Pension Application

W.26,949 (Widow: Elizabeth)
B.L.Wt. 7350-100, issued 1790-no papers
B.L.Wt.127-60-55
Rev. War and War of 1812
[On one of the documents it notes that he was a drummer and died April 12, 1857 and aged 106 years.]
State of New York
County of Saratoga SS.
            On this 27th day of August 1860, personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace within and for the county and state aforesaid Elisabeth Keader or Cater, aged about seventy four years a resident of Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, N.York, who being duly sworn according to law, declares she is the widow of John Kidder or Cater, deceased, who was a Drummer in the Revolutionary War and also in the company commanded by Captain Nellis, Colonel Simon, Lieut. Hary Wendell, Hugh Little, Sargeant in the Regiment of [blank] in the war with Great Britain declared by the United States on the 18th day of June 1812. The her said husband enlisted at Schenectady, State of New York in 1812 for the term of the war and continued in actual service for the term of the war and was honorably discharged at Albany was at Albany and Greenbush in the service in 1812.
            She further stated that she was married to the said John Keador or Cater in Schoharie NY on the 31st day of March AD 1800 by one Martin Seelye a Justice of the Peace and that her name before her said marriage was Elizabeth Garner. The her said husband died at Milton Saratoga Co. NYork on the 12th day of April 1857 and that she is now a widow.
            She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which she may be entitled under the “Act approved March 3, 1855”, and she further declares that she has not received or applied for bounty land under this or any other Act of Congress, but receives a pension of eight dollars a month as the widow of said John Keader or Cater under Act of 1853. (Signed with her mark) Elizabeth Keader or Cater.
            Subscribed & Sworn to before me this 27th day of August 1860. Wm. C. Barrett, Justice of the Peace. Witness Andrew Mc.Iwain.

State of New York
County of Schenectady SS.
            On the Twenty first day of April 1818, before me the subscriber, one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for the County of Schenectady, personally appears John Cater otherwise called John Keader, aged about Fifty two years resident in the City of Schenectady in the State aforesaid, who being by me first duly sworn, according to law, doth on his oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the provision made by the late law of Congress entitled “an act to provide for certain persons engaged in the land and naval service of the United States in the revolutionary War”.
            That he the said John Cater enlisted at Stone Arabia in the State of New York he thinks sometime in the fall of the year 1778, in the company commanded by Captain Sackett in the Regiment of the New York State line commanded by Colonel Weisenfels; that he was a drummer, and continued to serve in the said corps, or in the service of the united States until about the eighth day of June in the year 1783 when he was discharged from service at Newborough [Heits?] in the State of New York, that he was in the siege of Yorktown at the surrender of Cornwallis, that he is in reduced circumstances, & stands in need of assistance from his country for support; and that he has no other evidence now in his power of his said services except that contained in the affidavits herewith. (Signed with his mark) John Cater.
            Sworn to & declared before me the day & year aforesaid. John Yates
[On his schedule of property he lists no real estate, no personal property, no income, no occupation. Under family he lists himself age 57, Elizabeth wife [?] William Son apprentice 20, Isaias son Onondaga 18, Andrew son 16, John son 14, Henry son 12, Lucas son 8, James son 5, Jacob son 4.]

State of New York
County of Montgomery SS.
            On this 17th day of April 1855 before me the undersigned a Justice of the Peace duly authorized by law to administer oaths within and for the County and State aforesaid personally appeared John Cater alias John Keader, aged 104 years a resident of Amsterdam in said County and State, who made oath in due form of law that he is the identical John Cater alias John Keader to whom under the provisions of the act of March 18th 1818 a pension of ninety six dollars per annum has been allowed for his services as a drummer of the Revolutionary War.
            He further states that his pension certificate under the aforesaid act of March 18th 1818 is numbered 1653, and bears date of the 30th day of June 1818, being signed by J.C. Calhoun. That the same is made payable tin semi annual instalments of forty eight dollars each due on the 4th of March and 4th of September in each year & that the said instalments are drawn & paid at the United States Pension Office in the City of Albany.
            He makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which he may be entitled under the act of March 3d 1818 never having received or known himself entitled to receive any Bounty Land & never having made any application for bounty land under any previous act of Congress.
            The evidence of his identity & proof of service he respectfully refers to the proofs heretofore adduced now on file in the Pension Office and upon which his annuity was granted as aforesaid and to the accompanying affidavits.
            And he appoints as his attorney for the within specified purpose and to [?] the warrant to which he may be deemed entitled Gerry W. Hazelton of Amsterdam Montgomery County State of New York.
            This deponent further saith he does not sign his name for want of Education but makes his mark instead. (Signed with his mark) John Cater.
            Attest. Nathaniel Reese, Caroline Cater.
            Sworn to subscribed &acknowledge before me the day and year first above written and I hereby certify that I know the aforesaid John Cater alias John Keader, to be the identical person he alleges himself to be a pensioner of the United States and that I am not interested in his claim as agent attorney or otherwise. Joseph French Justice of the Peace.

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