Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 15999, for John Swepston, Virginia

SERVICE
NUMBER
Continental (Va)
Wepston, John
S. 15999
carded
CONTENTS

29 295
Virginia
John Shepherd of Franklin in the State of Va who was a fife in the _____ command by Captain _____ of the Regt command by Col Grayson in the _____ line for 2 years Continental
Inscribed on the Roll of Virginia at the rate of 88 Dollars — Cents per annum to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 5th day of Feb 32 and 1st March 32. Clairborne etc.
Arrears to the 4th of Sept 1832 220 — Semi-ant. allowance ending Dec 32 44 — 266 4.
{ Revolutionary Claim, Act June 7, 1832.
Recorded by A Price — Clerk Book C Vol. 64 Page 2
Let to Pen agat April 2. 1835
Died Jan 21, 1853

Virginia Franklin (county Let) On this 5 th day of November 1832 personally appeared in Open Court being the Court of Franklin County now sitting John Swopeston resident of Franklin county Virginia born in King & Queen County by the best of his age, 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 the 7 th of June 1832 that he entered the service of the United States during the revolutionary war and served as in herein stated - That he enlisted for three years in the regular army - his enlistment was in King & Queen county Va in a company commanded by Capt Beuther he does not remember the exact time that he marched to the White Plains in New York, and there joined the main army commanded by Genl Washington in person - that he was attached to the 16 Regiment com- manded by Col Wm Grayson - that Genl Mullenbury commanded the brigade to which he belonged - That he was stationed some time at West Point, that he was little over fifteen years old when he entered the army that he entered as a fife & was a fifer the whole time of his service that he served out his three years and was discharged - at Fredericksburg Va, that his discharge was brought burned up when he had the misfortune to lose his house by fire, that he has no documentary evidence - He went to King & Queen some time back, to get testimony of his services and procured the testimony of two most respectable men to prove his services their testimony is in the War Department filed as he is told with a declaration he made herebefore in order to get on the pension list but which was not done - he now refers to their testi- mony and hopes it will be sufficient -

He lived before he came to Franklin County to reside in Pittsylvania County near near Abraham & Sheldon Esqrs At 17 for the Commonwealth of Va in the Counties of Henry Patrick and Franklin and he refers to him for his this applicants character, He relinquishes all all claims whatever to a pension wannafly except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the agency of any State, Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid
John Swepston
We a clergyman residing in Franklin County Va and residing in same county & state do hereby test we are well acquainted with John Swepston who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy one years old that he is respected and beloved in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opi- nion Sworn to & subscribed to the day & year aforesaid

April 26, 1935
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
BA-J/EEL John Swepston-S.15999
Mrs. C.H.Neely Box 174 Oak Grove, Louisiana
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter in which you request the record of a Revolutionary War soldier or the widow of a Revolutionary War soldier, with surname Swepston, who received pension, and who was probably from Virginia or Maryland.
The data which follow are obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension claim, S.15999, based upon the military service in that war of John Swepston, the only soldier with that surname that is found on the Revolutionary War records of this office.
John Swepston was born in King and Queen County, Virginia. The date of his birth and the names of his parents are not shown.
John Swepston enlisted in King and Queen County, Virginia, when a little over fifteen years of age, date not given, and served as a fifer in Captain Butler's Company, Colonel William Grayson's Regiment, length of service, three years.
After the Revolution, he lived in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, for about twenty years, and about 1826, moved to Franklin County, Virginia.
He was allowed pension on his application executed November 5, 1832, at which time he was aged about seventy-one years and resided in Franklin County, Virginia.
He died January 21, 1853.
There are no data as to soldier's family.
Very truly yours
A. D. HILLER Executive Assistant to the Administrator.

War Department Pension Office January 5, 1833.
Sir,
I herewith return the declaration of John Swepston and have to state that there are no papers in this office in support of his claim. It appears from our records that on the 5 th of April last, his papers were deposited in this office by you and on that day a letter was written to you and his papers returned. Should you find his papers, you will have the credibility of the witness certified by the magistrates before whom their affidavits were made. Dick Jones and William Temple are the names of the witnesses.
I have the honor to be Very respectfully Your Obedt Servt. J L Edwards
Hon. N. H. Claiborne N. R.

Washington city Set
I certify on honour that when I some ten years back presented to the War department a declaration of John Simpson I presented with the declaration an affidavit of Mr Temple and of another person whose name I have forgot proving as I believe the services of John Simpson in the form and manner laid down in his declaration and as more laid down as I believe in the declaration accompanying this certificate That if these papers to wit the affidavits aforesaid were ever returned me I am not sensible thereof That they are lost, or mislaid — I have understood that the witness Temple was a highly respectable witness — and that so was the other. Other witness I know Simpson well he is very poor yes poor indeed and not able if so disposed to travel about to procure testimony — He is truly ignorant — He is esteemed by me a man of truth and I have never doubted his being in the army of the revolution nor do I believe any one who knows him does doubt it — The testimony of Mr Shelton our atty for the commonwealth in the handwriting of Mr Shelton taken in open court — with the general opinion of this in his neighbourhood and the testimony of Temple and another has satisfied my mind as to his services given under my hand this 25th Jan 1835
Nathl H. Clabborn
Member of Congress from Va

Apr 11.
United States
H. Sweetman via N. H. act 1832
Apr 11.
FREE
J. L. Edwards, Esq. Commissioner of Pension, Washington.

Office Bank United States, Richmond 7. April 1835.
Sir,
Your letter of the 2 d inst. addressed to the President of this Office has been received. In reply to it I have to state, that no instructions had previously been received at the Agency here to resume the payment of any pensioners, residents of the County of Pittsylvania. In regard to John Sweepston, his name was entered on the roll, at the time he was last paid, as residing in Pittsylvania. To the best of my recollection, when his vouchers were last presented here, they purported to have been executed in Pittsylvania - tho' it was stated in them that he resided in Franklin. As these counties are near each other, and as frauds were alleged to have been committed by persons claiming to be pensioners, in going from one county to another, I thought it best to decline paying the pension; but at the same advised the parties to refer the case to

to your department.
I am, very respectfully,
Your obedt. servt.
J. Robertson Cuth.
J. L. Edwards, Esq.
Com te of Pensions.

I Abraham C Shelton of the County of Pittsburgh = nia and State of Virginia do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with John Sweepley who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that I believe him to be upwards of seventy years old. that he resided for upwards of twenty years in the Neighbourhood in which I reside in Pittsburgh County. until about six years ago he left that County, during the time he resided in Pittsburgh he was reputed and believed in said Neighbourhood to have been a Soldier of the Revolution, and I concur in that belief
Abraham C Shelton
Sworn & subscribed in Open Court the day and year aforesaid.
And the said Court doth 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 doth further certify that Abraham C Shelton esquire who has signed the foregoing Certificate is a citizen of Pittsburgh County, and is a credible person, and that his statement is entitled to Credit, - there being no other person present.

Virginia To all:
I Caleb Tate clerk of the County Court of Franklin do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of John Sweapston for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Court the 21 st day of November 1832 in the 57 th year of our foundation
Caleb Tate clerk
John Sweapston
04 papers 588
Heale

I
15999 INVALID.
File No. 15999
John Swepton Before War
Act: June 7 th 82
Index: — Vol. 1 , Page 366
[Arrangement of 1870.]
1932-Aug 11- West. to Mrs Ada Chance EEL
1935-Apr 26- West- to Mrs C. H. Neely. EEL

1812 1915
1723
Veterans administration
Dear Sir:
Will you please give me the data you might have on John Ashford Swepton whom we think was in May of 1812 and Rev. War.
John Ashford Swepton came from Culpepper Court House in Pittsylvania Co. Va. we think.
Thanking you
Very sincerely
Mrs Ada France
London, Ohio.
R.D.3.

Oak Grove, La.
April 10, 1935
Bureau of Census, Veteran's Department, Washington, D. C.
Dear Sirs:
Have you record of a Revolutionary soldier or the widow of a Revolutionary soldier, named? only one of surname  Swepton , who received a pension or other pay for service? Can you give me the names of their children or other data. They were probably from Virginia or Maryland. Any information will be greatly appreciated.
Very truly yours,
Edith S. Neely
Address
Mrs. C. H. Neely
Box 174

August 11, 1932
BA-J/EBL
Mrs. Ada Chance R.F.D. # 3 London, Ohio
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your letter requesting the record of John Ashford Swepston, who, you think, served in the War of 1812 and the Revolutionary War.
Revolutionary War and War of 1812 data are obtained from claims made to the United States for pension based upon military service of soldiers of that war.
A careful search of the records of both wars has been made in your behalf and in the War of 1812 the record of one John A. Swepston, of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, has been found, and the record of one John Swepston, of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, War of the Revolution, has been found.
Their records are furnished you herewith:
John Swepston S.15999
The data furnished herein are obtained from the papers on file in the Revolutionary War claim for pension, S.15999, based upon the military service of John Swepston in that war.
John Swepston was born in King and Queen County, Virginia, date not given.
He enlisted in King and Queen County, Virginia, when a little over fifteen years of age, date not given, and served as a fifer in Captain Butler's Company, Colonel William Grayson's Regiment, length of service three years.
He lived in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, for about twenty years and about 1826, moved to Franklin County, Virginia.
He was allowed pension on his application executed November 5, 1832, at which time he was aged about seventy-one years and resided in Franklin County, Virginia.
He died January 21, 1853.
There are no data as to his family.
From AB.