALID.


File No. 41.171
Jonathan Smith
Pri Rev war
---
Act: 18 March 18
Index: -- Vol. 3 Page 468
(Arrangement of 1870.)
Page 8

[envelope]
31.000
Jonathan Smith
pension 
Act 18  March 1818
7th July 1827
Rejected see letter July 17 1829
R Temple 
Rutland VT

[sideways]
Free
Hon. John E. Eaton
Secretary of War
City of Washington

Pension Office

[postmark]
RUTLAND VT
[date illegible]
Page 9

Rutland Vt 2 July 1829

Sir,
I return the papers in the case of Jon Smith application for a pension, with additional
testimony required by your letter of the 30 May
Respectfully
your obt svt 
R Temple

J.L. Edwards Esq
Pension Office
Page 10

State of Vermont
Rutland -
On the 20th day of April 1829, personally came before the undersigned authority, Moses
Smith of said County, a credible witness, who being duly sworn doth depose & say, that he
is acquainted with Jonathan Smith of said County who has this day applied for a pension
& was acquainted with him during the Revolutionary war he knows the said Jonathan
served nine months in Capt. Brownson Co. in Col. Warner's Regt as stated by him' The
deponent was a [illegible] & frequently saw him and further says not. Sworn before me
the day & year above written
R. Temple
Jus. Peace
Page 11

State of Vermont
Rutland ss.
On the 12th day of June 1829 personally appeared Eleazer Gould, the deponent who made the annexed affidavit, who being duly sworn doth depose & say in addition to what he before testified, that he cannot recollect the exact day when said Jonathan Smith entered the service as before stated, but he knows it to have been the fore part of January 1777 - and that he was discharged in October following immediately after the surrender of Burgoyne - he does not know the particular manner of his discharge but he saw him have camp in a wagon with several other discharged Soldiers - Sworn as afsd before me
R. Temple Jus Peace

State of Vermont
Rutland
On this 2d day of July 1829 personally came the foregoing named & [illegible], Moses Smith, who being duly sworn doth depose & say, in addition to his foregoing deposition, that the said Jonathan Smith enlisted & entered the service about the first of Jany 1777 at Bennington, and was discharged at Saratoga in October 1779 immediately after the battle of Saratoga & surrender of Burgoyne army - he left the Camp with several other discharged soldiers - 
Sworn as afsd before me
R. Temple Jus. Peace
Page 12

State of Vermont
Rutland Ss-
On the 25th day of April 1829 before the undersigned magistrate, personally came Eleazer Gould of said County, a credible witness, who being duly sworn doth depose & say, that he is acquainted with Jonathan Smith an applicant for a pension was acquainted with him during the
Revolutionary war - that he knows Sd Smith served nine months in Capt Brownson Co. in Col.
Warner's Regt in 1777. the deponent was present at Saratoga in the fall of that year above when he was discharged - and further says not.
Sworn the day & year afsd before me
R Temple Jus. Peace

State of Vermont
Rutland Ss
I Robert Pierpoint Clerk of Rutland County Court do certify that Robt Temple before whom the foregoing affidavits were taken is a Justice of Peace for said County duly commissioned and that his name thereto is in his own hand writing. In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand & the seal of said Court this 25 April 1829
R Pierpoint
Page 13

State of Vermont
Rutland County
I, Israel Warner of Whitehall in the County of Washington and State of New York being duly sworn do depose & say, that I am a son of Col. Seth Warner who commanded a Regiment in the Revolutionary war raised in N. Hampshire grants, now Vermont- that I was with my father & belonged to his Regiment during the war - that previous to the year 1779 it was extremely difficult to obtain men to fill up the ranks, & they could not be obtained for long period, and consequently every strategy was resorted to to obtain them & they were received for short periods, such as eight & nine months & a year & in some instances for shorter periods, and sometimes they were enlisted as officers & when they joined they were hired into the ranks. It was not until 1779 that we were able to fill the ranks with three years & during the war then, and further say not
N.B. the words "Whitehall" & the words of "Washington and State of New York " interlined before the taking of this affidavit
Israel Warner [signature]

Subscribed & Sworn this 20 day of July 1830, the said Israel Warner being a respectable man + credible witness
Tilly Gilbert Jus. Peace
Page 14

Robert Pierpoint Clerk of the Court of the County of Rutland in the State of Vermont do hereby Certify, that Tilly Gilbert before whom the foregoing affidavit was sworn, was, at the time Justice of Peace for the said County, and duly empowered to administer oaths.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said Court, this 22d July day of July in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty
R. Pierpoint
Page 15

Rutland 2d July 1830

Sir,
I have to day seen W. Zebulon Ames, a respectable man, (a surveyor,) whose faculties & memory seem unimpaired who says they we were enlisted for as short period as 8 months in 1777 in Col. Swift, Regt & that he so enlisted. He afterwards enlisted for 3 years & is now on the Pension Roll. I have also rec'd a letter from Israel Warner, son of Col. Seth Warner who served in his father Regt who says that previous to 1779 men were so much wanted that they were obtained by any stratagem, & for any term of time for which they would enlist were enlisted as officers & when they joined they went into the ranks. It was not until 1779 that the Regt of his father could be filledd
Page 16

with 3 years men & during the wars men. I have taken Mr.. Ames affidavit & enclose it, and can procure  Mr.. Warner if you are not yet satisfied that enlistments were permitted
for that periods in 1777- I hope you will however consider John'n Smith claim for Pension established, & send a certificate commencing at the time he completed the proof of his services

Respectfully
your obt servt
R. Temple

J. L. Edward Esq
Pension office
Page 17

Rutland 22 July 1830

Sir,
I have procured the affidavit of Israel Warner, son of Col Warner, to show that short enlistments were rec'd in 1777 & enclose the same to you. I hope this will remove all doubts - indeed I supposed my letter of 9 March last, enclosing two affidavit of Maj John Fuller to the same facts, would have done so--

Permit me to again remark upon the time when for Smith; pension should commence-- I presume you and will agree with me, that the proof in his case closed at the time the affidavits were taken (or filed) to prove his services - and that the several affidavits to prove that enlistments were recd in 1777 for short periods, do not apply to his case more
Page 18

then others but were taken to address your scruples on that point and consequently his pension will commence from the time his services and proved. Indeed it would be extremely unjust that any misapprehension on your part as to the periods of enlistment at that time, should deprive him of his pension until he proved you to be in error
I am respectfully
your obt servt
R. Temple

J.L. Edwards Esq.
Pension office
Page 19

Rutland 8. Aug. 1829

Sir,
Enclosed I send you an additional affidavit of Jonathan Smith. By it you will see I made a mistake in drawing up his declaration, having made him state that he enlisted for 9 months, when in fact he enlisted for one year. I have no particular recollection of it, but presume I inserted nine months in consequence of perceiving from computation, that he served that period. I drew it in haste & he says I did not ask him the term of his enlistment. I have seen the witnesses, but they have no distinct recollection
Page 20

of the period for which he enlisted they merely remember the time he served - I have therefore deemed it unnecessary to take additional affidavits of them
I am Sir respectfully
your obt servt
R Temple

J L Edwards Esq
Pension Office
City of Washington
Page 21

State of Vermont
Rutland -
On the 8th day of August 1829 personally came Jonathan Smith of said County of Rutland, who made his declaration for the purpose of obtaining a pension, on the 20th April 1829, and 
he being duly sworn doth depose & say in addition & explanation of his said declaration, that through mistake in drawing up said declaration he is stated to have enlisted for nine months,
when in fact he enlisted to serve one year. that he actually served about nine months & a half - and that having received a slight wound at the battle of Saratoga & being a little out of health, he was discharged as before stated about the middle of October 1777- and further says not. Sworn the day & year aforesaid before me
R. Temple
Jus. Peace
Page 22

[envelope]
[postmark]
RUTLAND VT
AUG 8

Free
Hon. John H. Eaton
Sec'y of War
City of Washington

Pension Office

[sideways]
Pension

Pension Office
15th  Aug 1829