Pension Application

W.26118 (Widow: Olive, married September [?] 1782)
Listed as Musician in Colonel VanSchaicks Regiment of the N. York line of one year.
State of New York
Cayuga County SS.
            On this second day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen before me, the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, in and for the County of Cayuga in said state, personally appears Reuben Woodworth—aged fifty seven years, resident in the town of Sempronius in the County of Cayuga and state aforesaid, who being by me first duly sworn according to Law, doth on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress, entitled “An act to provide for certain persons engaged in the Land and Naval Service of the United States, in the Revolutionary War.”
            That the said Reuben Woodworth enlisted in the town of Stillwater, County of Saratoga in the state of New York in the Company commanded by Captain Job Wright (1) in the fourth Regiment, Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Peter Gansevoort (2), in the New York line of the Continental Troops, in the character of musician or drummer in the month of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six, that he continued to serve in the said Corps or in the service of the United States until February or March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven. When he was discharged from service in the county of Saratoga, aforesaid, state of New York and that he was in the battles of [blank] and is in reduced circumstances, and stands in need of the assistance of his Country for support, and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services. (Signed) Reuben Woodworth (3)
            Sworn to and declared before me, the day and year first aforesaid, Cyrus Powers.
Schedule
One cow $11.0
On do $9.0
One colt 25.0
7 sheep 7.0
One kettle 1.0
One broken do .25
4 old chairs 1.0
Old table .25
2 old chests .25
6 plates .20
3 knives & forks .30
$55.25 (Signed) Reuben Woodworth

Reuben enlisted as a drummer in Captain Job Wright’s Company in Colonel Goose VanSchaick’s New York Continental Regiment (no number for the regiment for February to November of 1776) on March 3, 1776. He was discharged on December 17, 1776. FROM: Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783, Series M-246, Roll 77, folder 163, National Archives, Washington DC.
Peter Gansevoort, brother-in-law to Colonel VanSchaick was the Lieutenant-Colonel of this regiment on March 19, 1776. (He had been the Major.) Gansevoort was promoted to Colonel on November 21, 1776 and commanded the Third New York Continental Regiment.
Olive Woodworth, widow of Reuben applied for Widow’s benefits February 13, 1843, from Salina, Onondaga Co., NY. She was married to Reuben in September of 1782. She claimed that Reuben was in the Battle of Stillwater and at the Head Quarters of Major General Horatio Gates and that he also was a teamster conveying baggage for the army.

            Reuben served in Captain Ephraim Woodworth’s Company in Colonel John McCrea’s Thirteenth Regiment of Albany County Militia as a drummer. The district for this regiment took in the area of Stillwater. Captain Woodworth’s home was used by the American Army during the Battles of Saratoga and the Woodworth barn was used as a hospital for the American wounded. As a drummer he would have been stationed at various officers’ tents or quarters as what is called “a duty drummer.” The drummers and fifers were usually boys under 16 years of age. They were responsible for playing “calls” (tunes) on their drums or fifes which were used as signals or commands.
            Examples were “Officer’s Call”, “Wood call”, “Water call”, etc. The drummer usually administered the punishment to men convicted of crimes in a military court martial. As the drummer was usually a young lad, a flogging also referred to as lashes or stripes, being whipped on the bareback while being tied to the “Adjutant’s daughter” (a nickname for a whipping post) would not be as severe as if a full grown man had given the whipping.
            Reuben also served as a drummer in 1780 in Captain Joseph Harrisons’ Company in Colonel John Harper’s Regiment of New York State Levies.
            Certificate Number—18397 £ 7.10..6
            Certificate Number—18156 £ 11.14..8
            The certificates were transferred to John Willson and Consider Sturtevant received the pay. It was witnessed by Barent Roseboom. FROM: Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783, Series M-246, Roll 74, folder 112, National Archives, Washington DC.
            Captain Harrrison’s Company in 1780 served at Fort Edward and the surrounding until September when they marched to Fort Schuyler. He was discharged on November 30, 1780.
            A return of Lieutenant Colonel John Harper’s Regiment of Levies dated October 1, 1780 at fort Schuyler shows two Drum & fife present for Captain Harrisons’ Company. FROM: George Washington Papers, Series 4, 1 Roll 71, item 153-336, Library of Congress.
            Josiah Woodworth of Cayuga County, New York on July 29, 1843, stated he is the eldest son of Reuben and Olive.
            He also has a brother who is two years younger living in the Wisconsin Territory.
            He claims Reuben died at Salina on February 15, 1842 and that his mother is still alive and his affidavit is in support of declaration.

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