O’Neals who fought in the War of 1812

 

 

John O’Neal

I have personally reviewed the contents of this John O’Neal’s Pension File which is no file in the National Archives in Washington D.C.    A summary of this John O’Neal derived solely from this Pension File is listed here, along with relevant details abstracted from the Pension File itself.    This file is most certainly the file for one of the two John O’Neal’s listed as serving from the State of New York on the Compiled Index to Soldiers for the War of 1812.

 

Summary of Facts from “Old War” Pension File

 

            John O’Neal                                                                 Margaret Frederick O’Neal

                        born:         About 1786                                                    born:                 About 1785

                        married:   March, 1807, Munroe, Orange Co, NY               married:            March, 1807, Munroe, Orange County, NY

                        died:         March, 1859 in Overfield, PA                           died:                 After 1872

                        resided:   1813, Orange Co, NY                                       resided:             1813 in Orange Co, NY

                                                                                                            resided:             Aug 1872 in Overfield Township, Wyoming County, PA

 

Details of the Pension Application File for John O’Neal

• John O’Neal served in Capt Earle’s Co  27th U.S. Infrantry, service during the War of 1812
• John’s widow, Margaret made a claim for widow’s pension, but never received it.
• John’s widow Margaret O’Neal was living in Legrange, Wyoming Co, PA on August 15, 1872 when she filed for War of 1812 pension under legislation passed in 1871
• Margaret was age 87 on 10 Aug 1872 when her declaration for a pension was made
• The pension claim was rejected, with the government stating in the file that no proof of marriage was ever provided and no response to their request for proof of marriage was ever received
• The pension claim was utlimately rejected on 16 May 1874, almost 2 years after the last correspondence in the file

 

• In John O’Neals file was informaiton indicating the Military had information on file indicating:
• That John O’Neal served in Capt Earle’s company  of the U.S.  Infrantry
• That he enlisted  9 May 1814  and was discharged 28 Aug 1815

 

• In Margaret’s declaration, her attorney states on her behalf that:
• John O’Neal enlisted in the town of Munroe, in Orange County, New York
• John was assigned to Capt. Wadsworth’s Company in April of 1813
• He was discharged at “Sandy Hook” in March or April of 1815
• After his enlistment, he went to Governer’s Island (presumably NY), then to Harlem Heights, then to Sandy Hook
• His enlistment term was 5 years
• Margaret States that John O’Neal received a Bounty Land Warrant for his service but that she did not recall and didn’t have a record of the number
• Margaret’s maiden name was Frederick.
• That she married John in March of 1807 in Munroe, Orange County, NY
• That John O’Neal died in Overfield, PA in March of 1859
• That she was living with son Charles when she signed her declaration 11 Aug 1872

 

• The Government’s documents from various departments assembled in John O’Neals file include:
• That they received the declaration on 13 Aug 1872 by (Dept of Interior stamp affixed)
• That John O’Neal received an honorable discharge
• That John’s military file indicated that he was born in New York
• John’s physical description at discharge:   29 Years of Age, 5’8”, dark complexion, blue eyes, black hair  (stamped 28 Aug 1815)
• John was assigned and served in the 27^th Regiment of the U.S. Infranty
• John enlisted on 9 May 1814 in Orange County, New York
• Pension Request Number 9249 for War of 1812 Pensions was assinged to the request
• Sandy Hook reported him present in August of 1815 and he was discharged 28 Aug 1815
• On 31 Oct 1815 the Muster Roll for Governer’s Island reports that John deserted from Ft. Lewis on 1 Sep 1815

 

Note:  Apparently John was re-assigned and the military goofed on the paperwork, or he was dis-associated with his unit during a battle in the War of 1812 and then hooked up with another unit.   His original unit, the Governer’s Island Unit reported him deserted, not knowing his whereabout after the new unit (Sandy Hook) that he had hooked up with was already reporting him present and discharing him.   The paperwork was then reconciled later and the desertion charge removed.  

 

• There apparently was some conern about whether John had been charged with desertion, as an Adjuctant Genreal’s Office document indicating something about desertion was in the file, but it was marked out and a hand written note stating “VOID, Charge of desertion removed”

 

• A Treasury Department document in John’s file indicates:
• John O’Neal was on the rolls of Capt. James F. DePeyester’s 42^nd U.S. Infrantry Unit
• That John O’Neal served from 7 May 1814 to 8 Jun 1815 in this unit.
• That he was honorably discharged
• That this unit was part of the NY Militia

 

 

• In addition to the declaration from Margaret and the Government’s paperwork, there are also affidavit’s in John’s File.   An  Affidavit from Nelson, age 56, Pilgrim of Eaton Township, Wyoming Co, PA dated 21 Dec 1872 states:
• That Nelson had known John O’Neal for 50 years
• That John O’Neal was his uncle
• That Nelson has done “business” with John O’Neal and he was an upright citizen
• To Nelson’s knowledge, John O’Neal could not write  (the Govenment had requested a copy of Johns’ signature to process the pension request)

           

• An Affidavit from a  John G Clark,  age 63 years, is also present.  It states:
• That John Clark had known John O’Neal for 50 years
• That John Clark lived near John O’Neal and that John O’Neal can not write

 

• Also included in the File:
• A Dept of Interior letter sent to Margaret O’Neal’s attorney asking for:

-          The # of the bounty land warrant issued to John

-          The correct name of the Capt which O’Neal served under

 

• Letter (7 Dec 1872) from Margaret O’Neals lawyer indicating that she thought John served under Capt Wadsworth and she did not recall the Captains first name
• An indication from the attorney, P W Osterhaul, that they intent to proceed with the pension claim
• Docment showing O’Neals service in NY Militia 1814-1815
• Document stating John O’Neal died Mar 1859

 

Note:   The Pension case was officially listed as “abandoned” per the Government’s records on 1874 May 16 for lack of evidence.   You can draw your own conclusion, but it would appear to this researcher that the Federal Government had plenty of evidence in this file, together with the affidavit’s and the widow Margaret’s statements to process the pension claim, but they stalled long enough that she eventually grew too old and tired to continue to pay an attorney to fight the uphill battle.  A real shame, given John’s service to the U.S. that this case had this outcome.   From all indications, Margaret O’Neal never received a cent from the Governement as a result of the 1871Pension Legislation for soldiers of the War of 1812.

 

 

War 1812 Military Service Record:

                        Served in New York Militia from Capt. Earle’s 27^th U.S. Infrantry.

 

           

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