CATHERINE NEER REVOLUTIONARY WAR WIDOW'S PENSION APPLICATION, SCHOHARIE COUNTY, NEW YORK
Contributed by: Jeff Lape (jjlape@twcny.rr.com)


************************************************************************
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced 
in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or 
persons.  Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must 
obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal 
representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb 
archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission 
to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access.

***********************************************************************

Pension file of Catherine Neer (Near), wife of Charles Neer, Revolutionary 
Soldier, 1753-1826, Schoharie County:

"Declaration
In order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed July 4, 1836.
State of New York

On this 8th day of March 1843, personally appeared before me John Westover one 
of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Schoharie in 
said state Catherine Near of the town of Summit in said county aged eighty three 
years & upwards who being first duely sworn according to law doth on her oath 
make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provision 
made by an act of Congress passed July 4th 1836, entitled an act granting half 
pay & pension to certain widows.
That she is the widow of Charles Near or as he was called in Dutch Carl or Carel 
Near (Carl or Carel being the same as Charles) that her husband the said Charles 
Near was a soldier during the war of the Revolution and served in the army of 
the United States from the beginning until the end of said war, that much of 
this service this Declarant particularly remembers but that many of his 
expeditions with the militia she cannot call to mind with sufficient clearness 
to declare them under oath. That her husband the said Charles Near at the 
commencement of said war resided in the town of Greenbush opposite the City of 
Albany that in the month of June of the year 1776, he enlisted therefrom into 
the company of Capt. Henry Van Rensselaer (or as he was called Hank Van 
Rensselaer) said Van Rensselaer was then a Capt. in the regular army and her 
husband the said Charles Near was thus enlisted into the regular Army to serve 
for a period of six months. That the declarant more particularly remembers the 
particulars of this service from the following facts, that she was in Albany at 
the time he started for the Highlands & that he gave her a present to remember 
him by & that she saw him embark on board of a Sloop with the said Captain Van 
Rensselaer & the rest of the troops for the Highlands. That she was married to 
said Charles Near on the 6th day of June 1777. That he remained on duty at the 
Highlands for the full period of six months, there is no fact in Declarants 
history more vividly impressed upon her mind than this. That after said service 
under said Capt. Van Rensselaer her said husband enlisted in the rangers she 
thinks under Capt. Sharp.
That in the next year 1778 (the next year after her marriage) her husband the 
said Charles Near being duly enrolled in the militia of Greenbush of which Henry 
Van Rensselaer was Colonel was out with said Regiment or a portion thereof to 
the northern frontier for the period of three months. He was afterwards out upon 
numerous occasions among which Declarant more particularly remembers that he 
served for a number of months in the garrison and fort of Schoharie. That she 
well remembers his service at said forts & of hearing him relate at the time & 
upon numerous occasions since that when at said fort he was out on scouting 
expeditions with the noted Tory Hunter Timothy Murphy having been selected from 
among the soldiers in the fort for that purpose. Declarant is particularly 
assured that her said husband was on duty at the Schoharie forts and on scouting 
expeditions during the latter years of the war for a period in the aggregate of 
at least six months.
And declaiment further saith that she was duely married by the Rev. Mr. Westerlo 
a Dutch Reformed Clergyman on the 6th day of June 1777. That she particularly 
remembers the date from many circumstances among the most prominent of which is 
that she was married in the house of one Mr. Hertsbeger & that Burgoyne and his 
army surrendered the following fall after her marriage the Declarant further 
saith that her husband the said Charles Near died on the 14th day of July 1826 
at Summit in the County of Schoharie since which time she has remained his 
widow, single, and unmarried and is still unmarried. Declarant further saith 
that the residence of said husband was in the town of Greenbush opposite of 
Albany until after the treaty of peace with Great Britain and this deponent also 
saith that her maiden name was Catherine Hidley.
Subscribed and sworn}
the day and year aforesaid}
before me & certify that}
the declarant Catherine}
Near is unable to attend}
Court by reason of old}
age and bodily infirmnefs}
John Westover Judge of}
Schoharie County Courts}
The words "and for scouting}
expeditions" entered}
before signed}
John Westover} Catherine x Near