Morrison's Pensions
Pension Application for Ackler, Leonard
W.15335 (later the number is given W.25335)
State of New York
County of Herkimer
On this 5th
day of February one thousand eight hundred and thirty nine, personally appeared
before the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Herkimer before the
judges hereof in open court begin a court of record. Catherine Ackler a
resident of the Town of Columbia, county and state aforesaid, aged seventy-five
years the fourth of July last who being first duly sworn according to law doth
on her oath make the following declarations in order to obtain the benefit of
the provision by the Act of Congress passed July 7th 1838 entitled “An
Act Granting Half Pay and Pensions to Certain Widows.” That she
is the widow of Leonard Ackler deceased who was a soldier in the service of the
United States in the Revolutionary War and who as always after the war said he
served under Capt. Garret Putman nine months and also under Capt. Bradbick a
term of nine months or more and also under Capt. Ackler in the militia but cannot
say how long, that he always said he was in the Battle of Oriskany.
And she further
states that her husband the said Leonard Ackler was a pensioner under the Act
of Congress passed June 7th 1832 at the rate of eighty dollars a year.
She further
declares that she was married to the said Leonard Ackler on the eleventh day
of March in the year seventeen hundred and eighty seven at Fort Plain that the
Rev. Lodwick Priffle solemnized the marriage in the church at that place.
That Elizabeth
Walrath and Peggy Snyder stood up with her and served as bridesmaids and that
Henry Ackler and Jacob Welts stood up with the said Leonard Ackler and served
as groom’s men.
That this
deponent is informed and believes that the said Jacob Welts and Peggy Snyder
are not now living and that she does not know whether the said Elizabeth Walrath
is living or not but that the said Henry Ackler is now living. That she
does not know whether there is any record of their marriage or not. That
the said Rev. Lodwick Priffle removed from Fort Plain a few years after their
marriage as she was informed and believed and now believes and that she does
not know nor did she known where he did got to but that she was informed that
the went west since which she has not heard from him.
That her husband
the said Leonard Ackler died on the tenth day of January one thousand eight hundred
and thirty eight. That she was not married to him prior to his leaving
the service but the marriage took place previous to the first of January seventeen
hundred and ninety four viz, at the time above stated.
The words “Day???” Snyder
and the word “Walrath” in the foregoing ensnard and the words “Said
and “Ackler intertwined before the foregoing and signed and sworn to.
5th Feb. 1839
Signed with her mark, (Catherine Ackler)
Sworn to and subscribed in open court the fifth February 1839 given under my
hand and seal of office the 5th February 1839.
J. Dygert Clerk.
State of New York
Herkimer County
On the 27th
day of October one thousand eight hundred and thirty two came before me, John
Mahan, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the county
aforesaid, Leonard Ackler a resident of the Town of Columbia in the County
of Herkimer and state of New York, aged seventy-two years in May last past
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 7th 1832.
That he
entered the service of the United States under the following named officers
and served as herein stated.
That at
Fort Plain in the Town of Canajoharie and County of Tryon and in the Town of
Minden in the County of Montgomery in the spring or summer of the year 1779,
as he believes he enlisted for the term of nine months into a company commanded
by Captain John Bighead, that a Mr. Wood was their Lieutenant, that said company
os said Bighead was under the command of Colonel Hooper as he now believes.
That shortly
after his enlistment under said Captain Bighead they were marched from Fort
Plain where he then resided and enlisted to Fort Herkimer at German Flatts. There
also in the County of Tryon where he and the said company were stationed and
where he served his full term of nine months and at the end of said term he
was discharged at said Fort Herkimer and returned home to Fort Plain.
That he
does not know that any written discharge was given him at the end of his said
service and that if any discharge was given him he does not now know what has
become of the same.
That the
year following which he believes was in the year 1780, he again enlisted for
nine months at fort Plain where still resided into a company of nine months
were commanded by Captain Gerrit Putman and Lieutenant Lansing.
That said
company was under the command of Colonel Harper as he believes, that he does
not now recollect whether there was any ensign in either of the companies into
which he was enlisted either in the year 1779 or 1780.
That under
his enlistment for nine months in the year 17880 under Captain Putman he first
served for a short period at Fort Plank in the vicinity of Fort Plain.
That they
were then ordered to Fort Windecker on the Mohawk River some miles above Fort
Plain near the Indian Castle.
That after
remaining at said Fort Windecker on duty for some times they were marched to
Fort Stanwix now in the County of Oneida.
That after
they were there stationed until late in the fall and but shortly before the
expiration of his said term of nine months enlistment, he and others of the
said company making a party of sixty men under the command of Lieutenant Lansing
who was the Lieutenant in the company of Captain Gerrit Putman were dispatched
from said Fort Stanwix to demolish the boats of the enemy supposed to have
been left in Oneida Lake or Wood Creek where he and the rest of said party
fell in with the enemy at a place called Canesoasaga and were all taken prisoners
and sent to Canada by the way of Oswego and where he was detained a prisoner
until the close of the war.
That this
deponent was first taken to Lachine some miles above Montreal. That afterwards
he was taken to Brieks Island and forced to labor at rebuilding a fort on said
Island.
That whilst
a prisoner in Canada he was employed to labor at various other public works
until the close of the war when he returned home by way of Oswego Lake.
That when
he arrived at Lachine in Canada the offer was made him if he would work that
he should be spared from imprisonment in Goal (Jail).
That he
with the view of avoiding imprisonment and under the hope that he might make
his escape from the enemy agreed to be put upon labor and did labor as aforesaid
upon public works. That he worked upon forts.
That during
the period that he remained with the enemy and thus employed in labor he was
constantly under a guard and closely watched so that no opportunity for escaping
at anytime offered until the close of the war when he came away. That
when he did come away he was obliged to run away, the enemy being still unwilling
and referred to let him come away, that during the day time whilst away the
enemy he and other prisoners were strictly watched and at night locked up in
the guard house and a guard place over them that previous to his enlistment
he performed service also in the Militia under Captain Henry Ackler who was
his brother. Lieutenant Daniel Van Horne and Adam Staring and that said
company was under Colonel Abraham Copeman that where in the militia into which
he had been enrolled he performed the usual militia duty of the militia.
That he
was in the Oriskany Battle under his brother Captain Henry Ackler. That
he served in the militia from the year 1776 when he attained the age of sixteen
years until he enlisted into the nine months service as aforesaid. That
he has no documentary evidence of any of his service nor does he know that
he ever had any.
That he
was born at Canajoharie in the year 1760 May 22 then in Tryon County as he
believes. That he has a record of his age in his Bible at home.
That he
lived at Canajoharie at Fort Plain when he enlisted in the service.
That twice
he enlisted in the nine months service and served also in the militia as here
before stated.
That he
never received a written discharge for any of his services.
That he
well knew Col. Willett and General Gansevoort, he saw at Fort Stanwix where
he this applicant done duty in various situations as a soldier. That
he now resides in Columbia ??? he resides who can testify to his character
for veracity and services as a soldier in the Revolution.
And he hereby
relinquishes any claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present
and declares his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Signed with his mark (Leonard Acker)
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid before me. John Mathon,
one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Herkimer.
State of New York
Herkimer County
Peter Ackler
of the Town of Columbia and County of Herkimer and State of New York being
duly sworn saith that he is seventy eight years of age and that Leonard Ackler
who is an applicant for a pension is his brother.
That during
the Revolutionary War he and the said Leonard and their parents and family
resided at Fort Plank in Tryon County and State of New York.
That during
said war his brother enlisted into the nine months service under Captain Putnam
and that said enlistment was in the spring or beginning of summer but the year
of his enlistment he does not now recollect. That in the fall of the
same year of his enlistment the said Leonard was taken prisoner by the enemy
and carried to Canada. That the said Leonard remained absent from home
and in Canada until the close of the Revolutionary War when he returned home.
That he
was gone from home and as this deponent believes he was in Canada for two or
three years. That he cannot tell the precise time his brother was absent
from home but he does recollect that he was gone more than two years and he
thinks that it was as many as three years and further said not.
Signed, Peter Eckler
Sworn to this 11th day of October 1832 before me ???
The following letter is included in the pension folder.
December 23, 1937
Mr. Roger F. Williams
#2 Rock Street
Alexandria Bay, New York
Dear Sir:
Reference
is made to your letter in which you request the Revolutionary War record of
Leonard Ackler, who received pension under the Act of June 7, 1832.
The data
which follow were obtained from the papers on file in the Revolutionary War
pension claim W.25333, based upon the military service in that war of Leonard
Ackler.
Leonard
Ackler was born May 22, 1760, at Canajoharie, Tryon County, New York. The
names of his parents are not shown.
While residing
with his parents at Fort Plain, Town of Canajoharie, Tryon County, New York,
Leonard Ackler enlisted in 1776, served as a private in the company commanded
by his brother, Captain Henry Ackler, Colonel Abraham Copeman’s New York
Regiments, was in the Battle of Oriskany where General Herkimer received a
mortal wound and served at various times until the summer of 1779, exact length
of service not shown. In the summer of 1779, he enlisted in Captain John
Breakbake’s New York Company, marched to Fort Herkimer where he remained
on duty for nine months, the time of his enlistment. He enlisted again
in 1780, still residing at Fort Plain for nine months, served as a private
in Captain Gerrit Putman’s Company, Colonel Harper’s New York Regiment,
marched to Fort Windecker on the Mohawk River, thence to Fort Stanwix, and
after remaining there for sometime went with a detachment of sixty men under
Lieutenant Lansing to Oneida Lake to demolish some boats of the enemy, but
before reaching that place, soldier and all his companions were taken prisoners
and carried to Canada. Soldier stated that under an agreement with his
captors that he would labor for them on public works, he was not kept in close
confinement, but worked at a laborer, always hoping for a chance to escape
but was never able to do so and remained a prisoner of war in Canada more than
three years or until the close of the war.
Leonard
Ackler was allowed pension on his application executed October 27, 1832, while
residing in Columbia, Herkimer County, New York, where he died January 10,
1822.
The soldier
married March 11, 1787, Catherine Youngs, born July 4, 1763, place of her birth
and names of her parents not shown. They were married at the church
in Canajohaire by the Reverend Loadwick Priffle.
Soldier’s
widow, Catherine, was allowed pension on her application executed February
5, 1839, while residing in Columbia, New York.
No reference
was made to children.
In 1832,
Peter Eckler (as he signed) a brother of the soldier, Leonard Ackler, was aged
seventy-eight years and lived in Columbia, New York. In 1839, one Henry
Ackler was aged seventy-three years and resided at Stark, Herkimer County,
New York. He stated that he was present at the wedding of the soldier
but did not give his relationship.
In order
to obtain the date of last payment of pension, the name and address of person
paid and possibly the date of death of the Revolutionary War pensioner, Catharine
Ackler, widow of Leonard Ackler (W. 25333) you should address The comptroller
General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, and cite the
following data:
Catharine
Ackler, Widow of Leonard Ackler
Pen. Certificate
En. 486
Issued June
21, 1843
Rate $80.00
per annum
Commenced
March 4, 1843
Act of March
3, 1843
New York
(Albany) Agency
Very truly yours,
A.D. Hiller
Executive Assistant to the Administrator