Morrison's Pensions
S.12681
State of New York
Jefferson County
On the 26
day of February 1830 personally appeared in open court of Common Pleas in the
said county of Jefferson in the State of New York being a court of record,
John Casler resident in said county aged sixty eight years on the eighth day
of September last past, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on
his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the provision made
by the acts of Congress of then 18th March 1818 and the first May 1820,
That said
John Casler enlisted into a company of Rangers(1) in the then county of Montgomery
in the State of New York for & during the Revolutionary War, that he served
in the said company of Rangers about one year and a half, that he was then
discharged from the said company of Rangers. That Lawrence Gross was
the first lieutenant, Peter Schremling second lieutenant & John Winne
was Captain of the said company of Rangers to which he the said John Casler
belonged.
That in
1778 (2) he the said John Casler enlisted for the term of from the first day
of March 1778 until the first day of January 1779 on the Mohawk River in the
then County of Montgomery in the State of New York in a company commanded by
Captain Peter Ale (Ehle) in a regiment commanded by Colonel Christopher Yates
in the boat or naval service in the Continental establishment, that he continued
to serve in the said boat and navel service until the said first day of January
1779 when he was regularly discharged at Saratoga on the North River in the
State of New York.
That after
he was discharged from said boat or naval service on the first day of January
1779 he returned home to the County of Montgomery.
That in
March 1779 (3) he again enlisted in the boat or naval service in a company
commanded by Captain John Denny or Dana in the line of the State of New York
on the Continental establishment that he left the County of Montgomery & went
onto the North River in the State of New York & he continued to serve in
the said corps for the term of from March 1779 until the first day of January
1780 when he was regularly discharged from the said service at Fish Kill on
the North River (Hudson River) in the State of New York.
That in
1782 in April or May he again enlisted for the term of from the first April
or May 1782 until the first day of January 1783 in a company commanded by Captain
John Deers (4) in a regiment commanded by Colonel Marinus Willett in the State
of New York on the Continental establishment that he continued to serve in
the said corps until the said first day of January 1783 when he was regularly
discharged from the service at Fort Plain in the State of New York.
That he
hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension except the present, that
his name is not on the roll of any state except the State of New York and that
the reason why he has delayed making a earlier application for a pension is
that in 1818 or 1819 he applied to William Robinson a Judge of the Court of
Common Pleas for the County of Jefferson in the State of New York to procure
a pension for him, that the company papers were made out as he supposed, signed
by him this deponent, & forwarded to the proper department at Washington
as he was informed by Judge Robinson and the papers were returned to said Robinson
pension was not obtained & this deponent supposed, until within a short
time ago, that he was not entitled to a pension.
And in pursuance
of the Act of the first May 1820, I do solemnly swear that I was a resident
citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818 & that I have
not, since that time by gift, or sale in any manner whatever disposed of my
property or any part thereof with intent thereby so to diminish it, as to bring
myself within the provisions of an Act of Congress entitled “An act to
provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval services of the United
States in the Revolutionary War. Passed on the 18 day of March 1818 & that
I am not nor has any person in trust [?] and property or securities, contracts,
a debt due to me; nor have I any income [a line and a half crossed out] & by
me subscribed. That, since the 18th of March 1818 there has been no changes
in my property, except that I have had new wearing apparel, when the old clothes
were worn out. That for the last twenty years I have had no property. That
the last ten years, I have lived and Do now live, on the Charity & earnings
of my two sons, who are poor men, one of whom is a Blacksmith by trade & the
other is a shoemaker. I further swear, that I am a farmer by occupation,
but now, in [?] of infirmity, for the last ten years, been unable to pursue
it, so as to obtain a living.
(Signed with his mark) John Casler.
Sworn before
me this twenty six day of Feby 1830 in open court. P. Burchard, Clerk
State of New York
Jefferson County
John Casler
of Brownsville said County [?] 72 years; being first duly sworn according to
law doth on his oath declare That in June 1775 about the first of the month
he Enlisted at Canajoharie Montgomery Co NY in what was called the Ranger Service
of the State of New York under Capt John Win [sic] Lawrence Gros 1st Lieut
Peter Scramlen 2d Lieut—And served in said Corps until December 1776
was out scouting the whole winter—Summer—And served as a private
soldier during the whole time drew ammunition provisions &c does not know
whether there was a Colonel or not—his Capt. Acted under orders from
Genl Herkimer. (5)
July 28,
1777 Then a private in Capt. Robert Crouse (6) Comp’y Col. Sever’s
(7) Regt New York Militia was called out—went to Oriskany was in the
battle Capt Crouse was killed (3) and both of [?] Lieuts—[?] Col. was
mortally wounded—after the battle marched to Stillwater (9) was in the
capture of Burgoyne and he and his Company was sent home the 20th October by
Genl Gates to prevent the Indians from destroying –then [?] at home was
dismissed in Nov. 1777—
That he
served the United States one year in the year 1778 in the Batteaux Service
under Capt. Peter Ale.
He also
served one year 1779 in said service under Capt Denny—The proof of said
Two years service is one file in the War Department or appears by the Letter
of Mr. Edwards attached.
Served three
months a substitute for John Minerson 1781 (10) in Schoharie under Capt. Hale—served
at the Upper Fort and was dismissed at the expiration of the time served a
substitute nine months for Isaac Masalas in 12782 under Capt. John Deers, John
Thornton 1st Lieut, Col. Willetts Regt, served a Fort Plain and Stone Roby
(11) and at the expiration of the time was dismissed.
(Signed with his mark) John Casler
Sworn & subscribed
this 10th day of September 1832 before me. John S. Bagg, Notary Public
The following letter is included in the pension application papers.
June 15, 1939
Mr. G. W. Alwin
215 South George Street
Charles Town, West Virginia
Dear Madam:
The data
which follow in regard to John Casler were obtained from the papers on file
in pension claim S 12681, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War.
John Casler
was born September 8, 1761, the place of his birth and names of parents were
not stated. His signature by mark appears Casler, also.
While residing
in Canajoharie, in what was then Tryon County, but later Montgomery County,
New York, John Casler enlisted in the spring of 1775, and served one year six
months as private in Captain John Winne’s New York company or Rangers. He
was called out August 1, 7777, to go to Oriskany, served one month as private
in Captain Robert Crouse’s company, Colonel Cox’s New York regiment,
was in the battle of Oriskany in which both his captain and colonel were killed,
then served one month in Captain Adam Lipe’s company, Colonel Fairlie’s
(12) New York regiment, and was in the battle of Stillwater in which Burgoyne
was captured. He enlisted March 1, 1778 in the batteaux service under
Captain Peter Ale and Colonel Christopher Yates and served to January 1, 1779. He
enlisted in March 1779 and served as private in Captain John Denny’s
company, Colonel Hay’s New York regiment and was discharged January 1,
1780. He served four months in 1781, exact date not stated, at Schoharie
in Captain Hale’s New York company. He enlisted in April 1782 and
served as private in Captain Tearce’s company, Colonel Marinus Willett’s
New York regiment, and was discharged January 1, 1783.
The name
of soldier’s wife is not shown in the claim. In 1830, while a resident
of Jefferson County, New York, John Casler referred to two sons but did not
designate their names.
In 1833,
one Nicholas Casler was living in Limerick, Jefferson County, New York, his
age, or his relationship to soldier not stated.
In order
to obtain the date of last payment of pension, the name and address of the
person paid and possibly the date of death of John Casler, you should write
to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this
city, and cite the following data:
John Casler
Certificate #22604
Issued April 24, 1834
Rate, $30 per annum
Commenced March 4, 1831
Act of June 7, 1832
New York Agency
Very truly
yours
A.D. Hiller, Executive Assistant to the Administrator
End Notes by James F. Morrison