|
|
Facts and Events
David Shields was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
__________________________
- American Revolutionary War Veteran
Revolutionary War Pension Information
Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 5, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :
Shields, David - entered service 1779 in Augusta County, Virginia in Virginia regiment; resided there after Revolutionary War, then in 1787-88 to Tennessee, then in 1807 to Clinton County, Ohio, where granted Pension in 1832 abt. age 80; James Henry made affidavit then in Bourbon County, Ohio, age 74 that he resided in same neighborhood in 1779 with soldier in Augusta County, Virginia; soldier died 3/4/1841, & Last Will & Testament granted Pension arrears due soldier; query letter in file in 1910 from great granddaughter mentioned but not named states soldier married Susan Edwards  ; query letter in file in 1897 from son Joseph, Eldorado Springs, Missouri states he was born 3/7/1824, father died 3/8/1843 in Bradley County, Tennessee, & his mother died in 1838; query letter in file in 1909 from descendant Mrs. H.R. Davis, Wilmington, Ohio, says soldier was son of William [Shields], moved in 1783 from East Tennessee to Clinton County, Ohio, died there in 1841 & his sister Sarah married in 1778 to Henry King, Augusta County, Virginia by Reverend William Brown. F-S3891, R2175.
- - it appears that a different David Shields married Susan Edwards. This David Shields appears to have married Elizabeth Henry.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.
Pension application of David Shields S3891 f34VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 2/10/12
The State of Ohio County of Clinton SS: On this 27th day of August 1832 Personally appeared in open Court before George J Smith Resident Judge and Jesse Hughes, Aaron Sewell and James Dakin Esquires his Associates in office, constituting the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County now sitting David Shields a resident of Liberty Township in said County and State of Ohio aged 80 years 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 June 7th 1832. That he entered the service of the United States under the following circumstances & under the following named officers to with In or about the 1st of October 1779 this deponent resided in the County of Augusta and State of Virginia and was then and there drafted for a tour of three months in the Militia of said State that he rendezvoused at a place called Hands Meadows at the foot of the North Mountain and was placed under the command of Captain Samuel McCutchen; From thence he was marched in the Company of said McCutchen to the Ohio River about 30 miles below Fort Pitt where said Company joined the Regiment commanded by Colonel __Boyer [probably William Bowyer] who was a resident of Staunton Virginia but whose given name this deponent cannot recollect. About the same time he was attached to said Regiment it was placed under the command of General __ McIntosh [Lachlan McIntosh] whose given name is also unknown to this deponent. From thence the troops amounting to about 1000 of regulars and militia commanded by said General were marched with this applicant in the lines about 80 miles across said River into the Wilderness on an expedition against some Indians, but before they arrived at the point of destination they were met by a disputation of said Indians when and where as he understood a treaty was formed between them and the United States. The troops were encamped at this place about six weeks and then returned to a place on the Ohio River then known by the name of Fort McIntosh where they were detained until after the expiration of their term of service about one month and as well as this deponent recollects were discharged about the first of February 1780 making a tour of about 4 months service, No written discharges were given as well as this deponent recollects nor did he ever draw one cent of pay for said service. He returned to his residence in said County of Augusta where he remained until about the 1st of August or September in the year 1780 as well as he recollects when this deponent was again drafted for a tour of 3 months and attached to the Company commanded by Captain John Cunningham a resident of said County of Augusta. The company paraded at the Town of Staunton and were then marched with this deponent and the ranks to Richmond Virginia where said company was attached to the Regiment commanded by Colonel __ Matthews [perhaps Colonel Thomas Matthews] and Lieutenant Colonel Boyer aforesaid. From thence the said Regiment with this deponent was marched down James River about 100 miles to a small Town about 16 or 18 miles above Portsmouth where General Muhlenberg [Peter Muhlenberg] was then encamped and to whom the Virginia militia contained in the Regiment aforesaid were then and there attached and where they were also encamped most of the time during 3 months. During the time this deponent was frequently called out on short tours of marching and endeavoring to ascertain the position of the enemy and on one occasion was engaged in a considerable skirmish near the Town of Portsmouth aforesaid whether the said Company of Cunningham and another Company had been sent expressly for the purpose of bringing on an engagement with the enemy and ordered to retreat, but no general Battle succeeded as had been anticipated and the troops returned to their encampment. At the end of his said term of 3 months this deponent was discharged at said Muhlenberg's encampment and returned home to Augusta County. Afterwards sometime in the latter part of summer or beginning of the fall of 1781 and about the time that Lord Cornwallis passed through the City of Richmond when the whole Country was alarmed and a call was made for mounted Volunteers when this deponent with some others of his neighbors, volunteered his services found his own horse & arms and joined the other volunteers from Augusta who proceeded towards the Army of Cornwallis and after having met to the number of 50 or 60 they elected their officers when a young man whose name this deponent cannot recollect was elected Captain being an entire stranger with whom he had no previous or subsequent acquaintance. From thence they were marched to the City of Richmond where they met a great many other mounted volunteers to the amount of 600 and upwards who this deponent believes were in rather a disorganized State, but they were employed & sent in the pursuit of said Cornwallis & employed in harassing his rear until after the arrival of General Washington with his troops from the North, when the said mounted Volunteers were discharged from the service.
This deponent has no documentary evidence to produce in proof of his service nor does he know any person whose testimony he can procure excepting the deposition of James Henry herewith produced.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the pension Roll of the Agency of any State. This deponent believes he was born sometime in the year 1752 after the war he continued in Augusta County until 1787 or 1788 when he removed to the State of Tennessee where he resided until the year 1807 when he removed to the neighborhood where he now resides & has been ever since.
Sworn & declared the day & year aforesaid.
S/ David Shields
[William Hoblet and Ashley Johnson gave the standard supporting affidavit.]
[f p. 16: James Henry, about 74, of Bourbon County Kentucky gave a supporting affidavit in which he states his understanding of the services rendered by the applicant during the revolutionary war; the deponent does not state explicitly that he ever served with the applicant but he states as to the last term of service the following: "that the said Shields served a tour of 20 days in the summer before Cornwallis was taken, as a mounted militia man, he was marched to the neighborhood of the Battle of Green Spring at which time said deponent saw said Shields, and rode his horse part of a days March (deponent being sick)." I could not find any veteran died the name of James Henry from Bourbon County Kentucky who filed for a pension from the federal government for services in the revolution.]
[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $25.55 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831 for service as a private for 7 months & 20 days in the Virginia militia.]
- Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees: (Note: not considered a reliable primary source).
|
|
