Pension Application

Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for Adam Miller

S.11073
State of New York
Montgomery County SS
            On the nineteenth day of September 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 Montgomery now sitting, Adam Miller a resident of the Town of Root in the County of Montgomery, and state of New York aged seventy seven 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 and served as herein stated: Your applicant says that he enlisted as a volunteer for nine months under Captain John Clute (1), that the other officers names belonging to this company he, your applicant does not recollect, the Regiment was commanded by Colonel Yates (2), and that the time he enlisted in said company he resided in Johnstown Tryon County, now Montgomery County & State of New York, that he went from this place to Albany and from Albany up the Hudson River to Fort Edward and from thence to Saratoga, where the Battle was fought between Generals Gates & Burgoyne, (3) your applicant says that he was in this engagement. You applicant says that when he went out as above stated in the month of March in the year 1777, the day of the month he does not recollect—that he was discharged on the last day of December of that year that he was verbally discharged and has no written discharge.
            Your applicant further says that he again enlisted as a volunteer under Captain Simon DeGraff, (4) the other company officers he does not recollect, the Regiment was commanded by the same Colonel as above mentioned, that he lived at the same place as above mentioned and went from there under the above named officers to West Point, that he enlisted for nine months. Your applicant says that this last time was in the year 1778 that he went out sometime in March and was discharged about the first of January following the services of your applicant was done in the Militia service or rather State Troops. That he has no written discharge of this Tour of Service. Your applicant says that after this he again enrolled in the Militia service, the year he does not recollect, under Captain John Davis (5), Lieutenant Abraham Veeder, Ensign Nicholas Dockstader, that he went as a volunteer, this company belonged to Colonel Frederick Fisher & Lieutenant Colonel Volkert Veeder's Regiment, that he went up from his place of residence aforesaid, to Oriskany (6) and was in and at that Battle fought at that place, that he received a wound in that Battle in his right hand, in his little finger which is entirely useless to this your applicant. Your applicant further says that he again enlisted as a volunteer during the latter part of the Revolutionary War, that he served under the above named officers & also his captain above mentioned who was slain at the last mentioned Battle, that he was out frequently during these years, and that he was out under those last mentioned officers at least one year in all.
            Your applicant says that he was born in German Flatts in Tryon county, now Herkimer County & State of New York and he was born in the year 1756: Your applicant has no record of his age: Your applicant say, that he has always resided at this last place of residence: Your applicants says that he is acquainted with Colonel John Leonardson Jr., Robert S. Leonardson & Abraham Van Horn a minister of the Gospel, all living in his neighborhood, who can testify as to the character of your applicant for truth and veracity and the belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution. Your applicant says that he has no documentary evidence and knows of no person by whom he can prove all those services.
            He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension, 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) Adam Miller
            Sworn and subscribed in open court the day & year aforesaid. Geo. D. Ferguson, Clerk

            We Abraham Van Horn a clergyman residing in the Town of Johnstown and Robert Leonardson residing in the town of Root hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Adam Miller who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be seventy seven years of age; that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution, and that we concur in that opinion.
            (Signed) Abraham VanHorne
            (Signed with his mark) Robert S. Leonardson
            Geo. D. Ferguson, Clerk.

Letter in the pension application folder.
March 14, 1939
Mrs. Orson Spurr
Cambridge, New York
Dear Madam:
            Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Adam Miller of New Jersey or Cayuga County, New York.
            The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in claim for pension, S.11073, based upon the military service of Adam Miller in the Revolutionary War. There is no claim for pension on file on account of the service of Adam Miller in the New Jersey troops, and this is the record of the only Adam Miller who served with the New York troops, found on file in the Revolutionary War record of this office.
            Adam Miller was born in the year 1755, in German Flatts, Tryon (the part which was later Herkimer) County, New York; the names of his parents are not given.
            While residing in Johnstown, Montgomery County, New York, Adam Miller enlisted sometime in March, 1777, served nine months as private in Captains John Clute's and Davis' companies, Colonel Yates' New York regiment, and was in the battles of Oriskany, and Saratoga; he was wounded in his right hand in the battle of Oriskany. He enlisted sometime in March 1778 and served nine months in Captain Simon DeGraff's company, Colonel Yates' regiment. He also served about six months in Colonel Frederick Fisher's New York regiment, dates of this tour not given.
            The soldier, Adam Miller, was allowed pension on his application executed September 19, 1832, at which time he was living in Root, Montgomery County, New York. He died March 3, 1839.
            The papers on file in this claim contain no discernible data in regard to family.
            In order to obtain the name and address of the person who received the last payment of this pension, you should apply to The comptroller General, General accounting Office, Records Division, this city, and furnish the following data—
            Adam Miller
            Certificate #8261
            Issued March 26, 1833
            Rate $80.00 per annum
            Commenced March 4, 1831
            Act June 7, 1832
            New York Agency.
            Very truly yours, A.D. Hiller, Executive Assistant to the Administrator.

End Notes

This company of Bateaumen I have not found on a muster roll. I believe the year is or might be 1776 not 1777.
Christopher Yates of Schenectady.
He is referring to the 7 th of October 1777, Battle of Saratoga. The Albany and Tryon County Militias were in this battle.
Adam is shown as enlisted on the 13 of May 1778 in Captain DeGraff's Company. Source: Revolutionary War Rolls 1775-1783, Series M-246, Roll 122, Quartermaster Dept., National Archives, Washington D.C.
Captain John Davis of the Second Company in Colonel Frederick Visscher's Regiment of Tryon County Militia (Third Regiment).
This battle was fought on the 6 th of August 1777. His service for this year would have to be this year. Captain Davis was killed in this battle and First Lieutenant Abraham Veeder took command of the company. Adam's name also appears in this company's roll. His service for this company would be for 1779 or later.