Johannes Van Tassel Revolutionary War Pension File
This may certify that I Harmon Van Tassel am a resident of the Town of Queensbury County of Warren and State of New York. That I was forty seven years old the twentieth day of last July that I am the Son of John and Weintie Van Tassel. My father died in the Town of Saratoga and County of Saratoga and State aforesaid on the fifteenth day of April one thousand Eight hundred and ten that my mother's name before marriage was Wientie Davis that they were married in Westchester County and State of New York by the then presiding pastor of the dutch church of that place where they resided during the Revolutionary war. That my mother died in the Town of Westmoreland County of Oneida and State aforesaid on the twenty fourth day of April I in the year one Thousand Eight hundred and thirty Eight that I verily believe my deceased father to have been engaged in active Service in the Revolutionary War he informed me that he then resided in Westchester County and State aforesaid and there performed the said Service. He informed me that he was taken prisoner about nine months at one time and that he was imprisoned at one other time about three months in what was called the old Sugar house. That I have frequently heard him Speake of his Service that I verily believe him to have been in actual Service at the time he was taken Prisoner. I have never heard him say that he served in any capacity that as a private Soldier. That my deceased father or mother never received or made application for a pension. I believe him to have served in no other capacity than as a private Soldier. I am informed and verily believe him to have Served under Col Hammond Capt George Comb Capt Jonas Orser for more than two years and I verily believe from the best information I can obtain and from general report that my deceased father must have served under Col Hammond four or five years as I frequently heard my father say he was a soldier and engaged in the service for nearly the whole period of the war.
I have no Knowledge of any Papers relative to his service, have none in my possession. Know of no Records of the Marriage of my deceased parents Except what may appear on the church Records in Westchester County. Know of no Records of Birth of my deceased Parents. My deceased Parents informed me that they were born in Westchester County that my Mother was about eighty two years old when she died. That I have heard my deceased father say that he served in the New York State Militia and as a volunteer and was one (1 word) the date of any service. I have never heard him say or do not now recollect but have a distinct recollection of hearing him say frequently that he performed all his service in Westchester County as a private in the Militia. Have heard my father say he received a wound on his head with a sword of the Enemy at the time he was taken prisoner. Have frequently seen the wound and that it remained visible until his death and I further certify that my deceased mother never Married after the death of my father but remained single until her death which took place as before stated. My deceased father had his nose broken in the Early part of his life as he informed me and consequently his nose was disfigured and flat and that my mother was always called by her dutch relatives and neighbors Weintie and by English or Yankee people Lovina. I verily believe Johannes to be Dutch of John and that Wientie is the dutch of Lovina.
Harmon Van Tassel
Subscribed and Sworn this 17th day of December 1842 Before me Orange Ferris Surrogate of Warren Co.
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I George Dubois hereby certify that I am the present Pastor of the Dutch reformed Church in the Town of Mount Pleasant County of Westchester and State of New York. That there is recorded on the early records of said Church the marriage of Johannes Van Tassel to Wientie recorded on the seventeenth day of April in the Year one thousand seven hundred and seventy three, except that the date appears on the said records in plain legible figures and that in the vicinity of said date there appears to be in absence, only the Christian names of the females records and that I verily believe that John is the English of Johannes. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this Seventh day of December 1842.
George Dubois
Subscribed and Sworn to before me this 7 day of December 1842. Charles ?Zoe?, Justice of the Peace.
N.B. The word Van Tassel was inserted by the Rev George Dubois before being sworn in ?one form? Of Lay by me. Charles Zoe, Justice of the Peace
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WAR DEPARTMENT
Revolutionary Claim
I certify that in conformity with the law of the United States, of the 4th July 1836, Wientie Van Tassel of New York deceased, who was widow of John Van Tassel, who was a private in the War of the Revolution was entitled to a pension at the rate of Eighty Dollars per annum and having died on the twenty fourth of April eighteen hundred and thirty eight, the amount due at the above mentioned rate from the fourth of March eighteen hundred and thirty one to the day of her death is payable to Samuel Van Tassel, Harmon Van Tassel, Rebecca Van Tassel, Betsey Van Tassel and Margaret Van Tassel, children of Weintie Van Tassel deceased.
Given at the War Office of the United States, this thirty-first day of January one thousand eight hundred and forty three.
John C. Spencer
Secretary of War
Examined and Countersigned
J. L. Edwards
Commissioner of Pensions
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Rev. & 1812 Wars Section
May 1, 1930
Miss Ruth Van Tassell
7424 Seventh Avenue
Brooklyn, New York.
Dear Madam:
I advise you from the papers in the Revolutionary War pension claim # 18183, it appears that John Van Tassel was born in Westchester County, New York, date not stated and his age and parents names not given.
While a resident of Westchester County, New York, he enlisted and served as a private in Captains George Comb's and Jonas Orser's Companies, Colonel Hamond's New York Regiment; he was twice captured and confined in the Sugar House in New York City, once for three months and once for nine months, and, when captured received a sword wound on his head; length of his service about two years.
He married April 17, 1773, at Mount Pleasant, Westchester County, New York, Wentie or Wientie (Lovina) Davis, born in Westchester County, New York, date not stated.
He died April 15, 1810, at Saratoga, Saratoga County, New York.
She died April 24, 1838, at Westmoreland, Oneida County, New York, aged about eighty-two years.
Their son Harmon was born July 12, 1795. On December 17, 1842, while a resident of Queensbury, Warren County, New York, said Harmon applied for the pension due him and the other children on account of the service of their father, John Van Tassel, their names as follows:
Harmon, named above.
Samuel of Warren County, New York.
Rebecca, wife of John Pattison
Betwsey, wife of John Blood of Oneida County, New York.
Margaret, wife of Ephraim Childs of Saratoga Co., N.Y.
Their claim was allowed.
This is the history of the only John (Johannes) Van Tassel found on the Revolutionary War records of this bureau.
Very truly yours,
Earl D. Church
Commissioner