Pension Application of Henry Smith: S1877

                        Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris

[A printed form, parts filled in by hand shown in italic.]

            DECLARATION

IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE BENEFIT OF THE ACT OF CONGRESS PASSED JUNE 7, 1832

            State of Tennessee}

            County of McMinn}  SS.

On this 31 day of September personally appeared in open Court, before the Justices of the County Court of said county, Henry Smith a resident of said county and state, aged about 79 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 7, 1832.

            That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.

He entered the service in the militia of Virginia, as a volunteer, in August, in he thinks, 1776, in Pittsylvania County, under Col William Christie [also known as William Christian], Lieutenant Colonel, as well as he recollects, Charles Lewis – Captain James Lyon, lieutenant Edward Choate, insign [sic: Ensign] George Poore, Serjeant Joseph Cloud, for 4 months. The service in which these troops was engaged was an expedition against the Cherokees. Lyon’s Company crossed New River below the Lead mines [in Wythe County], at Pearce’s ferry, and Holston at the Seven mile ford, and the troops rendezvoused at the long islands of Holston, three or four miles from the place now called the Boatyard or Kingsport, thence the troops marched by the Bend of Clinch, and crossed French Broad at or near Buckingham’s island, thence to Chota on the Tennessee, where the troops crossed the river, and the night after lay at Timothy[?] town, the next day crossed Tellico and marched to the Big Island town on the Tennessee just below the mouth of Tellico, where the troops lay twenty one days, until Col Christie made a truce or peace with the Indians [Treaty of Long Island, 20 July 1777], and the troops were marched to a little Indian town above Chota, and were discharged and left to find their way home the best way they could.

            He entered the service a second time in the militia of Virginia, as a volunteer, for 3 months, in the year 1780, as declarant believes, under Captain Eliphas [sic: Eliphaz] Shelton, lieutenant Stephen Lyon, as well as he recollects, in Henry County. The service in which these troops was engaged was against the tories upon the waters of the Arrarat [sic: Ararat River], a creek that runs into the Yadkin. These troops scoured and guarded the county along the head waters of the Yadkin on both sides of the line between Virginia and North Carolina. All the country on the head waters of the Yadkin and Dan river, was the scene of their services occasionally. The troops were discharged after the expiration of their time of service in Henry County. Declarant has no witness nearer than Maury or Dixon [sic: Dickson] County in this state, by whom he could prove the above services; declarant received both times written discharges, but they have been long since destroyed.

            He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any state.

            Sworn to and subscribed the 31 day of September 1832    Henry hisXmark Smith