Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 9780, for Joseph Smith, Virginia
Page 1

SERVICE
Va.

Smith, Joseph

NUMBER
R. 9780

CONTENTS
b. in 1754 or 1755 in Oragne Co. Va.
res. at enl. Rockingham Co. Va.
res. in 1835, Jefferson Co. Ky.
Page 2

Captn. Joseph. Smith

[Other text, illegible]
Page 3

[Text at the top is too light to transcribe]

Capt Joseph Smith of Baltimore
belonged to that part of the 
revolutionary army called the" Maryland
line" which was commanded, I think
by Genl Gist of Frederick Co. Maryland
Capt Smith served through the whole
war & lived till 1818. His commission
& other papers, were placed in
the hands of a Mr Jno Gray claim
agent in Was. City who was 
recommended by the Hon Lewis Boyd
member of Congress from Kentucky
[inserted: & who] [corssed out, illegible] was so sure of the success of the
claim, that he wrote to the heirs to
inquire where they would have the
money deposited _ about that
time he died very suddenly with
Cholera & the papers were never
recovered _ Capt Smith left three
children, Caroline H Smith, Louis
Page 4

F. Smith & Elizabeth A Smith who
afterwards married John B Anderson
both L. F. Smith & Mrs Anderson are
dead, L. F. Smith died without heirs
Mrs Anderson left H. B. Anderson
Mrs Florence Anderson Clark & Miss
Ellen Anderson - Very few of Capt
Smiths old companions are left
but I suppose, the records at Was.
give an account of his services
He was a member of [inserted: the Society of] Cincinnati
& met regularly every 4th of July
untill his death. In an old number
of Harpers Magazine in an article
on N. Carolina by Porte Crayon
there was a description of the battle
of Guilford Courthouse in which
Capt Smith was in command of his
regiment in the absence of his Col
he stated the gallantly [sic] of Capt
Smith in Killing the British Col.
Page 5

with his sword turned the tide in
favor of Americans-- The heirs have
never received any thing for their
fathers services
Lieut Joseph Elliott Smith [inserted: eldest] son of
Capt Joseph Smith, died before
his father, he left no family but
has one sister living & the heirs of
Mrs Elizabeth Anderson, who desire
a private act for their benefit; never
having received any thing for his
services or their fathers-
N.B. Mr Gray said in examining
the papers of the society of Cincinnatti [sic]
he identified our Captn Smith
from another of the same name.
We copy from the obituary of Lieut
Joseph E Smith published in the
Baltimore American some
extracts written by Edward G
Woodyear Esqr of Balt.
Page 6

"The recent annals of our Navy have
presented so unbroken a succession
of brilliant victories achieved with
comparatively trifling lop as to
excite throughout the country a
pure & almost unmingled sentiment
of triumph & congratulation
But there is in human affairs no
security against accident or 
misfortune & we have been summoned
to the melancholy office of mourning
the loss of Lieut Joseph E Smith. The
glory which he created for himself
& his country in the ever memorable
battle of Lake Erie will long survive
his loss, he was taken sick after
the battle & received a furlough
from his brave commander (Perry)
to visit his friends & relatives but
alas! the unrelenting hand of
Page 7

death overtook him at Pittsburg &
closed his mortal existence in the
24th year of his age, beloved & 
resped [sic] by all who had the pleasure
of his acquaintance."
Lieut Smith was a young man of
great promise & deed regretted
as he lived beloved by all who
knew him, he was the pride of his
family, the idol of his associates
& promised to be an ornament to
his country, and an able as he
had alway been a zealous defender
of her rights & liberties
He received a liberal education
& commenced the study of law
but desirous of giving his Country
his feeble but willing aid in the
maintenance of that independence
which his father had fought & bled
Page 8

to obtain, he entered the
Mary of the U.S. as midshipman
in which capacity he served until
after the declaration of war against
G. Britain when he was promoted
to a Lieutenancy & ordered to Lake
Erie where he shared with the
gallant Perry in the honors & dangers
of that splended victory-
Having suffered in his health
from the service on the Lake
he obtained a furlough to
return to the Southward for
its restoration, but alas! he was
not permitted to the all wise
providence to reach the place
of his destination, his strength
failed him at Pittsburg &
whence in two weeks his manly
soul threw off its earthly mantle
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and winged its flight to happier
regions.
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Washington Octo 17. '54

To Com of Pensions
Sir.
I received from the heirs of
Capt. Joseph Smith of the revolution, a power
of attorney to prosecute a claim for them
for his services. I cannot recollect what
I have done with it, unless I presented it
at your office, as my authority to examine
certain papers connected with the subject.
The heirs have recalled the power of atty,
and desired me to return it to them. Will
you be good enough to examine and let
me know whether it is in your hands &
if so, let me have it again, that I may comply
with their request.
Respectfully
Yr Obt St
Jno M McCalla

Ky
I desire official proof whether or not any
power of atty is on file in the office from Jno
B Anderson or Caroline Smith, as heirs of
Capt or Lieut Jos. Smith as above
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32.914
Joseph Smith
Kentucky

suspended.

Caleb White.
Maysville
Ken
Page 12

[Spelling is represented as seen]
State of Kentucky
Jefferson County Ss
On the Seventeen day of March in the year of Our Lord one
thousand Eight hundred and Thirty five personally [inserted: appeared] in open Court sitting
in the County of Jefferson State of Kentucky & City of Louisville Joseph Smith
a Resident of said County in the Eightayeth year of his age who being duly
Sworn on the Evangelist of the Almighty God does make the following declaration
in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress pased June 7th 1832
That in the year Seventeen hundred and Seventy eight he was then a resident
of Rockingham County and State of Virginia and in that same year he
Received a commission as first Lieutenant of the Militia Signed By his
Exelency the Govorner Patrick Henry and was sworn into office by the Clerk
of the Court of said County which Commission he has safely [illegible]
this day produced in open Court and is dated Twenty first day of
May in the second year of the Commonwelth A.D. 1778 Signed P Henry
And the said Joseph Smith further States that the Militia was caled on
about the Eight or Tenth of November in the year Seventeen hundred and
Eighty at which date or time he went into the Army a Volunteer
holding his command and office as Lieutenant and was under
the command of Colonel William Dark up to the date of his Discharge
And the said Joseph Smith Also produces in our said Court Now
Sitting his Discharge which he received from the hands of his 
commanding officer Col William Dark By order of General Stephens,
Being Discharged at Camp near West Point August Seventeenth 1781
[Some text at bottom missing]
Page 13

And this Applicant Lieutenant Joseph Smith States upon Oath
that he is the same Joseph Smith that is named on the face of
the Commission so Signed by the Govoner P. Henry and that he has
Carefully kepta it is Since And he further makes Oath he is the same
Joseph Smith that Received the discharge that is here produced
and Dated Camp near West Point Seventeenth August 1781 and signed
William Dark Col By Order of Genl Stephens
And Lieutenant Joseph Smith makes Oath that he served his country
as Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War about one year and
Eight months up to the Date of his discharge
But while in the Army he always held the commission of first
Lieutenant He went in as Lieutenant and was discharged as
Lieutenant he further States his mind is much impaired his
Recollection folls to serve him and he does not know of Even
one man now living who served with him and by whom he can
Prove his services-
Joseph Smith

Mr John S Willson a Clergyman and Philip Johnston a Citizen of and residing
in the County of Jefferson and State of Kentucky do hereby certify that we are well acquainted
with Lieutenant Joseph Smith who has subscribed and sworn to the above Declaration
that we Believe him to be of the age above stated and a man Respectable for Truth and
veracity that he is reputed and believed in the Neighborhood where he has resided and
where he now resides to have been an officer of the Revolution and that we concur
in the opinion and believe his statement worthy of [obscured, illegible]
John S. Willson
Philip Johnston
Page 14

And the said Court of Jefferson County do hereby declare their opinion after
the investigation of [obscured, illegible] matter and after the Interrogatories being put as prescibed
by the war department that the above Named Applicant was a Revolutionary
officer and served as he stated and the Court further Certify that John
S. Willson who has signed the foregoing Certificate is a Clergyman Resident
in the County of Jefferson and State of Kentucky and that of Philip
Johnston who has also signed the same is a resident of the same County
and State and is a credible person and their statement is entitled
to credit
JM Herritt

Interrogatories prescribed by the war Department propounded by the said Court
Question 1st
Where and in what year was you born
Ans I was born in Orrange County and State of Virginia in the year 1754 or 1755
Ques 2d I cannot Be Qualifyed as to the precise date But Know it was early in 55 or [text missing]
Have you any Record of your age and if so where is it
Answer The Book of Record of the ages of my Fathers Family was lost or Burnt
and my age is only known to me by the word I Received of Fathers
when I was a man which I have always believed to be correct
which date make me Now in my Eighalyeth year
Question 3d Where were you living when called into service and where have you
lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live
Answer I lived in Rockingham County & State of State of Virginia
where I lived many years I then moved to Fayett County
[Text missing at the bottom]
Page 15

lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live
Answer I lived in Rockingham County & State of State of Virginia
where I lived many years I then moved to Fayett County,
Kentucky in the year 1794 I then moved to Shelby County Ky
where I lived until February last 1835 and since February
I lived where I now live in Jefferson County Kentucky
Question 4th How were you called into service we were you drafted
Did you volunteer or or was you a substitute
Answer I was Caled into service by order of Colonel Noll the Colonel Commander [text missing]
the Militia of Rockingham County of which I belonged and by him
Rendavoused at Rockingham and put under the command of
Colonel William Dark in whose Regiment I served
Question 5th State the names of the Regular officers who were with the Troops
where you served such Continental and Militia Regiment as you
can recollect and the General Circumstances of your services
Answer my recollection is so much impaired I am unable to State
much on this subject I once had a perfect recolection of many
of the officers But can give now no positive rilation on
this subject
Question 6th Did you ever receive a Commission if so by whom was it
given or signed and what became of it
Answer I Received a commission as first Lieutenant dated twenty
first day of May 1778 and Signed P Henry
Question 7th State the Names names of the persons to whom you are known in
your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your charactor
for veracity and their belief as to your services as a soldier.
Page 16

of the Revolution
Answer My late Removal to this County affords me less opportunity to produce
this last Requisition But State John McCollough
John McCollough

State of Kentucky
Jefferson Circuit Sct
I Edmund P Pope Clerk of the Circuit Court for the Circuit
aforesaid do hereby certify that the within and foregoing contains the
Original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application
of Joseph Smith for a pension
In Testimony whereof I have hereto set
my hand & seal of office
this Seventeenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and
thirty five in the 43d year of the Commonwealth
Edm P Pape
Page 17

Ky 80.
P. O. ____
Joseph Smith
Service: ____
Enlisted: ____, 18
Discharged: ____, 18

Application filed: ____, 18

[Crossed out: Alleges:] The printed list of 1852 gives
cause of suspension, as
[Croseed out: Re-enlisted:] "For a more correct and particular account of his services."

Attorney: ____
P. O. ____
____ Recognized. ____ Contract.
Page 18

The COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
TO Mr Joseph Smith GREETINGS
NOW you, that from the special Trust and Confidence which is reposed in your Patriotism, Fidelity,
Courage, and good [illegible], you are, by these presents, constituted and appointed First
Lieutenant of Militia in the County of Rockingham. You are therefore carefully
and diligently to discharge the Duty of First Lieutenant of the Militia, by doing and
performing all Manner of Things thereunto belonging; and you are to pay a ready Obedience to all orders and instructions which from Time to Time you may receive from the Governour, or executive Power
of this State for the Time [illegible], or any of your superior Officers, agreeable to the Rules and Regulations
of the Convention or General Assembly. All Officers and Soldiers under your Command are hereby strictly
charged and required to be obedient to your Orders, and to aid you in the Execution of this Commission,
according to the intent and support thereof.
Witness Patrick Henry, Esquire, Governour or Chief Magistrate of the Commonwealth aforesaid, at
Williamsburg, this Twenty First Day of May
in the second Year of the Commonwealth Anno. Dom. 1778 P. Henry
Page 19

May Court RRockingham

Joseph Smith was sworn lieutenant of the militia
in the County afsd [the rest of the line, illegible]

THE
NATIONAL ARCHIVES
OF THE
UNITED STATES
Page 20

Suspended
See letter 3 Apl 35
to Caleb White
Maysville Ky
do. 6 July 35 not found.
do, 18 Dec 35 Hon
R. M. Johnson do
21 Dec 35- do to Hon H. Clay
March 14. 1836
Jno M McCalla Octo 20 1854

9780
Page 21

Camp near west point Aug 17 1781

Joseph Smith for the County of Rockingham
having no command in that County Militia there
being an over portion of Officers for the number
of men that have to command becomes a supernumerary
and is therefore discharged and has permission to leave
the army by order of Genl
W Darke
Page 22

I do hereby Authorise Caleb White of Mason County and State of
Kentucky or any person whom he may appoint to Demand
and receive from the Goverment or officers of Goverment any
and all pay that is due me or that may be found
owe me on my application for a pension dated at Jefferson
County Kentucky the 17th day of March 1835 which application
was made for the purpose of obtaining a pension under the
Act of Congress pased 7th June 1832 for my services as a
Lieutenant of the Militia And said White is fully authorized
to ask for demand & receive such pay as is granted me
By the Officers of our Genl Goverment under the Act of
Congress providing for the officers & others of the Revolutionary
War
Joseph Smith
Page 23

War Dept. Pen. Office
April 3d 1835
Sir
The declaration and
documents in the case of Joseph
Smith have been examined and filed
with suspended cases in this office
It does not appear from his declaration
that he ever was found any actual 
service, and it is stated [crossed out: in his discharge
in one of the ILLEGIBLE p] in the paper
signed by Col. Darkee that [crossed out: he was]
[crossed out: ILLEGIBLE discharged] in consequence of there being
more officers in the County [inserted: of Rockingham] in which the
applicant redsided [crossed out: that] than there were 
men [inserted:: to command], he became a supernumerary officer
and was therefore discharged. The
applicant was commissioned as a militia
officer and Col. Darkee belonged to [crossed out: the] 
[crossed out: continen] a regt on the continental establishment.
[Inserted: The applicant] [crossed out: He] did not therefore at any time
serve under that officer. [Crossed out: Unless the most ILLEGIBLE 
proof  can be exhibited of the applicant to having performed
actual service again ILLEGIBLE] can be
[Largely illegible and crossed out: cannot be allowed.]
The enemy did not invade
[Crossed out: Caleb White Esqr
Maysville
Ky.]
Page 24

Virginia until 1781. The probility
therefore is that the applicant is not
perform any actual service

Record Vol. 26. p. 476
Call

Caleb White Esq
Maysville
Ken.

April 8, 1835

Record Vol. 26 p. 476
Page 25

MAYSVILLE KY
JUN 28

FREE

J L. Edwards Esqr
Commissioner of Pensions
Washington City
Page 26

Maysville June 27th 1835

J L. Edwards Esq
[Illegible] yours of the [illegible] of April last was Recd and is [illegible]
Before me But Sir owing to my indisposition was unable to reply
till the present and you will here permit me to state you by
way of referring you to the application of Mr Joseph Smith
on your files of [illegible] Claims that Joseph Smith does
declare a service as Lieutenant of one year and Eight month
in the Army of the Revolutionary War Actual Services performed
And that he became a supernumary duty on account of the
Continual Waste of in from the Ranks owing to the time of service
Expiring and was not discharged at the time of and
the place of [illegible] Sir please reexamine the claim
and you will discover the Applicant Joseph Smith [illegible]
Oath to the services of one year & Eight month in actual service
I hope it may be found Sufficient to make such
Allowance for pay as his rank & Services would demand
With due Respect your most obt
and Very Humble Servant
Caleb White

J L. Edwards Esq
Page 27

209

Pension Office
Octo 20 1854

Sir
I have carefully examined all the
papers on file in the case of Joseph
Smith of Ky and do not find
among them any power of Attorney
[illegible] one, authorizing
you to [crossed out: examine] prosecute the
claim,

John M McCalla
Present
Page 28

[Illegible] Clay
U. S. Senate

Mar 14 1836
Page 29

War Dept
Pension Office
March 14. 1836

Sir,
In reply to the enclosed letter
from Mr White in relation to the case of Joseph
Smith, I have the honor to state to you that the
claimant has been required to specify his service
as the regulations [inserted: direct], and he has failed to do so, most
probably from loss of memory arising from old age. He
alleges that he served in the militia from November 1780 till
August 1781, and further that the whole of his own amounted
to one year and eight months. It is well known that
the tours of the militia seldom exceeded three months,
and [crossed out: that] his statement is necessarily erroneous.
Unless he can give a more particular statement
of his service, [crossed out: Is] it will be impossible for [crossed out, illegible]
[crossed out: arrive at] the Dept to come to a favorable
decision of the claim
I have the honor

Hon H. Clay
Senate U.S.

Enter this on
Rev. Index
sec no. 32914
Page 30

R. M. Johnson
Dec 21, 1835

Record Vol 28. P. 229.
Page 31

War Dept. Pen Office
Dec 21, 1835

Sir
I herewith enclose the letters
to you in the case of Joseph Smith
and have to state that no part of
the time can be allowed unless he can
set forth his services as required by the
regulations [illegible] of which is enclosed, there
was no militia service in [illegible] for so
longa  period as nine matter

Hon R. M. Johnson
NR
Page 32

Hon RM Johnson
Dec 18. 1835

Record Vol 28. P. 227.
Page 33

War Dept. Pen Office
Dec 18, 1835

Sir
I herewith enclose Mr C. White [crossed out: Smith]
letter to you respecting the case [crossed out: of the ILLEGIBLE]
[crossed out: of Valentine march ILLEGIBLE] case of
Joseph Smith. We have to state that
[crossed out: in the case of the latter] no [inserted: further] decision can
be had until such proof shall be exhibited
as was required in my letter to Mr [crossed out: Caleb Smith] [inserted: White]
dated July 6, 1835, a copy of which is herewith enclosed.
[crossed out: I also] Enclosed in the letter of Charles
Rudder [crossed out: respecting] respecting his case and
also the affidavit of Nancy Womak and have
to state that it does not appear on the records
in the office that [illegible] papers have been received
here in support of his claim under the act of
June 1832. If he wishes to [crossed out: obtain] [inserted: apply for] a pension
under that act he should make a declaration
[crossed out: under the a] agreeably to the rules laid down
in the enclosed printed [illegible]

copd in [illegible] letter

Hon R. M. Johnson
N. R
Page 34

Maysville March 24th 1835
Mr. J L Edwards
[Illegible] you will please permit me
again to trouble you with the claim of Lieutenant
Joseph Smith of Jefferson County by which claim
or application will be your approbation
and the Act of the Genl Goverment made for the
provission of such Applicants Lieutenant Smiths
Discharge Being an Original Document [illegible]
here you will find no dificulty in the Allowance
you will please inform me and forward
such Documents or Draw to me as early
as Convenient and confer a Special favor
on Lieutenant Smith and also your most
Obedient and Very
Humble Servant

Caleb White

J. L. Edwards Esq