Pension Application

W.17310 (Widow Anne Elizabeth or Elizabeth Anna)
State of New York
Herkimer County SS.

On this twelfth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said County no sitting Piter Bircki a resident of the Town of Frankfort in said County of Herkimer and State of New York aged seventy seven years who being 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 June 7, 1832-- hat he entered the service of the service of the United States under the following named Officers and served as herein stated.—

Spring the second year of the war, the year before Oriskany. He that in the month of March 1776 he enlisted for the tour of six months and served during the whole of said tour of six months.—That he enlisted into a company commanded by Captain Jacob Seeber, August? House?, 2 nd Lieutenant John Seeber and Ensign [?] [the following was crossed out: that the said company to which he belonged and into which he was so enlisted as aforesaid was under the command of Colonel Wynkoop]—That said company was stationed during the whole of said Term of six months at different stations on the Mohawk River—that said company served part of said tour at Fort Stanwix [line crossed out] after his company was a Fort Stanwix [?] called the Jersey blues that from Fort Stanwix he was marched with his company to Stanwix where he and his said company were employed in building Fort Dayton that he at the time of his said enlistment resided at the now town of Schuyler about six miles above Herkimer on the Mohawk River then Tryon County.

And then the said Piter Bircki further states that the year following the aforesaid time of service being the same year that Burgoyne was captured the same year of Oriskany Battle he again enlisted at Schuyler in said County of Tryon aforesaid into the boat service of the United States -- That he enlisted under Captain McGee about the [?] of March and although he does not remember the precise term and period of his enlistment yet he believes it was for the period of nine months or thereabout—that he served under—said McGee under said enlistment for the term of nine months and one half that is until January following—that he recollects said term of actual service to have been for nine and one half months from the following facts which this deponent distinctly recollects—that shortly after his enlistment he was ordered to Albany—that on his way from Schuyler to Albany at the City of Schenectady he was a number of Irish Troops engaged in celebrating St. Patrick's Day—that from this circumstance this deponent believes that he arrived at Schenectady on his way to Albany on the 17 th day of March being the annual festival of St. Patrick—that he recollects also that he proceeded to Albany on said term of service so early in the spring that there was yet snow and ice upon the ground—that when he arrived at Albany the navigation being open this deponents first service and which continued for several weeks was in getting out battered timber, cut timber and some of the hands were employed in [?] that the service rendered by him in boating was performed upon the Hudson in transporting supplies to the American Army during that year stationed in Saratoga and appeared to Burgoyne—that the American Army during the early part of the season was commanded by General Philip Schuyler with whom he was acquainted and whom he saw repeatedly at Fort Edward & Fort Miller—that when they arrived at Albany they were mustered in Genl P. Schuyler's Brigade—that General Schuyler was during the same season replaced by General Gates and that General Gates had the command of the American Army when Burgoyne was taken—that in the fall after the closing of the navigation he with the rest of the company to which he belonged were employed in chopping and getting out fire wood at a place called Niskayuna for the use of the American Army in Barracks at Albany—that he recollects distinctly that he remained in the service under his enlistment in the boat service as aforesaid until New Years day when he and the rest of the company to which he belonged were discharged at Niskayuna about seven miles above Albany—that a Mr. Winn who resided at Albany was the commissary and had charge of the continental stores at Albany—and Colonel Lewis? who was stationed at the same place was the paymaster. After they were registered and put on the muster roll at Albany they drew their provisions.

And this deponent further states that at the termination of his service of boat service aforesaid he returned home to Schuyler aforesaid and there he was enrolled and service in the Militia until the close of the Revolutionary war—that for about two years after his return home from his boat service he lived at Schuyler and belonged to a Militia Company commanded by Captain Henry Staring—1 st lieutenant and 2d lieutenant Theobald Backer and John George Miller & Ensign Jacob Miller which company was attached to a regiment commanded by Colonel Peter Bellinger, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Bellinger and Major [?] Clapsattle—that for about two years and whilst he so served at Schuyler—as aforesaid he, was mostly stationed at a fort built at Schuyler where the inhabitants of that district had fled for protection and defended themselves against the repeated attacks of the Tories and Indians—that he and others of the Militia of that District hath occasionally a small body of State Troops guarded and defended the said Fort at Schuyler against the enemy until about the year 1780 as this deponent now believes where most of the militia of that district having been killed and surrendered and taken & carried off prisoners by the enemy the said Fort was abandoned, and he and all the inhabitants of that District removed to Herkimer then Fort Dayton—that from the year 1780 he remained at Fort Dayton until the last of the Revolutionary war—that during the time last aforesaid he was at different times drafted and also volunteered in other service of the United States—that during his stay at Fort Dayton he was drafted at one time and marched in pursuit of the enemy and was with the American forces when Butler was killed on the West Canada Creek—that he was under the command of Colonel Willett and Major Andrew Finck in said pursuit that at another time he was again drafted and marched to Canajoharie under the command of Ensign Patrick Campbell where an attack at the time was executed from the enemy—That he volunteered also at Fort Dayton under General Van Rensselaer and pursued the enemy being the same party who engaged, defeated and killed Colonel Brown at Stone Arabia in the Town of Palatine then also in the County of Tryon—that at an other time he volunteered under Captain Marks Deymuth and with Captain McGee was marched to Oneida in pursuit of a party of Indians and Tories—that he repeatedly volunteered also in pursuit of parties of Tires & Indians in their attacks upon the inhabitants in the vicinity of Fort Dayton—that whilst so stationed at Fort Dayton from the time of his arrival which was in the summer of the year 1780 until the beginning of the winter following he and others of the militia were almost daily on duty in guarding and defending said Fort Dayton—That early in the winter following and during that winter he and the other militia stationed at Fort Dayton were relieved from duty by Continental Troops; first by a party under Ensign Mason, and afterwards by a party under the command of Ensign Doty that he cannot ascertain nor does he recollect how long a term of service the whole service rendered by him in the militia at the Fort at Schuyler; at Fort Dayton and the other drafted & volunteered service will amount to but that he believes and [?] he doubts the whole amount of service actually rendered by him as aforesaid, inclusive of the two first services aforesaid is but eight and a half months and believes longer.

And the deponent further saith that he has no documentary evidence of any of his service aforesaid nor does he know of any person by whom he will be able to prove his last mentioned drafted & volunteered service e4xcept the service rendered by him where drafted and marched in pursuit of the enemy when Butler was killed which service he expects to prove by Jacob Clements of Schuyler in the County of Herkimer who was with the American troops in said pursuit—that his first enlistment & service for six months under Captain Jacob Seeber—he expects to prove by said Jacob Clements also who was enlisted and served with him in the same company—that his said Boat service for nine and a half months he expects to prove by Jacob Bell of the town and County of Herkimer who was enlisted into the same service with him and who commenced and ended his term of service with him. [next line cut off]

That his militia service at the fort at Schuyler above Herkimer he expects to prove by Jacob Widrey of Schuyler and his militia service at Fort Dayton from the year 17880 to the close of the war he expects to prove by Peter Bellinger who was also stationed at Fort Dayton during that period—that stationed at Fort Dayton he was under the command of Captain Henry Harter Colonel Peter Bellinger Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Bellinger who were militia officer.

That he was born in the year 1753 on the 10 th day of July in Germany on the Continent of Europe—for actual dates of his age—that he had a record of his age which he has lost since he has come into the United States—Moved into New York with his fathers family about eight years before the war [?]

That he emigrated into the United States when he was twelve years of age—that he arrived at Philadelphia and from thence proceeded to Germantown above Herkimer now in the Town of Schuyler County of Herkimer and State of New York.

That he resides at Germantown aforesaid in the now town of Schuyler when he entered into the service of the United States.

That since the Revolutionary War he has resided at said Germantown now town of Schuyler in theCounty of Herkimer until about four years ago when he removed into the Town of Frankfort in said County where he now resides.

That he was enlisted for six months under Captain [?] Seeber who was [following crossed out: under the command of Colonel Wykoop has the believes]—that he cannot now say to what corps the said Seeber belonged—that he was enlisted into the Boat service of the United States for nine months and served in Militia under the command of Colonel Peter Bellinger Lieutenant Colonel Friderick Bellinger and that said Militia service was performed under orders from the military commanders [the following is crossed out: his service of a boatman of [?] in the year 1775 as he is informed and believes.

That he does not know that he ever had any written discharge for any of his said services.—

That Warner Folts and John B. Dygert of Frankfort reside in his immediate neighborhood and to whom he is known and who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution.

And he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except for present and declares that his is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. (Signed) Piter Bricki

Sworn to & Subscribed this day and year aforesaid in Open Court. Julius C. Nelson, Clerk

Reference is made to your letter in which you request the record of Peter Bargy and Jacob Christman, Revolutionary War Pensioners.

Their records are furnished you herewith as found in the respective claims for pension based upon service in the Revolutionary War.

Piter Bircki or Peter Barga, son of Jacob, was born July 10, 1753 in “Elson” Germany, and when about twelve years old he emigrated with his father's family to the United States, to Germantown, later called Schuyler, Tryon County, later called Herkimer County, New York. The name of his mother not stated.

While a resident of said Germantown, he enlisted in March 1776, served six month as private in Captain Jacob Seeber's Company, Colonel Wynkoop's New York Regiment and assisted in building Fort Stanwix. He enlisted and served nine and one half months as private in the boat service under Captain Billy McGee, this service ending January 1, 1778. He enlisted and served eight and one half months or more at different periods to the close of the war in the New York troops as sergeant under Captain sHenrigh Starring, Henrig Herder, Mark Demuth and Colonels Peter Bellinger, Duboys, and Marinus Willett.

About 1831 he moved from said Germantown to Frankfort, New York, and in 1838 he moved to Sandy Creek, New York.

He was allowed pension on his application executed October 12, 1832 while a resident of Frankfort, Herkimer County, New York. He signed Pieter Bircki, the German spelling. Soldier's children wrote their name in English Barga or Bargy.

Soldier married September 14, 1790 in Minden, Montgomery County, Anna Elizabeth, of said Minden, daughter of John Christ, or Christion, Young or Youngs. Their marriage was recorded on the records of the Fort Plain Church. The name of her mother not given.

Soldier's widow, Anna Elizabeth later known as Elizabeth Ann, was allowed pension on her application executed July 16, 1846 at which time she was aged eighty-two years and a resident of Sandy Creek, Oswego County, New York. She died in 1850 in Sandy Creek, New York.

In 1861, soldier's daughter, Mary Barber, was living in Great Valley, New York, her age not stated.

In 1861 soldier's heirs are shown as follows: Jacob Bargy, Garrett Bargy, Nancy Bottentine, and Barbery Witherick.

One Sanford Barber was living in Cattaraugus County, New York, in 1861, his age or relationship to soldier not stated. There are no further family data.

Jacob Christmas was born in Stone Arabia or Minden, Montgomery County, New York, date not given and no reference is made to his parents.

While a resident of Stone Arabia, or Minden, New York, he enlisted April 1, 1781, served nine months as corporal in Captain Henry Vanderwarker's Company, Colonel Van Rensselaer's New York Regiment and was in the battle of Johnstown where he received three wounds in his leg by musket balls.

He moved from Stone Arabia to Snellsbush, thence to Danube, thence to Williamstown, (later Amboy) New York.

He was allowed pension on his application executed February 20, 1833 at which time he was aged sixty-nine years and seven months and a resident of Amboy, Oswego County, [record ends here.]

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