Morrison's Pensions


Andrew Piper

W.26893
State of New York
Herkimer County
On this tenth day of October in the year of the Lord one thousand eight hundred thirty two, personally appeared before Michael Hoffman first judge, also John Mahon, Augustus Neard, Thilman Naster, judges of the Court of Common Pleas of said county now sitting Andrew Piper, resident of Frankfort in the said count aged seventy two years, the sixth day of January last, 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 the seventh, one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.

That he entered the service of the United States and served the following terms and campaigns under the officers thereafter named, to wit, the first term and campaign he volunteered, enlisted and entered the service and served three months in the year seventeen hundred and seventy under Captain Henry Harter, Lieutenant Nicholas Petrie and Ensign John Myers and that during said term and campaign he was stationed and engaged at building the fort at ??? called Fort Stanwix, that there was stationed at the same time and place, a regiment of a ??? commanded by Colonel Dayton who were engaged in the service ??? That he was regularly and honorably dismissed but that he cannot state the particular day of month when he enlisted and entered or was dismissed from the service all he can state is that he performed the service as stated in the summer and fall months of the year.

That the second term or campaign he volunteered, enlisted, entered the service and served in the year seventeen hundred and seventy seven under Captain Frederick Getman, Lieutenant John Ruff and Ensign John Myers, the field officers names were General Herkimer, Colonel Peter Bellinger, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Bellinger, and Major Deunis Clapsaddle, that he was engaged in the Oriskany Battle under said General Herkimer and that General Arnold came on before he was dismissed. That he was regularly and honorably dismissed from the service but that he cannot state the particular day or month when he enlisted and entered or was dismissed from the services but that he served as stated in the spring, summer and fall months of the year as near as he can recollect about five months that he was stationed at Fort Herkimer as a minute man and he was guarding the fort and then to go out when called upon.

That the third term or campaign he volunteered, enlisted, entered the service on the eighth day of the year seventeen hundred and seventy eight and served ten months in the boat service on the Mohawk and Hudson River under Colonel Christopher Yates, Captain John Lefler, that he does not recollect the names of any of the officers having commanded. That his best recollection is that no other officers had commanded, that the sailors were arrived and stationed fifteen or twenty on a boat or sloop and commanded by captain or a person assisted a captain without any other officer. That his business was transporting arms, provision and munitions of war on said rivers and standing guard. That he served the said term of ten months and was regularly and honorable dismissed from the service in the year seventeen hundred and seventy nine or eight, but in what particular day of the month he cannot state.

That the fourth time or campaign he volunteered for he entered the service for four months in the year seventeen hundred and seventy nine under Colonel Tobias Dubois, Captain Mark DeMont, Lieutenant William Wallace and Ensign Butterfield. That he was stationed in different places and forts to wit, Fort Plain, Fort House, Fort Herkimer, and Fort Dayton and that his service was principally scouting, watching the movements of the Indians and Tories and defending the inhabitants. That he cannot state the particular day or month from recollection when he enlisted and entered the service, but the he served the said term and was regularly and honorably dismissed from the service in the last of November and that his father and brother leaving a few days before, been taken prisoners and carried off by the Indians, he went home to take care of the family.

That the fifth term or campaign he volunteered and entered the service about corn planting time in the year seventeen hundred and eight one or two under Capt. Getman and Sergeant Kring and shortly after in an engagement with the Indians and Tories and British at Little Falls in the county and state aforesaid he was taken a prisoner after having been knocked down by them and carried a prisoner of war to Canada and confined in Montreal gaol eleven weeks and five days when he was let out under furlough on the responsibility of his uncle who was his bail then residing in Canada and that he remained at the residence of his uncle until the last of October when he was again ordered to and returned a prisoner and confined aboard a ship at Montreal, from then he was taken to Quebec where he was confirmed six weeks from ??? to Halifax and from thence to Boston where he was exchanged in December of the same year. And that he arrived home the last of said month or the month of January following that the prisoners hereafter mentioned were taken at the same time, in the ??? agreement and returned prisoners of war for the same time and exchanged at the same time what he was, but whether all of therein are now living he does not know, to wit, Friderich Getman, Jacob Petrie, Scervinius Harter, Horace Shoemaker. That the only one of the said prisoners now living, Eris Birardage? And Robert Shoemaker?

That he does not wish to be considered as being perfectly accurate in time of place but that he does know that he performed the service and that the general circumstances of the service were as stated by him that his circumstances all in the Militia and state services and that he was born in German Flatts in said county and state that his resided there when he entered the service in each case and continued to reside there until about two years after the war, when he removed to Frankfort in the same county and state where he has ever since and still resides. That he has no documentary evidence of his service and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service except the person whose affidavits are hereto annexed.

First, When and in what year were you born?
I was born at German Flatts, in the County of Herkimer and State of New York on the sixth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty.

Second, Have you any record of your age?
I have no record of my age, but there is no record thereof I was informed and believe kept in the records of the Reformed Church records of the Town of German Flatts in the County and state aforesaid.

Third, Where were you living when called into service where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and where do you now live?
I was living in German Flatts in the county and state aforesaid at saith time, where I volunteered, enlisted and entered the service and lived there until about two years after the war and from thence I removed to Frankfort in the same county and state where I ever since and now reside.

Fourth, How were you called into service, were you drafted did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? And if a substitute for whom?
I was a volunteer in each case one for a ??? under Captain Damont.

Fifth, State the names of the regular officers who were with the tours where you served, such Continental and militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service.
General Arnold, Colonel Willett, Colonel Gansvoort of the third regiment, Colonel Van Schaick, and Colonel Courtlant of the York Infantry, were at Fort Stanwix a part of the time when I was, I don’t now recollect my other officers or regiments thought I am sure there were more that I knew or most of them the circumstances of my service were much as stated in my declaration in addition thereto I was in a number of small engagements with the Indians and in pursuit of them when Butler was killed at West Canada Creek.

Sixth, Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom was it given and what has become of it?
I never received a discharge in writing the only discharge that I ever received was a verbal dismiss ion from service.

Seventh, State the manes of prisoners to whom you were known in your present neighborhood and who can testify to your character and veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier of the revolution.

Warner Dygert, Robert Shoemaker, esquire, late a member of the Legislature of the State of New York, are near neighbors of mine have known me for a long time and are acquainted with my character and my services as a soldier of the revolution by reputation. There is no clergyman in my neighborhood who has resided there long enough for me to form an acquaintance with.

And that 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.
(Signed with his mark) Andrew Piper
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court. Julius C. Nelson, Clerk

Warner Dygert and Robert Shoemaker residing in said county of Herkimer and State of New York hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Andrew Piper who has subscribed and service to the above declaration that we believe him to be seventy-two year of age. That he is refuted and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in that opinion.

(Signed) Robert Shoemaker, Warner Dygert
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court. Julius C. Nelson, Clerk

And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and putting the interrogation prescribed by the War Department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as was stated. And the court further certifies that it appears to them that Warner Dygert and Robert Shoemaker, late a member of the Legislature of this state who have signed the certificate pension annexed are credible persons and that their statement is entitled to credit.

State of New York
Herkimer County
I, Abraham G. Rosencrantz of the Town of Little Falls being duly sworn deposeth and says that he is the personal representative and son of George Rosencrantz deceased, who was the son of the Reverend Abraham Rosencrantz, deceased, who in his life time was the minister of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Herkimer and German Flatts. That he was always informed and believed and now believes that his grandfather as such minister ??? marriages and kept a record of marriages which said Book of Records was after the decease of his said grandfather in the possession of his father the said George Rosencrantz until his decease. Which event took place the 21st December 1838 and since then the said Book of Records have been and are now in the possession of this deponent he being the executor of the said George Rosencrantz deceased. That he has this day examined the said Book of Records of Marriages and finds an entry therein that in seventeen hundred and eighty fourth day of January Andrew P. Piper was married to Elisabeth Fox. That the entry of said marriage in said record is in the following words and figures.

1785, 4th Jan. Andreas P. Peiffer and Elisabeth F. Fox. Which said records is that on the fourth day of January one thousand seven hundred and eighty five Andrew Piper was married to Elisabeth Fox.

(Signed Abraham G. Rosencrantz
Subscribed and sworn before me this 11th day of August 1803. Robert Casler, Justice of the Peace
I certify that I am well acquainted with the undersigned Abraham G. Rosencrantz and that he is a worthy and respectable in society and is a man of truth and veracity. Robert Casler, Just of the Peace

State of New York
Herkimer County
On this thirty first day of July 1843 personally appeared before the undersigned, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county, Elizabeth Piper, a resident of the Town of Frankfort the County of Herkimer, aged seventy-seven years who being fist duly sworn according to law does on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of a provision made by the act of Congress passed July 7, 1838 entitled “An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows.”

That she is the widow of Andrew Piper who served during the Revolutionary War as a Sergeant of Militia in the County of Tryon and served therein in manner and for the terms in his papers set forth in the matter of his application for a pension under the act of Congress passed 7th June 1832.

He also served as set forth in said papers in the Company of Batteaumen and fatigue? Men commanded by Captain Leffler and was taken captive to Canada and remained a prisoner for more than twelve months and received under said act of pension of $86 per annum.

She further declares that her maiden name was “Fox” and that she was married at the time herein after given by the Rev. Mr. Rosecrantz of the Dutch Church of Herkimer. She further declares that she as named to the said Andrew Piper, on the fourth day of January in the year seventeen hundred and eight five and that her husband the aforesaid Andrew Piper, died on the fifth day of June 1842, that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but that the marriage took place previous to the first of January seventeen hundred ninety four viz at the time above stated.
(Signed with her mrk) Elizabeth Piper.

Letter in the Pension Application file

May 31, 1926
P.F. Piper Head of Physical Science Dept.
Hutchinson-Central High School
Elmwood Ave. & Johnson Park
Buffalo, NY
Sir:
I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim W. 26893, it appears that Andrew Piper (son of Peter Piper) was born January 6, 1760 at German Flats, Herkimer County, New York.

While residing at said German Flats, he enlisted and served with the New York Troops, as follows—

From the summer of 1776, three months under Captain Henry Herter; from the spring of 1777, five months under Captain Frederick Gettman in Colonel Peter Bellinger’s Regiment, and was in the Battle of Oriskany from March 8, 1778, ten months under Captain John Lefler and Colonel Christopher Yates in the Boat service on the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers; in 1779 four months as second sergeant in Captain Mark DeMont’s Company Colonel Tobias Dubois’ Regiment; in 1782 under Captain Gettman and Colonel Bellinger, he was captured at Little Falls, New York, was imprisoned at Montreal on the prison ship and in jail, was carried to Quebec and then to Boston, where he was exchanged, and reached home a few days after Christmas.

He was allowed pension on his application executed October 10, 1832, while a resident of Frankfort, Herkimer County, New York. He died there June 15, 1842.
The soldier married January 4, 1785, Elizabeth daughter of Frederick Fox. She was allowed pension on her application executed July 31, 1843, while residing at said Frankfort, aged seventy-seven years.

In 1844 their son, James Piper, aged thirty-nine years testified in the case.

Respectfully,
Winfield Scott
Commissioner.

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