Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for William W. Fox
S.10690
State of New York
Montgomery County
Personally
came before me Henry I. Diefendorff, one of the Judges of the Court of Common
Pleas of the County of Montgomery and the State of New York aforesaid, William
W. Fox of the said Town, County & Sate aforesaid, who being duly sworn deposeth
and saith, that he had performed Militia duty from the Commencement to the close
of the Revolutionary War, that conformable to an Resolution passed on the
27th day of May 1775 by the Old Congress. It was resolved that the Militia
of New York be armed and trained and in constant readiness to act at a moment’s
warning—That it be recommended to the Provincial Convention of New York
to persevere the more vigorously in preparing for their defense, as it was very
uncertain, wether [whether] the earnest endeavour of Congress to accommodate
the unhappy differences between Great Britain and the Collonies, [colonies] by
conciliatory means would be successful.
This deponent
further saith that in compliance of the aforesaid Revolution he hath furnished
himself with sufficient arms and accouterments and always kept himself in readiness
to march out with the militia or Continental troops against the enemy on any
or every occurrence and emergency when required thereto, on a moments warning. That
the militia were particularly situated up along the Mohawk River apparently on
the frontier west to Canada and from whence they came looking around us, sometimes
taking some of the Militia prisoners and at other times murdering & scalping. When
laboring on their forces during the whole summer season for a number of years
in succession often with armies on their fields for defence, when his country
called for physical means he fervently? obeyed that call, at the bidding of his
government, he left the plough for the tented field on any emergency he quit
the quiet and safety of his home to share in the danger of the Battle. He
left his own fireside to mingle in the lesser duties in danger from April 1775
to October 1782 the Militia of the whole country were required to be in constant
readiness for active service. That he is now aged 78 years. That
he has faithfully served in achieving the American Independence as well than
the rights and Liberties of the Citizens of the United States.
This deponent
further saith that from the commencement to the close of the Revolutionary War
he belonged to the Regt of Militia Commanded by Jacob Klock Col. and Peter Waggoner,
Lieut. Col., that at the commencement he belonged to Capt. William Foxes Company
emmediatly [immediately] after next thence the command of Capt. Christopher
Foxes Company and lastly after the year 1777 under Capt. Henry Miller, all in
the same beat? [battalion?] excepting when belonging to Capt. William Foxes Company
in the Town of Palatine County & State aforesaid, where he this deponent
was born and where he hath resided during the whole war and ever since.
This deponent
further saith that it is altogether impractical and impossible for him to document
all, each, and every occurrence or trip he had to perform, that no one has kept
a memorandum, no one he thinks can tell more than once out of six, as to the
different times and the duties performed, shall only beg leave to mention some
of the most important contests & battles engaged in, First ordered out in
the year 1776 to march to Caughnawaga there joining Genl Schuyler & his Militia
from Albany and Schenectady, from thence marching to Johnstown where Sr. John
Johnson had assembled or he understood with about three or four hundred men all
around and acquit?, supposing contemplating in doing injury to those considered
adhering to the Whig principles, previous to their going to Canada in January. The
British then continuing in obeying the calls and the emergency of his country
until the memorable Battle under Genl Herkimer of Militia near Fort Stanwix to
what is called Oriskany Battle on the sixth day of Augt 1777 and that in
the same year in the fall he hath been to Still Water, Saratoga, at the taking
of Genl Burgoyne with his Army. By Genl Gates and our army composed of
regular troops detached from the American Army and Militia of New York & New
England States.
This deponent
further saith that he has been drafted twice to go to Fort Stanwix the last for
six weeks. Emediately [Immediately] before Oriskana Battle only two days after
his return home, the second day after again warned and marching under the Command
of Genl Nicholas Herkimer, to the aid of Col. Willett & Col. Gansevoort then
at Fort Stanwix, then at Fort Stanwix, when battle took place about 4 miles this
side of the fort at Oriskana. Between the British Army and the Militia
along from the Mohawk. Next again in pursuit of Sr. John Johnson while
the enemy were laying waste to houses and barns at and around Caughnawage in
the Town of Johnstown, murdering and scalping some of the most respectable part
of its inhabitants. When in pursuit of them, they took flight retreating
along by the Village of Johnstown marching to the Hall, and across the Hall forces
not affording an opportunity to gratify the veracity of the Militia or Whigs,
but to the contrary hastening to the woods, which was the last we saw of them
at that time. Which occurrence happened to the best of his knowledge and
recollection on the 22d day of May 1780—That on the 19th day of Oct 1780
same year after the Battle in Palatine in Stonearabia where the Brave Col. Brown
was slain in battle and almost all the buildings burned and consumed to ashes,
connectively with chiefly all their graves & This deponent in pursuit of
the enemy, with others overtook Sr. John Johnson with his dire and incendiary
crew, about seven or 8 miles up along the Mohawk River, there took battle on
Failing Flats with the enemy and that to the Great shame and disgrace to whom,
who had the command over all the commanding Genl’s and who had force sufficient
to have taken Sr. John Johnson and all his Incendiary Tory Crew, previous had
not the Genl halted at the distance nearly one mile leaving it to few courageous
Militia and all who would fight in putting the enemy to flight. And that
without the Great Genl, the Commander of that memorable day, this deponent further
saith that on the 29th day of July on the Holy Sabbath day morning when the distressed
inhabitance happened to be gathered and collected together at their church in
Stonearabia, Town of Palatine aforesaid, an express came informing the people
at the Meeting house that an number of Indians and Tories were situated
at a distance about five or six miles from the aforesaid church in the woods
whose object was to exercise their customary & usual cruelties on some of
the inhabitants near their encampment—the instant discovery was made, one
of their party with an Indians was sent as spys, and the white man, treacherous
to the party left in the woods, they both crashing near to a house where a respectable
family were residing—the Indian at once struck with fear and jealousy,
hastening to his comrades from Canada our men all flying to their arms as they
were ready doing execution at all times, when called as many as could be gathered
there at the church left it instantly and emediately [immediately] flying to
their arms after returned to their respective homes, ??? in a body to their encampment
into the woods, discovering that they had shifted their position about fifty
rods further into the woods taking them on surprise, the Chief of the Indians
killed and two or three wounded the foregoing happened on 29th July 1781.
This deponent
also saith that late in the month of October same year, 1781 in Battle at Johnstown
in said County of Montgomery this deponent then under the emediant [immediate]
Command of Col. lMarinus Willett against a numerous party from Canada, under
the Command of Majr. Ross when after a serious conflict attended with the loss
of lifes, & Blood shed on both sides, likewise prisoners taken from both
sides. When the enemy at that left the field retreating &c.
This deponent
further saith that he thinks in the summer 1779 on the expedition with Genl Sullivan
in sailing boats to Lake Otsego from the Mohawk River for at least 3 weeks. When
marching to the Western Country in pursuing several tribes of the Indians &c—also
that he this applicant never hath applied for a pension under the Act of 1828?
And considering to suffer sufficient [blotted] because appear by the foregoing
mentioned circumstances and occurrences to his Hon’r The Secretary of the
War department not only for the service of two years, but from the commencement
to the close of the war, exclusive of the various kind of Military Services performed
calculated to watch and guard against the incursions of the common enemy, of
his country, that he hath always kept himself in readiness with his arms and
accoutrements, & when warned to [blotted] out, at a moment without
any hesitation or equivocation, besides carrying his provisions along, willing
to await any emergencie [emergency] which might befall him—and after and
often encountering the greatest danger on his return home as well than in leaving
always finding his own provisions, closing with an hope to be placed on the pension
list, being allowed an full pension with others equally deserving.
And this applicant
further declares that as early in the war than 1776 his name was entered on pay
roll as appeared by copy or abstract reserved by Capt. Christop’r Fox dec’d,
containing his name and allowing him this amt. Of £10..2..8 equal to $25.33
for duties and services performed. Already owed and as soon than 76. And
if services performed apparently nearly four months in that year, what allowance
necessarily out to [tear in paper]for the following six succeeding years
when trouble, danger and [blot and tear in paper] than at the commencement of
the war vizt at the expiration of the two first years. This claimant declares
that he will with due justification leave his care to his hon’r the Secretary
of the War department, in full confidence that he may be enabled the foregoing
in realizing the situation this claimant had to incounter [encounter] during
the war not only himself but almost each and every inhabitant up along the Mohawk
River, those who were friendly to the American cause for the liberty and independence
and that he this applicant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension
or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension
roll of the agency of any state. And further this applicant says not.
And further
this claimant or applicant declares that he has omitted those events where they
hath formed a small company of rangers to [blotted] the enemy and the number
of nine and during the course of the winter have been engaged going out for three
months scouting weekly on scouts, Christian Gettman at the head of the party
that they were authorized by their field officers to raise this even that they
hath been decided into three different classes so that one class having been
out for three days, all the time one out during the full three months, and further
this claimant saith not.
(Signed) Wm W. Fox.
Letter in the pension folder.
January 16, 1928
Mrs. M.O. Kline
35 Union St.
Amsterdam, NY
Madam”
I have to
advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim, S.10690,
it appears that WILLIAM W. Fox was born in Palatine, Montgomery County, New York,
date not stated.
While a resident
of that place he enlisted and served at various times from sometime in 1776 until
the close of the Revolution, amounting to at least two years in all, as private
with the New York Troop[s under Captains William Fox, Christopher Fox, and Henry
Miller, and Colonels Jacob Klock and Marinus Willett; he was in the battles or
Oriskany, Stillwater, Saratoga, Failings Flats and Johnstown.
He was allowed
pension on his application executed September 6, 1832, at which time he was living
in Palatine, New York and was seventy-eight years of age.
There are
no data on file relative to his family.
Respectfully,
Winfield Scott, Commissioner