Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application of Peter Snell

R.9897 (Widow Susannah or Anna)
State of New York
Montgomery County SS.
          Personally appeared before me, John T. Johnson a Justice of the Peace in and for the County aforesaid Conradt Kilts of the Town of Palatine County and State aforesaid who was duly sworn according to law deposeth and saith that he has been Personally acquainted with Peter Snell and Anna Kilts Previous to the Revolutionary War and before they were married, and that he the said deponent further saith that he is personally known, that in the month of March 1768 the aforesaid Peter Snell with the aforesaid Anna Kilts, daughter of Peter Kilts decd were legally and lawfully joined in lawful wedlock, by the decd. Abraham Rosengrantz, by whom the marriage ceremonies was performed in the Reformed Cutch Church in Stonearabia.—
          And deponent further saith that the aforesaid Peter Snell has been a faithful Revolutionary Militia Soldier; that he belonged to the Company of Militia commanded by Capt. Christian House, in the Regt Commanded by Col. Jacob Klock and Lieut. Col. Peter Waggoner, in Gen'l Nicholas Harkimer's Brigade, in the then County of Tryon—
          Deponent further saith that the deceased soldier has proved a true and faithful soldier to the United States from the commencement of the Revolution until the year 1781, and that deponent has reason to belief that the said Peter Snell has rendered his equal full share of Service, in defending the rights and liberties of his country with any others of the Militia, that he did render United States Service, from year to year and in every year from the year 1775 Until fall 1780, when he arrived to the age of sixty years when after, the old men have been rendering Garrison duty, occasionally until the final close of the revolution in case if emergency—
          Although impracticable to specify each and every tour the husband of Claimant have been ordered out together with deponent often and frequently has been ordered out in [?] and on drafts, that he is personally known that the said husband of deponent with himself have [?[ and actually been engaged with at ever battle at Oriskana on the 6 th day of Augt 1777 under the General Command of Genl Herkimer, against the British Army from Canada when Gen'l Herkimer was seriously wounded soon after dead and when at the same battle, seven of the name of Snell were killed all were Conections, two of said number were brothers to the said Peter Snell—
          And deponant further saith that the said Peter Snell did did [sic] at least under the length of two years service to the United States that during the Revolutionary was aforesaid and that besides he was a great sufferer with his family when all was burned and destroyed by the enemy from Canada, that they were constraint to quit their farm and removed to Stonearabia then residing with deponants father,himself & family until 19 th Oct. 1780 at the time of the General Conflagration at Stonearabia by Col. John Johnson with his associate Incendiaries from Canada when after he removed to Stonearabia he was attached to the Company of Militia under the command of Capt. Henry Miller in the same Regt.—
          And deponent further saith, that his sister Anna Snell widow of Peter Snell has not intermarried since the death of her husband and that she is yet the widow of the foregoing mentioned Peter Snell—
          And deponent further saith that the aforesaid Anna Snell always was considered and is a lady of truth and veracity band her Testimony entitled to full credit. (Signed) Conradt Kilts.
          Subscribed and sworn to the day of [?] 1837 before me, John T. Johnson, Just. P.

State of New York
Herkimer County SS.
          On the 26 th day of December A.D. 1838 personally appeared before the Hon. Charles Gray, one of the Justices of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County, Susannah Snell, a widow of the Town of Manheim in said County, Aged 88 years on the [?] day of February last past (1838) who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on her oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the Act of Congress passed July 4, 1836 or any other act passed—that she was baptized as she believes, by the name of Susannah, but is commonly called & known by the name of Anna—that she was married to Pete Snell who was a soldier of the war of the revolution & served she thinks in the Company whereof Christian House was Captain in the Reg't of Col. Jacob Klock & believes he acted as Sergeant in said Company in said war—that her said husband served & was engaged in the Oriskany battle as he informed her in his life time & as she believes--& he also told her that in said battle, a large Indian came up to him while behind a tree & snatched his gun from him & asked him to what Reg't he belonged & that he her said husband, as he informed her seized his gun in the hands of the Indian & got it away from him & that thereupon the Indian ran with speed form him—that her said husband until he was 60 years of age in said war often was out & as she believes in the service but under what office & how long she cannot state but the rolls of the company or companies in which he served may show—that in said war she & her said husband removed to Stonearabia & she resided with her father named Peter Kilts--& she further states that she was according to her recollection married husband the said Peter Snell on the tenth day of March 1768 by the Rev'd Mr. Rosencrantz – that her said husband the aforesaid Peter Snell died on the 24 th day of July 1804 & that since the death of her said husband she has remained & still is a widow as will more fully appear by reference to the proof hereinto annexed & she cannot write—(Signed with her mark) Susannah Snell
          Sworn to and subscribed this 26 th day of December A.D. 1838 before me. Chas. Gray, Herkimer County Courts Councilor [?] Court

End Notes (AJ Berry)

1. Susannah (Anna) Kilts was born 9 Feb. 1750, died 14 Dec. 1842. She was the daughter of Johann Peter Kilts and Anna Maria Bellinger. Pieter Jost Snell was born 24 Jun 1730 in Palatine, Montgomery Co., NY. He was the son of Johan Jost (Joseph) Snell and Maria Catharina (Graft) Kraft.
2. Since Peter was born in 1730, he would have been 50 in 1780, not 60. Both deponents were mistaken about the age, Peter Snell was 50 not 60 by 1780. It is my understanding that the men were exempt from serving at age 50.
3. In the family Bible their son Suffrenus Snell wrote: “Peter Snell my father departed this life July 24, 1804 aged seventy four years one month. Anna Snell, my mother departed this life December 14, 1842, aged ninety two years ten months and five days. They together presented to the world 11 chidlren, 8 sons and 3 daughters of whom 9 yet living and they presented to the world 109 children, seventy sons and thirty nine daughters and grandchildren, 426 descendants in all by the time of her death.
4. There was a big difference in their ages, 20 years. The story that was told was that Pieter (Peter) used to rock the baby Susannah when he was 20 years old and said that he would wait until the baby matured and he was going to marry her. He did and they did.
5. Known children were: Maria, Joseph Peter, Peter P. Sr., Catharine P., John Peter, Adam Peter, Jacob Peter, Conrad Peter, George Peter, Suffrenus P. and Anna (Nancy) P.