Pension Application

S.17207
State of New York
Montgomery County SS.
            On the 19th day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open court before the court of common Pleas of the County of Montgomery now sitting William G. Woodworth, a resident of the Town of Mayfield in the County of Montgomery and State of New York, aged seventy three 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 7, 1832.
            That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated. Your applicant, says that he drafted in the service of the United States in the month of May, the day of the month he does not recollect in the year 1777 in a militia company commanded by Captain John McCellups (1), Lieutenant Gersham Woodworth (2), & George Gilmore (3) Second Lieutenant, belonging to Lewis VanWort’s Regiment Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel John Blair (4), Major James Ashton & Ebenezer Allen & Adjutant John Younglove, that he went from Cambridge then in the County of Albany, but now Washington county to Fort Edward in the same County and remained at the latter place until Burgoyne arrived at a place called SkenesBorough now White Hall, and that the regiment was sent by Gen. Schuyler who was the General, from Fort Edward to Big White Creek now called Salem, situate in Washington County, State of New York and remained there about a month and then in consequence of Burgoyne coming in that sector of the country, the Regiment dispersed for the purpose of seeing to their families, your applicant says that he was discharged at this time on the fifteenth day of August, that he was out at this time a little more than three months. When he was discharged he went from White Creek to the Town of Spingham, Berkshire County, Massachusetts about sixty miles from White Creek, that he went there with his father’s family for the purpose of getting them out of the way of the enemy, who was then at White creek laying waste the country and places lying adjacent to White Creek, he was out about a week in going and returning to the place above stated, and when he arrived at home again, he immediately volunteered into the service of the United States, and went out under the same officers as above stated, except his captain, who was Captain Joseph Wells. Your applicant says that he was in the habit of changing officers, during the season that he was out, after he returned from Massachusetts, he was out in scouting parties through Washington and Albany counties after his return as before stated and was out under Captain John Armstrong (5), Lieutenants Long (6) & Tanner (7), belonging to Colonels John Williams Regiment of Militia. Your applicants says that he was out in the manner above stated from the time he returned which was in August until a few days after the capture of Burgoyne which capture was on the 17th of Oct. 1777. Your applicant says that he was out the last time at least two months. Your applicant says that he again in the Spring, Summer, Autumn, of the year 1778 & 9 was out frequently on scouts as a volunteer and in different and divers places in the county of Washington & Albany and was out to put it on the lowest scale at least one month in each year. His officers when he went out at these different times as generally a Lieutenant or Serjeant and sometimes he took the command himself as a serjeant.
            Your applicant says that sometime in the winter of 1780 he drafted in the Militia service and entered upon duty on the seventh of March of that year, under Lieutenant William Powell (8), & Ensign Henry Loop belonging to Lewis Van Wort’s Regiment, that he went from Cambridge Washington County then Albany to Skeensborough now called White Hall where he remained until the twenty first of March. Your applicant together with James Dugal (9) a commissary belonging to the United States Army, Henry Loop, Robert Thomas (10), David Sealy, James Ketch, Ephriam Busy, William Gray, Davie Norton, William Blowery, Aaron Bump, John Simedon and Lemuel Bartholomew, were taken prisoners by a party of Indians, Tories and three Frenchmen and carried to the Lower part of Canada to a place called Caughnawaga where he remained nine days and was then taken by the Indians and carried down to Montreal and there sold by an old Indian Squaw to a British officer by the name of Colonel Campbell for half Joe. Your applicant was taken down to Montreal on the sixth day of April and on the ninth put in prison and on the twenty ninth broke out of jail and escaped from the place and came home on the eighteenth day of May.
            Your applicant says that after he got back from Canada, that he again volunteered into the Militia service, sometime either in the latter part of May or the first of June, under Captain Wells, Lieutenant Woodworth belonging to Lewis VanWorts Regiment and went from Cambridge aforesaid to Crown Point and was out he thinks about a fort night at this time.
            Your applicant says that he was during the years 1780 & 1 after his return from Canada, as aforesaid frequently on scouts over and through the counties of Washington & Albany and served at least one month in each year. And your applicant says that he has no documentary evidence of his services & knows of no person by whom he can prove all his services.
            Your applicant says that he has served in all during the revolution more than ten months. Your applicant says that he was born in Springham, town of Berkshire, State of Massachusetts on the 13th of October 1758. he has no other record of his age except a paper upon which his father kept the record of his family; your applicant says that he resided when called into service in Cambridge Washington County and State of New York and has resided since the Revolution in Mayfield Montgomery County & State aforesaid.
            He is acquainted with the following persons residing in his neighborhood who can testify as to his character for truth and veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolution, to wit, Jeremiah Wood & Collin Odell.
            He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. (Signed) William G. Woodworth. (11)
            Sworn to and Subscribed, the day and year aforesaid in open court. Geo. D. Ferguson, Clerk.

Captain John McKillip, commissioned on April 4, 1778 in Colonel Lewis VanWoert’s Regiment of Albany County Militia (Sixteenth Regiment). His officers were commissioned on the same date. First Lieutenant Andrew Thompson, Second Lieutenant James Botton, and Ensign Hugh Thompson.
Gershom Woodworth was commissioned on April 4, 1778 as First Lieutenant in Captain Joseph Wells Company in Colonel VanWoert’s Regiment.
George Gilmore was commissioned Captain on April 4, 1778 in Colonel VanWoert’s Regiment.
These officers; Lieutenant-Colonel John Blair, First Major James Ashton, Second Major Ebenezer Allen and Adjutant John Younglove were all in Colonel Lewis VanWoert’s Regiment.
Captain John Armstrong was in Colonel Doctor John William’s Regiment of Charlotte County Militia (First Regiment). Colonel Williams was dismissed on June 25, 1778 for defrauding the Continental Pay office. Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Webster was promoted Colonel and received his Commission on May 4, 1780.
Edward Long was a Captain in Colonel Williams’ Regiment.
Probably Second Lieutenant Alexander Turner in Captain Long’s Company. This detachment probably was a mix of the First Charlotte and Sixteenth Albany.
Second Lieutenant William Powell in Captain Doty’s Company and Ensign Henry Loop of Captain John Whiteside’s Company in Colonel VanWoert’s Regiment.
James Dugan age 19 was the commissary at Skenesborough. Listed on Prisoners (List) in and around Montreal October 30, 1780, page 23.
Prisoner Lists Fort Chambly May 1, 1780, Page 16.

      James Rogers age 17 born NH.
      Jno Simpson age 21 born Penn.
      James Ketch age 18 born NY
      David Cooley (Seelye etc.) age 19 born Conn.
      Samuel Bartholomew age 22 born Conn.
      David Norton age 26 born Dukes County
      Eph Bessy age 16 born NY
      July 1, 1780, Fort Chambly page 20
      James Rogers age 17 born NH
      James Ketch age 18 born NY
      Ephraim Bessey age 16 born NY
      Robert Thomas Age 22 born NY
      Aaron Bump age 22 born Conn.
      Prisoner information was taken from Rebel Prisoners at Quebec 1778-1783, Chris McHenry, Compiler, 1981, pp 16, 20 and 23.
      For information on the Skenesboirough Raid Can be obtained from the Public Papers of George Clinton, Vol. V, pp 550, 551, 558, 559, and 569 to 571.

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