Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 31,973, for William Smith, South Carolina
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(3-1776)
Service 	 SC		        
Smith, William	
Number S.31.973

Contents
Born in Moore Co. N.C. Feb. 26, 1763.
res at enl,  Ninety Six District, S.C
Franklin Co. Ga. (in 1832)
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12.252
Georgia
William Smith 
Franklin in the State of Geo., who was a Pvt. in the  _______  commanded by Captain [Samuel] Walker of the Regt commanded by Col. Pettille of the S. Car line for 1 year

Inscribed on the Roll of Georgia at the rate of 40 dollars ___ cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831

Certificate of Pension issued  the 11th day of April 1833 and sent to J.B. Stanford Carnesville Geo.
Arrears to the 4th of March 1833      80.
Semi-anl allowance ending 4 Sept     20.
                                                     = $100.
Revolutionary Claim ACT June 7, 1832
Recorded by Nathan Rice Clerk
Book E  Vol. 6 Page 103
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William Smith
Georgia

Admit for 12 mo as private
from 1778- $40.00
Capt.[Samuel] Walker
Col. [Benjamin] Killgore of SC

JB Stanford
Agent
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BRIEF in the case of William Smith
County of Franklin in the State of Georgia
(Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? in Court
2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?
3. How old is he? 69
4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
Period. Novem in 1780
Duration of Service Months, 3 
Rank. As a  private
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served
Capt [Nathaniel] Alston
Period. March in 1781 [volunteered]
Duration of Service Months, 6
Rank Private
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served
Capt [Samuel] Walker,  Col [Benjamin] Kilgore
Period. June in 1781 [volunteered]
Duration of Service Months, 3
Rank Private
Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served
Capt Walker,  Col Kilgore
Duration of Service 12 months total
5. In what battles was he engaged?  None mentioned
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? 96 District S. Carolina
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls?  Traditionary
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
George Taylor   Examining Clerk.
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William Smith
10.354
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Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7. 1832
State of Georgia County of Franklin 
On this tenth day of September in the year Eighteen Hundred and thirty two personally appeared before the Inferior Court for the County and State aforesaid now sitting
for ordinary purposes William Smith a resident of Capt [John] Edward's District in the County and State aforesaid, aged sixty nine 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 in the Militia of South Carolina in Ninety six District in November 1780 for three months as a substitute for Wm Flanagan, under Capt Nathanial Allston [Alston] was marched into the Indian Lands, and was placed at Drury Jews station and was kept there the three months, and was discharged by Capt Alston.
In March 1781 at Ninety six aforesaid he volunteered under Capt Samuel Walker and was marched to the Indian Lines and stationed at the Widow Johnsons and was on
duty there and as a spy through the Indian County. Served out his tour of three months and was discharged by Capt Walker on the 15th June 1781 volunteered under Capt Samuel Walker at Ninety six aforesaid for six months, and was marched after the Tories to near Orangeburg under Major [James] Dillard and Col Benjamin Kilgore & Col [William] O'Neal, from Orangeburg we marched to Bush river and from there to Savannah river above Augusta, pulling down Tories houses &c until our six months was out when he was discharged by Capt Walker & returned home. Served altogether Twelve months. Knows of no person by whom he can prove his having served, except a sister who lives in Jackson County Georgia by name of Polly Patterson a Widow
1 Was born in Moore County North Carolina 26 Feb 1763
2 Has no record of his age
3 When he entered the service he lived in Ninety six District South Carolina. After the war he lived three years in Moore and Montgomery Counties North Carolina and removed
from thence to Elbert County Georgia & for the last forty two years has lived at his present residence
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4 Was a substitute three month & a volunteer afterwards
5 Does not recollect that he was at any time with Continental Troops, recollects Genl Green [Nathanael Greene] at Ninety six
6 Never recvd any regular discharge, but recvd a Certificate for a bounty of Land in South Carolina, which he sold to Capt Raney [John Rainey] for Twenty pounds
7 is known to Mathew W. Vandever a preacher of the Gospel and to Jesse Smith & who can testify to his character for veracity as they live in his neighborhood, and to their belief
of his having served as a soldier of the Revolution. Is also known to John Williams who saw him go out in the service.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present and he declares that his name is not on the Pension roll of any agency of any state within his knowledge or belief 
William Smith his X mark
Sworn to & subscribed in open Court the day and year first above written
Thos King Clk

I John Williams a resident of the County and State first aforesaid Do hereby certify that I have known William Smith who has sworn to and subscribed the foregoing Declaration for the last fifty five year, and except three years he lived in North Carolina have lived near him and that I saw him enter the service of the United States about the time he mention under Captain Samuel Walker but was too small to know more
John Williams
Sworn to & subscribed in open
Court the day and year first aforesaid
Thos King Clk

we Matthew Vandiver a clergyman and Jesse Smith both residents of the County and State first aforesaid and the latter in the neighborhood of William Smith who has subscribed and sworn to the forgoing declaration Hereby Certify that we are well acquainted with the
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said William and that we believe him to be sixty nine years of age
that he is reputed and believed in the
neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution
& that we concur in that opinion
M W Vandiver Jesse Smith
Sworn to and subscribed in open Court the day and year above written
Thos king Clk

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 Matthew Vandiver who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the County and State first aforesaid and that Jesse Smith & John Williams who have also signed a preceding certificate are residents of the same
County and are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit
Thos king Clk
William Turk JIC
Charles A Jenkins  JIC
Robt Pulliam JIC
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I Thomas King
Clerk of the Court of Ordinary
do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings in the matter of the application
of William Smith for a pension
The testimony whereof I have
hereunto set my hand & seal of
office this 12th day of September
1832

Thos king CCO
William Smith 10,354
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August 11, 1932
BA-J/MCS
William Smith
S. 31973
and W. 590

Honorable J. R. McCarl
Records Division 
General Accounting Office 
Washington, D.C.

My dear Mr. McCarl:
Reference is made to your letter of August 6, 1932, with enclosures from Honorable Richard Yates of the United States House of Representatives and Mrs P. T. Chapman of Vienna, Illinois, which are herewith returned. You request that your office be furnished the pension certificate number and the state agency of the particular William Smith to which Mrs. P. T. Chapman has reference. 
From the description contained in her letter addressed to Honorable Richard Yates on July 18, 1932, it is assumed that Mrs. Chapman is interested in William Smith who enlisted during the Revolution from Ninety-Six District, South Carolina, and later lived in Georgia. 
The pension certificate number and the state agency, along with further identifying data, of the only William Smith of the above noted description that is found in the Revolutionary War records of this office are as follows: William Smith, Certificate #12252, issued April 11, 1833, rate of $40 per annum, commenced March 4, 1831, Act of June 7, 1832, Georgia Agency.
Mrs Chapman originally made request through Honorable Richard Yates for the William Smith who was a pensioner from Coweta County, Georgia. The Revolutionary War records of this office show that this particular William Smith was born in 1751 in Nansemond County, Virginia, lived in North Carolina during the Revolution and died May 7 or 8, 1852, in Coweta County, Georgia, leaving a widow, Meredy or Meridy Smith, who died January 6, 1894.
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The pension certificates and the state agencies and further identifying data of this soldier and his widow are as follows: William Smith, Certificate #16940, issued October 16, 1833, rate $ 80 per annum commenced March 4, 1831, Act of June 7, 1832, Georgia Agency. Meredy, widow of William Smith, Certificate #1960, issued November 9, 1868, rate $ 96 per annum, commenced July 27, 1868, Acts of February 3, 1853, and July 27, 1868, Georgia Agency.
Very truly yours,
A.D. Hiller
Assistant to Administrator
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May 16, 1932
BA-J/AWF

Hon. J. R. McCarl 
The Comptroller General
General Accounting Office 
Washington, D. C. 

My dear General McCarl:
Reference is made to your letter herewith, and the letter of Honorable Richard Yates, in regard to William Smith, a pensioner of Coweta County, Georgia, for services in the war of the Revolution.
A careful search of the Revolutionary War records has been made and it has not been possible to identify the particular William Smith in question. 
It is presumed that the pensioner to whom Mr, Yates refers is the one quoted on the list of pensioners printed in 1841, a compilation from the returns of the marshals of the various judicial districts under the Act for taking the Sixth Census; no reference was made to the records of this office, when that list was made , therefore it is not always possible to verify the statements contained therein. Many named on that list were not Revolutionary War pensioners nor were they all United States pensioners. 
If Mr. Yates constituent can furnish some of the following data in regard to William Smith, a further search of the records will be made in his behalf; approximate dates of birth and death, name of state from which he enlisted, places of residence other than Coweta County, and given name of widow. 
Very truly yours, 
A. D. Hiller
Assistant to Administrator
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General McCarl
for
Hon. Richard Yates

William Smith
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BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims of which those answered in the negative in red in, will apply to the claim of William Smith which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? yes
II. Did the declaration make the declaration in the county where he resides? yes 
III. If the applicant did not make the declaration in the county where he resides, is there any reason assigned for his not doing so? 
IV. Has the declarant mentioned the period or periods of the war when he served? yes
V. *Has he mentioned with precision the length of his service, and the different grades in which he served, in language so definite as to enable the department to determine to what amount of pension he is entitled? yes
VI. Has he given the names of the officers under whom he served, in conformity with the regulations? yes
VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? yes
VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? yes 
IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? yes
X. Is the Clerk’s seal affixed? And if so, has it a device or inscription by which it can be distinguished from any other seal? yes
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2
XI. Has the applicant obtained the evidence of a clergyman and another respectable citizen as to their belief respecting his age and the general belief in his neighborhood relative to his revolutionary service? yes
XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtain
ing it?
XIII. If the applicant has no documentary evidence, and has not obtained the testimony of at least one living witness, has he stated in his declaration that such proof cannot be had? yes
XIV. If the applicant's name is not found on the rolls of military service, has he produced a witness
or witnesses as to his service?
If he has produced direct proof as to service, has the magistrate who administered the oath, certified to the credibility of the witness or witnesses?
Has the proper officer certified to the official character and signature of the magistrate as the regulations direct?
XV. Does it appear from any of the papers that the witness was in such a situation, or of such an age,
as to have a personal knowledge of the applicant's service?
XVI. Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yes
XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department
answered satisfactorily? And.if not, which of them is not so answered?
yes
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
QUERE V. In a case where the applicant cannot, by reason of the loss of memory, state precisely how
long he served, he should amend his declaration by making an affidavit in the following words:
Personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace, &c. A. B. who, being
duly sworn, deposeth and saith, that, by reason of old age, and the consequent loss of memory, he
cannot swear positively as to the precise length of his service, but according to the best of his recoltion
he served not fare than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grade
year months, and --- days, I served as
and days, I served as and for such service I claim a pension.
months
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It is important in all cases to determine with precision the period for which each applicant served, and the particular rank he held, as the law directs the pension to be paid according to grade of the pensioner and the length of his service. The use of the phrase about three or four months is too indefinite, and all such qualifying expressions are objectionable. Some persons who apply for pensions merely state they served two years in the militia, &c. without specifying the tours; the names of the officers, and other particulars respecting their service. This form of a declaration is highly objectionable. It must in every case be clearly shown under what officers the applicant served ; the duration of each term of engagement ; the particular place or places where the service was performed; that the applicant served with an embodied corps called into service by competent authority; that he was either in the field or garrison ; and for the time during which the service was performed, he was not employed in any civil pursuit. 

QUERE XIV. Proof of Service.
In a case where the name of the applicant is not found on the records of the Department, he must prove his service by two credible witnesses, who are required to set forth in their affidavits the time of the claimants entering the service, and the time and manner of his leaving the same, as well as the regiment, company, and line to which he belonged. The magistrate who may administer the oaths must certify to the credibility of the witnesses, and the official character and signature of the magistrate must be certified by the proper officer, under his seal of office. 

QUERE XVI. Mode of authenticating papers. 
In every instance where the certificate of the certifications officer, who authenticates the papers is not written on the same sheet of paper which contains the affidavit, or other paper authenticated, the certificate must be attached thereto by a pice of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so s to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate. 

In every case where the clerk of the court, or other certifying officer, has no public seal of office, the certificate of a member of congress, proving the official character and signature f the certifying officer, should accompany the papers.
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31973
Revy INVALID
File No. 31,973
William Smith
Pri Rev War
Act June 7th 32
Index Vol. 2 Page 382
Arrangement of 1870

May 28 1904 His o Mrs PT Chapman Vienna Ill
1932 Aug 11 Hon JR McCarl adv of ctf number agency &c see Wm Smith W.590 said info desired by Mrs PT Chapman  mcs
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[stamp] RECORD & PENSION OFFICE
783096
MAY 7 1904

Vienna, Ill
May 3, 1904

William Smith
Roebucks Regt, S.C.
Rev War

Mrs. P. T. Chapman
Requests record
[stamp] US PENSION OFFICE 
MAY 18 1904

The Military Secretary's Office,
WAR DEPARTMENT,
Washington, May 7, 1904.
Respectfully returned to
Mrs. P. T. Chapman,
Vienna, Illinois.
No rolls of Colonel Roebuck's Regiment of South Carolina troops have been found in the collection of Revolutionary war records on file in this office.
In view of the statement that the
soldier in question received a grant
of land on account of his service in
the Revolutionary war, it is suggested
as a possibility that information in
relation to him may be obtained from
the Commissioner of Pensions, Washington, D. C., who is the custodian of the land grant records of that war.
BY AUTHORITY OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: FC Ainsworth
The Military Secretary.
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Vienna Ill May 3 -04
Col. F C. Ainsworth Washington D.C
Dear Sir
I am a descendent of William
Smith of Col. Roebuck's Regiment
of South Carolina Revolutionary
soldier and I believe a Sargeant
I am of the fifth generation
and want to become a member of
the D.A.R. I would like to know
if there are any records that would
show where this William Smith
was born he entered the service
from Spartanburg District S.C.
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Vienna Ill.
May 16 - 04

Dear Sirs
The inclosed will explain its self and any information will be gratefully received
Very Respect
Mrs. P.T. Chapman
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[seal]
U.S.
Pension
Office 
A
May 18 1904

[stamp]
OLD WAR & NAVY
MAY 20 1904
FILES
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GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE 
WASHINGTON RECORDS DIVISION
IN REPLY PLEASE QUOTE
R - 9701 - ND

August 6, 1932.
Veterans Administration,
Director of Pensions,
Washington, D. C.
Sir:
There is forwarded herewith letter dated August 2, 1932, with enclosure from Mrs. P. T. Chapman, Vienna, Illinois, furnishing additional information concerning William Smith, alleged pensioner of the Revolutionary War. It is requested
that this office be furnished with pension certificate number
and state agency of the particular William Smith referred to therein.
Respectfully,
Chief, Records Division.
[STAMP] received Aug 8 1932