JacobVan Tassel Revolutionary War Pension File
State of New York
City and County of New York
On the 3rd day of September personally appeared in open court before the Marine court of the City and county of New York now sitting, Jacob Van Tassel a resident of said city and county aged 88 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth on this oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 1832.
That he was born in Tarrytown, Westchester County in the year 1744. That he hath no record of his age. That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers at Tarrytown and served as herein state. He received a Lieutenant's commission in a company of Militia of the State of New York commanded by Capt Combs in the Regiment commanded by James Hammond in the latter part of the year 1778 or the beginning of 1779 which regiment was located in Westchester county state of New York and served some time as a Lieutenant and was afterwards appointed Captain in said regiment and was taken prisoner when in command of a ?single? detachment of men at Croton river Westchester county on the night the house where he lodged being surrounded and that he was held as a prisoner at the prison in New York for 5 weeks when he was ?instructed? to proceed to Long Island on parole where he remained on parole until after the surrender of Cornwallis when he reported to General Heath then at West Point and received order from him to proceed with a detachment of men to collect the public property near the lines and that he performed that duty and remained in service in his regiment until the close of the war, after which he was appointed a Major in said Regiment.
He was acquainted with Capt Bucannan, who was ordered by Gen'l Heath, (Capt Bucannan being commander of the American whale boats) to take possession of Capt Van Tassel's house, which was situated on the bounds of the North river 2 miles South of Tarrytown a favourable spot to view the movements of the enemy, where they remained two seasons, and from after which the British sent a force and burnt the house and all of the out buildings, for which he never received any compensation.
He hereby relinquishes any claim or (1 word) to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.
Signed Jacob Van Tassel
Sworn and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
?John Barbine?
Clerk
We, Caleb Brush and John M. Lester residing in the City of New York hereby
certify that we are well acquainted with Jacob Van Tassel who has subscribed
and sworn to the above declaration, that we believe him to be 88 years of age,
that he is reputed and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have
been a soldier of the revolution and we concur in that opinion.
Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesaid
Signed Caleb Brush, J M Lester
John Barbine Clerk
=========================
March 11, 1939
Jacob Van Tassel, S.23465
Miss Marjorie Barnard
416 Pine Street
Centralia, Washington
Dear Madam:
Reference is made to your request for information relative to Revolutionary War soldiers name Jacob Van Tassel who served from New York State.
The data which follow were obtained from papers on file in the pension claim, S.23465, based on the military service of the only Jacob Van Tassel that is found in the Revolutionary War records of this office.
Jacob Van Tassel (personal signature Van Tassel) was born in 1744 in Tarrytown, Westchester County, New York. The names of his parents are not shown. At the commencement of the Revolution he was a farmer living in Greensburgh which was two miles south of Tarrytown.
He enlisted in 1776 and performed various services at different periods as private and sergeant in Captain Glode Requa's company of Westchester County, New York militia until said captain resigned in 1778. On June 16, 1778, Jacob Van Tassel was commissioned second lieutenant in the same company then commanded by Captain George Combs in Lieutenant Colonel James Hammond's regiment of New York militia and Cornelius Van Tassell (relationship not shown) was the first lieutenant. Jacob Van Tassel was placed in command of a detachment of six privates and they went down the Hudson River to obtain information relative to the movements of the British and on the return trip the house in which he was lodging for the night, located in the vicinity of the Croton River, was surrounded by the British on July 1, 1779, and Jacob Van Tassel was taken prisoner, was carried to New York City and held in the "old jail" for four or five weeks when he succeeded in getting information to Skinner, the commissary of American prisoners, at whose instance he was placed on parole, was sent to Flatbush, Long Island, and remained there on parole until November 27, 1781, when he was exchanged. He then reported to General Heath at West Point and received orders to proceed with a detachment of men to collect public property which service he rendered until the close of the Revolution.
Jacob Van Tassel stated that Abraham, Isaac and David Van Tassel and William Raton, all his relatives (exact relationship not shown) were taken prisoner along with himself but all were dead in 1836.
During Jacob Van Tassel's imprisonment the British destroyed his dwelling and other buildings in Greensburgh which for two seasons had been occupied by Captain Buchanan who commanded the American Whale boats.
Jacob Van Tassel was appointed captain in Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert Budd's regiment of Westchester County militia on June 24, 178?5/6?.
In 1828 Jacob was living in New York City.
He was allowed pension on his application executed September 3, 1832, while living in New York City. In 1836 he was living at 395 Greenwich Street, New York City.
Jacob Van Tassel died August 24, 1840.
There are no further data relative to the family of Jacob Van Tassel.
Very truly yours,
A. D. Hiller
Executive Assistant
to the Administrator