Morrison's Pensions
John Mason, Married at Nicholas Stoner's Home
John enlisted as a private while living at Johnstown
in April of 1777 in Captain David McMaster's Company [Sixth Company] in Colonel
Frederick Visscher's Regiment of Tryon County Militia [Third Regiment].
On August 3rd, Fort Schuyler was completely
surrounded and besieged by the troops of Lieutenant‑Colonel Barry St.
Leger. Brigadier General Nicholas Herkimer ordered the Tryon County Militia
to muster at Fort Dayton. John under Captain McMaster and Colonel Visscher
joined the gathering militia at Fort Dayton.
On August 4th, the relief column marched out
of Fort Dayton on their way to Fort Schuyler. On August 6th, about ten o'clock
in the morning the relief column was ambushed near Oriskany Creek. The battle
lasted until late in the afternoon when a sortie from the fort under Lieutenant‑Colonel
Marinus Willett attacked the enemy encampments near the fort.
The enemy retreated on hearing musket and cannon
fire in their rear at their encampments. The remnants of the relief column
gathered their wounded and some of the dead and marched to the Oriskany Oneida
Indian Village and spent the night there. In the morning of August 7th, the
relief column started on their way back to Fort Dayton and Fort Herkimer.
They reached those forts on August 9th.
John served the remainder of the year in Captain
McMaster's Company and in Captain William Snook's Company [Fifth Company]
in Colonel Visscher's Regiment.
On November
11th, the Cherry Valley settlement was attacked and burned to the ground
by Indians and Loyalists under Walter Butler and Joseph Brant. John was ordered
out with about 200 men to go the relief of Cherry Valley and he returned
home about a week later.
In the spring of 1779, John enlisted in Captain
John Littel's Company and he was stationed at Fort Johnstown.
In the spring of 1780, John again enlisted in
Captain Littel's Company. He was stationed at Fort Johnstown, Fort Herkimer
and Fort Schuyler.
On October 19th, Colonel Sir John Johnson with
about 500 Indians and Loyalists were burning and killing near the Stone Arabia
settlement. Johnson and his men fought a battle with American troops under
Colonel John Brown at Stone Arabia where after about fifteen minutes of fighting
the Americans retreated leaving Colonel Brown and about forty‑five
men from his command behind dead.
John, under Lieutenant‑Colonel Volkert
Veeder had been ordered to join the gathering militia under General Robert
Van Rensselaer near Fort Rensselaer. The army now crossed the Mohawk River
and John under Colonel Lewis DuBois, Lieutenant‑Colonel Samuel Campbell
and Lieutenant‑Colonel Veeder with about 300 men closely pursued the
enemy and finally made contact with them at Klock's and Failing's Flats.
A fierce battle again raged but Johnson and
his men escaped under the cover of darkness back to Canada. Colonel DuBois
was unable to pursue Johnson because the promised reinforcements from VanRensselaer
never arrived.
In April of 1781, John enlisted in Captain Garret
Putman's Company in Colonel Marinus Willett's Regiment of New York State
Levies.
On October 24th, Major John Ross and Captain
Walter Butler with 607 men were in the Mohawk Valley burning and killing.
Colonel Marinus Willett who was in command at Fort Rensselaer, on receiving
news of this invasion, sent messengers to Forts Clyde, Paris and Plank for
additional troops.
Colonel Willett gathered what troops there were
at Fort Rensselaer and went in pursuit of the enemy in the morning of October
25th. John, under Captain Putman, joined Colonel Willett in pursuit of the
enemy. Colonel Willett crossed the Mohawk River to Caughnawaga and they proceeded
to Fort Johnstown.
Colonel Willett on arriving at the fort was
informed by the garrison that the enemy was encamped near Johnson's Hall.
Colonel Willett and his men left the fort and marched to the enemy's encampment.
On the arrival of Willett and his men a fierce battle soon raged. The battle
lasted until darkness fell on the battlefield and with the enemy retreating.
In the heat of the battle John was hit in the
left side with a musket ball. John was taken to Fort Johnstown with the rest
of the wounded to have his wound properly dressed. At the fort he learned
that his brother‑in‑law William Scarborough had been killed in
the battle.
John married Chloe Griswold on August 4, 1788
at the home of Nicholas Stoner by the Reverend Thomas Romeyn. John died on
April 20, 1816.