Pension Application

Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for John Leathers

W.20452
State of New York
Montgomery County SS
            On this 11th day of September 1846, personally came before me Geo. Spraker a Justice of the Peace in and for said county, Elizabeth Vanderwarker who being duly sworn doth depose and swear that she was personally acquainted with John Leathers both before and during the revolutionary war and also for a number of years there after. That the said John Leathers is the identical John Leathers who married Mariah Vanderwarker for his first and only wife and further saith that the said John Leathers had by his wife Mariah Vanderwarker three children, two daughters and one son. The son by the name of Christian I. Leathers, now residing in the Town of Root, Montgomery County, State of New York. The two daughters one by the mane of Soloma Leathers married to John Cranker now residing in the Town of Root—Mongtomery County State aforesaid, and the other daughter by the name of Betsy Leathers married to Henry J. Dillenback now residing in the Town of Alexander County of Jefferson and State of New York.
            (Signed with her mark) Elizabeth Vanderwarker.
            Subscribed and sworn this 11th day of September 1846 before me. Geo. Spraker Justice.
            I certify that Elizabeth Vanderwarker the above deponent judging from her public character is a woman of truth and veracity that alto aged her memory is sound and good and that the affidavit above sworn to by her is entitled to full credit. Geo. Spraker.
Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by an act of Congress passed July 4th 1836 entitled “An act granting half pay and pension to certain widows.”
State of New York
Montgomery County SS
            On this fourteenth day of September in the year one thousand eight hundred and forty six personally appeared before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas & General Sessions of the Peace? Christian J. Lathers a resident of the Town of Root in the County of Montgomery and said State of New York aged sixty two years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefits of the provision made by an act of Congress passed July the 4th 1836 entitled “An act granting half pay and pension to certain widows”, and acts explanatory of and amending the same,
            That he is one of the children of Maria Lathers deceased who was the widow of John Lathers late of the Town of Root in said County & State of New York—who served in the war of the revolution as hereinafter stated. That her husband, the said John Lathers resided before he entered the service of the United States in the army of the Revolution in the District of Palatine now the Town of Palatine in said County during the Revolution and since the said war in the Town of Charleston in said County of Montgomery & remained in said Town till his death which is now the Town of Root in said county.—That he served in the War of the Revolution as aforesaid. This declarant is unable to specify the particulars of his said service but according to the best of his recollection, information and belief he served under the following officers for the following terms under Capt. Christian Getman & officer nine months on 1776 & part of 1777 under Capt. Samuel Gray as Boatmen nine months under Capt. Liety, Capt. Bradbick for several months under Capt’n Miller, Klock & into several month & this declarant believes & is informed that the said Maria Lathers had by her said husband John Lathers the following named children who are of full age, Christian I. Lathers, Soloma wife of John Cranker all of the Town of Root in said County Betsy the wife of Henry Dillenbeck residing in the town of Alexander Jefferson County that the said [?] died in the year eighteen hundred & twelve on the twenty second day of June that the said widow Mariah Lathers died on the 22nd day of March 1839.
            And declarant further saith, That she, said widow was married to the said John Lathers on the second day of April seventeen hundred and eighty two by the Rev’d Abraham Rosencrantz of the Reformed Dutch Church of the Town of German Flatts Herkimer County that the following persons were present at her marriage to wit: [blank]
            That previous to her marriage she resided in the Town of Palatine Montgomery County and bore the maiden name of Maria VanDerwarken.
            That her husband the said John Lathers died as aforesaid on the twenty second day of June 1812 and since his death she remained single and unmarried.
            That the declarant more particularly refers to the deposition accompanying this declaration as proof.
(Signed) Christian J. Leathers
            Subscribed and sworn the day and year first aforesaid, before me in open court, C. H.? Brumley Clerk.
State of New York
Herkimer County SS
            Abraham Rosencrantz of the Town of Little Falls & County & State aforesaid being duly sworn says that he is forty one years of age & upwards, & for many years a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Herkimer County aforesaid & an only son, and grandson of Abraham Rosencrantz also of what is now called the Town of Little Falls, in said County but deceased many years since and who was as this deponent has from his [?] at all times understood & been informed was the regular ordained minister of the Gospel of what is now the Reformed Dutch Church of the town of German Flatts in said county & the country adjacent before, during & after the Revolutionary War till his death—that a book of records of marriages & baptisms administered by his said Grandfather & now in the care & possession of this deponent, that this book of records has been in the care & possession of this deponents said father ever since this deponents earliest recollection and was called for as an authentic record of marriages & baptism administered by his said grandfather & was made & kept by his said grandfather during his ministry—That in the last sickness of deponents father & shortly before his death said father gave this book of records to deponent to take care of after same. That the records of marriages & baptism in said book appear all in the same handwriting and in what has at all times been considered & believed to be the proper handwriting of the said Reverend Abraham Rosencrants this deponents said grandfather &b all which this deponent verily believes to be true. That in this record there is [?] a record of the marriage of 1782 April 2d between Johannis Seder and Maria Vanderwerken which marriage is recorded in said book of said records in the letter & figures following viz-
            “1782 d. 2d April Johannes Seder und Maria Vanden Werken”
            That this is the whole & every letter &b word of the said record and entered in regular order of dates of marriages preceding & succeeding this entry for several pages in the said book and [?] internal evidence of genuine evidence of [?] & truth and also as before stated in the handwriting of one & the same hand & which has at all times been by persons conversant therewith been pronounced when the proper handwriting of this deponents said grandfather.
            This deponent saith that the names entered in said record an entered as he understands & has always understood the same in the German Spelling, that his said Grandfather was a native of Germany and preached only in the German language, that he is informed & believes it true that the parties [?] over marriage were German and that in rendering the name of the man into English it is spelled John Seather. Abraham G. Rosencrantz
            Herkimer County SS I certify that on this 12th day of January 1846 came before me Abraham G. Rosencrantz to me personally known & made oath that the foregoing deposition to which he had subscribed his name was true and I also certify that the said Abraham is a man of truth & his statements entitled to credit & belief.—