Morrison's Pensions
R.11990
On
the second day of August 1838, William Zimmerman’s widow, Catherine Failing,
daughter of Jacob Failing, applied for her husband’s pension for his service
in the Revolutionary War. She states that William died on April 4, 1830.
The deponent
further states that the said William Zimmerman and the said Catherine Failing
were legally and lawfully joined in wedlock by the Rev. Daniel Gross for whose
church records the search has been made but none to be found by the best information
the church records were burnt with the church about the time of the general
desolation then all the upper part of Canajoharie now Minden, but deponent
says they were married in the latter part in January 1777 and that Gross was
present during the marriage witnessed the marriage between William Zimmerman
and Catharine Failing and hearing them answer and so was the wife of
Johan Daniel Gross D.D.
And deponent
further saith that the said William Zimmerman had been a Revolutionary War
soldier that he belonged to the company of Militia commanded by Capt Christian
House in the Regiment of Militia Commanded by Col. Jacob Klock and General
Nicholas Herkimer Brigade and that the said deceased soldier did enter the
service on behalf of the United States early in the spring in the year 1775
and continued in serving in faithful service to the United States to the best
of deponents knowledge, memory and belief as follows vizt.
1775 deponent
saith that in consequence of the Johnson family whose influence causing frequent
alarms and the Whigs often and frequently ordered out and causing watching
and guarding the frontiers, using scouts for actible to specify each and very
tour, but deponent declares that the deceased soldier at served the term of
2 months and 15 days, U.S. service during the course of said year. Vizt.
1776 deponent
saith that the deceased soldier was ordered out with the whole brigade under
the command of General Nicholas Herkimer to the village of Johnstown there
to get Sir John Johnson and 400 disaffected Tories the causing Colonel Johnson
with his men to surrender to the Americans when the deceased soldier being
gone under the command of Capt Christian House and company 18 days.
Deponent
further declares that the said William
Zimmerman deceased was in a volunteer company as always understood by the
said soldier for the months under the command of Capt Jacob ? First Lieutenant
and Joseph House 2nd Lieutanant.
That the said Captain with his company were stationed at Canajoharie,
organized and marched to Herkimer and there stationed for two or three weeks
when they went to Fort Stanwix then under the command of Col. Dayton then
continued under his command in rendering service to the United States until
the expiration of six months.
1777 Claimant
further declares that he is personally known that the said deceased soldier
was drafted to Ticonderoga and went under the command of Col. Cox, there stationed
in rendering U.S. service the length of three months from the early ?
Deponent
further declares that he is personally known at the time of that memorable
battle at Oriskany the deceased soldier with the brigade at Herkimer that
the deceased soldier was recruited with others by Genl Herkimer himself and
ordered to return to the Genls mansion, watching and guarding until relieved
after the battle being gone the length of 21 days.
Deponent
further declares that again the deceased soldier was drafted to ? water under
the command of Capt Nicholas Righter and Lieut Johannes ? before the taking
of Genl Burgoyne with his army in fall and continued rendering United States
service the length of four weeks.
Deponent
further saith the ? of the foregoing specifications that the deceased husband
of the present claimant William Zimmerman did render essential United States
service in consequence of frequent alarms, watching and guarding large forts,
Fort Zimmerman, ordered out as scouts to watch the enemy. That September finding it unpracticable to
specify each and every town, house that had transpired to deponents personal
observation during said year that enclose the foregoing specification the
deceased solder at least did under the length of two months and fifteen days
U.S. Service.
1778 Deponent
further saith that at the time of the General Conflagration at Springfield,
ordered out by regiment under the command of Col. Waggoner, sometime in June,
length of eight days.
Deponent
further saith, again ordered out by regiment under the command of Capt House
under the command of Col. Klock at the time of the General Conflagration and
desolation at Herkimer on the north side of the Mohawk river down to Fort
Dayton and on the south side of saith river, down to Fort Herkimer, chiefly
all made desolate, length of service during said tour, three weeks.
November,
deponent further saith that again ordered out by regiment under the command
of Col. Jacob Klock and Capt House, at the time of the General Conflagration
at Cherry Valley with murdering, burning and taking of Prisoners that in which
tour the deceased soldier was gone away from his place of residence, 12 days.
Including
at the same time first being ordered to Indians chase with a draft and from
there to Cherry Valley all in one tour the time of the service.
Deponent
further saith that this was a year that the Militia continually had to be
on the alert, often and frequently ordered out in consequence of alarms calling
the incursions of the enemy, often and worthy during said service from spring
until late in the fall. Stationed
at Fort Zimmerman, watching, guarding, in rendering garrison duty as also
the deceased soldier was drafted to Fort Plank and there rendered garrison
duty three weeks.
Impracticable
to say pertaining to what time that by including said tour that the husband
of the said widow, aforesaid according to the best of deponents knowledge
and belief. The deponent saith she
thought that at least three months and fifteen days United States service
during said period.
1779 deponent
further saith, that at the expedition to the west under General James Clinton
deponent says that the deceased soldier was prepared in service with his team
vizt, wagon and horses drawing boats
by bateau to Lake Otsego only on trip taken a boat to the lake and the full
length of time carrying baggage and provisions to Lake Otsego at the time
of Genl Sullivan’s and Genl Clinton’s expedition to the west in destroying
the Indian Castles and being engaged in behalf of the United States rendering
such service, the length of time three weeks and three days.
1779 Deponent
further saith that the said solder was ordered out with the whole regiment
under Col. Waggoner, Capt Christian House’s company to which saith deponent
belonged to during the Revolution. At
the time of the General Conflagration on the south side of the Mohawk river
from Fort Herkimer down the Mohawk to fall hill and chiefly all fall hill
and Andrustown, chiefly all was made desolate in rendering the
length of 22 days United States service
during said tour of 28 days.
Deponent further saith that during said year the deceased soldier
with the others went often and frequently alarmed and ordered out and meeting
the incursions of the incendiaries. Generally
stations at their forts, sometimes sent out as scouts, spying the enemy that
the deceased husband of the said widow Catharine Zimmerman on the foregoing
specifications, did render at least the length of three months United States
service during the period aforementioned.
1780 deponent further saith, that at the time of the General Confligration,
Johnstown in the month of May from Tripes Hill up along the Mohawk river distance
of at least ten miles, width of three miles north from the said river chiefly
desolate, murdering, scalping, burning and a number of prisoners taken to
Canada. When Col. Klock Reg’t ordered
out in pursuit after the enemy to the village of Johnstown there joined under
Col. Harper, fearing the combatants to be desecrated, as were women and children
if the pursuit was continued any further than to Johnstown village, the length
of eight days during said tour.
Ordered out by
Gen’l VanRensalear, Col. Klock’s Reg’t on the north
side, Col Clydes Reg’t on the south side of the Mohawk river at the time
when Capt Samuel Gray with his company of boat men were waylaid by Capt.
Brandt along with his warriors between Fort Stanwix and Fort Schuyler (now
Utica) when guarding and conducting all safe to Fort Stanwix, the length
of fifteen days by the time returned which transpired late part of July.
1781 Sometime
in March ordered out Col. Klock’s Reg’t at the time
of the General Conflagration in the Royal Grand, Reimensnyders Bush,
Shells Bush, Snells Bush, Youkers Bush and Krings Bush, chiefly all made
desolate during the incursions, 14 prisoner taken to Canada. In rendering service to the United States service the length of
fifteen days.
Deponent further
saith that Col. Klock’s Regiment was ordered out
with an alarm to Bowman’s Creek, there stationed the length of eight days.
Deponent further saith that the 19th day
of October at the time of Col. Klock’s Battle and Stone Arabia on Klocks
and Failings Field under the command of Col. DuBois engaged in battle
although Genl VanRenselaer had command of all but continuously ? himself
being engaged, in neither battle during the course of that day, Minden
took 1700 militia from above and east deponent doth not recollect or
know other than the deceased soldier was engaged in Battle on Klock and
Failings field. He
undoubtedly was stationed at Fort Zimmerman, watching and guarding in
rendering garrison duty, protecting the inhabitants, women and children’s
lives and there served at the fort the length of eight days.
Deponent saith
the deceased soldier as well as all the soldiers in Col. Klock’s Reg’t
during the course of the year, continually alarmed, generally stationed
at Fort Zimmerman, guarding, watching and rendering garrison duty often
and frequently, rendering it impractical to describe each and every tour,
that the deceased soldiers exclusive of the foregoing specifications
did render at least the length of three months and fifteen days United
States service as as aforesaid.
1781 Deponent
further saith that this was a serious year for the inhabitants to generally
and more especially that the regiments of Col. Jacob Klock regiment on
the north side with Col. Samuel Clyde reg’t opposite on
the south side of the Mohawk Rivers the militia from the early part of the
spring, the whole season until frost, continually on the alert, ordered out
forepart in July, Col. Klocks reg’e under Capt House to reinforce Col. Willett
at the time of the Turlough Battle when fighting Col. Willett immediately
after battle in taking two different roads. Length of six days.
1781 Deponent
further saith that at the time of the second General Conflagration, burning,
murdering and taking some prisoners at Fort Zimmerman, in pursuing the
enemy under the command of Col. Willett during the same afternoon, during
the same night and greater part of next day, but disappointed Col. Willett
(can’t read the rest of sentence.)
Deponent further
states that at the time what is called Landman’s
Battle in the latter part of July, the inhabitants alarmed went to their
respective houses, forts, watching, guarding and rendering garrison duty.
Deponent further
states that at the time of the Johnstown Battle under Col. Willett, latter
part of October against Maj’r Ross and Capt
Butler with the incendiaries from Canada, the whole regiment was ordered
out to Johnstown.
Deponent doth not remember if the said soldier was engaged in the Battle
or the Battle in pursuit of Ross and Butler but deponent has no doubt in her
mind that the said soldier was otherwise engaged in rendering United States
during the time, but believing that the said husband did join Col. Willett
after Johnstown in pursing the enemy. To
the West Canada Creek where Col. Butler and others were slain, and some other
soldiers are then marched, slain, and taken prisoner.
Deponent further states that during the said year the militia were
continually on the alert, from the early part in the spring until forepart
of the winter. People generally removed
into safe places or forts, watching, guarding and rendering garrison duty
by the militia, often and frequently ordered out in consequence of alarms,
sometimes sent on scouts spying the enemy, that exclusive of the foregoing
specifications the husband of the claimant at least did render the length
of three months and fifteen days United States service.
1782 Deponent
further saith that from the early part in Spring until forepart of winter,
the inhabitants of their county of Tryon and particularly in the Town
of Canajoharie on the south side of the Mohawk Rivers and Palatine on
the north side of the said Mohawk Rivers, Col. Jacob Klock and Col. Samuel
Clyde’s regiments have been continually annoyed and alarmed by the Indians
who have almost continually kept lurking and sculking around and frequent
incursions have transpired and perpetrated nothing short of seven occurrences
have happened in Col. Klock’s Reg’t during the aforesaid and murder, burning
and the taking of prisoners has been continually through the Town of Palatine
and nothing short of the same number of occurrences vizt burning, murdering
and the taking of prisoners has been perpetrated in Canajoharie in Col. Clyde’s
Regiment on the south side of the Mohawk River.
The deponent further saith that in consequence of the many and frequent
occurrences the Inhabitants continually alarmed and constantly seeking their
safety in their forts respectively and the militia constantly on the alert
frequently alarmed, out pursuing the enemy and scouts spying the enemy generally
watching guarding and rendering garrison duty in Fort Zimmerman at least did
service the length of three months United States service during the period
aforesaid.
To verily the many and frequent Tories and occurrences that claimant
??? at want is being allowed for the length of services rendered by said husband
for and during said year as stated in the immediate foregoing the deponent
further states that the said widow Catharine Zimmerman at least is entitled
to a lawful pension in consequence of the services rendered by deceased husband
during the said Revolutionary War.