Three Rivers
Hudson~Mohawk~Schoharie
History From America's Most Famous Valleys

The following is an excerpt from the pension application of Elizabeth Loucks (Apply)Suts, file no. W13941 (N.Y.). Her first husband Jacob Apply was killed on April 2O, 1779 in the Tilleborough Raid (Ephratah). Elizabeth Loucks, daughter of William, married Jacob on Dec. 19, 1769 by the Rev. Abraham Rosencrantz of the Dutch Reformed Church of Stone Arabia.

Elizabeth married Peter Suts (Suits) in June 178O by the Rev. Johann Daniel Gros. Peter died May 14, 1824.

Both of Elizabeth's husbands had served in Colonel Jacob Klock's Regiment of Tryon County Militia (Second Regiment) during the War of Independence. Elizabeth filed her widow's claim on Dec. 12, 1836, age of 88 years while living at Ephratah.

The following is her recollections for 1782:
"In the year 1782, that many occurences have transpired from the early part in march until late in fall, the Inhabitants continually Annoyed by the Sculking Indians. In March one John Kring taken Prisoner to Canada, in April a Mr. Davis Murdered Claimant believing one of his sons, and his buildings burnt.

In May, Johnsons Mill burnt (in Ephratah), the Miller Made Prisoner and a Mr. Kule and one of his customers Murdered.

Believing in June, Old Mr. Haring taken Prisoner, In July three brothers by Name Shults & two young boys taken prisoner (this happened on July 26, Henry, John and William Shults, Valentine Wolf and Jacob a negro), and Again latter Part of July Philip Empie & a young boy Aged About 9 years taken Prisoners on a Sabath day.

Again forepart in August John Reed & Wife Murdered & Scalped. Again in the Month of September two young Men Sons of of Melchard Bauder, viz young Melchard and Leonard Bauder both taken Prisoners to Canada. All the foregoing Occurences having Transpired within the bounds of Col. Klocks Regt and the most of them within the beat of Capt Henry Millers Company, some of them not two miles from Fort Paris (Stone Arabia)."

PALATINE, May 28th, 178O.
A Return for Amunition for the men which are gethered at the house of George Klock??18 men.
Sir Col. Klock desired me to call upon you for Amunition, as you had trawn for all the men in his Reg't living upwards from Fox's Remain
Sir your Humble Servt,
To Col. Peter Waggoner.

JACOB G. KLOCK

PALATINE, 26 June, 178O

Sir, I do not doubt but you know that our scout made a discovery of the Enemy this afternoon near our Quarters. I Emediately on the endeligence send a few lines to Col Clyde Informing him of the aproge of the Enemy, and also desired some Assistance of him, he Emediately send 18 men which arrived here.

Capt. Diffendorf with his Company Lise at Cox's which we send for to come over this Evening. now I desire you would send all the yung abble men tomorrow by day braek from all the forts from you up. In order to turn out at day braek to attack the Enemy, as all the men here mean to durn out if we could be Lectle more Ranforced. I should be glad if you desire Col. Klock to send some men from Stoneaby also. No more as Remain
Sir your most Humble servt.
JACOB G. KLOCK.

Col. Waggoner

FORT PARIS July 13, 178O
Sir pleas to order twelve of the smartest men that you have in the different forts under your command to Joyn Capt John Cassalmans Company with four days provition with the quickest dispatch
from your friend and humble servant
To Lt Col Waggoner. JACOB KLOCK COLL

FORT PARIS, June 5, 1781

Sir I this moment received a letter from the commanding officer at Johnstown that the enemy have yesterday taken several prisoners and burnt some buildings in those quarters, and it is thought by him that they will make a strike either at Stoneaby or else up the river, the enemy is sixty or seventy strong you'll give notice to all the Posts up above without a moment's delay.
I am your PETER S. DYGERT, Major
To Cols. Klock and Waggoner.

FORT PARIS, Sept. 9, 1781
Dr Col. I received your order and did according to it. I have ordered every man, except yours namely John Shull's Adam Loux, Valentine Freligh and Henry Bocker, whom I have held for scouts, I am
Dr. Col. your very hbl servt SEPRINUS KLOCK, Capt.

To Col. Waggoner.

Carleton Island 27th Oct 178O
Sir
I have the honor to inform your Excellency of the return of Lieut. MacKay of Capt Leakes Corps and his Scout from the Mohawk River with two prisoners.??

Sir John had appointed this Scout to meet him near Stonraby from the 8th to the 1Oth Inst but bad weather had prevented their getting to the Rendezvous till the 13th and they remained in that Neighbourhood till the evening of the 19th without hearing any tidings of him, on that day they were discovered by three Oneidas one of whom they wounded but he escaped into the Fort of Conade(sch)ary where there were twenty two more of that Nation & Mohawks??The Scout then came off after having burnt seven houses and a considerable quantity of grain & a Potashery

The Prisoners give the following intellingece

That the garrison of Fort Stanwix had lately been relieved by 3OO Nine months men? That one Helmer and another Low Dutchman had been sent express from Fort Stanwix on the 1Oth inst to bring word to Albany that Butler & Brant were on their March from Niagara with fifteen hundred Men that the Soldiers in that garrison on hearing that news declared if they came to attack the place they would not fight, and told their officers they would lay down their Arms as soon as they would make their appearance.

That the People on the Mohawk River had long been told Sir John was to come there but they did not know by what Route. that six hundred Regulars were sent to the Assistance of the District these Prisoners belonged to & these with the Inhabitants were stationed as follows??

Encamped at Stonraby 4OO
In Fort Plain opposite to Stonrabie 4OO
In Fort Fox 27
Fort Nellis 1O
Fort Hess 22
Fort Clock 1O
Clock's house 8
Nellis his Blockhouse 1O
Fort Timberton 21
Fort Will(eor)d (Fort Walrath) 7
Fort House 15
Fort Harkimar 24
Fort Vendecker (Windecker) 8
Fort Plank 6
____

968

In each of three of these Forts there was one three pounder??all those Forts in the compass of nine Miles: Do not know anything of posts??more distant??

A Frasier

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The two prisoners were Conrad and John Lawer. The nine months men were from Col. John Harper's Regiment of New York State Levies. They were sent to Fort Schuyler (Stanwix) under Major James M. Hughes to relieve the First New York Continental Regiment which was then the garrison there.

This letter is from the Gov. Frederick Haldimand Papers, British Museum, England.

Contributed by James F. Morrison