Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for Christian Bellinger

S.9277
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832
State of New York
Herkimer County SS.
            On the tenth day of October personally appeared in open court before Michael Hoffman first Judge John Mahon, Augustus Beardslee & Sherman Webster Judges of the Court of Common Pleas now sitting Christian Bellinger of the town of Danube in the County of Herkimer & state of New York aforesaid aged Sixty Eight 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 & served as herein stated, that deponent had been informed by his parents & believes them that he was born in the (now) town of Herkimer in the now county of Herkimer in the State of New York the 15th day of January A. D. 1764 as also appears by a record of deponents age made by the clergyman of the Reformed Dutch Church at the Castle in the now County of Herkimer a copy of which is in court under the hand & seal of D. A. Pick the minister of said Church at the Castle aforesaid—In the Spring of the year 1780—(the month deponent is not able to state, he entered in the nine months service in a company commanded by Garret Putnam Capt. [not legible] Putman too was Lieutenant as deponent believes the other officers of the company deponent cannot recollect deponent entered the company as a substitute for one Fritcher, the Christian name deponent cannot now recollect that deponent resided in the (now) town of Root in the County of Montgomery—with his parents at the time he went as such substitute the company to which said Fritcher belonged was ordered to go to Fort Stanwix & said Fritcher was unwilling to go & gave deponent a cow to take his place—deponent went & joined said Company at George Klocks in the now town of Oppenheim the County of Montgomery—the company to which deponent belonged lay a few days at the house of said George Klocks & then marched to Fort Herkimer & then stayed five or six days they [?] provisions at said Fort to support them on their said march to Fort Stanwix—Deponent does not now recollect who commanded at Fort Herkimer at this time—deponent with his company marched to Fort Stanwix wilst at Fort Herkimer they [?] company of Indians & Tories laying in ambush there were a few riflemen in the company to which deponent belonged—who were in advance of the company & discovered the enemy—they exchanged a few fires & then the enemy fled & left two Indians dead—the company to which deponent belonged did not pursue the enemy for fear of being drawn into an ambush & kept their position about two hours when they set out flanking parties to scout the country who returned in a short time & the company then proceeded to Fort Stanwix – deponent stayed & did duty at Fort Stanwix till late in the fall deponent thinks Col. Peter Gansvoort may have commanded at Fort Stanwix late in the fall the company to which deponent belonged under the command of Capt. Garret Putnam was ordered to march to Schenectady the ground was frozen [?] have during their march [line not legible] soon after arriving at Schenectady & deponent returned home by the way of Johnstown in the (now) County of Montgomery & then drew a pair of shoes & arrived at his fathers a short time before Christmas & remained at home till the next Spring when the Settlement was attacked by the Indians & deponent & all his fathers family fled to the woods they were pursued by the Indians who shot the brother of deponent dead by his side but deponent [?] & is captured—the Indians took deponents mother & sister & two of his brothers prisoners, his mother & sister, they liberated but took one of his brothers to Canada & the other was killed in a battle the Indians had a few days after he was taken with the militia in the fall after the Indians & Tories under the command of Major Ross & Butler made their appearance in the (now) County of Montgomery, the Indians attacked the settlement where deponent resided & deponent & his father & mother & sister all came from their house towards the Mohawk river & were pursued by the Indians and deponent escaped, his father mother & Sister were taken prisoners—deponent proceeded to Fort Plain to inform Col. Willett, deponent went almost to Fort Plain where he became so lame, having hurt himself by jumping a fence in his escape from the Indians, that he was unable to proceed & got two sore to go to Fort Plain, the next morning Col. Willett came down the river with his whole force & deponent went with him a few miles to the house of a Mr. Yates & from there he proceeded to his fathers house deponent was so lame that he could scarcely walk—he found his mother &b sister at home—the Indians had liberated them, but took his father to Canada.  The same day deponent took his mother & sister in a wagon & carried them to a small fort located between Canajoharie & Fort Plain in the now County of Montgomery—The next ;morning deponents’ mother wished them to return home to their domestic concerns, deponent went & was taken prisoner by the Indians & was carried to Niaggara.  Deponent suffering very much in his journey & was four day & nights without anything to eat—he was a prisoner two years & nine months—till after the close of the war & their return—deponent did not receive a written discharge from the service at Schenectady nor at any other place—he had lived forty nine years last past on the same farm where he now resides & has [blot] in the now County of Herkimer ever since the Revolutionary War.
            That deponent is well known to Henry G[?] who resides in the Town of Warren in said County of Herkimer about ten miles from deponent & who has known deponent since a boy & who was in the same service at Fort Stanwix & who can testify as to his character for truth & veracity—that deponent is also known to Peter P. Bellinger who resides in his present neighborhood & who can also testify as to his character for truth & veracity & of my services as a soldier of the revolution.
            He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
            Deponent had been informed by his parents & believes true that he was born in the now town of Herkimer in said County of Herkimer the 15th day of January in the year 1764.  As also appeared by a record of deponents age made by the clergyman of the Reformed Cutch Church at the Castle  [Indian Castle] in the now Town of Danube in said County of Herkimer a copy of which is in court under the hand & seal of D. A. Pick the present minister of said church.
            At the time deponent was called into the service he resided in the (now) town of Root the county of Montgomery with his parents.
            Deponent went into the service as a Substitute for one Fritcher—whose Christian name deponent cannot recollect deponent volunteered to take the place of said Fritcher.
            The company in which deponent served was commanded by Garret Putnam Capt. & [?] Putman [?] Isaac Paris was Lieutenant whose Christian Name deponent cannot recollect—General Peter Gansvoort may have commanded at Fort Stanwix as deponent believes at the time deponent served at said Fort—He made us work well though I can’t recollect his name.—
            That deponent never received a discharge in writing from the service.
            That deponent is well known to Andrew Bellinger who resides in the town of Danube in the County of Herkimer about ten miles from deponent & who had known deponent since a boy he is also known to Peter P. Bellinger who resides in his present neighborhood & who can also with Peter Graves who can testify as to his character for truth & veracity & of his service as a soldier of the Revolution.  (Signed with his mark)  Christian Bellinger
            Sworn in Open Court Oct 10th 1832, Julius G. Nelson, Clerk.
State of New York
County of Herkimer SS.
            On this 15th day of January 1846 before me Robert Casler a Justice of the Peace in and for said County personally appeared Jacob Bellinger aged sixty one years who being first duly sworn according to law doth make the following declaration in order to procure an increase of pension which was due Christian Bellinger deceased & and as declarant has been informed & believes is now due the children under the Act of 7th June 1832.  That he is one of the children of Christian Bellinger who was a pensioner of the United States and died in the aforesaid county on the first day of May in the year one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight.  That at the time of his death left no widow but left him surviving the following named children viz Jacob Bellinger (himself) Phillip C. Bellinger, Betsey Mowers, Catharine Sharp, Margaret Snell, Barbara Feeter, Maria Snell & Fanny Baxter.  That they are his only surviving children and each are over twenty one years of age.  Declarant further saith that his said father the said Christian Bellinger was a pensioner of the United States at the rates as near as declarant can recollect of thirty dollars per annum.  Declarant also saith that he has always understood & believes that his said father was taken prisoner during the Revolutionary War and carried to Canada & that he has heard his said father say that he was absent in all about three years including the time of his imprisonment as aforesaid, and further that this declarant has been informed & believes that his said father was entitled to a larger amount of pension for service in the Revolutionary War than he received & declarant now makes this declaration in behalf of the children for the purpose of having the increase or difference between the amount he did receive & was entitled to receive under the aforesaid Act.  (Signed) Jacob Bellinger
            Subscribed & Sworn to before me this 15th day of January 1846.  Robert Casler Justice of the Peace.
Letter in the Pension folder
June 2, 1938
Mr. Roger F. Williams
2 Rock Street
Alexandria Bay, New York
Dear Sir;
            Reference is made to your letter in which you request the record of Christian Bellinger, a soldier of the Revolutionary War, who received pension while living in Herkimer County, New York, whose wife was named Barbara and who died about 1837.
            You are furnished herein the record of the only Christian Bellinger found in the Revolutionary War records of this office.  The data therein were obtained from pension claim S.9277, based upon his service in that war.
            Christian Bellinger was born January 15, 1764, in what was later Herkimer, Herkimer County, New York.  The names of his parents were not given.
            While living with his parents in Root, Montgomery County, New York, Christian Bellinger enlisted in the spring of 1780, served as private in Captain Garrett Putman’s company, Colonel John Harper’s New York regiment and was discharged after having served nine months.  After this tour he remained at home until the spring of 1781 then enlisted and served as private in Captain Robert Yates’ company, Colonel Volkert Veeder’s New York regiment; that spring the settlement in which he lived was attacked by Indians; his father’s family fled to the woods pursued by the enemy; one of his brothers was shot dead by his side, two other brothers taken prisoners, one of whom was killed in battle a few days after being taken and the other was carried to Canada.  His mother and sister were taken prisoners at the same time but were shortly afterwards released.  In the fall of the same year, the Indians again attacked the settlement, took his father, mother and sister prisoners, his father being taken to Canada but his mother and sister were released the same day.  He did not give the names of any of those members of his family.  The soldier, also was taken prisoner shortly after this, carried to Niagara, held prisoner two years, nine months; or until the close of the war.
            Christian Bellinger was allowed pension on his application executed October 10, 1832, while a resident of Danube, Herkimer County, New York.
            The soldier’s wife whose name was not stated, did not survive him.  He died May 1, 1838, in Herkimer County, New York, survived by children named as follows:  Jacob Bellinger, Phillip C. Bellinger, Betwsey Mowers, Catharine Sharp, Margaret Snell, Barbara Feeter, Maria Snell and Fanny Baxter.
            In 1832, Andrew and Peter F. Bellinger were residents of Danube, Herkimer County, New York; their relationship to the soldier or to each other was not stated.
            In 1832, one George Feeter was living in Little Falls, Herkimer County, New York, his relationship to Barbara Feeter, soldier’s daughter, was not show.
            Very truly yours, A. D. Hiller, Executive Assistant to the Administrator