Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for John Bellinger

W.16424
Staring, Ernstine (Former Widow)
            Widow's first husband, John Myers also served in the Revolution, see papers within.  John Bellinger was killed in 1780.

            This certifies that it appears from the records of the Protestant Reformed Dutch Church of Schenectady that John, son of John Bellinger and Ernestin Herder his wife was baptized on the twelfth day of March in the year of our Lord Seventeen hundred and Eight one; that the father is marked as dec’d at the baptism: that the record was (as usual in that day) kept in the Dutch language: and that it is exactly in the words & figures following: viz.
            “1781 Maart 12
            “Johannes Bellinger, Obit}  {Frederick Bellinger”
            “Errenstin Herder} Johannes {Catarina Bellinger”
            The names on the left hand are of the parents; those on the right of the Sponsors: & that in the middle of the child.  Obit is the usual sign of decease.  Given under seal of the church this 23rd of Nov. 1837.  Jacob Van Vechtin, Pastor

State of New York
Onondaga County SS
            On the Seventh day of December on thousand eight hundred & thirty seven personally appeared in Open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for said County of Onondaga Ernstine Staring a resident of the town of Salina in the County and State aforesaid aged Seventy-Six years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed July 4th 1836 and the act explanatory of said Act passed March 3, 1837.  That on the 7th day of June 1776 she was married to John Myers & that she resided with him in the Town & County of Herkimer & State aforesaid until he was killed by the enemy sometime in the year 1778—
            She further declares that she was married to John Bellinger for whose services in the revolutionary war she now claims a pension sometime in the month of May 1780.  That in the absence of a minister at Herkimer aforesaid where she & the said John Bellinger then resided.  They went down on the North side of the Mohawk river about twenty five miles to the now town of Palatine in the County of Montgomery where they crossed the said river to the house of a German Minister in the town of Canajoharie in said County & were married by him at his house in the German Language in the present of Peter Weaver who had accompanied them from their homes & some other person not known to her the said Ernstine & she further declares that from the great length of time & her advanced age she does not recollect the name of the said minister who married them and that the said Peter Weaver who accompanied them was present at their marriage died about four years ago.  And she further declares that John Bellinger he husband was an ensign in a company of Militia Commanded by Captain Henry Harder & that he was killed by the firing near the frontier town of Herkimer in the latter part of July or the fore part of August next after their said Marriage and she further declares that at the time her husband was killed as aforesaid she was pregnant by him & that she was delivered of a son in the City of Schenectady on the 8th day of March 1781 whether she had gone to reside with Frederick & Catherine Bellinger the parents of the deceased husband & that the said child with the son of her said husband John Bellinger & that he was baptized in the dutch church in said City of Schenectady by the name of John & that his grandparents Frederick & Catharine Bellinger the parents of her deceased husband were her [?] sons & that her said son John is now living & she further declares that soon; after the close of the revolutionary was she was again married to Adam Staring who died in the year 1815 & that since his death in 1815 she has remained and still is a widow.  (Signed with her mark)  Ernstine Staring.

State of New York
Herkimer County SS.
            On the 25th day of November 1837 personally appeared before me Edward P. Seymour a Justice of the Peace of & for the said County of Herkimer—Christopher Bellinger a resident of the Town of German Flatts in said County aged 74 years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration—that he is well acquainted with Ernstine Staring the present applicant for a pension, as the widow of John Bellinger—
            That he was also well acquainted with the said John Bellinger who was a brother of this declarant and as a soldier in the service of his country in the War of the Revolution—that they resided together in the town and county of Herkimer—that the said John Bellinger was an Ensign in the company of Militia commanded by Captain Henry Herter in the Regiment under the command of Colonel Peter Bellinger—and that he the said John Bellinger was attached to a company of drafted Militia of which Michael Ittig was Captain and that he accompanied the said company upon a tour of duty to Ticonderoga to guard against the incursions of the enemy from Canada—that the said company was drafted for three months & marched to the said place early in the winter of the year 1777 and did not return until after the expiration of their said term of service—and that the said John Bellinger returned with the [? ?] –and he further declares that previous to the performance of this duty that is in the winter of the year 1776 he the said John Bellinger, upon a requisition of the militia in Herkimer, the Tryon County—marched with the said Militia to Johnstown Montgomery County & such--the orders of Gen. Schuyler made previous of large number of Inhabitants, who under the influence of Sir William Johnson was supposed friendly to the British and that he the said John Bellinger was absent his said duty at best four days & then returned home--& this declarant further saith that he the said John Bellinger was killed by the spring near the Fort in Herkimer [?] in the month of July or August in 1780—And this declarant further saith that the said Ernstin whose maiden name was Herden was before the [?] the wife of the wife of the said John Bellinger married to John Myers who was also killed by the enemy [?] in the month of September 1778—and that [?[ in the spring of the year 1780 this declarant distinctly recollects that his brother the said John Bellinger & the said Ernstin then the widow of John Myers left home on horseback for Montgomery Count for the purpose of being married & after an absence of two or three days returned & declared themselves man & wife & that they lived together as such until his death which happened as aforesaid and after months after their marriage—and this declarant further saith that he was living with his parents in the City of Schenectady in the year 1781 & that the said Ernstine had a son born in his father home in the spring of said year—that the said son was named John in baptism—and that he is now living and known as the son of the said John Bellinger & Ernstin his wife—And further that the said Ernsten was married to Adam Staring some time after the close of the Revolutionary War & that the said Adam died many years ago--& that the said Ernstin has remained a widow ever since that period. (Signed) Christopher Bellinger.

Letter in the Pension Folder
August 17, 1837
Mrs. Geroge Hildebrand
111 Prindle Avenue
Johnstown, New York
Dear Madam:
            The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in pension claim, W. 16424, based upon the military service of John Bellinger in the War of the Revolution.
            The date and place of birth of John Bellinger were not given.  He was the son of Frederick and Catharine Bellinger.
            Her served as ensign in an expedition to Johnstown against the Indians, was out about five days.  Her served in 1777, three months as ensign in Captain Michael Ittig’s company of New York Militia; also in Captain Henry Herder’s company in Colonel Peter Bellinger’s regiment, and while on a scouting party, he was killed by the enemy near the fort in Herkimer County, in the month of July or August, 1780.
            John Bellinger married in the month of May, 1780 at Canajoharie, New York, Ernstine, the widow of John Myers.  Her maiden name was Herder or Herter; she married John Myers, June 7, 1776; both before and after his marriage, John Myers was a private in Captain Henry Herder’s company of New York Militia, and while in Captain Bradbick’s company of Rangers, was killed by the enemy in 1778 in Herkimer County.
            Soon after the close of the Revolution, the widow, Ernstine Bellinger, married Adam Staring, who died in 1815.
            The widow, Ernstine Staring, was allowed pension, on account of the Revolutionary War service of her husband, John Bellinger, on her application executed June 6, 1837, at which time she was seventy-six years old and living in Herkimer, New York.
            It was stated that she had a son living in 1837 in Herkimer, and another son living in Onondaga County, New York.
            The name of the only child designated was, John or Johannes Bellinger, son by her husband, John Bellinger.  He was born March 8, 1781 in Schenectady, New York, in the home of her husband’s parents, where she had gone to live after his death.
            Philip Herder, brother of the widow, was seventy-five years old in 1837, then living in Herkimer, New York; he stated that their parents resided during the Revolution in Fort Herkimer.  Names of their parents were not designated, and it was not shown that the Captain Henry Herder referred to herein was a relative.
            Christopher Bellinger, brother of Ensign John Bellinger, was living in 1837 in German Flatts, Herkimer County, New York.
            One Matthew Myers gave his address in 1838, Herkimer, New York; his relationship to the widow was not shown.
            Very truly yours, George H. Sweet, Acting Executive Assistant to the Asministrator