52 Ancestors #25: John (Johannes) Delamater, Revolutionary Soldier

     John Delamater was born 26 Feb 1758 and baptized 14 May 1758.  In the Dutch ReformedChurch of Rhinebeck records he is called Johannes but this is the Latin version of the name, he called himself John in his pension application. He was born in "the Oblong" in Dutchess County and baptized in Rhinebeck, New York.  His parents were Isaac Delameter and Eva Kip.

     In 1776, John fought in the Revolutionary War.  I obtained his records from the National Archives in 1979.  Here is his description of his experiences in the War from his pension application:

     "I resided in the town of nine Partners in the County of Dutchess and State of New York and enlisted at that place in May 1776...I volunteered with a part of our company to go to White Plains under Capt. William Chamberlain from Sharon, Conn. and I marched with that Company as Orderly Sergeant to White Plains and I was engaged  in the battle at that place.  I was in the thickest of the fight. Several of my countrymen fell ...I recall the names of Elias Bailey Jacob Crapser and Isaac Baldwin who were killed by my side. I had a ball pop through my hat within half a n inch of my head.  It struck the fore part of my hat. The battle was about the first day of October 1776. (Note: this is the Battle of White Plains, 28 Oct 1776." Later he describes , "During the aforesaid eleven months I ranged through Hopewell, Dover, Nine Partners, Rhinebeck and Poughkeepsie for the purpose of taking up Tories and horse thieves and I succeeded in capturing as many as thirty enemies of my country in the shape of Horse Thieves and Tories and [they} were afterward sent to Nova Scotia." "If I an incorrect in the details I am positive and clear in this that I served twenty four months of actual service during the Revolutionary War."

     On 17 Jun 1778 he married Maria De Graff, probably at Poughkeepsie.  They had a son, Jacobus(James) born 6 Feb 1779.  They may have had two daughters as well as in the 1790 Census he is listed in Fishkill, New York, with 1 male under 16, 1 male over 16 and three females. Appaently, Maria died as on 17 Jul 1791 he married Betsy (Elizabeth) Lester and moved to Coeymans, Albany Co., New York.  In 1793 the Delamaters moved to Odeltown, Lower Canada. I had rouble finding this place but it turned out to be a rather loose settlement started by a man named Odel in Quebec, Canada near the border of New York. According to the pension claim, on 24 Sep 1811 their house burned down , destroying the family Bible and his discharge papers. Not long after this they moved to Champlain, Clinton, New York, near the borders of Quebec and Vermont. the part of Champlain where he lived was formed into the town of Mooers and in the 1820 Census we find him on pg. 420 listed as Delamater, John, 1 male 10 and under 16, 1 male 16 and under 26, 1 male over 45, 1 female 16 and under 26, and 1 female over 45, occupation agriculture." In 1830, we find his household as " 1 male under 5, 1 male 40 under 50, 1 male 70 under 80, 1 female 20 under 30 and 1 female 60 under 70."

     On 13 Nov 1833, John Delamater submitted his petition for a pension.  He is called a resident of Mooers, Clinton Co., NY and is listed as age 73.  He is described as "very infirm and just barely able to hobble about with a cane." It looks like he spelled his name "Delammeter", the clerk spelled it "Delamarter".
John died on 1 Jan 1834 as stated by his wife, Elizabeth. He didn't get his pension as the government felt there wasn't enough proof of service.  But it certainly was a thrill for me to read his description of his Revolutionary War service!