Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 20,966, for Aaron Smith, Connecticut

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn
Smith, Aaron
S. 20,966
carded
CONTENTS
In 1824 was of Haddam Middlesex Co. Conn aged 87

See letter to S. H. Parsons, 23 Aug. 1924, reflecting an increase for an increase in the letter of Sept. 22, 1824
Connecticut
Aaron Smith
private Cpt Higgens Conn Regt Col. Douglas in the Army of U. States. Rev War
Inscribed on roll of Connecticut Agency, at $1 25 / 100 per month, and increased to $2 per month, by act of 24 Apr. 1816.
Formal certificate of pension issued 18 Sept. 1823, and sent to Samuel H. Parsons Esq. at Middletown, Conn.
Increased to $4 per month, per act
Increased to $8, per month, on 29 Oct. 1824, commencing 2 Sept. 1824, and certificate sent to S. H. Parsons, Hartford, Conn.

United States of America } sc. Bridgeport. District of Connecticut }
To Doctors Edward Cone and Henry Woodward both of Middletown in the County of Middlesex and State of Connecticut in said District. Pursuant to an Act of Congress of the United States passed the 4 th of February A.D. 1822, entitled "An Act to revive and continue in force, An Act to provide for persons who were disabled by known wounds received in the Revolutionary War, and for other pur- -poses" you are hereby appointed and authorized to examine Aaron Smith of Haddam in said County of Middlesex, who is inscribed on the Pension List of the United States, and is claimant for an increase of pension, conformably to the 5 th Section of the Act of the 10 th April 1806, viewed as aforesaid, and you are to report in writing, and on oath affirmation your opinion of the nature of his disability, and in what degree it prevents him from obtaining a subsistence by manual labor; and in your proceedings in the premises, you are to be regulated & governed by said Act.
Given under my hand and seal at Bridgeport this 10 day of July A.D. 1822
Joseph Lawrence Dist. Judge

County of Middlesex, S c : Middlesex
On this 13 th day of September, A D 1823; before me, the subscriber, a Notary Public, duly appointed and sworn, residing in said Middle- -town, personally appeared Aaron Smith of Haddam in the County of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, who on his oath, declares that he is the same person who formerly belonged to the company commanded by Captain Cornelius Higgens, in the Regiment commanded by Colonel (Douglass) in the Service of the United States; that his name was placed on the pension Roll of the State of Connec- -ticut, but has never received a formal certificate, and now wishes to obtain one.
Sworn and subscribed to, ) Aaron Smith before me, the day & year ) aforesaid.
Witness my Signature & Seal of Office.
Jon a Barnes Jr. Notary Public.

Memorandum.
Aaron Smith was directed to be placed upon the list of invalid pensioners of the United States, by an act of Congress passed at the first session of the fourth Congress, approved April 20 th 1776; and that the evidence in support of his claim was taken before Ephraim Chapman, Jonathan Moseley and Cornelius Higgings commissioners authorized by the Judge of the Connecticut district.

Rev. & 1812 Wars Section MER/eel
Copied from letter of MMH 7 dated July 21, 1925
November 14, 1928
C.K. Decherd P.O. Box 464 Meriden, Connecticut
Sir:
I advise you that from the records in the Revolutionary War pension claim S. 20966 it appears that Aaron Smith served as a private in Captain Cornelius Higgins' Company, Colonel Douglas' Connecticut Regiment, War of the Revolution, and was wounded in his knee at the battle of White Plains. The length of his service is not stated.
He was allowed pension from March 4, 1793 on account of disability resulting from said wound.
In 1824 he was a resident of Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut, aged eighty-seven years. He died November 25, 1825.
There are no data on file as to his family.
Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT Commissioner.

Revolution
20966 INVALID.
File No. 20966
James Smith
Pt. Conn Regt
Act: Rev War  Invalid
Index: —Vol. 2 , Page 322
[Arrangement of 1870.]
1935- July 21- Heir to Frank F. Starr AMATE
1928 Nov. 14, Histo G. K. Dechard, M.E.E.

Rev.&1812 Wars Section
MS 14-5
July 31, 1925
Frank F. Starr Middletown, Conn.
Sir:
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim S. 20968 it appears that Aaron Smith served as a private in Captain Cornelius Higgins' Company, Colonel Douglas' Connecticut Regiment, War of the Revolution, and was wounded in his  in his  knee at the battle of White Plains. The length of his service is not stated.
He was allowed pension from March 4, 1793 on account of disability resulting from said wound.
In 1824 he was a resident of Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut aged eighty-seven years. He died November 25, 1825.
There is no data on file as to his family.
From 1835 list
Respectfully,
WINFIELD SCOTT Commissioner.
Family Chron. MS 14-5 p. 18-22 The family of Aaron Smith was Oct 22-1796, and Aaron died Nov 25-1825. See his pension file 410 m

Increase of Pension.
It is hereby certified that Aaron Smith of Haddam in the County of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, formerly a Private of Captain Cornelius Higgens' company, and in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Douglass, who it appears by the accompanying certificate was placed on the pension roll at the rate of two dollars per month, on account, as he states, of having received an injury of his knee, which has occasioned a considerable enlargement of it, and a weakness and stiffness of the knee joint while in the line of his duty, and in the said service, on or about the 28 th day of September in the year of our Lord 1776 at a place called White-plains in the State of New York, is not only still disabled in consequence of the said injury, but, in our opinion is totally unable to obtain his subsistence by manual labors; And from the lapse of time and the feebleness incident to advanced years (being as he says 87 years old) it is altogether probable that the disability arising from the aforesaid injury might have been much less formerly than it is now.
Hiddleton Sept 1-2 o 1824
Edward S. Cane
Henry Woodward

State of Connecticut County of Middlesex } ss Middletown -
On this 2 nd day of Sept r 1824, before me the undersigned a Notary Public duly appointed & sworn residing in Middletown, personally appeared Edward J. Gene & Henry Woodward physicians & surgeons residents in practising in Middletown, well known to me as credible persons, and having subscribed the pre- -ceding instrument in my presence thereupon severally made oath in due form of Law, to the truth of the matters & things therein stated and contained -
Witness my signature & Seal of Office -
E. N. Parsons Not y Public

FRANK FARNSWORTH STARR, GENEALOGIST AND FAMILY HISTORIAN, MIDDLETOWN, CONN.
STARR'S ANCESTRAL REGISTER.
May 22, 1925
Pension Office Washington D.C., Gentlemen"
I wish to obtain a statement of the services in the War of the Revolution of Aaron Smith of Middlesex county Conn. Whose name was placed on the Pension rolls September 26, 1816 and who died November 25, 1825. Also any information regarding his family that the files may disclose.
Respectfully,
A handwritten signature in cursive script, reading "Frank Farnsworth Starr". The signature is written in dark ink and is positioned below the word "Respectfully,".

Stearns Smith, for increase.
S. H. Parsons. Hartford, Conn.
Recd. 10 Oct. 1824
833
Edward E. Ely Esquire Division Office War Department Washington

3 Hartford October 12 th 1824
Sir,
I duly received your letter of the 29 th Ultimo, returning the papers of Aaron Smith, an applicant for an increase of pension; I now enclose the same papers with the Commission of the United States District Judge, and must beg leave to apologise for omitting it in my letter of the 20 th Ultimo. I supposed it was enclosed, but on further examination found it was mislaid among some of my loose papers.
I am respectfully Your obed t Servant,
Samuel H. Parsons
J. L. Edwards Esq e

CONSTANT K. DECHERD
MERIDEN, CONN.
MEM. AM. SOC. MECH. ENGRS.
Meriden, Conn., Feb. 14, 1928.
Bureau of Pensions, United States Dept. of the Interior, Washington, D. C.
Dear Sir:            Att: Honorable Winfield Scott , Commissioner
Under date of November 5th, 1927 you very kindly wrote me regarding the Revolutionary War Pension of Jonathan Smith. This enabled me to prove Jonathan Smith's Revolutionary Service and to perfect my wife's application papers for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Family tradition has it that Aaron Smith , father of Jonathan Smith, also served in the Revolutionary War and was wounded. In Volume 13, Page 462 of the Records of the Probate Court of Middletown, Middlesex County, Connecticut, I find in the inventory of the estate of Aaron Smith of Haddam, Middlesex County, Connecticut, the following:
"Also arrears of Pension money received from Loan Office, Hartford, Conn., September 1826, $19.00."
Would you be kind enough to confirm whether or not Aaron Smith was a Revolutionary War Pensioner, and give me any information which may be of assistance to me in determining the Revolutionary Service of said Aaron Smith.
Yours very truly,
C. K. Decherd C. K. Decherd, P. O. Box 464, Meriden, Conn.
CKD:AC