Pension Application

W.20484 (Widow: Nancy)
B.L.Wt.218-60-55
State of New York
County of Schenectady SS.
            John Lighthall, formerly a soldier in the service of the United States, now a resident in the City and County of Schenectady & State of New York, being duly sworn deposeth and saith, that he is now about fifty nine years of age—That in the spring of the year 1776, during the war of the revolution, he enlisted under Captain Gerrit S. Veeder at the then town of Schenectady to serve for the term of seven months, that he was attached to the said Captain Veeder’s company in (he thinks) Colonel Wynkoop’s Regiment, (1) that he served his full term of seven months, and immediately afterwards in or about the month of January in the year 1777, at Saratoga in the State of New York he enlisted under Lieutenant Snow, (2) to serve during the war—That he was attached to Captain John Copp’s (3) company in the first regiment of New York State Troops, commanded by Colonel Goosen Van Schaick—That he continued attached to the said Captain Copp’s Company until the said Copp resigned, when he was attached to Captain Charles Parson’s Company in the said First Regiment, and remained in the said company and regiment until the close of the war when at NewBorough Huts near New Windsor in the State of New York, he was on the Eighth Day of June in the year 1783, discharged from the service, and was “honored with the Badge of Merit for Seven Years Faithful Service.”,--which discharge is hereunto annexed.—This deponent says that he is the same John Lighthall who is mentioned in the said discharge and none other—
            This deponent further says, that he served in the War of the Revolution, on the Continental Establishment as before stated against the common enemy—that he is by reason of his reduced circumstances in life, in need of assistance from his country for support—and that he has never had any pension allowed him for his services aforesaid by the laws of the Unites States or otherwise, and further saith not. (Signed) John Lighthall
            Sworn before me this fourth day of April 1818. John Yates one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Schenectady.
            In her deposition, Nancy states she was born the 19th day of October 1774, that her baptized (Oct 23, 1774) name was Annatie VanSlyck, that she was the daughter of Cornelius VanSlyck and Catharine Vecler VanSlyck. That the name Annatie is the Dutch work for Nancy. John Lighthall and she were married on the 23d day of April A.D. 1793. John departed this life on or about the fourth day of August A.D. 1835 at Schenectady. (4)

John enlisted on March 20, 1776 in Captain Garret S. Veeder’s Company in Colonel Cornelius Wynkoop’s Fourth New York Continental Regiment. (Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783, Series M. 246, Roll 78, National Archives, Washington DC.
Second Lieutenant Ephraim Snow was in Captain Copp’s Company.
John Enlisted on December 5, 1776 in Captain John Copp’s Company in Colonel Goose Van Schaick’s First New York Continental Regiment for during the war. John does not mentioned being in the Battle of Monmouth, NY on June 28, 1778 or the Siege of Yorktown in October 1781.
There are two pages taken from the family bible in this file. They are as follows.

      Memorandum of Births.
      John Lighhall was born in the year 1759, 12the February
      Nancy Lighthall Consort born 1774 19th October and was married 1793 12the April
      Esther Lighthall was born 1794 14the January
      Cornelius Lighthall was born 1795 16the August
      James Lighthall was born 1797 12the May
      Catharine Lighthall was born 1799 2the May
      Abraham & Sally twins were born 1801 14the August
      Sarah Lighthall was born 1803 12the September
      Abraham Lighthall was born 1806 24the January
      Peter Lighthall was born 1808 1the July
      Hannah Lighthall was born 1811 8the March
      Memorandum of Deaths
      Abraham Lighthall died 1802 12the May
      Sally Lighthall died 1802 15the September

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