Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 9478, for William Sheppard, Georgia
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- William Sheppard, service in GA, R.9478
-
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26.142
William Sheppard
Ga
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State of Georgia }
County of Upson}

On the twenty fourth day of February [24th also written] in the year Eighteen hundred and thirty four personally appreared before the Superior court of the County of Upson of the Flint Circuit now sittin William Sheppard Senior a resident of the County of Upson and State of Georgia aged Seventy Eight years who being just duly sworn according to the law doth on my 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 as ^a private soldier, in the militia of Georgia as a volunteer in the year seventeen hundred and seventy seven in the month of August in that year the particular date of the month this deponent does not now recollect in consequence of old age under the command of Captain Benjamin Bivins and was attached to a Regiment commanded by Colonel John Stewart under the command of General Houston, and served a tour of duty of nine months under said command and at the expiration of his services of duty of nine months this deponent again volunteered as a private soldier under the command of one Captain William Ayers and was attached to a regiment on Battallion commanded by one Colonel Milledge the Christian name this deponent cannot now recollect and served a tour of duty of three months at which time of performing said tour of duty this deponent when entering the service at each period resided in the county of Richmond and State of Georgia, this deponent also entered the service as a private soldier in the Militia of the State of North Carolina about the middle of the month of July in the year Seventeen hundred and Eighty one under the com- [end of page]
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command of Captain Orr and Major William White whose Battallion was under the command of General Rutherford the christian name this deponent does not now recollect and served a tour of duty of three months at the expiration of which said term this deponent was discharged. This deponent while engaged in the service of the tour of nine months under Captain Benjamin Bivins aforesaid was confined to the State of Georgia in guarding the frontiers of the State of Georgia from incursions of the Indians and his marches was confined exclusivly to the State of Georgia and while performing the tour of duty of three months his marches  was confined to the State of Georgia [illegible] the city of Augusta to the Florida line on the St. Marys River. This deponent whilst engaged in the performance of [illegible words] tour of duty immediately proceeding has no recollection of being in company with any regular officers nor was he in any engagement whatever. Whilst engaged in the performance of the Tour of Duty of three monthes under the command of Captain Orr and in his company his marches was confined exclusively to the State of North Carolina and that he was stationed near Wilmington in that state. The British having possession of that place at that time. This deponent has no recollection at this time of being associated at any period of the tour of duty that he performed with any regular troops. Nor has he any recollection of seeing any regular officers. He recollects of being in company with Colonel Elyah Clark's
Regiment and also Colonel Williamson also while engaged n the service under the command of Captain William Ayres. This deponent was born in the State of North Carolina on [illegible- possibly Dan] River in the month of January in the
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year Seventeen hundred and fifty six as this deponent has been informed by his parents.. there being no record of this deponent's age that this deponent knows of. This deponent is residing in the State of Georgia as before stated when he entered the service under the commands of Captains Bivins and Ayres in Richmond County in said State and he resided in the County of Mecklenburgh [Mecklenburg] North Carolina when he entered the service under Captain Orr. That he volunteered in the tours under Captains Bivins and Ayres and was drafted to serve the tour under the command of Captain Nathan Orr. This deponent received discharges at the close of each of said tours and not believing that they would ever be of any value or service has lost or destroyed them many years ago. This deponent resided in the State of South Carolina at the close of the Revolution and moved in to the State of Georgia again in the year of Eighteen Hundred and Seven where this deponent now resides. This deponent is known in the neighborhood where he now resides by Sinclair Mc Mullin, Thomas G. Rose, Amos Rose, Jesse Partridge, James Partridge, The Reverend Isaac B Devours, Mathew Caldwell, William P Yonge esq Clerk of the Superior court, Alphaeus Beale, [Thomas] Beale esq one of the Justices of the Superior Court of Smith County, The Reverend Jacob King, the Reverend John Ross and many others who will certify as to character for veracity and their beliefs from his charachter of his having been a soldier of the Revolution. This deponent has no documentary evidence whatever to establish his claim nor does he know of any person whose testimony he could purview who can testify to his service
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He hereby relinquishes any claims 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 

Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Christopher B Strong}
[illegible lines under above]

William Sheppard  X his mark

We Zachariah H. Gordon a clergyman residing in this county of Upson and Sinclair McMullin residing in the same hereby certify that we are well acquainted with William Sheppard Sen. [senior] who has subscribed and sworn to the foregoing declaration and we believe him to be seventy eight years of age that he is reputed and believed in this neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforementioned in open court

William P Yongr. Clk S.C.
Zacharia H Gordon [illegible]
Sinclair M. Mullan

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after the [illegible]  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 Zacharia H. Gordon who has signed the preceding certificate
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is a clergyman resident in the county of Upson & State of Georgia and that Sinclair McMullin who has also signed the same is a resident of the same place and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to credit
C. B. Strong.   J Supe. C
Flt Dist Georgia

I, William P. Yonge Clerk of the Superior Court of Upson County State of Georgia do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of William Sheppard sen. for a pension
In Testimony Whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal of office this the 24th day of February 1834.
Wm. P. Yonge  Clk S. C.

Note:  An area next to last paragraph has been covered over; most likely a seal.
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Note:  This is a form only partially filled out.


REJECTED
9478.
P.O.
Wm Sheppard
Service:  Upson Co Geo 1833 age 76 or 7
Augt 1777 Capt. Bivins  Colo Stewart

Enlisted:  for 12 mos from Richmond Co Geo

The rest of the form is blank.
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William Shepphard [sic]
Georgia

Suspended

Letter 10 Sept 1834
in claim of Jos. Collins 
Georgia Troops
Thomas Sturgis

9?178
act 7th June 1832

Note:  following was entered right side of page

Returned to Files - May 14/[illegible]
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State of Georgia}
County of Upson}

On this the twenty Sixth day of August Eighteen Hundred and Thirty four personally appeared before the Superior Court of the County of Epson of the Flint Circuit now Sitting William Sheppard Senior a resident of the county of Upson and State of Georgia who being duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration amendatory of his declaration Sworn to on the twenty fourth day of February Eighteen Hundred thirty four before the Said Superior Court of Said County of Upson then sitting in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832., and in explanation to objections urged by the pension office War Department to the admissibility of the Same.  Wherein this deponent alledged to have performed in Tour of duty for the term of nine months under the Command of Captain Benjamin Bivins and Colonel John Stewart and General Houston.  This deponent in explanation of the Same alledged that he entered Said Service first to Serve for the term of Six months.  and did Serve the Same at the expiration of which instead of being discharged he again consented to continue in Service for the Term of Three months longer under the command of Captain Bivins who also volunteered to perform the Same.  the reasons why [end page]
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he embraced the Same in a tour of duty of nine months was because this deponent did not return Home to his friends during that time and However this deponent volunteered to serve for Six months he and nearly the whole of Captain Bivins Company Consented & volunteered to Serve three months longer.  This deponent also declares that in making out his first declaration he was induced to believe that by the Captain Enrolling his hand when he volunteered that the Same constituted an Enlistment.  and that for this reason he was induced to State that he performed the Said Service contained in his first declaration as an enlisted Soldier, as he volunteered in each of the Said Tours, and was drafted in the Three months Tour which he Served in the State of North Carolina
William [x his mark] Sheppard Sr.

Sworn to & Subscribed the day ^ month and yearr first aforesaid
C. B. Strong
Judge Supr C. Flt. Dist.

I, William T. Yonge Clerk of the Superior Court of Upson County State of Georgia do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the amendment & explanation of the Said William Sheppard Sen. to the original declaration & application for a pension
In testimony whereof I have   [end of page]
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hereunto Set my hand and Seal of Office this 26th day of August 1804.

Wm P. Yonge Clk Supr. Court
Upson County

Note:  A round stamp has been covered over.
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Thomaston     August 26th 1834

Sir
Accompanying this is William Sheppard Sen. explanation or amendment to his declaration (also enclosed) of the 24th Feby last—  I feel it due to the applicant.  State that in his first declaration I may have misled him by advising him that the enrolment of his name constituted an enlistment for from his Standing and then later I cannot for a moment believe that he would State an untruth under any circumstances whatever.  Hoping that his claim will fully Satisfy the regulations of the depart.  I shall be glad to hear from the depart. at as Early a day as convenient

Respectfully Your Obt. Servt
Joseph Sturgis

J L. Edwards, Esq
Pension office &C
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26.142

William Sheppard
Ga

Act 7 June 1832
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Note:  The first part of this letter is so faded as to be impossible to read.

....doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit & the provision made by the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832
That he entered in the army of the United States in the year Seventeen hundred and Seventy Seven in the month of August in that year with Captain Benjamin Bivins Company and Colonel John Stewart Regiment and General Houstons Brigade or division.  the number of the company & regiment or line deponent does not now recollect, and that he served for the term of twelve months and left the Service in the month of August.  he served and was commanded a part of said time by Captain Benjamin Bivins who 
resigned during that period and Captain William Ayres commanded this deponent.  the ballance [sic] of the term of Service and under the command of Colonel John Stewart for a part of said term and the ballance [sic] of said time under the command of Colonel Milledge    he resided in the County of Richmond and State of Georgia at the time he Entered the Service—  he was not engaged in any battle or engagement.   his marches were confined to the State of Georgia as he never marched beyond the limits of the State *except on a* when they crossed the St Marys river and marched into E Florida
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the [end of page]

*Entered as written in text
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the present, and he declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any agency in any State
Wm [X his mark] Sheppard Senr

Sworn to & Subscribed the day and year aforesaid
C B Strong Jr  Judge

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion that the above named applicant was a revolutionary Soldier and Served as he States

I William P Yonge, Clerk of the Superior Court of the County of Upson and State aforesaid do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of William Sheppard Sen. for a pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal of Office this [words faded] of February 1833
Wm Yonge Clerk