Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3,520, Jacob Fester, New York

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New York    Fester, Jacob   R. 3,520

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Schoharie County
& State of new York

Jacob Fester aged 83 years being duly sworn deposeth and saith that he was in the service of the War of the Revolution under Capt. Brown in Cobleskill in said County Declarant Deposeth & saith that he served under Capt Brown in the summer of 1781 and in the Winter of 1782 at the Fort in said Cobleskill was Guarding the Fort --- and Volunteered from Cobleskill to Schoharie in the spring of 1782 and served one year under Capt George Richtmyer --- John Bellanger was an officer under said Capt. Richtmyer and Commanded the Company the greatest part of the time Declarant was out on Scouts and assisted in the taking of some prisoners --- Declarant says he was placed stationary at the Middle Fort so called in said Schoharie and when Declarant was sent out on Scouts he was under different officers -- such officers as they saw fit to order out --- Declarant forgets the the names of said Captains who ordered him on his scouts sometimes a party was sent out and a soldier was set over them as a Capt to order --- Capt George Richtmyer did not serve but many small part of the time at the Fort in said year that this declarant served although he was placed under him he was there occasionally-- the officers acted as Captain as above stated after Declarant took his discharge in spring of 1783  Declarant returned again to Cobleskill to his Fathers  Family --- Declarants Father was taken prisoner at Cobleskill while the Indians in said War and dragged of[f] to Canada and had two Brothers Killed by the Indians and Tories when Cobleskill was burnt the first time when Capt Catrick was killed in 1779 one of his Brothers was killed and mangled (it was this Brother was Caught by the dogs that Tories had that mangled & scalped and the other Brother was in the house and fought the Indians and Tories -- & the house was set on fire by the Indians and his Brother and those that were in the house was burnt up with the house  Declarant says he was young but felt to satisfy his mind to enter the Service young and do all he could in taking revenge for the loss of his Brothers his Father was prisoner upwards of a year before he was sent home and exchanged  Declarant case has been taken up &

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Sent to Washington by John Westaren Esq nearly 3 year or more & send to Washington and no returns received Declarant thinks some Defects may be in the Declaration not specifying his services and now make Oath and sends this to Connect it with his former Declaration --- & said Declarant hereby appoints & Authorizes fully --- Jacob Shuyerland of Cobleskill and Joseph W. Paddock, Esq of Albany to act as his Lawful Agents in Obtaining said pension from the United States --- dated at Sharon this 17th day of Dec 1845 
Jacob Wester
Subscribed & sworn before me this 17th day of December 1845
John Petedhout Justice of the peace

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Free

Hon. Geo. C. Whiting
Commission of Pensions
Washington City
D. C.

Jacob Fester
NS. 37,195
Lit I. I W. Paddock
March 13 46
Letter H. Waldon 18 Sep 51
D. Lavier Feb 18/59


Act June 1832

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[stamped] REJECTED

3520

Jacob Fester

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Schoharie County
State of New York  SS

Elias Hellsinger being duly sworn deposeth & Saith he is 89 years old and did service principally himself among the Malitia in Schoharie in the war of the Revolution almost during said war this Deponent says he knew Jacob Fester who served in Cobleskill in said county in said war and Deponent says he knew said Fest before the war and after the war of the Revolution & knows him now he now resides in the Town of Schoharie in said county -- and knew him in the service in said War of the Revolution as a volunteer in the Malitia under Capt Richtmyer & other officers Deponent says he forgets their names Deponent says that said Fester served at least one year or as he recollects well of seeing said Jacob Fester at many different times through the Seasons of Summer & fall & spring & winder and conversed with Fester in said period at many different times and from the seasons and times Deponent says he knows said Jacob Fester served at least one year or more regular and steady under Captain Richtmyer & other officers -- Deponent says he cannot be [illegible] as to said Jacob Festers Revolutionary service in said war & says he served one year or more as he this deponent was witness in seeing him almost continually in the service during this time this years service was done by said Fester and further this Deponent saith not---
Subscribed and sworn before me this 16th day of December 1845 and I certify that said Elias Hellsinger is a main of sound mind for a man of his age and is a credible witness his Testimony is credible and ind is [illegible] and this was read to him before execution

Elias X Hillisinger

John Outerbaut Justice of the Peace

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Schoharie County
& State of New York  Ss

Christina Norman being aged but thanks to God her Creator for life and the blessings of a sound mind & good memory she says in her Old age being duly sworn Deposeth and saith that she was well acquainted with Jacob Fester who resided in Cobleskill in said County in the war of the Revolution -- Deponents Father resided in the Lower Fort in said Schoharie in the time of said War -- Deponent says that said Jacob Fester was in the service in said War at the Middle Fort in said Schoharie towards the Close of the war for some length of time Deponent says she Cannot state how long said Jacob Fester was in the service but from her own knowledge she says that it was at least one year that said Jacob Fester served steady as a volunteer and Deponent says she was well acquainted with his Father's Family -- & that she never can forget the dreadful Massacre at said Festers Fathers house in said war when Cobleskill was burnt when Capt Patrick and his men was Butchered of by the Tories and Indians. Deponent says her Father McHenry Hitchman was one of the forty sent after those Indians from the Lower Fort as above stated and at his return he stated that said Fester house was burnt and one of his Sons and others who defended themselves in the house was burnt up in it and one other son Butchered and mangled in the same manner & her said Father stated he gathered the remains of those dead bodies and took their innards from the stumps and buried them -- and from those impressions she can never forget the unfortunate family & the Tories & Indians took old Mr. Fester prisoner to Canada and that said Jacob Fester was young and went into the Service very young with great Courage he wanted revenge of [illegible] with his unfortunate Mothers Deponant says that said Fester served under Capt. George Richtmyer she was well acquainted with Capt Richtmyer she saw said Fester very often in scouts & other times they came to the Lower Fort and she was very often at the Middle Fort and the solders sometimes was shifted and got together in the Service Deponant says said Jacob Fester served at least a year under Capt Richtmyer and the officers at the Middle Fort
Christiana Norman X her mark
Subscribed and sworn before me this 19th day of December 1845 and I certify that the Old Lady the witness above is still possessed of a great memory & [illegible] and is a credible witness and the above was taken carefully and read to her before execution
John Outerhuet

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37195
Jacob Fester 
NY

Act 7 June '32
3520


Jacob Fester

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Schoharie County
State of New York  Ss

Catherine Bassett of said Town & County aged 94 years Deposeth and says that she was acquainted with Jacob Fester from Cobleskill in said county in the war of the Revolution as her Father resided in the Lower Fort in said Schoharie -- she this Deponant says she saw said Jacob Fester at different times near the Close of the War and was under Capt Richtmyer this Deponant says she was well acquainted with said Capt George Richtmyer and that said Jacob Fester was under him in the latter part of the war-- and says that two of said Jacob Festers Brothers was killed by the Indians & Tories & one of them burnt up in the house and the Old Mr. Fester was taken prisoner by the Indians and Tories and said Jacob Fester did service as a volunteer so them said for one year under said Capt Richtmyer near the Close of the war at the Middle Fort but was frequently at the Lower Fort when they were out on Scouts and [strikethrough - further this Deponant saith not] this Deponant saw him a great many times during said year in the service and recollects distinctly of said Jacob Fester services to have been the period of one year and recollects it form winter & summer & the seasons he was there a year as was stated then in the time he served he was a volunteer and the Indians and further this Deponant saith not.

Subscribed and sworn before me this 19 day of December 1845. I Certify that Mes. Bassett has remarkable sound mind & memory for her age & is a credible witness and this affidavit was read to her for execution

Catherine X Bassett  her mark

John Outerhout Justice of the peace

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STATE OF NEW YORK, Schoharie County Clerk's Office, ss.
I Thomas McArthur, Clerk of the said county, do hereby certify that John Osterhout, Esq before whom the annexed affidavit purports to have been sworn, was on the day of the date of the Jurat to the said affidavit a Justice of the Peace in and for the said county, that I am well acquainted with the hand-writing of the Justice and verily believe that his name signed to the said Jurat is his proper hand-writing.  Given under my hand and the seal of the said county, nineteenth day of December 1845.

Thos. McArthur Clerk

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[illegible] Sch Co. N. York
February 1 1859

Hon. Geo. C. Whiting
Commissioner of Pensions

Dear Sir, Two ladies one residing in my own county and the other in Herkemer Co. some time ago applied to me to assist them in obtaining a portion of pension supposed to be due them in consequence of the service of their father Jacob Fester.
In [illegible] therefore of Mrs. Elizabeth Sommers and another lady Mrs. Sophia Vanderwaker the only two surviving children of the said Fester repudiate that some pension agent or agents during the lifetime of their father (to them unknown) prepared the declaration and presents the proofs requisite to draw a pension for his service in the War of the Revolution.  They understand that his services and in and about the forts in Schoharie County. If so he was entitled to a pension, which has been granted to many others in the county for that service--
Their father died December 2nd A.D. 1851 without drawing his pension or any part of it.
Will your Honor consider the papers filed in his case to be looked up and examined carefully with a view to ascertain whether Mr. Festers evidence is satisfactory or not.  They would wish to know the extent of proof furnished and the names of the witnesses, and what was established by them.  It may be possible

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that the [illegible] of your office may contain all that is requisite to obtain that pension as he was entitled to.
If the case was not sufficiently [illegible] they would be pleased to learn... what is yet required to enable them to make a successful application.  If there be a [illegible] a [illegible][illegible]. I write how them empower someone to present this case at your department.
They will of course how to make an original application as the surviving children and an [illegible] of the papers or a copy of them filed in Mr. Fester's case [illegible] to be made for their [illegible]_ [illegible] or an [illegible] and will [illegible] for, if made and sent to [illegible] address We wasn't them if there is a perfect for them against at Washington. I would be happy to be referred to such a one who we might expect would be prompt in his attention to the business.
I hope [illegible] that I may soon hear from you and you will excuse this words of personal appreciation by compensation as the must [illegible] under circumstances; and saving them and unprofitable mostly of their little property or busy agents at a venture

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I am sir,
Yours Respectfully
Demonsthenes Lawyer
Atty
Cobleskill, Sch. Co. 
N. Y.