Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for Severinus Cook
State of New York
Schoharie County
S.12563
On this seventh day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Please of the County of Schoharie now setting Severinus Cook, a resident of the Town of Sharon in the County of Schoharie and State of New York aged eighty one years, lacking seven days, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. That he firstly enlisted for nine months about the last of March or first of April in the year 1776 in the company commanded by Captain Andrew Fink in Colonel Van Schaick’s (1) regiment, that he joined the company at Stone Arabia now in the County of Montgomery and State of New York where he lives. That he marched with the company to the city of Albany and from there to Fort George, and remained there in the service till within about a month of the expiration of his nine month service when they marched to Saratoga and he remained there till the first of January 1777, when he was discharged at that place after having fully served his nine months out, that it took him about two days to go home.
That he was called out with the militia sometime in the month of May following to wit in 1777 to got to Unadilla the company he belonged to was commanded by Lieutenant Samuel Gray (2) that he joined the company at Stone Arabia, now in Montgomery County and was in the service at that time about ten days, was discharged at Stone Arabia aforesaid.
That about the last of July he was again called into the service again in Captain Tillapaughs company that he joined the company at Stone Arabia aforesaid, the last of July 1777 that they marched from there to a place about four miles below Fort Stanwix, that they marched from there to Oriskany Creek and he was in the battle there. (3) That his company belonged to Col. Clocks Regiment but he was not there to take command but General Herkimer (4) had the command at the time of the battle, and got wounded of which wounds he died, after the battle they returned and he was discharged at Stone Arabia, that he was in the service at that time about ten days. That Captain Tillapaugh was killed in the early part of the battle.
That he was again ordered out shortly after his discharge aforesaid thinks it was in the month of September 1777 to go to Saratoga that about that time he joined the company at Stone Arabia then under command of Lieutenant Gray, in Col. C. Clock’s regiment, that they guarded the Tripes Hill now in the County of Montgomery on their way to Saratoga, and there had orders to return and they accordingly returned and were discharged at Stone Arabia was in the service at that time eight or nine days.
That he was in the service eight or 9 days in the latter part of May and the fore part of June 1777 after he returned from Unadilla in a company under command of Lieutenant Samuel Gray they went to a place called Dillenburgh (5) (a local name) about four miles from Stone Arabia where he joined the company and was discharged at the place last aforesaid.
That he was in the service at the time Cherry Valley was burnt about eleven days that he was called out and joined a company then commanded by Captain Cook (6) in Col. Clock’s regiment, joined the company at Stone Arabia and marched with the company to a place called Cossburgh about eight miles from Stone Arabia and from there to Cherry Valley now in the County of Otsego, and when they came there the town was burnt and the enemy had gone.
That he was called to go with Captain Henry Ostrum’s (7) company that he joined the company about two or three miles below Schenectady and marched to Beaver Dam, in Albany County and took fifty prisoners and returned and was discharged at the place he joined the company, was in the service at that time about eight days, it was in the month of September he thinks, but is not positive as to the year, but thinks it was in the year 1780.
That he was again called into the service in the month of October in the year 1781, in Captain Henry Ostram’s Company. Joined the company about three miles from Schenectady and marched to a place called the Nose on the Mohawk River, was in the service at that time about eight days that they heard of the surrender of said Cornwallis and then were discharged at the place where he was stationed.
To the particular interrogatories of the court, he answered:
FIRST: That he was born as he was informed by his parents, at Stone Arabia now in the County of Montgomery and State of New York on the 14th day of February 1752. (8) That his age was recorded as he has been informed in the Presbyterian Church book at Stone Arabia (9) and that the book was burnt and the church likewise during the war. That he has not, therefore, any record of his age. That he was living at Stone Arabia now in the County of Montgomery and State of New York at the time he was called into the service. That he lived six of seven years at Stone Arabia after the war. He then moved to Albany County, state aforesaid, and lived there about three years. He then moved back to Stone Arabia and lived there about four years, and then moved in to the town called Sharon in the County of Schoharie and state aforesaid, where he lived about twenty years, and then moved to the Town of Vernon in Oneida County and state aforesaid and lived there about twelve years, and then moved to Cayuga County in said state and lived there eight or nine years. That he moved from there back to the Town of Sharon in the County of Schoharie in the said state about a year and six months ago where he has lived ever since and where he now lives. That the first time he entered the service he enlisted or volunteered for nine months, and the other different times he was called into the service as he had stated in his declaration. And as to the name of the regular officers, he does not know that he can name any of them that he was acquainted with. When he was at Fort George Colonel Gansevoort (10) was there part of the time, Col. Van Schaick commanded the regiment he belonged to but does not know that he was there much if any of the time. That General Schyler (11) was there several times. Col. Willett (12) was laying at Fort Stanwix at the time of the Oriskany Battle, but as for giving the names of the regular officers he cannot nor does he recollect in particular about the Continental and Militia regiments more than what he has stated in his declaration. That he never received any written discharge.
That the following persons to him known in he present neighborhood he thinks can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution. To wit, Barnabus Eldridge, Henry Burt, Martin Simmons, William Dievendorf, Caleb Pahley and others. That he has no documentary evidence of his service.
He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. (Signed) Severinus Cook
N.B. In the 22 line from the top of the second page the words “his Uncle Clock” erased before ?.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court. John Gebhard Jr. Clk.
End Notes—Severinus Cook (Koch) –S12563