Pension Application

W.15750 (Widow: Leah)
Derick was born in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland county in 1757. Was in a company commanded by Capt. Gilbert Cooper, Regiment of Col. A. Hawks Hay and later Col. Samuel Drake. Leah married Derick (Dirk) Ekherson or Ackerson November 23, 1785 by Rev’d Nicholas Lansing, pastor of the United Congregation of Tappan and Clarkstown Reformed Dutch Church. Derick died 20 November 1836.
State of New York
Rockland County SS.
            On this 29th day of November in the year A.D. 1832, personally appeared in open court, before the Judges of the court of Common Please [sic] now sitting Derick Ackerson, a resident of the town of Orange, in the county of Rockland and state of New York, lagged seventy five years, the fourteenth day of July, 1832, 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 under the following named officers, and served as herein stated.
            That in the month of March in the year 1776, he enlisted in the now town of Ramapo, in the county of Rockland aforesaid, for three month[s], in a Company commanded by Capt. Gilbert Cooper, in a Regiment commanded by a Col’n in New York, name not now recollected, and went to New York and was stationed there sometime, at a place called Bunker’s hill and assisted in making forts there and then returned to the now county of Rockland where he remained until his term of enlistment was expires, then in the month of June, of the same year he at Tappan enlisted for five months, in a company commanded by Capt. John Blauvelt, in a regiment commanded by Col’n Drake in Gen’l Scots’ Brigade, and went to New York were [where] he lay sometime then went to Long Island and was near the battle fought there between Gen’l Startling and the British forces, then retreated with Gen’l Washington’s Army first to New York, then to Harlem, then to Kings Bridge then to White Plains, then to Peekskill, and then to Haverstraw where he was discharged About the twenty forth [fourth] day of December, then early in the spring of the year 1777, he entered the service in a company commanded by Capt. John Bell, John Luker was a Lieutenant, in a Regiment commanded by Col’n Graham, and served in that company until the close of the war, that during the years 77, 78 & 79 he was out on duty the most of the time from early in the spring until the beginning of winter and during the years 80, 81, & 82 he spent about one forth part of his time in the service. That he was on guard at different stations along the Hudson River and at different places in the county of Bergen, in the state of New Jersey, and when not on guard he was out with scouting parties, for they had the British shipping which lay in the river to guard the noted Buskirk and Bartty’s men (which was almost continually traversing the country plundering and destroying what ever came in their way) to contend with and many gangs of horse thieves, who was continually stealing all they could get, that their duty was various for they was continually obliged to go from place to place, as their commandant received orders and in the fall of the year 1781, while assisting, removin [removing or moving] the baggage of General Washington’s army across the Hudson river at a place called Nyack near Haverstraw, when he was on his march to York town, he was taken prisoner by a barge from one of the British ships he was taken prisoner by a barge from one of the British ships he was taken prisoner and taken and put on board of the Jersey prison ship, where he suffered every thing but death and remained until the general exchange the length of time he doth not now recollect, that the has no documentary evidence of his services, and all the positive testimony he can offer is some of the men who served with him in the revolutionary war, that he always has resided in the town of Orange aforesaid and is know by many of the citizens there of, who can testify as to his Character and veracity. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension rool [roll] of the agency of any state. (Signed with his mark) Derick Ackerson
            Sworn to and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid in open court. David Pye, Clerk

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