Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for Peter Marsh
W.19856 (Dorothy Maybee/Mabee)
State of New York
Peter Marsh, (aka) John Thomas Trantum, was born in London England
County of Onondaga SS.
On this 4th day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight personally appeared before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Onondaga in open court, Dorothy Marsh a resident of the Town of Manlius in said County of Onondaga and State of New York aged seventy six years, who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the Act of congress passed July 7th 183[?].
That she was married to Peter Marsh who was in the Revolutionary Army under different officers and at different places about seven years and was two years a sergeant under Colonel Willet (1) and while in such service marched to Fort Stony and to Oswego and to other places the names of which deponent cannot now remember. That while in such service he was shot through the thigh and wounded in the leg. That he was in the service about two months after his marriage to deponent, and in his life time frequently told deponent that he was in a battle but deponent is unable to state what battle deponent is also unable to state whether there is any documentary evidence of such service at the department or not and that she has no such evidence in her possession. She further declares that she was married to the said Peter Marsh in the month of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty three. That her husband the aforesaid Peter Marsh died on the eleventh day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty one. And that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereunto annexed. (Signed with her mark) Dorothy Marsh.
Subscribed and sworn to before Gron Lawrence, First Judge of Onondaga County.
State of New York
Onondaga County SS.
John Thomas Trantum of the Town of Columbus, County of Warren & State of Pennsylvania being duly sworn deposeth & saith that he will be sixty six years of age on the first day of November next having been born on the first day of November 1781 as appears from his family record made by himself more than forty years ago, and as has always been represented to him by his father. That he is a son of Peter Marsh who died upwards of twenty six years ago in the Town of Manlius in said county of Onondaga. Deponent is now upon a visit to his brother Nicholas Marsh who still lives in said Town of Manlius. And deponent further saith that is father’s true name was also John Thomas Trantum. Deponent has often been informed by his said father and by many others who were conversant with the fact, that his said father was a British soldier, and came to this country with the British troops at or near the commencement of the war of the revolution. That he deserted from the British when the army was quartered upon Rhode Island, a short time previous to the capture of Major Prescott by Colonel Barton. That after desertion he proceeded to the American camp and was hailed by a sentry there on guard, and taken into custody by him. That this sentry, whose name was Joseph Wilbur, afterwards conducted him to his father’s house in Plainfield, Connecticut, where he afterwards made it his home. Said Joseph Wilbur was deponent’s uncle from whom deponent has often received these facts. That afterwards said John Thomas Trantum, deponent’s father as aforesaid, enlisted into the American Army from Plainfield aforesaid, for during the war. Deponent remembers the name of Capt. Durkee among the officers under whom his said father served. He then, to avoid detection, changed his name from Trantum to that of Peter Marsh by which he was ever afterwards known. That while in said service his said father married Happy Wilbur, a sister of said Joseph Wilbur in whose father’s family he had been adopted. That this deponent was his first and only son by said Happy Wilbur who continued to live in her father’s family & in Plainfield aforesaid until her death. That deponent’s father was in the service aforesaid when deponent was born. Shortly afterwards visiting home to see his family he desired that deponent’s name should be called after his own, to wit, John Thomas Trantum. He has since often requested deponent to continue the name in the family, and in accordance with his wishes deponent’s oldest son and grandson both bear the name of John Thomas Trantum.
That before the close of the war of the revolution & while he was still in service as aforesaid deponent’s father the said John Thomas Trantum alias Peter Marsh was again married to Dorothy Maybee of the Town of Fort Plain & state of New York—That he was thus married while on duty upon the Mohawk River where he often stated that he served about six months near the close of said war & that during this service Colonel Willett of New York State was chief in command at the various frontier forts on said river to wit, Fort Plain, Fort Plank, fort Stanwix, Stone Arabia &c. He did not, to Deponent’s knowledge ever enlist under Colonel Willett as has been supposed. He belonged to the Connecticut Line into which he had enlisted as aforesaid from Plainfield, Connecticut & in which he was promoted to the rank of sergeant, as he and others have often stated. He was under Colonel Willett’s command as the general officer of all the forts along the Mohawk during the year he served there. Deponent continued to live in Plainfield, Connecticut & most of the time with his grandfather Wilbur until he was thirty years of age. His father the said Peter Marsh lived in Fort Plain & afterwards in Manlius, New York where he raised a family of children by his second wife the said Dorothy Maybee. All the above facts which occurred before deponent’s recollection deponent has often heard related by his said father, by his said uncle Joseph Wilbur who died before the pension laws were passed & by another uncle whose name was Oliver Wilbur who died in the receipt of a pension at Delhi, New York, said Oliver served with deponent’s father & as deponent believes in the same company & regiment. (Signed) John T. Trantum
Subscribed & sworn this 17th day of September 1847--& I certify that said John Thomas Trantum is a credible witness. R. Gilmor, J. Peace
End Notes for Peter Marsh W19856
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