Pension Application

R. 3239
State of New York
County of Herkimer SS.
            One this twelfth day of October 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 Herkimer—now sitting Christopher Eckler a resident of the town of Warren in the County of Herkimer and State of New York aged eighty 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 7th 1832.
            That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein states.
            That at the commencement of the revolutionary war he resided at a settlement called the Kyle south of the Mohawk River being the same settlement as set forth in the declaration of Peter Eckler which accompanies this—declaration at which place he was enrolled as a private in Capt. Henry Eckler’s Company also mentioned and described by the said Peter Eckler. That he knew and remembers the officers of the said company viz Timothy Frank and Conrad Olendorff, Lieut. Adam Staring ensign as described by the said Peter Eckler, and that the said company belonged to the regiment commanded by Col. Peter Bellinger. That he resided at the last mentioned place about three years and left there with the rest of the inhabitants as described by the said Peter Eckler. That he removed to Fort Plain near the Mohawk River where he remained during the remainder of the war and again returned to the Kyle as described by the said Peter Eckler. That he during the time he resided at the Kyle, which was a frontier settlement was as constantly engaged at home as a militia man when was ordered out in defending the said settlement as the said Peter Eckler was constantly required for service and was with him at all the places mentioned in his declaration when abroad on duty except the alarms previous to the battle near Fort Stanwix on the Oriskany when the said Peter went under the command of Capt. Eisenlord and excepting his journey to Ticonderoga as set forth by the said Peter. But this claimant was at the commencement of the war with the said Peter at Johnstown distant about thirty miles on the occasion described by the said Peter Eckler in the winter season and on the several occasions as described by the said Peter at German Flatts Viz. three or four occasions, staying a few days each time, and this claimant while residing at the Kyle and before they abandoned those settlements was one occasion engaged abroad when the said Peter Eckler was not engaged. This was in the year 1776 when Capt. Henry Eckler’s company or draft of a certain number from that company as well as a [?] levy from several other companies of the neighboring militia marched to the protection of the frontier settlement Unadilla about sixty miles to the south of this claimant’s residence, where a compromise took place between Gen. Herkimer and the celebrated Indian Chief Joseph Brant and no fighting took place on this occasion. He remembers among the officers who were present Genl. Herkimer, Col. Bellinger, Major Clapsaddle and Capt. Henry Eckler that the said Capt. Henry Eckler and the above mentioned Peter were brothers of this claimant. That on removing from the settlement at the Kyle to the Mohawk River. And claimant was enrolled together with his said brother Peter Eckler in Capt. Peter Eckler in Capt. Abraham Copeman’s Company of Militia who were as set forth by the said Peter Eckler frequently as militia men on duty and more especially during the summer season at the fort. That he assisted in erecting Fort Plank, and remained constantly at the Fort when not absent on duty. That this Claimant having a family then residing at the Fort and the said Peter Eckler being a single man at that time this claimant did not go abroad on duty as often as the said Peter but on those occasions remained doing duty at the Fort. That during one summer season after the erection of Fort Plank he removed his family near to Fort Herkimer and this claimant during that summer was called out to a settlement called Anderstown [Andrustown] distant nine or ten miles where the Indians had murdered some of the inhabitants and burnt their dwellings, that he assisted in burying the dead and returned to the Fort. That while he was frequently engaged on duty at the Fort, and in Autumn ensuing returned again for the greater security of his family to Fort Plank where he remained during the remainder of the war. That he was frequently out in search of the savage enemy who were constantly burning and committing murders upon the frontier inhabitants but the particular instances of such services he cannot now relate.
            That during the whole war and more particularly in the same reason so constant were the services of this claimant and the said Peter required at the Fort and in pursuit of the enemy that they were scarcely able to attend to any other business. That he believes his services in the whole amounted to at least two years.
            That this claimant has no documentary evidence of his services, nor hath he ever had any commission or written discharges. That he was born near Fort Plain in the now County of Montgomery NY in the year 1748. That his brother Leonard Eckler has the record of his birth. That he lives in Columbia Herkimer Co. That after the war over he removed to the Kyle his former residence & lived there to this day.
            He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. (Signed with his mark) Christopher Eckler.
            Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid in open court. Julius C. Nelson, Clerk.

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