Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 17,672, for William Shelp, Connecticut

SERVICE
NUMBER
Conn.
Shelp, William
S. 17 672
carded
CONTENTS

Connecticut 17523.
William Shelp of Fairfield in the State of Conn. who was a priv. in the Comp: commanded by Captain C. Smith of the Regt commanded by Genl. Waterbury in the Connecticut line for
12 months
Inserted on the Roll of Conn. at the rate of 40. Dollars 00 Cents per annum, -commence on the 14th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 24. day of Aug. 1833. and deliv. J. H. Minor, of Stamford - Present
Arrears to the 14th of March 1833. 80.00 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4 Sept. - 20.00 $ 100.00
{ Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }
Recorded by Francis J. Franciosi Clerk, Book E. Vol. 3 d Page 41

State of Connecticut } Stamford Probate District Fairfield County } Aug. 2nd 1832
Personally appeared before the Court of Probate for said District in open Court, Charles Smith of Greenwich who being first duly sworn on his oath says that he is well acquainted with you. That he has subscribed a claim to the foregoing declaration & that he knows that he was in an enlisted soldier in a company of State Troops commanded by Deponent's Father Charles Smith in Genl. Walcutt's Brigade. That said Shelf enlisted for & served in said Company for one full year commencing in the Spring of 1812 & ending in the March 1813. Deponent is confident as to the said Shelf's services as Deponent was a waiter to his Father who commanded the Company for the whole time.
Charles Smith
Sworn to & subscribed this 2nd day of August
Ch. H. Stanley Judge
I certify that the above Deponent Charles Smith is a credible person.
Ch. H. Stanley Judge

State of Connecticut } ss Stamford Probate District Fairfield County } August 10 th 1832
Personally appeared before the Court of Probate for said District now sitting in open Court — W m June of Stamford in said District aged sixty four years in No th street who being first duly sworn on his oath Says that he is well acquainted with W m Shipp who has subscribed & sworn to the foregoing declaration & has been from his, Deponent's, childhood — He well remembers that in the year the Fort was built about three or four miles Northwest from the village of Stamford, the said Shipp was a soldier in the army & assisted in building said Fort the troops were under command of Genl. Waterbury — The Dept s lived in the neighborhood of the Fort & saw the troops almost daily & firmly believes that said Shipp served for a whole year he knows he was there when Genl. Fairfield marched his Regt t into the Fort & Genl. Waterbury marched out with his Brigade
William Mayne
Sworn to & subscribed to day of your appearance
W. H. Hawley Judge
I certify that, W m June, the above deponent is a credible person
W. H. Hawley Judge

State of Connecticut, } ss. Stamford Probate District County of Fairfield, }
On this 26 th day of July 1832 personally appeared, in open Court, before the Court of Probate for said District
now sitting. William Shelpe ————— a resident of Stamford in the County of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, aged Sixty nine years, who being first 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 under the following named Officers, and served as herein stated. viz, In the month of March 1758 he was listed into a Company of State Troops commanded by Capt. Charles Smith, by some called Ranger Josiah Smith was Lieut. a man by the name of Smith  Guthrie was Ensign, for the time of one year & served out his time - The Company went to North Street in the Town of Greenwich in the month of May & found Major Shipman in command - Shortly after Genl. David Waterbury took the command & marched the Regt. to the White Plains where they lay til the latter part of August or forepart of Sept - in the same year shortly after their arrival at the Plains the American & French Armies encamped - as then the Life Guard of the French Genl. (he believes Duke Rochambeau) lay within about eighty rods of them - he went several times to their encampment - The main body of the American & French Armies lay about a mile from them - When the American & French Armies marched to the South the Troops under the command of Genl. Waterbury struck their Tents & returned into Connecticut & encamped in Horsneck about 2 miles north of the Port road - Shortly after marched into Stamford & built a Fort on the high ground about four miles Northwest of the village of Stamford (which by way of division was called Fort Moneesee & is yet known by that name in the neighborhood) - That he was born in Stamford on the 1 st of Nov r 1762 & has ever resided there except about six months when he resided in Poundridge some forty years since I have no record of my age but what I have learnt from my Parents - that he lived in Stamford when he entered the

Service has resided there ever since the war except about six months in Poughkeepsie in New York. In addition to the opinion already given he makes major Webb of major Humphreys - I refer to William June of the Rev. Daniel Smith of Stamford as persons who know him. I can testify as to his character for veracity of their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution - that he never received a written discharge.
The said William Sheph hereby relinquishes every claim 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.
Chas. H. Hovey Judge  D. William Sheph  his mark
We, Daniel Smith a clergyman, residing in the town of Stamford and Simson H. Minor residing in the same, hereby certify, that we are well acquainted with William Sheph who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration; that we believe him to be sixty nine years of age; that he is reputed and believed, in the neighbourhood where he resides, to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
Sworn and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid  Aug 11 th Oct 1832  Daniel Smith  Simson H. Minor  Chas. Hovey Judge
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 abovenamed applicant was a revolutionary Soldier, and served as he states. And the Court further certifies, that it appears to them that the Rev. Daniel Smith who has signed the preceding certificate, is a clergyman, resident in the town of Stamford in Connecticut and that Simson H. Minor Esq who has also signed the same, is a resident in the town of Stamford aforesaid and is a credible person, and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Chas. Hovey Judge
1. Samuel Lockwood Clerk of the Court of Probate for the District of Stamford in Connecticut do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the application of William Sheph for a Pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of Office, this 12 th August 1832.
Sam Lockwood Clk

I Samuel Lockwood Clerk of the Court of Probate for the district of Stamford in Connecticut do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said Court in the matter of the original Application of William Shell for a Pension
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of Office this 29 th day of
July 1833
Samuel Lockwood Clerk
assd 12 mrs. per 408
No 4107
W. Shell

17672 INVALID.
Rev. Qu...
File No. 17672
William Phelps
Rev. Rev. ...
Act: June 7 th 82
Index:—Vol. 1 , Page 345
[Arrangement of 1870.]
Apr. 21-1902 Mrs. Reuben Van Tiffline Flint Mich

6380
Daniel Smith
111
L. 3. 16 — 2 years private of Art $100
Geo. Beach N. Hawn

5383
BRIEF objections to the admission of Pension Claims, of which those answered in the negative, in red ink, will apply to the claim of Daniel Smith _____ which require further proof or explanation.
I. Does the declaration show where the applicant resides? 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? — no 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? VII. Has he made a relinquishment of every claim to any other pension than the one under the Act of June 7, 1832? VIII. Has the Court given their opinion? IX. Has the Clerk given his certificate? 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?

 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 ?  XII. If the clergyman's affidavit has not been produced, is there any reason assigned for not obtaining 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 ?  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? Has the official character and signature of the magistrate been certified by the proper officer under his seal of office?  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 ? — no —  XVII. Are the seven interrogatories prescribed by the War Department answered satisfactorily ? And, if not, which of them is not so answered ? 
 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 the 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 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 certifying officer who authenticated 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 end 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.

1902
Flint Mich. March 14 th
Commissioner of Pensions Washington D.C.
In "Connecticut Men in the Revolution", I read that William Shelp, May 12 th 1781, enlisted in Capt Charles Smith's Company, Gen. Waterbury's Regt. in Fairfield Co. Conn. Pensioned by State of Connecticut until act of 1832, when he was pensioned by Congress. Please give me his place of residence at that date.
Respectfully
Mrs Reuben Van Tiffen 1400 Saginaw St. Flint Mich.

O. W. N. D. MAR 18 1902