PORT BYRON & MENTZ War of 1812 SOLDIERS

By Dawn L. Roe

Graphic: The Naval History of the United States Volume 1 (of 2) By Willis J. Abbot Published: 1886

PUROSE:

In honor of the Bicentennial anniversary, this project serves to document soldiers connected to our community that served in the War of 1812. Soldiers of the War of 1812 can be among the most difficult to find. This is primarily because their service was associated with the State Militia and intended to be of short duration. Therefore, few qualified for pensions. However, many soldiers did apply for equipment reimbursement. Equipment claims can often be the first indication of service since most grave sites do not reflect military service, or perhaps their headstone has long since deteriorated. If one did not desire to invest in the military service record, the State equipment claim is often a low cost alternative. They are approximately 1 or 2 pages in length but still valuable. The equipment claim may also tell you if your soldier applied for bounty land, which is a Federal application. The bounty warrant applications often contain details similar to Revolutionary War pension file, such as affidavits, family bibles and other surprises that may advance your family research.

DESCRIPTION:

Please note that the Town of Mentz at the time soldiers filed for equipment reimbursement was much larger than our present township; it included Montezuma and Throop. Therefore, this list includes all claims listed as the Town of Mentz and Port Byron without regard to present day boundaries. SOURCES: New York Military Equipment Claims, War of 1812-Ancestry.com New York Adjutant General's Office. Index of Awards on Claims of the Soldiers of the War of 1812. Albany, NY. New York State Archives 1850 Federal Census (to obtain birth year if not provided on claim) Volunteers in the early NYS militia provided their own equipment, arms and clothing. Soldiers submitted a claim to the State of New York for reimbursement of expenses incurred for military clothing and equipment for the value of depreciated, worn out, lost or destroyed items consumed during related services performed while enlisted. However, not all claims were processed, there were 17,228 claims unpaid as of 1885. Equipment Claim numbers listed are from the index that was compiled from the records at the Bureau of War Records which is housed with the Division of Military and Naval Affairs, Public Security Building, Albany, New York, 12206. The claims recorded the claimants name, military grade, period of service and land warrant, if any that was granted relating to their service. Readers should note that soldiers from neighboring townships could have served in the same Regiment. Therefore, one should pay close attention to the name of the commanding officer, as it may narrow the search for residency if the enlistment location is not shown on the claim. Initially, it was believed that soldiers serving in the Cayuga/Seneca Regiments must have lived close enough to the Seneca Co. boarder to be mustered into service with these units. From a review of random service records, soldiers throughout Cayuga County served in the Cayuga/Seneca County regiments. DISCLAIMER: If a remark is made regarding location of service, it was notated as a mileage request and may not reflect all of the soldiers service. Those desiring additional information for service should order the military service record from the National Archives, also known as Compiled Military Service File (NATF 86). To obtain a copy of the equipment claim, price as of November 2012 was $3.00 per record, please refer to the website for current price:
http://www.archives.nysed.gov/a/research/res_topics_mi_warsvc_form.shtml

To obtain a copy of the bounty land application, price as of November 2012 is $30.00 per record, please refer to the website for current price:
https://eservices.archives.gov/orderonline/start.swe?SWECmd=Start&SWEHo=eservices.archives.gov

Navigate as follows: Order Reproductions Land Files Military Bounty-Land Warrant Application File (NATF 85C)

Additional Resources:
Visit this website for more information on New York in the War of 1812. State of New York Society of the United States Daughters of 1812. Sackets Harbor Battlefield Alliance Black Rock Historical Society Lewiston, NY in the War of 1812 Battle of Plattsburgh Association Bicentennial of the 1812 War Discover1812.com

Name Allen, Wm Allen, Wm

Equip Claim # 4,258 6,229

Amt $31.50 $22.00

Approx Birth Yr Enlist/Defense Rank 1792 1795 Floyd ? Rome, NY PVT PVT

Regiment 157 Regt (Westcot's) NY Militia 157 Regt (Westcot's) NY Militia

Notes Capt. Peleg Mattison, Major John Wescott Capt. Peleg Mattison, Major John Wescott

Bounty # / Act Year 11532/1850 not stated

Acres 40

Cemetery/Notes Mileage to Sackets Harbor Mileage to Sackets Harbor married Polly Fitzgerald, d. 3/18/1849, served at Sackets Harbor, Old Port Byron d. 1856 Savannah, NY, Butler-Savannah Cemetery Mileage to Staten Island; Will drawn from Mentz DBL Discharge Fort Erie; Rec'd Invalid Pension d. 7/8/1854. Letters of Admin drawn Cayuga Co

Avery, Enos

1795

Johnstown

PVT

Capt. Asa Chatfield, Col. Daniel White; Brig. General 90 Regt (Wright's), NY Militia James Hall's 21ST Brigade Capt. Joel Dunks, Col, Fleming Capt Edward Shoemaker, Col. Benjamin Bevier

Clapp, Charles

744

$65.00

1789

Fort Niagara Kinston, Ulster Co

SGT

3 Art & Light Inf Regt, NY

42623/1855 38010/1850 3473/1855

120 40 120

Bevier's Battalion, NY Militia

PVT

De Groff, John, by Admin

10,968

$58.00

1777

Eldridge, Marvel, by Admin Forshee, William

16,832 8,042

$41.00 $55.00

Aurelius, NY

LIEUT 1 Regt (Hopkin's), NY Militia

not found at archive

Capt. Alexander Price, Col. Caleb Hopkin Capts Simpson, Dixon, Barrows; Col Strong & McMahon Capt. Lovel Hutchings, Col. Myers

Forshee, William Gilbert, Tilly

17,131 17,228

$58.00 $60.00

1793 1796

Mentz Herkimer Co

PVT

83887/1855

160 120

PVT
PVT PVT

Guilfers, Jacob Halsted, Joel

4,433 11,072

$28.75 $58.00

1793 1795

Saugerties, NY New York City

40 Regt (Myer's), NY Militia 52171/1855 Jacob Gilefuss Jr Van Dalfsen's Regt, NY Militia ? Capt Coon Van ?, Col DuBois 3019/`855 3 Regt (Van Rensseaer's), Capt Robert Elling, Jacob Van Ransaler 39511/1855 NY Militia

wife at Mt. Pleasant Service Buffalo, Black Rock, Batavia

120 120

Mt. Pleasant

Harker, Martin, by Widow Mary b. 1784 Hopping, Silas Hughson, John

12,325 7,528 5,606

$58.00 $58.00 $15.00 1780 1789

Mentz Aurelius, NY Brutus Halfmoon, Saratoga Co., NY Plattsburg, NY Mentz Buffalo, NY

PVT CPL
SGT

1 Regt (Harris'), NY Militia 1 Regt (Harris'), NY Militia

Capt Peter Clark, Col Harris Capt Peter Clark, Col Harris

Not Listed/1850 Not Listed/1855 not listed/1850 lost/1855

40 120 40 120 160

Throopsville Swift Sec service at Buffalo service at Plattsburgh service at Plattsburgh service at Buffalo and Lewiston, Mt. Pleasant service at Buffalo, Mt. Pleasant

Capt James Dixon, Col Harris not stated/1855 Prior's Regt NY Militia

Kerns, Thomas Kerns, Thomas King, Daniel K King, Richard

6,230 8,081 6,947 6,228

$58.00 $58.50 $76.00 $24.50

1796 1796 1795 1791

PVT Prior's Regt NY Militia PVT

PVT
SGT

1 Regt (Harris'), NY Militia 1 Regt (Hopkin's), NY Militia

Capt Perry Capt Josiah Perry, Col John Pryer Capt Peter Clark, Col John Harris Capt Price, Col George Fleming

11206/1855 not stated/1850 forgotten/1850 6220/1855 16235/1855

120 40 80 80 120

Name

Equip Claim #

Amt

Approx Birth Yr Enlist/Defense Rank

Regiment

Notes

Bounty # / Act Year

Acres

Cemetery/Notes
service at Lewiston, Meigs Kirkland died Oct. 16, 1865, 71yr Aurand / Shepard's Corners Cemetery Galen, Wayne Co., NY

Kirtland, Meigs

10,966

$20.00

1787

Cato, NY

PVT

Capt. Woodworth's Co., Light Capt Solomon Woodworth, Inf, NY Militia Capt David White

10324/1855

160

May, Job (Doctor) Mott, Simeon Munroe, Philip A

2,164 5,770 8,874

$83.00 $110.00 $21.00

1790 1802 1791

Greenwich, NY Auburn, NY Camillus, NY

PVT

7 Regt (Green's), NY Militia Swift's and Dobbin's Regt DRUM (1814), NY Vols. PVT

Capt Joshua Brownell, Col Green Capt Daniel Curtice, Col. P. Swift Capt Michael Redman, Col Warren Hicox Capt John Bassett, Lieut Col Henry Bloom

10891/1855 4444/1850 not listed/1850 1187/1855 56346/1850 54828/1855

160 160 40 120 40 120 80 80

service at Plattsburgh, first resident physician of Montezuma prior to 1814; Member Cayuga County Medical Society service at Black Rock and Buffalo service at Smiths Mills ? service at Lewiston, NY, lived at Lock in 1840, died 10/17/1856 Mt. Pleasant died from ferry accident injury in NJ 1796-1867

Murphy, Aaron, by Admin

16,831

$58.00

1794 Charlotte, now County of Monroe

PVT

1 Regt (Bloom's), NY Militia

12 Regt Cavalry (Boughton's), NY Militia ? PVT

Perkins, Horace Rems, Thomas (Ancestry) duplicate of Thomas Kerns above

2,210

$65.00

1796

Capt. Claudius V Boughton, General Peter B not listed/1850 11903/1855 Porter's Brigade

6,230

$58.00 1 Regt (Belknap's), NY Militia Goshen, Orange Co., NY PVT Glenville, Schenectady Co., NY PVT CPL Capt David Christian, Col Isaac Belknapp 5 ARTILLERY & INFANTRY REG'T (COLDEN'S), NY MILITIA

Sawyer, John W

6,233

$11.50

1792

33979/1855

120

Surgeon's discharge at Hospital in NYC

Seaman, Samuel Sherwood, C.J. (Caleb)

5,608

$58.00

1796

Capt John Brown, Col Colden not stated/1850

160

Shotwell, Joseph

6,227

$75.00 $55.00 $58.00 $63.00

1789

Sackets Harbor PVT Aurelius, NY PVT PVT

1 Batt'n Art (Late 9 Regt), NY 4th US Inf 10th Regt Detached Militia, Capt David Waterman, Col. 10 Regt (Prior's), NY Militia John Price

Wilson-Dixon
21981/1850 90566/1855 1552/1850 1189/1855 80 160 40 120

Snow, Isaac, by Admin 15,423 Stahlnecker, Jacob Jacob Stoniker Jr? 12,176 Sutton, Richard 6,052

19 Regt (Bloom's), NY Militia ?

Capt Eldridge, Col Olmsted

1793 1793

Mentz Cayuta, Tioga Co

1 Regt (Bloom's), NY Militia ? Capt Parker 17 Regt (Mead's), NY Militia Capt Becarr, Col Mead 118 Regt (Green's), NY Militia Capt John Straight, Col James Green

Service at Black Rock service at Lewiston and Niagara service at Lewiston service at Basin Harbour and Lake Champlain, Mt. Pleasant

PVT

Taylor, John A

1,785

$33.00

1794

Hartford, NY

SGT

631/1855

160

Name

Equip Claim #

Amt

Approx Birth Yr Enlist/Defense Rank

Regiment

Notes

Bounty # / Act Year

Acres

Cemetery/Notes died at Auburn 6/23/1885 age 89 yrs 9 mos buried at Centerport Old Port Byron

Tryon, Casper D

6,232

$33.50

1799

Upham, Nathan

2,166

$65.00

1795

Cocksackie, NY CPL Halfmoom, Saratoga Co., NY PVT

61 Regt (Carver's), NY Militia Capt Andrew A Vander... ?, ? Col Post Capt. David Gordon, 144th Reg. Col. Rogers

18709/1855 not stated/1850 85162/1855

120 40 120

Wethy, Elias

4,426

$64.00

1794

Buffalo, NY Stanton Island, NY Penn Yan, NY

PVT PVT

Roger's Regt, NY Militia Swift's and Dobbin's Regt (1814), NY Vols., service at Buffalo

Capt Richardson, Col Dobbin 72163/1850

40

Whaling, Robert Willis, William S Wilson, Eli Wilson, John I

6,325 9,313

$70.50 $75.00

1792 1789 1781 1791

Hebron, NY

Bevier's Battalion, NY Militia, Capt Wyncoop, Col Benjamin service at Stanton Island, NY Bevier 63844/1855 48058/1850 20 Regt (Allen's), NY Militia, Capt Bogart, Col Allen 21676/1855 service at Lewiston PVT Old War Inv # 11219 Pension LIEUT 1 Regt (Hopkins'), NY Militia Index 50 Regt (McCleary's), NY Capt Hugh McCall prior to joining band MUSIC Militia

120 40 120

ME Church Montezuma Mt Pleasant? Wilson-Dixon Wilson-Dixon