Van Tassel Family History Homepage

"A Pedigree Partly Indian, Partly Batavian"

Van Tassels in the War of 1812

The following War of 1812 pension files are on record at the National Archives:

-Abram VT, Zenitia, WC-9559, srv Capt Judson Cherrytree's Co. N.Y. Mil as a Sgt.

-Mathias Jr. VT, Arvilla, Wc-34332, srv Capt Reuben Gray's Co. N.Y. Mil as a Pvt.

-William (sub) VT, Sc-20806, srv Capt Thomas Sherwood's Co. N.Y. Mil.

-Jacob VT, Rebecca, WO-6968, srv Capt. T. Davis' Co. N.Y. Mil.

My Great, Great, Great Grandmother Zenitia (Tinkcom) Van Tassel applied 10 April, 1878 for a widows pension for her husband Abram Van Tassel's service during the War of 1812.  The following is her application:

Declaration of a Widow for Pension.

State of Pennsylvania

County of Erie.

On this 10th day of April A.D. eighteen hundred and seventy Eight personally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace in & for said County in and for the County and State, aforesaid, Zenetia Van Tassel, aged 73 years, a resident of Girard, County of Erie, State of Pennsylvania, who, being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of Abram Van Tassel who served the full period of sixty days in the Military service of the United States in the war of 1812; and who was the identical Abram Van Tassel who Volunteered in Captain (cannot remember name of Capt) company, nor regiment, nor brigade, nor division, nor town, on the _____day of _____-181. and was honorably discharged at _________. Applicant thinks Capt's name was Medberry. She swears that her memory is poor and cannot remember. that her husband, said Abram Van Tassel, rec'd a Bounty Land Warrant in the year 1853 or 1854 for Services in the War of 1812, that said Abram Van Tassel was about 20 years of age when he enlisted, had black hair, was about 5 ft. 8 inches high, fair complexion, by trade a stone mason, he was not married at the time he married.  That she was married under the name of Zenetia Tinkcom to said Abram Van Tassel on the 3rd Day of June A.D. 1828 by Rev. Mr. West at _________, there being no legal barrier to such marriage; that her said husband died at Edinboro Erie, Co. Pa on the 20th day of February, 1869, and that she has not remarried since his death; that at no time during the late rebellion against the authority of the United States did she or her said husband adhere to the cause of the enemies of the Government, giving them aid or comfort; or exercise the functions of any office whatever under any authority, or pretended authority, in hostility to the United States; that she will support the Constitution of the United States; that she is not in receipt of a pension under any previous act; that she makes this declaration for the purpose of being placed on the pension rolls of the United States, under the provisions of the act, approved Mar 9th, 1878 and hereby constitutes and appoints, with full power of substitution and revocation, H. W. Hutchinson, Girard, Erie Co., Pa., her true and lawful attorney, to prosecute her claim and obtain the pension certificate that may be issued; that her post office is at Girard, County of Erie, State of Pa; that her domicile or place of abode is Girard Erie Co. Pa.

Signed Zenetia Van Tassel

Attest: Christian Yeager, Henry Ball

Also, personally appeared Christian Yeager, residing at No. ______, in Girard in Erie Co. Pa. and G.W. Van Tassel, residing at No. ______ , in Girard in Erie Co. Pa, persons whom I certify to be respectable and entitled to credit, and who, being by me duly sworn, say: They were present and saw Zenitia Van Tassel, the claimant, sign her name (or make her mark) to the foregoing declaration; that they have every reason to believe, from the appearance of said claimant and their acquaintance with her, that she is the identical person she represents herself to be, and at no time during the late rebellion against the authority of the United States, did she or her said husband adhere to the cause of the enemies of the Government, or give them aid or comfort; and that they have no interest in the prosecution of this claim.

[signed} Christian Yeager

Geo W Van Tassel

Sworn to and Subscribed before me, this 14th day of April, A.D. 1878, and I hereby certify that the contents of the above declaration were fully made known and explained to the applicant and witnesses before swearing, including the words, February 14th, 1871, erased, and the words Mar. 9th, 1878 added; and that I have no interest, direct, or indirect, in the prosecution of this claim.

Henry Ball J.P.

Zenetia and Abram's sons Alexander West Van Tasssel and George Washington Van Tassel (my GGrandfather) offer testimony in support of the application:

State of Pennsylvania}

County of Erie}

Before me the Subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in and for said County personally came A.W. Van Tassel and Geor. W. Van Tassel both to me well known and whom I certify to be entitled to full credit and belief and who being by me duly Sworn according to law deposeth and saith that they are the legitimate Sons of Abram Van Tassel and Zenitia Van Tassel. that the said Abram Van Tassel Served as a Soldier in the War of 1812. They further swear that they are aged respectively 49 - & 32 years, that their father Father & Mother the aforesaid Abram & Zenitia Van Tassel lived together and cohabited as Man & Wife from their earliest recollection and continued to live together as such until the death of him the said Abram Van Tassel which took place on or about the 22nd day of February 1869 at Edinboro Pa and they further Swear that there is no church or other public record of this marriage, they further Swear that the Clergyman who Married them is dead, that & there was once a Family Record of said Marriage which was kept in their Father's Family Bible but which was burnt when their Father's House was burnt in the city of Erie Pa. Some 25 years Since, and they further Swear that there is no witness now living who was present at said Marriage and they further Swear that their said Father died about Feb 22nd 1869 at Edinboro Erie Co. Pa. and they further Swear that their mother has not remarried Since the death of the said Abram Van Tassel but Still continues his widow that Since the death of the Said Abram Van Tassel their Mother the widow of said Abram Van Tassel has lived with one or the other of said deponents or near to them and if She had remarried they would have known it and they further swear that they reside in Girard Borough Erie County Pennsylvania. & Said Zenetia Van Tassel Now resides with said Geo. W. Van Tassel.

Sworn & Subscribed before } A. W. Van Tassel

me this 27th day of August 1878. } Geo. W. Van Tassel

Henry Ball J.P.

In addition, due to his mother Zenetia's failing memory and lack of details, George Washington Van Tassel asked for his Senator's assistance in obtaining the pension:

        GEO. W. VAN TASSEL

Lead Pipe, Pumps	Manufacturer of	Eave Spouting,
---and----	Tin, Copper and Sheet Iron Ware,	Tin Roofing
HYDRAULIC RAMS	and Dealer in	---and---
Always on hand and	Parlor, Cook and Heating Stoves	Job Work
Set to Order.		A Specialty

Girard, Erie Co., Pa., March 22 1878.

Hon Wm. A. Wallace U.S.S. for Penn.

Dear Sir

I write to ask if you will have the kindness /if not Intruding too much on your Valuable Time/ to look up the Record of Abram Van Tassel, A Soldier of the War of 1812 who was granted a Land warrant-about-1853 or 54 and whose Widow (my mother) wishes to apply for a Pension under Late-acts-of Congress. But Being very old and infirm Both in Body & mind cannot remember circumstances to fill out the application Papers we wrote.Through my attorney D. W. Hutchinson to the Interior Department and I send their reply enclosed. Father Enlisted from Either Staten or Long Island N.Y. and we think was Discharged on the consummation of the treaty of Peace after Serving 3 to 6 months. If you can assist us (any?) your Kindness will be fully appreciated.

Respect_ _ _

Geo. W. Van Tassel

The pension for eight dollars per month was eventually granted Sept 11, 1878 (64 years after the end of the war).  Zenitia passed away June 13, 1879.

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