Pension Application of Joseph Smith W19375, Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris Virginia, SS.

On this 26 day of October 1818, before me the subscriber, one of the Judges of th the General Court for the 3d. district, personally appeared Joseph Smith aged 60 years, resident in Fairfax in the said district, who being by me first duly sworn, according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress, entitled "an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war:" That he, the said Joseph Smith enlisted in Fairfax County in the state of Virginia of the 2d Virginia Reg’t. commanded by Alexander Spotswood in the year 1776; that he continued to serve in the said corps, or in the service of the United States until the month of October 1779, when he was discharged from service near Stoney Point [sic: Stony Point] state of New York, that he was in the battles of Brandywine [11 Sep 1777] GermanTown [4 Oct 1777] & Monmouth [28 Jun 1778] and that he is in reduced circumstances, and stands in need of the assistance of his country for support, and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services.

Fairfax County to Wit.

This day personally appeared before me Robert Sisson [Robert Scisson, pension application S42001] of said County & made oath That he knew Joseph Smith of the county aforesaid in the Regular Army of the United States, first in the year 1776 at Williamsburg in virginia in the month of Nov’r., then belonging to the 2d Virginia Regiment Commanded by Colonel Alexander Spotswood, and that he continued in the said Regiment with him the said Joseph Smith upward of two years, after which time He the said Robert Sisson was among those soldiers detailed to march to South Carolina and did actually march to Charles Town [Charleston] under the command of Colo. Richard Parker [company raised in Westmoreland County VA], when he left the aforesaid Joseph Smith still in the United States service at Middlebrook in the state N Jersey. – Given under my hand this 25th day Jan’y 1819. Jno. G. Hunter

Also personally appeared before me Robert Preston [W4056] of said county & made oath that he knew the said Joseph Smith in the United States Army in the Revolutionary War, first in the month of January 1777 at Williamsburg, when he belonged to the company of Captain Richard Parker in the 2d. Virginia Reg’t. commanded by Colo. Alexander Spotswood & that he served with him until he the said Preston was selected as one of the life guards of Gen’l. George Washington commander in chief of the American Army and that at the expiration of Eighteen months, when he returned again to his Regiment, He found the said Joseph Smith still in service in the same Regiment. – Given under my hand this 25th day of Jan’y 1819.

Jno. G. Hunter

NOTES:

On 5 Apr 1837 Linsey (or Lindsey) Smith, about 81, applied for a pension stating that she was the widow of Joseph Smith who drew a pension until he was suspended under the act of 1 May 1820 that required proof of financial need. She stated that she married Joseph Smith on 14 Mar 1780, that he served a tour afterwards in the company of Capt. Mason, and that her husband died 4 Jan 1824. Their eldest daughter, Jane Smith, about 56, deposed in support of the application. A document in the file states that Linsey Smith died 29 Sep 1839 leaving the following children, Jane Smith; Elizabeth Smith now Skinner; Nancy Smith now Skinner; Joseph Smith; Hannah Smith now Pool; Sally Smith; and Cynthia Smith now Martin. Other documents mention that Sally (Sarah) Smith married an Allison, there was a daughter named Frances Smith, and a daughter named Mary Smith who married a Lyles, and a John Smith who was living in Missouri in 1843, as was Joseph Smith. A Dennis Allison in 1843 stated that he was also an heir. George Summers (pension application W6606) deposed that after he "came back from the war in 1882 [sic: 1782] he said Smith had a wife and 2 children he bore the character of an honest man and was a man of some property."

On 26 Jul 1842 Margaret Davis, 68, deposed that she had known Lindsay Spinks since her infancy, that at the time Lindsay Spinks married Joseph Smith she was living with her aunt and uncle, Benjamin Price and his sister, about a half mile from Lindsay Spinks’s father, and that after their marriage Joseph and Lindsay Smith went to visit Joseph Smith’s father in Westmoreland County. She stated that afterwards Joseph and Lindsay Smith settled in what was then called Scotts Orchard in Fairfax County and remained on that farm many years, then moved 6 or 8 miles to a farm still owned by the family, and that they had 8 or 10 children.

On 27 Jul 1842 Jane Smith applied for the pension never received by her mother. She stated that she had been informed that her father "was an enlisted Soldier for 3 years in the Line of Virginia, and actually served more than two years before he was married, and after he was married was again cal’d. out en-mass under Col. Peter Waggoner [or Peter Wagener; Fairfax County Militia] the late clerk of said County and was marched to colchester, where after a short Time he procured a substitute and returned to his family."