Morrison's Pensions


Pension Application for Christian Cosleman, Cossleman, Casselman

W.20.895
State of New York
Herkimer County SS
            On the 16th day of April A.D. 1818, before me the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the said County.  Personally appears Christian Cosselman aged Sixty-six years, resident in the Town of Manheim in said county who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made by 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 he the said Christian Cosselman enlisted in the State of New York as a private soldier in the company commanded by Captain Fink (1) in Colonel Van Schaick’s Regiment in the New York Line and served under the above named officers against our common enemy for some time (how long this deponent does not presently recollect) then served in Captain James Greets (2) company in the above named Colonel Van Schaick’s Regiment to the end of the Revolutionary War making on the whole about seven years service in the continental establishment when he was discharged from service in Newborough in State aforesaid.  That his discharge has been destroyed by falling into the water.  That he is not now able to produce it.  That he was in the Battle at Monmouth (3) and that he is in reduced  circumstances and stand in need of the assistance of his country for support and that he has no other evidence now in his possession of his said services.  That he was discharged from service on the 6th day of June 1783.
(his mark) Christian Cossleman
            Sworn and declared before me the day and year aforesaid. Daniel Hurlbut

State of New York
Herkimer County
            On the fourth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty personally appeared in open court being a court of record to wit the Court of Common Pleas in and for the said county & constituted such court of record by statement thi [sic the] of the said state Christian Casleman resident in the Town of Manheim in said county who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath declare that to the best of his knowledge he is about sixty-nine years of age that in the year one thousand seven hundred & seventy-six in the month of March of that year he enlisted in the Revolutionary service under Captain Andrew Fink about two years & from that time untill the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty-three, the sixth day of June of that year he served under Captain Christian Graig (or Craig) of Col. Van Schaick’s Regiment & that at that time he received a regular discharge from the regular service of the United States but that the same by some casualty is now lost.
            That the date of his original declaration was on the sixteenth day of April on thousand eight hundred and eighteen & the number of his pension is 6.988 & the said Christian Cosleman doth further testify and deposeth that on the eighteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred and eighteen he was a resident citizen of the United States & that he has not since that time by gift, sale or otherwise disposed of his property or any part thereof with intent thereby to diminish it so as to bring himself within the provisions of the act of Congress entitled an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land & navel service of the United States in the Revolutionary War passed on the eighteenth day of March one thousand eight hundred & eighteen and that he has not nor hath any person in trust for him any property or securities contracts or debts due to him nor hath he any income other than what is continued in the schedule hereto annexed by him subscribed to wit: he has no real, no personal estate of any name or nature his waring apparel & that of his wife and daughter excepted, and that he is indebted to divers persons in about the sum of twelve dollars.
            And this declarant further states that is his by trade and occupation a farmer & that he is almost disabled for labor by reason of the rheumatism & old age that the names age & number of his family residing with him are as follows, to wit: Maria Barbary his wife aged fifty six years, Caty Casleman (4) his daughter twenty-seven, Betsey Casleman his daughter aged eighteen & Peggy Casleman his daughter aged eleven years that the oldest daughter Caty is in very ill health and constantly the other two enjoy usual good health & his wife is unable to labour much on account of rheumatism and other bodily infirmities. 
(his mark)  Christian Casleman
            Subscribed and sworn this fourth day of October one thousand eight hundred and twenty before George Rosegrantz a judge of Herkimer Common Pleas. 
            We find that the [blank] has no property whatever excepting his wearing appearl. David Holt, George Rosencrantz, John I. Prindergast, Court of Common Pleas in and for the said County of Herkimer.

Letter in the pension folder.
October 28, 1931.
Mrs. G. Harry Swancott
11 Greenwood Court
Utica, New York
Dear Madam:
            Reference is made to your letter relative to Revolutionary War records of Christian Casselman, New York troops and of Barbara Casselman a pensioner of Manheim, New York.
            You are furnished herein the record of the first named, whose widow was the pensioner of Manheim, also the record of Pardel Cosselman.
            The data furnished in regard to Christian Casselman are obtained from the papers on file in pension claim W.20895, based upon his military service in that Revolution.
            Christian Cosselman (the name appears also as Cassilman, Casleman, Cassleman, Cosleman and Cosselman) enlisted in New York state in March, 1776, served as private in Captain’s Andrew Finck’s and James Gregg’s Companies, Colonel Van Schaick’s and Colonel Peter Gansevoort’s New York Regiments, was in the battle of Monmouth and was discharged June 6, 1783.
            He was allowed pension on his application executed April 16, 1818, while a resident of Manheim, Herkimer County, New York.  He was then about sixty-six years of age.
            He died August 18, 1830 in Manheim, Herkimer County, New York.
            The soldier married January 10, 1785 in the town of German Flatts, Herkimer County, New York, Barbara or Maria Barbara.
            Barbara Cossleman, soldier’s widow, was allowed pension on her application executed November 5, 1838, while a resident of Manheim, Herkimer County, New York.  She was then seventy-four years of age.
            In 1820 the following children of the soldier were living with him; Caty, aged twenty-seven years; Betsey, aged eighteen years; and Peggy aged eleven years.

End Notes for Christian Coselman W.20895
By James F. Morrison

  1. Christian enlisted on 13 December 1776 as a private in Captain Andrew Fink’s Company [Third Company] in the First New York Continental Regiment Commanded by Colonel Goose VanSchaick.
  2. Captain James Gregg in the First NY Regt.  It is spelled variously in the two pension applications. In 1781, the First NY and the 3rd NY Regiments were consolidated as they had more officers than enlisted men.  Captain Fink was deranged [officers were arranged into regiment and companies.  In the 18th century military terms he was deranged.  Today we would call it down sizing] and James Gregg of the 3rd NY now became the Captain because of seniority in rank of Christian’s Company in the First NY.  For further reading on the First NY consult History of the First NY Regiment by T. E. Egley, Jr. Peter E. Randall Publisher, 1981.
  3. The Battle of Monmouth, N.J. was fought on the 28th of June, 1778.  He doesn’t give any other details but in 1779 and 1780 the 1st NY Regt garrisoned Fort Schuyler on the Mohawk River and in 1781, the regiment was at the siege and surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, VA.
  4. Caslor is written and then part of it is crossed and man replaces the or.

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