Pension Application

Do you have any information to add to this quest?
This information is from a series of messages from Joe Fondy.

My family has been researching our ancestors for over half a century. My GGGrandfather George W. FONDY died in 1865 and did not leave us any information on his parents, siblings or place of birth. We found information on a man named Isaac V. FONDYwho lived in the same county, Johnson County, Illinois. We also found information on a man named Vrooman FONDY from Schoharie County, New York. Vrooman FONDY, who lived in Perry County, Illinois and St. Louis, MO was also known as Isaac V. FONDY.

We had suspected that our family was somehow tied in to the FONDA family of New York, but when we saw that Vrooman FONDY was from Schoharie County, New York, we were a bit more certain. I decided to start looking at FONDAs and FONDEYs from the Albany and Mohawk valley area - but there were so many FONDAs, I did not have much success. I even traveled cross-country to try to find some clues - but came up almost empty. There was an offshoot of the FONDA family who spelled their names FONDEY. I began looking at John Fondey, Junior and his family - but also came up empty. He had two brothers - but various publications led me to believe that their descendants were not directly related to my line.

The 2005 inclusion of the Early American Newspapers online database as part of my membership with the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society was the breakthrough I needed! An obituary in the NewYork Evening Post, dated 28 Nov. 1806 gave a date of death of November 19th for Douw I. Fondey.

After researching the Fonda and Fondey familes for decades, searching libraries in 30 states, and scouring the internet, we never had found a death date of 1806 for Douw FONDEY or any Douw FONDA. This new information was just one tidbit which would lead to many other revelations. I was able to deduce that Douw I. FONDEY was from Saratoga County, he served as an Ensign in the Revolutionary War, was an Associate Justice of the Peace and Sheriff of Saratoga County, and at one time was Collector of the Revenue. His office was at his home at Ballston in 1798. He served in the New York State Assembly in and 1798. He may have been referred to at times as Douw J. FONDEY or Douw I. FONDA. Further research revealed that he was an Adjutant to Alexander HAMILTON, and was probably at the battle of Yorktown.

Douw I. Fondey was the brother of John Fondey, Junior, and both were sons of Isaac D. Fonda - all of Albany.

My findings have been published in the Summer 2006 edition of "The New York Researcher." I would especially like to contact any members of the Winne family or Epenetus WHITE family or David FONDA family who may have any info on the FONDEYS.

I applaud your Morrison's Pensions project. I, too wish there were more information in the pension files . . . but someday maybe they will show up - if they have not been destroyed by the ravages of time.

Douw I. Fondey was a member of the New York 3rd Regiment of Infantry, having served at the rank of Ensign from May 29th of 1779. In 1781, Ensign Douw Fondey was promoted to Adjutant, and was transferred to the First NY (The Line) and to the light Corps commanded by Lt. Col. Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton led this unit in the assault on Yorktown on 14 Oct, 1781, and secured Redoubt Number 10. This battle effectively ended the Revolutionary War, and Cornwallis surrendered. There are a few references to Douw Fondey in the Alexander Hamilton papers.

Douw I. Fondey was later in the militia, and after that was in the Provisional Army until 1800. I also have lots of info on his brother, John Fondey, Jr. and their father, Isaac D. Fonda, who was probably a key member of the Albany Committee of Correspondence and was on a committee from Saratoga in 1775 assembled to choose delegates to the provincial Congress. I believe Isaac D. Fonda was in the 13th Regiment of Albany County militia under Captain Thompson.

I am very interested in Militias of the Albany and Saratoga areas. I would be happy to share my research.

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