Morrison's Pensions
S11051
State of New York
Montgomery County
On the nineteenth
day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty
two personally appeared in open court before the judges of the Court of Common
Pleas of the County & State aforesaid now sitting at Johnstown, John McGraw,
aged eighty years. Who being first duly sworn according to law doth
on his oath make the following declaration 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 served as herein
stated.
That in
the latter part of the year 1775, this deponent belonged to a company of Militia
in the Town of Florida in the County and State aforesaid whereof Samuel Pettingell
(1) was Captain in a Regiment commanded by Col. Frederick Fisher (Visscher)
of the New York State Militia. That this deponent received orders from
his captain to prepare himself with a gun, bayonet and cartridge box to fight
for liberty and freedom.
That this
deponent prepared himself accordingly and sometime in the forepart of the year
1776 as near as he can recollect, he was drafted from Captain Pettingell's
company to go to Sacandaga at a Block House (3) built by the Americans at this
place for the purpose of preventing the Tories, British &hostile Indians
from passing to and from this part of the country to Canada.
That this
deponent with William Snook the Lieutenant of the Company and Henry Snook,
William Pettingell, Joseph Pettingell, Daniel MdGraw & Hugh Connolly privates
in said company and probably others which he does not now remember, marched
from the Town of Florida to Sacandaga and lay in the fort as a guard at that
place until relieved by another draft from the same company.
That he
had been drafted and went to Sacandaga four or five times in like manner and
served his several tours at that place, sometimes would be stationed there
a week, at others a fortnight, three weeks and a month, as occasions in the
service required, but he cannot be particular as to the precise time he did
serve there, he judges however, that he served in all the Sacandaga Block House
as much as two months at least.
That in
going from Florida to Sacandaga they usually crossed the Mohawk River at Tripes
Hill, and some times at Amsterdam, and marched to the Block House at Sacandaga
principally through the woods and that place as but little improvement in roads
had been made, to that section of country as well as to avoid any surprises
by the enemy.
And this
deponent further says, that in the year 1777 he was drafted in like manner
from Captain Pettengill’s Company as many as five times and served regular
tours at Johnstown in a picket fort around the Johnstown Jail.
That the
several times of service at that place would vary from one to four and five
weeks before he got relieved.
That Captain
Walter Vrooman (3) commanded at the fort a principle part of the time.
That one
Beekman (4) was Lieutenant and one Hatch a Sergeant.
That the
object in keeping a force at that place was that the Americans apprehended
an attack from the enemy coming through from Canada by the way of Sacandaga,
Johnstown being the residence of Sir John Johnson, a Tory who had done much
injury during the war.
That in
the month of August 1777 Captain Pettingell’s company was ordered out
and the whole of Col. Fisher’s Regiment to March for Oriskany in the
County of Oneida at the time the battle was fought between the Americans and
the British at that place and that this deponent was excused from serving at
that place in consequence of a lame knee.
That in
the Oriskany Battle Captain Pettingill was mortally wounded as this deponent
was informed and believes, and Lieutenant Snook (5) afterwards took command
of the company and was appointed captain.
That after
the Oriskany Battle a certain number was drafted from Captain Snook’s
Company to join General Gates (6) forces at Saratoga, among which was this
deponent, that one Thomas Van Horne (7) commanded the draft from same company,
he the being Lieutenant of said company.
That they
marched from Florida to the City of Schenectady and from thence down the Mohawk
River and crossed over into Saratoga near Stillwater and there found General
Gates Army.
And a few
days before the battle between the forces commanded by General Gates, and those
of the British commanded by General Burgoyne, this deponent was ordered to
the town of Florida on business by Major David McMaster (8) who commanded the
forces at Stillwater to which this deponent was attached in the Militia. And
this deponent did not return as this news arrived, that the battle had been
fought and that Burgoyne and his army had been taken.
And this
deponent further says that sometime in the year 1778 as near as he can recollect,
Col. Fisher’s Regiment was ordered out including Captain Snook’s
Company & marched to Stone Arabia in the Town of Palatine upon an alarm
of hostilities in that quarter, and were there about ten days as near as he
could judge and was then relieved by another company of militia.
That in
the year 1779 this deponent was drafted from Captain Snook’s Company
to march to the German Flats. He recollects that Captain Snook was among
the number and that Robert McCrady, Cornelius Van Horne, William Phillips,
Daniel McGraw, Conradt Steen, Justin Rorey and Henry Snook, privates in said
company were also among the number drafted.
That they
marched up the Mohawk River on the south side to the German Flats and joined
some Militia at that place, who had been called out in consequence of the Indians
having scalped some of the Americans at that place. That this deponent
was then absent about three weeks.
That this
deponent had been ordered out in the years 1778, 1779, and 1780 on various
occasions and stationed at Fort Plain, Fort Plank, Fort Windecker, Fort Dayton
and the German Flats to protect the Americans from the incursions of the British
and Indians. That from the repeated and number of occasions this deponent
had been called and stationed at the before mentioned places in the American
service, and from the great length of time, he is unable to state particularly
how long he served in each of those places in particular. He recollects
that he has been at Bowman’s Creek in the Town of Canajoharie and served
on regular tour on guard at that place.
That at the time the battle was fought at Johnstown between the American
forces commanded by Col. Willett and the British troops then commanded by
Major Ross (9), Captain Snook’s company was ordered out and went to
their relief and arrived the next morning after the battle was over and thinks
that the Americans followed Major Ross about two days journey, Major Ross
marched westward towards The Canada Creek but that Capt Snooks Company joined
the Americans and pursued Ross as before mentioned and then returned.
This deponent further says that he has been stationed at Tripes Hill to stand
guard at that place, an attack was expected from the Tories, he cannot remember
the year but thinks it was the latter part of the war, nor the length of
time, but he remembers that Captain Snook Commanded at the time.
Captain Snook’s (10) Company was also called out sometime the latter
part of the war, and was stationed opposite Fort Plain in the now Town of
Oppenheim (now St. Johnsville) as he believes on the north side of the Mohawk
River and helped guard at that place.
They crossed the Mohawk River a little above Caughnawaga & marched up
the river on the north side and found some of the American commanded by one
McMasters, he cannot recollect how long they were stationed there.
He has also been placed on guard at a stone house a little below Fort Hunter
to watch the movements of the Tories & Indians but how long, cannot recollect.
And this deponent further says that during the whole war he held himself
in readiness to march any moment he was called upon to serve his country,
and from the various services which rendered he thinks he can safely state
that he served the country as much as two years and probably much longer,
but his memory fails him and he cannot detail the events of the war with
much minuteness or exactness.
And this deponent further says that he was born in the town of Florida in
the County and state aforesaid in the year 1752 and resided in the same place
when he entered the service and has so resided ever since. That
he has a record of his age in his family Bible written in German in his possession,
that when called into service he had been principally drafted or called upon
by his superior officers and always held himself in readiness to obey the
call and served the country on his own account that he has stated the names
of the principle officers engaged in the services as near as he can recollect
and the circumstances of his services. He has no documentary evidence
in his possession nor any written discharge and hereby relinquishes every
claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declare that
his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state or of the
United States and this deponent expects to prove by Henry Snevt, Garret Newkirk,
Daniel McGraw & George Stine some of his services He also expects to
prove by Nicholas Hill & Henry Snook who can testify as to the veracity
of this deponent and of their belief as to this deponent’s services
as soldier of the Revolution. (Signed with his mark) John McGraw
Sworn to and subscribed this day and year aforesaid, Geo D. Ferguson, Clerk.
End Notes