Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for George Danbar or Dunbar

S.10,540
State of New York
Oswego County SS.
            On this 24th day of September personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the said County of Oswego & State aforesaid now sitting George Danbar in English but in his native tongue called George Dunburgher a resident of the town of Alburn in said County of Oswego aged seventy two years on the 10th day of November next 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 7th 1832—That he entered service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.
            In the winter of 1777, he was residing at a place now called Herkimer in the State of New York near the Mohawk River—then called Tryon County—and in the month of February & before he was 16 years old he was called out by Captain Frederick Getman or Garman with a part of his company & marched form that place to Lake George being about one hundred miles—they went by Ballstown & Halfmoon Point—Part of Captain Edick’s Company, Capt. Small’s & Capt. Hendrick Harters company also went, under the command of Col. Peter Belinger, Frederick Belinger (who was taken prisoner at the Herkimer battle was Lieutenant.  That they were called out on an alarm & after remaining in the service about four weeks he & the other soldiers came home—having all been dismissed—John Myers was the Lieutenant & Jacob Myers was ensign to Capt. Getman’s Company.  This service was about 8 or 9 months before Burgoyne was taken—That a year or two after Burgoyne was taken he volunteered in Captain Henry Keysor’s company at Palatine, Montgomery Count.  Colonel Brown commanded -- the whole county turned out to repel the Indians & Tories—sometime in September or October had a battle with the tories & Indians at Sharon—That the Indians & Tories were defeated between 20 & 40 Indians & Tories were killed & but one American by the name of [Cassinier?] whom it was supposed was killed by one own people—That the Americans lay in ambush in the shape of a half moon in the forest & sent out to scout to find on the Indians & retreat & find & retreat & so led them into the ambush—that he was engaged in the town of [?] about one week—That in the year ‘781-1782 believes tho it was in the year 1781, he enlisted in Capt. Garret Butman’s Company, Dorus Butman Lieutenant, Garret Cornelius’ was Ensign—Colonel Marinus Willett commanded the Regiment – Capt. Vroman commanded another company—That he enlisted for nine months at Stone Roby (now Palatine) in said State & faithfully  served out his tour of service & was dismissed with the whole company at the expiration of the term of service & enlistment—on New Year’s day morning at Schnectady—soon after he joined the company under his enlistment he marched to Johnstown from thence to fort Hunter—from thence to Schenectady from thence to old Schoharrie—from thence to Albany—thence to FishKill—from thence to Albany—from thence to Schenectady—then to Fort Hunter again—There he had a battle with Major Ross, Tories & Indians & some regulars—The battle was on Sunday afternoon—there were 500 or 600 American commanded by Willett—The battle lasted about two hours, the British were defeated.  We took about fifty prisoners & many were killed—Michael Myers was wounded—Jacob Myers mortally wounded—George Stanscel wounded & many was killed & wounded.  A few days after this Captain Walter Butler of the British forces was killed on West Canada Creek with several of his followers—That he was in the skirmish – Cpatin John an Oneida Indian killed & scalpt Butler & took his regimental & commission & watch &c, then the troops marched to Schenectady & then discharged—barefooted & ragged—the nine months having expired.
            That after the battle at Sharon & before he enlisted in the nine months service as here stated he volunteered in Capt. Henry Keysors Company at Stone Rogy (now Palatine) that they went out to repel the forces under the command of Sir John Johnson—Had a battle with his forces Brown commanded the American forces—The Americans lay behind a British fence & gave the first fire & cut up the refugee forces—that the second brigade came on & the Americans had to retreat and Colonel Brown was killed being shot from his hinde—The Americans retreated to the fort being about a mile & a half from the battle ground at Palatine—the British & Indians left the county immediately—General Van Rensselaer at this time lay five or six miles below the fort with a large force—a family of Snells were mostly kill off in this battle—One Willson was in Browns regiment & in this battle he was a 3 years man—a great many Americans were killed—John Pyer was a fifer in Brown’s regiment was in this battle knocked down by the Indians & scapl’d—That he was enaged in this tour of service about one week—
            I hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declare that my name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
1st Question.  Where & in what year were you born?
A. At Burnetsfield (now called Herkimer) A.D. 1760.

2d Question.  Have you any record of your age & if so where is it?
A. Has none, but his father had a record of it in the Family bible.

3d.  Where were you living when called into service were you drafted—did you volunteer or were you a substitute?  And if a substitute for whom?
A. Living at Stone Roby (now Palatine aforesaid) volunteered that is Keyser’s Company had to make out a certain number of men for man for the nine months service & I was not drafted but voluntarily went & the man that staid at home & were not drafted, paid me in grain &c, corn.

4th Q.  Where have you lived since the revolutionary war & where do you now live?
A.  Moved from Palatine to Guilderland in said state from Guilderland to Herkimer – from Herkimer to Montgomery – from thence to Otsego—thence to [Albim?] in Oswego County where his now resides.

5th Q.  State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the troops where you served such continental & militia regiments as you can recollect & the general circumstances of your services?
A. Col. Willett—Lieutenant Doras Butman, Capt. Gross, Colonel Brown—Capt Keyser—General VanRenselaer, Governor George Clinton—Major Elias Vanbenschowen, Lieutenant Bloomfield—Col. Peter Belinger.

6th Q.  Did you ever received discharge from the service & if so by whom was it signed & what has become of it?
A.  Never to my recollection but we were dismissed.

7th Q.  State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighbourhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and good behavior [for] your services as a soldier of the revolution.
A. Matthias Hoke—Henry Davey—John Hake.  There is no clergyman residing within about 6 miles of his present place of residence—that they have travelling preachers occasionally in the neighborhood-- 

(Signed)  George Downber
Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid.  E. McPherson, Dep. Clk.

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