Pension Application

W.2433 (Widow: Nancy)
State of New York
Montgomery County SS.
            On this 21st day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred & thirty two personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas held at the Court House in Johnstown now sitting William Powell of the town of Openheim in the County of Montgomery & State of New York aged seventy two years last April who being first duly sworn according to law doth, on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of an Act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
            That he was born at Newburgh Precinct in the County of Ulster & State of New York on the second day of April in the year one thousand seven hundred & sixty as appeared from a record of his age made by his father & now at home in the family Bible. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers & served as herein after stated—That he resided in the town of Cambridge Albany (now Washington) County & State of New York on the first of July 1777, when there was a call for one half of the Militia & they made a draft for the purpose of determining who should go – and he was one among others drafted—that he went out under Captain Nathan Smith in Colonel Lewis VanWort’s Regiment and passed through Saratoga to Fort Edward. That he was stationed there, but was called out frequently to guard the stores, baggage, waggons &c.—That he was during that time under the command of General Philip Schuyler who at that time had command of all the Northern Army—That he remained there about two weeks when he was ordered to Upper White Creek (now called Salem) in Albany County where he remained, under the command of Captain McKracken a Continental Captain doing duty in guarding the Garrison and going out on scouting parties—That a part of the time he acted as cook for the officers, when they were dismissed to go home & remove their families, as the enemy had then driven in the army & had arrived at Saratoga—That he arrived home the day before the Bennington Battle, in which our army was commanded by General Starks, on the sixteenth day of August 1777.
            That he resided at the same place aforesaid on or about the 20th of November 1778, when he volunteered his services under Captain Samuel Hodge in Colonel VanWort’s Regiment.—That they marched through White Creek to Black Creek—That they started to go to Skeensborough (now White Hall) but on account of a heavy snow & being short of provision they only went to Black Creek where they remained until the Colonel sent an express to Albany to get further orders from General Ten Broeck a Militia General—That they remained there until about the 15th of December 1778 when he returned home. That he does not know of any person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to either of the above services.
            That about the 15th May in the year 1779, he resided in the Town of Hoosick (Called Hoosick District) in the County of Albany when he joined a company Commanded by Captain Gerrit Teunis Bradt in Colonel Peter Yates Regiment of Militia—That said Company was divided into two classes who served alternately when wanted—or when called upon to guard the lines or to repel the incursions or attacks of the enemy—That each class was to serve about fifteen days at a time but were never dismissed until the other class relieved them even thought it was more than fifteen days—
            That they laid a part of the time at Fort Edward--& part of the time at Palmertown—that he was out on an average full fifteen days in each month exclusion of going & returning until towards the latter part of November when he returned home & staid until the waters began to open in the spring of the following year. That he lived at the same place aforesaid in the month of May (say about the middle as near as he can recollect in the year 1780. When he again entered the service in the same manner that he did the preceding year.—That at this time his place of rendezvous was at Fort Edward under Command of Colonel Warner & in his absence Major Chipman—That until he lay at Fort Edward the enemy came for the purpose of taking the fort, but getting information from two place men, who were runaways & going to Canada & who had staid one night at Fort Edward, that there were two Regiments daily expected at the Fort—they changed their purpose & returned & took Fort George—That he among others went out of Fort Edward to assist in defending Fort George but when he arrived, the Fort was taken & burned & the enemy had departed, he then returned again to Fort Edward—That previous to the taking of Fort George, there being no communication between the Fortes Major Chipman who then commanded Fort Edward sent out a man on horseback to see what he could discover who returned saying that he had discovered a small party of men near Bloody Pond lying on the rising ground—Major Chipman then not knowing that the enemy was near, sent out a number of men which very much weakened the Fort. Their party were surprised by the enemy who lay in ambush & thirty six of them were killed—how many went out or how many were taken prisoners he cannot sate but he, among others, went out & found thirty six dead—That he remained on duty fifteen or more days alternately at a time until the waters were about shutting up which was about the 20th of November 1780. That during the season General George Clinton then Governor of the State of New York was at Fort George—that he, this deponent, went over the Lake with the Jersey and afterwards returned over the lake with the boats to take the Governor & the remainder of the army. That he then returned home where he remained through the winter.
            That he resided at the same place in the year 1781. That soon after planting & thinks about the fifteenth of May of that year he again entered the service under the officers aforesaid—That he went out the same roat again to Fort Edward & there performed duty in keeping garrison & scouting—That during this season there was no particular adventure except once when he went out Scotch Patent where he assisted in taking two tories, one of whom was old & crippled & could not ride or walk & was left, the other was taken to General Schuyler’s Head Quarters, then at Saratoga & after the General had examined him he was taken to the guard house where we left him—This detachment was under the command of Lieutenant Breise. That at this time he does not recollect who was the commander of the Fort – Colonel Warner’s health was poor & he was frequently absent—Major Chipman had been or was then a prisoner, but he thinks it was commanded by some officer from towards Albany but cannot be positive—That the officers of the Regiment to which he belonged were Colonel Peter Yates, Lieutenant Colonel John Van Rensselaer—Major VanVechten—Adjutant Jacob Van Valk—he says that he now recollects of taking three prisoners who resided in the same town & who would not do duty & took them to Fort Edward where they were delivered over to Lieutenant Colonel John Van Rensselaer who then, as he thinks, commanded the fort—That he remained out doing duty as above stated until about the middle of November when the enemy had gone into winter quarters & he returned home—That he served in each of the three years as above stated through the summer & autumn seasons about six months in each year, being classed as aforesaid in two classes & doing duty alternately our class being out a half a month or thereabouts & the other class the other half of the time. That a part of the time he was commanded by Captain Brewer & a part by Captain Bradt that Captain Brewer was appointed in place of Captain Bradt sometime in the year 1781. That he has no doubt that he was in the service at least eleven months exclusive of going out & returning which in all would make one year..
            That he has resided since the Revolution in the town of Half Moon, County of Albany in Openheim in the County of Montgomery & all in the State of New York where he now resides—that he never had any discharge from the service & has no documentary evidence & that he knows of no person who can testify to his services except Frederick Ouderkark & Jacob Bovee whose affidavits are hereto annexed—that he is known in his neighborhood by John J. Failing and Jacob J. Failing who will testify to his truth & veracity to his good behavior & also to his reputed services as a revolutionary soldier.—That he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State & that no clergy resides in his neighborhood. (Signed) William Powell
            Sworn to & subscribed the day & year aforesaid. Geo. D. Ferguson, Clerk

Letter dated September 13, 1938 written in response to a request for information.
            Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of William Powell of New York, who you state, in 1840 was a pensioner residing in Ephratah, Fulton County, New York, aged eighty years.
            You are furnished herein the record of the only William Powell found in the Revolutionary War records of this office, who served from New York. The data therein were obtained from claim for pension, W.2433, based upon his service in that war.
            William Powell was born April 2, 1760 in Newburgh Precinct, Ulster County, New York. The names of his parents are not shown.
            While residing in Cambridge in that part of Albany County which was later Washington County, New York, William Powell enlisted July 1, 1777, and served at various times until December 15, 1778, amounting to two months nine days as a private under Captains Nathan Smith, McCracken and Samuel Hodges and Colonel Lewis VanWoert in the New York State troops. While living in Hoosick District, Albany county, New York, he again enlisted May 15, 1779, land served on an average of fifteen days out of each month through the summer and autumn of the years, 1779, 1780, and 1781, amounting in all to nine months additional, as private under Captains Matthew Brewer, Gerritt Tunis Bradt, and Colonels Lewis VanWoert and Peter Yates in the New York Troops.
            The soldier was allowed pension on his application executed September 21, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Oppenheim, Montgomery County, New York. He died November 20, 1848, in Yates, Orleans County New York.
            William Powell married in Yates, Orleans County New York April 24, 1845, Nancy Church, whose maiden name was Peake; the name of her former husband was not stated, nor were the date and place of her birth or the names of her parents given.
            Nancy Powell was allowed pension on account of the Revolutionary War service of her husband, William Powell, on her application executed September 12, 1853, at which time she was aged sixty-seven years and a resident of Yates, Orleans County, New York.

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