Morrison's Pensions


Pension Application for Daniel Hart

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 2, 1832.

S.13293
State of New York
County of Oswego

On this first day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally appeared before me John Reynolds one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the said County of Oswego the same being a court of Record. Daniel Hart a resident of the Town of Sandy Creek in the County of Oswego and State of New York aged eighty seven years and he 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 7, 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and serviced as herein stated.

That sometime in the month of July, the precise day not recollected, in the year 1775, he enlisted voluntarily in the Company of New York State troops (or Yorkers as they were then called) commanded by Capt Gates in the Regiment of Col. Van Schaick and in which Peter Gansevoort was Major. That the name of the lieutenant was Andrew Finks, the name of the Ensign no recollected, the name of the orderly sergeant was John Guitte?. That he enlisted in the Town of Palatine in what was then; Tryon County (now Montgomery) New York where he resided at the time of entering the service. That immediately after his enlisting he was marched to Albany with his company where he lay a short time, and then they marched to join the Regiment or battalion of Col. Van Schaick which they did or near Saratoga and then marched to the north for the purpose of invading Canada which they did under Genl Montgomery.

That they went by way of Lake George to Ticonderoga where they lay a few days and then went to Isle au Noix and from there to St. John where they had an engagement or skirmish with the British and laid siege to the place. That he was in the Battle at Chamblee when the fort was taken by the Americans. That after the detachment in which he was engaged went down the Sorrel to a place (the name of which he does not now recollect) and there took a quantity of stores and then returned to Chamb lee and St. Johns.

That after St. Johns was taken he marched to Montreal with his company and lay there until his time was out which was about the first of July 1776. About their time was out as he believes (and as was then stated) before they got to Montreal but then soldiers were persuaded upon to go on. That in Montreal they were discharged or dismissed.

That their captain did not go to Montreal and the company went with Lieut Fink who was in command.

That he cannot say for what length of time they enlisted but that it was between five and six months from the time he entered the service before he was discharged as aforesaid. That after being discharged in Montreal as aforesaid he again enlisted (being unable to get home) together with a number of his comrades about the middle of Aug. in a company commanded by Capt Brisbe at Montreal in the Continental NY troops he thinks. That he lay at Montreal during the winter and served in said Beeber? Company and the Lieutenant was Allen, the other officers of the company not recollected.

That they belonged or were attached as he believes to Col. Elmores Regiment and were under the command of Genl Wooster. That they marched from Montreal back to Albany in the spring and were discharged in Albany sometime in the month of May (the exact time not recollected). That it was three months and a half or four months from the time he enlisted in Capt Beebers company in Montreal until he was discharged in Albany. That he cannot positively say whether he was discharged in Albany or at Montreal.

That they marched together until they reached Albany where those who would not enlist were obliged to leave their guns and receive five dollars for it. That he did not again enlist but returned to his family residence, he received pay of his gun.

That his first period of service was in what was called the second battalion of Yorkers (or New York Men) commanded by Col. Van Schaick. That he does not remember any other regiment officers than here stated or any other of the companies with whom he served during this expedition.

That he knew many of the privates in his company and particularly Michael Kean, Henry Adevery?—one Tunis ??? all who enlisted at the same time with him. That he knows of no one of them now living except Michael Krus and knows of no one now living except him by whom he can ? his service. That he never received a discharge in writing and has no ?? endeavor in relation to his service.

That in the spring of the year 1777 a company of Rangers (as they were then called) was raised in Palatine in the county of Tryon New York, (now Montgomery County New York) for the purpose of scouting and acting as spies upon the Indians who frequently attacked the settlements.

That the company was principally raised of men from Stone Arabia (a settlement in Palatine), that he enlisted in said company in the spring but cannot recollect the precise day or month. That he enlisted for nine months the time for which the company was raised. That the company was divided in four parties each of which was to be out a week and then one of the other parties relieved them or took their place and as changed through the season.

That he was out his portion of the time and traversed the county in watching and observing the Indians from Stone Arabia through Johnstown and Mayfield to Sacondaga Lake and back, this served principal places of watching although they were put in other directions occasionally and he remembered going down the Susquehanna a short distance at one time when the Indians that murdered a family in Springfield or Cherry Valley did then retreated down the Susquehanna. They were in readiness to march whenever called upon and raised for that purpose.

That he does not know to what Regiment they belonged to any, one Klock was colonel of the militia in that section at the time but whether they belonged to his regiment or not, he cannot say that when they were not out on duty they remained at their own residences in Palatine. That the company in which he enlisted and served as aforesaid was the company of Capt. Christian Gettman and the Lieutenant was James Billington and the Ensign was Jacob Sammons and the orderly sergeant John Smith the same one who is mentioned as being orderly sergeant in the company of Capt. Gates when on the Canada expedition.

That during this nine months service he went out with his company which was called out by Genl Herkimer and went with Lieutenant Billington Capt Gettman did not go out at this time, and the company to relieve Fort Schuyler (Fort Stanwix).

That while out at this time they had the engagement with the British and Indians usually called Oriskany Battle at which Genl Herkimer was wounded and Lieutenant Billington killed or taken prisoner as he never saw him after, that they were defeated and came back and the company dispersed.

That after this battle he returned home and served as before in the Rangers and was in the party of Capt Gettman and served out the whole of the said nine months in the manner aforesaid, at what time his period of his service expired, he cannot recollect as he does not know when it commenced but is positive he enlisted for nine months and served out the whole of his time. That he received no discharge in writing but was dismissed and has no documentary evidence in relation to this service and knows of no person now living whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service at this time.

That again in the spring of the year 1778 a company of Rangers was raised in the Town of Palatine for the like purposes and objects as the company in the year 1777. That he enlisted in the Town of Palatine in said company in the month of April or May as he believes but cannot recollect with certainly the day of the month not recollected.

That the company was then commanded by Capt John Casselman and Lieutenant Sammons, that same who was Ensign the year before in Capt Gettmans company.

That he does not now recollect the names of any other officers of the company, that they served in the same manner as above stated in relation to his service in 1777.

That company was divided in four parties and each party was out a week at a time and so through the season. That they were stationed along the same route that they watched the year before and were to look out for Indians and give notice. That they were frequently around Sacondaga Lake and that they generally went out through Dillebaugh (Tilleborough) to Sacandaga and back home through Mayfield and Johnstown.

That he was in actual service during both the seasons in his depositions mentioned more than one quarter of the time besides being at all times ready and able to be called out as he frequently was. That he does not know to what Regt they belonged or whether they belonged to any. That he served out the whole of said nine months and at expiration thereof the company was dispersed.

That the said companies were raised as he understood by the State of New York. That he received no written discharge and has no documentary evidence in relation to his service and knows of no person now living whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service.

That as he has understood he was born in the town of German Flatts in the County of Herkimer New York on the fifteenth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty five. Has no record of his age.

That since the revolutionary was he has resided in the Town of Palatine in Montgomery County New York in Minden Herkimer County in McPaulius in Onondaga County and in the Tow of Sandy Creek in Oswego County New York where he has resided rather less than one year. That he knows to a number of individuals in Sandy Creek who can testify as to his character for veracity and would particularly refer to The Reverend Timothy Goodwin, Mr. George Biddinger, Harmonius Ael, Frederick Schell and Alden Crandell, as persons to whom he is known in his present neighborhood who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever 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

Sworn to and subscribed this day and year aforesdaid.

Daniel Hart (His Mark)

We Timothy Goodwin Clergyman residing in the town of Sandy Creek and Harmonius Ael residing in the Town of Sandy Creek in the County of Oswego and the State of New York hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Daniel Hart who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that we believe him to be eighty seven years of age that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion.

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