Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 40438, for George Sinclair, Pennsylvania
Page 1

(S-1776)

SERVICE NUMBER

Navy Sinclair, George S. 40438
New Jersey
Pa. Sea Service
CONTENTS
Page 2

8747
Ohio
George Sinclair of Butler Co. in the State of Ohio who was a private in the regiment commanded by Colonel Shreve of the New Jersey line me, for the term of 5 years   War

Inscribed on the Roll of Ohio at the rate of 8 Dollars per month, to commence the 11 of June 1818

Certificate of Pension issued the 1 of April '19 and sent Judge Taylor Hamilton, Butler Co. Ohio

Arrears to 4th of March 1819. 8 mo 20/30 4/31.  70.36
Semi-anl, all'ce ending 4 Sept 1819 48-
$118.36

{ Revolutionary claim,
Act 18th March, 1818.}
Continued
[sideways]
Notification sent Sept 11th 1820 to Daniel Milliken Ohio
Page 3

[left side sideways]

George Sinclair
11 June 1818 private
Col Shreve - N Jersey
78 War

[right side]
correct, under enlistment in '78.
Col Shreve Regt. N Jersey line
Page 4

George Sinclair
11 June 1818 private
Col Shreve - N Jersey
78 War

[sideways]
correct, under enlistment in '78.
Col Shreve Regt. N Jersey line
Page 5

State of Ohio
Butler County
Before Robert Taylor an associate Judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Butler in the State of Ohio Personally came George Sinclair who being sworn according to law deposeth
and saith that on the eighteenth day of September in the year of our Lord seven teen hundred and seventy six at Philadelphia he entered the service of the United States by entering into a contract to serve on board the Frigate Washington commanded by Captain Thomas Reed for the term of one year as a common sailor. This deponent further saith that he served the said term of one year on board of the frigate Washington this deponent received no written discharge
immediately after said discharge this deponent entered the service of the United States as a common sailor to serve during one year on board the fire ship called the Hellcat commanded by Captain Robert French. The Hellcat was burnt at Mud Island fort within a few weeks after this deponent entered the service immediately after the destruction of the last mentioned ship this
deponent entered the service of the United States for one year as a steward on board of the ship of war called the Repulse at Mud Island fort commanded by Captain Peter Bruster in about two months after this deponent entered the service on board of the Repulse this ship together with the
the remainder situate of the American fleet there situated were abandoned & burnt by the Americans. This deponent further saith that some time in the month of May in the
Page 6

of seventeen hundred and seventy eight at Mount Holly in Burlington County in the State of New Jersey he enlisted as a private soldier to serve during the existence of the war then between the United States & Great Britain in the company commanded by Captain Samuel Reding in the second Regiment commanded by Colonel Shreve in the New Jersey line. This deponent served in the last mentioned company regiment until some time about the first day of March in the year seventeen hundred and eighty three the regiment from sickness & from other circumstances was reduced to about my battalion. This deponent was draughted from said last mentioned company
regiment & placed in the company of Captain Wayman in the first regiment in the New Jersey line commanded by Colonel Ogdon the first regiment then was at New Windsor in the State of New York. This deponent at New Windsor in the State of New York on the third day of June in
the year of our Lord seventeen hundred & eighty three was discharged by General Washington he received a printed written discharge on the said discharge was endorsed that it should operate as a complete discharge as soon as the ratification of a definitive treaty of peace should take place between the United States and Great Britain until which time the said writing was to be considered
as a furlow. This deponent faithfully served the United States from the last mentioned inlistment until the close of the war. This deponent further saith that he now resides in the County of Butler in the State of Ohio & that from his reduced circumstances in life he stands in need of the assistance
of his country for support & taht he has lost his written discharge. Further this deponent saith not
Page 7

George Sinclair [signature]

Sworn to & subscribed before me this 11th day of June A.D. 1818
Rob't Taylor

State of Ohio
Butler County ⎬
I, Robert Taylor an associate judge of the court of common pleas for the County of Butler in the State of Ohio do hereby certify that from the above deposition it is proven to my satisfaction that George Sinclair the above named deponent served a a common soldier in the company of Captain Samuel Reding in the second regiment in the New Jersey line in the
revolutionary war against the common enemy about five years that said Sinclair now resides in Butler County in aforesaid State & from his reduced circumstances in life stands in need of the assistance of his country for support & that said Sinclair served on board of the ship Repulse commanded by Peter Brister on board of the Frigate Washington commanded by Captain Thomas Reed & on board of the ship Hellcat commanded by Captain French as a common sailor and steward against the common in enemy during the revolutionary war upwards
of one year
June the 11th A.D. 1818
Robt Taylor
Page 8

The State of Ohio Butler County 
I, John Reily Clerk of the court of common pleas of the County of Butler aforesaid do certify that Robert Taylor Esquire before whom the within & foregoing deposition and certificate were taken and made was at the time of the taking and making thereof an associate Judge of our said court of common pleas of the said County of Butler and that to all his official acts as such full faith and credit is due and ought to be given

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto I se my hand and Official seal at Hamilton the eleventh day of June One thousand eight hundred and eighteen

John Reily
Page 9

Schedule of George Sinclair
a copy 
No. 8747
April 1819
Cont Sep 11 1820

Con
Sept 19
Page 10

The State of Ohio Butler County
at a special court of common pleas holden at Hamilton in the County of Butler and State of Ohio, Before Daniel Millikin Henry Weaver & Robert Taylor Esquires associates Judges of the said court of common pleas the same court of common pleas being a court of Record for the said County of Butler expressly created a court of Record by the laws and ordinances of the said State of Ohio, on the seventeenth day of July one thousand eight hundred and twenty personally appeared in open Court George Sinclair aged sixty six years resident in Hanover Township in the said County of Butler who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath declare that he served in the Revolutionary war as follows, to wit, In the year one thousand seven hundred & seventy eight he enlisted in the continental establishment in the said Regiment of the New Jersey line commanded by Col Israel Shreve in Capt Samuel Reding's company and served in the said Regiment near five years & in the year 1783 he was drafted in the 1st Regiment in the same line in Capt. Abel Wayman's company from which he was discharged June 3d 1783 that he was in the Battels of Monmouth Springfield New Jersey and at the capture of Lord Cornwallis in Virginia his original declaration for a pension was made on or about the 11th June 1818 and his pension certificate is numbered 8747

And I do solemnly Swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the eighteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighteen 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 with in 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 eighteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighteen; 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 is contained in the schedule
hereto annexed and by me subscribed

I have no property either real or personal, my family consists of myself my wife and two daughters we all reside with one of my son my wife is sixty six years of age industrious
Page 11

but not able to earn much my daughters are both of full age with the aid of my said two daughters and son myself and my wife have been supported we are both too old to be able to labour much I have been by profession a farmer but have not for several years been able to pursuit.
George Sinclair
Sworn and declared in open court the day and year first above written before the Judges above named.
Attest
John Reily Clerk
I John Reily Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing oath and 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  in value of the property exhibited in the aforesaid schedule in NO VALUE SET.
In testimony whereof I have herunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court on this eighteenth day ofJuly one thousand eight hundred and twenty.
John Reily  Clerk of
Bulter complias
Page 12

Record Division
S.40438
3-325
Department of the Interior
bureau of Pensions
Washington, D. C.   
In reply to your request of BLANK, received BLANK for a statement of the military history of George Sinclair a soldier of the Revolutionary War, you will find below the desired information as contained in his application for pension on file in this Bureau.
Date of Enlistment or appointment:  Sept 18, 1776
Length of service:  1 yr.
Rank:  Blank
Officers under whom service was rendered:
Thomas Reed on Frigate Washington
State:  U.S. Navy
Date of Enlistment or Appointment:  Blank
Length of Service:  a few weeks
Rank:  Sailor
Officers under whom service was rendered:  Robert French on fire ship Hell Cat
State:  Pa Navy
Date of Enlistment or appointment:  Blank
Length of Service:  2 mons.
Rank:  Steward
Officer under whom service was rendered:  Peter Bruster on ship of War "Repulse"
State:  Pa Navy
Dates of Enlistment or appointment:  May 1778
Length of Service:  Mar. 1783
Rank:  Pvt
Officer under whom service was rendered:
Captain Samuel Reading
Colonel Israel Shreve
State:  2 Regt. N.J.
Date of Enlistment or Appointment:  Mar 1783
Length of Service:  June 3, 1783
Rank:  Blank
Officers under whom service was Rendered:
Captain:  Abel Weyman
Colonel:  Ogden
State:  1 Regt N.J.
Battles engaged in:  Monmouth, Springfield, Capture of Cornwallis
Residence of soldier at enlistment:  Not stated.  In 1778 he enlisted at Mt. Holly, N.J.
Date of application for pension:  June 11, 1878  His claim al.
Residence at date of application:  Butler Co. Ohio
Age at date of application:  64 yrs.
Remarks:  In 1820 soldier refers to his wife as 66 two daughters and a son, names not stated.  No further family data or date of sol. death, etc.
This bureau has no record of a Geo. Sinclair who died in 1787
Very respectfully,
Commissioner
6-2856
Page 13

40438
Revy
Invalid
File No.  40. 438
George Sinclair
Pvt  Rev War
Act:  18 March 18
Index:- Vol 3, Page 462
[Arrangement of 1870]

Feb 1, 1913  Hist to W.C.Sinclair  AW
1929 July 12 Photosto Anna B. Skrinker &
Fin Div. ntfd ADY
Page 14

1-681    PHONE Branch 476
All inquiries regarding this job should refer to requisition No.  33469
Requisition for Duplicating, Addressograph, Photostat, and Blue Print Work.
Department of the Interior
Washington
Chief, division of Publications,
Room G 137   July 2, 1929
Please furnish work specified below.
Bureau ordering:  Pension   Deliver to Room No. 5033
(All copy for Duplicating Work should be plain and written in elite type, exactly line for line as it is to appear on finished job.)
Title and description of Job:  Photostatic copies of 7 pages from Revolutionary War pension claim of George Sinclair, S.40438, N. J. Troops.
No. of copies:  1 of each   Shall form be kept standing:  Blank      Blank days.
For further information see:  Mrs. M.M.H. Finch
room No. 5033   Phone No. :  541
Approved:  A. D. Wilkinson
Margaret M.H. Finch
Chief of Branch
Note:  No order made "Special" unless statement showing necessity is written below and approved by chief clerk of Bureau ordering.
Check Work Desired:

Photostate X  size:  Actual  Official Use:  blank  Repay:  Yes  $1.05

Over
Page 15

NOTE: Routine changes of addresses may be made on the base
reference through or initialing of chiefs of branches bureaus.
______ 192 __
(Date)

INDICATE BY AN X IN PROPER SQUARE ACTION TO BE TAKEN.
Make new addressograph plate
Change present addressograph plate   On list _________
Destroy present addressograph plate
as follows:

Now reads 
1. _____
2. _____
3, _____
4, _____
5, _____
Should read
1. _____
2. _____
3, _____
4, _____
5, _____

FOR USE OF DUPLICATING AND ADDRESSING SECTION
ADDRESSOGRAPH
The above change was made _____ 192 __.
Operator ______

MULTIGRAPH
Operator ______ Date _____ Type set by _____ Date _____
Remarks: ______

MIMEOGRAPH
Operator ______ Date _____ Cut by _____ 
Remarks: ______
Page 16

Mrs. Henry J. Sinclair
101 South Main St
Newton, Kansas
June 24, 1929
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D. C.

M.O.# 63016 - $1.05
Finance Division
bookkeeper's Desk
Jun 29, 1929
Bureau of Pensions

Dear sir-
Enclosed find P.O. Money order for $1.00 in payment for photostatic copy of Revolutionary War pensions of George Sinclair (S.40438), as per your letter of June 10th.
Sincerely, 
Anna B. Sprinker
Mrs. Henry J.

Stamped:
Revolutionary Wars Section
bureau of Pensions
Jun 23, 1929
Page 17

Webster called 6/15

Stamped:
Law division
received
Jun 10, 1929
Page 18

Mrs. Henry J. Sprinker
101 South Main St.
Newton, Kansas
June 5, 1929

Stamped:
U.S. Pension Office
Jun 8, 1929

Bureau of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
Gentlemen-
At various times general ILLEGIBLE have snet me photo stat copies of Pension applications - complete as filed by applicants - for ILLEGIBLE - I would like to know if by writing direct to your office I could pay the fee charged for such photostats?  If so, how much would the following cost?
1) Pension application complete of George Sinclair - S.40438 - June 11-1818
2) Wm. Webster-b1812 Conn. Enlisted at St. Louis, Mo 1846-co. A. Mtd rifles -Persifer F. Smith, Col. 
3) Wm H. Webster - I Ct. 5140 with W. Ct, 8217 (Indian Wars) Law division I.W.C. 8217 - (also Widow Elizabeth Webster)
Anna B. Sprinker
Mrs. Henry J.

NOTES:  1. Ans in Rev Section June 14/29
2) Answered Law Div 6/26/29 O.O.18846 ILLEGIBLE war
3) Answered in Law Div 6/12/29
Page 19

Mrs. Henry J. Sprinker,
101 south Main Street
Newton, Kansas
Madam:
I advise you that photostatic copies of orginial papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim of George Sinclair (S.40438), will be furnished you at the rate of fifteen cents a page with twenty-five cents extra for certification if that is desired.
The number of pages to be copied is seven.  NOTE:  Includes Cert jacket
The porper amount should be forward to this bureau by money order drawn to the order of the Secretary of the Interior.
Respectfully,

Earl D. Church
Commissioner
Page 20

June 14, 1929
Mrs. Henry J. Sprinker
101 south Main St.,
Newton, Kansas
wrote for photos from Rev War pension claim of George Sinclair, S.40438 and also, in same letter, asked for photos from a mex. War and a civil War claim.  The letter is in the law Div. to remain in the Mex War cl of Wm. Webster.
Page 21

Stamped:
U.S. Pension Office
Jan 29, 1913

W.C. Sinclair
Stationer
Princeton, N. J.
Jan. 28, 1913

The Commissioner of Pensions
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:-
In examining my pedigree for admission to the sons of the Revolution, in New Jersey, I have received from the Adjutant General of the State the copy of a pension statement (of which, it is said, the original is on file in the Record and Pension Office, Washington) #40438; in the  case of George Sinclair: this bears the note "Born 1754" and is headed "George Sinclair, Private, Line, Mt. Holly, N. J."  It gives a record of his service in the 2nd and afterward in the 1st N.J. Regt. from the last of which he was discharged at New Windsor, June 3rd, 1783.
This George Sinclair it is believed died near Allentown N.J. in the early part of 1787.  But the pension record also contains at the top "Pa. Naval Reserve" and note near the bottom "Butler co. Ohio, 1820".
It has become a question whether the George Sinclair of the certificate is the George Sinclair who died in 1787, and it is also not clear, what the Pa. Naval Reserve means in this case.
If the Pension Bureau will kindly interpret that entry, and also, the Butler Co. Ohio note, it will be very much appreciated.
Page 22

W.C. Singclair
Stationer
Princeton, N. J.
It is quite possible that a pension was granted to a person not now known, and that the Ohio note refers to that applicant; some of the family did go west in early days, 
Yours very truly;
W.C. Sinclair


Stamped:
U.S. Pension Office
Jan 29, 1913
Page 23

J S H
Rev War Ser
Page 24

The National Archives
Form VAN-51
12-5-41
Bounty Land Warrant Record Card*
Division of Veterans' Administration Archives
Name:  Sinclair, James
Grade:  Private
Line:  New Hampshire
Warrant Number:  3496
Acreage:  100
Issued:  Apr. 5, 1796 to O. Ashley, Assignee

*The information concerning the issuance of warrants carded on this form is found in volumes 2 to 4 of "Land Warrants Issued Prior to 1800" which are registers of bounty land warrants issued to non-commissioned officers and privates under congressional resolutions of September 16, 1776, and subsequent dates. Other records relative to the application for warrants appear to have been destroyed in the War Department fire of November 9, 1800.  Information concerning warrants surrendered to the Federal Government is to be found in General Land Office records in The National Archives.