Pension Application of Samuel Merritt or Merrit: S38206

                        Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris

At a Court held for the County of Botetourt in the state of Virginia the 14th of May 1818

            Samuel Merrit an inhabitant of this County and Citizen of the State personally appeared before this Court, being a Court of Record, and made Oath, that he served as a soldier in the Army of the United States in the War of the Revolution, that he enlisted with Lieut’t. Erasmus Crill[?] in August 1777 in the 2d Virginia Regiment then commanded by Colo. Spotswood on Continental establishment  that he continued to serve in s’d Reg. for the term of three years the time for which he was enlisted, when he was regularly discharged by Colo. William Davis, which discharge accompanies this statement. That afterwards he became a substitute for another man to serve eighteen months in the Virg’a. line in the army afores’d who had been drafted under the Law of Virg’a. to serve for that period, that he the said Merrit served out the 18 months afores’d. & was regularly discharged, which discharge also accompanies this statement, that afterwards he was appointed Deputy Waggon Conductor in the army afores’d. in S. Carolina & continued in that service untill the end of the war in 1783, and finally that he is now without property & from his age & infirmities is unable to support himself & family, and that he needs the assistance of his Country for support.

State of Virginia

            Botetourt County to Wit

On this 9th day of October 1820 Personally appeared in open Court Samuel Merrit aged 62 years being a Court of Record for said County, which proceeds according to the course of the Common Law with a Jurisdiction unlimited in point of amount keeping a Record of its proceedings and having the power of fine and Imprisonment: and this said Samuel Merrit being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following statement in order to obtain the provision made by the acts of Congress of the 18th of March 1818 and the first of May 1820  that the said Samuel Merrit enlisted in the Company of Capt. Callomen[?] in the Army of the United States in the Revolutionary War on the Continental establishment  that he served in that Company which was attached to the 2nd Virginia Regiment commanded by Col. Spotswood 3 years afterwards and he 18 months served in South Carolina and finally discharged in 1783  he further states that he is in such reduced circumstances as to need the assistance of his country for support, all of which facts appear by his original declaration made on the 14th day of May 1818 as appears by certificate No. 832 and dated 28th day of April 1819. And in Pursuance of the act of the 1st of May 1820 he solemnly swears that he was a resident citizen of America on the 18 day of March 1818 and that he has not since that time by gift, sale, or in any other manner, disposed of his property, or any  part thereof, with intent thereby to diminish it as to bring himself within the provision of an act entitled “An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary war passed on the 18 day of March 1818  and that he has not, nor has any person for him in trust any property or securities or contracts or debts due to him nor has he any income other than is contained in the schedule annexed hereto and by him subscribed:

Schedule.  7 chairs, 1 Desk, 1 corner Cupboard, 3 Tables, 11 plates, 3 Dishes, 4 potts, 2 skillets, 2 ovens, 1 Tea Kettle, 1 coffee pot, 1 shovel & tongs  1 [word illegible] pan, 5 cups & saucers, 2 sauce[?] pans  1 pr fire Irons, 7 Tumblers  1 Ladle, 1 Tea Pott, 1 pitcher, 3 Tumblers, 1 [word illegible], 1 coffee mill, [two words illegible], 1 small [word illegible], one Iron candlestick, 4 plates, & 2 [one or two words illegible]                      Samuel his X mark Merritt

That he a labourer by profession, but is unable from disease & infirmity to work that he has a wife and five small children dependent upon for support, my oldest son Washington 14 years of age was learning the trade of a Taylor, my second son David aged 11 years Pattisen[?] 7 years of age  Samuel aged 4[?] years & James[?] aged one year all living with me.