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Contributed by: Joshua Waller
-Enlisted Sept. 17, 1777, as a private in Capt. a. Shepard's Company. He was
engaged in the Battle of Monmouth and the siege fo Charleston where he was
taken prisoner and was detained until July 2, 1781, when prisoners were
exchanged. A minature trunk he made while a prisoner with dates carved on
it is listed in "Old letters and other relics" (see National No. 135921). Also
records in Wayne County Court House, N.C. and Washington, D.C., Veterans
Adm., Revolutionary and 1812 Wars Section. DAR Lineage Book, Vol. 136,
p.289. Other information went on to elaborate that Benjamin Smith enlisted
as a substitute for his brother, Josiah, who was to be married. The 10th N.C.
Regiment led by Abraham Shepard marched to Valley Forge, Penn.,
was in winter quarters there and joined Captain John Ingals Company, Colonel
John Patten's 2nd N.C. Regiment. Also after the Battle of Monmouth, he was
stationed the following winter at Baramus to guard the lines. The next spring
helped to build the fortifications at Stony Point on the Hudson. Then marched
to Charleston, S.C. Was in the siege there, and held as a prisoner about
fourteen months until he was exchanged as before mentioned.
-I am Benjamin Taylor Smith, a veteran of the American Revolution, now 73
years old. My discharge papers have been mislaid, so I have on this day,
October 1, 1832, give a statement under oath regarding my service from
September 17, 1777 to October 19, 1781 in order to obtain a pension following
an Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
At age 18 I joined the Tenth Regiment of the North Carolina Line at Kinston,
North Carolina, as a substitute for my brother, Josiah who was about to be married.
We marched to Valley Forge where I was transferred to the Second Regiment of
the NC line and joined the Army of General George Washington.
I fought in the Battle of Monmouth, then marched to White Plains, New York,
Danbury, Connecticut, and then passed the winter at Paramus, New Jersey,
guarding the lines. In the Spring I was ordered to King's Ferry where I helped
build fortifications as Stoney Point on the Hudson River. The British drove us
back to West Point where I remained until fall.
I was ordered to South Carolina, crossing the Potomac on the ice, thence
to Richmond, Petersburg, Halifax, Tarboro, and Wilmington and along the coast
to Charleston where I was made a British prisoner and retained for 14 months
before being exchanged and returned to James Town, Virginia under a flag of truce.
I then marched to Williamsburg, New Castle on the Pamunky River in Virginia,
and thence to Richmond where I was discharged. I returned home to Wayne County,
married my cousin, Phoebe Smith, and I had seven children: Elijah, Wright, Matthew,
Mary(Polly), Sally and Penelope. My father John, and Phoebe's father, Benjamin
were brothers.
A miniature trunk I made while a prisoner is listed in "Old Letters and other relics,"
National No. 1359921.
-married his cousin Phobe Smith
-Wayne County, NC Wills-Bejamin Smith, 1839, from a copy of the original
In the Name of God, Amen
I Benjamin Smith of Wayne County in the State of North Carolina being of
sound mine and memory but knowing that all men must die doth on this 30th
day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine
make ordain and constitute this my last will and testament in manner and
from proving following. Submitting my soul to God who gave it and my body
to be decently buried.
-Item 1st I give unto my son Elijah Smith all the lands I bought of Gernigan
on Walnut Pocoson.
-Item 2nd I give unto my son Right Smith one hundred acres of land which I
bought of William Whitfield and besides three hundred acres more which I
bought of the said Whitfield Dec for which he already has a deed.
-Item 3rd having already given my son Matthew Smith the money I sold my
Negro boy Tom for, I now give him the money he now owes me as his fair
portion of all my estate.
-Item 4th I give unto my daughter Polly Casey fifty dollars to be kept in the
hands of my herin named executor and give to her as she wants it.
-Item 5th I give unto the heirs of my daughter Sally Casey dec two dollars
they having already had a portion of my estate.
-Item 6th I have my negro woman Nelly to be as free as the law of our state
will admit my son Elijah Smith having the control of her.
-Item 7th At my death I desire my hereinafter named executor to make a
sale on a credit of six months of a part of my lands beginning where the
line between myself and Benja Best corners at the ditch Branch and runs
with said branch to the ditch then with said ditch to the main road then a
adew? West Corner to the beginning and the moneys arising from the sales
I wish equally divided between my son Elijah Smith and Penelope Whitfield
-Item 8th at my death I also desire my said executor to make a sale at the
same time and on the same credit the remainder of my lands including where
my house is and my negros Jack and Peter and also my perishable property
and the moneys arising from the sales of together with all which may be in
hands or due me to be equally divided between all my lawful heirs after
paying the legacis herein. Excepted and all my just debts and burial
expenses as except my son Matthew Smith and Right Smith and one half
of Smithy Whitfield and a share be given to Penelope Whitfield.
-Item 9th and lastly I nominate and appoint my son Elijah Smith and
Benjamin Herring my true and lawful executors to this my last will and
testament utterly revoking and ever disnaming all other wills or wills by
me heretofor made by causing to be made. In witness whereof I have
hereunto set my hand and seal this day and date first above, signed
Benjamin Smith, seal
-Witnesses: Taylor Smith, John P. Marrin, Wayne County May term 1840.
-This was the above will of Benj Smith produced in open court and offered for
probate and duly proved by the oath of Taylor Smith a subscribing witness
therto I ordered to be recorded. Elijah Smith one of the executors therein
named appeared and qualified as Executors thereto that letters testimentory
issued, Jno. A. Green, Clk.
Wayne County, NC - NC Pension Roll of 1835 -
Wayne County ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NORTH CAROLINA PENSION ROLL OF 1835 REPORT FROM THE
SECRETARY OF WAR IN RELATION TO THE PENSION
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNITED STATES 1835 COPIED AND
INDEXED BY WILLIAM R. NAVEY P. O. BOX 251 HOLLY RIDGE,
NC 28445-0251 REPORT FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR IN
OBEDIENCE TO RESOLUTIONS OF THE SENATE OF THE 5TH
AND 30TH OF JUNE, 1834 AND THE 3RD OF MARCH, 1835 IN
RELATION TO PENSION ESTABLISHMENT OF THE UNITED
STATES ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AS UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS SERIAL NUMBERS 249, 250, 251
SENATE DOCUMENT 514 WASHINGTON PRINTED BY DUFF
GREEN 1835 WAYNE COUNTY ONLY - SEE COMPLETE
FILES FOR OTHER COUNTIES
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/nc/statewide/statemilitary.html
-BENJAMIN SMITH WAYNE COUNTY PRIVATE NORTH CAROLINA
MILITIA $80.00 ANNUAL ALLOWANCE $240.00 AMOUNT
RECEIVED AUGUST 31,1833 PENSION STARTED AGE 75
Wayne County, NC - Benjamin Smith Revolutionary War Pension,
1832 ~~~~~~~~~~ Benjamin Smith - applied for pension in Wayne
County Superior Court 1 Oct 1832 - aged 73 years Enlisted 17 Sep
1777 as a substitute for his brother Josiah Smith who enlisted and
afterwards being about to contract matrimony and procured discharge;
joined at Dobbs County now Wayne; served as Private in Capt. A.
Shepard's Company, Col. Abraham Shepard's 10th NC Regiment;
marched to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, was in winter quarters there
and placed in Capt. John Ingel's Company, Col. John Patten's 2nd
NC Regiment; in the battle of Manmouth; stationed the following
winter at Paramus to guard the lines; next spring helped to build the
fortifications at Stony Point on the Hudson; then marched to
Charleston, SC; was in the siege there where taken prisoner and
held about fourteen months; exchanged 2 Jul 1780 and soon after
discharged; allowed pension 1 Oct 1832; died 23 Feb 1840. Source:
HeritageQuest Online Abstract from Revolutionary War Pension
Wayne County, NC - Heritage Series Reprinted with permission of the
Mount Olive Tribune and cannot be reproduced without permission.
Revolutionary War Pensioners - Wayne "Our Heritage" By Claude
Moore No date shown Last week I wrote about the Duplin County
pensioners of the American Revolution & this week it will be the
pensioners of Wayne County. Four volumes have recently been
reprinted of the "Pension Roll of 1835." Under an act of Congress in
1825, a private was paid $120 a year, a lieutenant $320 a year, a
captain $480 a year, a major $600 a year & a colonel $600 per year.
Wayne County was created out of old Dobbs County in 1779. The
records of Dobbs County were largely destroyed by fire including the
militia records. A veteran who did not have a discharge certificate had
to get witnesses to sign an affidavit to the affect that they knew
personally & that the applicant had served in the Revolution. The
applicant had to sign a sworn statement before the clerk of the court
giving his service record from memory. The pension records in 1835
showed the following men from Wayne County: the following were
listed as having served in the Continental Line (National Army).
David Edwards, placed on roll in 1832, age 71 Absalom Ellis, died
April 13, 1828, age 63 William Farrell, placed on roll in 1833, age
79, N.C. Militia Charles Gibson, no age Elisha Grant, died January
23, 1830, age 76 John Howell, placed on roll in 1833, age 80
George Jernigan, placed on roll in 1833, age 73 George Mitchell,
placed on roll in 1830, age 72 Jethro Odom, placed on roll in 1834,
age 87 Michael Revill, placed on roll in 1833, age 74 Ezekiel Slocumb,
(husband of Mary Slocumb), placed on roll in 1833, age 74 Benjamin
Smith, placed on roll in 1833, age 75 Jesse Spencer, (Virginia Militia),
placed on roll in 1833, age 73 Nehemia Tolar, placed on roll in 1833,
age 95 Jesse Vick, placed on roll in 1830, age 83 Wait Warwick, died
in 1830, age 74 John Wiggs, placed on roll in 1833, age 76 John Wise,
placed on roll in 1823 James Woodland, placed on roll in 1819 No roster
of Wayne County Troops who served in the American Revolution has
ever been compiled. This would be an execellent project for some of the
high school teachers in Wayne County or for the D.A.R Chapter.
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