Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 19095, for Aaron Smith, Massachusetts
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Smith, Aaron
SERVICE
Continental 
Mass. 
NUMBER
S19095

Carded
CONTENTS

b. at Hardwick Mass. Sept. 24, 1758, there in 1776, Res. Rutland Co. Vt, aged 73 in 1832
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Vermont
3694.
Aaron Smith
of Rutland Co in the State of Vermont
who was a Drum. & Corp'l in the Company commanded by Captain Wheelock of the Reg commanded by Col Ward in the Massachusetts
line for Drummer & Corporal. $88.00
& Continental

Inscribed on the Roll of Vermont
at the rate of 88 Dollars per annum,
to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.

Certificate of Pension issued the 27th day of Dec 1832 and sent to R. Temple, Present

Arrears to 4th of Sept. 1832 $132.00
Semi-anl. allowance ending 4 March 1833 44.-
176.00

{Revolutionary Claim,
Act June 7, 1832}

Recorded by Vinal Luce Clerk
Book D Vol. 4 Page 84

Death not in A. B.
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Aaron Smith

17 mos. drummer
9 mos. corporal
----
26

Admitted
Drummer & corp.
More than 2 yrs
$88.00
R. Temple
Present
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State of Vermont
Rutland County, SS

On this 4th day of August A. D. 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Judge of the Probate Court of Rutland Dist., now sitting Aaron Smith a resident of the County of Rutland and State of Vermont, aged 73 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 under the following named officers, and served as herein stated. In 1775 he lived in Hardwick, Mass. & stood as a minute man & immediately after the battle of Lexington marched to Cambridge, in Col Ward's Regt., Lt. Col. Ward, Maj. Bigelow, Capt. Wheelock, as a drummer. He enlisted for eight months & volunteered & served one month more after his 8 months was out until the new recruits came in. He was in the battle of Bunkerhill & was dismissed at Dorchester, but rec'd no written discharge. Soon after the expiration of said time he enlisted into Capt. Sawyer's Company, Lt. Harrington, Col. Dike Regt., Jam. Upham, served eight months as drummer, was stationed at Dorchester & worked on the Fort. he does not remember the names of his other officers was discharged at Dorchester some time in Nov. 1776.  Soon after his time was out he went to Bennington, Vermont when he enlisted about the middle of Jany. 1777 in Capt. Brownson's company, Col. Warner's Regt. for nine months, was appointed Corporal. Marched to Castleton thence to Bennington & was in the battle of Bennington. thence to Saratoga, was in the battle of Stillwater & at capture of Burgoyne & was discharged at Saratoga soon after--he has lost his discharge, having burnt it with some continental money. He made application for a pension for his last services but was rejected on account of his property. He has no documentary evidence & knows of none that he can obtain except what he before sent to the Pension office. he knew Genls. Washington, Putnam, Lincoln, Gates , Sullivan &n many others. He was born at Hardwick the 24th Sept. 1758--his age is recorded in his Bible. since the revolution he has lived in Bennington, Manchester, Dorset, Danby & Shrewsbury--there is no
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is known to most of the inhabitants there.

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.
Aaron Smith

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
R. C. Roger, regt.

We Daniel Clark residing in Shrewsbury and Levi Parker residing in the same place, hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Aaron Smith who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be 73 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.
Danl. Clark
Levi Parker

Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.

And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion, after the 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 Daniel Clark who has signed the preceding certificate is a credible person, resident in Shrewsbury and that Levi parker who has also signed the same, is a resident in Shrewsbury and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.

I Rodney C. Roger Regr. of the Court of Probate do hereby certify, that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of Aaron Smith for a Pension.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 9th day of Augt. A. D. 1832.
R. C. Roger Regr.
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20.909
Aaron Smith

Rejected-See letter of Apr. 3r 1829 to R. Temple
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State of Vermont
Rutland County, SS

On this 3d day of February 1829 personally appeared before the Supreme 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.) Aaron Smith resident in said county, aged 70 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 Aaron Smith enlisted for the term of nine months on or about the 15th of Jany. in the year 1777 in the State of New Hampshire in the company commanded by Captain Brownson in the regiment commanded by Colonel Warner in the line of the State of New Hampshire on the continental establishment; that he continued to serve in the said corps until the last of October 1777 when he was discharged from the service in Saratoga in the State of New York; that his name has not been placed on the pension list of any state. That he was in the battles of Bennington & Saratoga. that he hereby relinquishes any claim to a pension or annuity except the present. That he has lost his discharge & that the following is the reason he did not make earlier application viz. He made his declaration in 1819 but before he had a decision he was was informed that he had too much property to obtain it.
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 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, securities, contracts or debts due to me, nor do I have any income other that what is contained in the Schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed-54 acres of land in Shrewsbury & 46 sheep a horse a waggon & harness.

That since 18 March 1818, no changes have been made in my property except that in 1823 I swapped 3 cows for 20 sheep which have increased to 46. I have sold the wool to purchase clothing. I live with my son Charles who cultivates my land & takes care of y sheep & horse & supports me. My occupation was formerly that of a carpenter, but have not been able to work at my trade for the last 8 years on account of ill health and lameness.
Aaron Smith
Sworn to and declared on the 3d day of Feby. 1829 before said Court.
R. Pierpoint, Clerk

I, Robert Pierpoint Clerk of the Supreme Court do hereby certify that it appears to the satisfaction of the Court that the said Aaron 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 Three hundred & forty one dollars, and ........cents,
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the seal of the said Court on this third day of February, 1829
(seal)
R. Pierpoint
Clerk of the Court of the County of Rutland
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December 11, 1937

Aaron Smith, S. 19095
BA-J/MCS

Miss Virginia F. Watson
2316 Thayer Street
Evanston, Illinois

Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your request for copies of the pension claim of all soldiers named Aaron Smith who applied for Revolutionary War pensions.

Because of the large number of requests for records of Revolutionary War soldiers and the lack of clerical force available for furnishing such information, it is impossible to make a series of investigations and reports pertaining to soldiers of that war, for each inquirer.
You state that the Aaron Smith in whom you are interest had a son, Aaron, born in Vermont in 1777. Aaron Smith, S. 19095, whose record is furnished herein in the only soldier of that name who lived in Vermont during the Revolution, that is found in the Revolutionary War records of this office.
Aaron Smith was born September 24, 1756, at Hardwick, Massachusetts. the names of his parents were not given.
In 1775 he lived in Hardwick, Massachusetts, "and stood as a minuteman" and immediately after the battle of Lexington he enlisted as a drummer in Captain Wheelock's Company in Colonel Ward's Massachusetts regiment, was in the battle of Bunker Hill and served nine months. Soon afterward he enlisted as a drummer in Captain Sawyer's company in colonel Dike's Massachusetts regiment and was discharged in November, 1776, having served eight months. He then went to Bennington, Vermont, and enlisted January 15, 1777, as corporal in Captain Brownson's company in Colonel Warner's Continental regiment, was in the battles of Bennington and Stillwater and at the capture of Burgoyne and was discharged the last of October, 1777.
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After the Revolutionary War, Aaron Smith lived in Bennington, Manchester, Dorset, Danby and Shrewsbury, Vermont.
He was allowed pension on his application executed February 3, 1829, at which time he was living in Shrewsbury, Rutland County, Vermont, with his son, Charles.
In 1829 one Moses Smith stated that he knew Aaron Smith during the Revolutionary War but did not state that he was related to him.
There are no further data relative to the family of Aaron Smith.

Very truly yours.
A. D. Hiller
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator
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P 19095
INVALID

File No.19095
Aaron Smith
Drummer Rev. War

Act: June 7th '32
Index: Vol. 1, Page 383

[Arrangement of 1870]


Jany. 8, 1900 mil.  hist. to Henry D. Warren, Boston, Mass.
1937 Dec 11 hist to Miss Virginia F. Waton, M.C.S.
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Stamped-O. W. & N. Division
Nov. 9 1899 Received

Stamped-U. S. Pension Office H.Nov.7 1899
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Boston Nov. 6, 1899

Dear Sir:
Will you kindly send me at your convenience the record of the military service of Maj. Benj. Whitcomb who was pensioned April 17,1819 for services in the Revolutionary War he resided in Graflin county and died July 22 1829.
And also the record of Ensign Aaron Smith who was pensioned
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Nov. 18, 1796 for Revolutionary services he resided in Cheshire County N. H. and died June 6 1819
As these men were ancestors I am very anxious to get their full record of service.
I have the honor to be very respt. yours &c.
henry D. Warren

add.
300 Exeter St. Boston, Mass.
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[stamped-Received Dec. 1, 1937 Mail sub. div. Vets. Adm. Reader No 3]

2316 Thayer Street
Evanston, Illinois
November 29, 1937

Mr. A. O. Hiller
Veterans Administration
Washington, D. C. 

Dear Sir:
Thank you very much for your letter of October 25, 1937 (BA-J/MCS), and for your trouble in searching for our Aaron Smith. I think probably one of the Aaron Smiths you found is our ancestor, even though the record does not give enough data to connect him up with us just yet.
I wonder if you would be good enough to send me a copy of the pension claims of the Aaron Smiths who did apply for Revolutionary War Pensions, and then with those data in hand perhaps i can, with that much information to start on, search out which one was ours. It is more likely, probably, that he lived in New Hampshire or Vermont, for his son, Aaron, was born in Vermont in 1777. I am not sure, but I think the senior Aaron was born in 1730 and died in 1807.
I hope I am not asking too much of you.

Yours very truly
(Miss) Virginia F. Watson
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State of Vermont
Rutland SS
On the 3d day of February 1829, personally came before the undersigned authority, Moses Smith, a credible witness who being duly sworn doth depose & say that he is acquainted with Aaron Smith of said county & was acquainted with him during the Revolutionary war. That he knows the said Aaron Smith was a soldier in Capt. Brownson's company in Col. Warrner's Regt as stated by him this day in his application for a pension from about the middle of January to the latter part of October 1777, nine months. that the deponent was (illegible) & frequently saw him. and further says not.
Sworn the day & year aforesaid before me. 
R. Temple Jus. Peace

State of Vermont
Rutland County ss
On this 3d day of February 1829 personally came before the undersigned Justice of the Peace for said County, Eleazer Gould, a credible witness, also being duly sworn doth depose & say that he is
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acquainted with Aaron Smith also has this day render application for a pension & was acquainted with him during the Revolutionary War & ever since. and he know the said Aaronn served nine months in Capt. Brownson's company in Col. Warner's Regt. of N. Hampshire line from January 1777 to the latter part of October of the same year ^he was present when sd. Aaron was discharged at Saratoga ^ and further says not.
Sworn the day & year aforesaid before me
R. Temple
Jus. Peace

State of Vermont
Rutland Ss.
I Robert Pierpoint Clerk of Rutland County Court do certify that Robert Temple before whom the foregoing affidavits were taken is a Justice of the Peace for said County, duly commissioned and that his name thereto subscribed is in his own proper hand writing.
In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand and affix the seal of said Court this 3d day of February 1829
R. Peirpoint