Person:Joseph Smith (385)

Military Service

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. :

Smith, Joseph, born 1754-55 in Orange County, Virginia; entered service 1778 in Rockingham County, Virginia, where resided, as 1st Lieutenant of Virginia regiment; moved to Fayette County, Kentucky, thence to Henry County, Kentucky, thence in 1835 to Jefferson County, Kentucky, where he applied for Pension 1835 at Louisville; Pension Application rejected, for a more correct and particular account of his service. F-9780, R2224.

Will Abstract

Joseph Smith

died in Jefferson Co.; will proved 2 Nov 1835

Named:

Thomas Smith son of Henry Smith

Thomas Pollard son of Benjamin R. Pollard

Abraham Smith, son

Fanny Johnson, granddaughter, widow of Nelson Johnson

Betsy A. T. Pollard, granddaughter, wife of Benjamin R. Pollard

George Smith, son

Amanda Meriwether, daughter, wife of Dr. Wm. N. Meriwether

Polly Smith, daughter

Philip Johnston, son-in-law

Jane Smith, widow of Henry Smith

Source: Ancestry Message Boards

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 USGenweb Archives.

   Metro Louisville, Jefferson County, KyGenWeb Project
   
   
   Joseph Smith
   
   On the seventeenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five personally appeared in Jefferson County court of Louisville, Kentucky, Joseph Smith, a resident of said county, who being duly sworn on the Evangelist of the Almighty God, makes the following declaration: that in the year seventeen hundred and seventy eight he was then a resident of Rockingham County and State of Virginia and in the same year he received a commission as First Lieutenant of the Militia signed by His Excellency the Governor Patrick Henry and was sworn into the office by the Clerk of the court of the said county, which commission he safely kept and this day produced in open court and is dated May 21, 1778, signed P. Henry. He, Joseph Smith, went into the army as a volunteer holding his commission and office as Lieutenant and was under the command of Colonel William Wark up to the date of his discharge. He also produced the discharge in court, and also his discharge he received from the hands of his commanding officer, Colonel William Wark, by order of General Stephens being discharged at camp near West Point August 17, 1781. He served his country one year and eight months and held the commission and office of First Lieutenant during the whole time. His mind is so much impaired that he cannot remember a single man now living who served with him and by whom he can prove his services. The above declaration was made before J. M. Merrill March 17, 1835.
   John L. Wilson, a clergyman and Phillip Johnston, citizens of Jefferson County, Kentucky made certifications of well standing acquaintance with Lieutenant Joseph Smith, and state that he is a man well respected in his neighborhood for his truth and veracity, and believe his statements worthy of credit. J. M. Merrill certified the statements of the above declarents.
   
   Upon further questioning Joseph Smith made the following, to wit: That he was born in Orange County and state of Virginia in the year 1754 or 1755, and that the records of his father in which his age was preserved was lost or burned. he was residing in Rockingham County, Virginia at the time of his enlistment and lived there until 1794 when he moved to Fayette County, Kentucky. He then moved to Shelby County where he lived until February 1835, and since then has lived in Jefferson County, Kentucky. He was called into the service by orders of Colonel Hall who commanded the militia of Rockingham County of which I belonged.
   
   Edmund Pope, Clerk of the Circuit Court certified the foregoing statements, and further declared that they had been made in the open court of Jefferson County, Kentucky.
   
   http://www.kentuckybackroads.com/jefferson/military/SmithJoseph.htm

2.   Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.

   Pension Application of Joseph Smith R9780
   Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
   State of Kentucky } SS
   Jefferson County }
   On the Seventeenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five personally appeared in open Court now sitting in the County of Jefferson State of Kentucky & City of Louisville Joseph Smith a Resident of said County in the Eightyeth year of his age who Being Duly Sworn on the Evangelist of Almighty God does make the following Declaration in order to obtain the Benefit of the act of Congress Pased June 7th AD 1832
   That in the year Seventeen hundred and Seventyeight he was then a Resident of Rockingham County and State of Virginia and in that same year he Received a Commission as first Lieutenant of the Militia Signed
   By his Exelency the Govornor Patrick Henry and was Sworn into office By the Clerk of the Court of Said County which Commission he has safely kept and this day Produced in open Court and is Dated Twenty first day of May in the Second year of the Commonwelth A.D. 1778 Signed P. Henry. And the said Joseph Smith further states that the Militia was caled on about the Eight or Tenth of November in the year seventeen hundred and Eighaty at which date or Time he went into the Army a Volunteer holding his command and office as Lieutenant and was under the command of Colonel William Dark up to the date of his Discharge. and the said Joseph Smith Also produces in our said Court Now Sitting his Discharge which he Received from the hands of his Commanding officer Col. William Dark By order of General Stephens [sic: Edward Stevens], Being discharged at Camp Near West Point [in Virginia] August Seventeenth 1781 And this Applicant Lieutenant Joseph Smith states upon Oath That he is the same Joseph Smith that is Named on the face of the Commission so signed By the Govoner P. Henry and that he has Carefully Keptd it since and he further makes oath he is the same Joseph Smith that Received the Discharge that is here produced and Dated Camp Near West Point Seventeenth August 1781 and signed
   William Dark Col. By Order of Gen’l. Stephens
   And Lieutenant Joseph Smith makes Oath that he served his Country as Lieutenant in the Revolutionary Ware about One year and eight months up To the Date of his discharge
   But while in the Army he Always held the commission of first Lieutenant he went in as Lieutenant and was Discharged as Lieutenant he Further States his mind is much Impaired his Recollection fails to serve him and he Does Not know of Even one man now living who served with him and By whoom he can Prove his Services. [signed] Joseph Smith
   Interrogatories Prescribed By the War Department propounded By the Said Court
   Question 1st.
   Where and in what year was you Born
   Ans I was Born in Orrange [sic: Orange] County and State of Virginia in the years 1754 or 1755 I cannot Be Qualifyed as to the precise Date But know it was Early in 55 or la[edge of page]
   Ques 2d.
   Have you any Record of your age and if so where is it
   Answer The Book of Record of the ages of my Fathers Family was lost or Burnt and my age is only known to me By the word I Received of Fathers when I was a man which I have always Believed to Be Correct which Date make me Now in my Eighatyith years
   Question 3d. Where were you living when caled into Service where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live
   Answer I lived in Rockingham County & State of State of Virginia where I lived many years I then moved To Fayette County Kentucky in the year 1794 I then moved to Shelby County Ky
   where I lived unitll February last 1835 and since February I lived where I Now live in Jefferson County Kentucky
   Question 4 . How were you Caled into Service Where were you Drafted Did you th Volunteer or or was you a Substitute
   Answer I was Caled into Service By orders of Colonel Noll [sic: William Nolle] the Colonel Commanding the Militia of Rockingham County of which I Belonged and By Him
   Rendavoused at Rockingham and Put under the Command of Colonel William Dark [sic:
   William Darke] in whose Regiment I Served
   Question 5th. State the names of the Regular officers who were with the Troops where you served such Continental and Militia Regiment as you can Recollect and the General Circumstances of your Services
   Answer My Recollection is so much Impaired I am unable to state much on this subject I once had a perfect Recolection of many of the officers But can Give you no Posative Relation on this Subject
   Question 6th. Did you Ever Receive a Commission if so By whome was it Given or Signed and what Become of it
   Answer I Received a Commission as first Lieutenant Dated twenty first day of May 1778 and Signed
   P Henry
   Question 7th. State the Names names of the persons to whoom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can Testify as to your Charactor for Veracity and their belief as to your services as a Soldier of the Revolution
   answer My late Removal to this County affords me less opportunity to produce this last Requisition
   But State John McCollough
   The COMMONWEALTH of VIRGINIA
   TO Mr. Joseph Smith GREETINGS
   KNOW you, that from the special Trust and Confidence which is reposed in your Patriotism, Fidelity, Courage, and good Conduct, your are, by these Presents, constituted and appointed First Lieutenant of Militia in the County of Rockingham. You are therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the Duty of First Lieutenant of the Militia, by doing and performing all manner of Things thereunto belonging; and you are to pay a ready Obedience to all Orders and Instructions which from Time to Time you may receive from the Governour, or executive Power of this State for the Time being, or any of your superiour Officers, agreeable to the Rules and Regulations of the Convention or General Assembly. All Officers and Soldiers under your Command are hereby strictly charged and required to be obedient to your Orders, and to aid you in the Execution of this Commission, according to the Intent and Purport thereof.
   Witness Patrick Henry, Esquire, Governour or Chief Magistrate of the Commonwealth aforesaid, at Williamsburg, this Twenty First Day of May in the Second Year of the Commonwealth, Anno. Dom. 1778
   [signed] P. Henry
   Camp near west point Aug’t. 17th 1781
   Lieut Joseph Smith from the County of Rockingham having no Command in that County Militia there being an over perpasion[?] of Officers for the number of men, the [illegible word] to Command became a supernumery and is therefore discharged and has permission to leve the Army by order of Gen’l. Stephens [signed] Wm. Darke
   
   http://revwarapps.org/r9780.pdf

3.   Kentucky, United States. Tax Lists, 1799-1801. (Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006).

   Name: Joseph Smith
   Residence County: Shelby
   Residence Year: 1800

4.   Jackson, Ron V. Kentucky, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1890.

   Name: Joseph Smith
   State: KY
   County: Shelby County
   Township: No Township Listed
   Year: 1800
   Record Type: Tax list
   Database: KY Early Census Index

5.   United States. 1810 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M252).

   1810 U.S. Census Population Schedule
   Name: Joseph Smith
   Home in 1810 (City, County, State): Shelby, Kentucky
   Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1 [b. 1765 or before]
   Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 1
   Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1
   Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: 2
   Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over: 1 [b. 1765 or before]
   Numbers of Slaves: 17
   Number of Household Members Under 16: 2
   Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
   Number of Household Members: 23