Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 14,568, for Henry Shofner, North Carolina

SERVICE
NUMBER
Nb
Shofner Henry Spoffner or
S 14568
CONTENTS
carded

1587  Kentucky.
Henry Shoffner of Green in the State of Kentucky who was a private in the Company commanded by Captain Huston of the W.P. commanded by Col. Lock. in the N. Carolina line for 25 months from 1778
The correct name being Shoffner, it has been recorded on "Sh" combination Mar 25 1904
Inscribed on the Roll of Kentucky at the rate of 50 - Dollars - Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1834.
Certificate of Pension issued the 7 th day of Oct r 1832 and sent to H. J. Wells. Greenburg, Ky.
  Arrear to 4th of Sept 1832  75.00    Semi-annual allowance ending 4 th  25    March 1833      $100.-  
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Nathan Rice Clerk Book 29 Vol. 9 Page 60.
See letter 30 July 1834 to G. L. Waugh. No. 10 Oct 34.
[Faint handwritten notes on the right page, possibly bleed-through from the reverse side.]

8755 Mary Shoffner
from 1778. points 15 years months.
$50.
W. S. Willis

8755
BRIEF in the case of  Henry Shoffner of Green County in the State of Kentucky (Act 7th June, 1832.)
1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Court 2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? 3. How old is he? 77 4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed.
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     Nov. In 1778 5 5 5 private Gen. Rutherford   1780 about 8 8 8 Col. Locke   Afterwards vol. serv'd 3 3 3 Col. Smith  
5. In what battles was he engaged? None 6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Mecklenburg Co. N.C. 7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? a witness & traditional 8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? Correct
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
J. Waugh
Examining Clerk.

State of Kentucky, Green County ss
On this 21 st day of August 1832 personally appeared before the Green Circuit Court, holden for the county and state aforesaid, Henry Shofner aged 77 years the 23 rd day of Aug t 1832 who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of congress of the 7 th day of June 1832. That he was drafted to serve in the militia in the revolutionary army of the United States for five months in the county of Mecklenburgh and state of North Carolina in the year 1778 in the month of November that he lived in that county at the time of being drafted that he served the time of his enlistment out and was discharged at a place called the Turkey Creek on Savannah River in the state of South Carolina that it was in the month of May when he was discharged he served in the company commanded by Captain William Houston, the Colonels name was Francis Locke who commanded the Regiment, the Adjutant to the Regiment was of the name of Langeman General Rutherford commanded the Brigade of which the company he served in was a part. That he was also engaged in the suppression of the Tories in the state he lived as a soldier in the company of Captain John Starnes for about eight months during the time the British forces were in the possession of Charlotte in Mecklenburgh County of Carolina, This was in the year 1780 Afterwards he volunteered as a soldier in the company of Captain Joseph Skinner in the Regiment commanded by Col Smith in Rutherford's Brigade who had previously been taken prisoners, but had been released & again took

The command of his brigade; in this tour he was engaged in what was called the Wilmington expedition and served for three months, and was discharged, on Cape Fear river below a town called Cross Creek now called Fayette in the state of North Carolina.
The discharges he got, he has lost or they have been destroyed, he never was in any battle, he marched through North Carolina & South Carolina.
He was marching to cross the Savannah river when Genl. Vash, came gallopping up & dashed into the river, retreating from his defeat to assist in an engagement between the American & British troops on the contrary side of the river.
He hereby relinquishes every claim to any pension or annuity whatever except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any state - subscribed and sworn to this date above stated -
Henry Shofner

Rev. Mary
14568 INVALID.
Mar 25-1904 - this to Rev. Mary J. Bondin Albuquerque N.M.
File No. 14568
Henry Spofford Rev. Mary Ward
Act: June 7th 1832
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 357
[Arrangement of 1870.]

14 368
3-068. (Old No. 3-649.)
Bureau of Pensions.
Schagner Henry Schagner
Aug 21. 1832 - 77
Green Co Ky
Mississippians Co N.C. Capt Wm Houston Col Jos. Brooke Pvt - 5 m
50 Cpt Jos. Starner Col - Pvt 8 m
apostrophe 5 h m Col Smith Pvt - 3 m
No Bab

BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Henry Shoffner which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? No II. Did the declarant make the declaration in the county where he resides? ✓ 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? No 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

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? No Clergyman but 2 Citizens XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining it? No 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? There is a witness XIV. † If the applicant has produced a witness or witnesses as to his service, has the magistrate who administered the oath certified that he, she, or they are persons of credibility? yg 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? yg XVI. ‡ Are the papers authenticated as the regulations direct? yg XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily? And, if not, which of them is not so answered? 1. 5. 2. 7th
 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 recollection he served not less than the periods mentioned below, and in the following grades: For _____ year _____ months, and _____ days, I served as a _____ For _____ months and _____ days, I served as a _____ ; and for such service I claim a pension.”

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 the 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.
† 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 affidavits must be properly authenticated, as above directed.
‡ QUERE XVI.  Mode of authenticating papers.
In every instance where the certificate of the certifying 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 piece of tape or narrow ribbon, the ends of which must pass under the seal of office of the certifying officer, so as to prevent any paper from being improperly attached to the certificate.

State of Kentucky Mercer county set,
On this 17 th day of August 1832 Charles Hart a resident of said county & state aforesaid, who being by me first duly sworn according to law, stated that he is well acquainted with Henry Shofner of Green county Ky, and is acquainted with his services in the American Revolution, both in the suppression of the Tories and his serving two other tours of duty in North & South Carolina, he was in the service at the same time & marched many a day side by side with him, he has seen the declaration made by the said Shofner of his service in order to obtain a pension & states that it contains the truth to the best of his recollection. These tours were served in 1778-1779 & 1780 and the year 1781
Charles his Hart mark
The above sworn to before me -
Geo L Waugh J.P.
And I George L. Waugh a justice of the peace for said county do certify that I am acquainted with the above named Charles Hart and certify that he is a man of respectability and veracity given under my hand the date above stated
Geo L Waugh J.P.

State of Kentucky Mercer County Set. 3 Thomas Allison Clerk of the Court for the County aforesaid Certify that Geo S Waugh Esq. whose name is subscribed to the foregoing Certificate was and was at the time of signing the same an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid duly Commissioned and qualified and as such full faith and credit is and ought to be given to every of his official acts as such
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office this 17 th day of Aug t 1832
Thos Allison

Henry Thofner Declaration
8755
certified

At a circuit court continued and held for the Green circuit at the court house in Green burgh on the 21 st day of August 1832
On the application of Henry Shoffner to be placed on the pension list roll under the act of Congress of the 7 th of June 1832 who filed his declaration for that purpose and made oath to the same - which together with the affidavits of Charles Hart of Mercer county Kentucky is ordered to be certified to the secretary of war and it being proven by the oath of Elias Barbe and John Barbe that said Shoffner was a man of respect- ability and veracity that said Shoffner is reputed to have been a soldier in the revolutionary war - It is ordered that to be certified as the opinion of the court that the above named applic- ant was a soldier as stated in his said declaration -
I John Banit clerk of the Green circuit court do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the applica- tion of Henry Shoffner for a pension -
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of my said office this 5 th day of Sept r 1832 -
John Banit "

State of Kentucky Mercer County
On this fourth day of June  January A.D. 1834. Personally appeared before me Isaac Pearson a Justice of the peace and one of the Judges of the Mercer County Court and State of Kentucky Henry Shofner aged seventy nine years who being first duly sworn according to Law, oaths on his oaths makes this his further declaration in order to increase the pension he now receives, under the Act of Congress passed June the 7 th 1832. That he enlisted in the Army of the United States, in the State of North Carolina Mecklenburg County in the month of November 1778 for five months under Capt Wm Houston and joined the Regiment commanded by Capt Frank Locke and marched to Charles Town South Carolina, from Thicket to Savannah and from Thicket to Turkey Creek on the River, when we were discharged after serving fully five months. Our Brigade was commanded by General Rutherford, we arrived at home in the month of May 1779. and in June the next month following we enlisted in the minute service under Captain John Harnes as light horsemen and joined the Regiment commanded by Colonel Davidson, afterwards Genl Davidson; as soon by the name of Fifer succeeded him as Colonel we served as Light horse men in the service A.D. from June 1779. until November 1781. which is two years and five months, in he served as Light horse He was honorably discharged on the Cape Fear River near Raleigh North Carolina in the A.D. month of November 1781. after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Little York in Virginia, he solemnly swears that he served two years and ten months at least To wit, five months in the foot service and two years and five months in the Light horse service, we furnished our own horses, and many times had to provision ourselves in the best way we could, he knows he was not sufficiently explicit in his first declaration as to the period of his service, He prays that the Hon ble Secretary of the War Treasury will allow him such a pension, the Justice of his case considered, he may be entitled to receive for his services in the war of the Revolution, his discharge has

long since been lost, and he knows of but one man by whom he can prove his services, which is Mr Charles Hart senior of Mercer County, whose Deposition will follow this declaration. He will state respectfully, that under the Law of the 7 th June 1832 he thinks he is entitled to a pension as private of Cavalry for upwards of two years faithful services. He further states, that the witness by whom he expects to prove his services, lives in Mercer County which is his only reason for making his  his de- clarations in any other than his own County. He is a resident of Green County Kentucky and has been for many years. Subscribed and sworn to before me the day and year aforesaid. Henry his Shofner his mark Isaac Pearson S.P.M.C.
The deposition of Charles Hart sent taken at the Clerks office of Mercer County Ky. This 4 th day June 1834 to be read before the Hon ble Secretary of War, in behalf of Henry Shofner a Revolutionary soldier. This deponent being seven thru years old deponent and first duly sworn according to Law deposes & saith that he became acquainted with the said Henry Shofner who is now before him, in the year 1777. Then in North Carolina Mecklenburg County and has been well acquainted with him ever since that they served in the same Company, Regiment & Brigade and under the same Officers. He knows they served together in the Cavalry of North Carolina for at least two years and five months, and that previous to that they served five months together in the foot service in the Revolutionary war the said Henry Shofner who has subscribed his said Declaration was always a considerate & faithful soldier, he further states, that he has heard his declaration read, and he knows that the statements therein made are strictly true and farther saith not. Charles his Hart sw. his mark

The farther affidavit of Henry Shopner of Green County Kentucky made in order to increase his pension being duly sworn according to Law states that the reason he did not set forth the whole of his services in his first declaration was wholly on account of his having forgotten the precise time he served. That he has since been reminded of it by Charles Hart of Mercer County who served in the same mess with him the whole time, that he now is as fully convinced that he served upward of two years in actual service as he is of his existence the particulars set forth in his foregoing Declaration an as correct as his recollection of circumstances will enable him to give them, that he recollects of no person living in this state who served with him but the said Charles Hart who served in the mess with him in company the cavalry and foot service also. his officers as follows in the foot service Capt W m Houston Major Branham, Col Frank Locke, Genl Rutherford. In the cavalry Capt John Starne, Col Davidson commanded the Regt. he was promoted to the rank of Genl. again, Capt Joseph Shinn, Col Fifer commanded the Regt. he returned home and Col. Smith succeeded him we were discharged on the Cape Fear River in November after the surrender of Wallis at Little York in Virginia by the said Colonel Smith, he will state that whether his pension be increased or not the services set forth by him were faithfully rendered in army of the Revolution, and farther saith not Signed and sealed this 12 th day of September 1834
Henry his Shopner mark
The farther affidavit of Charles Hart who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath states that he knows the said Henry Shopner to be the same that served with him in the War of the Revolution

That They were messmates both in the foot & horse service he thinks, during the whole time of their service, That he has heard the said Henry Shofner's declarations read and he knows the statements made therein are strictly true. He farther states that he thinks was the first person that informed Shofner that he was entitled to a larger pension, that he himself draws a pension for two years service, and that he knows that they served together upwards of that time in actual service in the war of the Revolution, sworn to and subscribed this 12 th day September 1834
Charles his Galt mark
State of Kentucky Mercer County
I Nelson Mays a Justice of the peace and one of the Judges of the Mercer County Court, hereby certify that Henry Shofner and Charles Galt came before me and subscribed and sworn to the truth of the statements in the affidavits by them respectively subscribed - and I farther certify that Henry Shofner and Charles Galt are highly credible persons and that their statements are entitled to credit Given under my hand and Seal this 12 th day of September A.D. 1834
Nelson Mays

G. L. Waugh Nassau, Ky. Ken

State of Kentucky Mercer County ss I Thomas Allen Clerk of the Court for the County aforesaid do Certify that Nelson Hays Esq whose name is subscribed to the foregoing Certificate is an Acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid duly Commissioned and qualified and as such full faith and Credit is and ought to be given to every of his Official Acts as such And I do Certify that Charles Hart is a highly credible man
In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 12 th day of September 1834
Thos Allen Clk Mercer Co Ky

Amey Hofner Revolutionary Claim
Admrs. Geo. L. Wrangham Harrodsburg Ky.

State of Kentucky Mercer County ss
I Isaac Pearson a Justice of the peace and one of the Judges for the County Court of said County do hereby certify that the foregoing declaration of Henry Shofner, also the Depositions of Charles Hart seen were taken subscribed and sworn to before me at the Clerk's office for the County of Mercer on this 4 th day of June 1834. and I do further certify that Henry Shofner and Charles Hart are highly credible persons and that their statements are entitled to full credit. Given under my hand and seal at Harrodsburg this 4 th June A D 1834.
Isaac Pearson Just.
State of Kentucky Mercer County ss
I Thomas Allin Clerk of the Court for the County as do certify that Isaac Pearson Esq. whose name is subscribed to the foregoing Certificate is an acting Justice of the peace in and for the County as duly commissioned and qualified and as such full faith and credit is and ought to be given to every of his Official acts in such testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 7 th day of June 1834.
Thos Allin

OFFICERS
President— REV. MARY J. BORDEN, Albuquerque. Vice-President— MRS. L. A. SHANK, East Las Vegas. Corresponding Secretary— MRS. HANNAH E. DOWNS, Albuquerque. Recording Secretary— MRS. PITT ROSS, Albuquerque. Treasurer— MRS. ELLA O. WOOD, Santa Fe.
"WHATSOEVER HE SAITH UNTO YOU, DO IT."
...NEW MEXICO...
own Woman's Christian Temperance Union
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 3 - 8 - 1904
Pension Office Washington D.C.
Dear Sirs:-
Will you very kindly tell me all you can of Henry Shanfner (or (Shoffner) who for several years drew a pension for service in the Revolutionary war. He was born in Germany - died in 1842, or, 1843. in the state of Kentucky at the age of 90 years.
Please let me know soon, and very greatly oblige - Most Truly yours.
Mary J. Borden 401-S. Edith St. Albuquerque N. Mex.