Morrison's Pensions
In April of 1779, Amasa Captain John Littel's Company in Colonel Frederick
Visscher's Regiment as a Corporal. Corporal Stephens was stationed at various
times at Fort Johnstown.
On May 22nd, Colonel Sir John Johnson with about 500 Indians and Loyalists were in the Mohawk Valley burning and killing. Just about dawn the enemy appeared at the Stephens home. They broke the door in and immediately headed to where the Stephens were sleeping. The Indians dragged Stephens from his bed and took him outside. On reaching outside the Indians tomahawked and scalped Amasa and then hung him on the fence near the house. The enemy then plundered the house and then left without harming Mrs. Stephens or her children.
After the enemy left, Mrs. Stephens went looking for her husband and on going outside she discovered him hung on the fence. She took him down and took his body back into the house. Mrs. Stephens immediately grabbed her two children and headed for Fort Johnstown and she arrived there a few hours later. On arriving at Fort Johnstown Mrs. Stephens met her mother and learned that her father and brother were killed.
It is not known if Amasa had any prior service in the militia. It is possible that he had served in Captian Andrew Wemple's Company or Captain Samuel Rees' Company. Unfortunately no muster rolls are known to exist for these companies.
Amasa married Margaret Putman, daughter of Lodowick Putman in 1776 and they had two children Lodowick and Clarissa. Mrs. Stephens died in 1835.