Morrison's Pensions


Pension Application for John Casler.

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

  1. John enlisted as a private as Johannes Kessler on the 5th of August 1776 in Captain John Winn’s Company of Rangers.  He was discharged on the 27 March of 1777.
  2. This is the wrong year.  Captain Peter H. Ehle’s Company of Bateaumen was in the year 1779.
  3. Captain John Denny’s Company of Bateauman was in the year 1780.
  4. John enlisted in Captain Peter B. Tearce’s Company in Colonel Willett’s Regiment of New York State Levies.  He is listed as enlisted as a private on the 22nd of August 1782 for 2 years.  Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, Series M 246, Roll 78, National Archives, Washington D.C.
  5. Bridadier General Nicholas Herkimer who was in Command of the Tryon County militia Brigade.  The Company of Rangers would have been attached to this brigade.
  6. Captain Robert Crouse was in Colonel Ebenezer Cox’s Regiment of Tryon County Militia.  [First Regiment.
  7. William Seeber was the Lieutenant-Colonel of Colonel Cox’s Regiment.
  8. After Captain Crouse was killed at the Battle of Oriskany on the 6th of August 1777 1st Lieutenant Francis Utt became the captain of the company.  When Utt moved out of the company beat First Lieutenant Adam Leipe became the new Captain of the same company.  John served under all of the above captains in between his other services.
  9. Commonly called the Saratoga or Burgoyne’s Campaign.  Hundreds of the Tryon County militia served at different times from August to October 1777 at Stillwater also known as Bemis Heights.
  10. General John Burgoyne surrendered his British Army and Allies to the American Major General Horatio Gates on the 17th of October 1777.  John served as a private in Captain Aaron Hale’s Company in Colonel Willett’s Regiment in 1781.  This company served from the 1st of August to the 1st of December.  John was owed £8..7..1 which was paid to Gerrit G. Lansing in 1785.
  11. He means Stone Arabia.
  12. I did not recognize this name Fairlie in the two different pension applications [1830 and 1832].  However there was no Col. Fairlie in the Tryon County Militia.

Return to opening page of Morrisons's Pensions

Copyright © 1998, -- 2005. James F. Morrison and Berry Enterprises. All rights reserved. All items on the site are copyrighted. While we welcome you to use the information provided on this web site by copying it, or downloading it; this information is copyrighted and not to be reproduced for distribution, sale, or profit.