Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 40421, for James Shields, Pennsylvania
Page 1

SERVICE  Continental (Penn)
Shields, James
S.40421
B.L. Wt. 2211-100.
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Date of death not in A. B. - ILL
Notification sent to D. Stanard Esqr 9th of
December 1820. Indiana, Pennsylvania
14.110
Pennsylvania
James Shields
of Indiana Cy in the State of Penn’a
who was a Private in the regiment commanded
Colonel Hazen of the Continental
line, for the term of 1777 to 1783 War
Inscribed on the Roll of Pennsylvania
at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence
30 of Apl 1818
Certificate of Pension issued the 6th Sept 1819
and sent to James Elliott Jr.  
Armagh.  Pensylv’a
Arrears to 4th of Sept 1819    129.33
Semi-anl, all'ce ending 4th March 1820  48
16 mo 5 / 30   $177.33
{Revolutionary claim,  Act 18th March, 1818.}
Continued
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James Shields  4590
Private
Hazen's Penn Regt
1777 to June 1783
Com. [commence] 30 Apr 1818
on Roll
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DISTRICT of Pennsylvania             
Indiana County ss              
On this fourth day of August 1819, before me, the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the said district, personally appeared James Shield aged seventy four years, resident in Indiana County in the said district, 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 and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war:"  That he, the said James Sheilds enlisted for the term of three years in February in the year Anno Domini 1777 in Chambersburg in the State of Pennsylvania in the company commanded by Captain William Chambers of the Regiment commanded by Colonel Moses Hazen in the line of the State of Pennsylvania on the Continental Establishment; that he continued to serve in the said corps, or in the service of the United States, until the Month of June AD 1783 when he was discharged from service in Pumpton Plains State of New Jersey that he was in the battles of Brandywine Germantown and at Yorktown, in Virginia at the siege of Cornwallis and that he is in reduced circumstances, and stands in need of the assistance of his country for support; and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services.              
Sworn to and declared before me, the day and year aforesaid.                
[seal] Chas Campbell   
James Shields his mark
I Charles Campbell Judge, &c. as aforesaid, do certify that it appears, to my satisfaction, that the said James Shields serve in the revolutionary war, as stated in the preceding declaration, against the common enemy, for the term of nine months at one time, on the continental establishment; and I now transmit the proceedings and testimony taken and had before me, to the Secretary for the Department of War, pursuant to the directions of the aforementioned act of Congress. I am also satisfied that he needs the assistance of his country for support.            
I further certify that the said James Shields made a similar declaration before me in the month of April AD 1818 to obtain his pension which I certified, and which was forwarded by mail to the office of the Secy of War       
Seal of the Court
Given under my hand this 4th day of August 1819        
Chas Campbell
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State of Pennsylvania              
Indiana County Ss              
Before me Charles Campbell one of the Judges as aforesaid personally appeared Robert Gordon a credible witness and being duly sworn according to law saith that the said James Shields was in the army of the Revolution as stated in the within declaration          
Sworn & Subscribed before me this fourth day of August 1819
Cha’s Campbell [seal]
Pennsylvania          
Indiana County Ss    
I John Taylor Clerk of the Court of General Quarter Sessions part of the Peace of Indiana County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania  Do Certify that Charles Campbell Esquire before whom the within declaration was made;  was at the time of taking and subscribing the the same: and also at the time of signing the annexed Certificate and still is a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas & of Indiana County aforesaid duly commissioned and qualified to act and as such full faith and credit is due to all his official acts as well in Courts of Justice as throughout         
In testimony whereof I have hereto my hand and seal of office at Indian the fifth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nineteen      
for John Taylor Clerk 
Alexander Taylor
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State of Pennsylvania              
County of Indiana }    
I James Shields of Indiana County Pa  do upon my oath declare and testify, that to the best of my knowledge and belief,  I did enlist in year 1776 of during the War   
and served in the Regiment, called Hazens Regiment that I enlisted under Capt Wm Chambers of Chambersburg & served under Captain Say and under the command of Colonel Moses Hazen    
of the Continental line, and that I continued in the service until the war ended          
I further declare that I have never received a warrant for the Bounty Land promised to me            
on the part of the United States; or transferred my claim to it in any manner whatsoever: Therefore know all men by the presents, That James Shields aforesaid do hereby constitute and appoint VESPASIAN ELLIS, of Accomack County, Virginia, to be my true and lawful Attorney for me and in my name to demand and receive from the Secretary of War of the United States, a warrant for the quantity of land due to me as aforesaid; and my said attorney is hereby fully authorised and empowered to constitute and appoint one or more substitutes or attorneys under him for the special purposes above expressed.   Witness my hand and seal this 30th day of April 1834 
James Shields his mark [seal]
ATTEST        
David K. Thompson           
John Ewing             
Indiana County Ss   
PERSONALLY APPEARED THE ABOVE NAMED James Shields subscriber to the foregoing declaration, and in my presence acknowledged the Power of Attorney thereto subscribed to be his act and deed. Witness my hand and seal this 30th day of April 1834              
David Thompson [seal]    
IN TESTIMONY that the above written Magistrate did authorised to administer Oaths and take acknowledgments, &c. in the State of Pennsylvania at the above date and that the name as subscribed to the foregoing  certificate &c. appear to be his usual signature, I have hereunto affixed my seal of Office, and subscribed my name and quality as Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Indiana County at Pennsylvania this 9th day of February A. D. 1838  
F. Laughlin Prot.
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I certify that I am well acquainted with us Shields of this County an old gentleman upwards of ninety years of age & know that he is the same James Sheilds who was a soldier of Hazens Regiment in the war of the Revolution               
State of Pennsylvania         
 County of Indiana April 1834 
This day a credible witness and a person of good character and made oath to the above deposition.   J.P.
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District of Pennsylvania     
Indiana County  }   
On this twenty seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty personally appeared in open Court of Common Pleas that being a court of record which proceeds according to the course of common law with a jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount keeping a record of their proceedings and having a Seal for the said County    James Shields aged Seventy six years resident in Mahoning Township in said County who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his solemn oath declare that he served in the Revolutionary war as follows        he was enlisted in Captain William Chambers Company in the Congress old Regiment commanded by Colonel Moses Hazen in the year 1777 for the term of three years or during the war which time he served and was at the battle of Brunswick, Whitemarsh, Germantown where he was wounded in the arm Brandywine, Horse Neck Stony Point Little York, Monmouth & others that he was also wound in the left eyebrow and in the right arm. That a certificate was granted to this declarant on 6th day of September 1819 by the war department No 14110 under the law of the 18th March 1818 and he was discharged at Pompton Plains in 1783 and 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 to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War passed on the 18th of March 1818 and that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities contracts or debts due me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed --  
List of declarants property   One old mare five dollars     one horse $27.00        One Cow $11.00 two sheep and one lamb $2.50
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one sow & pigs  $4.00  three small pigs $2.00   One Mattock $1.50 one ax $1.25 three small hoes $0.75 grain in the sheaf and in the ground $59.33 ½    Debts due by petitioner $101.50 -    
My family consists of my wife aged fifty years and six daughters one of whom has two children & one son James aged five years old. I am by profession a labourer and by age and infirmities am now totally unable to work -    
Sworn and subscribed in open Court the twenty seventh day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and twenty }     
John Taylor Prothy            
(Signed) James Shields his mark   
State of Pennsylvania    
Indiana County ss      I, John Taylor Prothonotary of the Court of Common pleas of said County of Indiana do hereby certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule thereto annexed are truly copied from the record of the said Court and I do further certify that it is the opinion of the said Court that the total amount or value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid Schedule is One hundred and fourteen dollars and thirty three cents        
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court at Indiana on this twenty sixth day of October 1820 -     
John Taylor Prothy
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James Shields
Mahoning Township
Indiana Co.
Pa.
14110
Sep '19
C
Page 11

June 13, 1934.
Mr. Edward McKee Golden     
1669 New Horne Avenue          
Dormont, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania   
RA-J/ILL        
James Shields         
S. 40421
Dear Sir:                
Reference is made your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of James Shields of Indiana County, Pennsylvania.  
The record of the above noted soldier is given herein as shown in the papers on file in his claim for pension, S. 40421, based upon service in that war.   
James Shields enlisted in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1776 or early in 1777, served as private in Captain William Chambers' Company, Colonel Moses Hazen's regiment, known as “Congress Own”, and was discharged in June 1783; during the period of this service, he was in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown in this he was wounded in his right arm, Whitemarsh, Monmouth, Horseneck, Stony Point, Brunswick and the Siege of Yorktown. He was wounded in his eyebrow, also, specific date not shown.           
He was allowed pension on his application executed August 4, 1819, at which time he resided in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. In 1820, at which time he resided in Mahoning Township in said Indiana County, he was aged seventy-six years, the date and place of his birth and names of his parents not show. In 1820, his family consisted of his wife, aged fifty years, six daughters, one of them had two children, and a son, James, aged five years. No names, other than that of the son, James, are shown in this claim.            
In 1834, James Shields was still living in Indiana County, Pennsylvania      
To Gen Acer Off - 
Very truly yours, A. D. HILLER Assistant to Administrator
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1934 - June 13. Hist. to Mr. Edward McKee Golden ILL   
1934  - June 19 - Hist. to Mr. Stanley Elkins   ILL   
1939  May 26 - Hist to M.C. Cutter ILL    
40421               
Revy INVALID. 
File No. --- 40.421     
James Shields .          
Pri  Rev War
Act: 18 March ‘18        
Index: - Vol. 3, Page 457              
[Arrangement of 1870.]           
1909 Dec.1.             
Hist to W.S. Shields C  
1925 June 4 Hist to Mrs G. W. Gann MDY
Page 13

James Shields 4  Pensioner Act of 1818.- Indiana County Pennsylv’a     
Rolls show but one James Shields  a Private of Capt Chambers Co’y Hazens Reg’t and he is returned on the list of final settlement as a War man            
Jas Shields in his Pension Declaration, dated 27th Sept 1820, States States that he enlisted in 1777 for three years or during the war and that he was discharged at Pompton Plains in 1783
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James Shields
No. 2211
Page 15

Gadetys May 9. 1838      
Sept 6th 1819 Pa  
Sir   
I herewith unto you the declaration son of James Shield of Hazens Regt. I forwarded it three years age filled it according to the information communicated to me by W. Ewing-- but it seems he wrote me that the witness by whose identity could be proved has died which letter I never rec’d and of course did not answer,  thence hid delay, in sending it to me.   The fact however which Mr Ewing states that he removed the pension for Mr. Shields will  enable you to ascertain his identity, which I hope you will as by reference to his pension papers. Mr Ewing in the P. Att. at Mahoming Pa & from my
Page 16

correspondence with him I think he is an honest man.  I shall return for Richmond (to which place I am now going) on Tuesday next and hope it will be convenient for you to decide the case by my return 
Very respectfully 
Your obt svt 
V. Ellis
Page 17

James Shield
pensioner
Land Claim
Free  
John Ewing [unreadable]
Mr.
Vispasian Ellis, Esqr
Accomack C. H. 
(Virginia State)
Mahoming 
Novb'r 15th
Page 18

Mahoning Indiana Co. Pa  
of Ellis 
Dear Sir          
I here enclose to you the power of attorney &c. I had them filled up before the Justice of the Peace soon after you forwarded them to me and finding that his only by proof of service was dead wrote a letter to you to that effect with the presumption that his pension papers would be testimony   I waited an answer but has not yet received one    It was a Mr Peter Gordan I believe that Identified for Mr James Shields when he drew his pension   there is some of Mr Gordons desendants in this County the have a knowledge of the facts by hersing [hearsay] their father state them I suppose this testimony would not answer any purpose  likewise I have been for three or four yours in bad health first of had the scarlet fever and two other in my family and soon after I recovered of this disease of took an inflamation on the lung  and have not been well since was there of the [unreadable] did not write and get these papers for’d    
There is a great difficulty in finding out old revollutioners at this late period, it may be for ought that I know too late for them to recover their claims I think that James Shields had a brother that died in the revolutionary war    James Shield is yet living and some time since he received a letter and as I understand it was on this business and Esqr Thompson told me he wrote an answer to it for them I have not been there since to see it if there is any that I can asertain that are intitled to land I will atend to it if I am spared a measure of health, their is a man of the name of John Gould that is on the Pensylvania list I had some considerable time ago conversation with one of that name in Armstrong Co he saId that his father was a revolutionary
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but could not gave me any account of his father’s officers he spoke of an older Brother he thought he knowed more about the matter I have not seen him yet      I have kept those matters to myself there has none been the wiser by me of our private letters &c   there was some that I conversed with that was enlisted in Maryland I have no list of that State I wants be glad have one I am with the respect John Ewing .             
P. S. I have no doubt of James Shields being the man that served as stated but their is no person living now that was with him in the service unless other testimony would answer there must be some dificulty here to identify him of think the testimony of Mr Gordan to his pension papers would to prove him to be the man.  those we [unreadable] in Washington City and could be had your John Ewing  [unreadable]
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LOOKING EAST DOWN 7TH STREET CANYON, FORT WORTH, TEXAS 48
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This is the crossroad of the Houston Federal Highway 80 one of the principal transcontinental highways.  [unreadable] and crossed by Federal Highway 81, the principal federal highway west of the Mississippi extending from Canada to Mexico.
POST CARD   
UNITED STATES POSTAGE 1 CENT 1
RECEIVED APR 7 1939    
MAIL SUB-DIV VETS ADM READER #29
Veterans Administration
United States Pensions
Washington 
District of Columbia
1104 Sir  Ave 
Fort Worth Texas  
April 3 1939
[unreadable] pri person Wm James Shields Hazens Regiment Continental Troops – also name James Shields Mr. [unreadable]   & M L. Cutter Pennsylvania Regiment
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TELEPHONE CENTRAL 3871              
W. S. SHIELDS          
CIVIL AND SANITARY ENGINEER              
1201 HARTFORD BUILDING               
CHICAGO, November 18th 1909.              
U.S. Commissioner of Pensions,                
War Dept. Washington, D.C.                   
Sir:          
Please send me a statement of the military history of James Shields, of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, a pensioned soldier of the Revolution - placed, Sept. 6, 1819, began April 3rd, 1818, age 90 yrs.              
Very respectfully, 
W. S. Shields 
U.S. PENSION OFFICE
A
NOV 19 1909
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April 1st 1925     
MRS. G. W. GANN          
45 EAST LONG AVENUE        
DUBOIS, PA.      
Bureau of Pensions         
Washington D.C.           
Gentlemen-           
Do you have any record of James Shields, of Indiana Con Pa. he served six and a half years in the Revolutionary War. was wounded in both arms and a leg he died in 1847. at time of death he lived in East Wheatfield hospl. Indiana Co Pa. Did he get a pension?     
Yours Truly     
Mrs. G. W. Gann 
U.S. PENSION OFFICE
H
APR 2 1925
Page 24

Indiana, Pennsylvania, 
June 8th, 1934
RECEIVED JUN 12 1934
MAIKL SUB-DIV 
[unreadable]
United States Dept. of Interior,      
Bureau of Pensions,            
Washington, D.C.         
Gentlemen:   
I am desirous of ascertaining whether or not James Shields, who served in the Continental Line of the Revolutionary War, having been appointed May 26, 1777, received a pension, and any other information you can give regarding the above named.                    
I realize that the above information given is very vague, but I do not have any other at hand at this time.            
Any information you can give will be greatly appreciated.          
Yours very truly,            
Mildred W. Elkin     
Mrs. Stanley Elkin,        
1117 Washington St.,       
Indiana, Pa.
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OFFICE OF STATE SECRETARY
814 PROFESSIONAL BLDG.
PITTSBURGH
Pennsylvania Society
National Shrines of the American Revolution
FOUNDED 1775    
PITTSBURG PA
RECEIVED JUN 1 1934
MAKIL SUB-DIV [unreadable]
 E. M. GOLDEN, Pres.    
ELMER G. TRUMM, Sec.     
THOS. ECKLES, Treas.          
MRS. JAS. P. CASPER, Resistrar
VICE PRESIDENTS KENNETH McKEE HAGAN, Ceremonial    
THOS. J. RAQUERE ARCHITECT        
R. S. GOLDEN, Decorator     
JOHN R. HAUDENSHIELD, Colors          
JOHN S. DRAKE. Financial.        
G. M. PHILLIPS, Publications   
JAS. PARKS HUTCHESON, Educational  
W. H. CHERRY, Research 
May 30, 1934
Pension Bureau, 
Washington D. C. 
Gentlemen,             
Please send me the data on the Pension papers of James Shields, Revolutionary veteran who resided in Indiana Co., Pennsylvania.       
Thanking you for your reply I am,            
Very Truly Yours, 
Signature ? 
Edward McKee Golden, President.           
Pa. Society, N.S.A.R.   
1669 New Haven Ave.,            
Dormont, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Page 26

RECEIVED 
JUN 13 1934
MAIL SUB-DIV [unreadable] VETS ADM
Indiana, Pa.,         
June 11th, 1934.        
Veteran's Administration,         
Bureau of Pensions,         
Washington, D. C.             
Several days I wrote to you regarding information relative to a pension of James Shields, who served in the Continental ranks of the Revolutionary war. Since that time I have been able to ascertain that in 1940, James Shields was receiving a pension, and his address was Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pa. This, no doubt, will assist in securing the information desired. Thanking you in advance,            
I am Yours very truly,          
Mildred W. Elkin           
Mrs. Stanley Elkin,              
1147 Washington St.,            
Indiana, Pa.
Page 27

May 26, 1939.         
M. C. Cutter         
1100 6th Avenue          
Fort Worth, Texas  
RA-J/ILL
James Shields 
S. 40421  
Dear Madam:                
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of James Shields, who served in Hazen's Continental Regiment.           
The data which follow were obtained from the papers on file in pension claim, S. 40421, based upon service of James Shields in the Revolutionary War.   
OK on original   
James Shields enlisted in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1776 or early in 1777, served as private in Captain William Chambers's Company & Pry’s regiment, Colonel Moses Hazen's Continental (called "Congress Own") regiment and was discharged in June 1783; during the period of his service, he was in the battle Brandywine, Germantown in which he was wounded in his right arm, Whitemarsh, Monmouth, Horseneck, Stony Point, Brunswick and in the siege of Yorktown. He was wounded also in me eyebrow, date not shown.               
James Shields was allowed pension on his application executed August 6, 1819, at which time he resided in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.              
In 1820, the soldier resided in Mahoning Township, said Indiana County, and was aged then seventy-six years; the date and place of his birth are not shown. His family then consisted of his wife, aged fifty years, six daughters, one of whom had two children, and a son, James, aged five years. He did not state the name of his wife, date and place of their marriage, nor give any other names than that of James. He was a resident of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, in 1834.           
In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name
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and address of person paid and possibly, the date of death of this pensioner, you should at The Comptroller General, General Accounting office, Records Division, this city, and furnish the following data: 
James Shields
Certificate #14110 
Issued September 6, 1819
Rate $8 per month
Commenced April 30, 1818  
Act of March 18, 1818 
Pennsylvania Agency. 
Very truly yours, A.D. Hiller        A. D. HILLER,        
Executive Assistant to the Administrator.
Page 29

MDY   
June 4, 1925   
Mrs. G. W. Gann    
49 East Long Avenue              
Du Bois, Pennsylvania.           
Madam:   
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim S-40421, it appears that James Shields enlisted at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania in February, 1776 or 1777 and served as a private in Captain William Chambers' Company, Colonel Moses Hazen's Continental Regiment. He was at the battles of Brandywine, Germantown where he was wounded in the right arm, Whitemarsh, Monmouth, Horseneck, Stony Point and Brunswick and at the siege of Yorktown. He was also wounded in the eyebrow, action not stated, and was discharged in June 1783.    
He was allowed pension on his application executed August 4, 1819 while residing in Indiana County, Pennsylvania aged 74 years.          
In 1820 he referred to his wife aged 50 years, six daughters one of whom had two children and a son, James aged five years.          
Respectfully              
Commissioner.
Page 30

June 19, 1934          
Mrs. Stanley Elkin             
1147 Washington Street             
Indiana, Pennsylvania.           
BA-J/ILL
James Shields
S. 40421
Dear Madam.      
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary record of James Shields, a pensioner of Indiana County, Pennsylvania, in 1840.   
The record of James Shields is furnished herein as shown in the papers on file in his claim for pension, S. 40421, based upon service in that war. 
James Shields enlisted in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in 1776 or early in 1777, served as private in Captain William Chambers’ company, Colonel Moses Hazen's regiment, known as "Congress Own" and was discharged in June 1783; during the period of this service he was in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown in which he was wounded in his right and Whitemarsh, Monmouth, Horseneck, Stony Point, Brunswick and the Siege of Yorktown. He was wounded in his eyebrow, also, date of said wound not shown.            
He was allowed pension on his application executed August 4, 1819, at which time he resided in Indiana County, Pennsylvania.                 
In 1820, the soldier resided in Mahoning Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, aged then seventy-six years; the date and place of his birth and names of his parents are not shown. His family then consisted of his wife, aged fifty years, six daughters, one of whom had two children, and a son, James, aged five years. No names, other than that of James, are shown in this claim.              
In 1834, the soldier was a resident of Indiana County, Pennsylvania
Page 31

In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, name of person paid, and, possibly, the date of death of the soldier, James Shields, you should address the Comptroller General, General  Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, citing the following:     
James Shields           
Certificate No. 14110           
Issued September 6, 1819   
Rate $8 per month 
Commenced on April 30, 1818
Act of March 18, 1818 
Pennsylvania Agency   
 Very truly yours,      A. D. Hiller
Assistant to the Administrator