Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for David Sacia
W.17768
State of New York
Montgomery County
I do certify
that on the 5th day of November 1836 personally appeared before me Abraham Morrell
first Judge of the Montgomery County Courts (being a court of Record) Susanah
Sacia of the town of Canajoharie in the County aforesaid of David Sacia and make
the following declaration on oath to entitle her to a pension under the Act of
Congress of the 4th of July 1836—That her husband the said David Sacia
died the 8th day of March 1828—that he was at the time of his death in
the ninety second year of his age as this deponent has always understood for
him and believes to be true—that this applicant was married to her said
husband David Sacia in the year 1772 at the City of Schenectady where she and
her said husband then lived and that soon after the commencement of the Revolutionary
War her said husband was called into the service in the army of the Revolution
as a private soldier—that she cannot state the precise times when he was
so called into the service—but that she well recollects that he was several
times called out and marched to Schoharie where he aided in keeping garrison
in the Fort at Schoharie and also in the Fort at Middleburgh in Schoharie County
which was then; called the Uppert Fort, (1) while the one at Schoharie was called
the lower Fort as she now believes—and that she has no doubt but that he
rendered such services at said Forts as often as 10 or 15 times during the said
War in the capacity of a soldier—She well recollects that the stated that
he was generally under the Command of col. Zeilley. (2) She cannot state who
was his Captain in the service above named unless it was Abraham Oothout (3)
of Schenectady as she has often hear him speak of his being with him in the service—She
also remembers to have heard him state that Col. Willett (4) was at the above
mentioned Forts. She also recollects that her said husband whilst in the
service above named stated that he had been on Express to Cherry Valley several
times and that on one of those occasions he was taken prisoner by the Indians
in Company with Butler (5) and Carried to his Camp, which from his description
must have been somewhere near Bowman’s Creek in Montgomery County and from
whom he escaped on the following night and returned to the service—And
this applicant has no doubt but that her said husband remained in the service
aforesaid from 20 to 40 days at each time—That he husband was also during
the said Revolutionary War called into the service of the United States at different
times to Johnstown, to Fort Hunter, to Fort Plain, to Fort Stanwix, Lake George,
Schenectady, and Albany and that he did on some of those occasions remain in
the service as such soldier from one to three months at the time—She does
not remember under what officers except that she heard him at one time state
that he was commanded by one General Gansevoort and at another time and she thinks
at Johnstown in Montgomery County by Col. Willett—and she has no doubt
but that he served as such soldier at the last mentioned places as often as twenty
different times—and varying from then to thirty days—And this applicant
further declares that her said husband rendered considerable service for the
Revolutionary army during said Revolution by drawing loads with his wagon and
team from and to different military posts within the state of New York—She
well recollects that he went several times to lake George with loads—Also
to some other military posts above mentioned and that he was much employed in
this way—And this applicant has no doubt but that he spent as much as 6
or 8 months in teaming for said army as aforesaid—That she remembers that
he would not return home as soon as expected when he went to the different posts
with loads and when asked the reason by his applicant—would state that
he had been pressed and detained by the American officers at the different posts
to draw wood and other necessaries for the army, which this applicant believes
to be true—she well remembers that on one occasion when returning from
Lake George he stated that the Indians, had driven him from the usual crossing
place of the North River [Hudson]—When he was compelled to swim the river
with his horses and wagon to prevent his falling into the hands of the enemy.—And
she further declares that she has no doubt but that her said husband was engaged
in the army of the Revolution during the Revolutionary War at least half of the
time said war continued and that she believes that he rendered at least three
years service to said army during said war as a soldier as aforesaid—that
she remembers to have heard her said husband state that he had been in several
engagements with the enemy during said war but the particulars of which she does
not now remember but she believes that one was at the upper [Middle] Fort in
Middleburgh aforesaid another place called Cobleskill in the County of Schoharie—that
she has often heard her said husband speak of the bravery of one Timothy Murphy
(6) a rifleman who fought with him at the said Upper [Middle Fort] at Middleburgh
aforesaid under the Command of Col. Zielley—she has no recollection that
her said husband held any grade in said service except that of a private—that
she this applicant has remained a widow ever since the death of her said husband
and is yet a widow and that no application has ever been made but this for a
pension for the services of her said husband, and that neither her said husband
nor this applicant have ever been on any pension list of the United States whatever—And
she further declares that she was 85 or 86 years old on the tenth day of May
last—And she further declares that she has no documentary evidence of such
services whatever—And that this applicant also relies upon the affidavits
hereto annexed as evidence of the services of her said husband in said Revolutionary
War. (Signed with her mark) Susanah Sacia
Subscribed
and sworn to the day and year above written Before me. Abraham Morrell
First Judge Montgomery County Court.
This certifies
that as appears from the Register of the Reformed Dutch Church of this City,
David Sacia or as spelt in the Dutch language in said Register “David Sege” and
Susanna Bradt his wife, presented their child “Pieter” for baptism
on the 4th day of April 1779, before the then pastor of the church Barent Vrooman. And
I further certify that the Record of marriages for several years previous to
and during the war of the revolution, which were solemnized in said church or
by the pastor thereof were very imperctly [sic] Kept, and that in consequence,
no record of the marriage of said David & Susanna as well as of many other
persons belonging to said church and congregation can be found-- given Schenectady
Oc. 25, 1836. Jacob Van Vechten Pastor.
State of New York
Montgomery County
Frederick
Weller of the Town of Minden in the County of Montgomery and State of New York
aforesaid being duly sworn says that he is seventy nine years old will be Eighty
the 10th day of December next that he was a sargeant in a company of Malitia
Commanded by Captain Abraham Oothoudt of the City of Schenectady during the
whole of the Revolutionary War & that he then & during said War resided
within a few miles of said city—that this deponent is now on the Pension
list [S14816] of the United States for the services he rendered in said War—That
he this deponent was personally acquainted with David Sacia named in the annexed
declaration and who with his wife Susanah Sacia before and during the whole
of said war & that they the said David & Susanah his wife lived during
the whole of said War within two or three miles from this deponent knows that
they the said David & Susanah lived together as man & wife before & during
said War & this deponent has no doubt but that they were married before
the commencement of said Revolutionary War—that the said David Sacia
was a private soldier belonging to the same company of Malitia to which this
deponent belonged as aforesaid—this deponent remembers that in the year
1776 and he thinks in the month of July or August the company to which deponent
belonged Commanded by Capt. Oothout was ordered to Schoharie in the service
of the Revolution that the said Sacia was with said Company & that the
said Company lay in garrison at the lower fort at Schoharie for some time,
and deponent believes as long as 14 days before they were discharged and that
the time in going & returning was as much as ten days—And this deponent
further says that said Sacia remained in the service as a soldier as aforesaid
until the company was discharged as aforesaid—And that they were Commanded
by Col. Abraham Wemple (7) as deponent believes—this deponent further
says that during the same year & he thinks in the month of November the
said Company was again ordered into the service of the revolution to Schoharie
and that said Sacia again accompanied them as a private soldier when they again
lay in Garrison at said Lower Fort for the period of from ten to twenty days--& that
the time in going to & returning from said Fort was at least ten Days—That
in the year 1777 the said company was in the month June ordered to Fort George
(8) & this was no doubt but that said Sacia went in Company to said Fort
where they remained in the service of the Revolution for six weeks when Burgoin
[sic] advanced upon the American Army & the American Army to which deponent & said
Sacia belonged retreated from Fort George to Fort Edward (9) & from there
to Fort Miller (10) – And that a portion of the men who belonged to said
Company were then discharged to enable them to go home & cut & gather
their harvest but whether said Sacia was so discharged or not deponent does
not remember—that this deponent during the fall of the year 1777 followed
teaming for the Government--& did not go out with the company that fall
but that deponent was informed & believes that the said Company during
that fall made one trip to Schoharie in the service & one up the Mohawk
River in which they must have been out at least two months & deponent
has no doubt but that said Sacia went with said Company into the service on
the two occasions above last mentioned—that in the year 1778 as deponent
believes the said company went on two occasion to the Upper Fort [Middle] in
Schoharie County to a place called Middleburgh & that said Sacia was in
Company & that the said company remain in garrison at each time at said
last mentioned for from 14 to 20 days--& that they were from 8 to ten days
in going & returning—that they were compelled to march by slow march
the road being bad--& that they were sometimes attacked by the Indians—And
that one Col. Zielly commanded said Fort—that deponent understood that
said Willett was at one time at said Fort when deponent & said Sacia was
there but deponent does not recollect of seeing him—that in the year
1778 the said company including said Sacia went from Schenectady into the service
with Colonel Gansevoort (11) or General Gansevoort to Johnstown in Montgomery
County where they remained about one week—when the said company went
in company with the Continental troops to a place called “Sackendaga” now
called the Fish house in Montgomery County to build block houses for the use
of the said Army where they remained 5 or 6 days when they returned home and
that they were all of 14 days going & returning on the last tour—that
said Company was during the whole Revolutionary War at different times called
to the City of Schenectady to keep guard & that said Service every iniformity
in this service--& that they were 10 on guard some times a day or two & some
times 3 & 4 Days & that the said Company including said Sacia during
the whole of said Revolutionary War were in the service at Schenectady on guard
at least six months--& that in addition thereto they performed considerable
service at a place called Veillys Rapids about 3 miles above Schenectady—that
in the year 1779 as deponent believes & at a time when Major Ross burnt
Balstown (12) in Saratoga County the said Company was again called into the
service including said Sacia when they went to Balstown & pursued the enemy
all night & till day light but did not overtake them & that they remained
there 4 or 5 days & then returned home & that they were a fortnight
in going staying & returning home--& that said Company in the year
when Sir John Johnson burnt Schoharie & Florida (13) & Charlestown
the company including Sacia went to Fort Hunter & from there to Charlestown & from
there they went to Johnstown that they was out at this time about 3 weeks—this
deponent further says that said company including said Sacia went one tour
to Fort Plain & that deponents brother went with them at that time the
Indians burnt the houses in that quarter (14) but the year deponent does not
recollect—that deponent did not go with them at this time & how long
they were gone deponent does not remember and this deponent says that said
Company including said Sacia was in the War of the Revolution more or less
in the years 1780 & 1781 & 1782 that this deponent remembers that in
one of the last mentioned three years said Sacia went in the Company with Col.
Willett to Oswego (15) when they were gone at least 3 weeks & that they
were at least 14 days going & returning—that said Sacia was a good
faithful soldier and was at all times ready & willing to save his country—And
this deponent further says that he knows that said Susanah has remained a widow
ever since the death of her said husband & that she is yet a widow—And
this deponent further says that he has no doubt but that said Sacia performed
much service during the said war in the army of the revolution which deponent
cannot now remember & that it often happened that said company including
said Sacia during the whole of said Revolutionary War served in said war in
all more than two years—and further deponent says not—(Signed)
Frederick Weller
Subscribed & sworn
this 17th day of November 1836 before me. JF Fan A[?] Justice of the
Peace
End Notes
Return to opening page of Morrison's Pensions