John Monk was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, and it is through his pension records that we find information about his life and service. On 25 September 1832, John appeared at Hammond, St. Lawrence County, NY to apply for a pension based upon his military service. He could not provide a date of birth during the interview and said he was positive that he was not less than seventy-eight years of age, and believed his age to be eighty years. He was a child in the old French War and recollected events of that war. John was of Minden, Montgomery County, NY and the French War in Montgomery County has official dates of 1754-1763. Tryon County became Montgomery County in 1784, dates provided by the Montgomery County Historian. What John did remember in the Court of Common Pleas, was that he could speak but little in the English language when her served, as he was a Dutchman, and was not personally acquainted with any of his officers who all spoke English, so in consequence he could not state names of officers in general, but recalled his general officers as General Schuyler and General Gates and another general whose name is unreadable. The colonel of his regiment was not a Dutchman and he does not remember his name; his Captain was Peleg Peterson and Richard Elam, his Lieutenant. John signed his application with an X.
In the Tryon County, NY Militia Records of the first Regiment are the names of John Monke and John Monck, Jr. As a response to a query to the Pension Department in Washington, D.C., the Commissioner of Pensions provided further information:
John Monk enlisted in March 1777 and served nine months as a private in Captain Peter Peterson's New York Company and was in the Battle of Saratoga. He was allowed a pension on his application that was executed September 25, 1832, and was then living in Hammond, NY, at about eighty years. He died in 1846 at Theresa, Jefferson County, NY. The soldier married on 2 September 1821 in Oppenheim, Montgomery County, NY to Nancy Cahoon, and she was a widow of Thomas Callagan. She was allowed a widow's pension on John's service and her application made on 14 July 1858. At that time she was a resident of Alexandria, Jefferson County, NY and gave her age as eighty-nine years. Peter Ryal was her son-in-law, and Emeline Ryal her grand-daughter was living in Copenhagen, NY in 1858. The 1855 census of Alexandria includes Nancy Monk in the household of Henry and Margaret Vantassel and Nancy refers to herself as mother-in-law to the head of household, gave her age as 89 and born in "Delawary". Margaret was age 53 and born in Herkimer County, born c 1802. Descendants on the Calhoon-Callaghan lineage state that she, Nancy, died in 1862 and was born in Pennsylvania.
Nancy was perhaps John's third wife and in her application, she stated that John who was now deceased, was a private in the War and received thirty dollars per annum in pension; he was placed on the New York (Albany) pension roll by a certificate dated July 9, 1838, which was sent with her claim to the Pension Office. She married John Monk in Oppenheim, NY on 2 September 1821 by Rev. Augustus Beach and that her name before marriage to John, was Nancy Calligan, widow of Thomas Calligan. He died in 1813. She knew of no public or private record of the marriage to John Monk. The application was signed by her with an X, her mark. The pension for her was allowed. (Thank you, Bruce Coyne for supplying the documents.) John was recorded in the special census of 1840 in Orleans, Jefferson Co., NY, p 573, as a veteran and age 89, bc 1751, veteran, with a wife between 70 and 80 years of age.
John Monk married on 30 March 1784 at German Flatts, (then Herkimer Co., NY) at the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church, to Anna Zoller. (Source: NY Marriages 1786-1980). Anna was born in 1747 in Lebanon Co, PA. and died in 1821; she may be the Anna Mounk who died 15 May "1831" at age 82, wife of John Mounk, b 1749. The tombstone is in very poor condition and 31 may be a misread of 21. Her tombstone was in Pooler Cemetery, Herkimer Co., NY. Her maiden name was Miller, which is supported by the will of her father, Peter Miller, of Canajoharie:
Will of PETER MILLER of the Town of Canajohary, Montgomery Co., yeoman...son, John Miller a certain farm, whereon I now dwell...containing 119 acres..upon this express condition, that my beloved wife, Anna Maria Miller, remain...in my dwelling house and homestead...during her natural life...And further, my said son John Miller...shall within three months after the decease of my wife, pay..unto my daughter, Anna, the wife of Johannes Monk, the sum of thirty silver dollars.
He named his sons: Conrad Miller and John Miller, to receive all of his personal estate...Named Elizabeth Young, a child of his deceased daughter, Elizabeth, who was married in her lifetime to Thomas Young, the sum of fifteen dollars to be paid to her by my son, Conrad Miller, within three months after the decease of my wife.
He appointed Friends, Henry Mayer and Henry Walrath as executors of the will and requested that he and his wife, Anna Maria, be buried in a decent manner, and that his two sons, Conrad Miller and Johannes Miller jointly pay the funeral expenses...will dated 26 March 1798. /s/Peter X Miller, his mark. Witnesses: Jacob Waggoner, Hanry Keller and John Winn.
Probated on 30 June 1803, and registered 13 June 1803.
Montgomery Co., NY Wills, Vol. 1, p. 262.
Anna Miller Zoller was the widow of Andrew Zoller, who reportedly had also served in the War. In a property deed in Montgomery Co., NY, John Monk and wife Anna of Minden, it was noted that she was the late widow of Andrew Zollar, deceased; the deed was dated 3 September 1799. Andrew Zoller died in 1784 and children with Anna were: Henry A. 1765 , Conrad 1768, Maria 1773, Frederich 1782 and Johannes 1783 Zoller. John Monk made an indenture on 19 June 1815 with Thomas Cooper of New York City, for a a purchase of $2,000 land in Oppenheim, Montgomery County, "that northerly moiety of Lot No. 54 in a patent that was originally granted to Sarah Magin". The plot was originally Palatine but then became Oppenheim and included 186 acres, and recorded 16 July 1818. Ref: Montg. Co. Deeds, Vol. 16, p. 145. In a deed dated 26 Feb. 1823, Johannis and wife, Nancy, of Oppenheim in Montgomery Co., sell portion of Lot 54, granted originally to Sarah Magin of Palatine, to Abijah Mann. For $1,600 all that northerly part of Lot No. 54 in the town of Palatine, now Oppenheim. 180 acres. They both signed the deed with X marks. Recorded 25 July 1826.
Monrgomery Co. Deeds:
Indenture made 10 Feb. 1831 between Nicholas Monk of the Town of Orleans , Jeff. Co., and Catharine, his wife of the first part, and John Prame of Oppenheim in Montgomery Co. For 277 dollars...sold all that certain parcel of land in Oppenheim being part of lot number 45...bounded on the north by 50 acres of land granted and released by John Monk, Jr. to John Prime by deed bearing date 10 June 1826, and south by 50 acres of land granted and released by Nicholas Monk to Peter Cramer, by deed bearing date 27 January 1827; west by east Canada Creek and East by Lot No. one of the subdivision of lot number 35 of the division of the said patent estimated to contain 80 acres of land more or less...signed as first written. Deed acknowledge and recorded 17 Feb. 1831. At that time they were of Little Falls in Herkimer County and note was made that they were formerly of Herkimer and had recently moved to Penet Square in Jefferson Co., NY.
Known children of John Monk and Anna Miller Zoller Monk:
Source: New York Births and Christenings 1640-1962-
In the same Dutch Ref. Church, at German Flatts, son John (Johannes) Monk, was christened on 18 Nov. 1783 with a date of birth 9 October 1783. (Source: NY Births and Christenings 1640-1962)
Anna Maria Monk, as their daughter, was christened 19 Jan. 1785 in the same church with a date of birth 16 Jan. 1785. She died 1850. (Source: NY Births and Christenings 1640-1962)
Johannes Peter 1787-1874, b 17 Oct. 1786 at Fort Plain. Peter, alias John P. Monk and Johannes Peter Monk, was born in Ft. Plain Twp. He later resided in Danube, Herk, Co., NY born 1787
Will of Peter Monk probated 12-28-74 in Herk Co in Book Q pp 413-416. He stated in the will signed 2-23-1871 that he lived in Danube and was 84 years old. List daugh: Eve Lighthall, sons Isaac and Peter, Jr., dau. Maryann, wife of Solomon Monk and dau. Eliza Catherine and son, John. Referred to deeds executed to him by Abraham and Catharine Waggoner and also by Peter March, Nancy March and Abraham Guivits. Isaac and Peter Jr were named as executors of the will. Wits: John N. Hall of Starkville and Ervin P. Monk of Minden. He b 8 June 1787 and d 1875 or 78.
Nicholas Monk b 10 August 1794 at Fort Plain, d 3 May 1862 in Canada. Birth registered to John Muenck and Anna Miller-Zoller. He married Catharine Moyer 1797-1857
Montgomery Co. Deeds:
Indenture made 10 Feb. 1831 between Nicholas Monk of the Town of Orleans , Jeff. Co., and Catharine, his wife of the first part, and John Prame of Oppenheim in Montgomery Co. For 277 dollars...sold all that certain parcel of land in Oppenheim being part of lot number 45...bounded on the north by 50 acres of land granted and released by John Monk, Jr. to John Prime by deed bearing date 10 June 1826, and south by 50 acres of land granted and released by Nicholas Monk to Peter Cramer, by deed bearing date 27 January 1827; west by east Canada Creek and East by Lot No. one of the subdivision of lot number 35 of the division of the said patent estimated to contain 80 acres of land more or less...signed as first written. Deed acknowledge and recorded 17 Feb. 1831. At that time they were of Little Falls in Herkimer County and note was made that they were formerly of Herkimer and had recently moved to Penet Square in Jefferson Co., NY.
Daughter of Nicholas Monk and "Caty" b 20 Nov. 1815, bapt. 24 Dec. 1815 in Minden; sponsors John Monk and his wife.
Casper Monk born 1786 and died 1848 in Cazenovia, Madison County, NY. His tombstone suggests a date of birth of 1790. He married on 2 January 1814 in Minden, Montgomery Co., NY, to Hannah Hessler. (Source: NY Church Records - Fam. Search printouts) She was born 1790 and died 1835 and was the daughter of Henrich H. Hesler (1746-1909) and Margaret (Peggy) McConnell (1753-1852) He married second to Violetta Taylor on 3 August 1835, in Cazenovia, Madison Co., NY. She was born c1798 and died 10 Jan. 1871 in Sheboygan Co., WI. From a land indenture dated 24 July 1856 in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin for the sale of lands in Madison County:
Children of Casper Monk and Hannah Hessler:
Henry b 23 Nov. 1816 in Minden d 11 Mar. 1904 registered parents at Lutheran St. Pauls Church, as Casper Monk and Hanah. sponsors were Henry Hessler and wife Anna; married Catharine Bellinger 4 July 1844 in Chittenango, Madison Co., NY; they are in the 1850 census of Sullivan, Madison Co., NY.
John (birth entered as Johan) b 7 Feb. 1819 died 1881; married Louisa K. Hamblin 1820-1860; his parents registered as Casper Monk and Hanah, in Minden, at Lutheran St. Pauls Church William b 1821 d 1864; m 7 Nov. 1854 at Cazenovia Baptist Church, Madison Co, to Sarah Frances Menter 1855 -
George W. b 5 May 1823 d 1911 Sheboygan Co., WI; m 11 Feb. 1865 at Plymouth, Sheboygan Co., WI to Betsey Marie Gardner 1835-1927
Hiram b 10 May 1825 d 9 July 1876 in Sheboygan Co., WI; married Melissa A. Monk 1833-1861 Catharine b 8 Aug. 1827 d 1886; m. 11 Nov. 1846 to John S. Knowles 1822-1863 (descendants DAR eligible on Knowles)
Mary Ann 1830-1910 m. 17 Feb. 1847 at Cazenovia, Madison Co., NY to Reuben M. Tuttle 1821-1907
Elias C. b 1826, by second wife, Violet. Died in the Civil War from Wisconsin
George W. Monk, son of Casper and Hannah, married Bessie Gardner, who was born 1836 and died in 1927. She was the daughter of Horace Gardner b 1807, and Sophronia Lewis; Sophronia was born 1815 and died 1898. Horace Gardner was the son of Preserved Gardner (1775) and Martha Wood of Jefferson Co., NY. See Preserved Gardner, this site.
The 1850 census of Ellisburg, Jefferson Co., NY:
Horace Gardner b 1807
Saphrona age 34
Helen age 16
Betsy age 13
Reuben age 11
Amanda age 5
Hiram age 3
Infant 12 days
By the 1860 census they were living in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin and Violetta, the second wife of Casper Monk, was living there also, at Greenbush.
Additional: Marriage Records of the Lutheran Church of New Hanover, Montgomery Co., PA 1745-1809:
10 March 1783 Catharine Zoller and Conrad Monk (Mauck)
16 April 1797 Ludwig Stark and Maria Zoller
Hermon Cemetery in St. Lawrence Co., NY:
John Maybee d 8 Dec. 1857 at 89 years, 10 months, 17 days
wife: Nancy Manck b 15 Nov. 1782 d 6 Oct. 1857; this couple at Oppenheim in 1830; 1840 at LeRay in Jefferson Co. and in 1850 at Theresa, Jefferson Co., NY
Sources:
Census records
Deeds: Tryon, Montgomery Co., Herkimer Co., Fulton Co., Oneida Co., Jefferson Co., NY
Church and marriage records: Montgomery Co., Fulton Co., Jefferson Co., Sheboygan Co., WI
Holland Society records
Pennsylvania records: birth records
Military records for Montgomery Co., NY; Montgomery Co. Historical records online
Cemetery records: all above counties
Researched by: Marilyn Sapienza
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