Pension Application

S.19,494
State of New York
County of Montgomery SS.
            On this nineteenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, personally appeared in open court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, in and for said County now sitting, Simon Veeder, a resident of the town of Johnstown in said County, aged eighty-four years and upwards, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.
            He was born on the (on the then township, now) City of Schenectady in said State, on the thirty first day of May in the year 1748 (old style). The record of his age is contained in the Register of Baptism in the possession of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of said city—When called into the service of the United States in the Revolutionary War, he was living in the village of Caughnawaga in the township of Johnstown in the then County of Tryon, now County of Montgomery aforesaid.—He has lived there ever since the revolutionary war, and lives there at this present time.
            At the commencement of the war in the year 1775, he was enrolled in the company of militia commanded by Captain John Davis in the regiment whereof Frederick Fisher was colonel.
            His other company and field officers whom he recollects, were Lieutenant Colonel Volkert Veeder, Major Blivens & John Newkirk, Captain Davis being killed in the battle of Oriskany in the month of August 1777—Abraham Veeder succeeded herein the command of said company and he the said claimant served under s’d Captain Abraham Veeder until the spring of the year 1781, when he received the appointment of Quarter Master in said regiment and served as such Quarter Master until the end of the revolutionary war. During the period of his service as Quarter Master, he performed garrison duty at the fortification erected in said County of Tryon, which had to be constantly guarded by night as well as by day. He was also called out with his regiment, or detachments thereof as the exigencies of the times required, and served in several military expeditions in defence of the frontiers.—Previous to his entering upon the duties of Quartermaster as aforesaid, his terms of service as a private of said company, were made up of various short tours. It is well known that there were divers disaffected persons and families residing at or near the different posts and passes within said county, who assisted the enemy and their savage allies and often joined them in their incendiary and murderous incursions on the inhabitants of said county. Detachments of militia were in consequence often ordered out. And what with service in these detachments, and in small reconnoitering parties he was on duty almost every day. The claimants family was among those unfortunates residing in the valley of the Mohawk who suffered severely on several occasions from these incursions particularly in the year 1780, when the British troops under Sir John Johnson, devastated the whole Mohawk Country, destroying men, cattle and crops.—
            The applicant was in a battle at Johnstown in Montgomery County under Col. Willett in several minor engagements—and the applicant was also at the taking & surrender of Burgoyne under the command of Col. Veeder.
            The following are some of the regiments or companies with which he served or which he recollects, and the names of some of the regular officers whom he knew, or who were with the troops where he served viz, Col. Willett & his regiment, Col. Volkert Veeder & his regiment & General Van Rensselaer Captain Abraham Veeder and also Capt. Davis.
            He has no documentary evidence except his commission and knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his services except Myndert B. Wemple.
            His commission as Quarter Master was signed by Geo. Clinton, Governor of the State of New York, and is hereunto annexed.
            The following are the names of persons to whom he is known in his present neighborhood and who can testify as to his character for veracity and their belief of his services as a soldier of the revolution to wit. John Veeder & the Rev’d Abraham VanHorne.
            He hereby relinquishes ever claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any State. (Signed) Simon Veeder
            Subscribed & sworn the day & year aforesaid. Geo. D. Ferguson, Clerk
Reply to a letter of inquiry.
            Simon Veeder—S.19494
            The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in pension claim, S.19494, based upon the service of Simon Veeder in the Revolutionary War.
            Simon Veeder was born May 31, 1748 (old style) in Schenectady, New York. The names of his parents were not given. His age was recorded in the “Register of Baptisms” of the Reformed Protestant Cutch Church of Schenectady. His family was residing in the Mohawk Valley during the Revolution and suffered many hardships, particularly in the year 1780, when the British under Sir John Johnson devastated the “Whole Mohawk Country”.
            While a resident of Caughnawaga, Township of Johnstown, Tryon (later Montgomery) County, New York, Simon Veeder enlisted early in June, 1775, served at various times as a sergeant in Captain John Davis’ company, Colonel Frederick Fisher’s New York regiment, did garrison duty at several forts and was in frequent expeditions in defense of the frontiers, Captain John Davis was killed at the battle of Oriskany, after which the company was commanded by Captain Abraham Veeder; he was at the surrender of Burgoyne under Lieutenant-Colonel Volkert Veeder; he was appointed sometime in July, 1780 Quartermaster to Colonel Frederick Fisher’s regiment, but did not receive his commission as quartermaster until March 8, 1781; he was in both battles of Johnstown and in many alarms and scouting parties, continued in the service until the close of the war.
            Simon Veeder was allowed pension on his application executed September 19, 1832, at which time he was a resident of Johnstown, Montgomery County, New York. He was then referred to as Judge Simon Veeder. He died December 18, 1836 in the town of Mohawk, Montgomery County, New York.
            He left no widow, name of his wife is not given. The following were his surviving children in 1850—Simon Veeder, John S. Veeder, and Magdalen Wemple, all of the town of Mohawk.
            John Veeder was living in 1832 in Johnstown, New York; Myndert B. Wemple in 1832 was a resident of said Johnstown; and Daniel B. Wemple in 1850 was of Montgomery County, New York. They all stated that they were well acquainted with the soldier, Simon Veeder, during the Revolution, but no relationship was shown, nor was it stated the Captain Abraham Veeder and the Lieutenant—Colonel Volkert Veeder under whom he served were relatives.

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