Pension Application

Morrison's Pensions

Peter Van Etten

State of New York
Montgomery County
In conformity with the provisions of the Act of Congress of the United States of American passed March 18th 1818 entitled an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War the following declaration in writing is made under oath by Peter P. Van Etten of the Town of Johnstown, in the County of Montgomery in the State of New York before the honorable James Hildreth Esquire, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Montgomery in the said state, which court is a court of record of the county and state in which the said Peter P. Van Etten doth reside that is to say:

I, Peter P. Van Etten, aged sixty three years on 15th August, last of the Town of Johnstown in the County of Montgomery in the State of New York on this 22 day of April 1818, do solemnly sincerely and truly swear and declare that I served against the common enemy in the Army in the War of the Revolution between six and seven years on the Continental establishment and that I am a resident citizen of the United States to wit, in the town, county and state aforesaid and that by reason of my reduced circumstances in life I am in need of the assistance of my country for support.

I do further swear and declare that I served in the said Revolutionary War in the capacity of and being a noncommissioned officer that I belonged to the Army to wit, I belonged to the Army to wit I belonged to Captain Basey or some such name, a short time afterward was with the Major Colonel Livingston, Rhimer Wysenfel’s, and Van Schaick’s Regiment and New York Line.

That I entered the said service in this summer ___ day of ___ 1776 and left at the conclusion of the War in 1783 in the manner following to wit:

I left it by reason of being honorably discharged it the conclusion of the War, that I received one document concerning the same service and discharge, which with the warrant has been casually lost or destroyed, that I was in the Battle of Saratoga at the taking of Burgoyne, the battle, in Monmouth, in Sullivan’s expedition and Yorktown and figured in the taking of Cornwallis and that there is no other evidence in my power to my knowledge concerning the matters deposed by one that Jacob Snell who has made a deposition accompanying this declaration.

In writing of the truth of this declaration I have subscribed the same in the presence of the said judge and have solemnly deposed to the truth thereof on the day herein before for the purpose specified.

(Signed) Petrus R. V. Etten.
Sworn before me this 22nd day of April 1818, James Hildreth

By the honorable James Hildreth Esquire one of the judges of this court of record in the state of New York to wit, of the court of common pleas for the County of Montgomery in the said state. To the honorable, the secretary of the department of war of the United States of America.

Sir: I do respectfully certify to you in pursuance of the Act of Congress of the United States of America passed March 18th, 1818 entitled an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the Revolutionary War, that Peter P. Van Etten of the Town of Johnstown in the said State on the 22d day of April 18718, and then and there was carefully and minutely interrogated and examined by me under oath touching the facts above, his foregoing declaration and thereupon he then and there subscribed the said declaration in my presence (after the same was deliberately read and explained to him by me) and at the same time made solemn oath, before me on the holy evangelists of Almighty and that the said declaration was in all respects true; whereupon I required of him to produce such other evidence as was in his power to support the truth of his said declaration, accordingly he produced as testimony the deposition of Jacob Snell (and which accompanies this certificate), and I having duly considered the said declaration and the said testimony procured in support thereof do certify to you in that I am fully satisfied that the said Peter P. Van Atten, did serve in the Revolutionary War against the common enemy for the time and in the manner by him stated in his said declaration and I am likewise satisfied that the other facts in that declaration stated are in like manner true.

I do therefore respectfully transmit to you the testimony in the care and the proceedings had thereon according to the act of congress aforesaid given under my hand and the seal of the said County at Johnstown the 22nd day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen.

(Signed) James Hildreth

State of New York
Montgomery County
I, Jacob Snell late a soldier, of the Militia in the Revolutionary War against the common enemy being duly sworn, saith that he knows Peter P. Van Netter the soldier in the preceding declaration and the certificate of his honor Judge Hildreth named, that the said Peter P. Van Nitten served as a soldier in said War in Colonel Wysenfeldt or Rhyner’s Regiment and New York Line when this deponent (I) saw him serve. And that he verily believes the facts stated by the said Peter P. Van Netten in the foregoing declaration and certificate to be absolutely totally true. Sworn before me this 22nd day of April 1818.

(Signed) Jacob Snell

State of New York
Montgomery Common Pleas
On the 15th day of June 1820 personally appeared in open court the said court being a court of record within the court to apply under the act of Congress proceeding according to the principles of common law having the power of fine and imprisonment in the said County Peter P. Van Etten aged sixty four years on the 13th day of August last, resident in Johnstown in said county who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on oath declare that he served in the Revolutionary War as follows vizt in Captain Pierces company and in Captain Van Benschoten’s in Colonel H. B. Livingston Wysenfelt and Van Cortlandt’s Regiment and the New York Line as is now particularly mentioned in the original declaration.

And that the date of his original declaration was the 22nd day of April 1818 and the number of his pension certificate is 13,118.

And I do solemnly swear that I was a resident citizen of the United States on the 18th day of March 1818. And that I have not since that time by gift, sale or in any manner disposed of my property or any parts thereof with intent thereby as to bring myself within the provision 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 18th day of March 1818. And that I have not nor has any person in trust for me any property or securities, contracts or debts due to me nor have I any income other than what is contained in the schedule hereto annexed and by me subscribed.

(Signed with his mark) Peter P. Van Etten

Sworn to and declared in open court the 15th day of June 1820, Justin McCarthy Clerk

Real Property I have none either in possession, reversion ???

Personal Property, 1 Cow $17, 1 Calf $1.50, Broken pots $1.75, 2 knives and forks $.19, 5 pewter plates $.75, 4 pewter platters $1.00, 4 broken chairs #.75, 1 pr shovel string? $1.00, pair andirons $1.25, old saws $.53 ½, 2 pliers? $.75, 8 chisels ? $.02 ½, 5 mouldering plaines $1.00, 1 mowing plow, $.50, 5 cups ??? $.25, 8 earthen plates $.25, 1 churn $.25, 3 milk tubs $.57, 1 wash tub $.50, 1 hammer $.17, 1 square and compass $.37 ½, 1 broad axe .62 ½, 1 narrow axe $1.37 ½, 3 old hoes $.37 ½, 1 tea kettle $.75, 1 frying pan $.50, 1 old chest $.50, 1 looking glass $.12 ½, 1 small water pail $.12 ½, 1 two quart kettle $12 ½, 1 tin cup pint $.60, 1 ¾ inch sugar $12 ½ , 3 sun blots $.09, Total $36.34 1/2 .

That I am a carpenter by trade but am not able to pursue it from age and infirmities. I support a wife and two daughters, the wife fifty-two and our daughter fifteen and the other ten years of age. And that I have no other means of obtaining a living except the pension I receive from the United States and further saith not.
(Signed with his mark) Peter P. Van Etten

State of New York
Montgomery County
Clerks Office
I, John McCarthy clerk of the court of common pleas in and for the said county do hereby certify that the foregoing oath and the schedule therein annexed are truly copied from the record of the said court.

And I further certify that it is proven to the satisfaction of the said court by the oaths of two certified witnesses and that it is the opinion of the said court that the total amount in value of the fore party exhibited in the aforesaid schedule is thirty-six dollars and thirty four cents. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said court on the 15th day of June 1820.
Jno. McCarthy

State of New York
County of Montgomery
On this twenty first day of November 1838 personally appeared before the undersigned, one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county, Margaret Van Atta is a resident of the Town of Stone Arabia in the County of Montgomery aforesaid aged seventy years who being first duly sworn according in law, doth, on her oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the provision made by the act of Congress passed July 7, 1838, entitled “An act granting half pay and pensions to certain widows.

That she is the widow of Peter Van Atta (or Atter) who was a private in the Army of the Revolution, in the New York Line, and received during his lifetime to pension of ninety-six dollars per annum under the act of 18th March 1818.

That her maiden name was Frelick, and that she was married at the time herein, after set forth by the Rev’d W. Rees pastor of the Lutheran Church at Stone Arabia aforesaid.

The said Rees has long since left the pastoral charge of said church and removed from Stone Arabia, to a place called Rhinebeck and has long since been dead and after diligent search for his church records and said church and otherwise they cannot be found and are presumed to be lost or destroyed.

She further declares, that she was married to the said Peter Van Atta in the thirteenth day of November in the year seventeen hundred and eighty four, that her husband, the aforesaid Peter Van Atta died on the ninth day of November 1834, that she was not married to him prior to his leaving the service, but the marriage took place previous to the first of January seventeen hundred and ninety-four, viz at the time above stated.
(Signed with her mark) Margaret Van Atta

Montgomery County
Margaret Van Etta of the Town of Canajoharie in said county, aged seventy one years and upwards of Peter Van Etta, and an applicant for a pension under the act of 7th July 1838being duly sworn saith, that she was married in the sixteenth year of her age on the thirteenth day of the last fall month, that in the month of April thereafter she was delivered of her first child, a daughter named Maria, to wit on the ninth day of April which would make her said daughter now fifty two years of age and upwards, and this deponent so testified that her second child named Betsy was born one year and eight months after said Maria, her third child named Cornelia one year and ten months after said Betsy and her fourth child named Jacob two years and twenty days after her said daughter Cornelia.

Subscribed and sworn this 26th day of August 1839 before me. John Hand, a Judge of the County Court of the County of Montgomery.

State of New York
Montgomery County
Angeline Bauder of the Town of Root, said county, aged seventy two years, first duly sworn saith that when she testified last fall that Margaret Van Etta was married to Peter Van Etta, in the year 1784, she remembered ascertained the date aforesaid by referring to a written memorandum made in her own handwriting in her family Bible, of her own marriage which took place on the 5th day of November 1787, and she distinctly recollects being present at the marriage of said Margaret Van Etta and knows she often adverted to the fact since that she this deponent was married just three years after said Margaret, also this deponent further saith, that in her younger days she knew how to write, but cannot now, owing to old age and infirmity.

(Signed with her mark) Angeline Bauder

Above is part of the copies of the rolls in the pension application file. The list of the records follow.
1. Peter Van Alten; Capt. Pearsee Company; April 10, 1777 for three years. Serg't June 1779, deserted 21 July 1780
2. Peter P. Vanalten; Camp Pumpton Plains, August 22, 1782, age 35, size 5 feet 6 inches, Carpenter, Born New York, Dutchess County, Town of Statsburgh, Red Hair Fair Complexion, Deserted 21 July 1780
3. Peter P. V. Etten, Sgt, July and Aug 1780, Deserted 21 of July
4. Peter P. V Atten, Nov 21, 1776 to Sept 5, 1777, roll dated, Camp near London’s Ferry Sept 5, 1777, Appointed April 10, 1777, for three years
5. Peter V Atten, Corp’l, March 1778, Camp Valley Forge April 4, 1778, enlistment 3 yrs
6. Peter V. Artter, Corp’l, Feb 1778, Valley Forge March 8, 1778
7. Pet’r V Atten, Corp’l, Jan 1778, Valley Forge, Feb 21, appointed April 10, 1777 for three years
8. Peter P. V Etten, Corp’l, Sept 1, 1777 to Jan 1, 1778, dated Jan 2, 1778, appointed April 10, 1777, 3 years
9. Peter Van Netten, Corp’l, July 1778, roll dated Camp White Plains, Aug 6, 1778, appointed April 10, 1777, enlistment 3 yrs.
10. Peter Van Netten, Corp’l, June 1778, roll dated North Castle, July 1778, term of enlistment 3 years, remarks - sick V. Forge
11. Peter Van Atten, Corp’l, May 1778, Camp Valley Forge, June 2, 1778, 3 years, sick in hospital
12. 12. Peter Van Ater, Corp’l, April 1778, Camp Valley Forge Mary 2, 1778, remarks sick in quarters
13. Peter Van Etten, corp’l, Oct 1778, Camp Nov 1, 1778, Appointed April 10, 1777 for 3 years
14. Peter Van Etten cp'l, Com’d by Silas Grey, 1 Lt, Camp White Plains, Sept 14, 1778, Appointed April 10, 1777, 3 years
15. Peter Van Ettan Copr’l, Sept 1778, Camp Continental Village Oct 7, 1778, Appointed April 10, 1777, 3 years
16. Peter Van Ettan Corp’l, Aug 1778, Camp White Plains, Sept 4, 1778, Appointed April 10, 1777, 3 years
17. Peter P. Van Atten, Sgt, May 1779, Canojoharry, June 22, 1779
18. Peter P. V. Etters, Corp’l, March and April 1779, Stone Robia, May 6
19. Peter P. V Netter Corp’l, Jan & Feb 1779, Fort Plain
20. Peter P. V. Netten, Corp’l, Nov 1778, dated Jan 6, 1779
21. Peter V’n Etten, Sgt, May and June 1780, Roll dated Camp West Point July 5, 1780, Remarks, on furlough till 26 June
22. Peter P. V. Atten, Sgt, March and April 1780, Camp near Morristown, May 4, 1780
23. Peter Van Atten, Sgt, Jan & Feb. 1780, Camp near Morristown March 3, 1780
24. Peter PV Atten Sgt, Nov and Dec 1779, Camp Jan 27, 1780. Remarks, on command State N. York

Montgomery County
John of the Town of Glen in said County, aged sixty-nine years, being duly sworn saith that when he testified last fall, as to the time of the marriages of the before named, Margaret Van Etten and Peter Van Etten, the particular facts or circumstances which caused him to remember the year in which the same took place were these. It has often been the subject of remark or conversation that his said sister Margaret married when she was sixteen years of age and he knows her to be calculating by his own age and the ages of her children with whom of course he is familiarly acquainted, seventy one years of age, but this deponent cannot (as he as stated in his previous affidavit) fix with provision the date of the marriage the month, nor day of the month, but is certain from the facts and circumstances aforesaid that his said sister Margaret Van Etten was married as aforesaid more than fifty-four years ago.
(Signed with his mark) John Frelick