Pension Application

S.9479
State of Ohio
Wayne County SS.
            On the 4th day of October 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Court of Common Pleas for said County now sitting Alexander Shankland a resident of Canaan Township in said County aged Seventy six 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 on the first day of May 1777 at Cherry Valley, then Montgomery now Otsego County New York as a volunteer a private in the militia under Captain Thomas [Whitene?], Campbell was Lieutenant of the company; that the applicant continued in the same service for six months—Then returned to his home in Cherry Valley to pass the winter—that during that summer, the applicant was in no engagement—that in the spring of 1778 as near as he remembers, this applicant again entered the service as a volunteer under the same Captain, Lieutenant [? ?field?]. the same place & in the same company—This applicant served all the summer & until the latter part of November of the year he returned home. He was in no battle that summer.—In the summer of 1781 applicant thinks the last of July he enlisted in the service of the United [States] under Captain Thale, about six miles above Albany N.York & served under him about five months till sometime in December 1781 when this applicant with the whole of the company under Capt. Thale was dismissed—received no discharge. Applicant remained about two weeks in the service at Albany after enlisting & then was ordered to Schoharie where he continued until he was dismissed -- during the service applicant was engaged twice in skirmishes with the Indians and about ten miles above the fort, and the other time about twenty miles from the fort.
            In answer to the following interrogatories viz.
      Where & in what year where you born? The reply—He was born on the 3d May 1756 in Cherry Valley New York.
      To the following [?] Have you any record of your age & if so where is it? Applicants Answer—I have no record of my age it was recorded in my father’s Bible but was burnt with his house in 1780—
      To the following viz. Where were you living when called into service where have you lived since the revolutionary war & where do you now live? Applicant states—He was living at Cherry Valley when he entered the service under Captain Whiteace—and when he enlisted in the Capt. Thale he was living about six miles above Albany—Applicant lived in Cherry Valley after the revolutionary war till about 1808 when he removed to []?] in Onondaga County N.York & resided there till about 1824, when he removed to Canaan Township Wayne County Ohio his present residence—where since leaving N.York he has ever since resided.
      In answer to the question to wit, I when were you called into service where you drafted, did you volunteer or were you a substitute & if a substitute, for whom? Applicant [?] that he volunteered time & enlisted once.
      In answer to the following to wit, that the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops where you served, such continental & militia regiments as you can recollect & the personal circumstances of your service. Applicant states—Col. Alden Lieut. Colonel Sharp, of the regular service where at Cherry Valley also Capt. Ballard—also adjutant White & Capt. Day.
      Of the following question to wit—Did you ever receive a discharge from the service & if so by whom was it given & what has become of it. Applicant answers he never received any discharge from the service.
      To the following to wit. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood & who can testify as to your character for veracity & their belief of your services as a soldier of the revolution. He states—He refers for proof under the last interrogatory to James Miller & Simon [Thirwitz?]
            Applicant states further that he has no documentary evidence of his services & knows of no persons whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services—My brother William then served with me in the service but he now living is several hundred miles off in Onondaga County N.York.
            Applicant 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. (Signed with his mark) Alexander Shankland
            Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid. J. Sloane Clerk

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