Morrison's Pensions


Pension Application for Frederick Meyer (Myer, Myers)

R.7533
State of New York
Ulster County SS
            On this eleventh day of December in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before Abraham D. Soper, Abraham G. Hardenbergh, & Abraham A. Deyo Judges of the Court of court of Common Pleas of the said County of Ulster now sitting as a court of Record, and having a [?] and a common seal, at a court held at Kingston in said County, Frederick Meyer a resident of the town of Shandaken 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 was born in the town of Clermont in the County of Columbia on the twelfth day of March in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty six.
            That he knows of no record of his age that his age was entered in a prayer book belonging to his father, & which in the division of his personal estate was taken by his sister who is dead nor does he know what has become of it—
            That he resided at the town of Clermont aforesaid at the several times he entered into the service of his country as hereinafter set forth, and continued to reside there until the fall of the year one thousand eight hundred and nine when he removed to the town of Shandaken aforesaid where he has ever since and still resides. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
            That in the month of September in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, he enlisted in a company of Rangers for the term of three months under the Command of Captain Peter Van Gasbeek (1), Samuel Ten Brook was Lieutenant. That they were not attached to any regiment. That he now recollects, that they served in the eastern part of the County of Columbia and in Claverack of said County, from there to Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County and to Fishkill in said County from there to Beekmantown where they were discharged but received no written discharge.
            That in the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven he was drafted and served one month in the early part of the summer, that Teil Rockefeller (2) was his captain, does not recollect the name of his colonel or other officers that they marched to Lake George from there to Fort Ann as one of the guard to the baggage wagons. That the same year he was again drafted in the fall under the command of Philip Smith (3) captain, Cosparus Shultz was Lieutenant does not recollect the name of the Colonel who commanded their regiment but Samuel Ten Brook (4) was their Major, That he was at the taking of Burgoyne's army and served for more than one month and according to his recollection for about six weeks at that time.
            That in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty one, he enlisted into the nine months service under one Captain Harrison (5) of the standing forces, one Van Norman (6) from Schenectady was Lieutenant, that Marinus Willet was Colonel. One Fonda (7) was also one of their field officers—That it was in the early part of March in said year he enlisted in the town of Clermont and marched with some of his companions to the city of Albany from there he marched to Schenectady from there to Fort Plains at Canajoharie, where they were formed into a company and shortly afterwards he was appointed a sergeant and served as such and joined the Regiment at that place the head quarters of Colonel Willet, from there he marched with the Regiment to old Colonel Herkimer (8) residence where there was a picket fort from there again to Fort Plain from there the company to which he belonged was detached to guard three small forts. Fort Walrot (9), Fort House & does not recollect the name of the other, when they laid the great part of the summer. From there they were ordered again & marched to Head Quarters. There they laid sometime, then they went with boats down the Mohawk to the Little Falls, from there they marched to Johnstown where some of the British lay commanded by Major Ross (10) when they came near the enemy they fled into the woods, and the Americans having followed them the British turned and fired and the Americans having misunderstood the Command to take Trees, they retreated and fell into disorder and got into the field where as few formed round a field piece under the command of one Captain Moody (11) and the enemy came out upon them and took the field piece & ammunition wagon, and this afterwards was again retaken by a company of American Militia—The next day they again marched back to Fort Herkimer where they laid one day and marched from there in the night and across the River and lay all night upon their arms and in the morning they marched up Big Canada Creek they marched the whole day at night they encamped in the woods, and in the morning they marched to Jersey Field where the enemy lay and they drove the enemy to the Canada Creek where they overtook the enemy and there Capt. Butler (12) of the enemy was wounded & fell then the enemy fled. They followed them the whole day took some prisoners—and then the next day they marched back and returned to Fort Plain—where they remained during the remainder of his term of his enlistment, and he was one of the guard of the Colonel to Albany at Albany Colonel Willett gave a discharge to him and one Burk on the same piece of paper, and this paper he gave to said Burke (13) when he was about enlisting for during the war and has never heard or seen anything of it since.
            That he is acquainted with the several persons named in the annexed certificate who could testify as to his character for truth and veracity but they reside at a considerable distance from court and this deponent could not induce them to attend court but received from them the said certificate.
            That this deponent is a member of the Lutheran Church and that there is no clergymen of that persuasion residing near him nor is he acquainted with any other clergyman in the neighborhood—
            That this deponent belonged to the congregation of Frederick H. Tuttman before he removed to Shandaken who is now deceased.
            That this deponent has no documentary evidence of his service whatever—now does he know that there are any of his contemporaries living excepting his old neighbor William Hoff the deponent in the annexed affidavit, and the person mentioned in said affidavit and that this deponent is to poor to obtain his evidence.
            He 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.
            Sworn and subscribed in open court the day and year aforesaid the words “and shortly afterwards he was appointed a sergeant and acted as such during the residue of his term” interlines in the third page.
(Signed) Frederick Meyer
A.D. Soper, First Judge AG. Hardenburgh, Abm. A. Deyo Judges.
            We, Joseph Higgins of the Town of Kingston in the County of Ulster and Peter G. Crispell of the town of Shandaken in said county hereby certify that we are acquainted with Frederick Myer who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration.
            That we believe him to be seventy six years of age.
            That he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood.

Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress of the 7 th July 1838 entitled an act granting half pay and pension to certain widows:--
State of New York
Ulster County SS.
            On this fourteenth day of March in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty three at a Court of Common Pleas held at the Court house in the Village of Kingston in and for the County of Ulster aforesaid personally appeared in open court before the Judges thereof John F. Myer a resident of the town of Woodstock—in said County aged sixty years of age who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 7 th 1838 entitled an act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows. That he is the administrator of the Estate of Gertruid Myer widow of Frederick Myer dec. who in the Revolutionary war was a private soldier in defence of his country for which he the said Frederick Myer received a pension at the rate of Sixty one dollars and sixty six cents per annum which he continued to receive until the day of his death.
            He further declares that said Gertruid Myer was legally married to the said Frederick Myer the tenth day of February in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty two.
            That the ceremony was performed by the Revd. Mr. Cockor Cox—Clergyman of the German Reformed Church in the town of Germantown Columbia County.
            That the maiden name of the said Gertruid Myer previous to her marriage was Gertrude Hoff. And that her husband the aforesaid Frederick Myer died the eighteenth day of December in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty two & that his widow the said Gertruid Myer died the twenty eighth day of December in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty two and left her surviving the following named children viz.
            John F. Myer , Frederick Myer, Peter Myer, William Myer, Jacob Myer, George Myer, Mary Magdalin Misner wife of John Misner & Catharine Lasher wife Coenradt Lasher the only living children of said deceased.
            He further declares that the annexed affidavit of George Myer is all he has procured & which he believes is correct as to the date of the death of the said deceased. And for proof of the services of the said Frederick Myer he would respectfully refer to his declaration as proof on file in the War Department, under the act of Congress of the 7 th June 1832: Note the words “The act of Congress: also the words William Myer written in the margin.
(Signed with his mark) John F. Myer
            Sworn to and subscribed in open court on the day & year aforesaid before me. Geo. A. Gay, Clerk of Said Court.

Letter in pension application folder.
January 15, 1929
Mr. E. H. Pitcher
1011-1013 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, Maryland
Sir:
            I advise you the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, R. 7533, it appears that Frederick Meyer pensioned Myer was born March 12, 1756, at Clermont, Columbia County, New York.
            While a resident of said place he enlisted in September, 1778, and served three month as private in Captain Peter Van Gasbeek's New York Company. He enlisted in the summer of 1777 and served one month as private in Captain Teil Rockefeller's New York Company. He enlisted in the fall of 1777 and served six weeks as private in Captain Philip Smith's Company, Colonel Livingston's New York Regiment; he was at the capture of Burgoyne. He enlisted in 1781 and served nine months as Sergeant in Captain Joseph Harrison's Company, Colonel Marinus Willett's New York Regiment; he was in the battles of Johnstown and West Canada Creek. Was allowed pension on his application executed December 11, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Shandaken, Ulster County, New York. He died, December 18, 1842.
            He married February 10, 1782, at Germantown, Columbia County, New York Gertrude Hoff. She died, December 28, 1842, at Shandaken, New York, leaving the following children: John F., who was living in Woodstock, Ulster County, New York, aged sixty years in 1843; Frederick; William; Peter; Jacob; George, who was living in Shandaken, Ulster County, New York, aged thirty-six years in 18?3; Mary Magdalin, wife of John Misner; Catharine, wife of Coenradt Lasher.
Respectfully, Winfield Scott, Commissioner.

End Notes

  1. Company was authorized on the 8 th of October 1776 for Albany County for 1 captain, (Petrus Van Gaasbeck), 1 lieutenant (Samuel Thorne), 3 sergeants, 3 corporals, 1 fifer & 40 privates. On November 21, 1776 Samuel Ten Broeck was added as second lieutenant.
  2. Captain Tiel Rockefeller (Tenth Company) in Colonel Peter R. Livingston's Regiment of Albany County Militia (Tenth Regiment.).
  3. Captain Philip Smithl and First Lieutenant Casper Shultz (Shults) of the Eighth Company in Colonel Livingston's Regiment. Frederick is listed as a sergeant in this company. He is also listed as a sergeant in Captain Joseph Elliot's Company (Second Company) in Livingston's Regiment.
  4. Captain Samuel Ten Broeck was promoted to Major and Commissioned First Major on the 28 th May 1778.
  5. Captain Joseph Harrison.
  6. Lieutenant William Van Arnum.
  7. Lieutenant and Adjutant Jellis A. Fonda.
  8. He is referring to Fort Herkimer not General Nicholas Herkimer's Home.
  9. This Fort Walrath was on the north side of the Mohawk River above present day Village of Nelliston. Walrath had a license to operate a ferry crossing there. It was attacked on the 26 th May 1781. Sergeant Henry A. Walrath of Colonel Jacob Klock's Second Regiment of the Tryon County Militia was wounded in the attack.
  10. This battle was fought on the 25 th of October 1781.
  11. Captain Andrew Moody of the Second Continental Artillery.
  12. Captain Walter Butler of the British forces was killed at the West Canada Creek skirmish on the 30 th of Ocotober 1781.
  13. An Aaron and John Burk (Burke) served in Harrison's Company but it does not appear that either re-enlisted. Frederick appears on Harrison's payroll as a private not as a sergeant. Abraham TenEyck received the pay of £9..19..1, which was owed to Frederick, in October 1785. Source: Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783, Series M-246, Roll 78, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

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