Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for Jacob Widrig
S.11839
State of New York
Herkimer County SS
On the eleventh
day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty
two personally appeared in open court before Michael Hoffman first judge and
John Mahon, Augustus Beardslee & Sherman Mooster Judges of the Court
of Common Pleas in the County of Herkimer and State of New York, now sitting,
Jacob Widrig a resident of Schuyler in the County of Herkimer and State of
New York aged seventy eight years last January 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 the seventh in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two.
That he
entered the service of the United States under the following named officers
and served as herein stated.
The first
time or campaign, he volunteered and entered the service in the first year of
the Revolutionary War and served one month under Captain [Tygert crossed out]
Dygert and assisted to cut a road through from fort [Miller crossed out] Mike
in Schuyler to Oriskany. That this was his business during this term or
campaign. That he was regularly and honorably discharged from the service
at the expiration of his said month’s service but that he cannot state
the particular day or month when he volunteered and entered or was dismissed
from the service.
That the second
time or campaign he volunteered enlisted and entered the service, the second
year of the Revolutionary Was and served nine months, under Captain Staring. That
during this time or campaign he was in a battle and fought against the Indians
men the captains House in Schuyler in the County of Herkimer and State of New
York and that in this engagement there were killed, [several lines crossed out]
one taken prisoner and five escaped to Fort Mike. That he was stationed
during this time or campaign at Fort Mike in Schuyler aforesaid and that his
business was marching sentry, guard and scouting. That he was regularly
and honorably [dismissed crossed out] discharged at the expiration of his
said term of nine months service, but that he cannot state the particular
day or month when he volunteered, enlisted and entered or dismissed from
the service.
That the third
time or campaign he volunteered, enlisted and entered the service of the United
States the third year of the war, and served nine months under Lieutenant John
Smith in Captain McKean’s Company. That he was stationed during this
time or campaign at different places principally at Forts Plain, Herkimer, House,
Dayton and Mike. That his business was scouting, marching sentry, and guarding
boats and fat cattle up and down the Mohawk River. That he was regularly
and honorably dismissed at the expiration of his said nine months service
but that he cannot state the particular day or month when he volunteered,
enlisted and entered or was dismissed from the service.
That the fourth
term or campaign he volunteered enlisted and entered the service in the fourth
year of the war under Captain Demouth who had command of the Mohawk Rangers. That
he served under him about two months and was in two engagements with the Indians
once at Fort Mike, and the other at Fort Dayton and that in the engagement at
Fort Dayton. He, the Captain, Frederick Hugh, and John Doxstader, John
Harter, were taken prisoner, by the Indians and carried to Niagara, where he
was sold by the Indians to a British officers the name of Daniel Serviss as a
waiter, that he officer took him to Muchs Island where he staid during the winter,
when he returned with the officer to Niagara and staid until late in the fall,
when he took him to Quebeck where he staid during that winter and then returned
with the officer to Niagara, when he staid until the war was over, when he and
two other persons by the names of Oconner and Myers got a bark canoe and made
their way home. That while he was the British officer’s waiter,
he and Jacob Piper, Sevinnas Dygert, one Carter, one Schell, and one Baborn,
also an American previous were tried for an attempt to escape but that
he through the influence of his British Master was acquitted and Jacob Piper,
Sevinnas Dygert, Carter , Schell and Baborn were found guilty & returned
to be whipped a thousand lashes, that he saw them whipped, that Piper had during
the execution of his sentence. That the whole of this time, or campaign
and imprisonment exceeded two years and a half, but that he cannot state the
particular time when he entered the service or when he got released and got home
from his said imprisonment. That his services were all in the Militia. That
he was born in Germany in the year seventeen hundred and fifty four as he calculates
by his age. That he came to Schuyler in the County of Herkimer and State
of New York when he was about two years old where he resided. When he
entered the service in each case—and that he has ever since resided and
now resides in said Town of Schuyler. That he has no documentary evidence
and that he knows of no person, whom testimony he can procure who can testify
to his service, except those whose affidavits are hereto annexed.—
First—When and in what year were you born?
I was born
in Germany in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty four.
Second—Have you any record of your age and if so where is it.
I have no
record of my age. I had one but it got destroyed in the Revolutionary
War.
Third—Where were you living when called into service where had you
lived since the Revolutionary War, and where to you now live?
I was living
in the Town of Schuyler in the County of Herkimer and State of New York when
I was called into service in each case, where I have ever
since and now live.
Fourth—How were you called into service? Were you drafted, did you
volunteer, or were you a substitute? And
if a substitute for whom?
There was
almost a continual call for men to go into service and I was a Volunteer in each
case by me.
Fifth—State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the
troops where you served? Such
Continental and Militia regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances
of your service.
I don’t
recollect the names of any regular officers that were with us when I served,
Colonel Bellinger and Major Andrew Fink [and Ben Scouten is crossed out] of the
Militia were with us a part of the time, and I knew General Herkimer, but never
took any particular command over us to my knowledge, nor do I recollect any particular
regiment, either Continental or Militia, my services
were company services against the Indians and Tories. I had little knowledge
of regimental or field officers.
Sixth—Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so by whom
was it given, and what has become of
it?
I never
received any other discharge than a verbal discharge.
Seventh—State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present
neighborhood and who can testify as
to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a soldier
of the revolution.
I refer to
Barton? Silas Clark & Rufus Smith of Schuyler
And that
he hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or 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 in open court.
(Signed with his mark) Jacob Widig
F.E. Spinner Dep-Clerk
Letter in the Pension Application
January 7, 1938
Mr. Robert F. Williams
2 Rock Street
Alexandria Bay, New York
Dear Sir:
Reference
is made to your letter in which you request the record of Jacob Widrig who
was pensioned on account of his service in the Revolutionary War, and in 1840
was a resident of Schuyler, Herkimer County, New York.
You are
furnished herein the record of the only Jacob Widrig found in the Revolutionary
War records of this office. The data therein were obtained from pension
claim, S. 11839, based upon his service in that war.
Jacob Widrig
was born in January, 1754, in Germany; when about two years of age came to
America and settled in Schuyler, Herkimer County, New York, where he was reared.
While a
resident of Schuyler, New York, Jacob Widrig volunteered in the first year
of the Revolution and served one month as private in Captain Deygert’s
Company, Colonel Herkimer’s New York Regiment. He volunteered during
the second year of the war, served nine months as private in Captain Staring’s
company in the New York troops, during which tour he was in a battle near his
captain’s house in Schuyler. He volunteered in the third year of
the war and served nine months as private in Captain McKean’s company,
Colonel Peter Bellinger’s New York regiment. He volunteered in
1779 or 1780 and served two months as private in Captain Demouth’s
company, Colonel Bellinger’s New York regiment; during that tour was
in two engagements with the Indians, one at Fort Mike and the other at Fort
Dayton in which he was taken prisoner by the Indians, carried to Fort Niagara
and sold to a British officer to whom he served as a waiter during his imprisonment
of more than two years.
The soldier
was allowed pension on his application executed October 11, 1832, while a resident
of Schuyler, Herkimer County, New York. He was still living there in
April, 1837.
It is not
stated whether the soldier ever married.
In order
to obtain date of last payment of pension, the name and address of the person
paid and possibly the date of death of Jacob Wildrig, the soldier, you should
write to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division,
this city, and cite the following date: Jacob Widrig, certificate #20168, issued
August 7, 1833, rate $80 per annum, commenced March 4, 1831, Act June 7, 1832,
New York Agency.
Very truly yours
A.D. Hiller
Executive Assistant to the Administrator