Pension Application

Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for Thomas Shadduck (Shaddock, Shattuck)

W 19027
            Abraham Covenhoven of the Town of Charleston in said county aged eighty ___ years being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he was a soldier during the War of the Revolution and served in the Regiment of Tryon County Militia commanded by Colonel Frederick Fisher, being enrolled in the company of Captain Gardinier. That during said war and ever since until the day of his death this deponent was well acquainted with Thomas Shaddock whose wife is now an applicant for a pension.
            That said Thomas Shaddock belonged to the same Regiment of Col. Fisher and served therein, throughout the greater part of said war, with the exception of one season in which he served with the troops under Colonel Willett the particulars of which deponent cannot specify.
            That said Thomas Shaddock was a favorite in said regiment being of a lively disposition and always disposed to frolic. He was nicknamed “Tommy Tigger” in consequence of his excellence in dancing jigs and the earnestness with which he engaged therein.
He was withal an active and faithful soldier and was always ready to serve with the detachments which were formed to march in different directions to garrison forts, apprehend Tories, protect boatmen.
            This deponent well remembers having seen him on duty and having served in company with him upon various occasions and under different officers of said regiment.
            In the spring of the year 1777 said Shaddock served with an expedition in company with Deponent to Sacandaga and to a place known as the Fish House from which they returned to. Capt. Gardinier had commanded at this time and the length of service was at least three weeks. Deponent has a full recollection of serving with said Shaddock upon various other occasions but he cannot distinctly specify and would even find it extremely difficult to specify his own service.
            Said Shaddock belonged to a different company from this deponent but of the same regiment and frequently served in detachments wherein deponent was not enrolled and his entire service must have been very considerable. Deponent further saith that toward the first part of the War of the Revolution said Shaddock did serve under Colonel Willett and as deponent believes for a number of months with the New York Levies or State troops and further Deponent said not. (Signed with his mark) Abm. Covenhoven.

State of New York
County of Montgomery
Peter Putman of the Town of Glen in said county, aged seventy ___ years and upwards, being duly sworn, saith that he was shortly after the revolutionary War personally acquainted with one Thomas Shaddock or Shadduck, who resided in the adjoining town now called Florida in said county. The said Shaddock often performed work as a laborer in the family of deponent’s father. He remembers him well from the circumstance of his being called “Tommy Jigger” because he was expert in dancing jigs. He was reputed to have been a soldier in the Revolution. Deponent heard him at times give some account of his Revolutionary tours, but he the deponent paid little attention to the subject. The said Thomas Shaddock was a married man when deponent first knew him, and had children, and deponent understood that he had been married before the commencement of said war. The wife of said Shaddock was of the “Frank” family and she had two brothers with whom deponent was well acquainted, who were called Albert Frank, and Andrew Frank and who resided a few miles below Fort Hunter in the vicinity of this deponent’s residence. (Signed) Peter Putman
Subscribed and sworn this 28th day of June 1839, before me and I hereby certify that the deponent the above named Peter Putman is a (can’t read the rest). John Hand, a Judge of the County Court of the County of Montgomery.

Albany County
            On this fourth day of June 1839, personally appeared before the Justice of the Justice Court of the City of Albany, Eve Shaddock or Eveline Shadduck, or Shattick, a resident of the City of Albany in the County of Albany, and State of New York, aged eighty six years, 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 made by the Act of Congress, passed July 4, 1836. That she is the widow of Thomas Shattick or Chaddock who was a private and sergeant in the War of the Revolution and served in the Military companies of Captain ??? Veeder, and in the Regiment of Lt. Col. Marinus Willett and otherwise as is herein and in the annexed affidavits specified.
            She further declares that she as married to the said Thomas Shaddick, on the twenty second day of June in the year seventeen hundred and seventy one, that her husband the aforesaid Thomas Shattuck, died on the eighteenth day of August 1815 and that she has remained a widow ever since that period as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereunto annexed and was never been taught to write her name. (Signed with her mark) Evaline Shadduck.
            Sworn to and subscribed in open court.

Albany County.
            And the said Eveline Shattuck being further duly sworn saith that her maiden name was Frank and that she was married at the time above stated at Fort Hunter by the Rev’d John Stewart then pastor of the Lutheran of Episcopal Church, that the said Stewart has left no record of marriages solemnized by him so far as she has been able to discover, that her marriage was registered in the family Bible which Bible she believes is now in the possession of Andrew Frank of Amsterdam NY or Florida NY, that every person who was present at her marriage she believes has long since departed this life.
            After so great a lapse of time and not having had occasion until recently to advert to the subject she is unable to give a specific time of her said husband’s services. But she remembers well that he was almost constantly on duty. Scarcely had he returned from one expedition before he was called upon to engage in another. He served with numerous scouting parties besides engaging in several regular tours. She remembers in particular that during the expedition against Burgoyne in 1777, he was absent from home with the American Army at Saratoga and the other posts occupied during that campaign for at least the term of three months.
            That he was out with the militia that marched to Johnstown and Caughnawaga in the month of January 1778 on the occasion of Sir John Johnson surrendering himself and his tenants and deponents prisoners of war, as long is the rest of the troops which were on duty at that time.
            When Florida was burnt by the enemy he had just returned from the tour of military duty in another quarter of the country when the enemy had initiated an attack, he served on different occasions at the different posts along the Valley of the Mohawk, but for how long in time each engagement or tour of service last, this declarant is unable to testify. He served with the state troops, or Levies under Colonel Willet for more than six months she believes in the year 1781, and further she says not and has never been taught to write her name. (Signed with her mark) Eve Shattuck

Tommy Jigger, by James F. Morrison

            Thomas Shaddock also knicknamed "Tommy Jigger" appears to have been quite a character and we are fortunate that his widow applied for a pension based on his military service during the War of Independence. Thomas married Eveline Frank on June 22, 1771 at Fort Hunter by the Rev. John Stuart. Thomas and Eveline are known to have at least three children and they are Christopher, Thomas and Dolly.   Tommy died on August 18, 1815.
            Tommy lived at Warrensbush, [Town of Florida, Montgomery County], during the war and served for the most part in the Third Battalion of Tryon County Militia except for two enlistments.
          In 1776, Thomas served as a private in Captain Garret S. Veeder's Company in Colonel Cornelius D. Wynkoop's Regiment of New York Troops [sometimes referred to as Continentals or Levies] and served for part of the time at Fort Dayton and Fort Schuyler. Tommy was discharged at the end of his term and he returned home.           Tommy served in the Third Battalion from 1777 until sometime in 1781 when he enlisted in Captain Silas Gray's Company in Colonel Marinus Willett's Regiment of New York State Levies. He served until January 1, 1782 when his term expired.
            According to Eveline's affadavit, Tommy served for at least three months at Saratoga during the Burgoyne Campaign in 1777. Their home was burned on October 24, 1781 by the enemy under Major John Ross. According to Eveline, Tommy had just returned home from a different alarm in some other part of the county. It is not known if Tommy was in the Battle of Johnstown on October 25, 1781 but I feel that he wasn't because his family would have had a bigger need for him with their home being in ashes. Tommy put in a claim against the State for his losses but most of these were burned in the Capitol fire in the early 1900's.
            The most interesting affadavit was by Abraham Covenhoven who had for the most part served in the Third Battalion and had served with Tommy "Jigger" Shaddock [Chaddock, Shattuck etc.]. The following is Abraham's remembrances.