Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for George Snyder
S.14542
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed
June 7, 1832.
State of New York
County of Cayuga SS.
On this
the twentieth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and thirty-two, personally appeared in open court before Joseph S. Richardson,
Augustus F. Ferris, Asabel Fetch, Gersham Morse; the Judges of the Court
of Common Pleas in and for the County of Cayuga, now sitting George Snyder, a
resident of the town of Conquest in the County of Cayuga and State of New York,
Aged eighty-one 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 under Captain John Deeds (1) in whose company was
Lieutenant Jacob Snyder and Ensign William Caniscarn (2) in Colonel Peter Vrooman’s
(3) Regiment in whose Regiment was Major Joseph Baker and Lieutenant Colonel
Seely. At
the lower fort in the Town of Schoharie then in the County of Albany in the
State of New York in the month of May in the year AD 1776 as a volunteer for
three months service and was discharged in the month of August of the same
year 1776 at said Lower Fort.
That he
resided in the said Town of Schoharie at the time he entered the service as
aforesaid. That he served three months under the aforesaid officers
under the engagement aforesaid.
That there
were three forts in the said Town of Schoharie then known by the name of Lower
Fort, Upper Fort, and Middle Fort. That he was stationed the most part
of the time in said three months service at said Lower Fort but occasionally
layed at the other forts as aforesaid. That he was employed in said service
in drilling, garrison duty, scouting and as a spy against the Indians to the
west of the Hudson River and up and down the Schoharie Creek and the Mohawk
River.
That in
the month of August AD 1776 and immediately after the expiration of the aforesaid
three months service he again entered the service of the United States and
served as herein stated under Captain George Mann (4) and Lieutenant Jacob
Snyder under the same regimental officers as when in Captain Deeds company and
in the same regiment to wit, Colonel Peter Vrooman Regiment of Militia and Lieutenant
Colonel Seely and Major Joseph Baker.
That he
entered as a volunteer but for no given period at said Lower Fort in the Town
of Schoharie aforesaid and continued under these officers except as herein
after mentioned in actual service till the close of the Revolutionary War in
the year AD 1783 when we was discharged.
That he
was called upon and did much the same service under Captain Mann as when under
Captain Deeds but was sent more on scouts against the Indians to spy out and
ascertain their positions and movements.
That when
he was not out against the Indians as a scout or spy or out from the fort on
other business when the whole of the troops were out or a part out with him
was drilled daily and inspected and roll called. That at some times
the Regiment or apart thereof would lay at the other two Forts in said Town
of Schoharie but that the most of the time the regiment of Colonel Vrooman
lay at the Lower Fort aforesaid.
That the
Middle Fort was called the head quarters. That the citizens of Schoharie
aforesaid and places there about collected into the said forts for safety and
self defense as well as public defence and safety and as against the Indians
and Tories. And that he town of Schoharie volunteered his services
in the service of the United States under the aforesaid officers so that while
he was rendering his services and doing his duty to the United States he was
also assisting in the defense of his neighbors and friends against the Indians
and Tories who were then the most dreaded.
That while
he remained in this service and in June 1778 there came orders for a draft
to be made at said Lower Fort that one in every fifteen were to be drafted
and that the company to which he belonged were divided into classes of fifteen
each for the draft and that he volunteered to clear his class. The service
for which this draft was made was for the term of nine months as he now thinks
and that he entered this new service under Captain Walter Vrooman (5) in Colonel
Willis (6) Regiment in whose regiment was Major Funda (Fonda) (7) and under
these officers marched to Fort Plain and while at Fort Plain he received information
from Colonel Vrooman aforesaid that he was wanted at said Lower Fort if it
was possible to be discharged from Captain Walter Vrooman’s Company.
That he
immediately informed Captain Walter Vrooman that he was requested to return
to said Lower Fort and he was informed that he might return if he would furnish
a substitute exempt and that if the substitute should be sick or should desert
that he should immediately return to his post in said Captain Walter Vrooman’s
Company.
That accordingly
he hired and equipt a substitute (8) and agreed to return in case of the sickness
or desertion of his substitute and he was discharged under the conditions of
this arrangement and immediately returned to said Lower Fort and went under
his said Captain in Colonel Vrooman’s Regiment. That he was absent
from said Lower Fort about a month in said Captain Vrooman’s Company.
That some
time in the year 1778 Captain Mann (9) turned to be a Tory, was broken and
sent to jail and Captain Peter Snyder (10) then took the command of the company
and continued in the command of the company till the close of the war.
That as
he thinks in the year AD 1777 or 1778 a scout was sent out from Lower Fort
to Cobert’s Kill (11) and were attacked by a party of British and thinks
the scout send back to the fort for assistance and he went with a small party
under Captain Miller (12) to their assistance but before they got to Coberts
Kill, Captain Miller deserted and then he with is company went into the Company
of Captain Patrick a regular officer and went on to Coberts Kill where there
was an engagement with the British in which Captain Patrick (13) was killed
and the company then retreated and returned to the Lower Fort.
That he
with his company and regiment went out from said Lower Fort in the year AD
1777 into Saratoga at the taking of Burgoyne but was not in the battle. That
they lay in Saratoga till the surrender of Burgoyne and then returned back
to said Lower Fort and was out about six weeks from the fort.
That he
was sergeant during all the above service and when he went out on scouts, he
had the command of the scouts. That he was of a strong, athletic constitution
and well acquainted with all country on the frontiers within the range of said
forts at Schoharie and on that account he was ordered by his officers to go
out to ascertain the positions and the objects of the Indians.
That he
had frequent skirmishes with the Indians and with the Tories. That while
others of his company and regiment were permitted to be off on their private
business from the fort he stayed because it was the request of his officers
that he should be ready for any service as a scout or a spy and whether there
was any danger immediately apprehended or not he was frequently out on scouts
regularly returning once in about three days to communicate with his officers. The
object of these scouts were to spy out the objects and movements of the Indians
and that the confidence that he had in his officers and his officers had in
him opperalded upon him together with the causes to remain under their command.
And that
he remained so as aforesaid under the command in the service aforesaid and
till the close of the revolution and was discharged in the fall of the year
1783.
That there
were no Continental Troops lay at Lower Fort to his recollection while he was
there. That Colonel Butler (14) Regiment of Regulars lay one season at
the Middle Fort and he thinks in the year 1778.
That he
has no documentary evidence of his services and he knows of no person
whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service.
He hereby
relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or an annuity except the present
and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any
state.
Sworn to
and subscribed the day and year aforesaid.
(Signed) George Snyder
Mr. Roswill
Osborn, a clergyman residing in the Town of Mintz in the County of Cayuga
and state of New York and David Mintlin residing in the Town of Mintz in
the county and state aforesaid hereby certify that we are well acquainted
with George Snyder who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration
that we believe him to be eighty-one years of age. That he is respected
and believed in this neighborhood where he resides to have been a solider
of the Revolution.
Amended
declaration of George Snyder in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress
passed June 7, 1832.
State of New York
County of Cayuga
Personally
appeared before me the undersigned, a justice of the Town of Mintz in the County
of Cayuga, George Snyder of the Town of Conquest in said County of Cayuga who
being duly sworn deposeth and said that by reason of old age and the consequent
loss of memory he can not swear positively as to the precise length of his
services but according to the best of his recollection he served not less than
the periods mentioned below and in the following grades that he volunteered into
the service of the United States in May in the year 1776 and went into the company
of Captain John Deeds (Deitz?) in whose company was Lieutenant Jacob Snyder and
Ensign William Canescorn in Peter Vrooman’s Regiment of Militia in whose
regiment was Major Joseph Baker and Lieutenant Colonel Sealy and was discharged
in the month of August the same year 1776 and that he was in actual service as
a sergeant the full term of three months and not less than that term in the service
as aforesaid of the United States.
That in
the month of August and immediately after this deponent was discharged from
the last aforesaid service and in the year 1776 he volunteered into the service
of the United States as sergeant into the Company of Captain George Mann in whose
company was Lieutenant Jacob Snyder in Colonel Vrooman’s Regiment of
Militia or Volunteers in whose regiment was Major Joseph Baker and Lieutenant
Colonel Sealy and that he continued in the actual service of the United States
in Captain Mann’s Company till the month of June 1778. And that
he was in actual service of the United States in the company of Captain Mann
as aforesaid, not less than one years and nine months as a sergeant.
That in
the month of June in the year 1778, there came orders for a draft of one from
every fifteen of Colonel Vrooman’s Regiment and the company of Captain
Mann was divided into classes of fifteen each for the draft and this deponent
volunteered to clear his class and went from Captain Mann’s Company into
Captain Walter Vrooman’s company in Colonel Willis Regiment
of Militia in the month of June 1778 and immediately after leaving Captain
Mann’s Company and that he served in Captain Walter Vrooman’s Company
not less than twenty-four days when he was discharged by an arrangement which
arrangement may be known by reference to the original declaration of this deponent
hereto annexed and that he was in actual service of the United States under
Captain Walter Vrooman in Col. Willis Regiment not less than twenty-four
days and served as a sergeant.
That in
June or July of the year 1778, he volunteered into the company of said Captain’s
Mann’s Company again in whose company was Lieutenant Jacob Snyder
in Colonel Vrooman’s Regiment of Militia and continued in actual service
of the United States under said last mentioned officers till Captain Mann was
superseded by Captain Peter Snyder and served not less than three months under
Captain Mann in this last service and he thinks some longer as Sergeant in
said Captain Mann’s company and that he continued under the command of
Captain Peter Snyder till the close of the war the other officers of the company
to which this deponent belonged were the same as when Captain Mann had the
command and the officers of the regiment were the same to wit: Colonel Vrooman,
Lieutenant Colonel Seeley and Major Joseph Baker.
That he
was discharged in the month of August or September of the year 1783. And that
he served in actual service under Captain Snyder not less than four years and
six months as a sergeant and this deponent further saith that on account of
the great length of time and by reason of old age and the consequent loss of
memory he can not state the precise time when Captain Mann was superseded nor
the precise time when Captain Snyder took the command of the company to which
he belonged as last aforesaid but according to the best of this deponent’s
recollection Capt. Mann was superseded and Captain Snyder took the command
of said company in the latter part of the year 1778.
That the
times of entering the service of the United States and the times he left the
same are as near as he can now state from his recollection and that he believes
he has served in the service of the United States longer than the aggregate
amount of the foregoing periods. And this deponent is confident from
his best recollection and belief that he has served in the whole of his service
as aforesaid, not less than six years and nine months and twenty-four days
as a sergeant for which service he claims pension and for such service as aforesaid
severally named as aforesaid he claims a pension.
That he
can not procure the testimony of any witness who is knowing to any the services
of this deponent or who can testify to the same. That he knows of no
person who can testify to the same.
That he
never received a written discharge from the service of the United States. That
he was born in Germantown in the State of Pennsylvania in the year 1750 on
the 24th day of October. That he has no record of his age now. That
there was a record of his age in this father’s Bible but that he does
not know what has become of it.
That he
is acquainted in his neighborhood with Rev’d Roswill Osborn, Rev’d
John Jefferus, Daniel K. Kinger, Samuel Root Esq., Horan Perkins, Esq., Mr.Walter
H. Smith, Mr. Adam Kerkindull, Mr. Daniel Menthline who can testify to my character
for veracity and their belief of any services in the War of the Revolution
and this deponent saith for a history of his services as aforesaid and furtherparticulars
thereto reference may be had to the said declaration of this deponent originally
made and hereto annexed.
The words “as
a sergeant” “In the year 1778” and “states” were
interlined and the words “mentz” “of the” “year” are
written over erasures.
(Signed) George Snyder
Sworn to
and subscribed before me this 8th day of January 1933
(Signed) William Miner, Justice of the Peace.
I certify
that I am well acquainted with George Snyder the person who has subscribed
and sworn to the foregoing application or amended declaration and I certify
that he is a person of unquestioned veracity and that his statements may be
relied upon as nothing but the truth and I certify further that I have been
acquainted with him for ten years and upwards and that I have always understood
and believed that he was a soldier of the revolution. (Signed) William Miner,
Justice of the Peace.
December 16, 1937
Mrs. T. W. Windnagle
305 Liberty Street
Penn Yan, New York
Dear Madam;
Reference
is made to your letter in which you request information in regard to George
Snyder, born 1749, in Germany, a resident of New Jersey, who served in the
New York troops during the Revolutionary War and died in Gorham, Ontario County,
New York, April 27, 1837.
You are
furnished herein the history of George Snyder, the only soldier of that name
or similar spelling who served in the New York troops, War of the Revolution,
that is found on the records of this office.
The data
which follow were obtained from the papers on file in Revolutionary War pension
claim, S.14542, based upon the military service in that war of George Snyder.
George Snyder
was born October 24, 1750, in Germantown, Pennsylvania. The names of
his parents are not shown.
In 1776,
George Snyder was residing in the Town of Schoharie, Albany County, New York. In
said town there were three forts for the denense of the citizens against the
attacks of the Indians and Tories, the Upper Fort, the Middle Fort (known as
headquarters) and the Lower Fort. George Snyder volunteered in May, 1776,
and served at the Lower Fort doing garrison duty until August, 1776, as sergeant
in Captain John Deeds’ (possibly meant for Dietz’) Company of which
Jacob Snyder was lieutenant (no relationship to George Snyder shown) in Colonel
Peter Vroman’s New York Regiment. In August, 1776, immediately
after the termination of the above noted tour, he again volunteered, served
as sergeant under Captains George Munn (or Man), Peter Snyder (no relationship
shown) and Colonel Peter Vrooman’s New York Regiment. Being one
of the young men of the town and of a “strong athletic constitution” and
thoroughly acquainted with all the surrounding country, he was selected by
his officers for special duty and acted as a scout and Indian spy and went
out in command of scouting parties which ranged along Schoharie Creek and the
Mohawk River and served in this capacity until the fall of 1783. He was
in many skirmishes with the Indians and in an engagement at Cohert’s
Kill. At the time of the capture of Burgoyne, George Snyder was sent
with the company to which he belonged to Saratoga and remained in that place
about six weeks but did not participate in the battle. He stated that
he served in all six years, nine months and twenty-four days.
George Snyder
was allowed pension on his application executed September 20, 1832, while residing
at Conquest, Cayuga County, New York.
There are
no data as to soldier’s family.
In order
to obtain the date of last payment of pension, the name and address of person
paid and possibly the date of death of the Revolutionary War pensioner, George
Snyder (S.14542), you should address The Comptroller General, General Accounting
Office, Records Division, this city and cite the following data:
George Snyder
Certificate
No. 8957
Issued May
2, 1833
Rate, $80.00
per annum
Commended
March 4, 1831
Act of June
7, 1832
New York
Agency
Very truly yours
A.D. Hiller
Executive Assistant
To the Administrator
End Notes
George Snyder S. 14542
by James F. Morrison
1. Lieutenant John Dietz' company of Rangers were for 1778 only.
William Kneiskern was 2nd Lieutenant in Capt. Dirck Miller's Company.
3. Peter Vrooman was a Colonel of the United Districts of Schoharie and Duanesburgh, Albany County, The Regiment was the 15th Regiment of Albany County Militia. The other officers George refers to are Lieutenant-Colonel Peter W. Zielie and Major Jost [Joseph] Becker. The name Zielie is often referred to as Zeely, Seely, Sealy, etc. Becker is often called backer, and Deeds is Teats, Teets, Teatz, Dietz, etc.
4. George Mann was Capt. of the First Company in Colonel Vrooman's Regt. The other officers of the Company were First Lieutenant Christian Stubrach, 2nd Lieutenant John Dominack and Ensign Jacob Snyder.
George Mann's home still stands in Schoharie near the Old Stone Fort Museum. It is a restaurant known as the Tory Tavern.
5. Walter J. Vrooman was only a Lieutenant until 1780 when he was appointed Captain in Colonel John Harper's Regiment of Levies. Captain Vrooman was captured 23 October 1780 near Oneida Lake with most of his detachment. George's name does not appear on the muster roll for this company and regiment.
On 1778, Vrooman was a First Lieutenant in Captain Jesse Van Slyck's Company in Colonel Abraham Wemple's Regiment of Albany County Militia [Second Regiment].
6. It maybe is a reference to Colonel Marinus Willet of Lieutenant-Colonel William Willis [5th Regt of Tryon County Militia]. In either case Vrooman did not serve under either officer.
7. Major Fonda is also incorrect. He is most likely referring to Jellis Abraham Fonda who served as a Lt. and Adjutant in Colonel Morris Graham's Regiment of Levies in 1780. He was stationed at the Middle Fort in 1780.
Fonda also served as Lt and Adjutant in Col. Willett's Regiment in 1781 and 1782. He was promoted Captain in November 1782 in Willett's Regt.
8. Hiring a substitute was a common practice in the American Army until after the American Civil War.
9. It happened in 1777 as 1st Lt. Christian Stubrach was promoted Captain in place of Captain Mann on 20 February 1778.
10. Peter Snyder [Sneider] was the First Lieutenant in Captain Teunis Vrooman's Company of Exempts [Men usually 50-60 years of age] for the Schoharie District. Peter was never a captain but Geroge could have been in a detachment with Peter being in charge. The usual custom was to take a number of men from each company and put an officer in charge of them.
One of the reasons for this as militia Companies were raised from a certain area and if the men from the same area were gone at the same time they would be prone to have a raid by the enemy and no one there to stop them. This is one of the reasons that Captain Joseph Brant's raid on Fort Plain area on 2 August 1780.
11. Cobert's Kill is Cobleskill.
12. Captain Dirck Miller's Company in Colonel Vrooman's Regt. Miller was cashiered for his cowardice and First Lieutenant John Myers commanded the company until the end of the war. George served as a corporal in this company in 1778.
13. William Patrick, Captain Sixth Massachusetts Continental Regiment [Colonel Ichabod Alden's Regt].
14. William Butler, Col. of the 4th Pennsylvania Continental Regiment. They were stationed at Schoharie in 1778 and part of 1779.