Morrison's Pensions
Adam Van Valkenburg (Follock)
W25828
State
of New York
Herkimer County
On the sixth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight, personally appeared in open court to wit, a Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Herkimer it being a Court of Record and constituted such court by the laws and state of said state, Adam Follock, a resident in said county, aged sixty seven years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by the acts of Congress of the 18th March 1818 and the 1st of May 1820 that he the said Adam Follock enlisted for the term of nine months, on the first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty two in the County of Schoharie and State of New York in the company commanded by Captain Harrison in the Regiment commanded by Col. Van Schaick in the Line of the State of New York on the Continental Establishment that he continued to serve in the said regiment until the fourth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty three when he was discharged from the service in Schenectady in the State of New York.
And in pursuance of the Act of the 1st of May 1820, I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the Untied States on the 18th day of March 1818 and that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner disposed of property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it as to bring myself within the provision of and Act of Congress entitled “An Act to provide for Certain Persons Engaged in The Land and Naval Service of the United States in the Revolutionary War” passed on the 18th May 1818 and that I have not nor has any person interest for me or any property or securities, contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and me (can’t read this part), and no changes have been made in my property since the 18th day of March 1818.
Schedule
One rig $5
One bed and bedding 8
Crackery and cooking utensils 5
Total 18
One suit of clothing for myself with a shift or shirt, stocking and also one suit with a like shift or shirting for my wife, I have a wife about sixty three years old, not very healthy, I have no children living to home with me nor neither have I any children able to support me.
The reason why I did not apply for a pension at an earlier period is that I was very poor and I was determined to support myself so long as I was able by my own industry, without calling on my country for assistance. I have not had any real estate nor any shift of property since the 18th March 1818.
(Signed with his mark.) Adam Follock
It is the opinion of the court that the said Adam Follock did serve in the American Revolution as stated in his declaration and that the value of his property as stated in his schedule is worth but eighteen dollars except the wearing apparel for himself and wife.
Herman Naltors, Herman Worcester, John Mahon, Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Herkimer.
W.
25828
State of New York
County of Herkimer
On this fourteenth day of February one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine personally appeared before the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Herkimer before the Judges thereof in open court the same being a court of record, Lany (Magdalena) Van Valkenburgh a resident of the Town of Columbia in the County of Herkimer and State of New York aged sixty nine years last November who being first duly sworn according to law doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision by an act of Congress passed July 1838 entitled “An Act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows”.
That she is the widow of Adam Van Valkenburg who was a soldier in the service of the United States in the Revolutionary War.
That he in the war resided in Schohaire in the State of New York and there enlisted and served different terms of enlistment the length of time she does not recollect and she thinks also he served in the Militia Service during said war.
That after the war he resided in Schoharie aforesaid some years then removed from there to Columbia in the County of Herkimer and from Columbia to German Flatts in said County of Herkimer and that while residing in German Flatts he applied for a pension and drew a pension at the rate of ninety six dollars per annum with his death while said pension he drew about two and a half years before his death.
She further declares that she was married to the said Adam Van Valkenburgh in the month of November (the day she cannot recollect) in the year seventeen hundred and eighty seven. That she was seven years old at the commencement of the war, fourteen at the close of the war and eighteen when she was married as aforesaid. That they were married in Schoharie by the Rev’d Mr. Puffle at the house of said Puffle. That she was then residing with her father John Borst and she and the said Adam Van Valkenburg went from her said house in a wagon in company with a number of others there having been two wagons with guests to the house of the said Rev’d Mr. Puffle a distance of about six miles. The ground was frozen quite hard. That Teunis Vrooman took her and the said Adam Van Valkenburgh to the house of said Rev’d Mr. Puffle and was present when they were married. That she never heard the said minister ever kept a record of their marriage. That the said Mr. Puffle afterwards moved away and as she was informed to Canada and died there. That she has no record of her marriage.
That her husband the aforesaid Adam Van Valkenburgh died on the 28th day of October eighteen hundred and thirty in the Town of German Flatts aforesaid. That she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January seventeen hundred and ninety four, vizt at the time above stated. That she has not since been married and remains his widow now.
(Signed with her mark) Lany Van Valkenburg.
State
of New York
County of Herkimer
Teunis Vrooman of the Town of Richfield in the County of Otsego and State of New York, aged sixty eight years last fall who being first duly sworn according to law does on his oath say that in the Revolutionary War he was acquainted with Adam Van Valkenburgh. That said Van Valkenburgh then resided in Schoharie in the State of New York. That he this deponent then resided with his father. That his father, his mother and one of his brother’s were killed and he this deponent and two of his brothers were taken prisoners and taken to Canada and there remained prisoners one year, and in the year 1781, he this deponent with other prisoners were exchanged and sent home.
That he was then a boy. That the said Van Valkenburgh resided with his father next neighbors to this deponent’s father’s family. That after the war this deponent resided in Schoharie aforesaid. That he well recollects that he this deponent with his brother’s wagon and horses took the said Adam Van Valkenburgh and Lany Borst from the house of her father to the house of the rev. Mr. Ruffle and was present at the marriage of the said Adam and the said Lany. That he took them these to get married. This was in the month of November, it was quite cold and the ground frozen hard, thinks it was four years after the close of the Revolutionary War, my have been five years after but says he is positive it was not exceeding Five years after said war.
That after their marriage this deponent was always well acquainted with the said Adam until his death and with the said Lany up to this time. Thinks the said Adam died about eight years since and he is now informed that the said Lany is about to make application for a pension, understand that her husband the said Adam in his life time drew a pension, that the said Lany now resides in Columbia.
(Signed) Tunis Vrooman
Letter
included in the Pension Application Folder.
May 22, 1926
Mrs. C. A. Carroll
233 Church St.
Herkimer, New York
Madam:
I have to advise you that from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim W. 25828 it appears that Adam Folock while a resident of Schoharie, Schoharie County, New York enlisted April 1, 1782, served as a private in Captain Joseph Harrisons’ Company under Colonels Van Schaick and Marinus Willett in the New York Troops and was discharged January 4, 1783.
He was allowed pension on his application executed October 6, 1828 while a resident of German Flatts; Herkimer County, New York aged sixty-seven years. He died October 28 or 29 in German Flatts, New York.
Soldier married November 19, 1789 in Schoharie, Schoharie County, New York Magdalena, or Lany Borst, born in November 1769, daughter of John Borst. Marriage was recorded in the High Dutch Reformed Church of Schoharie, New York where the soldier’s name appeared as Adam “Valk”.
Soldier’s widow applied for pension February 14, 1839 as Lany Van Valkenburgh (and was pensioned as Van Valkenburgh) wile a resident of Columbia, Herkimer County, New York, at which time she stated that while living in Schoharie they were always called by the name of “Follock” and since residing in Herkimer County the English people had called them by the name of “Van Valkenburgh”. She died July 31, 1861, but no names are given.
Respectfully,
Winfield Scott
Commissioner