Pension application of Nicholas Shirkey W6049 Sarah f16VA
Transcribed by Will Graves 2/11/12
State of Virginia Botetourt County SS
On this 5th day of February 1844 personally appeared before the undersigned a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid Sarah Shirkey a resident in the County of Botetourt and State of Virginia aged eighty-three years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 4, 1836: That she is the widow of Nicholas Shirkey, who was a private of militia in the Revolutionary War, that he was drafted in the County of Botetourt and that he marched from the County under the command of Captain Hugh Allen according to the recollections of the claimant, to York Town where he was transferred as she has often heard her late husband say to the company of Captain David May in the Regiment commanded by Major Lockhart and that he continued in service at York Town until after the surrender of Lord Cornwallis [October 19, 1781]. The claimant further avers that Nicholas Shirkey served in two campaigns against the Indians one of them against the Cherokees & the other against the Shawnees as she believes, That he marched to the Holston River against the Cherokees in the Regiment commanded by Colonel Christian [William Christian], That he was in service on the whole a long time but the claimant is unable to state the precise length of service: She further declared that she was married to the said Nicholas Shirkey on the 3rd day of December 1777; That her husband the aforesaid Nicholas Shirkey died on the 2nd day of July in the year 1830 as will more fully appear and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereto annexed.
S/ Sarah Shikey [sic]
The deposition of Archabal McClung (1) who being sworn deposeth and saith that he (Archabl McClung) served a tower [tour] at York Town Virginia at the time it was besieged and left there a few days before the Surrender of Cornwalice [Cornwallis] and that he knows that Nicholas Shirkey was there at the same time he knew him whilst in the Service and for many years after – and this deponent says that Nicholas Shurky was detained for some time after the surrender of the British Army but cannot say how long he was detained as a guard of prisoners/this deponent further says that he has heard Nicholas Shurky often speaking of his tower in the Army this deponent says that he has heard Nicholas Shurky speak of a tower he served against the Cherokees also but cannot say how long he served. This 3rd day of February 1844
S/ Archibal McClung
[f p. 6: On February 5, 1844 in Botetourt County Virginia, John Shirky gave testimony that he often heard his uncle Nicholas Shirky speak of his tour in the Army at Yorktown when Cornwallis surrendered and afterwards guarding the prisoners to Winchester Virginia; he also remembers his uncle speaking of a tour against the Cherokee Indians on the Holston River and at the Cherokee towns where the corn, potatoes and houses were burned; and also a tour against the Shawnees someplace in the North West side of Virginia; that his uncle and Sally Shirky have lived together as man and wife at least 50 years and that she remains his widow; that his uncle died July, 1831.]
[f p. 4: On September 2, 1848 in Botetourt County Virginia, the widow reaffirmed that she remains the widow of Nicholas Shirkey.
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[Veteran's widow was pensioned at the rate of $23.33 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for her husband's service as a private for 7 months in the Virginia service.]
1 FPA S9010
