Job Shirley (1750-1842) was a soldier of the American Revolution, enlisting three times according to his pension records. An 1853 pension claim on the next page further states he was a private in the Company of Captain James Perry of the regt. Commanded by Col. Sargent for 9 months 25 days. Other officers he served under were General Putnam, Col. Wilber, Capt. Shaws, and General Sullivan. He entered the service of the United States in May 1775 at Wrentham, Bristol County, Massachusetts, where he then resided, there he enlisted in Capt. James Perry’s Company of militia in Col. Seargents Regiment for eight months, immediately marched to Cambridge near Boston, the army being then commanded by Gen. Putnam, was there when Gen. Washington arrived and took the command. In May 1776 he enlisted for three months in Capt. Deans Company of Militia in Col. Wilber’s Regiment, immediately marched to Rhode Island. In 1778, he volunteered for six weeks service under Capt. Shaw’s Company in General Sullivan’s army. He was at the Battle in the Island, assisted in building a fort called Butts Hill, and in one instance contributed to hire a man for his Class and paid him $300 dollars, that he was for a long time a Minute man and was always prepared to go and was frequently called out on short tours.
Following are all the pension records I found pertaining to Job Shirley. (These images may take a moment to load. If they aren't loaded withing 20 seconds, refresh the page. Use the arrows to see the next document):
Partial transcript:
State of New York, Cayuga County, On the 18th day of August 1832 personally appeared before me Gersham Morse, a Judge of the Court of Common Please in the for said county, Job Shirley, of Sempronius, County and State aforesaid, aged seventy-four years last October who after being duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832. That he entered the service of the United States in May 1775 at Wrentham, Bristol County, Massachusetts, where he then resided. That he enlisted in Capt. James Perry's Company of Militia in Col. Seargent's Regiments for eight months immediately marched to Cambridge near Boston, the army being then commanded by Gen. Putnam, was there when Gen. Washington arrived and took command, that he remained in and about Cambridge until his term expired when he was discharged and went home. That in May 1776 he enlisted for three months in Capt. Dean's Company of Militia in Col. Wilbur's Regiment, immediately marched to Rhode Island, was first stationed at Tiverton, from there marched to Howland's Ferry, thence to Providence, thence to North Kingston, then to Greenwich where our time expired and we returned home. That in the year 1778 as nearly as he can recollect he volunteered, was out six weeks under Capt. Shaw's Company, in Gen. Sullivan's army, was at Battle in the Island, assisted in building a fort called Butts Hill and remained there until the army retreated when he was discharged and sent home, that he in one instance contributed to hire a man for his class and paid his proportion of three thousand dollars for the purpose, that he was for a long time considered a Minute Man and was always prepared to go and was frequently called out on short tours but cannot now state the particulars of those services, that he hereby personally appeared before me the undersigned a Judge of Cayuga Common Pleas aforesaid Job Shirley the applicant aforesaid, who being duly sworne deposeth and saith these by reason of old age and the consequent loss of memory he cannot swear positively to the best of his recollections and belief he served one year and three months and for such services I claim a pension. Subscribed and sworn this 28th December 1832 before me, Gersham Morse, Judge of Court of Common Pleas. X Job Shirley
State of New York, Cayuga County, Job Shirley of Sempronius, County and State aforesaid being duly sworn doth on his oath depose and say, that he is an applicant for a pension under the Act of Congress of Jule 7th, 1832 - That he made his declaration to obtain said pension on or about the 18th of August last passed in which said declaration after he had stated his services in the Revolutionary Army as fully and as positively as his memory would permit us to "period, term, and greade" he thinks he added something like the following, "That he was always considered as a minute man and was always proposed to go and was frequently called out in short tours but cannot from loss of memory state the particulars of those services". That in the month of December thereafter he received other instructions and regulations from the War Department permitting applicants for pensions in cases of loss of memory they cannot state precisely how long his service, to make an affidavit mandatory of his declaration, and state how long he did actually service. That in pursuance and in compliance of said regulations he made his affidavit in or about the 28th December past in which he supposed he embraced some more time then he set forth in his declaration by "period, term, and grades" as he disapproved that is was the intention and object of the Department to allow the applicant for service which they could not from loss of memory state all the particulars as to time which appears upon the face of his papers" and hopes it will be satisfactory to the department, that had no intention to defraud the government as he thinks will appear from an examination of the duty of the declaration and affidavit. The he asks for a pension for too much time set forth in his declaration as the department may under the circumstances of the case think him fairly and equitably entitled to. Sworn and subscribed this 26th June 1833 before me, Gersham Morse, a Judge of Court of Common Pleas. X Job Shirley
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