Morrison's Pensions


Pension Application of John Witderstein (Witderstone, Witherstine, Weatherstine, Widderstien, Widterstine)

W.18341 (Widow: Margaret)
New York Line.  Colo. Gansevoort’s Regmt, 8 June 1777 War.
State of New York
Herkimer County SS.
            On the seventh day of June one thousand Eight hundred and nineteen personally appeared before me, John McCombs one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Herkimer, John Weatherstone and being duly sworn saith that the papers hereto annexed is the original discharge, granted him by General George Washington on the Eighth day of June 1783, and saith that he did enlist on the Eighth day of June 1777 in the army of the United States in the New York line of the Continental establishment into Captain Thomas DeWitt’s Company in Colonel Peter Gansevoort’s Regiment, and that he did faithfully serve against the Common Enemy in said Army from the period of his enlistment untill his discharge hereto annexed was given him; and was at Fort Stanwix while it was besieged twenty one days by the common enemy and went in the expedition against the Indians under General Sullivan—was in a skirmish on Staten Island and was engaged in the taking Cornwallis besides various other engagements and skirmishes during the aforesaid period of his Services—and saith he is poor has not property to afford him a livelihood and will on the twelfth day of July next be fifty four years of age and that he is the same man mentioned in the annexed discharge and that he stands in need of the aid of his country for support and that he hath no other evidence of his said services.  The above declaration is made in order to obtain the provision made by the late act of Congress to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary War—(Signed)  John Witderstone
            Declared and sworn to before me the day and year above written.  JMCombs, Com. Pleas.

Reply to a request for information dated March 17, 1938
            Reference is made to your letter in which you request information in regard to John Witherstine, soldier of the War of the Revolution, from Herkimer, New York.
            The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in pension claim, W.18341, based upon the military service during the War of the Revolution of John Witderstein; the name is shown, also Weatherstine, Widderstien, Witderstone, Witherstone, Widterstine, and Witherstine.
            John Witderstein was born July 12, 1762, place not stated, nor were the names of his parents shown.
            John Witderstein enlisted June 8, 1777 and served as private in Captain Thomas DeWitt’s company, in Colonel Peter Gansevoort’s New York regiment, and in Captain George Sytez’s company in Colonel VanSchaick’s 1st New York regiment; he was in the siege of Fort Stanwix, expedition against the Indians under General Sullivan, skirmish on Staten Island, and the battle at Yorktown, was discharged June 7, 1783.
            He was allowed pension on his application executed June 7, 1819, at which time he was living in Herkimer, New York.  He died in Herkimer, June 19, 1835.
            John Witderstein married August 1 or 2, 1786, Margaret Kessler (Casler).  She was born February 7, 1779, and was the daughter of Melchert Kessler, name of her mother not given.
            The widow, Margaret Witderstein, was allowed pension on her application executed October 3, 1838, at which time she was living in Herkimer, New York.  She died in Herkimer, June 16, 1848.
            The following children survived their mother—Catharine Fulmer, Margaret Folts, Mary E. Reed, Elizabeth or Betsey Stevens, John, Melchert, David and Abraham, who signed “Witherstine” in 1849, and was then aged forty-two years and living in Herkimer, New York.
            John Schell or Shell aged seventy-three years in 1839, then a resident of Herkimer, New York, stated that he was a cousin of the soldier, John Witderstein.
            The papers on file in this claim contain no further discernible family data.

[Discharge]
BY HIS EXCELLENCY
GEORGE WASHINGTON, ESQ
General and Commander in Chief of the Forces of the
United States of America.
            THESE are to CERTIFY that the Bearer hereof John Weatherstine private—in the first New York Regiment, having faithfully served the United States Six Years and being inlisted for the War only, is hereby DISCHARGED from the American Army.
            GIVEN at HEAD-QUARTERS the 8th June 1783.  (Signed) G. Washington
            By His EXCELLENCY’s
Command, J. Trumbull [?]
            REGISTERED in the books of the Regiment, FF [Winoells?]
            THE above John Weatherstine has been honored with the BADGE of MERIT for six years of Ye Faithful Service, Com’d Van Dyck, Lt Col.

HEAD-QUARTERS, June 8th 1783.
            THE within CERTIFICATE shall not avail the Bearer as a Discharge, until the Ratification of the Definitive Treaty of Peace; previous to which Time, until Proclamation thereof shall be made, He is to be considered as being on Furlough.  GEORGE WASHINGTON

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