Morrison's Pensions
MEN FROM THE THIRD BATTALION WHO SERVED
IN THE LEVIES
BY JAMES
F. MORRISON
Tryon County not only had 5 regiments of militia
for most of the war but at one time had a Battalion of Minute Men and at
various times during the war raised 1O companies of rangers. Tryon County
also supplied men for the Bateau Service, the Continental Line, Wagoners,
Artificers, and the Levies.
This article will deal with the men who served in
the Levies from Col. Frederick Visscher's Regiment or his District (Mohawk
District).
I have found that at least four men in 1779 served
in Captain Robert McKean's Company in Col. Henry K. Van Rensselaer's Regt of
NYS Levies. They were John Shew as Sergeant, David Quackenboss as Corporal,
William Forgason and Henry Rightmyer as Privates. Capt McKean with half of
the company was stationed at a blockhouse named Fort Mike in present day Schuyler,
Herkimer County. The remainder of the company under Lieutenant Walter J. Vrooman
were stationed at the Sacondaga Blockhouse.
In 178O, Col Visscher was to supply 26 men to serve
in Col. John Harper's Regt. of NYS Levies under the command of Capt. Garret
Putman. But men served in 3 other Levy regiments and the following is a list
of the men by regiment and what militia companies they came from.
COL. JOHN HARPER'S REGT OF NYS LEVIES
CAPTAIN GARRET PUTMAN'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Militia
Co.
Captain Garret Putman Putman
Lieutenant Solomon Woodworth Littel
Sergeant John Dunham Littel
Sergeant John Servis Snook
Sergeant Henry Shew Littel
Corporal John Eikler Littel
Corporal Robert Martin
Privates
Archer, Annias DeGraff
Bellinger, Chri stian Yates
Berry, William (taken prisoner 10/23/80) McMaster
Billins, Incris Snook
Caine, Thomas Snook
Coplin, Samuel Veeder
Ellis, John Yates
Keech, James Yeomans
Kelly, Henry Littel
Newkirk, Jacob (taken prisoner 10/23/80) Snook
Phillips, Jacob
Shew, Jacob Littel
Van Horn, John Snook
Van Sickler, Rynier Littel
CAPTAIN WALTER J. VROOMAN'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Private William Murray
CAPTAIN ISAAC BOGART'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Lieutenant Victor Putman Gardinier
COLONEL MORRIS
GRAHAM'S REGT OF NYS LEVIES
CAPTAIN JACOB JOHN LANSING'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Private Joseph French Yeomans
CAPTAIN JEREMIAH C. MULLER'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Private Philip Graff Yates
COLONEL LEWIS DUBOIS' REGT OF NYS LEVIES
CAPTAIN HANS MARCUS DEMUTH'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Lieutenant William Wallace Fonda
Sergeant Peter Harrison DeGraff
Corporal William Forguson Snook
Private Richard Jones Yeomans
Private Cornelius Sixberry DeGraff
COLONEL WILLIAM MALCOLM'S REGT OF NYS LEVIES
LIEUTENANT JOSEPH REQUA'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Private Henry Stoner Fonda
Despite the men in the levies, Continental service
and the batteau service, a July 7, 178O return gives the following: 1 Col,
1 Lt. Col., 1 Major, 8 Capts., 18 Lts, 9 Ensigns, 1 Adjt, 1 QrMr, 1 Serjt
Major, 3O Serjts, 6 Drum & Fife, 24 Corps and 2OO Privates.
The following served in Col. Marinus Willett's
Regt of NYS Levies for 1781.
CAPTAIN GARRET PUTMAN'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Capt Garret Putman Putman
Lieutenant Garret Newkirk Marselis
Lieutenant Victor Putman Gardinier
Sergeant William Laird A.
Wemple
Corporal Jacob Shew Littel
Privates
Archer, Annias DeGraff
Caine, John Snook
Crosset, John Littel
Deline, Uriah Snook
Dingman, Samuel Yeomans
Ellis, John Yates
Frank, Andrew Yeomans
Guiles, Henry
Hubbs, Samuel
Kelly, Henry Littel
Mason, John Littel
Mour, George Yates
Prime, John McMaster
Rightmyer,
Henry
Scarborough,William Littel
Phillips, Jacob
Tanner, Jacob Yates
Ulman, Frederick
Yates
Van Sickler, David
Van Sickler, Rynier Littel
CAPTAIN ANTHONY WHELP'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Private William Forgason Snook
CAPTAIN PETER VAN RENSSELAER'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Private Philip Graff Yates
CAPTAIN PETER ELSWORTH'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Private John Everson Yeomans
CAPTAIN THOMAS SKINNER'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Lieutenant Solomon Woodworth Littel
CAPTAIN LAWRANCE GROS' COMPANY [levy co.]
Lieutenant Jacob Sammons
Sergeant James Eaton Yeomans
Privates
Dunham, John Littel
French, Ansel
Jones, Hermanus Yeomans
Jones, Richard Yeomans
CAPTAIN ELIHU MARSHALL'S COMPANY [levy co.]
Corporal David Putman Littel
The men serving in Col. Willett's Levies in 1781
were on constant duty and were in several battles this year including the
Battle of Johnstown on Oct. 25, 1781.
The following compiled list shows what happened to
them while serving in the Levies.
First Lt Solomon Woodworth; Privates Annias Archer
and John Dunham were killed, and David Putman was taken prisoner in an ambush
on September 7, 1781 in Herkimer County.
Privates Jacob Tanner and Frederick Ulman were taken
prisoners on Oct. 24, 1781 near Currytown.
On Oct. 25, 1781 a battle raged near Johnson Hall
in Johnstown between Patriot and Crown forces with the following results to
Visscher's men now serving in Willett's levies.
William Scarborough was killed, Henry Guiles and John
Mason were wounded.
The following were in Col. Willett's Regt in 1782.
CAPTAIN ABNER FRENCH'S COMPANY (levy co.)
Captain Abner French
Sergeant Henry Shew Littel
Corporal Jacob Shew Littel
Privates
Earnest, Jacob Yeomans
Guiles, Henry
Keech, George Yeomans
Mower, Peter
Rightmyer Henry
Van Sickler, David
Van Sickler, Rynier Littel
CAPTAIN
GUY YOUNG'S COMPANY (levy co.)
Privates
Murray, William
Phillips, John Yeomans
The following served in Col. Marinus Willett's Regt in 1783.
CAPTAIN PETER B. TEARCE'S COMPANY OF LIGHT INFANTRY (levy co.)
Privates
Mower, Peter
Stoner, Nicholas Fonda
Van Sickler, Rynier Littel