Pension Application

S.12412
State of New York
Schenectady County SS.
            On this ninth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three personally appeared in Open Court before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Schenectady now sitting Samuel Conover a resident of the City and County of Schenectady aforesaid and State of New York Aged seventy three 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 provision of the Act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
            That he entered the service of the United States in the war of the Revolution & served as herein stated under the following named officers.—
            That in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven this deponent entered the service of the United States as a Militia man into the Company commanded by Captain Mynderse at the Town of Schenectady that he was drafted for the term of four months that he did duty faithfully during the time he was drafted. The Regiment was commanded by Colonel Wemple. The company was mustered at Schenectady and marched from thence to Fort Edwards. The company was formed in the month of May A.D. 1777 and deponent was discharged in the month of September in the last mentioned year deponent during the time of this service together with the Company to which he belonged and part of the army of the Untied States was stationed part of the time at Fort Ann part of the time at Stillwater and part of the time at Beemis [Bemis] Heights, that while at Stillwater he received a wound in his ancle [ankle] from the accidental discharge of a musket by one of his own company which made him lame that he has been lame ever since and is now lame with the wound. He was Honorably discharged a short time before the Battle at Saratoga in which General Burgoine surrendered. He has no written discharge nor has he any dockumentary [documentary] evidence of this service. This deponent was in an engagement with the enemy at Snook Kill, the adjutant whose name he forgets was wounded it was a skrimage [skirmish] which lasted several hours it was fought by Hessians & Tories on the part of the enemy principally. The Americans defeated them.—
            And this deponent further says that in the month of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy seven he was drafted into the company of Captain Price for the term of four months that he then resided at the Town of Schenectady the company to which deponent belonged was stationed at Albany the whole term of four months to keep guard & which the place he was ordered from Schenectady to Albany the company was formed at the City of Albany in the State of New York this deponent continued doing duty faithfully as a soldier at the City of Albany watching & guarding the place all the Term of four months and until the month of March A.D. 1778. When he was Honorably discharged he has no written discharge. The Colonel’s name was Beekman, the Adjutants name was John Lansing, he has no other evidence of any services but thinks he can obtain the depositions of some other persons who can prove his services.
            And this deponent further says that he volunteered into the company of Captain Vedder as a militia Soldier into the Regiment Commanded by Colonel Folkert [Volkert] Veeder in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine in July. That this deponent then resided at the Town of Schenectady at which last mentioned place the Company was raised that he volunteered for one month which time he served faithfully as a militia soldier the company to which he belonged marched from Schenectady to Schoharie it was the same time Schoharie was burnt and as near as deponent can recollect in 1779. At the expiration of the month & in August as deponent believes he [this] deponent was discharged he had no written discharge. He then returned home again.
            In the same year deponent went in (1990) into the company of Captain Mynderse as a Militia man to Stone Arabia as a volunteer for one month he continued there doing duty in watching & guarding the place for one month when he was Honorably discharged he had no written discharge at the expiration of the month he returned home to Schenectady.
            And this deponent further says that he during the Revolutionary War in 1778, was engaged as a volunteer to do military duty in the militia of the State of New York into the company of Captain Mynderse in the Regiment of Colonel Wemple at three different times one month each time. That he was marched one time to Caughnawaga & Fort Plank & once to Fort Hunter and at another time to Fort Plain. That from the time he departed from Schenectady until he returned home was one month each time at least.
            And this deponent says that the foregoing statement of his services for thirteen months is detailed in the best manner he possibly can from his recollection—he expects to be able to prove most of his services by Peter Warren Cain and Adam Vrooman & Christopher Ward.—This deponent further says he was born as he has been informed and believes to be true at Albany in the State of New York on the tenth day of December A.D. 1759. That he lived there until he was sixteen years of age when he removed to Schenectady and went to live with Captain John Mynderse to learn the BlackSmith’s trade that e remained at Schenectady during the Revolutionary War when not out on duty as above mentioned that he now lived in the second ward of the City of Schenectady and has lived within a few miles of the City of Schenectady ever since said war. That he is now seventy three years of age. He has no record of his age.—
            In the time of the Revolutionary War he was known to General Arnold Gen Gates Col. Christopher C. Yates Henry K. VanRensselaer Col. Captain John Myndrse Col. Wemple Major Col Captain John Mynderse Col. Wemple Major Fonda Captain Price Col. Willett Col Beekman and Adjutant John Lansing.
            This deponent is known to Jacob Clute Simone H. VanAntwerp Garret, S. Veeder & Frederick VanPatten in his present neighbourhood who can testify as to his character for truth and veracity & their belief of his services as a soldier of the Revolutionary War he has not been able to procure the attendance of any clergyman to certify as to his character for truth & veracity & he is not a member of any church but is a believer in the Christian religion.
            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. (Signed with his mark) Samuel Conover
            Sworn before me this 9th day of May A.D. 1833 in open court. John S. Vrooman, JP Clerk

December 18, 1937, letter in reply to an inquiry.
            Reference is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of Samuel Conover who was wounded at Stillwater.
            All papers in the claim for pension S.12412, of Samuel Conover have been examined very carefully and the following data found which, it is hoped, will be just what you need in your research.
            Samuel Conover was born in Albany, New York, December 10, 1759. The names of his parents are not shown. He lived in Albany until sixteen years of age then moved to Schenectady, New York, to live with Captain John Mynderse, in order to learn the blacksmith trade.
            While a resident of Schenectady, New York, Samuel Conover enlisted in May 1777, served as private in Captain John Mynderse’s company, Colonel Wemple’s New York regiment, was stationed at Fort Ann, Stillwater where he was wounded in the ankle by the discharge of a musket of one of his own company, was also stationed at Bemus Heights and was discharged in September, 1777. He enlisted in November, 1777, served as private in Captain Price’s company, Colonel Beekman’s New York Regiment and was discharged in March ,1778. He volunteered in 1778 and served three tours of one month each as private in Captain Mynderse’s Company, Colonel Wemple’s New York regiment. He volunteered in July, 1779, and served on month as private in Captain Veeder’s company, Colonel Volkert Veeder’s New York regiment. He volunteered again in 1779 and served one month as private in Captain Mynderse’s New York company.
            The soldier was allowed pension on his application executed May 9, 1835, while a resident of Schenectady, Schenectady County, New York. He died May 2, 1838.
            No reference was made in the claim to wife or children of Samuel Conover.

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