Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for Han Jost Hess or John Joseph or John Olest

S.44.926
State of New York
Herkimer County SS.
            On the seventh day of June 1819 before me, John McCombs one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in & for the County of Herkimer and said State personally appeared Han Jost Hess, now of the town of Warren and County of Herkimer aforesaid a resident who being duly sworn saith that he did in the year 1777 on the fifth day of May enlist as a soldier in the army of the United States of America at Fort Stanwix in the State of New York under Capt. Benscouten (1) in Colonel Peter Gansevoort’s Regiment in the Continental establishment of the said State in the revolutionary war known by being the third New York Regiment and saith that he enlisted for during the war of the Revolution and that he did faithfully serve against the common enemy in the army of the United States until the eight day of June 1783 and then belonged to a company commanded by Capt. Austin in Colonel Goose VanSchaick’s regiment in the first New York Regiment where he was honorably discharged by a discharge signed by General George Washington and was honored by a badge of merit both of which this deponent hath lost but saith that the first battle he was in was at Fort Stanwix (2) where the American Army was besieged twenty one days and where this deponent received one wound in his arm and one in his thigh and saith he was engaged in the taking of Cornwallis in October 1781 (3) besides various other engagements from the time of his aforesaid enlistment til the time of his aforesaid discharge—
            And this deponent saith he will be sixty one years of age in November next and saith that his name was called and believes it so to be spelled on the Rolls of the army John Olest and saith that his name is sometimes spelled Joseph Hess and saith that this difference in spelling his name arose from his being a German and never being able to speak English tolerably well, but that he is the same person called at different times by the aforesaid different names and saith he is poor, has not property from which to gain a livelihood and that he stands in need of the assistance of his country for support and saith he hath no other evidence of his said enlistment and services in the Revolutionary War in his possession except the annexed affidavits of John Weatherstine and Adam Harter, and that he makes the application to obtain the relief granted by an act of Congress entitled “An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War—and was never placed on the pension list of invalid soldiers of the Revolution.  (Signed)  Han Jost Hess.
            Sworn to this seventh day of June 1819 before me, J. McCombs.  Justice of Herk. Com. Pleas.
Reply to request for information, dated March 10, 1927.
            I have to advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim S. 44926, it appears that Han Jost Hess (John Joseph Hess or John Olest) was born November 1758, place not stated.
            He enlisted at Fort Stanwix, New York, May 5, 1777 and served as a private in Captains Van Bunschoten’s and Aaron Austin’s companies, Colonels Peter Gansevoort’s and Goose VanSchaick’s New York Regiments, he was at the siege of Fort Stanwix, where wounded in the arm and thigh, and was at the surrender of Cornwallis, he was discharged June 8, 1783.
            He was allowed pension on his application executed June 7, 1819, while a resident of Warren, Herkimer County, New York.
            In 1828, he was living in German Flats, New York.
            He stated that he was a German, but gave no details.  There is no data on file as to family.

End Notes—Han Jost Hess or John Joseph Olest—S.44926

1. John Olest (Uttest, Uthest, etc.) enlisted as a private on May 2, 1777 for “During War” in Captain Elias VanBunschouten’s (Benschouten, etc.) Company in Colonel Peter Gansevoort’s Third New York Continental Regiment.  John is listed on the Muster Roll dated October 3, 1777 as “wounded in Genl Hospital”.  On the December 7, 1777 muster roll his is listed as “sick at German Flatts”.  FROM: Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783, Series M.-246, Roll 70, Folder 49, National Archives, Washington DC.  Captain VanBunschouten resigned January 19, 1778.  The company then became the “Major’s Company” commanded by Major Robert Cochran.  Cochran was later promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of the Second New York Continental Regiment.  On March 1, 1780, Captain James Rosekrans of the Fifth New York Continental Regiment was appointed the Major of the Third New York.  On January 1, 1781, the Third New Your was consolidated with the First New York.  John is listed as a private in Captain Aaron Aorson’s Company.  FROM: Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, Series M-246, Roll 65, Folder 5, National Archives, Washington DC.
2. Siege of Fort Stanwix (Fort Schuyler) was from August 2 to August 23, 1777.  The American fort was besieged by Crown Forces under Brigadier General Barry St. Leger or St. Ledger.
3. The Yorktown, Virginia Campaign was from September 28-October 19, 1781.  One of the other battles that John refers to was during the Generals JohnSullivan and James Clinton’s campaign against the Iroquois in 1779.  He would have been in the Battle of Newton, which is present day Elmira, NY, on August 29, 1779.

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