Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for Peter Markell (Markle, Merkell, Merkill, etc.)
W.7388 (Widow: Elizabeth or Elisabeth. Married at the Dutch Reformed Church at Stone Arabia, County of Montgomery December 9, 1792, Elizabeth Kock and Peter Merkel. In the deposition, Elizabeth gave the date as the 10th. Peter died on the 25 May 1837.)
Geauga County SS.
On this 10th day of September A.D. 1833, personally appeared in open court before the Court of Common Pleas now sitting within & for the County of Geauga & State aforesaid Peter Markell, a resident of Kirtland Township County and State aforesaid aged sixty eight years the 24th day of March last, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his said oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the Act of Congress passed the 7th day of June A.D. 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as hereinafter stated.
This deponent entered the service in the last of April in the year seventeen hundred and eighty one. I resided then at the Town of Palatine Montgomery County and State of New York. This deponent volunteered as a private in the company commanded by Severenus Cook Captain, Jacob Clock (1) was Colonel of the Regiments. Peter Waggoner was Lieut. Colonel—This deponent was stationed at Fort Paris to watch the movements of the enemy. I was in a skirmish a short distance from the fort, an Indian was killed and several wounded.(2)—This deponent was in the battle of Johnstown on the 25th day of October 1781 under the command Colonel willet & Major Rowley. I remained at this fort from the last of April till the last of November following & when I received a discharge to return home when this deponent remained til the middle of May 1782—and then was ordered into Fort Paris where this deponent remained till the last of November of the same year.
In the month of October this deponent was ordered to March to a place called Royal Grant about 60 or 70 miles from Fort Paris. On the second night of said march this deponent being obliged to sleep on the cold ground without a blanket and it raining in the night, coughted a cold in the head from the effects of which he has not to this day recovered. In consequence of which cold this deponent turned back into post and there remained sick till the last of November as above stated when he discharged from the service. This deponent has no documentary evidence by which he can prove his service having received none but a verbal discharge. For a now particular detail of his service this deponent refers to the affidavits of Jacob Snell who was for many years a senator and a representative in the state legislature of New York & of Nancy Zielly hereto annexed. This deponent hereby relinquishes every claim 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. Peter Markell
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court before me. D.D. Aiken, Clerk
State of N. York
Montgomery County SS.
On the 6th day of Montgomery county August one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace of the Town of Palatine County and State aforesaid, Jacob Snell a resident of the same town, County and State aforesaid, who being duly sworn, deposeth and saith that he has been personally acquainted with Peter Markell now a resident in the Town of Kirtland, County of Geauga & State of Ohio.
Who appears by the church record kept in the Reformed Dutch Church of Stonearabia, Town of Palatine then County of Tryon now County of Montgomery and State aforesaid, that according to the best of the deponents knowledge and belief, the said applicant for a pension was born in the aforesaid Town of Palatine, on the 24th day of March 1765, now aged sixty eight years, last exceeding four months, and that he has entered the service of the United States soon after the 24th day of March 1781, that deponent believes that the Claimant, was ordered out with the Militia to Turlough forepart of July, following with the Militia from Palatine under Capt. Severenus Cook. Calculated to reinforce Col. Willett who had marched off, previous to our arrival at Canajoharie, and Emediately after Battle arrived where the enemy had encamped. The enemy after a severe skirmish & battle, consisting of about 300 put to retreat by an inferior force under command of Col. Willett, not exceeding two hundred men. (3)
That this deponent is also personally known that the applicant on the 29th day of July same year was engaged in Battle against a large party of Indians and Tories, under Capt. Miller (4), Lieut Sammons, Lieut Gray, Lieut Paris & deponent himself Sergt, the Indian chief killed, several wounded & the enemy took to retreat and run.
That deponent further states, that he beliefs that according to the best of his recollection at the time of the General Conflagration around about Fort Timmerman (5) almost the upper part of Palatine now Oppenheim, Burning, killing men & beasts, then in pursuit of the Enemy under the Command of Col. Willett. Marching during the whole first night and next day in persuing the Enemy, but disappointed—he beliefs latter part of Sept.
And this deponent further declares that he is personally known that applicant has been in that memorable Battle on the 25th day of Oct 1781 same year under the Emedient Command of Col. Willett & Majr Rowly, generally called Johnstown Battle under Col. Willett---and this deponent further saith that the following year 1782 that although not by very large forces & Parties the Indians from Spring until late in fall, continually have kept lurking about in the woods, and frequently have taken the advantage of the honest farmer attempting to attend to their logal [local?] concerns merely during the course of that season, five different occurrences happened, two not to exceed much over one mile, one other about two miles, the fourth three & fifth about four from the center of the old settled and cultivated place vizt Stonearabia, Fort Paris & Fort Snell, vizt first deponent believes in May a Wm. Kuhl Murdered & Henry Haring, Josiah Gripp and he thinks John Spankable (6)at the same time taken Prisoner—Again sometime in July, three Brother & too young Boys, vizt, John, Henry & William Shultis, Valatine Woolf, and a black boy by name Joe all taken prisoner by thirteen Indians as Henry Shultis & Valantine Woolf have sworn to, (7) Also he believes in the same month latter part of July Philip Empie and Conradt Neahr taken Prisoner, --Also he thinks not exceeding half a mile from where the claimant with his father, and this deponent were Engaged in their wheat harvest, when at the same time two old people by name, John, Reed (8) & Wife were Murdered—While we knew nothing of it until the alarming guns was heard, --next he this deponent thinks in Sept when two sons of Melchard Bauder, by name Melchard, and Leonerd, were taken prisoner to Canada, and so that only the Inhabitants, continually annoyed, but the willing and faithful soldiers, continually on the March, not only confined to the Town of Palatine, but at different other directions on the like, unpleasant Occasions, and occurrence, the service performed by the applicant from the time of his enrolement when Emediently he served to the age of sixteen until the conclusion of the war hath been almost unceasingly so much so, that deponent is at the loss how and where to separate such services but an impression rests on his mind, that where the poor worn out soldier, has proved a true and zealous soldier, in favour of his Countries Cause; that the law passed 7th June 1832 should or did not contemplate that the militia soldier ought, or must be placed beneath the Enlisted Soldier was fedd & cloathed, when after he was procured & bought by the Militia Man who being a farmer, and who notwithstanding had to fight & being engaged in the Most of Battles, & Willingly Suffering himself to be led into Battle alike the Butcher his Sheep to the Slaughter house.—
That this deponent further saith that he hath been acquainted with the applicant from his childhood to the commencement and during the war and ever since, That his connections, brothers of his Father were all toryfied, excepting his father doubling his Exertions in favour of the American cause, that his Brother was slain at Oriskany Battle like a true friend in atchieving and preserving the American Independence. Deponant further states that Claimant was enrolled and belonged to the Company Commanded By Capt. Severenus Cooke in the Regt Commanded by Col. Jacob Klock & Peter Waggoner Lieut Col.—that while he had to render Services after became of age, he has proved a good and faithful soldier, to the United States, that he has been considered a man of good reputation by the Majority of the Electors in the Town of Palatine. That he has held different Town Offices, and was considered a man of truth and veracity and to believed when under oath and further this deponent saith not. (Signed) Jacob Snell
Sworn to and Subscribed on the day and year first above written before me. Laurence Marcellus, Justice of the Peace.
End Notes—Peter Markell—W7388
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