Pension Application of Jacob Smith: S16253
Transcribed and annotated by
C. Leon Harris
State
of Indiana} Sct. In the Probate
Court of said County.
Washington
County} Nov’r. Term 1832
On this 16th day of
November 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Probate Judge of
said Court now sitting it being a Court of Record, Jacob Smith, a resident of
the said County of Washington & State of Indiana aged about 83 years, who
being first duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath make the following
declaration I order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th.
1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following
named officers and served as herein stated. That some time in the year 1777 in
Barclay [sic: Berkeley] County Virginia he volunteered for 4 months by joining
a company commanded by Capt Porterfield of the Virginia militia in the Regiment
commanded by Col. [Philip] Pendleton, that there were five companies raised at
that time, and all marched under Col. Pendleton to Redding in Pennsylvania
[probably Reading in Berks County], encamped there some time, then marched down
the Schuylkill some distance to a place called the Chesnut Ridge [sic: Chestnut
Hill near Philadelphia], encamped there two or three weeks, then marched still
farther down the River to a place called White Marsh [sic: Whitemarsh in
Montgomery County PA], encamped there some time. About this time a Rifle
company was formed from selection made from said companies, and placed under
the command of Capt [Charles] Morrow, this declarant was attached to that
company. Then marched some short distance below Philadelphia, and joined the
army under Gen’l. [James] Potter, this was about Christmas in the year 1777. he
assisted to pull down a mill near the mouth of the Schuylkill from which it was
said the British obtained provisions. The British were at this time in
possession of Philadelphia. Soon after this he was discharged by Gen’l. Potter,
but his discharge is lost. Afterwards and about the latter part of the year
1780 or beginning of the year 1781, at Bottetourt [sic: Botetourt] County
in the State of Virginia, he again volunteered for three or four months in a
mounted Rifle company under the command of Capt. David May & found his own
horse and Rifle; this company with three or four others raised at the same time
was employed as Rangers to scour the country & were sometimes called the
flying camp. —
after
said companies were raised as here stated, they marched to North Carolina and
whilst on the way met a party of British at Alamance Mill a little south of Haw
River and had a skirmish with them [probably at Clapp’s Mill on Alamance Creek,
about 4 March 1781]. a little farther at a place called the old Regulation
ground again met the British, and there had another skirmish with them
[probably at Wetzel’s Mill, 6 March]. three of our men were killed, their names
were Archey Hill, Phillip Watkins, and William Harvey, then marched on to
Guilford and arrived there just before the battle at that place [Guilford
Courthouse, 15 March 1781], was engaged during the battle with the other
mounted men, as a flanking party. Some time after this, and after the British
had marched into Virginia [after 10 May], he was discharged, but his discharge
is lost, that he served on this tour about three months, that his services in
the two tours of duty herein stated amount to about 7 months –
That
he was born in Bucks County [Pennsylvania] about the year 1749 or 1750, he has
no Record of his age, that he has lived since the Revolution in Botetourt
County Virginia till about the year 1819, then moved to the State of
Illinois and resided there about 3 years, and then moved to Washington County
Indiana, where he has since resided & still resides. he refers to the
following persons to prove his character for truth & veracity and the
reputation of his services as a Soldier of the Revolution, said persons all
live in his immediate neighborhood, to wit, Nicholas Young, Andrew Keller,
Ebeneezer Patrick, Nathaniel Albertson, John Brown, John Putoff, Mordecai
Sweany & Henry Hokes Matthew Allen
– & that there is no living witness to [word illegible], who can testify of
his personal knowledge, of [rest illegible] He 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 & subscribed, the day and year aforesaid. Jacob his X mark Smith
NOTE: A typed summary states that Smith died 3 Feb 1835.