Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 11498, Conrad Widrig, New York

SERVICE
NUMBER
New York
Widrig, Conrad
R.11498
CONTENTS

14.487
Conrea Widing Nukunonu Bill Yak
Deleted
5.16.
P 397
May 14 33
g R Jacil

BRIEF in the case of Conrad Weidrig  of Columbia of Herkimer County in the State of New York.  (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? Open Court.  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity?  3. How old is he? 69 years.  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers   Years, Months, Days. under whom he served.     In 17 About 3 years and a half. cannot state the particular time when he entered or was dismissed. As a Gen. Col Starling. Col Billingsley Major Weaver  
 5. In what battles was he engaged? Fort Mike  6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Schuylkill Herkimer Co. N. York.  7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditionary evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? Traditionary & living witnesses  8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect? not attached as required. 
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Richard Cloutts Examining Clerk.

State of New York Herkimer County ss.
On this ninth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty two personally in open court before Michael Hoffman First Judge, and John Mahon, Augustus Brewster, Sherman Wooster - - Judges of the court of Common Pleas of said County now sitting. Conrad Wichting, of Columbia in said County aged about sixty nine years, 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 the seventh, one thousand eight hundred and thirty two, That he voluntarily enlisted and entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated to wit, Under Captain Henry Starling of the New York Militia, That he entered said service when he was about fifteen years of age and within a short time after the Brandy battle, That during his service he was in the battle at Fort Mifflin and was one of eleven Americans who fought in that engagement and successfully repelled an attack upon the fort by a party of British Indians and Tories amounting to between two and three hundred men, That he was engaged in several skirmishes with the Indians and Tories That his business was scouting, scouting duty and the general duties of the same. That his principal station was at Fort Mifflin, but when he went out in scouting parties he frequently called, and sometimes stayed for a short time at the other Forts along the Mohawk River, to wit, Forts. Schuyler, Dayton, Housatonic, Herkimer, Willet, Wintake, and Plain, That he served under Captain Starling about a year, and was then left under the command of Orderly Sergeant Bangs, under whom he served for more more than two years, That while he served under Sergeant Bangs he assisted in building  building the Ferry roads
1. year 2. years

The Mohawks at Fort Plain at the time when Colonel Willets and his Army crossed in pursuit of Major Brant Lafayette Brant and his party who were overtaken and killed. That his principal Station during all of his service which spanned three years was at Fort Mohawk, and his business scouting, standing guard, entry and the general duties of the camp. But that he was frequently required in guarding and carrying baggage for the Army from one place or Fort to another and along the line of the Mohawk. That the company that he was in was under the command of Colonel Villinger and that he knew Colonels Willets, Van Schaick, Van Dyke, and Gervoort who sometimes passed them and for whom they assisted in carrying baggage, and that he was regularly and honorably dismissed from the service at the expiration of about three years and a half after he entered, but that he cannot state the particular time when he entered or was dismissed from the service that he has no documentary evidence of his service and that he knows of no person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service except the persons whose affidavits are hereto annexed When and in what year were you born?
He was born in Schuylkill in the county of Berks and state of New York in or about the year nineteen hundred and sixty three. He states the time of his birth by a calculation from his age which is about forty eight years
2-? Have you any friend of your age and if so when is it?
"I have no record of my age. I had one but it got destroyed in the Revolution and war -
3 rd Where were you living when called into service. Where have you lived since the revolutionary war and where do you now live:-

..I was living in the Town of Schuyler in the County of Herkimer and State of New York. When I was called into the service, when I lived until I moved to but I was then in Columbia in said County & State, when I was and lived for the last twenty with the exception of one year when I lived at Sandy Creek in said State years, since.
4. How were you called into service: were you drafted, did you volunteer, or were you a substitute? and if a substitute for whom? -
..After the destruction of our men at the Oriskany battle there was a general call for men to go into the army and defend the property and inhabitants along the Mohawk River from the almost daily attacks and destruction of the Indians and Tories and I volunteered and entered the service, and continued to serve as long as any service was wanted -
5. State the names of some of the regular officers who were with the troops when you were, such continental and militia Regiments as you can recollect and the general circumstances of your service -
..I don't recollect the names of any other regular officers that were with us when I served than those mentioned above in my declaration. we were under Colonel Major Warner  Brilliant, Major Scott, Fink, Chapendall . I knew several companies that were with us, some of the time they were commanded by Captain Sanford of the Mohawk Rangers, Capt. Harts, Captain G. Strum, and Capt. Lapham, my service was company service and the general circumstances were as I have related above in my declaration - I was equipped and fought with a musket & Harrahawk -

6. Did you ever receive a discharge from the service and if so. by whom was it given. and what has become of it
I never received any other discharge than a verbal dismission -
7. State the names of persons to whom you are known in your present neighbourhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity, and their belief of your services as a soldier of the revolution:-
Joseph Hertz of Frankfort and Jacob Widrig of Liberty
are my immediate neighbours and have have known him for a long time and am acquainted with my character and my services as a soldier of the Revolution by reputation. There is no clergyman in my neighbourhood
and that he hereby relinquishes every 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 -
Sworn to and subscribed this 3rd day of June A.D. 1833 in open court -
Julius C. Nelson, Clerk
his Conrad X Widrig mark

I Julius C. Nelson Clerk of the County of Robertson do hereby certify that John B. Sygert before whom the annexed affidavits were taken was at the time of the taking of the same a justice of the Peace of Frankfort in said County duly commissioned according to Law, and that I am acquainted with his hand writing and believe the name of John B. Sygert annexed to said affidavits to be his genuine signature.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said County this Eighth day of October A.D. 1882.
Julius C Nelson Clerk

State of New York } Herkimer County } ss:
I, Christian Hoffstadt of Schuylerville in said county do hereby certify that I was ninety four years of age last January and that I have known Colonel Friedrich of Columbia ever since he was born. He lived with me when a child, and that I am a revolutionary soldier and also a pensioner under the law of eighteen hundred and eighteen. That I know the time when he, the said Friedrich assisted in tending the Army at Fort Plain, when Colonel Willets army crossed, and I assisted to attend the Army at the same time. This duty was performed by us and others in pursuance of the order of Colonel Willets. That said Friedrich is a man of truth and veracity. That I frequently see said Friedrich in the service and believe his statement, in his declaration hereunto annexed to be true, and that said Friedrich was a true and faithful soldier and always active, and ready, in the performance of his duty. That I recollect when the battle at Fort Eriie was fought, and that it was fought a year or more before we tended the Army at Fort Plain as aforesaid.
Sworn and Subscribed the twenty second day of September 1832 before me John B. Dyer one of the Justices of the Peace of Frankfort in the County of Herkimer
Christian his X Hoffstadt mark
State of New York } Herkimer County } ss:
I, Jacob Friedrich of the Town of Schuylerville in the County of Herkimer and State of New York do hereby certify that I am seventy eight years of age, that I am a brother of Leonard Friedrich, mentioned in the declaration

of said Coonradh into arms and that I was one of the men in Fort Clark, at the time the battle occurred in said declaration was fought, and know that said Coonradh was there and fought against the enemy, that he continued in the army until I was taken prisoner a short time after said battle, that I was detained a prisoner of war until the war closed and that I knew nothing of my said brother's service during the time I was a prisoner, but that I have heard my said brother's service talked over frequently since the war, that the subject of the war and the services of individuals in it, have been a matter of frequent conversation, and I have always understood and believed that the time and services of my said brother were as he has stated them in his said declaration.
Subscribed the twenty second day of September 1832 before me John M c Dyggel - one of the justices of the Peace of the County of Haskin
his Jacob X Wörlich mark
State of New York Haskin County ss:
I, John M c Dyggel, the justice before whom
the above affidavits were taken do hereby certify that I am acquainted with the above named Christian Hoffstadt and Jacob Wörlich and that they are reputable men and their statements are entitled to credit.
Dated September 22, 1832
John M c Dyggel Justice of the Peace

In the matter of Conrad Widrig Explanatory declaration in order to obtain a pension under act of Congress of June 7. 1832
Dear G. B. Budd,
Frankfort Kentucky
St. G.

State of New York Albany County
On the 21 st day of October 1855
personally appeared before me John H. Rogers a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County of Albany in the Widow of Columbia in said County and being by me duly sworn under the following statutory and in addition to his former Declaration given on his in the War Department of the United States in order to obtain a pension under the Act of Congress of June 23, 1836, as appears by a letter from him and signed by J. L. Edwards and bearing date August 2, 1853.
That the reason why he went into the service of the United States at the age of fifteen years was because there was then a call for more men to go into the army and he volunteered and went into the service under Captain Sterling.
That Fort Miller was built by the direction of Col. Gansport for the reason that Fort Dayton and Fort Starnick were at too great a distance from each other (26 miles) to guard the line and protect the communication between them - those places that he spent at building the Fort from the time it was commenced until it was finished, that when it was first put up it consisted of pickets merely but afterwards they erected what was called redoubts being large block houses at three corners, that it was four square with a gate at one corner that the Fort was on the direct route from Fort Dayton to Fort Starnick and that Col. Van Schaick, Mr. Dyke, Willet and Major Starnick often think made it a stopping place when they passed, and frequently passed & stopped there that he saw them frequently and knew them well - That it was necessary to have soldiers at the Fort the year round and he was one who was always selected to remain during the winter season - That during the summer season he went out with the pack train to get wood & provisions for the fort during the other parts of the season, as one of the guards in addition to the other usual duties of the camp.
That at other times he went as one of the guards to Fort Starnick to guard baggage waggons & horses carrying provisions etc. That during the time he was at this Fort he was under the particular command of said Captain Sterling and served there under him as near as he can state a year - when Sterling left the

He went to Fort Verhimer, and he went with Major Miley to Fort Dayton Col. Bellinger then was commanded at Fort Dayton, that he recalls Major Miley was there as well as Capt. Hart, and Peter Bellinger a son of the Col. and one Peter Bellinger the Com- missary that there were other officers there but that he cannot recall their names or ranks that while he was at Fort Dayton they drew provisions from the commissary or as he understood it from the State, that they went some from Fort to Fort doing business as he understood as commissary of the Army and that he frequently went with him as one of his guards to Fort Plain, Verhimer and Milette that he remained and done duty at Fort Dayton as near as he can state a year and that while he was there he was in Strickland's under Captain Hart, yet because Capt. Hart left him under Sergeant Miley he considered him more particularly his officer, which was the occasion of giving his name as his company officer in his former declaration.
That in the Spring after he had remained at Fort Dayton a year he went to Fort Plain with a party of men but who the commander was he cannot recall, there was then at that Fort Col. Milette and Capt. Gross and other officers whose names and ranks he cannot recollect, while he was there he was under the command of Col. Milette as Col. Some times Capt. Gross com- manded them and at other times officers who were strangers and whose names & ranks he does not recollect commanded them that he remained at this Fort as near as he can recollect a little more than six months and did the usual duties of soldiers during those times, that there were a great many officers present & called there at that time but that he did not then take particular notice to recollect who they were and cannot therefore now state, that as much notice was not taken then as of an officer coming into a place now as would be now, at any rate he did not take as much notice then as he should now

That he then went with a party to Fort Willet, and was there under the command of Capt. George Gannaway as near as he can recollect the crown & rank and service there as near as he can say two years which ended his service the war having principally ceased when he was discharged and went home. That he considered his service in the militia, though he was a volunteer in each case and the service or a part of it might have been regular service, that his only anxiety then was to fight and obtain liberty that he never made any inquiry whether he was serving as a militia man or a regular. That when he volunteered it was always in obedience to the call for more men, and that he never refused his service. That he has not any record to his knowledge obtain any further proof of his service than are annexed to his former dis- charge. That he has stated above only the general outline of his service it would require much time & paper to state the particulars and that with the above additional statement he most respectfully rests his claim with the War Department of his service and he further states that it is extremely difficult for him to obtain a court of record for the purpose of making and swearing to this declaration.
Conrad X. Wiedrig mark
Subscribed & sworn the 21 st day of October 1833 Before me after the same had in my presence been carefully read to said Wiedrig
John B. Dyer
Sister of Theobald Gannaway place.

11498
P. O.
Conrad Midrig
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
REJECTED
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

War Department Pension Office
January 26. 1837
Sir,
Enclosed are the papers of Conrad Widrig. Be pleased to acknowledge the receipt of them. My opinion is that his is not a case for which any special legislation has ever been deemed advisable. The letter of the 22 d August 1833 to the Secretary of War, of which the enclosed is a copy, will shew why a Pension was not granted under the act of June 7. 1832.
I have the honor to be Very respectfully Your Obdt. Servt. J. L. Edwards
Hon. J. Fry, Jr. House of Representatives

Jan 24
Can. Conrad Wieg.
Gen. J. A. [?] G

House of Rep. 33rd. Jan 1837
J. L. Edwards, Esq.
Please send me the papers in file relation to the claim embraced in the enclosed resolution; as also your opinion of the merits of the case
Yrs,
J. Fry

New York
Rev.
Conrad Widrig
Rejected
See letter to
G. R. Ludd
5 August '33
let. to Hon. R. Cap. 22 Aug. June
1833 - do. G. R. Ludd Oct. 9. 34
do. to Hon. J. M. H. R.
Jan. 26, 1837
Act 7 June '32

14487-
Act 7 th June 1832
Conrad Midrig Herkimer County New York.
Rejected - see letter to Hon J. Hays Esq. Reps. 26 th Jany 1837. let to Conrad Midrig May 14. 1840
112198

Heikimo March 7. 1840
Sir
In the Year 1832 I made application for a pension under the act passed that Year. the Claim was forwarded by G. B Ludd Esq. of Frankfort. it appeared from the answer of the Commissioner of pensions that the Claim was not sufficiently substantiated. the application was on the succeeding Year amended and again forwarded by Mr. Ludd. Since then I can learn nothing satisfactory of it.
I am confident that my services in the Revolutionary war ought under the law, above referred to, to Entitle me to a pension with others who served in said war.
I would therefore ask of You to inform me the amount of service as proved in my Claim. and also the time claimed which is not considered as sufficiently proved. I have no copy of the Claim & proof. and I would like to know what the proofs are. and what part of the Claim is objected to as not sufficiently substantiated.
I am Sir Your obedt.
Servt
Conrad his X Kridig mark
Wm L. Edwards Compt. of Pensions

Frankfort October 21 st 1833
Sir I enclose an explanatory declaration in the matter of Coomas Widing for a pension under the act of June 7 th 1833 which I hope will be satisfactory and will prove sufficient to obtain for him a pension - by referring to the affidavits annexed to his papers on file you will discover that his services are fully proved -
It is but justice for me today on examining the report of the Commissioner of Pensions particularly that part of it which calls for a specification of service and the age of the applicant that there was at least some reason for rejecting the claim on the original declaration but I hope the department from the magnitude of depriving him of what he no doubt justly deserves and stands in much need of - I have known the old man some time I have heard much said of his revolutionary service I have no doubt but that they were performed as he states and I again take this opportunity of pressing his claim upon the consideration of the department - he is poor honest & sober at least he has but a short time to remain with us, and if the department can consistently with its established rules grant him a pension I in his name ask it most earnestly and permit me to say that I am not one who wants this poor a claim unless I was reasonably convinced of its justness - I am unwilling that

any Except the worthy & faithful should receive the honors of their country. did I ever doubt the genuineness of a claim I wanted not even pre- sent it, but I am happy in this case to have it in my power to say that I am convinced by the repeated statements of respectable and worthy men that the present application is not only bona fide but in every respect just and ought so to be treated if we can succeed in convincing the department of its justice which we more hope we have done will you under these circumstances have the goodness again to examine the case of the applicant and grant him such relief as he is justly entitled to according to the rules of your department and the order under which he applied - I am Sir your obedient Servt.
G. B. Ladd
Hon. Lewis C. ap Secretary of War Washington

State of New York
In the matter of Conrad Wichrig a Revolutionary Pension
Under the act of 1832
(Done)
14487
address
G. B. Ladd
Frankfort
Herkmer Co
N.Y.
14487.
Conrad Wichrig N.Y.
att. June '32

We Joseph French of Frankfort & Carole Widing in the town of Liberty in county of Herkimer and State of New York hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Conrad Widing, who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be fifty nine  seventy two years of age, that he is respected and beloved in the neighborhood where he resi- -des to have been a soldier of the Revolution and that we concur in that opinion Joseph French
Sworn and subscribed this day and year aforesaid in open court - Julius C. Nelson Clerk
his Carole Widing mark
And the said court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogations prescribed by the war department that the above named applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states, and the court further certify that it appears to them that -
residents of the Town of Columbia in the county of Herkimer and State of New York who has signed the preceding certificate an enclable pension and that their statement is entitled to credit
Julius C. Nelson clerk of the court of common Pleas of the county of Herkimer do hereby certify that the foregoing contains the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Conrad

Wichita for a fusion-
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this ninth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety two by Julius P. Nelson Clerk.
Carmen X (Signature) mark