Oglethorpe-Talbot-Upson County GaArchives Biographies.....Smith [Jr.], Robert February 7, 1749 - December 9, 1834 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: T. Bradford Willis http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00031.html#0007638 October 8, 2013, 10:09 am Source: Family Records. Court Records. Author: T. Bradford Willis Robert Smith, Jr. was born Feb. 7, 1749 in Cumberland County, Virginia, the son of Robert Smith, Sr. and Elizabeth "Betty" Smith. Robert Smith, Jr. was the husband of Hannah Andrews Smith (Dec. 9, 1755 - Jan. 2, 1845). Robert Smith, Jr. and his brother, Larkin Smith, Sr., served in the American Revolution, and they later moved to Oglethorpe County, Georgia where they were charter members of the Mt. Pleasant Methodist Church in 1820. In his later years, Robert Smith, Jr. applied for a pension for his service during the American Revolution. Recently, the writer transcribed these court records. They provide an interesting account of his military service and his personal life. Declaration to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832 Georgia Oglethorpe County On this 5th day of November personally appeared in open Court, in the Court of Ordinary now sitting Robert Smith a resident of the County of Oglethorpe in the State of Georgia aged Eighty four years in the month of February next, who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of Re act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That he entered the Service of the United States under the following named officers and Served as herein stated - In 1780 applicant was called out to guard a number of boats at Carters Ferry on James River - It has been so long that he cannot recollect the time of his service. - He was commanded by John Watson of the County of Cumberland & State of Virginia - which was also the residence of the applicant at the time he entered the Service. In the same Year 1780 applicant was drafted to Serve a three month tour but he employed a substitute & paid him Seventy five or eighty dollars - Some time after this the substitute whom applicant had employed was also drafted to serve a Three months tour - & applicant had to go in his place - In this tour he was commanded by Generals Greene & Lawson & Captain Charles Ballow - The regiment marched to Guilford Court house in the State of Virginia (a line was drawn through the word Virginia) North Carolina where we met Lord Cornwallis' army - and in February or March 1781 - the Battle of Guilford took place in which applicant fought - after applicant was discharged from this tour - which took place shortly after the Battle of Guilford - he was engaged in an arduous service in collected & driving cattle for the troops until shortly after the capture of Cornwallis army at York in the State of Virginia. applicant ______ ______thinks this took place in October 1781 - If applicant ever got a discharge he does not now know where it is - & he has no documentary evidence by which he could establish his claim - He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency or any state - Sworn to & subscribed this day & year aforesaid Robert Smith His pension application was later rejected since he did not serve at least six months. Robert Smith, Jr. died Dec. 9, 1834 in Oglethorpe County. 150+ years after the death of Larkin Smith, Sr. and Robert Smith, Jr., the writer was in contact over a lengthy period with Ms. Allene Hewell, a trustee and historian of the Mt. Pleasant Church. She and the writer wanted to honor their memory, as veterans of the American Revolution and as charter members of the Mt. Pleasant Church. It was a joint project to apply for memorial marble markers from the VA for both brothers in August of 1987. The writer preferred requesting flat markers, but Ms. Hewell wished for the heavier and more prominent upright markers. The VA markers were later placed beside each other in the church cemetery. In 2012, a dream was fulfilled when the writer visited for the first time this historic church; the memorial VA markers; and the Robert Smith, Jr. home and family cemetery in Oglethorpe County. Many descendants of both brothers have joined the DAR on their service during the American Revolution. Additional Comments: This artice was published in the Talbotton New Era on Sept. 26, 2013. The photograph was taken in 2012 of the chimney of the Robert Smith, Jr. house in Oglethorpe County, Ga. Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/oglethorpe/photos/bios/smithjr1039gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/oglethorpe/bios/smithjr1039gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb