Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 9687, for Leonard Smith, Pennsylvania
Page 1


([unreadable letter or number] - 177C)
SERVICE
Penn.
Smith, Leonard
Ann
NUMBER
R 9687

CONTENTS
[NOTE: The following handwritten text is very faint in the document - this is a best guess and may not be correct.]
As in 1755 in Lehigh Twp. Northampton Co Pa there at enl. res in 1832. Franklin Twp. Westmoreland Co. Pa. 
d Feb22, 1838
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Pittsburgh No 18982
Leonard Smith
of West Co. in the State of Penn [Pennsylvania]
who was a Private in the company command
Captain Strouse [this may be Capt. David Strause], of the Regt [Regiment] command[ed] by Col. Dreisbach [In the deposition of Leonard Smith he states his Regimental Commander was Colonel Joseph Dreisbach; also see first name of Jost in another document] in the Penn [superscript letter 'a' underlined - means with or at?]  Troops
line for 6 months

Inscribed on the Roll of Pittsburgh
at the rate of
20 Dollars -- Cents per annum
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 25 day of Nov.
1833 and sent to John Armstrong [name split between two lines] Greensburg P.[next letter missing - edge of document]

Arrears to the 4th of Sept. 1833
50.00
Semiannl. allowance ending 4 March 1833 10.00
[sum of arrears and monthly amount] $60.00

Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832

Recorded by D. Brown Cler[k] [torn page edge]

Book E. Vol. 5 Page 90
Page 3

Dead
Paid at the Treasury under the 
Act of the 6 April 1838 from
4 Sept 1837 to 22 Feby [sic February] 1838, Apt.
notified 19 June 1839
Page 4

27778
Leonard Smith
Admitted
6 months
John Armstrong
Greensburgh Pa
Page 5

State of Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County ss
On this twenty first day of August Eighteen hundred and
thirty three personally appeared in open court before the
Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said County now sitting
Leonard Smith a resident of Franklin Township in said
County of Westmoreland & State of Pennsylvania, aged
Seventy Eight 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 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States
be being drafted in the Militia of Northampton
County Pennsylvania in the month of March 1776 and
was marched under the command of Captain Henery [sic]
Strouse from said County to the City of Philadelphia where
he [start text entered above sentence] I think this was the year before the battle of Brandywine [end text entered above sentence] served a tour of three months duty [subscript inverted 'v' indicating where the added text should be entered] the company or regiment to which I belonged was then
marched to a place called German Town in the County of
Philadelphia where we were discharged. I received a [inserted word above line] written [end inserted word] discharge
from Colonel Joseph Driesback, which has long since
been mislaid. I did not expect that it would be of any future
service to me. In the year 1777 I moved out to Westmoreland
County, where I have resided ever since untill [sic] the
Page 6

present time, I was again drafted for a three months
tour in the militia of Westmoreland County, in the year 1778
we rendevoused [sic] at Hannah's Town, the then County Town of said County, in the month of July 1778, and were
marched from thence under the command of Captain
Truby, (afterwards promoted to the rank of Colonel) to a place called
Fort Crawford, at the mouth of Pochetas Creek in
the Allegheny River, the Fort was under the command of
Colonel Crawford, while stationed here I was out
on several scouting parties against the Indians
but was never in any battle or engagement during either
tour of Service, after we had performed our three months
tour at Fort Crawford we were marched back to Hannah
Town & discharged. I received a discharge in writing
from Captain Truly but it, as well as the former
discharge has long since been lost. Declarant
service.
states that he has no documentary evidence of his service ['service' written above line] and
does not know of any person who can testify to the same
, except Christian Iseman of Hampfield Township
in Westmoreland County aforesaid, declarant claims
a pension for six months service as above stated
and I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to
a pension or annuity excep [sic] the present and declare
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that my name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of
any State
Questions propounded by the Court to the
declarant-
Qust. 1st Where and in what year were you born?
Answer. I was born in Lehigh Township North Hampton County Pa in the year 1755.
Question 2nd Have you any record of your age and if so where
is it,
Answer. I have a record of my age in my fathers
hand writing, I have it at home
Quest. 3d Where were you living when called into the service
where have you lived since the Revolutionary war
and where do you live now
Answer I was living in Leheigh [sic] Township in
Northampton County Pennsylvania when first called
into the service of the U.S. I have lived since the
Revolutionary war in Franklin Township Westmoreland
County aforesaid, and I reside there now.
Quest 4th How were called into the service
Answer I was drafted in the Militia for both tours
of service.
Page 8


Quest 5
State the names of some of the Regular officers
who were with the troops where you served, such
Continental and Militia Regiments as you can
recollect and the general circumstances of your
service -
Answer. I cannot now recollect the names of any
other general officers, than those mentioned in
the foregoing declaration, or the names of
any Regiment of Militia or any particular
circumstances owing to my advanced age and
consequent failure of memory.
Quest 6th Did you ever receive a discharge from the
service, and if so by whom was it given, &
what has become of it
Answer. The answer to the above interrogatory is
stated in the foregoing declaration
Quest 7th State the names of Persons to whom you are
known in your present neighborhood & who
can testify to your character for veracity, and
good behaviour, your services as a Soldier
of the Revolution
Answer. General James Murray, Jacob Haymaker Esqr
Page 9

Daniel M. Hown Esq. The Reverend Francis Lard, Pastor
of Murrayville Congregation can testify to my Character
for veracity, and good behaviour, and Christian Iseman
of Hempfield Township in this County, can testify to my service in part as a soldier of the Revolutionary War Sworn and subscribed 
the day and year aforesaid
Randal M Laughlin Pect.
[signature]  leonard [remaining Middle innitial and last name illegible - possibly G smith]

We Nicholas P. Hacke a clergyman residing in the Borough of Greensburgh Westmoreland County and Christian Iseman 
in Hempfield Township in said County
hereby certify that we are well acquainted with
Leonard Smith of Franklin Township in said County who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration 
that we believe him to be about 78 years of age, that he
is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood [sic] where he resides
to have been a soldier of the Revolution, and that we concur in that opinion
Sworn to and subscribed in open Court the day and year aforesaid
[Signature] Nicolas P. Hacke
[signature] Christian Iseman 
Attent Randal McLaughlin, [illegible initials professional title]

[NOTE - initials of his professional title - illegible here - found to be for a Prothonotary. NOTE - in another document his title and name were entered legibly in full as Randal McLaughlin Prothonotary of the Court of Common pleas of Westmoreland County]
Page 10

Westmoreland County [appears to be a long s or Js initial at the end of this entry]

Christian Iseman of Hempfield Township in said County
aged 72 years, came before the Judges of the Court of
Common Pleas of said County now sitting and being
duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith that
he is well acquainted with Leonard Smith who has
Sworn to and subscribed the foregoing declaration, that
said deponent was drafted at the same time that declarant
was drafted in the Militia of Westmoreland County and was
marched in the same company with declarant I think in
the year 1778 under the command of Captain Truby, from Hannas Town in said County to Fort Crawford at the month of Pochetas [sic - should this be Pucketa?] Creek on the Allegheny River where said Leonard Smith & this deponent were employed; with the rest of the company in building & erecting said fort, we were also out on several scouting parties while lying at said fort after having served one tour of three months at the Fort Said declarant with deponan [deponant] and the rest of the company were marched back to Hannas Town & discharged by Captain Truby - [signature of} Christian Iseman
Sworn & Subscribed in open court the
21st day of August 1833 - attest Randal M Laughlin [ professional title - illegible ] 
 [initials of his professional title - illegible here - found to be for a Prothonotary - NOTE - in another document his title and name were entered legibly in full as Randal McLaughlin Prothonotary of the Court of Common pleas of Westmoreland County]
Page 11


And the said Court do hereby allow their opinion after the investigation of
the matter, and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the war 
department [sic], that the above named applicant Leonard Smith, was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states. And the Court further certify that
appear to them that Nicolas P. Hacke who has signed the preceding certificate is a Clergyman resident in the Borough of Gramburgh [Hamburgh?] and that Christian [first name split between two lines] Iseman who has also signed the same is a resident of Hempfield Township in said County and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to cred of
I Randal McLaughlin Prothonotary of the Court of Common pleas of Westmoreland County, do hereby certify that the foregoing contains
the original proceedings in the matter of the application of Leonard Smith
for a pension 
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my have and
affixed the seal of the same Court of my office in Greenburgh this twenty first day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three
Randal McLaughlin Proty [scribbled professional title for Prothonotary as noted above in this document]
Page 12


[faint outline of a seal in top left of bifold document]

State of Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County
Application of Ann Smith
widow of Leonard Smith
soldier of the Revolutionary
War for a Pension
[signature by a different hand] Boynton
Aug
 8 /54
Filed by Hon Augustus Drum
Ho of Reps [House of Representatives?]
[verified there was an Augustus Drum in the Penn House - no other Augustus with a 4 letter last name]
[this signature is illegible to me] 
Addup H.P. Laisa Guen  = 
= 5 Lang Westmoreland County
Pennsylvania
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State of Pennsylvania
County of Westmoreland
-
On this 30th day of May A.D. 1854 personally
appeared in open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said County Ann Smith a resident of Greensburg in the said County of Westmorland
aged eighty years who being duly sworn according to law doth on her oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions of *** 
the course of the my***

 the 2 Section of the act of Congress of the 3 February A.D. 1853. That she is the Widow of Leonard Smith who was a private in the service of the United States in the revolutionary war under Captain Strause. The Regiment being commanded by Col. Dreisbach. That her husband was drafted about the year 1777 and marched from Northampton County Pennsylvania [added above sentence] to defend the City of Philadelphia and that he continued
in the service untill [sic] he was discharged
at the end of (she is unable to state when
he was discharged). After his discharge he
returned to his residence at that time
in Northampton County Pennsylvania
and that his discharges are lost in relation
to both her and of [two illegible words crammed into a small space at end of page]
Page 14

he further states that in the year 1780 or
about that time he enlisted a second time
as a private in the Pennsylvania 
troops in the service of the United States in a
company commanded by Captain
Stokely [no such person in Leonard's deposition] the detachment being under the
command of General Berry upon an
expedition against the hostile indians [sic]
on the Northwestern frontier of Pennsylvania
and that he continued in said service
untill [sic] discharged at the end of six
months I further declares that she was
married to the said Leonard Smith in the
Year A.D. 1814 she cannot recollect the month
or the day of the month that she was married  to the said Leonard Smith by James McCutshin [sic] a Justice of the Peace in Westmoreland County who is now dead and that she continued to live with him as his wife untill [sic] the 22 day of February A.D. 1838. (Eighteen hundred and thirty eight and
that her husband the aforesaid Leonard
Smith died on the 22 day of February A.D
1838. That she was not married to him
prior to his leaving the service but the
Marriage took place in the year 1814 as above Stated. She further swears that she is now a 
Widow and that she has never before made
any application to the Government of the
Page 15

of her United States for a pension and that there is no record of her marriage.
(the act of Congress of the 27 July A.D. 1845 and of) there words were put in by mistake and hand before signing on swearing
Ann [her mark written between] Smith
Mark
Sworn and subscribed in open Court this
30th day of May A.D. 1859 Before the Hon J. M.
Burwell President Judge of the Court of
Common Pleas and his associates James
Bell and David Cook Judges-
Attest
Jos [for Joseph] Gross Prot [Prothonotary]
Page 16

State of Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County Pa
Personally appeared before the
Subscriber a Justice of the Peace in and
for said County
John M. Laird Esquire
who on his oath deposeth and saith
that he is well acquainted with Ann
Smith the widow of Leonard Smith
who is applying for a pension on
account of the service of her husband
in the revolutionary war. That he knew
the said Ann Smith and her husband
Leonard Smith prior to their marriage
in the year A. D. 1814. That they both
reside in the immediate neighborhood of the deponent in Westmorland
County and that he was also acquainted with
James McCutchion [sic] who was
Justice of the Peace by whom the said
Ann Smith alledges [sic] she was married
to the said Leonard Smith. That the
said Ann Smith and Leonard Smith
are reputed to have been married
by the said James McCutchion [sic] about
the year A.D. 1814 and that he knew
the said Ann Smith and Leonard
Smith to live together as husband
and wife from the year A.D. 1814
Page 17

untill [sic] February A.D. 1838 at which time
the said Leonard Smith died That the
said Leonard Smith and Ann
Smith had by the marriage
one child namely Hannah Smith
who is still living and resides
in Greensburg in Westmoreland County and that the said Ann Smith was reputed and
taken to be the Wife of the said
Leonard by all the neighbors
and was [illegible] represented to the
world by the said Leonard
Smith
This deponent further
states that the said Leonard Smith
was always reputed and believed
by his neighbors to have been
soldier in the service of the
United States Government in the
Revolutionary War and to have performed Military service under the government of the
United States in said war and that he was
reputed and believed to have
removed from the County of Northampton
to the County of Westmorland
Sworn and described
before me this 26 day of June A. D. 1854
[Signature of] J. M. Laird

Reuben Shrum J.P. [Justice of the Peace]
[NOTE: Reuben Shrum name is messy - a subsequent document certifying him as a J.P. has a clear name presented verifying his name here]
Page 18

State of Pennsylvania,
WESTMORELAND COUNTY, SS.
[an official seal - illegible - is pressed into the document to the top left and to the right of the following text]
I Jos. Gross. PROTONOTANY
of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Westmoreland, in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Do hereby certify that
Reuben Shrum - before whom the foregoing
Affidavit was duly made
and whose name, in his own proper handwriting is to the foregoing certificate appended, was then and now an acting Justice of the Peace in and for said County of Westmoreland, duly elected and commissioned, and to
all whose official acts and deeds full faith and under are of right due.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and all the Seal of said Court,
at Greensburg, the 26th day of June
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty four
Jos. Gross Prothonotary [Jos. is an abbreviation of Joseph]
Page 19

[Bifold document - left side a form: printed and hand entered text. Right side has hand entered  text]

[hand entered diagonally top left:] Revolution

[hand entered above form:] 22514

INVALID.
---
No.22,514
Leonard Smith
The Rev War  [Revolutionary War]
Act: June 7th 32 
[Act of Congress authorizing Revolutionary War pension passed June 7th 1832]

Index:--Vol. 2, Page 379
[the printed words in brackets:] Arrangement of 1870

{Entered by hand right side top:]
1913 June 20 Hist to Alice C. Truby [illegible signature] 
[ NOTE: There are other documents identifying the name Alice C Truby - matches this text]
Page 20


[Rubber Stamp top right diagonal:] REJECTED

7687.
P.O. [blank line]
Ann Smith
Service: Leonard
Enlisted: [blank line] , 18
Discharged: [blank line],18
Enlisted: [blank line], 18
Application filed: [blank line],18

Alleges: [entered by hand] This claim was filed too late to have cause of
Re-enlisted: [handwritten entry carried over from previous section 'Alleges' to section 'Re-enlisted'] rejection the printed list of 1852

Attorney: [blank line]
P. O. [multiple blank lines]
---
[blank line] Recognized.
[blank line] Contract.
[blank line] Cert. of Dis. Searched for [blank line], 18
Page 21

No 4,958
Ann Smith
Wid: of  [widow of]
Leonard
Set: to H. P. Laird. Aug. 9" 1854
of

Act 153
Page 22


TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Second Comptroller's Office
June 12th 1839
Sir:
Under the act of the 6th of April, 1838, entitled "An act directing the transfer of money remaining unclaimed by certain
Pensioners, and authorizing the payment of the same at the Treasury
of the United States, The widow of Leonard Smith,-
a Pensioner on the Roll of the Pittsburg, Pa. Agency, at the rate of Twenty Dollars and
[blank line] Cents per annum, under the law of the 7th June 1832, has
been paid at this Department, from the
4th of Sept. 1837,
to the 22d February 1838, the day of his death.
Respectfully yours

Albion K. Parris
Comptroller
To the Commissioner of Pensions
Present.
Page 23

[entered by another hand above the following text]: Free

James L. Edwards Esquire
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City DC
Page 24


Greensburgh Westmorland County Pa
2nd September 1833-
James L. Edwards Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions

Sir, By an early attention to the inclosed [sic] documents of William Ewing
and Leonard Smith you will confer a lasting
favor on two old and infirm soldiers of the
Revolutionary war. They are both in necessitous circumstances, and the small pittance which they will be entitled to receive (if granted) will materially aid in supplying their wants during the few days the have to sojourn amongst us.
Sir yours with Respect

[In brackets to the left of the signature:]
Please address your favors to J. Armstrong Greensburgh Westmoreland County Penn.

[signature:] John Armstrong 
[underlined with impressive artistic flourish]
Page 25

[Signature at Top left of otherwise blank page:]
H. P. Laird
Aug 9/52,   [August 9, assume 1852]
Page 26

[top right corner - faint:] 98

Pension Office,
August 9th 1854

Sir,
The claim of Mrs. Ann Smith for a pension
under the 2nd section of the act of Feby. [sic] 3d, 1853
as the widow of Leonard, has been recieved [sic] examined & Suspended
The claimant should file
evidence that said Leonard Smith, served at
least six months in the war of the revolution
The
applicant should also file evidence of
her present widowhood.
I have to to
H. P. Laird, Esqr
Greensburgh,
Westmoreland Co. Pa;
Page 27

Carpenter  525
Pvt. Leonard Smith
un V.S. praying for relief
March 17, 1837
clms

March 25. 1837
Gratuity and Annuity
D. Middlecoff

Examined by Com W. Nep
[lined out word] April 1st 1837
Gratuity & unity.
H. Oliver [initial may be interpreted as a "W" but comparing to handwriting samples this is acursive "H"]
Page 28

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
The Petition of Leonard Smith of the Township of Franklin
in Westmoreland County respectfully showeth [sic]
That your Petitioner was draughted [sic - "drafted"] in the Army of the Revolution
in the year 1777 or thereabouts and marched to the City of
Philadelphia with the purpose to defend said City, under the
immediate command of Capt. Strause, the regiment being
commanded by Col. Dreisbach [Colonel Joseph Dreisbach] and that he remained in
said service until discharged at the end of [a large empty space after this word "of" - did they miss a date?]
when he returned to his residence at that time in Northampton County Penna [sic  Pennsylvania]
And your Petitioner further represents that in the year 1780
or thereabouts he enlisted in the Pennsylvania troops in the
service of the United States, in a company commanded by Capt.
Stokely the detachment being under the command of General
Beery upon an expedition against the hostile Indians on the
northwestern frontier of Pennsylvania and that he continued
in said service until discharged at the end of six months
And your Petitioner further states that he is now old ( [illegible word] of 80) and very infirm and totally unable by his own means
to procure a subsistence for himself and family, and prays
that the Legislature will grant him such relief as under the
circumstances of his case they may think proper.
Westmoreland County ["Is" written after County - unknown what this signifies]
Before me, the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in and
for said County personally appeared Leonard Smith the above
Petitioner and made oath in due form of Law that the facts set forth in the above petition are just and true to the best of
his knowledge. Witness my Hand and seal this thirteenth day of March A.D. 1837.
[signature] John M Laird [a hand drawn "cloud" with the word "seal" inscribed inside - not a formal seal of office after the signature]
Westmoreland County
Personally before me John M Laird
a Justice of the Peace for the County aforesaid came Andrew Walp
Page 29

and William Free and made oath in due form
of Law that they are personally acquainted with Leonard Smith the above named Petitioner, that they know him to be in necessitous circumstances, that he is fully worthy of credit, that they believe his statement to be true, and that he is generally reputed by those who know him to have been in the Revolutionary War. In Witness whereof they have hereto set their hands and seals the day and year before written.
Sworn and subscribed before me [the words "in presence of" have been lined out]
[Signature] Andrew Walp [cloud drawn with the word "seal" next to his signature]
[Signature] William Free [cloud drawn with the word "seal" next to his signature]
presence of
[signature] JM Laird JP [cloud drawn with the word "seal" next to his signature]

Westmoreland County ["Is" unknown meaning] We the Subscribers Justices of the
Peace in and for said County do certify that we are well acquainted with Andrew Walp and William Free the above named citizens and know them to be of credit and
respectability.
Witness our Hands the day and year first above written.
[signature] John M Laird J.P.
[signature] Jacob Dible J.P.
Page 30

Senate Chambers
Harrisburg April 18th - 56
I do certify that the within papers were in
the files of the Senate and in lease having been granted,
were withdrawn
Thomas A. Maguire
Clerk of Senate
Page 31

[typewritten letter]
Painesville, Ohio,
June 17th, 1913.

Commissioner of Pensions,
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:-

If consistent, will you kindly furnish me with the
records of the following named soldiers, pensioners of the Revolutionary War:
[list]
Peter Bellesfelt, resident of Trumbull County, Ohio.
John Hardin,"   " Fayette County, Pa.
Leonard Smith, " "  Westmoreland County, Pa.
[double quotes used in place of repeating the words resident of] 

Would be pleased to have the family data given in their statements.
Yours
truly
[signature] Alice C. Truby
Painesville, Ohio.
Page 32

Round circular stamped seal at bottom of page:

Top of circle: "PENSION"
Far Left of circle "U."
Center stacked: "D Jun 18 1913"
Far Right circle: "S."
Bottom of circle: "OFFICE."

Read as: "U. S. Pension Office D Jun 18 1913"