Morrison's Pensions


Pension Application for John Ackerson

R.18 (Widow: Mariah Elizabeth or Elizabeth)
Soldier B. about 1752, m. Sept. 1777 d. Oct. 1834. 
State of New York
Orleans County SS.
            On this 17th day of September in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally came before me William James one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Orleans, John Ackerson a Resident of the Town of Gaines in the said county aged eighty 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 the Seventh in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two—That he was born in the Town of Schoharie in the then County of Albany and State of New York in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty two in the month of October the day of the month he does not recollect—That he will be eighty years of age in October next—that there are no records of his Age to his knowledge nor ever was any—
He says he volunteered his services and joined the army of the United States in the month of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy six for one year in Capt. Mann’s Company.—Lieut John dear and Ensign Jacob Snyder—The Major’s name was Joseph or Yost Backus. The Col. of the Regiment was Peter Froman or Forman he was attached to General [Gawywort’s?] Brigade—during this years service he kept Garrison at the fort post and Expresses to Albany was called out on expresses and alarms frequently to drive back the Indians and Tories and a company of Highlanders.  Once he went to a place called Cobuskill, and other time this year he  marched to the Mohawk and to Johnstown he served twelve months this time which constituted the term for which he engaged—and was discharged—He received his discharge from Col. Vroman which has been lost or destroyed—he marched one this year to fort Schuyler and once to Fort Stanwix against the Tories and Indians in the month of May A.D. (1777) Soon after he was discharged he Again volunteered and entered the army at Old Schoharie for nine months under the same officers that he had served the year before—he was at Schoharie about one month with the rest of his company and then marched to Saratoga against the British Army commanded by General Burgoyne he remained with the army until after the surrender to General Gates, was in two engagements at this time during this term of service a part of the time he was attached to Col. Peter Van Wyks Regiment and Lieut Col. Stephen Hogeboom—after the capture of Gen. Burgoyne he marched to Albany and from there returned to Schoharie and assisted in helping fortify the place and protect the Inhabitants against the depredations of the Indians , Tories and Scotch Highlanders until my time was out making nine months for which I had engaged and discharged—at this time he does not recollect of having a written discharge.
            In the month of June AD 1778 he again volunteered and joined his old company under the same officers to wit Capt. Mann, Lieut John Deat and Ensign Jacob Snyder—Major Backus—Col. Vrooman of General Gawyworth’s Brigade—These are the names of the officers as near as he can recollect he served this year four months and the principal part of the time rode expresses and went on foot as an express from Schoharie to Albany—he received a discharge from his Col. this time but not in writing,  he served in those three years, two years and one month besides several times turning out on alarms.
            And he further says he has no documentary evidence nor knows of any in existence.  That he knows of no evidence of his services except his wife Mariah Elizabeth Ackerson whose affidavit is hereunto attached.
            That he has never made any application whatever for a pension or annuity from any state or the United States or at the War department nor is his name on the pension roll of the agency of any state except this he now presents—
            After making the foregoing declaration I then put the following interrogatories and received the following answers.
            1st In what capacity did you serve while in the army.  Answer I served as a private in the State Troops of the State of New York
            2. In what years did you serve—Answer—as near as he can recollect in the year 1776-1777 and 1778 of this he feels quite confident.
            3. How long did you serve—Answer- the first term one year the second nine months and the third four months making in the whole two years and one month besides two or three times that he was out on alarms.
            4. Under what officers did you serve—Answers—Under Capt. Mann, Lieut Deat, Ensign Snyder—Major Backus—Col. Vrooman—General Gawyvort—he was not all the time under the command of these officers—a part of the time he was under the command of Col. Peter VanNess—Col. Stephen Hogaboom—General P. Schuyler, General Arnold and General Gates the Regulars.
            5.  Have you any documentary evidence of your service or your discharge.  Answer—He has no documentary of his services or discharge nor does he know of any.—
            6.  Where were you living when called into the service.  Answer, he says at the time he entered the service for the first period he lived in Old Schoharie in the County of Albany & State of New York and that he lived at the same place when he entered the service for both the other periods.
            7. Where have you lived since the Revolutionary War.  Answer—he says he moved from Schoharie to Cambridge in the County of Washington he believes he cannot recollect distinctly for his memory fails him And lived there and at a place near there called St. Cork joining Cambridge on Hoosac River ten years—he then moved to the town of Schaghticoke in the County of Rensselaer and lived there twenty years or over from thence he moved to the town or a place called Stillwater on the Hudson River at which place he lived about twelve years and from thence he moved to the town of Gains in the County of Orleans State of New York where he now resides.
            8th What officers can you recollect while you were in the service besides those already mentioned in your Declaration.  Answer—He says he recollects General Poor, Shephard, St. Clair, Col. Dearbourn or Major Dubourn and Col. Wilkinson, Also Major Allen—as to the grades of those officers he cannot clearly recollect he thinks those mentioned were all regulars—or as they were then called Continentals.
            9th.  What Regiments can you recollect at the time you served Col. Vrooman’s—Col. Peter Van Ness, and Col. Hogebooms Regiments of Militia also Col. Willett's men & a Major Rowley.
            10th.  How were you called into the service.  Answer—He volunteered his service each time.
            11th.  Who are the persons in your neighborhood with whom you are acquainted with that will testify to your good character and as to their belief as to you having been a Revolutionary Soldier. Answer—Uriah L. James, R. S. Gunn, Col. Gilbert Howell, Archibald Barrey, John Dolly, David Pratt.
            12th.  Did you ever receive any written discharge and if so what has become of it.   Answer—he received a written discharge from Col. Vrooman for the first year of his service which has been lost or destroyed.  That he received no written discharge for the other two periods but was discharged by [?] when his time was out—He further says that he always served in the militia of the State of N.Y.
            13th What were the general circumstances of your services.  Answer—He during the first year of his service assisted to fortify against the Indians & Tories and kept garrison part of the time went on Express to Albany, Schenectady and Fort Stanwix & Fort Schuyler [missing] and Tories to Johnstown this Second [missing] he thinks Cobuskill was burnt by [missing] he was there at the time they killed [missing] of our People they also burnt Schoharie but [missing] take the fort he was in the fort at the time—He marched against the British Army under Burgoyne, was in the action on the 7th day of October 1777) our army was at this time commanded by General Gates he staid with the Army until after the Surrender of General Burgoyne to General Gates—He marched to Fort Stanwix this year or the next—the last period that he served his service was to keep garrison at Old Schoharie go express to Albany and protect the Inhabitants from the Indians Tories & a company of Highlanders that lurked about the Country doing great damage &c.  The British Indians and Tories together with the Highlanders made several attempts to take the fort at Schoharie while he was in it and failed.  (Signed with his mark)  John Ackerson
            Before me this 17th day of September on the year of our Lord 1832.  William James a Judge of Orleans County Courts.

Close examination of the records show the claimant didn't serve six months.

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