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Note: In the first tax collection of Fairfield County Ohio in 1806 there is listed a Mathias Sheats living in Amanda Twp. Sources are: the book “A Complete History of Fairfield County by Hervey Scott, published in 1877” and a list of 1806 tax payers from the Fairfield County Genealogy Website.
From a sworn statement of Mathias Sheets to the Fairfield County Common Pleas Court of 15 Oct 1828 in application for his Revolutionary War Pension the following information was obtained;
-Stated he would be 75 years old November next. Not sure if this means Nov 1928 or Nov 1829. So he was born in November 1753 or 1754.
-That he was born in the state of Pennsylvania
- States that when he first entered service he enlisted in Shenandoah County in the State of Virginia for one year. Which time he served in Scots brigade [sic: Gen. Charles
Scott’s Brigade] under Col. Boyer[?]. I found that at the start of 1777, the 8th Virginia Regiment under command of Colonel Muhlenberg moved to join George Washington's main army and, when Colonel Muhlenberg was promoted to general officer, Colonel Abraham Bowman (vice Boyer) took command of the 8th Regiment.
- He then was drafted for the Term of Eighteen months in the spring of the year say May before the taking of Gen’l. Cornwallis at little York [19 Oct 1781] in Shenandoah County State of Virginia. I read this as May 1781.
- Stated he served as a private under Capt. Smith and Lieutenant Cannon in the Reg’t. commanded by Col. [Thomas] Posey the 7th Virginia Reg’t and at the end of the 18 month enlistment he was discharged from the service at the crossing of the Congree [sic:Congaree River] in South Carolina.
- States “ I have not been the owner of one Hundred Dollars worth of property at any one time for the last Eleven years, and have been in some measure for
support for that time dependent upon the labor of my children. Lists his daughter Susannah about age 25 and son William about Age 38 as living with him
- States he has a wife name Margaret, Age 77 and almost blind and that they are living in an old cabin owned by Daniel May.
- Swears he is of German decent and can read the German language but cannot read or write the English language.
A Witness Affidavit by Henry Switzer, age abt 32, Liberty Twp stated he had known Mathias Sheets since being a young lad and stated the name Sheets/Schitz/Shitz was the English spelling of the German name Schutz.
A Witness Affidavit by Adam Geiger age abt 80, Pleasant Twp stated he’s know Mathias Sheets for 50 years and knows h served as a soldier as stated. Adam Geiger had a sister Magdalena which may very well have been Mathias wife.
In the Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statement a “Size Roll” of non--commissioned officers and privates taken at Albemarle Old Courthouse lists the following:
Mathias Sheets, - Sized on 25 Aug 1781.
Age 23
Height 5’ 10”, red hair, blue eyes, fresh complexion pitted by small pox
Occupation: Planter
Born: Lancaster County PA
Residence: Shenandoah County VA
Drafted: 9 May 1781 for 18 months
. Previously served 12 months in the 8 Virginia Regiment.
SOURCE: Library of Virginia Citation: Register & Description of Noncommissioned Officers & Privates at Chesterfield Court House, Powhatan Court House, Carter’s Ferry, Albemarle Old Court House, Cumberland Old Court House, Winchester Barracks. Enlisted at different times from 1777 to 1783. Spine title: Revolutionary Army, vol 1, Register 1777 to 1783. Library of Virginia accession number 24296.
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