Pension Application

W.4104 (Widow: Margaret)
            I, Douw Van OLinda of the Town of Mohawk and County of Montgomery and state of New York, the present Pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of Caughnawaga in the Town and County aforesaid hereby certify that I have this day examined the Marriage and Baptismal records of said church, That I find the marriage of John Wood and Margaret Van DeWaker, these records as performed by the Minister of the aforesaid Church sometime between the years AD 1783 and 1788, the dates of the of the[sic] and months not be given or recorded in most of the marriages recorded during that period.
            I [?] adds that records of the Baptism of their son Uriah who was born Feb. 22—AD 1786—And baptized sometime in the month of April following the day of the months not being recorded I further certify that I was the pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of Mapletown in Canajoharie from AD 1825 to AD 1831 and was personally acquainted with the said John Wood and Margaret VanDerWaker, his wife who then resided in said Town of Canajoharie—I further certify that the records of the Reformed Dutch Church at Caughnawaga were in a bad state of preservation many of the leaves being torn and some missing. Dated June 21st 1844, Douw VanOLinda Present Pastor or minister of the church aforesaid.
            Subscribed & Sworn to Before me the 21st day of June 1844. John I. Quackenboss, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County.

State of New York
Montgomery County SS.
            On this twelfth day of June 1844, personally appeared before the undersigned one of the Judges of the County Courts in and for said County, Margaret Wood a resident of the Town of Glen, in said County aged eighty years and upwards, and she being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declarations in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed July 7th, 1838, Entitled an Act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows—That she is the widow of John Woof who was a soldier in the Revolution and served in the manner and for the time set forth in his papers on file in the office of the Commissioners of Pensions, in the matter of his application for a Pension under the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832. That said John Wood received under the said act last named an annual Stipend of Eighty Dollars.
            She further Declares that she was married to said John Wood on the third day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand and seven hundred and eighty five, by the Rev. Thomas Romeyn—That her husband aforesaid, John wood, died on the twelfth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one—that she was not married prior to his leaving the Service, but the marriage took place previous to the first day of January seventeen hundred and ninety four-to wit-at the time above stated—And she further Declares and says that her maiden name was Margaret VanDeWaker—that she was married in the then County of Tryon & Mohawk Dutch now called the Town of Glen in Montgomery County in the State of New York aforesaid & by the Reverend Thomas Romeyn aforesaid, Pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of Caughnawaga in said then County of Tryon, now County of Montgomery, that she still remains his widow—that she was never married before her marriage aforesaid to the said John Wood. (Signed with her mark) Margaret Wood.
            Subscribed and Sworn before me the 1st day of June 1846. Jacob Groff, a Judge of the Montgomery County Court.

State of New York
Cayuga County SS.
            On this 23d of January AD 1833 personally appeared before the Court of Common Pleas, in & for said County, John Wood, who being duly sworn doth on his oath make the following declaration supplementary & in addition to the annexed declaration made by him in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th, 1832—that he was born in the town of Charleston in the County of Montgomery & State of New York AD 1762 as appears by a family record now in his possession. That he never served with any Continental officers or in any Continental Regiment, and that there were no Regular officers with the troops where he served according to his best recollection—that his services were all performed in the Militia previous to his being taken prisoner and was guarding the frontiers and lines against the incursions of the Indians and Tory’s—the Indians and Torys were accustomed to come down from Canada on the Frontiers along the Mohawk, and it devolved upon the Militia and State troops to guard the inhabitants—that he never received a written discharge from said service—that after his return from captivity he continued to reside in said County of Montgomery until about ten or eleven years ago when he removed to said County of Cayuga where he has resided ever since and where he now resides.
            He further says that Abraham Huffman who his subscribed and sworn to the certificate accompanying his said declaration is a clergy in resident in Cato aforesaid and David Botsford who has also signed the same is a resident in the same town that they are all well acquainted with him, and can testify & have testified as to his character for truth and their belief of his service as a Soldier of the Revolution. (Signed with his mark) John Wood.
            Sworn in open court the day & year aforesaid. R. S. Myers, Clerk

State of New York
Cayuga County SS.
            On this 12th day of September 1832 personally appeared in open court before the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Cayuga and State of New York John Wood a resident of and in said County aged Seventy 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 17th, 1832—that about the month of November 1779, then being a resident of the Town of Canajoharie now in the County of Montgomery & State of New York, he entered the service of the United States as a volunteer in the Company of Militia commanded by Cap. Rhinear Van Everen in Colonel Frederick Fisher’s Regiment—that he marched with said company to Fort Plain at and near which place he continued to serve on the frontiers as a guard & in Scouting parties until the 18th day of October 1781 when he was taken prisoner by the Indians, and taken by them through the wilderness to Niagara where he was detained a captive one year and abut eleven months when he was exchanged and returned home—that at the time he was taken prisoner the Indians were commanded by Ross & Butler—that he has no documentary or other proof of said services than the accompanying.
            He hereby relinquishes all claims to a pension except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of any state or territory. (Signed with his mark) John Wood.
            Sworn & subscribed the day & year aforesaid.

Response to an inquiry dated October 30, 1931.
            Reference is made to your letter relative to John Wood, a soldier of the War of the Revolution.
            The data furnished herein are obtained from the papers on file in the pension claim, W. 4104, based upon the military services of John Wood in the Revolutionary War.
            John wood was born in 1762 at Charleston, Montgomery County, New York.
            He enlisted in November 1779, while residing in Canajoharie, New York, and served as a private in Captain Ryner Van Everen’s Company in Colonel Frederick Fisher’s New York regiment, he was taken prisoner, October 18, 1781, by the Indians under Toss and Butler, was carried to Fort Niagara, where he was held one year and eleven months, when exchanged.
            He was allowed pension on his application executed, September 17, 1832, at which time he was living in Ira, Cayuga County, New York.
            He died, April 12, 1841 in Canajoharie, New York.
            He married, January 3, 1785, in Tryon County, Mohawk District, New York (which was later Glen, Montgomery County, New York), Margaret Vandewaker, the daughter of Ralph Vandewaker. She was born in August 1764. They were married at her father’s house by the Reverend Thomas Romeyn, Pastor of the Reformed Dutch Church of Caughnawaga.
            The widow, Margaret, was allowed pension on her application executed June 12, 1844, then a resident of Glen, Montgomery County, New York.
            She was living in October, 1842 in Racine County, Wisconsin, and in June 1853 she was living in Calumet County, Wisconsin.
            The following are the only data as to their children, Son, Uriah, born February 22, 1786, and son, Henry, who was living in Cayuga County, New York in 1842.

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